Chapter 10 ON THE BLUE TRAIN
"Dad!"
Mrs Kettering started violently. Her nerves were not completely under control this morning. Very
perfectly1 dressed in a long
mink2 coat and a little hat of Chinese lacquer red, she had been walking along the crowded platform of Victoria deep in thought, and her father's sudden appearance and
hearty3 greeting had an unlooked- for effect upon her.
"Why, Ruth, how you jumped!"
"I didn't expect to see you, I suppose, Dad. You said good-bye to me last night and said you had a conference this morning."
"So I have," said Van Aldin, "but you are more to me than any number of darned conferences. I came to take a last look at you, since I am not going to see you for some time."
"That is very sweet of you, Dad. I wish you were coming too."
"What would you say if I did?"
The remark was merely a joking one. He was surprised to see the quick colour flame in Ruth's cheeks. For a moment he almost thought he saw dismay flash out of her eyes.
She laughed uncertainly and
nervously4.
"Just for a moment I really thought you meant it," she said.
"Would you have been pleased?"
"Of course." She
spoke5 with exaggerated emphasis.
"Well," said Van Aldin, "that's good."
"It isn't really for very long, Dad," continued Ruth, "you know, you are coming out next month."
"Ah!" said Van Aldin unemotionally, "sometimes I guess I will go to one of these smug guys in Harley Street and have him tell me that I need sunshine and change of air right away."
"Don't be so lazy," cried Ruth, "next month is ever so much nicer than this month out there. You have got all sorts of things. You can't possibly leave just now."
"Well, that's so, I suppose," said Van Aldin with a sigh. "You had better be getting on board this train of yours, Ruth. Which is your seat?"
Ruth Kettering looked
vaguely6 up at the train. At the door of one of the Pullman cars a thin, tall woman dressed in black was
点击
收听单词发音
1
perfectly
|
|
adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地 |
参考例句: |
- The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
- Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。
|
2
mink
|
|
n.貂,貂皮 |
参考例句: |
- She was wearing a blue dress and a mink coat.她穿着一身蓝色的套装和一件貂皮大衣。
- He started a mink ranch and made a fortune in five years. 他开了个水貂养殖场,五年之内就赚了不少钱。
|
3
hearty
|
|
adj.热情友好的;衷心的;尽情的,纵情的 |
参考例句: |
- After work they made a hearty meal in the worker's canteen.工作完了,他们在工人食堂饱餐了一顿。
- We accorded him a hearty welcome.我们给他热忱的欢迎。
|
4
nervously
|
|
adv.神情激动地,不安地 |
参考例句: |
- He bit his lip nervously,trying not to cry.他紧张地咬着唇,努力忍着不哭出来。
- He paced nervously up and down on the platform.他在站台上情绪不安地走来走去。
|
5
spoke
|
|
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。
|
6
vaguely
|
|
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。
|
7
standing
|
|
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 |
参考例句: |
- After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
- They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
|
8
cursory
|
|
adj.粗略的;草率的;匆促的 |
参考例句: |
- He signed with only a cursory glance at the report.他只草草看了一眼报告就签了名。
- The only industry mentioned is agriculture and it is discussed in a cursory sentence.实业方面只谈到农业,而且只是匆匆带了一句。
|
9
fleeting
|
|
adj.短暂的,飞逝的 |
参考例句: |
