CHAPTER THIRTEEN

“Follow your bliss¹. Find where it is, and don’t be afraid to follow it.” Joseph Campbell “What if you get three steps out the door and you ‘accidentally’ fall and break your neck?” Bill Spence shouted. For some reason he believed increased volume added weight to a line of reasoning. “He has a point.” Joey couldn’t believe she was actually agreeing with the Pillsbury Doughboy. “Your house burns down and there’s a senator in the hospital.” “Life is full of risks.” She continued rummaging² through Joey’s closet. She found exactly what she was looking for. A hideous³ day glow blue jogging suit. “You need this?” “Not unless disco makes a comeback.” “I have to leave everything of mine here.” she said as she pulled off the wedding ring she still wore, for no particular reason other than habit, and a locket her mother had given her that had been in the family for over 200 years. “Why?” demanded Bill. “Because something may be bugged⁴ or have a tracking device on it.” “What are you talking about?” Bill asked. “Our house was bugged, and Michael Walker found several tracking devices on my car.” As the words left her mouth she wished she could grab them back and swallow them. “When was Walker in your car?” roared Bill Spence. 105 The Fourth Awakening⁵ “You did bust⁶ him out!” Joey slapped Penelope on the shoulder. “And you didn’t tell me!” Bill Spence moved directly in front of his ex-wife and through gritted⁷ teeth said, “Penelope, what was this Walker character doing in your car?” “Bill,” Penelope answered. “Your macho man routine didn’t work when we were married. What makes you think it’s going to impress me now?” “I’m just concerned for you…” “That is such BS. You’re concerned I might do something to embarrass you. Too late. Aft er Walker broke out of the brig, I gave him a ride to West Ashley Park. When he left the park he was wearing some of your old clothes. What do you think the stuffed shirts on the opera committee will think of that?” Bill Spence fumed⁸ but said nothing. “Should I call Ricky?” Joey asked. Penelope glared at Bill for a moment until she realized what Joey had just said. Her shoulders sagged⁹. “Ricky? Ricky!” Penelope slapped her forehead. “Josephine Antoinette Middleton, you didn’t do it again. I don’t believe it.” “It was entirely¹⁰ your fault.” “How in the world could it possibly have been my fault?” “If you hadn’t been breaking people out of prison he wouldn’t have been over yesterday.” “Will you ever learn?” “What are you two talking about?” Bill Spence asked. “Shut up, Bill,” both women said, in unison¹¹. “I don’t have time for all of this now. Damn. I really wish I had my laptop.” Penelope paced in tight circles as she plotted her strategy. “Joey, I’m going to need to borrow your car.” “No way. I can’t lend my Beamer to a potential fl ight risk.” “I’m serious. I need your car.” “No way.” “Why not?” “Three reasons. One, you don’t know how to drive a stick.” “I know how to drive a stick shift …” “Tell that to Froggy LeGrange.” “I was sixteen!” “Yes but as I recall the transmission in his Camaro ended up in the middle of Calhoun Street.” Penelope didn’t have an answer so Joey 106 Rod Pennington & Jeffery A. Martin continued. “Two, after driving your little soybean-mobile for the last couple of years you couldn’t keep a real car on the road. And three,” Joey’s eyes twinkled with excitement. “If you think I’m going to miss this, you are out of your mind.” . PPenelope Spence checked the contents of the backpack for the third time. The biggest problem with her plan was she still didn’t know who the bad guys were. And there was always the possibility there were no good guys in this little drama. She didn’t trust Assistant Director Robert Smith even a little; she had dealt with his agenda-driven type before. She only had Walker’s word that the 30 missing people were alive and well, but no proof to support his claim. And, considering electronic devices were found on both her car and in her house, she had no idea if there was another player or even multiple players she still hadn’t met. All she knew for sure was that Horn had looked awful when she spoke¹² to him, and it was possible that his stroke was from natural causes. Still, either Smith or Walker had the resources to cause illness to Horn and to burn down her house if either felt it was necessary. Plus Horn had made it clear that there were others waiting in the shadows, not to mention one billion people, who somehow had an interest in what was going on. She hadn’t felt this alive in years. Penelope plopped into the front seat of Joey’s Beamer. She was wearing the ugly blue sweat suit from the back of Joey’s closet and had the backpack on her lap. “I feel like Butch and Sundance,” Joey said with a laugh. “I’m thinking more Lucy and Ethel,” Penelope answered as she tried to control her breathing. “Will you settle for Stephanie Plum and Lula?” The two old friends exchanged smiles and nodded their agreement. “Buckle up, baby!” Joey exclaimed as she popped a Guns and Roses CD into the stereo and turned up the volume. Axl Rose began screaming as she turned over the ignition and punched the garage door opener on her visor. The door wasn’t even fully¹³ up when she slapped the car into reverse, dropped the clutch and floored it. The tires squealed¹⁴ as she laid a track of rubber down the driveway. She hit the curb¹⁵ at about the same moment Axl hit the chorus. 