After ringing up Sir James, Tommy’s next procedure was to make a call at South Audley
Mansions1. He found Albert discharging his professional duties, and introduced himself without more ado as a friend of Tuppence’s. Albert unbent immediately.
“Things has been very quiet here lately,” he said wistfully. “Hope the young lady’s keeping well, sir?”
“That’s just the point, Albert. She’s disappeared.”
“You don’t mean as the
crooks2 have got her?”
“They have.”
“In the Underworld?”
“No, dash it all, in this world!”
“It’s a h’expression, sir,” explained Albert. “At the pictures the crooks always have a restoorant in the Underworld. But do you think as they’ve done her in, sir?”
“I hope not. By the way, have you by any chance an aunt, a cousin, a grandmother, or any other suitable female relation who might be represented as being likely to kick the bucket?”
“I’m on, sir. My poor aunt what lives in the country has been mortal bad for a long time, and she’s asking for me with her dying breath.”
Tommy nodded approval.
“Can you report this in the proper quarter and meet me at
Charing6 Cross in an hour’s time?”
“I’ll be there, sir. You can count on me.”
As Tommy had judged, the faithful Albert proved an
invaluable7 ally. The two took up their quarters at the inn in Gatehouse. To Albert fell the task of collecting information. There was no difficulty about it.
Astley Priors was the property of a Dr. Adams. The doctor no longer practiced, had
retired8, the landlord believed, but he took a few private patients—here the good fellow tapped his forehead knowingly—“balmy ones! You understand!” The doctor was a popular figure in the village,
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收听单词发音
1
mansions
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n.宅第,公馆,大厦( mansion的名词复数 ) |
参考例句: |
- Fifth Avenue was boarded up where the rich had deserted their mansions. 第五大道上的富翁们已经出去避暑,空出的宅第都已锁好了门窗,钉上了木板。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
- Oh, the mansions, the lights, the perfume, the loaded boudoirs and tables! 啊,那些高楼大厦、华灯、香水、藏金收银的闺房还有摆满山珍海味的餐桌! 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
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2
crooks
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n.骗子( crook的名词复数 );罪犯;弯曲部分;(牧羊人或主教用的)弯拐杖v.弯成钩形( crook的第三人称单数 ) |
参考例句: |
- The police are getting after the crooks in the city. 警察在城里追捕小偷。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The cops got the crooks. 警察捉到了那些罪犯。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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3
elation
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n.兴高采烈,洋洋得意 |
参考例句: |
- She showed her elation at having finally achieved her ambition.最终实现了抱负,她显得十分高兴。
- His supporters have reacted to the news with elation.他的支持者听到那条消息后兴高采烈。
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4
buck
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n.雄鹿,雄兔;v.马离地跳跃 |
参考例句: |
- The boy bent curiously to the skeleton of the buck.这个男孩好奇地弯下身去看鹿的骸骨。
- The female deer attracts the buck with high-pitched sounds.雌鹿以尖声吸引雄鹿。
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5
countenance
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n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同 |
参考例句: |
- At the sight of this photograph he changed his countenance.他一看见这张照片脸色就变了。
- I made a fierce countenance as if I would eat him alive.我脸色恶狠狠地,仿佛要把他活生生地吞下去。
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6
charing
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n.炭化v.把…烧成炭,把…烧焦( char的现在分词 );烧成炭,烧焦;做杂役女佣 |
参考例句: |
- We married in the chapel of Charing Cross Hospital in London. 我们是在伦敦查令十字医院的小教堂里结的婚。 来自辞典例句
- No additional charge for children under12 charing room with parents. ☆十二岁以下小童与父母同房不另收费。 来自互联网
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7
invaluable
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adj.无价的,非常宝贵的,极为贵重的 |
参考例句: |
- A computer would have been invaluable for this job.一台计算机对这个工作的作用会是无法估计的。
- This information was invaluable to him.这个消息对他来说是非常宝贵的。
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8
retired
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adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的 |
参考例句: |
- The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
- Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。
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9
subscribed
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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》
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10
genial
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adj.亲切的,和蔼的,愉快的,脾气好的 |
参考例句: |
- Orlando is a genial man.奥兰多是一位和蔼可亲的人。
- He was a warm-hearted friend and genial host.他是个热心的朋友,也是友善待客的主人。
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11
sinister
