Chapter 4

 Evenwrite shakes his head, anger giving way to profound gloom, as though he had just announced the end of the world. “We are right where we started before you came.” In spite of the doomsday tone in Evenwrite’s dramatics, Draeger can easily perceive the triumph behind the words. Of course the fat fool must crow a bit, Draeger realizes, even though my defeat is his own. But how could Stamper have changed his mind? “You are certain?” he asks. Evenwrite shuts his eyes and nods. “You must of made a slight miscalculation.” “How peculiar,” Draeger mutters, trying to keep any sound of alarm from his voice. Never show alarm, he always maintained. Jotted¹ in a notebook in his breast pocket: “Alarm, when used for anything less than a fire or an air attack, is certain to muddle² the mind, unsettle the senses, and, in most cases, more than double the danger.” But where is that slight miscalculation? He looks back at Evenwrite. “What were his reasons? What did he give as his reasons?” Evenwrite’s features snap back to anger. “I’m the bastard’s brother? His bunkmate maybe? How do you expect me—how do you expect any-motherkilling-one to know Hank Stamper’s reasons? Shit. I figure myself doing damned good keeping track of his actions, let alone his reasons!” “But you had to find out about those actions in some manner, Floyd; did he float a message into town in a bottle?” “The same as, practically. Les called me from the Snag to say he heard Hank’s wife come in and tell it to Lee, that smartass brother of Hank’s, tell that Hank was planning to rent a tug⁴ and make the run after all.” a great notion Draeger looks toward Gibbons. “Did you overhear any reason for this sudden change?” “Well, the boy seemed to know why, the way he ranted⁵ around....” “All right, then, did you ask him?” “Why no, I never; I just put in a call to Floyd. You reckon I shoulda?” Draeger runs his gloved hands over the steering⁶ wheel, admonishing⁷ himself for getting so stupidly upset by the fool’s mocking innocence⁸. Must be this fever. “All right. If I went in to talk with this boy do you think he might explain Stamper’s change of mind? I mean if I asked him?” “I doubt it, Mr. Draeger. Because he’s gone.” Evenwrite waits a moment, grinning. “Hank’s wife’s still in there, though. Now you, with all your methods, you might get something out of her....” The men laugh, but Draeger appears lost in thought. He moves his hands over the plastic of the steering wheel. A lone³ mallard whistles past low overhead, tilting⁹ a purple eye at the crowd. Under the canneries, the tomcats are crying. Draeger feels the smooth plastic through the glove’s leather for a moment, then looks back up. “But didn’t you try to call Hank? To ask him personally? I mean—” “Call? Call? Hellsfire, what do you think we been doin’ ever since we got out here? Listen to Gibbons hollering yonder.” “I mean the phone. Didn’t you try to phone?” “Of course we tried to phone.” “Well...? What was his answer? I mean—” “His answer?” Evenwrite rubs his face again. “Why, I’ll show you what his answer was—is. Howie! Come over here’th them glasses. Mr. Draeger here wants to know what Hank’s answer is.” The man on the bank turns slowly. “Answer ...?” “Answer! Answer! What he told us when we ast him to reconsider, so to speak. Bring here them glasses and let Mr. Draeger have a look.” The binoculars¹⁰ are drawn¹¹ from the belly¹² pouch¹³ of a rain-gray sweat shirt. They are cold in Draeger’s hands, even through the heavy elkhide. The men crowd forth¹⁴. “There.” Evenwrite points triumphantly¹⁵. “There’s Hank Stamper’s answer!” He follows the point and notices something through the fog there, the swing of some object hanging like fish bait from a big stick in front of that ancient and ridiculous house across the river there. ...“But what does this—” He lifts the glasses and leans into the eyepieces, forefinger¹⁶ twiddling the focus knob. Hears the men waiting. “I still don’t—” The object blurs¹⁷, fuzzes over, blurs, twisting, then clicks solid into focus so close he momentarily experiences the reeking¹⁸ stench of it high in his burning throat—“It looks like a man’s arm, but I still don’t—” then feels that growing foreboding blossom full. “I’ll—what?” Hears the rising of wet laughter from around his car. Curses and thrusts the glasses back at a face unrecognizable in mirth. Rolls up his window but he can still hear it. Leans over the wheel toward the beating wipers—“I’ll talk to that girl, his wife—Viv?—in town and find—” and spins out the ruts onto the highway, away from the laughing. He clamps his jaw¹⁹ and follows the lip of that grinning river. Confused and furious; he has never been laughed at before, not by such a pack of fools—not by anyone! Confused, and bleakly²⁰, crazily furious, and haunted by the suspicion that he is not only being laughed at by that pack of fools back there on the riverbank—as if their fools’ response concerned him one dime’s worth!