Five o’clock robed down from the sun and plumped soundlessly into the sea. The golden collar widened into a glittering island; and a faint breeze that had been playing with the edges of the awning¹ and swaying one of the dangling² blue slippers³ became suddenly freighted with song. It was a chorus of men in close harmony and in perfect rhythm to an accompanying sound of oars⁴ dealing⁵ the blue writers. Ardita lifted her head and listened.

“Carrots and Peas,

Beans on their knees,

Pigs in the seas,

Lucky fellows!

Blow us a breeze,

Blow us a breeze,

Blow us a breeze,

With your bellows⁶.”

Ardita’s brow wrinkled in astonishment⁷. Sitting very still she listened eagerly as the chorus took up a second verse.

“Onions and beans,

Marshalls and Deans,

Goldbergs and Greens

And Costellos.

Blow us a breeze,

Blow us a breeze,

Blow us a breeze,

With your bellows.”

With an exclamation⁸ she tossed her book to the desk, where it sprawled⁹ at a straddle, and hurried to the rail. Fifty feet away a large rowboat was approaching containing seven men, six of them rowing and one standing¹⁰ up in the stern keeping time to their song with an orchestra leader’s baton¹¹.

“Oysters and Rocks,

Sawdust and socks,

Who could make clocks

点击收听单词发音  

1 awning
n.遮阳篷；雨篷
参考例句：
A large green awning is set over the glass window to shelter against the sun.在玻璃窗上装了个绿色的大遮棚以遮挡阳光。 Several people herded under an awning to get out the shower.几个人聚集在门栅下避阵雨

2 dangling
悬吊着( dangle的现在分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口
参考例句：
The tooth hung dangling by the bedpost, now. 结果，那颗牙就晃来晃去吊在床柱上了。 The children sat on the high wall,their legs dangling. 孩子们坐在一堵高墙上，摇晃着他们的双腿。

3 slippers
n. 拖鞋
参考例句：
a pair of slippers 一双拖鞋 He kicked his slippers off and dropped on to the bed. 他踢掉了拖鞋，倒在床上。

4 oars
n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
He pulled as hard as he could on the oars. 他拼命地划桨。 The sailors are bending to the oars. 水手们在拼命地划桨。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 dealing
n.经商方法，待人态度
参考例句：
This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。 His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

6 bellows
n.风箱；发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的名词复数 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的第三人称单数 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫
参考例句：
His job is to blow the bellows for the blacksmith. 他的工作是给铁匠拉风箱。 来自辞典例句 You could, I suppose, compare me to a blacksmith's bellows. 我想，你可能把我比作铁匠的风箱。 来自辞典例句

7 astonishment
n.惊奇，惊异
参考例句：
They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。 I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。

8 exclamation
n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词
参考例句：
He could not restrain an exclamation of approval.他禁不住喝一声采。 The author used three exclamation marks at the end of the last sentence to wake up the readers.作者在文章的最后一句连用了三个惊叹号，以引起读者的注意。

9 sprawled
v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的过去式和过去分词)；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着）
参考例句：
He was sprawled full-length across the bed. 他手脚摊开横躺在床上。 He was lying sprawled in an armchair, watching TV. 他四肢伸开正懒散地靠在扶手椅上看电视。

10 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。

11 baton
n.乐队用指挥杖
参考例句：
With the baton the conductor was beating time.乐队指挥用指挥棒打拍子。 The conductor waved his baton,and the band started up.指挥挥动指挥棒，乐队开始演奏起来。

12 cellos
n.大提琴( cello的名词复数 )
参考例句：
We are manufacturer of high-and medium-end violins, violas, cellos and basses. 我厂是深圳专业生产制作高档、中档小提琴、中提琴、大提琴、低音提琴的企业。 来自互联网 Our company specializes in producing violins, cellos, bases and instrument cases. 本公司是一家专业生产小提琴、大提琴、贝司和乐器箱包的企业。 来自互联网

13 discord
n.不和，意见不合，争论，（音乐）不和谐
参考例句：
These two answers are in discord.这两个答案不一样。 The discord of his music was hard on the ear.他演奏的不和谐音很刺耳。

14 graceful
adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的
参考例句：
His movements on the parallel bars were very graceful.他的双杠动作可帅了! The ballet dancer is so graceful.芭蕾舞演员的姿态是如此的优美。

15 agile
adj.敏捷的，灵活的
参考例句：
She is such an agile dancer!她跳起舞来是那么灵巧！ An acrobat has to be agile.杂技演员必须身手敏捷。

16 dazedly
头昏眼花地，眼花缭乱地，茫然地
参考例句：
Chu Kuei-ying stared dazedly at her mother for a moment, but said nothing. 朱桂英怔怔地望着她母亲，不作声。 来自子夜部分 He wondered dazedly whether the term after next at his new school wouldn't matter so much. 他昏头昏脑地想，不知道新学校的第三个学期是不是不那么重要。

17 initiated
n. 创始人 adj. 新加入的 vt. 开始，创始，启蒙，介绍加入
参考例句：
He has not yet been thoroughly initiated into the mysteries of computers. 他对计算机的奥秘尚未入门。 The artist initiated the girl into the art world in France. 这个艺术家介绍这个女孩加入巴黎艺术界。

