The Basket Woman筐妇
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THE MERRY-GO-ROUND

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 The Basket Woman was washing for the homesteader's wife at the spring, and Alan, by this time very good friends with her, was pulling up sagebrush for the fire, when the coyote came by. It was a clear, wide morning, warm and sweet, with gusty2 flaws of cooler air moving down from Pine Mountain. There was a lake of purple lupins in the swale, and the last faint flush of wild almonds burning on the slope. The grapevines at the spring were full of bloom and tender leaf. Eastward3, above the high tilted4 mesa under the open sky, the buzzards were making a merry-go-round. That was the way Alan always thought of their performance when he saw them circling slantwise under the sun. Round and round they went, now so low that he could see how the shabby wing feathers frayed5 out at the edges, now so high that they became mere6 specks7 against the sky.
 
"What makes them go round and round?" asked Alan of the mahala.
 
"They go about to wait for their dinner, but the table is not yet spread," said she. The Basket Woman did not use quite such good English; but though Alan understood her broken talk, you probably would not. The little boy could not imagine, though he tried, what a buzzard's dinner might be like. The high mesa, with the water of mirage8 rolling over it, was a kind of enchanted9 land to him where almost anything might happen. He would lie contentedly10 for hours with his head pillowed on the hillocks of blown sand about the roots of the sage1, and look up at the merry-go-round. He noticed that, although others joined them from the invisible upper sky, none ever seemed to go away, but hung and circled and faded into the thin blue deeps of air. Often he saw them settle flockwise below the

