The Blind Lion of the Congo
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CHAPTER III THE DECISION

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"Critch!" shouted Burt, unable to restrain his amazement1. His parents looked equally incredulous and Mr. Wallace explained with a smile.
 
"Yes, Howard Critchfield. You see, I'd like to bring back some skins and things but I detest2 the beastly work of getting them off and putting them in shape. So when I found that Critch was no slouch at taxidermy and only needed the chance, it occurred to me to take him along. I saw his father about it and proposed to pay all his expenses and a small salary. Mr. Critchfield came around after a little. He saw that it would be a splendid education for the boy—would give him a knowledge of the world and would develop him amazingly."
 
"Why didn't Critch tell me about it?" cried Burt indignantly.
 
"He didn't know!" laughed his uncle. "His father and I agreed that we'd let him get safely through school without having other things to[Pg 35] think of. Now look at the thing sensibly, you folks. We wouldn't be away longer than six months at most. Burt would be in far more danger in his canoe on the Kennebec than in a big steamer on the Congo."
 
"But after you leave the steamer? You can't shoot ivory from the boat, I presume," protested Mr. St. John.
 
"And what about snakes and savage3 tribes?" put in his wife.
 
"My dear Etta," replied the explorer patiently, "we will be near few savage tribes. I might almost say that there are none. As for snakes, I've seen only three deadly ones in all the years I've spent in Africa. After we leave the steamer, Tom, we'll get out of the jungles into the highlands. Burt stands just as much chance of getting killed here as there. An auto4 might run over him any day, a mad dog might bite him or a chimney might fall on him!"
 
For all his anxiety Burt joined heartily5 in the laugh that went up at his uncle's concluding words. The laughter cleared the somewhat tense situation, and the discussion was carried into the library. Burt saw, much to his relief, that his father was not absolutely opposed to the[Pg 36] trip, although his mother seemed anxious enough.

