CHAPTER XI THE SUBMARINE PLANS
A note had been brought by special messenger. Poirot read it, and a gleam of excitement andinterest came into his eyes as he did so.
He dismissed the man with a few
curt1 words and then turned to me.
'Pack a bag with all haste, my friend. We're going down to Sharpies.'
I started at the mention of the famous country place of Lord Alloway. Head of the newly formedMinistry of Defence, Lord Alloway was a prominent member of the Cabinet. As Sir Ralph Curtis,head of a great engineering firm, he had made his mark in the House of Commons, and he wasnow freely spoken of as the coming man, and the one most likely to be asked to form a ministryshould the turnouts as to Mr David MacAdam's health prove well founded.
A big Rolls-Royce car was waiting for us below, and as we
glided3 off into the darkness, I pliedPoirot with questions.
'What on earth can they want us for at this time of night?' I demanded. It was past eleven.
Poirot shook his head. 'Something of the most urgent, without doubt.'
'I remember,' I said, 'that some years ago there was some rather ugly scandal about Ralph Curtis,as he then was - some
jugglery4 with shares, I believe. In the end, he was completely
exonerated5;but perhaps something of the kind has arisen again?'
'It would hardly be necessary for him to send for me in the middle of the night, my friend.'
I was forced to agree, and the remainder of the journey was passed in silence. Once out of London,the powerful car forged rapidly ahead, and we arrived at Sharples in a little under the hour.
A
pontifical6 butler conducted us at once to a small study where Lord Alloway was awaiting us. Hesprang up to greet us - a tall,
spare man who seemed actually to radiate power and
vitality7.
'M. Poirot, I am delighted to see you. It is the second time the Government has demanded yourservices. I remember only too well what you did for us during the war, when the Prime Mini-sterwas kidnapped in that
astounding
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收听单词发音
1
curt
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adj.简短的,草率的 |
参考例句: |
- He gave me an extremely curt answer.他对我作了极为草率的答复。
- He rapped out a series of curt commands.他大声发出了一连串简短的命令。
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2
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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3
glided
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v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 );掠过;(鸟或飞机 ) 滑翔 |
参考例句: |
- The President's motorcade glided by. 总统的车队一溜烟开了过去。
- They glided along the wall until they were out of sight. 他们沿着墙壁溜得无影无踪。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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4
jugglery
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n.杂耍,把戏 |
参考例句: |
- This is an advertising agency with all its jugglery of public sentiment. 这是一家耍花样竭力投合公众心理的广告代理商。 来自辞典例句
- No party could survive such a record of political trickery and financial jugglery. 没有哪一个政党,耍弄这样的政治阴谋和经济欺骗后还可以存在下去的。 来自辞典例句
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5
exonerated
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v.使免罪,免除( exonerate的过去式和过去分词 ) |
参考例句: |
- The police report exonerated Lewis from all charges of corruption. 警方的报告免除了对刘易斯贪污的所有指控。
- An investigation exonerated the school from any blame. 一项调查证明该学校没有任何过失。 来自辞典例句
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6
pontifical
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adj.自以为是的,武断的 |
参考例句: |
- His words criticizing modern society just right indicate his pontifical character.他用以批评现代社会的言论恰好反映了他自大武断的性格。
- The lawyer,with pontifical gravity,sat on a high chair.那律师摆出一副威严庄重的样子,坐在一把高脚椅上。
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7
vitality
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n.活力,生命力,效力 |
参考例句: |
- He came back from his holiday bursting with vitality and good health.他度假归来之后,身强体壮,充满活力。
- He is an ambitious young man full of enthusiasm and vitality.他是个充满热情与活力的有远大抱负的青年。
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8
astounding
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adj.使人震惊的vt.使震惊,使大吃一惊astound的现在分词) |
参考例句: |
- There was an astounding 20% increase in sales. 销售量惊人地增加了20%。
- The Chairman's remarks were so astounding that the audience listened to him with bated breath. 主席说的话令人吃惊,所以听众都屏息听他说。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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9
deductions
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扣除( deduction的名词复数 ); 结论; 扣除的量; 推演 |
参考例句: |
- Many of the older officers trusted agents sightings more than cryptanalysts'deductions. 许多年纪比较大的军官往往相信特务的发现,而不怎么相信密码分析员的推断。
- You know how you rush at things,jump to conclusions without proper deductions. 你知道你处理问题是多么仓促,毫无合适的演绎就仓促下结论。
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10
harry
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vt.掠夺,蹂躏,使苦恼 |
参考例句: |
- Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天,人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
- Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。
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11
bluff
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v.虚张声势,用假象骗人;n.虚张声势,欺骗 |
参考例句: |
- His threats are merely bluff.他的威胁仅仅是虚张声势。
- John is a deep card.No one can bluff him easily.约翰是个机灵鬼。谁也不容易欺骗他。
