He awoke next morning from rosy¹ scenes of dream to a steamy atmosphere that smelled of soapsuds and dirty clothes, and that was vibrant² with the jar and jangle of tormented³ life. As he came out of his room he heard the slosh of water, a sharp exclamation⁴, and a resounding⁵ smack⁶ as his sister visited her irritation⁷ upon one of her numerous progeny⁸. The squall of the child went through him like a knife. He was aware that the whole thing, the very air he breathed, was repulsive⁹ and mean. How different, he thought, from the atmosphere of beauty and repose¹⁰ of the house wherein Ruth dwelt. There it was all spiritual. Here it was all material, and meanly material.

"Come here, Alfred," he called to the crying child, at the same time thrusting his hand into his trousers pocket, where he carried his money loose in the same large way that he lived life in general. He put a quarter in the youngster's hand and held him in his arms a moment, soothing¹¹ his sobs¹². "Now run along and get some candy, and don't forget to give some to your brothers and sisters. Be sure and get the kind that lasts longest."

His sister lifted a flushed face from the wash-tub and looked at him.

"A nickel'd ha' ben enough," she said. "It's just like you, no idea of the value of money. The child'll eat himself sick."

点击收听单词发音  

1 rosy
adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的
参考例句：
She got a new job and her life looks rosy.她找到一份新工作，生活看上去很美好。 She always takes a rosy view of life.她总是对生活持乐观态度。

2 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。

3 tormented
饱受折磨的
参考例句：
The knowledge of his guilt tormented him. 知道了自己的罪责使他非常痛苦。 He had lain awake all night, tormented by jealousy. 他彻夜未眠，深受嫉妒的折磨。

4 exclamation
n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词
参考例句：
He could not restrain an exclamation of approval.他禁不住喝一声采。 The author used three exclamation marks at the end of the last sentence to wake up the readers.作者在文章的最后一句连用了三个惊叹号，以引起读者的注意。

5 resounding
adj. 响亮的
参考例句：
The astronaut was welcomed with joyous,resounding acclaim. 人们欢声雷动地迎接那位宇航员。 He hit the water with a resounding slap. 他啪的一声拍了一下水。

6 smack
vt.拍，打，掴；咂嘴；vi.含有…意味；n.拍
参考例句：
She gave him a smack on the face.她打了他一个嘴巴。 I gave the fly a smack with the magazine.我用杂志拍了一下苍蝇。

7 irritation
n.激怒，恼怒，生气
参考例句：
He could not hide his irritation that he had not been invited.他无法掩饰因未被邀请而生的气恼。 Barbicane said nothing,but his silence covered serious irritation.巴比康什么也不说，但是他的沉默里潜伏着阴郁的怒火。

8 progeny
n.后代，子孙；结果
参考例句：
His numerous progeny are scattered all over the country.他为数众多的后代散布在全国各地。 He was surrounded by his numerous progeny.众多的子孙簇拥着他。

9 repulsive
adj.排斥的，使人反感的
参考例句：
She found the idea deeply repulsive.她发现这个想法很恶心。 The repulsive force within the nucleus is enormous.核子内部的斥力是巨大的。

10 repose
v.(使)休息；n.安息
参考例句：
Don't disturb her repose.不要打扰她休息。 Her mouth seemed always to be smiling,even in repose.她的嘴角似乎总是挂着微笑，即使在睡眠时也是这样。

11 soothing
adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的
参考例句：
Put on some nice soothing music.播放一些柔和舒缓的音乐。 His casual, relaxed manner was very soothing.他随意而放松的举动让人很快便平静下来。

12 sobs
啜泣（声），呜咽（声）( sob的名词复数 )
参考例句：
She was struggling to suppress her sobs. 她拼命不让自己哭出来。 She burst into a convulsive sobs. 她突然抽泣起来。

13 jovially
adv.愉快地，高兴地
参考例句：
"Hello, Wilson, old man,'said Tom, slapping him jovially on the shoulder. "How's business?" “哈罗，威尔逊，你这家伙，”汤姆说，一面嘻嘻哈哈地拍拍他的肩膀，“生意怎么样？” 来自英汉文学 - 盖茨比 Hall greeted him jovially enough, but Gorman and Walson scowled as they grunted curt "Good Mornings." 霍尔兴致十足地向他打招呼，戈曼和沃森却满脸不豫之色，敷衍地咕哝句“早安”。 来自辞典例句

14 nagging
adj.唠叨的，挑剔的；使人不得安宁的v.不断地挑剔或批评（某人）( nag的现在分词 )；不断地烦扰或伤害（某人）；无休止地抱怨；不断指责
参考例句：
Stop nagging—I'll do it as soon as I can. 别唠叨了—我会尽快做的。 I've got a nagging pain in my lower back. 我后背下方老是疼。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 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。

