我在范诺登身后跪下，更加留神地检验这部机器。姑娘把脑袋偏向一侧，绝望地瞧了我一眼说，“没有用，不行了。”听到这话，范诺登又鼓足劲儿干起来，活像一头老公羊。他就是这么一个固执的怪物，宁肯折断了犄角也不肯停祝现在我又在他屁股上搔痒，更使他恼羞成怒。

I get down on my knees behind Van Norden and I examine the machine more attentively¹. The girl throws her head on one side and gives me a despairing look. "It's no use," she says. "It's impossible." Upon which Van Norden sets to work with renewed energy, just like an old billy goat. He's such an obstinate² cuss that he'll break his horns rather than give up. And he's getting sore now because I'm tickling³ him in the rump.

　　“看在上帝份上，乔，住手吧！你会弄死这个可怜的姑娘的。”

"For God's sake, Joe, give it up! You'll kill the poor girl."

　　“别打搅我，”他咕噜道。“刚才我差点儿……就插进去了。”

"Leave me alone," he grunts⁴. "I almost got it in that time."

　　他这会儿的姿势和说话时那种武断的态度又一次突然叫我回忆起了从前做过的那场梦，只是这一回他走路时大大咧咧夹在腋下的那根扫帚把永远不见了。如今发生的事情是那场梦的继续- 还是同一个范诺登，不过没有了那个原始动力。他像打完仗归来的英雄，一个可怜的残废人，在梦幻中的现实里生活。无论在哪儿他往下一坐椅子便散了；无论他走进哪一扇门那个房间都是空的；无论他吃什么嘴里都留下一股不好的味道。

The posture⁵ and the determined⁶ way in which he blurts⁷ this out suddenly bring to my mind, for the second time, the remembrance of my dream. Only now it seems as though that broomstick, which he had so nonchalantly

点击收听单词发音  

1 attentively
adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神
参考例句：
She listened attentively while I poured out my problems. 我倾吐心中的烦恼时，她一直在注意听。 来自《简明英汉词典》 She listened attentively and set down every word he said. 她专心听着，把他说的话一字不漏地记下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 obstinate
adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的
参考例句：
She's too obstinate to let anyone help her.她太倔强了，不会让任何人帮她的。 The trader was obstinate in the negotiation.这个商人在谈判中拗强固执。

3 tickling
反馈，回授，自旋挠痒法
参考例句：
Was It'spring tickling her senses? 是不是春意撩人呢？ Its origin is in tickling and rough-and-tumble play, he says. 他说，笑的起源来自于挠痒痒以及杂乱无章的游戏。

4 grunts
（猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的第三人称单数 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说； 石鲈
参考例句：
With grunts of anguish Ogilvie eased his bulk to a sitting position. 奥格尔维苦恼地哼着，伸个懒腰坐了起来。 Linda fired twice A trio of Grunts assembling one mortar fell. 琳达击发两次。三个正在组装迫击炮的咕噜人倒下了。

5 posture
n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势
参考例句：
The government adopted an uncompromising posture on the issue of independence.政府在独立这一问题上采取了毫不妥协的态度。 He tore off his coat and assumed a fighting posture.他脱掉上衣，摆出一副打架的架势。

6 determined
adj.坚定的；有决心的
参考例句：
I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。 He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

7 blurts
v.突然说出，脱口而出( blurt的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
He blurts out all he hears. 他漏嘴说出了他听到的一切。 来自辞典例句 If a user blurts out an interesting idea, ask "What problem would that solve for you?" 如果用户不假思索地冒出一个有趣的想法，则询问他：“这可以解决哪些问题？” 来自互联网

8 slung
抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往
参考例句：
He slung the bag over his shoulder. 他把包一甩，挎在肩上。 He stood up and slung his gun over his shoulder. 他站起来把枪往肩上一背。

9 primal
adj.原始的；最重要的
参考例句：
Jealousy is a primal emotion.嫉妒是最原始的情感。 Money was a primal necessity to them.对于他们，钱是主要的需要。

10 bastard
n.坏蛋，混蛋；私生子
参考例句：
He was never concerned about being born a bastard.他从不介意自己是私生子。 There was supposed to be no way to get at the bastard.据说没有办法买通那个混蛋。

11 collapses
折叠( collapse的第三人称单数 )； 倒塌； 崩溃； （尤指工作劳累后）坐下
参考例句：
This bridge table collapses. 这张桥牌桌子能折叠。 Once Russia collapses, the last chance to stop Hitler will be gone. 一旦俄国垮台，抑止希特勒的最后机会就没有了。

12 catastrophes
n.灾祸( catastrophe的名词复数 )；灾难；不幸事件；困难
参考例句：
Two of history's worst natural catastrophes occurred in 1970. 1970年发生了历史上最严重两次自然灾害。 来自辞典例句 The Swiss deposits contain evidence of such catastrophes. 瑞士的遗址里还有这种灾难的证据。 来自辞典例句

