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CHAPTER II PLANS FOR TEXAS
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It was a pretty little grove1 in which the Happy Hexagons met to study and to talk Texas. Nor were they the only ones that met there. Though Harold Day, Alma Lane's cousin, was not to be of the Texas party, the girls invited him to meet with them, as he was Texas-born, and was one of Genevieve's first friends in Sunbridge. On the outskirts2 of the magic circle, sundry3 smaller brothers and sisters and cousins of the members hung adoringly. Even grown men and women came sometimes, and stood apart, looking on with what the Happy Hexagons chose to think were admiring, awestruck eyes—which was not a little flattering, though quite natural and proper, decided4 the club. For, of course, not every one could go to Texas, to be sure!
At the beginning, at least, of each meeting, affairs were conducted with the seriousness due to so important a subject. In impressive silence the club seated itself in a circle; and solemnly Cordelia Wilson, the treasurer5, opened the meeting, being (according to Tilly) a "perfect image of her uncle in the pulpit."
"Fellow members, once more we find ourselves gathered together for the purpose of the study of Texas," she would begin invariably. And then perhaps: "We will listen to Miss Bertha Brown, please. Miss Brown, what new thing—I mean, what new features have you discovered about Texas?"
If Miss Brown had something to say—and of course she did have something (she would have been disgraced, otherwise)—she said it. Then each in turn was asked, after which the discussion was open to all.
They were lively meetings. No wonder small brothers and sisters and cousins hung entranced on every word. No wonder, too, that at last, one day, quite carried away with the enthusiasm of the moment, they made so bold as to have something to say on their own account. It happened like this:
"Texas is the largest state in the union," announced Bertha Brown, who had been called on first. "It has an area about one twelfth as large as that of the whole United States. If all the population of the country were placed there, the state would not be as thickly settled as the eastern shore of Massachusetts is. Six different flags have waved over it since its discovery two hundred years ago: France, Spain, Mexico, Republic of Texas, Confederate States of America, and the Star Spangled Banner."
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1
grove
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| n.林子,小树林,园林 | |
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outskirts
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| n.郊外,郊区 | |
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sundry
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| adj.各式各样的,种种的 | |
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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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treasurer
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| n.司库,财务主管 | |
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pouted
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| v.撅(嘴)( pout的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地,敏捷地 | |
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malarial
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| 患疟疾的,毒气的 | |
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gulf
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| n.海湾;深渊,鸿沟;分歧,隔阂 | |
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gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 );喘息;倒抽气;很想要 | |
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disapproval
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| n.反对,不赞成 | |
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shrugged
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| vt.耸肩(shrug的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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unearthing
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| 发掘或挖出某物( unearth的现在分词 ); 搜寻到某事物,发现并披露 | |
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majestically
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| 雄伟地; 庄重地; 威严地; 崇高地 | |
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grimace
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| v.做鬼脸,面部歪扭 | |
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cane
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| n.手杖,细长的茎,藤条;v.以杖击,以藤编制的 | |
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chuckle
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| vi./n.轻声笑,咯咯笑 | |
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appreciation
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| n.评价;欣赏;感谢;领会,理解;价格上涨 | |
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ranches
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| 大农场, (兼种果树,养鸡等的)大牧场( ranch的名词复数 ) | |
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herds
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| 兽群( herd的名词复数 ); 牧群; 人群; 群众 | |
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fig
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| n.无花果(树) | |
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hogs
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| n.(尤指喂肥供食用的)猪( hog的名词复数 );(供食用的)阉公猪;彻底地做某事;自私的或贪婪的人 | |
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giggle
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| n.痴笑,咯咯地笑;v.咯咯地笑着说 | |
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disapproved
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| v.不赞成( disapprove的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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giggled
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| v.咯咯地笑( giggle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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shrill
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| adj.尖声的;刺耳的;v尖叫 | |
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shrilly
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| 尖声的; 光亮的,耀眼的 | |
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regained
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| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 ); 赢回; 重回; 复至某地 | |
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condemning
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| v.(通常因道义上的原因而)谴责( condemn的现在分词 );宣判;宣布…不能使用;迫使…陷于不幸的境地 | |
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miller
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| n.磨坊主 | |
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wail
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| vt./vi.大声哀号,恸哭;呼啸,尖啸 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的 | |
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chestnuts
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| n.栗子( chestnut的名词复数 );栗色;栗树;栗色马 | |
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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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triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地;得胜地;成功地 | |
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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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hush
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| int.嘘,别出声;n.沉默,静寂;v.使安静 | |
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shrieking
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| v.尖叫( shriek的现在分词 ) | |
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encyclopedia
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| n.百科全书 | |
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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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dressing
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| n.(食物)调料;包扎伤口的用品,敷料 | |
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chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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gale
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| n.大风,强风,一阵闹声(尤指笑声等) | |
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hubbub
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| n.嘈杂;骚乱 | |
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bristled
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| adj. 直立的,多刺毛的 动词bristle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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schooner
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| n.纵帆船 | |
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soothed
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| v.安慰( soothe的过去式和过去分词 );抚慰;使舒服;减轻痛苦 | |
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fret
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| v.(使)烦恼;(使)焦急;(使)腐蚀,(使)磨损 | |
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placid
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| adj.安静的,平和的 | |
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gibe
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| n.讥笑;嘲弄 | |
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jersey
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| n.运动衫 | |
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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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sleeper
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| n.睡眠者,卧车,卧铺 | |
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bridled
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| 给…套龙头( bridle的过去式和过去分词 ); 控制; 昂首表示轻蔑(或怨忿等); 动怒,生气 | |
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sleepers
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| n.卧铺(通常以复数形式出现);卧车( sleeper的名词复数 );轨枕;睡觉(呈某种状态)的人;小耳环 | |
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dominant
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| adj.支配的,统治的;占优势的;显性的;n.主因,要素,主要的人(或物);显性基因 | |
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enjoyment
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| n.乐趣;享有;享用 | |
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commotion
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| n.骚动,动乱 | |
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scoffed
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| 嘲笑,嘲弄( scoff的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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fretting
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| n. 微振磨损 adj. 烦躁的, 焦虑的 | |
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hovering
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| 鸟( hover的现在分词 ); 靠近(某事物); (人)徘徊; 犹豫 | |
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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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humble
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| adj.谦卑的,恭顺的;地位低下的;v.降低,贬低 | |
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blurted
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| v.突然说出,脱口而出( blurt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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hermit
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| n.隐士,修道者;隐居 | |
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lookout
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| n.注意,前途,瞭望台 | |
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dubiously
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| adv.可疑地,怀疑地 | |
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bonnet
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| n.无边女帽;童帽 | |
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buffalo
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| n.(北美)野牛;(亚洲)水牛 | |
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provocation
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| n.激怒,刺激,挑拨,挑衅的事物,激怒的原因 | |
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mused
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| v.沉思,冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 );沉思自语说(某事) | |
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