选择字号:【大】【中】【小】 | 关灯
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CHAPTER 8
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I
THE great events of Babbitt's spring were the secret buying of real-estate options in Linton for certain street-traction1 officials, before the public announcement that the Linton Avenue Car Line would be extended, and a dinner which was, as he rejoiced to his wife, not only “a regular society spread but a real sure-enough highbrow affair, with some of the keenest intellects and the brightest bunch of little women in town.” It was so absorbing an occasion that he almost forgot his desire to run off to Maine with Paul Riesling.
Though he had been born in the village of Catawba, Babbitt had risen to that metropolitan2 social plane on which hosts have as many as four people at dinner without planning it for more than an evening or two. But a dinner of twelve, with flowers from the florist's and all the cut-glass out, staggered even the Babbitts.
For two weeks they studied, debated, and arbitrated the list of guests.
Babbitt marveled, “Of course we're up-to-date ourselves, but still, think of us entertaining a famous poet like Chum Frink, a fellow that on nothing but a poem or so every day and just writing a few advertisements pulls down fifteen thousand berries a year!”
“Yes, and Howard Littlefield. Do you know, the other evening Eunice told me her papa speaks three languages!” said Mrs. Babbitt.
“I don't think it's nice to be funny about a matter like that. Think how wonderful it must be to speak three languages, and so useful and—And with people like that, I don't see why we invite the Orville Joneses.”
“Yes, I know, but—A laundry!”
“I'll admit a laundry hasn't got the class of poetry or real estate, but just the same, Orvy is mighty deep. Ever start him spieling about gardening? Say, that fellow can tell you the name of every kind of tree, and some of their Greek and Latin names too! Besides, we owe the Joneses a dinner. Besides, gosh, we got to have some boob for audience, when a bunch of hot-air artists like Frink and Littlefield get going.”
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收听单词发音

1
traction
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n.牵引;附着摩擦力 | |
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2
metropolitan
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adj.大城市的,大都会的 | |
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poker
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n.扑克;vt.烙制 | |
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mighty
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adj.强有力的;巨大的 | |
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den
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n.兽穴;秘密地方;安静的小房间,私室 | |
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restive
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adj.不安宁的,不安静的 | |
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wailed
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v.哭叫,哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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8
perfectly
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adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地 | |
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hideous
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adj.丑陋的,可憎的,可怕的,恐怖的 | |
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10
toil
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vi.辛劳工作,艰难地行动;n.苦工,难事 | |
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repented
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对(自己的所为)感到懊悔或忏悔( repent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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cocktails
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n.鸡尾酒( cocktail的名词复数 );餐前开胃菜;混合物 | |
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cocktail
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n.鸡尾酒;餐前开胃小吃;混合物 | |
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reign
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n.统治时期,统治,支配,盛行;v.占优势 | |
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prohibition
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n.禁止;禁令,禁律 | |
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tangled
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adj. 纠缠的,紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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warehouses
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仓库,货栈( warehouse的名词复数 ) | |
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lofts
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阁楼( loft的名词复数 ); (由工厂等改建的)套房; 上层楼面; 房间的越层 | |
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arbor
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n.凉亭;树木 | |
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orchard
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n.果园,果园里的全部果树,(美俚)棒球场 | |
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morass
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n.沼泽,困境 | |
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tenements
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n.房屋,住户,租房子( tenement的名词复数 ) | |
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exquisite
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adj.精美的;敏锐的;剧烈的,感觉强烈的 | |
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spine
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n.脊柱,脊椎;(动植物的)刺;书脊 | |
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innocence
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n.无罪;天真;无害 | |
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loon
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n.狂人 | |
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curiously
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adv.有求知欲地;好问地;奇特地 | |
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greasy
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adj. 多脂的,油脂的 | |
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outraged
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a.震惊的,义愤填膺的 | |
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bishop
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n.主教,(国际象棋)象 | |
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drowsy
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adj.昏昏欲睡的,令人发困的 | |
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stink
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vi.发出恶臭;糟透,招人厌恶;n.恶臭 | |
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wheedled
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v.骗取(某物),哄骗(某人干某事)( wheedle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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engraved
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v.在(硬物)上雕刻(字,画等)( engrave的过去式和过去分词 );将某事物深深印在(记忆或头脑中) | |
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growled
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v.(动物)发狺狺声, (雷)作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 );低声咆哮着说 | |
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con
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n.反对的观点,反对者,反对票,肺病;vt.精读,学习,默记;adv.反对地,从反面;adj.欺诈的 | |
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queried
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v.质疑,对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 );询问 | |
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athletic
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adj.擅长运动的,强健的;活跃的,体格健壮的 | |
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obsequiousness
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媚骨 | |
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brewery
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n.啤酒厂 | |
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valiant
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adj.勇敢的,英勇的;n.勇士,勇敢的人 | |
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vow
