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Despite the heat, I spent the rest of the afternoon pulling weeds, and afterward1 I showered before heading off to the grocery store. It was, after all, Saturday—my day to cook—and I had decided2 to try my hand at a new recipe that called for side dishes of bow-tie pasta and vegetables. Though I knew this would probably be enough for both of us, I decided at the last minute to make appetizers3 and a Caesar salad as well.
By five o’clock, I was in the kitchen; by five-thirty, the appetizers were well under way. I had prepared mushrooms stuffed with sausage and cream cheese, and they were warming in the oven next to the bread I’d picked up at the bakery. I’d just finished setting the table and was opening a bottle of Merlot when I heard Jane come in the front door.
“Hello?” she called out.
“I’m in the dining room,” I said.
When she rounded the corner, I was struck by how radiant she looked. While my thinning hair is speckled with gray, hers is still as dark and full as the day I married her. She had tucked a few strands6 behind her ear, and around her neck I saw the small diamond pendant I’d purchased in the first few years of our marriage. As preoccupied7 as I might have been at times during our marriage, I can honestly say that I have never grown inured8 to her beauty. “Wow,” she said. “It smells great in here. What’s for dinner?” “Veal9 marsala,” I announced, reaching to pour her a glass of wine. I crossed the room and handed it to her. As I studied her face, I noticed that the anxiety of the night before had been replaced with a look of excitement that I hadn’t seen for quite some time. I could already tell that things had gone well for her and Anna, and though I hadn’t realized I’d been holding my breath, I felt myself exhale
收听单词发音
1
afterward
adv.后来;以后
2
decided
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
3
appetizers
n.开胃品( appetizer的名词复数 );促进食欲的活动;刺激欲望的东西;吊胃口的东西
4
appetizer
n.小吃,开胃品
5
strand
vt.使(船)搁浅,使(某人)困于(某地)
6
strands
n.(线、绳、金属线、毛发等的)股( strand的名词复数 );缕;海洋、湖或河的)岸;(观点、计划、故事等的)部份v.使滞留,使搁浅( strand的第三人称单数 )
7
preoccupied
adj.全神贯注的,入神的;被抢先占有的;心事重重的v.占据(某人)思想,使对…全神贯注,使专心于( preoccupy的过去式)
8
inured
adj.坚强的,习惯的
9
veal
n.小牛肉
10
exhale
v.呼气,散出,吐出,蒸发
11
gushed
v.喷,涌( gush的过去式和过去分词 );滔滔不绝地说话
12
sip
v.小口地喝,抿,呷;n.一小口的量
13
hips
abbr.high impact polystyrene 高冲击强度聚苯乙烯,耐冲性聚苯乙烯n.臀部( hip的名词复数 );[建筑学]屋脊;臀围(尺寸);臀部…的
14
assorted
adj.各种各样的,各色俱备的
15
mitt
n.棒球手套,拳击手套,无指手套;vt.铐住,握手
16
timing
n.时间安排,时间选择
17
shrugged
vt.耸肩(shrug的过去式与过去分词形式)
18
qualified
adj.合格的,有资格的,胜任的,有限制的
19
anticipation
n.预期,预料,期望
20
stunning
adj.极好的;使人晕倒的
21
cancellation
n.删除,取消
22
shrugs
n.耸肩(以表示冷淡,怀疑等)( shrug的名词复数 )
23
eyebrows
眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 )
24
climax
n.顶点;高潮;v.(使)达到顶点
25
flipping
讨厌之极的
26
devoted
adj.忠诚的,忠实的,热心的,献身于...的
27
alignment
n.队列;结盟,联合
28
vanilla
n.香子兰,香草
29
crease
n.折缝,褶痕,皱褶;v.(使)起皱
30
creases
(使…)起折痕,弄皱( crease的第三人称单数 ); (皮肤)皱起,使起皱纹
31
plantation
n.种植园,大农场
32
propped
支撑,支持,维持( prop的过去式和过去分词 )
33
animated
adj.生气勃勃的,活跃的,愉快的
34
appreciative
adj.有鉴赏力的,有眼力的;感激的
35
broth
n.原(汁)汤(鱼汤、肉汤、菜汤等)
36
minced
v.切碎( mince的过去式和过去分词 );剁碎;绞碎;用绞肉机绞(食物,尤指肉)
37
diced
v.将…切成小方块,切成丁( dice的过去式和过去分词 )
38
dab
v.轻触,轻拍,轻涂;n.(颜料等的)轻涂
39