- The girls caught only a fleeting glimpse of the driver.女孩们只匆匆瞥了一眼司机。
- Knowing the life fleeting,she set herself to enjoy if as best as she could.她知道这种日子转瞬即逝,于是让自已尽情地享受。
|
10
desultory
|
|
adj.散漫的,无方法的 |
参考例句: |
- Do not let the discussion fragment into a desultory conversation with no clear direction.不要让讨论变得支离破碎,成为没有明确方向的漫谈。
- The constables made a desultory attempt to keep them away from the barn.警察漫不经心地拦着不让他们靠近谷仓。
|
11
peculiar
|
|
adj.古怪的,异常的;特殊的,特有的 |
参考例句: |
- He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。
- He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。
|
12
entirely
|
|
ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地 |
参考例句: |
- The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
- His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。
|
13
impulsive
|
|
adj.冲动的,刺激的;有推动力的 |
参考例句: |
- She is impulsive in her actions.她的行为常出于冲动。
- He was neither an impulsive nor an emotional man,but a very honest and sincere one.他不是个一冲动就鲁莽行事的人,也不多愁善感.他为人十分正直、诚恳。
|
14
longing
|
|
n.(for)渴望 |
参考例句: |
- Hearing the tune again sent waves of longing through her.再次听到那首曲子使她胸中充满了渴望。
- His heart burned with longing for revenge.他心中燃烧着急欲复仇的怒火。
|
15
folly
|
|
n.愚笨,愚蠢,蠢事,蠢行,傻话 |
参考例句: |
- Learn wisdom by the folly of others.从别人的愚蠢行动中学到智慧。
- Events proved the folly of such calculations.事情的进展证明了这种估计是愚蠢的。
|
16
condemn
|
|
vt.谴责,指责;宣判(罪犯),判刑 |
参考例句: |
- Some praise him,whereas others condemn him.有些人赞扬他,而有些人谴责他。
- We mustn't condemn him on mere suppositions.我们不可全凭臆测来指责他。
|
17
balked
|
|
v.畏缩不前,犹豫( balk的过去式和过去分词 );(指马)不肯跑 |
参考例句: |
- He balked in his speech. 他忽然中断讲演。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
- They balked the robber's plan. 他们使强盗的计划受到挫败。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
|
18
compassion
|
|
n.同情,怜悯 |
参考例句: |
- He could not help having compassion for the poor creature.他情不自禁地怜悯起那个可怜的人来。
- Her heart was filled with compassion for the motherless children.她对于没有母亲的孩子们充满了怜悯心。
|
19
vista
|
|
n.远景,深景,展望,回想 |
参考例句: |
- From my bedroom window I looked out on a crowded vista of hills and rooftops.我从卧室窗口望去,远处尽是连绵的山峦和屋顶。
- These uprisings come from desperation and a vista of a future without hope.发生这些暴动是因为人们被逼上了绝路,未来看不到一点儿希望。
|
20
suburban
|
|
adj.城郊的,在郊区的 |
参考例句: |
- Suburban shopping centers were springing up all over America. 效区的商业中心在美国如雨后春笋般地兴起。
- There's a lot of good things about suburban living.郊区生活是有许多优点。
|
21
apprehensions
|
|
疑惧 |
参考例句: |
- He stood in a mixture of desire and apprehensions. 他怀着渴望和恐惧交加的心情伫立着。
- But subsequent cases have removed many of these apprehensions. 然而,随后的案例又消除了许多类似的忧虑。
|
22
preyed
|
|
v.掠食( prey的过去式和过去分词 );掠食;折磨;(人)靠欺诈为生 |
参考例句: |
- Remorse preyed upon his mind. 悔恨使他内心痛苦。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
- He had been unwise and it preyed on his conscience. 他做得不太明智,这一直让他良心不安。 来自辞典例句
|
23
thoroughly
|
|
adv.完全地,彻底地,十足地 |
参考例句: |
- The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
- The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。
|
24
judgment
|
|
n.审判;判断力,识别力,看法,意见 |
参考例句: |
- The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
- He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。
|
25
utterly
|
|
adv.完全地,绝对地 |
参考例句: |