—but that there is also some other fool laughing at him unseen from the upstairs window of that damned house. . . . “What could have happened?” Where whoever had hanged the arm from its pole had made certain that it was as much a gesture of grim and humorous defiance²¹ as the old house; where whoever had taken the trouble to swing the arm out into sight of the road had also taken trouble to tie down all the fingers but the middle finger, leaving that rigid²² and universal sentiment lifted with unmistakable scorn to all that came past. And somehow lifted especially, Draeger could not help feeling, to him. “To me! Disparaging²³ me personally for...being so mistaken. For . . .” Lifted as a deliberate refutation of all he a great notion believed to be true, knew to be true about Man; as a blasphemous²⁴ affrontery to a faith forged over an anvil²⁵ of thirty years, a precise and predictable faith hammered out of a quarter-century of experience dealing²⁶ with labor²⁷ and management—a religion almost, a neatly²⁸ noted-down, red-ribboned package of truths about men, and Man. Proven! that the fool Man will oppose everything except a Hand Extended; that he will stand up in the face of every hazard except Lonely Time; that for the sake of his poorest and shakiest and screwiest principles he will lay down his life, endure pain, ridicule²⁹, and even, sometimes, that most demeaning of American hardships, discomfort³⁰, but will relinquish³¹ his firmest stand for Love. Draeger had seen this proven. He had watched oak-hard mill bosses come to ridiculous terms rather than have their pimply³² daughters pilloried³³ at the local junior high, seen die-hard right-wing labor-hating owners grant another two bits an hour and hospital benefits rather than risk losing the dubious³⁴ affection of a senile aunt who happened to play canasta with the wife of the brother of a striking employee that the owner didn’t even know by sight or name. Love—and all its complicated ramifications³⁵, Draeger believed—actually does conquer all; Love—or the Fear of Not Having It, or the Worry about Not Having Enough of It, or the Terror of Losing It—certainly does conquer all. To Draeger this knowledge was a weapon; he had learned it young and for a quarter-century of mild-mannered wheeling and easy-going dealing he had used that weapon with enormous success, conquering a world rendered simple, precise, and predictable by his iron-hammered faith in that weapon’s power. And now some illiterate³⁶ logger with a little gyppo show and not an ally in the world was trying to claim that he was invulnerable to that weapon! Christ, this blasted fever... Draeger hunches³⁷ over the wheel, a man who enjoys thinking of himself as mild-mannered and under control, and watches the speed mount on the speedometer in spite of all he can do to restrain it. The big car has taken command. It has speeded up beneath him of its own accord. It rushes toward the town with an anxious, sucking hiss³⁸ of wet tires. The white lines flicker³⁹ by. The willows⁴⁰ fluttering beyond the windows vibrate toward motionlessness, like spokes⁴¹ standing⁴² still on a careening Hollywood wagon⁴³ wheel. He runs his gloved fingers nervously⁴⁴ over his stiff gray crew-cut, sighing, giving in to his foreboding: if what Evenwrite says is true—and why would he lie?—it means weeks more of the same enforced patience that has left him exhausted⁴⁵ and sleepless⁴⁶ two nights out of three for the last month. More forced smiling, more forced talking. More feigned⁴⁷ listening. And more Desenex for a case of athlete’s foot capable of making medical history. He sighs again, resigning himself, oh what the devil, anybody is liable to call it wrong once in a while. But the car does not slow, and far down in his precise and predictable heart, where the foreboding first sprouted⁴⁸ and where the resignation lies now like a brooding moss⁴⁹, another bloom is budding. “But if I didn’t call a wrong shot . . . if I didn’t make a miscalculation . . .” A different bloom. Petaled with wonder. “Then there may be more to this particular fool than I imagined.” And perhaps, therefore, more to all fools. He stops the car, skidding⁵⁰ the whitewalls against the curb⁵¹ in front of the Sea Breeze Cafe. Through the rushing windshield he can see the whole length of Main Street. Deserted⁵²? Just rain and tomcats. He flips⁵³ up his collar and steps out without taking time to put on his overcoat, hurries across to the neon-filled front of the Snag. Inside, the bar also looks deserted; the jukebox is lighted, playing softly, but there is no one in sight. Odd . . . Has the whole town driven out to stand about in the mud to be laughed at? That seems terribly—Then sees the fat and pallid⁵⁴ stereotype⁵⁵ of a bartender