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chapter 2
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WELL, that about brings me up to the date of my receiving, in Waterbury, the laconic1 cable from Edward to the effect that he wanted me to go to Branshaw and have a chat. I was pretty busy at the time and I was half minded to send him a reply cable to the effect that I would start in a fortnight. But I was having a long interview with old Mr Hurlbird's attorneys and immediately afterwards I had to have a long interview with the Misses Hurlbird, so I delayed cabling.
I had expected to find the Misses Hurlbird excessively old—in the nineties or thereabouts. The time had passed so slowly that I had the impression that it must have been thirty years since I had been in the United States. It was only twelve years. Actually Miss Hurlbird was just sixty-one and Miss Florence Hurlbird fifty-nine, and they were both, mentally and physically2, as vigorous as could be desired. They were, indeed, more vigorous, mentally, than suited my purpose, which was to get away from the United States as quickly as I could. The Hurlbirds were an exceedingly united family—exceedingly united except on one set of points. Each of the three of them had a separate doctor, whom they trusted implicitly—and each had a separate attorney. And each of them distrusted the other's doctor and the other's attorney. And, naturally, the doctors and the attorneys warned one all the time—against each other. You cannot imagine how complicated it all became for me. Of course I had an attorney of my own—recommended to me by young Carter, my Philadelphia nephew.
I do not mean to say that there was any unpleasantness of a grasping kind. The problem was quite another one—a moral dilemma3. You see, old Mr Hurlbird had left all his property to Florence with the mere4 request that she would have erected5 to him in the city of Waterbury, Ill., a memorial that should take the form of some sort of institution for the relief of sufferers from the heart. Florence's money had all come to me—and with it old Mr Hurlbird's. He had died just five days before Florence.
Well, I was quite ready to spend a round million dollars on the relief of sufferers from the heart. The old gentleman had left about a million and a half; Florence had been worth about eight hundred thousand—and as I figured it out, I should cut up at about a million myself. Anyhow, there was ample money. But I naturally wanted to consult the wishes of his surviving relatives and then the trouble really began. You see, it had been discovered that Mr Hurlbird had had nothing whatever the matter with his heart. His lungs had been a little
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laconic
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adj.简洁的;精练的 | |
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physically
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adj.物质上,体格上,身体上,按自然规律 | |
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dilemma
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n.困境,进退两难的局面 | |
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mere
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adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 | |
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ERECTED
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adj. 直立的,竖立的,笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立,建立 | |
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affected
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adj.不自然的,假装的 | |
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ostentation
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n.夸耀,卖弄 | |
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insistent
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adj.迫切的,坚持的 | |
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scrawled
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乱涂,潦草地写( scrawl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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perpetuated
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vt.使永存(perpetuate的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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covertly
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adv.偷偷摸摸地 | |
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diagnosis
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n.诊断,诊断结果,调查分析,判断 | |
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solicitor
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n.初级律师,事务律师 | |
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solicitors
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初级律师( solicitor的名词复数 ) | |
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entrusted
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v.委托,托付( entrust的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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defective
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adj.有毛病的,有问题的,有瑕疵的 | |
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invalid
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n.病人,伤残人;adj.有病的,伤残的;无效的 | |
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mansion
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n.大厦,大楼;宅第 | |
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bluff
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v.虚张声势,用假象骗人;n.虚张声势,欺骗 | |
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staple
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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 | |
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abruptly
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adv.突然地,出其不意地 | |
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decided
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adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
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seduced
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诱奸( seduce的过去式和过去分词 ); 勾引; 诱使堕落; 使入迷 | |
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contrived
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adj.不自然的,做作的;虚构的 | |
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perfectly
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adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地 | |
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virtuous
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adj.有品德的,善良的,贞洁的,有效力的 | |
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intrigue
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vt.激起兴趣,迷住;vi.耍阴谋;n.阴谋,密谋 | |
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attachment
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n.附属物,附件;依恋;依附 | |
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undesirable
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adj.不受欢迎的,不良的,不合意的,讨厌的;n.不受欢迎的人,不良分子 | |
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distinguished
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adj.卓越的,杰出的,著名的 | |
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fretting
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n. 微振磨损 adj. 烦躁的, 焦虑的 | |
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spoke
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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 | |
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cone
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n.圆锥体,圆锥形东西,球果 | |
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glimmer
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v.发出闪烁的微光;n.微光,微弱的闪光 | |
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agonized
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v.使(极度)痛苦,折磨( agonize的过去式和过去分词 );苦斗;苦苦思索;感到极度痛苦 | |
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agonize
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v.使受苦,使苦闷 | |
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frantic
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adj.狂乱的,错乱的,激昂的 | |
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enveloped
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v.包围,笼罩,包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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devoted
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adj.忠诚的,忠实的,热心的,献身于...的 | |
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intervals
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n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 );间隔时间;[数学]区间;(戏剧、电影或音乐会的)幕间休息 | |
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interval
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n.间隔,间距;幕间休息,中场休息 | |
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delicacy
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n.精致,细微,微妙,精良;美味,佳肴 | |
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breakdowns
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n.分解( breakdown的名词复数 );衰竭;(车辆或机器的)损坏;统计分析 | |
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torments
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(肉体或精神上的)折磨,痛苦( torment的名词复数 ); 造成痛苦的事物[人] | |
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collapses
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折叠( collapse的第三人称单数 ); 倒塌; 崩溃; (尤指工作劳累后)坐下 | |
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oars
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n.桨,橹( oar的名词复数 );划手v.划(行)( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
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scruples
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n.良心上的不安( scruple的名词复数 );顾虑,顾忌v.感到于心不安,有顾忌( scruple的第三人称单数 ) | |
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momentum
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n.动力,冲力,势头;动量 | |
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instinctive
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adj.(出于)本能的;直觉的;(出于)天性的 | |
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maternal
