New York, January 12, 1906

My seventieth birthday arrived recently--that is to say, it arrived on the 30th of November, but Colonel Harvey1 was not able to celebrate it on that date because that date had been pre-empted by the President to be used as the usual and perfunctory Thanksgiving Day, a function which originated in New England two or three centuries ago when those people recognized that they really had something to be thankful for--annually, not oftener--if they had succeeded in exterminating¹ their neighbors, the Indians, during the previous twelve months instead of getting exterminated³ by their neighbors, the Indians. Thanksgiving Day became a habit, for the reason that in the course of time, as the years drifted on, it was perceived that the exterminating had ceased to be mutual⁴ and was all on the white man's side, consequently on the Lord's side; hence it was proper to thank the Lord for it and extend the usual annual compliments. The original reason for a Thanksgiving Day has long ago ceased to exist--the Indians have long ago been comprehensively and satisfactorily exterminated and the account closed with the Lord, with the thanks due. But, from old habit, Thanksgiving Day has remained with us, and every year the President of the United States and the Governors of all the several states and territories set themselves the task, every November, to hunt up something to be thankful for, and then they put those thanks into a few crisp and reverent⁵ phrases, in the form of a proclamation, and this is read from all the pulpits in the land, the national conscience is wiped clean with one swipe, and sin is resumed at the old stand.
1 Col. George Harvey, at the time president of Harper & Brothers, later American Ambassador to the Court of St. James's.
The President and the Governors had to have my birthday--the 30th--for Thanksgiving Day, and this was a great inconvenience to Colonel Harvey, who had made much preparation for a banquet to be given to me on that day in celebration of the fact that it marked my seventieth escape from the gallows⁶, according to his idea--a fact which he regarded with favor and contemplated

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1 exterminating
v.消灭，根绝( exterminate的现在分词 )
参考例句：
Man is exterminating too many species for zoos to be much help. 人类正在导致过多物种灭绝，动物园也无济于事。 来自辞典例句 Germany is exterminating the Jews of Europe. 德国正在灭绝欧洲犹太人。 来自辞典例句

2 rev
v.发动机旋转，加快速度
参考例句：
It's his job to rev up the audience before the show starts.他要负责在表演开始前鼓动观众的热情。 Don't rev the engine so hard.别让发动机转得太快。

3 exterminated
v.消灭，根绝( exterminate的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
It was exterminated root and branch. 它被彻底剪除了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 The insects can be exterminated by spraying DDT. 可以用喷撒滴滴涕的方法大量杀死这种昆虫。 来自《用法词典》

4 mutual
adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的
参考例句：
We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。 Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

5 reverent
adj.恭敬的，虔诚的
参考例句：
He gave reverent attention to the teacher.他恭敬地听老师讲课。 She said the word artist with a gentle,understanding,reverent smile.她说作家一词时面带高雅，理解和虔诚的微笑。

6 gallows
n.绞刑架，绞台
参考例句：
The murderer was sent to the gallows for his crimes.谋杀犯由于罪大恶极被处以绞刑。 Now I was to expiate all my offences at the gallows.现在我将在绞刑架上赎我一切的罪过。

7 contemplated
adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式
参考例句：
The doctor contemplated the difficult operation he had to perform. 医生仔细地考虑他所要做的棘手的手术。 The government has contemplated reforming the entire tax system. 政府打算改革整个税收体制。

8 persuasive
adj.有说服力的，能说得使人相信的
参考例句：
His arguments in favour of a new school are very persuasive.他赞成办一座新学校的理由很有说服力。 The evidence was not really persuasive enough.证据并不是太有说服力。

9 slaughters
v.屠杀，杀戮，屠宰( slaughter的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
These vast slaughters have since become notorious. 此后，这些大规模的屠杀，就变成了很不光彩的新闻。 来自辞典例句 Remembered that despairs and hope that each other slaughters. 记得绝望和希望，彼此厮杀。 来自互联网

10 conceal
v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽
参考例句：
He had to conceal his identity to escape the police.为了躲避警方，他只好隐瞒身份。 He could hardly conceal his joy at his departure.他几乎掩饰不住临行时的喜悦。

11 concealed
a.隐藏的，隐蔽的
参考例句：
The paintings were concealed beneath a thick layer of plaster. 那些画被隐藏在厚厚的灰泥层下面。 I think he had a gun concealed about his person. 我认为他当时身上藏有一支枪。

12 embroidery
n.绣花，刺绣；绣制品
参考例句：
This exquisite embroidery won people's great admiration.这件精美的绣品，使人惊叹不已。 This is Jane's first attempt at embroidery.这是简第一次试着绣花。

