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Two
There was a moment or two of silence.
“You came to me—”
Poirot did not finish the sentence.
Superintendent1 Spence looked up. The colour in his face was deeper than it had been. It was atypical countryman’s face, unexpressive, self-contained, with shrewd but honest eyes. It was theface of a man with definite standards who would never be bothered by doubts of himself or bydoubts of what constituted right and wrong.
“I’ve been a long time in the Force,” he said. “I’ve had a good deal of experience of this, thatand the other. I can judge a man as well as any other could do. I’ve had cases of murder during myservice—some of them
straightforward2 enough, some of them not so straightforward. One caseyou know of, M. Poirot—”
Poirot nodded.
“Tricky, that was. But for you, we mightn’t have seen clear. But we did see clear—and therewasn’t any doubt. The same with the others you don’t know about. There was Whistler, he got his—and deserved it. There were those chaps who shot old Guterman. There was Verall and hisarsenic. Tranter got off—but he did it all right. Mrs. Courtland—she was lucky—her husband wasa nasty
perverted3 bit of work, and the jury
acquitted4 her accordingly. Not justice—just sentiment.
You’ve got to allow for that happening now and again. Sometimes there isn’t enough evidence—sometimes there’s sentiment, sometimes a murderer manages to put it across the jury—that lastdoesn’t happen often, but it can happen. Sometimes it’s a clever bit of work by defending counsel—or a
prosecuting5 counsel takes the wrong
tack6. Oh yes, I’ve seen a lot of things like that. But—but—”
Spence wagged a heavy
forefinger7.
“I haven’t seen—not in my experience—an innocent man hanged for something he didn’t do.
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收听单词发音
1
superintendent
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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。
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2
straightforward
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adj.正直的,坦率的;易懂的,简单的 |
参考例句: |
- A straightforward talk is better than a flowery speech.巧言不如直说。
- I must insist on your giving me a straightforward answer.我一定要你给我一个直截了当的回答。
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3
perverted
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adj.不正当的v.滥用( pervert的过去式和过去分词 );腐蚀;败坏;使堕落 |
参考例句: |
- Some scientific discoveries have been perverted to create weapons of destruction. 某些科学发明被滥用来生产毁灭性武器。
- sexual acts, normal and perverted 正常的和变态的性行为
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4
acquitted
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宣判…无罪( acquit的过去式和过去分词 ); 使(自己)作出某种表现 |
参考例句: |
- The jury acquitted him of murder. 陪审团裁决他谋杀罪不成立。
- Five months ago she was acquitted on a shoplifting charge. 五个月前她被宣判未犯入店行窃罪。
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5
prosecuting
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检举、告发某人( prosecute的现在分词 ); 对某人提起公诉; 继续从事(某事物); 担任控方律师 |
参考例句: |
- The witness was cross-examined by the prosecuting counsel. 证人接受控方律师的盘问。
- Every point made by the prosecuting attorney was telling. 检查官提出的每一点都是有力的。
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6
tack
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n.大头钉;假缝,粗缝 |
参考例句: |
- He is hammering a tack into the wall to hang a picture.他正往墙上钉一枚平头钉用来挂画。
- We are going to tack the map on the wall.我们打算把这张地图钉在墙上。
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7
forefinger
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n.食指 |
参考例句: |
- He pinched the leaf between his thumb and forefinger.他将叶子捏在拇指和食指之间。
- He held it between the tips of his thumb and forefinger.他用他大拇指和食指尖拿着它。
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8
pointed
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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。
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9
prosecutor
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n.起诉人;检察官,公诉人 |
参考例句: |
- The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。
- The prosecutor would tear your testimony to pieces.检查官会把你的证言驳得体无完肤。
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10
decided
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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。
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11
bent
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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。
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12
qualms
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n.不安;内疚 |
参考例句: |
- He felt no qualms about borrowing money from friends.他没有对于从朋友那里借钱感到不安。
- He has no qualms about lying.他撒谎毫不内疚。
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13
complexion
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n.肤色;情况,局面;气质,性格 |
参考例句: |
- Red does not suit with her complexion.红色与她的肤色不协调。
- Her resignation puts a different complexion on things.她一辞职局面就全变了。
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14
cringing
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adj.谄媚,奉承 |
参考例句: |
- He had a cringing manner but a very harsh voice.他有卑屈谄媚的神情,但是声音却十分粗沙。
- She stepped towards him with a movement that was horribly cringing.她冲他走了一步,做出一个低三下四,令人作呕的动作。
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15
truculent
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adj.野蛮的,粗野的 |
参考例句: |
- He was seen as truculent,temperamental,too unwilling to tolerate others.他们认为他为人蛮横无理,性情暴躁,不大能容人。
- He was in no truculent state of mind now.这会儿他心肠一点也不狠毒了。
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16
blusters
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n.大声的威吓( bluster的名词复数 );狂风声,巨浪声v.外强中干的威吓( bluster的第三人称单数 );咆哮;(风)呼啸;狂吹 |
参考例句: |
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17
conversational
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adj.对话的,会话的 |
参考例句: |
- The article is written in a conversational style.该文是以对话的形式写成的。
- She values herself on her conversational powers.她常夸耀自己的能言善辩。
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18
lodge
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v.临时住宿,寄宿,寄存,容纳;n.传达室,小旅馆 |
参考例句: |
- Is there anywhere that I can lodge in the village tonight?村里有我今晚过夜的地方吗?
