Horace and Marcia were married early in February. The sensation in academic circles both at Yale and Princeton was tremendous. Horace Tarbox, who at fourteen had been played up in the Sunday magazines sections of metropolitan¹ newspapers, was throwing over his career, his chance of being a world authority on American philosophy, by marrying a chorus girl — they made Marcia a chorus girl. But like all modern stories it was a four-and-a-half-day wonder.

They took a flat in Harlem. After two weeks’ search, during which his idea of the value of academic knowledge faded unmercifully, Horace took a position as clerk with a South American export company — some one had told him that exporting was the coming thing. Marcia was to stay in her show for a few months — anyway until he got on his feet. He was getting a hundred and twenty-five to start with, and though of course they told him it was only a question of months until he would be earning double that, Marcia refused even to consider giving up the hundred and fifty a week that she was getting at the time.

“We’ll call ourselves Head and Shoulders, dear,” she said softly, “and the shoulders’ll have to keep shaking a little longer until the old head gets started.”

“I hate it,” he objected gloomily.

“Well,” she replied emphatically, “Your salary wouldn’t keep us in a tenement². Don’t think I want to be public — I don’t. I want to be yours. But I’d be a half-wit to sit in one room and count the sunflowers on the wall-paper while I waited for you. When you pull down three hundred a month I’ll quit.”

And much as it hurt his pride, Horace had to admit that hers was the wiser course.

March mellowed³ into April. May read a gorgeous riot act to the parks and waters of Manhatten, and they were very happy. Horace, who had no habits whatsoever⁴ — he had never had time to form any — proved the most adaptable⁵ of husbands, and as Marcia entirely⁶ lacked opinions on the subjects that

点击收听单词发音  

1 metropolitan
adj.大城市的，大都会的
参考例句：
Metropolitan buildings become taller than ever.大城市的建筑变得比以前更高。 Metropolitan residents are used to fast rhythm.大都市的居民习惯于快节奏。

2 tenement
n.公寓；房屋
参考例句：
They live in a tenement.他们住在廉价公寓里。 She felt very smug in a tenement yard like this.就是在个这样的杂院里，她觉得很得意。

3 mellowed
（使）成熟( mellow的过去式和过去分词 )； 使色彩更加柔和，使酒更加醇香
参考例句：
She's mellowed over the years. 这些年来他变得成熟了。 The colours mellowed as the sun went down. 随着太阳的落去，色泽变得柔和了。

4 whatsoever
adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么
参考例句：
There's no reason whatsoever to turn down this suggestion.没有任何理由拒绝这个建议。 All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,do ye even so to them.你想别人对你怎样，你就怎样对人。

5 adaptable
adj.能适应的，适应性强的，可改编的
参考例句：
He is an adaptable man and will soon learn the new work.他是个适应性很强的人，很快就将学会这种工作。 The soil is adaptable to the growth of peanuts.这土壤适宜于花生的生长。

6 entirely
ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地
参考例句：
The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。 His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

7 engrossed
adj.全神贯注的
参考例句：
The student is engrossed in his book.这名学生正在专心致志地看书。 No one had ever been quite so engrossed in an evening paper.没人会对一份晚报如此全神贯注。

8 factotum
n.杂役；听差
参考例句：
We need a factotum to take care of the workshop.我们需要一个杂役来负责车间的事情。 I was employed as housekeeper,nanny,and general factotum.我是管家、保姆和总勤杂工。

9 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。

10 adoration
n.爱慕，崇拜
参考例句：
He gazed at her with pure adoration.他一往情深地注视着她。 The old lady fell down in adoration before Buddhist images.那老太太在佛像面前顶礼膜拜。

11 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。

12 originality
n.创造力，独创性；新颖
参考例句：
The name of the game in pop music is originality.流行音乐的本质是独创性。 He displayed an originality amounting almost to genius.他显示出近乎天才的创造性。

13 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。

14 vaguely
adv.含糊地，暖昧地
参考例句：
He had talked vaguely of going to work abroad.他含糊其词地说了到国外工作的事。 He looked vaguely before him with unseeing eyes.他迷迷糊糊的望着前面，对一切都视而不见。