107 The Fourth Awakening When Joey slammed on the brakes, the car slid briefly¹⁶ on some loose gravel¹⁷; fortunately there were no cars parked on the street. Before the sports car came to a complete stop she jammed the transmission into fi rst gear and floored the gas. A trail of burnt rubber and blue smoke formed behind the Beamer as it screamed down the nearly deserted¹⁸ street. Th e tachometer jumped to the right, but she didn’t bother with second gear until the red flash of German machinery¹⁹ was going over 30 mph. She was doing 60 long before she reached the guard station of her walled community. Tapping the brakes just enough to keep the car on the road, she dropped the gear from fourth to second, as she flew through the stop sign and made a right turn at over 40 mph. Before the drivers of the two vehicles that were assigned to tail Penelope Spence could put down their coffee and donut, Joey was a half mile ahead of them. Being a Sunday morning, traffic was sparse²⁰ as she jumped the light at Sam Rittenberg Boulevard. A third of the town was already on the water or a golf course, a third was in church, and a third was still in bed recovering from the previous night’s activities. Joey and Penelope pretty much had the road to themselves. As the streaking²¹ red car approached the bridge over the Ashley River, Joey’s speedometer was passing 100 mph. Joey upped the volume to the max as the next Guns and Roses song kicked in. Axl began screaming “Welcome to the Jungle.” At the top of his lungs. Joey cut off a lumbering²² SUV in the middle lane, hit the brakes on the Beamer about a hundred yards from the on ramp²³ to I-26 South, and dropped the gear from fi fth to third. The tach leaped into the red again as she popped the clutch and let the engine compression slow the car down; the motor screamed in protest. They were still going 60 mph, well above the recommend 35, when she hit the on-ramp. Thank God for German engineering. Not only did the BMW stay on the road, its right front wheel hugged the inside white stripe without drift ing. Once on I-26, she opened it up again. The speedometer topped out at 120 before she began her descent to the Morrison Street exit. She fl ew down the off ramp and took the stop sign and left turn at 35 mph. She ran the light at East Bay Street and headed toward town before slowing down to a more reasonable speed. Joey ran her hand through her windblown hair and said, “I’ve always enjoyed a Sunday drive. How about you?” For the first time since leaving her driveway she glanced over at her friend. Penelope was paler than her ex108 Rod Pennington & Jeffery A. Martin husband, and her fingernails were latched²⁵ to the upholstery of the seat like a cat that didn’t want to be picked up. “Was that quick enough for you?” “Fine, thanks.” Penelope felt her blood pressure starting to return to normal, but nevertheless had a diffi cult²⁶ time disengaging her grip on the seat. Her knuckles²⁷ appeared to have gone into rigor²⁸ mortis and she no longer had any control over them. “By the way, the Hendricks Racing²⁹ Team called and said they’re looking for a driver next week at Talladega.” “Too many left turns for my taste.” By the time they passed Calhoun Street, most of Penelope’s normal functions had returned. As they approached the corner of East Bay and Market, she thought the adrenaline from Joey’s driving would have started to wear off . The exact opposite was happening. Walker, if he still planned to meet her, had to be close by. Somehow, on some level, she could feel his presence. They missed the light. Stuck in the middle of one of Charleston’s largest tourist attractions, there were too many people and cars for Joey to try anything aggressive, so they waited for the green light. Penelope looked around for any signs of Walker or flashing police lights, but found neither. She was hardly surprised that she couldn’t see Walker; she doubted he would stand out. There was still a half hour before they were scheduled to meet. Joey drove just under the speed limit down East Bay Street, past Broad and pulled into an open spot in front of the Battery at the extreme tip of the Charleston peninsula. This was the exact spot where, on April 12, 1861, the American Civil War began. Beginning at 4:30 a.m. and for the next 34 straight hours the Confederate batteries pounded Fort Sumter until it surrendered. It is a matter of some dispute whether it was one of Penelope’s ancestors or one of Joey’s who was given the honor of lighting³¹ the fuse on the first cannon³². Most history books give the credit to Ezekiel Drayton, a fact Mark discovered while they were in college and had never let Penelope forget. Joey watched her friend grab her borrowed items and reach for the door handle. Penelope had a nagging³³ feeling that it might be a long time before they shared another bottle of wine and a laugh. Tears welled up in her eyes and she hugged her lifelong friend. “You okay?” Joey asked, surprised by the flash of emotion from her friend. “I’ll see you later this aft ernoon, right?” Penelope wiped a tear off of her cheek. “Right,” she lied. Penelope 109 The Fourth Awakening Drayton Spence somehow knew that the moment she stepped out of the car her life would change forever. It still wasn’t too late to turn back and rebuild her life in Charleston. Racked for a moment with emotion and doubt, she drew in a deep breath and straightened her shoulders. She was doing the right thing. They hugged again and Penelope