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Chapter 4
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THEY called me to supper. “Most of us have our heartiest1 meal in the middle of the day,” my sister said.

“The average man, Victim of Copious2 Instruction,” added my brother-in-law, “does his work in the morning; the two hours that he has to, or the four that he usually puts in. Eight to twelve, or nine to one — that is the working day for everybody. Then home, rest, a bath maybe, and then — allow me to help you to some of our Improvements!”

I was hungry, and this simple meal looked and smelled most appetizing. There was in particular a large shining covered dish, which, being opened, gave forth4 so savory5 a steam as fairly to make my mouth water. A crisp and toothsome bread was by my plate; a hot drink, which they laughingly refused to name, proved most agreeable; a suave6, cool salad followed; fruits, some of which were new to me, and most delicate little cakes, closed the meal.

They would not tell me a thing, only saying “Have some more!” and I did. Not till I had eaten, with continuous delight, three helpings7 from the large dish did I notice that it stood alone, so to speak.

Nellie followed my eye with her usual prompt intelligence. “Yes,” she said, “this is all. But we can send for other things in the twinkling of an eye; what would you like?”

I leaned back in my chair and looked at her reproachfully. “I would like some of that salad — not very much, please! And some of those Burbankian products yonder, and one particular brown little cake — if I can hold it.”

Nellie smiled demurely9. “Oh!” she mildly remarked, “I thought for the moment that our little supper seemed scant10 to you.”

I glared at her, retorting, “Now I will not utter the grateful praises that were rising to my lips. I will even try to look critical and dissatisfied.” And I did, but they all laughed.

“It’s no manner of use, Uncle John,” cried my pretty niece; “we saw you eat it.”

“‘It’ indeed!” I protested. “What is this undeniably easy-to-take concoction11 you have stuffed me with?”

“My esteemed12 new brother,” Owen answered, “we have been considering your case in conclave13 assembled, and we think it is wiser to feed you for awhile and demand by all the rites14 of hospitality that you eat what is set before you and ask no questions for conscience sake. When you begin to pine, to lose your appetite, to look wan15 and hollow-eyed, then we may reconsider. Meanwhile we will tell you everything you want to know about food in general, and even some particulars — present dishes always excepted.”

“I will now produce information,” began Hallie, “my office being that of Food Inspector16.”

“Her main purpose in bringing you here, Uncle, was to give you food and then talk about it,” said Jerrold solemnly. Hallie only made a face at him, and went on:

“We have a magnificent system of production and distribution,” she explained, “with a decreasing use of animal foods.”

“Was this a vegetarian17 meal?” I asked in a hollow voice.

“Mostly; but you shall have meat when you want it — better meat than you used to get, too.”

“Cold Storage Meat?”

“Oh, no; that’s long since stopped. The way we manage about meat is this: A proper proportion of edible18 animals are raised under good conditions — nice, healthy, happy beasts; killed so that they don’t know it! — and never kept beyond a certain time limit.

“You see,” she paused, looking for the moment like her mother, “the whole food business is changed — you don’t realize.”

“Go ahead and tell me — tell me all — my life at present is that of Rollo, I perceive, and I am most complacent19 after this meal.”

“Uncle, I rejoice in your discovery, I do indeed. You are an uncle after my own heart,” said Jerrold.

So my fair niece, looking like any other charming girl in a pretty evening frock, began to expound20 her specialty21. Her mother begged to interrupt for the moment. “Let me recall to him things as they were — which you hardly know, you happy child. .Don’t forget, John, that when we were young we did not know what good food was.”

I started to protest, but she shook her finger at me.

“No, we didn’t, my dear boy. We knew ‘what we liked,’ as the people said at the picture show; but that did not make it good — good in itself or good for us. The world was ill-fed. Most of the food was below par3; a good deal was injurious, some absolutely poison. People sold poison for food in 1910, don’t forget that! You may remember the row that was beginning to be made about it.”

I admitted recalling something of the sort, though it had not particularly interested me at the time.

“Well, that row went on — and gained in force. The women woke up.”

“If you have said that once since we met, my dear sister, you’ve said it forty times. I wish you would make a parenthesis22 in these food discussions and tell me how, when and why the women woke up.”

Nellie looked a little dashed, and Owen laughed outright23.

“You stand up for your rights, John!” he said, rising and slapping me on the shoulder. “Let’s go in the other room and settle down for a chin — it’s our fate.”

“Hold him till he sees our housekeeping,” said Jerrold. I stood watching, while they rapidly placed our dishes — which I now noticed were very few — in a neat square case which stood on a side table. Everything went in out of sight; paper napkins from the same receptacle wiped the shining table; and then a smooth-running dumbwaiter took it from our sight.

“This is housework,” said Nellie, mischievously24.

“I refuse to be impressed. Come back to our muttons,” I insisted. “You can tell me about your domestic sleight-of-hand in due season.”

So we lounged in the large and pleasant parlor25, the broad river before us, rimmed26 with starry27 lamps, sparkling everywhere with the lights of tiny pleasure craft, and occasionally the blaze and wash of larger boats. I had a sense of pleasant well-being28. I had eaten heartily29, very heartily, yet was not oppressed. My new-found family pleased me well. The quiet room was beautiful in color and proportion, and as my eyes wandered idly over it I noted30 how few in number and how harmonious31 were its contents giving a sense of peace and spaciousness32.