13 caliber
n.能力；水准
参考例句：
They ought to win with players of such high caliber.他们选手的能力这样高,应该获胜。 We are always trying to improve the caliber of our schools.我们一直在想方设法提高我们学校的水平。

14 alphabetical
adj.字母（表）的，依字母顺序的
参考例句：
Please arrange these books in alphabetical order.请把这些书按字母顺序整理一下。 There is no need to maintain a strict alphabetical sequence.不必保持严格的字顺。

15 promptly
adv.及时地，敏捷地
参考例句：
He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。 She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。

16 costly
adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的
参考例句：
It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。 This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

17 dodge
v.闪开，躲开，避开；n.妙计，诡计
参考例句：
A dodge behind a tree kept her from being run over.她向树后一闪，才没被车从身上辗过。 The dodge was coopered by the police.诡计被警察粉碎了。

18 sumptuous
adj.豪华的，奢侈的，华丽的
参考例句：
The guests turned up dressed in sumptuous evening gowns.客人们身着华丽的夜礼服出现了。 We were ushered into a sumptuous dining hall.我们被领进一个豪华的餐厅。

19 beguile
vt.欺骗，消遣
参考例句：
They are playing cards to beguile the time.他们在打牌以消磨时间。 He used his newspapers to beguile the readers into buying shares in his company.他利用他的报纸诱骗读者买他公司的股票。

20 complexion
n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格
参考例句：
Red does not suit with her complexion.红色与她的肤色不协调。 Her resignation puts a different complexion on things.她一辞职局面就全变了。

21 amber
n.琥珀；琥珀色；adj.琥珀制的
参考例句：
Would you like an amber necklace for your birthday?你过生日想要一条琥珀项链吗？ This is a piece of little amber stones.这是一块小小的琥珀化石。

22 cub
n.幼兽，年轻无经验的人
参考例句：
The lion cub's mother was hunting for what she needs. 这只幼师的母亲正在捕猎。 The cub licked the milk from its mother's breast. 这头幼兽吸吮着它妈妈的奶水。

23 battered
adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损
参考例句：
He drove up in a battered old car.他开着一辆又老又破的旧车。 The world was brutally battered but it survived.这个世界遭受了惨重的创伤,但它还是生存下来了。

24 animated
adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的
参考例句：
His observations gave rise to an animated and lively discussion.他的言论引起了一场气氛热烈而活跃的讨论。 We had an animated discussion over current events last evening.昨天晚上我们热烈地讨论时事。

25 poised
a.摆好姿势不动的
参考例句：
The hawk poised in mid-air ready to swoop. 老鹰在半空中盘旋，准备俯冲。 Tina was tense, her hand poised over the telephone. 蒂娜心情紧张，手悬在电话机上。

26 pretext
n.借口，托词
参考例句：
He used his headache as a pretext for not going to school.他借口头疼而不去上学。 He didn't attend that meeting under the pretext of sickness.他以生病为借口，没参加那个会议。

27 vexed
adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论
参考例句：
The conference spent days discussing the vexed question of border controls. 会议花了几天的时间讨论边境关卡这个难题。 He was vexed at his failure. 他因失败而懊恼。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

28 hearty
adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的
参考例句：
After work they made a hearty meal in the worker's canteen.工作完了，他们在工人食堂饱餐了一顿。 We accorded him a hearty welcome.我们给他热忱的欢迎。

29 pretexts
n.借口，托辞( pretext的名词复数 )
参考例句：
On various pretexts they all moved off. 他们以各种各样的借口纷纷离开了。 来自辞典例句 Pretexts and appearances no longer deceive us. 那些托辞与假象再也不会欺骗我们了。 来自辞典例句

30 plumb
adv.精确地，完全地；v.了解意义，测水深
参考例句：
No one could plumb the mystery.没人能看破这秘密。 It was unprofitable to plumb that sort of thing.这种事弄个水落石出没有什么好处。

31 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。

32 serene
adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的
参考例句：
He has entered the serene autumn of his life.他已进入了美好的中年时期。 He didn't speak much,he just smiled with that serene smile of his.他话不多，只是脸上露出他招牌式的淡定的微笑。

33 apprentice
n.学徒，徒弟
参考例句：
My son is an apprentice in a furniture maker's workshop.我的儿子在一家家具厂做学徒。 The apprentice is not yet out of his time.这徒工还没有出徒。

34 smoothly
adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地
参考例句：
The workmen are very cooperative,so the work goes on smoothly.工人们十分合作，所以工作进展顺利。 Just change one or two words and the sentence will read smoothly.这句话只要动一两个字就顺了。

