Chapter 89

‘I had twicet as bad—twicet as bad! C’mawn, git the booger put back in place! I got to git back to work! Yarrrr!’ ” We both laughed at her gravel-voiced impersonation. “But then,” she went on, becoming secretive again, “they brought out a needle. Not even very big, but big enough. I knew how he felt about needles and I saw the old fella just go white as a sheet when he saw it coming. But he wasn’t going to let on, you see? 590 ken¹ kesey He was just going to keep up his front. ‘C’mawn, c’mawn, c’mawn; stick me with that outfit² so I can get back to business!’ he kept growling³. Then, when they did shoot him—after him bein’ so tough and so brave in front of them over his broken bones—he just flinched⁴ and made a face. But we heard something; and when I looked over I saw he’d wet all over himself and it was running down his leg all over the floor!” “No! Henry? Oh no, Henry Stamper? Whoo! Oh god . . .” I laughed more than I could remember laughing in years. The thought of his funny surprised face reduced me to a soundless quivering. “Oh god...that’s beautiful, oh my god...” “And...and—oh listen,” she went on in a whisper, “when we went to get him into pajamas—oh listen—after the shot had knocked him out . . . we saw that wetting himself wasn’t all he’d done.” “Oh lord...oh that’s marvelous, I can just see it. . . .” We laughed until we reached that awkward emptiness that follows long laughing, like the emptiness that follows a long roll of thunder; then we were silent again, and uncomfortable, and terribly, deafeningly aware of the thought in both our minds. But what’s the sense in trying? I demanded of myself, staring at the lock of hair which ran like a glowing arrow down the side of her averted⁷ face into the neck of her shirt. . . . What’s the sense in dreaming? You can’t make it, that’s all. It’s all part of the way you have worked it out. You should have known all along that the selfsame weapon of weakness that was to win you victory over Brother Hank would be incapable⁸ of partaking of the fruits of that victory. You should have known that the spoils which you won from him with limp impotence could never be taken with the same tact¹⁰. . . . I stood there, then, looking down at this girl’s shy and unvoiced and obvious offering of herself, trying to be philosophic¹¹ about my organic inability to accept the offer... while the very organ in question rose to refute this newest of excuses and demand with pounding insistence¹² the chance to prove his ability. I stood there, with all obstacles at last removed and nothing separating me any more from my most desirable goal but the space of a few feet—all reasons removed, all excuses exhausted—and sometimes a great notion still that voice in my head refused to let me go: WATCH OUT WATCH OUT, it chanted. But for what? I demanded, almost sick with frustration¹³. Please, tell me; watch out for what! JUST DON’T DO IT, was the reply; IT WILL BE A BAD SCENE. . . . For who? I’m safe, I know so. A bad scene for Hank? Viv? For who? FOR YOU, FOR YOU . . . So, when I had suffered this period of silent standing¹⁴ sufficiently¹⁵, I sighed and mumbled¹⁶ something about well, it would probably be best—oh, for my cold and all—if I went on in to bed. And she nodded—face still averted—yes, that’s probably true . . . well, good night, Viv ...Good night, Lee; I’ll see you, I guess, in the morning. . . . With her eyes downcast for my cowardice¹⁷ as I slunk from the room. With my stomach sick for failure and my heart dying with shame for an impotence that could no longer even be blamed on impotence . . . (I stopped the pick-up out in front of the hospital, and when I picked up the old man to cart him into the emergency room, I saw his arm had come all the rest of the way off. It dropped out of the ragged¹⁸ sleeve to the street like a snake coming out of its skin. I left it lay. I couldn’t fuss with it now. There is something else, if I could just remember... The night attendant stopped me and started to say something, then looked at the old man. His pencil fell out of his hand. I told him, “I’m Hank Stamper. This here is my old man. A log rolled on him.” And I put the old man on a bed and went over and sat down in a cushioned chair. The attendant was asking questions that I didn’t care about answering. I told him I had to get gone. He said I was nuts, I had to stay till the doc come. I said, “Okay. When Doc Layton gets here wake me up Soon as he gets here. And we’ll see. Now. Take this old man somewhere and give him some blood and leave me alone.” When I woke I thought for a second that no time had passed, that I’d just blinked and that attendant had merely aged²⁰ and put on about two hundred pounds and was still asking the same questions that I wasn’t hearing yet. When I seen it was the doctor 592 ken kesey I stood up. “Now,” I told him, “all I want to know is do I need to give him some blood?” “Blood? Lord, Hank, what’s wrong with you? You’re in about as much condition to give a pint²¹ of blood as he is. What happened out there?” “He’s all right, then? The old man?” “Sit down. No, he isn’t all right, for chrissakes. He’s an old man and he’s lost him an arm. What in the name of god are you trying to rush off to that’s so—” “But he ain’t dead? He ain’t goin’ to die tonight?” “He isn’t dead—Lord knows why—but as far as— What’s the matter with you, Hank? Sit back down there and let me get a look at you.” “No. I got to go. In a minute I will—” I’m late for something, sleeping like that. “I got to in a minute—” In a minute I’ll remember what it is. I pull on my hard hat and feel for cigarettes. “Now,” I say. The doctor’s still waiting for me to explain. “Now, you think he’ll make it?” I ask him. “Is he still out? I reckon he would be, wouldn’t he? Well . . .” I look up at the doctor’s face. What’s his name? Now I know this man, knowed him for years, but I can’t recall his name to save me. “Ain’t it funny how quick you get out of touch?” I say to him “Now. If that’s it, I got to get that pick-up and—” “Well, for chrissakes,” the doctor said to me, “he’s going to drive home. Look here, let me look at that hand, anyway.” It was the cut I’d got working on the jetty some days before; it had opened and was bleeding. “No,” I said slowly, trying to remember what it was I was late for. “No thanks, I can get my wife to tend to that for me. I’ll call you about old Henry in the morning.” I headed out the door. The arm was still laying there on the sidewalk beside the pick-up in a puddle²². I picked it up and tossed it in just like it was cord wood. What was it? In a minute I’ll— On the way back through town I stopped at the Sea Breeze to ask where the kid was. “Don’t know,” Mrs. Carleson answered, more sullen²³ than usual, “jest he ain’t here no more.” I sometimes a great notion didn’t feel like pressing it so I walked on up the street to check the bar. No one there had seen him. Before I could leave, Even-write eased up to me and said something at me. I just nodded and told him I didn’t have time to fool with him right then and headed for the door. This Draeger guy was sitting there and he smiled at me and he said hello. He said, “Hank, I feel I should warn you that your casual presence in town is more dangerous to you than you—” “I’m busy,” I told him. “Certainly, but stop a moment and consider—” I walked out along Main. I wasn’t sure where I was headed. In just a minute I’ll remember . . . somewhere I have to go. I went to the Sea Breeze and started to go in and then I remembered that whatever it was I had asked about in there, they didn’t have it. I started back for the pick-up when three guys I never saw before in my life come out of the alley²⁴ by the grange hall. They pull me back in the alley and go to working me over. I think for a minute, they’re gonna kill me, but then I knew that they weren’t. Some way I knew. They just weren’t working at it hard enough. They took turns holding me against the wall and belting me pretty good, but not like they really aimed to kill me. And I wasn’t really giving them my undivided attention; just a minute I’ll—I was about to sit down and just let them have their way when up the alley came Evenwrite and Les Gibbons and even old Big Newton, hollering, “Hang on, Hank! Hang on, boy!” And I’m damned if they didn’t run off these three other guys and help me up from the ground. Dang, Les said; those must be that bunch of yahoos from Reedsport again, we heard they was spoiling for you . . . and I thanked them and Evenwrite says people got to stick together and I thank him. They help me out to my pick-up. Les Gibbons even says he’ll drive me home if need be. I tell him no, I don’t know that I’m going that way, but thanks just the same, I’m in somethin’ of a hurry to—what? well, in a minute I’ll—I told the boys so long and started the pick-up and headed off, feeling lightheaded and pleasant, floating, sort of. Some of that fever going around, I suspect. But what the devil? it ain’t so bad, a little temperature . . . like Joby always says, accept your lot and swing with 594 ken kesey what you got. And a runny nose is maybe a damn nuisance, but a fever is a cheap drunk . . . driving up Main. It was funny; I felt that there was an errand or something that had slipped my mind in just a little bit I’ll but I was damned if I could remember what, exactly. So in a minute I’ll—I headed out up river, figuring I might as well go home as long as I couldn’t recall what it was I was supposed to see to. I just drove, slow and easy, watching the white lines blink past and the clouds blowing in the moon, not trying to think. And I didn’t recall what was on my mind till I pulled the pick-up up to the garage, and that reminded me of seeing him and I don’t recall all of it till I look out across the moonlit river and see the launch is tied over there now, across the way, and that now there’s two rooms lit over in the house instead of only one . . .) After leaving Viv with her poetry and her disappointment, I went to the bathroom, where I drew out my teeth-brushing as long as possible and spent a good five minutes examining the skin of my face to see how the burn had healed. In my own cold quarters I undressed slowly, putting off getting into bed until the cool