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adj.不吉利的,凶恶的,左边的 |
参考例句: |
- There is something sinister at the back of that series of crimes.在这一系列罪行背后有险恶的阴谋。
- Their proposals are all worthless and designed out of sinister motives.他们的建议不仅一钱不值,而且包藏祸心。
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12
edifice
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n.宏伟的建筑物(如宫殿,教室) |
参考例句: |
- The American consulate was a magnificent edifice in the centre of Bordeaux.美国领事馆是位于波尔多市中心的一座宏伟的大厦。
- There is a huge Victorian edifice in the area.该地区有一幢维多利亚式的庞大建筑物。
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13
insistence
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n.坚持;强调;坚决主张 |
参考例句: |
- They were united in their insistence that she should go to college.他们一致坚持她应上大学。
- His insistence upon strict obedience is correct.他坚持绝对服从是对的。
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14
thereby
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adv.因此,从而 |
参考例句: |
- I have never been to that city,,ereby I don't know much about it.我从未去过那座城市,因此对它不怎么熟悉。
- He became a British citizen,thereby gaining the right to vote.他成了英国公民,因而得到了投票权。
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15
puma
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美洲豹 |
参考例句: |
- The police and the volunteers combed the forest for the lost puma from the zoo.警察和志愿者们在森林里到处寻找动物园迷失的美洲狮。
- A businessman on a fishing trip saw the puma up a tree.一位商人去钓鱼,看见那只美洲狮在树上。
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16
scrap
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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。
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17
scraps
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油渣 |
参考例句: |
- Don't litter up the floor with scraps of paper. 不要在地板上乱扔纸屑。
- A patchwork quilt is a good way of using up scraps of material. 做杂拼花布棉被是利用零碎布料的好办法。
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18
uncertainty
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n.易变,靠不住,不确知,不确定的事物 |
参考例句: |
- Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
- After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后,压力开始产生影响了。
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19
indefatigable
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adj.不知疲倦的,不屈不挠的 |
参考例句: |
- His indefatigable spirit helped him to cope with his illness.他不屈不挠的精神帮助他对抗病魔。
- He was indefatigable in his lectures on the aesthetics of love.在讲授关于爱情的美学时,他是不知疲倦的。
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20
undoubtedly
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adv.确实地,无疑地 |
参考例句: |
- It is undoubtedly she who has said that.这话明明是她说的。
- He is undoubtedly the pride of China.毫无疑问他是中国的骄傲。
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21
pecuniary
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adj.金钱的;金钱上的 |
参考例句: |
- She denies obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception.她否认通过欺骗手段获得经济利益。
- She is so independent that she refused all pecuniary aid.她很独立,所以拒绝一切金钱上的资助。
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22
confirmation
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n.证实,确认,批准 |
参考例句: |
- We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
- We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前,我们需要书面确认。
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23
rumours
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n.传闻( rumour的名词复数 );风闻;谣言;谣传 |
参考例句: |
- The rumours were completely baseless. 那些谣传毫无根据。
- Rumours of job losses were later confirmed. 裁员的传言后来得到了证实。
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24
agitated
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adj.被鼓动的,不安的 |
参考例句: |
- His answers were all mixed up,so agitated was he.他是那样心神不定,回答全乱了。
- She was agitated because her train was an hour late.她乘坐的火车晚点一个小时,她十分焦虑。
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25
sensational
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adj.使人感动的,非常好的,轰动的,耸人听闻的 |
参考例句: |
- Papers of this kind are full of sensational news reports.这类报纸满是耸人听闻的新闻报道。
- Their performance was sensational.他们的演出妙极了。
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26
coup
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n.政变;突然而成功的行动 |
参考例句: |
- The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
- That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。
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27
misery
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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。
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28
entail
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vt.使承担,使成为必要,需要 |
参考例句: |
- Such a decision would entail a huge political risk.这样的决定势必带来巨大的政治风险。
- This job would entail your learning how to use a computer.这工作将需要你学会怎样用计算机。
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29
