Both men had much in common, had lived life in somewhat similar ways, and regarded life from the same angles. Their philosophy was harsh rather than sentimental⁴, and both were realists. Paula made a practice of calling them the pair of “Brass⁵ Tacks⁶.”

 

“Oh, yes,” she laughed to them, “I understand your attitude. You are successes, the pair of you—­physical successes, I mean. You have health. You are resistant⁸. You can stand things. You have survived where men less resistant have gone down. You pull through African fevers and bury the other fellows. This poor chap gets pneumonia⁹ in Cripple Creek¹⁰ and cashes in before you can get him to sea level. Now why didn’t you get pneumonia? Because you were more deserving? Because you had lived more virtuously¹¹? Because you were more careful of risks and took more precautions?”

 

She shook her head.

 

“No. Because you were luckier—­I mean by birth, by possession of constitution and stamina

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1 ebbed
（指潮水）退( ebb的过去式和过去分词 )； 落； 减少； 衰落
参考例句：
But the pain had ebbed away and the trembling had stopped. 不过这次痛已减退，寒战也停止了。 But gradually his interest in good causes ebbed away. 不过后来他对这类事业兴趣也逐渐淡薄了。

2 yarned
vi.讲故事（yarn的过去式与过去分词形式）
参考例句：

3 embroidery
n.绣花，刺绣；绣制品
参考例句：
This exquisite embroidery won people's great admiration.这件精美的绣品，使人惊叹不已。 This is Jane's first attempt at embroidery.这是简第一次试着绣花。

4 sentimental
adj.多愁善感的，感伤的
参考例句：
She's a sentimental woman who believes marriage comes by destiny.她是多愁善感的人，她相信姻缘命中注定。 We were deeply touched by the sentimental movie.我们深深被那感伤的电影所感动。

5 brass
n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器
参考例句：
Many of the workers play in the factory's brass band.许多工人都在工厂铜管乐队中演奏。 Brass is formed by the fusion of copper and zinc.黄铜是通过铜和锌的熔合而成的。

6 tacks
大头钉( tack的名词复数 )； 平头钉； 航向； 方法
参考例句：
Never mind the side issues, let's get down to brass tacks and thrash out a basic agreement. 别管枝节问题，让我们讨论问题的实质，以求得基本一致。 Get down to the brass tacks,and quit talking round the subject. 谈实质问题吧，别兜圈子了。

7 tack
n.大头钉；假缝，粗缝
参考例句：
He is hammering a tack into the wall to hang a picture.他正往墙上钉一枚平头钉用来挂画。 We are going to tack the map on the wall.我们打算把这张地图钉在墙上。

8 resistant
adj.(to)抵抗的，有抵抗力的
参考例句：
Many pests are resistant to the insecticide.许多害虫对这种杀虫剂有抵抗力。 They imposed their government by force on the resistant population.他们以武力把自己的统治强加在持反抗态度的人民头上。

9 pneumonia
n.肺炎
参考例句：
Cage was struck with pneumonia in her youth.凯奇年轻时得过肺炎。 Pneumonia carried him off last week.肺炎上星期夺去了他的生命。

10 creek
n.小溪，小河，小湾
参考例句：
He sprang through the creek.他跳过小河。 People sunbathe in the nude on the rocks above the creek.人们在露出小溪的岩石上裸体晒日光浴。

11 virtuously
合乎道德地，善良地
参考例句：
Pro31:29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. 箴31:29说，才德的女子很多，惟独你超过一切。

12 stamina
n.体力；精力；耐力
参考例句：
I lacked the stamina to run the whole length of the race.我没有跑完全程的耐力。 Giving up smoking had a magical effect on his stamina.戒烟神奇地增强了他的体力。

13 nostrils
鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Her nostrils flared with anger. 她气得两个鼻孔都鼓了起来。 The horse dilated its nostrils. 马张大鼻孔。

14 concurred
同意（concur的过去式与过去分词形式）
参考例句：
Historians have concurred with each other in this view. 历史学家在这个观点上已取得一致意见。 So many things concurred to give rise to the problem. 许多事情同时发生而导致了这一问题。

15 fiddles
n.小提琴( fiddle的名词复数 )；欺诈；（需要运用手指功夫的）细巧活动；当第二把手v.伪造( fiddle的第三人称单数 )；篡改；骗取；修理或稍作改动
参考例句：
He fiddles with his papers on the table. 他抚弄着桌子上那些报纸。 来自辞典例句 The annual Smithsonian Festival of American Folk Life celebrates hands-hands plucking guitars and playing fiddles. 一年一度的美国民间的“史密斯索尼安节”是赞美人的双手的节日--弹拔吉他的手，演奏小提琴的手。 来自辞典例句

