IT is a dangerous thing to see anything in the sphere of a vain blusterer², before the vain blusterer sees it himself. Mr. Bounderby felt that Mrs. Sparsit had audaciously anticipated him, and presumed to be wiser than he. Inappeasably indignant with her for her triumphant³ discovery of Mrs. Pegler, he turned this presumption⁴, on the part of a woman in her dependent position, over and over in his mind, until it accumulated with turning like a great snowball. At last he made the discovery that to discharge this highly connected female - to have it in his power to say, 'She was a woman of family, and wanted to stick to me, but I wouldn't have it, and got rid of her' - would be to get the utmost possible amount of crowning glory out of the connection, and at the same time to punish Mrs. Sparsit according to her deserts.

Filled fuller than ever, with this great idea, Mr. Bounderby came in to lunch, and sat himself down in the dining-room of former days, where his portrait was. Mrs. Sparsit sat by the fire, with her foot in her cotton stirrup, little thinking whither she was posting.

Since the Pegler affair, this gentlewoman had covered her pity for Mr. Bounderby with a veil of quiet melancholy⁵ and contrition⁶. In virtue⁷ thereof, it had become her habit to assume a woful look, which woful look she now bestowed⁸ upon her patron.

'What's the matter now, ma'am?' said Mr. Bounderby, in a very short, rough way.

'Pray, sir,' returned Mrs. Sparsit, 'do not bite my nose off.'

'Bite your nose off, ma'am?' repeated Mr. Bounderby. 'Your nose!' meaning, as Mrs. Sparsit conceived, that it was too developed a nose for the purpose. After which offensive implication, he cut himself a crust of bread, and threw the knife down with a noise.

Mrs. Sparsit took her foot out of her stirrup, and said, 'Mr. Bounderby, sir!'

'Well, ma'am?' retorted Mr. Bounderby. 'What are you staring at?'

'May I ask, sir,' said Mrs. Sparsit, 'have you been

点击收听单词发音  

1 bluster
v.猛刮；怒冲冲的说；n.吓唬，怒号；狂风声
参考例句：
We could hear the bluster of the wind and rain.我们能听到狂风暴雨的吹打声。 He was inclined to bluster at first,but he soon dropped.起初他老爱吵闹一阵，可是不久就不做声了。

2 blusterer
n.咆哮的人，吓唬人的人
参考例句：
The intruder was Huang Fen, the famous blusterer. 这人就是黄奋，有名的“大炮”。 来自子夜部分

3 triumphant
adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的
参考例句：
The army made a triumphant entry into the enemy's capital.部队胜利地进入了敌方首都。 There was a positively triumphant note in her voice.她的声音里带有一种极为得意的语气。

4 presumption
n.推测，可能性，冒昧，放肆，[法律]推定
参考例句：
Please pardon my presumption in writing to you.请原谅我很冒昧地写信给你。 I don't think that's a false presumption.我认为那并不是错误的推测。

5 melancholy
n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的
参考例句：
All at once he fell into a state of profound melancholy.他立即陷入无尽的忧思之中。 He felt melancholy after he failed the exam.这次考试没通过，他感到很郁闷。

6 contrition
n.悔罪，痛悔
参考例句：
The next day he'd be full of contrition,weeping and begging forgiveness.第二天，他就会懊悔不已，哭着乞求原谅。 She forgave him because his contrition was real.她原谅了他是由于他的懊悔是真心的。

7 virtue
n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力
参考例句：
He was considered to be a paragon of virtue.他被认为是品德尽善尽美的典范。 You need to decorate your mind with virtue.你应该用德行美化心灵。

8 bestowed
赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
It was a title bestowed upon him by the king. 那是国王赐给他的头衔。 He considered himself unworthy of the honour they had bestowed on him. 他认为自己不配得到大家赋予他的荣誉。

9 ruffled
adj. 有褶饰边的, 起皱的 动词ruffle的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
She ruffled his hair affectionately. 她情意绵绵地拨弄着他的头发。 All this talk of a strike has clearly ruffled the management's feathers. 所有这些关于罢工的闲言碎语显然让管理层很不高兴。

10 bullied
adj.被欺负了v.恐吓，威逼( bully的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
My son is being bullied at school. 我儿子在学校里受欺负。 The boy bullied the small girl into giving him all her money. 那男孩威逼那个小女孩把所有的钱都给他。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 badger
v.一再烦扰，一再要求，纠缠
参考例句：
Now that our debts are squared.Don't badger me with them any more.我们的债务两清了。从此以后不要再纠缠我了。 If you badger him long enough,I'm sure he'll agree.只要你天天纠缠他，我相信他会同意。

