"But deeds and language such as men do use, And persons such as comedy would choose, When she would show an image of the times, And sport with human follies¹, not with crimes." --BEN JONSON.

Lydgate, in fact, was already conscious of being fascinated by a woman strikingly different from Miss Brooke: he did not in the least suppose that he had lost his balance and fallen in love, but he had said of that particular woman, "She is grace itself; she is perfectly² lovely and accomplished³. That is what a woman ought to be: she ought to produce the effect of exquisite⁴ music." Plain women he regarded as he did the other severe facts of life, to be faced with philosophy and investigated by science. But Rosamond Vincy seemed to have the true melodic⁵ charm; and when a man has seen the woman whom he would have chosen if he had intended to marry speedily, his remaining a bachelor will usually depend on her resolution rather than on his. Lydgate believed that he should not marry for several years: not marry until he had trodden out a good clear path for himself away from the broad road which was quite ready made. He had seen Miss Vincy above his horizon almost as long as it had taken Mr. Casaubon to become engaged and married: but this learned gentleman was possessed⁶ of a fortune; he had assembled his voluminous notes, and had made that sort of reputation which precedes performance,--often the larger part of a man's fame. He took a wife, as we have seen, to adorn⁸ the remaining quadrant of his course, and be a little moon that would cause hardly a calculable perturbation. But Lydgate was young, poor, ambitious. He had his half-century before him instead of behind him, and he had come to Middlemarch bent⁹ on doing many things that were not directly fitted to make his fortune or even secure him a good income. To a man under such circumstances, taking a wife is something more than a question of

点击收听单词发音  

1 follies
罪恶，时事讽刺剧； 愚蠢，蠢笨，愚蠢的行为、思想或做法( folly的名词复数 )
参考例句：
He has given up youthful follies. 他不再做年轻人的荒唐事了。 The writings of Swift mocked the follies of his age. 斯威夫特的作品嘲弄了他那个时代的愚人。

2 perfectly
adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地
参考例句：
The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。 Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

3 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。

4 exquisite
adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的
参考例句：
I was admiring the exquisite workmanship in the mosaic.我当时正在欣赏镶嵌画的精致做工。 I still remember the exquisite pleasure I experienced in Bali.我依然记得在巴厘岛所经历的那种剧烈的快感。

5 melodic
adj.有旋律的，调子美妙的
参考例句：
His voice had a rich melodic quality.他的音色浑厚而优美。 He spoke with a soft husky voice in a melodic accent.他微微沙哑的声音带着一种悠扬的口音。

6 possessed
adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的
参考例句：
He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。 He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。

7 tune
n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整
参考例句：
He'd written a tune,and played it to us on the piano.他写了一段曲子，并在钢琴上弹给我们听。 The boy beat out a tune on a tin can.那男孩在易拉罐上敲出一首曲子。

8 adorn
vt.使美化，装饰
参考例句：
She loved to adorn herself with finery.她喜欢穿戴华丽的服饰。 His watercolour designs adorn a wide range of books.他的水彩设计使许多图书大为生色。

9 bent
n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的
参考例句：
He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。 We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

10 adornment
n.装饰；装饰品
参考例句：
Lucie was busy with the adornment of her room.露西正忙着布置她的房间。 Cosmetics are used for adornment.化妆品是用来打扮的。

11 irony
n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄
参考例句：
She said to him with slight irony.她略带嘲讽地对他说。 In her voice we could sense a certain tinge of irony.从她的声音里我们可以感到某种讥讽的意味。

12 indifference
n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎
参考例句：
I was disappointed by his indifference more than somewhat.他的漠不关心使我很失望。 He feigned indifference to criticism of his work.他假装毫不在意别人批评他的作品。

13 sarcastic
adj.讥讽的，讽刺的，嘲弄的
参考例句：
I squashed him with a sarcastic remark.我说了一句讽刺的话把他给镇住了。 She poked fun at people's shortcomings with sarcastic remarks.她冷嘲热讽地拿别人的缺点开玩笑。