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1 amazement 7zlzBK     
n.惊奇，惊讶
参考例句：
  • All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。
  • He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。
2 detest dm0zZ     
vt.痛恨，憎恶
参考例句：
  • I detest people who tell lies.我恨说谎的人。
  • The workers detest his overbearing manner.工人们很讨厌他那盛气凌人的态度。
3 savage ECxzR     
adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人
参考例句：
  • The poor man received a savage beating from the thugs.那可怜的人遭到暴徒的痛打。
  • He has a savage temper.他脾气粗暴。
4 auto ZOnyW     
n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车
参考例句：
  • Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
  • The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。
5 heartily Ld3xp     
adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很
参考例句：
  • He ate heartily and went out to look for his horse.他痛快地吃了一顿，就出去找他的马。
  • The host seized my hand and shook it heartily.主人抓住我的手，热情地和我握手。
6 atlas vOCy5     
n.地图册，图表集
参考例句：
  • He reached down the atlas from the top shelf.他从书架顶层取下地图集。
  • The atlas contains forty maps,including three of Great Britain.这本地图集有40幅地图，其中包括3幅英国地图。
7 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。
8 pointed Il8zB4     
adj.尖的，直截了当的
参考例句：
  • He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
  • She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。
9 plying b2836f18a4e99062f56b2ed29640d9cf     
v.使用（工具）( ply的现在分词 )；经常供应（食物、饮料）；固定往来；经营生意
参考例句：
  • All manner of hawkers and street sellers were plying their trade. 形形色色的沿街小贩都在做着自己的买卖。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • It was rather Mrs. Wang who led the conversation, plying Miss Liu with questions. 倒是汪太太谈锋甚健，向刘小姐问长问短。 来自汉英文学 - 围城
10 automobiles 760a1b7b6ea4a07c12e5f64cc766962b     
n.汽车( automobile的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • When automobiles become popular,the use of the horse and buggy passed away. 汽车普及后，就不再使用马和马车了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Automobiles speed in an endless stream along the boulevard. 宽阔的林荫道上，汽车川流不息。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
11 wilderness SgrwS     
n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠
参考例句：
  • She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
  • Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。
12 gorillas a04bd21e2b9b42b0d71bbb65c0c6d365     
n.大猩猩( gorilla的名词复数 )；暴徒，打手
参考例句：
  • the similitude between humans and gorillas 人类和大猩猩的相像
  • Each family of gorillas is led by a great silverbacked patriarch. 每个大星星家族都由一个魁梧的、长着银色被毛的族长带领着。 来自《简明英汉词典》
13 savages 2ea43ddb53dad99ea1c80de05d21d1e5     
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。
14 stringent gq4yz     
adj.严厉的；令人信服的；银根紧的
参考例句：
  • Financiers are calling for a relaxation of these stringent measures.金融家呼吁对这些严厉的措施予以放宽。
  • Some of the conditions in the contract are too stringent.合同中有几项条件太苛刻。
15 tickled 2db1470d48948f1aa50b3cf234843b26     
（使）发痒( tickle的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）愉快，逗乐
参考例句：
  • We were tickled pink to see our friends on television. 在电视中看到我们的一些朋友，我们高兴极了。
  • I tickled the baby's feet and made her laugh. 我胳肢孩子的脚，使她发笑。
16 mighty YDWxl     
adj.强有力的；巨大的
参考例句：
  • A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
  • The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。
17 den 5w9xk     
n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室
参考例句：
  • There is a big fox den on the back hill.后山有一个很大的狐狸窝。
  • The only way to catch tiger cubs is to go into tiger's den.不入虎穴焉得虎子。
18 civilized UwRzDg     
a.有教养的，文雅的
参考例句：
  • Racism is abhorrent to a civilized society. 文明社会憎恶种族主义。
  • rising crime in our so-called civilized societies 在我们所谓文明社会中日益增多的犯罪行为
19 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。
20 hop vdJzL     
n.单脚跳，跳跃；vi.单脚跳，跳跃；着手做某事；vt.跳跃，跃过
参考例句：
  • The children had a competition to see who could hop the fastest.孩子们举行比赛，看谁单足跳跃最快。
  • How long can you hop on your right foot?你用右脚能跳多远？
21 darted d83f9716cd75da6af48046d29f4dd248     
v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔
参考例句：
  • The lizard darted out its tongue at the insect. 蜥蜴伸出舌头去吃小昆虫。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The old man was displeased and darted an angry look at me. 老人不高兴了，瞪了我一眼。 来自《简明英汉词典》
22 superintendent vsTwV     
n.监督人，主管，总监；(英国)警务长
参考例句：
  • He was soon promoted to the post of superintendent of Foreign Trade.他很快就被擢升为对外贸易总监。
  • He decided to call the superintendent of the building.他决定给楼房管理员打电话。
23 penetrate juSyv     
v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解
参考例句：
  • Western ideas penetrate slowly through the East.西方观念逐渐传入东方。
  • The sunshine could not penetrate where the trees were thickest.阳光不能透入树木最浓密的地方。
24 afterward fK6y3     
adv.后来；以后
参考例句：
  • Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏，然后吃饭。
  • Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来，这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。
25     
参考例句：
26 gratitude p6wyS     
adj.感激，感谢
参考例句：
  • I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。
  • She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。
27 outfits ed01b85fb10ede2eb7d337e0ea2d0bb3     
n.全套装备( outfit的名词复数 )；一套服装；集体；组织v.装备，配置设备，供给服装( outfit的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
  • He jobbed out the contract to a number of small outfits. 他把承包工程分包给许多小单位。 来自辞典例句
  • Some cyclists carry repair outfits because they may have a puncture. 有些骑自行车的人带修理工具，因为他们车胎可能小孔。 来自辞典例句
28 linen W3LyK     
n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的
参考例句：
  • The worker is starching the linen.这名工人正在给亚麻布上浆。
  • Fine linen and cotton fabrics were known as well as wool.精细的亚麻织品和棉织品像羊毛一样闻名遐迩。
29 hustle McSzv     
v.推搡；竭力兜售或获取；催促；n.奔忙(碌)
参考例句：
  • It seems that he enjoys the hustle and bustle of life in the big city.看起来他似乎很喜欢大城市的热闹繁忙的生活。
  • I had to hustle through the crowded street.我不得不挤过拥挤的街道。
30 steamship 1h9zcA     
n.汽船，轮船
参考例句：
  • The return may be made on the same steamship.可乘同一艘汽船当天回来。
  • It was so foggy that the steamship almost ran down a small boat leaving the port.雾很大，汽艇差点把一只正在离港的小船撞沉。
31 prospect P01zn     
n.前景，前途；景色，视野
参考例句：
  • This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
  • The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

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