8.The Trunchbull

The Trunchbull
In the interval¹, Miss Honey left the classroom and headed straight for the Headmistress's study.
She felt wildly excited. She had just met a small girl who possessed², or so it seemed to her, quite
extraordinary qualities of brilliance³. There had not been time yet to find out exactly how brilliant
the child was, but Miss Honey had learned enough to realise that something had to be done about
it as soon as possible. It would be ridiculous to leave a child like that stuck in the bottom form.
Normally Miss Honey was terrified of the Headmistress and kept well away from her, but at this
moment she felt ready to take on anybody. She knocked on the door of the dreaded⁴ private study.
"Enter!" boomed the deep and dangerous voice of Miss Trunchbull. Miss Honey went in.
Now most head teachers are chosen because they possess a number of fine qualities. They
understand children and they have the children's best interests at heart. They are sympathetic.
They are fair and they are deeply interested in education. Miss Trunchbull possessed none of these
qualities and how she ever got her present job was a mystery.
She was above all a most formidable female. She had once been a famous athlete, and even now
the muscles were still clearly in evidence. You could see them in the bull-neck, in the big
shoulders, in the thick arms, in the sinewy⁵ wrists and in the powerful legs. Looking at her, you got
the feeling that this was someone who could bend iron bars and tear telephone directories in half.
Her face, I'm afraid, was neither a thing of beauty nor a joy for ever. She had an obstinate⁶ chin, a
cruel mouth and small arrogant⁷ eyes. And as for her clothes . . . they were, to say the least,
extremely odd. She always had on a brown cotton smock which was pinched in around the waist
with a wide leather belt. The belt was fastened in front with an enormous silver buckle⁸. The
massive thighs⁹ which emerged from out of the smock were encased in a pair of extraordinary
breeches, bottle-green in colour and made of coarse twill. These breeches reached to just below
the knees and from there on down she sported green stockings with turn-up tops, which displayed
her calf¹⁰ muscles to perfection. On her feet she wore flat-heeled brown brogues with leather flaps.
She looked, in short, more like a rather eccentric and bloodthirsty follower¹¹ of the stag-hounds than
the headmistress of a nice school for children.
When Miss Honey entered the study, Miss Trunchbull was standing¹² beside her huge desk with a
look of scowling¹³ impatience¹⁴ on her face. "Yes, Miss Honey," she said. "What is it you want?
You're looking very flushed and flustered¹⁵ this morning. What's the matter with you? Have those
little stinkers been flicking¹⁶ spitballs at you?"
"No, Headmistress. Nothing like that."
"Well, what is it then? Get on with it. I'm a busy
woman." As she spoke¹⁷, she reached out and poured herself a glass of water from a jug¹⁸ that was
always on her desk.
"There is a little girl in my class called Matilda Wormwood . . ." Miss Honey began.
"That's the daughter of the man who owns Wormwood Motors in the village," Miss Trunchbull
barked. She hardly ever spoke in a normal voice. She either barked or shouted. "An excellent
person, Wormwood," she went on. "I was in there only yesterday. He sold me a car. Almost new.
Only done ten thousand miles. Previous owner was an old lady who took it out once a year at the
most. A terrific bargain. Yes, I liked Wormwood. A real pillar of our society. He told me the
daughter was a bad lot though. He said to watch her. He said if anything bad ever happened in the
school, it was certain to be his daughter who did it. I haven't met the little brat¹⁹ yet, but she'll know
about it when I do. Her father said she's a real wart²⁰."
"Oh no, Headmistress, that can't be right!" Miss Honey cried.
"Oh yes, Miss Honey, it darn well is right! In fact, now I come to think of it, I'll bet it was she who
put that stink-bomb under my desk here first thing this morning. The place stank²¹ like a sewer²²! Of
course it was her! I shall have her for that, you see if I don't! What's she look like? Nasty little
worm, I'll be bound. I have discovered, Miss Honey, during my long career as a teacher that a bad
girl is a far more dangerous creature than a bad boy. What's more, they're much harder to squash.
Squashing a bad girl is like trying to squash a bluebottle. You bang down on it and the darn thing
isn't there. Nasty dirty things, little girls are. Glad I never was one."
"Oh, but you must have been a little girl once, Headmistress. Surely you were."
"Not for long anyway," Miss Trunchbull barked, grinning. "I became a woman very quickly."
She's completely off her rocker, Miss Honey told herself. She's barmy as a bedbug. Miss Honey
stood resolutely²³ before the Headmistress. For once she was not going to be browbeaten²⁴. "I must
tell you, Headmistress," she said, "that you are completely mistaken about Matilda putting a stink-
bomb under your desk."
"I am never mistaken, Miss Honey!"
"But Headmistress, the child only arrived in school this morning and came straight to the
classroom . . ."
"Don't argue with me, for heaven's sake, woman! This little brute²⁵ Matilda or whatever her name is
has stink-bombed my study! There's no doubt about it! Thank you for suggesting it."
"But I didn't suggest it, Headmistress."
"Of course you did! Now what is it you want, Miss Honey? Why are you wasting my time?"
"I came to you to talk about Matilda, Headmistress. I have extraordinary things to report about the
child. May I please tell you what happened in class just now?"
"I suppose she set fire to your skirt and scorched²⁶ your knickers!" Miss Trunchbull snorted.
"No, no!" Miss Honey cried out. "Matilda is a genius."
At the mention of this word, Miss Trunchbull's face turned purple and her whole body seemed to
swell²⁷ up like a bullfrog's. "A genius!" she shouted. "What piffle is this you are talking, madam?
You must be out of your mind! I have her father's word for it that the child is a gangster²⁸!"
"Her father is wrong, Headmistress."
"Don't be a twerp, Miss Honey! You have met the little beast for only half an hour and her father
has known her all her life!"
But Miss Honey was determined²⁹ to have her say and she now began to describe some of the
amazing things Matilda had done with arithmetic.
"So she's learnt a few tables by heart, has she?" Miss Trunchbull barked. "My dear woman, that
doesn't make her a genius! It makes her a parrot!"
"But Headmistress she can read."
"So can I," Miss Trunchbull snapped.
"It is my opinion", Miss Honey said, "that Matilda should be taken out of my form and placed
immediately in the top form with the eleven-year-olds."
"Ha!" snorted Miss Trunchbull. "So you want to get rid of her, do you? So you can't handle her?
So now you want to unload her on to the wretched Miss Plimsoll in the top form where she will
cause even more chaos³⁰?"
"No, no!" cried Miss Honey. "That is not my reason at all!"
"Oh, yes it is!" shouted Miss Trunchbull. "I can see right through your little plot, madam! And my
answer is no! Matilda stays where she is and it is up to you to see that she behaves herself."
"But Headmistress, please . . ."
"Not another word!" shouted Miss Trunchbull. "And in any case, I have a rule in this school that
all children remain in their own age groups regardless of ability. Great Scott, I'm not having a little
five-year-old brigand³¹ sitting with the senior girls and boys in the top form. Whoever heard of such
a thing!"
Miss Honey stood there helpless before this great red-necked giant. There was a lot more she
would like to have said but she knew it was useless. She said softly, "Very well, then. It's up to
you, Headmistress."
"You're darn right it's up to me!" Miss Trunchbull bellowed³². "And don't forget, madam, that we
are dealing³³ here with a little viper³⁴ who put a stink-bomb under my desk . . ."
"She did not do that, Headmistress!"
"Of course she did it," Miss Trunchbull boomed. "And I'll tell you what. I wish to heavens I was
still allowed to use the birch and belt as I did in the good old days! I'd have roasted Matilda's
bottom for her so she couldn't sit down for a month!"
Miss Honey turned and walked out of the study feeling depressed³⁵ but by no means defeated. I am
going to do something about this child, she told herself. I don't know what it will be, but I shall
find a way to help her in the end.

