Martin went back to his pearl-diving article, which would have been finished sooner if it had not been broken in upon so frequently by his attempts to write poetry. His poems were love poems, inspired by Ruth, but they were never completed. Not in a day could he learn to chant in noble verse. Rhyme and metre and structure were serious enough in themselves, but there was, over and beyond them, an intangible and evasive something that he caught in all great poetry, but which he could not catch and imprison¹ in his own. It was the elusive² spirit of poetry itself that he sensed and sought after but could not capture. It seemed a glow to him, a warm and trailing vapor³, ever beyond his reaching, though sometimes he was rewarded by catching⁴ at shreds⁵ of it and weaving them into phrases that echoed in his brain with haunting notes or drifted across his vision in misty⁶ wafture of unseen beauty. It was baffling. He ached with desire to express and could but gibber prosaically⁷ as everybody gibbered. He read his fragments aloud. The metre marched along on perfect feet, and the rhyme pounded a longer and equally faultless rhythm, but the glow and high exaltation that he felt within were lacking. He could not understand, and time and again, in despair, defeated and depressed⁸, he returned to his article. Prose was certainly an easier medium.

Following the "Pearl-diving," he wrote an article on the sea as a career, another on turtle-catching, and a third on the northeast trades. Then he tried, as an experiment, a short story, and before he broke his stride he had finished six short stories and despatched them to various magazines. He wrote prolifically⁹, intensely, from morning till night, and late at night, except when he broke off to go to the reading-room, draw books from the library, or to call on Ruth. He was profoundly happy. Life was pitched high. He was in a fever that never broke. The joy of creation that is supposed to belong to the gods was his. All the life about him - the odors of stale vegetables and soapsuds, the slatternly form of his sister, and the

点击收听单词发音  

1 imprison
vt.监禁，关押，限制，束缚
参考例句：
The effect of this one is going to imprison you for life.而这件事的影响力则会让你被终身监禁。 Dutch colonial authorities imprisoned him for his part in the independence movement.荷兰殖民当局因他参加独立运动而把他关押了起来。

2 elusive
adj.难以表达(捉摸)的；令人困惑的；逃避的
参考例句：
Try to catch the elusive charm of the original in translation.翻译时设法把握住原文中难以捉摸的风韵。 Interpol have searched all the corners of the earth for the elusive hijackers.国际刑警组织已在世界各地搜查在逃的飞机劫持者。

3 vapor
n.蒸汽，雾气
参考例句：
The cold wind condenses vapor into rain.冷风使水蒸气凝结成雨。 This new machine sometimes transpires a lot of hot vapor.这部机器有时排出大量的热气。

4 catching
adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住
参考例句：
There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。 Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

5 shreds
v.撕碎，切碎( shred的第三人称单数 )；用撕毁机撕毁（文件）
参考例句：
Peel the carrots and cut them into shreds. 将胡罗卜削皮，切成丝。 来自《简明英汉词典》 I want to take this diary and rip it into shreds. 我真想一赌气扯了这日记。 来自汉英文学 - 中国现代小说

6 misty
adj.雾蒙蒙的，有雾的
参考例句：
He crossed over to the window to see if it was still misty.他走到窗户那儿，看看是不是还有雾霭。 The misty scene had a dreamy quality about it.雾景给人以梦幻般的感觉。

7 prosaically
adv.无聊地；乏味地；散文式地；平凡地
参考例句：
'We're not dead yet,'said Julia prosaically. “我们还没死哩，”朱莉亚干巴巴地答道。 来自英汉文学 I applied my attention prosaically to my routine. 我把我的注意力投入到了平淡无味的日常事务之中。 来自互联网

8 depressed
adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的
参考例句：
When he was depressed,he felt utterly divorced from reality.他心情沮丧时就感到完全脱离了现实。 His mother was depressed by the sad news.这个坏消息使他的母亲意志消沉。

9 prolifically
adv.多产地，丰富地
参考例句：
He wrote prolifically both in Ireland and England, nearly constantly shuttling from one to the other. 他几乎不断穿梭于爱尔兰和英国之间，并在两地写出大量作品。 来自互联网 He had directed his first film in 1923 and had worked prolifically throughout the silent era. 1923年，沟口健二执导了他的处女作，在之后的整个默片时代里，他创作了大量作品。 来自互联网