- Utterly devoted to the people,he gave his life in saving his patients.他忠于人民,把毕生精力用于挽救患者的生命。
- I was utterly ravished by the way she smiled.她的微笑使我完全陶醉了。
|
26
covert
|
|
adj.隐藏的;暗地里的 |
参考例句: |
- We should learn to fight with enemy in an overt and covert way.我们应学会同敌人做公开和隐蔽的斗争。
- The army carried out covert surveillance of the building for several months.军队对这座建筑物进行了数月的秘密监视。
|
27
confide
|
|
v.向某人吐露秘密 |
参考例句: |
- I would never readily confide in anybody.我从不轻易向人吐露秘密。
- He is going to confide the secrets of his heart to us.他将向我们吐露他心里的秘密。
|
28
decided
|
|
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 |
参考例句: |
- This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
- There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
|
29
superstitious
|
|
adj.迷信的 |
参考例句: |
- They aim to deliver the people who are in bondage to superstitious belief.他们的目的在于解脱那些受迷信束缚的人。
- These superstitious practices should be abolished as soon as possible.这些迷信做法应尽早取消。
|
30
compartment
|
|
n.卧车包房,隔间;分隔的空间 |
参考例句: |
- We were glad to have the whole compartment to ourselves.真高兴,整个客车隔间由我们独享。
- The batteries are safely enclosed in a watertight compartment.电池被安全地置于一个防水的隔间里。
|
31
luncheon
|
|
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。
|
32
velocity
|
|
n.速度,速率 |
参考例句: |
- Einstein's theory links energy with mass and velocity of light.爱因斯坦的理论把能量同质量和光速联系起来。
- The velocity of light is about 300000 kilometres per second.光速约为每秒300000公里。
|
33
embarrassment
|
|
n.尴尬;使人为难的人(事物);障碍;窘迫 |
参考例句: |
- She could have died away with embarrassment.她窘迫得要死。
- Coughing at a concert can be a real embarrassment.在音乐会上咳嗽真会使人难堪。
|
34
distress
|
|
n.苦恼,痛苦,不舒适;不幸;vt.使悲痛 |
参考例句: |
- Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。
- Please don't distress yourself.请你不要忧愁了。
|
35
extraordinarily
|
|
adv.格外地;极端地 |
参考例句: |
- She is an extraordinarily beautiful girl.她是个美丽非凡的姑娘。
- The sea was extraordinarily calm that morning.那天清晨,大海出奇地宁静。
|
36
mead
|
|
n.蜂蜜酒 |
参考例句: |
- He gave me a cup of mead.他给我倒了杯蜂蜜酒。
- He drank some mead at supper.晚饭时他喝了一些蜂蜜酒。
|
37
gulped
|
|
v.狼吞虎咽地吃,吞咽( gulp的过去式和过去分词 );大口地吸(气);哽住 |
参考例句: |
- He gulped down the rest of his tea and went out. 他把剩下的茶一饮而尽便出去了。
- She gulped nervously, as if the question bothered her. 她紧张地咽了一下,似乎那问题把她难住了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
|
38
oblivious
|
|
adj.易忘的,遗忘的,忘却的,健忘的 |
参考例句: |
- Mother has become quite oblivious after the illness.这次病后,妈妈变得特别健忘。
- He was quite oblivious of the danger.他完全没有察觉到危险。
|
39
sip
|
|
v.小口地喝,抿,呷;n.一小口的量 |
参考例句: |
- She took a sip of the cocktail.她啜饮一口鸡尾酒。
- Elizabeth took a sip of the hot coffee.伊丽莎白呷了一口热咖啡。
|
40
compartments
|
|
n.间隔( compartment的名词复数 );(列车车厢的)隔间;(家具或设备等的)分隔间;隔层 |
参考例句: |
- Your pencil box has several compartments. 你的铅笔盒有好几个格。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The first-class compartments are in front. 头等车室在前头。 来自《简明英汉词典》
|
41
scarlet
|
|
n.深红色,绯红色,红衣;adj.绯红色的 |
参考例句: |
- The scarlet leaves of the maples contrast well with the dark green of the pines.深红的枫叶和暗绿的松树形成了明显的对比。
- The glowing clouds are growing slowly pale,scarlet,bright red,and then light red.天空的霞光渐渐地淡下去了,深红的颜色变成了绯红,绯红又变为浅红。
|
42
brutally
|
|
adv.残忍地,野蛮地,冷酷无情地 |
参考例句: |
- The uprising was brutally put down.起义被残酷地镇压下去了。
- A pro-democracy uprising was brutally suppressed.一场争取民主的起义被残酷镇压了。
