IN the garden all the apple-trees were in blossom．They had hurried up to get flowers before green leaves，and in the farm－yard all the ducklings were out and the cat with them：he licked real sunshine，licked it from his own paws；and if one looked along to the field， the corn stood magnificently green，and there was a twittering and a chirping¹ of all the little birds， as if it were a great festival， and indeed one might also say that it was so， for it was Sunday． The bells rang， and people in their best clothes went to church，and looked so well pleased；yes，there was something so pleasant about everything；it was certainly a day so warm and blessed， that one could say，“Our Lord is really very good to His people！”

But inside the church， the priest stood in the pulpit and spoke² very loudly and very angrily； he said that the people were so ungodly， and that God would punish them for it， and when they died， the wicked should go down to Hell， where they should burn for ever， and he said that their worm never died，and their fire was never quenched； and never did they get peace or rest． It was terrible to hear it，and he said it so positively； he de-scribed Hell to them as a stinking⁴ hole， where all the world's filthiness⁵ flowed together， there was no air except the hot sulfur⁶-flame， there was no bottom， they sank and sank in an everlasting⁷ silence． It was gruesome merely to listen to it，but the priest said it from the heart，and all the people in the church were quite terrified．

But outside all the little birds sang so happily，and the sun shone so warmly， it seemed as if every little flower said，“God is so very good to all of us．”Yes， outside it was certainly not as the preacher had said.

In the evening towards bedtime， the clergyman saw his wife sitting silent and thoughtful．

“What ails⁸ yon？”he said to her．

“What ails me？”said she，“I cannot collect my thoughts properly， I cannot get clearly into my head what you said， that there were so many ungodly， and that they should burn for ever； for ever， O， how long！I am only a sinful woman，but I could not bear to let even the worst sinner burn for ever；how then should our Lord be able to do it who is so

点击收听单词发音  

1 chirping
鸟叫，虫鸣( chirp的现在分词 )
参考例句：
The birds,chirping relentlessly,woke us up at daybreak. 破晓时鸟儿不断吱吱地叫，把我们吵醒了。 The birds are chirping merrily. 鸟儿在欢快地鸣叫着。

2 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。

3 quench
vt.熄灭，扑灭；压制
参考例句：
The firemen were unable to quench the fire.消防人员无法扑灭这场大火。 Having a bottle of soft drink is not enough to quench my thirst.喝一瓶汽水不够解渴。

4 stinking
adj.臭的，烂醉的，讨厌的v.散发出恶臭( stink的现在分词 )；发臭味；名声臭；糟透
参考例句：
I was pushed into a filthy, stinking room. 我被推进一间又脏又臭的屋子里。 Those lousy, stinking ships. It was them that destroyed us. 是的！就是那些该死的蠢猪似的臭飞船！是它们毁了我们。 来自英汉非文学 - 科幻

5 filthiness
参考例句：
For all tables are full of vomit filthiness, so that there is no place clean. 8因为各席上满了呕吐的污秽，无一处乾净。 Say it when you learn the Darkness, the Filthiness and the ugliness of its outside. 不是因为在象牙塔中，才说出我爱世界这样的话，是知道外面的黑，脏，丑陋之后，还要说出这样的话。

6 sulfur
n.硫，硫磺（=sulphur）
参考例句：
Sulfur emissions from steel mills become acid rain.炼钢厂排放出的硫形成了酸雨。 Burning may produce sulfur oxides.燃烧可能会产生硫氧化物。

7 everlasting
adj.永恒的，持久的，无止境的
参考例句：
These tyres are advertised as being everlasting.广告上说轮胎持久耐用。 He believes in everlasting life after death.他相信死后有不朽的生命。

8 ails
v.生病( ail的第三人称单数 )；感到不舒服；处境困难；境况不佳
参考例句：
He will not concede what anything ails his business. 他不允许任何事情来干扰他的工作。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 Measles ails the little girl. 麻疹折磨着这个小女孩。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 infinitely
adv.无限地，无穷地
参考例句：
There is an infinitely bright future ahead of us.我们有无限光明的前途。 The universe is infinitely large.宇宙是无限大的。

10 psalm
n.赞美诗，圣诗
参考例句：
The clergyman began droning the psalm.牧师开始以单调而低沈的语调吟诵赞美诗。 The minister droned out the psalm.牧师喃喃地念赞美诗。

11 pious
adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的
参考例句：
Alexander is a pious follower of the faith.亚历山大是个虔诚的信徒。 Her mother was a pious Christian.她母亲是一个虔诚的基督教徒。

12 vouchsafed
v.给予，赐予( vouchsafe的过去式和过去分词 )；允诺
参考例句：
He vouchsafed to me certain family secrets. 他让我知道了某些家庭秘密。 The significance of the event does, indeed, seem vouchsafed. 这个事件看起来确实具有重大意义。 来自辞典例句

13 consecrated
adj.神圣的，被视为神圣的v.把…奉为神圣，给…祝圣( consecrate的过去式和过去分词 )；奉献
参考例句：
The church was consecrated in 1853. 这座教堂于1853年祝圣。 They consecrated a temple to their god. 他们把庙奉献给神。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 destined
adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的
参考例句：
It was destined that they would marry.他们结婚是缘分。 The shipment is destined for America.这批货物将运往美国。

15 festive
adj.欢宴的，节日的
参考例句：
It was Christmas and everyone was in festive mood.当时是圣诞节，每个人都沉浸在节日的欢乐中。 We all wore festive costumes to the ball.我们都穿着节日的盛装前去参加舞会。

16 velvet
n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的
参考例句：
This material feels like velvet.这料子摸起来像丝绒。 The new settlers wore the finest silk and velvet clothing.新来的移民穿着最华丽的丝绸和天鹅绒衣服。

17 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。

18 chattering
n. （机器振动发出的）咔嗒声，(鸟等)鸣，啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的，啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式
参考例句：
The teacher told the children to stop chattering in class. 老师叫孩子们在课堂上不要叽叽喳喳讲话。 I was so cold that my teeth were chattering. 我冷得牙齿直打战。

19 miserable
adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的
参考例句：
It was miserable of you to make fun of him.你取笑他，这是可耻的。 Her past life was miserable.她过去的生活很苦。

20 horrid
adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的
参考例句：
I'm not going to the horrid dinner party.我不打算去参加这次讨厌的宴会。 The medicine is horrid and she couldn't get it down.这种药很难吃，她咽不下去。

21 pointed
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。

22 suffocates
（使某人）窒息而死( suffocate的第三人称单数 )； （将某人）闷死； 让人感觉闷热； 憋气
参考例句：
Greed suffocates humanity and intuitive knowledge. 贪婪可以灭绝人性和良知。 The thick scent of aromatic plants tears at the throat and suffocates in the vast heat. 植物发散发出的浓郁香气在喉咙里撕裂，在炎热的天气下令人窒息。

23 thatch
vt.用茅草覆盖…的顶部；n.茅草(屋)
参考例句：
They lit a torch and set fire to the chapel's thatch.他们点着一支火把，放火烧了小教堂的茅草屋顶。 They topped off the hut with a straw thatch. 他们给小屋盖上茅草屋顶。

24 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》

25 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。

26 judgment
n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见
参考例句：
The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。 He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

27 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。