- I shall lodge at the inn for two nights.我要在这家小店住两个晚上。
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19
allotted
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分配,拨给,摊派( allot的过去式和过去分词 ) |
参考例句: |
- I completed the test within the time allotted . 我在限定的时间内完成了试验。
- Each passenger slept on the berth allotted to him. 每个旅客都睡在分配给他的铺位上。
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20
conscientious
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adj.审慎正直的,认真的,本着良心的 |
参考例句: |
- He is a conscientious man and knows his job.他很认真负责,也很懂行。
- He is very conscientious in the performance of his duties.他非常认真地履行职责。
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21
condemned
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adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的
动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 |
参考例句: |
- He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
- The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。
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22
scrupulously
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adv.一丝不苟地;小心翼翼地,多顾虑地 |
参考例句: |
- She toed scrupulously into the room. 她小心翼翼地踮着脚走进房间。 来自辞典例句
- To others he would be scrupulously fair. 对待别人,他力求公正。 来自英汉非文学 - 文明史
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23
bias
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n.偏见,偏心,偏袒;vt.使有偏见 |
参考例句: |
- They are accusing the teacher of political bias in his marking.他们在指控那名教师打分数有政治偏见。
- He had a bias toward the plan.他对这项计划有偏见。
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24
agitated
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adj.被鼓动的,不安的 |
参考例句: |
- His answers were all mixed up,so agitated was he.他是那样心神不定,回答全乱了。
- She was agitated because her train was an hour late.她乘坐的火车晚点一个小时,她十分焦虑。
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25
intrigued
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adj.好奇的,被迷住了的v.搞阴谋诡计(intrigue的过去式);激起…的兴趣或好奇心;“intrigue”的过去式和过去分词 |
参考例句: |
- You've really intrigued me—tell me more! 你说的真有意思—再给我讲一些吧!
- He was intrigued by her story. 他被她的故事迷住了。
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26
precipitate
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adj.突如其来的;vt.使突然发生;n.沉淀物 |
参考例句: |
- I don't think we should make precipitate decisions.我认为我们不应该贸然作出决定。
- The king was too precipitate in declaring war.国王在宣战一事上过于轻率。
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27
scent
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n.气味,香味,香水,线索,嗅觉;v.嗅,发觉 |
参考例句: |
- The air was filled with the scent of lilac.空气中弥漫着丁香花的芬芳。
- The flowers give off a heady scent at night.这些花晚上散发出醉人的芳香。
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28
brass
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n.黄铜;黄铜器,铜管乐器 |
参考例句: |
- Many of the workers play in the factory's brass band.许多工人都在工厂铜管乐队中演奏。
- Brass is formed by the fusion of copper and zinc.黄铜是通过铜和锌的熔合而成的。
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29
tacks
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大头钉( tack的名词复数 ); 平头钉; 航向; 方法 |
参考例句: |
- Never mind the side issues, let's get down to brass tacks and thrash out a basic agreement. 别管枝节问题,让我们讨论问题的实质,以求得基本一致。
- Get down to the brass tacks,and quit talking round the subject. 谈实质问题吧,别兜圈子了。
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30
shrugged
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vt.耸肩(shrug的过去式与过去分词形式) |
参考例句: |
- Sam shrugged and said nothing. 萨姆耸耸肩膀,什么也没说。
- She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩,装出一副无所谓的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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31
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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32
jealousy
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n.妒忌,嫉妒,猜忌 |
参考例句: |
- Some women have a disposition to jealousy.有些女人生性爱妒忌。
- I can't support your jealousy any longer.我再也无法忍受你的嫉妒了。
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33
savings
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n.存款,储蓄 |
参考例句: |
- I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假,那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
- By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时,他的存款已全部用完。
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34
restriction
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n.限制,约束 |
参考例句: |
- The park is open to the public without restriction.这个公园对公众开放,没有任何限制。
