SLENDER as was Jude Fawley's frame he bore the two brimming house-buckets of water to the cottage without resting. Over the door was a little rectangular piece of blue board, on which was painted in yellow letters, "Drusilla Fawley, Baker¹." Within the little lead panes² of the window--this being one of the few old houses left--were five bottles of sweets, and three buns on a plate of the willow³ pattern.

While emptying the buckets at the back of the house he could hear an animated⁴ conversation in progress within-doors between his great-aunt, the Drusilla of the sign-board, and some other villagers. Having seen the school-master depart, they were summing up particulars of the event, and indulging in predictions of his future.

"And who's he?" asked one, comparatively a stranger, when the boy entered.

"Well ye med ask it, Mrs. Williams. He's my great-nephew--come since you was last this way." The old inhabitant who answered was a tall, gaunt woman, who spoke⁵ tragically⁶ on the most trivial subject, and gave a phrase of her conversation to each auditor⁷ in turn. "He come from Mellstock, down in South Wessex, about a year ago--worse luck for 'n, Belinda" (turning to the right) "where his father was living, and was took wi' the shakings for death, and died in two days, as you know, Caroline" (turning to the left). "It would ha' been a blessing⁸ if Goddy-mighty had took thee too, wi' thy mother and father, poor useless boy! But I've got him here to stay with me till I can see what's to be done with un, though I am obliged to let him earn any penny he can. Just now he's a-scaring of birds for Farmer Troutham. It keeps him out of mischty. Why do ye turn away, Jude?" she continued, as the boy, feeling the impact of their glances like slaps upon his face, moved aside.

点击收听单词发音  

1 baker
n.面包师
参考例句：
The baker bakes his bread in the bakery.面包师在面包房内烤面包。 The baker frosted the cake with a mixture of sugar and whites of eggs.面包师在蛋糕上撒了一层白糖和蛋清的混合料。

2 panes
窗玻璃( pane的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The sun caught the panes and flashed back at him. 阳光照到窗玻璃上，又反射到他身上。 The window-panes are dim with steam. 玻璃窗上蒙上了一层蒸汽。

3 willow
n.柳树
参考例句：
The river was sparsely lined with willow trees.河边疏疏落落有几棵柳树。 The willow's shadow falls on the lake.垂柳的影子倒映在湖面上。

4 animated
adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的
参考例句：
His observations gave rise to an animated and lively discussion.他的言论引起了一场气氛热烈而活跃的讨论。 We had an animated discussion over current events last evening.昨天晚上我们热烈地讨论时事。

5 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。

6 tragically
adv. 悲剧地，悲惨地
参考例句：
Their daughter was tragically killed in a road accident. 他们的女儿不幸死于车祸。 Her father died tragically in a car crash. 她父亲在一场车祸中惨死。

7 auditor
n.审计员，旁听着
参考例句：
The auditor was required to produce his working papers.那个审计员被要求提供其工作底稿。 The auditor examines the accounts of all county officers and departments.审计员查对所有县官员及各部门的帐目。

8 blessing
n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿
参考例句：
The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。 A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。

9 northward
adv.向北；n.北方的地区
参考例句：
He pointed his boat northward.他将船驶向北方。 I would have a chance to head northward quickly.我就很快有机会去北方了。

10 descended
a.为...后裔的，出身于...的
参考例句：
A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。 The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。

11 verge
n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临
参考例句：
The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。 She was on the verge of bursting into tears.她快要哭出来了。

12 accentuated
v.重读( accentuate的过去式和过去分词 )；使突出；使恶化；加重音符号于
参考例句：
The problem is accentuated by a shortage of water and electricity. 缺乏水电使问题愈加严重。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Her black hair accentuated the delicateness of her skin. 她那乌黑的头发更衬托出她洁嫩的皮肤。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

13 solitude
n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方
参考例句：
People need a chance to reflect on spiritual matters in solitude. 人们需要独处的机会来反思精神上的事情。 They searched for a place where they could live in solitude. 他们寻找一个可以过隐居生活的地方。