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n.誓(言),誓约;v.起誓,立誓 | |
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besought
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v.恳求,乞求(某事物)( beseech的过去式和过去分词 );(beseech的过去式与过去分词) | |
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scowled
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怒视,生气地皱眉( scowl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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meekness
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n.温顺,柔和 | |
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casually
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adv.漠不关心地,无动于衷地,不负责任地 | |
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smuggled
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水货 | |
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virtuously
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合乎道德地,善良地 | |
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concealing
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v.隐藏,隐瞒,遮住( conceal的现在分词 ) | |
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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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caterer
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n. 备办食物者,备办宴席者 | |
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ballroom
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n.舞厅 | |
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aprons
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围裙( apron的名词复数 ); 停机坪,台口(舞台幕前的部份) | |
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refinement
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n.文雅;高尚;精美;精制;精炼 | |
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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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giggling
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v.咯咯地笑( giggle的现在分词 ) | |
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touchy
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adj.易怒的;棘手的 | |
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agitated
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adj.被鼓动的,不安的 | |
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joint
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adj.联合的,共同的;n.关节,接合处;v.连接,贴合 | |
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rouged
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胭脂,口红( rouge的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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humbly
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adv. 恭顺地,谦卑地 | |
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glorified
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美其名的,变荣耀的 | |
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awed
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adj.充满敬畏的,表示敬畏的v.使敬畏,使惊惧( awe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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64
swell
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vi.膨胀,肿胀;增长,增强 | |
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swelling
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n.肿胀 | |
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slew
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v.(使)旋转;n.大量,许多 | |
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entirely
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ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地 | |
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tightened
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收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 ); (使)变紧; (使)绷紧; 加紧 | |
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lyric
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n.抒情诗,歌词;adj.抒情的 | |
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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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authoritative
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adj.有权威的,可相信的;命令式的;官方的 | |
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shrieked
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v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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73
tottered
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v.走得或动得不稳( totter的过去式和过去分词 );踉跄;蹒跚;摇摇欲坠 | |
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74
pitcher
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n.(有嘴和柄的)大水罐;(棒球)投手 | |
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copper
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n.铜;铜币;铜器;adj.铜(制)的;(紫)铜色的 | |
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scoured
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走遍(某地)搜寻(人或物)( scour的过去式和过去分词 ); (用力)刷; 擦净; 擦亮 | |
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bustling
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adj.喧闹的 | |
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denim
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n.斜纹棉布;斜纹棉布裤,牛仔裤 | |
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rebuked
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责难或指责( rebuke的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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jocose
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adj.开玩笑的,滑稽的 | |
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devastating
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adj.毁灭性的,令人震惊的,强有力的 | |
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witty
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adj.机智的,风趣的 | |
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regain
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vt.重新获得,收复,恢复 | |
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minced
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v.切碎( mince的过去式和过去分词 );剁碎;绞碎;用绞肉机绞(食物,尤指肉) | |
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profligacy
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n.放荡,不检点,肆意挥霍 | |
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inevitable
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adj.不可避免的,必然发生的 | |
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amiability
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n.和蔼可亲的,亲切的,友善的 | |
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swirling
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v.旋转,打旋( swirl的现在分词 ) | |
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publicity
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n.众所周知,闻名;宣传,广告 | |
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elks
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n.麋鹿( elk的名词复数 ) | |
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javelin
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n.标枪,投枪 | |
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distinguished
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adj.卓越的,杰出的,著名的 | |
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determined
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adj.坚定的;有决心的 | |
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advertising
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n.广告业;广告活动 a.广告的;广告业务的 | |
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elegance
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n.优雅;优美,雅致;精致,巧妙 | |
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fig
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n.无花果(树) | |
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memorable
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adj.值得回忆的,难忘的,特别的,显著的 | |
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robustness
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坚固性,健壮性;鲁棒性 | |
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canonical
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n.权威的;典型的 | |
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rite
