The Sundial
 小说分类
选择字号：【大】【中】【小】
关灯
护眼
CHAPTER XXVIII A STARTLING CONTRAST

关注小说网官方公众号（noveltingroom），原版名著免费领。



 
Mrs. Bromley-Martin's rooms were well filled as usual, for she was giving one of those bridge parties of which she and her set never seemed to tire. It seemed strange that they had not become weary of their pursuit. But, then, the element of gambling1 entered largely into their calculations, and of this they never tired. It was a perfect night out-of-doors. The long French windows leading to the lawn were invitingly2 open. But probably few of the guests appreciated the beauty of the night. The rooms were hot and stuffy3 and there was a cackle of conversation and high-pitched chatter4 without which no smart function is complete. There were a dozen tables going, and from time to time those whose hands lay on the table were gathered together round the fireplace discussing choice morsels5 of scandal. The hostess herself, resplendent in blue and silver, was being listened to with rapt attention, for she had something especially fresh and piquant6 which she was relating to the motley throng7 around her. Her shrill8 voice rang through the room.
 
"I assure you it is perfectly9 true," she said. "I saw her myself at the station. She came back this afternoon and went straight to the Queen's Hotel."
 
"Did you speak to her?"
 
Mrs. Bromley-Martin laughed.
 
"My dear, of course I did," she screamed. "Did you ever know me do anything like other people? Did you ever know me care two straws for what folk said? Oh, I know I ought to have walked by with my head in the air and my skirts