The air was sweet — I did not notice then, as I did later, that the whole city was sweet-aired now; at least by comparison with what cities used to be. From somewhere came the sound of soft music, grateful to the ear. I stretched myself luxuriously33 with:

“Now, then, Nellie — let her go — ‘the women woke up.’ ”

“Some women were waking up tremendously, before you left, John Robertson, only I dare say you never noticed it. They just kept on, faster and faster, till they all did — about all. There are some Dodos left, even yet, but they don’t count — discredited34 grandmothers!”

“And, being awake?” I gently suggested.

“And being awake, they” She paused for an instant, seeking an expression, and Jerrold’s smooth bass35 voice put in, “They saw their duty and they did it.”

“Exactly,” his mother agreed, with a proudly loving glance at him; “that’s just what they did! And in regard to the food business, they recognized at last that it was their duty to feed the world — and that it was miserably36 done! So they took hold.”

“Now, mother, this is my specialty,” Hallie interposed.

“When a person can only talk about one thing, why oppose them?” murmured Jerrold. But she quite ignored him, and re — opened her discussion.

“We — that is, most of the women and some of the men — began to seriously study the food question, both from a hygienic and an economic standpoint. I can’t tell you that thirty years’ work in a minute, Uncle John, but here’s the way we manage it now: We have learned very definitely what people ought not to eat, and it is not only a punishable, but a punished offense37 to sell improper38 food stuffs.”

“How are the people to know?” I ventured.

“The people are not required to know everything. All the food is watched and tested by specialists; what goes into the market is good — all of it.”

“By impeccable angelic specialists — like my niece?”

She shook her head at me. “If they were not, the purchaser would spot them at once. You see, our food supply is not at the mercy of the millions of ignorant housewives any more. Food is bought and prepared by people who know how — and they have all the means — and knowledge — for expert tests.”

“And if the purchaser too was humanly fallible? ”

She cast a pitying glance on me, and her father took the floor for a moment.

“You see, John, in the old time the dealers39 were mostly poor, and sold cheap and bad stuff to make a little money. The buyers were mostly poor, and had to buy the cheap and nasty stuff. Even large manufacturers were under pressure, and had to cheat to make a profit — or thought they had to. Then when we got to inspectors40 and such like they were under the harrow, too, and were by no means impeccable. Our big change is this: Nobody is poor now.”

“I hear you say that,” I answered, “but I can’t seem to get it through my head. Have you really divided all the property?”

“John Robertson, I’m ashamed of you!” cried Nellie. “Even in 1910 people knew better than that — people who knew anything!”

“That wasn’t necessary,” said Owen, “nor desirable. What we have done is this: First, we have raised the productive capacity of the population; second, we have secured their right to our natural resources; third, we have learned to administer business without waste. The wealth of the world grows enormously. It is not what you call ‘equally distributed,’ but every one has enough. There is no economic danger any more; there is economic peace.”

“And economic freedom?” asked I sharply.

“And economic freedom. People choose the work they like best, and work — freely, more than they have to.”

I pondered on this. “Ah, but they have to — labor41 is compulsory42.”

Owen grinned. “Yes, labor is compulsory — always was. It is compulsory on everyone now. We used to have two sets who wouldn’t work — paupers43 and the idle rich; no such classes left — all busy.”

“But, the freedom of the individual ”

I persisted.

“Come, come, brother; society always played hob with the freedom of the individuals whenever it saw fit. It killed, imprisoned44, fined; it had compulsory laws and regulations; it required people to wear clothes and furnished no clothes for them to wear. If society has a right to take human life, why has it not a right to improve it? No, my dear man,” continued Owen (he was evidently launched on his specialty now) “society is not somebody else domineering over us! Society is us — taking care of ourselves.”

I took no exception to this, and he began again. “Society, in our young days, was in a state of auto-intoxication. It generated its own poisons, and absorbed them in peaceful, slow suicide. To think! — it seems im possible now — to think of allowing anybody to sell bad food!”

“That wasn’t the only bad thing they sold” I suggested.

“No; unfortunately. Why, look here — ” Owen slid a glass panel in the wall and took out a book.

“That’s clever,” I remarked approvingly, “Bookcases built in!”

“Yes, they are everywhere now,” said Nellie. Books — a few of them — are common human necessities. Every home, every room almost, has these little dust-tight, insect-proof wall cases. Concrete construction has helped very much in all such mat — ters.”

Owen had found his place, and now poured upon me a concentrated list of the adulterated materials deteriorating45 the world in that period so slightingly referred to as “my day.” I noticed with gratitude46 that Owen said “When we were young!”

“You never were sure of getting anything pure,” he said scornfully, “no matter what you paid for it. How we submitted to such rank outrage47 for so long I cannot imagine I This was taken up very definitely some twenty years ago, by the women mostly.”

“Aha — ‘when the women woke up!’ ” I cried.

“Yes, just that. It is true that their being mostly mere48 housewives and seamstresses was a handicap in some ways; but it was a direct advantage in others. They were almost all consumers, you see, not producers. They were not so much influenced by considerations of the profits of the manufacturer as they were by the direct loss to their own pockets and health. Yes,” he smiled reminiscently, “there were some pretty warm years while this thing was thrashed out. One of the most successful lines of attack was in the New Food system, though.”

“IwZZtalk!” cried Hallie. “Here I’ve inveigled49 Uncle John up here — and — and fed him to repletion50; and have him completely at my mercy, and then you people butt51 in and do all the talking!”

