All children, except one, grow up. They soon know that they will grow up, and the way Wendy knew was this. One day when she was two years old she was playing in a garden, and she plucked another flower and ran with it to her mother. I suppose she must have looked rather delightful¹, for Mrs. Darling put her hand to her heart and cried, “Oh, why can’t you remain like this for ever!” This was all that passed between them on the subject, but henceforth Wendy knew that she must grow up. You always know after you are two. Two is the beginning of the end.

Of course they lived at 14, and until Wendy came her mother was the chief one. She was a lovely lady, with a romantic mind and such a sweet mocking mouth. Her romantic mind was like the tiny boxes, one within the other, that come from the puzzling East, however many you discover there is always one more; and her sweet mocking mouth had one kiss on it that Wendy could never get, though there it was, perfectly³ conspicuous⁴ in the right-hand corner.

The way Mr. Darling won her was this: the many gentlemen who had been boys when she was a girl discovered simultaneously⁵ that they loved her, and they all ran to her house to propose to her except Mr. Darling, who took a cab and nipped in first, and so he got her. He got all of her, except the innermost box and the kiss. He never knew about the box, and in time he gave up trying for the kiss. Wendy thought Napoleon could have got it, but I can picture him trying, and then going off in a passion, slamming the door.

Mr. Darling used to boast to Wendy that her mother not only loved him but respected him. He was one of those deep ones who know about stocks and shares. Of course no one really knows, but he quite seemed to know, and he often said stocks were up and shares were down in a way that would have made any woman respect him.

Mrs. Darling was married in white, and at first she kept the books perfectly, almost gleefully, as if it were a game, not so much as a Brussels sprout⁶ was missing; but by and by whole cauliflowers dropped out, and instead of them there were pictures of babies without faces. She drew them when she should have been totting up. They were Mrs. Darling’s guesses.

Wendy came first, then John, then Michael.

点击收听单词发音  

1 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。

2 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。

3 perfectly
adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地
参考例句：
The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。 Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

4 conspicuous
adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的
参考例句：
It is conspicuous that smoking is harmful to health.很明显，抽烟对健康有害。 Its colouring makes it highly conspicuous.它的色彩使它非常惹人注目。

5 simultaneously
adv.同时发生地，同时进行地
参考例句：
The radar beam can track a number of targets almost simultaneously.雷达波几乎可以同时追着多个目标。 The Windows allow a computer user to execute multiple programs simultaneously.Windows允许计算机用户同时运行多个程序。

6 sprout
n.芽，萌芽；vt.使发芽，摘去芽；vi.长芽，抽条
参考例句：
When do deer first sprout horns?鹿在多大的时候开始长出角？ It takes about a week for the seeds to sprout.这些种子大约要一周后才会发芽。

7 honourable
adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的
参考例句：
I don't think I am worthy of such an honourable title.这样的光荣称号，我可担当不起。 I hope to find an honourable way of settling difficulties.我希望设法找到一个体面的办法以摆脱困境。

8 imploringly
adv. 恳求地, 哀求地
参考例句：
He moved his lips and looked at her imploringly. 他嘴唇动着，哀求地看着她。 He broke in imploringly. 他用恳求的口吻插了话。

9 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。

10 mumps
n.腮腺炎
参考例句：
Sarah got mumps from her brother.萨拉的弟弟患腮腺炎，传染给她了。 I was told not go near Charles. He is sickening for mumps.别人告诉我不要走近查尔斯， 他染上了流行性腮腺炎。

11 measles
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。

12 squeak
n.吱吱声，逃脱；v.（发出）吱吱叫，侥幸通过；（俚）告密
参考例句：
I don't want to hear another squeak out of you!我不想再听到你出声！ We won the game,but it was a narrow squeak.我们打赢了这场球赛，不过是侥幸取胜。

13 prim
adj.拘泥形式的，一本正经的；n.循规蹈矩，整洁；adv.循规蹈矩地，整洁地
参考例句：
She's too prim to enjoy rude jokes!她太古板，不喜欢听粗野的笑话！ He is prim and precise in manner.他的态度一本正经而严谨

14 kennel
n.狗舍，狗窝
参考例句：
Sporting dogs should be kept out of doors in a kennel.猎狗应该养在户外的狗窝中。 Rescued dogs are housed in a standard kennel block.获救的狗被装在一个标准的犬舍里。

