The next day I talked to Miss Garber, went through the audition¹, and got the part.  Eddie, by the way, wasn’t upset at all. In fact, I could tell he was actually relieved about the whole thing. When Miss Garber asked him if he’d be willing to let me play the role of Tom Thornton, his face sort of relaxed right there and one of his eyes popped back open. “Y-y-yes, a-a-absolutely,” he said, stuttering. “I-I-I un-ununderstand.” It took him practically ten seconds to get the words out.  For his generosity², however, Miss Garber gave him the role of the bum³, and we knew he’d do fairly well in that role. The bum, you see, was completely mute, but the angel always knew what he was thinking. At one point in the play she has to tell the mute bum that God will always watch out for him because God especially cares for the poor and downtrodden. That was one of the tip-offs to the audience that she’d been sent from heaven. Like I said earlier, Hegbert wanted it to be real clear who offered redemption and salvation⁴, and it certainly wasn’t going to be a few rickety ghosts who just popped up out of nowhere.  Rehearsals⁵ started the next week, and we rehearsed in the classroom, because the Playhouse wouldn’t open their doors for us until we’d got all the “little bugs⁷” out of our performance. By little bugs, I mean our tendency to accidentally knock over the props⁸. The props had been made about fifteen years ago, when the play was in its first year, by Toby Bush, a sort of roving handyman who had done a few projects for the Playhouse in the past. He was a roving handyman because he drank beer all day long while he worked, and by about two o’clock or so he’d really be flying. I guess he couldn’t see straight, because he’d accidentally whack⁹ his fingers with the hammer at least once a day. Whenever that happened, he’d throw down the hammer and jump up and down, holding his fingers, cursing everyone from his mother to the devil. When he finally calmed down, he’d have another beer to

点击收听单词发音  

1 audition
n.(对志愿艺人等的)面试(指试读、试唱等)
参考例句：
I'm going to the audition but I don't expect I'll get a part.我去试音，可并不指望会给我个角色演出。 At first,they said he was too young,but later they called him for an audition.起初，他们说他太小，但后来他们叫他去试听。

2 generosity
n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为
参考例句：
We should match their generosity with our own.我们应该像他们一样慷慨大方。 We adore them for their generosity.我们钦佩他们的慷慨。

3 bum
n.臀部；流浪汉，乞丐；vt.乞求，乞讨
参考例句：
A man pinched her bum on the train so she hit him.在火车上有人捏她屁股，她打了那人。 The penniless man had to bum a ride home.那个身无分文的人只好乞求搭车回家。

4 salvation
n.（尤指基督）救世，超度，拯救，解困
参考例句：
Salvation lay in political reform.解救办法在于政治改革。 Christians hope and pray for salvation.基督教徒希望并祈祷灵魂得救。

5 rehearsals
n.练习( rehearsal的名词复数 )；排练；复述；重复
参考例句：
The earlier protests had just been dress rehearsals for full-scale revolution. 早期的抗议仅仅是大革命开始前的预演。 She worked like a demon all through rehearsals. 她每次排演时始终精力过人。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 rehearsal
n.排练，排演；练习
参考例句：
I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。 You can sharpen your skills with rehearsal.排练可以让技巧更加纯熟。

7 bugs
adj.疯狂的，发疯的n.窃听器( bug的名词复数 )；病菌；虫子；[计算机]（制作软件程序所产生的意料不到的）错误
参考例句：
All programs have bugs and need endless refinement. 所有的程序都有漏洞，都需要不断改进。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The sacks of rice were swarming with bugs. 一袋袋的米里长满了虫子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 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。

9 whack
v.敲击，重打，瓜分；n.重击，重打，尝试，一份
参考例句：
After years of dieting,Carol's metabolism was completely out of whack.经过数年的节食，卡罗尔的新陈代谢完全紊乱了。 He gave me a whack on the back to wake me up.他为把我弄醒，在我背上猛拍一下。

10 soothe
v.安慰；使平静；使减轻；缓和；奉承
参考例句：
I've managed to soothe him down a bit.我想方设法使他平静了一点。 This medicine should soothe your sore throat.这种药会减轻你的喉痛。

