When it was known that I had begun another story my mother might ask what it was to be about this time.

‘Fine we can guess who it is about,’ my sister would say pointedly¹.

‘Maybe you can guess, but it is beyond me,’ says my mother, with the meekness² of one who knows that she is a dull person.

My sister scorned her at such times. ‘What woman is in all his books?’ she would demand.

‘I’m sure I canna say,’ replies my mother determinedly³. ‘I thought the women were different every time.’

‘Mother, I wonder you can be so audacious! Fine you know what woman I mean.’

‘How can I know? What woman is it? You should bear in mind that I hinna your cleverness’ (they were constantly giving each other little knocks).

‘I won’t give you the satisfaction of saying her name. But this I will say, it is high time he was keeping her out of his books.’

And then as usual my mother would give herself away unconsciously. ‘That is what I tell him,’ she says chuckling⁴, ‘and he tries to keep me out, but he canna; it’s more than he can do!’

On an evening after my mother had gone to bed, the first chapter would be brought upstairs, and I read, sitting at the foot of the bed, while my sister watched to make my mother behave herself, and my father cried H’sh! when there were interruptions. All would go well at the start, the reflections were accepted with a little nod of the head, the descriptions of scenery as ruts on the road that must be got over at a walking pace (my mother did not care for scenery, and that is why there is so little of it in my books). But now I am reading too quickly, a little apprehensively⁵, because I know that the next paragraph begins with - let us say with, ‘Along this path came a woman’: I had intended to rush on here in a loud bullying⁶ voice, but ‘Along this path came a woman’ I read, and stop. Did I hear a faint sound from the other end of the bed? Perhaps I did not; I may only have been listening for it, but I

点击收听单词发音  

1 pointedly
adv.尖地，明显地
参考例句：
She yawned and looked pointedly at her watch. 她打了个哈欠，又刻意地看了看手表。 The demand for an apology was pointedly refused. 让对方道歉的要求遭到了断然拒绝。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 meekness
n.温顺，柔和
参考例句：
Amy sewed with outward meekness and inward rebellion till dusk. 阿密阳奉阴违地一直缝到黄昏。 来自辞典例句 'I am pretty well, I thank you,' answered Mr. Lorry, with meekness; 'how are you?' “很好，谢谢，”罗瑞先生回答，态度温驯，“你好么？” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

3 determinedly
adv.决意地；坚决地，坚定地
参考例句：
"Don't shove me,'said one of the strikers, determinedly. "I'm not doing anything." “别推我，"其中的一个罢工工人坚决地说，"我可没干什么。” 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹 Dorothy's chin set determinedly as she looked calmly at him. 多萝西平静地看着他，下巴绷得紧紧的，看来是打定主意了。 来自名作英译部分

4 chuckling
轻声地笑( chuckle的现在分词 )
参考例句：
I could hear him chuckling to himself as he read his book. 他看书时，我能听见他的轻声发笑。 He couldn't help chuckling aloud. 他忍不住的笑了出来。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子

5 apprehensively
adv.担心地
参考例句：
He glanced a trifle apprehensively towards the crowded ballroom. 他敏捷地朝挤满了人的舞厅瞟了一眼。 来自辞典例句 Then it passed, leaving everything in a state of suspense, even the willow branches waiting apprehensively. 一阵这样的风过去，一切都不知怎好似的，连柳树都惊疑不定的等着点什么。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子

6 bullying
v.恐吓，威逼( bully的现在分词 )；豪；跋扈
参考例句：
Many cases of bullying go unreported . 很多恐吓案件都没有人告发。 All cases of bullying will be severely dealt with. 所有以大欺小的情况都将受到严肃处理。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 falter
vi.(嗓音)颤抖，结巴地说；犹豫；蹒跚
参考例句：
His voice began to falter.他的声音开始发颤。 As he neared the house his steps faltered.当他走近房子时，脚步迟疑了起来。

8 smothered
（使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制
参考例句：
He smothered the baby with a pillow. 他用枕头把婴儿闷死了。 The fire is smothered by ashes. 火被灰闷熄了。

9 gasps
v.喘气( gasp的第三人称单数 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要
参考例句：
He leant against the railing, his breath coming in short gasps. 他倚着栏杆，急促地喘气。 来自《简明英汉词典》 My breaths were coming in gasps. 我急促地喘起气来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 ripple
n.涟波，涟漪，波纹，粗钢梳；vt.使...起涟漪，使起波纹； vi.呈波浪状，起伏前进
参考例句：
The pebble made a ripple on the surface of the lake.石子在湖面上激起一个涟漪。 The small ripple split upon the beach.小小的涟漪卷来，碎在沙滩上。

11 majestic
adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的
参考例句：
In the distance rose the majestic Alps.远处耸立着雄伟的阿尔卑斯山。 He looks majestic in uniform.他穿上军装显得很威风。

12 contrived
adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的
参考例句：
There was nothing contrived or calculated about what he said.他说的话里没有任何蓄意捏造的成分。 The plot seems contrived.情节看起来不真实。

13 severely
adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地
参考例句：
He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。 He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

14 remarkable
adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的
参考例句：
She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。 These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

15 interferes
vi. 妨碍，冲突，干涉
参考例句：
The noise interferes with my work. 这噪音妨碍我的工作。 That interferes with my plan. 那干扰了我的计划。