15 propriety
n.正当行为；正当；适当
参考例句：
We hesitated at the propriety of the method.我们对这种办法是否适用拿不定主意。 The sensitive matter was handled with great propriety.这件机密的事处理得极为适当。

16 sedately
adv.镇静地，安详地
参考例句：
Life in the country's south-west glides along rather sedately. 中国西南部的生活就相对比较平静。 来自互联网 She conducts herself sedately. 她举止端庄。 来自互联网

17 butting
用头撞人（犯规动作）
参考例句：
When they were talking Mary kept butting in. 当他们在谈话时，玛丽老是插嘴。 A couple of goats are butting each other. 两只山羊在用角互相顶撞。

18 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。

19 specially
adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地
参考例句：
They are specially packaged so that they stack easily.它们经过特别包装以便于堆放。 The machine was designed specially for demolishing old buildings.这种机器是专为拆毁旧楼房而设计的。

20 romps
n.无忧无虑，快活( romp的名词复数 )v.嬉笑玩闹( romp的第三人称单数 )；（尤指在赛跑或竞选等中）轻易获胜
参考例句：
Liz doesn't enjoy romps as much as other girls do. 莉兹不像别的女孩那样喜欢嬉戏吵闹。 来自辞典例句 We don't like romps and flirts, though we may act as if we did sometimes. 我们不喜欢轻佻女和调情郎，虽然有时我们表面上看似喜欢他们。 来自辞典例句

21 rummage
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。

22 zigzag
n.曲折，之字形；adj.曲折的，锯齿形的；adv.曲折地，成锯齿形地；vt.使曲折；vi.曲折前行
参考例句：
The lightning made a zigzag in the sky.闪电在天空划出一道Z字形。 The path runs zigzag up the hill.小径向山顶蜿蜒盘旋。

23 savages
未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 )
参考例句：
There're some savages living in the forest. 森林里居住着一些野人。 That's an island inhabited by savages. 那是一个野蛮人居住的岛屿。

24 lairs
n.（野兽的）巢穴，窝( lair的名词复数 )；（人的）藏身处
参考例句：
Beholders usually carve out underground lairs for themselves using their disintegrate rays. 眼魔经常用它们的解离射线雕刻自己的地底巢穴。 来自互联网 All animals are smothered in their lairs. 所有的小生灵都躲在巢穴里冬眠。 来自互联网

25 gnomes
n.矮子( gnome的名词复数 )；侏儒；（尤指金融市场上搞投机的）银行家；守护神
参考例句：
I have a wonderful recipe: bring two gnomes, two eggs. 我有一个绝妙的配方：准备两个侏儒，两个鸡蛋。 来自互联网 Illusions cast by gnomes from a small village have started becoming real. 53侏儒对一个小村庄施放的幻术开始变为真实。 来自互联网

26 braces
n.吊带，背带；托架( brace的名词复数 )；箍子；括弧；（儿童）牙箍v.支住( brace的第三人称单数 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来
参考例句：
The table is shaky because the braces are loose. 这张桌子摇摇晃晃，因为支架全松了。 You don't need braces if you're wearing a belt! 要系腰带，就用不着吊带了。

27 lagoon
n.泻湖，咸水湖
参考例句：
The lagoon was pullulated with tropical fish.那个咸水湖聚满了热带鱼。 This area isolates a restricted lagoon environment.将这一地区隔离起来使形成一个封闭的泻湖环境。

28 flamingo
n.红鹳，火烈鸟
参考例句：
This is the only species of flamingo in the region,easily recognized by its pink plumage.这是那个地区唯一一种火烈鸟，很容易凭粉红色的羽毛辨认出来。 In my family,I am flamingo in the flock of pigeons.在家里，我就像一只被困在鸽笼里的火烈鸟。

29 lagoons
n.污水池( lagoon的名词复数 )；潟湖；（大湖或江河附近的）小而浅的淡水湖；温泉形成的池塘
参考例句：
The Islands are by shallow crystal clear lagoons enclosed by coral reefs. 该群岛包围由珊瑚礁封闭的浅水清澈泻湖。 来自互联网 It is deposited in low-energy environments in lakes, estuaries and lagoons. 它沉淀于湖泊、河口和礁湖的低能量环境中，也可于沉淀于深海环境。 来自互联网

