CHAPTER III THE DARK CLOUD OVER THE LITTLE BROWN HOUSE
“YOU don’t say!” Old Man Beebe turned around on his little ladder where he was reaching down a
pair of number six shoes for a customer. “Sho’ now, I am beat, Mis Brown! Mebbe ’tain’t true.” He
held the shoes aloft, the long
strings2 dangling3 down.
“There ain’t no
morsel4 o’ doubt about it,” said Mrs. Brown decidedly. “I’ve jest come from the store,
an’ Mr. Atkins himself told me. I can’t wait all day, Mr. Beebe; an’ I said gaiters. I don’t want no
shoes.”
“You said shoes,” said Mr. Beebe. “However did I git up here, ef you hadn’t asked for ’em.”
“I don’t know nothin’ about th’ workin’ o’ your mind, Mr. Beebe,” said Mrs. Brown, “I said gaiters
as plain as day—and do hurry!” She whipped the ends of her shawl impatiently around her gaunt
figure.
“I d’no’s I have any gaiters—that is—that’ll fit you,” said the little shoemaker, putting the “number
sixes” into their box, and slowly fitting on the cover. “P’raps I have a pair on the lower shelf.” He got
down
laboriously5 from the ladder, put it in the corner and began to
rummage6 his stock.
“An’ there’s my bread waitin’ to go in th’ oven, an’ I’ve got cake to bake for the sewin’ s’ciety,—do
hurry, Mr. Beebe.”
“I s’pose they’ve got to have rubber sides,”
mused7 Mr. Beebe, getting down on his knees, to explore
behind the chintz curtains that fell from the lowest shelf.
“Why, of course,” said Mrs. Brown, impatiently, “gaiters is gaiters, ain’t they? An’ I never saw a pair
without them rubber sides to ’em, did you, Mr. Beebe?”
“I d’no’s I did,” said the little shoemaker, his head under the curtain. “Well, now here’s a pair, I do
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收听单词发音
1
loft
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n.阁楼,顶楼 |
参考例句: |
- We could see up into the loft from bottom of the stairs.我们能从楼梯脚边望到阁楼的内部。
- By converting the loft,they were able to have two extra bedrooms.把阁楼改造一下,他们就可以多出两间卧室。
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2
strings
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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。
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3
dangling
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悬吊着( dangle的现在分词 ); 摆动不定; 用某事物诱惑…; 吊胃口 |
参考例句: |
- The tooth hung dangling by the bedpost, now. 结果,那颗牙就晃来晃去吊在床柱上了。
- The children sat on the high wall,their legs dangling. 孩子们坐在一堵高墙上,摇晃着他们的双腿。
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4
morsel
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n.一口,一点点 |
参考例句: |
- He refused to touch a morsel of the food they had brought.他们拿来的东西他一口也不吃。
- The patient has not had a morsel of food since the morning.从早上起病人一直没有进食。
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5
laboriously
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adv.艰苦地;费力地;辛勤地;(文体等)佶屈聱牙地 |
参考例句: |
- She is tracing laboriously now. 她正在费力地写。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- She is laboriously copying out an old manuscript. 她正在费劲地抄出一份旧的手稿。 来自辞典例句
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6
rummage
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v./n.翻寻,仔细检查 |
参考例句: |
- He had a good rummage inside the sofa.他把沙发内部彻底搜寻了一翻。
- The old lady began to rummage in her pocket for her spectacles.老太太开始在口袋里摸索,找她的眼镜。
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7
mused
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v.沉思,冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 );沉思自语说(某事) |
参考例句: |
- \"I wonder if I shall ever see them again, \"he mused. “我不知道是否还可以再见到他们,”他沉思自问。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- \"Where are we going from here?\" mused one of Rutherford's guests. 卢瑟福的一位客人忍不住说道:‘我们这是在干什么?” 来自英汉非文学 - 科学史
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8
elastic
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n.橡皮圈,松紧带;adj.有弹性的;灵活的 |
参考例句: |
- Rubber is an elastic material.橡胶是一种弹性材料。
- These regulations are elastic.这些规定是有弹性的。
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9
doorway
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n.门口,(喻)入门;门路,途径 |
参考例句: |
- They huddled in the shop doorway to shelter from the rain.他们挤在商店门口躲雨。
- Mary suddenly appeared in the doorway.玛丽突然出现在门口。
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10
sitting-room
