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It is nearly twenty years since I proposed to myself to write a history of English prose fiction. I shall never do it now, but the subject is so good a one that I recommend it heartily1 to some man of letters, who shall at the same time be indefatigable2 and light-handed. I acknowledge that I broke down in the task, because I could not endure the labour in addition to the other labours of my life. Though the book might be charming, the work was very much the reverse. It came to have a terrible aspect to me, as did that proposition that I should sit out all the May meetings of a season. According to my plan of such a history it would be necessary to read an infinity3 of novels, and not only to read them, but so to read them as to point out the excellences5 of those which are most excellent, and to explain the defects of those which, though defective6, had still reached sufficient reputation to make them worthy7 of notice. I did read many after this fashion — and here and there I have the criticisms which I wrote. In regard to many, they were written on some blank page within the book; I have not, however, even a list of the books so criticised. I think that the Arcadia was the first, and Ivanhoe the last. My plan, as I settled it at last, had been to begin with Robinson Crusoe, which is the earliest really popular novel which we have in our language, and to continue the review so as to include the works of all English novelists of reputation, except those who might still be living when my task should be completed. But when Dickens and Bulwer died, my spirit flagged, and that which I had already found to be very difficult had become almost impossible to me at my then period of life.
I began my own studies on the subject with works much earlier than Robinson Crusoe, and made my way through a variety of novels which were necessary for my purpose, but which in the reading gave me no pleasure whatever. I never worked harder than at the Arcadia, or read more detestable trash than the stories written by Mrs. Aphra Behn; but these two were necessary to my purpose, which was not only to give an estimate of the novels as I found them, but to describe how it had come to pass that the English novels of the present day have become what they are, to point out the effects which they have produced, and to inquire whether their great popularity has on the whole done good or evil to the people who read them. I still think that the book is one well worthy to be written.

1
heartily
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adv.衷心地,诚恳地,十分,很 | |
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2
indefatigable
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adj.不知疲倦的,不屈不挠的 | |
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3
infinity
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n.无限,无穷,大量 | |
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excellence
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n.优秀,杰出,(pl.)优点,美德 | |
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5
excellences
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n.卓越( excellence的名词复数 );(只用于所修饰的名词后)杰出的;卓越的;出类拔萃的 | |
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6
defective
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adj.有毛病的,有问题的,有瑕疵的 | |
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worthy
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adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的 | |
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vindicate
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v.为…辩护或辩解,辩明;证明…正确 | |
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lessened
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减少的,减弱的 | |
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appreciation
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n.评价;欣赏;感谢;领会,理解;价格上涨 | |
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professed
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公开声称的,伪称的,已立誓信教的 | |
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ingenuity
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n.别出心裁;善于发明创造 | |
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perseverance
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n.坚持不懈,不屈不挠 | |
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attain
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vt.达到,获得,完成 | |
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engendered
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v.产生(某形势或状况),造成,引起( engender的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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vice
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n.坏事;恶习;[pl.]台钳,老虎钳;adj.副的 | |
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virtue
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n.德行,美德;贞操;优点;功效,效力 | |
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pastry
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n.油酥面团,酥皮糕点 | |
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afflicted
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使受痛苦,折磨( afflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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sift
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v.筛撒,纷落,详察 | |
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arrogant
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adj.傲慢的,自大的 | |
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ascertaining
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v.弄清,确定,查明( ascertain的现在分词 ) | |
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23
reign
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n.统治时期,统治,支配,盛行;v.占优势 | |
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pickle
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n.腌汁,泡菜;v.腌,泡 | |
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bolster
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n.枕垫;v.支持,鼓励 | |
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banished
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v.放逐,驱逐( banish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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poetic
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adj.富有诗意的,有诗人气质的,善于抒情的 | |
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embargo
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n.禁运(令);vt.对...实行禁运,禁止(通商) | |
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29
profane
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adj.亵神的,亵渎的;vt.亵渎,玷污 | |
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specially
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adv.特定地;特殊地;明确地 | |
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solicits
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恳请 | |
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32
iniquities
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n.邪恶( iniquity的名词复数 );极不公正 | |
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33
defile
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v.弄污,弄脏;n.(山间)小道 | |
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depicted
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描绘,描画( depict的过去式和过去分词 ); 描述 | |
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lavishing
