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Before I proceed further with what I said to Caroline and what Caroline said to me, it might be as well to give some idea of what I should describe as our local geography. Our village, King’s Abbot, is, I imagine, very much like any other village. Our big town is Cranchester, nine miles away. We have a large railway station, a small post office, and two rival “General Stores.” Able-bodied men are apt to leave the place early in life, but we are rich in unmarried ladies and
retired1 military officers. Our hobbies and recreations can be summed up in the one word, “gossip.”
There are only two houses of any importance in King’s Abbot. One is King’s Paddock, left to Mrs. Ferrars by her late husband. The other, Fernly Park, is owned by Roger Ackroyd. Ackroyd has always interested me by being a man more impossibly like a country
squire2 than any country squire could really be. He reminds one of the red-faced sportsmen who always appeared early in the first act of an old-fashioned musical comedy, the setting being the village green. They usually sang a song about going up to London. Nowadays we have revues, and the country squire has died out of musical fashion.
Of course, Ackroyd is not really a country squire. He8 is an immensely successful manufacturer of (I think)
wagon3 wheels. He is a man of nearly fifty years of age,
rubicund4 of face and
genial5 of manner. He is hand and glove with the vicar,
subscribes6 liberally to parish funds (though
rumor7 has it that he is extremely mean in personal expenditure), encourages cricket matches, Lads’ Clubs, and Disabled Soldiers’ Institutes. He is, in fact, the life and soul of our peaceful village of King’s Abbot.
Now when Roger Ackroyd was a lad of twenty-one, he fell in love with, and married, a beautiful woman some five or six years his senior. Her name was Paton, and she was a widow with one child. The history of the marriage was short and painful. To put it bluntly, Mrs. Ackroyd was a dipsomaniac. She succeeded in drinking herself into her grave four years after her marriage.
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收听单词发音
1
retired
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adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的 |
参考例句: |
- The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
- Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。
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2
squire
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n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 |
参考例句: |
- I told him the squire was the most liberal of men.我告诉他乡绅是世界上最宽宏大量的人。
- The squire was hard at work at Bristol.乡绅在布里斯托尔热衷于他的工作。
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3
wagon
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n.四轮马车,手推车,面包车;无盖运货列车 |
参考例句: |
- We have to fork the hay into the wagon.我们得把干草用叉子挑进马车里去。
- The muddy road bemired the wagon.马车陷入了泥泞的道路。
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4
rubicund
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adj.(脸色)红润的 |
参考例句: |
- She watched the colour drain from Colin's rubicund face.她看见科林原本红润的脸渐渐失去了血色。
- His rubicund face expressed consternation and fatigue.他那红通的脸显得又惊惶又疲乏。
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5
genial
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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。
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6
subscribes
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v.捐助( subscribe的第三人称单数 );签署,题词;订阅;同意 |
参考例句: |
- The library subscribes to 40 magazines. 这个图书馆订购四十种杂志。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
- He subscribes to a number of journals concerning his subject. 他订阅了许多与他的学科有关的杂志。 来自辞典例句
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7
rumor
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n.谣言,谣传,传说 |
参考例句: |
- The rumor has been traced back to a bad man.那谣言经追查是个坏人造的。
- The rumor has taken air.谣言流传开了。
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8
disposition
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n.性情,性格;意向,倾向;排列,部署 |
参考例句: |
- He has made a good disposition of his property.他已对财产作了妥善处理。
- He has a cheerful disposition.他性情开朗。
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9
advent
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n.(重要事件等的)到来,来临 |
参考例句: |
- Swallows come by groups at the advent of spring. 春天来临时燕子成群飞来。
- The advent of the Euro will redefine Europe.欧元的出现将重新定义欧洲。
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10
intimacy
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n.熟悉,亲密,密切关系,亲昵的言行 |
参考例句: |
- His claims to an intimacy with the President are somewhat exaggerated.他声称自己与总统关系密切,这有点言过其实。