“Gro it, little sister — you’re dead right!” agreed Jerrold, “You see, Uncle, it’s one thing to restrain and prevent and punish — and another thing to substitute improvements.”

“Kindergarten methods?” I ventured.

“Yes, exactly. As women had learned this in handling children, they began to apply it to grown people — the same children, only a little older. Ever so many people had been talking and writing about this food business, and finally some of them got together and really started it.”

“One of these cooperative schemes?” I was beginning, but the women looked at me with such pitying contempt that I promptly52 withdrew the suggestion.

“Not much!” said Nellie disdainfully. “Of course, those cooperative schemes were a natural result of the growing difficulties in our old methods, but they were on utterly53 wrong lines. No, sir; the new food business was a real business, and a very successful one. The first company began about 1912 or ‘13, I think. Just some women with a real business sense, and enough capital. They wisely concluded that a block of apartments was the natural field for their services; and that professional women were their natural patrons.”

“The unprofessional women — or professional wives, as you might call them — had only their housewifery to preserve their self-respect, you see,” put in Owen. “If they didn’t do housekeeping for a living, what — in the name of decency54 — did they do?”

“This was called the Home Service Company,” said Hallie. “(I will talk, mother!) They built some unusually attractive apartments, planned by women, to please women; this block was one of the finest designs of their architects — women, too, by the way.”

“Who had waked up,” murmured Jerrold, unnoticed.

“It was frankly55 advertised as specially56 designed for professional women. They looked at it, liked it, and moved it; teachers, largely doctors, lawyers, dressmakers; women who worked.”

Sort of a nunnery?” I asked.

‘My dear brother, do you imagine that all working women were orphan57 spinsters, even in your day?” cried Nellie. “The self-supporting women of that time generally had

<<< other people to support, too. Lots of them were married; many were widows with children; even the single ones had brothers and sisters to take care of.”

“They rushed in, anyhow,” said Hallie. “The place was beautiful and built for enjoyment58. There was a nice garden in the middle ”

“Like this one here?” I interrupted. “This is a charming patio59. How did they make space for it?”

“New York blocks were not divinely ordained,” Owen replied. “It occurred to the citizens at last they they could bisect those 200x800-foot oblongs, and they did. Wide, tree-shaded, pleasant ways run between the old avenues, and the blocks remaining are practically squares.”

“You noticed the irregular border of grass and shrubbery as we came up, didn’t you, Uncle?” asked Jerrold. “We forgot to speak about it, because we are used to it.”

I did recall now that our ride had been not through monotonous60, stone-faced, right-angled ravines, but along the pleasant fronts of gracious varying buildings, whose skyline was a pleasure and street line bordered greenly,

“You didn’t live here and don’t remember, maybe,” Owen remarked, “but the regular thing uptown was one of those lean, long blocks, flat-faced and solid, built to the side-walk’s edge. If it was a line of private houses they were bordered with gloomy little stone-paved areas, and ornamented61 with ash-cans and garbage pails. If the avenue end was faced with tall apartments, their lower margin62 was infested63 with a row of little shops — meat, fish, vegetable, fruit — with all their litter and refuse and flies, and constant traffic. Now a residence block is a thing of beauty on all sides. The really necessary shops are maintained, but planned for in the building, and made beautiful. Those fly-tainted meat markets no longer exist.”

“I will talk!” said Hallie, so plaintively64 that we all laughed and let her.

“That first one I was telling you about was very charming and attractive. There were arrangements on the top floor for nurseries and child gardens; and the roof was for children all day; evenings the grown-ups had it. Great care was taken by the management in letting this part to the best professionals in child culture.

“There were big rooms, too, for meetings and parties; places for billiards65 and bowling66 and swimming — it was planned for real human enjoyment, like a summer hotel.”

“But I thought you said this place was for women,” I incautiously ventured.

“Oh, Uncle John! And has it never occurred to you that women like to amuse themselves? Or that professional women have men relatives and men friends? There were plenty of men in the building, and plenty more to visit it. They were shown how nice it was, you see. But the chief card was the food and service. This company engaged, at high wages, first-class houseworkers, and the residents paid for them by the hour; and they had a food service which was beyond the dreams of — of — homes, or boarding houses.”

“Your professional women must have been millionaires,” I mildly suggested.

“You think so because you do not understand the food business, Uncle John; nobody did in those days. We were so used to the criminal waste of individual house-keeping, with its pitifully low standards, and to monotonous low-grade restaurant meals, with their waste and extortion, that it never occurred to us to estimate the amount of profit there really was in the business. These far-seeing women were pioneers — but not for long! Dozens are claiming first place now, just as the early ‘Women’s Clubs’ used to.

“They established in that block a meal service that was a wonder for excellence67, and for cheapness, too; and people began to learn.”

I was impressed, but not convinced, and she saw it.

“Look here, Uncle John, I hate to use figures on a helpless listener, but you drive me to it.”

Then she reached for the bookcase and produced her evidence, sparingly, but with effect. She showed me that the difference between the expense of hiring separate service and the same number of people patronizing a service company was sufficient to reduce expenses to the patrons and leave a handsome payment for the company

Owen looked on, interpreting to my ignorance.