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n.典礼,惯例,习俗 | |
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despondent
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adj.失望的,沮丧的,泄气的 | |
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killing
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n.巨额利润;突然赚大钱,发大财 | |
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babbled
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v.喋喋不休( babble的过去式和过去分词 );作潺潺声(如流水);含糊不清地说话;泄漏秘密 | |
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woes
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困境( woe的名词复数 ); 悲伤; 我好苦哇; 某人就要倒霉 | |
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timorous
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adj.胆怯的,胆小的 | |
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slumber
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n.睡眠,沉睡状态 | |
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groused
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v.抱怨,发牢骚( grouse的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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groaned
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v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 );发牢骚;抱怨;受苦 | |
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sage
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n.圣人,哲人;adj.贤明的,明智的 | |
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vile
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adj.卑鄙的,可耻的,邪恶的;坏透的 | |
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giggles
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n.咯咯的笑( giggle的名词复数 );傻笑;玩笑;the giggles 止不住的格格笑v.咯咯地笑( giggle的第三人称单数 ) | |
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dividend
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n.红利,股息;回报,效益 | |
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profundity
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n.渊博;深奥,深刻 | |
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thoroughly
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adv.完全地,彻底地,十足地 | |
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licensed
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adj.得到许可的v.许可,颁发执照(license的过去式和过去分词) | |
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interfered
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v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 );调停;妨碍;干涉 | |
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stunt
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n.惊人表演,绝技,特技;vt.阻碍...发育,妨碍...生长 | |
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ferment
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vt.使发酵;n./vt.(使)激动,(使)动乱 | |
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resolutely
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adj.坚决地,果断地 | |
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yearning
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a.渴望的;向往的;怀念的 | |
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gaily
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adv.欢乐地,高兴地 | |
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invincible
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adj.不可征服的,难以制服的 | |
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flirtation
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n.调情,调戏,挑逗 | |
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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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gee
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n.马;int.向右!前进!,惊讶时所发声音;v.向右转 | |
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sneak
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vt.潜行(隐藏,填石缝);偷偷摸摸做;n.潜行;adj.暗中进行 | |
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wriggled
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v.扭动,蠕动,蜿蜒行进( wriggle的过去式和过去分词 );(使身体某一部位)扭动;耍滑不做,逃避(应做的事等) | |
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anthropological
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adj.人类学的 | |
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spicy
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adj.加香料的;辛辣的,有风味的 | |
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waned
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v.衰落( wane的过去式和过去分词 );(月)亏;变小;变暗淡 | |
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exulted
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狂喜,欢跃( exult的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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132
Ford
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n.浅滩,水浅可涉处;v.涉水,涉过 | |
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133
remarkable
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adj.显著的,异常的,非凡的,值得注意的 | |
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impersonally
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ad.非人称地 | |
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135
stimulus
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n.刺激,刺激物,促进因素,引起兴奋的事物 | |
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136
sloppy
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adj.邋遢的,不整洁的 | |
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137
finesse
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n.精密技巧,灵巧,手腕 | |
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138
appreciation
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n.评价;欣赏;感谢;领会,理解;价格上涨 | |
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139
artistic
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adj.艺术(家)的,美术(家)的;善于艺术创作的 | |
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140
glum
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adj.闷闷不乐的,阴郁的 | |
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141
clams
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n.蛤;蚌,蛤( clam的名词复数 )v.(在沙滩上)挖蛤( clam的第三人称单数 ) | |
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142
penetrate
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v.透(渗)入;刺入,刺穿;洞察,了解 | |
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143
originality
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n.创造力,独创性;新颖 | |
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144
hopping
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n. 跳跃 动词hop的现在分词形式 | |
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145
aglow
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adj.发亮的;发红的;adv.发亮地 | |
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146
delightfully
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大喜,欣然 | |
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147
fragrant
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adj.芬香的,馥郁的,愉快的 | |
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148
enjoyment
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n.乐趣;享有;享用 | |
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149
poetic
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adj.富有诗意的,有诗人气质的,善于抒情的 | |
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150
veins
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n.纹理;矿脉( vein的名词复数 );静脉;叶脉;纹理 | |
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151
makers
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n.制造者,制造商(maker的复数形式) | |
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152
antelope
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n.羚羊;羚羊皮 | |
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153
glide
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n./v.溜,滑行;(时间)消逝 | |
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154
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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155
admiration
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n.钦佩,赞美,羡慕 | |
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CHAPTER 7
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CHAPTER 9
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