Life cannot stop because tragedy enters it. Meals must be made ready though a son dies and porches must be repaired even if your only daughter is going out of her mind. Mrs. Frederick, in her systematic¹ way, had long ago appointed the second week in June for the repairing of the front porch, the roof of which was sagging² dangerously. Roaring Abel had been engaged to do it many moons before and Roaring Abel promptly³ appeared on the morning of the first day of the second week, and fell to work. Of course he was drunk. Roaring Abel was never anything but drunk. But he was only in the first stage, which made him talkative and genial⁴. The odour of whisky on his breath nearly drove Mrs. Frederick and Cousin Stickles wild at dinner. Even Valancy, with all her emancipation⁵, did not like it. But she liked Abel and she liked his vivid, eloquent⁶ talk, and after she washed the dinner dishes she went out and sat on the steps and talked to him.

 

Mrs. Frederick and Cousin Stickles thought it a terrible proceeding⁷, but what could they do? Valancy only smiled mockingly at them when they called her in, and did not go. It was so easy to defy once you got started. The first step was the only one that really counted. They were both afraid to say anything more to her lest she might make a scene before Roaring Abel, who would spread it all over the country with his own characteristic comments and exaggerations. It was too cold a day, in spite of the June sunshine, for Mrs. Frederick to sit at the dining-room window and listen to what was said. She had to shut the window and Valancy and Roaring Abel had their talk to themselves. But if Mrs. Frederick had known what the outcome of that talk was to be she would have prevented it, if the porch was never repaired.

 

Valancy sat on the steps, defiant9

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1 systematic
adj.有系统的，有计划的，有方法的
参考例句：
The way he works isn't very systematic.他的工作不是很有条理。 The teacher made a systematic work of teaching.这个教师进行系统的教学工作。

2 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。

3 promptly
adv.及时地，敏捷地
参考例句：
He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。 She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。

4 genial
adj.亲切的，和蔼的，愉快的，脾气好的
参考例句：
Orlando is a genial man.奥兰多是一位和蔼可亲的人。 He was a warm-hearted friend and genial host.他是个热心的朋友，也是友善待客的主人。

5 emancipation
n.（从束缚、支配下）解放
参考例句：
We must arouse them to fight for their own emancipation. 我们必须唤起他们为其自身的解放而斗争。 来自《简明英汉词典》 They rejoiced over their own emancipation. 他们为自己的解放感到欢欣鼓舞。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 eloquent
adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的
参考例句：
He was so eloquent that he cut down the finest orator.他能言善辩，胜过最好的演说家。 These ruins are an eloquent reminder of the horrors of war.这些废墟形象地提醒人们不要忘记战争的恐怖。

7 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。

8 rev
v.发动机旋转，加快速度
参考例句：
It's his job to rev up the audience before the show starts.他要负责在表演开始前鼓动观众的热情。 Don't rev the engine so hard.别让发动机转得太快。

9 defiant
adj.无礼的，挑战的
参考例句：
With a last defiant gesture,they sang a revolutionary song as they were led away to prison.他们被带走投入监狱时，仍以最后的反抗姿态唱起了一支革命歌曲。 He assumed a defiant attitude toward his employer.他对雇主采取挑衅的态度。

10 aver
v.极力声明；断言；确证
参考例句：
I aver it will not rain tomorrow.我断言明天不会下雨。 In spite of all you say,I still aver that his report is true.不管你怎么说，我还是断言他的报告是真实的。

11 delightful
adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的
参考例句：
We had a delightful time by the seashore last Sunday.上星期天我们在海滨玩得真痛快。 Peter played a delightful melody on his flute.彼得用笛子吹奏了一支欢快的曲子。

12 fragrant
adj.芬香的，馥郁的，愉快的
参考例句：
The Fragrant Hills are exceptionally beautiful in late autumn.深秋的香山格外美丽。 The air was fragrant with lavender.空气中弥漫薰衣草香。

13 intervals
n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息
参考例句：
The forecast said there would be sunny intervals and showers. 预报间晴，有阵雨。 Meetings take place at fortnightly intervals. 每两周开一次会。

14 gaily
adv.欢乐地，高兴地
参考例句：
The children sing gaily.孩子们欢唱着。 She waved goodbye very gaily.她欢快地挥手告别。

15 scotch
n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的
参考例句：
Facts will eventually scotch these rumours.这种谣言在事实面前将不攻自破。 Italy was full of fine views and virtually empty of Scotch whiskey.意大利多的是美景，真正缺的是苏格兰威士忌。

16 flannel
n.法兰绒；法兰绒衣服
参考例句：
She always wears a grey flannel trousers.她总是穿一条灰色法兰绒长裤。 She was looking luscious in a flannel shirt.她穿着法兰绒裙子，看上去楚楚动人。

17 fiery
adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的
参考例句：
She has fiery red hair.她有一头火红的头发。 His fiery speech agitated the crowd.他热情洋溢的讲话激动了群众。

