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The trouble in civilized1 life of entertaining company, as it is called too generally without much regard to strict veracity2, is so great that it cannot but be matter of wonder that people are so fond of attempting it. It is difficult to ascertain3 what is the quid pro4 quo. If they who give such laborious5 parties and who endure such toil6 and turmoil7 in the vain hope of giving them successfully really enjoyed the parties given by others, the matter could be understood. A sense of justice would induce men and women to undergo, in behalf of others, those miseries8 which others had undergone in their behalf. But they all profess9 that going out is as great a bore as receiving, and to look at them when they are out, one cannot but believe them.
Entertain! Who shall have sufficient self-assurance, who shall feel sufficient confidence in his own powers to dare to boast that he can entertain his company? A clown can sometimes do so, and sometimes a dancer in short petticoats and stuffed pink legs; occasionally, perhaps, a singer. But beyond these, success in this art of entertaining is not often achieved. Young men and girls linking themselves kind with kind, pairing like birds in spring because nature wills it, they, after a simple fashion, do entertain each other. Few others even try.
Ladies, when they open their houses, modestly confessing, it may be presumed, their own incapacity, mainly trust to wax candles and upholstery. Gentlemen seem to rely on their white waistcoats. To these are added, for the delight of the more sensual, champagne10 and such good things of the table as fashion allows to be still considered as comestible. Even in this respect the world is

1
civilized
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a.有教养的,文雅的 | |
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2
veracity
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n.诚实 | |
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3
ascertain
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vt.发现,确定,查明,弄清 | |
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pro
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n.赞成,赞成的意见,赞成者 | |
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laborious
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adj.吃力的,努力的,不流畅 | |
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toil
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vi.辛劳工作,艰难地行动;n.苦工,难事 | |
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7
turmoil
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n.骚乱,混乱,动乱 | |
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8
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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9
profess
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v.声称,冒称,以...为业,正式接受入教,表明信仰 | |
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10
champagne
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n.香槟酒;微黄色 | |
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deteriorating
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恶化,变坏( deteriorate的现在分词 ) | |
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grandees
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n.贵族,大公,显贵者( grandee的名词复数 ) | |
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alas
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int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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mashed
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a.捣烂的 | |
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turnip
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n.萝卜,芜菁 | |
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eloquence
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n.雄辩;口才,修辞 | |
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specially
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adv.特定地;特殊地;明确地 | |
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bonnet
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n.无边女帽;童帽 | |
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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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poking
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n. 刺,戳,袋 vt. 拨开,刺,戳 vi. 戳,刺,捅,搜索,伸出,行动散慢 | |
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harry
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vt.掠夺,蹂躏,使苦恼 | |
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wont
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adj.习惯于;v.习惯;n.习惯 | |
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rev
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v.发动机旋转,加快速度 | |
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misgivings
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n.疑虑,担忧,害怕;疑虑,担心,恐惧( misgiving的名词复数 );疑惧 | |
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immediate
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adj.立即的;直接的,最接近的;紧靠的 | |
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rustling
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n. 瑟瑟声,沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的 | |
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citadel
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n.城堡;堡垒;避难所 | |
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surmised
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v.臆测,推断( surmise的过去式和过去分词 );揣测;猜想 | |
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consorted
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v.结伴( consort的过去式和过去分词 );交往;相称;调和 | |
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squire
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n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 | |
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bishop
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n.主教,(国际象棋)象 | |
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triumphant
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adj.胜利的,成功的;狂欢的,喜悦的 | |
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abashed
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adj.窘迫的,尴尬的v.使羞愧,使局促,使窘迫( abash的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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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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effrontery
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n.厚颜无耻 | |
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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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shuddering
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v.战栗( shudder的现在分词 );发抖;(机器、车辆等)突然震动;颤动 | |
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bilious
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adj.胆汁过多的;易怒的 | |
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intrude
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vi.闯入;侵入;打扰,侵扰 | |
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plebeians
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n.平民( plebeian的名词复数 );庶民;平民百姓;平庸粗俗的人 | |
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patricians
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n.(古罗马的)统治阶层成员( patrician的名词复数 );贵族,显贵 | |
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expedient
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adj.有用的,有利的;n.紧急的办法,权宜之计 | |
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helping
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n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的 | |
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dreading
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v.害怕,恐惧,担心( dread的现在分词 ) | |
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odious
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adj.可憎的,讨厌的 | |
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greasy
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adj. 多脂的,油脂的 | |
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justified
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a.正当的,有理的 | |
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contrived
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adj.不自然的,做作的;虚构的 | |
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standing
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n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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degradation
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n.降级;低落;退化;陵削;降解;衰变 | |
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rattle
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v.飞奔,碰响;激怒;n.碰撞声;拨浪鼓 | |
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grooms
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n.新郎( groom的名词复数 );马夫v.照料或梳洗(马等)( groom的第三人称单数 );使做好准备;训练;(给动物)擦洗 | |
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rustled
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v.发出沙沙的声音( rustle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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crumpled
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adj. 弯扭的, 变皱的 动词crumple的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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chancellor
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n.(英)大臣;法官;(德、奥)总理;大学校长 | |
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dab
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v.轻触,轻拍,轻涂;n.(颜料等的)轻涂 | |
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graphically
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adv.通过图表;生动地,轮廓分明地 | |
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manly
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adj.有男子气概的;adv.男子般地,果断地 | |
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inverted
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adj.反向的,倒转的v.使倒置,使反转( invert的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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thither
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adv.向那里;adj.在那边的,对岸的 | |
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momentum
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n.动力,冲力,势头;动量 | |
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gallop
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v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔;飞速发展 | |
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tilt
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v.(使)倾侧;(使)倾斜;n.倾侧;倾斜 | |
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gallantly
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adv. 漂亮地,勇敢地,献殷勤地 | |
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swerved
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v.(使)改变方向,改变目的( swerve的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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galloped
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(使马)飞奔,奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 ); 快速做[说]某事 | |
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bridle
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n.笼头,束缚;vt.抑制,约束;动怒 | |
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shrieked
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v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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forth
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adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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instigated
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v.使(某事物)开始或发生,鼓动( instigate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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disabuse
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v.解惑;矫正 | |
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pointedly
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adv.尖地,明显地 | |
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accusation
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n.控告,指责,谴责 | |
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horrid
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adj.可怕的;令人惊恐的;恐怖的;极讨厌的 | |
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tact
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n.机敏,圆滑,得体 | |
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certified
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a.经证明合格的;具有证明文件的 | |
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imputed
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v.把(错误等)归咎于( impute的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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sufficiently
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adv.足够地,充分地 | |
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conceal
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v.隐藏,隐瞒,隐蔽 | |
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surmises
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v.臆测,推断( surmise的第三人称单数 );揣测;猜想 | |
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lighting
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n.照明,光线的明暗,舞台灯光 | |
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traducing
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v.诋毁( traduce的现在分词 );诽谤;违反;背叛 | |
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interfere
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v.(in)干涉,干预;(with)妨碍,打扰 | |
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interfering
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adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词 | |
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abominable
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adj.可厌的,令人憎恶的 | |
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shuddered
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v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 );发抖;(机器、车辆等)突然震动;颤动 | |
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defalcation
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n.盗用公款,挪用公款,贪污 | |
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opportune
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adj.合适的,适当的 | |
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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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avowal
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n.公开宣称,坦白承认 | |
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unison
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n.步调一致,行动一致 | |
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amendment
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n.改正,修正,改善,修正案 | |
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melodrama
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n.音乐剧;情节剧 | |
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