10 jeering
adj.嘲弄的，揶揄的v.嘲笑( jeer的现在分词 )
参考例句：
Hecklers interrupted her speech with jeering. 捣乱分子以嘲笑打断了她的讲话。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He interrupted my speech with jeering. 他以嘲笑打断了我的讲话。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 joyfully
adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地
参考例句：
She tripped along joyfully as if treading on air. 她高兴地走着，脚底下轻飘飘的。 During these first weeks she slaved joyfully. 在最初的几周里，她干得很高兴。

12 wares
n. 货物, 商品
参考例句：
They sold their wares at half-price. 他们的货品是半价出售的。 The peddler was crying up his wares. 小贩极力夸耀自己的货物。

13 severing
v.切断，断绝( sever的现在分词 )；断，裂
参考例句：
The death of a second parent is like severing an umbilical cord to our past. 父母当中第二个人去世，就象斩断了把我们同过去联在一起的纽带。 来自辞典例句 The severing theory and severing method for brittle block are studied. 研究裂纹技术应用于分离脆性块体的分离理论和分离方法。 来自互联网

14 strings
n.弦
参考例句：
He sat on the bed,idly plucking the strings of his guitar.他坐在床上，随意地拨着吉他的弦。 She swept her fingers over the strings of the harp.她用手指划过竖琴的琴弦。

15 scorched
烧焦，烤焦( scorch的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（植物）枯萎，把…晒枯； 高速行驶； 枯焦
参考例句：
I scorched my dress when I was ironing it. 我把自己的连衣裙熨焦了。 The hot iron scorched the tablecloth. 热熨斗把桌布烫焦了。

16 algebra
n.代数学
参考例句：
He was not good at algebra in middle school.他中学时不擅长代数。 The boy can't figure out the algebra problems.这个男孩做不出这道代数题。

17 consolation
n.安慰，慰问
参考例句：
The children were a great consolation to me at that time.那时孩子们成了我的莫大安慰。 This news was of little consolation to us.这个消息对我们来说没有什么安慰。

18 ebbing
（指潮水）退( ebb的现在分词 )； 落； 减少； 衰落
参考例句：
The pain was ebbing. 疼痛逐渐减轻了。 There are indications that his esoteric popularity may be ebbing. 有迹象表明，他神秘的声望可能正在下降。

19 serial
n.连本影片，连本电视节目；adj.连续的
参考例句：
A new serial is starting on television tonight.今晚电视开播一部新的电视连续剧。 Can you account for the serial failures in our experiment?你能解释我们实验屡屡失败的原因吗？

20 rejection
n.拒绝，被拒，抛弃，被弃
参考例句：
He decided not to approach her for fear of rejection.他因怕遭拒绝决定不再去找她。 The rejection plunged her into the dark depths of despair.遭到拒绝使她陷入了绝望的深渊。

21 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。

22 exalted
adj.(地位等)高的，崇高的；尊贵的，高尚的
参考例句：
Their loveliness and holiness in accordance with their exalted station.他们的美丽和圣洁也与他们的崇高地位相称。 He received respect because he was a person of exalted rank.他因为是个地位崇高的人而受到尊敬。

23 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。

24 jaw
n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训
参考例句：
He delivered a right hook to his opponent's jaw.他给了对方下巴一记右钩拳。 A strong square jaw is a sign of firm character.强健的方下巴是刚毅性格的标志。

25 glistened
v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
Pearls of dew glistened on the grass. 草地上珠露晶莹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 Her eyes glistened with tears. 她的眼里闪着泪花。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

26 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。

27 artistically
adv.艺术性地
参考例句：
The book is beautifully printed and artistically bound. 这本书印刷精美，装帧高雅。 The room is artistically decorated. 房间布置得很美观。