standing near the window, watching him from beneath long curling lashes⁵⁶. “Really coming down out there, isn’t it, Teddy?” There’s more to this than— “I suppose so, Mr. Draeger.” “Teddy?” Look: even this little effeminate frog of a bartender—even he knows more than I do. “Floyd Evenwrite told me I could find Hank Stamper’s wife here.” “Yes sir,” Draeger hears the little man tell him. “Way at the back, Mr. Draeger. In the depot⁵⁷ section.” a great notion “Thank you. Oh say, Teddy; why do you think that—” That . . . what? He stands a moment, unaware⁵⁸ that he is staring until the bartender blushes beneath the blank gaze and drops his long lashes down over his eyes. “Never mind.” Draeger turns and walks away: I can’t ask him. I mean he couldn’t tell me—even if he knew, wouldn’t tell me ...past the juke as it clicks, whirs, introduces another tune⁵⁹: Why don’t you cuddle up . . . an’ console me, Snuggle up . . . an’ comfort me, Pacify⁶⁰ my heart jes’ one more time? Down the long bar past the gently throbbing⁶¹ glow of the jukebox, the shuffleboard, through the partitioned gloom of empty booths, finally finding the girl at the very back. By herself. With a beer glass. The upturned collar of a heavy pea jacket frames her slim, moist face. The moisture—he can’t tell—is it rain or tears or just too damned hot in here sweat? Her pale hands resting on a large maroon⁶² album ...she watches him approach, the slightest smile turning her lips. And so does she, Draeger realizes, greeting her; more than I do. Odd . . . that I could have thought I understood so much. “Mr. Draeger . . .” The girl indicates a chair. “You look like a man after information.” “I want to know what happened,” he says, sitting. “And why.” She looks down at her hands, shaking her head. “More information than I can give, too, I’m afraid.” She raises her head and smiles at him again. “Honest; I’m afraid I really can’t explain ‘and why’ ”—her smile wry⁶³ but not all derisive⁶⁴ as the grins of those other fools had been, wry, but sincerely sorry and somehow quite sweet. Draeger is surprised by the anger generated in him by her reply—this damned flu!—surprised by the rapid beating of his heart and the uncontrolled rising of his voice. “Doesn’t that imbecile husband of yours realize? I mean the danger of making such a run down the river without help?” The girl continues smiling at him. “You mean doesn’t Hank realize what the town will think of him if he goes through with it ...isn’t that what you started to say, Mr. Draeger?” “All right. Yes. Yes, that’s right. Isn’t he aware that he is risking complete—total—alienation?” “He’s risking more than that. He may lose his little wife if he goes through with it. For one thing. And he may lose his life, for another.” “Then what?” The girl studies Draeger a moment, then takes a sip⁶⁵ of her beer. “You could never understand it all. You just want a reason, two or three reasons. When there are reasons going back two or three hundred years . . .” “Rubbish. All I want to know is what changed his mind.” “You would have to know what made it up in the first place, wouldn’t you?” “Made what?” “His mind, Mr. Draeger.” “All right. I mean all right. I have plenty of time.” The girl takes another sip of beer. She closes her eyes and wipes a lock of wet hair back from her forehead. Draeger suddenly realizes that she is completely exhausted—dazed, almost. He waits for her to open her eyes again. The smell of disinfectant floats from a nearby toilet. The jukebox beats against the smoke-varnished knotty⁶⁶ pine walls: To try an’ ferget I turn to the wine . . . A empty bottle a broken heart An’ still you’re on my mind. The girl opens her eyes and pulls up a sleeve to look at her watch. Then folds her hands on the maroon album again. “I guess, Mr. Draeger, things used to be different around this area.” Rubbish; the world is always the same. “No. Don’t scowl⁶⁷, Mr. Draeger. Really. I didn’t quite believe it myself . . .” She knows what I’m thinking! “. . . but I gradually came around. Here. Let me show you something.” She opens the book; the smell reminds her of the attic⁶⁸. (Oh, the attic. He kissed me good-by and my sore lip . . .) “This is the family history, sort of. I’ve finally got around to reading up on it.” (I’ve got around to admitting . . . my lips blister⁶⁹, every winter.)  great notion She pushes the book across the table toward Draeger; it is a large photograph album, awkward with old prints. Draeger opens it slowly, hesitant since his experience with those binoculars. “There isn’t anything written here. Just dates and pictures . . .” “Use your imagination, Mr. Draeger; that’s what I’ve been doing. Come on, it’s fun. Look.” The girl turns the book facing him, lightly touching⁷⁰ the corner of her mouth with the tip of her tongue. (Every winter, since I been in this country . . .)