16 fiber
n.纤维，纤维质
参考例句：
The basic structural unit of yarn is the fiber.纤维是纱的基本结构单元。 The material must be free of fiber clumps.这种材料必须无纤维块。

17 tongs
n.钳；夹子
参考例句：
She used tongs to put some more coal on the fire.她用火钳再夹一些煤放进炉子里。 He picked up the hot metal with a pair of tongs.他用一把钳子夹起这块热金属。

18 hip
n.臀部，髋；屋脊
参考例句：
The thigh bone is connected to the hip bone.股骨连着髋骨。 The new coats blouse gracefully above the hip line.新外套在臀围线上优美地打着褶皱。

19 folly
n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话
参考例句：
Learn wisdom by the folly of others.从别人的愚蠢行动中学到智慧。 Events proved the folly of such calculations.事情的进展证明了这种估计是愚蠢的。

20 emanates
v.从…处传出，传出( emanate的第三人称单数 )；产生，表现，显示
参考例句：
He emanates power and confidence. 他表现出力量和信心。 He emanates sympathy. 他流露出同情。 来自辞典例句

21 lesser
adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地
参考例句：
Kept some of the lesser players out.不让那些次要的球员参加联赛。 She has also been affected,but to a lesser degree.她也受到波及，但程度较轻。

22 thigh
n.大腿；股骨
参考例句：
He is suffering from a strained thigh muscle.他的大腿肌肉拉伤了，疼得很。 The thigh bone is connected to the hip bone.股骨连着髋骨。

23 philosophic
adj.哲学的，贤明的
参考例句：
It was a most philosophic and jesuitical motorman.这是个十分善辩且狡猾的司机。 The Irish are a philosophic as well as a practical race.爱尔兰人是既重实际又善于思想的民族。

24 fixed
adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的
参考例句：
Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？ Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

25 ordained
v.任命（某人）为牧师( ordain的过去式和过去分词 )；授予（某人）圣职；（上帝、法律等）命令；判定
参考例句：
He was ordained in 1984. 他在一九八四年被任命为牧师。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He was ordained priest. 他被任命为牧师。 来自辞典例句

26 obeisance
n.鞠躬，敬礼
参考例句：
He made obeisance to the king.他向国王表示臣服。 While he was still young and strong all paid obeisance to him.他年轻力壮时所有人都对他毕恭毕敬。

27 juggles
v.歪曲( juggle的第三人称单数 )；耍弄；有效地组织；尽力同时应付（两个或两个以上的重要工作或活动）
参考例句：
They brought back to my mind, in a flash, the three juggles. 他们顿时使我回想起那三个变戏法的。 来自辞典例句 Our juggles are essentially built from relationships ─with our partners alz, coworkers and friends. 我们的事业和家庭实际上都是建立于各种关系之上的──与伴侣、孩子、同事和朋友的关系。 来自互联网

28 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。

29 virtue
n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力
参考例句：
He was considered to be a paragon of virtue.他被认为是品德尽善尽美的典范。 You need to decorate your mind with virtue.你应该用德行美化心灵。

30 sordid
adj.肮脏的，不干净的，卑鄙的，暗淡的
参考例句：
He depicts the sordid and vulgar sides of life exclusively.他只描写人生肮脏和庸俗的一面。 They lived in a sordid apartment.他们住在肮脏的公寓房子里。

31 irrelevant
adj.不恰当的，无关系的，不相干的
参考例句：
That is completely irrelevant to the subject under discussion.这跟讨论的主题完全不相关。 A question about arithmetic is irrelevant in a music lesson.在音乐课上，一个数学的问题是风马牛不相及的。

32 livestock
n.家畜，牲畜
参考例句：
Both men and livestock are flourishing.人畜两旺。 The heavy rains and flooding killed scores of livestock.暴雨和大水淹死了许多牲口。

33 dynamiting
v.（尤指用于采矿的）甘油炸药( dynamite的现在分词 )；会引起轰动的人[事物]；增重
参考例句：
Somebody wildly suggested dynamiting it. 有人竟然轻率地主张炸开它。 来自辞典例句 Hidden boulders have been removed by dynamiting. 暗礁都用炸药炸掉了。 来自辞典例句

34 noted
adj.著名的，知名的
参考例句：
The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。 Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

35 hitching
搭乘； （免费）搭乘他人之车( hitch的现在分词 )； 搭便车； 攀上； 跃上
参考例句：
The farmer yoked the oxen before hitching them to the wagon. 农夫在将牛套上大车之前先给它们套上轭。 I saw an old man hitching along on his stick. 我看见一位老人拄着手杖蹒跚而行。

