Robert Torrelson sat at the aging rolltop desk in his liv-ing room, listening as his son boarded up the windows at the back of the house. In his hand was the note from Paul Flanner, and he was absently folding and unfolding it, still wondering at the fact that he had come.

He hadn’t expected it. Though he’d written the request, he’d been sure that Paul Flanner would ignore it. Flanner was a high-powered doctor in the city, represented by at-torneys who wore flashy ties and fancy belts, and none of them had seemed to give a damn about him or his family for over a year now. Rich city folk were like that; as for him, he was glad that he’d never had to live near people who pushed paper for a living and weren’t comfortable if the temperature at work wasn’t exactly seventy-two de-grees. Nor did he like dealing¹ with people who thought they were better than others because they had better schooling² or more money or a bigger house. Paul Flanner, when he’d met him after the surgery, had struck him as that type of person. He was stiff and distant, and though he’d explained himself, the clipped way he’d spoken the words had left Robert with the feeling that he wouldn’t lose a minute’s sleep because of what had happened.

And that wasn’t right.

Robert had lived a life with different values, values that had been honored by his father and grandfather and their grandfather before that. He could trace his family’s roots in the Outer Banks back nearly two hundred years. Genera-tion after generation, they’d fished the waters of Pamlico Sound since the times when the fish were so plentiful³ that a person could cast a single net and pull in enough fish to fill the bow. But all that had changed. Now there were quotas⁴ and regulations and licenses⁵ and big companies, all chasing fewer fish than there’d ever been. These days, when Robert went down to the boat, half the time he con-sidered himself lucky if he caught enough to pay for the gas he’d needed.

Robert Torrelson was sixty-seven but looked ten years older. His face was weathered and stained, and his body was slowly losing the battle with time. There was a long scar that ran from his left eye to his ear. His hands ached with

点击收听单词发音  

1 dealing
n.经商方法，待人态度
参考例句：
This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。 His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

2 schooling
n.教育；正规学校教育
参考例句：
A child's access to schooling varies greatly from area to area.孩子获得学校教育的机会因地区不同而大相径庭。 Backward children need a special kind of schooling.天赋差的孩子需要特殊的教育。

3 plentiful
adj.富裕的，丰富的
参考例句：
Their family has a plentiful harvest this year.他们家今年又丰收了。 Rainfall is plentiful in the area.这个地区雨量充足。

4 quotas
（正式限定的）定量( quota的名词复数 )； 定额； 指标； 摊派
参考例句：
In fulfilling the production quotas, John made rings round all his fellow workers. 约翰完成生产定额大大超过他的同事们。 Quotas of the means of production are allocated by the higher administrative bodies to the lower ones. 物资指标按隶属关系分配。

5 licenses
n.执照( license的名词复数 )v.批准，许可，颁发执照( license的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
Drivers have ten days' grace to renew their licenses. 驾驶员更换执照有10天的宽限期。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 Jewish firms couldn't get import or export licenses or raw materials. 犹太人的企业得不到进出口许可证或原料。 来自辞典例句

6 arthritis
n.关节炎
参考例句：
Rheumatoid arthritis has also been linked with the virus.风湿性关节炎也与这种病毒有关。 He spent three months in the hospital with acute rheumatic arthritis.他患急性风湿性关节炎，在医院住了三个月。

7 dabbing
石面凿毛，灰泥抛毛
参考例句：
She was crying and dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief. 她一边哭一边用手绢轻按眼睛。 Huei-fang was leaning against a willow, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. 四小姐蕙芳正靠在一棵杨柳树上用手帕揉眼睛。 来自子夜部分

8 gravel
n.砂跞；砂砾层；结石
参考例句：
We bought six bags of gravel for the garden path.我们购买了六袋碎石用来铺花园的小路。 More gravel is needed to fill the hollow in the drive.需要更多的砾石来填平车道上的坑洼。

9 haphazardly
adv.偶然地，随意地，杂乱地
参考例句：
The books were placed haphazardly on the shelf. 书籍乱七八糟地堆放在书架上。 来自《简明英汉词典》 It is foolish to haphazardly adventure. 随便冒险是愚蠢的。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

10 standing
n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的
参考例句：
After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。 They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

11 akin
adj.同族的，类似的
参考例句：
She painted flowers and birds pictures akin to those of earlier feminine painters.她画一些同早期女画家类似的花鸟画。 Listening to his life story is akin to reading a good adventure novel.听他的人生故事犹如阅读一本精彩的冒险小说。

12 scuffed
v.使磨损( scuff的过去式和过去分词 )；拖着脚走
参考例句：
I scuffed the heel of my shoe on the stonework. 我的鞋跟儿给铺好的石头磨坏了。 Polly dropped her head and scuffed her feet. 波莉低下头拖着脚走开了。 来自辞典例句

13 pickles
n.腌菜( pickle的名词复数 )；处于困境；遇到麻烦；菜酱
参考例句：
Most people eat pickles at breakfast. 大多数人早餐吃腌菜。 来自《简明英汉词典》 I want their pickles and wines, and that.' 我要他们的泡菜、美酒和所有其他东西。” 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛

14 grill
n.烤架，铁格子，烤肉；v.烧，烤，严加盘问
参考例句：
Put it under the grill for a minute to brown the top.放在烤架下烤一分钟把上面烤成金黄色。 I'll grill you some mutton.我来给你烤一些羊肉吃。

15 compartments
n.间隔( compartment的名词复数 )；（列车车厢的）隔间；（家具或设备等的）分隔间；隔层
参考例句：
Your pencil box has several compartments. 你的铅笔盒有好几个格。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The first-class compartments are in front. 头等车室在前头。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 soda
n.苏打水；汽水
参考例句：
She doesn't enjoy drinking chocolate soda.她不喜欢喝巧克力汽水。 I will freshen your drink with more soda and ice cubes.我给你的饮料重加一些苏打水和冰块。

17 jack
n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克
参考例句：
I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。 He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

18 aisle
n.（教堂、教室、戏院等里的）过道，通道
参考例句：
The aisle was crammed with people.过道上挤满了人。 The girl ushered me along the aisle to my seat.引座小姐带领我沿着通道到我的座位上去。

19 drawn
v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的
参考例句：
All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。 Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

20 contemplate
vt.盘算，计议；周密考虑；注视，凝视
参考例句：
The possibility of war is too horrifying to contemplate.战争的可能性太可怕了，真不堪细想。 The consequences would be too ghastly to contemplate.后果不堪设想。

21 decided
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。

22 estranged
adj.疏远的，分离的
参考例句：
He became estranged from his family after the argument.那场争吵后他便与家人疏远了。 The argument estranged him from his brother.争吵使他同他的兄弟之间的关系疏远了。

23 redress
n.赔偿，救济，矫正；v.纠正，匡正，革除
参考例句：
He did all that he possibly could to redress the wrongs.他尽了一切努力革除弊端。 Any man deserves redress if he has been injured unfairly.任何人若蒙受不公平的损害都应获得赔偿。

24 spectral
adj.幽灵的，鬼魂的
参考例句：
At times he seems rather ordinary.At other times ethereal,perhaps even spectral.有时他好像很正常，有时又难以捉摸，甚至像个幽灵。 She is compelling,spectral fascinating,an unforgettably unique performer.她极具吸引力，清幽如鬼魅，令人着迷，令人难忘，是个独具特色的演员。

25 flute
n.长笛；v.吹笛
参考例句：
He took out his flute, and blew at it.他拿出笛子吹了起来。 There is an extensive repertoire of music written for the flute.有很多供长笛演奏的曲目。

26 swirled
v.旋转，打旋( swirl的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The waves swirled and eddied around the rocks. 波浪翻滚着在岩石周围打旋。 The water swirled down the drain. 水打着旋流进了下水道。

27 clumps
n.（树、灌木、植物等的）丛、簇( clump的名词复数 )；（土、泥等）团；块；笨重的脚步声v.（树、灌木、植物等的）丛、簇( clump的第三人称单数 )；（土、泥等）团；块；笨重的脚步声
参考例句：
These plants quickly form dense clumps. 这些植物很快形成了浓密的树丛。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The bulbs were over. All that remained of them were clumps of brown leaves. 这些鳞茎死了，剩下的只是一丛丛的黃叶子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

28 shutters
百叶窗( shutter的名词复数 )； （照相机的）快门
参考例句：
The shop-front is fitted with rolling shutters. 那商店的店门装有卷门。 The shutters thumped the wall in the wind. 在风中百叶窗砰砰地碰在墙上。

29 gourmet
n.食物品尝家；adj.出于美食家之手的
参考例句：
What does a gourmet writer do? 美食评论家做什么？ A gourmet like him always eats in expensive restaurants.像他这样的美食家总是到豪华的餐馆用餐。

30 latching
n.闭塞；闭锁；关闭；闭塞装置v.理解( latch的现在分词 )；纠缠；用碰锁锁上（门等）；附着（在某物上）
参考例句：
They have a reputation for latching onto all the latest crazes. 大家都知道他们对所有的最新时尚都有兴趣。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Sometimes we should tolerate people's mistakes instead of latching on to them. 有的时候我们要能够容错，不要揪着对方的失误不放。 来自互联网

31 virtues
美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处
参考例句：
Doctors often extol the virtues of eating less fat. 医生常常宣扬少吃脂肪的好处。 She delivered a homily on the virtues of family life. 她进行了一场家庭生活美德方面的说教。

32 lather
n.(肥皂水的)泡沫，激动
参考例句：
Soap will not lather in sea-water.肥皂在海水里不起泡沫。 He always gets in a lather when he has an argument with his wife.当他与妻子发生争论时他总是很激动。

33 poking
n. 刺，戳，袋 vt. 拨开，刺，戳 vi. 戳，刺，捅，搜索，伸出，行动散慢
参考例句：
He was poking at the rubbish with his stick. 他正用手杖拨动垃圾。 He spent his weekends poking around dusty old bookshops. 他周末都泡在布满尘埃的旧书店里。