1 jotted   

v.匆忙记下( jot的过去式和过去分词 )；草草记下，匆匆记下

参考例句：

• I jotted down her name. 我匆忙记下了她的名字。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The policeman jotted down my address. 警察匆匆地将我的地址记下。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

2 muddle   

n.困惑，混浊状态；vt.使混乱，使糊涂，使惊呆；vi.胡乱应付，混乱

参考例句：

• Everything in the room was in a muddle.房间里每一件东西都是乱七八糟的。
• Don't work in a rush and get into a muddle.克服忙乱现象。

3 lone   

adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的

参考例句：

• A lone sea gull flew across the sky.一只孤独的海鸥在空中飞过。
• She could see a lone figure on the deserted beach.她在空旷的海滩上能看到一个孤独的身影。

4 tug   

v.用力拖(或拉)；苦干；n.拖；苦干；拖船

参考例句：

• We need to tug the car round to the front.我们需要把那辆车拉到前面。
• The tug is towing three barges.那只拖船正拖着三只驳船。

5 ranted   

v.夸夸其谈( rant的过去式和过去分词 )；大叫大嚷地以…说教；气愤地)大叫大嚷；不停地大声抱怨

参考例句：

• Drink in hand,he ranted about his adventures in Africa. 他端着酒杯，激动地叙述他在非洲的经历。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Lu Xun ranted and raved against the enemy, but he felt warmth towards the people. 鲁迅对敌人冷嘲热讽，而对人民却是满腔热忱。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

6 steering   

n.操舵装置

参考例句：

• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration. 他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。
• Steering according to the wind, he also framed his words more amicably. 他真会看风使舵，口吻也马上变得温和了。

7 admonishing   

v.劝告( admonish的现在分词 )；训诫；（温和地）责备；轻责

参考例句：

• It is waste of time, admonishing you. 劝告你简直是浪费工夫。 来自辞典例句
• To date, the Doctrine of Cheng Fu still exerts its admonishing effect. 时至今日，承负说仍具有警示作用。 来自互联网

8 innocence   

n.无罪；天真；无害

参考例句：

• There was a touching air of innocence about the boy.这个男孩有一种令人感动的天真神情。
• The accused man proved his innocence of the crime.被告人经证实无罪。

