A Woman Perfected
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CHAPTER XIX A YOUNG LADY IN SEARCH OF A LIVING

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 The more Nora sought for means to earn her own livelihood1, the more they seemed to evade2 her. In her time she had heard a good deal about how difficult it sometimes is to earn one's own living, but she never realized what that meant until she started to earn hers. To begin with, she had only the very vaguest notions of how to set about it. She could not serve in a shop; at least she did not feel as if she could; she was conscious that she was not qualified4 to be a governess; she had no leaning towards domestic service, though she would have preferred that to serving in a shop; she had no woman's trade at her fingers' ends, so that she was unfit for a workroom. What remained? It seemed to her very little, except some sort of clerkship; she had heard that thousands of women were employed as clerks; or if she could get a post as secretary. That was the objective she had in her mind when she left Cloverlea, a secretaryship; for that she believed herself to have two necessary qualifications--she wrote a very clear hand, and she had some knowledge of typewriting. She had once started a typewriting class in the village; she had taken lessons herself. She had bought a machine and practised on that, until she gave it away to one of the pupils, who wished to take advantage of the information she had acquired to earn something for herself. That was nearly a year ago; she had not practised since; but she did not doubt that if she came within reach of a machine it would all come back to her; and she had attained5 to a state of considerable proficiency6.
 
So she bought the daily papers and answered all the advertisements for secretaryships which they contained. There were not as many as she would have wished; some days there were none; and the only answers she received were from agents, who offered to place her name upon their books, in consideration of a fee, which she did not see her way to give them. The way those eight pounds were slipping through her fingers was marvellous; when three weeks had gone she had scarcely thirty shillings left, between her and destitution7. Of course, she had been

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1 livelihood sppzWF     
n.生计，谋生之道
参考例句：
  • Appropriate arrangements will be made for their work and livelihood.他们的工作和生活会得到妥善安排。
  • My father gained a bare livelihood of family by his own hands.父亲靠自己的双手勉强维持家计。
2 evade evade     
vt.逃避，回避；避开，躲避
参考例句：
  • He tried to evade the embarrassing question.他企图回避这令人难堪的问题。
  • You are in charge of the job.How could you evade the issue?你是负责人，你怎么能对这个问题不置可否？
3 hop vdJzL     
n.单脚跳，跳跃；vi.单脚跳，跳跃；着手做某事；vt.跳跃，跃过
参考例句：
  • The children had a competition to see who could hop the fastest.孩子们举行比赛，看谁单足跳跃最快。
  • How long can you hop on your right foot?你用右脚能跳多远？
4 qualified DCPyj     
adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的
参考例句：
  • He is qualified as a complete man of letters.他有资格当真正的文学家。
  • We must note that we still lack qualified specialists.我们必须看到我们还缺乏有资质的专家。
5 attained 1f2c1bee274e81555decf78fe9b16b2f     
（通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况）
参考例句：
  • She has attained the degree of Master of Arts. 她已获得文学硕士学位。
  • Lu Hsun attained a high position in the republic of letters. 鲁迅在文坛上获得崇高的地位。
6 proficiency m1LzU     
n.精通，熟练，精练
参考例句：
  • He plied his trade and gained proficiency in it.他勤习手艺，技术渐渐达到了十分娴熟的地步。
  • How do you think of your proficiency in written and spoken English?你认为你的书面英语和口语熟练程度如何？
7 destitution cf0b90abc1a56e3ce705eb0684c21332     
n.穷困，缺乏，贫穷
参考例句：
  • The people lived in destitution. 民生凋敝。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • His drinking led him to a life of destitution. 酗酒导致他生活贫穷。 来自辞典例句
8 extravagant M7zya     
adj.奢侈的；过分的；(言行等)放肆的
参考例句：
  • They tried to please him with fulsome compliments and extravagant gifts.他们想用溢美之词和奢华的礼品来取悦他。
  • He is extravagant in behaviour.他行为放肆。
9 temperaments 30614841bea08bef60cd8057527133e9     
性格( temperament的名词复数 )； （人或动物的）气质； 易冲动； （性情）暴躁
参考例句：
  • The two brothers have exactly opposite temperaments: one likes to be active while the other tends to be quiet and keep to himself. 他们弟兄两个脾气正好相反， 一个爱动，一个好静。