of the room forced me between the covers. Finally I turned out the light. The darkness exploded into the room; then, slowly, the moon cast a blue-white beam across my quilt, chilling my cheek and intersecting that thin finger of light that came from the hole in the wall. Have to fill that hole, I thought to myself. I’ll have to fill that hole. Someday soon I will have to do that for good. . . . Then, like that exploding darkness, the shame rose again and surged over me with the same sickening force that had years ago left me with drumming headaches and vomiting²⁵ ...the same force, years before, in the same bed ...always after (oh God, I had never made the connection before!) always the day after I had watched through that spyhole the passion that I was then, was still incapable of competing with. Now that point of light had found me again. I cringed back into the bedclothes; it seemed to be chopping away at me, at the worthless flesh of me. A scalpel of terrible light, causing actual physical pain! I lay writhing²⁶ beneath it, feeling no longer shame but only pain. Perhaps when sometimes a great notion shame grows too much for the soul to hold, it expands to sicken the flesh itself with a disease as palpable as cancer, and as deadly. I couldn’t say. Not then. Only that it was a very real hurt and rapidly growing in proportion ...I realized I was crying, not at all silently this time. I clutched my head in time to catch a thunderclap of pain that shook water from my forehead and eyes. I clenched²⁷ my teeth and rolled groaning²⁹ into a ball, readying myself for the blow to my stomach. I shuddered³⁰ with deep, clutching sobs³¹. . . . And it was this way, a whimpering wad of childhood misery³² under a quilt, that she found me. “Are you feeling sick?” she whispered. She was beside my bed. The pain behind my eyes disappeared at the glimmering³³ sight of her. The sickness in my chest fled instantly before the light brushing of her fingers... Outside, the river rocked between mountain and sea, suspended momentarily between tide and flood, motionless but for a spreading moon-rippled wake. The clouds hurried along, back to the sea. The pick-up eased lightless and quiet into the cavernous garage . . . (When I saw that the launch was gone I don’t know what got into me; you’ll make it across because I decided³⁴ to swim, rather than call for the boat. You’ll make it. Now from the garage across to the dock in cold water is no slouch of a swim, even when a man is feeling his oats. And I was tired clean through, tired enough I should never have tried. But the funny thing is after I dived in and started swimming I didn’t get any tireder. It took hours, it seemed like, of hard swimming, but I never got any tireder. I was out there and it was like that old river was a hundred miles across—blue-silver, cold—but I knew I would make it. I remember thinking: Look at you: you’ll make it all the way across here when you couldn’t make it up that hill for a air hose for Joby. You’ll make it across here not because you’re strong enough but because you’re weak enough . . .) Then, of course, after she had touched me, we made love. The scene no longer needed the impetus³⁵ of my contrived³⁶ plot. I no longer moved the scene; the scene moved me. Quite simply, we made love. (You’ll make it acrosst . . .) 596 ken kesey We made love. How pedestrian the words look—trite, worn, practically featureless with use—but how can one better describe that which happens when it happens? that creation? that magic blending? I might say we became figures in a mesmerized³⁷ dance before the rocking talisman³⁸ of the moon, starting slow, so slow...a pair of feathers drifting through clear liquid substance of sky ...gradually accelerating, faster and faster and finally into photon existence of pure light. (Tired and beat as you are, you’ll make it acrosst, you big stud swimmer you . . .) Or I might instead list impressions, images still brilliant, flash-bulbed forever by the white arching of those first touches—the first look after the woolen³⁹ plaid was parted to show that she wore no brassiere; the slight shy lifting as I pulled the coarse denim⁴⁰ from her hips⁴¹; the supple⁴³ line starting at the point of her back-thrown chin, pulsing down between her breasts to her stomach spotlighted⁴⁴ by that beam from her room ... (You’ll make it acrosst because you ain’t strong enough not to, I kept thinking as I swam. And I recollect⁴⁵ this one other thing, a notion that came to me when I climbed out of the water: that there ain’t really any true strength . . . and as I climb the steps: there ain’t really any real strength . . .) Yet it still seems to me I best communicate the beauty of those moments by repeating, quite simply, we made love. And consummated⁴⁶ there a month of quick looks, guarded smiles, accidental brushings of body too open or too secret to be mere¹⁹ accident, and all the other little unfinished vignettes of desire ...and, perhaps most of all, consummated the shared knowledge of that desire, and of that returned desire, and of the juggernaut advance of that desire . . . in a silent inward explosion as my whole straining body burst like fluid electricity into hers. Shared, consummated, resolved; in a joyous⁴⁷ sprint⁴⁸ side by side up the steep slope to the topmost brink⁴⁹, vaulting⁵⁰ out . . . the weightless glide⁵¹...the soaring motionless through light-year distances of skin-tight space; gliding⁵² down, gradually back ...to the tick-tock of majority-vote reality, to the timid squeak⁵³ of bed, to a LISTEN dog barking outside at the voyeur⁵⁴ sometimes a great notion moon ...and to the LISTEN WHAT? pressing memory of a strange sodden⁵⁵ tread that I thought I had heard WATCH OUT somewhere frighteningly near ages, hours, seconds before! To finally opening my eyes and finding Viv brushed only by the soft, wide stroke of moonlight, and the spotlighting⁵⁶ beam from the hole in the wall extinguished! (No, not the strength I always believed in; I kept hearing in my head—not strength like I always thought, I could build and thought I could live, and thought I could show the kid how to live...) The total revelation of what had happened during our lovemaking blasted me so hard I was nearly knocked right back into that outer-space safety of orgasm. I had been confident of my security behind the moat. Positive of it. It had occurred to me that he might return before I was finished. I had half hoped he would. But when he returned he would be across the water. He would honk⁵⁷ for the boat. I would take it across to him. Sure, he would be suspicious—me alone there in the house with his woman all those hours—be almost certain, in fact. But almost was all I had planned on. Not on his swimming the river and creeping up the steps like a thief in the night. Not on his actually stooping to spying on me! My Captain Marvel⁵ brother, peeking⁵⁸ like a pimp through a knothole? Brother Hank? Hank Stamper? Can’t a fella bank on anyone any more? (No, there ain’t any true strength; there’s just different degrees of weakness . . .) I lay paralyzed, with Viv still in a swoon beneath me. One part of my brain was remarking with academic detachment: “So that’s how he used to know I was watching; my room would cast a corresponding beam into the next-door dimness, which went out when interrupted by something solid, like my head. How stupid of me.” While another, louder part kept screaming at me: RUN, YOU FOOL! WATCH OUT! FLEE BEFORE HE COMES FOR YOU RIGHT THROUGH THAT WALL! HELP! WATCH OUT! HIDE! JUMP! ...as though the wall were going to crash at any instant to reveal a swaying lock-kneed monster, myself springing nude⁵⁹ out into the cold 598 ken kesey moon and falling to the mud below in a splintering shower of crystal . . . HIDE! WATCH OUT! FLEE! Yet gradually, as the initial shock subsided⁶⁰, I remember being overcome by a gloating sense of remarkable⁶¹ good fortune: sure . . . why, this is too perfect! This could mean victory beyond my wildest dreams, vengeance⁶² beyond my wickedest schemes. Shall I? I debated. Dare I? Yes... never give an inch, as they say . . . “Never,” I breathed to Viv before I had a chance to back out. “Never in all my life”—not loud, just loud enough—“have I had it happen like that.” She took the cue beautifully. “Me neither. I didn’t know, Lee . . . so wonderful.” “I love you, Viv.” “I didn’t know. I used to dream . . .” Her fingers traced my spine⁶³ and came to rest on my cheek. I wasn’t to be distracted. “Do you love me too, Viv?” I could feel the breath stop beyond that wall; I could hear the tunnel roar of listening strained through the hole to catch her whisper. “I love you too, Lee.” “This may sound inappropriate at the time, but I need you, Viv; I love you very much, but I need you very badly.” “I don’t understand.” She paused. “What are you asking?” “I’m asking you to come away with me. Back East. To help me finish school. No. More than that: to help me finish living.” “Lee—” “You said once that perhaps I needed Somebody instead of Something. Well, you’re it, Viv; I don’t know that I can make it without you. I mean it.” “Lee, ...Hank is...I mean I—” “I know you’re fond of Hank,” I cut in quickly; I was into it now and nothing to do but drive on through. “But does Hank need you? I mean, oh, Viv, he can get along without you, and we both know it. Couldn’t he?” “I imagine that Hank,” she mused⁶⁴, “could probably get along without anybody, if it came to it.” “That’s right! He could! But not me. Oh, Viv, listen.” In my fervor⁶⁵ I rose to my knees on the bed. “What’s stopping us? Not sometimes a great notion Hank: you know if you ask for a divorce he’ll consent. He wouldn’t hold you here against your will!” “I know that”—still musingly—“he’s too proud to do that sort of thing; he would let me go. . . .” “And he’s too strong to be hurt by it.” “It’s hard to say what hurts him. . . .” “Okay, but even if he is hurt, won’t he survive it? Can you imagine a hurt he wouldn’t survive? He’s arrogated⁶⁶ to himself the powers of Superman, and he believes it. But Viv, I’ll tell you; listen. I came out here at the end of my rope. You’ve given me a knot to cling to, to survive with. Without that knot, Viv, I just don’t know, I swear to god I don’t. Come with me. Please.” She lay for a while, looking out at the moon. “When I was a kid,” she began after a pause, “I found a rope doll, an Indian doll. I liked it better than all my other dolls for a while, because I could pretend it was anything I longed for it to be.” The moon stroked her face through the pine bough⁶⁷ on the window; she closed her eyes and from the corners tears ran into her pillowed hair....