- The 30 mph speed restriction applies in all built-up areas.每小时限速30英里适用于所有建筑物聚集区。
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35
pneumonia
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n.肺炎 |
参考例句: |
- Cage was struck with pneumonia in her youth.凯奇年轻时得过肺炎。
- Pneumonia carried him off last week.肺炎上星期夺去了他的生命。
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36
residential
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adj.提供住宿的;居住的;住宅的 |
参考例句: |
- The mayor inspected the residential section of the city.市长视察了该市的住宅区。
- The residential blocks were integrated with the rest of the college.住宿区与学院其他部分结合在了一起。
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37
lodger
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n.寄宿人,房客 |
参考例句: |
- My friend is a lodger in my uncle's house.我朋友是我叔叔家的房客。
- Jill and Sue are at variance over their lodger.吉尔和休在对待房客的问题上意见不和。
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38
invalid
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n.病人,伤残人;adj.有病的,伤残的;无效的 |
参考例句: |
- He will visit an invalid.他将要去看望一个病人。
- A passport that is out of date is invalid.护照过期是无效的。
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39
annuity
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n.年金;养老金 |
参考例句: |
- The personal contribution ratio is voluntary in the annuity program.企业年金中个人缴费比例是自愿的。
- He lives on his annuity after retirement.他退休后靠退休金维生。
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40
aptitudes
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(学习方面的)才能,资质,天资( aptitude的名词复数 ) |
参考例句: |
- They all require special aptitudes combined with special training. 他们都应具有专门技能,并受过专门训练。
- Do program development with passion. has aptitudes for learning. research. innovation. 热爱程序开发工作。具有学习。钻研。创新的精神。
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41
digestion
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n.消化,吸收 |
参考例句: |
- This kind of tea acts as an aid to digestion.这种茶可助消化。
- This food is easy of digestion.这食物容易消化。
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42
baker
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n.面包师 |
参考例句: |
- The baker bakes his bread in the bakery.面包师在面包房内烤面包。
- The baker frosted the cake with a mixture of sugar and whites of eggs.面包师在蛋糕上撒了一层白糖和蛋清的混合料。
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43
tampered
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v.窜改( tamper的过去式 );篡改;(用不正当手段)影响;瞎摆弄 |
参考例句: |
- The records of the meeting had been tampered with. 会议记录已被人擅自改动。 来自辞典例句
- The old man's will has been tampered with. 老人的遗嘱已被窜改。 来自辞典例句
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44
killer
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n.杀人者,杀人犯,杀手,屠杀者 |
参考例句: |
- Heart attacks have become Britain's No.1 killer disease.心脏病已成为英国的头号致命疾病。
- The bulk of the evidence points to him as her killer.大量证据证明是他杀死她的。
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45
confirmation
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n.证实,确认,批准 |
参考例句: |
- We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
- We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前,我们需要书面确认。
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46
cuff
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n.袖口;手铐;护腕;vt.用手铐铐;上袖口 |
参考例句: |
- She hoped they wouldn't cuff her hands behind her back.她希望他们不要把她反铐起来。
- Would you please draw together the snag in my cuff?请你把我袖口上的裂口缝上好吗?
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47
affected
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adj.不自然的,假装的 |
参考例句: |
- She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
- His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。
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48
collapse
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vi.累倒;昏倒;倒塌;塌陷 |
参考例句: |
- The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
- The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。
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49
fishy
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adj. 值得怀疑的 |
参考例句: |
- It all sounds very fishy to me.所有这些在我听起来都很可疑。
- There was definitely something fishy going on.肯定当时有可疑的事情在进行中。
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50
persecution
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n. 迫害,烦扰 |
参考例句: |
- He had fled from France at the time of the persecution. 他在大迫害时期逃离了法国。
- Their persecution only serves to arouse the opposition of the people. 他们的迫害只激起人民对他们的反抗。
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