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CHAPTER II THE AMERICAN COMMISSION
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When the American Construction Syndicate, of New York and Chicago, conceived the idea of laying a railway across Baluchistan, through the Alexandrian Pass and so into the Lower Indies—thus connecting Asia and Europe by the shortest possible route—it was regarded as a bold undertaking1 even for this gigantic corporation. But the Syndicate scorned the imputation2 that any undertaking might be too hazardous3 or difficult for it to accomplish; so, when the route was proposed and its advantages understood, the railway was as good as built, in the minds of the directors.
There were preliminaries, of course. A commission must be sent to Baluchistan to secure right of way. And the route must be surveyed. But these were mere4 matters of detail. Already the Syndicate had builta road across the Balkans; even now it was laying rails in Turkestan. And this Baluchistan route was but a part of a great system wisely and cleverly projected.
The Alexandrian Pass was the same that nearly proved fatal to Alexander the Great on the occasion of his invasion of India. Since then little had been heard of it. But doubtless the Pass was still there, and had been waiting all these years for some one to utilize5 it. It was part of the domain6 of the Khan of Mekran, who also ruled the greater part of Baluchistan.
The directors had the histories consulted. Baluchistan seemed practically unknown to history. There were no books of travel in Baluchistan. Strange! The country was there—very big on the maps—and some one ought to know something about it. But no one apparently7 did.
Well, the Commission would discover all there was to know, and a semi-barbarous country would be easy to deal with.
Next the Commission itself was considered, and Colonel Piedmont Moore was selected as its chief. Colonel Moore was one of the Syndicate’s largest stockholders and most respected officers, and the gentleman himself directed the selection of the chief, because he had
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1
undertaking
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| n.保证,许诺,事业 | |
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imputation
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| n.归罪,责难 | |
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hazardous
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| adj.(有)危险的,冒险的;碰运气的 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 | |
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utilize
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| vt.使用,利用 | |
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domain
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| n.(活动等)领域,范围;领地,势力范围 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地;表面上,似乎 | |
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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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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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retired
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| adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的 | |
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afterward
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| adv.后来;以后 | |
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amplified
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| 放大,扩大( amplify的过去式和过去分词 ); 增强; 详述 | |
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proficient
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| adj.熟练的,精通的;n.能手,专家 | |
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vouch
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| v.担保;断定;n.被担保者 | |
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demurred
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| v.表示异议,反对( demur的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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Amended
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| adj. 修正的 动词amend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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awaken
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| vi.醒,觉醒;vt.唤醒,使觉醒,唤起,激起 | |
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Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的;n.基督教徒 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的,忠实的,热心的,献身于...的 | |
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abate
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| vi.(风势,疼痛等)减弱,减轻,减退 | |
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penetrating
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| adj.(声音)响亮的,尖锐的adj.(气味)刺激的adj.(思想)敏锐的,有洞察力的 | |
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discomfiting
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| v.使为难( discomfit的现在分词 );使狼狈;使挫折;挫败 | |
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essentially
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| adv.本质上,实质上,基本上 | |
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alluringly
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| 诱人地,妩媚地 | |
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sculptor
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| n.雕刻家,雕刻家 | |
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poised
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| a.摆好姿势不动的 | |
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lithe
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| adj.(指人、身体)柔软的,易弯的 | |
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affected
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| adj.不自然的,假装的 | |
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arrant
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| adj.极端的;最大的 | |
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ingratitude
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| n.忘恩负义 | |
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incapable
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| adj.无能力的,不能做某事的 | |
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bosom
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| n.胸,胸部;胸怀;内心;adj.亲密的 | |
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enquire
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| v.打听,询问;调查,查问 | |
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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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appendages
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| n.附属物( appendage的名词复数 );依附的人;附属器官;附属肢体(如臂、腿、尾等) | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的 | |
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uncertainty
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| n.易变,靠不住,不确知,不确定的事物 | |
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despatch
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| n./v.(dispatch)派遣;发送;n.急件;新闻报道 | |
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accomplishments
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| n.造诣;完成( accomplishment的名词复数 );技能;成绩;成就 | |
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attainments
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| 成就,造诣; 获得( attainment的名词复数 ); 达到; 造诣; 成就 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同 | |
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withhold
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| v.拒绝,不给;使停止,阻挡 | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩,赞美,羡慕 | |
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gallant
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| adj.英勇的,豪侠的;(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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confiding
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| adj.相信人的,易于相信的v.吐露(秘密,心事等)( confide的现在分词 );(向某人)吐露(隐私、秘密等) | |
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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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canvassed
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| v.(在政治方面)游说( canvass的过去式和过去分词 );调查(如选举前选民的)意见;为讨论而提出(意见等);详细检查 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景,前途;景色,视野 | |
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juncture
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| n.时刻,关键时刻,紧要关头 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的 | |
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adoration
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| n.爱慕,崇拜 | |
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discreet
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| adj.(言行)谨慎的;慎重的;有判断力的 | |
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clinched
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| v.(尤指两人)互相紧紧抱[扭]住( clinch的过去式和过去分词 );解决(争端、交易),达成(协议) | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的;有决心的 | |
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lookout
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| n.注意,前途,瞭望台 | |
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caravan
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| n.大蓬车;活动房屋 | |
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grumbling
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| adj. 喃喃鸣不平的, 出怨言的 | |
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legendary
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| adj.传奇(中)的,闻名遐迩的;n.传奇(文学) | |
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budge
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| v.移动一点儿;改变立场 | |
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sullenly
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| 不高兴地,绷着脸,忧郁地 | |
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depressed
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| adj.沮丧的,抑郁的,不景气的,萧条的 | |
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outright
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| adv.坦率地;彻底地;立即;adj.无疑的;彻底的 | |
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ransom
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| n.赎金,赎身;v.赎回,解救 | |
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disabused
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| v.去除…的错误想法( disabuse的过去式和过去分词 );使醒悟 | |
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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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imposing
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| adj.使人难忘的,壮丽的,堂皇的,雄伟的 | |
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cavalcade
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| n.车队等的行列 | |
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dominions
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| 统治权( dominion的名词复数 ); 领土; 疆土; 版图 | |
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doorway
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| n.门口,(喻)入门;门路,途径 | |
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everlasting
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| adj.永恒的,持久的,无止境的 | |
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obstinacy
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| n.顽固;(病痛等)难治 | |
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gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔;飞速发展 | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的,使人快乐的 | |
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automobile
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| n.汽车,机动车 | |
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tint
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| n.淡色,浅色;染发剂;vt.着以淡淡的颜色 | |
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uncertainties
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| 无把握( uncertainty的名词复数 ); 不确定; 变化不定; 无把握、不确定的事物 | |
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grumble
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| vi.抱怨;咕哝;n.抱怨,牢骚;咕哝,隆隆声 | |
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thereby
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| adv.因此,从而 | |
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rebuke
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| v.指责,非难,斥责 [反]praise | |
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frankly
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| adv.坦白地,直率地;坦率地说 | |
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annoyance
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| n.恼怒,生气,烦恼 | |
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scowling
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| 怒视,生气地皱眉( scowl的现在分词 ) | |
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的,杰出的,著名的 | |
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rein
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| n.疆绳,统治,支配;vt.以僵绳控制,统治 | |
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reined
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| 勒缰绳使(马)停步( rein的过去式和过去分词 ); 驾驭; 严格控制; 加强管理 | |
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ashen
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| adj.灰的 | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地;不变地;持续地 | |
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tremor
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| n.震动,颤动,战栗,兴奋,地震 | |
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erect
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| n./v.树立,建立,使竖立;adj.直立的,垂直的 | |
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