ASIDE from the cathedral of St. Mark’s, the Doge’s Palace and the Academy or Venetian gallery of old masters, I could find little of
artistic1 significance in Venice—little aside from the wonderful spectacle of the city as a whole. As a spectacle, viewed across the open space of water, known as the
Lagoon2, the churches of San Giorgio Maggiore and Santa Maria della
Salute3 with their
domes4 and campaniles strangely transfigured by light and air, are beautiful. Close at hand, for me, they lost much romance which distance gave them, though the
mere5 space of their interiors was impressive. The art, according to my
judgment6, was bad and in the main I noticed that my guide books agreed with me—spiritless religious representations which, after the Sistine
Chapel7 in Rome and such pictures as those of Michelangelo’s “Holy Family” and Botticelli’s “Adoration of the Magi” in the Uffizi at Florence, were without import. I preferred to speculate on the fear of the plague which had produced the Salute and the discovery of the body of St. Stephen, the
martyr8, which had given rise to San Giorgio, for it was interesting to think, with these facts before me, how art and spectacle in life so often take their rise from silly, almost pointless causes and a plain lie is more often the foundation of a great institution than a truth. Santa Maria didn’t save the citizens of Venice from the plague in 1630, and in 1110 the Doge Ordelafo Faliero did not bring back the true body of St. Stephen from Palestine, although he may have410 thought he did,—at least there are other “true bodies.” But the old, silly progress of illusion, vanity, politics and the like has produced these and other institutions throughout the world and will continue to do so, no doubt, until time shall be no more. It was interesting to me to see the once large and really beautiful Dominican
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1
artistic
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adj.艺术(家)的,美术(家)的;善于艺术创作的 |
参考例句: |
- The picture on this screen is a good artistic work.这屏风上的画是件很好的艺术品。
- These artistic handicrafts are very popular with foreign friends.外国朋友很喜欢这些美术工艺品。
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2
lagoon
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n.泻湖,咸水湖 |
参考例句: |
- The lagoon was pullulated with tropical fish.那个咸水湖聚满了热带鱼。
- This area isolates a restricted lagoon environment.将这一地区隔离起来使形成一个封闭的泻湖环境。
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3
salute
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vi.行礼,致意,问候,放礼炮;vt.向…致意,迎接,赞扬;n.招呼,敬礼,礼炮 |
参考例句: |
- Merchant ships salute each other by dipping the flag.商船互相点旗致敬。
- The Japanese women salute the people with formal bows in welcome.这些日本妇女以正式的鞠躬向人们施礼以示欢迎。
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domes
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n.圆屋顶( dome的名词复数 );像圆屋顶一样的东西;圆顶体育场 |
参考例句: |
- The domes are circular or ovoid in cross-section. 穹丘的横断面为圆形或卵圆形。 来自辞典例句
- Parks. The facilities highlighted in text include sport complexes and fabric domes. 本书重点讲的设施包括运动场所和顶棚式结构。 来自互联网
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mere
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adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 |
参考例句: |
- That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
- It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。
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judgment
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n.审判;判断力,识别力,看法,意见 |
参考例句: |
- The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
- He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。
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chapel
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n.小教堂,殡仪馆 |
参考例句: |
- The nimble hero,skipped into a chapel that stood near.敏捷的英雄跳进近旁的一座小教堂里。
- She was on the peak that Sunday afternoon when she played in chapel.那个星期天的下午,她在小教堂的演出,可以说是登峰造极。
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martyr
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n.烈士,殉难者;vt.杀害,折磨,牺牲 |
参考例句: |
- The martyr laid down his life for the cause of national independence.这位烈士是为了民族独立的事业而献身的。
- The newspaper carried the martyr's photo framed in black.报上登载了框有黑边的烈士遗像。
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monastery
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n.修道院,僧院,寺院 |
参考例句: |
- They found an icon in the monastery.他们在修道院中发现了一个圣像。
