选择字号:【大】【中】【小】 | 关灯
护眼
|
2.Plum
关注小说网官方公众号(noveltingroom),原版名著免费领。
Plum
It was Ma who laid down rules for burying the dead.
Lucy’s first dead thing was a snake. Five and full of destruction, she stomped2 puddles3 just to see the world flood. She leapt, landed. When the waves quit their crashing she stood in a ditch emptied of water. Coiled at its bottom, a drowned black snake.
The ground steamed pungent4 wet. The buds on the trees were splitting, showing their paler insides. Lucy ran home with scales between her palms, aware that the world unfurled its hidden side.
Ma smiled to see her. Kept smiling as Lucy opened her hands.
Later, too late, Lucy would think on how another mother might have screamed, scolded, lied. How Ba, if Ba were there, might have said the snake was sleeping, and spun5 a tale to chase the hush6 of death right out the window.
Ma only hefted her pan of pork and tied her apron7 tighter. Said, Lucy girl, burial zhi shi another recipe.
Lucy prepared the snake alongside the meat.
First rule, silver. To weigh down the spirit, Ma said as she peeled a caul of fat from the pork. She sent Lucy to her trunk. Beneath the heavy lid and its peculiar8 smell, between layers of fabric9 and dried herbs, Lucy found a silver thimble just large enough to fit over the snake’s head.
Second, running water. To purify the spirit, Ma said as she washed the meat in a bucket. Her long fingers picked maggots free. Beside her, Lucy submerged the snake’s body.
Third, a home. The most important rule of all, Ma said as her knife hacked10 through gristle. Silver and water could seal a spirit for a time, keep it from tarnish
点击收听单词发音
1 stomp | |
v.跺(脚),重踩,重踏 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
2 stomped | |
v.跺脚,践踏,重踏( stomp的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
3 puddles | |
n.水坑, (尤指道路上的)雨水坑( puddle的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
4 pungent | |
adj.(气味、味道)刺激性的,辛辣的;尖锐的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
5 spun | |
v.纺,杜撰,急转身 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
6 hush | |
int.嘘,别出声;n.沉默,静寂;v.使安静 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
7 apron | |
n.围裙;工作裙 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
8 peculiar | |
adj.古怪的,异常的;特殊的,特有的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
9 fabric | |
n.织物,织品,布;构造,结构,组织 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
10 hacked | |
生气 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
11 tarnish | |
n.晦暗,污点;vt.使失去光泽;玷污 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
12 fang | |
n.尖牙,犬牙 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
13 burrow | |
vt.挖掘(洞穴);钻进;vi.挖洞;翻寻;n.地洞 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
14 rustle | |
v.沙沙作响;偷盗(牛、马等);n.沙沙声声 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
15 rebuke | |
v.指责,非难,斥责 [反]praise | |
参考例句: |
|
|
16 tune | |
n.调子;和谐,协调;v.调音,调节,调整 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
17 swoop | |
n.俯冲,攫取;v.抓取,突然袭击 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
18 rumors | |
n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 );[古]名誉;咕哝;[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 );[古]名誉;咕哝;[古]喧嚷 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
19 veins | |
n.纹理;矿脉( vein的名词复数 );静脉;叶脉;纹理 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
20 rubble | |
n.(一堆)碎石,瓦砾 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
21 prospecting | |
n.探矿 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
22 gambling | |
n.赌博;投机 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
23 dens | |
n.牙齿,齿状部分;兽窝( den的名词复数 );窝点;休息室;书斋 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
24 wagon | |
n.四轮马车,手推车,面包车;无盖运货列车 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
25 savings | |
n.存款,储蓄 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
26 swelled | |
增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 ); 肿胀; (使)凸出; 充满(激情) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
27 shack | |
adj.简陋的小屋,窝棚 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
28 shacks | |
n.窝棚,简陋的小屋( shack的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
29 stank | |
n. (英)坝,堰,池塘 动词stink的过去式 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
30 treks | |
n.远距离行走 ( trek的名词复数 );长途跋涉,艰难的旅程(尤指在山区)v.艰苦跋涉,徒步旅行( trek的第三人称单数 );(尤指在山中)远足,徒步旅行,游山玩水 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
31 tamped | |
v.捣固( tamp的过去式和过去分词 );填充;(用炮泥)封炮眼口;夯实 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
32 prospectors | |
n.勘探者,探矿者( prospector的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
33 buffalo | |
n.(北美)野牛;(亚洲)水牛 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
34 veers | |
v.(尤指交通工具)改变方向或路线( veer的第三人称单数 );(指谈话内容、人的行为或观点)突然改变;(指风) (在北半球按顺时针方向、在南半球按逆时针方向)逐渐转向;风向顺时针转 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
35 cane | |
n.手杖,细长的茎,藤条;v.以杖击,以藤编制的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
36 arroyo | |
n.干涸的河床,小河 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
37 hitches | |
暂时的困难或问题( hitch的名词复数 ); 意外障碍; 急拉; 绳套 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
38 sob | |
n.空间轨道的轰炸机;呜咽,哭泣 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
39 brandished | |
v.挥舞( brandish的过去式和过去分词 );炫耀 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
40 boredom | |
n.厌烦,厌倦,乏味,无聊 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
41 carving | |
n.雕刻品,雕花 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
42 sockets | |
