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 As soon as the will has got the upper hand of the brain—as soon as it can say to the brain, with a fair certainty of being obeyed: 'Do this. Think along these lines, and continue to do so without wandering until I give you leave to stop'—then is the time arrived when the perfecting of the human machine may be undertaken in a large and comprehensive spirit, as a city council undertakes the purification and reconstruction1 of a city. The tremendous possibilities of an obedient brain will be perceived immediately we begin to reflect upon what we mean by our 'character.' Now, a person's character is, and can be, nothing else but the total result of his habits of thought. A person is benevolent2 because he habitually3 thinks benevolently4. A person is idle because his thoughts dwell habitually on the instant pleasures of idleness. It is true that everybody is born with certain predispositions, and that these predispositions influence very strongly the early formation of habits of thought. But the fact remains5 that the character is built by long-continued habits of thought. If the mature edifice6 of character usually shows in an exaggerated form the peculiarities7 of the original predisposition, this merely indicates a probability that the slow erection of the edifice has proceeded at haphazard8, and that reason has not presided over it. A child may be born with a tendency to bent9 shoulders. If nothing is done, if on the contrary he becomes a clerk and abhors10 gymnastics, his shoulders will develop an excessive roundness,
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1 reconstruction 3U6xb     
n.重建，再现，复原
参考例句：
  • The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
  • In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。
2 benevolent Wtfzx     
adj.仁慈的，乐善好施的
参考例句：
  • His benevolent nature prevented him from refusing any beggar who accosted him.他乐善好施的本性使他不会拒绝走上前向他行乞的任何一个乞丐。
  • He was a benevolent old man and he wouldn't hurt a fly.他是一个仁慈的老人，连只苍蝇都不愿伤害。
3 habitually 4rKzgk     
ad.习惯地，通常地
参考例句：
  • The pain of the disease caused him habitually to furrow his brow. 病痛使他习惯性地紧皱眉头。
  • Habitually obedient to John, I came up to his chair. 我已经习惯于服从约翰，我来到他的椅子跟前。
4 benevolently cbc2f6883e3f60c12a75d387dd5dbd94     
adv.仁慈地，行善地
参考例句：
  • She looked on benevolently. 她亲切地站在一边看着。 来自《简明英汉词典》
5 remains 1kMzTy     
n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹
参考例句：
  • He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
  • The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。
6 edifice kqgxv     
n.宏伟的建筑物(如宫殿，教室)
参考例句：
  • The American consulate was a magnificent edifice in the centre of Bordeaux.美国领事馆是位于波尔多市中心的一座宏伟的大厦。
  • There is a huge Victorian edifice in the area.该地区有一幢维多利亚式的庞大建筑物。
7 peculiarities 84444218acb57e9321fbad3dc6b368be     
n. 特质, 特性, 怪癖, 古怪
参考例句：
  • the cultural peculiarities of the English 英国人的文化特点
  • He used to mimic speech peculiarities of another. 他过去总是模仿别人讲话的特点。
8 haphazard n5oyi     
adj.无计划的，随意的，杂乱无章的
参考例句：
  • The town grew in a haphazard way.这城镇无计划地随意发展。
  • He regrerted his haphazard remarks.他悔不该随口说出那些评论话。
9 bent QQ8yD     
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。
10 abhors e8f81956d0ea03fa87889534fe584845     
v.憎恶( abhor的第三人称单数 )；（厌恶地）回避；拒绝；淘汰
参考例句：
  • For the same reason, our party abhors the deification of an individual. 因为这样，我们党也厌弃对于个人的神化。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • She abhors cruelty to animals. 她憎恶虐待动物。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
11 entirely entirely     
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。
12 inevitable 5xcyq     
adj.不可避免的，必然发生的
参考例句：
  • Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。
  • The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。
13 gutter lexxk     
n.沟，街沟，水槽，檐槽，贫民窟
参考例句：
  • There's a cigarette packet thrown into the gutter.阴沟里有个香烟盒。
  • He picked her out of the gutter and made her a great lady.他使她脱离贫苦生活，并成为贵妇。
14 momentary hj3ya     
adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的
参考例句：
  • We are in momentary expectation of the arrival of you.我们无时无刻不在盼望你的到来。
  • I caught a momentary glimpse of them.我瞥了他们一眼。
15 inflamed KqEz2a     
adj.发炎的，红肿的v.（使）变红，发怒，过热( inflame的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • His comments have inflamed teachers all over the country. 他的评论激怒了全国教师。
  • Her joints are severely inflamed. 她的关节严重发炎。 来自《简明英汉词典》
16 transformations dfc3424f78998e0e9ce8980c12f60650     
n.变化( transformation的名词复数 )；转换；转换；变换
参考例句：
  • Energy transformations go on constantly, all about us. 在我们周围，能量始终在不停地转换着。 来自辞典例句
  • On the average, such transformations balance out. 平均起来，这种转化可以互相抵消。 来自辞典例句
