A cold December wind was blowing, and Theresa Osborne crossed her arms as she stared out over the water. Earlier, when she'd arrived, there had been a few people walking along the shore, but they'd taken note of the clouds and were long since gone. Now she found herself alone on the beach, and she took in her surroundings. The ocean, reflecting the color of the sky, looked like liquid iron, and waves rolled up steadily¹ on the shore. Heavy clouds were descending² slowly, and the fog was beginning to thicken, making the horizon invisible. In another place, in another time, she would have felt the majesty³ of the beauty around her, but as she stood on the beach, she realized that she didn't feel anything at all. In a way, she felt as if she weren't really here, as if the whole thing was nothing but a dream.

She'd driven here this morning, though she scarcely remembered the trip at all. When she'd made the decision to come, she'd planned to stay overnight. She'd made the arrangements and had even looked forward to a quiet night away from Boston, but watching the ocean swirl⁴ and churn made her realize that she didn't want to stay. She would drive home as soon as she was finished, no matter how late it was.

When she was finally ready, Theresa slowly started to walk toward the water. Beneath her arm she carried a bag that she had carefully packed that morning, making sure that she hadn't forgotten anything. She hadn't told anyone what she carried with her, nor had she told them what she'd intended to do today. Instead she'd said that she was going Christmas shopping. It was the perfect excuse, and though she was sure that they would have understood had she told them the truth, this trip was something she didn't want to share with anyone. It had started with her alone, and that was the same way she wanted it to end.

Theresa sighed and checked her watch. Soon it would be high tide, and it was then that she would finally be ready. After finding a spot on a small dune⁵ that looked comfortable, she sat in the sand and opened her bag. Searching through it, she found the envelope she wanted. Taking a deep breath, she slowly lifted the seal.

In it were three letters, carefully folded, letters that she'd read more times than she could count. Holding them in front of her, she sat on the sand and stared at them..

点击收听单词发音  

1 steadily
adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地
参考例句：
The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。 Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

2 descending
n. 下行 adj. 下降的
参考例句：
The results are expressed in descending numerical order . 结果按数字降序列出。 The climbers stopped to orient themselves before descending the mountain. 登山者先停下来确定所在的位置，然后再下山。

3 majesty
n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权
参考例句：
The king had unspeakable majesty.国王有无法形容的威严。 Your Majesty must make up your mind quickly!尊贵的陛下，您必须赶快做出决定！

4 swirl
v.(使)打漩，(使)涡卷；n.漩涡，螺旋形
参考例句：
The car raced roughly along in a swirl of pink dust.汽车在一股粉红色尘土的漩涡中颠簸着快速前进。 You could lie up there,watching the flakes swirl past.你可以躺在那儿，看着雪花飘飘。

5 dune
n.(由风吹积而成的)沙丘
参考例句：
The sand massed to form a dune.沙积集起来成了沙丘。 Cute Jim sat on the dune eating a prune in June.可爱的吉姆在六月天坐在沙丘上吃着话梅。

6 stationery
n.文具；(配套的)信笺信封
参考例句：
She works in the stationery department of a big store.她在一家大商店的文具部工作。 There was something very comfortable in having plenty of stationery.文具一多，心里自会觉得踏实。

7 cape
n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风
参考例句：
I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。 She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

8 cod
n.鳕鱼；v.愚弄；哄骗
参考例句：
They salt down cod for winter use.他们腌鳕鱼留着冬天吃。 Cod are found in the North Atlantic and the North Sea.北大西洋和北海有鳕鱼。

9 meditation
n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录
参考例句：
This peaceful garden lends itself to meditation.这个恬静的花园适于冥想。 I'm sorry to interrupt your meditation.很抱歉，我打断了你的沉思。

10 cramps
n. 抽筋, 腹部绞痛, 铁箍 adj. 狭窄的, 难解的 v. 使...抽筋, 以铁箍扣紧, 束缚
参考例句：
If he cramps again let the line cut him off. 要是它再抽筋，就让这钓索把它勒断吧。 "I have no cramps." he said. “我没抽筋，"他说。