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12
briefly
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adv.简单地,简短地 |
参考例句: |
- I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
- He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。
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13
retired
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adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的 |
参考例句: |
- The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
- Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。
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14
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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15
accomplice
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n.从犯,帮凶,同谋 |
参考例句: |
- She was her husband's accomplice in murdering a rich old man.她是她丈夫谋杀一个老富翁的帮凶。
- He is suspected as an accomplice of the murder.他涉嫌为这次凶杀案的同谋。
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16
peculiar
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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。
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17
smoothly
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adv.平滑地,顺利地,流利地,流畅地 |
参考例句: |
- The workmen are very cooperative,so the work goes on smoothly.工人们十分合作,所以工作进展顺利。
- Just change one or two words and the sentence will read smoothly.这句话只要动一两个字就顺了。
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18
cherub
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n.小天使,胖娃娃 |
参考例句: |
- It was easy to see why the cartoonists regularly portrayed him as a malign cherub.难怪漫画家总是把他画成一个邪恶的小天使。
- The cherub in the painting is very lovely.这幅画中的小天使非常可爱。
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19
darted
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v.投掷,投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 );向前冲,飞奔 |
参考例句: |
- The lizard darted out its tongue at the insect. 蜥蜴伸出舌头去吃小昆虫。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The old man was displeased and darted an angry look at me. 老人不高兴了,瞪了我一眼。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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20
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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21
neatly
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adv.整洁地,干净地,灵巧地,熟练地 |
参考例句: |
- Sailors know how to wind up a long rope neatly.水手们知道怎样把一条大绳利落地缠好。
- The child's dress is neatly gathered at the neck.那孩子的衣服在领口处打着整齐的皱褶。
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22
discomfited
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v.使为难( discomfit的过去式和过去分词);使狼狈;使挫折;挫败 |
参考例句: |
- He was discomfited by the unexpected questions. 意料不到的问题使得他十分尴尬。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
- He will be particularly discomfited by the minister's dismissal of his plan. 部长对他计划的不理会将使他特别尴尬。 来自辞典例句
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23
concealed
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a.隐藏的,隐蔽的 |
参考例句: |
- The paintings were concealed beneath a thick layer of plaster. 那些画被隐藏在厚厚的灰泥层下面。
- I think he had a gun concealed about his person. 我认为他当时身上藏有一支枪。
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specifying
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v.指定( specify的现在分词 );详述;提出…的条件;使具有特性 |
参考例句: |
- When we describe what the action will affect, we are specifying the noun of the sentence. 当描述动作会影响到什么时,我们指定组成句子的名词。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
- Procurement section only lists opportunistic infection drugs without specifying which drugs. 采购部分只说明有治疗机会性感染的药物,但并没有说明是什么药物。 来自互联网
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disappearance
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n.消失,消散,失踪 |
参考例句: |
- He was hard put to it to explain her disappearance.他难以说明她为什么不见了。
- Her disappearance gave rise to the wildest rumours.她失踪一事引起了各种流言蜚语。
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frigid
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adj.寒冷的,凛冽的;冷淡的;拘禁的 |
参考例句: |
- The water was too frigid to allow him to remain submerged for long.水冰冷彻骨,他在下面呆不了太长时间。
- She returned his smile with a frigid glance.对他的微笑她报以冷冷的一瞥。
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27
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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undoubtedly
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adv.确实地,无疑地 |
参考例句: |
- It is undoubtedly she who has said that.这话明明是她说的。
- He is undoubtedly the pride of China.毫无疑问他是中国的骄傲。
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hearty
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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。
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forth
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adv.向前;向外,往外 |
参考例句: |
- The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
- He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。
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31
nervously
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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。
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32
alas
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int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) |
参考例句: |
- Alas!The window is broken!哎呀!窗子破了!