- She was appointed the superior of the monastery two years ago.两年前她被任命为这个修道院的院长。
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exteriorly
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adv.从外部,表面上 |
参考例句: |
- It is quite unobjectionable exteriorly. 就外表而言,这是完全无可厚非的。 来自辞典例句
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artistically
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adv.艺术性地 |
参考例句: |
- The book is beautifully printed and artistically bound. 这本书印刷精美,装帧高雅。
- The room is artistically decorated. 房间布置得很美观。
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imposing
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adj.使人难忘的,壮丽的,堂皇的,雄伟的 |
参考例句: |
- The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
- He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。
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pretentious
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adj.自命不凡的,自负的,炫耀的 |
参考例句: |
- He is a talented but pretentious writer.他是一个有才华但自命不凡的作家。
- Speaking well of yourself would only make you appear conceited and pretentious.自夸只会使你显得自负和虚伪。
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commemorating
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v.纪念,庆祝( commemorate的现在分词 ) |
参考例句: |
- He was presented with a scroll commemorating his achievements. 他被授予一幅卷轴,以表彰其所做出的成就。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The post office issued a series commemorating famous American entertainers. 邮局发行了一个纪念美国著名演艺人员的系列邮票。 来自互联网
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dreary
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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。
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winding
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n.绕,缠,绕组,线圈 |
参考例句: |
- A winding lane led down towards the river.一条弯弯曲曲的小路通向河边。
- The winding trail caused us to lose our orientation.迂回曲折的小道使我们迷失了方向。
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trickling
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n.油画底色含油太多而成泡沫状突起v.滴( trickle的现在分词 );淌;使)慢慢走;缓慢移动 |
参考例句: |
- Tears were trickling down her cheeks. 眼泪顺着她的面颊流了下来。
- The engine was trickling oil. 发动机在滴油。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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alleys
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胡同,小巷( alley的名词复数 ); 小径 |
参考例句: |
- I followed him through a maze of narrow alleys. 我紧随他穿过一条条迂迴曲折的窄巷。
- The children lead me through the maze of alleys to the edge of the city. 孩子们领我穿过迷宫一般的街巷,来到城边。
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swelling
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n.肿胀 |
参考例句: |
- Use ice to reduce the swelling. 用冰敷消肿。
- There is a marked swelling of the lymph nodes. 淋巴结处有明显的肿块。
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throng
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n.人群,群众;v.拥挤,群集 |
参考例句: |
- A patient throng was waiting in silence.一大群耐心的人在静静地等着。
- The crowds thronged into the mall.人群涌进大厅。
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piazza
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n.广场;走廊 |
参考例句: |
- Siena's main piazza was one of the sights of Italy.锡耶纳的主要广场是意大利的名胜之一。
- They walked out of the cafeteria,and across the piazzadj.他们走出自助餐厅,穿过广场。
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vigor
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n.活力,精力,元气 |
参考例句: |
- The choir sang the words out with great vigor.合唱团以极大的热情唱出了歌词。
- She didn't want to be reminded of her beauty or her former vigor.现在,她不愿人们提起她昔日的美丽和以前的精力充沛。
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rambling
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adj.[建]凌乱的,杂乱的 |
参考例句: |
- We spent the summer rambling in Ireland. 我们花了一个夏天漫游爱尔兰。
- It was easy to get lost in the rambling house. 在布局凌乱的大房子里容易迷路。
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Christian
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adj.基督教徒的;n.基督教徒 |
参考例句: |
- They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
- His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。
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sedulously
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ad.孜孜不倦地 |
参考例句: |
- In this view they were sedulously abetted by their mother, aunts and other elderly female relatives. 在这方面,他们得到了他们的母亲,婶婶以及其它年长的女亲戚们孜孜不倦的怂恿。
- The clerk laid the two sheets of paper alongside and sedulously compared their contents. 那职员把两张纸并排放在前面,仔细比较。