insistent
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adj.迫切的,坚持的 |
参考例句: |
- There was an insistent knock on my door.我听到一阵急促的敲门声。
- He is most insistent on this point.他在这点上很坚持。
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30
fomenting
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v.激起,煽动(麻烦等)( foment的现在分词 ) |
参考例句: |
- They accused him of fomenting political unrest. 他们指控他煽动政治动乱。
- Three sailors were fomenting a mutiny on the ship. 三个水手正在船上煽动叛变。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
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31
standing
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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。
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32
accurately
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adv.准确地,精确地 |
参考例句: |
- It is hard to hit the ball accurately.准确地击中球很难。
- Now scientists can forecast the weather accurately.现在科学家们能准确地预报天气。
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33
preposterous
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adj.荒谬的,可笑的 |
参考例句: |
- The whole idea was preposterous.整个想法都荒唐透顶。
- It would be preposterous to shovel coal with a teaspoon.用茶匙铲煤是荒谬的。
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34
crumble
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vi.碎裂,崩溃;vt.弄碎,摧毁 |
参考例句: |
- Opposition more or less crumbled away.反对势力差不多都瓦解了。
- Even if the seas go dry and rocks crumble,my will will remain firm.纵然海枯石烂,意志永不动摇。
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35
ignominiously
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adv.耻辱地,屈辱地,丢脸地 |
参考例句: |
- Their attempt failed ignominiously. 他们的企图可耻地失败了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- She would be scolded, abused, ignominiously discharged. 他们会说她,骂她,解雇她,让她丢尽脸面的。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
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36
permeating
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弥漫( permeate的现在分词 ); 遍布; 渗入; 渗透 |
参考例句: |
- His grace was more permeating because it found a readier medium. 他的风度因为有人赏识显得更加迷人。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
- Thoughts are a strangely permeating factor. 思想真是一种会蔓延的奇怪东西。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
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37
reconciliation
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n.和解,和谐,一致 |
参考例句: |
- He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
- Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。
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38
presumption
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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。
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39
tenaciously
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坚持地 |
参考例句: |
- Though seriously ill, he still clings tenaciously to life. 他虽病得很重,但仍顽强地活下去。 来自辞典例句
- It was apparently more tenaciously held to surface than fraction three. 它比级分三更顽强地保持在表面上。 来自辞典例句
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40
penetrated
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adj. 击穿的,鞭辟入里的
动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 |
参考例句: |
- The knife had penetrated his chest. 刀子刺入了他的胸膛。
- They penetrated into territory where no man had ever gone before. 他们已进入先前没人去过的地区。
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41
gasp
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n.喘息,气喘;v.喘息;气吁吁他说 |
参考例句: |
- She gave a gasp of surprise.她吃惊得大口喘气。
- The enemy are at their last gasp.敌人在做垂死的挣扎。
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42
silhouette
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n.黑色半身侧面影,影子,轮廓;v.描绘成侧面影,照出影子来,仅仅显出轮廓 |
参考例句: |
- I could see its black silhouette against the evening sky.我能看到夜幕下它黑色的轮廓。
- I could see the silhouette of the woman in the pickup.我可以见到小卡车的女人黑色半身侧面影。
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43
unimpeachable
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adj.无可指责的;adv.无可怀疑地 |
参考例句: |
- He said all five were men of unimpeachable character.他说这五个都是品格完美无缺的人。
- It is the revenge that nature takes on persons of unimpeachable character.这是自然对人品无瑕的人的报复。
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44
remonstrated
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v.抗议( remonstrate的过去式和过去分词 );告诫 |
参考例句: |
- They remonstrated with the official about the decision. 他们就这一决定向这位官员提出了抗议。
- We remonstrated against the ill-treatment of prisoners of war. 我们对虐待战俘之事提出抗议。 来自辞典例句
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45
neatly
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adv.整洁地,干净地,灵巧地,熟练地 |
参考例句: |
- Sailors know how to wind up a long rope neatly.水手们知道怎样把一条大绳利落地缠好。
- The child's dress is neatly gathered at the neck.那孩子的衣服在领口处打着整齐的皱褶。
