Luther suggested dinner at Angelo's, their favorite Italian place. It was on the ground floor of an old building downtown, far away from the hordes¹ at the malls and shopping centers, five blocks from the parade route. It was a good night to be away from Hemlock².
They ordered salad with light dressing³ and pasta with tomato sauce, no meat, no wine, no bread. Nora had tanned for the seventh time, Luther for the tenth, and as they sipped⁴ their sparkling water they admired their weathered looks and chuckled⁵ at all the pale faces around them. One of Luther's grandmothers had been half-Italian, and his Mediterranean⁶ genes⁷ were proving quite conducive⁸ to tanning. He was several shades darker than Nora, and his friends were noticing. He couldn't have cared less. By now, everybody knew they were headed for the islands.
"It's starting now," Nora said, looking at her watch.
Luther looked at his. Seven P.M.
The Christmas parade was launched every year from Veteran's Park, in midtown. With floats and fire trucks and marching bands, it never changed. Santa always brought up the rear in a sleigh built by the Rotarians and escorted by eight fat Shriners on mini-bikes. The parade looped through the west side and came close to Hemlock. Every year for the past eighteen, the Kranks and their neighbors had camped along the parade route and made an event out of it. It was a festive⁹ evening, one Luther and Nora wished to avoid this year.
Hemlock would be wild with kids and carolers and who knew what else. Probably bicycle gangs chanting "Free Frosty" and little terrorists planting signs on their front lawn.
"How was the firm's Christmas dinner?" Nora asked.

点击收听单词发音  

1 hordes
n.移动着的一大群( horde的名词复数 )；部落
参考例句：
There are always hordes of tourists here in the summer. 夏天这里总有成群结队的游客。 Hordes of journalists jostled for position outside the conference hall. 大群记者在会堂外争抢位置。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 hemlock
n.毒胡萝卜，铁杉
参考例句：
He was condemned to drink a cup of hemlock.判处他喝一杯毒汁。 Here is a beech by the side of a hemlock,with three pines at hand.这儿有株山毛榉和一株铁杉长在一起，旁边还有三株松树。

3 dressing
n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料
参考例句：
Don't spend such a lot of time in dressing yourself.别花那么多时间来打扮自己。 The children enjoy dressing up in mother's old clothes.孩子们喜欢穿上妈妈旧时的衣服玩。

4 sipped
v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He sipped his coffee pleasurably. 他怡然地品味着咖啡。 I sipped the hot chocolate she had made. 我小口喝着她调制的巧克力热饮。 来自辞典例句

5 chuckled
轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
She chuckled at the memory. 想起这件事她就暗自发笑。 She chuckled softly to herself as she remembered his astonished look. 想起他那惊讶的表情，她就轻轻地暗自发笑。

6 Mediterranean
adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的
参考例句：
The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。 Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

7 genes
n.基因( gene的名词复数 )
参考例句：
You have good genes from your parents, so you should live a long time. 你从父母那儿获得优良的基因，所以能够活得很长。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Differences will help to reveal the functions of the genes. 它们间的差异将会帮助我们揭开基因多种功能。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 生物技术的世纪

8 conducive
adj.有益的，有助的
参考例句：
This is a more conducive atmosphere for studying.这样的氛围更有利于学习。 Exercise is conducive to good health.体育锻炼有助于增强体质。

9 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。

10 skunk
n.臭鼬，黄鼠狼；v.使惨败，使得零分；烂醉如泥
参考例句：
That was a rotten thing to do, you skunk!那种事做得太缺德了，你这卑鄙的家伙！ The skunk gives off an unpleasant smell when attacked.受到攻击时臭鼬会发出一种难闻的气味。

11 cocktails
n.鸡尾酒( cocktail的名词复数 )；餐前开胃菜；混合物
参考例句：
Come about 4 o'clock. We'll have cocktails and grill steaks. 请四点钟左右来，我们喝鸡尾酒，吃烤牛排。 来自辞典例句 Cocktails were a nasty American habit. 喝鸡尾酒是讨厌的美国习惯。 来自辞典例句

12 auditing
n.审计，查账，决算
参考例句：
Auditing standards are the rules governing how an audit is performed.收支检查标准是规则统治一个稽核如何被运行。 The auditing services market is dominated by a few large accounting firms.审计服务市场被几家大型会计公司独占了。

13 spinach
n.菠菜
参考例句：
Eating spinach is supposed to make you strong.据说吃菠菜能使人强壮。 You should eat such vegetables as carrot,celery and spinach.你应该吃胡萝卜、芹菜和菠菜这类的蔬菜。

14 applied
adj.应用的；v.应用，适用
参考例句：
She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。 This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

15 disinterested
adj.不关心的，不感兴趣的
参考例句：
He is impartial and disinterested.他公正无私。 He's always on the make,I have never known him do a disinterested action.他这个人一贯都是唯利是图，我从来不知道他有什么无私的行动。