“You never kept house, old, man,” he said, “nor thought much about it, I expect; but you can figure this out for yourself easily enough. Here were a hundred families, equal to, say, five hundred persons. They hired a hundred cooks, of course; paid them something like six dollars a week — call it five on an average. There’s $500 a week, just for cooks — $26,000 a year!

“Now, as a matter of fact (our learned daughter tells us this), ten cooks are plenty for five hundred persons — at the same price would cost $1,300 a year!”

“Ten are plenty, and to spare,” said Hallie; “but we pay them handsomely. One chef at $3,000; two next bests at $2,000 each, four thousand; two at $1,000 apiece, two thousand; five at $800, four thousand. That’s $18,000 — half what we paid before, and the difference in service between a kitchen maid and a scientific artist.”

“Fifty per cent, saved on wages, and 500 per cent, added to skill,” Owen continued. “And you can go right on and add 90 per cent, saving in fuel, 90 per cent, in plant, 50 per cent, in utensils68, and — how much is it, Hallie, in materials?”

Hallie looked very important.

“Even when they first started, when food was shamefully69 expensive and required all manner of U Jand — ations, L saving was all of 60 per cent. Now it is fully8 80 per cent.”

“That makes a good deal all told, Uncle John,” Jerrold quietly remarked, handing me a bit of paper. “You see, it does leave a margin of profit.”

I looked rather helplessly at the figures; also at Hallie.

“It is a shame, Uncle, to hurry you so, but the sooner you get these little matters clear in your head, the better. We have these great food furnishing companies, now, all over the country; and they have market gardens and dairies and so on, of their own. There is a Food Bureau in every city, and a National Food Bureau, with international relations. The best scientific knowledge is used to study food values, to improve old materials and develop new ones; there’s a tremendous gain.”

“But — do the people swallow things as directed by the government?” I protested. “Is there no chance to go and buy what you want to eat when you want it?”

They rose to their feet with one accord. Jerrold seized me by the hand.

“Come on, Uncle!” he cried. “Now is as good a time as any. You shall see our food department — come to scoff70 and remain to prey71 — if you like.”

The elevator took us down, and I was led unresistingly among their shining modernities.

“Here is the source of supply,” said Owen, showing where the basement supply room connected with a clean, airy subway under the glass-paved sidewalk. “Ice we make, drinking water we distil72, fuel is wired to us; but the food stuffs are brought this way. Come down early enough and you would find these arteries73 of the city flowing steadily74 with ”

“Milk and honey,” put in Jerrold.

“With the milk train, the meat train, the vegetable train, and so on.”

“Ordered beforehand?” I asked.

“Ordered beforehand. Up to midnight you may send down word as to the kind of mushrooms you prefer — and no extra charge. During the day you can still order, but there’s a trifle more expense — not much. But most of us are more than content to have our managers cater75 for us. From the home outfit76 you may choose at any time. There are lists upstairs, and here is the array.”

There were but few officials in this part of the great establishment at this hour, but we were politely shown about by a scholarly looking man in white linen77, who had been reading as we entered. They took me between rows of glass cases, standing78 as books do in the library, and showed me the day’s baking; the year’s preserves; the fragrant79, colorful shelves of such fruit and vegetables as were not fresh picked from day to day.

“We don’t get today’s strawberries till the local ones are ripe,” Jerrold told us.

“These are yesterday’s, and pretty good yet.”

“Excuse me, but those have just come in,” said the white-linen person; “this morning’s picking, from Maryland.”

I tasted them with warm approval. There was a fascinating display of cakes and cookies, some old favorites, some of a new but attractive aspect; and in glass-doored separate ice-chambers, meats, fish, milk, and butter.

“Can people come in here and get what they want, though?” I inquired triumphantly80.

“They can, and occasionally they do. But what it will take you some time to realize, John,” my sister explained, “is the different attitude of people toward their food. We are all not only well fed — sufficiently81 fed — but so wisely fed that we seldom think of wanting anything further. When we do we can order from upstairs, come down to the eating room and order, send to the big depots82 if it is some rare thing, or even come in like this. To the regular purchasers it is practically free,”

“And how if you are a stranger — a man in the street?”

“In every city in our land you may go into any eating house and find food as good — and cheap — as this,” said Hallie, triumphantly.

