WASHING DAY. - FISH AND FISHERS. - ON THE ART OF ANGLING. - ACONSCIENTIOUS FLY-FISHER. - A FISHY² STORY.

　　WE stayed two days at Streatley, and got our clothes washed. We hadtried washing them ourselves, in the river, under George'ssuperintendence, and it had been a failure. Indeed, it had been morethan a failure, because we were worse off after we had washed our clothesthan we were before. Before we had washed them, they had been very, verydirty, it is true; but they were just wearable. AFTER we had washed them- well, the river between Reading and Henley was much cleaner, after wehad washed our clothes in it, than it was before. All the dirt containedin the river between Reading and Henley, we collected, during that wash,and worked it into our clothes.

　　The washerwoman at Streatley said she felt she owed it to herself tocharge us just three times the usual prices for that wash. She said ithad not been like washing, it had been more in the nature of excavating³.

　　We paid the bill without a murmur⁴.

　　The neighbourhood of Streatley and Goring⁵ is a great fishing centre.

　　There is some excellent fishing to be had here. The river abounds⁶ inpike, roach, dace, gudgeon, and eels⁷, just here; and you can sit and fishfor them all day.

　　Some people do. They never catch them. I never knew anybody catchanything, up the Thames, except minnows and dead cats, but that hasnothing to do, of course, with fishing! The local fisherman's guidedoesn't say a word about catching⁸ anything. All it says is the place is"a good station for fishing;" and, from what I have seen of the district,I am quite prepared to bear out this statement.

　　There is no spot in the world where you can get more fishing, or whereyou can fish for a longer period. Some fishermen come here and fish fora day, and others stop and fish for a month. You can hang on and fishfor a year, if you want to: it will be all the same.

点击收听单词发音  

1 conscientious
adj.审慎正直的，认真的，本着良心的
参考例句：
He is a conscientious man and knows his job.他很认真负责，也很懂行。 He is very conscientious in the performance of his duties.他非常认真地履行职责。

2 fishy
adj. 值得怀疑的
参考例句：
It all sounds very fishy to me.所有这些在我听起来都很可疑。 There was definitely something fishy going on.肯定当时有可疑的事情在进行中。

3 excavating
v.挖掘( excavate的现在分词 )；开凿；挖出；发掘
参考例句：
A bulldozer was employed for excavating the foundations of the building. 推土机用来给楼房挖地基。 来自《简明英汉词典》 A new Danish expedition is again excavating the site in annual summer digs. 一支新的丹麦探险队又在那个遗址上进行一年一度的夏季挖掘。 来自辞典例句

4 murmur
n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言
参考例句：
They paid the extra taxes without a murmur.他们毫无怨言地交了附加税。 There was a low murmur of conversation in the hall.大厅里有窃窃私语声。

5 goring
v.（动物）用角撞伤，用牙刺破( gore的现在分词 )
参考例句：
General Goring spoke for about two hours. 戈林将军的发言持续了大约两个小时。 来自英汉非文学 - 新闻报道 Always do they talk that way with their arrogance before a goring. 他们挨牛角之前，总是这样吹大牛。 来自辞典例句

6 abounds
v.大量存在，充满，富于( abound的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
The place abounds with fruit, especially pears and peaches. 此地盛产水果，尤以梨桃著称。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 This country abounds with fruit. 这个国家盛产水果。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

7 eels
abbr. 电子发射器定位系统（=electronic emitter location system）
参考例句：
Eels have been on the feed in the Lower Thames. 鳗鱼在泰晤士河下游寻食。 She bought some eels for dinner. 她买回一些鳗鱼做晚餐。

8 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。

9 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。

10 perch
n.栖木，高位，杆；v.栖息，就位，位于
参考例句：
The bird took its perch.鸟停歇在栖木上。 Little birds perch themselves on the branches.小鸟儿栖歇在树枝上。

11 devoted
adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的
参考例句：
He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。 We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。

12 gumption
n.才干
参考例句：
With his gumption he will make a success of himself.凭他的才干，他将大有作为。 Surely anyone with marketing gumption should be able to sell good books at any time of year.无疑，有经营头脑的人在一年的任何时节都应该能够卖掉好书。

13 mere
adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过
参考例句：
That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。 It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

14 scrupulous
adj.审慎的，小心翼翼的，完全的，纯粹的
参考例句：
She is scrupulous to a degree.她非常谨慎。 Poets are not so scrupulous as you are.诗人并不像你那样顾虑多。

15 pedantic
adj.卖弄学问的；迂腐的
参考例句：
He is learned,but neither stuffy nor pedantic.他很博学，但既不妄自尊大也不卖弄学问。 Reading in a pedantic way may turn you into a bookworm or a bookcase,and has long been opposed.读死书会变成书呆子，甚至于成为书橱，早有人反对过了。