9 tilting   

倾斜，倾卸

参考例句：

• For some reason he thinks everyone is out to get him, but he's really just tilting at windmills. 不知为什么他觉得每个人都想害他，但其实他不过是在庸人自扰。
• So let us stop bickering within our ranks.Stop tilting at windmills. 所以，让我们结束内部间的争吵吧！再也不要去做同风车作战的蠢事了。

10 binoculars   

n.双筒望远镜

参考例句：

• He watched the play through his binoculars.他用双筒望远镜看戏。
• If I had binoculars,I could see that comet clearly.如果我有望远镜，我就可以清楚地看见那颗彗星。

11 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

12 belly   

n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛

参考例句：

• The boss has a large belly.老板大腹便便。
• His eyes are bigger than his belly.他眼馋肚饱。

13 pouch   

n.小袋，小包，囊状袋；vt.装...入袋中，用袋运输；vi.用袋送信件

参考例句：

• He was going to make a tobacco pouch out of them. 他要用它们缝制一个烟草袋。
• The old man is always carrying a tobacco pouch with him.这老汉总是随身带着烟袋。

14 forth   

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。

15 triumphantly   

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。

16 forefinger   

n.食指

参考例句：

• He pinched the leaf between his thumb and forefinger.他将叶子捏在拇指和食指之间。
• He held it between the tips of his thumb and forefinger.他用他大拇指和食指尖拿着它。

17 blurs   

n.模糊( blur的名词复数 )；模糊之物；（移动的）模糊形状；模糊的记忆v.（使）变模糊( blur的第三人称单数 )；（使）难以区分

参考例句：

• The electron clouds are clearly visible as blurs surrounding the invisible nuclei. 电子云就象环绕着看不见的核的一片云雾。 来自辞典例句
• The letter had many blots and blurs. 信上有许多墨水渍和污迹。 来自辞典例句

18 reeking   

v.发出浓烈的臭气( reek的现在分词 )；散发臭气；发出难闻的气味 (of sth)；明显带有（令人不快或生疑的跡象）

参考例句：

• I won't have you reeking with sweat in my bed! 我就不许你混身臭汗，臭烘烘的上我的炕！ 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子
• This is a novel reeking with sentimentalism. 这是一本充满着感伤主义的小说。 来自辞典例句

19 jaw   

n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训

参考例句：

• He delivered a right hook to his opponent's jaw.他给了对方下巴一记右钩拳。
• A strong square jaw is a sign of firm character.强健的方下巴是刚毅性格的标志。

20 bleakly   

无望地，阴郁地，苍凉地

参考例句：

• The windows of the house stared bleakly down at her. 那座房子的窗户居高临下阴森森地对着她。
• He stared at me bleakly and said nothing. 他阴郁地盯着我，什么也没说。

21 defiance   

n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗

参考例句：

• He climbed the ladder in defiance of the warning.他无视警告爬上了那架梯子。
• He slammed the door in a spirit of defiance.他以挑衅性的态度把门砰地一下关上。

22 rigid   

adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的

参考例句：

• She became as rigid as adamant.她变得如顽石般的固执。
• The examination was so rigid that nearly all aspirants were ruled out.考试很严，几乎所有的考生都被淘汰了。

23 disparaging   

adj.轻蔑的，毁谤的v.轻视( disparage的现在分词 )；贬低；批评；非难

参考例句：

• Halliday's comments grew daily more and more sparklingly disagreeable and disparaging. 一天天过去，哈里代的评论越来越肆无忌惮，越来越讨人嫌，越来越阴损了。 来自英汉文学 - 败坏赫德莱堡
• Even with favorable items they would usually add some disparaging comments. 即使对好消息，他们也往往要加上几句诋毁的评语。 来自互联网

24 blasphemous   

adj.亵渎神明的，不敬神的

参考例句：

• The book was declared blasphemous and all copies ordered to be burnt.这本书被断定为亵渎神明之作，命令全数焚毀。
• The people in the room were shocked by his blasphemous language.满屋的人都对他那侮慢的语言感到愤慨。