15 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。

16 killing
n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财
参考例句：
Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。 Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

17 mused
v.沉思，冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 )；沉思自语说（某事）
参考例句：
\"I wonder if I shall ever see them again, \"he mused. “我不知道是否还可以再见到他们，”他沉思自问。 来自《简明英汉词典》 \"Where are we going from here?\" mused one of Rutherford's guests. 卢瑟福的一位客人忍不住说道：‘我们这是在干什么？” 来自英汉非文学 - 科学史

18 lookout
n.注意，前途，瞭望台
参考例句：
You can see everything around from the lookout.从了望台上你可以看清周围的一切。 It's a bad lookout for the company if interest rates don't come down.如果利率降不下来，公司的前景可就不妙了。

19 bunk
n.(车、船等倚壁而设的)铺位；废话
参考例句：
He left his bunk and went up on deck again.他离开自己的铺位再次走到甲板上。 Most economists think his theories are sheer bunk.大多数经济学家认为他的理论纯属胡说。

20 contortions
n.扭歪，弯曲；扭曲，弄歪，歪曲( contortion的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Trimeris' compound, called T-20, blocks the final structural contortions from taking place. T-20是特里米瑞斯公司生产的化合物。它能阻止分子最终结构折叠的发生。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 癌症与艾滋病 The guard was laughing at his contortions. 那个警卫看到他那难受劲儿感到好笑。 来自英汉文学

21 deserted
adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的
参考例句：
The deserted village was filled with a deathly silence.这个荒废的村庄死一般的寂静。 The enemy chieftain was opposed and deserted by his followers.敌人头目众叛亲离。

22 meditative
adj.沉思的，冥想的
参考例句：
A stupid fellow is talkative;a wise man is meditative.蠢人饶舌，智者思虑。 Music can induce a meditative state in the listener.音乐能够引导倾听者沉思。

23 stunt
n.惊人表演，绝技，特技；vt.阻碍...发育，妨碍...生长
参考例句：
Lack of the right food may stunt growth.缺乏适当的食物会阻碍发育。 Right up there is where the big stunt is taking place.那边将会有惊人的表演。

24 perch
n.栖木，高位，杆；v.栖息，就位，位于
参考例句：
The bird took its perch.鸟停歇在栖木上。 Little birds perch themselves on the branches.小鸟儿栖歇在树枝上。

25 stunts
n.惊人的表演( stunt的名词复数 )；（广告中）引人注目的花招；愚蠢行为；危险举动v.阻碍…发育[生长]，抑制，妨碍( stunt的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
He did all his own stunts. 所有特技都是他自己演的。 The plane did a few stunts before landing. 飞机着陆前做了一些特技。 来自《简明英汉词典》

26 chirped
鸟叫，虫鸣( chirp的过去式 )
参考例句：
So chirped fiber gratings have broad reflection bandwidth. 所以chirped光纤光栅具有宽的反射带宽，在反射带宽内具有渐变的群时延等其它类型的光纤光栅所不具备的特点。 The crickets chirped faster and louder. 蟋蟀叫得更欢了。

27 pensively
adv.沉思地，焦虑地
参考例句：
Garton pensively stirred the hotchpotch of his hair. 加顿沉思着搅动自己的乱发。 来自辞典例句 "Oh, me,'said Carrie, pensively. "I wish I could live in such a place." “唉，真的，"嘉莉幽幽地说，"我真想住在那种房子里。” 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

28 computed
adj.[医]计算的，使用计算机的v.计算，估算( compute的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He computed that the project would take seven years to complete. 他估计这项计划要花七年才能完成。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Resolving kernels and standard errors can also be computed for each block. 还可以计算每个块体的分辨核和标准误差。 来自辞典例句

29 placid
adj.安静的，平和的
参考例句：
He had been leading a placid life for the past eight years.八年来他一直过着平静的生活。 You should be in a placid mood and have a heart-to- heart talk with her.你应该心平气和的好好和她谈谈心。

