They ran across the shining sand, the Pacific thundering its long surge at their backs, and when they gained the roadway leaped upon bicycles and dived at faster pace into the green avenues of the park. There were three of them, three boys, in as many bright-colored sweaters, and they "
scorched1" along the cycle-path as dangerously near the speed-limit as is the custom of boys in bright-colored sweaters to go. They may have exceeded the speed-limit. A mounted park policeman thought so, but was not sure, and
contented2 himself with cautioning them as they flashed by. They acknowledged the warning
promptly3, and on the next turn of the path as promptly forgot it, which is also a custom of boys in bright-colored sweaters.
Shooting out through the entrance to Golden Gate Park, they turned into San Francisco, and took the long sweep of the
descending4 hills at a rate that caused
pedestrians5 to turn and watch them anxiously. Through the city streets the bright sweaters flew, turning and twisting to escape climbing the steeper hills, and, when the steep hills were unavoidable, doing
stunts6 to see which would first gain the top.
The boy who more often hit up the pace, led the
scorching7, and instituted the stunts was called Joe by his companions. It was "follow the leader," and he led, the merriest and boldest in the bunch. But as they pedaled into the Western Addition, among the large and comfortable residences, his laughter became less loud and frequent, and he unconsciously lagged in the rear. At Laguna and Vallejo streets his companions turned off to the right.
"So long, Fred," he called as he turned his wheel to the left. "So long, Charley."
"See you to-night!" they called back.
"No—I can't come," he answered.
"Aw, come on," they begged.
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收听单词发音
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1
scorched
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| 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。
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2
contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 |
参考例句： |
- He won't be contented until he's upset everyone in the office.不把办公室里的每个人弄得心烦意乱他就不会满足。
- The people are making a good living and are contented,each in his station.人民安居乐业。
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3
promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 |
参考例句： |
- He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
- She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。
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4
descending
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| n. 下行
adj. 下降的 |
参考例句： |
- The results are expressed in descending numerical order . 结果按数字降序列出。
- The climbers stopped to orient themselves before descending the mountain. 登山者先停下来确定所在的位置，然后再下山。
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5
pedestrians
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| n.步行者( pedestrian的名词复数 ) |
参考例句： |
- Several pedestrians had come to grief on the icy pavement. 几个行人在结冰的人行道上滑倒了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- Pedestrians keep to the sidewalk [footpath]! 行人走便道。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
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6
stunts
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| n.惊人的表演( stunt的名词复数 )；（广告中）引人注目的花招；愚蠢行为；危险举动v.阻碍…发育[生长]，抑制，妨碍( stunt的第三人称单数 ) |
参考例句： |
- He did all his own stunts. 所有特技都是他自己演的。
- The plane did a few stunts before landing. 飞机着陆前做了一些特技。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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7
scorching
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| adj. 灼热的 |
参考例句： |
- a scorching, pitiless sun 灼热的骄阳
- a scorching critique of the government's economic policy 对政府经济政策的严厉批评
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8
resolutely
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| 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。
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dwindled
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| v.逐渐变少或变小( dwindle的过去式和过去分词 ) |
参考例句： |
- Support for the party has dwindled away to nothing. 支持这个党派的人渐渐化为乌有。
- His wealth dwindled to nothingness. 他的钱财化为乌有。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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10
subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的
动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 |
参考例句： |
- He seemed a bit subdued to me. 我觉得他当时有点闷闷不乐。
- I felt strangely subdued when it was all over. 一切都结束的时候，我却有一种奇怪的压抑感。
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plaintive
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| adj.可怜的，伤心的 |
参考例句： |
- Her voice was small and plaintive.她的声音微弱而哀伤。
- Somewhere in the audience an old woman's voice began plaintive wail.观众席里，一位老太太伤心地哭起来。
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blurted
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| v.突然说出，脱口而出( blurt的过去式和过去分词 ) |
参考例句： |
- She blurted it out before I could stop her. 我还没来得及制止，她已脱口而出。
- He blurted out the truth, that he committed the crime. 他不慎说出了真相，说是他犯了那个罪。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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13
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 |
参考例句： |
- All at once he fell into a state of profound melancholy.他立即陷入无尽的忧思之中。
- He felt melancholy after he failed the exam.这次考试没通过，他感到很郁闷。
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14
desolate
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| adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂 |
参考例句： |
- The city was burned into a desolate waste.那座城市被烧成一片废墟。
- We all felt absolutely desolate when she left.她走后，我们都觉得万分孤寂。
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15
sniffed
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| v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 |
参考例句： |
- When Jenney had stopped crying she sniffed and dried her eyes. 珍妮停止了哭泣，吸了吸鼻子，擦干了眼泪。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The dog sniffed suspiciously at the stranger. 狗疑惑地嗅着那个陌生人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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clement
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| adj.仁慈的；温和的 |
参考例句： |
- A clement judge reduced his sentence.一位仁慈的法官为他减了刑。
- The planet's history contains many less stable and clement eras than the holocene.地球的历史包含着许多不如全新世稳定与温和的地质时期。
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luncheon
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| n.午宴，午餐，便宴 |
参考例句： |
- We have luncheon at twelve o'clock.我们十二点钟用午餐。
- I have a luncheon engagement.我午饭有约。
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outfit
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| n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装 |
参考例句： |
- Jenney bought a new outfit for her daughter's wedding.珍妮为参加女儿的婚礼买了一套新装。
- His father bought a ski outfit for him on his birthday.他父亲在他生日那天给他买了一套滑雪用具。
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 |
参考例句： |
- He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。
- I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。
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tightened
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| 收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧 |
参考例句： |
- The rope holding the boat suddenly tightened and broke. 系船的绳子突然绷断了。
- His index finger tightened on the trigger but then relaxed again. 他的食指扣住扳机，然后又松开了。
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prim
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| adj.拘泥形式的，一本正经的；n.循规蹈矩，整洁；adv.循规蹈矩地，整洁地 |
参考例句： |
- She's too prim to enjoy rude jokes!她太古板，不喜欢听粗野的笑话！
- He is prim and precise in manner.他的态度一本正经而严谨
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recess
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| n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处） |
参考例句： |
- The chairman of the meeting announced a ten-minute recess.会议主席宣布休会10分钟。
- Parliament was hastily recalled from recess.休会的议员被匆匆召回开会。
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spunk
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| n.勇气，胆量 |
参考例句： |
- After his death,the soldier was cited for spunk.那位士兵死后因作战勇敢而受到表彰。
- I admired her independence and her spunk.我敬佩她的独立精神和勇气。
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unreasonably
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| adv. 不合理地 |
参考例句： |
- He was also petty, unreasonably querulous, and mean. 他还是个气量狭窄，无事生非，平庸刻薄的人。
- Food in that restaurant is unreasonably priced. 那家饭店价格不公道。
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interfering
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| adj. 妨碍的
动词interfere的现在分词 |
参考例句： |
- He's an interfering old busybody! 他老爱管闲事！
- I wish my mother would stop interfering and let me make my own decisions. 我希望我母亲不再干预，让我自己拿主意。
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appease
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| v.安抚，缓和，平息，满足 |
参考例句： |
- He tried to appease the crying child by giving him candy.他试图给那个啼哭的孩子糖果使他不哭。
- The government tried to appease discontented workers.政府试图安抚不满的工人们。
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sobbing
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| <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。
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sobs
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| 啜泣（声），呜咽（声）( sob的名词复数 ) |
参考例句： |
- She was struggling to suppress her sobs. 她拼命不让自己哭出来。
- She burst into a convulsive sobs. 她突然抽泣起来。
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