AS interesting as any days that I spent in London were two in the East End, though I am sorry to add more drabby details to those just narrated¹. All my life I had heard of this particular section as grim, doleful, a center and sea of depraved and depressed² life.

 

“Nothing like the East End of London,” I have heard people say, and before I left I expected to look over it, of course. My desire to do so was whetted³ by a conversation I had with the poet, John Masefield, who, if I remember rightly, had once lived in the extreme East End of London, Canningtown. He had talked of the curious physical condition of the people which he described as “bluggy” or stagnant⁴. Little intelligence in the first place, according to him, seemed to be breeding less and less intelligence as time went on. Poverty, lack of wits, lack of ambition were fostering inbreeding. Such things are easy to say. No one can really tell. Even more interesting to me was the proffered⁵ information concerning East End amusements—calf-eating contests, canary-singing contests, whiffet races, pigeon-eating contests. I was told it would be hard to indicate how simple-minded the people were in many things and yet how low and dark in their moods, physical and moral. I got a suggestion of this some days later, when I discovered in connection with the police courts that every little while the court-room is cleared in order that terrible, unprintable, almost unbearable⁶ testimony⁷ may be taken. What he said to me129 somehow suggested the atmosphere of the Whitechapel murders—those demoniac crimes that had thrilled the world a few years before.

 

I must confess that my first impression was one of disappointment. America is strident and its typical “East Side” and slum conditions are strident also. There is no voiceless degradation

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1 narrated
v.故事( narrate的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
Some of the story was narrated in the film. 该电影叙述了这个故事的部分情节。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Defoe skilfully narrated the adventures of Robinson Crusoe on his desert island. 笛福生动地叙述了鲁滨逊·克鲁索在荒岛上的冒险故事。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

2 depressed
adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的
参考例句：
When he was depressed,he felt utterly divorced from reality.他心情沮丧时就感到完全脱离了现实。 His mother was depressed by the sad news.这个坏消息使他的母亲意志消沉。

3 whetted
v.（在石头上）磨（刀、斧等）( whet的过去式和过去分词 )；引起，刺激（食欲、欲望、兴趣等）
参考例句：
The little chicks had no more than whetted his appetite. 那几只小鸡只引起了他的胃口。 来自英汉文学 - 热爱生命 The poor morsel of food only whetted desire. 那块小的可怜的喜糕反而激起了他们的食欲。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险

4 stagnant
adj.不流动的，停滞的，不景气的
参考例句：
Due to low investment,industrial output has remained stagnant.由于投资少，工业生产一直停滞不前。 Their national economy is stagnant.他们的国家经济停滞不前。

5 proffered
v.提供，贡献，提出( proffer的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
She proffered her cheek to kiss. 她伸过自己的面颊让人亲吻。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He rose and proffered a silver box full of cigarettes. 他站起身，伸手递过一个装满香烟的银盒子。 来自辞典例句

6 unbearable
adj.不能容忍的；忍受不住的
参考例句：
It is unbearable to be always on thorns.老是处于焦虑不安的情况中是受不了的。 The more he thought of it the more unbearable it became.他越想越觉得无法忍受。

7 testimony
n.证词；见证，证明
参考例句：
The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。 He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

8 degradation
n.降级；低落；退化；陵削；降解；衰变
参考例句：
There are serious problems of land degradation in some arid zones.在一些干旱地带存在严重的土地退化问题。 Gambling is always coupled with degradation.赌博总是与堕落相联系。

9 haze
n.霾，烟雾；懵懂，迷糊；vi.(over)变模糊
参考例句：
I couldn't see her through the haze of smoke.在烟雾弥漫中，我看不见她。 He often lives in a haze of whisky.他常常是在威士忌的懵懂醉意中度过的。

10 blatant
adj.厚颜无耻的；显眼的；炫耀的
参考例句：
I cannot believe that so blatant a comedy can hoodwink anybody.我无法相信这么显眼的一出喜剧能够欺骗谁。 His treatment of his secretary was a blatant example of managerial arrogance.他管理的傲慢作风在他对待秘书的态度上表露无遗。