34 cocktails
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

35 belly
n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛
参考例句：
The boss has a large belly.老板大腹便便。 His eyes are bigger than his belly.他眼馋肚饱。

36 dice
n.骰子；vt.把（食物）切成小方块，冒险
参考例句：
They were playing dice.他们在玩掷骰子游戏。 A dice is a cube.骰子是立方体。

37 corrugated
adj.波纹的；缩成皱纹的；波纹面的；波纹状的v.（使某物）起皱褶(corrugate的过去式和过去分词)
参考例句：
a corrugated iron roof 波纹铁屋顶 His brow corrugated with the effort of thinking. 他皱着眉头用心地思考。 来自《简明英汉词典》

38 aluminum
n.(aluminium)铝
参考例句：
The aluminum sheets cannot be too much thicker than 0.04 inches.铝板厚度不能超过0.04英寸。 During the launch phase,it would ride in a protective aluminum shell.在发射阶段，它盛在一只保护的铝壳里。

39 rumbling
n. 隆隆声, 辘辘声 adj. 隆隆响的 动词rumble的现在分词
参考例句：
The earthquake began with a deep [low] rumbling sound. 地震开始时发出低沉的隆隆声。 The crane made rumbling sound. 吊车发出隆隆的响声。

40 unfamiliar
adj.陌生的，不熟悉的
参考例句：
I am unfamiliar with the place and the people here.我在这儿人地生疏。 The man seemed unfamiliar to me.这人很面生。

41 grooves
n.沟( groove的名词复数 )；槽；老一套；（某种）音乐节奏v.沟( groove的第三人称单数 )；槽；老一套；（某种）音乐节奏
参考例句：
Wheels leave grooves in a dirt road. 车轮在泥路上留下了凹痕。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Sliding doors move in grooves. 滑动门在槽沟中移动。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

42 braces
n.吊带，背带；托架( brace的名词复数 )；箍子；括弧；（儿童）牙箍v.支住( brace的第三人称单数 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来
参考例句：
The table is shaky because the braces are loose. 这张桌子摇摇晃晃，因为支架全松了。 You don't need braces if you're wearing a belt! 要系腰带，就用不着吊带了。

43 joints
接头( joint的名词复数 )； 关节； 公共场所（尤指价格低廉的饮食和娱乐场所） （非正式）； 一块烤肉 （英式英语）
参考例句：
Expansion joints of various kinds are fitted on gas mains. 各种各样的伸缩接头被安装在煤气的总管道上了。 Expansion joints of various kinds are fitted on steam pipes. 各种各样的伸缩接头被安装在蒸气管道上了。

44 liking
n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢
参考例句：
The word palate also means taste or liking.Palate这个词也有“口味”或“嗜好”的意思。 I must admit I have no liking for exaggeration.我必须承认我不喜欢夸大其词。

45 intensity
n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度
参考例句：
I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。 The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。

46 swirling
v.旋转，打旋( swirl的现在分词 )
参考例句：
Snowflakes were swirling in the air. 天空飘洒着雪花。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 She smiled, swirling the wine in her glass. 她微笑着，旋动着杯子里的葡萄酒。 来自辞典例句

47 construed
v.解释（陈述、行为等）( construe的过去式和过去分词 )；翻译，作句法分析
参考例句：
He considered how the remark was to be construed. 他考虑这话该如何理解。 They construed her silence as meaning that she agreed. 他们把她的沉默解释为表示赞同。 来自《简明英汉词典》

48 hips
abbr.high impact polystyrene 高冲击强度聚苯乙烯，耐冲性聚苯乙烯n.臀部( hip的名词复数 )；[建筑学]屋脊；臀围（尺寸）；臀部…的
参考例句：
She stood with her hands on her hips. 她双手叉腰站着。 They wiggled their hips to the sound of pop music. 他们随着流行音乐的声音摇晃着臀部。 来自《简明英汉词典》

49 makeup
n.组织；性格；化装品
参考例句：
Those who failed the exam take a makeup exam.这次考试不及格的人必须参加补考。 Do you think her beauty could makeup for her stupidity?你认为她的美丽能弥补她的愚蠢吗？

50 unleashed
v.把（感情、力量等）释放出来，发泄( unleash的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The government's proposals unleashed a storm of protest in the press. 政府的提案引发了新闻界的抗议浪潮。 The full force of his rage was unleashed against me. 他把所有的怒气都发泄在我身上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

51 streaking
n.裸奔（指在公共场所裸体飞跑）v.快速移动( streak的现在分词 )；使布满条纹
参考例句：
Their only thought was of the fiery harbingers of death streaking through the sky above them. 那个不断地在空中飞翔的死的恐怖把一切别的感觉都赶走了。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26） Streaking is one of the oldest tricks in the book. 裸奔是有书面记载的最古老的玩笑之一。 来自互联网

52 gusted
n. 突然一阵 n. 风味 vi. 猛吹
参考例句：
The wind gusted up to 45 miles an hour. 风力达每小时45英里。 As the strong winds gusted against the kites, a string kept them in check. 一阵强风刮向风筝，一根弦控制住了风筝。