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 heartiest 2142d8f6bac2103bc5ff4945485f9dab     
亲切的( hearty的最高级 ); 热诚的; 健壮的; 精神饱满的
参考例句:
  • He was then the heartiest and sturdiest boy in the world. 他那时是世界上最诚恳、最坚强的孩子。
  • We parted with them in the heartiest manner. 我们和他们在最热烈的气氛下分别了。
2 copious koizs     
adj.丰富的,大量的
参考例句:
  • She supports her theory with copious evidences.她以大量的例证来充实自己的理论。
  • Every star is a copious source of neutrinos.每颗恒星都是丰富的中微子源。
3 par OK0xR     
n.标准,票面价值,平均数量;adj.票面的,平常的,标准的
参考例句:
  • Sales of nylon have been below par in recent years.近年来尼龙织品的销售额一直不及以往。
  • I don't think his ability is on a par with yours.我认为他的能力不能与你的能力相媲美。
4 forth Hzdz2     
adv.向前;向外,往外
参考例句:
  • The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
  • He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。
5 savory UC9zT     
adj.风味极佳的,可口的,味香的
参考例句:
  • She placed a huge dish before him of savory steaming meat.她将一大盘热气腾腾、美味可口的肉放在他面前。
  • He doesn't have a very savory reputation.他的名誉不太好。
6 suave 3FXyH     
adj.温和的;柔和的;文雅的
参考例句:
  • He is a suave,cool and cultured man.他是个世故、冷静、有教养的人。
  • I had difficulty answering his suave questions.我难以回答他的一些彬彬有礼的提问。
7 helpings 835bc3d1bf4c0bc59996bf878466084d     
n.(食物)的一份( helping的名词复数 );帮助,支持
参考例句:
  • You greedy pig! You've already had two helpings! 你这个馋嘴!你已经吃了两份了!
  • He had two helpings of pudding. 他吃了两客布丁。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
8 fully Gfuzd     
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地
参考例句:
  • The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气,然后全部呼出。
  • They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。
9 demurely demurely     
adv.装成端庄地,认真地
参考例句:
  • "On the forehead, like a good brother,'she answered demurely. "吻前额,像个好哥哥那样,"她故作正经地回答说。 来自飘(部分)
  • Punctuation is the way one bats one's eyes, lowers one's voice or blushes demurely. 标点就像人眨眨眼睛,低声细语,或伍犯作态。 来自名作英译部分
10 scant 2Dwzx     
adj.不充分的,不足的;v.减缩,限制,忽略
参考例句:
  • Don't scant the butter when you make a cake.做糕饼时不要吝惜奶油。
  • Many mothers pay scant attention to their own needs when their children are small.孩子们小的时候,许多母亲都忽视自己的需求。
11 concoction 8Ytyv     
n.调配(物);谎言
参考例句:
  • She enjoyed the concoction of foreign dishes.她喜欢调制外国菜。
  • His story was a sheer concoction.他的故事实在是一纯属捏造之事。
12 esteemed ftyzcF     
adj.受人尊敬的v.尊敬( esteem的过去式和过去分词 );敬重;认为;以为
参考例句:
  • The art of conversation is highly esteemed in France. 在法国十分尊重谈话技巧。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He esteemed that he understood what I had said. 他认为已经听懂我说的意思了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
13 conclave eY9yw     
n.秘密会议,红衣主教团
参考例句:
  • Signore,I ask and I prey,that you break this conclave.各位阁下,我请求,并祈祷,你们能停止这次秘密会议。
  • I met my partner at that conclave and my life moved into a huge shift.我就是在那次大会上遇到了我的伴侣的,而我的生活就转向了一个巨大的改变。
14 rites 5026f3cfef698ee535d713fec44bcf27     
仪式,典礼( rite的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • to administer the last rites to sb 给某人举行临终圣事
  • He is interested in mystic rites and ceremonies. 他对神秘的仪式感兴趣。
15 wan np5yT     
(wide area network)广域网
参考例句:
  • The shared connection can be an Ethernet,wireless LAN,or wireless WAN connection.提供共享的网络连接可以是以太网、无线局域网或无线广域网。
16 inspector q6kxH     
n.检查员,监察员,视察员
参考例句:
  • The inspector was interested in everything pertaining to the school.视察员对有关学校的一切都感兴趣。
  • The inspector was shining a flashlight onto the tickets.查票员打着手电筒查看车票。
17 vegetarian 7KGzY     
n.素食者;adj.素食的
参考例句:
  • She got used gradually to the vegetarian diet.她逐渐习惯吃素食。
  • I didn't realize you were a vegetarian.我不知道你是个素食者。
18 edible Uqdxx     
n.食品,食物;adj.可食用的
参考例句:
  • Edible wild herbs kept us from dying of starvation.我们靠着野菜才没被饿死。
  • This kind of mushroom is edible,but that kind is not.这种蘑菇吃得,那种吃不得。
19 complacent JbzyW     
adj.自满的;自鸣得意的
参考例句:
  • We must not become complacent the moment we have some success.我们决不能一见成绩就自满起来。
  • She was complacent about her achievements.她对自己的成绩沾沾自喜。
20 expound hhOz7     
v.详述;解释;阐述
参考例句:
  • Why not get a diviner to expound my dream?为什么不去叫一个占卜者来解释我的梦呢?
  • The speaker has an hour to expound his views to the public.讲演者有1小时时间向公众阐明他的观点。
21 specialty SrGy7     
n.(speciality)特性,特质;专业,专长
参考例句:
  • Shell carvings are a specialty of the town.贝雕是该城的特产。
  • His specialty is English literature.他的专业是英国文学。