- I wish there were a rule book for intimacy.我希望能有个关于亲密的规则。
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11
conjectured
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推测,猜测,猜想( conjecture的过去式和过去分词 ) |
参考例句: |
- The old peasant conjectured that it would be an unusually cold winter. 那老汉推测冬天将会异常地寒冷。
- The general conjectured that the enemy only had about five days' supply of food left. 将军推测敌人只剩下五天的粮食给养。
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12
alcoholic
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adj.(含)酒精的,由酒精引起的;n.酗酒者 |
参考例句: |
- The alcoholic strength of brandy far exceeds that of wine.白兰地的酒精浓度远远超过葡萄酒。
- Alcoholic drinks act as a poison to a child.酒精饮料对小孩犹如毒药。
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13
previously
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adv.以前,先前(地) |
参考例句: |
- The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
- Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿,解释原先发生了什么。
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14
spouses
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n.配偶,夫或妻( spouse的名词复数 ) |
参考例句: |
- Jobs are available for spouses on campus and in the community. 校园里和社区里有配偶可做的工作。 来自辞典例句
- An astonishing number of spouses-most particularly in the upper-income brackets-have no close notion of their husbands'paychecks. 相当大一部分妇女——特别在高收入阶层——并不很了解他们丈夫的薪金。 来自辞典例句
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15
housekeeper
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n.管理家务的主妇,女管家 |
参考例句: |
- A spotless stove told us that his mother is a diligent housekeeper.炉子清洁无瑕就表明他母亲是个勤劳的主妇。
- She is an economical housekeeper and feeds her family cheaply.她节约持家,一家人吃得很省。
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16
housekeepers
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n.(女)管家( housekeeper的名词复数 ) |
参考例句: |
- Can you send up one of your housekeepers to make bed? 请你派个女服务员来整理床铺好吗? 来自互联网
- They work as gas station attendants, firemen, housekeepers,and security personnel. 本句翻译:机器人也能够作为煤气站的服务员,救火队员等保安作用。 来自互联网
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17
redoubtable
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adj.可敬的;可怕的 |
参考例句: |
- He is a redoubtable fighter.他是一位可敬的战士。
- Whose only defense is their will and redoubtable spirit.他们唯一的国防是他们的意志和可怕的精神。
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18
reigned
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vi.当政,统治(reign的过去式形式) |
参考例句: |
- Silence reigned in the hall. 全场肃静。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
- Night was deep and dead silence reigned everywhere. 夜深人静,一片死寂。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
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19
predecessors
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n.前任( predecessor的名词复数 );前辈;(被取代的)原有事物;前身 |
参考例句: |
- The new government set about dismantling their predecessors' legislation. 新政府正着手废除其前任所制定的法律。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- Will new plan be any more acceptable than its predecessors? 新计划比原先的计划更能令人满意吗? 来自《简明英汉词典》
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20
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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21
professes
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声称( profess的第三人称单数 ); 宣称; 公开表明; 信奉 |
参考例句: |
- She still professes her innocence. 她仍然声称自己无辜。
- He professes himself to be sad but doesn't look it. 他自称感到悲伤,但外表却看不出来。
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22
miserable
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adj.悲惨的,痛苦的;可怜的,糟糕的 |
参考例句: |
- It was miserable of you to make fun of him.你取笑他,这是可耻的。
- Her past life was miserable.她过去的生活很苦。
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23
revolving
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adj.旋转的,轮转式的;循环的v.(使)旋转( revolve的现在分词 );细想 |
参考例句: |
- The theatre has a revolving stage. 剧院有一个旋转舞台。
- The company became a revolving-door workplace. 这家公司成了工作的中转站。
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24
sundry
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adj.各式各样的,种种的 |
参考例句: |
- This cream can be used to treat sundry minor injuries.这种药膏可用来治各种轻伤。
- We can see the rich man on sundry occasions.我们能在各种场合见到那个富豪。
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25
contemplated
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adj. 预期的
动词contemplate的过去分词形式 |
参考例句: |
- The doctor contemplated the difficult operation he had to perform. 医生仔细地考虑他所要做的棘手的手术。
- The government has contemplated reforming the entire tax system. 政府打算改革整个税收体制。
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26
covet
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vt.垂涎;贪图(尤指属于他人的东西) |
参考例句: |