jumped out of the car and trotted³⁴ toward one of the benches in Battery Park. . MMrs. Gloria Von Ward²⁴ had been considering getting up and getting dressed when her cell phone went off. Having just spent the first night of her honeymoon³⁵ at a bed and breakfast overlooking Charleston Harbor, she couldn’t imagine who would be calling her. When the female voice on the phone told her to hold for the Department of Homeland Security’s Director of Emerging Technologies, she sat straight up in bed, slapping her husband of 18 hours hands away. “Agent Von Ward? “Yes, sir.” “This is Director Noah Shepherd. I need you to respond immediately to an eminent³⁶ national security threat.” “Yes, sir.” . PPenelope was nearly alone in White Point Garden, a tree-fi lled park at the tip of the peninsula where the Confederate Battery had once stood. She surveyed the area. There was an old man walking his dog with one hand holding a leash³⁷ and the other gripping a plastic doggy waste bag. There was a young couple in the gazebo that hadn’t even noticed her since they couldn’t take their eyes off each other. There was a fit young woman stretching her legs, clearly preparing for her morning run. It looked pretty safe to her. The runner kept her left side away from Penelope’s line of sight. She didn’t want her to see the Bluetooth earpiece. This was a career moment for Gloria Von Ward, the honeymoon be damned. To have someone at the Director’s level at Homeland Security call her, a Field Agent only a year out of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, was unheard of. While the woman in the blue jogging suit may have lost her tail for the moment, they’d all start arriving within the next few minutes. If Von 110 Rod Pennington & Jeffery A. Martin Ward could keep her in sight for five minutes she would be on a fast track that only having a marker from the Director’s level could bring. Penelope Spence began jogging up Church Street. Before the Civil War, Charleston had been one of the richest cities in the country. Th e area known as “South of Broad”, which encompasses³⁸ the tract³⁰ between Broad Street and the Battery, has some of the finest examples of early American architecture in existence. Sprawling³⁹ restored mansions⁴⁰, many with harbor views, help make Charleston one of the top vacation destinations in the country. On a beautiful Sunday morning such as this, tourists and horse-drawn carriages crowd the narrow streets. It took Penelope less than a block before she realized that the woman from the park might be following her. Looking for confi rmation, she took a left on Atlantic and a right on Meeting Street. The other runner was still there, matching her stride for stride. She looked at least 20 years younger and in much better shape; the chances of outrunning her were slim. She would have to outthink her. Penelope took a right on Water Street and slowly headed back towards the Cooper River. At the corner, she jogged in place until a tourist’s horse-drawn carriage moved out of her way, then she bolted full speed up Church, taking a quick right into Stoll’s Alley⁴¹. She knew the woman would not want to lose sight of her and would try to close the gap between them quickly. The third house down, like so many in the Historic District, was in the process of being renovated⁴² and a construction dumpster was parked in the driveway. It was exactly what she had been hoping for. Reaching in, Penelope found what she needed. Gloria Von Ward, seeing the target had made her, kicked it from a jog to a flat-out run. If she had spotted⁴³ the tail, that would be too bad, but Agent Von Ward was not going to lose sight of her until backup arrived. She spoke into the Bluetooth. “She’s turned right into,” she squinted⁴⁴ to read the sign as she turned the corner. What a day to not have time to put in her contact lens or be able to locate her glasses. Before she could give her location, an oversized burlap sack was over her head and she was being pulled between the buildings. As she struggled, a leather case with her Homeland Security badge tumbled to the ground. Losing her balance on a cobblestone Von Ward fell hard, and didn’t stir. That was all the advantage Penelope needed. Penelope pulled off the hideous blue jogging suit, and instead of 111 The Fourth Awakening tossing it in the dumpster where it would be a clue to her wardrobe change, she stuffed it in the backpack. Underneath⁴⁵ she was wearing a bright yellow sun dress. Reaching into the backpack she pulled out a pair of oversized sunglasses and one of Joey’s real hair blond wigs⁴⁶ that had cost a small fortune. She put on the sunglasses and adjusted the wig⁴⁷ until it felt comfortable. Next, she pulled off her running shoes. They were not nearly as noticeable as the jogging suit and she didn’t need the additional bulk in the backpack. She tossed the running shoes down the alley before retrieving⁴⁸ a pair of sandals from the backpack and slipping them on. She pulled one last item from the backpack, a Charleston Museum shopping bag, and crammed⁴⁹ the backpack inside the heavy paper bag. Her transformation⁵⁰ was complete and had been accomplished⁵¹ in less than 30 seconds. Glancing back she saw the woman who had been chasing her just starting to stir. The new Penelope Drayton Spence stepped out onto East Bay Street and joined a group of tourists who were strolling toward the market. They all watched as a Chevy Suburban⁵² with darkened