22 parenthesis T4MzP     
n.圆括号,插入语,插曲,间歇,停歇
参考例句:
  • There is no space between the function name and the parenthesis.函数名与括号之间没有空格。
  • In this expression,we do not need a multiplication sign or parenthesis.这个表达式中,我们不需要乘号或括号。
23 outright Qj7yY     
adv.坦率地;彻底地;立即;adj.无疑的;彻底的
参考例句:
  • If you have a complaint you should tell me outright.如果你有不满意的事,你应该直率地对我说。
  • You should persuade her to marry you outright.你应该彻底劝服她嫁给你。
24 mischievously 23cd35e8c65a34bd7a6d7ecbff03b336     
adv.有害地;淘气地
参考例句:
  • He mischievously looked for a chance to embarrass his sister. 他淘气地寻找机会让他的姐姐难堪。 来自互联网
  • Also has many a dream kindheartedness, is loves mischievously small lovable. 又有着多啦a梦的好心肠,是爱调皮的小可爱。 来自互联网
25 parlor v4MzU     
n.店铺,营业室;会客室,客厅
参考例句:
  • She was lying on a small settee in the parlor.她躺在客厅的一张小长椅上。
  • Is there a pizza parlor in the neighborhood?附近有没有比萨店?
26 rimmed 72238a10bc448d8786eaa308bd5cd067     
adj.有边缘的,有框的v.沿…边缘滚动;给…镶边
参考例句:
  • Gold rimmed spectacles bit deep into the bridge of his nose. 金边眼镜深深嵌入他的鼻梁。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Trees rimmed the pool. 水池的四周树木环绕。 来自《简明英汉词典》
27 starry VhWzfP     
adj.星光照耀的, 闪亮的
参考例句:
  • He looked at the starry heavens.他瞧着布满星星的天空。
  • I like the starry winter sky.我喜欢这满天星斗的冬夜。
28 well-being Fe3zbn     
n.安康,安乐,幸福
参考例句:
  • He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
  • My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福,却被误解为多管闲事。
29 heartily Ld3xp     
adv.衷心地,诚恳地,十分,很
参考例句:
  • He ate heartily and went out to look for his horse.他痛快地吃了一顿,就出去找他的马。
  • The host seized my hand and shook it heartily.主人抓住我的手,热情地和我握手。
30 noted 5n4zXc     
adj.著名的,知名的
参考例句:
  • The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
  • Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。
31 harmonious EdWzx     
adj.和睦的,调和的,和谐的,协调的
参考例句:
  • Their harmonious relationship resulted in part from their similar goals.他们关系融洽的部分原因是他们有着相似的目标。
  • The room was painted in harmonious colors.房间油漆得色彩调和。
32 spaciousness 6db589e8e16e3d65c1a623cd6a54af75     
n.宽敞
参考例句:
  • A high ceiling gives a feeling of airness and spaciousness. 天花板高给人一种通风和宽敞的感觉。
  • The tremendous spaciousness of it was glowing with rich gold. 苍茫辽阔的景色染上了一片瑰丽浓艳的金黄色。
33 luxuriously 547f4ef96080582212df7e47e01d0eaf     
adv.奢侈地,豪华地
参考例句:
  • She put her nose luxuriously buried in heliotrope and tea roses. 她把自己的鼻子惬意地埋在天芥菜和庚申蔷薇花簇中。 来自辞典例句
  • To be well dressed doesn't mean to be luxuriously dressed. 穿得好不一定衣着豪华。 来自辞典例句
34 discredited 94ada058d09abc9d4a3f8a5e1089019f     
不足信的,不名誉的
参考例句:
  • The reactionary authorities are between two fires and have been discredited. 反动当局弄得进退维谷,不得人心。
  • Her honour was discredited in the newspapers. 她的名声被报纸败坏了。
35 bass APUyY     
n.男低音(歌手);低音乐器;低音大提琴
参考例句:
  • He answered my question in a surprisingly deep bass.他用一种低得出奇的声音回答我的问题。
  • The bass was to give a concert in the park.那位男低音歌唱家将在公园中举行音乐会。
36 miserably zDtxL     
adv.痛苦地;悲惨地;糟糕地;极度地
参考例句:
  • The little girl was wailing miserably. 那小女孩难过得号啕大哭。
  • It was drizzling, and miserably cold and damp. 外面下着毛毛细雨,天气又冷又湿,令人难受。 来自《简明英汉词典》
37 offense HIvxd     
n.犯规,违法行为;冒犯,得罪
参考例句:
  • I hope you will not take any offense at my words. 对我讲的话请别见怪。
  • His words gave great offense to everybody present.他的发言冲犯了在场的所有人。
38 improper b9txi     
adj.不适当的,不合适的,不正确的,不合礼仪的
参考例句:
  • Short trousers are improper at a dance.舞会上穿短裤不成体统。
  • Laughing and joking are improper at a funeral.葬礼时大笑和开玩笑是不合适的。
39 dealers 95e592fc0f5dffc9b9616efd02201373     
n.商人( dealer的名词复数 );贩毒者;毒品贩子;发牌者
参考例句:
  • There was fast bidding between private collectors and dealers. 私人收藏家和交易商急速竞相喊价。
  • The police were corrupt and were operating in collusion with the drug dealers. 警察腐败,与那伙毒品贩子内外勾结。
40 inspectors e7f2779d4a90787cc7432cd5c8b51897     
n.检查员( inspector的名词复数 );(英国公共汽车或火车上的)查票员;(警察)巡官;检阅官
参考例句:
  • They got into the school in the guise of inspectors. 他们假装成视察员进了学校。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Inspectors checked that there was adequate ventilation. 检查员已检查过,通风良好。 来自《简明英汉词典》
41 labor P9Tzs     
n.劳动,努力,工作,劳工;分娩;vi.劳动,努力,苦干;vt.详细分析;麻烦
参考例句:
  • We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
  • He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后,他已经疲惫不堪了。
42 compulsory 5pVzu     
n.强制的,必修的;规定的,义务的
参考例句:
