Prologue¹
The afternoon of the 9th of September was exactly like any other afternoon. None of those whowere to be concerned in the events of that day could lay claim to having had a premonition ofdisaster. (With the exception, that is, of Mrs. Packer of 47, Wilbraham Crescent, who specializedin premonitions, and who always described at great length afterwards the peculiar² forebodings andtremors that had beset³ her. But Mrs. Packer at No. 47, was so far away from No. 19, and so littleconcerned with the happenings there, that it seemed unnecessary for her to have had a premonitionat all.)
At the Cavendish Secretarial and Typewriting Bureau, Principal, Miss K. Martindale,September 9th had been a dull day, a day of routine. The telephone rang, typewriters clicked, thepressure of business was average, neither above nor below its usual volume. None of it wasparticularly interesting. Up till 2:35, September 9th might have been a day like any other day.
At 2:35 Miss Martindale’s buzzer⁴ went, and Edna Brent in the outer office answered it in herusual breathy and slightly nasal voice, as she manoeuvred a toffee along the line of her jaw⁵.
“Yes, Miss Martindale?”
“Now, Edna — that is not the way I’ve told you to speak when answering the telephone.
Enunciate⁶ clearly, and keep your breath behind your tone.”
“Sorry, Miss Martindale.”
“That’s better. You can do it when you try. Send Sheila Webb in to me.”
“She’s not back from lunch yet, Miss Martindale.”
“Ah.” Miss Martindale’s eye consulted the clock on her desk. 2:36. Exactly six minutes late.
Sheila Webb had been getting slack lately. “Send her in when she comes.”
“Yes, Miss Martindale.”
Edna restored the toffee to the centre of her tongue and, sucking pleasurably, resumed hertyping of Naked Love by Armand Levine. Its painstaking7

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1 prologue
n.开场白，序言；开端，序幕
参考例句：
A poor wedding is a prologue to misery.不幸的婚姻是痛苦的开始。 The prologue to the novel is written in the form of a newspaper account.这本小说的序言是以报纸报道的形式写的。

2 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。

3 beset
v.镶嵌；困扰，包围
参考例句：
She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。 The plan was beset with difficulties from the beginning.这项计划自开始就困难重重。

4 buzzer
n.蜂鸣器；汽笛
参考例句：
The buzzer went off at eight o'clock.蜂鸣器在8点钟时响了。 Press the buzzer when you want to talk.你想讲话的时候就按蜂鸣器。

5 jaw
n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训
参考例句：
He delivered a right hook to his opponent's jaw.他给了对方下巴一记右钩拳。 A strong square jaw is a sign of firm character.强健的方下巴是刚毅性格的标志。

6 enunciate
v.发音；（清楚地）表达
参考例句：
Actors learn how to enunciate clearly in the theatrical college.演员在戏剧学院学习怎样清晰地发音。 He is always willing to enunciate his opinions on the subject of politics.他总是愿意对政治问题发表意见。

7 painstaking
adj.苦干的；艰苦的，费力的，刻苦的
参考例句：
She is not very clever but she is painstaking.她并不很聪明，但肯下苦功夫。 Through years of our painstaking efforts,we have at last achieved what we have today.大家经过多少年的努力，才取得今天的成绩。

8 lurid
adj.可怕的；血红的；苍白的
参考例句：
The paper gave all the lurid details of the murder.这份报纸对这起凶杀案耸人听闻的细节描写得淋漓尽致。 The lurid sunset puts a red light on their faces.血红一般的夕阳映红了他们的脸。

9 bristling
a.竖立的
参考例句：
"Don't you question Miz Wilkes' word,'said Archie, his beard bristling. "威尔克斯太太的话，你就不必怀疑了。 "阿尔奇说。他的胡子也翘了起来。 You were bristling just now. 你刚才在发毛。

10 Christian
adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒
参考例句：
They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。 His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

11 stenographer
n.速记员
参考例句：
The police stenographer recorded the man's confession word by word. 警察局速记员逐字记下了那个人的供词。 来自《简明英汉词典》 A qualified stenographer is not necessarily a competent secretary. 一个合格的速记员不一定就是个称职的秘书。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

12 pussy
n.(儿语)小猫，猫咪
参考例句：
Why can't they leave my pussy alone?为什么他们就不能离我小猫咪远一点？ The baby was playing with his pussy.孩子正和他的猫嬉戏。

13 memo
n.照会，备忘录；便笺；通知书；规章
参考例句：
Do you want me to send the memo out?您要我把这份备忘录分发出去吗？ Can you type a memo for me?您能帮我打一份备忘录吗？

14 latched
v.理解( latch的过去式和过去分词 )；纠缠；用碰锁锁上（门等）；附着（在某物上）
参考例句：
The government have latched onto environmental issues to win votes. 政府已开始大谈环境问题以争取选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He latched onto us and we couldn't get rid of him. 他缠着我们，甩也甩不掉。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 frenzied
a.激怒的；疯狂的
参考例句：
Will this push him too far and lead to a frenzied attack? 这会不会逼他太甚，导致他进行疯狂的进攻？ Two teenagers carried out a frenzied attack on a local shopkeeper. 两名十几岁的少年对当地的一个店主进行了疯狂的袭击。

16 conceit
n.自负，自高自大
参考例句：
As conceit makes one lag behind,so modesty helps one make progress.骄傲使人落后，谦虚使人进步。 She seems to be eaten up with her own conceit.她仿佛已经被骄傲冲昏了头脑。

17 prim
adj.拘泥形式的，一本正经的；n.循规蹈矩，整洁；adv.循规蹈矩地，整洁地
参考例句：
She's too prim to enjoy rude jokes!她太古板，不喜欢听粗野的笑话！ He is prim and precise in manner.他的态度一本正经而严谨

18 artistically
adv.艺术性地
参考例句：
The book is beautifully printed and artistically bound. 这本书印刷精美，装帧高雅。 The room is artistically decorated. 房间布置得很美观。

19 modernization
n.现代化，现代化的事物
参考例句：
This will help us achieve modernization.这有助于我们实现现代化。 The Chinese people are sure to realize the modernization of their country.中国人民必将实现国家现代化。

20 brass
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。

21 remarkable
adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的
参考例句：
She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。 These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

22 profusion
n.挥霍；丰富
参考例句：
He is liberal to profusion.他挥霍无度。 The leaves are falling in profusion.落叶纷纷。

23 gilt
adj.镀金的；n.金边证券
参考例句：
The plates have a gilt edge.这些盘子的边是镀金的。 The rest of the money is invested in gilt.其余的钱投资于金边证券。

24 sprawled
v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的过去式和过去分词)；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着）
参考例句：
He was sprawled full-length across the bed. 他手脚摊开横躺在床上。 He was lying sprawled in an armchair, watching TV. 他四肢伸开正懒散地靠在扶手椅上看电视。

25 bent
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。

26 wavy
adj.有波浪的，多浪的，波浪状的，波动的，不稳定的
参考例句：
She drew a wavy line under the word.她在这个词的下面画了一条波纹线。 His wavy hair was too long and flopped just beneath his brow.他的波浪式头发太长了，正好垂在他的眉毛下。

27 croak
vi.嘎嘎叫，发牢骚
参考例句：
Everyone seemed rather out of sorts and inclined to croak.每个人似乎都有点不对劲，想发发牢骚。 Frogs began to croak with the rainfall.蛙随着雨落开始哇哇叫。

28 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。

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