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v.过分给予,滥施( lavish的现在分词 ) | |
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caresses
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爱抚,抚摸( caress的名词复数 ) | |
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passionate
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adj.热情的,热烈的,激昂的,易动情的,易怒的,性情暴躁的 | |
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followers
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追随者( follower的名词复数 ); 用户; 契据的附面; 从动件 | |
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fictitious
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adj.虚构的,假设的;空头的 | |
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jack
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n.插座,千斤顶,男人;v.抬起,提醒,扛举;n.(Jake)杰克 | |
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gallows
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n.绞刑架,绞台 | |
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tempted
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v.怂恿(某人)干不正当的事;冒…的险(tempt的过去分词) | |
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drawn
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v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的 | |
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alluring
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adj.吸引人的,迷人的 | |
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foul
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adj.污秽的;邪恶的;v.弄脏;妨害;犯规;n.犯规 | |
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odious
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adj.可憎的,讨厌的 | |
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outskirts
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n.郊外,郊区 | |
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ethics
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n.伦理学;伦理观,道德标准 | |
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efficiently
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adv.高效率地,有能力地 | |
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distress
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n.苦恼,痛苦,不舒适;不幸;vt.使悲痛 | |
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distressed
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痛苦的 | |
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scourged
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鞭打( scourge的过去式和过去分词 ); 惩罚,压迫 | |
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scourges
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带来灾难的人或东西,祸害( scourge的名词复数 ); 鞭子 | |
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dishonoured
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a.不光彩的,不名誉的 | |
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vices
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缺陷( vice的名词复数 ); 恶习; 不道德行为; 台钳 | |
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56
grandeur
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n.伟大,崇高,宏伟,庄严,豪华 | |
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peril
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n.(严重的)危险;危险的事物 | |
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58
bosom
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n.胸,胸部;胸怀;内心;adj.亲密的 | |
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intercourse
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n.性交;交流,交往,交际 | |
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longing
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n.(for)渴望 | |
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61
longings
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渴望,盼望( longing的名词复数 ) | |
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allusion
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n.暗示,间接提示 | |
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averted
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防止,避免( avert的过去式和过去分词 ); 转移 | |
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dealing
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n.经商方法,待人态度 | |
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advantageous
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adj.有利的;有帮助的 | |
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perpetuates
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n.使永存,使人记住不忘( perpetuate的名词复数 );使永久化,使持久化,使持续 | |
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67
wholesome
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adj.适合;卫生的;有益健康的;显示身心健康的 | |
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evergreen
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n.常青树;adj.四季常青的 | |
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diabolical
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adj.恶魔似的,凶暴的 | |
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favourable
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adj.赞成的,称赞的,有利的,良好的,顺利的 | |
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languish
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vi.变得衰弱无力,失去活力,(植物等)凋萎 | |
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constrained
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adj.束缚的,节制的 | |
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sensational
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adj.使人感动的,非常好的,轰动的,耸人听闻的 | |
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elucidation
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n.说明,阐明 | |
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confession
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n.自白,供认,承认 | |
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awe
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n.敬畏,惊惧;vt.使敬畏,使惊惧 | |
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touching
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adj.动人的,使人感伤的 | |
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tragic
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adj.悲剧的,悲剧性的,悲惨的 | |
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horrify
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vt.使恐怖,使恐惧,使惊骇 | |
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averse
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adj.厌恶的;反对的,不乐意的 | |
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thraldom
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n.奴隶的身份,奴役,束缚 | |
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woes
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困境( woe的名词复数 ); 悲伤; 我好苦哇; 某人就要倒霉 | |
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83
meditated
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深思,沉思,冥想( meditate的过去式和过去分词 ); 内心策划,考虑 | |
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modesty
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n.谦逊,虚心,端庄,稳重,羞怯,朴素 | |
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85
tyros
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n.初学者,新手,生手( tyro的名词复数 ) | |
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pointed
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adj.尖的,直截了当的 | |
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tickled
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(使)发痒( tickle的过去式和过去分词 ); (使)愉快,逗乐 | |
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pathos
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n.哀婉,悲怆 | |