14 provincial
adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人
参考例句：
City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。 Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

15 vicissitudes
n.变迁，世事变化；变迁兴衰( vicissitude的名词复数 )；盛衰兴废
参考例句：
He experienced several great social vicissitudes in his life. 他一生中经历了几次大的社会变迁。 来自《简明英汉词典》 A man used to vicissitudes is not easily dejected. 饱经沧桑，不易沮丧。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 intercourse
n.性交；交流，交往，交际
参考例句：
The magazine becomes a cultural medium of intercourse between the two peoples.该杂志成为两民族间文化交流的媒介。 There was close intercourse between them.他们过往很密。

17 begetting
v.为…之生父( beget的现在分词 )；产生，引起
参考例句：
It was widely believed that James' early dissipations had left him incapable of begetting a son. 人们普通认为，詹姆士早年生活放荡，致使他不能生育子嗣。 来自辞典例句 That best form became the next parent, begetting other mutations. 那个最佳形态成为下一个父代，带来其他变异。 来自互联网

18 boroughs
（尤指大伦敦的）行政区( borough的名词复数 )； 议会中有代表的市镇
参考例句：
London is made up of 32 boroughs. 伦敦由三十二个行政区组成。 Brooklyn is one of the five boroughs of New York City. 布鲁克林区是纽约市的五个行政区之一。

19 fluctuation
n.(物价的)波动，涨落；周期性变动；脉动
参考例句：
The erratic fluctuation of market prices are in consequence of unstable economy.经济波动致使市场物价忽起忽落。 Early and adequate drainage is essential if fluctuation occurs.有波动感时，应及早地充分引流。

20 beholder
n.观看者，旁观者
参考例句：
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. 看起来觉得美就是美。 来自《简明英汉词典》 It has been said that art is a tryst, for in the joy of it maker and beholder meet. 有人说艺术是一种幽会，因为艺术家和欣赏者可在幽会的乐趣中相遇在一起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

21 squires
n.地主，乡绅( squire的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The family history was typical of the Catholic squires of England. 这个家族的历史，在英格兰信天主教的乡绅中是很典型的。 来自辞典例句 By 1696, with Tory squires and Amsterdam burghers complaining about excessive taxes. 到1696年，托利党的乡绅们和阿姆斯特丹的市民都对苛捐杂税怨声载道。 来自辞典例句

22 civic
adj.城市的，都市的，市民的，公民的
参考例句：
I feel it is my civic duty to vote.我认为投票选举是我作为公民的义务。 The civic leaders helped to forward the project.市政府领导者协助促进工程的进展。

23 maiden
n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的
参考例句：
The prince fell in love with a fair young maiden.王子爱上了一位年轻美丽的少女。 The aircraft makes its maiden flight tomorrow.这架飞机明天首航。

24 apparently
adv.显然地；表面上，似乎
参考例句：
An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。 He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

25 beguiled
v.欺骗( beguile的过去式和过去分词 )；使陶醉；使高兴；消磨（时间等）
参考例句：
She beguiled them into believing her version of events. 她哄骗他们相信了她叙述的事情。 He beguiled me into signing this contract. 他诱骗我签订了这项合同。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

26 propriety
n.正当行为；正当；适当
参考例句：
We hesitated at the propriety of the method.我们对这种办法是否适用拿不定主意。 The sensitive matter was handled with great propriety.这件机密的事处理得极为适当。

27 poetical
adj.似诗人的；诗一般的；韵文的；富有诗意的
参考例句：
This is a poetical picture of the landscape. 这是一幅富有诗意的风景画。 来自《简明英汉词典》 John is making a periphrastic study in a worn-out poetical fashion. 约翰正在对陈腐的诗风做迂回冗长的研究。 来自辞典例句