16 corps
n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组
参考例句：
The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。 When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

17 swapped
交换（工作）( swap的过去式和过去分词 )； 用…替换，把…换成，掉换（过来）
参考例句：
I liked her coat and she liked mine, so we swapped. 我喜欢她的外套，她喜欢我的外套，于是我们就交换了。 At half-time the manager swapped some of the players around. 经理在半场时把几名队员换下了场。

18 halfway
adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途
参考例句：
We had got only halfway when it began to get dark.走到半路，天就黑了。 In study the worst danger is give up halfway.在学习上，最忌讳的是有始无终。

19 vengeance
n.报复，报仇，复仇
参考例句：
He swore vengeance against the men who murdered his father.他发誓要向那些杀害他父亲的人报仇。 For years he brooded vengeance.多年来他一直在盘算报仇。

20 retired
adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的
参考例句：
The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。 Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

21 lighting
n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光
参考例句：
The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。 The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。

22 cane
n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的
参考例句：
This sugar cane is quite a sweet and juicy.这甘蔗既甜又多汁。 English schoolmasters used to cane the boys as a punishment.英国小学老师过去常用教鞭打男学生作为惩罚。

23 memos
n.备忘录( memo的名词复数 )；（美）内部通知
参考例句：
Big shots get their dander up and memos start flying. 大人物们怒火中烧，备忘录四下乱飞。 来自辞典例句 There was a pile of mail, memos and telephone messages on his desk. 他的办公桌上堆满着信件、备忘录和电话通知。 来自辞典例句

24 horrified
a.(表现出)恐惧的
参考例句：
The whole country was horrified by the killings. 全国都对这些凶杀案感到大为震惊。 We were horrified at the conditions prevailing in local prisons. 地方监狱的普遍状况让我们震惊。

25 metro
n.地铁；adj.大都市的；(METRO)麦德隆(财富500强公司之一总部所在地德国，主要经营零售)
参考例句：
Can you reach the park by metro?你可以乘地铁到达那个公园吗？ The metro flood gate system is a disaster prevention equipment.地铁防淹门系统是一种防灾设备。

26 positively
adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实
参考例句：
She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。 The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。

27 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。

28 snugly
adv.紧贴地；贴身地；暖和舒适地；安适地
参考例句：
Jamie was snugly wrapped in a white woolen scarf. 杰米围着一条白色羊毛围巾舒适而暖和。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The farmyard was snugly sheltered with buildings on three sides. 这个农家院三面都有楼房，遮得很严实。 来自《简明英汉词典》

29 dents
n.花边边饰；凹痕( dent的名词复数 )；凹部；减少；削弱v.使产生凹痕( dent的第三人称单数 )；损害；伤害；挫伤（信心、名誉等）
参考例句：
He hammered out the dents in the metal sheet. 他把金属板上的一些凹痕敲掉了。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Tin dents more easily than steel. 锡比钢容易变瘪。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

30 splendor
n.光彩；壮丽，华丽；显赫，辉煌
参考例句：
Never in his life had he gazed on such splendor.他生平从没有见过如此辉煌壮丽的场面。 All the splendor in the world is not worth a good friend.人世间所有的荣华富贵不如一个好朋友。

31 grumbled
抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声
参考例句：
He grumbled at the low pay offered to him. 他抱怨给他的工资低。 The heat was sweltering, and the men grumbled fiercely over their work. 天热得让人发昏，水手们边干活边发着牢骚。

32 flipped
轻弹( flip的过去式和过去分词 )； 按（开关）； 快速翻转； 急挥
参考例句：
The plane flipped and crashed. 飞机猛地翻转，撞毁了。 The carter flipped at the horse with his whip. 赶大车的人扬鞭朝着马轻轻地抽打。

33 gritted
v.以沙砾覆盖（某物），撒沙砾于( grit的过去式和过去分词 )；咬紧牙关
参考例句：
He gritted his teeth and plunged into the cold weather. 他咬咬牙，冲向寒冷的天气。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 The young policeman gritted his teeth and walked slowly towards the armed criminal. 年轻警官强忍住怒火，朝武装歹徒慢慢走过去。 来自《简明英汉词典》

34 squinted
斜视( squint的过去式和过去分词 )； 眯着眼睛； 瞟； 从小孔或缝隙里看
参考例句：
Pulling his rifle to his shoulder he squinted along the barrel. 他把枪顶肩，眯起眼睛瞄准。 I squinted through the keyhole. 我从锁眼窥看。

35 gasped
v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要
参考例句：
She gasped at the wonderful view. 如此美景使她惊讶得屏住了呼吸。 People gasped with admiration at the superb skill of the gymnasts. 体操运动员的高超技艺令人赞叹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