18 enamel
n.珐琅，搪瓷，瓷釉；(牙齿的)珐琅质
参考例句：
I chipped the enamel on my front tooth when I fell over.我跌倒时门牙的珐琅质碰碎了。 He collected coloured enamel bowls from Yugoslavia.他藏有来自南斯拉夫的彩色搪瓷碗。

19 curt
adj.简短的，草率的
参考例句：
He gave me an extremely curt answer.他对我作了极为草率的答复。 He rapped out a series of curt commands.他大声发出了一连串简短的命令。

20 scrambled
v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞
参考例句：
Each scrambled for the football at the football ground. 足球场上你争我夺。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 He scrambled awkwardly to his feet. 他笨拙地爬起身来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

21 ornamented
adj.花式字体的v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The desk was ornamented with many carvings. 这桌子装饰有很多雕刻物。 来自《简明英汉词典》 She ornamented her dress with lace. 她用花边装饰衣服。 来自《简明英汉词典》

22 slung
抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往
参考例句：
He slung the bag over his shoulder. 他把包一甩，挎在肩上。 He stood up and slung his gun over his shoulder. 他站起来把枪往肩上一背。

23 apparently
adv.显然地；表面上，似乎
参考例句：
An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。 He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

24 saluted
v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂
参考例句：
The sergeant stood to attention and saluted. 中士立正敬礼。 He saluted his friends with a wave of the hand. 他挥手向他的朋友致意。 来自《简明英汉词典》

25 consultation
n.咨询；商量；商议；会议
参考例句：
The company has promised wide consultation on its expansion plans.该公司允诺就其扩展计划广泛征求意见。 The scheme was developed in close consultation with the local community.该计划是在同当地社区密切磋商中逐渐形成的。

26 withering
使人畏缩的，使人害羞的，使人难堪的
参考例句：
She gave him a withering look. 她极其蔑视地看了他一眼。 The grass is gradually dried-up and withering and pallen leaves. 草渐渐干枯、枯萎并落叶。

27 ashore
adv.在(向)岸上，上岸
参考例句：
The children got ashore before the tide came in.涨潮前，孩子们就上岸了。 He laid hold of the rope and pulled the boat ashore.他抓住绳子拉船靠岸。

28 brass
n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器
参考例句：
Many of the workers play in the factory's brass band.许多工人都在工厂铜管乐队中演奏。 Brass is formed by the fusion of copper and zinc.黄铜是通过铜和锌的熔合而成的。

29 luxurious
adj.精美而昂贵的；豪华的
参考例句：
This is a luxurious car complete with air conditioning and telephone.这是一辆附有空调设备和电话的豪华轿车。 The rich man lives in luxurious surroundings.这位富人生活在奢侈的环境中。

30 exhausted
adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的
参考例句：
It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长，到家时我们已筋疲力尽。 Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。

31 disdained
鄙视( disdain的过去式和过去分词 )； 不屑于做，不愿意做
参考例句：
I disdained to answer his rude remarks. 我不屑回答他的粗话。 Jackie disdained the servants that her millions could buy. 杰姬鄙视那些她用钱就可以收买的奴仆。

32 curiously
adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地
参考例句：
He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。 He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。

33 jade
n.玉石；碧玉；翡翠
参考例句：
The statue was carved out of jade.这座塑像是玉雕的。 He presented us with a couple of jade lions.他送给我们一对玉狮子。

34 supple
adj.柔软的，易弯的，逢迎的，顺从的，灵活的；vt.使柔软，使柔顺，使顺从；vi.变柔软，变柔顺
参考例句：
She gets along well with people because of her supple nature.她与大家相处很好，因为她的天性柔和。 He admired the graceful and supple movements of the dancers.他赞扬了舞蹈演员优雅灵巧的舞姿。

35 steadily
adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地
参考例句：
The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。 Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

36 wirelesses
n.无线电，收音机( wireless的名词复数 )；无线电接收机或发射机
参考例句：

37 zigzagging
v.弯弯曲曲地走路，曲折地前进( zigzag的现在分词 )；盘陀
参考例句：
She walked along, zigzagging with her head back. 她回头看着，弯弯扭扭地向前走去。 来自《简明英汉词典》 We followed the path zigzagging up the steep slope. 我们沿着小径曲曲折折地爬上陡坡。 来自互联网

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 buddies
n.密友( buddy的名词复数 )；同伴；弟兄；（用于称呼男子，常带怒气）家伙v.（如密友、战友、伙伴、弟兄般）交往( buddy的第三人称单数 )；做朋友；亲近（…）；伴护艾滋病人
参考例句：
We became great buddies. 我们成了非常好的朋友。 来自辞典例句 The two of them have become great buddies. 他们俩成了要好的朋友。 来自辞典例句

40 fugitives
n.亡命者，逃命者( fugitive的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Three fugitives from the prison are still at large. 三名逃犯仍然未被抓获。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Members of the provisional government were prisoners or fugitives. 临时政府的成员或被捕或逃亡。 来自演讲部分