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“Good,” said Poirot. “We are colleagues. Eh bien, you will put me, if you please, au courant of the situation.”
He listened with close attention whilst Mr. Satterthwaite outlined the steps they had taken since returning to England. Mr. Satterthwaite was a good narrator. He had the
faculty1 of creating an atmosphere, of painting a picture. His description of the Abbey, of the servants, of the Chief
Constable2 was admirable. Poirot was warm in his
appreciation3 of the discovery by Sir Charles of the unfinished letters under the fire.
“Ah, mais c’est magnifique, ?a! ” he exclaimed ecstatically. “The
deduction4, the
reconstruction5 - perfect! You should have been a great detective, Sir Charles, instead of a great actor.”
Sir Charles received these plaudits with becoming
modesty6 - his own particular brand of modesty. He had not received compliments on his stage performances for many years without perfecting a manner of acknowledging them.
“Your observation, too, it was very just,” said Poirot, turning to Mr. Satterthwaite. “That point of yours about his sudden familiarity with the butler.”
“Do you think there is anything in this Mrs. de Rushbridger idea?”
asked Sir Charles eagerly.
“It is an idea. It suggests - well, it suggests several things, does it not?”
Nobody was quite sure about the several things, but nobody liked to say so, so there was merely an
assenting7 murmur8.
Sir Charles took up the tale next. He described his and Egg’s visit to Mrs. Babbington and its rather negative result.
“And now you’re up to date,” he said. “You know what we do. Tell us: how does it all strike you?”
He leaned forward, boyishly eager.
点击
收听单词发音
1
faculty
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n.才能;学院,系;(学院或系的)全体教学人员 |
参考例句: |
- He has a great faculty for learning foreign languages.他有学习外语的天赋。
- He has the faculty of saying the right thing at the right time.他有在恰当的时候说恰当的话的才智。
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2
constable
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n.(英国)警察,警官 |
参考例句: |
- The constable conducted the suspect to the police station.警官把嫌疑犯带到派出所。
- The constable kept his temper,and would not be provoked.那警察压制着自己的怒气,不肯冒起火来。
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3
appreciation
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n.评价;欣赏;感谢;领会,理解;价格上涨 |
参考例句: |
- I would like to express my appreciation and thanks to you all.我想对你们所有人表达我的感激和谢意。
- I'll be sending them a donation in appreciation of their help.我将送给他们一笔捐款以感谢他们的帮助。
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4
deduction
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n.减除,扣除,减除额;推论,推理,演绎 |
参考例句: |
- No deduction in pay is made for absence due to illness.因病请假不扣工资。
- His deduction led him to the correct conclusion.他的推断使他得出正确的结论。
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5
reconstruction
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n.重建,再现,复原 |
参考例句: |
- The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后,该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
- In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期,技术决定一切。
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6
modesty
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n.谦逊,虚心,端庄,稳重,羞怯,朴素 |
参考例句: |
- Industry and modesty are the chief factors of his success.勤奋和谦虚是他成功的主要因素。
- As conceit makes one lag behind,so modesty helps one make progress.骄傲使人落后,谦虚使人进步。
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7
assenting
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同意,赞成( assent的现在分词 ) |
参考例句: |
- In an assembly, every thing must be done by speaking and assenting. 在一个群集中,任何事情都必须通过发言和同意来进行。
- Assenting to this demands. 对这个要求让步。
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8
murmur
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n.低语,低声的怨言;v.低语,低声而言 |
参考例句: |
- They paid the extra taxes without a murmur.他们毫无怨言地交了附加税。
- There was a low murmur of conversation in the hall.大厅里有窃窃私语声。
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9
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 |
参考例句: |
- Astronauts have brought back specimens of rock from the moon. 宇航员从月球带回了岩石标本。
- The traveler brought back some specimens of the rocks from the mountains. 那位旅行者从山上带回了一些岩石标本。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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10
celebrated
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adj.有名的,声誉卓著的 |
参考例句: |
- He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
- The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。
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11
sanity
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n.心智健全,神智正常,判断正确 |
参考例句: |
- I doubt the sanity of such a plan.我怀疑这个计划是否明智。
- She managed to keep her sanity throughout the ordeal.在那场磨难中她始终保持神志正常。
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12
motive
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n.动机,目的;adv.发动的,运动的 |
参考例句: |
- The police could not find a motive for the murder.警察不能找到谋杀的动机。
- He had some motive in telling this fable.他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。
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13
motives
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n.动机,目的( motive的名词复数 ) |
参考例句: |
- to impeach sb's motives 怀疑某人的动机
- His motives are unclear. 他的用意不明。
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14
cocktail
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n.鸡尾酒;餐前开胃小吃;混合物 |
参考例句: |
- We invited some foreign friends for a cocktail party.我们邀请了一些外国朋友参加鸡尾酒会。
- At a cocktail party in Hollywood,I was introduced to Charlie Chaplin.在好莱坞的一次鸡尾酒会上,人家把我介绍给查理·卓别林。
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15
annoyance
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n.恼怒,生气,烦恼 |
参考例句: |
- Why do you always take your annoyance out on me?为什么你不高兴时总是对我出气?
