Minerva Paradizo was simply furious. That odious3 Fowl4 boy had somehow stolen her research subject from right under her nose. And after all the money Papa had spent on security, even hiring that despicable Mister Kong. Sometimes Minerva wondered if all males were boors5, except Papa of course.
The grounds were a mess. Master Fowl had left quite a trail of destruction in his wake. The cars were so much scrap6 metal. The lawns were ploughed deep enough to plant vegetables, and the stink7 of smoke and oil had penetrated8 every corner of every room. Only a hurried phone call to the police station in Vence and a few improvised9 fabrica-tions about a generator10 accident had prevented the arrival of a police car.
Once the fires were under control, Minerva called a staff meeting on the patio11. Juan Soto, the security chief, her father, Gaspard, and of course Billy Kong, were in atten-dance. Mister Kong seemed more agitated12 than usual.
'Demons13,' muttered the Malibu native. 'True, all true. I have a responsibility to my brother. Finish what he started.'
If Minerva had been paying attention to Billy Kong's words, she might have noticed a touch of the ominous15 about them, but Minerva was busy worrying about her own prob-lems. And in Minerva's opinion, her own problems were far more important than anyone else's.
'Can we focus here, everyone? You may have noticed that my project is in crisis.'
Gaspard Paradizo had just about had it with Minerva's project. So far, he had indulged her to the tune16 of one and a half million euros, but now his entire estate had been trashed. It really was too much.
'Minerva, cherie,' he said, smoothing back his silver hair. 'I think we need to take a step back from this. Perhaps quit while we're not too far behind.'
'Quit, Papa? Quit? While Artemis Fowl conducts a paral-lel project? I think not.'
Gaspard spoke17 again, this time with a little iron in his tone. 'You think not, Minerva?'
Minerva blushed. 'Sorry, Papa. I am infuriated, that's all. This Irish boy swans in here with his troops, and just like that, ruins all our work. It is unbearable18, no?'
Gaspard was seated, as they all were, at a wrought-iron table on the rear patio overlooking the pool. He pushed back his chair and circled the table to his daughter's seat. From her vantage point there was a spectacular view over the wooded gorge19 and down into Antibes. Nobody was very interested in the view on this evening.
'I think, Minerva,' he said, hunkering down beside her, 'that we have gone too far in this matter. There are other-worldly forces at work here. Danger follows these creatures, and I can no longer allow you to place yourself, or others, in harm's way. We fought a noble fight, and I am so proud of you that my heart may burst, but now this must become a government matter.'
'It can't, Papa,' said Minerva petulantly20. 'We have no records. No sources. Nothing. All our computer files and disks were destroyed.They even drilled the safe and burned everything in it. I think Artemis Fowl crashed Google and Yahoo. It's hopeless. How would it look, a little girl turn-ing up at the Department of Defence wittering on about monsters in the basement? I need evidence.'
Gaspard stood, his knees cracking. 'Evidence, little one? These are not criminals. I watched you talk with our visi-tor. He was alert, intelligent, he had done nothing wrong. He was not an animal. It is one thing to present the Nobel Committee with proof of an invasion through time, but quite another to hound innocent sentient21 creatures.'
'But, Papa!' Minerva pleaded. 'One more try. I need a month to rebuild my time tunnel model, then I can make a materialization prediction.'
Gaspard kissed his daughter on the forehead. 'Look into your heart, my little genius. What does it tell you to do?'
Minerva scowled22. 'Look into my heart? Honestly, Papa, I am not a Care Bear.'
'Please, cherie,' said her father. 'You know I love you, and I respect your genius, but just for once, couldn't we go with the pony23 option? Couldn't I just get Justin Timber-guy to play at your birthday party?'
Minerva fumed24 for several moments, but she knew Papa was right. She had no business detaining intelligent crea-tures. It was cruelty, nothing less. Especially when they intended no harm. But she could not just give up. Minerva silently resolved that Artemis Fowl would be her next proj-ect. She would find out all about the Irish boy, and what he knew of demons.
'Very well, Papa,' she sighed. 'For you, I will forego my Nobel Prize. This year, at any rate.'
Next year will be different, she thought. When I know what Artemis Fowl knows. There are whole worlds just beyond my grasp.
Gaspard embraced his daughter warmly. 'Good. It is for the best.'
The surgeon returned to his seat.
'Now. Mister Soto: damage report.'
The Spanish security chief consulted his clipboard.
