The following morning Sami was
awakened1 by loud tones, but it was no longer the birds singing; it was the farmer’s wife ordering the boys harshly to get up right away. She had already called them three times, and if this time they didn’t obey, their father would come. Then they all sprang out of bed and in a few minutes were down-stairs, where their father was already sitting at the table and would not have waited much longer.
The day did not pass very differently from the one before, and thus passed a long series of days. There was already a change in the work.
Sami, little by little, learned to do everything very well, for he took pains and followed his grandmother’s advice carefully. He always had something to do for the other boys still, so that he never finished his work a moment before supper-time. But he was no longer late. A change had also come about in this. Stöffi had learned that there was one thing Sami could not or would not do which he himself could do very well: he could not tell a lie.
He had been late again a couple of times, but had never told the reason. Finally, however, the farmer had spoken harshly:
“Now speak out, and tell why you can’t get through your work faster; you are quick enough when anyone is watching you.”
Then Sami had accordingly told all the truth, and the father had threatened to beat the boys if they didn’t do their work themselves. Afterwards Stöffi had thrashed Sami to punish him, and had warned him that he would do it every time Sami complained of him.
Sami had replied that he had never complained and didn’t want to do so, but when his father questioned him he could only tell him the truth. Stöffi tried to explain to him that it didn’t matter whether he told the truth or not, but here he found Sami more
obstinate2 than he had expected, and no matter what fearful threats he
hurled3 at him, he always said the same thing in the end:
“But I shall do it.”
This firmness was the result of Sami’s sure conviction that the dear Lord heard and knew everything and that lying was something wicked, which did not please Him.
So Stöffi had to find some other way to get off from his work early and make Sami finish what he left. He found that all three could never dare abandon their work and leave it for Sami, but one of them might do so each evening, and he threatened to punish his brothers
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1
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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2
obstinate
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| adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的 |
参考例句： |
- She's too obstinate to let anyone help her.她太倔强了，不会让任何人帮她的。
- The trader was obstinate in the negotiation.这个商人在谈判中拗强固执。
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3
hurled
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| 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》
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4
severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 |
参考例句： |
- He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
- He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。
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5
skilfully
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| adv. (美skillfully)熟练地 |
参考例句： |
- Hall skilfully weaves the historical research into a gripping narrative. 霍尔巧妙地把历史研究揉进了扣人心弦的故事叙述。
- Enthusiasm alone won't do. You've got to work skilfully. 不能光靠傻劲儿，得找窍门。
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6
tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 |
参考例句： |
- The tumult in the streets awakened everyone in the house.街上的喧哗吵醒了屋子里的每一个人。
- His voice disappeared under growing tumult.他的声音消失在越来越响的喧哗声中。
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7
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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8
discord
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| n.不和，意见不合，争论，（音乐）不和谐 |
参考例句： |
- These two answers are in discord.这两个答案不一样。
- The discord of his music was hard on the ear.他演奏的不和谐音很刺耳。
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9
sleepless
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| adj.不睡眠的，睡不著的，不休息的 |
参考例句： |
- The situation gave her many sleepless nights.这种情况害她一连好多天睡不好觉。
- One evening I heard a tale that rendered me sleepless for nights.一天晚上，我听说了一个传闻，把我搞得一连几夜都不能入睡。
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10
positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 |
参考例句： |
- She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
- The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。
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11
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 |
参考例句： |
- The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
- His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。
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12
brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 |
参考例句： |
- In our room we could hear the murmur of a distant brook.在我们房间能听到远处小溪汩汩的流水声。
- The brook trickled through the valley.小溪涓涓流过峡谷。
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13
brooks
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| n.小溪( brook的名词复数 ) |
参考例句： |
- Brooks gave the business when Haas caught him with his watch. 哈斯抓到偷他的手表的布鲁克斯时，狠狠地揍了他一顿。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- Ade and Brooks exchanged blows yesterday and they were severely punished today. 艾德和布鲁克斯昨天打起来了，今天他们受到严厉的惩罚。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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utensils
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| 器具，用具，器皿( utensil的名词复数 )； 器物 |
参考例句： |
- Formerly most of our household utensils were made of brass. 以前我们家庭用的器皿多数是用黄铜做的。
- Some utensils were in a state of decay when they were unearthed. 有些器皿在出土时已经残破。
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15
courageously
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| ad.勇敢地，无畏地 |
参考例句： |
- Under the correct leadership of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, the army and civilians in flooded areas fought the floods courageously, reducing the losses to the minimum. 在中共中央、国务院的正确领导下，灾区广大军民奋勇抗洪，把灾害的损失减少到了最低限度。
- He fought death courageously though his life was draining away. 他虽然生命垂危，但仍然勇敢地与死亡作斗争。
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wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 |
参考例句： |
- His silence marked his wrath. 他的沉默表明了他的愤怒。
- The wrath of the people is now aroused. 人们被激怒了。
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traitor
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| n.叛徒，卖国贼 |
参考例句： |
- The traitor was finally found out and put in prison.那个卖国贼终于被人发现并被监禁了起来。
- He was sold out by a traitor and arrested.他被叛徒出卖而被捕了。
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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 |
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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insolent
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| adj.傲慢的，无理的 |
参考例句： |
- His insolent manner really got my blood up.他那傲慢的态度把我的肺都气炸了。
- It was insolent of them to demand special treatment.他们要求给予特殊待遇，脸皮真厚。
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insolence
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| n.傲慢；无礼；厚颜；傲慢的态度 |
参考例句： |
- I've had enough of your insolence, and I'm having no more. 我受够了你的侮辱，不能再容忍了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
- How can you suffer such insolence? 你怎么能容忍这种蛮横的态度？ 来自《简明英汉词典》
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injustice
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| n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利 |
参考例句： |
- They complained of injustice in the way they had been treated.他们抱怨受到不公平的对待。
- All his life he has been struggling against injustice.他一生都在与不公正现象作斗争。
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anguish
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| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 |
参考例句： |
- She cried out for anguish at parting.分手时，她由于痛苦而失声大哭。
- The unspeakable anguish wrung his heart.难言的痛苦折磨着他的心。
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23
mightily
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| ad.强烈地；非常地 |
参考例句： |
- He hit the peg mightily on the top with a mallet. 他用木槌猛敲木栓顶。
- This seemed mightily to relieve him. 干完这件事后，他似乎轻松了许多。
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