The Editorial Secretary
i

Arthur Dayson, though a very good shorthand writer, and not without experience as a newspaper reporter and sub-editor, was a nincompoop. There could be no other explanation of his bland¹, complacent² indifference³ as he sat poking⁴ at a coke stove one cold night of January, 1880, in full view of a most marvellous and ravishing spectacle. The stove was in a room on the floor above the offices labelled as Mr. Q. Karkeek’s; its pipe, supported by wire stays, went straight up nearly to the grimy ceiling, and then turned horizontally and disappeared through a clumsy hole in the scorched⁵ wall. It was a shabby stove, but not more so than the other few articles of furniture—a large table, a small desk, three deteriorated⁶ cane-chairs, two gas brackets, and an old copying-press on its rickety stand. The sole object that could emerge brightly from the ordeal⁷ of the gas-flare was a splendid freshly printed blue poster gummed with stamp-paper to the wall: which poster bore the words, in vast capitals of two sizes: “The Five Towns Chronicle and Turnhill Guardian⁸.” Copies of this poster had also been fixed⁹, face outwards¹⁰, on the two curtainless black windows, to announce to the Market Square what was afoot in the top storey over the ironmonger’s.

A young woman, very soberly attired¹¹, was straining at the double iron-handles of the copying-press. Some copying-presses have a screw so

点击收听单词发音  

1 bland
adj.淡而无味的，温和的，无刺激性的
参考例句：
He eats bland food because of his stomach trouble.他因胃病而吃清淡的食物。 This soup is too bland for me.这汤我喝起来偏淡。

2 complacent
adj.自满的；自鸣得意的
参考例句：
We must not become complacent the moment we have some success.我们决不能一见成绩就自满起来。 She was complacent about her achievements.她对自己的成绩沾沾自喜。

3 indifference
n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎
参考例句：
I was disappointed by his indifference more than somewhat.他的漠不关心使我很失望。 He feigned indifference to criticism of his work.他假装毫不在意别人批评他的作品。

4 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。

5 scorched
烧焦，烤焦( scorch的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（植物）枯萎，把…晒枯； 高速行驶； 枯焦
参考例句：
I scorched my dress when I was ironing it. 我把自己的连衣裙熨焦了。 The hot iron scorched the tablecloth. 热熨斗把桌布烫焦了。

6 deteriorated
恶化，变坏( deteriorate的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
Her health deteriorated rapidly, and she died shortly afterwards. 她的健康状况急剧恶化，不久便去世了。 His condition steadily deteriorated. 他的病情恶化，日甚一日。

7 ordeal
n.苦难经历，（尤指对品格、耐力的）严峻考验
参考例句：
She managed to keep her sanity throughout the ordeal.在那场磨难中她始终保持神志正常。 Being lost in the wilderness for a week was an ordeal for me.在荒野里迷路一星期对我来说真是一场磨难。

8 guardian
n.监护人；守卫者，保护者
参考例句：
The form must be signed by the child's parents or guardian. 这张表格须由孩子的家长或监护人签字。 The press is a guardian of the public weal. 报刊是公共福利的卫护者。

9 fixed
adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的
参考例句：
Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？ Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

10 outwards
adj.外面的，公开的，向外的；adv.向外；n.外形
参考例句：
Does this door open inwards or outwards?这门朝里开还是朝外开？ In lapping up a fur,they always put the inner side outwards.卷毛皮时，他们总是让内层朝外。

11 attired
adj.穿着整齐的v.使穿上衣服，使穿上盛装( attire的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The bride was attired in white. 新娘穿一身洁白的礼服。 来自《简明英汉词典》 It is appropriate that everyone be suitably attired. 人人穿戴得体是恰当的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 accurately
adv.准确地，精确地
参考例句：
It is hard to hit the ball accurately.准确地击中球很难。 Now scientists can forecast the weather accurately.现在科学家们能准确地预报天气。

13 ass
n.驴；傻瓜，蠢笨的人
参考例句：
He is not an ass as they make him.他不象大家猜想的那样笨。 An ass endures his burden but not more than his burden.驴能负重但不能超过它能力所负担的。

14 wrench
v.猛拧；挣脱；使扭伤；n.扳手；痛苦，难受
参考例句：
He gave a wrench to his ankle when he jumped down.他跳下去的时候扭伤了足踝。 It was a wrench to leave the old home.离开这个老家非常痛苦。