'I have only a preliminary report, Monsieur Paradizo. I suspect we will be finding damage for many weeks. The vehicles are completely destroyed. Thankfully we do have war-zone insurance so we should have new cars within five working days. There is shrapnel in the pool. One piece pierced the skimmer and the wall, so we have a leak and no filtration. I know a man in Tourrettes sur Loup. Very reasonable and he can keep his mouth shut.'
'How about the men?'
Soto shook his head. 'I don't know what they hit us with. Some kind of ray gun. Like Martians. Anyway, most of the men are up and about. A few have headaches. No other side effects except for Thierry, who has spent the past half an hour in the toilet. We hear the odd scream…'
Suddenly Billy Kong emerged from his mumbling25 daydream26, slamming his palm on to the glass-topped iron table.
'No. This will not do. Absolutely not. I need another demon14.'
Gaspard frowned. 'That unhappy experiment is over. I should never have allowed it. I was blinded by pride and ambition. There will be no more demons in this house.'
'Unacceptable,' said Kong, as though he were the employer and not the employee. 'Eric's work must be completed. I owe him that much.'
'Now listen here, Mister,' said Soto sternly. 'What you find unacceptable is hardly an issue. You and your men were subcontracted to do a job, and that job does not include pronouncements on what is acceptable and what is not.'
As he spoke, Kong checked his hair in the small mirror he carried everywhere.
'You need to understand a few things, Paradizo. First, you are not in charge here. Not really. Not since my men and I joined your little group. Second, I don't generally work on this side of the law. My speciality is taking what-ever I want by any means necessary. I only signed on for babysitting duty because I owe these demons a little payback. A lot of payback actually. I know little Minerva just wanted to take photos of her guests and ask them a lot of psych questions, but I have my own plan for them. Something a little more painful.'
Gaspard turned his head towards Soto.
'Mister Soto. Do you have a response to this outrageous27 statement?'
'I do indeed,' blustered29 Juan Soto. 'How dare you speak to Monsieur Paradizo in this fashion. You are an employee here, that is all. As a matter of fact, you are no longer an employee. Your contract is terminated. You have one hour to vacate your room and be off the premises30.'
Billy Kong's grin was as dangerous as a shark's. 'Or else what?'
'Or else my guards will remove you. I would remind you that there are only four men in your group and five times that number in mine.'
Kong winked31 at him. 'Perhaps. But my four are the best.'
He flipped32 his jacket lapel to reveal a small clip-on micro-phone.
'I am moving up the schedule,' he said into the mike. 'Open the horse.'
Soto was puzzled.
What was this idiot talking about? Horses?
'Where did you get that microphone? Is that from the strongbox? Channels are to be kept clear for official trans-missions.'
But Minerva caught the Iliad reference. Opening the horse could only refer to the Wooden Horse of Troy. Kong had planted traitors33 in the camp.
'Papa,' she said urgently. 'We must leave.'
'Leave? This is my house. I have agreed to almost everything you have asked of me, cherie, but this is ridiculous…'
Minerva pushed back her chair, racing34 round the table.
'Please, Papa. We are in danger here.'
Soto tutted. 'Mademoiselle is in no danger. My men will protect you. Perhaps the strain of the day has made you irritable35. Maybe you should take a nap.'
Minerva scowled in frustration36. 'Can't you see what is happening here? Mister Kong has given a signal to his men. Possibly they are already in charge. He has come among us as a wolf in sheep's clothing.'
Gaspard Paradizo was well aware of his daughter's intelligence.
'Soto? Is this possible?'
'Impossible!' declared Juan Soto, but behind his enraged37 blushes was a tinge38 of pallor. Something about Kong's grin-ning calmness unnerved him. And, truth be told, he was not quite the soldier that his resume declared him to be. True, he had spent a year with the Spanish peacekeeping force in Namibia, but he'd been attached to a journalist for the entire tour and had never participated in any action. He had got by in this job with mere39 bluster28 and a rudi-mentary knowledge of weaponry and tactics. But if some-one were to come along who actually knew what he was talking about…
Soto reached to his belt, snicking off a walkie-talkie.
'Impossible,' he repeated. 'But to reassure40 you, I will double the guard and instruct my team to be on alert.' He clicked the 'Talk' button. 'Report in pairs. From the top.'
Soto released the button, filling the air with static. The empty hiss41 seemed more ominous than a ghost's howl. This went on for several seconds. Soto tried valiantly42 to maintain a jaunty43 confidence, but was betrayed by a bead44 of sweat rolling down his forehead. 'Equipment malfunction,' he said weakly.