“Now I don’t know what I love any more. I don’t know where the thing I make-pretend leaves off and the thing that’s really there starts up.” I started to tell her that there was no line between the two, but stopped myself, not knowing what make-pretend virtues⁶⁸ she had fashioned for my brother. And said instead, “Viv, all I know is that I can’t be noble about this. Only desperate. I need you to live. Come with me, Viv, come away with me. Now. Tomorrow. Please . . .” If she answered my pleading I did not hear her. I was no longer paying any attention to her. My listening, as well as every spoken word, was now directed toward that hole which had suddenly opened again to light. Viv, intent on my words, had not noticed. I started to go on when I thought I detected that same sluggish⁶⁹ tread that I had previously⁷⁰ heard, moving away from the wall, out of the room . . . into the hall now... now into his room, where he will sit, stricken, on his bed, eyes glassy, hands slack in his lap... all right, Superman; it’s your move.... A thin groan²⁸ shot down the corridor, followed by peals⁷¹ of 600 ken kesey retching. And another, even sicker groan. “Hank!” Viv lurched sitting with a startled cry. “That’s Hank, what is he—? What’s happened?” Then ran from the room, drawing the wool shirt about her, to find out. I was somewhat slower dressing⁷². My head rang with anticipation⁷³ and I smiled as I walked the dark hall toward light fanning across the floor from their bedroom door. I knew what had happened: he’s getting sick, losing his lunch. He’s carrying on with moaning and coughing and all the other theatrics traditionally used by children seeking repossession of sympathy. Yes. I knew: an exact duplication of the scene I used to enact⁷⁴, with identical motives⁷⁵ and intentions. There was just one thing left now, one short speech, and my overthrow⁷⁶ would be complete. I walked slowly down the hall. I was savoring⁷⁷ the words I had prepared for what was to be the greatest put-down in history; as my long-ago words had come back to me at the bottom of that postcard this phrase was Brother Hank’s own put-down returning to roost after all these years, like a homing pigeon equipped with the murderous beak⁷⁸ of a hawk⁷⁹. “Musta been somethin’ gawdawful rich”—I tried the line half aloud, practicing it for my entrance “to make you so gawdawful sick.” Ah, it was perfect. It was beautiful. And I was ready. I stepped into the room where Viv sat holding to Hank, who had slipped half to the floor in an effort to stick his head into a vomit-covered metal wastepaper basket. His sopping⁸⁰ shirt clung to his pathetically shaking shoulders, and the back of his head was matted with river scum. . . . “Well, brother. Musta been somethin’ gawdawful rich,” I incanted ceremoniously, giving the phrase the magical sound afforded words due to effectuate all kinds of miraculous⁸¹ change, “to make you so—” “Oh, Lee, Hank says—” My incantation was cut short, first by Viv, then by the sight of Hank’s head rising and turning slowly to reveal a cheek swollen⁸² blue over one eye and lips torn ragged as though by the force of his retching. “Oh, Lee, Hank says that Joe Ben...Joe and the old man . . .”—turning, slowly, until his good eye could fix on me, cold and green with sometimes a great notion knowing—“that Joe Ben is dead, Lee; that Joe’s dead; and maybe old Henry”—mouth opening to a black, guttering⁸³ tongue and unintelligible⁸⁴ words. “Bub—bub—there ain’t, bub—” Viv caught him; “Call the doctor, Lee; somebody beat him all up.” “But there...ain’t any real—” But whatever he was trying to say was lost in more retching. (But if the strength ain’t real, I recall thinking the very last thing that day, before I finally passed out, then the weakness sure enough is. Weakness is true and real. I used to accuse the kid of faking his weakness. But faking proves the weakness is real. Or you wouldn’t be so weak as to fake it. No, you can’t ever fake being weak. You can only fake being strong. . . .) Downstairs, at the telephone talking to the doctor, without thinking of it, I completed my magic words. “How does he look?” the doctor asked. I answered, “Why, Doctor, I would say he looks sick”—adding, without realizing until later it was the end of my incantations, “gawdawful sick”—finishing the phrase, like Billy Batson, gag ripped from his mouth, finishing the last half of a broken “Shazam!” that all-powerful word that would transform Billy, to the accompaniment of lightning and thunder, from a drab and puny⁸⁵ runt into that great and all-powerful orange giant, Captain Marvel. “Yes, Doctor...gawdawful sick,” I said. And my bolt of lightning was right on time, spilling suddenly in all the western windows like moonlight through clouds. And my clap of thunder roared deafeningly through the house, echo-chambered from upstairs by a wastepaper basket. Everything was in order. But, unlike Billy’s, my transformation⁸⁶ failed to materialize. I don’t know what I expected—perhaps to actually find myself swollen to Captain Marvel magnitude, flying away replete⁸⁷ with cape⁸⁸, spit-curl, and neon-orange leotard—but as I stood there, holding the buzzing phone at my side, hearing the overacted melodrama⁸⁹ being coughed and sobbed⁹⁰ out upstairs, I knew that I had in no way achieved the stature⁹¹ I had subconsciously⁹² dreamed that my revenge would bring about. I had very successfully completed my ritual of vengeance; I had accurately⁹³ mouthed all the right mystical words ...but instead of turning 602 ken kesey myself into a Captain Marvel, as the ritual and words were supposed to do according to all the little-guy-beats-big-guy tradition ...I had merely created another Billy Batson. Then, finally knew what I had been warned to WATCH OUT for. (And if you can only fake being strong, not being weak, then the kid has done to me what I set off to do to him! He’s shaped me up. He’s made me to quit faking. He’s straightened me out.) Suburban⁹⁴ survivors⁹⁵ of Hiroshima described the blast as a “mighty⁹⁶ first boom, like a locomotive followed by a long, loud train roaring past, fading gradually away to a murmur⁹⁷.” Wrong. They describe only the ear’s inaccurate⁹⁸ report. For that mighty first boom was only the first faintest murmur of an explosion that is still roaring down on us, and always will be. . . . For the reverberation⁹⁹ often exceeds through silence the sound that sets it off; the reaction occasionally outdoes by way of repose¹⁰⁰ the event that stimulated¹⁰¹ it; and the past not uncommonly¹⁰² takes a while to happen, and some long time to figure out. ...And the citizens of the little West Coast towns, not infrequently, needed some time to even begin recognizing that it had happened, let alone to get around to figuring it out. For this reason their centennials are never a great success—many oldtimers from bygone times are reluctant to admit those times are gone by. For this reason a nondescript bog¹⁰³ in a meadow is still called Boomer’s Ferry...though Mr. Boomer, his cable-drawn ferry, and the wide slough¹⁰⁴ that once floated them, have long since sunk into nondescript mud. For this reason it takes almost a day after the rain has stopped in Wakonda for the men to straighten up out of their hump-shouldered shuffle¹⁰⁵, almost a day after the wind has quit whipping the water before the women remove the newspaper calking from beneath doors. After one whole rainless day they are willing to say that it by god might be clearing up at that, after a rainless day and night the men and women are even compelled to go so far as to admit that it has stopped, but it takes the mentality¹⁰⁶ of a child to think that the sun might actually come out, here, in November, right in the dead of winter. 604 ken kesey “Look: the old sun might come out, and it almost Thanksgivin’. How come? It never did that before . . .” “Old sun is gonna come out to look is how come...to see is it springtime yet,” was how the phenomenon was interpreted by a Siuslow Street Grade School meteorologist in galoshes and mud-daubed tresses. “To see if it is time to have springtime is how come...” “Ain’t,” a junior colleague, behind her one whole grade and a boy at that, had the gall¹⁰⁷ to dissent¹⁰⁸. “Ain’t it a-tall.” “The ol’ rain some way quit rainin’, see, an’ the sun he waked up an’ he says, ‘It quit rainin’...maybe time for spring. I better see....’ ” “That ain’t it,” he kept on, “that ain’t it a-tall.” “And so,” she went on, ignoring him, “and so . . .” She drew a deep breath and lifted her shoulders in a gesture of bored certainty. “...the ol’ sun is simpah-lee come sneaking¹⁰⁹ out to see what time it is.” “No. That . . . just ...ain’t ... it. Not a-tall.” She tried to remain silent, knowing it was best not to dignify¹¹⁰ these sillies by replying, but the mysterious measured tone of his statement, suggesting knowledge of other data, had anticipated and cleverly baited that silence. The muddy meteorologist detected a vacillation¹¹¹ of faith in her audience—too much vacillation to simpalee ignore. “All right, smarty-pants!” She turned on him. “You tell us how come there’s sunshine out an’ it almost Thanksgiving.” Smarty-pants, a big-nosed, big-eared skeptic¹¹² in taped-together eyeglasses and a screaming Nylaglo raincoat, raised his eyes and looked gravely up at the seminary watching him from the creaking merry-go-round. They waited. The pressure was on. There was no two ways about it: he’d opened his mouth one time too many and now he had to put up or shut up, and he was going to have to put up some extremely persuasive¹¹³ logic¹¹⁴ to overcome the girl’s lead, for not only was she backed by some pretty sound argument and her own bright red Frisbee¹¹⁵, which she tossed and caught at unpredictable intervals¹¹⁶; she was a second-grader to boot. He cleared his throat and called on authority to help make up the gap. sometimes a great notion “My daddy said last night, my daddy said...that it’s gonna be clear sonofabitchin’ skies now that the sky’s cleared.” “Poot!” She wasn’t one to fall for a closed argument. “But how come?” “Because—my daddy said—” He paused, kneaded his brow to recall the verbatim beauty of the reason, darkening his countenance¹¹⁷ and simultaneously¹¹⁸ building suspense¹¹⁹ with a devastating¹²⁰ sense of timing¹²¹. “Because—” His face cleared; the old memory had come through once again. “That hardnosed Stamper bunch is finally knuckled¹²² under, is what.” He delivered the clincher. “Because that sonofabitchin’ Hank Stamper is fine-a-lee called off his deal with Wakonda Pacific!” Right on cue the sun slid above a cloudbank, sharp, keen, and freshly bright, to illuminate¹²³ the playground with an icy white glare. Without another word the girl turned and galoshed off toward the swings, whipped and knowing it; it was a great loss of prestige, but there was simply no way to dispute the statement of authority when it was being seconded by the actual appearance of the party in question. No, she was forced to bow to the truth: the sun had come out because of the capitulation of the Stampers, not because it suspected an early spring. Though, in fact, it did seem very much like spring. Dying dandelions woke to that keen-edged sun and managed a last bloom. Beaten grass lifted straight. Meadowlarks sung in the cattails. And by noon of that second rainless day the town was so thick with the warm, steamy air of Oregon springtime that even the adults recognized the presence of that sun. The sun tried to draw off some of the moisture that had gathered in its brief absence. The roofs steamed. The walls steamed. The railroad ties in weed-grown fields steamed. In Swede Row off Nahamish Street, where the fishermen lived, their drab shacks¹²⁵, primerless and paintless and soaked through and through, gave off such a cloud of hissing¹²⁶ silver mist that the whole row appeared to have caught fire from the unexpected arrival of the November sun. “Bitchin’ weather, don’t you say?” said the Real Estate Man on the South Main sidewalk as he strode, with his coat over his shoulder and good times just around the bend, beside Brother 606 ken kesey Walker of the First Pentecostal Church of God and Metaphysics. He drew a great lungful of optimism, puffed¹²⁷ out his chest to the sun like a chicken drying its feathers, and repeated, “Bitch-ing.” “Ah.” Brother Walker was not very enthusiastic about this particular description. “What I mean is”—damn these guys make a guy feel like he can’t let go and talk American—“is this kind of climate in late November is truly extra-ordinary, extra-ordinary, don’t you agree?” Brother Walker smiled. That was better. He nodded.... “The Lord is merciful,” he announced with confidence. “You bet!” “Yes, yes, merciful . . .” “Big times coming,” was the Real Estate Man’s evaluation¹²⁸. “We’re out of the woods; around that old corner.” He was tingling¹²⁹ with joy and ease; he thought of all the little Johnny Red-feathers he had carved recently, how their faces had grown so like Hank Stamper’s that he had almost gone bats. Now all that was over. And just in time. “Yep. Prosperity round the bend... now that everybody’s been set to rights.” “Yes ...the Lord is merciful,” Brother Walker said again cheerfully, adding this time, “and eternally just.” They strode on down the puddled walk, a dealer¹³⁰ in dirt and a peddler of sky, chance comrades for a while because of their shared destination and their corresponding views of destiny, both beaming their brightest and dreaming of great transactions of earth and air—tingling and cheerful, real pinnacles¹³¹ of optimism, masters of the bright outlook ...but still only amateurs compared to the dead man they were on their way to bury. At the parlor¹³² Lilienthal studies old snapshots and adds last hurried touches to make this loved one look just as natural as life. He wants everything in this ceremony to be especially just as natural, so the kin⁹ won’t object to the bill: the bill is padded heavily to cover the loss he took the day before by burying that miserly Willard Eggleston and the poor old drunk who used to cut shingle¹³³ bolts; a ranger¹³⁴ had found the old man passed on in sometimes a great notion his shack¹²⁴ and brought him in, and a coroner is legally bound to attend to such deceased finds, though the poor souls are without a relative to their name and have been passed-on for a week.... So Lilienthal takes extra pains and special efforts with this loved one, partially¹³⁵ to pay for, partially to make up for, the treatment that other hunk of rotten meat received yesterday.... At her shack on the clamflats Indian Jenny sits on her cot in a position as close as she can come to the full lotus. She has been meditating¹³⁶ ever since the news of the accident reached her; now she is stiff and hungry and she suspects that a family of earwigs has taken up residence in the back of her skirt. But she waits, motionless, and tries to think as Alan Watts¹³⁷ told her to think. Not that she has much hope any longer of solving her problem by this method; mainly she is just dallying¹³⁸: she just doesn’t want to go into town yet for further news. Further news, she has realized since hearing of the developments up river, cannot possibly be anything but bad news ...and she doesn’t know which will dismay her most, hearing that Henry Stamper still lives or hearing that he has died. She closes her eyes and redoubles her efforts to think of nothing, or almost nothing, or at least of nothing as unpleasant as her aching thighs¹³⁹, or Henry Stamper, or earwigs . . . At the Wakonda Arms, Rod looks up from his newspaper to see Ray come buck-and-winging through the door with his cheeks glowing and his arms filled with green-papered bundles. “Puttin’ on my white tie...gettin’ out my tails.” Ray tumbled the load onto the bed. “Fish and soup, Roderick my man, fish and soup this p.m. Cash, too. Teddy paid, after nearly two months; it’s a drag that poor little Willard wasn’t around to enjoy the event, after bugging¹⁴⁰ us about our cleaning bill for so long. Too bad, Willy-o; you’d of waited a few days, you could of split fulfilled.” He clicked into his dance step again, skipping over to the chest of drawers. “But look here, I got to get hold of the old ax. Come to daddy, baby; I got to get the old phalanges limbered....” Rod watched from the bed as Ray pulled the guitar case from beneath the chest of drawers. He gave up on his paper, but for all Ray’s buoyant good tidings, he decided to hold his finger on 608 ken kesey his place in the want ads. “What you coming on so about?” he asked as Ray began tuning¹⁴¹ the instrument. “Hey! Did Teddy finally agree about upping our cut?” “Nope.” Ting ting ting. “You heard from that moneypockets uncle of yours? Huh? You heard from Rhonda Ann in Astoria? Damn you, if you and her—” “Nope, nope, nope-a-dope.” Ting ting ting-a-ting. “Baybee! does a change in weather like this screw up the ol’ strings¹⁴².” T-eeng t-eeng. Rod rolled to his hip⁴² and spread the newspaper against the sun streaming through the dust-starched curtains, returning to the want ads. “Then if you’re tuning that outfit planning a gig tonight, you might’s well figure on pickin’ lead and bass¹⁴³ both. ’Cause man I mean screw it. I’m not taking it ...ten bucks¹⁴⁴ a night and no tips for a month, I don’t hafta take that sound and I told Teddy so.” Ray looked up from his tuning, his face a wide grin. “Man... tell you what I’m gonna do: just because I’m such a sterling¹⁴⁵ fellow, tonight . . . you can have the whole ten and I’ll be happy with the tips. Cool?” No answer came from beneath the paper, but a suspicious silence. “Cool, then, okay? Because I tell you, Roderick. There’s things you ain’t heard and veins¹⁴⁶ you ain’t got your fingers on; it’s gonna be tips up the geetus from here on out and loot and luck all the way to Nashville. Hoo-hoo! I don’t know about you, but I’m goin’ to the moon, you sour-mouthed pessimist¹⁴⁷. To the moon. Dig?” From beneath his paper the pessimist remained silent, digging only that the last time Ray came buck-and-winging into a hotel room to go to coming on like this the nut had ended up, instead of in Nashville, on the emergency ward⁶ in a stinking¹⁴⁸ little hospital outside of Albany or Corvallis or someplace like that, with a hose down his big mouth after a fistful of Nembutals. “Get up from there, man,” Ray shouted. “Get shuckin’. Get out your machine an’ let’s get the kinks loose. Get your chin off your chest and get on the sunny side of the street and pack up your troubles. . . .” Chang: C-chord. Chong: F, G-seventh, sometimes a great notion G...“ ’Cause, man, it’s—” Chang: C-chord again and “Blue skies, smilin’ at me . . . nothin’ but blue skies—” “For maybe one or two days.” A voice rose from the want ads and clouded the air with dismal¹⁴⁹ forecasts of approaching low fronts. “For maybe one or two crummy days, then what kind of motherin’ skies?” “Go ahead.” Ray grinned. “Sit there under a paper and rot. This boy’s gonna get his pickin’ and strummin’ hand sharpened up and take it straight to the top. Tonight’s the start. Sweet joy and victory is gonna fill the old Snag tonight, you see if it don’t. Because, man”—chang tink a tink—“Nothin’ but blue skies . . . do I skooby-dooby see E E E . . .” In the Snag, Teddy looks at the blue sky through his cold scribble¹⁵⁰ of neon and has a slightly different reaction to the unusual change in weather.... Blue skies isn’t barroom weather. You need rain for bringing in the drinkers; this kind of day people drink lemonade. You need rain and dark, and cold. . . . That’s the stuff to start the fear running, to keep the fools drinking. He’d been concerned with fear and fools ever since Draeger had told him with a wink¹⁵¹ the day before that Hank Stamper had just called to say that the shooting match was done. “The ‘shooting match,’ Mr. Draeger?” “ ‘The whole by god shooting match,’ as Hank put it. He said that because of ‘developments,’ Teddy, he couldn’t see how he could possibly make his deadline. Developments . . .” Draeger grinned proudly at him. “I told you we’d show these muscle-heads, didn’t I?”