17 ass qvyzK     
n.驴；傻瓜，蠢笨的人
参考例句：
  • He is not an ass as they make him.他不象大家猜想的那样笨。
  • An ass endures his burden but not more than his burden.驴能负重但不能超过它能力所负担的。
18 initiated 9cd5622f36ab9090359c3cf3ca4ddda3     
n. 创始人 adj. 新加入的 vt. 开始，创始，启蒙，介绍加入
参考例句：
  • He has not yet been thoroughly initiated into the mysteries of computers. 他对计算机的奥秘尚未入门。
  • The artist initiated the girl into the art world in France. 这个艺术家介绍这个女孩加入巴黎艺术界。
19 persevered b3246393c709e55e93de64dc63360d37     
v.坚忍，坚持( persevere的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • She persevered with her violin lessons. 她孜孜不倦地学习小提琴。
  • Hard as the conditions were, he persevered in his studies. 虽然条件艰苦，但他仍坚持学习。 来自辞典例句
20 differentiates e1a5ca2c9946ac040edc6427341f59db     
区分，区别，辨别( differentiate的第三人称单数 )； 区别对待； 表明…间的差别，构成…间差别的特征
参考例句：
  • This genus of plants differentiates into many species. 这种植物可分为许多种类。
  • Our fax machine differentiates between an incoming fax signal and a voice call. 我们的传真机能区分接收传真信号和语音信号。
21 partially yL7xm     
adv.部分地，从某些方面讲
参考例句：
  • The door was partially concealed by the drapes.门有一部分被门帘遮住了。
  • The police managed to restore calm and the curfew was partially lifted.警方设法恢复了平静，宵禁部分解除。
22 sculptor 8Dyz4     
n.雕刻家，雕刻家
参考例句：
  • A sculptor forms her material.雕塑家把材料塑造成雕塑品。
  • The sculptor rounded the clay into a sphere.那位雕塑家把黏土做成了一个球状。
23 previously bkzzzC     
adv.以前，先前（地）
参考例句：
  • The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
  • Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。
24 inefficient c76xm     
adj.效率低的，无效的
参考例句：
  • The inefficient operation cost the firm a lot of money.低效率的运作使该公司损失了许多钱。
  • Their communication systems are inefficient in the extreme.他们的通讯系统效率非常差。
25 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。
26 dreary sk1z6     
adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的
参考例句：
  • They live such dreary lives.他们的生活如此乏味。
  • She was tired of hearing the same dreary tale of drunkenness and violence.她听够了那些关于酗酒和暴力的乏味故事。
27 expending 2bc25f0be219ef94a9ff43e600aae5eb     
v.花费( expend的现在分词 )；使用（钱等）做某事；用光；耗尽
参考例句：
  • The heart pumps by expending and contracting of muscle. 心脏通过收缩肌肉抽取和放出（血液）。 来自互联网
  • Criminal action is an action of expending cost and then producing profit. 刑事诉讼是一种需要支付成本、能够产生收益的活动。 来自互联网
28 precisely zlWzUb     
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。
29 fatuous 4l0xZ     
adj.愚昧的；昏庸的
参考例句：
  • He seems to get pride in fatuous remarks.说起这番蠢话来他似乎还挺得意。
  • After his boring speech for over an hour,fatuous speaker waited for applause from the audience.经过超过一小时的烦闷的演讲，那个愚昧的演讲者还等着观众的掌声。
30 grumbler 4ebedc2c9e99244a3d82f404a72c9f60     
爱抱怨的人，发牢骚的人
参考例句：
  • He is a grumbler. 他是一个爱抱怨的人。
  • He is a dreadful grumbler. 他是特别爱发牢骚的人。
31 grumble 6emzH     
vi.抱怨；咕哝；n.抱怨，牢骚；咕哝，隆隆声
参考例句：
  • I don't want to hear another grumble from you.我不愿再听到你的抱怨。
  • He could do nothing but grumble over the situation.他除了埋怨局势之外别无他法。
32 hideous 65KyC     
adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的
参考例句：
  • The whole experience had been like some hideous nightmare.整个经历就像一场可怕的噩梦。
  • They're not like dogs,they're hideous brutes.它们不像狗，是丑陋的畜牲。
33 miserable g18yk     
adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的
参考例句：
  • It was miserable of you to make fun of him.你取笑他，这是可耻的。
  • Her past life was miserable.她过去的生活很苦。
34 grumbling grumbling     
adj. 喃喃鸣不平的, 出怨言的
参考例句：
  • She's always grumbling to me about how badly she's treated at work. 她总是向我抱怨她在工作中如何受亏待。
  • We didn't hear any grumbling about the food. 我们没听到过对食物的抱怨。
35 strictly GtNwe     
adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地
参考例句：
  • His doctor is dieting him strictly.他的医生严格规定他的饮食。
  • The guests were seated strictly in order of precedence.客人严格按照地位高低就座。
36 sanguine dCOzF     
adj.充满希望的，乐观的，血红色的
参考例句：
  • He has a sanguine attitude to life.他对于人生有乐观的看法。
  • He is not very sanguine about our chances of success.他对我们成功的机会不太乐观。
37 solitary 7FUyx     
adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士
参考例句：
  • I am rather fond of a solitary stroll in the country.我颇喜欢在乡间独自徜徉。
  • The castle rises in solitary splendour on the fringe of the desert.这座城堡巍然耸立在沙漠的边际，显得十分壮美。
38 intervals f46c9d8b430e8c86dea610ec56b7cbef     
n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息
参考例句：
  • The forecast said there would be sunny intervals and showers. 预报间晴，有阵雨。
  • Meetings take place at fortnightly intervals. 每两周开一次会。
39 futile vfTz2     
adj.无效的，无用的，无希望的
参考例句：
  • They were killed,to the last man,in a futile attack.因为进攻失败，他们全部被杀，无一幸免。
  • Their efforts to revive him were futile.他们对他抢救无效。

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