35 kindly
adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地
参考例句：
Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。 A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

36 tinted
adj. 带色彩的 动词tint的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
a pair of glasses with tinted lenses 一副有色镜片眼镜 a rose-tinted vision of the world 对世界的理想化看法

37 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。

38 distinguished
adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的
参考例句：
Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。 A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。

39 doom
n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定
参考例句：
The report on our economic situation is full of doom and gloom.这份关于我们经济状况的报告充满了令人绝望和沮丧的调子。 The dictator met his doom after ten years of rule.独裁者统治了十年终于完蛋了。

40 intervals
n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息
参考例句：
The forecast said there would be sunny intervals and showers. 预报间晴，有阵雨。 Meetings take place at fortnightly intervals. 每两周开一次会。

41 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。

42 fixed
adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的
参考例句：
Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？ Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

43 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。

44 supreme
adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的
参考例句：
It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。 He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

45 distressing
a.使人痛苦的
参考例句：
All who saw the distressing scene revolted against it. 所有看到这种悲惨景象的人都对此感到难过。 It is distressing to see food being wasted like this. 这样浪费粮食令人痛心。

46 misery
n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦
参考例句：
Business depression usually causes misery among the working class.商业不景气常使工薪阶层受苦。 He has rescued me from the mire of misery.他把我从苦海里救了出来。

47 admiration
n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕
参考例句：
He was lost in admiration of the beauty of the scene.他对风景之美赞不绝口。 We have a great admiration for the gold medalists.我们对金牌获得者极为敬佩。

48 gratitude
adj.感激，感谢
参考例句：
I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。 She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。

49 remains
n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹
参考例句：
He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。 The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

50 dreary
adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的
参考例句：
They live such dreary lives.他们的生活如此乏味。 She was tired of hearing the same dreary tale of drunkenness and violence.她听够了那些关于酗酒和暴力的乏味故事。

51 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。

52 idiotic
adj.白痴的
参考例句：
It is idiotic to go shopping with no money.去买东西而不带钱是很蠢的。 The child's idiotic deeds caused his family much trouble.那小孩愚蠢的行为给家庭带来许多麻烦。

53 narrative
n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的
参考例句：
He was a writer of great narrative power.他是一位颇有记述能力的作家。 Neither author was very strong on narrative.两个作者都不是很善于讲故事。

54 arduous
adj.艰苦的，费力的，陡峭的
参考例句：
We must have patience in doing arduous work.我们做艰苦的工作要有耐性。 The task was more arduous than he had calculated.这项任务比他所估计的要艰巨得多。

55 fatiguing
a.使人劳累的
参考例句：
He was fatiguing himself with his writing, no doubt. 想必他是拼命写作，写得精疲力尽了。 Machines are much less fatiguing to your hands, arms, and back. 使用机器时，手、膊和后背不会感到太累。

56 discrepancy
n.不同；不符；差异；矛盾
参考例句：
The discrepancy in their ages seemed not to matter.他们之间年龄的差异似乎没有多大关系。 There was a discrepancy in the two reports of the accident.关于那次事故的两则报道有不一致之处。

57 Christian
adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒
参考例句：
They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。 His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

58 Christians
n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。 His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

59 systematically
adv.有系统地
参考例句：
This government has systematically run down public services since it took office.这一屆政府自上台以来系统地削减了公共服务。 The rainforest is being systematically destroyed.雨林正被系统地毀灭。

60 predecessors
n.前任( predecessor的名词复数 )；前辈；（被取代的）原有事物；前身
参考例句：
The new government set about dismantling their predecessors' legislation. 新政府正着手废除其前任所制定的法律。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Will new plan be any more acceptable than its predecessors? 新计划比原先的计划更能令人满意吗？ 来自《简明英汉词典》

61 penitentiary
n.感化院；监狱
参考例句：
He worked as a warden at the state penitentiary.他在这所州监狱任看守长。 While he was in the penitentiary her father died and the family broke up.他坐牢的时候，她的父亲死了，家庭就拆散了。

62 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。

63 piety
n.虔诚，虔敬
参考例句：
They were drawn to the church not by piety but by curiosity.他们去教堂不是出于虔诚而是出于好奇。 Experience makes us see an enormous difference between piety and goodness.经验使我们看到虔诚与善意之间有着巨大的区别。

64 eloquent
adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的
参考例句：
He was so eloquent that he cut down the finest orator.他能言善辩，胜过最好的演说家。 These ruins are an eloquent reminder of the horrors of war.这些废墟形象地提醒人们不要忘记战争的恐怖。

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