12 eyebrows
眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Eyebrows stop sweat from coming down into the eyes. 眉毛挡住汗水使其不能流进眼睛。 His eyebrows project noticeably. 他的眉毛特别突出。

13 majestically
雄伟地； 庄重地； 威严地； 崇高地
参考例句：
The waters of the Changjiang River rolled to the east on majestically. 雄伟的长江滚滚东流。 Towering snowcapped peaks rise majestically. 白雪皑皑的山峰耸入云霄。

14 cramped
a.狭窄的
参考例句：
The house was terribly small and cramped, but the agent described it as a bijou residence. 房子十分狭小拥挤，但经纪人却把它说成是小巧别致的住宅。 working in cramped conditions 在拥挤的环境里工作

15 humble
adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低
参考例句：
In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。 Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

16 judgment
n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见
参考例句：
The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。 He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

17 sprightly
adj.愉快的，活泼的
参考例句：
She is as sprightly as a woman half her age.她跟比她年轻一半的妇女一样活泼。 He's surprisingly sprightly for an old man.他这把年纪了，还这么精神，真了不起。

18 disparage
v.贬抑，轻蔑
参考例句：
Your behaviour will disparage the whole family.你的行为将使全家丢脸。 Never disparage yourself or minimize your strength or power.不要贬低你自己或降低你的力量或能力。

19 interfere
v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰
参考例句：
If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。 When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

20 intruded
n.侵入的，推进的v.侵入，侵扰，打扰( intrude的过去式和过去分词 )；把…强加于
参考例句：
One could believe that human creatures had never intruded there before. 你简直会以为那是从来没有人到过的地方。 来自辞典例句 The speaker intruded a thin smile into his seriousness. 演说人严肃的脸上掠过一丝笑影。 来自辞典例句

21 habitually
ad.习惯地，通常地
参考例句：
The pain of the disease caused him habitually to furrow his brow. 病痛使他习惯性地紧皱眉头。 Habitually obedient to John, I came up to his chair. 我已经习惯于服从约翰，我来到他的椅子跟前。

22 awaken
vi.醒，觉醒；vt.唤醒，使觉醒，唤起，激起
参考例句：
Old people awaken early in the morning.老年人早晨醒得早。 Please awaken me at six.请于六点叫醒我。

23 proceedings
n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报
参考例句：
He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。 to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼

24 commemorate
vt.纪念，庆祝
参考例句：
This building was built to commemorate the Fire of London.这栋大楼是为纪念“伦敦大火”而兴建的。 We commemorate the founding of our nation with a public holiday.我们放假一日以庆祝国庆。

25 fixedly
adv.固定地；不屈地，坚定不移地
参考例句：
He stared fixedly at the woman in white. 他一直凝视着那穿白衣裳的女人。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The great majority were silent and still, looking fixedly at the ground. 绝大部分的人都不闹不动，呆呆地望着地面。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

26 ascended
v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He has ascended into heaven. 他已经升入了天堂。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The climbers slowly ascended the mountain. 爬山运动员慢慢地登上了这座山。 来自《简明英汉词典》

27 grudging
adj.勉强的，吝啬的
参考例句：
He felt a grudging respect for her talents as an organizer.他勉强地对她的组织才能表示尊重。 After a pause he added"sir."in a dilatory,grudging way.停了一会他才慢吞吞地、勉勉强强地加了一声“先生”。

28 peevish
adj.易怒的，坏脾气的
参考例句：
A peevish child is unhappy and makes others unhappy.一个脾气暴躁的孩子自己不高兴也使别人不高兴。 She glared down at me with a peevish expression on her face.她低头瞪着我，一脸怒气。

29 tormenting
使痛苦的，使苦恼的
参考例句：
He took too much pleasure in tormenting an ugly monster called Caliban. 他喜欢一味捉弄一个名叫凯列班的丑妖怪。 The children were scolded for tormenting animals. 孩子们因折磨动物而受到责骂。

30 insufficient
adj.(for，of)不足的，不够的
参考例句：
There was insufficient evidence to convict him.没有足够证据给他定罪。 In their day scientific knowledge was insufficient to settle the matter.在他们的时代，科学知识还不能足以解决这些问题。

31 lodging
n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍
参考例句：
The bill is inclusive of the food and lodging. 账单包括吃、住费用。 Where can you find lodging for the night? 你今晚在哪里借宿?