11 knuckles
n.（指人）指关节( knuckle的名词复数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝v.（指人）指关节( knuckle的第三人称单数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝
参考例句：
He gripped the wheel until his knuckles whitened. 他紧紧握住方向盘，握得指关节都变白了。 Her thin hands were twisted by swollen knuckles. 她那双纤手因肿大的指关节而变了形。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 walnuts
胡桃（树）( walnut的名词复数 )； 胡桃木
参考例句：
Are there walnuts in this sauce? 这沙司里面有核桃吗？ We ate eggs and bacon, pickled walnuts and cheese. 我们吃鸡蛋，火腿，腌胡桃仁和干酪。

13 permanently
adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地
参考例句：
The accident left him permanently scarred.那次事故给他留下了永久的伤疤。 The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London.该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。

14 swollen
adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀
参考例句：
Her legs had got swollen from standing up all day.因为整天站着，她的双腿已经肿了。 A mosquito had bitten her and her arm had swollen up.蚊子叮了她，她的手臂肿起来了。

15 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》

16 bidder
n.(拍卖时的)出价人，报价人，投标人
参考例句：
TV franchises will be auctioned to the highest bidder.电视特许经营权将拍卖给出价最高的投标人。 The bidder withdrew his bid after submission of his bid.投标者在投标之后撤销了投标书。

17 sloppy
adj.邋遢的，不整洁的
参考例句：
If you do such sloppy work again,I promise I'll fail you.要是下次作业你再马马虎虎，我话说在头里，可要给你打不及格了。 Mother constantly picked at him for being sloppy.母亲不断地批评他懒散。

18 thumping
adj.重大的，巨大的；重击的；尺码大的；极好的adv.极端地；非常地v.重击(thump的现在分词)；狠打；怦怦地跳；全力支持
参考例句：
Her heart was thumping with emotion. 她激动得心怦怦直跳。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 He was thumping the keys of the piano. 他用力弹钢琴。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

19 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。

20 rusty
adj.生锈的；锈色的；荒废了的
参考例句：
The lock on the door is rusty and won't open.门上的锁锈住了。 I haven't practiced my French for months and it's getting rusty.几个月不用，我的法语又荒疏了。

21 poking
n. 刺，戳，袋 vt. 拨开，刺，戳 vi. 戳，刺，捅，搜索，伸出，行动散慢
参考例句：
He was poking at the rubbish with his stick. 他正用手杖拨动垃圾。 He spent his weekends poking around dusty old bookshops. 他周末都泡在布满尘埃的旧书店里。

22 allotted
分配，拨给，摊派( allot的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
I completed the test within the time allotted . 我在限定的时间内完成了试验。 Each passenger slept on the berth allotted to him. 每个旅客都睡在分配给他的铺位上。

23 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。

24 envious
adj.嫉妒的，羡慕的
参考例句：
I don't think I'm envious of your success.我想我并不嫉妒你的成功。 She is envious of Jane's good looks and covetous of her car.她既忌妒简的美貌又垂涎她的汽车。

25 mumbled
含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He mumbled something to me which I did not quite catch. 他对我叽咕了几句话，可我没太听清楚。 George mumbled incoherently to himself. 乔治语无伦次地喃喃自语。

26 mutual
adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的
参考例句：
We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。 Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

27 owl
n.猫头鹰，枭
参考例句：
Her new glasses make her look like an owl.她的新眼镜让她看上去像只猫头鹰。 I'm a night owl and seldom go to bed until after midnight.我睡得很晚，经常半夜后才睡觉。

28 weird
adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的
参考例句：
From his weird behaviour,he seems a bit of an oddity.从他不寻常的行为看来，他好像有点怪。 His weird clothes really gas me.他的怪衣裳简直笑死人。

29 smack
vt.拍，打，掴；咂嘴；vi.含有…意味；n.拍
参考例句：
She gave him a smack on the face.她打了他一个嘴巴。 I gave the fly a smack with the magazine.我用杂志拍了一下苍蝇。

30 ego
n.自我，自己，自尊
参考例句：
He is absolute ego in all thing.在所有的事情上他都绝对自我。 She has been on an ego trip since she sang on television.她上电视台唱过歌之后就一直自吹自擂。

31 consecutive
adj.连续的，联贯的，始终一贯的
参考例句：
It has rained for four consecutive days.已连续下了四天雨。 The policy of our Party is consecutive.我党的政策始终如一。