Billy Kong shook his head.
'Two shots,' he said into his lapel mike.
Barely a second later, two sharp cracks echoed across the estate.
Kong grinned. 'Confirmation,' he said. 'I'm in control here.'
Soto had often wondered how he would react if faced with actual danger. Earlier, when he had believed that they were under siege, he had panicked slightly, but followed procedure. This was different.
Soto went for his gun. A practised pistol man could do this without looking down. Soto was not practised enough. By the time he glanced towards his holster, Kong had already leaped on to the table and knocked Soto uncon-scious.
The security chief keeled over backwards45 with a dainty sigh.
Kong sat atop the table, elbows resting on knees.
'I need that demon back,' he said, casually46 drawing a stiletto blade from a secret pocket in the sleeve of his jacket. 'How do we find him?'
Gaspard Paradizo smothered47 Minerva in his arms. Protecting every inch of his daughter.
'If you hurt her, Kong…'
Billy Kong rolled his eyes. 'No time for negotiations48, Doctor.'
He twirled the blade between his fingertips, then snapped his wrist, flicking49 the stiletto at Gaspard. The weapon's handle thunked against the doctor's forehead, and he fell away from Minerva like a discarded coat.
Minerva knelt, cradling her father's head.
'Papa? Wake up Papa.' For a moment she was a little girl, then her intellect kicked in. She checked her father's pulse and tapped the point of impact with her index and middle fingers.
'You are lucky, Mister Kong, not to be facing a murder charge.'
Kong shrugged50. 'I've faced them before. It's amazing how easy it is to elude51 the authorities. It costs exactly ten thou-sand dollars. Three for the face job, two for new papers and five for a really good hacker52 to create a computer past for you.'
'Nevertheless, one more half-revolution of your blade and my father would be dead, and not merely unconscious.'
Kong pulled a second blade from his sleeve pocket. 'There's still time. Now, tell me how we go about finding our little friend.'
Minerva stood facing Kong, her fists clenched53 defiantly54.
'Listen to me, idiot. That demon is gone. I have no doubt that his benefactors55 plucked the silver bullet from his leg as soon as they had him in the car. He is back on his island. Forget about him.'
Kong frowned. 'It makes sense. That's what I would do. Well, OK then, when is the next materialization?'
Minerva should have been terrified. Her ability to do anything besides witter and sob56 should have deserted57 her. After all, her father was lying unconscious, and the man who had put him in that state was sitting on her patio table, brandishing58 a knife. But Minerva Paradizo was no ordinary twelve-year-old. She had always displayed remarkable59 composure in times of stress. So, even though she was scared, Minerva was more than capable of communicating her scorn to Billy Kong.
'Where have you been for the past thirty minutes?' she asked, then clicked her fingers. 'Of course — asleep. I believe you people call it neutralized60. And by a tiny demoness too. Well let me fill you in on what's happened. Our entire operation has been neutralized. I have no research, no calcu-lations and no subject. I am starting from scratch. In fact, I wish I was starting from scratch. Starting from scratch would be a dream come true. Last time I was handed the time-tunnel calculations; this time I have to work them out by myself. Now don't get me wrong, I could do it. I am a genius after all, but it will take at least seventeen months. At the very least. Comprenez-vous, Monsieur Kong?'
Billy Kong understood all right. He understood that this little pain in the rear was trying to blind him with science.
'Seventeen months, eh? How long if you had some incentive61?'
'Incentive won't change the laws of science.'
Kong leaped down from the table, landing soundlessly on the balls of his feet. 'I thought that was your speciality — changing the laws of science. Wasn't this project all about proving how every other scientist in the world is a dummy62, except you?'
'It's not that simple…'
Kong began flipping63 his knife, catching64 it without so much as a glance at the blade. End over end it twirled, a silver fan in the air. Hypnotic.
'I'm making it simple. I think you can get me a demon, and I think you can do it in less than seventeen months. So, here's what I am going to do.' He leaned down and heaved Juan Soto's chair upright. The security chief slumped65 forward on to the table.
'I am going to hurt Mister Soto. Simple as that. There is nothing you can do to stop that happening. This is a demonstration66 of my earnestness. It connects you with the reality of your situation. And then you know I mean busi-ness. So, after that, you start talking. And if you don't start talking, then we move on to lucky contestant67 number two.'
Minerva had no doubt that contestant number two was her father.
'Please, Mister Kong, there is no need for any of this. I am telling you the truth.'