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n.(BrE)客厅,起居室 |
参考例句: |
- The sitting-room is clean.起居室很清洁。
- Each villa has a separate sitting-room.每栋别墅都有一间独立的起居室。
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11
longingly
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adv. 渴望地
热望地 |
参考例句: |
- He looked longingly at the food on the table. 他眼巴巴地盯着桌上的食物。
- Over drinks,he speaks longingly of his trip to Latin America. 他带着留恋的心情,一边喝酒一边叙述他的拉丁美洲之行。
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12
measles
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n.麻疹,风疹,包虫病,痧子 |
参考例句: |
- The doctor is quite definite about Tom having measles.医生十分肯定汤姆得了麻疹。
- The doctor told her to watch out for symptoms of measles.医生叫她注意麻疹出现的症状。
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13
wrenching
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n.修截苗根,苗木铲根(铲根时苗木不起土或部分起土)v.(猛力地)扭( wrench的现在分词 );扭伤;使感到痛苦;使悲痛 |
参考例句: |
- China has been through a wrenching series of changes and experiments. 中国经历了一系列艰苦的变革和试验。 来自辞典例句
- A cold gust swept across her exposed breast, wrenching her back to reality. 一股寒气打击她的敞开的胸膛,把她从梦幻的境地中带了回来。 来自汉英文学 - 家(1-26) - 家(1-26)
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14
waddled
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v.(像鸭子一样)摇摇摆摆地走( waddle的过去式和过去分词 ) |
参考例句: |
- A family of ducks waddled along the river bank. 一群鸭子沿河岸摇摇摆摆地走。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The stout old man waddled across the road. 那肥胖的老人一跩一跩地穿过马路。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
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15
entirely
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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。
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16
jingling
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叮当声 |
参考例句: |
- A carriage went jingling by with some reclining figure in it. 一辆马车叮当驶过,车上斜倚着一个人。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
- Melanie did not seem to know, or care, that life was riding by with jingling spurs. 媚兰好像并不知道,或者不关心,生活正马刺丁当地一路驶过去了呢。
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17
rammed
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v.夯实(土等)( ram的过去式和过去分词 );猛撞;猛压;反复灌输 |
参考例句: |
- Two passengers were injured when their taxi was rammed from behind by a bus. 公共汽车从后面撞来,出租车上的两位乘客受了伤。
- I rammed down the earth around the newly-planted tree. 我将新栽的树周围的土捣硬。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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18
ambled
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v.(马)缓行( amble的过去式和过去分词 );从容地走,漫步 |
参考例句: |
- We ambled down to the beach. 我们漫步向海滩走去。
- The old man ambled home through the garden every evening. 那位老人每天晚上经过花园漫步回家。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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19
pointed
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adj.尖的,直截了当的 |
参考例句: |
- He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
- She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。
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20
twitched
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vt.& vi.(使)抽动,(使)颤动(twitch的过去式与过去分词形式) |
参考例句: |
- Her lips twitched with amusement. 她忍俊不禁地颤动着嘴唇。
- The child's mouth twitched as if she were about to cry. 这小孩的嘴抽动着,像是要哭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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21
bandanna
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n.大手帕 |
参考例句: |
- He knotted the bandanna around his neck.他在脖子上系了一条印花大围巾。
- He wiped his forehead with a blue bandanna and smiled again.他用一条蓝色的大手帕擦擦前额,又笑了笑。
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22
disconsolately
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adv.悲伤地,愁闷地;哭丧着脸 |
参考例句: |
- A dilapidated house stands disconsolately amid the rubbles. 一栋破旧的房子凄凉地耸立在断垣残壁中。 来自辞典例句
- \"I suppose you have to have some friends before you can get in,'she added, disconsolately. “我看得先有些朋友才能进这一行,\"她闷闷不乐地加了一句。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
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23
dread
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vt.担忧,忧虑;惧怕,不敢;n.担忧,畏惧 |
参考例句: |
- We all dread to think what will happen if the company closes.我们都不敢去想一旦公司关门我们该怎么办。