16 greasy
adj. 多脂的，油脂的
参考例句：
He bought a heavy-duty cleanser to clean his greasy oven.昨天他买了强力清洁剂来清洗油污的炉子。 You loathe the smell of greasy food when you are seasick.当你晕船时，你会厌恶油腻的气味。

17 dimes
n.（美国、加拿大的）10分铸币( dime的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Pennies, nickles, dimes and quarters are United States coins. 1分铜币、5分镍币、1角银币和2角5分银币是美国硬币。 来自《简明英汉词典》 In 1965 the mint stopped putting silver in dimes. 1965年，铸币厂停止向10分硬币中加入银的成分。 来自辞典例句

18 forefinger
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。

19 chronic
adj.(疾病)长期未愈的，慢性的；极坏的
参考例句：
Famine differs from chronic malnutrition.饥荒不同于慢性营养不良。 Chronic poisoning may lead to death from inanition.慢性中毒也可能由虚弱导致死亡。

20 wagon
n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车
参考例句：
We have to fork the hay into the wagon.我们得把干草用叉子挑进马车里去。 The muddy road bemired the wagon.马车陷入了泥泞的道路。

21 brute
n.野兽，兽性
参考例句：
The aggressor troops are not many degrees removed from the brute.侵略军简直象一群野兽。 That dog is a dangerous brute.It bites people.那条狗是危险的畜牲，它咬人。

22 vigor
n.活力，精力，元气
参考例句：
The choir sang the words out with great vigor.合唱团以极大的热情唱出了歌词。 She didn't want to be reminded of her beauty or her former vigor.现在，她不愿人们提起她昔日的美丽和以前的精力充沛。

23 vividly
adv.清楚地，鲜明地，生动地
参考例句：
The speaker pictured the suffering of the poor vividly.演讲者很生动地描述了穷人的生活。 The characters in the book are vividly presented.这本书里的人物写得栩栩如生。

24 rift
n.裂口，隙缝，切口；v.裂开，割开，渗入
参考例句：
He was anxious to mend the rift between the two men.他急于弥合这两个人之间的裂痕。 The sun appeared through a rift in the clouds.太阳从云层间隙中冒出来。

25 apprentice
n.学徒，徒弟
参考例句：
My son is an apprentice in a furniture maker's workshop.我的儿子在一家家具厂做学徒。 The apprentice is not yet out of his time.这徒工还没有出徒。

26 temperament
n.气质，性格，性情
参考例句：
The analysis of what kind of temperament you possess is vital.分析一下你有什么样的气质是十分重要的。 Success often depends on temperament.成功常常取决于一个人的性格。

27 giggle
n.痴笑，咯咯地笑；v.咯咯地笑着说
参考例句：
Both girls began to giggle.两个女孩都咯咯地笑了起来。 All that giggle and whisper is too much for me.我受不了那些咯咯的笑声和交头接耳的样子。

28 heed
v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心
参考例句：
You must take heed of what he has told.你要注意他所告诉的事。 For the first time he had to pay heed to his appearance.这是他第一次非得注意自己的外表不可了。

29 wry
adj.讽刺的；扭曲的
参考例句：
He made a wry face and attempted to wash the taste away with coffee.他做了个鬼脸，打算用咖啡把那怪味地冲下去。 Bethune released Tung's horse and made a wry mouth.白求恩放开了董的马，噘了噘嘴。

30 queried
v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 )；询问
参考例句：
She queried what he said. 她对他说的话表示怀疑。 来自《简明英汉词典》 \"What does he have to do?\" queried Chin dubiously. “他有什么心事？”琴向觉民问道，她的脸上现出疑惑不解的神情。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）

31 suffocating
a.使人窒息的
参考例句：
After a few weeks with her parents, she felt she was suffocating.和父母呆了几个星期后，她感到自己毫无自由。 That's better. I was suffocating in that cell of a room.这样好些了，我刚才在那个小房间里快闷死了。

32 chatter
vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战
参考例句：
Her continuous chatter vexes me.她的喋喋不休使我烦透了。 I've had enough of their continual chatter.我已厌烦了他们喋喋不休的闲谈。

33 frantic
adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的
参考例句：
I've had a frantic rush to get my work done.我急急忙忙地赶完工作。 He made frantic dash for the departing train.他发疯似地冲向正开出的火车。

34 chattered
（人）喋喋不休( chatter的过去式 )； 唠叨； （牙齿）打战； （机器）震颤
参考例句：
They chattered away happily for a while. 他们高兴地闲扯了一会儿。 We chattered like two teenagers. 我们聊着天，像两个十多岁的孩子。

35 herding
中畜群
参考例句：
The little boy is herding the cattle. 这个小男孩在放牛。 They have been herding cattle on the tableland for generations. 他们世世代代在这高原上放牧。

36 worthy
adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的
参考例句：
I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。 There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned.没有值得一提的事发生。