  • Is English a compulsory subject?英语是必修课吗?
  • Compulsory schooling ends at sixteen.义务教育至16岁为止。
43 paupers 4c4c583df03d9b7a0e9ba5a2f5e9864f     
n.穷人( pauper的名词复数 );贫民;贫穷
参考例句:
  • The garment is expensive, paupers like you could never afford it! 这件衣服很贵,你这穷鬼根本买不起! 来自互联网
  • Child-friendliest among the paupers were Burkina Faso and Malawi. 布基纳法索,马拉维,这俩贫穷国家儿童友善工作做得不错。 来自互联网
44 imprisoned bc7d0bcdd0951055b819cfd008ef0d8d     
下狱,监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He was imprisoned for two concurrent terms of 30 months and 18 months. 他被判处30个月和18个月的监禁,合并执行。
  • They were imprisoned for possession of drugs. 他们因拥有毒品而被监禁。
45 deteriorating 78fb3515d7abc3a0539b443be0081fb1     
恶化,变坏( deteriorate的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • The weather conditions are deteriorating. 天气变得越来越糟。
  • I was well aware of the bad morale and the deteriorating factories. 我很清楚,大家情绪低落,各个工厂越搞越坏。
46 gratitude p6wyS     
adj.感激,感谢
参考例句:
  • I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。
  • She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。
47 outrage hvOyI     
n.暴行,侮辱,愤怒;vt.凌辱,激怒
参考例句:
  • When he heard the news he reacted with a sense of outrage.他得悉此事时义愤填膺。
  • We should never forget the outrage committed by the Japanese invaders.我们永远都不应该忘记日本侵略者犯下的暴行。
48 mere rC1xE     
adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过
参考例句:
  • That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
  • It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。
49 inveigled a281c78b82a64b2e294de3b53629c9d4     
v.诱骗,引诱( inveigle的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He inveigled them into buying a new car. 他诱惑他们买了一辆新汽车。 来自辞典例句
  • The salesman inveigled the girl into buying the ring. 店员(以甜言)诱使女孩买下戒指。 来自辞典例句
50 repletion vBczc     
n.充满,吃饱
参考例句:
  • It is better to die of repletion than to endure hunger.饱死胜过挨饿。
  • A baby vomits milk from repletion.婴儿吃饱会吐奶。
51 butt uSjyM     
n.笑柄;烟蒂;枪托;臀部;v.用头撞或顶
参考例句:
  • The water butt catches the overflow from this pipe.大水桶盛接管子里流出的东西。
  • He was the butt of their jokes.他是他们的笑柄。
52 promptly LRMxm     
adv.及时地,敏捷地
参考例句:
  • He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
  • She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。
53 utterly ZfpzM1     
adv.完全地,绝对地
参考例句:
  • Utterly devoted to the people,he gave his life in saving his patients.他忠于人民,把毕生精力用于挽救患者的生命。
  • I was utterly ravished by the way she smiled.她的微笑使我完全陶醉了。
54 decency Jxzxs     
n.体面,得体,合宜,正派,庄重
参考例句:
  • His sense of decency and fair play made him refuse the offer.他的正直感和公平竞争意识使他拒绝了这一提议。
  • Your behaviour is an affront to public decency.你的行为有伤风化。
55 frankly fsXzcf     
adv.坦白地,直率地;坦率地说
参考例句:
  • To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说,我一点也不赞成这个主意。
  • Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说,我不反对改革。
56 specially Hviwq     
adv.特定地;特殊地;明确地
参考例句:
  • They are specially packaged so that they stack easily.它们经过特别包装以便于堆放。
  • The machine was designed specially for demolishing old buildings.这种机器是专为拆毁旧楼房而设计的。
57 orphan QJExg     
n.孤儿;adj.无父母的
参考例句:
  • He brought up the orphan and passed onto him his knowledge of medicine.他把一个孤儿养大,并且把自己的医术传给了他。
  • The orphan had been reared in a convent by some good sisters.这个孤儿在一所修道院里被几个好心的修女带大。
58 enjoyment opaxV     
n.乐趣;享有;享用
参考例句:
  • Your company adds to the enjoyment of our visit. 有您的陪同,我们这次访问更加愉快了。
  • After each joke the old man cackled his enjoyment.每逢讲完一个笑话,这老人就呵呵笑着表示他的高兴。
59 patio gSdzr     
n.庭院,平台
参考例句:
  • Suddenly, the thought of my beautiful patio came to mind. I can be quiet out there,I thought.我又忽然想到家里漂亮的院子,我能够在这里宁静地呆会。
  • They had a barbecue on their patio on Sunday.星期天他们在院子里进行烧烤。
60 monotonous FwQyJ     
adj.单调的,一成不变的,使人厌倦的
参考例句:
  • She thought life in the small town was monotonous.她觉得小镇上的生活单调而乏味。
  • His articles are fixed in form and monotonous in content.他的文章千篇一律,一个调调儿。
61 ornamented af417c68be20f209790a9366e9da8dbb     
adj.花式字体的v.装饰,点缀,美化( ornament的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The desk was ornamented with many carvings. 这桌子装饰有很多雕刻物。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • She ornamented her dress with lace. 她用花边装饰衣服。 来自《简明英汉词典》
62 margin 67Mzp     
n.页边空白;差额;余地,余裕;边,边缘
参考例句:
  • We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。