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adj.母亲的,母亲般的,母系的,母方的 | |
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jealousy
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n.妒忌,嫉妒,猜忌 | |
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miseries
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n.痛苦( misery的名词复数 );痛苦的事;穷困;常发牢骚的人 | |
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acting
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n.演戏,行为,假装;adj.代理的,临时的,演出用的 | |
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hatred
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n.憎恶,憎恨,仇恨 | |
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virtue
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n.德行,美德;贞操;优点;功效,效力 | |
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abode
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n.住处,住所 | |
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pretext
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n.借口,托词 | |
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incapable
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adj.无能力的,不能做某事的 | |
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frightful
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adj.可怕的;讨厌的 | |
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loathed
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v.憎恨,厌恶( loathe的过去式和过去分词 );极不喜欢 | |
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loathing
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n.厌恶,憎恨v.憎恨,厌恶( loathe的现在分词);极不喜欢 | |
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dictated
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v.大声讲或读( dictate的过去式和过去分词 );口授;支配;摆布 | |
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gasped
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v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 );喘息;倒抽气;很想要 | |
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tuberculosis
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n.结核病,肺结核 | |
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gasps
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v.喘气( gasp的第三人称单数 );喘息;倒抽气;很想要 | |
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craved
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渴望,热望( crave的过去式 ); 恳求,请求 | |
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mare
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n.母马,母驴 | |
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anguish
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n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦,烦恼 | |
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chilly
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adj.凉快的,寒冷的 | |
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consolation
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n.安慰,慰问 | |
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abortive
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adj.不成功的,发育不全的 | |
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shafts
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n.轴( shaft的名词复数 );(箭、高尔夫球棒等的)杆;通风井;一阵(疼痛、害怕等) | |
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imploring
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恳求的,哀求的 | |
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disposition
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n.性情,性格;意向,倾向;排列,部署 | |
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aged
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adj.年老的,陈年的 | |
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prospered
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成功,兴旺( prosper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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tuned
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adj.调谐的,已调谐的v.调音( tune的过去式和过去分词 );调整;(给收音机、电视等)调谐;使协调 | |
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passionate
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adj.热情的,热烈的,激昂的,易动情的,易怒的,性情暴躁的 | |
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admiration
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n.钦佩,赞美,羡慕 | |
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awakened
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v.(使)醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 );(使)觉醒;弄醒;(使)意识到 | |
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virgin
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n.处女,未婚女子;adj.未经使用的;未经开发的 | |
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lasting
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adj.永久的,永恒的;vbl.持续,维持 | |
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chaff
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v.取笑,嘲笑;n.谷壳 | |
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binder
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n.包扎物,包扎工具;[法]临时契约;粘合剂;装订工 | |
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recollected
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adj.冷静的;镇定的;被回忆起的;沉思默想的v.记起,想起( recollect的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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distressed
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痛苦的 | |
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miserably
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adv.痛苦地;悲惨地;糟糕地;极度地 | |
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stammered
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v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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hacking
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n.非法访问计算机系统和数据库的活动 | |
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drooping
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adj. 下垂的,无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
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eternity
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n.不朽,来世;永恒,无穷 | |
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doorway
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n.门口,(喻)入门;门路,途径 | |
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lash
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v.系牢;鞭打;猛烈抨击;n.鞭打;眼睫毛 | |
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scent
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n.气味,香味,香水,线索,嗅觉;v.嗅,发觉 | |
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saviour
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n.拯救者,救星 | |
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intercepted
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拦截( intercept的过去式和过去分词 ); 截住; 截击; 拦阻 | |
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eked
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v.(靠节省用量)使…的供应持久( eke的过去式和过去分词 );节约使用;竭力维持生计;勉强度日 | |
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livelihood
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n.生计,谋生之道 | |
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upbraided
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v.责备,申斥,谴责( upbraid的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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distraction
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n.精神涣散,精神不集中,消遣,娱乐 | |
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lashing
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n.鞭打;痛斥;大量;许多v.鞭打( lash的现在分词 );煽动;紧系;怒斥 | |
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shriek
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v./n.尖叫,叫喊 | |
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motive
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n.动机,目的;adv.发动的,运动的 | |
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encumbered
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v.妨碍,阻碍,拖累( encumber的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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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 | |
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grievance
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n.怨愤,气恼,委屈 | |
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curb
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n.场外证券市场,场外交易;vt.制止,抑制 | |
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expenditure
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n.(时间、劳力、金钱等)支出;使用,消耗 | |
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exhausted
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adj.极其疲惫的,精疲力尽的 | |
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implement
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n.(pl.)工具,器具;vt.实行,实施,执行 | |
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illuminated
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adj.被照明的;受启迪的 | |
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upwards
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adv.向上,在更高处...以上 | |
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lame
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adj.跛的,(辩解、论据等)无说服力的 | |
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possessed
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adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的 | |
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gaping
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adj.口的;张口的;敞口的;多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 );张开,张大 | |
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shudder
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v.战粟,震动,剧烈地摇晃;n.战粟,抖动 | |
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pall
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v.覆盖,使平淡无味;n.柩衣,棺罩;棺材;帷幕 | |
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natal
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adj.出生的,先天的 | |
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PART IV chapter 1
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