11 astounding
adj.使人震惊的vt.使震惊，使大吃一惊astound的现在分词)
参考例句：
There was an astounding 20% increase in sales. 销售量惊人地增加了20%。 The Chairman's remarks were so astounding that the audience listened to him with bated breath. 主席说的话令人吃惊，所以听众都屏息听他说。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 oozed
v.（浓液等）慢慢地冒出，渗出( ooze的过去式和过去分词 )；使（液体）缓缓流出；（浓液）渗出，慢慢流出
参考例句：
Blood oozed out of the wound. 血从伤口慢慢流出来。 Mud oozed from underground. 泥浆从地下冒出来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

13 vice
n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的
参考例句：
He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。 They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

14 ambling
v.（马）缓行( amble的现在分词 )；从容地走，漫步
参考例句：
At that moment the tiger commenced ambling towards his victim. 就在这时，老虎开始缓步向它的猎物走去。 来自辞典例句 Implied meaning: drinking, ambling, the people who make golf all relatively succeed. 寓意：喝酒，赌博，打高尔夫的人都比较成功。 来自互联网

15 lackadaisical
adj.无精打采的，无兴趣的；adv.无精打采地，不决断地
参考例句：
His will was sapped and his whole attitude was lackadaisical.心里松懈，身态与神气便吊儿啷当。 Lao Wang is very serious with work,so do not be lackadaisical.老王干活可较真儿啦，你可别马马虎虎的。

16 filthy
adj.卑劣的；恶劣的，肮脏的
参考例句：
The whole river has been fouled up with filthy waste from factories.整条河都被工厂的污秽废物污染了。 You really should throw out that filthy old sofa and get a new one.你真的应该扔掉那张肮脏的旧沙发，然后再去买张新的。

17 filth
n.肮脏，污物，污秽；淫猥
参考例句：
I don't know how you can read such filth.我不明白你怎么会去读这种淫秽下流的东西。 The dialogue was all filth and innuendo.这段对话全是下流的言辞和影射。

18 savage
adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人
参考例句：
The poor man received a savage beating from the thugs.那可怜的人遭到暴徒的痛打。 He has a savage temper.他脾气粗暴。

19 strap
n.皮带，带子；v.用带扣住，束牢；用绷带包扎
参考例句：
She held onto a strap to steady herself.她抓住拉手吊带以便站稳。 The nurse will strap up your wound.护士会绑扎你的伤口。

20 doorways
n.门口，门道( doorway的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The houses belched people; the doorways spewed out children. 从各家茅屋里涌出一堆一堆的人群，从门口蹦出一群一群小孩。 来自辞典例句 He rambled under the walls and doorways. 他就顺着墙根和门楼遛跶。 来自辞典例句

21 apparently
adv.显然地；表面上，似乎
参考例句：
An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。 He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

22 orphans
孤儿( orphan的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The poor orphans were kept on short commons. 贫苦的孤儿们吃不饱饭。 Their uncle was declared guardian to the orphans. 这些孤儿的叔父成为他们的监护人。

23 seamen
n.海员
参考例句：
Experienced seamen will advise you about sailing in this weather. 有经验的海员会告诉你在这种天气下的航行情况。 In the storm, many seamen wished they were on shore. 在暴风雨中，许多海员想，要是他们在陆地上就好了。

24 dreary
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。

25 marvel
vi.(at)惊叹vt.感到惊异；n.令人惊异的事
参考例句：
The robot is a marvel of modern engineering.机器人是现代工程技术的奇迹。 The operation was a marvel of medical skill.这次手术是医术上的一个奇迹。

26 distress
n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛
参考例句：
Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。 Please don't distress yourself.请你不要忧愁了。

27 martinet
n.要求严格服从纪律的人
参考例句：
They discover that the new teacher is a martinet.他们发现新来的老师非常严格。 He's a retired Lieutenant Colonel and a bit of a martinet.他是个退役中校，有点军人作风。

28 homely
adj.家常的，简朴的；不漂亮的
参考例句：
We had a homely meal of bread and cheese.我们吃了一顿面包加乳酪的家常便餐。 Come and have a homely meal with us,will you?来和我们一起吃顿家常便饭，好吗？