28 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。

29 queried
v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 )；询问
参考例句：
She queried what he said. 她对他说的话表示怀疑。 来自《简明英汉词典》 \"What does he have to do?\" queried Chin dubiously. “他有什么心事？”琴向觉民问道，她的脸上现出疑惑不解的神情。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）

30 apprehensively
adv.担心地
参考例句：
He glanced a trifle apprehensively towards the crowded ballroom. 他敏捷地朝挤满了人的舞厅瞟了一眼。 来自辞典例句 Then it passed, leaving everything in a state of suspense, even the willow branches waiting apprehensively. 一阵这样的风过去，一切都不知怎好似的，连柳树都惊疑不定的等着点什么。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子

31 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。

32 toiled
长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的过去式和过去分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉
参考例句：
They toiled up the hill in the blazing sun. 他们冒着炎炎烈日艰难地一步一步爬上山冈。 He toiled all day long but earned very little. 他整天劳碌但挣得很少。

33 toil
vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事
参考例句：
The wealth comes from the toil of the masses.财富来自大众的辛勤劳动。 Every single grain is the result of toil.每一粒粮食都来之不易。

34 lured
吸引，引诱（lure的过去式与过去分词形式）
参考例句：
The child was lured into a car but managed to escape. 那小孩被诱骗上了车，但又设法逃掉了。 Lured by the lust of gold,the pioneers pushed onward. 开拓者在黄金的诱惑下，继续奋力向前。

35 demonstrations
证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威
参考例句：
Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。 The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

36 awe
n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧
参考例句：
The sight filled us with awe.这景色使我们大为惊叹。 The approaching tornado struck awe in our hearts.正在逼近的龙卷风使我们惊恐万分。

37 sketches
n.草图( sketch的名词复数 )；素描；速写；梗概
参考例句：
The artist is making sketches for his next painting. 画家正为他的下一幅作品画素描。 You have to admit that these sketches are true to life. 你得承认这些素描很逼真。 来自《简明英汉词典》

38 lyrics
n.歌词
参考例句：
music and lyrics by Rodgers and Hart 由罗杰斯和哈特作词作曲 The book contains lyrics and guitar tablatures for over 100 songs. 这本书有100多首歌的歌词和吉他奏法谱。

39 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。

40 virile
adj.男性的；有男性生殖力的；有男子气概的；强有力的
参考例句：
She loved the virile young swimmer.她爱上了那个有男子气概的年轻游泳运动员。 He wanted his sons to become strong,virile,and athletic like himself.他希望他的儿子们能长得像他一样强壮、阳刚而又健美。

41 impelled
v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He felt impelled to investigate further. 他觉得有必要作进一步调查。 I feel impelled to express grave doubts about the project. 我觉得不得不对这项计划深表怀疑。 来自《简明英汉词典》

42 subjective
a.主观(上)的，个人的
参考例句：
The way they interpreted their past was highly subjective. 他们解释其过去的方式太主观。 A literary critic should not be too subjective in his approach. 文学评论家的看法不应太主观。

43 grotesque
adj.怪诞的，丑陋的；n.怪诞的图案，怪人（物）
参考例句：
His face has a grotesque appearance.他的面部表情十分怪。 Her account of the incident was a grotesque distortion of the truth.她对这件事的陈述是荒诞地歪曲了事实。

44 marvels
n.奇迹( marvel的名词复数 )；令人惊奇的事物（或事例）；不平凡的成果；成就v.惊奇，对…感到惊奇( marvel的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
The doctor's treatment has worked marvels : the patient has recovered completely. 该医生妙手回春，病人已完全康复。 来自辞典例句 Nevertheless he revels in a catalogue of marvels. 可他还是兴致勃勃地罗列了一堆怪诞不经的事物。 来自辞典例句

45 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。

46 prostrated
v.使俯伏，使拜倒( prostrate的过去式和过去分词 )；（指疾病、天气等）使某人无能为力
参考例句：
He was prostrated by the loss of his wife. 他因丧妻而忧郁。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 They prostrated themselves before the emperor. 他们拜倒在皇帝的面前。 来自《简明英汉词典》

47 afterward
adv.后来；以后
参考例句：
Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏，然后吃饭。 Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来，这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。