18 eyebrows
眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Eyebrows stop sweat from coming down into the eyes. 眉毛挡住汗水使其不能流进眼睛。 His eyebrows project noticeably. 他的眉毛特别突出。

19 scrupulously
adv.一丝不苟地；小心翼翼地，多顾虑地
参考例句：
She toed scrupulously into the room. 她小心翼翼地踮着脚走进房间。 来自辞典例句 To others he would be scrupulously fair. 对待别人，他力求公正。 来自英汉非文学 - 文明史

20 aquiline
adj.钩状的，鹰的
参考例句：
He had a thin aquiline nose and deep-set brown eyes.他长着窄长的鹰钩鼻和深陷的褐色眼睛。 The man has a strong and aquiline nose.该名男子有强大和鹰鼻子。

21 bind
vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬
参考例句：
I will let the waiter bind up the parcel for you.我让服务生帮你把包裹包起来。 He wants a shirt that does not bind him.他要一件不使他觉得过紧的衬衫。

22 panorama
n.全景，全景画，全景摄影，全景照片[装置]
参考例句：
A vast panorama of the valley lay before us.山谷的广阔全景展现在我们面前。 A flourishing and prosperous panorama spread out before our eyes.一派欣欣向荣的景象展现在我们的眼前。

23 follies
罪恶，时事讽刺剧； 愚蠢，蠢笨，愚蠢的行为、思想或做法( folly的名词复数 )
参考例句：
He has given up youthful follies. 他不再做年轻人的荒唐事了。 The writings of Swift mocked the follies of his age. 斯威夫特的作品嘲弄了他那个时代的愚人。

24 piously
adv.虔诚地
参考例句：
Many pilgrims knelt piously at the shrine.许多朝圣者心虔意诚地在神殿跪拜。 The priests piously consecrated the robbery with a hymn.教士们虔诚地唱了一首赞美诗，把这劫夺行为神圣化了。

25 psalms
n.赞美诗( psalm的名词复数 )；圣诗；圣歌；(中的)
参考例句：
the Book of Psalms 《〈圣经〉诗篇》 A verse from Psalms knifed into Pug's mind: "put not your trust in princes." 《诗篇》里有一句话闪过帕格的脑海：“不要相信王侯。” 来自辞典例句

26 diverged
分开( diverge的过去式和过去分词 )； 偏离； 分歧； 分道扬镳
参考例句：
Who knows when we'll meet again? 不知几时咱们能再见面！ At what time do you get up? 你几时起床？

27 pestered
使烦恼，纠缠( pester的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
Journalists pestered neighbours for information. 记者缠着邻居打听消息。 The little girl pestered the travellers for money. 那个小女孩缠着游客要钱。

28 sentimental
adj.多愁善感的，感伤的
参考例句：
She's a sentimental woman who believes marriage comes by destiny.她是多愁善感的人，她相信姻缘命中注定。 We were deeply touched by the sentimental movie.我们深深被那感伤的电影所感动。

29 maudlin
adj.感情脆弱的，爱哭的
参考例句：
He always becomes maudlin after he's had a few drinks.他喝了几杯酒后总是变得多愁善感。 She continued in the same rather maudlin tone.她继续用那种颇带几分伤感的语调说话。

30 blasphemous
adj.亵渎神明的，不敬神的
参考例句：
The book was declared blasphemous and all copies ordered to be burnt.这本书被断定为亵渎神明之作，命令全数焚毀。 The people in the room were shocked by his blasphemous language.满屋的人都对他那侮慢的语言感到愤慨。

31 eloquently
adv. 雄辩地(有口才地, 富于表情地)
参考例句：
I was toasted by him most eloquently at the dinner. 进餐时他口若悬河地向我祝酒。 The poet eloquently expresses the sense of lost innocence. 诗人动人地表达了失去天真的感觉。

32 awakened
v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到
参考例句：
She awakened to the sound of birds singing. 她醒来听到鸟的叫声。 The public has been awakened to the full horror of the situation. 公众完全意识到了这一状况的可怕程度。 来自《简明英汉词典》

33 repent
v.悔悟，悔改，忏悔，后悔
参考例句：
He has nothing to repent of.他没有什么要懊悔的。 Remission of sins is promised to those who repent.悔罪者可得到赦免。

34 guild
n.行会，同业公会，协会
参考例句：
He used to be a member of the Writers' Guild of America.他曾是美国作家协会的一员。 You had better incorporate the firm into your guild.你最好把这个公司并入你的行业协会。

35 missionary
adj.教会的，传教(士)的；n.传教士
参考例句：
She taught in a missionary school for a couple of years.她在一所教会学校教了两年书。 I hope every member understands the value of missionary work. 我希望教友都了解传教工作的价值。