'Oh, it's please now, is it?' said Kong in mock surprise. 'And Mister Kong too. What happened to idiot and moron68?'
'Don't kill him. He's a nice man. He has a family.'
Kong grabbed a bunch of Soto's hair, yanking his head back. The chief's Adam's apple stuck out like a plum.
'He's an incompetent,' snarled69 Kong. 'Look how easily your demon escaped. See how simple it was for me to take over.
'Let him live,' pleaded Minerva. 'My father has money.' Kong sighed. 'You're just not getting it, are you? For a smart girl you can be pretty stupid a lot of the time. I don't want money. I want a demon. Now stop talking and pay attention. There is no point in trying to negotiate.'
Minerva's heart sank as she realized just how far out of her depth she actually was. In less than an hour she had crossed over to a world of darkness and cruelty. And her own arrogance70 had led her to it.
'Please,' she said. She struggled to maintain her compo-sure. 'Please.'
Kong adjusted his grip on the knife. 'Don't look away now, little girl. Watch and remember who's boss.'
Minerva could not avert71 her eyes. Her gaze was trapped by this terrible tableau72. It was like a scene from a scary movie, complete with its own soundtrack.
Minerva frowned. Real life did not have a soundtrack. There was music coming from somewhere.
The somewhere proved to be Kong's trouser pocket. His polyphonic phone was playing 'TheToreador Song' from Carmen. Kong pulled the phone from his pocket.
'Who is this?' he snapped.
'My name is not important,' said a youthful voice. 'The important thing is that I have something you want.'
'How did you get this number?'
'I have a friend,' replied the mystery caller. 'He knows all the numbers. Now, to business. I believe you're in the market for a demon?'
Minutes earlier Butler had pulled off the motorway73 at the airport exit, and crammed74 himself into the back seat beside Artemis and Holly75. They had watched the drama unfold in the Chateau Paradizo on their tiny laptop.
Artemis gripped his knees tight. 'I can't allow this. I won't allow it.'
Holly placed a hand over his. 'We have no choice, Artemis. We're clear now. This is not our fight. I can't risk exposing Number One.'
Artemis's frown cut a furrow76 from his hairline to the bridge of his nose.
'I know. Of course. But, still, how can this not be my fight?' He glanced sharply at Butler. 'Will Kong kill that man?'
'Without a doubt,' replied the bodyguard77. 'In his mind, it's already done.'
Artemis rubbed his eyes, suddenly fatigued78. 'I am responsible, indirectly79. I can't have a man's death on my conscience. Holly, you do what you have to do, but I need to save those people.'
'Conscience,' said No.l. 'What a lovely word. The sh in the middle.'
It was plain that the imp2 was not actually listening to the conversation, just picking up on certain words. The incongruity80 of this simple statement made Artemis look across. His eyes rested for a moment on No.l 's chest mark-ings. And suddenly he knew where he had seen them before. A plan hit him like a bolt of lightning.
'Holly, do you trust me?'
Holly groaned81. 'Artemis, don't ask me that. I just know one of your outrageous plans is coming.'
'Do you trust me?'
'Yes,' Holly sighed. 'I do. More than anyone.'
'Well then, trust me to get us all out of this. I will explain later.'
Holly was torn. This decision could affect the rest of her life, and the imp's too. And the effect could be to shorten them dramatically.
'OK, Artemis. But I'll be watching.'
Artemis spoke into his ring-phone. 'Foaly, can you put me through to Mister Kong's mobile phone.'
'Not a problem,' replied the centaur82 from Section 8 HQ. 'But it's going to be the last thing I do for you. Sool has tracked my line out. In thirty seconds I'm going to be shut down, and you'll be on your own.'
'I understand. Put me through.'
Butler gripped Artemis's shoulder. 'If you call him, then he has the upper hand. Kong will want to choose where to meet.'
'I know where we should meet. I just have to convince Mister Kong that the rendezvous83 point is his idea.' Artemis closed his fist, covering the phone. 'Quiet. It's ringing.'
'Who is this?' snapped Kong.
'Mynameisnotimportant,'saidArtemis.'The important thing is that I have something you want.'
'How did you get this number?'
'I have a friend,' replied the mystery caller. 'He knows all the numbers. Now, to business. I believe you're in the market for a demon?'
'So, you must be the great Artemis Fowl: Minerva's idol84. I am so sick of you smart kids. Why can't you just boost cars or steal stuff like normal kids.'