|
43
robustly
|
|
adv.要用体力地,粗鲁地 |
参考例句: |
- These three hormones also robustly stimulated thymidine incorporation and inhibited drug-induced apoptosis. 并且这三种激素有利于胸(腺嘧啶脱氧核)苷掺入和抑制药物诱导的细胞凋亡。 来自互联网
- The economy is still growing robustly, but inflation, It'seems, is back. 经济依然强劲增长,但是通胀似乎有所抬头。 来自互联网
|
44
awfully
|
|
adv.可怕地,非常地,极端地 |
参考例句: |
- Agriculture was awfully neglected in the past.过去农业遭到严重忽视。
- I've been feeling awfully bad about it.对这我一直感到很难受。
|
45
hysterical
|
|
adj.情绪异常激动的,歇斯底里般的 |
参考例句: |
- He is hysterical at the sight of the photo.他一看到那张照片就异常激动。
- His hysterical laughter made everybody stunned.他那歇斯底里的笑声使所有的人不知所措。
|
46
regain
|
|
vt.重新获得,收复,恢复 |
参考例句: |
- He is making a bid to regain his World No.1 ranking.他正为重登世界排名第一位而努力。
- The government is desperate to regain credibility with the public.政府急于重新获取公众的信任。
|
47
regained
|
|
复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 ); 赢回; 重回; 复至某地 |
参考例句: |
- The majority of the people in the world have regained their liberty. 世界上大多数人已重获自由。
- She hesitated briefly but quickly regained her poise. 她犹豫片刻,但很快恢复了镇静。
|
48
depressed
|
|
adj.沮丧的,抑郁的,不景气的,萧条的 |
参考例句: |
- When he was depressed,he felt utterly divorced from reality.他心情沮丧时就感到完全脱离了现实。
- His mother was depressed by the sad news.这个坏消息使他的母亲意志消沉。
|
49
refreshing
|
|
adj.使精神振作的,使人清爽的,使人喜欢的 |
参考例句: |
- I find it'so refreshing to work with young people in this department.我发现和这一部门的青年一起工作令人精神振奋。
- The water was cold and wonderfully refreshing.水很涼,特别解乏提神。
|
50
rigidly
|
|
adv.刻板地,僵化地 |
参考例句: |
- Life today is rigidly compartmentalized into work and leisure. 当今的生活被严格划分为工作和休闲两部分。
- The curriculum is rigidly prescribed from an early age. 自儿童时起即已开始有严格的课程设置。
|
51
fixed
|
|
adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的 |
参考例句: |
- Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗?
- Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定,我们就不应该随意改变。
|
52
dexterously
|
|
adv.巧妙地,敏捷地 |
参考例句: |
- He operates the machine dexterously. 他操纵机器动作非常轻巧。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
- How dexterously he handled the mite. 他伺候小家伙,有多么熟练。 来自辞典例句
|
53
yearning
|
|
a.渴望的;向往的;怀念的 |
参考例句: |
- a yearning for a quiet life 对宁静生活的向往
- He felt a great yearning after his old job. 他对过去的工作有一种强烈的渴想。
|
54
pompously
|
|
adv.傲慢地,盛大壮观地;大模大样 |
参考例句: |
- He pompously described his achievements. 他很夸耀地描述了自己所取得的成绩。 来自互联网
|
55
pervaded
|
|
v.遍及,弥漫( pervade的过去式和过去分词 ) |
参考例句: |
- A retrospective influence pervaded the whole performance. 怀旧的影响弥漫了整个演出。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The air is pervaded by a smell [smoking]. 空气中弥散着一种气味[烟味]。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
|
56
slumber
|
|
n.睡眠,沉睡状态 |
参考例句: |
- All the people in the hotels were wrapped in deep slumber.住在各旅馆里的人都已进入梦乡。
- Don't wake him from his slumber because he needs the rest.不要把他从睡眠中唤醒,因为他需要休息。
|
57
fatality
|
|
n.不幸,灾祸,天命 |
参考例句: |
- She struggle against fatality in vain.她徒然奋斗反抗宿命。
- He began to have a growing sense of fatality.他开始有一种越来越强烈的宿命感。
|
58
plaintive
|
|
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。
|
59
hiss
|
|
v.发出嘶嘶声;发嘘声表示不满 |
参考例句: |
- We can hear the hiss of air escaping from a tire.我们能听到一只轮胎的嘶嘶漏气声。
- Don't hiss at the speaker.不要嘘演讲人。
|