13 eternity
n.不朽，来世；永恒，无穷
参考例句：
The dull play seemed to last an eternity.这场乏味的剧似乎演个没完没了。 Finally,Ying Tai and Shan Bo could be together for all of eternity.英台和山伯终能双宿双飞，永世相随。

14 trenches
深沟，地沟( trench的名词复数 )； 战壕
参考例句：
life in the trenches 第一次世界大战期间的战壕生活 The troops stormed the enemy's trenches and fanned out across the fields. 部队猛攻敌人的战壕，并在田野上呈扇形散开。

15 ass
n.驴；傻瓜，蠢笨的人
参考例句：
He is not an ass as they make him.他不象大家猜想的那样笨。 An ass endures his burden but not more than his burden.驴能负重但不能超过它能力所负担的。

16 intervention
n.介入，干涉，干预
参考例句：
The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。 Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

17 wrenched
v.（猛力地）扭( wrench的过去式和过去分词 )；扭伤；使感到痛苦；使悲痛
参考例句：
The bag was wrenched from her grasp. 那只包从她紧握的手里被夺了出来。 He wrenched the book from her hands. 他从她的手中把书拧抢了过来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 mesh
n.网孔，网丝，陷阱；vt.以网捕捉，啮合，匹配；vi.适合； [计算机]网络
参考例句：
Their characters just don't mesh.他们的性格就是合不来。 This is the net having half inch mesh.这是有半英寸网眼的网。

19 shaft
n.(工具的)柄，杆状物
参考例句：
He was wounded by a shaft.他被箭击中受伤。 This is the shaft of a steam engine.这是一个蒸汽机主轴。

20 tout
v.推销，招徕；兜售；吹捧，劝诱
参考例句：
They say it will let them tout progress in the war.他们称这将有助于鼓吹他们在战争中的成果。 If your case studies just tout results,don't bother requiring registration to view them.如果你的案例研究只是吹捧结果，就别烦扰别人来注册访问了。

21 asylum
n.避难所，庇护所，避难
参考例句：
The people ask for political asylum.人们请求政治避难。 Having sought asylum in the West for many years,they were eventually granted it.他们最终获得了在西方寻求多年的避难权。

22 punctuate
vt.加标点于；不时打断
参考例句：
The pupils have not yet learned to punctuate correctly.小学生尚未学会正确使用标点符号。 Be sure to punctuate your sentences with the correct marks in the right places.一定要在你文章句子中的正确地方标上正确的标点符号。

23 calamities
n.灾祸，灾难( calamity的名词复数 )；不幸之事
参考例句：
They will only triumph by persevering in their struggle against natural calamities. 他们只有坚持与自然灾害搏斗，才能取得胜利。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 One moment's false security can bring a century of calamities. 图一时之苟安，贻百年之大患。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

24 misery
n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦
参考例句：
Business depression usually causes misery among the working class.商业不景气常使工薪阶层受苦。 He has rescued me from the mire of misery.他把我从苦海里救了出来。

25 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。

26 quacks
abbr.quacksalvers 庸医，骗子(16世纪习惯用水银或汞治疗梅毒的人)n.江湖医生( quack的名词复数 )；江湖郎中；（鸭子的）呱呱声v.（鸭子）发出嘎嘎声( quack的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
I went everywhere for treatment, tried all sorts of quacks. 我四处求医，看过了各种各样的江湖郎中。 来自辞典例句 Hard-working medical men may come to be almost as mischievous as quacks. 辛勤工作的医生可能变成江湖郎中那样的骗子。 来自辞典例句

27 calamity
n.灾害，祸患，不幸事件
参考例句：
Even a greater natural calamity cannot daunt us. 再大的自然灾害也压不垮我们。 The attack on Pearl Harbor was a crushing calamity.偷袭珍珠港(对美军来说)是一场毁灭性的灾难。

28 barometer
n.气压表，睛雨表，反应指标
参考例句：
The barometer marked a continuing fall in atmospheric pressure.气压表表明气压在继续下降。 The arrow on the barometer was pointing to"stormy".气压计上的箭头指向“有暴风雨”。

29 props
小道具； 支柱( prop的名词复数 )； 支持者； 道具； （橄榄球中的）支柱前锋
参考例句：
Rescuers used props to stop the roof of the tunnel collapsing. 救援人员用支柱防止隧道顶塌陷。 The government props up the prices of farm products to support farmers' incomes. 政府保持农产品价格不变以保障农民们的收入。

30 miasma
n.毒气；不良气氛
参考例句：
A miasma rose from the marsh.沼泽地里冒出了瘴气。 The novel spun a miasma of death and decay.小说笼罩着死亡和腐朽的气氛。

31 stagnant
adj.不流动的，停滞的，不景气的
参考例句：
Due to low investment,industrial output has remained stagnant.由于投资少，工业生产一直停滞不前。 Their national economy is stagnant.他们的国家经济停滞不前。