16 stoutly
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。

17 murmur
n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言
参考例句：
They paid the extra taxes without a murmur.他们毫无怨言地交了附加税。 There was a low murmur of conversation in the hall.大厅里有窃窃私语声。

18 abruptly
adv.突然地，出其不意地
参考例句：
He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。 I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。

19 triumphantly
ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地
参考例句：
The lion was roaring triumphantly. 狮子正在发出胜利的吼叫。 Robert was looking at me triumphantly. 罗伯特正得意扬扬地看着我。

20 guises
n.外观，伪装( guise的名词复数 )v.外观，伪装( guise的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
She took pleasure in the various guises she could see. 她穿各种衣服都显得活泼可爱。 来自辞典例句 Traditional form or structure allows us to recognize corresponding bits of folklore in different guises. 了解民俗的传统形式或结构，可以使我门抛开事物的不同外表，从中去辨认出有关民俗的点点滴滴。 来自英汉非文学 - 民俗

21 naively
adv. 天真地
参考例句：
They naively assume things can only get better. 他们天真地以为情况只会变好。 In short, Knox's proposal was ill conceived and naively made. 总而言之，诺克斯的建议考虑不周，显示幼稚。

22 plume
n.羽毛；v.整理羽毛，骚首弄姿，用羽毛装饰
参考例句：
Her hat was adorned with a plume.她帽子上饰着羽毛。 He does not plume himself on these achievements.他并不因这些成就而自夸。

23 soothing
adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的
参考例句：
Put on some nice soothing music.播放一些柔和舒缓的音乐。 His casual, relaxed manner was very soothing.他随意而放松的举动让人很快便平静下来。

24 beads
n.（空心）小珠子( bead的名词复数 )；水珠；珠子项链
参考例句：
a necklace of wooden beads 一条木珠项链 Beads of perspiration stood out on his forehead. 他的前额上挂着汗珠。

25 hoots
咄，啐
参考例句：
His suggestion was greeted with hoots of laughter. 他的建议引起了阵阵嗤笑。 The hoots came from the distance. 远处传来呜呜声。

26 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：
They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。 The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

27 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。

28 ailing
v.生病
参考例句：
They discussed the problems ailing the steel industry. 他们讨论了困扰钢铁工业的问题。 She looked after her ailing father. 她照顾有病的父亲。

29 esteemed
adj.受人尊敬的v.尊敬( esteem的过去式和过去分词 )；敬重；认为；以为
参考例句：
The art of conversation is highly esteemed in France. 在法国十分尊重谈话技巧。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He esteemed that he understood what I had said. 他认为已经听懂我说的意思了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

30 auld
adj.老的，旧的
参考例句：
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,and never brought to mind?怎能忘记旧日朋友，心中能不怀念？ The party ended up with the singing of Auld Lang Sync.宴会以《友谊地久天长》的歌声而告终。

31 mettle
n.勇气，精神
参考例句：
When the seas are in turmoil,heroes are on their mettle.沧海横流，方显出英雄本色。 Each and every one of these soldiers has proved his mettle.这些战士个个都是好样的。

32 soothingly
adv.抚慰地，安慰地；镇痛地
参考例句：
The mother talked soothingly to her child. 母亲对自己的孩子安慰地说。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He continued to talk quietly and soothingly to the girl until her frightened grip on his arm was relaxed. 他继续柔声安慰那姑娘，她那因恐惧而紧抓住他的手终于放松了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

33 winding
n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈
参考例句：
A winding lane led down towards the river.一条弯弯曲曲的小路通向河边。 The winding trail caused us to lose our orientation.迂回曲折的小道使我们迷失了方向。

34 quandary
n.困惑，进迟两难之境
参考例句：
I was in a quandary about whether to go.我当时正犹豫到底去不去。 I was put in a great quandary.我陷于进退两难的窘境。

35 magenta
n..紫红色（的染料）；adj.紫红色的
参考例句：
In the one photo in which she appeared, Hillary Clinton wore a magenta gown.在其中一张照片中，希拉里身着一件紫红色礼服。 For the same reason air information is printed in magenta.出于同样的原因，航空资料采用品红色印刷。

36 dame
n.女士
参考例句：
The dame tell of her experience as a wife and mother.这位年长妇女讲了她作妻子和母亲的经验。 If you stick around,you'll have to marry that dame.如果再逗留多一会，你就要跟那个夫人结婚。

37 coaxed
v.哄，用好话劝说( coax的过去式和过去分词 )；巧言骗取；哄劝，劝诱
参考例句：
She coaxed the horse into coming a little closer. 她哄着那匹马让它再靠近了一点。 I coaxed my sister into taking me to the theatre. 我用好话哄姐姐带我去看戏。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

38 woe
n.悲哀，苦痛，不幸，困难；int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌
参考例句：
Our two peoples are brothers sharing weal and woe.我们两国人民是患难与共的兄弟。 A man is well or woe as he thinks himself so.自认祸是祸，自认福是福。

39 testament
n.遗嘱；证明
参考例句：
This is his last will and testament.这是他的遗愿和遗嘱。 It is a testament to the power of political mythology.这说明，编造政治神话可以产生多大的威力。