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Chapter One.
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Begins the Tale—Naturally.
From the earliest records of history we learn that man has ever been envious1 of the birds, and of all other winged creatures. He has longed and striven to fly. He has also signally failed to do so.
We say “failed” advisedly, because his various attempts in that direction have usually resulted in disappointment and broken bones. As to balloons, we do not admit that they fly any more than do ships; balloons merely float and glide2, when not otherwise engaged in tumbling, collapsing3, and bursting.
This being so, we draw attention to the fact that the nearest approach we have yet made to the sensation of flying is that achieved by rushing down a long, smooth, steep hill-road on a well-oiled and perfect ball-bearings bicycle! Skating cannot compare with this, for that requires exertion4; bicycling down hill requires none. Hunting cannot, no matter how splendid the mount, for that implies a certain element of bumping, which, however pleasant in itself, is not suggestive of the smooth swift act of flying.
We introduce this subject merely because thoughts somewhat similar to those which we have so inadequately5 expressed were burning in the brain of a handsome and joyful6 young man one summer morning not long ago, as, with legs over the handles, he flashed—if he did not actually fly—down one of our Middlesex hills on his way to London.
Urgent haste was in every look and motion of that young man’s fine eyes and lithe7 body. He would have bought wings at any price had that been possible; but, none being yet in the market, he made the most of his wheel—a fifty-eight inch one, by the way, for the young man’s legs were long, as well as strong.
Arrived at the bottom of the hill the
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envious
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adj.嫉妒的,羡慕的 | |
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glide
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n./v.溜,滑行;(时间)消逝 | |
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collapsing
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压扁[平],毁坏,断裂 | |
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exertion
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n.尽力,努力 | |
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inadequately
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ad.不够地;不够好地 | |
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joyful
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adj.欢乐的,令人欢欣的 | |
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lithe
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adj.(指人、身体)柔软的,易弯的 | |
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hilarious
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adj.充满笑声的,欢闹的;[反]depressed | |
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canopy
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n.天篷,遮篷 | |
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astonishment
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n.惊奇,惊异 | |
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dismal
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adj.阴沉的,凄凉的,令人忧郁的,差劲的 | |
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aspiring
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adj.有志气的;有抱负的;高耸的v.渴望;追求 | |
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lark
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n.云雀,百灵鸟;n.嬉戏,玩笑;vi.嬉戏 | |
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persistent
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adj.坚持不懈的,执意的;持续的 | |
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intensity
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n.强烈,剧烈;强度;烈度 | |
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ornithological
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adj.鸟类学的 | |
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repose
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v.(使)休息;n.安息 | |
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rustic
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adj.乡村的,有乡村特色的;n.乡下人,乡巴佬 | |
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wary
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adj.谨慎的,机警的,小心的 | |
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apparently
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adv.显然地;表面上,似乎 | |
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swoop
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n.俯冲,攫取;v.抓取,突然袭击 | |
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forth
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adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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disappearance
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n.消失,消散,失踪 | |
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gape
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v.张口,打呵欠,目瞪口呆地凝视 | |
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gracefully
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ad.大大方方地;优美地 | |
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fore
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adv.在前面;adj.先前的;在前部的;n.前部 | |
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wink
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n.眨眼,使眼色,瞬间;v.眨眼,使眼色,闪烁 | |
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pegging
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n.外汇钉住,固定证券价格v.用夹子或钉子固定( peg的现在分词 );使固定在某水平 | |
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irresistible
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adj.非常诱人的,无法拒绝的,无法抗拒的 | |
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pertinacity
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n.执拗,顽固 | |
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suburban
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adj.城郊的,在郊区的 | |
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beseeching
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adj.恳求似的v.恳求,乞求(某事物)( beseech的现在分词 ) | |
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animated
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adj.生气勃勃的,活跃的,愉快的 | |
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defiance
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n.挑战,挑衅,蔑视,违抗 | |
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momentary
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adj.片刻的,瞬息的;短暂的 | |
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remains
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n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹 | |
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exuberant
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adj.充满活力的;(植物)繁茂的 | |
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sweeping
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adj.范围广大的,一扫无遗的 | |
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coppers
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铜( copper的名词复数 ); 铜币 | |
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bugle
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n.军号,号角,喇叭;v.吹号,吹号召集 | |
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plodded
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v.沉重缓慢地走(路)( plod的过去式和过去分词 );努力从事;沉闷地苦干;缓慢进行(尤指艰难枯燥的工作) | |
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wreck
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n.失事,遇难;沉船;vt.(船等)失事,遇难 | |
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mighty
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adj.强有力的;巨大的 | |
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pedestrians
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n.步行者( pedestrian的名词复数 ) | |
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spurt
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v.喷出;突然进发;突然兴隆 | |
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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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rein
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n.疆绳,统治,支配;vt.以僵绳控制,统治 | |