48 mere
adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过
参考例句：
That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。 It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

49 molecules
分子( molecule的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The structure of molecules can be seen under an electron microscope. 分子的结构可在电子显微镜下观察到。 Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules. 在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。

50 irresistible
adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的
参考例句：
The wheel of history rolls forward with an irresistible force.历史车轮滚滚向前，势不可挡。 She saw an irresistible skirt in the store window.她看见商店的橱窗里有一条叫人着迷的裙子。

51 yearning
a.渴望的；向往的；怀念的
参考例句：
a yearning for a quiet life 对宁静生活的向往 He felt a great yearning after his old job. 他对过去的工作有一种强烈的渴想。

52 gulf
n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂
参考例句：
The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。 There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

53 luscious
adj.美味的；芬芳的；肉感的，引与性欲的
参考例句：
The watermelon was very luscious.Everyone wanted another slice.西瓜很可口，每个人都想再来一片。 What I like most about Gabby is her luscious lips!我最喜欢的是盖比那性感饱满的双唇！

54 abruptly
adv.突然地，出其不意地
参考例句：
He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。 I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。

55 stunned
adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
The fall stunned me for a moment. 那一下摔得我昏迷了片刻。 The leaders of the Kopper Company were then stunned speechless. 科伯公司的领导们当时被惊得目瞪口呆。

56 audacity
n.大胆，卤莽，无礼
参考例句：
He had the audacity to ask for an increase in salary.他竟然厚着脸皮要求增加薪水。 He had the audacity to pick pockets in broad daylight.他竟敢在光天化日之下掏包。

57 triumphant
adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的
参考例句：
The army made a triumphant entry into the enemy's capital.部队胜利地进入了敌方首都。 There was a positively triumphant note in her voice.她的声音里带有一种极为得意的语气。

58 paean
n.赞美歌，欢乐歌
参考例句：
She struck up the first paean on the grand piano.她开始在那架大钢琴上演奏起第一首颂歌。 The novel is a paean to the end of empire.该小说奏响了一个帝国落寞的赞歌。

59 pouted
v.撅（嘴）( pout的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
Her lips pouted invitingly. 她挑逗地撮起双唇。 I pouted my lips at him, hinting that he should speak first. 我向他努了努嘴，让他先说。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

60 abashed
adj.窘迫的，尴尬的v.使羞愧，使局促，使窘迫( abash的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He glanced at Juliet accusingly and she looked suitably abashed. 他怪罪的一瞥，朱丽叶自然显得很窘。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The girl was abashed by the laughter of her classmates. 那小姑娘因同学的哄笑而局促不安。 来自《简明英汉词典》

61 appalled
v.使惊骇，使充满恐惧( appall的过去式和过去分词)adj.惊骇的；丧胆的
参考例句：
The brutality of the crime has appalled the public. 罪行之残暴使公众大为震惊。 They were appalled by the reports of the nuclear war. 他们被核战争的报道吓坏了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

62 awed
adj.充满敬畏的，表示敬畏的v.使敬畏，使惊惧( awe的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The audience was awed into silence by her stunning performance. 观众席上鸦雀无声，人们对他出色的表演感到惊叹。 来自《简明英汉词典》 I was awed by the huge gorilla. 那只大猩猩使我惊惧。 来自《简明英汉词典》

63 innocence
n.无罪；天真；无害
参考例句：
There was a touching air of innocence about the boy.这个男孩有一种令人感动的天真神情。 The accused man proved his innocence of the crime.被告人经证实无罪。

64 accomplished
adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的
参考例句：
Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。 Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

65 murmur
n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言
参考例句：
They paid the extra taxes without a murmur.他们毫无怨言地交了附加税。 There was a low murmur of conversation in the hall.大厅里有窃窃私语声。

66 fervently
adv.热烈地，热情地，强烈地
参考例句：
"Oh, I am glad!'she said fervently. “哦，我真高兴！”她热烈地说道。 来自《简明英汉词典》 O my dear, my dear, will you bless me as fervently to-morrow?' 啊，我亲爱的，亲爱的，你明天也愿这样热烈地为我祝福么？” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记