32 spotted
adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的
参考例句：
The milkman selected the spotted cows,from among a herd of two hundred.牛奶商从一群200头牛中选出有斑点的牛。 Sam's shop stocks short spotted socks.山姆的商店屯积了有斑点的短袜。

33 giggled
v.咯咯地笑( giggle的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The girls giggled at the joke. 女孩子们让这笑话逗得咯咯笑。 The children giggled hysterically. 孩子们歇斯底里地傻笑。 来自《简明英汉词典》

34 gritted
v.以沙砾覆盖（某物），撒沙砾于( grit的过去式和过去分词 )；咬紧牙关
参考例句：
He gritted his teeth and plunged into the cold weather. 他咬咬牙，冲向寒冷的天气。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 The young policeman gritted his teeth and walked slowly towards the armed criminal. 年轻警官强忍住怒火，朝武装歹徒慢慢走过去。 来自《简明英汉词典》

35 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。

36 oblivious
adj.易忘的，遗忘的，忘却的，健忘的
参考例句：
Mother has become quite oblivious after the illness.这次病后，妈妈变得特别健忘。 He was quite oblivious of the danger.他完全没有察觉到危险。

37 tugging
n.牵引感v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的现在分词 )
参考例句：
Tom was tugging at a button-hole and looking sheepish. 汤姆捏住一个钮扣眼使劲地拉，样子显得很害羞。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险 She kicked him, tugging his thick hair. 她一边踢他，一边扯着他那浓密的头发。 来自辞典例句

38 pouncing
v.突然袭击( pounce的现在分词 )；猛扑；一眼看出；抓住机会（进行抨击）
参考例句：
Detective Sun grinned and, pouncing on the gourd, smashed it against the wall. 孙侦探笑了，一把将瓦罐接过来，往墙上一碰。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子 We saw the tiger pouncing on the goat. 我们看见老虎向那只山羊扑过去。 来自互联网

39 bowling
n.保龄球运动
参考例句：
Bowling is a popular sport with young and old.保龄球是老少都爱的运动。 Which sport do you 1ike most,golf or bowling?你最喜欢什么运动，高尔夫还是保龄球？

40 orphan
n.孤儿；adj.无父母的
参考例句：
He brought up the orphan and passed onto him his knowledge of medicine.他把一个孤儿养大，并且把自己的医术传给了他。 The orphan had been reared in a convent by some good sisters.这个孤儿在一所修道院里被几个好心的修女带大。

41 orphans
孤儿( orphan的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The poor orphans were kept on short commons. 贫苦的孤儿们吃不饱饭。 Their uncle was declared guardian to the orphans. 这些孤儿的叔父成为他们的监护人。

42 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。

43 furrowing
v.犁田，开沟( furrow的现在分词 )
参考例句：
In spring, farmers are busy furrowing the fields. 春天，农民忙于犁地。 来自辞典例句 The gasoline's machine is used for mowing, flooding, furrowing, every kind of machine power supply. 我公司为农机产品开发的动力源，该产品主要是用于收、、、等机械。 来自互联网

44 flopping
n.贬调v.（指书、戏剧等）彻底失败( flop的现在分词 )；（因疲惫而）猛然坐下；（笨拙地、不由自主地或松弛地）移动或落下；砸锅
参考例句：
The fish are still flopping about. 鱼还在扑腾。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 What do you mean by flopping yourself down and praying agin me?' 咚一声跪下地来咒我，你这是什么意思” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

45 gut
n.[pl.]胆量；内脏；adj.本能的；vt.取出内脏
参考例句：
It is not always necessary to gut the fish prior to freezing.冷冻鱼之前并不总是需要先把内脏掏空。 My immediate gut feeling was to refuse.我本能的直接反应是拒绝。

46 orphanage
n.孤儿院
参考例句：
They dispensed new clothes to the children in the orphanage.他们把新衣服发给孤儿院的小孩们。 They gave the proceeds of the sale to the orphanage.他们把销售的收入给了这家孤儿院。

47 spun
v.纺，杜撰，急转身
参考例句：
His grandmother spun him a yarn at the fire.他奶奶在火炉边给他讲故事。 Her skilful fingers spun the wool out to a fine thread.她那灵巧的手指把羊毛纺成了细毛线。