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courteous
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adj.彬彬有礼的,客气的 | |
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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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ragged
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adj.衣衫褴褛的,粗糙的,刺耳的 | |
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bin
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n.箱柜;vt.放入箱内;[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件 | |
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considerably
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adv.极大地;相当大地;在很大程度上 | |
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bruised
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[医]青肿的,瘀紫的 | |
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abject
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adj.极可怜的,卑屈的 | |
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inquiries
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n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 );疑问;探究;打听 | |
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climax
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n.顶点;高潮;v.(使)达到顶点 | |
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beaks
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n.鸟嘴( beak的名词复数 );鹰钩嘴;尖鼻子;掌权者 | |
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constable
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n.(英国)警察,警官 | |
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detention
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n.滞留,停留;拘留,扣留;(教育)留下 | |
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publicity
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n.众所周知,闻名;宣传,广告 | |
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condemnation
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n.谴责; 定罪 | |
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vaulted
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adj.拱状的 | |
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honourable
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adj.可敬的;荣誉的,光荣的 | |
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straightforward
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adj.正直的,坦率的;易懂的,简单的 | |
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irreproachable
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adj.不可指责的,无过失的 | |
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sneaking
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a.秘密的,不公开的 | |
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deliberately
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adv.审慎地;蓄意地;故意地 | |
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fabric
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n.织物,织品,布;构造,结构,组织 | |
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torrents
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n.倾注;奔流( torrent的名词复数 );急流;爆发;连续不断 | |
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bosom
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n.胸,胸部;胸怀;内心;adj.亲密的 | |
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uncertainty
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n.易变,靠不住,不确知,不确定的事物 | |
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lodging
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n.寄宿,住所;(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
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necessitating
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使…成为必要,需要( necessitate的现在分词 ) | |
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winks
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v.使眼色( wink的第三人称单数 );递眼色(表示友好或高兴等);(指光)闪烁;闪亮 | |
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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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interval
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n.间隔,间距;幕间休息,中场休息 | |
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frenzied
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a.激怒的;疯狂的 | |
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hearty
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adj.热情友好的;衷心的;尽情的,纵情的 | |
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likeness
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n.相像,相似(之处) | |
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gorilla
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n.大猩猩,暴徒,打手 | |
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metallic
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adj.金属的;金属制的;含金属的;产金属的;像金属的 | |
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bass
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n.男低音(歌手);低音乐器;低音大提琴 | |
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doorway
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n.门口,(喻)入门;门路,途径 | |
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cartridges
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子弹( cartridge的名词复数 ); (打印机的)墨盒; 录音带盒; (唱机的)唱头 | |
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touching
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adj.动人的,使人感伤的 | |
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salute
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vi.行礼,致意,问候,放礼炮;vt.向…致意,迎接,赞扬;n.招呼,敬礼,礼炮 | |
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specimen
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n.样本,标本 | |
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dubious
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adj.怀疑的,无把握的;有问题的,靠不住的 | |
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steward
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n.乘务员,服务员;看管人;膳食管理员 | |
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isles
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岛( isle的名词复数 ) | |
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highlander
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n.高地的人,苏格兰高地地区的人 | |
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seaman
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n.海员,水手,水兵 | |
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poker
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n.扑克;vt.烙制 | |
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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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distress
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n.苦恼,痛苦,不舒适;不幸;vt.使悲痛 | |
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jovial
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adj.快乐的,好交际的 | |
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severely
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adv.严格地;严厉地;非常恶劣地 | |
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ebb
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vi.衰退,减退;n.处于低潮,处于衰退状态 | |
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vessel
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n.船舶;容器,器皿;管,导管,血管 | |
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growled
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v.(动物)发狺狺声, (雷)作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 );低声咆哮着说 | |
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subdued
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adj. 屈服的,柔和的,减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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dependence
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n.依靠,依赖;信任,信赖;隶属 | |
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worthy
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adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的 | |
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noted
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adj.著名的,知名的 | |
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scripture
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n.经文,圣书,手稿;Scripture:(常用复数)《圣经》,《圣经》中的一段 | |
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Chapter Two.
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