'We do steal stuff. Just bigger stuff. Now, are you inter-ested in my demon or not?'
'I could be,' said Kong. 'What do you have in mind?'
'A straight trade. I pick a public place, and we swap85. My demon for your girl.'
'You're not picking anything, kid. I pick the rendezvous point. You called me, remember? What do you want with this girl anyway?'
'Her life,' said Artemis simply. 'I do not like murder, or murderers. You and your crew walk out of there with one hostage, and we do a swap. It's a simple transaction. Don't tell me you've never released a hostage before.'
'I'm an old hand, kid. I've been picking up ransoms86 for years.'
'Good. I'm glad we can do business. Now why don't you name your preferred location. I'll be wearing a burgundy tie. Pay attention to that. There are a hundred and one ways this could go wrong. If it does, the police could tie one of us up for a long time.'
In the getaway car, Holly frowned quizzically at Artemis. It wasn't like him to chatter87. He calmed her with a look and a wave of his hand.
'OK,' said Kong. 'I just thought of somewhere. You know Taipei 101?'
'In Taiwan?' said Artemis. 'One of the world's tallest buildings? You are not serious. That's on the far side of the world.'
'I am deadly serious. Taipei is my second home. I know it well. You will have a tough enough time getting there by the deadline, so there will be no tricks. We will exchange on the observation deck at twelve noon, two days from now. If you don't show, then the girl takes the express eleva-tor down. If you see what I mean.'
'I see. I'll be there.'
'Good. Don't come alone. Bring the ugly guy with you, or the female. I don't care, I only need one.'
'We have already released the female.'
'OK. The guy then. You see how easy it is to deal with me. I'm a reasonable man, unless I'm crossed. So don't cross me.
'Don't worry,' said Artemis. 'I won't.' And he said it with such conviction that, if you didn't know him, you would absolutely believe it.
1 chateau | |
n.城堡,别墅 | |
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2 imp | |
n.顽童 | |
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3 odious | |
adj.可憎的,讨厌的 | |
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4 fowl | |
n.家禽,鸡,禽肉 | |
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5 boors | |
n.农民( boor的名词复数 );乡下佬;没礼貌的人;粗野的人 | |
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6 scrap | |
n.碎片;废料;v.废弃,报废 | |
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7 stink | |
vi.发出恶臭;糟透,招人厌恶;n.恶臭 | |
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8 penetrated | |
adj. 击穿的,鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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9 improvised | |
a.即席而作的,即兴的 | |
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10 generator | |
n.发电机,发生器 | |
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11 patio | |
n.庭院,平台 | |
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12 agitated | |
adj.被鼓动的,不安的 | |
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13 demons | |
n.恶人( demon的名词复数 );恶魔;精力过人的人;邪念 | |
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14 demon | |
n.魔鬼,恶魔 | |
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15 ominous | |
adj.不祥的,不吉的,预兆的,预示的 | |
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16 tune | |
n.调子;和谐,协调;v.调音,调节,调整 | |
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17 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 | |
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18 unbearable | |
adj.不能容忍的;忍受不住的 | |
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19 gorge | |
n.咽喉,胃,暴食,山峡;v.塞饱,狼吞虎咽地吃 | |
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20 petulantly | |
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21 sentient | |
adj.有知觉的,知悉的;adv.有感觉能力地 | |
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22 scowled | |
怒视,生气地皱眉( scowl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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23 pony | |
adj.小型的;n.小马 | |
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24 fumed | |
愤怒( fume的过去式和过去分词 ); 大怒; 发怒; 冒烟 | |
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25 mumbling | |
含糊地说某事,叽咕,咕哝( mumble的现在分词 ) | |
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26 daydream | |
v.做白日梦,幻想 | |
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27 outrageous | |
adj.无理的,令人不能容忍的 | |
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28 bluster | |
v.猛刮;怒冲冲的说;n.吓唬,怒号;狂风声 | |
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29 blustered | |
v.外强中干的威吓( bluster的过去式和过去分词 );咆哮;(风)呼啸;狂吹 | |
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30 premises | |
n.建筑物,房屋 | |
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31 winked | |
v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 );递眼色(表示友好或高兴等);(指光)闪烁;闪亮 | |
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32 flipped | |
轻弹( flip的过去式和过去分词 ); 按(开关); 快速翻转; 急挥 | |
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33 traitors | |
卖国贼( traitor的名词复数 ); 叛徒; 背叛者; 背信弃义的人 | |
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34 racing | |
n.竞赛,赛马;adj.竞赛用的,赛马用的 | |
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35 irritable | |
adj.急躁的;过敏的;易怒的 | |