- We do not covet anything from any nation.我们不觊觎任何国家的任何东西。
- Many large companies covet these low-cost acquisition of troubled small companies.许多大公司都觊觎低价收购这些陷入困境的小公司。
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27
tangible
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adj.有形的,可触摸的,确凿的,实际的 |
参考例句: |
- The policy has not yet brought any tangible benefits.这项政策还没有带来任何实质性的好处。
- There is no tangible proof.没有确凿的证据。
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28
wreck
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n.失事,遇难;沉船;vt.(船等)失事,遇难 |
参考例句: |
- Weather may have been a factor in the wreck.天气可能是造成这次失事的原因之一。
- No one can wreck the friendship between us.没有人能够破坏我们之间的友谊。
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29
vaguely
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adv.含糊地,暖昧地 |
参考例句: |
- He had talked vaguely of going to work abroad.他含糊其词地说了到国外工作的事。
- He looked vaguely before him with unseeing eyes.他迷迷糊糊的望着前面,对一切都视而不见。
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30
maneuvers
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n.策略,谋略,花招( maneuver的名词复数 ) |
参考例句: |
- He suspected at once that she had been spying upon his maneuvers. 他立刻猜想到,她已经侦察到他的行动。 来自辞典例句
- Maneuvers in Guizhou occupied the Reds for four months. 贵州境内的作战占了红军四个月的时间。 来自辞典例句
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31
countenance
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n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同 |
参考例句: |
- At the sight of this photograph he changed his countenance.他一看见这张照片脸色就变了。
- I made a fierce countenance as if I would eat him alive.我脸色恶狠狠地,仿佛要把他活生生地吞下去。
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32
contemplating
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深思,细想,仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 ); 注视,凝视; 考虑接受(发生某事的可能性); 深思熟虑,沉思,苦思冥想 |
参考例句: |
- You're too young to be contemplating retirement. 你考虑退休还太年轻。
- She stood contemplating the painting. 她站在那儿凝视那幅图画。
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33
deliberately
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adv.审慎地;蓄意地;故意地 |
参考例句: |
- The girl gave the show away deliberately.女孩故意泄露秘密。
- They deliberately shifted off the argument.他们故意回避这个论点。
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34
sweeping
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adj.范围广大的,一扫无遗的 |
参考例句: |
- The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
- Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗?
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35
disparagingly
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adv.以贬抑的口吻,以轻视的态度 |
参考例句: |
- These mythological figures are described disparagingly as belonging only to a story. 这些神话人物被轻蔑地描述为“仅在传说中出现”的人物。 来自互联网
- In his memoirs he often speaks disparagingly about the private sector. 在他的回忆录里面他经常轻蔑的谈及私营(商业)部门。 来自互联网
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36
cocaine
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n.可卡因,古柯碱(用作局部麻醉剂) |
参考例句: |
- That young man is a cocaine addict.那个年轻人吸食可卡因成瘾。
- Don't have cocaine abusively.不可滥服古柯碱。
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offhand
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adj.临时,无准备的;随便,马虎的 |
参考例句: |
- I can't answer your request offhand.我不能随便答复你的要求。
- I wouldn't want to say what I thought about it offhand.我不愿意随便说我关于这事的想法。
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38
savages
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未开化的人,野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) |
参考例句: |
- There're some savages living in the forest. 森林里居住着一些野人。
- That's an island inhabited by savages. 那是一个野蛮人居住的岛屿。
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39
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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40
rebuke
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v.指责,非难,斥责 [反]praise |
参考例句: |
- He had to put up with a smart rebuke from the teacher.他不得不忍受老师的严厉指责。
- Even one minute's lateness would earn a stern rebuke.哪怕迟到一分钟也将受到严厉的斥责。
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41
delinquent
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adj.犯法的,有过失的;n.违法者 |
参考例句: |
- Most delinquent children have deprived backgrounds.多数少年犯都有未受教育的背景。
- He is delinquent in paying his rent.他拖欠房租。
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42
perusal
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n.细读,熟读;目测 |
参考例句: |
- Peter Cooke undertook to send each of us a sample contract for perusal.彼得·库克答应给我们每人寄送一份合同样本供阅读。
- A perusal of the letters which we have published has satisfied him of the reality of our claim.读了我们的公开信后,他终于相信我们的要求的确是真的。
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