windows and flashing lights in its grill⁵³ squealed its tires and turned into Stoll Alley, clearly following Gloria Van Ward’s tracking device. . TThe City Market has been a fixture⁵⁴ of Charleston since the time of the American Revolution and in constant use since 1788. As Charleston transformed from a sleepy declining city to one of America’s favorite tourist destinations, the market gradually evolved. The four blocks of covered but open-air market had moved from selling fresh fruits and produce in the nineteenth century to trinkets and souvenirs today. On this weekend at the height of tourist season City Market was packed. Outside a coff ee shop catering⁵⁵ to the tourist trade were three stacks of newspapers; The Post and Courier, Sunday New York Times and the Sunday Washington Post. Each stack had a brick on top to keep the wind from blowing the newspapers away. There it was. Taking off her sunglasses, she leaned over and read the headlines. She wanted to shout and point to her name on the front page. She wanted to kiss total strangers. She wanted to buy a latte for everyone in sight. Instead she quickly shoved the sunglasses back on her nose and started looking for Michael Walker. Penelope heard the bells chiming at Saint Philips Church, which meant it had to be around noon. Her watch had 112 Rod Pennington & Jeffery A. Martin been a casualty of the fire. She crossed the street and made her way inside the market. She looked around for Walker but he was a no-show. The only man even close to his general size was a potbellied biker with a dirty blond ponytail, wearing a t-shirt that read, “Lock Up Your Daughters.” She wasn’t sure if she was relieved or disappointed. As the seconds began to tick away, she suddenly started to panic. “Oh, God,” she thought to herself, realizing for the first time what she had done. She had assaulted a Federal officer. “Oh, God,” She whispered softly as she bumped into the biker. “Sorry,” she muttered as she tried to move away, but the crowd and narrow aisles⁵⁶ restricted her mobility⁵⁷. “I see we both prefer blonds,” the biker said in a familiar voice. As soon as the biker pushed his sunglasses to the end of his nose revealing his eyes, she knew it was Walker. “Been eating well on my $3,000, I see.” He patted the pillow under his shirt. “I finally found a store with peanut M&Ms.” He motioned that they should start moving. With a bit of eff ort, they managed to escape the crowd and head east a short block on Market Street until it dead-ended into Concord⁵⁸ Street and the Cooper River. Taking a left toward the South Carolina Aquarium⁵⁹, they walked around the corner to the warehouse⁶⁰ district that few tourists ever discover, even though it is only a few steps from the market. They stopped in front of a rusty⁶¹ blue and white Ford⁶² Bronco with 10 years of hard use and an interesting assortment⁶³ of minor⁶⁴ body damage including what appeared to be a bullet hole in the rear quarter panel. Walker took off his sunglasses so he could make better eye contact. “Anyone follow you?” “Yes,” Penelope said. “I figured they would have tracking devices on me and Joey…” “Joey?” “My friend Joey Rickman. She was my wheel man this morning.” Walker nodded that he understood and that she should continue. “Everything I have on is borrowed. I couldn’t do anything about Joey’s car, but I had her drop me off about a mile from here and I walked. I’m pretty sure I lost the tail.” Penelope recounted the entire morning, starting with Joey’s driving 113 The Fourth Awakening and ending with her “sacking” a Federal Agent, followed by her wardrobe change. Walker listened intently without interrupting. When she finished, he smiled. “Very nice. What made you think of that?” “I have a weakness for trashy mystery novels, and one of my favorite characters is Kinsey Millhone. I asked myself, what would Kinsey do?” “Sue Grafton would be proud.” “You heard about Senator Horn?” “Yes,” Walker said with a sigh. “It’s unfortunate. Nice articles in the Post this morning.” “Thanks. It will probably be overshadowed by Senator Horn.” Walker nodded. “My house burned down last night.” “I know.” “Was that you that warned me?” Walker smiled. “What do you think?” “I have no idea.” “As soon as you do, let me know.” “It’s going to be like that, huh?” Walker smiled and shrugged⁶⁵. “Okay. It’s decision time.” “Meaning?” “Meaning, you have two choices.” “Which are?” “You can turn yourself in, and tell Robert Smith everything you know…” “Including the prison break?” “Everything. Trust me. He will understand exactly what you’re telling him, he’s seen it all before.” “I don’t trust him. They found bugs⁶⁶ in my house when they were searching it.” “Excellent.” “Excellent?! What is excellent about that?” “How many did they fi nd?” “Close to a dozen.” “Interesting.” Penelope watched as Walker sifted⁶⁷ through the new information. “That probably wasn’t Robert, but it could have been any of several dozen groups or agencies.” “What?” “You hit everyone’s radar⁶⁸ screen the moment you asked to see me at 114 Rod Pennington & Jeffery A. Martin the brig. One likely candidate is Robert’s boss, Noah Shepherd. I’d bet that at least some of those bugs had the earmarks of a Marcus Wolfe black bag job.” “Who?” “The Department of Emerging Technology is huge and they occasionally push the envelope on what’s legal. Wolfe is the director’s muscle. Given the number of bugs that were discovered and how poorly they were hidden, they were intended to be found. No doubt others were there that you’d probably never be able to locate. Someone is trying to scare you.” “They’re doing a pretty good job.” “They are very talented people.” “So is this bad for the Hermes Project?” Penelope asked. “Just the opposite. For this to work we need to have the Director personally involved.” “Why?” “It will be clear, soon enough.” “So you’re not going to tell me?” “You don’t need to know, and if you did it could be uncomfortable for you if you turn yourself in.” “Why.” “Because Wolfe would get it out of you, one way or another.” Penelope didn’t like the sound of that at all. “Do I need protection?’ “Maybe. Wolfe is not known for his soft touch.” “Am I in physical danger?” “There are all kinds of danger; you gave them some leverage⁶⁹ when you put that bag over the agent’s head.” Penelope chewed it over for a second then shook her head. “She didn’t actually see me do anything. My lawyer would have a fi eld day with any charges.” “That’s the spirit. If you decide to turn yourself in, only talk to Robert Smith, and turn yourself in with your attorney and with the press covering it if possible.” Penelope smiled. “I think my attorney can arrange that.” “Robert will make it much easier.” “Still don’t trust him.” Walker sighed. “I worked with the man for nearly a year. I’ve had dinner at his house and know his wife and kids.” 115 The Fourth Awakening “What do you mean you worked with him?” “He was the Homeland Security liaison⁷⁰ for the Hermes Project.” “What?” “He’s actually on our side. He was our strongest advocate for keeping the program alive. He went with me to the final hearing with Horn’s committee and was pretty persuasive⁷¹.” “Yet he has thrown you in jail three times this week.” “He was just following orders. He would never hurt me or anyone else. It’s not in his nature.” “If you say so. You said I had two choices. What’s behind door number two?” “You come with me.” “What?’ “You say that a lot, don’t you?” “I’m a reporter. How about option three?” “Which is?’ “You stay here and I interview you, then I’m home for dinner.” Walker lowered his eyes and as Penelope realized she didn’t have a home to return to, a heavy, awkward silence settled over them. “You don’t want to do that,” Walker said soft ly. Penelope forced her house from her mind; nothing could be done about that now. “Why not?” “Because then you won’t get to meet Dr. Altman and see the Hermes Project fi rsthand.” That stopped Penelope dead in her tracks. “You certainly know how to say all the right things to a lady. That’s very tempting⁷².” Walker studied her closely; judgment⁷³ time had arrived. In the next few moments he would know if he had risked his life, and possibly the entire future of mankind, on a fool’s errand. “Let me ask you something.” “Go ahead.” “What do you want more than anything?” “Grandkids,” she answered without thinking. Walker waited until she was ready to be serious. His blue gray eyes bored into her. She knew exactly what she wanted but didn’t want to say it out loud since it seemed so petty and selfish. She had so much to be grateful for and it would be easy for anyone, especially her children, to take it the wrong way. Walker continued to wait. 116 Rod Pennington & Jeffery A. Martin “It sounds so shallow,” she said meekly⁷⁴, as tears filled her eyes. “No, it doesn’t.” “You already know what I’m going to say?” “Yes. That’s why I sought you out” “Then why do I have to say it?” “I have to hear you say it.” “Why?” “Because you have to hear yourself say it. Until you declare this to the universe, nothing will happen.” She focused on her shoes as tears began to stream down her cheeks. “I want to be 23 again, and have every newspaper in the world on their knees begging me to come work for them. I want to go back and do it differently.” She broke down and began sobbing⁷⁵ on Walker’s shoulder. “I love my children, I really do. That sounded so awful.” He patted her softly on the back and whispered in her ear. “No, it didn’t.” She was crying so hard she was shaking. The events of her life and the past two days had finally caught up with her. Here she was, on a public street, wrapped in the arms of a man she barely knew, crying like a baby. Her mother would have been horrifi ed. Walker waited until the bulk of the storm passed before whispering in her ear. “What if I told you, you could have exactly what you want if you come with me?” Penelope pulled away and looked in his eyes without releasing her grip. Every bit of logic⁷⁶, all of her intellect, everything she had ever learned told her this man was crazy. But there, trapped in his eyes and feeling the warmth of his body pressing against her, she believed him. “The 23 again part I can’t do anything about,” he said with a twinkle in his eye. “That boat has already sailed.” Penelope started laughing just as hard as she had been crying moments earlier. She wiped a tear from her cheek, straightened her shoulders and said, “When do we leave?” Walker motioned toward the battered⁷⁷ Bronco. “Your chariot awaits.” “You got to be kidding? This is what you spent my $3,000 on?” “I also got a new T-shirt.” “We’re going to have to talk about that. I have two daughters.” Walker shrugged as he opened the passenger side door and Penelope Spence climbed in. 117 PART TWO The Fourth Awakening “If you realized how powerful your thoughts are, you would never think a negative thought.” Peace Pilgrim