  • For some temperaments work is a remedy for all afflictions. 对于某些人来说，工作是医治悲伤的良药。
10 thumping hgUzBs     
adj.重大的，巨大的；重击的；尺码大的；极好的adv.极端地；非常地v.重击(thump的现在分词)；狠打；怦怦地跳；全力支持
参考例句：
  • Her heart was thumping with emotion. 她激动得心怦怦直跳。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • He was thumping the keys of the piano. 他用力弹钢琴。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
11 ribs 24fc137444401001077773555802b280     
n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹
参考例句：
  • He suffered cracked ribs and bruising. 他断了肋骨还有挫伤。
  • Make a small incision below the ribs. 在肋骨下方切开一个小口。
12 butts 3da5dac093efa65422cbb22af4588c65     
笑柄( butt的名词复数 )； （武器或工具的）粗大的一端； 屁股； 烟蒂
参考例句：
  • The Nazis worked them over with gun butts. 纳粹分子用枪托毒打他们。
  • The house butts to a cemetery. 这所房子和墓地相连。
13 scanty ZDPzx     
adj.缺乏的，仅有的，节省的，狭小的，不够的
参考例句：
  • There is scanty evidence to support their accusations.他们的指控证据不足。
  • The rainfall was rather scanty this month.这个月的雨量不足。
14 affix gK0y7     
n.附件，附录 vt.附贴，盖(章)，签署
参考例句：
  • Please affix your signature to the document. 请你在这个文件上签字。
  • Complete the form and affix four tokens to its back. 填完该表，在背面贴上4张凭券。
15 ordeal B4Pzs     
n.苦难经历，（尤指对品格、耐力的）严峻考验
参考例句：
  • She managed to keep her sanity throughout the ordeal.在那场磨难中她始终保持神志正常。
  • Being lost in the wilderness for a week was an ordeal for me.在荒野里迷路一星期对我来说真是一场磨难。
16 broach HsTzn     
v.开瓶，提出(题目)
参考例句：
  • It's a good chance to broach the subject.这是开始提出那个问题的好机会。
  • I thought I'd better broach the matter with my boss.我想我最好还是跟老板说一下这事。
17 countenance iztxc     
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。
18 lucid B8Zz8     
adj.明白易懂的，清晰的，头脑清楚的
参考例句：
  • His explanation was lucid and to the point.他的解释扼要易懂。
  • He wasn't very lucid,he didn't quite know where he was.他神志不是很清醒，不太知道自己在哪里。
19 charing 188ca597d1779221481bda676c00a9be     
n.炭化v.把…烧成炭，把…烧焦( char的现在分词 )；烧成炭，烧焦；做杂役女佣
参考例句：
  • We married in the chapel of Charing Cross Hospital in London. 我们是在伦敦查令十字医院的小教堂里结的婚。 来自辞典例句
  • No additional charge for children under12 charing room with parents. ☆十二岁以下小童与父母同房不另收费。 来自互联网
20 reassuring vkbzHi     
a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的
参考例句：
  • He gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. 他轻拍了一下她的肩膀让她放心。
  • With a reassuring pat on her arm, he left. 他鼓励地拍了拍她的手臂就离开了。
21 lodger r8rzi     
n.寄宿人，房客
参考例句：
  • My friend is a lodger in my uncle's house.我朋友是我叔叔家的房客。
  • Jill and Sue are at variance over their lodger.吉尔和休在对待房客的问题上意见不和。
22 prospect P01zn     
n.前景，前途；景色，视野
参考例句：
  • This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
  • The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。
23 brokers 75d889d756f7fbea24ad402e01a65b20     
n.（股票、外币等）经纪人( broker的名词复数 )；中间人；代理商；（订合同的）中人v.做掮客（或中人等）( broker的第三人称单数 )；作为权力经纪人进行谈判；以中间人等身份安排…
参考例句：
  • The firm in question was Alsbery & Co., whiskey brokers. 那家公司叫阿尔斯伯里公司，经销威士忌。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
  • From time to time a telephone would ring in the brokers' offices. 那两排经纪人房间里不时响着叮令的电话。 来自子夜部分
24 demons 8f23f80251f9c0b6518bce3312ca1a61     
n.恶人( demon的名词复数 )；恶魔；精力过人的人；邪念
参考例句：
  • demons torturing the sinners in Hell 地狱里折磨罪人的魔鬼
  • He is plagued by demons which go back to his traumatic childhood. 他为心魔所困扰，那可追溯至他饱受创伤的童年。 来自《简明英汉词典》
25 pawn 8ixyq     
n.典当，抵押，小人物，走卒；v.典当，抵押
参考例句：
  • He is contemplating pawning his watch.他正在考虑抵押他的手表。
  • It looks as though he is being used as a political pawn by the President.看起来他似乎被总统当作了政治卒子。
26 pawnbrokers 7eb1277eb8b88607176ca8eae6bbba61     
n.当铺老板( pawnbroker的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • To exploit this demand, pawnbrokers are shedding their dingy, Dickensian image. 为了开拓市场，典当商人正在试图摆脱他们过去阴暗的狄更斯时代的形象。 来自互联网
  • Each state and territory has legislation that requires pawnbrokers to be licensed. 各个州和地区的法律都规定当铺老板必须取得特许执照。 来自互联网
27 degradation QxKxL     
n.降级；低落；退化；陵削；降解；衰变
参考例句：
  • There are serious problems of land degradation in some arid zones.在一些干旱地带存在严重的土地退化问题。
  • Gambling is always coupled with degradation.赌博总是与堕落相联系。
28 felon rk2xg     
n.重罪犯；adj.残忍的
参考例句：
  • He's a convicted felon.他是个已定罪的重犯。
  • Hitler's early "successes" were only the startling depredations of a resolute felon.希特勒的早期“胜利 ”，只不过是一个死心塌地的恶棍出人意料地抢掠得手而已。