1 ken   

n.视野，知识领域

参考例句：

• Such things are beyond my ken.我可不懂这些事。
• Abstract words are beyond the ken of children.抽象的言辞超出小孩所理解的范围.

2 outfit   

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。

3 growling   

n.吠声, 咆哮声 v.怒吠, 咆哮, 吼

参考例句：

• We heard thunder growling in the distance. 我们听见远处有隆隆雷声。
• The lay about the deck growling together in talk. 他们在甲板上到处游荡，聚集在一起发牢骚。

4 flinched   

v.（因危险和痛苦）退缩，畏惧( flinch的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He flinched at the sight of the blood. 他一见到血就往后退。
• This tough Corsican never flinched or failed. 这个刚毅的科西嘉人从来没有任何畏缩或沮丧。 来自辞典例句

5 marvel   

vi.(at)惊叹vt.感到惊异；n.令人惊异的事

参考例句：

• The robot is a marvel of modern engineering.机器人是现代工程技术的奇迹。
• The operation was a marvel of medical skill.这次手术是医术上的一个奇迹。

6 ward   

n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开

参考例句：

• The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
• During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。

7 averted   

防止，避免( avert的过去式和过去分词 )； 转移

参考例句：

• A disaster was narrowly averted. 及时防止了一场灾难。
• Thanks to her skilful handling of the affair, the problem was averted. 多亏她对事情处理得巧妙，才避免了麻烦。

8 incapable   

adj.无能力的，不能做某事的

参考例句：

• He would be incapable of committing such a cruel deed.他不会做出这么残忍的事。
• Computers are incapable of creative thought.计算机不会创造性地思维。

9 kin   

n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的

参考例句：

• He comes of good kin.他出身好。
• She has gone to live with her husband's kin.她住到丈夫的亲戚家里去了。

10 tact   

n.机敏，圆滑，得体

参考例句：

• She showed great tact in dealing with a tricky situation.她处理棘手的局面表现得十分老练。
• Tact is a valuable commodity.圆滑老练是很有用处的。

11 philosophic   

adj.哲学的，贤明的

参考例句：

• It was a most philosophic and jesuitical motorman.这是个十分善辩且狡猾的司机。
• The Irish are a philosophic as well as a practical race.爱尔兰人是既重实际又善于思想的民族。

12 insistence   

n.坚持；强调；坚决主张

参考例句：

• They were united in their insistence that she should go to college.他们一致坚持她应上大学。
• His insistence upon strict obedience is correct.他坚持绝对服从是对的。

13 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

14 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。

15 sufficiently   

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。

16 mumbled   

含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He mumbled something to me which I did not quite catch. 他对我叽咕了几句话，可我没太听清楚。
• George mumbled incoherently to himself. 乔治语无伦次地喃喃自语。

17 cowardice   

n.胆小，怯懦

参考例句：

• His cowardice reflects on his character.他的胆怯对他的性格带来不良影响。
• His refusal to help simply pinpointed his cowardice.他拒绝帮助正显示他的胆小。

18 ragged   

adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的

参考例句：

• A ragged shout went up from the small crowd.这一小群人发出了刺耳的喊叫。
• Ragged clothing infers poverty.破衣烂衫意味着贫穷。

19 mere   

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。

20 aged   

adj.年老的，陈年的

参考例句：

• He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。
• He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。

21 pint   

n.品脱

参考例句：

• I'll have a pint of beer and a packet of crisps, please.我要一品脱啤酒和一袋炸马铃薯片。
• In the old days you could get a pint of beer for a shilling.从前，花一先令就可以买到一品脱啤酒。

22 puddle   

n.(雨)水坑，泥潭

参考例句：

• The boy hopped the mud puddle and ran down the walk.这个男孩跳过泥坑，沿着人行道跑了。
• She tripped over and landed in a puddle.她绊了一下，跌在水坑里。

23 sullen   

adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的

参考例句：

• He looked up at the sullen sky.他抬头看了一眼阴沉的天空。
• Susan was sullen in the morning because she hadn't slept well.苏珊今天早上郁闷不乐，因为昨晚没睡好。

24 alley   

n.小巷，胡同；小径，小路

参考例句：

• We live in the same alley.我们住在同一条小巷里。
• The blind alley ended in a brick wall.这条死胡同的尽头是砖墙。

25 vomiting   

吐

参考例句：

• Symptoms include diarrhoea and vomiting. 症状有腹泻和呕吐。
• Especially when I feel seasick, I can't stand watching someone else vomiting." 尤其晕船的时候，看不得人家呕。”

26 writhing   

（因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• She was writhing around on the floor in agony. 她痛得在地板上直打滚。
• He was writhing on the ground in agony. 他痛苦地在地上打滚。

27 clenched   

v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He clenched his fists in anger. 他愤怒地攥紧了拳头。
• She clenched her hands in her lap to hide their trembling. 她攥紧双手放在腿上，以掩饰其颤抖。 来自《简明英汉词典》

28 groan   

vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音

参考例句：

• The wounded man uttered a groan.那个受伤的人发出呻吟。
• The people groan under the burden of taxes.人民在重税下痛苦呻吟。

29 groaning   

adj. 呜咽的, 呻吟的 动词groan的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• She's always groaning on about how much she has to do. 她总抱怨自己干很多活儿。
• The wounded man lay there groaning, with no one to help him. 受伤者躺在那里呻吟着，无人救助。

30 shuddered   

v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动

参考例句：

• He slammed on the brakes and the car shuddered to a halt. 他猛踩刹车，车颤抖着停住了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I shuddered at the sight of the dead body. 我一看见那尸体就战栗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

31 sobs   

啜泣（声），呜咽（声）( sob的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• She was struggling to suppress her sobs. 她拼命不让自己哭出来。
• She burst into a convulsive sobs. 她突然抽泣起来。

32 misery   

n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦

参考例句：

• Business depression usually causes misery among the working class.商业不景气常使工薪阶层受苦。
• He has rescued me from the mire of misery.他把我从苦海里救了出来。

33 glimmering   

n.微光，隐约的一瞥adj.薄弱地发光的v.发闪光，发微光( glimmer的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• I got some glimmering of what he was driving at. 他这么说是什么意思，我有点明白了。 来自辞典例句
• Now that darkness was falling, only their silhouettes were outlined against the faintly glimmering sky. 这时节两山只剩余一抹深黑，赖天空微明为画出一个轮廓。 来自汉英文学 - 散文英译

34 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

35 impetus   

n.推动，促进，刺激；推动力

参考例句：

• This is the primary impetus behind the economic recovery.这是促使经济复苏的主要动力。
• Her speech gave an impetus to my ideas.她的讲话激发了我的思绪。

36 contrived   

adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的

参考例句：

• There was nothing contrived or calculated about what he said.他说的话里没有任何蓄意捏造的成分。
• The plot seems contrived.情节看起来不真实。

37 mesmerized   

v.使入迷( mesmerize的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The country girl stood by the road, mesmerized at the speed of cars racing past. 村姑站在路旁被疾驶而过的一辆辆车迷住了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• My 14-year-old daughter was mesmerized by the movie Titanic. 我14岁的女儿完全被电影《泰坦尼克号》迷住了。 来自互联网

38 talisman   

n.避邪物，护身符

参考例句：

• It was like a talisman worn in bosom.它就象佩在胸前的护身符一样。
• Dress was the one unfailling talisman and charm used for keeping all things in their places.冠是当作保持品位和秩序的一种万应灵符。

39 woolen   

adj.羊毛(制)的；毛纺的

参考例句：

• She likes to wear woolen socks in winter.冬天她喜欢穿羊毛袜。
• There is one bar of woolen blanket on that bed.那张床上有一条毛毯。

40 denim   

n.斜纹棉布；斜纹棉布裤，牛仔裤

参考例句：

• She wore pale blue denim shorts and a white denim work shirt.她穿着一条淡蓝色的斜纹粗棉布短裤，一件白粗布工作服上衣。
• Dennis was dressed in denim jeans.丹尼斯穿了一条牛仔裤。

41 hips   

abbr.high impact polystyrene 高冲击强度聚苯乙烯，耐冲性聚苯乙烯n.臀部( hip的名词复数 )；[建筑学]屋脊；臀围（尺寸）；臀部…的

参考例句：

• She stood with her hands on her hips. 她双手叉腰站着。
• They wiggled their hips to the sound of pop music. 他们随着流行音乐的声音摇晃着臀部。 来自《简明英汉词典》