14 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。

15 arable
adj.可耕的，适合种植的
参考例句：
The terrain changed quickly from arable land to desert.那个地带很快就从耕地变成了沙漠。 Do you know how much arable land has been desolated?你知道什么每年有多少土地荒漠化吗？

16 utilitarian
adj.实用的，功利的
参考例句：
On the utilitarian side American education has outstridden the rest of the world.在实用方面美国教育已超越世界各国。 A good cloth coat is more utilitarian than a fur one.一件优质的布外衣要比一件毛皮外衣更有用。

17 squatted
v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的过去式和过去分词 )；非法擅自占用（土地或房屋）；为获得其所有权；而占用某片公共用地。
参考例句：
He squatted down beside the footprints and examined them closely. 他蹲在脚印旁仔细地观察。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He squatted in the grass discussing with someone. 他蹲在草地上与一个人谈话。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 plantation
n.种植园，大农场
参考例句：
His father-in-law is a plantation manager.他岳父是个种植园经营者。 The plantation owner has possessed himself of a vast piece of land.这个种植园主把大片土地占为己有。

19 rattle
v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓
参考例句：
The baby only shook the rattle and laughed and crowed.孩子只是摇着拨浪鼓，笑着叫着。 She could hear the rattle of the teacups.她听见茶具叮当响。

20 leisurely
adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的
参考例句：
We walked in a leisurely manner,looking in all the windows.我们慢悠悠地走着，看遍所有的橱窗。 He had a leisurely breakfast and drove cheerfully to work.他从容的吃了早餐，高兴的开车去工作。

21 burnished
adj.抛光的，光亮的v.擦亮（金属等），磨光( burnish的过去式和过去分词 )；被擦亮，磨光
参考例句：
The floor was spotless; the grate and fire-irons were burnished bright. 地板上没有污迹；炉栅和火炉用具擦得发亮。 来自辞典例句 The woods today are burnished bronze. 今天的树林是一片发亮的青铜色。 来自辞典例句

22 warily
adv.留心地
参考例句：
He looked warily around him,pretending to look after Carrie.他小心地看了一下四周，假装是在照顾嘉莉。 They were heading warily to a point in the enemy line.他们正小心翼翼地向着敌人封锁线的某一处前进。

23 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。

24 thwarted
阻挠( thwart的过去式和过去分词 )； 使受挫折； 挫败； 横过
参考例句：
The guards thwarted his attempt to escape from prison. 警卫阻扰了他越狱的企图。 Our plans for a picnic were thwarted by the rain. 我们的野餐计划因雨受挫。

25 rattling
adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词
参考例句：
This book is a rattling good read. 这是一本非常好的读物。 At that same instant,a deafening explosion set the windows rattling. 正在这时，一声震耳欲聋的爆炸突然袭来，把窗玻璃震得当当地响。

26 puny
adj.微不足道的，弱小的
参考例句：
The resources at the central banks' disposal are simply too puny.中央银行掌握的资金实在太少了。 Antonio was a puny lad,and not strong enough to work.安东尼奥是个瘦小的小家伙，身体还不壮，还不能干活。

27 sordid
adj.肮脏的，不干净的，卑鄙的，暗淡的
参考例句：
He depicts the sordid and vulgar sides of life exclusively.他只描写人生肮脏和庸俗的一面。 They lived in a sordid apartment.他们住在肮脏的公寓房子里。

28 simultaneously
adv.同时发生地，同时进行地
参考例句：
The radar beam can track a number of targets almost simultaneously.雷达波几乎可以同时追着多个目标。 The Windows allow a computer user to execute multiple programs simultaneously.Windows允许计算机用户同时运行多个程序。

29 beheld
v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟
参考例句：
His eyes had never beheld such opulence. 他从未见过这样的财富。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The soul beheld its features in the mirror of the passing moment. 灵魂在逝去的瞬间的镜子中看到了自己的模样。 来自英汉文学 - 红字