15 rust
n.锈；v.生锈；(脑子)衰退
参考例句：
She scraped the rust off the kitchen knife.她擦掉了菜刀上的锈。 The rain will rust the iron roof.雨水会使铁皮屋顶生锈。

16 intensified
v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
Violence intensified during the night. 在夜间暴力活动加剧了。 The drought has intensified. 旱情加剧了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 clenched
v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He clenched his fists in anger. 他愤怒地攥紧了拳头。 She clenched her hands in her lap to hide their trembling. 她攥紧双手放在腿上，以掩饰其颤抖。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 sufficiently
adv.足够地，充分地
参考例句：
It turned out he had not insured the house sufficiently.原来他没有给房屋投足保险。 The new policy was sufficiently elastic to accommodate both views.新政策充分灵活地适用两种观点。

19 forth
adv.向前；向外，往外
参考例句：
The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。 He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

20 solicitude
n.焦虑
参考例句：
Your solicitude was a great consolation to me.你对我的关怀给了我莫大的安慰。 He is full of tender solicitude towards my sister.他对我妹妹满心牵挂。

21 tragic
adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的
参考例句：
The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。 Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

22 facetiously
adv.爱开玩笑地；滑稽地，爱开玩笑地
参考例句：
The house had been facetiously named by some waggish officer. 这房子是由某个机智幽默的军官命名的。 来自辞典例句 I sometimes facetiously place the cause of it all to Charley Furuseth's credit. 我有时候也曾将起因全部可笑地推在却利？福罗萨的身上。 来自辞典例句

23 deliberately
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。

24 savage
adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人
参考例句：
The poor man received a savage beating from the thugs.那可怜的人遭到暴徒的痛打。 He has a savage temper.他脾气粗暴。

25 mighty
adj.强有力的；巨大的
参考例句：
A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。 The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。

26 passionate
adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的
参考例句：
He is said to be the most passionate man.据说他是最有激情的人。 He is very passionate about the project.他对那个项目非常热心。

27 bust
vt.打破；vi.爆裂；n.半身像；胸部
参考例句：
I dropped my camera on the pavement and bust it. 我把照相机掉在人行道上摔坏了。 She has worked up a lump of clay into a bust.她把一块黏土精心制作成一个半身像。

28 intimidating
vt.恐吓，威胁( intimidate的现在分词)
参考例句：
They were accused of intimidating people into voting for them. 他们被控胁迫选民投他们的票。 This kind of questioning can be very intimidating to children. 这种问话的方式可能让孩子们非常害怕。

29 absurdity
n.荒谬，愚蠢；谬论
参考例句：
The proposal borders upon the absurdity.这提议近乎荒谬。 The absurdity of the situation made everyone laugh.情况的荒谬可笑使每个人都笑了。

30 dolt
n.傻瓜
参考例句：
He's a first-class dolt who insists on doing things his way.他一意孤行，真是蠢透了。 What a donke,dolt and dunce!真是个笨驴，呆子，兼傻瓜！

31 naught
n.无，零 [=nought]
参考例句：
He sets at naught every convention of society.他轻视所有的社会习俗。 I hope that all your efforts won't go for naught.我希望你的努力不会毫无结果。

32 conscientious
adj.审慎正直的，认真的，本着良心的
参考例句：
He is a conscientious man and knows his job.他很认真负责，也很懂行。 He is very conscientious in the performance of his duties.他非常认真地履行职责。

33 cannon
n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮
参考例句：
The soldiers fired the cannon.士兵们开炮。 The cannon thundered in the hills.大炮在山间轰鸣。

34 gratitude
adj.感激，感谢
参考例句：
I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。 She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。

35 disposition
n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署
参考例句：
He has made a good disposition of his property.他已对财产作了妥善处理。 He has a cheerful disposition.他性情开朗。

36 nun
n.修女，尼姑
参考例句：
I can't believe that the famous singer has become a nun.我无法相信那个著名的歌星已做了修女。 She shaved her head and became a nun.她削发为尼。

37 ecstasy
n.狂喜，心醉神怡，入迷
参考例句：
He listened to the music with ecstasy.他听音乐听得入了神。 Speechless with ecstasy,the little boys gazed at the toys.小孩注视着那些玩具，高兴得说不出话来。

38 inverted
adj.反向的，倒转的v.使倒置，使反转( invert的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
Only direct speech should go inside inverted commas. 只有直接引语应放在引号内。 Inverted flight is an acrobatic manoeuvre of the plane. 倒飞是飞机的一种特技动作。 来自《简明英汉词典》