1 bliss   

n.狂喜，福佑，天赐的福

参考例句：

• It's sheer bliss to be able to spend the day in bed.整天都可以躺在床上真是幸福。
• He's in bliss that he's won the Nobel Prize.他非常高兴，因为获得了诺贝尔奖金。

2 rummaging   

翻找，搜寻( rummage的现在分词 )； 海关检查

参考例句：

• She was rummaging around in her bag for her keys. 她在自己的包里翻来翻去找钥匙。
• Who's been rummaging through my papers? 谁乱翻我的文件来着？

3 hideous   

adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的

参考例句：

• The whole experience had been like some hideous nightmare.整个经历就像一场可怕的噩梦。
• They're not like dogs,they're hideous brutes.它们不像狗，是丑陋的畜牲。

4 bugged   

vt.在…装窃听器（bug的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• The police have bugged his office. 警察在他的办公室装了窃听器。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He had bugged off before I had a chance to get a word in. 我还没来得及讲话，他已经走了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 awakening   

n.觉醒，醒悟 adj.觉醒中的；唤醒的

参考例句：

• the awakening of interest in the environment 对环境产生的兴趣
• People are gradually awakening to their rights. 人们正逐渐意识到自己的权利。

6 bust   

vt.打破；vi.爆裂；n.半身像；胸部

参考例句：

• I dropped my camera on the pavement and bust it. 我把照相机掉在人行道上摔坏了。
• She has worked up a lump of clay into a bust.她把一块黏土精心制作成一个半身像。

7 gritted   

v.以沙砾覆盖（某物），撒沙砾于( grit的过去式和过去分词 )；咬紧牙关

参考例句：

• He gritted his teeth and plunged into the cold weather. 他咬咬牙，冲向寒冷的天气。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The young policeman gritted his teeth and walked slowly towards the armed criminal. 年轻警官强忍住怒火，朝武装歹徒慢慢走过去。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 fumed   

愤怒( fume的过去式和过去分词 )； 大怒； 发怒； 冒烟

参考例句：

• He fumed with rage because she did not appear. 因为她没出现，所以他大发雷霆。
• He fumed and fretted and did not know what was the matter. 他烦躁，气恼，不知是怎么回事。

9 sagged   

下垂的

参考例句：

• The black reticule sagged under the weight of shapeless objects. 黑色的拎包由于装了各种形状的东西而中间下陷。
• He sagged wearily back in his chair. 他疲倦地瘫坐到椅子上。

10 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

11 unison   

n.步调一致，行动一致

参考例句：

• The governments acted in unison to combat terrorism.这些国家的政府一致行动对付恐怖主义。
• My feelings are in unison with yours.我的感情与你的感情是一致的。

12 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

13 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

14 squealed   

v.长声尖叫，用长而尖锐的声音说( squeal的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He squealed the words out. 他吼叫着说出那些话。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The brakes of the car squealed. 汽车的刹车发出吱吱声。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 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。

16 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

17 gravel   

n.砂跞；砂砾层；结石

参考例句：

• We bought six bags of gravel for the garden path.我们购买了六袋碎石用来铺花园的小路。
• More gravel is needed to fill the hollow in the drive.需要更多的砾石来填平车道上的坑洼。

18 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。

19 machinery   

n.(总称)机械，机器；机构

参考例句：

• Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗？
• Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。

20 sparse   

adj.稀疏的，稀稀落落的，薄的

参考例句：

• The teacher's house is in the suburb where the houses are sparse.老师的家在郊区，那里稀稀拉拉有几处房子。
• The sparse vegetation will only feed a small population of animals.稀疏的植物只够喂养少量的动物。

21 streaking   

n.裸奔（指在公共场所裸体飞跑）v.快速移动( streak的现在分词 )；使布满条纹

参考例句：

• Their only thought was of the fiery harbingers of death streaking through the sky above them. 那个不断地在空中飞翔的死的恐怖把一切别的感觉都赶走了。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）
• Streaking is one of the oldest tricks in the book. 裸奔是有书面记载的最古老的玩笑之一。 来自互联网

22 lumbering   

n.采伐林木

参考例句：

• Lumbering and, later, paper-making were carried out in smaller cities. 木材业和后来的造纸都由较小的城市经营。
• Lumbering is very important in some underdeveloped countries. 在一些不发达的国家，伐木业十分重要。

23 ramp   

n.暴怒，斜坡，坡道；vi.作恐吓姿势，暴怒，加速；vt.加速

参考例句：

• That driver drove the car up the ramp.那司机将车开上了斜坡。
• The factory don't have that capacity to ramp up.这家工厂没有能力加速生产。

24 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。

25 latched   

v.理解( latch的过去式和过去分词 )；纠缠；用碰锁锁上（门等）；附着（在某物上）

参考例句：

• The government have latched onto environmental issues to win votes. 政府已开始大谈环境问题以争取选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He latched onto us and we couldn't get rid of him. 他缠着我们，甩也甩不掉。 来自《简明英汉词典》

26 cult   

n.异教，邪教；时尚，狂热的崇拜

参考例句：

• Her books aren't bestsellers,but they have a certain cult following.她的书算不上畅销书，但有一定的崇拜者。
• The cult of sun worship is probably the most primitive one.太阳崇拜仪式或许是最为原始的一种。

27 knuckles   

n.（指人）指关节( knuckle的名词复数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝v.（指人）指关节( knuckle的第三人称单数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝

参考例句：

• He gripped the wheel until his knuckles whitened. 他紧紧握住方向盘，握得指关节都变白了。
• Her thin hands were twisted by swollen knuckles. 她那双纤手因肿大的指关节而变了形。 来自《简明英汉词典》

28 rigor   

n.严酷，严格，严厉

参考例句：

• Their analysis lacks rigor.他们的分析缺乏严谨性。||The crime will be treated with the full rigor of the law.这一罪行会严格依法审理。

29 racing   

n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的

参考例句：

• I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。
• The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。

30 tract   

n.传单，小册子，大片(土地或森林)

参考例句：

• He owns a large tract of forest.他拥有一大片森林。
• He wrote a tract on this subject.他曾对此写了一篇短文。

31 lighting   

n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光

参考例句：

• The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
• The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。