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 gambling ch4xH     
n.赌博；投机
参考例句：
  • They have won a lot of money through gambling.他们赌博赢了很多钱。
  • The men have been gambling away all night.那些人赌了整整一夜。
2 invitingly 83e809d5e50549c03786860d565c9824     
adv. 动人地
参考例句：
  • Her lips pouted invitingly. 她挑逗地撮起双唇。
  • The smooth road sloped invitingly before her. 平展的山路诱人地倾斜在她面前。
3 stuffy BtZw0     
adj.不透气的，闷热的
参考例句：
  • It's really hot and stuffy in here.这里实在太热太闷了。
  • It was so stuffy in the tent that we could sense the air was heavy with moisture.帐篷里很闷热，我们感到空气都是潮的。
4 chatter BUfyN     
vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战
参考例句：
  • Her continuous chatter vexes me.她的喋喋不休使我烦透了。
  • I've had enough of their continual chatter.我已厌烦了他们喋喋不休的闲谈。
5 morsels ed5ad10d588acb33c8b839328ca6c41c     
n.一口( morsel的名词复数 )；（尤指食物）小块，碎屑
参考例句：
  • They are the most delicate morsels. 这些确是最好吃的部分。 来自辞典例句
  • Foxes will scratch up grass to find tasty bug and beetle morsels. 狐狸会挖草地，寻找美味的虫子和甲壳虫。 来自互联网
6 piquant N2fza     
adj.辛辣的，开胃的，令人兴奋的
参考例句：
  • Bland vegetables are often served with a piquant sauce.清淡的蔬菜常以辛辣的沙司调味。
  • He heard of a piquant bit of news.他听到了一则令人兴奋的消息。
7 throng sGTy4     
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。
8 shrill EEize     
adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫
参考例句：
  • Whistles began to shrill outside the barn.哨声开始在谷仓外面尖叫。
  • The shrill ringing of a bell broke up the card game on the cutter.刺耳的铃声打散了小汽艇的牌局。
9 perfectly 8Mzxb     
adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地
参考例句：
  • The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
  • Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。
10 drawn MuXzIi     
v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的
参考例句：
  • All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
  • Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。
11 behold jQKy9     
v.看，注视，看到
参考例句：
  • The industry of these little ants is wonderful to behold.这些小蚂蚁辛勤劳动的样子看上去真令人惊叹。
  • The sunrise at the seaside was quite a sight to behold.海滨日出真是个奇景。
12 desperately cu7znp     
adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地
参考例句：
  • He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。
  • He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。
13 boor atRzU     
n.举止粗野的人；乡下佬
参考例句：
  • I'm a bit of a boor,so I hope you won't mind if I speak bluntly.我是一个粗人，说话直来直去，你可别见怪。
  • If he fears the intellectual,he despises the boor.他对知识分子有戒心，但是更瞧不起乡下人。
14 chivalrous 0Xsz7     
adj.武士精神的；对女人彬彬有礼的
参考例句：
  • Men are so little chivalrous now.现在的男人几乎没有什么骑士风度了。
  • Toward women he was nobly restrained and chivalrous.对于妇女，他表现得高尚拘谨，尊敬三分。
15 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。
16 apparently tMmyQ     
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。
17 prosaic i0szo     
adj.单调的，无趣的
参考例句：
  • The truth is more prosaic.真相更加乏味。
  • It was a prosaic description of the scene.这是对场景没有想象力的一个描述。
18 touching sg6zQ9     
adj.动人的，使人感伤的
参考例句：
  • It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
  • His letter was touching.他的信很感人。
19 speculation 9vGwe     
n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机
参考例句：
  • Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
  • There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。
20 scattered 7jgzKF     
adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的
参考例句：
  • Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来，塞进文件夹里。
21 sneering 929a634cff0de62dfd69331a8e4dcf37     
嘲笑的，轻蔑的
参考例句：
  • "What are you sneering at?" “你冷笑什么？” 来自子夜部分
  • The old sorceress slunk in with a sneering smile. 老女巫鬼鬼崇崇地走进来，冷冷一笑。
22 spurt 9r9yE     
v.喷出；突然进发；突然兴隆
参考例句：
  • He put in a spurt at the beginning of the eighth lap.他进入第八圈时便开始冲刺。
  • After a silence, Molly let her anger spurt out.沉默了一会儿，莫莉的怒气便迸发了出来。
23 initiation oqSzAI     
n.开始
参考例句：
  • her initiation into the world of marketing 她的初次涉足营销界
  • It was my initiation into the world of high fashion. 这是我初次涉足高级时装界。
24 recollect eUOxl     
v.回忆，想起，记起，忆起，记得
参考例句：
  • He tried to recollect things and drown himself in them.他极力回想过去的事情而沉浸于回忆之中。
  • She could not recollect being there.她回想不起曾经到过那儿。
25 shrug Ry3w5     
v.耸肩(表示怀疑、冷漠、不知等)
参考例句：
  • With a shrug,he went out of the room.他耸一下肩，走出了房间。
  • I admire the way she is able to shrug off unfair criticism.我很佩服她能对错误的批评意见不予理会。
26 acting czRzoc     
n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的
参考例句：
  • Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
  • During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。
27 murmurs f21162b146f5e36f998c75eb9af3e2d9     
n.低沉、连续而不清的声音( murmur的名词复数 )；低语声；怨言；嘀咕
参考例句：
  • They spoke in low murmurs. 他们低声说着话。 来自辞典例句
  • They are more superficial, more distinctly heard than murmurs. 它们听起来比心脏杂音更为浅表而清楚。 来自辞典例句
28 commotion 3X3yo     
n.骚动，动乱
参考例句：
  • They made a commotion by yelling at each other in the theatre.他们在剧院里相互争吵，引起了一阵骚乱。
  • Suddenly the whole street was in commotion.突然间，整条街道变得一片混乱。
29 heralded a97fc5524a0d1c7e322d0bd711a85789     
v.预示( herald的过去式和过去分词 )；宣布（好或重要）
参考例句：
  • The singing of the birds heralded in the day. 鸟鸣报晓。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • A fanfare of trumpets heralded the arrival of the King. 嘹亮的小号声宣告了国王驾到。 来自《简明英汉词典》
30 graceful deHza     
adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的
参考例句：
  • His movements on the parallel bars were very graceful.他的双杠动作可帅了!
  • The ballet dancer is so graceful.芭蕾舞演员的姿态是如此的优美。
31 positively vPTxw     
adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实
参考例句：
  • She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
  • The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。
32 deliberately Gulzvq     
adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地
参考例句：
  • The girl gave the show away deliberately.女孩故意泄露秘密。
  • They deliberately shifted off the argument.他们故意回避这个论点。
33 exclamation onBxZ     
n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词
参考例句：
  • He could not restrain an exclamation of approval.他禁不住喝一声采。
  • The author used three exclamation marks at the end of the last sentence to wake up the readers.作者在文章的最后一句连用了三个惊叹号，以引起读者的注意。
34 hoarsely hoarsely     
adv.嘶哑地
参考例句：
  • "Excuse me," he said hoarsely. “对不起。”他用嘶哑的嗓子说。
  • Jerry hoarsely professed himself at Miss Pross's service. 杰瑞嘶声嘶气地表示愿为普洛丝小姐效劳。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
35 fatality AlfxT     
n.不幸，灾祸，天命
参考例句：
  • She struggle against fatality in vain.她徒然奋斗反抗宿命。
  • He began to have a growing sense of fatality.他开始有一种越来越强烈的宿命感。

分享到：


返回目录

英语听力 |  手机版  |  网页版
©英文小说网 2005-2010