42 hip   

n.臀部，髋；屋脊

参考例句：

• The thigh bone is connected to the hip bone.股骨连着髋骨。
• The new coats blouse gracefully above the hip line.新外套在臀围线上优美地打着褶皱。

43 supple   

adj.柔软的，易弯的，逢迎的，顺从的，灵活的；vt.使柔软，使柔顺，使顺从；vi.变柔软，变柔顺

参考例句：

• She gets along well with people because of her supple nature.她与大家相处很好，因为她的天性柔和。
• He admired the graceful and supple movements of the dancers.他赞扬了舞蹈演员优雅灵巧的舞姿。

44 spotlighted   

v.聚光照明( spotlight的过去式和过去分词 )；使公众注意，使突出醒目

参考例句：

• The report has spotlighted real deprivation in the inner cities. 这篇报道披露了旧城区的贫困真相。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The paintings were spotlighted from below. 这些画用下面的聚光灯来照明。 来自《简明英汉词典》

45 recollect   

v.回忆，想起，记起，忆起，记得

参考例句：

• He tried to recollect things and drown himself in them.他极力回想过去的事情而沉浸于回忆之中。
• She could not recollect being there.她回想不起曾经到过那儿。

46 consummated   

v.使结束( consummate的过去式和过去分词 )；使完美；完婚；（婚礼后的）圆房

参考例句：

• The marriage lasted only a week and was never consummated. 那段婚姻仅维持了一星期，期间从未同房。
• We consummated an agreement after a year of negotiation. 经过一年的谈判，我们达成了协议。 来自《简明英汉词典》

47 joyous   

adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的

参考例句：

• The lively dance heightened the joyous atmosphere of the scene.轻快的舞蹈给这场戏渲染了欢乐气氛。
• They conveyed the joyous news to us soon.他们把这一佳音很快地传递给我们。

48 sprint   

n.短距离赛跑；vi. 奋力而跑，冲刺；vt.全速跑过

参考例句：

• He put on a sprint to catch the bus.他全速奔跑以赶上公共汽车。
• The runner seemed to be rallied for a final sprint.这名赛跑者似乎在振作精神作最后的冲刺。

49 brink   

n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿

参考例句：

• The tree grew on the brink of the cliff.那棵树生长在峭壁的边缘。
• The two countries were poised on the brink of war.这两个国家处于交战的边缘。

50 vaulting   

n.（天花板或屋顶的）拱形结构

参考例句：

• The vaulting horse is a difficult piece of apparatus to master. 鞍马是很难掌握的器械。
• Sallie won the pole vaulting. 莎莉撑杆跳获胜。

51 glide   

n./v.溜，滑行；(时间)消逝

参考例句：

• We stood in silence watching the snake glide effortlessly.我们噤若寒蝉地站着，眼看那条蛇逍遥自在地游来游去。
• So graceful was the ballerina that she just seemed to glide.那芭蕾舞女演员翩跹起舞，宛如滑翔。

52 gliding   

v. 滑翔 adj. 滑动的

参考例句：

• Swans went gliding past. 天鹅滑行而过。
• The weather forecast has put a question mark against the chance of doing any gliding tomorrow. 天气预报对明天是否能举行滑翔表示怀疑。

53 squeak   

n.吱吱声，逃脱；v.（发出）吱吱叫，侥幸通过；（俚）告密

参考例句：

• I don't want to hear another squeak out of you!我不想再听到你出声！
• We won the game,but it was a narrow squeak.我们打赢了这场球赛，不过是侥幸取胜。

54 voyeur   

n.窥淫狂者，窥隐私者

参考例句：

• The media has made unfeeling voyeurs of all of us.媒体把我们所有人都变成了无情刺探他人隐私的人。
• A voyeur was seen lurking around the girl's dormitory.有人看到一位偷窥狂躲藏在女生宿舍附近。

55 sodden   

adj.浑身湿透的；v.使浸透；使呆头呆脑

参考例句：

• We stripped off our sodden clothes.我们扒下了湿透的衣服。
• The cardboard was sodden and fell apart in his hands.纸板潮得都发酥了，手一捏就碎。

56 spotlighting   

v.聚光照明( spotlight的现在分词 )；使公众注意，使突出醒目

参考例句：

57 honk   

n.雁叫声，汽车喇叭声

参考例句：

• Don't honk the horn indiscriminately.不要乱鸣喇叭！
• While passing another vehicle,you must honk your horn.通过另一部车时必须鸣按喇叭。

58 peeking   

v.很快地看( peek的现在分词 )；偷看；窥视；微露出

参考例句：

• I couldn't resist peeking in the drawer. 我不由得偷看了一下抽屉里面。
• They caught him peeking in through the keyhole. 他们发现他从钥匙孔里向里窥视。 来自辞典例句

59 nude   

adj.裸体的；n.裸体者，裸体艺术品

参考例句：

• It's a painting of the Duchess of Alba in the nude.这是一幅阿尔巴公爵夫人的裸体肖像画。
• She doesn't like nude swimming.她不喜欢裸泳。

60 subsided   

v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上

参考例句：

• After the heavy rains part of the road subsided. 大雨过后，部分公路塌陷了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• By evening the storm had subsided and all was quiet again. 傍晚， 暴风雨已经过去，四周开始沉寂下来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

61 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

62 vengeance   

n.报复，报仇，复仇

参考例句：

• He swore vengeance against the men who murdered his father.他发誓要向那些杀害他父亲的人报仇。
• For years he brooded vengeance.多年来他一直在盘算报仇。

63 spine   

n.脊柱，脊椎；(动植物的)刺；书脊

参考例句：

• He broke his spine in a fall from a horse.他从马上跌下摔断了脊梁骨。
• His spine developed a slight curve.他的脊柱有点弯曲。

64 mused   

v.沉思，冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 )；沉思自语说（某事）

参考例句：

• \"I wonder if I shall ever see them again, \"he mused. “我不知道是否还可以再见到他们，”他沉思自问。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• \"Where are we going from here?\" mused one of Rutherford's guests. 卢瑟福的一位客人忍不住说道：‘我们这是在干什么？” 来自英汉非文学 - 科学史

65 fervor   

n.热诚；热心；炽热

参考例句：

• They were concerned only with their own religious fervor.他们只关心自己的宗教热诚。
• The speech aroused nationalist fervor.这个演讲喚起了民族主义热情。

66 arrogated   

v.冒称，妄取( arrogate的过去式和过去分词 )；没来由地把…归属（于）

参考例句：

• That firm arrogated itself the right to develop this area. 那家企业冒称有权开发这一地区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She arrogated to herself a certain importance. 她妄自尊大。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

67 bough   

n.大树枝，主枝

参考例句：

• I rested my fishing rod against a pine bough.我把钓鱼竿靠在一棵松树的大树枝上。
• Every bough was swinging in the wind.每条树枝都在风里摇摆。

68 virtues   

美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处

参考例句：

• Doctors often extol the virtues of eating less fat. 医生常常宣扬少吃脂肪的好处。
• She delivered a homily on the virtues of family life. 她进行了一场家庭生活美德方面的说教。

69 sluggish   

adj.懒惰的，迟钝的，无精打采的

参考例句：

• This humid heat makes you feel rather sluggish.这种湿热的天气使人感到懒洋洋的。
• Circulation is much more sluggish in the feet than in the hands.脚部的循环比手部的循环缓慢得多。

70 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

71 peals   

n.（声音大而持续或重复的）洪亮的响声( peal的名词复数 )；隆隆声；洪亮的钟声；钟乐v.（使）（钟等）鸣响，（雷等）发出隆隆声( peal的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• She burst into peals of laughter. 她忽然哈哈大笑起来。
• She went into fits/peals of laughter. 她发出阵阵笑声。 来自辞典例句

72 dressing   

n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料

参考例句：

• Don't spend such a lot of time in dressing yourself.别花那么多时间来打扮自己。
• The children enjoy dressing up in mother's old clothes.孩子们喜欢穿上妈妈旧时的衣服玩。

73 anticipation   

n.预期，预料，期望

参考例句：

• We waited at the station in anticipation of her arrival.我们在车站等着，期待她的到来。
• The animals grew restless as if in anticipation of an earthquake.各种动物都变得焦躁不安，像是感到了地震即将发生。

74 enact   

vt.制定(法律)；上演，扮演

参考例句：

• The U.S. Congress has exclusive authority to enact federal legislation.美国国会是唯一有权颁布联邦法律的。
• For example,a country can enact laws and economic policies to attract foreign investment fairly quickly.例如一个国家可以很快颁布吸引外资的法令和经济政策。

75 motives   

n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• to impeach sb's motives 怀疑某人的动机
• His motives are unclear. 他的用意不明。

76 overthrow   

v.推翻，打倒，颠覆；n.推翻，瓦解，颠覆

参考例句：

• After the overthrow of the government,the country was in chaos.政府被推翻后，这个国家处于混乱中。
• The overthrow of his plans left him much discouraged.他的计划的失败使得他很气馁。

77 savoring   

v.意味，带有…的性质( savor的现在分词 )；给…加调味品；使有风味；品尝

参考例句：

• Cooking was fine but it was the savoring that he enjoyed most. 烹饪当然很好，但他最享受的是闻到的各种味道。 来自互联网
• She sat there for a moment, savoring the smell of the food. 她在那儿坐了一会儿，品尝这些食物的香味。 来自互联网