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46
intruded
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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
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47
worthy
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adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的 |
参考例句: |
- I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
- There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned.没有值得一提的事发生。
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48
scrawled
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乱涂,潦草地写( scrawl的过去式和过去分词 ) |
参考例句: |
- I tried to read his directions, scrawled on a piece of paper. 我尽量弄明白他草草写在一片纸上的指示。
- Tom scrawled on his slate, "Please take it -- I got more." 汤姆在他的写字板上写了几个字:“请你收下吧,我多得是哩。”
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49
groaned
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v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 );发牢骚;抱怨;受苦 |
参考例句: |
- He groaned in anguish. 他痛苦地呻吟。
- The cart groaned under the weight of the piano. 大车在钢琴的重压下嘎吱作响。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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50
zeal
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n.热心,热情,热忱 |
参考例句: |
- Revolutionary zeal caught them up,and they joined the army.革命热情激励他们,于是他们从军了。
- They worked with great zeal to finish the project.他们热情高涨地工作,以期完成这个项目。
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51
undoing
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n.毁灭的原因,祸根;破坏,毁灭 |
参考例句: |
- That one mistake was his undoing. 他一失足即成千古恨。
- This hard attitude may have led to his undoing. 可能就是这种强硬的态度导致了他的垮台。
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52
croak
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vi.嘎嘎叫,发牢骚 |
参考例句: |
- Everyone seemed rather out of sorts and inclined to croak.每个人似乎都有点不对劲,想发发牢骚。
- Frogs began to croak with the rainfall.蛙随着雨落开始哇哇叫。
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53
croaking
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v.呱呱地叫( croak的现在分词 );用粗的声音说 |
参考例句: |
- the croaking of frogs 蛙鸣
- I could hear croaking of the frogs. 我能听到青蛙呱呱的叫声。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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54
pawn
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n.典当,抵押,小人物,走卒;v.典当,抵押 |
参考例句: |
- He is contemplating pawning his watch.他正在考虑抵押他的手表。
- It looks as though he is being used as a political pawn by the President.看起来他似乎被总统当作了政治卒子。
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55
promising
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adj.有希望的,有前途的 |
参考例句: |
- The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
- We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。
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56
interfere
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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。
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57
applicant
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n.申请人,求职者,请求者 |
参考例句: |
- He was the hundredth applicant for the job. 他是第100个申请这项工作的人。
- In my estimation, the applicant is well qualified for this job. 据我看, 这位应征者完全具备这项工作的条件。
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58
withheld
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|
withhold过去式及过去分词 |
参考例句: |
- I withheld payment until they had fulfilled the contract. 他们履行合同后,我才付款。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- There was no school play because the principal withheld his consent. 由于校长没同意,学校里没有举行比赛。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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59
relinquished
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交出,让给( relinquish的过去式和过去分词 ); 放弃 |
参考例句: |
- She has relinquished the post to her cousin, Sir Edward. 她把职位让给了表弟爱德华爵士。
- The small dog relinquished his bone to the big dog. 小狗把它的骨头让给那只大狗。
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60
perusing
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v.读(某篇文字)( peruse的现在分词 );(尤指)细阅;审阅;匆匆读或心不在焉地浏览(某篇文字) |
参考例句: |
- She found the information while she was perusing a copy of Life magazine. 她在读《生活》杂志的时候看到了这个消息。 来自辞典例句
- 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
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61
racing
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n.竞赛,赛马;adj.竞赛用的,赛马用的 |
参考例句: |
- I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。
- The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。
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62
unpack
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vt.打开包裹(或行李),卸货 |
参考例句: |
- I must unpack before dinner.我得在饭前把行李打开。
- She said she would unpack the items later.她说以后再把箱子里的东西拿出来。
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