39 prospects
n.希望，前途(恒为复数)
参考例句：
There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。 They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

40 meditation
n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录
参考例句：
This peaceful garden lends itself to meditation.这个恬静的花园适于冥想。 I'm sorry to interrupt your meditation.很抱歉，我打断了你的沉思。

41 psychology
n.心理，心理学，心理状态
参考例句：
She has a background in child psychology.她受过儿童心理学的教育。 He studied philosophy and psychology at Cambridge.他在剑桥大学学习哲学和心理学。

42 admiration
n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕
参考例句：
He was lost in admiration of the beauty of the scene.他对风景之美赞不绝口。 We have a great admiration for the gold medalists.我们对金牌获得者极为敬佩。

43 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。

44 journalism
n.新闻工作，报业
参考例句：
He's a teacher but he does some journalism on the side.他是教师，可还兼职做一些新闻工作。 He had an aptitude for journalism.他有从事新闻工作的才能。

45 peculiar
adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的
参考例句：
He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。 He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。

46 haphazard
adj.无计划的，随意的，杂乱无章的
参考例句：
The town grew in a haphazard way.这城镇无计划地随意发展。 He regrerted his haphazard remarks.他悔不该随口说出那些评论话。

47 minor
adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修
参考例句：
The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。 I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

48 innocence
n.无罪；天真；无害
参考例句：
There was a touching air of innocence about the boy.这个男孩有一种令人感动的天真神情。 The accused man proved his innocence of the crime.被告人经证实无罪。

49 sundry
adj.各式各样的，种种的
参考例句：
This cream can be used to treat sundry minor injuries.这种药膏可用来治各种轻伤。 We can see the rich man on sundry occasions.我们能在各种场合见到那个富豪。

50 transcribe
v.抄写，誉写；改编(乐曲)；复制，转录
参考例句：
We need volunteers to transcribe this manuscript.我们需要自愿者来抄写这个文稿。 I am able to take dictation in English and transcribe them rapidly into Chinese.我会英文记录，还能立即将其改写成中文。

51 misty
adj.雾蒙蒙的，有雾的
参考例句：
He crossed over to the window to see if it was still misty.他走到窗户那儿，看看是不是还有雾霭。 The misty scene had a dreamy quality about it.雾景给人以梦幻般的感觉。

52 dismal
adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的
参考例句：
That is a rather dismal melody.那是一支相当忧郁的歌曲。 My prospects of returning to a suitable job are dismal.我重新找到一个合适的工作岗位的希望很渺茫。

53 fumes
n.(强烈而刺激的)气味，气体
参考例句：
The health of our children is being endangered by exhaust fumes. 我们孩子们的健康正受到排放出的废气的损害。 Exhaust fumes are bad for your health. 废气对健康有害。

54 nostrils
鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Her nostrils flared with anger. 她气得两个鼻孔都鼓了起来。 The horse dilated its nostrils. 马张大鼻孔。

55 vehemently
adv. 热烈地
参考例句：
He argued with his wife so vehemently that he talked himself hoarse. 他和妻子争论得很激烈，以致讲话的声音都嘶哑了。 Both women vehemently deny the charges against them. 两名妇女都激烈地否认了对她们的指控。

56 revelled
v.作乐( revel的过去式和过去分词 )；狂欢；着迷；陶醉
参考例句：
The foreign guests revelled in the scenery of the lake. 外宾们十分喜爱湖上的景色。 来自辞典例句 He revelled in those moments of idleness stolen from his work. 他喜爱学习之余的闲暇时刻。 来自辞典例句

57 vocation
n.职业，行业
参考例句：
She struggled for years to find her true vocation.她多年来苦苦寻找真正适合自己的职业。 She felt it was her vocation to minister to the sick.她觉得照料病人是她的天职。

58 laden
adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的
参考例句：
He is laden with heavy responsibility.他肩负重任。 Dragging the fully laden boat across the sand dunes was no mean feat.将满载货物的船拖过沙丘是一件了不起的事。

59 prodigious
adj.惊人的，奇妙的；异常的；巨大的；庞大的
参考例句：
This business generates cash in prodigious amounts.这种业务收益丰厚。 He impressed all who met him with his prodigious memory.他惊人的记忆力让所有见过他的人都印象深刻。

60 heterogeneous
adj.庞杂的；异类的
参考例句：
There is a heterogeneous mass of papers in the teacher's office.老师的办公室里堆满了大批不同的论文。 America has a very heterogeneous population.美国人口是由不同种族组成的。