  • The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。
63 infested f7396944f0992504a7691e558eca6411     
adj.为患的,大批滋生的(常与with搭配)v.害虫、野兽大批出没于( infest的过去式和过去分词 );遍布于
参考例句:
  • The kitchen was infested with ants. 厨房里到处是蚂蚁。
  • The apartments were infested with rats and roaches. 公寓里面到处都是老鼠和蟑螂。
64 plaintively 46a8d419c0b5a38a2bee07501e57df53     
adv.悲哀地,哀怨地
参考例句:
  • The last note of the song rang out plaintively. 歌曲最后道出了离别的哀怨。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Birds cry plaintively before they die, men speak kindly in the presence of death. 鸟之将死,其鸣也哀;人之将死,其言也善。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
65 billiards DyBzVP     
n.台球
参考例句:
  • John used to divert himself with billiards.约翰过去总打台球自娱。
  • Billiards isn't popular in here.这里不流行台球。
66 bowling cxjzeN     
n.保龄球运动
参考例句:
  • Bowling is a popular sport with young and old.保龄球是老少都爱的运动。
  • Which sport do you 1ike most,golf or bowling?你最喜欢什么运动,高尔夫还是保龄球?
67 excellence ZnhxM     
n.优秀,杰出,(pl.)优点,美德
参考例句:
  • His art has reached a high degree of excellence.他的艺术已达到炉火纯青的地步。
  • My performance is far below excellence.我的表演离优秀还差得远呢。
68 utensils 69f125dfb1fef9b418c96d1986e7b484     
器具,用具,器皿( utensil的名词复数 ); 器物
参考例句:
  • Formerly most of our household utensils were made of brass. 以前我们家庭用的器皿多数是用黄铜做的。
  • Some utensils were in a state of decay when they were unearthed. 有些器皿在出土时已经残破。
69 shamefully 34df188eeac9326cbc46e003cb9726b1     
可耻地; 丢脸地; 不体面地; 羞耻地
参考例句:
  • He misused his dog shamefully. 他可耻地虐待自己的狗。
  • They have served me shamefully for a long time. 长期以来,他们待我很坏。
70 scoff mDwzo     
n.嘲笑,笑柄,愚弄;v.嘲笑,嘲弄,愚弄,狼吞虎咽
参考例句:
  • You are not supposed to scoff at religion.你不该嘲弄宗教。
  • He was the scoff of the town.他成为全城的笑柄。
71 prey g1czH     
n.被掠食者,牺牲者,掠食;v.捕食,掠夺,折磨
参考例句:
  • Stronger animals prey on weaker ones.弱肉强食。
  • The lion was hunting for its prey.狮子在寻找猎物。
72 distil nsqxt     
vt.蒸馏;提取…的精华,精选出
参考例句:
  • You can distil fresh water from the sea.你可以用蒸馏法从海水中提取淡水。
  • The writer managed to distil his ideas into one succinct article.作家努力把他的想法浓缩成一篇简练的文章。
73 arteries 821b60db0d5e4edc87fdf5fc263ba3f5     
n.动脉( artery的名词复数 );干线,要道
参考例句:
  • Even grafting new blood vessels in place of the diseased coronary arteries has been tried. 甚至移植新血管代替不健康的冠状动脉的方法都已经试过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • This is the place where the three main arteries of West London traffic met. 这就是伦敦西部三条主要交通干线的交汇处。 来自《简明英汉词典》
74 steadily Qukw6     
adv.稳定地;不变地;持续地
参考例句:
  • The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
  • Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。
75 cater ickyJ     
vi.(for/to)满足,迎合;(for)提供饮食及服务
参考例句:
  • I expect he will be able to cater for your particular needs.我预计他能满足你的特殊需要。
  • Most schools cater for children of different abilities.大多数学校能够满足具有不同天资的儿童的需要。
76 outfit YJTxC     
n.(为特殊用途的)全套装备,全套服装
参考例句:
  • Jenney bought a new outfit for her daughter's wedding.珍妮为参加女儿的婚礼买了一套新装。
  • His father bought a ski outfit for him on his birthday.他父亲在他生日那天给他买了一套滑雪用具。
77 linen W3LyK     
n.亚麻布,亚麻线,亚麻制品;adj.亚麻布制的,亚麻的
参考例句:
  • The worker is starching the linen.这名工人正在给亚麻布上浆。
  • Fine linen and cotton fabrics were known as well as wool.精细的亚麻织品和棉织品像羊毛一样闻名遐迩。
78 standing 2hCzgo     
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的
参考例句:
  • After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
  • They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
79 fragrant z6Yym     
adj.芬香的,馥郁的,愉快的
参考例句:
  • The Fragrant Hills are exceptionally beautiful in late autumn.深秋的香山格外美丽。
  • The air was fragrant with lavender.空气中弥漫薰衣草香。
80 triumphantly 9fhzuv     
ad.得意洋洋地;得胜地;成功地
参考例句:
  • The lion was roaring triumphantly. 狮子正在发出胜利的吼叫。
  • Robert was looking at me triumphantly. 罗伯特正得意扬扬地看着我。
81 sufficiently 0htzMB     
adv.足够地,充分地
参考例句:
  • It turned out he had not insured the house sufficiently.原来他没有给房屋投足保险。
  • The new policy was sufficiently elastic to accommodate both views.新政策充分灵活地适用两种观点。
82 depots 94513a1433eb89e870b48abe4ad940c2     
仓库( depot的名词复数 ); 火车站; 车库; 军需库
参考例句:
  • Public transportation termini and depots are important infrastructures for a city. 公交场站设施是城市重要的基础设施。
  • In the coastal cities are equipped with after-sales service and depots. 在各沿海城市均设有服务部及售后维修站。


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