78 beak   

n.鸟嘴，茶壶嘴，钩形鼻

参考例句：

• The bird had a worm in its beak.鸟儿嘴里叼着一条虫。
• This bird employs its beak as a weapon.这种鸟用嘴作武器。

79 hawk   

n.鹰，骗子；鹰派成员

参考例句：

• The hawk swooped down on the rabbit and killed it.鹰猛地朝兔子扑下来,并把它杀死。
• The hawk snatched the chicken and flew away.老鹰叼了小鸡就飞走了。

80 sopping   

adj. 浑身湿透的 动词sop的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• We are sopping with rain. 我们被雨淋湿了。
• His hair under his straw hat was sopping wet. 隔着草帽，他的头发已经全湿。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子

81 miraculous   

adj.像奇迹一样的，不可思议的

参考例句：

• The wounded man made a miraculous recovery.伤员奇迹般地痊愈了。
• They won a miraculous victory over much stronger enemy.他们战胜了远比自己强大的敌人，赢得了非凡的胜利。

82 swollen   

adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀

参考例句：

• Her legs had got swollen from standing up all day.因为整天站着，她的双腿已经肿了。
• A mosquito had bitten her and her arm had swollen up.蚊子叮了她，她的手臂肿起来了。

83 guttering   

n.用于建排水系统的材料；沟状切除术；开沟

参考例句：

• a length of guttering 一节沟槽
• The candle was guttering in the candlestick. 蜡烛在烛台上淌着蜡。 来自辞典例句

84 unintelligible   

adj.无法了解的，难解的，莫明其妙的

参考例句：

• If a computer is given unintelligible data, it returns unintelligible results.如果计算机得到的是难以理解的数据，它给出的也将是难以理解的结果。
• The terms were unintelligible to ordinary folk.这些术语一般人是不懂的。

85 puny   

adj.微不足道的，弱小的

参考例句：

• The resources at the central banks' disposal are simply too puny.中央银行掌握的资金实在太少了。
• Antonio was a puny lad,and not strong enough to work.安东尼奥是个瘦小的小家伙，身体还不壮，还不能干活。

86 transformation   

n.变化；改造；转变

参考例句：

• Going to college brought about a dramatic transformation in her outlook.上大学使她的观念发生了巨大的变化。
• He was struggling to make the transformation from single man to responsible husband.他正在努力使自己由单身汉变为可靠的丈夫。

87 replete   

adj.饱满的，塞满的；n.贮蜜蚁

参考例句：

• He was replete with food and drink.他吃喝得饱饱的。
• This immense space may be replete with happiness and glory.这巨大的空间可能充满了幸福和光荣。

88 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

89 melodrama   

n.音乐剧；情节剧

参考例句：

• We really don't need all this ridiculous melodrama!别跟我们来这套荒唐的情节剧表演！
• White Haired Woman was a melodrama,but in certain spots it was deliberately funny.《白毛女》是一出悲剧性的歌剧，但也有不少插科打诨。

90 sobbed   

哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说

参考例句：

• She sobbed out the story of her son's death. 她哭诉着她儿子的死。
• She sobbed out the sad story of her son's death. 她哽咽着诉说她儿子死去的悲惨经过。

91 stature   

n.（高度）水平，（高度）境界，身高，身材

参考例句：

• He is five feet five inches in stature.他身高5英尺5英寸。
• The dress models are tall of stature.时装模特儿的身材都较高。

92 subconsciously   

ad.下意识地，潜意识地

参考例句：

• In choosing a partner we are subconsciously assessing their evolutionary fitness to be a mother of children or father provider and protector. 在选择伴侣的时候，我们会在潜意识里衡量对方将来是否会是称职的母亲或者父亲，是否会是合格的一家之主。
• Lao Yang thought as he subconsciously tightened his grasp on the rifle. 他下意识地攥紧枪把想。 来自汉英文学 - 散文英译

93 accurately   

adv.准确地，精确地

参考例句：

• It is hard to hit the ball accurately.准确地击中球很难。
• Now scientists can forecast the weather accurately.现在科学家们能准确地预报天气。

94 suburban   

adj.城郊的，在郊区的

参考例句：

• Suburban shopping centers were springing up all over America. 效区的商业中心在美国如雨后春笋般地兴起。
• There's a lot of good things about suburban living.郊区生活是有许多优点。

95 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者

96 mighty   

adj.强有力的；巨大的

参考例句：

• A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
• The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。

97 murmur   

n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言

参考例句：

• They paid the extra taxes without a murmur.他们毫无怨言地交了附加税。
• There was a low murmur of conversation in the hall.大厅里有窃窃私语声。

98 inaccurate   

adj.错误的，不正确的，不准确的

参考例句：

• The book is both inaccurate and exaggerated.这本书不但不准确，而且夸大其词。
• She never knows the right time because her watch is inaccurate.她从来不知道准确的时间因为她的表不准。

99 reverberation   

反响； 回响； 反射； 反射物

参考例句：

• It was green as an emerald, and the reverberation was stunning. 它就象翠玉一样碧绿，回响震耳欲聋。
• Just before dawn he was assisted in waking by the abnormal reverberation of familiar music. 在天将破晓的时候，他被一阵熟悉的，然而却又是反常的回声惊醒了。

100 repose   

v.(使)休息；n.安息

参考例句：

• Don't disturb her repose.不要打扰她休息。
• Her mouth seemed always to be smiling,even in repose.她的嘴角似乎总是挂着微笑，即使在睡眠时也是这样。

101 stimulated   

a.刺激的

参考例句：

• The exhibition has stimulated interest in her work. 展览增进了人们对她作品的兴趣。
• The award has stimulated her into working still harder. 奖金促使她更加努力地工作。

102 uncommonly   

adv. 稀罕(极，非常)

参考例句：

• an uncommonly gifted child 一个天赋异禀的儿童
• My little Mary was feeling uncommonly empty. 我肚子当时正饿得厉害。

103 bog   

n.沼泽；室...陷入泥淖

参考例句：

• We were able to pass him a rope before the bog sucked him under.我们终于得以在沼泽把他吞没前把绳子扔给他。
• The path goes across an area of bog.这条小路穿过一片沼泽。

104 slough   

v.蜕皮，脱落，抛弃

参考例句：

• He was not able to slough off the memories of the past.他无法忘记过去。
• A cicada throws its slough.蝉是要蜕皮的。

105 shuffle   

n.拖著脚走，洗纸牌；v.拖曳，慢吞吞地走

参考例句：

• I wish you'd remember to shuffle before you deal.我希望在你发牌前记得洗牌。
• Don't shuffle your feet along.别拖着脚步走。

106 mentality   

n.心理，思想，脑力

参考例句：

• He has many years'experience of the criminal mentality.他研究犯罪心理有多年经验。
• Running a business requires a very different mentality from being a salaried employee.经营企业所要求具备的心态和上班族的心态截然不同。

107 gall   

v.使烦恼，使焦躁，难堪；n.磨难

参考例句：

• It galled him to have to ask for a loan.必须向人借钱使他感到难堪。
• No gall,no glory.没有磨难，何来荣耀。

108 dissent   

n./v.不同意，持异议

参考例句：

• It is too late now to make any dissent.现在提出异议太晚了。
• He felt her shoulders gave a wriggle of dissent.他感到她的肩膀因为不同意而动了一下。

109 sneaking   

a.秘密的，不公开的

参考例句：

• She had always had a sneaking affection for him. 以前她一直暗暗倾心于他。
• She ducked the interviewers by sneaking out the back door. 她从后门偷偷溜走，躲开采访者。

110 dignify   

vt.使有尊严；使崇高；给增光

参考例句：

• It does not dignify the human condition. It does not elevate the human spirit.它不能使人活得更有尊严，不能提升人的精神生活。
• I wouldn't dignify this trash by calling it a novel.这部劣等作品我是不会美称为小说的。

111 vacillation   

n.动摇；忧柔寡断

参考例句：

• Vacillation is the cause of his failure.优柔寡断是他失败的原因。
• His constant vacillation made him an unfit administrator.他经常优柔寡断，这使他不适合当行政官员。

112 skeptic   

n.怀疑者，怀疑论者，无神论者

参考例句：

• She is a skeptic about the dangers of global warming.她是全球变暖危险的怀疑论者。
• How am I going to convince this skeptic that she should attention to my research?我将如何使怀疑论者确信她应该关注我的研究呢？

113 persuasive   

adj.有说服力的，能说得使人相信的

参考例句：

• His arguments in favour of a new school are very persuasive.他赞成办一座新学校的理由很有说服力。
• The evidence was not really persuasive enough.证据并不是太有说服力。

114 logic   

n.逻辑(学)；逻辑性

参考例句：

• What sort of logic is that?这是什么逻辑？
• I don't follow the logic of your argument.我不明白你的论点逻辑性何在。

115 frisbee   

n.飞盘(塑料玩具)

参考例句：

• We always go to the park on weekends and play Frisbee.我们每个周末都会到公园玩飞盘。
• The frisbee is a light plastic disc,shaped like a plate.飞盘是一种碟形塑料盘。