29 appalled ec524998aec3c30241ea748ac1e5dbba     
v.使惊骇，使充满恐惧( appall的过去式和过去分词)adj.惊骇的；丧胆的
参考例句：
  • The brutality of the crime has appalled the public. 罪行之残暴使公众大为震惊。
  • They were appalled by the reports of the nuclear war. 他们被核战争的报道吓坏了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
30 hurled 16e3a6ba35b6465e1376a4335ae25cd2     
v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂
参考例句：
  • He hurled a brick through the window. 他往窗户里扔了块砖。
  • The strong wind hurled down bits of the roof. 大风把屋顶的瓦片刮了下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
31 morass LjRy3     
n.沼泽，困境
参考例句：
  • I tried to drag myself out of the morass of despair.我试图从绝望的困境中走出来。
  • Mathematical knowledge was certain and offered a secure foothold in a morass.数学知识是确定无疑的,它给人们在沼泽地上提供了一个稳妥的立足点。
32 stammered 76088bc9384c91d5745fd550a9d81721     
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
33 crass zoMzH     
adj.愚钝的，粗糙的；彻底的
参考例句：
  • The government has behaved with crass insensitivity.该政府行事愚蠢而且麻木不仁。
  • I didn't want any part of this silly reception,It was all so crass.我完全不想参加这个无聊的欢迎会，它实在太糟糕了。
34 banality AP4yD     
n.陈腐；平庸；陈词滥调
参考例句：
  • Neil's ability to utter banalities never ceased to amaze me.每次我都很惊讶，尼尔怎么能讲出这么索然无味的东西。
  • He couldn't believe the banality of the question.他无法相信那问题竟如此陈腐。
35 pretence pretence     
n.假装，作假；借口，口实；虚伪；虚饰
参考例句：
  • The government abandoned any pretence of reform. 政府不再装模作样地进行改革。
  • He made a pretence of being happy at the party.晚会上他假装很高兴。
36 fray NfDzp     
v.争吵；打斗；磨损，磨破；n.吵架；打斗
参考例句：
  • Why should you get involved in their fray?你为什么要介入他们的争吵呢？
  • Tempers began to fray in the hot weather.大热天脾气烦燥。
37 pawning c1026bc3991f1f6ec192e47d222566e5     
v.典当，抵押( pawn的现在分词 )；以（某事物）担保
参考例句：
  • He is contemplating pawning his watch. 他正在考虑抵押他的手表。 来自辞典例句
  • My clothes were excellent, and I had jewellery; but I never even thought of pawning them. 我的衣服是很讲究的，我有珠宝；但是我从没想到要把它们当掉。 来自辞典例句
38 pawned 4a07cbcf19a45badd623a582bf8ca213     
v.典当，抵押( pawn的过去式和过去分词 )；以（某事物）担保
参考例句：
  • He pawned his gold watch to pay the rent. 他抵当了金表用以交租。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • She has redeemed her pawned jewellery. 她赎回了当掉的珠宝。 来自《简明英汉词典》
39 concealing 0522a013e14e769c5852093b349fdc9d     
v.隐藏，隐瞒，遮住( conceal的现在分词 )
参考例句：
  • Despite his outward display of friendliness, I sensed he was concealing something. 尽管他表现得友善，我还是感觉到他有所隐瞒。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • SHE WAS BREAKING THE COMPACT, AND CONCEALING IT FROM HIM. 她违反了他们之间的约定，还把他蒙在鼓里。 来自英汉文学 - 三万元遗产
40 realization nTwxS     
n.实现；认识到，深刻了解
参考例句：
  • We shall gladly lend every effort in our power toward its realization.我们将乐意为它的实现而竭尽全力。
  • He came to the realization that he would never make a good teacher.他逐渐认识到自己永远不会成为好老师。
41 futility IznyJ     
n.无用
参考例句：
  • She could see the utter futility of trying to protest. 她明白抗议是完全无用的。
  • The sheer futility of it all exasperates her. 它毫无用处，这让她很生气。
42 aged 6zWzdI     
adj.年老的，陈年的
参考例句：
  • He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。
  • He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。
43 applied Tz2zXA     
adj.应用的；v.应用，适用
参考例句：
  • She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
  • This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。
44 absurdity dIQyU     
n.荒谬，愚蠢；谬论
参考例句：
  • The proposal borders upon the absurdity.这提议近乎荒谬。
  • The absurdity of the situation made everyone laugh.情况的荒谬可笑使每个人都笑了。
45 simplicity Vryyv     
n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯
参考例句：
  • She dressed with elegant simplicity.她穿着朴素高雅。
  • The beauty of this plan is its simplicity.简明扼要是这个计划的一大特点。
46 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的
参考例句：
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
47 applicant 1MlyX     
n.申请人，求职者，请求者
参考例句：
  • He was the hundredth applicant for the job. 他是第100个申请这项工作的人。
  • In my estimation, the applicant is well qualified for this job. 据我看, 这位应征者完全具备这项工作的条件。
48 justify j3DxR     
vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护
参考例句：
  • He tried to justify his absence with lame excuses.他想用站不住脚的借口为自己的缺席辩解。
  • Can you justify your rude behavior to me?你能向我证明你的粗野行为是有道理的吗？

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