- Her heart was relieved of its blankest dread.她极度恐惧的心理消除了。
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24
racing
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n.竞赛,赛马;adj.竞赛用的,赛马用的 |
参考例句: |
- I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。
- The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。
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25
drooped
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弯曲或下垂,发蔫( droop的过去式和过去分词 ) |
参考例句: |
- Her eyelids drooped as if she were on the verge of sleep. 她眼睑低垂好像快要睡着的样子。
- The flowers drooped in the heat of the sun. 花儿晒蔫了。
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26
jug
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n.(有柄,小口,可盛水等的)大壶,罐,盂 |
参考例句: |
- He walked along with a jug poised on his head.他头上顶着一个水罐,保持着平衡往前走。
- She filled the jug with fresh water.她将水壶注满了清水。
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27
bliss
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n.狂喜,福佑,天赐的福 |
参考例句: |
- It's sheer bliss to be able to spend the day in bed.整天都可以躺在床上真是幸福。
- He's in bliss that he's won the Nobel Prize.他非常高兴,因为获得了诺贝尔奖金。
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28
determined
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adj.坚定的;有决心的 |
参考例句: |
- I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
- He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。
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29
darted
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v.投掷,投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 );向前冲,飞奔 |
参考例句: |
- The lizard darted out its tongue at the insect. 蜥蜴伸出舌头去吃小昆虫。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The old man was displeased and darted an angry look at me. 老人不高兴了,瞪了我一眼。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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30
gruel
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n.稀饭,粥 |
参考例句: |
- We had gruel for the breakfast.我们早餐吃的是粥。
- He sat down before the fireplace to eat his gruel.他坐到壁炉前吃稀饭。
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31
apron
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n.围裙;工作裙 |
参考例句: |
- We were waited on by a pretty girl in a pink apron.招待我们的是一位穿粉红色围裙的漂亮姑娘。
- She stitched a pocket on the new apron.她在新围裙上缝上一只口袋。
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32
rosy
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adj.美好的,乐观的,玫瑰色的 |
参考例句: |
- She got a new job and her life looks rosy.她找到一份新工作,生活看上去很美好。
- She always takes a rosy view of life.她总是对生活持乐观态度。
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33
awfully
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adv.可怕地,非常地,极端地 |
参考例句: |
- Agriculture was awfully neglected in the past.过去农业遭到严重忽视。
- I've been feeling awfully bad about it.对这我一直感到很难受。
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34
sniffed
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v.以鼻吸气,嗅,闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 );抽鼻子(尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气);抱怨,不以为然地说 |
参考例句: |
- When Jenney had stopped crying she sniffed and dried her eyes. 珍妮停止了哭泣,吸了吸鼻子,擦干了眼泪。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The dog sniffed suspiciously at the stranger. 狗疑惑地嗅着那个陌生人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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35
sniffing
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n.探查法v.以鼻吸气,嗅,闻( sniff的现在分词 );抽鼻子(尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气);抱怨,不以为然地说 |
参考例句: |
- We all had colds and couldn't stop sniffing and sneezing. 我们都感冒了,一个劲地抽鼻子,打喷嚏。
- They all had colds and were sniffing and sneezing. 他们都伤风了,呼呼喘气而且打喷嚏。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
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36
latch
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n.门闩,窗闩;弹簧锁 |
参考例句: |
- She laid her hand on the latch of the door.她把手放在门闩上。
- The repairman installed an iron latch on the door.修理工在门上安了铁门闩。
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37
stoutly
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adv.牢固地,粗壮的 |
参考例句: |
- He stoutly denied his guilt.他断然否认自己有罪。
- Burgess was taxed with this and stoutly denied it.伯杰斯为此受到了责难,但是他自己坚决否认有这回事。
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