11 raved
v.胡言乱语( rave的过去式和过去分词 )；愤怒地说；咆哮；痴心地说
参考例句：
Andrew raved all night in his fever. 安德鲁发烧时整夜地说胡话。 来自《简明英汉词典》 They raved about her beauty. 他们过分称赞她的美。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

12 jealousy
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。

13 victorious
adj.胜利的，得胜的
参考例句：
We are certain to be victorious.我们定会胜利。 The victorious army returned in triumph.获胜的部队凯旋而归。

14 columnist
n.专栏作家
参考例句：
The host was interviewing a local columnist.节目主持人正在同一位当地的专栏作家交谈。 She's a columnist for USA Today.她是《今日美国报》的专栏作家。

15 columnists
n.专栏作家( columnist的名词复数 )
参考例句：
This story will be more fodder for the gossip columnists. 这个传闻会是闲谈专栏作家的又一素材。 The columnists coined the phrase \"to broderick\", meaning to rough up. 专栏作家们杜撰出一个新词“布罗德里克”意思是“动武”、“打架”。 来自辞典例句

16 vying
adj.竞争的；比赛的
参考例句：
California is vying with other states to capture a piece of the growing communications market.为了在日渐扩大的通讯市场分得一杯羹，加利福尼亚正在和其他州展开竞争。 Four rescue plans are vying to save the zoo.4个拯救动物园的方案正争得不可开交。

17 perspiration
n.汗水；出汗
参考例句：
It is so hot that my clothes are wet with perspiration.天太热了，我的衣服被汗水湿透了。 The perspiration was running down my back.汗从我背上淌下来。

18 exhaled
v.呼出，发散出( exhale的过去式和过去分词 )；吐出（肺中的空气、烟等），呼气
参考例句：
He sat back and exhaled deeply. 他仰坐着深深地呼气。 He stamped his feet and exhaled a long, white breath. 跺了跺脚，他吐了口长气，很长很白。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子

19 murky
adj.黑暗的，朦胧的；adv.阴暗地，混浊地；n.阴暗；昏暗
参考例句：
She threw it into the river's murky depths.她把它扔进了混浊的河水深处。 She had a decidedly murky past.她的历史背景令人捉摸不透。

20 enticing
adj.迷人的；诱人的
参考例句：
The offer was too enticing to refuse. 这提议太有诱惑力，使人难以拒绝。 Her neck was short but rounded and her arms plump and enticing. 她的脖子短，但浑圆可爱；两臂丰腴，也很动人。

21 refreshing
adj.使精神振作的，使人清爽的，使人喜欢的
参考例句：
I find it'so refreshing to work with young people in this department.我发现和这一部门的青年一起工作令人精神振奋。 The water was cold and wonderfully refreshing.水很涼，特别解乏提神。

22 wading
（从水、泥等）蹚，走过，跋( wade的现在分词 )
参考例句：
The man tucked up his trousers for wading. 那人卷起裤子，准备涉水。 The children were wading in the sea. 孩子们在海水中走着。

23 forth
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。

24 liberating
解放，释放( liberate的现在分词 )
参考例句：
Revolution means liberating the productive forces. 革命就是为了解放生产力。 They had already taken on their shoulders the burden of reforming society and liberating mankind. 甚至在这些集会聚谈中，他们就已经夸大地把改革社会、解放人群的责任放在自己的肩头了。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）

25 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。

26 hustle
v.推搡；竭力兜售或获取；催促；n.奔忙(碌)
参考例句：
It seems that he enjoys the hustle and bustle of life in the big city.看起来他似乎很喜欢大城市的热闹繁忙的生活。 I had to hustle through the crowded street.我不得不挤过拥挤的街道。

27 bustle
v.喧扰地忙乱，匆忙，奔忙；n.忙碌；喧闹
参考例句：
The bustle and din gradually faded to silence as night advanced.随着夜越来越深，喧闹声逐渐沉寂。 There is a lot of hustle and bustle in the railway station.火车站里非常拥挤。

28 mimicked
v.（尤指为了逗乐而）模仿( mimic的过去式和过去分词 )；酷似
参考例句：
He mimicked her upper-class accent. 他模仿她那上流社会的腔调。 来自辞典例句 The boy mimicked his father's voice and set everyone off laughing. 男孩模仿他父亲的嗓音，使大家都大笑起来。 来自辞典例句

