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The man with the scarred face leant over the table and looked at my bundle.
“Orchids?” he asked.
“A few,” I said.
“Cypripediums,” he said.
“Chiefly,” said I.
“Anything new? I thought not. I did these islands twenty-five — twenty-seven years ago. If you find anything new here — well, it’s brand new. I didn’t leave much.”
“I’m not a collector,” said I.
“I was young then,” he went on. “Lord! how I used to fly round.” He seemed to take my measure. “I was in the East Indies two years, and in Brazil seven. Then I went to Madagascar.”
“I know a few explorers by name,” I said, anticipating a yarn1. “Whom did you collect for?”
“Dawson’s. I wonder if you’ve heard the name of Butcher ever?”
“Butcher — Butcher?” The name seemed vaguely2 present in my memory; then I recalled Butcher v. Dawson. “Why!” said I, “you are the man who sued them for four years’ salary — got cast away on a desert island . . . ”
“Your servant,” said the man with the scar, bowing. “Funny case, wasn’t it? Here was me, making a little fortune on that island, doing nothing for it neither, and them quite unable to give me notice. It often used to amuse me thinking over it while I was there. I did calculations of it — big — all over the blessed atoll in ornamental3 figuring.”
“How did it happen?” said I. “I don’t rightly remember the case.”
“Well . . . You’ve heard of the AEpyornis?”
“Rather. Andrews was telling me of a new species he was working on only a month or so ago. Just before I sailed. They’ve got a thigh4 bone, it seems, nearly a yard long. Monster the thing must have been!”
“I believe you,” said the man with the scar. “It was a monster. Sindbad’s roc was just a legend of ’em. But when did they find these bones?”
“Three or four years ago —‘91, I fancy. Why?”
“Why? Because I found them — Lord!— it’s nearly twenty years ago. If Dawson’s hadn’t been silly about that salary they might have made a perfect ring in ’em . . . I couldn’t help the infernal boat going adrift.”

1
yarn
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n.纱,纱线,纺线;奇闻漫谈,旅行轶事 | |
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2
vaguely
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adv.含糊地,暖昧地 | |
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ornamental
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adj.装饰的;作装饰用的;n.装饰品;观赏植物 | |
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4
thigh
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n.大腿;股骨 | |
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missionaries
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n.传教士( missionary的名词复数 ) | |
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mosaic
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n./adj.镶嵌细工的,镶嵌工艺品的,嵌花式的 | |
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pouch
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n.小袋,小包,囊状袋;vt.装...入袋中,用袋运输;vi.用袋送信件 | |
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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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helping
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n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的 | |
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peculiar
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adj.古怪的,异常的;特殊的,特有的 | |
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cantankerous
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adj.爱争吵的,脾气不好的 | |
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streaks
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n.(与周围有所不同的)条纹( streak的名词复数 );(通常指不好的)特征(倾向);(不断经历成功或失败的)一段时期v.快速移动( streak的第三人称单数 );使布满条纹 | |
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hazy
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adj.有薄雾的,朦胧的;不肯定的,模糊的 | |
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tranquil
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adj. 安静的, 宁静的, 稳定的, 不变的 | |
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whatsoever
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adv.(用于否定句中以加强语气)任何;pron.无论什么 | |
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yelp
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vi.狗吠 | |
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jabbered
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v.急切而含混不清地说( jabber的过去式和过去分词 );急促兴奋地说话 | |
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jeered
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v.嘲笑( jeer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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stunned
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adj. 震惊的,惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词 | |
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huddled
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挤在一起(huddle的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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steadily
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adv.稳定地;不变地;持续地 | |
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bawled
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v.大叫,大喊( bawl的过去式和过去分词 );放声大哭;大声叫出;叫卖(货物) | |
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waded
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(从水、泥等)蹚,走过,跋( wade的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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navigate
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v.航行,飞行;导航,领航 | |
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ripple
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n.涟波,涟漪,波纹,粗钢梳;vt.使...起涟漪,使起波纹; vi.呈波浪状,起伏前进 | |
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chary
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adj.谨慎的,细心的 | |
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dozed
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v.打盹儿,打瞌睡( doze的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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puffed
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adj.疏松的v.使喷出( puff的过去式和过去分词 );喷着汽(或烟)移动;吹嘘;吹捧 | |
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cape
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n.海角,岬;披肩,短披风 | |
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underneath
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adj.在...下面,在...底下;adv.在下面 | |
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scorpion
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n.蝎子,心黑的人,蝎子鞭 | |
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schooner
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n.纵帆船 | |
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hull
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n.船身;(果、实等的)外壳;vt.去(谷物等)壳 | |
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thoroughly
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adv.完全地,彻底地,十足地 | |
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reeked
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v.发出浓烈的臭气( reek的过去式和过去分词 );散发臭气;发出难闻的气味 (of sth);明显带有(令人不快或生疑的跡象) | |
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blisters
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n.水疱( blister的名词复数 );水肿;气泡 | |