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incumbent
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adj.成为责任的,有义务的;现任的,在职的 | |
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anecdotes
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n.掌故,趣闻,轶事( anecdote的名词复数 ) | |
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91
narration
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n.讲述,叙述;故事;记叙体 | |
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fatigue
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n.疲劳,劳累 | |
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93
fatigued
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adj. 疲乏的 | |
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propped
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支撑,支持,维持( prop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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mechanism
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n.机械装置;机构,结构 | |
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innate
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adj.天生的,固有的,天赋的 | |
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sufficiently
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adv.足够地,充分地 | |
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98
intimacy
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n.熟悉,亲密,密切关系,亲昵的言行 | |
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99
noted
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adj.著名的,知名的 | |
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100
aptitudes
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(学习方面的)才能,资质,天资( aptitude的名词复数 ) | |
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101
aptitude
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n.(学习方面的)才能,资质,天资 | |
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102
teller
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n.银行出纳员;(选举)计票员 | |
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103
forth
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adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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104
harmonious
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adj.和睦的,调和的,和谐的,协调的 | |
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conscientious
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adj.审慎正直的,认真的,本着良心的 | |
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106
distinguished
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adj.卓越的,杰出的,著名的 | |
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107
intelligible
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adj.可理解的,明白易懂的,清楚的 | |
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108
pellucid
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adj.透明的,简单的 | |
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109
recondite
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adj.深奥的,难解的 | |
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110
recipient
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a.接受的,感受性强的 n.接受者,感受者,容器 | |
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111
habitually
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ad.习惯地,通常地 | |
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112
habitual
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adj.习惯性的;通常的,惯常的 | |
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113
prosody
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n.诗体论,作诗法 | |
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114
stanza
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n.(诗)节,段 | |
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115
syllable
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n.音节;vt.分音节 | |
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116
orator
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n.演说者,演讲者,雄辩家 | |
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117
climax
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n.顶点;高潮;v.(使)达到顶点 | |
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118
attained
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(通常经过努力)实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 ); 达到; 获得; 达到(某年龄、水平、状况) | |
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119
doctrine
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n.教义;主义;学说 | |
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120
dint
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n.由于,靠;凹坑 | |
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121
exclusion
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n.拒绝,排除,排斥,远足,远途旅行 | |
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122
discursive
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adj.离题的,无层次的 | |
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undoubtedly
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adv.确实地,无疑地 | |
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conversant
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adj.亲近的,有交情的,熟悉的 | |
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125
acumen
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n.敏锐,聪明 | |
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extraneous
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adj.体外的;外来的;外部的 | |
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127
deviated
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v.偏离,越轨( deviate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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devious
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adj.不坦率的,狡猾的;迂回的,曲折的 | |
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129
situated
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adj.坐落在...的,处于某种境地的 | |
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utterance
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n.用言语表达,话语,言语 | |
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expressive
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adj.表现的,表达…的,富于表情的 | |
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132
steer
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vt.驾驶,为…操舵;引导;vi.驾驶 | |
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133
pedantry
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n.迂腐,卖弄学问 | |
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slovenly
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adj.懒散的,不整齐的,邋遢的 | |
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135
grimace
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v.做鬼脸,面部歪扭 | |
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136
justify
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vt.证明…正当(或有理),为…辩护 | |
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137
specialty
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n.(speciality)特性,特质;专业,专长 | |
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138
defiance
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n.挑战,挑衅,蔑视,违抗 | |
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139
artistic
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adj.艺术(家)的,美术(家)的;善于艺术创作的 | |
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140
tedium
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n.单调;烦闷 | |
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