30 cowering
v.畏缩，抖缩( cower的现在分词 )
参考例句：
He turned his baleful glare on the cowering suspect. 他恶毒地盯着那个蜷缩成一团的嫌疑犯。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He stood over the cowering Herb with fists of fury. 他紧握着两个拳头怒气冲天地站在惊魂未定的赫伯面前。 来自辞典例句

31 tickle
v.搔痒，胳肢；使高兴；发痒；n.搔痒，发痒
参考例句：
Wilson was feeling restless. There was a tickle in his throat.威尔逊只觉得心神不定。嗓子眼里有些发痒。 I am tickle pink at the news.听到这消息我高兴得要命。

32 saluting
v.欢迎，致敬( salute的现在分词 )；赞扬，赞颂
参考例句：
'Thank you kindly, sir,' replied Long John, again saluting. “万分感谢，先生。”高个子约翰说着又行了个礼。 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛 He approached the young woman and, without saluting, began at once to converse with her. 他走近那年青女郎，马上就和她攀谈起来了，连招呼都不打。 来自辞典例句

33 rhetoric
n.修辞学，浮夸之言语
参考例句：
Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？ Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

34 hind
adj.后面的，后部的
参考例句：
The animal is able to stand up on its hind limbs.这种动物能够用后肢站立。 Don't hind her in her studies.不要在学业上扯她后腿。

35 beholding
v.看，注视( behold的现在分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟
参考例句：
Beholding, besides love, the end of love,/Hearing oblivion beyond memory! 我看见了爱，还看到了爱的结局，／听到了记忆外层的哪一片寂寥！ 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 文学 Hence people who began by beholding him ended by perusing him. 所以人们从随便看一看他开始的，都要以仔细捉摸他而终结。 来自辞典例句

36 truthful
adj.真实的，说实话的，诚实的
参考例句：
You can count on him for a truthful report of the accident.你放心，他会对事故作出如实的报告的。 I don't think you are being entirely truthful.我认为你并没全讲真话。

37 exasperate
v.激怒，使（疾病）加剧，使恶化
参考例句：
He shouted in an exasperate voice.他以愤怒的声音嚷着。 The sheer futility of it all exasperates her.它毫无用处，这让她很生气。

38 stoutly
adv.牢固地，粗壮的
参考例句：
He stoutly denied his guilt.他断然否认自己有罪。 Burgess was taxed with this and stoutly denied it.伯杰斯为此受到了责难，但是他自己坚决否认有这回事。

39 smacked
拍，打，掴( smack的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He smacked his lips but did not utter a word. 他吧嗒两下嘴，一声也不言语。 She smacked a child's bottom. 她打孩子的屁股。

40 urchin
n.顽童；海胆
参考例句：
You should sheer off the urchin.你应该躲避这顽童。 He is a most wicked urchin.他是个非常调皮的顽童。

41 resound
v.回响
参考例句：
A roar of approval resounded through the Ukrainian parliament.一片赞成声在乌克兰议会中回响。 The soldiers' boots resounded in the street.士兵的军靴踏在地面上的声音在大街上回响。

42 subscribed
v.捐助( subscribe的过去式和过去分词 )；签署，题词；订阅；同意
参考例句：
It is not a theory that is commonly subscribed to. 一般人并不赞成这个理论。 来自《简明英汉词典》 I subscribed my name to the document. 我在文件上签了字。 来自《简明英汉词典》

43 punitive
adj.惩罚的，刑罚的
参考例句：
They took punitive measures against the whole gang.他们对整帮人采取惩罚性措施。 The punitive tariff was imposed to discourage tire imports from China.该惩罚性关税的征收是用以限制中国轮胎进口的措施。

44 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。

45 pruning
n.修枝，剪枝，修剪v.修剪（树木等）( prune的现在分词 )；精简某事物，除去某事物多余的部分
参考例句：
In writing an essay one must do a lot of pruning. 写文章要下一番剪裁的工夫。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 A sapling needs pruning, a child discipline. 小树要砍，小孩要管。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

46 profusely
ad.abundantly
参考例句：
We were sweating profusely from the exertion of moving the furniture. 我们搬动家具大费气力，累得大汗淋漓。 He had been working hard and was perspiring profusely. 他一直在努力干活，身上大汗淋漓的。

