In her home at Frankfurt, Clara, the little daughter of Herr Sesemann, was lying on the
invalid1 couch on which she spent her whole day, being wheeled in it from room to room. Just now she was in what was known as the study, where, to judge by the various things
standing2 and lying about, which added to the
cosy3 appearance of the room, the family was fond of sitting. A handsome bookcase with glass doors explained why it was called the study, and here evidently the little girl was accustomed to have her lessons.
Clara's little face was thin and pale, and at this moment her two soft blue eyes were
fixed4 on the clock, which seemed to her to go very slowly this day, and with a slight accent of
impatience5, which was very rare with her, she asked, "Isn't it time yet, Fraulein Rottenmeier?"
This lady was sitting very upright at a small work-table, busy with her
embroidery6. She had on a mysterious-looking loose garment, a large collar or shoulder-cape that gave a certain solemnity to her appearance, which was enhanced by a very lofty dome-shaped head dress. For many years past, since the mistress of the house had died, the housekeeping and the superintendence of the servants had been
entrusted7 by Herr Sesemann to Fraulein Rottenmeier. He himself was often away from home, and he left her in sole charge, with the condition only that his little daughter should have a voice in all matters, and that nothing should be done against her wish.
As Clara was putting her impatient question for the second time, Dete and Heidi arrived at the front door, and the former inquired of the coachman, who had just got down from his box, if it was too late to see Fraulein Rottenmeier.
"That's not my business,"
grumbled8 the coachman; "ring the bell in the hall for Sebastian."
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收听单词发音
1
invalid
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n.病人,伤残人;adj.有病的,伤残的;无效的 |
参考例句: |
- He will visit an invalid.他将要去看望一个病人。
- A passport that is out of date is invalid.护照过期是无效的。
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2
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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3
cosy
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adj.温暖而舒适的,安逸的 |
参考例句: |
- We spent a cosy evening chatting by the fire.我们在炉火旁聊天度过了一个舒适的晚上。
- It was so warm and cosy in bed that Simon didn't want to get out.床上温暖而又舒适,西蒙简直不想下床了。
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4
fixed
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adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的 |
参考例句: |
- Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗?
- Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定,我们就不应该随意改变。
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5
impatience
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n.不耐烦,急躁 |
参考例句: |
- He expressed impatience at the slow rate of progress.进展缓慢,他显得不耐烦。
- He gave a stamp of impatience.他不耐烦地跺脚。
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6
embroidery
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n.绣花,刺绣;绣制品 |
参考例句: |
- This exquisite embroidery won people's great admiration.这件精美的绣品,使人惊叹不已。
- This is Jane's first attempt at embroidery.这是简第一次试着绣花。
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7
entrusted
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v.委托,托付( entrust的过去式和过去分词 ) |
参考例句: |
- He entrusted the task to his nephew. 他把这任务托付给了他的侄儿。
- She was entrusted with the direction of the project. 她受委托负责这项计划。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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8
grumbled
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抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 ); 发牢骚; 咕哝; 发哼声 |
参考例句: |
- He grumbled at the low pay offered to him. 他抱怨给他的工资低。
- The heat was sweltering, and the men grumbled fiercely over their work. 天热得让人发昏,水手们边干活边发着牢骚。
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9
bent
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n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的 |
参考例句: |
- He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
- We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。
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10
astonishment
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n.惊奇,惊异 |
参考例句: |
- They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
- I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。
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11
steadily
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adv.稳定地;不变地;持续地 |
参考例句: |
- The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
- Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。
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12
Christian
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adj.基督教徒的;n.基督教徒 |
参考例句: |
- They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
- His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。
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13
saucy
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adj.无礼的;俊俏的;活泼的 |
参考例句: |
- He was saucy and mischievous when he was working.他工作时总爱调皮捣蛋。
- It was saucy of you to contradict your father.你顶撞父亲,真是无礼。
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14
poke
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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 |
参考例句: |
- We never thought she would poke her nose into this.想不到她会插上一手。
- Don't poke fun at me.别拿我凑趣儿。
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15
docile
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adj.驯服的,易控制的,容易教的 |
参考例句: |
- Circus monkeys are trained to be very docile and obedient.马戏团的猴子训练得服服贴贴的。
- He is a docile and well-behaved child.他是个温顺且彬彬有礼的孩子。
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16
kindly
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adj.和蔼的,温和的,爽快的;adv.温和地,亲切地 |
参考例句: |
- Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
- A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。