- Alas,the truth is less romantic.然而,真理很少带有浪漫色彩。
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33
deranged
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adj.疯狂的 |
参考例句: |
- Traffic was stopped by a deranged man shouting at the sky.一名狂叫的疯子阻塞了交通。
- A deranged man shot and killed 14 people.一个精神失常的男子开枪打死了14人。
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34
slumbers
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睡眠,安眠( slumber的名词复数 ) |
参考例句: |
- His image traversed constantly her restless slumbers. 他的形象一再闯进她的脑海,弄得她不能安睡。
- My Titan brother slumbers deep inside his mountain prison. Go. 我的泰坦兄弟就被囚禁在山脉的深处。
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35
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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36
gallantly
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adv. 漂亮地,勇敢地,献殷勤地 |
参考例句: |
- He gallantly offered to carry her cases to the car. 他殷勤地要帮她把箱子拎到车子里去。
- The new fighters behave gallantly under fire. 新战士在炮火下表现得很勇敢。
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37
genially
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adv.亲切地,和蔼地;快活地 |
参考例句: |
- The white church peeps out genially from behind the huts scattered on the river bank. 一座白色教堂从散布在岸上的那些小木房后面殷勤地探出头来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- "Well, It'seems strange to see you way up here,'said Mr. Kenny genially. “咳,真没想到会在这么远的地方见到你,"肯尼先生亲切地说。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
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38
chamber
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n.房间,寝室;会议厅;议院;会所 |
参考例句: |
- For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说,牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
- The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。
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39
insistent
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adj.迫切的,坚持的 |
参考例句: |
- There was an insistent knock on my door.我听到一阵急促的敲门声。
- He is most insistent on this point.他在这点上很坚持。
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41
swarmed
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密集( swarm的过去式和过去分词 ); 云集; 成群地移动; 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 |
参考例句: |
- When the bell rang, the children swarmed out of the school. 铃声一响,孩子们蜂拥而出离开了学校。
- When the rain started the crowd swarmed back into the hotel. 雨一开始下,人群就蜂拥回了旅社。
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fixed
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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。
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43
publicity
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n.众所周知,闻名;宣传,广告 |
参考例句: |
- The singer star's marriage got a lot of publicity.这位歌星的婚事引起了公众的关注。
- He dismissed the event as just a publicity gimmick.他不理会这件事,只当它是一种宣传手法。
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succinctly
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adv.简洁地;简洁地,简便地 |
参考例句: |
- He writes simply and succinctly, rarely adding too much adornment. 他的写作风格朴实简练,很少添加饰词。 来自互联网
- No matter what question you are asked, answer it honestly and succinctly. 总之,不管你在面试中被问到什么问题,回答都要诚实而简明。 来自互联网
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45
sufficiently
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adv.足够地,充分地 |
参考例句: |
- It turned out he had not insured the house sufficiently.原来他没有给房屋投足保险。
- The new policy was sufficiently elastic to accommodate both views.新政策充分灵活地适用两种观点。
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46
anonymously
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ad.用匿名的方式 |
参考例句: |
- The manuscripts were submitted anonymously. 原稿是匿名送交的。
- Methods A self-administered questionnaire was used to survey 536 teachers anonymously. 方法采用自编“中小学教师职业压力问卷”对536名中小学教师进行无记名调查。
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47
prosecute
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vt.告发;进行;vi.告发,起诉,作检察官 |
参考例句: |
- I am trying my best to prosecute my duties.我正在尽力履行我的职责。
- Is there enough evidence to prosecute?有没有起诉的足够证据?