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dismantled
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拆开( dismantle的过去式和过去分词 ); 拆卸; 废除; 取消 |
参考例句: |
- The plant was dismantled of all its equipment and furniture. 这家工厂的设备和家具全被拆除了。
- The Japanese empire was quickly dismantled. 日本帝国很快被打垮了。
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fortress
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n.堡垒,防御工事 |
参考例句: |
- They made an attempt on a fortress.他们试图夺取这一要塞。
- The soldier scaled the wall of the fortress by turret.士兵通过塔车攀登上了要塞的城墙。
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renaissance
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n.复活,复兴,文艺复兴 |
参考例句: |
- The Renaissance was an epoch of unparalleled cultural achievement.文艺复兴是一个文化上取得空前成就的时代。
- The theme of the conference is renaissance Europe.大会的主题是文艺复兴时期的欧洲。
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brewer
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n. 啤酒制造者 |
参考例句: |
- Brewer is a very interesting man. 布鲁尔是一个很有趣的人。
- I decided to quit my job to become a brewer. 我决定辞职,做一名酿酒人。
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pinnacles
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顶峰( pinnacle的名词复数 ); 顶点; 尖顶; 小尖塔 |
参考例句: |
- What would be the pinnacles of your acting and music? 对你而言什麽代表你的演技和音乐的巅峰?
- On Skye's Trotternish Peninsula, basalt pinnacles loom over the Sound of Raasay. 在斯开岛的特洛登尼许半岛,玄武岩尖塔俯瞰着拉塞海峡。
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edifice
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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。
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astounding
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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》
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ERECTED
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adj. 直立的,竖立的,笔直的
vt. 使 ... 直立,建立 |
参考例句: |
- A monument to him was erected in St Paul's Cathedral. 在圣保罗大教堂为他修了一座纪念碑。
- A monument was erected to the memory of that great scientist. 树立了一块纪念碑纪念那位伟大的科学家。
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texture
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n.(织物)质地;(材料)构造;结构;肌理 |
参考例句: |
- We could feel the smooth texture of silk.我们能感觉出丝绸的光滑质地。
- Her skin has a fine texture.她的皮肤细腻。
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tenements
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n.房屋,住户,租房子( tenement的名词复数 ) |
参考例句: |
- Here were crumbling tenements, squalid courtyards and stinking alleys. 随处可见破烂的住房、肮脏的庭院和臭气熏天的小胡同。 来自辞典例句
- The tenements are in a poor section of the city. 共同住宅是在城中较贫苦的区域里。 来自辞典例句
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automobile
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n.汽车,机动车 |
参考例句: |
- He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
- The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。
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physically
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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。
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mingled
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混合,混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 ); 混进,与…交往[联系] |
参考例句: |
- The sounds of laughter and singing mingled in the evening air. 笑声和歌声交织在夜空中。
- The man and the woman mingled as everyone started to relax. 当大家开始放松的时候,这一男一女就开始交往了。
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arcade
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n.拱廊;(一侧或两侧有商店的)通道 |
参考例句: |
- At this time of the morning,the arcade was almost empty.在早晨的这个时候,拱廊街上几乎空无一人。
- In our shopping arcade,you can find different kinds of souvenir.在我们的拱廊市场,你可以发现许多的纪念品。
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purely
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adv.纯粹地,完全地 |
参考例句: |
- I helped him purely and simply out of friendship.我帮他纯粹是出于友情。
- This disproves the theory that children are purely imitative.这证明认为儿童只会单纯地模仿的理论是站不住脚的。
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expended
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v.花费( expend的过去式和过去分词 );使用(钱等)做某事;用光;耗尽 |
参考例句: |
- She expended all her efforts on the care of home and children. 她把所有精力都花在料理家务和照顾孩子上。
- The enemy had expended all their ammunition. 敌人已耗尽所有的弹药。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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