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1 sage sCUz2     
n.圣人，哲人；adj.贤明的，明智的
参考例句：
  • I was grateful for the old man's sage advice.我很感激那位老人贤明的忠告。
  • The sage is the instructor of a hundred ages.这位哲人是百代之师。
2 gusty B5uyu     
adj.起大风的
参考例句：
  • Weather forecasts predict more hot weather,gusty winds and lightning strikes.天气预报预测高温、大风和雷电天气将继续。
  • Why was Candlestick Park so windy and gusty? 埃德尔斯蒂克公园里为什么会有那么多的强劲阵风？
3 eastward CrjxP     
adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部
参考例句：
  • The river here tends eastward.这条河从这里向东流。
  • The crowd is heading eastward,believing that they can find gold there.人群正在向东移去，他们认为在那里可以找到黄金。
4 tilted 3gtzE5     
v. 倾斜的
参考例句：
  • Suddenly the boat tilted to one side. 小船突然倾向一侧。
  • She tilted her chin at him defiantly. 她向他翘起下巴表示挑衅。
5 frayed 1e0e4bcd33b0ae94b871e5e62db77425     
adj.磨损的v.（使布、绳等）磨损，磨破( fray的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • His shirt was frayed. 他的衬衫穿破了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The argument frayed their nerves. 争辩使他们不快。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
6 mere rC1xE     
adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过
参考例句：
  • That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
  • It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。
7 specks 6d64faf449275b5ce146fe2c78100fed     
n.眼镜；斑点，微粒，污点( speck的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • Minutes later Brown spotted two specks in the ocean. 几分钟后布朗发现海洋中有两个小点。 来自英汉非文学 - 百科语料821
  • Do you ever seem to see specks in front of your eyes? 你眼睛前面曾似乎看见过小点吗？ 来自辞典例句
8 mirage LRqzB     
n.海市蜃楼，幻景
参考例句：
  • Perhaps we are all just chasing a mirage.也许我们都只是在追逐一个幻想。
  • Western liberalism was always a mirage.西方自由主义永远是一座海市蜃楼。
9 enchanted enchanted     
adj. 被施魔法的，陶醉的，入迷的 动词enchant的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
  • She was enchanted by the flowers you sent her. 她非常喜欢你送给她的花。
  • He was enchanted by the idea. 他为这个主意而欣喜若狂。
10 contentedly a0af12176ca79b27d4028fdbaf1b5f64     
adv.心满意足地
参考例句：
  • My father sat puffing contentedly on his pipe.父亲坐着心满意足地抽着烟斗。
  • "This is brother John's writing,"said Sally,contentedly,as she opened the letter.
11 rim RXSxl     
n.(圆物的)边，轮缘；边界
参考例句：
  • The water was even with the rim of the basin.盆里的水与盆边平齐了。
  • She looked at him over the rim of her glass.她的目光越过玻璃杯的边沿看着他。
12 intervals f46c9d8b430e8c86dea610ec56b7cbef     
n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息
参考例句：
  • The forecast said there would be sunny intervals and showers. 预报间晴，有阵雨。
  • Meetings take place at fortnightly intervals. 每两周开一次会。
13 lair R2jx2     
n.野兽的巢穴；躲藏处
参考例句：
  • How can you catch tiger cubs without entering the tiger's lair?不入虎穴，焉得虎子？
  • I retired to my lair,and wrote some letters.我回到自己的躲藏处，写了几封信。
14 bent QQ8yD     
n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的
参考例句：
  • He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
  • We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。
15 trotted 6df8e0ef20c10ef975433b4a0456e6e1     
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。
16 boulders 317f40e6f6d3dc0457562ca415269465     
n.卵石( boulder的名词复数 )；巨砾；（受水或天气侵蚀而成的）巨石；漂砾
参考例句：
  • Seals basked on boulders in a flat calm. 海面风平浪静，海豹在巨石上晒太阳。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The river takes a headlong plunge into a maelstrom of rocks and boulders. 河水急流而下，入一个漂砾的漩涡中。 来自《简明英汉词典》
17     
参考例句：
18 shrubs b480276f8eea44e011d42320b17c3619     
灌木( shrub的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • The gardener spent a complete morning in trimming those two shrubs. 园丁花了整个上午的时间修剪那两处灌木林。
  • These shrubs will need more light to produce flowering shoots. 这些灌木需要更多的光照才能抽出开花的新枝。
19 steadily Qukw6     
adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地
参考例句：
  • The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
  • Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。
20 misty l6mzx     
adj.雾蒙蒙的，有雾的
参考例句：
  • He crossed over to the window to see if it was still misty.他走到窗户那儿，看看是不是还有雾霭。
  • The misty scene had a dreamy quality about it.雾景给人以梦幻般的感觉。
21 trudged e830eb9ac9fd5a70bf67387e070a9616     
vt.& vi.跋涉，吃力地走（trudge的过去式与过去分词形式）
参考例句：
  • He trudged the last two miles to the town. 他步履艰难地走完最后两英里到了城里。
  • He trudged wearily along the path. 他沿着小路疲惫地走去。 来自《简明英汉词典》
22 landmarks 746a744ae0fc201cc2f97ab777d21b8c     
n.陆标( landmark的名词复数 )；目标；（标志重要阶段的）里程碑 ~ (in sth)；有历史意义的建筑物（或遗址）
参考例句：
  • The book stands out as one of the notable landmarks in the progress of modern science. 这部著作是现代科学发展史上著名的里程碑之一。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • The baby was one of the big landmarks in our relationship. 孩子的出世是我们俩关系中的一个重要转折点。 来自辞典例句