30 deftly
adv.灵巧地，熟练地，敏捷地
参考例句：
He deftly folded the typed sheets and replaced them in the envelope. 他灵巧地将打有字的纸折好重新放回信封。 来自《简明英汉词典》 At last he had a clew to her interest, and followed it deftly. 这一下终于让他发现了她的兴趣所在，于是他熟练地继续谈这个话题。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

31 Forsaken
adj. 被遗忘的, 被抛弃的 动词forsake的过去分词
参考例句：
He was forsaken by his friends. 他被朋友们背弃了。 He has forsaken his wife and children. 他遗弃了他的妻子和孩子。

32 delectable
adj.使人愉快的；美味的
参考例句：
What delectable food you cook!你做的食品真好吃！ But today the delectable seafood is no longer available in abundance.但是今天这种可口的海味已不再大量存在。

33 snuggest
adj.整洁的( snug的最高级 )；温暖而舒适的；非常舒适的；紧身的
参考例句：

34 crammed
adj.塞满的，挤满的；大口地吃；快速贪婪地吃v.把…塞满；填入；临时抱佛脚( cram的过去式)
参考例句：
He crammed eight people into his car. 他往他的车里硬塞进八个人。 All the shelves were crammed with books. 所有的架子上都堆满了书。

35 scrawled
乱涂，潦草地写( scrawl的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
I tried to read his directions, scrawled on a piece of paper. 我尽量弄明白他草草写在一片纸上的指示。 Tom scrawled on his slate, "Please take it -- I got more." 汤姆在他的写字板上写了几个字：“请你收下吧，我多得是哩。”

36 disquieting
adj.令人不安的，令人不平静的v.使不安，使忧虑，使烦恼( disquiet的现在分词 )
参考例句：
The news from the African front was disquieting in the extreme. 非洲前线的消息极其令人不安。 来自英汉文学 That locality was always vaguely disquieting, even in the broad glare of afternoon. 那一带地方一向隐隐约约使人感到心神不安甚至在下午耀眼的阳光里也一样。 来自辞典例句

37 rattled
慌乱的，恼火的
参考例句：
The truck jolted and rattled over the rough ground. 卡车嘎吱嘎吱地在凹凸不平的地面上颠簸而行。 Every time a bus went past, the windows rattled. 每逢公共汽车经过这里，窗户都格格作响。

38 poker
n.扑克；vt.烙制
参考例句：
He was cleared out in the poker game.他打扑克牌，把钱都输光了。 I'm old enough to play poker and do something with it.我打扑克是老手了，可以玩些花样。

39 spout
v.喷出，涌出；滔滔不绝地讲；n.喷管；水柱
参考例句：
Implication in folk wealth creativity and undertaking vigor spout.蕴藏于民间的财富创造力和创业活力喷涌而出。 This acts as a spout to drain off water during a rainstorm.在暴风雨季，这东西被用作喷管来排水。

40 cosy
adj.温暖而舒适的，安逸的
参考例句：
We spent a cosy evening chatting by the fire.我们在炉火旁聊天度过了一个舒适的晚上。 It was so warm and cosy in bed that Simon didn't want to get out.床上温暖而又舒适，西蒙简直不想下床了。

41 tranquilly
adv. 宁静地
参考例句：
He took up his brush and went tranquilly to work. 他拿起刷子，一声不响地干了起来。 The evening was closing down tranquilly. 暮色正在静悄悄地笼罩下来。

42 gracefully
ad.大大方方地；优美地
参考例句：
She sank gracefully down onto a cushion at his feet. 她优雅地坐到他脚旁的垫子上。 The new coats blouse gracefully above the hip line. 新外套在臀围线上优美地打着褶皱。

43 darted
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》

44 ooze
n.软泥，渗出物；vi.渗出，泄漏；vt.慢慢渗出，流露
参考例句：
Soon layer of oceanic ooze began to accumulate above the old hard layer.不久后海洋软泥层开始在老的硬地层上堆积。 Drip or ooze systems are common for pot watering.滴灌和渗灌系统一般也用于盆栽灌水。