32 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。

33 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。

34 rascals
流氓( rascal的名词复数 )； 无赖； （开玩笑说法）淘气的人（尤指小孩）； 恶作剧的人
参考例句：
"Oh, but I like rascals. "唔，不过我喜欢流氓。 "They're all second-raters, black sheep, rascals. "他们都是二流人物，是流氓，是恶棍。

35 humbugs
欺骗( humbug的名词复数 )； 虚伪； 骗子； 薄荷硬糖
参考例句：

36 lodge
v.临时住宿，寄宿，寄存，容纳；n.传达室，小旅馆
参考例句：
Is there anywhere that I can lodge in the village tonight?村里有我今晚过夜的地方吗？ I shall lodge at the inn for two nights.我要在这家小店住两个晚上。

37 chapel
n.小教堂，殡仪馆
参考例句：
The nimble hero,skipped into a chapel that stood near.敏捷的英雄跳进近旁的一座小教堂里。 She was on the peak that Sunday afternoon when she played in chapel.那个星期天的下午，她在小教堂的演出，可以说是登峰造极。

38 nauseate
v.使作呕；使感到恶心；使厌恶
参考例句：
I began to nauseate the place I was in.我开始厌恶我所住的地方。 He was afraid that it might nauseate him and he would vomit and lose his strength.他害怕那些东西会让他反胃呕吐，因为吐了之后就没有体力了。

39 plunder
vt.劫掠财物，掠夺；n.劫掠物，赃物；劫掠
参考例句：
The thieves hid their plunder in the cave.贼把赃物藏在山洞里。 Trade should not serve as a means of economic plunder.贸易不应当成为经济掠夺的手段。

40 pretences
n.假装( pretence的名词复数 )；作假；自命；自称
参考例句：
You've brought your old friends out here under false pretences. 你用虚假的名义把你的那些狐朋狗党带到这里来。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹 There are no pretences about him. 他一点不虚伪。 来自辞典例句

41 vile
adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的
参考例句：
Who could have carried out such a vile attack?会是谁发起这么卑鄙的攻击呢？ Her talk was full of vile curses.她的话里充满着恶毒的咒骂。

42 decrepit
adj.衰老的，破旧的
参考例句：
The film had been shot in a decrepit old police station.该影片是在一所破旧不堪的警察局里拍摄的。 A decrepit old man sat on a park bench.一个衰弱的老人坐在公园的长凳上。

43 inflexible
adj.不可改变的，不受影响的，不屈服的
参考例句：
Charles was a man of settled habits and inflexible routine.查尔斯是一个恪守习惯、生活规律不容打乱的人。 The new plastic is completely inflexible.这种新塑料是完全不可弯曲的。

44 subservient
adj.卑屈的，阿谀的
参考例句：
He was subservient and servile.他低声下气、卑躬屈膝。 It was horrible to have to be affable and subservient.不得不强作欢颜卖弄风骚，真是太可怕了。

45 taunting
嘲讽( taunt的现在分词 )； 嘲弄； 辱骂； 奚落
参考例句：
She wagged a finger under his nose in a taunting gesture. 她当着他的面嘲弄地摇晃着手指。 His taunting inclination subdued for a moment by the old man's grief and wildness. 老人的悲伤和狂乱使他那嘲弄的意图暂时收敛起来。

46 honourable
adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的
参考例句：
I don't think I am worthy of such an honourable title.这样的光荣称号，我可担当不起。 I hope to find an honourable way of settling difficulties.我希望设法找到一个体面的办法以摆脱困境。

47 exonerating
v.使免罪，免除( exonerate的现在分词 )
参考例句：

48 weaver
n.织布工；编织者
参考例句：
She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。 The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。

49 guilt
n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责
参考例句：
She tried to cover up her guilt by lying.她企图用谎言掩饰自己的罪行。 Don't lay a guilt trip on your child about schoolwork.别因为功课责备孩子而使他觉得很内疚。

50 extenuation
n.减轻罪孽的借口；酌情减轻；细
参考例句：
Miss Glover could allow no extenuation of her crime. 格洛弗小姐是不允许袒护罪过的。 来自辞典例句 It was a comfort to him, this extenuation. 这借口对他是种安慰。 来自辞典例句

51 beseech
v.祈求，恳求
参考例句：
I beseech you to do this before it is too late.我恳求你做做这件事吧，趁现在还来得及。 I beseech your favor.我恳求您帮忙。

52 pensive
a.沉思的,哀思的,忧沉的
参考例句：
He looked suddenly sombre,pensive.他突然看起来很阴郁，一副忧虑的样子。 He became so pensive that she didn't like to break into his thought.他陷入沉思之中,她不想打断他的思路。

53 serene
adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的
参考例句：
He has entered the serene autumn of his life.他已进入了美好的中年时期。 He didn't speak much,he just smiled with that serene smile of his.他话不多，只是脸上露出他招牌式的淡定的微笑。

