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Mrs Bixby and the Colonel’s Coat
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Mrs Bixby and the Colonel’s Coat
AMERICA IS THE LAND of opportunities for women. Already they own about eighty-five per
cent of the wealth of the nation. Soon they will have it all. Divorce has become a lucrative1 process,
simple to arrange and easy to forget; and ambitious females can repeat it as often as they please
and parlay their winnings to astronomical2 figures. The husband’s death also brings satisfactory
rewards and some ladies prefer to rely upon this method. They know that the waiting period will
not be unduly3 protracted4, for overwork and hypertension are bound to get the poor devil before
long, and he will die at his desk with a bottle of benzedrines in one hand and a packet of
tranquillizers in the other.
Succeeding generations of youthful American males are not deterred5 in the slightest by this
terrifying pattern of divorce and death. The higher the divorce rate climbs, the more eager they
become. Young men marry like mice, almost before they have reached the age of puberty, and a
large proportion of them have at least two ex-wives on the payroll6 by the time they are thirty-six
years old. To support these ladies in the manner to which they are accustomed, the men must work
like slaves, which is of course precisely7 what they are. But now at last, as they approach their
premature8 middle age, a sense of disillusionment and fear begins to creep slowly into their hearts,
and in the evenings they take to huddling9 together in little groups, in clubs and bars, drinking their
whiskies and swallowing their pills, and trying to comfort one another with stories.
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收听单词发音

1
lucrative
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adj.赚钱的,可获利的 | |
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2
astronomical
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adj.天文学的,(数字)极大的 | |
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3
unduly
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adv.过度地,不适当地 | |
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4
protracted
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adj.拖延的;延长的v.拖延“protract”的过去式和过去分词 | |
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5
deterred
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v.阻止,制止( deter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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6
payroll
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n.工资表,在职人员名单,工薪总额 | |
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7
precisely
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adv.恰好,正好,精确地,细致地 | |
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8
premature
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adj.比预期时间早的;不成熟的,仓促的 | |
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9
huddling
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n. 杂乱一团, 混乱, 拥挤 v. 推挤, 乱堆, 草率了事 | |
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10
lecherous
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adj.好色的;淫邪的 | |
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11
manoeuvre
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n.策略,调动;v.用策略,调动 | |
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12
monstrous
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adj.巨大的;恐怖的;可耻的,丢脸的 | |
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13
spouse
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n.配偶(指夫或妻) | |
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14
humiliated
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感到羞愧的 | |
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15
fatuous
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adj.愚昧的;昏庸的 | |
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16
solace
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n.安慰;v.使快乐;vt.安慰(物),缓和 | |
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17
unreasonable
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adj.不讲道理的,不合情理的,过度的 | |
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18
alibi
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n.某人当时不在犯罪现场的申辩或证明;借口 | |
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19
lurking
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潜在 | |
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20
outskirts
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n.郊外,郊区 | |
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21
encumbered
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v.妨碍,阻碍,拖累( encumber的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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22
discreet
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adj.(言行)谨慎的;慎重的;有判断力的 | |
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23
hitch
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v.免费搭(车旅行);系住;急提;n.故障;急拉 | |
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24
standing
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n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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25
remarkable
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adj.显著的,异常的,非凡的,值得注意的 | |
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26
groom
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vt.给(马、狗等)梳毛,照料,使...整洁 | |
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27
wizened
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adj.凋谢的;枯槁的 | |
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28
dwarf
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n.矮子,侏儒,矮小的动植物;vt.使…矮小 | |
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29
undo
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vt.解开,松开;取消,撤销 | |
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30
rustling
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n. 瑟瑟声,沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的 | |
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31
burrowing
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v.挖掘(洞穴),挖洞( burrow的现在分词 );翻寻 | |
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32
underneath
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adj.在...下面,在...底下;adv.在下面 | |
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33
pounced
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v.突然袭击( pounce的过去式和过去分词 );猛扑;一眼看出;抓住机会(进行抨击) | |
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34
mink
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n.貂,貂皮 | |
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35
cuffs
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n.袖口( cuff的名词复数 )v.掌打,拳打( cuff的第三人称单数 ) | |
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36
voluptuous
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adj.肉欲的,骄奢淫逸的 | |
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37
scurrying
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v.急匆匆地走( scurry的现在分词 ) | |
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38
elastic
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n.橡皮圈,松紧带;adj.有弹性的;灵活的 | |
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39
dwelling
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n.住宅,住所,寓所 | |
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40
perfectly
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adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地 | |
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41
pawnbroker
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n.典当商,当铺老板 | |
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42
pawn
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n.典当,抵押,小人物,走卒;v.典当,抵押 | |
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brass
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n.黄铜;黄铜器,铜管乐器 | |
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44
crouching
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v.屈膝,蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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45
buckles
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搭扣,扣环( buckle的名词复数 ) | |
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46
enamel
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n.珐琅,搪瓷,瓷釉;(牙齿的)珐琅质 | |
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47
binoculars
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n.双筒望远镜 | |
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48
proprietor
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n.所有人;业主;经营者 | |
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49
untie
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vt.解开,松开;解放 | |
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50
redeem
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v.买回,赎回,挽回,恢复,履行(诺言等) | |
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51
eyebrows
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眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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52
nib
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n.钢笔尖;尖头 | |
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53
hovering
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鸟( hover的现在分词 ); 靠近(某事物); (人)徘徊; 犹豫 | |
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54
shrugged
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vt.耸肩(shrug的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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55
purely
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adv.纯粹地,完全地 | |
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56
bent
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n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的 | |
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57
peppermint
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n.薄荷,薄荷油,薄荷糖 | |
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58
calibrated
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v.校准( calibrate的过去式和过去分词 );使标准化;使合标准;测量(枪的)口径 | |
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59
countenance
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n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同 | |
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60
jaw
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n.颚,颌,说教,流言蜚语;v.喋喋不休,教训 | |
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61
bluff
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v.虚张声势,用假象骗人;n.虚张声势,欺骗 | |
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62
strutting
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加固,支撑物 | |
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63
fertilizing
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v.施肥( fertilize的现在分词 ) | |
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64
Fertilized
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v.施肥( fertilize的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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65
petals
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n.花瓣( petal的名词复数 ) | |
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66
fleas
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n.跳蚤( flea的名词复数 );爱财如命;没好气地(拒绝某人的要求) | |
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67
lottery
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n.抽彩;碰运气的事,难于算计的事 | |
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68
pawnbrokers
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n.当铺老板( pawnbroker的名词复数 ) | |
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69
entirely
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ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地 | |
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70
pawned
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v.典当,抵押( pawn的过去式和过去分词 );以(某事物)担保 | |
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71
suspense
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n.(对可能发生的事)紧张感,担心,挂虑 | |
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72
sterilizer
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n.消毒者,消毒器 | |
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73
peek
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vi.偷看,窥视;n.偷偷的一看,一瞥 | |
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74
giggle
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n.痴笑,咯咯地笑;v.咯咯地笑着说 | |
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75
eyelid
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n.眼睑,眼皮 | |
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blurry
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adj.模糊的;污脏的,污斑的 | |
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overalls
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n.(复)工装裤;长罩衣 | |
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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 | |
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stammered
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v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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80
beads
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n.(空心)小珠子( bead的名词复数 );水珠;珠子项链 | |
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81
sockets
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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 | |
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82
filthy
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adj.卑劣的;恶劣的,肮脏的 | |
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