28 dispel
vt.驱走，驱散，消除
参考例句：
I tried in vain to dispel her misgivings.我试图消除她的疑虑，但没有成功。 We hope the programme will dispel certain misconceptions about the disease.我们希望这个节目能消除对这种疾病的一些误解。

29 liking
n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢
参考例句：
The word palate also means taste or liking.Palate这个词也有“口味”或“嗜好”的意思。 I must admit I have no liking for exaggeration.我必须承认我不喜欢夸大其词。

30 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。

31 widower
n.鳏夫
参考例句：
George was a widower with six young children.乔治是个带著六个小孩子的鳏夫。 Having been a widower for many years,he finally decided to marry again.丧偶多年后，他终于决定二婚了。

32 Partisanship
n. 党派性, 党派偏见
参考例句：
Her violent partisanship was fighting Soames's battle. 她的激烈偏袒等于替索米斯卖气力。 There was a link of understanding between them, more important than affection or partisanship. ' 比起人间的感情，比起相同的政见，这一点都来得格外重要。 来自英汉文学

33 wrench
v.猛拧；挣脱；使扭伤；n.扳手；痛苦，难受
参考例句：
He gave a wrench to his ankle when he jumped down.他跳下去的时候扭伤了足踝。 It was a wrench to leave the old home.离开这个老家非常痛苦。

34 discretion
n.谨慎；随意处理
参考例句：
You must show discretion in choosing your friend.你择友时必须慎重。 Please use your best discretion to handle the matter.请慎重处理此事。

35 retailed
vt.零售（retail的过去式与过去分词形式）
参考例句：
She retailed the neighbours' activities with relish. 她饶有兴趣地对邻居们的活动说三道四。 The industrial secrets were retailed to a rival concern. 工业秘密被泄露给一家对立的公司。 来自《简明英汉词典》

36 inevitable
adj.不可避免的，必然发生的
参考例句：
Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。 The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。

37 relics
[pl.］n.遗物，遗迹，遗产；遗体，尸骸
参考例句：
The area is a treasure house of archaeological relics. 这个地区是古文物遗迹的宝库。 Xi'an is an ancient city full of treasures and saintly relics. 西安是一个有很多宝藏和神圣的遗物的古老城市。

38 warehouse
n.仓库；vt.存入仓库
参考例句：
We freighted the goods to the warehouse by truck.我们用卡车把货物运到仓库。 The manager wants to clear off the old stocks in the warehouse.经理想把仓库里积压的存货处理掉。

39 laggard
n.落后者；adj.缓慢的，落后的
参考例句：
In village,the laggard living condition must be improved.在乡村落后的生活条件必须被改善。 Businesshas to some degree been a laggard in this process.商业在这个进程中已经慢了一拍。

40 embroidery
n.绣花，刺绣；绣制品
参考例句：
This exquisite embroidery won people's great admiration.这件精美的绣品，使人惊叹不已。 This is Jane's first attempt at embroidery.这是简第一次试着绣花。

41 contemplate
vt.盘算，计议；周密考虑；注视，凝视
参考例句：
The possibility of war is too horrifying to contemplate.战争的可能性太可怕了，真不堪细想。 The consequences would be too ghastly to contemplate.后果不堪设想。

42 placidity
n.平静，安静，温和
参考例句：
Miss Pross inquired,with placidity.普洛丝小姐不动声色地问。 The swift and indifferent placidity of that look troubled me.那一扫而过的冷漠沉静的目光使我深感不安。

43 delved
v.深入探究，钻研( delve的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
She delved in her handbag for a pen. 她在手提包里翻找钢笔。 He delved into the family archives looking for the facts. 他深入查考这个家族的家谱以寻找事实根据。 来自《简明英汉词典》