36 reassure
v.使放心，使消除疑虑
参考例句：
This seemed to reassure him and he continued more confidently.这似乎使他放心一点，于是他更有信心地继续说了下去。 The airline tried to reassure the customers that the planes were safe.航空公司尽力让乘客相信飞机是安全的。

37 grooms
n.新郎( groom的名词复数 )；马夫v.照料或梳洗（马等）( groom的第三人称单数 )；使做好准备；训练；（给动物）擦洗
参考例句：
Plender end Wilcox became joint grooms of the chambers. 普伦德和威尔科克斯成为共同的贴身侍从。 来自辞典例句 Egypt: Families, rather than grooms, propose to the bride. 埃及：在埃及，由新郎的家人，而不是新郎本人，向新娘求婚。 来自互联网

38 reins
感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带
参考例句：
She pulled gently on the reins. 她轻轻地拉着缰绳。 The government has imposed strict reins on the import of luxury goods. 政府对奢侈品的进口有严格的控制手段。

39 taut
adj.拉紧的，绷紧的，紧张的
参考例句：
The bowstring is stretched taut.弓弦绷得很紧。 Scarlett's taut nerves almost cracked as a sudden noise sounded in the underbrush near them. 思嘉紧张的神经几乎一下绷裂了，因为她听见附近灌木丛中突然冒出的一个声音。

40 gibes
vi.嘲笑，嘲弄（gibe的第三人称单数形式）
参考例句：
He smarted under the gibes of his fellows. 他因受同伴的嘲笑而苦恼。 来自辞典例句 Don' t make gibes about her behavior. 别嘲笑她的行为。 来自辞典例句

41 genial
adj.亲切的，和蔼的，愉快的，脾气好的
参考例句：
Orlando is a genial man.奥兰多是一位和蔼可亲的人。 He was a warm-hearted friend and genial host.他是个热心的朋友，也是友善待客的主人。

42 ranch
n.大牧场，大农场
参考例句：
He went to work on a ranch.他去一个大农场干活。 The ranch is in the middle of a large plateau.该牧场位于一个辽阔高原的中部。

43 barometers
气压计，晴雨表( barometer的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Fixed cistern barometers are used as a standard for checking aneroid barometers. 固定槽式气压计可以作为标准件去检验无液气压计。 Fixed cistern barometers are used as a standard for checking. 固定槽式气压计可以作为标准件去检验。

44 buckling
扣住
参考例句：
A door slammed in the house and a man came out buckling his belt. 房子里的一扇门砰地关上，一个男子边扣腰带边走了出来。 The periodic buckling leaves the fibre in a waved conformation. 周期性的弯折在纤维中造成波形构成。

45 pensioner
n.领养老金的人
参考例句：
The tax threshold for a single pensioner is$ 445.单身领退休年金者的纳税起点为445英镑。 It was the pensioner's vote late in the day that influenced the election of Mr.Sweet.最后是领取养老金者的选票影响了斯威特先生的当选。

46 cocktail
n.鸡尾酒；餐前开胃小吃；混合物
参考例句：
We invited some foreign friends for a cocktail party.我们邀请了一些外国朋友参加鸡尾酒会。 At a cocktail party in Hollywood,I was introduced to Charlie Chaplin.在好莱坞的一次鸡尾酒会上，人家把我介绍给查理·卓别林。

47 demurred
v.表示异议，反对( demur的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
At first she demurred, but then finally agreed. 她开始表示反对，但最终还是同意了。 They demurred at working on Sundays. 他们反对星期日工作。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

48 stereotyped
adj.(指形象、思想、人物等)模式化的
参考例句：
There is a sameness about all these tales. They're so stereotyped -- all about talented scholars and lovely ladies. 这些书就是一套子，左不过是些才子佳人，最没趣儿。 He is the stereotyped monster of the horror films and the adventure books, and an obvious (though not perhaps strictly scientific) link with our ancestral past. 它们是恐怖电影和惊险小说中的老一套的怪物，并且与我们的祖先有着明显的（虽然可能没有科学的）联系。

49 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。

50 middle-aged
adj.中年的
参考例句：
I noticed two middle-aged passengers.我注意到两个中年乘客。 The new skin balm was welcome by middle-aged women.这种新护肤香膏受到了中年妇女的欢迎。

51 preposterous
adj.荒谬的，可笑的
参考例句：
The whole idea was preposterous.整个想法都荒唐透顶。 It would be preposterous to shovel coal with a teaspoon.用茶匙铲煤是荒谬的。

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