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ablaze
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adj.着火的,燃烧的;闪耀的,灯火辉煌的 | |
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broached
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v.谈起( broach的过去式和过去分词 );打开并开始用;用凿子扩大(或修光);(在桶上)钻孔取液体 | |
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yoke
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n.轭;支配;v.给...上轭,连接,使成配偶 | |
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embryo
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n.胚胎,萌芽的事物 | |
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yolk
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n.蛋黄,卵黄 | |
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membranes
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n.(动物或植物体内的)薄膜( membrane的名词复数 );隔膜;(可起防水、防风等作用的)膜状物 | |
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rustle
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v.沙沙作响;偷盗(牛、马等);n.沙沙声声 | |
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lagoon
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n.泻湖,咸水湖 | |
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ashore
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adv.在(向)岸上,上岸 | |
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prospecting
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n.探矿 | |
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adventurous
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adj.爱冒险的;惊心动魄的,惊险的,刺激的 | |
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monotonous
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adj.单调的,一成不变的,使人厌倦的 | |
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flicked
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(尤指用手指或手快速地)轻击( flick的过去式和过去分词 ); (用…)轻挥; (快速地)按开关; 向…笑了一下(或瞥了一眼等) | |
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pebbles
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[复数]鹅卵石; 沙砾; 卵石,小圆石( pebble的名词复数 ) | |
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firmament
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n.苍穹;最高层 | |
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writhing
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(因极度痛苦而)扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 ) | |
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fiery
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adj.燃烧着的,火红的;暴躁的;激烈的 | |
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hissing
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n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式 | |
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plank
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n.板条,木板,政策要点,政纲条目 | |
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scattered
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adj.分散的,稀疏的;散步的;疏疏落落的 | |
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vestiges
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残余部分( vestige的名词复数 ); 遗迹; 痕迹; 毫不 | |
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whack
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v.敲击,重打,瓜分;n.重击,重打,尝试,一份 | |
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winked
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v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 );递眼色(表示友好或高兴等);(指光)闪烁;闪亮 | |
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backwards
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adv.往回地,向原处,倒,相反,前后倒置地 | |
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chirp
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v.(尤指鸟)唧唧喳喳的叫 | |
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beak
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n.鸟嘴,茶壶嘴,钩形鼻 | |
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warty
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adj.有疣的,似疣的;瘤状 | |
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crest
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n.顶点;饰章;羽冠;vt.达到顶点;vi.形成浪尖 | |
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snug
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adj.温暖舒适的,合身的,安全的;v.使整洁干净,舒适地依靠,紧贴;n.(英)酒吧里的私房 | |
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rims
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n.(圆形物体的)边( rim的名词复数 );缘;轮辋;轮圈 | |
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ostrich
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n.鸵鸟 | |
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texture
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n.(织物)质地;(材料)构造;结构;肌理 | |
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meditative
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adj.沉思的,冥想的 | |
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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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hoarser
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(指声音)粗哑的,嘶哑的( hoarse的比较级 ) | |
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strutting
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加固,支撑物 | |
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bruises
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n.瘀伤,伤痕,擦伤( bruise的名词复数 ) | |
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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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brutal
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adj.残忍的,野蛮的,不讲理的 | |
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ingratitude
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n.忘恩负义 | |
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malice
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n.恶意,怨恨,蓄意;[律]预谋 | |
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buffets
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(火车站的)饮食柜台( buffet的名词复数 ); (火车的)餐车; 自助餐 | |
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calves
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n.(calf的复数)笨拙的男子,腓;腿肚子( calf的名词复数 );牛犊;腓;小腿肚v.生小牛( calve的第三人称单数 );(冰川)崩解;生(小牛等),产(犊);使(冰川)崩解 | |
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unbearable
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adj.不能容忍的;忍受不住的 | |
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dodge
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v.闪开,躲开,避开;n.妙计,诡计 | |
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stoutish
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略胖的 | |
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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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corpse
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n.尸体,死尸 | |
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desolate
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adj.荒凉的,荒芜的;孤独的,凄凉的;v.使荒芜,使孤寂 | |
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86
dealer
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n.商人,贩子 | |
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87
swell
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vi.膨胀,肿胀;增长,增强 | |
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