1 interval   

n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息

参考例句：

• The interval between the two trees measures 40 feet.这两棵树的间隔是40英尺。
• There was a long interval before he anwsered the telephone.隔了好久他才回了电话。

2 possessed   

adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的

参考例句：

• He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。
• He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。

3 brilliance   

n.光辉，辉煌，壮丽，（卓越的）才华，才智

参考例句：

• I was totally amazed by the brilliance of her paintings.她的绘画才能令我惊歎不已。
• The gorgeous costume added to the brilliance of the dance.华丽的服装使舞蹈更加光彩夺目。

4 dreaded   

adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The dreaded moment had finally arrived. 可怕的时刻终于来到了。
• He dreaded having to spend Christmas in hospital. 他害怕非得在医院过圣诞节不可。 来自《用法词典》

5 sinewy   

adj.多腱的，强壮有力的

参考例句：

• When muscles are exercised often and properly,they keep the arms firm and sinewy.如果能经常正确地锻炼肌肉的话，双臂就会一直结实而强健。
• His hard hands and sinewy sunburned limbs told of labor and endurance.他粗糙的双手，被太阳哂得发黑的健壮四肢,均表明他十分辛勤，非常耐劳。

6 obstinate   

adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的

参考例句：

• She's too obstinate to let anyone help her.她太倔强了，不会让任何人帮她的。
• The trader was obstinate in the negotiation.这个商人在谈判中拗强固执。

7 arrogant   

adj.傲慢的，自大的

参考例句：

• You've got to get rid of your arrogant ways.你这骄傲劲儿得好好改改。
• People are waking up that he is arrogant.人们开始认识到他很傲慢。

8 buckle   

n.扣子，带扣；v.把...扣住，由于压力而弯曲

参考例句：

• The two ends buckle at the back.带子两端在背后扣起来。
• She found it hard to buckle down.她很难专心做一件事情。

9 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》

10 calf   

n.小牛，犊，幼仔，小牛皮

参考例句：

• The cow slinked its calf.那头母牛早产了一头小牛犊。
• The calf blared for its mother.牛犊哞哞地高声叫喊找妈妈。