16 veracity
n.诚实
参考例句：
I can testify to this man's veracity and good character.我可以作证，此人诚实可靠品德良好。 There is no reason to doubt the veracity of the evidence.没有理由怀疑证据的真实性。

17 accomplished
adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的
参考例句：
Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。 Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

18 puff
n.一口(气)；一阵(风)；v.喷气，喘气
参考例句：
He took a puff at his cigarette.他吸了一口香烟。 They tried their best to puff the book they published.他们尽力吹捧他们出版的书。

19 brag
v./n.吹牛，自夸；adj.第一流的
参考例句：
He made brag of his skill.他夸耀自己技术高明。 His wealth is his brag.他夸张他的财富。

20 momentary
adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的
参考例句：
We are in momentary expectation of the arrival of you.我们无时无刻不在盼望你的到来。 I caught a momentary glimpse of them.我瞥了他们一眼。

21 lull
v.使安静，使入睡，缓和，哄骗；n.暂停，间歇
参考例句：
The drug put Simpson in a lull for thirty minutes.药物使辛普森安静了30分钟。 Ground fighting flared up again after a two-week lull.经过两个星期的平静之后，地面战又突然爆发了。

22 tinge
vt.(较淡)着色于，染色；使带有…气息；n.淡淡色彩，些微的气息
参考例句：
The maple leaves are tinge with autumn red.枫叶染上了秋天的红色。 There was a tinge of sadness in her voice.她声音中流露出一丝忧伤。

23 scotch
n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的
参考例句：
Facts will eventually scotch these rumours.这种谣言在事实面前将不攻自破。 Italy was full of fine views and virtually empty of Scotch whiskey.意大利多的是美景，真正缺的是苏格兰威士忌。

24 sufficiently
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。

25 literally
adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实
参考例句：
He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。 Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

26 astonishment
n.惊奇，惊异
参考例句：
They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。 I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。

27 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。

28 adoption
n.采用，采纳，通过；收养
参考例句：
An adoption agency had sent the boys to two different families.一个收养机构把他们送给两个不同的家庭。 The adoption of this policy would relieve them of a tremendous burden.采取这一政策会给他们解除一个巨大的负担。

29 trout
n.鳟鱼；鲑鱼(属)
参考例句：
Thousands of young salmon and trout have been killed by the pollution.成千上万的鲑鱼和鳟鱼的鱼苗因污染而死亡。 We hooked a trout and had it for breakfast.我们钓了一条鳟鱼，早饭时吃了。

30 monstrous
adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的
参考例句：
The smoke began to whirl and grew into a monstrous column.浓烟开始盘旋上升，形成了一个巨大的烟柱。 Your behaviour in class is monstrous!你在课堂上的行为真是丢人！

31 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。

32 genial
adj.亲切的，和蔼的，愉快的，脾气好的
参考例句：
Orlando is a genial man.奥兰多是一位和蔼可亲的人。 He was a warm-hearted friend and genial host.他是个热心的朋友，也是友善待客的主人。

33 remarkable
adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的
参考例句：
She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。 These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

34 bleak
adj.(天气)阴冷的；凄凉的；暗淡的
参考例句：
They showed me into a bleak waiting room.他们引我来到一间阴冷的会客室。 The company's prospects look pretty bleak.这家公司的前景异常暗淡。

35 middle-aged
adj.中年的
参考例句：
I noticed two middle-aged passengers.我注意到两个中年乘客。 The new skin balm was welcome by middle-aged women.这种新护肤香膏受到了中年妇女的欢迎。

36 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。

37 query
n.疑问，问号，质问；vt.询问，表示怀疑
参考例句：
I query very much whether it is wise to act so hastily.我真怀疑如此操之过急地行动是否明智。 They raised a query on his sincerity.他们对他是否真诚提出质疑。

38 heartily
adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很
参考例句：
He ate heartily and went out to look for his horse.他痛快地吃了一顿，就出去找他的马。 The host seized my hand and shook it heartily.主人抓住我的手，热情地和我握手。

39 whacking
adj.（用于强调）巨大的v.重击，使劲打( whack的现在分词 )
参考例句：
a whacking great hole in the roof 房顶上一个巨大的窟窿 His father found him a cushy job in the office, with almost nothing to do and a whacking great salary. 他父亲给他在事务所找到了一份轻松舒适的工作，几乎什么都不用做，工资还极高。 来自《简明英汉词典》

40 marvelled
v.惊奇，对…感到惊奇( marvel的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
I marvelled that he suddenly left college. 我对他突然离开大学感到惊奇。 来自《简明英汉词典》 I marvelled at your boldness. 我对你的大胆感到惊奇。 来自《简明英汉词典》