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14.Salt
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Salt
A new kind of morning, now.
The oilcloth Ma ripped from the window is never replaced, the shack1 brighter with nothing between them and the sun. They eat breakfast as a family again, four together chewing, teasing, offering, squabbling, planning, dreaming. Illuminated—every gesture lit by the promise of morning. At last Ba and Sam tug2 on their boots and heft their prospecting3 tools, which are hidden in a fiddle4 case. They head to the gold field at a leisurely5 pace, the deception6 of the miner’s hour done. Isn’t it easier, Ba says, with no more secrets?
—
Each Sunday right after Ba and Sam set out, Lucy leaves the house on a journey of her own. Unknown to all but Ma, she goes to Teacher Leigh’s for extra lessons.
Lessons in politeness. How to drink tea and pretend fullness. How to refuse food—cookies, cakes, crustless sandwiches. How not to stare at the salt that arrives in its silver box. All that heaped white gleaming. How not to want its clean burn on her tongue.
Lessons in answering questions.
What does your family eat?
Can you describe the medicines in your mother’s trunk?
How long has your family traveled?
What are your hygiene7 practices? How often do you bathe?
At what age did you grow your first adult tooth?
Lucy doesn’t like answering half so much as she likes watching the teacher write her answers down. The fresh ink so crisp and fine. On an empty stomach, the fumes8 make Lucy dizzy.
What does your father drink? How much?
Can you describe his attitude toward violence?
Would you call it savage9?
What is your mother’s breeding?
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收听单词发音

1
shack
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adj.简陋的小屋,窝棚 | |
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2
tug
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v.用力拖(或拉);苦干;n.拖;苦干;拖船 | |
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3
prospecting
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n.探矿 | |
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4
fiddle
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n.小提琴;vi.拉提琴;不停拨弄,乱动 | |
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5
leisurely
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adj.悠闲的;从容的,慢慢的 | |
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6
deception
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n.欺骗,欺诈;骗局,诡计 | |
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7
hygiene
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n.健康法,卫生学 (a.hygienic) | |
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8
fumes
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n.(强烈而刺激的)气味,气体 | |
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9
savage
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adj.野蛮的;凶恶的,残暴的;n.未开化的人 | |
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10
furrowed
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v.犁田,开沟( furrow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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11
parlor
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n.店铺,营业室;会客室,客厅 | |
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12
monograph
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n.专题文章,专题著作 | |
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13
ledger
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n.总帐,分类帐;帐簿 | |
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14
spine
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n.脊柱,脊椎;(动植物的)刺;书脊 | |
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15
fleck
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n.斑点,微粒 vt.使有斑点,使成斑驳 | |
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pebble
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n.卵石,小圆石 | |
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scribbles
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n.潦草的书写( scribble的名词复数 );乱画;草草地写;匆匆记下v.潦草的书写( scribble的第三人称单数 );乱画;草草地写;匆匆记下 | |
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18
pouches
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n.(放在衣袋里或连在腰带上的)小袋( pouch的名词复数 );(袋鼠等的)育儿袋;邮袋;(某些动物贮存食物的)颊袋 | |
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19
bounty
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n.慷慨的赠予物,奖金;慷慨,大方;施与 | |
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20
bin
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n.箱柜;vt.放入箱内;[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件 | |
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21
propped
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支撑,支持,维持( prop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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22
cramped
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a.狭窄的 | |
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23
civilized
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a.有教养的,文雅的 | |
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24
doting
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adj.溺爱的,宠爱的 | |
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fragrant
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adj.芬香的,馥郁的,愉快的 | |
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cedar
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n.雪松,香柏(木) | |
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frivolous
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adj.轻薄的;轻率的 | |
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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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sonorous
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adj.响亮的,回响的;adv.圆润低沉地;感人地;n.感人,堂皇 | |
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30
panes
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窗玻璃( pane的名词复数 ) | |
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31
tingles
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n.刺痛感( tingle的名词复数 )v.有刺痛感( tingle的第三人称单数 ) | |
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32
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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gambling
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n.赌博;投机 | |
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34
chattering
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n. (机器振动发出的)咔嗒声,(鸟等)鸣,啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的,啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式 | |
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35
props
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小道具; 支柱( prop的名词复数 ); 支持者; 道具; (橄榄球中的)支柱前锋 | |
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mare
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n.母马,母驴 | |
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shacks
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n.窝棚,简陋的小屋( shack的名词复数 ) | |
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38
baker
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n.面包师 | |
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tapestry
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n.挂毯,丰富多采的画面 | |
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fleeting
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adj.短暂的,飞逝的 | |
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marrow
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n.骨髓;精华;活力 | |
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stewed
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adj.焦虑不安的,烂醉的v.炖( stew的过去式和过去分词 );煨;思考;担忧 | |
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stew
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n.炖汤,焖,烦恼;v.炖汤,焖,忧虑 | |
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velvet
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n.丝绒,天鹅绒;adj.丝绒制的,柔软的 | |
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45
beckon
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v.(以点头或打手势)向...示意,召唤 | |
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46
forth
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adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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fiber
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n.纤维,纤维质 | |
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wagon
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n.四轮马车,手推车,面包车;无盖运货列车 | |
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foul
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adj.污秽的;邪恶的;v.弄脏;妨害;犯规;n.犯规 | |
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50
inhaled
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v.吸入( inhale的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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51
beads
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n.(空心)小珠子( bead的名词复数 );水珠;珠子项链 | |
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52
goodwill
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n.善意,亲善,信誉,声誉 | |
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53
coaxes
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v.哄,用好话劝说( coax的第三人称单数 );巧言骗取;哄劝,劝诱 | |
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54
rigid
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adj.严格的,死板的;刚硬的,僵硬的 | |
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55
crunching
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v.嘎吱嘎吱地咬嚼( crunch的现在分词 );嘎吱作响;(快速大量地)处理信息;数字捣弄 | |
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56
crunch
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n.关键时刻;艰难局面;v.发出碎裂声 | |
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57
sifted
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v.筛( sift的过去式和过去分词 );筛滤;细查;详审 | |
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58
wriggling
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v.扭动,蠕动,蜿蜒行进( wriggle的现在分词 );(使身体某一部位)扭动;耍滑不做,逃避(应做的事等);蠕蠕 | |
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59
deft
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adj.灵巧的,熟练的(a deft hand 能手) | |
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60
catching
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adj.易传染的,有魅力的,迷人的,接住 | |
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61
trickle
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vi.淌,滴,流出,慢慢移动,逐渐消散 | |
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62
crouches
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n.蹲着的姿势( crouch的名词复数 )v.屈膝,蹲伏( crouch的第三人称单数 ) | |
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63
rustling
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n. 瑟瑟声,沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的 | |
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64
streaked
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adj.有条斑纹的,不安的v.快速移动( streak的过去式和过去分词 );使布满条纹 | |
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65
conjures
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用魔术变出( conjure的第三人称单数 ); 祈求,恳求; 变戏法; (变魔术般地) 使…出现 | |
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66
jolted
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(使)摇动, (使)震惊( jolt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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67
gulp
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vt.吞咽,大口地吸(气);vi.哽住;n.吞咽 | |
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