44 decry
v.危难，谴责
参考例句：
Some people will decry this,insisting that President Obama should have tried harder to gain bipartisan support.有些人会对此表示谴责，坚持说奥巴马总统原本应该更加努力获得两党的支持。 Now you decry him as another Hitler because he is a threat to the controlling interest of oil in the middle east.现在你却因为他对中东石油控制权益构成了威胁而谴责他为另一个希特勒。

45 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。

46 slippers
n. 拖鞋
参考例句：
a pair of slippers 一双拖鞋 He kicked his slippers off and dropped on to the bed. 他踢掉了拖鞋，倒在床上。

47 admiration
n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕
参考例句：
He was lost in admiration of the beauty of the scene.他对风景之美赞不绝口。 We have a great admiration for the gold medalists.我们对金牌获得者极为敬佩。

48 rejection
n.拒绝，被拒，抛弃，被弃
参考例句：
He decided not to approach her for fear of rejection.他因怕遭拒绝决定不再去找她。 The rejection plunged her into the dark depths of despair.遭到拒绝使她陷入了绝望的深渊。

49 grilled
adj. 烤的, 炙过的, 有格子的 动词grill的过去式和过去分词形式
参考例句：
He was grilled for two hours before the police let him go. 他被严厉盘查了两个小时后，警察才放他走。 He was grilled until he confessed. 他被严加拷问，直到他承认为止。

50 uncommonly
adv. 稀罕(极，非常)
参考例句：
an uncommonly gifted child 一个天赋异禀的儿童 My little Mary was feeling uncommonly empty. 我肚子当时正饿得厉害。

51 landlady
n.女房东，女地主
参考例句：
I heard my landlady creeping stealthily up to my door.我听到我的女房东偷偷地来到我的门前。 The landlady came over to serve me.女店主过来接待我。

52 innuendo
n.暗指，讽刺
参考例句：
The report was based on rumours,speculation,and innuendo.这份报告建立在谣言、臆断和含沙射影的基础之上。 Mark told by innuendo that the opposing team would lose the game.马克暗讽地说敌队会在比赛中输掉。

53 glumly
adv.忧郁地，闷闷不乐地；阴郁地
参考例句：
He stared at it glumly, and soon became lost in thought. 他惘然沉入了瞑想。 来自子夜部分 The President sat glumly rubbing his upper molar, saying nothing. 总统愁眉苦脸地坐在那里，磨着他的上牙，一句话也没有说。 来自辞典例句

54 asthma
n.气喘病，哮喘病
参考例句：
I think he's having an asthma attack.我想他现在是哮喘病发作了。 Its presence in allergic asthma is well known.它在过敏性气喘中的存在是大家很熟悉的。

55 skilfully
adv. (美skillfully)熟练地
参考例句：
Hall skilfully weaves the historical research into a gripping narrative. 霍尔巧妙地把历史研究揉进了扣人心弦的故事叙述。 Enthusiasm alone won't do. You've got to work skilfully. 不能光靠傻劲儿，得找窍门。

56 soothingly
adv.抚慰地，安慰地；镇痛地
参考例句：
The mother talked soothingly to her child. 母亲对自己的孩子安慰地说。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He continued to talk quietly and soothingly to the girl until her frightened grip on his arm was relaxed. 他继续柔声安慰那姑娘，她那因恐惧而紧抓住他的手终于放松了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

57 chestnut
n.栗树，栗子
参考例句：
We have a chestnut tree in the bottom of our garden.我们的花园尽头有一棵栗树。 In summer we had tea outdoors,under the chestnut tree.夏天我们在室外栗树下喝茶。

58 flute
n.长笛；v.吹笛
参考例句：
He took out his flute, and blew at it.他拿出笛子吹了起来。 There is an extensive repertoire of music written for the flute.有很多供长笛演奏的曲目。

59 instructor
n.指导者，教员，教练
参考例句：
The college jumped him from instructor to full professor.大学突然把他从讲师提升为正教授。 The skiing instructor was a tall,sunburnt man.滑雪教练是一个高高个子晒得黑黑的男子。