37 appalled
v.使惊骇，使充满恐惧( appall的过去式和过去分词)adj.惊骇的；丧胆的
参考例句：
The brutality of the crime has appalled the public. 罪行之残暴使公众大为震惊。 They were appalled by the reports of the nuclear war. 他们被核战争的报道吓坏了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

38 incubus
n.负担；恶梦
参考例句：
Joyce regarded his US citizenship as a moral and political incubus.乔伊斯把他的美国公民身份当做是一个道德和政治上的负担。Like the sumerian wind demon and its later babylonian counterpart,Lilith was regarded as a succubus,or female version of the incubus.像风妖苏美尔和后来的巴比伦妖怪，莉莉丝被视为一个女妖，或女版梦魇。

39 longings
渴望，盼望( longing的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Ah, those foolish days of noble longings and of noble strivings! 啊，那些充满高贵憧憬和高尚奋斗的傻乎乎的时光！ I paint you and fashion you ever with my love longings. 我永远用爱恋的渴想来描画你。

40 tantalized
v.逗弄，引诱，折磨( tantalize的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The delicious smell tantalized us. 香味逗引我们。 来自辞典例句 It tantalized him that she should have such a loathing for him. 她竟会这么厌恶他，这倒使他心里直纳闷。 来自辞典例句

41 alcove
n.凹室
参考例句：
The bookcase fits neatly into the alcove.书架正好放得进壁凹。 In the alcoves on either side of the fire were bookshelves.火炉两边的凹室里是书架。

42 bulging
膨胀； 凸出（部）； 打气； 折皱
参考例句：
Her pockets were bulging with presents. 她的口袋里装满了礼物。 Conscious of the bulging red folder, Nim told her,"Ask if it's important." 尼姆想到那个鼓鼓囊囊的红色文件夹便告诉她：“问问是不是重要的事。”

43 humbled
adj. 卑下的，谦逊的，粗陋的 vt. 使 ... 卑下，贬低
参考例句：
The examination results humbled him. 考试成绩挫了他的傲气。 I am sure millions of viewers were humbled by this story. 我相信数百万观众看了这个故事后都会感到自己的渺小。

44 stimulated
a.刺激的
参考例句：
The exhibition has stimulated interest in her work. 展览增进了人们对她作品的兴趣。 The award has stimulated her into working still harder. 奖金促使她更加努力地工作。

45 passionately
ad.热烈地，激烈地
参考例句：
She could hate as passionately as she could love. 她能恨得咬牙切齿，也能爱得一往情深。 He was passionately addicted to pop music. 他酷爱流行音乐。

46 elation
n.兴高采烈，洋洋得意
参考例句：
She showed her elation at having finally achieved her ambition.最终实现了抱负，她显得十分高兴。 His supporters have reacted to the news with elation.他的支持者听到那条消息后兴高采烈。

47 epitome
n.典型，梗概
参考例句：
He is the epitome of goodness.他是善良的典范。 This handbook is a neat epitome of everyday hygiene.这本手册概括了日常卫生的要点。

48 reverently
adv.虔诚地
参考例句：
He gazed reverently at the handiwork. 他满怀敬意地凝视着这件手工艺品。 Pork gazed at it reverently and slowly delight spread over his face. 波克怀着愉快的心情看着这只表，脸上慢慢显出十分崇敬的神色。

49 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。

50 etiquette
n.礼仪，礼节；规矩
参考例句：
The rules of etiquette are not so strict nowadays.如今的礼仪规则已不那么严格了。 According to etiquette,you should stand up to meet a guest.按照礼节你应该站起来接待客人。

51 vexed
adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论
参考例句：
The conference spent days discussing the vexed question of border controls. 会议花了几天的时间讨论边境关卡这个难题。 He was vexed at his failure. 他因失败而懊恼。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

52 edifice
n.宏伟的建筑物(如宫殿，教室)
参考例句：
The American consulate was a magnificent edifice in the centre of Bordeaux.美国领事馆是位于波尔多市中心的一座宏伟的大厦。 There is a huge Victorian edifice in the area.该地区有一幢维多利亚式的庞大建筑物。

53 mazes
迷宫( maze的名词复数 )； 纷繁复杂的规则； 复杂难懂的细节； 迷宫图
参考例句：
The mazes of the dance were ecstatic. 跳舞那种错综曲折，叫人快乐得如登九天。 For two hours did this singlehearted and simpleminded girl toil through the mazes of the forest. 这位心地单纯的傻姑娘在林间曲径中艰难地走了两个来小时。

54 gracefully
ad.大大方方地；优美地
参考例句：
She sank gracefully down onto a cushion at his feet. 她优雅地坐到他脚旁的垫子上。 The new coats blouse gracefully above the hip line. 新外套在臀围线上优美地打着褶皱。