29 breach
n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破
参考例句：
We won't have any breach of discipline.我们不允许任何破坏纪律的现象。 He was sued for breach of contract.他因不履行合同而被起诉。

30 counselor
n.顾问，法律顾问
参考例句：
The counselor gave us some disinterested advice.顾问给了我们一些无私的忠告。 Chinese commercial counselor's office in foreign countries.中国驻国外商务参赞处。

31 pastor
n.牧师，牧人
参考例句：
He was the son of a poor pastor.他是一个穷牧师的儿子。 We have no pastor at present:the church is run by five deacons.我们目前没有牧师：教会的事是由五位执事管理的。

32 flecks
n.斑点，小点( fleck的名词复数 )；癍
参考例句：
His hair was dark, with flecks of grey. 他的黑发间有缕缕银丝。 I got a few flecks of paint on the window when I was painting the frames. 我在漆窗框时，在窗户上洒了几点油漆。 来自《简明英汉词典》

33 catching
adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住
参考例句：
There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。 Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

34 vaguely
adv.含糊地，暖昧地
参考例句：
He had talked vaguely of going to work abroad.他含糊其词地说了到国外工作的事。 He looked vaguely before him with unseeing eyes.他迷迷糊糊的望着前面，对一切都视而不见。

35 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。

36 craved
渴望，热望( crave的过去式 )； 恳求，请求
参考例句：
She has always craved excitement. 她总渴望刺激。 A spicy, sharp-tasting radish was exactly what her stomach craved. 她正馋着想吃一个香甜可口的红萝卜呢。

37 underlying
adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的
参考例句：
The underlying theme of the novel is very serious.小说隐含的主题是十分严肃的。 This word has its underlying meaning.这个单词有它潜在的含义。

38 differentiating
[计] 微分的
参考例句：
They succeed in differentiating the most commodity-like products. 在最通用的日用产品方面，它们也能独树一帜标新立异。 The simplest and most effective method of differentiating areas is to use different colours. 区别面状要素最简单而又行之有效的办法，是使用不同的颜色。

39 subsided
v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上
参考例句：
After the heavy rains part of the road subsided. 大雨过后，部分公路塌陷了。 来自《简明英汉词典》 By evening the storm had subsided and all was quiet again. 傍晚， 暴风雨已经过去，四周开始沉寂下来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

40 lash
v.系牢；鞭打；猛烈抨击；n.鞭打；眼睫毛
参考例句：
He received a lash of her hand on his cheek.他突然被她打了一记耳光。 With a lash of its tail the tiger leaped at her.老虎把尾巴一甩朝她扑过来。

41 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。

42 pinpoint
vt.准确地确定；用针标出…的精确位置
参考例句：
It is difficult to pinpoint when water problems of the modern age began.很难准确地指出，现代用水的问题是什么时候出现的。 I could pinpoint his precise location on a map.我能在地图上指明他的准确位置。

43 brewing
n. 酿造, 一次酿造的量 动词brew的现在分词形式
参考例句：
It was obvious that a big storm was brewing up. 很显然，一场暴风雨正在酝酿中。 She set about brewing some herb tea. 她动手泡一些药茶。

44 intimacy
n.熟悉，亲密，密切关系，亲昵的言行
参考例句：
His claims to an intimacy with the President are somewhat exaggerated.他声称自己与总统关系密切，这有点言过其实。 I wish there were a rule book for intimacy.我希望能有个关于亲密的规则。

45 by-product
n.副产品，附带产生的结果
参考例句：
Freedom is the by-product of economic surplus.自由是经济盈余的副产品。 The raw material for the tyre is a by-product of petrol refining.制造轮胎的原材料是提炼汽油时产生的一种副产品。

46 scent
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。

47 curtly
adv.简短地
参考例句：
He nodded curtly and walked away. 他匆忙点了一下头就走了。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The request was curtly refused. 这个请求被毫不客气地拒绝了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