25 anvil   

n.铁钻

参考例句：

• The blacksmith shaped a horseshoe on his anvil.铁匠在他的铁砧上打出一个马蹄形。
• The anvil onto which the staples are pressed was not assemble correctly.订书机上的铁砧安装错位。

26 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

27 labor   

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。

28 neatly   

adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地

参考例句：

• Sailors know how to wind up a long rope neatly.水手们知道怎样把一条大绳利落地缠好。
• The child's dress is neatly gathered at the neck.那孩子的衣服在领口处打着整齐的皱褶。

29 ridicule   

v.讥讽，挖苦；n.嘲弄

参考例句：

• You mustn't ridicule unfortunate people.你不该嘲笑不幸的人。
• Silly mistakes and queer clothes often arouse ridicule.荒谬的错误和古怪的服装常会引起人们的讪笑。

30 discomfort   

n.不舒服，不安，难过，困难，不方便

参考例句：

• One has to bear a little discomfort while travelling.旅行中总要忍受一点不便。
• She turned red with discomfort when the teacher spoke.老师讲话时她不好意思地红着脸。

31 relinquish   

v.放弃，撤回，让与，放手

参考例句：

• He was forced to relinquish control of the company.他被迫放弃公司的掌控权。
• They will never voluntarily relinquish their independence.他们绝对不会自动放弃独立。

32 pimply   

adj.肿泡的；有疙瘩的；多粉刺的；有丘疹的

参考例句：

• Now, we won't submit to impertinence from these pimply, tipsy virgins. 现在我们决不能忍受这群长着脓包、喝醉了的小兔崽子们的无礼举动。 来自辞典例句
• A head stuck out cautiously-a square, pimply, purplish face with thick eyebrows and round eyes. 车厢里先探出一个头来，紫酱色的一张方脸，浓眉毛，圆眼睛，脸上有许多小疱。 来自互联网

33 pilloried   

v.使受公众嘲笑( pillory的过去式和过去分词 )；将…示众；给…上颈手枷；处…以枷刑

参考例句：

• He was regularly pilloried by the press for his radical ideas. 他因观点极端而经常受到新闻界的抨击。
• He was pilloried, but she escaped without blemish. 他受到公众的批评，她却名声未损地得以逃脱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

34 dubious   

adj.怀疑的，无把握的；有问题的，靠不住的

参考例句：

• What he said yesterday was dubious.他昨天说的话很含糊。
• He uses some dubious shifts to get money.他用一些可疑的手段去赚钱。

35 ramifications   

n.结果，后果( ramification的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• These changes are bound to have widespread social ramifications. 这些变化注定会造成许多难以预料的社会后果。
• What are the ramifications of our decision to join the union? 我们决定加入工会会引起哪些后果呢？ 来自《简明英汉词典》

36 illiterate   

adj.文盲的；无知的；n.文盲

参考例句：

• There are still many illiterate people in our country.在我国还有许多文盲。
• I was an illiterate in the old society,but now I can read.我这个旧社会的文盲，今天也认字了。

37 hunches   

预感，直觉( hunch的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A technical sergeant hunches in a cubicle. 一位技术军士在一间小屋里弯腰坐着。
• We often test our hunches on each other. 我们经常互相检验我们的第六感觉。

38 hiss   

v.发出嘶嘶声；发嘘声表示不满

参考例句：

• We can hear the hiss of air escaping from a tire.我们能听到一只轮胎的嘶嘶漏气声。
• Don't hiss at the speaker.不要嘘演讲人。

39 flicker   

vi./n.闪烁，摇曳，闪现

参考例句：

• There was a flicker of lights coming from the abandoned house.这所废弃的房屋中有灯光闪烁。
• At first,the flame may be a small flicker,barely shining.开始时，光辉可能是微弱地忽隐忽现，几乎并不灿烂。

40 willows   

n.柳树( willow的名词复数 )；柳木

参考例句：

• The willows along the river bank look very beautiful. 河岸边的柳树很美。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Willows are planted on both sides of the streets. 街道两侧种着柳树。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