23 sobbing df75b14f92e64fc9e1d7eaf6dcfc083a     
<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。
24 sobbed 4a153e2bbe39eef90bf6a4beb2dba759     
哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说
参考例句：
  • She sobbed out the story of her son's death. 她哭诉着她儿子的死。
  • She sobbed out the sad story of her son's death. 她哽咽着诉说她儿子死去的悲惨经过。
25 shuddered 70137c95ff493fbfede89987ee46ab86     
v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动
参考例句：
  • He slammed on the brakes and the car shuddered to a halt. 他猛踩刹车，车颤抖着停住了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • I shuddered at the sight of the dead body. 我一看见那尸体就战栗。 来自《简明英汉词典》
26 pony Au5yJ     
adj.小型的；n.小马
参考例句：
  • His father gave him a pony as a Christmas present.他父亲给了他一匹小马驹作为圣诞礼物。
  • They made him pony up the money he owed.他们逼他还债。
27 slung slung     
抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往
参考例句：
  • He slung the bag over his shoulder. 他把包一甩，挎在肩上。
  • He stood up and slung his gun over his shoulder. 他站起来把枪往肩上一背。
28 bosom Lt9zW     
n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的
参考例句：
  • She drew a little book from her bosom.她从怀里取出一本小册子。
  • A dark jealousy stirred in his bosom.他内心生出一阵恶毒的嫉妒。
29 skulking 436860a2018956d4daf0e413ecd2719c     
v.潜伏，偷偷摸摸地走动，鬼鬼祟祟地活动( skulk的现在分词 )
参考例句：
  • There was someone skulking behind the bushes. 有人藏在灌木后面。
  • There were half a dozen foxes skulking in the undergrowth. 在林下灌丛中潜伏着五六只狐狸。 来自辞典例句
30 cactus Cs1zF     
n.仙人掌
参考例句：
  • It was the first year that the cactus had produced flowers.这是这棵仙人掌第一年开花。
  • The giant cactus is the vegetable skycraper.高大的仙人掌是植物界巨人。
31 gravel s6hyT     
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。
32 swollen DrcwL     
adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀
参考例句：
  • Her legs had got swollen from standing up all day.因为整天站着，她的双腿已经肿了。
  • A mosquito had bitten her and her arm had swollen up.蚊子叮了她，她的手臂肿起来了。
33 muzzle i11yN     
n.鼻口部；口套；枪(炮)口；vt.使缄默
参考例句：
  • He placed the muzzle of the pistol between his teeth.他把手枪的枪口放在牙齿中间。
  • The President wanted to muzzle the press.总统企图遏制新闻自由。
34 spoke XryyC     
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。
35 fatigue PhVzV     
n.疲劳，劳累
参考例句：
  • The old lady can't bear the fatigue of a long journey.这位老妇人不能忍受长途旅行的疲劳。
  • I have got over my weakness and fatigue.我已从虚弱和疲劳中恢复过来了。
36 quarry ASbzF     
n.采石场；v.采石；费力地找
参考例句：
  • Michelangelo obtained his marble from a quarry.米开朗基罗从采石场获得他的大理石。
  • This mountain was the site for a quarry.这座山曾经有一个采石场。
37 maze F76ze     
n.迷宫，八阵图，混乱，迷惑
参考例句：
  • He found his way through the complex maze of corridors.他穿过了迷宮一样的走廊。
  • She was lost in the maze for several hours.一连几小时，她的头脑处于一片糊涂状态。
38 croaked 9a150c9af3075625e0cba4de8da8f6a9     
v.呱呱地叫( croak的过去式和过去分词 )；用粗的声音说
参考例句：
  • The crow croaked disaster. 乌鸦呱呱叫预报灾难。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • 'she has a fine head for it," croaked Jacques Three. “她有一个漂亮的脑袋跟着去呢，”雅克三号低沉地说。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
39 blistered 942266c53a4edfa01e00242d079c0e46     
adj.水疮状的，泡状的v.（使）起水泡( blister的过去式和过去分词 )；（使表皮等）涨破，爆裂
参考例句：
  • He had a blistered heel. 他的脚后跟起了泡。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Their hands blistered, but no one complained. 他们手起了泡，可是没有一个人有怨言。 来自《简明英汉词典》
40 whining whining     
n. 抱怨，牢骚 v. 哭诉，发牢骚
参考例句：
  • That's the way with you whining, puny, pitiful players. 你们这种又爱哭、又软弱、又可怜的赌棍就是这样。
  • The dog sat outside the door whining (to be let in). 那条狗坐在门外狺狺叫着（要进来）。
41 buoyed 7da50152a46b3edf3164b6a7f21be885     
v.使浮起( buoy的过去式和过去分词 )；支持；为…设浮标；振奋…的精神
参考例句：
  • Buoyed by their win yesterday the team feel confident of further success. 在昨天胜利的鼓舞下，该队有信心再次获胜。
  • His encouragement buoyed her up during that difficult period. 他的鼓励使她在那段困难时期恢复了乐观的情绪。 来自《简明英汉词典》
42 parched 2mbzMK     
adj.焦干的；极渴的；v.（使）焦干
参考例句：
  • Hot winds parched the crops.热风使庄稼干透了。
  • The land in this region is rather dry and parched.这片土地十分干燥。
43 trickling 24aeffc8684b1cc6b8fa417e730cc8dc     
n.油画底色含油太多而成泡沫状突起v.滴( trickle的现在分词 )；淌；使)慢慢走；缓慢移动
参考例句：
  • Tears were trickling down her cheeks. 眼泪顺着她的面颊流了下来。
  • The engine was trickling oil. 发动机在滴油。 来自《简明英汉词典》
44 coaxed dc0a6eeb597861b0ed72e34e52490cd1     
v.哄，用好话劝说( coax的过去式和过去分词 )；巧言骗取；哄劝，劝诱
参考例句：
  • She coaxed the horse into coming a little closer. 她哄着那匹马让它再靠近了一点。
  • I coaxed my sister into taking me to the theatre. 我用好话哄姐姐带我去看戏。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

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