29 flanges
n.（机械等的）凸缘，（火车的）轮缘( flange的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The engine-feed system interface is at the turbopump inlet flanges. 发动机与供应系统的交界是在涡轮泵的进口法兰盘处。 来自辞典例句 The web and flanges of the main girders were fabricated from ASTM A441 steel. 主梁的腹板和翼缘用ASTM A441钢制造。 来自辞典例句

30 picturesque
adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的
参考例句：
You can see the picturesque shores beside the river.在河边你可以看到景色如画的两岸。 That was a picturesque phrase.那是一个形象化的说法。

31 archaic
adj.(语言、词汇等)古代的，已不通用的
参考例句：
The company does some things in archaic ways,such as not using computers for bookkeeping.这个公司有些做法陈旧，如记账不使用电脑。 Shaanxi is one of the Chinese archaic civilized origins which has a long history.陕西省是中国古代文明发祥之一，有悠久的历史。

32 muggy
adj.闷热的；adv.（天气）闷热而潮湿地；n.（天气）闷热而潮湿
参考例句：
We may expect muggy weather when the rainy season begins.雨季开始时，我们预料有闷热的天气。 It was muggy and overcast.天气闷热潮湿，而且天色阴沉。

33 solidarity
n.团结；休戚相关
参考例句：
They must preserve their solidarity.他们必须维护他们的团结。 The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock.中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。

34 strings
n.弦
参考例句：
He sat on the bed,idly plucking the strings of his guitar.他坐在床上，随意地拨着吉他的弦。 She swept her fingers over the strings of the harp.她用手指划过竖琴的琴弦。

35 protuberant
adj.突出的，隆起的
参考例句：
The boy tripped over a protuberant rock.那个男孩被突起的岩石绊了一下。 He has a high-beaked nose and large protuberant eyes.他有着高鼻梁和又大又凸出的眼睛

36 stationary
adj.固定的，静止不动的
参考例句：
A stationary object is easy to be aimed at.一个静止不动的物体是容易瞄准的。 Wait until the bus is stationary before you get off.你要等公共汽车停稳了再下车。

37 industrious
adj.勤劳的，刻苦的，奋发的
参考例句：
If the tiller is industrious,the farmland is productive.人勤地不懒。 She was an industrious and willing worker.她是个勤劳肯干的员工。

38 mangles
n.轧布机，轧板机，碾压机（mangle的复数形式）vt.乱砍（mangle的第三人称单数形式）
参考例句：
This mangles their bones and sends these defenseless creatures into convulsions, but rarely causes immediate death. 这些会弄断动物的骨头或神经，导致他们抽搐，但并不会导致他们立即死亡。 来自互联网

39 infinitely
adv.无限地，无穷地
参考例句：
There is an infinitely bright future ahead of us.我们有无限光明的前途。 The universe is infinitely large.宇宙是无限大的。

40 rotunda
n.圆形建筑物；圆厅
参考例句：
The Capitol at Washington has a large rotunda.华盛顿的国会大厦有一圆形大厅。 The rotunda was almost deserted today,dotted with just a few tourists.圆形大厅今天几乎没有多少人，只零星散布着几个游客。

41 physically
adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律
参考例句：
He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。 Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

42 deteriorated
恶化，变坏( deteriorate的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
Her health deteriorated rapidly, and she died shortly afterwards. 她的健康状况急剧恶化，不久便去世了。 His condition steadily deteriorated. 他的病情恶化，日甚一日。

43 sagging
下垂[沉，陷]，松垂，垂度
参考例句：
The morale of the enemy troops is continuously sagging. 敌军的士气不断低落。 We are sagging south. 我们的船正离开航线向南漂流。

44 noted
adj.著名的，知名的
参考例句：
The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。 Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

45 proceeding
n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报
参考例句：
This train is now proceeding from Paris to London.这次列车从巴黎开往伦敦。 The work is proceeding briskly.工作很有生气地进展着。

46 sordid
adj.肮脏的，不干净的，卑鄙的，暗淡的
参考例句：
He depicts the sordid and vulgar sides of life exclusively.他只描写人生肮脏和庸俗的一面。 They lived in a sordid apartment.他们住在肮脏的公寓房子里。