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48
inquiry
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n.打听,询问,调查,查问 |
参考例句: |
- Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
- The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。
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49
unconditionally
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adv.无条件地 |
参考例句: |
- All foreign troops must be withdrawn immediately and unconditionally. 所有外国军队必须立即无条件地撤出。
- It makes things very awkward to have your girls going back unconditionally just now! 你们现在是无条件上工,真糟糕! 来自子夜部分
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50
virtue
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n.德行,美德;贞操;优点;功效,效力 |
参考例句: |
- He was considered to be a paragon of virtue.他被认为是品德尽善尽美的典范。
- You need to decorate your mind with virtue.你应该用德行美化心灵。
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51
grandiloquently
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参考例句: |
- The leader announces his real intentions sufficiently frequently and grandiloquently. 这个领导人极其经常和夸张地宣布他的真正意图。 来自辞典例句
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52
reconstruction
|
|
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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53
alibi
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n.某人当时不在犯罪现场的申辩或证明;借口 |
参考例句: |
- Do you have any proof to substantiate your alibi? 你有证据表明你当时不在犯罪现场吗?
- The police are suspicious of his alibi because he already has a record.警方对他不在场的辩解表示怀疑,因为他已有前科。
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54
persevere
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v.坚持,坚忍,不屈不挠 |
参考例句: |
- They are determined to persevere in the fight.他们决心坚持战斗。
- It is strength of character enabled him to persevere.他那坚强的性格使他能够坚持不懈。
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55
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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56
blackmailed
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胁迫,尤指以透露他人不体面行为相威胁以勒索钱财( blackmail的过去式 ) |
参考例句: |
- He was blackmailed by an enemy agent (into passing on state secrets). 敌特威胁他(要他交出国家机密)。
- The strikers refused to be blackmailed into returning to work. 罢工者拒绝了要挟复工的条件。
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57
alteration
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n.变更,改变;蚀变 |
参考例句: |
- The shirt needs alteration.这件衬衣需要改一改。
- He easily perceived there was an alteration in my countenance.他立刻看出我的脸色和往常有些不同。
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58
obstinacy
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n.顽固;(病痛等)难治 |
参考例句: |
- It is a very accountable obstinacy.这是一种完全可以理解的固执态度。
- Cindy's anger usually made him stand firm to the point of obstinacy.辛迪一发怒,常常使他坚持自见,并达到执拗的地步。
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59
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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60
discreet
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adj.(言行)谨慎的;慎重的;有判断力的 |
参考例句: |
- He is very discreet in giving his opinions.发表意见他十分慎重。
- It wasn't discreet of you to ring me up at the office.你打电话到我办公室真是太鲁莽了。
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61
exultation
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n.狂喜,得意 |
参考例句: |
- It made him catch his breath, it lit his face with exultation. 听了这个名字,他屏住呼吸,乐得脸上放光。
- He could get up no exultation that was really worthy the name. 他一点都激动不起来。
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62
naval
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adj.海军的,军舰的,船的 |
参考例句: |
- He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
- The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。
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63
warfare
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n.战争(状态);斗争;冲突 |
参考例句: |
- He addressed the audience on the subject of atomic warfare.他向听众演讲有关原子战争的问题。
- Their struggle consists mainly in peasant guerrilla warfare.他们的斗争主要是农民游击战。
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64
dismal
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adj.阴沉的,凄凉的,令人忧郁的,差劲的 |
参考例句: |
- That is a rather dismal melody.那是一支相当忧郁的歌曲。
- My prospects of returning to a suitable job are dismal.我重新找到一个合适的工作岗位的希望很渺茫。
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