116 intervals   

n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息

参考例句：

• The forecast said there would be sunny intervals and showers. 预报间晴，有阵雨。
• Meetings take place at fortnightly intervals. 每两周开一次会。

117 countenance   

n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同

参考例句：

• At the sight of this photograph he changed his countenance.他一看见这张照片脸色就变了。
• I made a fierce countenance as if I would eat him alive.我脸色恶狠狠地，仿佛要把他活生生地吞下去。

118 simultaneously   

adv.同时发生地，同时进行地

参考例句：

• The radar beam can track a number of targets almost simultaneously.雷达波几乎可以同时追着多个目标。
• The Windows allow a computer user to execute multiple programs simultaneously.Windows允许计算机用户同时运行多个程序。

119 suspense   

n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑

参考例句：

• The suspense was unbearable.这样提心吊胆的状况实在叫人受不了。
• The director used ingenious devices to keep the audience in suspense.导演用巧妙手法引起观众的悬念。

120 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

121 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

122 knuckled   

v.（指人）指关节( knuckle的过去式和过去分词 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝

参考例句：

• He knuckled me in the chest. 他用指关节敲击我的胸部。 来自辞典例句
• Mr. Cruncher knuckled his forehead, as Sydney Carton and the spy returned from the dark room. 克朗彻先生用指关节敲敲自己的前额，这时西德尼 - 卡尔顿和密探从黑屋出来了。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

123 illuminate   

vt.照亮，照明；用灯光装饰；说明，阐释

参考例句：

• Dreams kindle a flame to illuminate our dark roads.梦想点燃火炬照亮我们黑暗的道路。
• They use games and drawings to illuminate their subject.他们用游戏和图画来阐明他们的主题。

124 shack   

adj.简陋的小屋，窝棚

参考例句：

• He had to sit down five times before he reached his shack.在走到他的茅棚以前，他不得不坐在地上歇了五次。
• The boys made a shack out of the old boards in the backyard.男孩们在后院用旧木板盖起一间小木屋。

125 shacks   

n.窝棚，简陋的小屋( shack的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They live in shacks which they made out of wood. 他们住在用木头搭成的简陋的小屋里。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Most people in Port au-Prince live in tin shacks. 太子港的大多数居民居住在铁皮棚里。 来自互联网

126 hissing   

n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• The steam escaped with a loud hissing noise. 蒸汽大声地嘶嘶冒了出来。
• His ears were still hissing with the rustle of the leaves. 他耳朵里还听得萨萨萨的声音和屑索屑索的怪声。 来自汉英文学 - 春蚕

127 puffed   

adj.疏松的v.使喷出( puff的过去式和过去分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧

参考例句：

• He lit a cigarette and puffed at it furiously. 他点燃了一支香烟，狂吸了几口。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He felt grown-up, puffed up with self-importance. 他觉得长大了，便自以为了不起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

128 evaluation   

n.估价，评价；赋值

参考例句：

• I attempted an honest evaluation of my own life.我试图如实地评价我自己的一生。
• The new scheme is still under evaluation.新方案还在评估阶段。

129 tingling   

v.有刺痛感( tingle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• My ears are tingling [humming; ringing; singing]. 我耳鸣。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• My tongue is tingling. 舌头发麻。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

130 dealer   

n.商人，贩子

参考例句：

• The dealer spent hours bargaining for the painting.那个商人为购买那幅画花了几个小时讨价还价。
• The dealer reduced the price for cash down.这家商店对付现金的人减价优惠。

131 pinnacles   

顶峰( pinnacle的名词复数 )； 顶点； 尖顶； 小尖塔

参考例句：

• What would be the pinnacles of your acting and music? 对你而言什麽代表你的演技和音乐的巅峰？
• On Skye's Trotternish Peninsula, basalt pinnacles loom over the Sound of Raasay. 在斯开岛的特洛登尼许半岛，玄武岩尖塔俯瞰着拉塞海峡。

132 parlor   

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？

133 shingle   

n.木瓦板；小招牌(尤指医生或律师挂的营业招牌)；v.用木瓦板盖（屋顶）；把（女子头发）剪短

参考例句：

• He scraped away the dirt,and exposed a pine shingle.他刨去泥土，下面露出一块松木瓦块。
• He hung out his grandfather's shingle.他挂出了祖父的行医招牌。

134 ranger   

n.国家公园管理员，护林员；骑兵巡逻队员

参考例句：

• He was the head ranger of the national park.他曾是国家公园的首席看守员。
• He loved working as a ranger.他喜欢做护林人。

135 partially   

adv.部分地，从某些方面讲

参考例句：

• The door was partially concealed by the drapes.门有一部分被门帘遮住了。
• The police managed to restore calm and the curfew was partially lifted.警方设法恢复了平静，宵禁部分解除。

136 meditating   

a.沉思的，冥想的

参考例句：

• They were meditating revenge. 他们在谋划进行报复。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics. 这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

137 watts   

（电力计量单位）瓦，瓦特( watt的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• My lamp uses 60 watts; my toaster uses 600 watts. 我的灯用60瓦，我的烤面包器用600瓦。
• My lamp uses 40 watts. 我的灯40瓦。

138 dallying   

v.随随便便地对待( dally的现在分词 )；不很认真地考虑；浪费时间；调情

参考例句：

• They've been dallying with the idea for years. 他们多年来一直有这个想法，但从没有认真考虑过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This kind of dallying is, in a sense, optimal. 从某种意义上来说，这种延迟是最理想的。 来自互联网

139 thighs   

n.股，大腿( thigh的名词复数 )；食用的鸡（等的）腿

参考例句：

• He's gone to London for skin grafts on his thighs. 他去伦敦做大腿植皮手术了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The water came up to the fisherman's thighs. 水没到了渔夫的大腿。 来自《简明英汉词典》

140 bugging   

[法] 窃听

参考例句：

• Okay, then let's get the show on the road and I'll stop bugging you. 好，那么让我们开始动起来，我将不再惹你生气。 来自辞典例句
• Go fly a kite and stop bugging me. 走开，别烦我。 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 口语

141 tuning   

n.调谐，调整，调音v.调音( tune的现在分词 )；调整；（给收音机、电视等）调谐；使协调

参考例句：

• They are tuning up a plane on the flight line. 他们正在机场的飞机跑道上调试一架飞机。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The orchestra are tuning up. 管弦乐队在定弦。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

142 strings   

n.弦

参考例句：

• He sat on the bed,idly plucking the strings of his guitar.他坐在床上，随意地拨着吉他的弦。
• She swept her fingers over the strings of the harp.她用手指划过竖琴的琴弦。

143 bass   

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。

144 bucks   

n.雄鹿( buck的名词复数 )；钱；（英国十九世纪初的）花花公子；（用于某些表达方式）责任v.（马等）猛然弓背跃起( buck的第三人称单数 )；抵制；猛然震荡；马等尥起后蹄跳跃

参考例句：

• They cost ten bucks. 这些值十元钱。
• They are hunting for bucks. 他们正在猎雄兔。 来自《简明英汉词典》

145 sterling   

adj.英币的(纯粹的，货真价实的)；n.英国货币(英镑)

参考例句：

• Could you tell me the current rate for sterling, please?能否请您告诉我现行英国货币的兑换率？
• Sterling has recently been strong,which will help to abate inflationary pressures.英国货币最近非常坚挺，这有助于减轻通胀压力。

146 veins   

n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理

参考例句：

• The blood flows from the capillaries back into the veins. 血从毛细血管流回静脉。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I felt a pleasant glow in all my veins from the wine. 喝过酒后我浑身的血都热烘烘的，感到很舒服。 来自《简明英汉词典》

147 pessimist   

n.悲观者；悲观主义者；厌世

参考例句：

• An optimist laughs to forget.A pessimist forgets to laugh.乐观者笑着忘却，悲观者忘记怎样笑。
• The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity.The optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty.悲观者在每个机会中都看到困难，乐观者在每个困难中都看到机会。

148 stinking   

adj.臭的，烂醉的，讨厌的v.散发出恶臭( stink的现在分词 )；发臭味；名声臭；糟透

参考例句：

• I was pushed into a filthy, stinking room. 我被推进一间又脏又臭的屋子里。
• Those lousy, stinking ships. It was them that destroyed us. 是的！就是那些该死的蠢猪似的臭飞船！是它们毁了我们。 来自英汉非文学 - 科幻

149 dismal   

adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的

参考例句：

• That is a rather dismal melody.那是一支相当忧郁的歌曲。
• My prospects of returning to a suitable job are dismal.我重新找到一个合适的工作岗位的希望很渺茫。

150 scribble   

v.潦草地书写，乱写，滥写；n.潦草的写法，潦草写成的东西，杂文

参考例句：

• She can't write yet,but she loves to scribble with a pencil.她现在还不会写字，但她喜欢用铅笔乱涂。
• I can't read this scribble.我看不懂这种潦草的字。

151 wink   

n.眨眼，使眼色，瞬间；v.眨眼，使眼色，闪烁

参考例句：

• He tipped me the wink not to buy at that price.他眨眼暗示我按那个价格就不要买。
• The satellite disappeared in a wink.瞬息之间，那颗卫星就消失了。