retrieving
n.检索(过程),取还v.取回( retrieve的现在分词 );恢复;寻回;检索(储存的信息)
40
mashed
a.捣烂的
41
gravy
n.肉汁;轻易得来的钱,外快
42
curiously
adv.有求知欲地;好问地;奇特地
43
stumped
僵直地行走,跺步行走( stump的过去式和过去分词 ); 把(某人)难住; 使为难; (选举前)在某一地区作政治性巡回演说
44
poked
v.伸出( poke的过去式和过去分词 );戳出;拨弄;与(某人)性交
45
feigning
假装,伪装( feign的现在分词 ); 捏造(借口、理由等)
46
winked
v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 );递眼色(表示友好或高兴等);(指光)闪烁;闪亮
47
inflated
adj.(价格)飞涨的;(通货)膨胀的;言过其实的;充了气的v.使充气(于轮胎、气球等)( inflate的过去式和过去分词 );(使)膨胀;(使)通货膨胀;物价上涨
48
nurture
n.养育,照顾,教育;滋养,营养品;vt.养育,给与营养物,教养,扶持
49
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
50
chilly
adj.凉快的,寒冷的
51
noted
adj.著名的,知名的
52
allotted
分配,拨给,摊派( allot的过去式和过去分词 )
53
parlor
n.店铺,营业室;会客室,客厅
54
parlors
客厅( parlor的名词复数 ); 起居室; (旅馆中的)休息室; (通常用来构成合成词)店
55
cowering
v.畏缩,抖缩( cower的现在分词 )
56
alley
n.小巷,胡同;小径,小路
57
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。
58
pointed
adj.尖的,直截了当的
59
wary
adj.谨慎的,机警的,小心的
60
soothing
adj.慰藉的;使人宽心的;镇静的
61
whined
v.哀号( whine的过去式和过去分词 );哀诉,诉怨
62
allergic
adj.过敏的,变态的
63
flicker
vi./n.闪烁,摇曳,闪现
64
crave
vt.渴望得到,迫切需要,恳求,请求
65
sloppy
adj.邋遢的,不整洁的
66
worthy
adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的
67
tilted
v. 倾斜的
68
mythology
n.神话,神话学,神话集
69
squinted
斜视( squint的过去式和过去分词 ); 眯着眼睛; 瞟; 从小孔或缝隙里看
70
janitors
n.看门人( janitor的名词复数 );看管房屋的人;锅炉工
71
smirk
n.得意地笑;v.傻笑;假笑着说
72
defense
n.防御,保卫;[pl.]防务工事;辩护,答辩
73
briefly
adv.简单地,简短地
74
unwilling
adj.不情愿的
75
pastor
n.牧师,牧人
76
ineptitude
n.不适当;愚笨,愚昧的言行
77
logic
n.逻辑(学);逻辑性
78
dryer
n.干衣机,干燥剂
79
banter
n.嘲弄,戏谑;v.取笑,逗弄,开玩笑
80
stilted
adj.虚饰的;夸张的
81
punctuated
v.(在文字中)加标点符号,加标点( punctuate的过去式和过去分词 );不时打断某事物
82
previously
adv.以前,先前(地)
83
halfway
adj.中途的,不彻底的,部分的;adv.半路地,在中途,在半途
84
whatsoever
adv.(用于否定句中以加强语气)任何;pron.无论什么
85
offhanded
adj.立即的,即席的
86
inevitable
adj.不可避免的,必然发生的
87
rinsed
v.漂洗( rinse的过去式和过去分词 );冲洗;用清水漂洗掉(肥皂泡等);(用清水)冲掉
88
colander
n.滤器,漏勺
89
unpacking
n.取出货物,拆包[箱]v.从(包裹等)中取出(所装的东西),打开行李取出( unpack的现在分词 );拆包;解除…的负担;吐露(心事等)
90
remains
n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹
91
rumbling
n. 隆隆声, 辘辘声
adj. 隆隆响的
动词rumble的现在分词
92
utensils
器具,用具,器皿( utensil的名词复数 ); 器物
93
tongs
n.钳;夹子
94
siblings
n.兄弟,姐妹( sibling的名词复数 )
95
staple
n.主要产物,常用品,主要要素,原料,订书钉,钩环;adj.主要的,重要的;vt.分类
96
relished
v.欣赏( relish的过去式和过去分词 );从…获得乐趣;渴望
97
concurred
同意(concur的过去式与过去分词形式)
98
leftovers
n.剩余物,残留物,剩菜
99
intimacy
n.熟悉,亲密,密切关系,亲昵的言行
100
deafening
adj. 振耳欲聋的, 极喧闹的
动词deafen的现在分词形式
101
standing
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的
102
prodding
v.刺,戳( prod的现在分词 );刺激;促使;(用手指或尖物)戳
103
commute
vi.乘车上下班;vt.减(刑);折合;n.上下班交通
104
sprout
n.芽,萌芽;vt.使发芽,摘去芽;vi.长芽,抽条
105
risky
adj.有风险的,冒险的
106
chapel
n.小教堂,殡仪馆
107
levity
n.轻率,轻浮,不稳定,多变
108
platitudes
n.平常的话,老生常谈,陈词滥调( platitude的名词复数 );滥套子
109
longing
n.(for)渴望
110
evoke
vt.唤起,引起,使人想起
111
gathering
n.集会,聚会,聚集
112
scent
n.气味,香味,香水,线索,嗅觉;v.嗅,发觉
113
wrenching
n.修截苗根,苗木铲根(铲根时苗木不起土或部分起土)v.(猛力地)扭( wrench的现在分词 );扭伤;使感到痛苦;使悲痛
114
retrieved
v.取回( retrieve的过去式和过去分词 );恢复;寻回;检索(储存的信息)
115
drawn
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的
116
flickered
(通常指灯光)闪烁,摇曳( flicker的过去式和过去分词 )
117
exclamation
n.感叹号,惊呼,惊叹词
118
expressive
adj.表现的,表达…的,富于表情的
119
reciprocated
v.报答,酬答( reciprocate的过去式和过去分词 );(机器的部件)直线往复运动
120
creased
(使…)起折痕,弄皱( crease的过去式和过去分词 ); (皮肤)皱起,使起皱纹; 皱皱巴巴