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17
precisely
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adv.恰好,正好,精确地,细致地 |
参考例句: |
- It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
- The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。
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18
horrified
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a.(表现出)恐惧的 |
参考例句: |
- The whole country was horrified by the killings. 全国都对这些凶杀案感到大为震惊。
- We were horrified at the conditions prevailing in local prisons. 地方监狱的普遍状况让我们震惊。
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19
truthfulness
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n. 符合实际 |
参考例句: |
- Among her many virtues are loyalty, courage, and truthfulness. 她有许多的美德,如忠诚、勇敢和诚实。
- I fired a hundred questions concerning the truthfulness of his statement. 我对他发言的真实性提出一连串质问。
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20
peculiar
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adj.古怪的,异常的;特殊的,特有的 |
参考例句: |
- He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。
- He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。
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21
beckoned
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v.(用头或手的动作)示意,召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 ) |
参考例句: |
- He beckoned to the waiter to bring the bill. 他招手示意服务生把账单送过来。
- The seated figure in the corner beckoned me over. 那个坐在角落里的人向我招手让我过去。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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22
gape
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v.张口,打呵欠,目瞪口呆地凝视 |
参考例句: |
- His secretary stopped taking notes to gape at me.他的秘书停止了记录,目瞪口呆地望着我。
- He was not the type to wander round gaping at everything like a tourist.他不是那种像个游客似的四处闲逛、对什么都好奇张望的人。
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23
longing
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n.(for)渴望 |
参考例句: |
- Hearing the tune again sent waves of longing through her.再次听到那首曲子使她胸中充满了渴望。
- His heart burned with longing for revenge.他心中燃烧着急欲复仇的怒火。
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24
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 |
参考例句: |
- Ahead of them was a gaping abyss. 他们前面是一个巨大的深渊。
- The antelope could not escape the crocodile's gaping jaws. 那只羚羊无法从鱷鱼张开的大口中逃脱。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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25
undo
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vt.解开,松开;取消,撤销 |
参考例句: |
- His pride will undo him some day.他的傲慢总有一天会毁了他。
- I managed secretly to undo a corner of the parcel.我悄悄地设法解开了包裹的一角。
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26
mischief
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n.损害,伤害,危害;恶作剧,捣蛋,胡闹 |
参考例句: |
- Nobody took notice of the mischief of the matter. 没有人注意到这件事情所带来的危害。
- He seems to intend mischief.看来他想捣蛋。
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27
backwards
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adv.往回地,向原处,倒,相反,前后倒置地 |
参考例句: |
- He turned on the light and began to pace backwards and forwards.他打开电灯并开始走来走去。
- All the girls fell over backwards to get the party ready.姑娘们迫不及待地为聚会做准备。
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28
agitation
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n.搅动;搅拌;鼓动,煽动 |
参考例句: |
- Small shopkeepers carried on a long agitation against the big department stores.小店主们长期以来一直在煽动人们反对大型百货商店。
- These materials require constant agitation to keep them in suspension.这些药剂要经常搅动以保持悬浮状态。
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29
mincing
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adj.矫饰的;v.切碎;切碎 |
参考例句: |
- She came to the park with mincing,and light footsteps.她轻移莲步来到了花园之中。
- There is no use in mincing matters.掩饰事实是没有用的。
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30
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 |
参考例句: |
- They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
- The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
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31
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 |
参考例句: |
- \"They ought to be birched, \" growled the old man. 老人咆哮道:“他们应受到鞭打。” 来自《简明英汉词典》
- He growled out an answer. 他低声威胁着回答。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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32
stammered
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v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) |
参考例句: |
- He stammered most when he was nervous. 他一紧张往往口吃。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
- Barsad leaned back in his chair, and stammered, \"What do you mean?\" 巴萨往椅背上一靠,结结巴巴地说,“你是什么意思?” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
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33
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 |
参考例句: |
- She awakened to the sound of birds singing. 她醒来听到鸟的叫声。
- The public has been awakened to the full horror of the situation. 公众完全意识到了这一状况的可怕程度。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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34
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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35
rippling
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起涟漪的,潺潺流水般声音的 |
参考例句: |
- I could see the dawn breeze rippling the shining water. 我能看见黎明的微风在波光粼粼的水面上吹出道道涟漪。
- The pool rippling was caused by the waving of the reeds. 池塘里的潺潺声是芦苇摇动时引起的。
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36
sufficiently
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adv.足够地,充分地 |
参考例句: |
- It turned out he had not insured the house sufficiently.原来他没有给房屋投足保险。
- The new policy was sufficiently elastic to accommodate both views.新政策充分灵活地适用两种观点。
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37
sitting-room
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n.(BrE)客厅,起居室 |
参考例句: |
- The sitting-room is clean.起居室很清洁。
- Each villa has a separate sitting-room.每栋别墅都有一间独立的起居室。
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