- I felt annoyance at being teased.我恼恨别人取笑我。
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16
attentively
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adv.聚精会神地;周到地;谛;凝神 |
参考例句: |
- She listened attentively while I poured out my problems. 我倾吐心中的烦恼时,她一直在注意听。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- She listened attentively and set down every word he said. 她专心听着,把他说的话一字不漏地记下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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17
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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18
glossy
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adj.平滑的;有光泽的 |
参考例句: |
- I like these glossy spots.我喜欢这些闪闪发光的花点。
- She had glossy black hair.她长着乌黑发亮的头发。
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19
cocktails
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n.鸡尾酒( cocktail的名词复数 );餐前开胃菜;混合物 |
参考例句: |
- Come about 4 o'clock. We'll have cocktails and grill steaks. 请四点钟左右来,我们喝鸡尾酒,吃烤牛排。 来自辞典例句
- Cocktails were a nasty American habit. 喝鸡尾酒是讨厌的美国习惯。 来自辞典例句
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20
gore
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n.凝血,血污;v.(动物)用角撞伤,用牙刺破;缝以补裆;顶 |
参考例句: |
- The fox lay dying in a pool of gore.狐狸倒在血泊中奄奄一息。
- Carruthers had been gored by a rhinoceros.卡拉瑟斯被犀牛顶伤了。
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21
ascertained
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v.弄清,确定,查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 ) |
参考例句: |
- The previously unidentified objects have now been definitely ascertained as being satellites. 原来所说的不明飞行物现在已证实是卫星。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- I ascertained that she was dead. 我断定她已经死了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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22
tamper
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v.干预,玩弄,贿赂,窜改,削弱,损害 |
参考例句: |
- Do not tamper with other's business.不要干预别人的事。
- They had strict orders not to tamper with the customs of the minorities.他们得到命令严禁干涉少数民族的风俗习惯。
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23
instinctive
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adj.(出于)本能的;直觉的;(出于)天性的 |
参考例句: |
- He tried to conceal his instinctive revulsion at the idea.他试图饰盖自己对这一想法本能的厌恶。
- Animals have an instinctive fear of fire.动物本能地怕火。
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24
haphazard
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adj.无计划的,随意的,杂乱无章的 |
参考例句: |
- The town grew in a haphazard way.这城镇无计划地随意发展。
- He regrerted his haphazard remarks.他悔不该随口说出那些评论话。
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25
spoke
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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。
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26
accusation
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n.控告,指责,谴责 |
参考例句: |
- I was furious at his making such an accusation.我对他的这种责备非常气愤。
- She knew that no one would believe her accusation.她知道没人会相信她的指控。
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27
nicotine
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n.(化)尼古丁,烟碱 |
参考例句: |
- Many smokers who are chemically addicted to nicotine cannot cut down easily.许多有尼古丁瘾的抽烟人不容易把烟戒掉。
- Many smokers who are chemically addicted to nicotine cannot cut down easily.许多有尼古丁瘾的抽烟人不容易把烟戒掉。
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28
monstrous
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adj.巨大的;恐怖的;可耻的,丢脸的 |
参考例句: |
- The smoke began to whirl and grew into a monstrous column.浓烟开始盘旋上升,形成了一个巨大的烟柱。
- Your behaviour in class is monstrous!你在课堂上的行为真是丢人!
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29
curiously
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adv.有求知欲地;好问地;奇特地 |
参考例句: |
- He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。
- He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。
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30
devoted
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adj.忠诚的,忠实的,热心的,献身于...的 |
参考例句: |
- He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
- We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。
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31
kindly
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adj.和蔼的,温和的,爽快的;adv.温和地,亲切地 |
参考例句: |
- Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
- A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。
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32
perfectly
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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。
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33
lighter
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n.打火机,点火器;驳船;v.用驳船运送;light的比较级 |
参考例句: |
- The portrait was touched up so as to make it lighter.这张画经过润色,色调明朗了一些。
- The lighter works off the car battery.引燃器利用汽车蓄电池打火。
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34
guilt
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n.犯罪;内疚;过失,罪责 |
参考例句: |
- She tried to cover up her guilt by lying.她企图用谎言掩饰自己的罪行。
- Don't lay a guilt trip on your child about schoolwork.别因为功课责备孩子而使他觉得很内疚。
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35
ingenuity
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n.别出心裁;善于发明创造 |
参考例句: |
- The boy showed ingenuity in making toys.那个小男孩做玩具很有创造力。
- I admire your ingenuity and perseverance.我钦佩你的别出心裁和毅力。
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36
psychology
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n.心理,心理学,心理状态 |
参考例句: |
- She has a background in child psychology.她受过儿童心理学的教育。
- He studied philosophy and psychology at Cambridge.他在剑桥大学学习哲学和心理学。
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37
investigation
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n.调查,调查研究 |
参考例句: |
- In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
- He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。
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38
exclamation
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n.感叹号,惊呼,惊叹词 |
参考例句: |
- He could not restrain an exclamation of approval.他禁不住喝一声采。
- The author used three exclamation marks at the end of the last sentence to wake up the readers.作者在文章的最后一句连用了三个惊叹号,以引起读者的注意。
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