30 gaped
v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的过去式和过去分词 )；张开，张大
参考例句：
A huge chasm gaped before them. 他们面前有个巨大的裂痕。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The front door was missing. A hole gaped in the roof. 前门不翼而飞，屋顶豁开了一个洞。 来自辞典例句

31 wondrous
adj.令人惊奇的，奇妙的；adv.惊人地；异乎寻常地；令人惊叹地
参考例句：
The internal structure of the Department is wondrous to behold.看一下国务院的内部结构是很有意思的。 We were driven across this wondrous vast land of lakes and forests.我们乘车穿越这片有着湖泊及森林的广袤而神奇的土地。

32 prodigy
n.惊人的事物，奇迹，神童，天才，预兆
参考例句：
She was a child prodigy on the violin.她是神童小提琴手。 He was always a Negro prodigy who played barbarously and wonderfully.他始终是一个黑人的奇才，这种奇才弹奏起来粗野而惊人。

33 swap
n.交换；vt.交换，用...作交易
参考例句：
I will swap you my bicycle for your radio.我想拿我的自行车换你的收音机。 This comic was a swap that I got from Nick.这本漫画书是我从尼克那里换来的。

34 passionate
adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的
参考例句：
He is said to be the most passionate man.据说他是最有激情的人。 He is very passionate about the project.他对那个项目非常热心。

35 beatific
adj.快乐的，有福的
参考例句：
All parents wish their children could have a safe and beatific life.父母都渴望他们的孩子们平安快乐。 Perhaps the Beatific Vision itself has some remote kinship with this lowly experience.或许至福幻象本身就同这种平凡的体验有着某种淡薄的血缘关系。

36 wanly
adv.虚弱地；苍白地，无血色地
参考例句：
She was smiling wanly. 她苍白无力地笑着。 来自互联网

37 passionately
ad.热烈地，激烈地
参考例句：
She could hate as passionately as she could love. 她能恨得咬牙切齿，也能爱得一往情深。 He was passionately addicted to pop music. 他酷爱流行音乐。

38 drowsy
adj.昏昏欲睡的，令人发困的
参考例句：
Exhaust fumes made him drowsy and brought on a headache.废气把他熏得昏昏沉沉，还引起了头疼。 I feel drowsy after lunch every day.每天午饭后我就想睡觉。

39 lengthening
（时间或空间）延长，伸长( lengthen的现在分词 )； 加长
参考例句：
The evening shadows were lengthening. 残阳下的影子越拉越长。 The shadows are lengthening for me. 我的影子越来越长了。 来自演讲部分

40 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。”

41 weird
adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的
参考例句：
From his weird behaviour,he seems a bit of an oddity.从他不寻常的行为看来，他好像有点怪。 His weird clothes really gas me.他的怪衣裳简直笑死人。

42 punctuation
n.标点符号，标点法
参考例句：
My son's punctuation is terrible.我儿子的标点符号很糟糕。 A piece of writing without any punctuation is difficult to understand.一篇没有任何标点符号的文章是很难懂的。

43 chaotic
adj.混沌的，一片混乱的，一团糟的
参考例句：
Things have been getting chaotic in the office recently.最近办公室的情况越来越乱了。 The traffic in the city was chaotic.这城市的交通糟透了。

44 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。

45 pessimism
n.悲观者，悲观主义者，厌世者
参考例句：
He displayed his usual pessimism.他流露出惯有的悲观。 There is the note of pessimism in his writings.他的著作带有悲观色彩。

46 diaphanous
adj.(布)精致的，半透明的
参考例句：
She was wearing a dress of diaphanous silk.她穿着一件薄如蝉翼的绸服。 We have only a diaphanous hope of success.我们只有隐约的成功希望。

47 temerity
n.鲁莽，冒失
参考例句：
He had the temerity to ask for higher wages after only a day's work.只工作了一天，他就蛮不讲理地要求增加工资。 Tins took some temerity,but it was fruitless.这件事做得有点莽撞，但结果还是无用。

48 tangible
adj.有形的，可触摸的，确凿的，实际的
参考例句：
The policy has not yet brought any tangible benefits.这项政策还没有带来任何实质性的好处。 There is no tangible proof.没有确凿的证据。