61 bent
n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的
参考例句：
He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。 We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

62 galley
n.（飞机或船上的）厨房单层甲板大帆船；军舰舰长用的大划艇；
参考例句：
The stewardess will get you some water from the galley.空姐会从厨房给你拿些水来。 Visitors can also go through the large galley where crew members got their meals.游客还可以穿过船员们用餐的厨房。

63 inscribed
v.写，刻( inscribe的过去式和过去分词 )；内接
参考例句：
His name was inscribed on the trophy. 他的名字刻在奖杯上。 The names of the dead were inscribed on the wall. 死者的名字被刻在墙上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

64 margin
n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘
参考例句：
We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。 The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。

65 grandiosely
参考例句：

66 noted
adj.著名的，知名的
参考例句：
The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。 Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

67 expressive
adj.表现的，表达…的，富于表情的
参考例句：
Black English can be more expressive than standard English.黑人所使用的英语可能比正式英语更有表现力。 He had a mobile,expressive,animated face.他有一张多变的，富于表情的，生动活泼的脸。

68 abrupt
adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的
参考例句：
The river takes an abrupt bend to the west.这河突然向西转弯。 His abrupt reply hurt our feelings.他粗鲁的回答伤了我们的感情。

69 alligator
n.短吻鳄(一种鳄鱼)
参考例句：
She wandered off to play with her toy alligator.她开始玩鳄鱼玩具。 Alligator skin is five times more costlier than leather.鳄鱼皮比通常的皮革要贵5倍。

70 supreme
adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的
参考例句：
It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。 He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

71 juncture
n.时刻，关键时刻，紧要关头
参考例句：
The project is situated at the juncture of the new and old urban districts.该项目位于新老城区交界处。 It is very difficult at this juncture to predict the company's future.此时很难预料公司的前景。

72 scotched
v.阻止( scotch的过去式和过去分词 )；制止（车轮）转动；弄伤；镇压
参考例句：
Plans for a merger have been scotched. 合并计划停止实行。 The rebellion was scotched by government forces. 政府军已把叛乱镇压下去。 来自辞典例句

73 affected
adj.不自然的，假装的
参考例句：
She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。 His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

74 maternal
adj.母亲的，母亲般的，母系的，母方的
参考例句：
He is my maternal uncle.他是我舅舅。 The sight of the hopeless little boy aroused her maternal instincts.那个绝望的小男孩的模样唤起了她的母性。

75 epithet
n.（用于褒贬人物等的）表述形容词，修饰语
参考例句：
In "Alfred the Great","the Great"is an epithet.“阿尔弗雷德大帝”中的“大帝”是个称号。 It is an epithet that sums up my feelings.这是一个简洁地表达了我思想感情的形容词。

76 decided
adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的
参考例句：
This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。 There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

77 proprietorship
n.所有（权）；所有权
参考例句：
A sole proprietorship ends with the incapacity or death of the owner. 当业主无力经营或死亡的时候，这家个体企业也就宣告结束。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件 This company has a proprietorship of the copyright. 这家公司拥有版权所有权。 来自辞典例句

78 dummy
n.假的东西；(哄婴儿的)橡皮奶头
参考例句：
The police suspect that the device is not a real bomb but a dummy.警方怀疑那个装置不是真炸弹，只是一个假货。 The boys played soldier with dummy swords made of wood.男孩们用木头做的假木剑玩打仗游戏。

79 privately
adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地
参考例句：
Some ministers admit privately that unemployment could continue to rise.一些部长私下承认失业率可能继续升高。 The man privately admits that his motive is profits.那人私下承认他的动机是为了牟利。

80 downwards
adj./adv.向下的（地），下行的（地）
参考例句：
He lay face downwards on his bed.他脸向下伏在床上。 As the river flows downwards,it widens.这条河愈到下游愈宽。

81 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。

82 standing
n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的
参考例句：
After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。 They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

83 meditative
adj.沉思的，冥想的
参考例句：
A stupid fellow is talkative;a wise man is meditative.蠢人饶舌，智者思虑。 Music can induce a meditative state in the listener.音乐能够引导倾听者沉思。

84 nibbling
v.啃，一点一点地咬（吃）( nibble的现在分词 )；啃出（洞），一点一点咬出（洞）；慢慢减少；小口咬
参考例句：
We sat drinking wine and nibbling olives. 我们坐在那儿，喝着葡萄酒嚼着橄榄。 He was nibbling on the apple. 他在啃苹果。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》