54 compassion
n.同情，怜悯
参考例句：
He could not help having compassion for the poor creature.他情不自禁地怜悯起那个可怜的人来。 Her heart was filled with compassion for the motherless children.她对于没有母亲的孩子们充满了怜悯心。

55 wretch
n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人
参考例句：
You are really an ungrateful wretch to complain instead of thanking him.你不但不谢他，还埋怨他，真不知好歹。 The dead husband is not the dishonoured wretch they fancied him.死去的丈夫不是他们所想象的不光彩的坏蛋。

56 blotted
涂污( blot的过去式和过去分词 )； （用吸墨纸）吸干
参考例句：
She blotted water off the table with a towel. 她用毛巾擦干桌上的水。 The blizzard blotted out the sky and the land. 暴风雪铺天盖地而来。

57 bartered
v.作物物交换，以货换货( barter的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The local people bartered wheat for tools. 当地人用小麦换取工具。 They bartered farm products for machinery. 他们用农产品交换机器。 来自《简明英汉词典》

58 penitence
n.忏悔，赎罪；悔过
参考例句：
The thief expressed penitence for all his past actions. 那盗贼对他犯过的一切罪恶表示忏悔。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 Of penitence, there has been none! 可是悔过呢，还一点没有！ 来自英汉文学 - 红字

59 watchful
adj.注意的，警惕的
参考例句：
The children played under the watchful eye of their father.孩子们在父亲的小心照看下玩耍。 It is important that health organizations remain watchful.卫生组织保持警惕是极为重要的。

60 hoarded
v.积蓄并储藏（某物）( hoard的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
It owned great properties and often hoarded huge treasures. 它拥有庞大的财产，同时往往窖藏巨额的财宝。 来自辞典例句 Sylvia among them, good-naturedly applaud so much long-hoarded treasure of useless knowing. 西尔维亚也在他们中间，为那些长期珍藏的无用知识，友好地、起劲地鼓掌。 来自互联网

61 scrap
n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废
参考例句：
A man comes round regularly collecting scrap.有个男人定时来收废品。 Sell that car for scrap.把那辆汽车当残品卖了吧。

62 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。

63 lore
n.传说；学问，经验，知识
参考例句：
I will seek and question him of his lore.我倒要找上他，向他讨教他的渊博的学问。 Early peoples passed on plant and animal lore through legend.早期人类通过传说传递有关植物和动物的知识。

64 machinery
n.(总称)机械，机器；机构
参考例句：
Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗？ Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。

65 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。

66 wither
vt.使凋谢，使衰退，(用眼神气势等)使畏缩；vi.枯萎，衰退，消亡
参考例句：
She grows as a flower does-she will wither without sun.她象鲜花一样成长--没有太阳就会凋谢。 In autumn the leaves wither and fall off the trees.秋天，树叶枯萎并从树上落下来。

67 stark
adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地
参考例句：
The young man is faced with a stark choice.这位年轻人面临严峻的抉择。 He gave a stark denial to the rumor.他对谣言加以完全的否认。

68 vow
n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓
参考例句：
My parents are under a vow to go to church every Sunday.我父母许愿，每星期日都去做礼拜。 I am under a vow to drink no wine.我已立誓戒酒。

69 brotherhood
n.兄弟般的关系，手中情谊
参考例句：
They broke up the brotherhood.他们断绝了兄弟关系。 They live and work together in complete equality and brotherhood.他们完全平等和兄弟般地在一起生活和工作。

70 covenant
n.盟约，契约；v.订盟约
参考例句：
They refused to covenant with my father for the property.他们不愿与我父亲订立财产契约。 The money was given to us by deed of covenant.这笔钱是根据契约书付给我们的。

71 lighter
n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级
参考例句：
The portrait was touched up so as to make it lighter.这张画经过润色，色调明朗了一些。 The lighter works off the car battery.引燃器利用汽车蓄电池打火。

72 bosoms
胸部( bosom的名词复数 )； 胸怀； 女衣胸部（或胸襟）； 和爱护自己的人在一起的情形
参考例句：
How beautifully gold brooches glitter on the bosoms of our patriotic women! 金光闪闪的别针佩在我国爱国妇女的胸前，多美呀！ Let us seek out some desolate shade, and there weep our sad bosoms empty. 我们寻个僻静的地方，去痛哭一场吧。

73 hearth
n.壁炉炉床，壁炉地面
参考例句：
She came and sat in a chair before the hearth.她走过来，在炉子前面的椅子上坐下。 She comes to the hearth,and switches on the electric light there.她走到壁炉那里，打开电灯。