32 cannon   

n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮

参考例句：

• The soldiers fired the cannon.士兵们开炮。
• The cannon thundered in the hills.大炮在山间轰鸣。

33 nagging   

adj.唠叨的，挑剔的；使人不得安宁的v.不断地挑剔或批评（某人）( nag的现在分词 )；不断地烦扰或伤害（某人）；无休止地抱怨；不断指责

参考例句：

• Stop nagging—I'll do it as soon as I can. 别唠叨了—我会尽快做的。
• I've got a nagging pain in my lower back. 我后背下方老是疼。 来自《简明英汉词典》

34 trotted   

小跑，急走( trot的过去分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走

参考例句：

• She trotted her pony around the field. 她骑着小马绕场慢跑。
• Anne trotted obediently beside her mother. 安妮听话地跟在妈妈身边走。

35 honeymoon   

n.蜜月（假期）；vi.度蜜月

参考例句：

• While on honeymoon in Bali,she learned to scuba dive.她在巴厘岛度蜜月时学会了带水肺潜水。
• The happy pair are leaving for their honeymoon.这幸福的一对就要去度蜜月了。

36 eminent   

adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的

参考例句：

• We are expecting the arrival of an eminent scientist.我们正期待一位著名科学家的来访。
• He is an eminent citizen of China.他是一个杰出的中国公民。

37 leash   

n.牵狗的皮带，束缚；v.用皮带系住

参考例句：

• I reached for the leash,but the dog got in between.我伸手去拿系狗绳，但被狗挡住了路。
• The dog strains at the leash,eager to be off.狗拼命地扯拉皮带，想挣脱开去。

38 encompasses   

v.围绕( encompass的第三人称单数 )；包围；包含；包括

参考例句：

• The job encompasses a wide range of responsibilities. 这项工作涉及的职责范围很广。
• Its conservation law encompasses both its magnitude and its direction. 它的守恒定律包括大小和方向两方面。 来自辞典例句

39 sprawling   

adj.蔓生的，不规则地伸展的v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的现在分词 )；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着）

参考例句：

• He was sprawling in an armchair in front of the TV. 他伸开手脚坐在电视机前的一张扶手椅上。
• a modern sprawling town 一座杂乱无序拓展的现代城镇

40 mansions   

n.宅第，公馆，大厦( mansion的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Fifth Avenue was boarded up where the rich had deserted their mansions. 第五大道上的富翁们已经出去避暑，空出的宅第都已锁好了门窗，钉上了木板。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Oh, the mansions, the lights, the perfume, the loaded boudoirs and tables! 啊，那些高楼大厦、华灯、香水、藏金收银的闺房还有摆满山珍海味的餐桌！ 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

41 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。

42 renovated   

翻新，修复，整修( renovate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He renovated his house. 他翻修了房子。
• The house has been renovated three years earlier. 这所房子三年前就已翻新。

43 spotted   

adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的

参考例句：

• The milkman selected the spotted cows,from among a herd of two hundred.牛奶商从一群200头牛中选出有斑点的牛。
• Sam's shop stocks short spotted socks.山姆的商店屯积了有斑点的短袜。

44 squinted   

斜视( squint的过去式和过去分词 )； 眯着眼睛； 瞟； 从小孔或缝隙里看

参考例句：

• Pulling his rifle to his shoulder he squinted along the barrel. 他把枪顶肩，眯起眼睛瞄准。
• I squinted through the keyhole. 我从锁眼窥看。

45 underneath   

adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面

参考例句：

• Working underneath the car is always a messy job.在汽车底下工作是件脏活。
• She wore a coat with a dress underneath.她穿着一件大衣，里面套着一条连衣裙。

46 wigs   

n.假发，法官帽( wig的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They say that wigs will be coming in again this year. 据说今年又要流行戴假发了。 来自辞典例句
• Frank, we needed more wigs than we thought, and we have to do some advertising. 弗兰克，因为我们需要更多的假发，而且我们还要做点广告。 来自电影对白

47 wig   

n.假发

参考例句：

• The actress wore a black wig over her blond hair.那个女演员戴一顶黑色假发罩住自己的金黄色头发。
• He disguised himself with a wig and false beard.他用假发和假胡须来乔装。

48 retrieving   

n.检索（过程），取还v.取回( retrieve的现在分词 )；恢复；寻回；检索（储存的信息）

参考例句：

• Ignoring all, he searches the ground carefully for any cigarette-end worth retrieving. 没管打锣的说了什么，他留神的在地上找，看有没有值得拾起来的烟头儿。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子
• Retrieving the nodules from these great depths is no easy task. 从这样的海底深渊中取回结核可不是容易的事情。 来自辞典例句

49 crammed   

adj.塞满的，挤满的；大口地吃；快速贪婪地吃v.把…塞满；填入；临时抱佛脚( cram的过去式)

参考例句：

• He crammed eight people into his car. 他往他的车里硬塞进八个人。
• All the shelves were crammed with books. 所有的架子上都堆满了书。