36 elusive
adj.难以表达(捉摸)的；令人困惑的；逃避的
参考例句：
Try to catch the elusive charm of the original in translation.翻译时设法把握住原文中难以捉摸的风韵。 Interpol have searched all the corners of the earth for the elusive hijackers.国际刑警组织已在世界各地搜查在逃的飞机劫持者。

37 liking
n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢
参考例句：
The word palate also means taste or liking.Palate这个词也有“口味”或“嗜好”的意思。 I must admit I have no liking for exaggeration.我必须承认我不喜欢夸大其词。

38 catastrophe
n.大灾难，大祸
参考例句：
I owe it to you that I survived the catastrophe.亏得你我才大难不死。 This is a catastrophe beyond human control.这是一场人类无法控制的灾难。

39 previously
adv.以前，先前（地）
参考例句：
The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。 Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

40 rumour
n.谣言，谣传，传闻
参考例句：
I should like to know who put that rumour about.我想知道是谁散布了那谣言。 There has been a rumour mill on him for years.几年来，一直有谣言产生，对他进行中伤。

41 surmise
v./n.猜想，推测
参考例句：
It turned out that my surmise was correct.结果表明我的推测没有错。 I surmise that he will take the job.我推测他会接受这份工作。

42 guilt
n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责
参考例句：
She tried to cover up her guilt by lying.她企图用谎言掩饰自己的罪行。 Don't lay a guilt trip on your child about schoolwork.别因为功课责备孩子而使他觉得很内疚。

43 diligent
adj.勤勉的，勤奋的
参考例句：
He is the more diligent of the two boys.他是这两个男孩中较用功的一个。 She is diligent and keeps herself busy all the time.她真勤快，一会儿也不闲着。

44 inquiry
n.打听，询问，调查，查问
参考例句：
Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。 The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

45 marsh
n.沼泽，湿地
参考例句：
There are a lot of frogs in the marsh.沼泽里有许多青蛙。 I made my way slowly out of the marsh.我缓慢地走出这片沼泽地。

46 housekeepers
n.（女）管家( housekeeper的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Can you send up one of your housekeepers to make bed? 请你派个女服务员来整理床铺好吗？ 来自互联网 They work as gas station attendants, firemen, housekeepers,and security personnel. 本句翻译：机器人也能够作为煤气站的服务员，救火队员等保安作用。 来自互联网

47 housekeeper
n.管理家务的主妇，女管家
参考例句：
A spotless stove told us that his mother is a diligent housekeeper.炉子清洁无瑕就表明他母亲是个勤劳的主妇。 She is an economical housekeeper and feeds her family cheaply.她节约持家，一家人吃得很省。

48 condemned
adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。 The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

49 nominally
在名义上，表面地； 应名儿
参考例句：
Dad, nominally a Methodist, entered Churches only for weddings and funerals. 爸名义上是卫理公会教徒，可只去教堂参加婚礼和葬礼。 The company could not indicate a person even nominally responsible for staff training. 该公司甚至不能指出一个名义上负责职员培训的人。

50 Christian
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。

51 picturesquely
参考例句：
In the building trade such a trader is picturesquely described as a "brass plate" merchant. 在建筑行业里，这样一个生意人可以被生动地描述为著名商人。

52 wrung
绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水）
参考例句：
He has wrung the words from their true meaning. 他曲解这些字的真正意义。 He wrung my hand warmly. 他热情地紧握我的手。

53 syrup
n.糖浆，糖水
参考例句：
I skimmed the foam from the boiling syrup.我撇去了煮沸糖浆上的泡沫。 Tinned fruit usually has a lot of syrup with it.罐头水果通常都有许多糖浆。

54 dame
n.女士
参考例句：
The dame tell of her experience as a wife and mother.这位年长妇女讲了她作妻子和母亲的经验。 If you stick around,you'll have to marry that dame.如果再逗留多一会，你就要跟那个夫人结婚。

55 sanctimonious
adj.假装神圣的，假装虔诚的，假装诚实的
参考例句：
It's that sanctimonious air that people can't stand.人们所不能容忍的就是那副假正经的样子。 You do not have to be so sanctimonious to prove that you are devout.您不必如此伪善。

56 severely
adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地
参考例句：
He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。 He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

57 poking
n. 刺，戳，袋 vt. 拨开，刺，戳 vi. 戳，刺，捅，搜索，伸出，行动散慢
参考例句：
He was poking at the rubbish with his stick. 他正用手杖拨动垃圾。 He spent his weekends poking around dusty old bookshops. 他周末都泡在布满尘埃的旧书店里。

58 prying
adj.爱打听的v.打听，刺探（他人的私事）( pry的现在分词 )；撬开
参考例句：
I'm sick of you prying into my personal life! 我讨厌你刺探我的私生活！ She is always prying into other people's affairs. 她总是打听别人的私事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

59 harping
n.反复述说
参考例句：
Don't keep harping on like that. 别那样唠叨个没完。 You're always harping on the samestring. 你总是老调重弹。

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