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36 frustration | |
n.挫折,失败,失效,落空 | |
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37 enraged | |
使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 ); 歜; 激愤 | |
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38 tinge | |
vt.(较淡)着色于,染色;使带有…气息;n.淡淡色彩,些微的气息 | |
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39 mere | |
adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 | |
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40 reassure | |
v.使放心,使消除疑虑 | |
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41 hiss | |
v.发出嘶嘶声;发嘘声表示不满 | |
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42 valiantly | |
adv.勇敢地,英勇地;雄赳赳 | |
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43 jaunty | |
adj.愉快的,满足的;adv.心满意足地,洋洋得意地;n.心满意足;洋洋得意 | |
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44 bead | |
n.念珠;(pl.)珠子项链;水珠 | |
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45 backwards | |
adv.往回地,向原处,倒,相反,前后倒置地 | |
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46 casually | |
adv.漠不关心地,无动于衷地,不负责任地 | |
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47 smothered | |
(使)窒息, (使)透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 ); 覆盖; 忍住; 抑制 | |
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48 negotiations | |
协商( negotiation的名词复数 ); 谈判; 完成(难事); 通过 | |
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49 flicking | |
(尤指用手指或手快速地)轻击( flick的现在分词 ); (用…)轻挥; (快速地)按开关; 向…笑了一下(或瞥了一眼等) | |
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50 shrugged | |
vt.耸肩(shrug的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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51 elude | |
v.躲避,困惑 | |
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52 hacker | |
n.能盗用或偷改电脑中信息的人,电脑黑客 | |
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53 clenched | |
v.紧握,抓紧,咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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54 defiantly | |
adv.挑战地,大胆对抗地 | |
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55 benefactors | |
n.捐助者,施主( benefactor的名词复数 );恩人 | |
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56 sob | |
n.空间轨道的轰炸机;呜咽,哭泣 | |
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57 deserted | |
adj.荒芜的,荒废的,无人的,被遗弃的 | |
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58 brandishing | |
v.挥舞( brandish的现在分词 );炫耀 | |
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59 remarkable | |
adj.显著的,异常的,非凡的,值得注意的 | |
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60 neutralized | |
v.使失效( neutralize的过去式和过去分词 );抵消;中和;使(一个国家)中立化 | |
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61 incentive | |
n.刺激;动力;鼓励;诱因;动机 | |
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62 dummy | |
n.假的东西;(哄婴儿的)橡皮奶头 | |
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63 flipping | |
讨厌之极的 | |
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64 catching | |
adj.易传染的,有魅力的,迷人的,接住 | |
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65 slumped | |
大幅度下降,暴跌( slump的过去式和过去分词 ); 沉重或突然地落下[倒下] | |
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66 demonstration | |
n.表明,示范,论证,示威 | |
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67 contestant | |
n.竞争者,参加竞赛者 | |
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68 moron | |
n.极蠢之人,低能儿 | |
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69 snarled | |
v.(指狗)吠,嗥叫, (人)咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 );咆哮着说,厉声地说 | |
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70 arrogance | |
n.傲慢,自大 | |
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71 avert | |
v.防止,避免;转移(目光、注意力等) | |
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72 tableau | |
n.画面,活人画(舞台上活人扮的静态画面) | |
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73 motorway | |
n.高速公路,快车道 | |
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74 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) | |
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75 holly | |
n.[植]冬青属灌木 | |
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76 furrow | |
n.沟;垄沟;轨迹;车辙;皱纹 | |
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77 bodyguard | |
n.护卫,保镖 | |
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78 fatigued | |
adj. 疲乏的 | |
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79 indirectly | |
adv.间接地,不直接了当地 | |
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80 incongruity | |
n.不协调,不一致 | |
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81 groaned | |
v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 );发牢骚;抱怨;受苦 | |
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82 centaur | |
n.人首马身的怪物 | |
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83 rendezvous | |
n.约会,约会地点,汇合点;vi.汇合,集合;vt.使汇合,使在汇合地点相遇 | |
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84 idol | |
n.偶像,红人,宠儿 | |
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85 swap | |
n.交换;vt.交换,用...作交易 | |
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86 ransoms | |
付赎金救人,赎金( ransom的名词复数 ) | |
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87 chatter | |
vi./n.喋喋不休;短促尖叫;(牙齿)打战 | |
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