36 stiffen
v.(使)硬，(使)变挺，(使)变僵硬
参考例句：
The blood supply to the skin is reduced when muscles stiffen.当肌肉变得僵硬时，皮肤的供血量就减少了。 I was breathing hard,and my legs were beginning to stiffen.这时我却气吁喘喘地开始感到脚有点僵硬。

37 collapsing
压扁[平]，毁坏，断裂
参考例句：
Rescuers used props to stop the roof of the tunnel collapsing. 救援人员用支柱防止隧道顶塌陷。 The rocks were folded by collapsing into the center of the trough. 岩石由于坍陷进入凹槽的中心而发生褶皱。

38 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。

39 ambled
v.（马）缓行( amble的过去式和过去分词 )；从容地走，漫步
参考例句：
We ambled down to the beach. 我们漫步向海滩走去。 The old man ambled home through the garden every evening. 那位老人每天晚上经过花园漫步回家。 来自《简明英汉词典》

40 intersection
n.交集，十字路口，交叉点；[计算机] 交集
参考例句：
There is a stop sign at an intersection.在交叉路口处有停车标志。 Bridges are used to avoid the intersection of a railway and a highway.桥用来避免铁路和公路直接交叉。

41 moss
n.苔，藓，地衣
参考例句：
Moss grows on a rock.苔藓生在石头上。 He was found asleep on a pillow of leaves and moss.有人看见他枕着树叶和苔藓睡着了。

42 spike
n.长钉，钉鞋；v.以大钉钉牢，使...失效
参考例句：
The spike pierced the receipts and held them in order.那个钉子穿过那些收据并使之按顺序排列。 They'll do anything to spike the guns of the opposition.他们会使出各种手段来挫败对手。

43 imminent
adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的
参考例句：
The black clounds show that a storm is imminent.乌云预示暴风雨即将来临。 The country is in imminent danger.国难当头。

44 racing
n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的
参考例句：
I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。 The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。

45 shrubs
灌木( shrub的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The gardener spent a complete morning in trimming those two shrubs. 园丁花了整个上午的时间修剪那两处灌木林。 These shrubs will need more light to produce flowering shoots. 这些灌木需要更多的光照才能抽出开花的新枝。

46 shrub
n.灌木，灌木丛
参考例句：
There is a small evergreen shrub on the hillside.山腰上有一小块常绿灌木丛。 Moving a shrub is best done in early spring.移植灌木最好是在初春的时候。

47 pulsating
adj.搏动的，脉冲的v.有节奏地舒张及收缩( pulsate的现在分词 )；跳动；脉动；受（激情）震动
参考例句：
Lights were pulsating in the sky. 天空有闪烁的光。 Spindles and fingers moved so quickly that the workshop seemed to be one great nervously-pulsating machine. 工作很紧张，全车间是一个飞快的转轮。 来自子夜部分

48 eerie
adj.怪诞的；奇异的；可怕的；胆怯的
参考例句：
It's eerie to walk through a dark wood at night.夜晚在漆黑的森林中行走很是恐怖。 I walked down the eerie dark path.我走在那条漆黑恐怖的小路上。

49 holly
n.[植]冬青属灌木
参考例句：
I recently acquired some wood from a holly tree.最近我从一棵冬青树上弄了些木料。 People often decorate their houses with holly at Christmas.人们总是在圣诞节时用冬青来装饰房屋。

50 squad
n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组
参考例句：
The squad leader ordered the men to mark time.班长命令战士们原地踏步。 A squad is the smallest unit in an army.班是军队的最小构成单位。

51 strand
vt.使（船）搁浅，使（某人）困于（某地）
参考例句：
She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ears.她把一缕散发夹到了耳后。 The climbers had been stranded by a storm.登山者被暴风雨困住了。

52 witty
adj.机智的，风趣的
参考例句：
Her witty remarks added a little salt to the conversation.她的妙语使谈话增添了一些风趣。 He scored a bull's-eye in their argument with that witty retort.在他们的辩论中他那一句机智的反驳击中了要害。

53 outright
adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的
参考例句：
If you have a complaint you should tell me outright.如果你有不满意的事，你应该直率地对我说。 You should persuade her to marry you outright.你应该彻底劝服她嫁给你。

54 feud
n.长期不和；世仇；v.长期争斗；世代结仇
参考例句：
How did he start his feud with his neighbor?他是怎样和邻居开始争吵起来的？ The two tribes were long at feud with each other.这两个部族长期不和。

55 snobbery
n. 充绅士气派, 俗不可耐的性格
参考例句：
Jocelyn accused Dexter of snobbery. 乔斯琳指责德克斯特势力。 Snobbery is not so common in English today as it was said fifty years ago. 如今＂Snobbery＂在英语中已不象50年前那么普遍使用。