47 infancy
n.婴儿期；幼年期；初期
参考例句：
He came to England in his infancy.他幼年时期来到英国。 Their research is only in its infancy.他们的研究处于初级阶段。

48 killing
n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财
参考例句：
Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。 Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

49 disdained
鄙视( disdain的过去式和过去分词 )； 不屑于做，不愿意做
参考例句：
I disdained to answer his rude remarks. 我不屑回答他的粗话。 Jackie disdained the servants that her millions could buy. 杰姬鄙视那些她用钱就可以收买的奴仆。

50 sprawl
vi.躺卧，扩张，蔓延；vt.使蔓延；n.躺卧，蔓延
参考例句：
In our garden,bushes are allowed to sprawl as they will.在我们园子里，灌木丛爱怎么蔓延就怎么蔓延。 He is lying in a sprawl on the bed.他伸开四肢躺在床上。

51 meditating
a.沉思的，冥想的
参考例句：
They were meditating revenge. 他们在谋划进行报复。 The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics. 这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

52 translucent
adj.半透明的；透明的
参考例句：
The building is roofed entirely with translucent corrugated plastic.这座建筑完全用半透明瓦楞塑料封顶。 A small difference between them will render the composite translucent.微小的差别,也会使复合材料变成半透明。

53 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。

54 logic
n.逻辑(学)；逻辑性
参考例句：
What sort of logic is that?这是什么逻辑？ I don't follow the logic of your argument.我不明白你的论点逻辑性何在。

55 horrid
adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的
参考例句：
I'm not going to the horrid dinner party.我不打算去参加这次讨厌的宴会。 The medicine is horrid and she couldn't get it down.这种药很难吃，她咽不下去。

56 circumference
n.圆周，周长，圆周线
参考例句：
It's a mile round the circumference of the field.运动场周长一英里。 The diameter and the circumference of a circle correlate.圆的直径与圆周有相互关系。

57 shuddering
v.战栗( shudder的现在分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动
参考例句：
'I am afraid of it,'she answered, shuddering. “我害怕，”她发着抖，说。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记 She drew a deep shuddering breath. 她不由得打了个寒噤，深深吸了口气。 来自飘（部分）

58 garish
adj.华丽而俗气的，华而不实的
参考例句：
This colour is bright but not garish.这颜色艳而不俗。 They climbed the garish purple-carpeted stairs.他们登上铺着俗艳的紫色地毯的楼梯。

59 warped
adj.反常的；乖戾的；（变）弯曲的；变形的v.弄弯，变歪( warp的过去式和过去分词 )；使（行为等）不合情理，使乖戾，
参考例句：
a warped sense of humour 畸形的幽默感 The board has warped. 木板翘了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

60 bin
n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件
参考例句：
He emptied several bags of rice into a bin.他把几袋米倒进大箱里。 He threw the empty bottles in the bin.他把空瓶子扔进垃圾箱。

61 pointed
adj.尖的，直截了当的
参考例句：
He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。 She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

62 swerving
v.（使）改变方向，改变目的( swerve的现在分词 )
参考例句：
It may stand as an example of the fitful swerving of his passion. 这是一个例子，说明他的情绪往往变化不定，忽冷忽热。 来自辞典例句 Mrs Merkel would be foolish to placate her base by swerving right. 默克尔夫人如果为了安抚她的根基所在而转到右翼就太愚蠢了。 来自互联网

63 ascent
n.(声望或地位)提高；上升，升高；登高
参考例句：
His rapid ascent in the social scale was surprising.他的社会地位提高之迅速令人吃惊。 Burke pushed the button and the elevator began its slow ascent.伯克按动电钮，电梯开始缓慢上升。

64 clump
n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走
参考例句：
A stream meandered gently through a clump of trees.一条小溪从树丛中蜿蜒穿过。 It was as if he had hacked with his thick boots at a clump of bluebells.仿佛他用自己的厚靴子无情地践踏了一丛野风信子。

65 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。