n.套接字,使应用程序能够读写与收发通讯协定(protocol)与资料的程序( Socket的名词复数 );孔( socket的名词复数 );(电器上的)插口;托座;凹穴 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
43 rib | |
n.肋骨,肋状物 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
44 standing | |
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
45 beckoning | |
adj.引诱人的,令人心动的v.(用头或手的动作)示意,召唤( beckon的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
46 remains | |
n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
47 sip | |
v.小口地喝,抿,呷;n.一小口的量 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
48 pebbles | |
[复数]鹅卵石; 沙砾; 卵石,小圆石( pebble的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
49 soften | |
v.(使)变柔软;(使)变柔和 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
50 hip | |
n.臀部,髋;屋脊 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
51 bonnets | |
n.童帽( bonnet的名词复数 );(烟囱等的)覆盖物;(苏格兰男子的)无边呢帽;(女子戴的)任何一种帽子 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
52 catching | |
adj.易传染的,有魅力的,迷人的,接住 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
53 quell | |
v.压制,平息,减轻 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
54 tickled | |
(使)发痒( tickle的过去式和过去分词 ); (使)愉快,逗乐 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
55 trickles | |
n.细流( trickle的名词复数 );稀稀疏疏缓慢来往的东西v.滴( trickle的第三人称单数 );淌;使)慢慢走;缓慢移动 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
56 locust | |
n.蝗虫;洋槐,刺槐 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
57 crook | |
v.使弯曲;n.小偷,骗子,贼;弯曲(处) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
58 jointed | |
有接缝的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
59 dispensing | |
v.分配( dispense的现在分词 );施与;配(药) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
60 meander | |
n.河流的曲折,漫步,迂回旅行;v.缓慢而弯曲地流动,漫谈 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
61 swirling | |
v.旋转,打旋( swirl的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
62 emboldens | |
v.鼓励,使有胆量( embolden的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
63 rattle | |
v.飞奔,碰响;激怒;n.碰撞声;拨浪鼓 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
64 twig | |
n.小树枝,嫩枝;v.理解 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
65 twigs | |
细枝,嫩枝( twig的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
66 talon | |
n.爪;(如爪般的)手指;爪状物 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
67 mound | |
n.土墩,堤,小山;v.筑堤,用土堆防卫 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
68 lengthening | |
(时间或空间)延长,伸长( lengthen的现在分词 ); 加长 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
69 drenched | |
adj.湿透的;充满的v.使湿透( drench的过去式和过去分词 );在某人(某物)上大量使用(某液体) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
70 spotted | |
adj.有斑点的,斑纹的,弄污了的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
71 wink | |
n.眨眼,使眼色,瞬间;v.眨眼,使眼色,闪烁 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
72 leashes | |
n.拴猎狗的皮带( leash的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
73 bluster | |
v.猛刮;怒冲冲的说;n.吓唬,怒号;狂风声 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
74 soothe | |
v.安慰;使平静;使减轻;缓和;奉承 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
75 sneering | |
嘲笑的,轻蔑的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
76 silhouette | |
n.黑色半身侧面影,影子,轮廓;v.描绘成侧面影,照出影子来,仅仅显出轮廓 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
77 knuckles | |
n.(指人)指关节( knuckle的名词复数 );(指动物)膝关节,踝v.(指人)指关节( knuckle的第三人称单数 );(指动物)膝关节,踝 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
78 clump | |
n.树丛,草丛;vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
79 hoof | |
n.(马,牛等的)蹄 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
80 scooped | |
v.抢先报道( scoop的过去式和过去分词 );(敏捷地)抱起;抢先获得;用铲[勺]等挖(洞等) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
81 stomps | |
v.跺脚,践踏,重踏( stomp的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
82 distraction | |
n.精神涣散,精神不集中,消遣,娱乐 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
83 latches | |
n.(门窗的)门闩( latch的名词复数 );碰锁v.理解( latch的第三人称单数 );纠缠;用碰锁锁上(门等);附着(在某物上) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
84 creek | |
n.小溪,小河,小湾 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
85 stump | |
n.残株,烟蒂,讲演台;v.砍断,蹒跚而走 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
86 poked | |
v.伸出( poke的过去式和过去分词 );戳出;拨弄;与(某人)性交 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
87 clattered | |
发出咔哒声(clatter的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
88 scraps | |
油渣 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
89 spat | |
n.口角,掌击;v.发出呼噜呼噜声 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
90 calloused | |
adj.粗糙的,粗硬的,起老茧的v.(使)硬结,(使)起茧( callous的过去式和过去分词 );(使)冷酷无情 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
91 crouched | |
v.屈膝,蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
92 loyalty | |
n.忠诚,忠心 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
93 calf | |
n.小牛,犊,幼仔,小牛皮 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
94 spoke | |
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 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
95 jolted | |
(使)摇动, (使)震惊( jolt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
96 swap | |
n.交换;vt.交换,用...作交易 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
97 riddle | |
n.谜,谜语,粗筛;vt.解谜,给…出谜,筛,检查,鉴定,非难,充满于;vi.出谜 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
98 stomping | |
v.跺脚,践踏,重踏( stomp的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
99 smothers | |
(使)窒息, (使)透不过气( smother的第三人称单数 ); 覆盖; 忍住; 抑制 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
100 filthy | |
adj.卑劣的;恶劣的,肮脏的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
上一章:
1.PART ONE--Gold
下一章:
3.Salt
©英文小说网 2005-2010