11 follower   

n.跟随者；随员；门徒；信徒

参考例句：

• He is a faithful follower of his home football team.他是他家乡足球队的忠实拥护者。
• Alexander is a pious follower of the faith.亚历山大是个虔诚的信徒。

12 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。

13 scowling   

怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• There she was, grey-suited, sweet-faced, demure, but scowling. 她就在那里，穿着灰色的衣服，漂亮的脸上显得严肃而忧郁。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Scowling, Chueh-hui bit his lips. 他马上把眉毛竖起来。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）

14 impatience   

n.不耐烦，急躁

参考例句：

• He expressed impatience at the slow rate of progress.进展缓慢，他显得不耐烦。
• He gave a stamp of impatience.他不耐烦地跺脚。

15 flustered   

adj.慌张的；激动不安的v.使慌乱，使不安( fluster的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The honking of horns flustered the boy. 汽车喇叭的叫声使男孩感到慌乱。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• She was so flustered that she forgot her reply. 她太紧张了，都忘记了该如何作答。 来自辞典例句

16 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）

参考例句：

• He helped her up before flicking the reins. 他帮她上马，之后挥动了缰绳。
• There's something flicking around my toes. 有什么东西老在叮我的脚指头。

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

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。

18 jug   

n.(有柄，小口，可盛水等的)大壶，罐，盂

参考例句：

• He walked along with a jug poised on his head.他头上顶着一个水罐，保持着平衡往前走。
• She filled the jug with fresh water.她将水壶注满了清水。

19 brat   

n.孩子；顽童

参考例句：

• He's a spoilt brat.他是一个被宠坏了的调皮孩子。
• The brat sicked his dog on the passer-by.那个顽童纵狗去咬过路人。

20 wart   

n.疣，肉赘；瑕疵

参考例句：

• What does the medicaments with remedial acuteness wet best wart have?治疗尖锐湿疣最好的药物有什么？
• Flat wart is generally superficial,or sometimes a slight itching.扁平疣一般是不痛不痒的，或偶有轻微痒感。

21 stank   

n. (英)坝，堰，池塘 动词stink的过去式

参考例句：

• Her breath stank of garlic. 她嘴里有股大蒜味。
• The place stank of decayed fish. 那地方有烂鱼的臭味。

22 sewer   

n.排水沟，下水道

参考例句：

• They are tearing up the street to repair a sewer. 他们正挖开马路修下水道。
• The boy kicked a stone into the sewer. 那个男孩把一石子踢进了下水道。

23 resolutely   

adj.坚决地，果断地

参考例句：

• He resolutely adhered to what he had said at the meeting. 他坚持他在会上所说的话。
• He grumbles at his lot instead of resolutely facing his difficulties. 他不是果敢地去面对困难，而是抱怨自己运气不佳。

24 browbeaten   

v.（以言辞或表情）威逼，恫吓( browbeat的过去分词 )

参考例句：

• They were browbeaten into accepting the offer. 他们被威逼接受了提议。
• Why was I always suffering, always browbeaten, always accused, for ever condemned? 我为什么老受折磨，老受欺侮，老挨骂，一辈子也翻不了身呢？ 来自辞典例句

25 brute   

n.野兽，兽性

参考例句：

• The aggressor troops are not many degrees removed from the brute.侵略军简直象一群野兽。
• That dog is a dangerous brute.It bites people.那条狗是危险的畜牲，它咬人。

26 scorched   

烧焦，烤焦( scorch的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（植物）枯萎，把…晒枯； 高速行驶； 枯焦

参考例句：

• I scorched my dress when I was ironing it. 我把自己的连衣裙熨焦了。
• The hot iron scorched the tablecloth. 热熨斗把桌布烫焦了。

27 swell   

vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强

参考例句：

• The waves had taken on a deep swell.海浪汹涌。
• His injured wrist began to swell.他那受伤的手腕开始肿了。

28 gangster   

n.匪徒，歹徒，暴徒

参考例句：

• The gangster's friends bought off the police witness.那匪徒的朋友买通了警察方面的证人。
• He is obviously a gangster,but he pretends to be a saint.分明是强盗，却要装圣贤。

29 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

30 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

31 brigand   

n.土匪，强盗

参考例句：

• This wallace is a brigand,nothing more.华莱士只不过是个土匪。
• How would you deal with this brigand?你要如何对付这个土匪？

32 bellowed   

v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的过去式和过去分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫

参考例句：

• They bellowed at her to stop. 他们吼叫着让她停下。
• He bellowed with pain when the tooth was pulled out. 当牙齿被拔掉时，他痛得大叫。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

33 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

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

34 viper   

n.毒蛇；危险的人

参考例句：

• Envy lucks at the bottom of the human heart a viper in its hole.嫉妒潜伏在人心底，如同毒蛇潜伏在穴中。
• Be careful of that viper;he is dangerous.小心那个阴险的人，他很危险。

35 depressed   

adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的

参考例句：

• When he was depressed,he felt utterly divorced from reality.他心情沮丧时就感到完全脱离了现实。
• His mother was depressed by the sad news.这个坏消息使他的母亲意志消沉。