48 flickering
adj.闪烁的，摇曳的，一闪一闪的
参考例句：
The crisp autumn wind is flickering away. 清爽的秋风正在吹拂。 The lights keep flickering. 灯光忽明忽暗。

49 vibrant
adj.震颤的，响亮的，充满活力的，精力充沛的，(色彩)鲜明的
参考例句：
He always uses vibrant colours in his paintings. 他在画中总是使用鲜明的色彩。 She gave a vibrant performance in the leading role in the school play.她在学校表演中生气盎然地扮演了主角。

50 stiffened
加强的
参考例句：
He leaned towards her and she stiffened at this invasion of her personal space. 他向她俯过身去，这种侵犯她个人空间的举动让她绷紧了身子。 She stiffened with fear. 她吓呆了。

51 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。

52 cork
n.软木，软木塞
参考例句：
We heard the pop of a cork.我们听见瓶塞砰的一声打开。 Cork is a very buoyant material.软木是极易浮起的材料。

53 corked
adj.带木塞气味的，塞着瓶塞的v.用瓶塞塞住( cork的过去式 )
参考例句：
Our army completely surrounded and corked up the enemy stronghold. 我军把敌人的堡垒完全包围并封锁起来。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He kept his emotions corked up inside him. 他把感情深藏于内心。 来自《简明英汉词典》

54 yarn
n.纱，纱线，纺线；奇闻漫谈，旅行轶事
参考例句：
I stopped to have a yarn with him.我停下来跟他聊天。 The basic structural unit of yarn is the fiber.纤维是纱的基本结构单元。

55 racing
n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的
参考例句：
I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。 The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。

56 afterward
adv.后来；以后
参考例句：
Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏，然后吃饭。 Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来，这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。

57 tightening
上紧，固定，紧密
参考例句：
Make sure the washer is firmly seated before tightening the pipe. 旋紧水管之前，检查一下洗衣机是否已牢牢地固定在底座上了。 It needs tightening up a little. 它还需要再收紧些。

58 leverage
n.力量，影响；杠杆作用，杠杆的力量
参考例句：
We'll have to use leverage to move this huge rock.我们不得不借助杠杆之力来移动这块巨石。 He failed in the project because he could gain no leverage. 因为他没有影响力，他的计划失败了。

59 untied
松开，解开( untie的过去式和过去分词 )； 解除，使自由； 解决
参考例句：
Once untied, we common people are able to conquer nature, too. 只要团结起来，我们老百姓也能移山倒海。 He untied the ropes. 他解开了绳子。

60 silhouette
n.黑色半身侧面影，影子，轮廓；v.描绘成侧面影，照出影子来，仅仅显出轮廓
参考例句：
I could see its black silhouette against the evening sky.我能看到夜幕下它黑色的轮廓。 I could see the silhouette of the woman in the pickup.我可以见到小卡车的女人黑色半身侧面影。

61 aged
adj.年老的，陈年的
参考例句：
He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。 He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。

62 scrutinized
v.仔细检查，详审( scrutinize的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The jeweler scrutinized the diamond for flaws. 宝石商人仔细察看钻石有无瑕庇 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 Together we scrutinized the twelve lemon cakes from the delicatessen shop. 我们一起把甜食店里买来的十二块柠檬蛋糕细细打量了一番。 来自英汉文学 - 盖茨比

63 pier
n.码头；桥墩，桥柱；[建]窗间壁，支柱
参考例句：
The pier of the bridge has been so badly damaged that experts worry it is unable to bear weight.这座桥的桥桩破损厉害，专家担心它已不能负重。 The ship was making towards the pier.船正驶向码头。

64 tilt
v.(使)倾侧；(使)倾斜；n.倾侧；倾斜
参考例句：
She wore her hat at a tilt over her left eye.她歪戴着帽子遮住左眼。 The table is at a slight tilt.这张桌子没放平，有点儿歪.

65 enveloping
v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的现在分词 )
参考例句：
Always the eyes watching you and the voice enveloping you. 那眼睛总是死死盯着你，那声音总是紧紧围着你。 来自英汉文学 The only barrier was a mosquito net, enveloping the entire bed. 唯一的障碍是那顶蚊帐罩住整个床。 来自辞典例句