Before dinner Berenice made her appearance, freshened by a bath and clad in a light summer dress that appeared to Cowperwood to be all flounces, and the more
graceful1 in its lines for the problematic absence of a corset. Her face and hands, however—a face thin, long, and sweetly hollow, and hands that were slim and sinewy—gripped and held his fancy. He was reminded in the least degree of Stephanie; but this girl’s chin was firmer and more delicately, though more aggressively, rounded. Her eyes, too, were shrewder and less evasive, though subtle enough.
“So I meet you again,” he observed, with a somewhat
aloof2 air, as she came out on the porch and sank listlessly into a wicker chair. “The last time I met you you were hard at work in New York.”
“Breaking the rules. No, I forget; that was my easiest work. Oh, Rolfe,” she called over her shoulder, indifferently, “I see your pocket-knife out on the grass.”
Cowperwood, properly suppressed, waited a brief space. “Who won that exciting game?”
“I did, of course. I always win at tether-ball.”
“Oh, do you?” commented Cowperwood.
“I mean with brother, of course. He plays so poorly.” She turned to the west—the house faced south—and studied the road which came up from Stroudsburg. “I do believe that’s
Harry4 Kemp,” she added, quite to herself. “If so, he’ll have my mail, if there is any.”
She got up again and disappeared into the house, coming out a few moments later to saunter down to the gate, which was over a hundred feet away. To Cowperwood she seemed to float, so hale and graceful was she. A smart youth in blue serge coat, white trousers, and white shoes drove by in a high-seated trap.
“Two letters for you,” he called, in a high, almost falsetto voice. “I thought you would have eight or nine. Blessed hot, isn’t it?” He had a smart though somewhat effeminate manner, and Cowperwood at once wrote him down as an
ass3. Berenice took the mail with an engaging smile. She sauntered past him reading, without so much as a glance. Presently he heard her voice within.
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收听单词发音
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1
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 |
参考例句： |
- His movements on the parallel bars were very graceful.他的双杠动作可帅了!
- The ballet dancer is so graceful.芭蕾舞演员的姿态是如此的优美。
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2
aloof
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| adj.远离的；冷淡的，漠不关心的 |
参考例句： |
- Never stand aloof from the masses.千万不可脱离群众。
- On the evening the girl kept herself timidly aloof from the crowd.这小女孩在晚会上一直胆怯地远离人群。
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3
ass
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| n.驴；傻瓜，蠢笨的人 |
参考例句： |
- He is not an ass as they make him.他不象大家猜想的那样笨。
- An ass endures his burden but not more than his burden.驴能负重但不能超过它能力所负担的。
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4
harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 |
参考例句： |
- Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
- Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。
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5
tuxedo
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| n.礼服，无尾礼服 |
参考例句： |
- Well,you have your own tuxedo.噢，你有自己的燕尾服。
- Have I told you how amazing you look in this tuxedo?我告诉过你穿这件燕尾服看起来很棒吗？
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6
loon
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| n.狂人 |
参考例句： |
- That guy's a real loon.那个人是个真正的疯子。
- Everyone thought he was a loon.每个人都骂他神经。
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7
vigor
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| n.活力，精力，元气 |
参考例句： |
- The choir sang the words out with great vigor.合唱团以极大的热情唱出了歌词。
- She didn't want to be reminded of her beauty or her former vigor.现在，她不愿人们提起她昔日的美丽和以前的精力充沛。
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8
lure
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| n.吸引人的东西，诱惑物；vt.引诱，吸引 |
参考例句： |
- Life in big cities is a lure for many country boys.大城市的生活吸引着许多乡下小伙子。
- He couldn't resist the lure of money.他不能抵制金钱的诱惑。
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9
concoction
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| n.调配(物)；谎言 |
参考例句： |
- She enjoyed the concoction of foreign dishes.她喜欢调制外国菜。
- His story was a sheer concoction.他的故事实在是一纯属捏造之事。
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10
sleek
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| adj.光滑的，井然有序的；v.使光滑，梳拢 |
参考例句： |
- Women preferred sleek,shiny hair with little decoration.女士们更喜欢略加修饰的光滑闪亮型秀发。
- The horse's coat was sleek and glossy.这匹马全身润泽有光。
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11
mien
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| n.风采；态度 |
参考例句： |
- He was a Vietnam veteran with a haunted mien.他是个越战老兵，举止总有些惶然。
- It was impossible to tell from his mien whether he was offended.从他的神态中难以看出他是否生气了。
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12
rhythmic
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| adj.有节奏的，有韵律的 |
参考例句： |
- Her breathing became more rhythmic.她的呼吸变得更有规律了。
- Good breathing is slow,rhythmic and deep.健康的呼吸方式缓慢深沉而有节奏。
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13
rhythmically
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| adv.有节奏地 |
参考例句： |
- A pigeon strutted along the roof, cooing rhythmically. 一只鸽子沿着屋顶大摇大摆地走，有节奏地咕咕叫。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- Exposures of rhythmically banded protore are common in the workings. 在工作面中常见有韵律条带“原矿石”。 来自辞典例句
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14
mazes
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| 迷宫( maze的名词复数 )； 纷繁复杂的规则； 复杂难懂的细节； 迷宫图 |
参考例句： |
- The mazes of the dance were ecstatic. 跳舞那种错综曲折，叫人快乐得如登九天。
- For two hours did this singlehearted and simpleminded girl toil through the mazes of the forest. 这位心地单纯的傻姑娘在林间曲径中艰难地走了两个来小时。
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15
Vogue
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| n.时髦，时尚；adj.流行的 |
参考例句： |
- Flowery carpets became the vogue.花卉地毯变成了时髦货。
- Short hair came back into vogue about ten years ago.大约十年前短发又开始流行起来了。
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16
lithe
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| adj.(指人、身体)柔软的，易弯的 |
参考例句： |
- His lithe athlete's body had been his pride through most of the fifty - six years.他那轻巧自如的运动员体格，五十六年来几乎一直使他感到自豪。
- His walk was lithe and graceful.他走路轻盈而优雅。
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17
momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 |
参考例句： |
- We are in momentary expectation of the arrival of you.我们无时无刻不在盼望你的到来。
- I caught a momentary glimpse of them.我瞥了他们一眼。
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18
resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 |
参考例句： |
- All her feelings of resentment just came pouring out.她一股脑儿倾吐出所有的怨恨。
- She cherished a deep resentment under the rose towards her employer.她暗中对她的雇主怀恨在心。
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chilly
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| adj.凉快的，寒冷的 |
参考例句： |
- I feel chilly without a coat.我由于没有穿大衣而感到凉飕飕的。
- I grew chilly when the fire went out.炉火熄灭后，寒气逼人。
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20
bevy
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| n.一群 |
参考例句： |
- A bevy of bathing beauties appeared on the beach.沙滩上出现了一群游泳的美女。
- Look,there comes a bevy of ladies.看，一群女人来了。
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21
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 |
参考例句： |
- Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
- During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。
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22
softened
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| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 |
参考例句： |
- His smile softened slightly. 他的微笑稍柔和了些。
- The ice cream softened and began to melt. 冰淇淋开始变软并开始融化。
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23
unison
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| 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。
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24
entirely
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| 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。
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