41 spokes   

n.（车轮的）辐条( spoke的名词复数 )；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动

参考例句：

• Her baby caught his fingers in the spokes of the pram wheel. 她宝宝的手指被婴儿车轮的辐条卡住了。 来自辞典例句
• The new edges are called the spokes of the wheel. 新的边称为轮的辐。 来自辞典例句

42 standing   

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。

43 wagon   

n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车

参考例句：

• We have to fork the hay into the wagon.我们得把干草用叉子挑进马车里去。
• The muddy road bemired the wagon.马车陷入了泥泞的道路。

44 nervously   

adv.神情激动地，不安地

参考例句：

• He bit his lip nervously,trying not to cry.他紧张地咬着唇，努力忍着不哭出来。
• He paced nervously up and down on the platform.他在站台上情绪不安地走来走去。

45 exhausted   

adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的

参考例句：

• It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长，到家时我们已筋疲力尽。
• Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。

46 sleepless   

adj.不睡眠的，睡不著的，不休息的

参考例句：

• The situation gave her many sleepless nights.这种情况害她一连好多天睡不好觉。
• One evening I heard a tale that rendered me sleepless for nights.一天晚上，我听说了一个传闻，把我搞得一连几夜都不能入睡。

47 feigned   

a.假装的，不真诚的

参考例句：

• He feigned indifference to criticism of his work. 他假装毫不在意别人批评他的作品。
• He accepted the invitation with feigned enthusiasm. 他假装热情地接受了邀请。

48 sprouted   

v.发芽( sprout的过去式和过去分词 )；抽芽；出现；（使）涌现出

参考例句：

• We can't use these potatoes; they've all sprouted. 这些土豆儿不能吃了，都出芽了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The rice seeds have sprouted. 稻种已经出芽了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

49 moss   

n.苔，藓，地衣

参考例句：

• Moss grows on a rock.苔藓生在石头上。
• He was found asleep on a pillow of leaves and moss.有人看见他枕着树叶和苔藓睡着了。

50 skidding   

n.曳出，集材v.（通常指车辆） 侧滑( skid的现在分词 )；打滑；滑行；（住在）贫民区

参考例句：

• All the wheels of the truck were tied up with iron chains to avoid skidding on the ice road. 大卡车的所有轮子上都捆上了铁链，以防止在结冰的路面上打滑。 来自《用法词典》
• I saw the motorcycle skidding and its rider spilling in dust. 我看到摩托车打滑，骑车人跌落在地。 来自互联网

51 curb   

n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制

参考例句：

• I could not curb my anger.我按捺不住我的愤怒。
• You must curb your daughter when you are in church.你在教堂时必须管住你的女儿。

52 deserted   

adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的

参考例句：

• The deserted village was filled with a deathly silence.这个荒废的村庄死一般的寂静。
• The enemy chieftain was opposed and deserted by his followers.敌人头目众叛亲离。

53 flips   

轻弹( flip的第三人称单数 )； 按（开关）； 快速翻转； 急挥

参考例句：

• Larry flips on the TV while he is on vacation in Budapest. 赖瑞在布达佩斯渡假时，打开电视收看节目。
• He flips through a book before making a decision. 他在决定买下一本书前总要先草草翻阅一下。

54 pallid   

adj.苍白的，呆板的

参考例句：

• The moon drifted from behind the clouds and exposed the pallid face.月亮从云朵后面钻出来，照着尸体那张苍白的脸。
• His dry pallid face often looked gaunt.他那张干瘪苍白的脸常常显得憔悴。

55 stereotype   

n.固定的形象，陈规，老套，旧框框

参考例句：

• He's my stereotype of a schoolteacher.他是我心目中的典型教师。
• There's always been a stereotype about successful businessmen.人们对于成功商人一直都有一种固定印象。

56 lashes   

n.鞭挞( lash的名词复数 )；鞭子；突然猛烈的一击；急速挥动v.鞭打( lash的第三人称单数 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥

参考例句：

• Mother always lashes out food for the children's party. 孩子们聚会时，母亲总是给他们许多吃的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Never walk behind a horse in case it lashes out. 绝对不要跟在马后面，以防它突然猛踢。 来自《简明英汉词典》

57 depot   

n.仓库，储藏处；公共汽车站；火车站

参考例句：

• The depot is only a few blocks from here.公共汽车站离这儿只有几个街区。
• They leased the building as a depot.他们租用这栋大楼作仓库。

58 unaware   

a.不知道的，未意识到的

参考例句：

• They were unaware that war was near. 他们不知道战争即将爆发。
• I was unaware of the man's presence. 我没有察觉到那人在场。

59 tune   

n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整

参考例句：

• He'd written a tune,and played it to us on the piano.他写了一段曲子，并在钢琴上弹给我们听。
• The boy beat out a tune on a tin can.那男孩在易拉罐上敲出一首曲子。

60 pacify   

vt.使(某人)平静(或息怒)；抚慰

参考例句：

• He tried to pacify the protesters with promises of reform.他试图以改革的承诺安抚抗议者。
• He tried to pacify his creditors by repaying part of the money.他为安抚债权人偿还了部分借款。

61 throbbing   

a. 跳动的,悸动的

参考例句：

• My heart is throbbing and I'm shaking. 我的心在猛烈跳动，身子在不住颤抖。
• There was a throbbing in her temples. 她的太阳穴直跳。

62 maroon   

v.困住，使（人）处于孤独无助之境；n.逃亡黑奴；孤立的人；酱紫色，褐红色；adj.酱紫色的，褐红色的

参考例句：

• Five couples were marooned in their caravans when the River Avon broke its banks.埃文河决堤的时候，有5对夫妇被困在了他们的房车里。
• Robinson Crusoe has been marooned on a desert island for 26 years.鲁滨逊在荒岛上被困了26年。

63 wry   

adj.讽刺的；扭曲的

参考例句：

• He made a wry face and attempted to wash the taste away with coffee.他做了个鬼脸，打算用咖啡把那怪味地冲下去。
• Bethune released Tung's horse and made a wry mouth.白求恩放开了董的马，噘了噘嘴。

64 derisive   

adj.嘲弄的

参考例句：

• A storm of derisive applause broke out.一阵暴风雨般的哄笑声轰然响起。
• They flushed,however,when she burst into a shout of derisive laughter.然而，当地大声嘲笑起来的时候，她们的脸不禁涨红了。

65 sip   

v.小口地喝，抿，呷；n.一小口的量

参考例句：

• She took a sip of the cocktail.她啜饮一口鸡尾酒。
• Elizabeth took a sip of the hot coffee.伊丽莎白呷了一口热咖啡。

66 knotty   

adj.有结的，多节的，多瘤的，棘手的

参考例句：

• Under his leadership,many knotty problems were smoothly solved.在他的领导下，许多伤脑筋的问题都迎刃而解。
• She met with a lot of knotty problems.她碰上了许多棘手的问题。

67 scowl   

vi.(at)生气地皱眉，沉下脸，怒视；n.怒容

参考例句：

• I wonder why he is wearing an angry scowl.我不知道他为何面带怒容。
• The boss manifested his disgust with a scowl.老板面带怒色，清楚表示出他的厌恶之感。

68 attic   

n.顶楼，屋顶室

参考例句：

• Leakiness in the roof caused a damp attic.屋漏使顶楼潮湿。
• What's to be done with all this stuff in the attic?顶楼上的材料怎么处理？

69 blister   

n.水疱；(油漆等的)气泡；v.(使)起泡

参考例句：

• I got a huge blister on my foot and I couldn't run any farther.我脚上长了一个大水泡，没办法继续跑。
• I have a blister on my heel because my shoe is too tight.鞋子太紧了，我脚后跟起了个泡。

70 touching   

adj.动人的，使人感伤的

参考例句：

• It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
• His letter was touching.他的信很感人。