50 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。

51 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

52 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。

53 grill   

n.烤架，铁格子，烤肉；v.烧，烤，严加盘问

参考例句：

• Put it under the grill for a minute to brown the top.放在烤架下烤一分钟把上面烤成金黄色。
• I'll grill you some mutton.我来给你烤一些羊肉吃。

54 fixture   

n.固定设备；预定日期；比赛时间；定期存款

参考例句：

• Lighting fixture must be installed at once.必须立即安装照明设备。
• The cordless kettle may now be a fixture in most kitchens.无绳电热水壶现在可能是多数厨房的固定设备。

55 catering   

n. 给养

参考例句：

• Most of our work now involves catering for weddings. 我们现在的工作多半是承办婚宴。
• Who did the catering for your son's wedding? 你儿子的婚宴是由谁承办的？

56 aisles   

n. (席位间的)通道, 侧廊

参考例句：

• Aisles were added to the original Saxon building in the Norman period. 在诺曼时期，原来的萨克森风格的建筑物都增添了走廊。
• They walked about the Abbey aisles, and presently sat down. 他们走到大教堂的走廊附近，并且很快就坐了下来。

57 mobility   

n.可动性，变动性，情感不定

参考例句：

• The difference in regional house prices acts as an obstacle to mobility of labour.不同地区房价的差异阻碍了劳动力的流动。
• Mobility is very important in guerrilla warfare.机动性在游击战中至关重要。

58 concord   

n.和谐；协调

参考例句：

• These states had lived in concord for centuries.这些国家几个世纪以来一直和睦相处。
• His speech did nothing for racial concord.他的讲话对种族和谐没有作用。

59 aquarium   

n.水族馆，养鱼池，玻璃缸

参考例句：

• The first time I saw seals was in an aquarium.我第一次看见海豹是在水族馆里。
• I'm going to the aquarium with my parents this Sunday.这个星期天，我要和父母一起到水族馆去。

60 warehouse   

n.仓库；vt.存入仓库

参考例句：

• We freighted the goods to the warehouse by truck.我们用卡车把货物运到仓库。
• The manager wants to clear off the old stocks in the warehouse.经理想把仓库里积压的存货处理掉。

61 rusty   

adj.生锈的；锈色的；荒废了的

参考例句：

• The lock on the door is rusty and won't open.门上的锁锈住了。
• I haven't practiced my French for months and it's getting rusty.几个月不用，我的法语又荒疏了。

62 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

63 assortment   

n.分类，各色俱备之物，聚集

参考例句：

• This shop has a good assortment of goods to choose from.该店各色货物俱全，任君选择。
• She was wearing an odd assortment of clothes.她穿着奇装异服。

64 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

65 shrugged   

vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Sam shrugged and said nothing. 萨姆耸耸肩膀，什么也没说。
• She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩，装出一副无所谓的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

66 bugs   

adj.疯狂的，发疯的n.窃听器( bug的名词复数 )；病菌；虫子；[计算机]（制作软件程序所产生的意料不到的）错误

参考例句：

• All programs have bugs and need endless refinement. 所有的程序都有漏洞，都需要不断改进。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The sacks of rice were swarming with bugs. 一袋袋的米里长满了虫子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

67 sifted   

v.筛( sift的过去式和过去分词 )；筛滤；细查；详审

参考例句：

• She sifted through her papers to find the lost letter. 她仔细在文件中寻找那封丢失的信。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She sifted thistles through her thistle-sifter. 她用蓟筛筛蓟。 来自《简明英汉词典》

68 radar   

n.雷达，无线电探测器

参考例句：

• They are following the flight of an aircraft by radar.他们正在用雷达追踪一架飞机的飞行。
• Enemy ships were detected on the radar.敌舰的影像已显现在雷达上。

69 leverage   

n.力量，影响；杠杆作用，杠杆的力量

参考例句：

• We'll have to use leverage to move this huge rock.我们不得不借助杠杆之力来移动这块巨石。
• He failed in the project because he could gain no leverage. 因为他没有影响力，他的计划失败了。

70 liaison   

n.联系，（未婚男女间的）暖昧关系，私通

参考例句：

• She acts as a liaison between patients and staff.她在病人与医护人员间充当沟通的桥梁。
• She is responsible for liaison with researchers at other universities.她负责与其他大学的研究人员联系。

71 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。

72 tempting   

a.诱人的, 吸引人的

参考例句：

• It is tempting to idealize the past. 人都爱把过去的日子说得那么美好。
• It was a tempting offer. 这是个诱人的提议。

73 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

74 meekly   

adv.温顺地，逆来顺受地

参考例句：

• He stood aside meekly when the new policy was proposed. 当有人提出新政策时，他唯唯诺诺地站 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He meekly accepted the rebuke. 他顺从地接受了批评。 来自《简明英汉词典》

75 sobbing   

<主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的

参考例句：

• I heard a child sobbing loudly. 我听见有个孩子在呜呜地哭。
• Her eyes were red with recent sobbing. 她的眼睛因刚哭过而发红。

76 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。

77 battered   

adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损

参考例句：

• He drove up in a battered old car.他开着一辆又老又破的旧车。
• The world was brutally battered but it survived.这个世界遭受了惨重的创伤,但它还是生存下来了。