32 therapeutic
adj.治疗的，起治疗作用的；对身心健康有益的
参考例句：
Therapeutic measures were selected to fit the patient.选择治疗措施以适应病人的需要。 When I was sad,music had a therapeutic effect.我悲伤的时候，音乐有治疗效力。

33 proofread
vt.校正，校对
参考例句：
I didn't even have the chance to proofread my own report.我甚至没有机会校对自己的报告。 Before handing in his application to his teacher,he proofread it again.交给老师之前，他又将申请书补正了一遍。

34 immunity
n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权
参考例句：
The law gives public schools immunity from taxation.法律免除公立学校的纳税义务。 He claims diplomatic immunity to avoid being arrested.他要求外交豁免以便避免被捕。

35 inoculated
v.给…做预防注射( inoculate的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
A pedigree pup should have been inoculated against serious diseases before it's sold. 纯种狗应该在出售前注射预防严重疾病的针。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Disease can be spread by dirty tools, insects, inoculated soil. 疾病也能由不干净的工具，昆虫，接种的土壤传播。 来自辞典例句

36 culmination
n.顶点；最高潮
参考例句：
The space race reached its culmination in the first moon walk.太空竞争以第一次在月球行走而达到顶峰。 It may truly be regarded as the culmination of classical Greek geometry.这确实可以看成是古典希腊几何的登峰造级之作。

37 fortitude
n.坚忍不拔；刚毅
参考例句：
His dauntless fortitude makes him absolutely fearless.他不屈不挠的坚韧让他绝无恐惧。 He bore the pain with great fortitude.他以极大的毅力忍受了痛苦。

38 niche
n.壁龛；合适的职务(环境、位置等)
参考例句：
Madeleine placed it carefully in the rocky niche. 玛德琳小心翼翼地把它放在岩石壁龛里。 The really talented among women would always make their own niche.妇女中真正有才能的人总是各得其所。

39 overtime
adj.超时的，加班的；adv.加班地
参考例句：
They are working overtime to finish the work.为了完成任务他们正在加班加点地工作。 He was paid for the overtime he worked.他领到了加班费。

40 asterisks
n.星号，星状物( asterisk的名词复数 )v.加星号于( asterisk的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
He skips asterisks and gives you the gamy details. 他曲解事实，给你一些下流的细节内容。 来自互联网 Make lists with dashes, asterisks, or bullets if you use HTML email. 如果你写的是HTML格式的邮件，用破折号、星号和子弹号立出清单。 来自互联网

41 parentheses
n.圆括号，插入语，插曲（ parenthesis的名词复数 ）
参考例句：
Irregular forms are given in parentheses . 不规则形式标注在括号内。 Answer these questions, using the words in parentheses. Put the apostrophe in the right place. 用句后括号中的词或词组来回答问题，注意撇号的位置。 来自《简明英汉词典》

42 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。

43 contented
adj.满意的，安心的，知足的
参考例句：
He won't be contented until he's upset everyone in the office.不把办公室里的每个人弄得心烦意乱他就不会满足。 The people are making a good living and are contented,each in his station.人民安居乐业。

44 grumble
vi.抱怨；咕哝；n.抱怨，牢骚；咕哝，隆隆声
参考例句：
I don't want to hear another grumble from you.我不愿再听到你的抱怨。 He could do nothing but grumble over the situation.他除了埋怨局势之外别无他法。

45 almighty
adj.全能的，万能的；很大的，很强的
参考例句：
Those rebels did not really challenge Gods almighty power.这些叛徒没有对上帝的全能力量表示怀疑。 It's almighty cold outside.外面冷得要命。

46 remains
n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹
参考例句：
He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。 The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

47 marshes
n.沼泽，湿地( marsh的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Cows were grazing on the marshes. 牛群在湿地上吃草。 We had to cross the marshes. 我们不得不穿过那片沼泽地。 来自《简明英汉词典》

48 vaccination
n.接种疫苗，种痘
参考例句：
Vaccination is a preventive against smallpox.种痘是预防天花的方法。 Doctors suggest getting a tetanus vaccination every ten years.医生建议每十年注射一次破伤风疫苗。

49 spines
n.脊柱( spine的名词复数 )；脊椎；（动植物的）刺；书脊
参考例句：
Porcupines use their spines to protect themselves. 豪猪用身上的刺毛来自卫。 The cactus has spines. 仙人掌有刺。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

50 manure
n.粪，肥，肥粒；vt.施肥
参考例句：
The farmers were distributing manure over the field.农民们正在田间施肥。 The farmers used manure to keep up the fertility of their land.农夫们用粪保持其土质的肥沃。

51 supreme
adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的
参考例句：
It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。 He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

52 livelihood
n.生计，谋生之道
参考例句：
Appropriate arrangements will be made for their work and livelihood.他们的工作和生活会得到妥善安排。 My father gained a bare livelihood of family by his own hands.父亲靠自己的双手勉强维持家计。