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CHAPTER 4—Machine-made Men
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Among the commonplace white and yellow envelopes that compose the bulk of one’s correspondence, appear from time to time dainty epistles on tinted1 paper, adorned2 with crests3 or monograms4. “Ha! ha!” I think when one of these appears, “here is something worth opening!” For between ourselves, reader mine, old bachelors love to receive notes from women. It’s so flattering to be remembered by the dear creatures, and recalls the time when life was beginning, and poulets in feminine writing suggested such delightful5 possibilities.
Only this morning an envelope of delicate Nile green caused me a distinct thrill of anticipation6. To judge by appearances it could contain nothing less attractive than a declaration, so, tearing it hurriedly open, I read: “Messrs. Sparks & Splithers take pleasure in calling attention to their patent suspenders and newest designs in reversible paper collars!”
Now, if that’s not enough to put any man in a bad humor for twenty-four hours, I should like to know what is? Moreover, I have “patents” in horror, experience having long ago revealed the fact that a patent is pretty sure to be only a new way of doing fast and cheaply something that formerly7 was accomplished8 slowly and well.
Few people stop to think how quickly this land of ours is degenerating9 into a paradise of the cheap and nasty, but allow themselves to be heated and cooled and whirled about the streets to the detriment
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1
tinted
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adj. 带色彩的 动词tint的过去式和过去分词 | |
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2
adorned
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[计]被修饰的 | |
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crests
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v.到达山顶(或浪峰)( crest的第三人称单数 );到达洪峰,达到顶点 | |
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monograms
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n.字母组合( monogram的名词复数 ) | |
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delightful
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adj.令人高兴的,使人快乐的 | |
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anticipation
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n.预期,预料,期望 | |
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formerly
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adv.从前,以前 | |
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accomplished
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adj.有才艺的;有造诣的;达到了的 | |
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degenerating
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衰退,堕落,退化( degenerate的现在分词 ) | |
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detriment
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n.损害;损害物,造成损害的根源 | |
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digestions
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n.消化能力( digestion的名词复数 );消化,领悟 | |
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machinery
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n.(总称)机械,机器;机构 | |
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prematurely
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adv.过早地,贸然地 | |
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labor
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n.劳动,努力,工作,劳工;分娩;vi.劳动,努力,苦干;vt.详细分析;麻烦 | |
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Vogue
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n.时髦,时尚;adj.流行的 | |
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scramble
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v.爬行,攀爬,杂乱蔓延,碎片,片段,废料 | |
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drawn
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v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的 | |
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meddling
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v.干涉,干预(他人事务)( meddle的现在分词 ) | |
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alas
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int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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undo
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vt.解开,松开;取消,撤销 | |
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warrior
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n.勇士,武士,斗士 | |
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elastic
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n.橡皮圈,松紧带;adj.有弹性的;灵活的 | |
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countless
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adj.无数的,多得不计其数的 | |
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backbone
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n.脊骨,脊柱,骨干;刚毅,骨气 | |
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delicacy
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n.精致,细微,微妙,精良;美味,佳肴 | |
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archaic
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adj.(语言、词汇等)古代的,已不通用的 | |
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straightforward
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adj.正直的,坦率的;易懂的,简单的 | |
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guile
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n.诈术 | |
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mere
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adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 | |
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pretence
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n.假装,作假;借口,口实;虚伪;虚饰 | |
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frail
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adj.身体虚弱的;易损坏的 | |
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shams
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假象( sham的名词复数 ); 假货; 虚假的行为(或感情、言语等); 假装…的人 | |
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ERECTED
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adj. 直立的,竖立的,笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立,建立 | |
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erect
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n./v.树立,建立,使竖立;adj.直立的,垂直的 | |
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virgin
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n.处女,未婚女子;adj.未经使用的;未经开发的 | |
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bosoms
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胸部( bosom的名词复数 ); 胸怀; 女衣胸部(或胸襟); 和爱护自己的人在一起的情形 | |
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fixed
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adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的 | |
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deceptive
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adj.骗人的,造成假象的,靠不住的 | |
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stratagem
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n.诡计,计谋 | |
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mechanism
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n.机械装置;机构,结构 | |
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clinched
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v.(尤指两人)互相紧紧抱[扭]住( clinch的过去式和过去分词 );解决(争端、交易),达成(协议) | |
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cuffs
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n.袖口( cuff的名词复数 )v.掌打,拳打( cuff的第三人称单数 ) | |
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cuff
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n.袖口;手铐;护腕;vt.用手铐铐;上袖口 | |
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primitive
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adj.原始的;简单的;n.原(始)人,原始事物 | |
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labyrinth
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n.迷宫;难解的事物;迷路 | |
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initiated
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n. 创始人 adj. 新加入的 vt. 开始,创始,启蒙,介绍加入 | |
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linen
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n.亚麻布,亚麻线,亚麻制品;adj.亚麻布制的,亚麻的 | |
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beetle
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n.甲虫,近视眼的人 | |
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untying
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untie的现在分词 | |
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brace
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n. 支柱,曲柄,大括号; v. 绷紧,顶住,(为困难或坏事)做准备 | |
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astonishment
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n.惊奇,惊异 | |
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discretion
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n.谨慎;随意处理 | |
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mitigated
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v.减轻,缓和( mitigate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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blessing
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n.祈神赐福;祷告;祝福,祝愿 | |
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dangle
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v.(使)悬荡,(使)悬垂 | |
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modesty
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n.谦逊,虚心,端庄,稳重,羞怯,朴素 | |
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artifices
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n.灵巧( artifice的名词复数 );诡计;巧妙办法;虚伪行为 | |
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bracelets
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n.手镯,臂镯( bracelet的名词复数 ) | |
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afflicted
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使受痛苦,折磨( afflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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joints
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接头( joint的名词复数 ); 关节; 公共场所(尤指价格低廉的饮食和娱乐场所) (非正式); 一块烤肉 (英式英语) | |
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tempted
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v.怂恿(某人)干不正当的事;冒…的险(tempt的过去分词) | |
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plied
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v.使用(工具)( ply的过去式和过去分词 );经常供应(食物、饮料);固定往来;经营生意 | |
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cravat
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n.领巾,领结;v.使穿有领结的服装,使结领结 | |
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insidious
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adj.阴险的,隐匿的,暗中为害的,(疾病)不知不觉之间加剧 | |
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gilt
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adj.镀金的;n.金边证券 | |
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crooked
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adj.弯曲的;不诚实的,狡猾的,不正当的 | |
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untied
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松开,解开( untie的过去式和过去分词 ); 解除,使自由; 解决 | |
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convivial
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adj.狂欢的,欢乐的 | |
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prey
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n.被掠食者,牺牲者,掠食;v.捕食,掠夺,折磨 | |
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canine
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adj.犬的,犬科的 | |
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temperament
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n.气质,性格,性情 | |
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admiration
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n.钦佩,赞美,羡慕 | |
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shudder
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v.战粟,震动,剧烈地摇晃;n.战粟,抖动 | |
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contemplate
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vt.盘算,计议;周密考虑;注视,凝视 | |
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equanimity
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n.沉着,镇定 | |
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specimen
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n.样本,标本 | |
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kindly
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adj.和蔼的,温和的,爽快的;adv.温和地,亲切地 | |
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paraphernalia
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n.装备;随身用品 | |
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deities
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n.神,女神( deity的名词复数 );神祗;神灵;神明 | |
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pious
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adj.虔诚的;道貌岸然的 | |
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specimens
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n.样品( specimen的名词复数 );范例;(化验的)抽样;某种类型的人 | |
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CHAPTER 5—Parnassus
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