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Suppose you should be walking down Broadway after dinner, with ten minutes allotted1 to the consummation of your cigar while you are choosing between a diverting tragedy and something serious in the way of vaudeville2. Suddenly a hand is laid upon your arm. You turn to look into the thrilling eyes of a beautiful woman, wonderful in diamonds and Russian sables3. She thrusts hurriedly into your hand an extremely hot buttered roll, flashes out a tiny pair of scissors, snips4 off the second button of your overcoat, meaningly ejaculates the one word, "parallelogram!" and swiftly flies down a cross street, looking back fearfully over her shoulder.
That would be pure adventure. Would you accept it? Not you. You would flush with embarrassment5; you would sheepishly drop the roll and continue down Broadway, fumbling6 feebly for the missing button. This you would do unless you are one of the blessed few in whom the pure spirit of adventure is not dead.
True adventurers have never been plentiful7. They who are set down in print as such have been mostly business men with newly invented methods. They have been out after the things they wanted--golden fleeces, holy grails, lady loves, treasure, crowns and fame. The true adventurer goes forth9 aimless and uncalculating to meet and greet unknown fate. A fine example was the Prodigal10 Son--when he started back home.
Half-adventurers--brave and splendid figures--have been numerous. From the Crusades to the Palisades they have enriched the arts of history and fiction and the trade of historical fiction. But each of them had a prize to win, a goal to kick, an axe
收听单词发音
1
allotted
分配,拨给,摊派( allot的过去式和过去分词 )
2
vaudeville
n.歌舞杂耍表演
3
sables
n.紫貂( sable的名词复数 );紫貂皮;阴暗的;暗夜
4
snips
n.(剪金属板的)铁剪,铁铗;剪下之物( snip的名词复数 );一点点;零星v.剪( snip的第三人称单数 )
5
embarrassment
n.尴尬;使人为难的人(事物);障碍;窘迫
6
fumbling
n. 摸索,漏接
v. 摸索,摸弄,笨拙的处理
7
plentiful
adj.富裕的,丰富的
8
wan
(wide area network)广域网
9
forth
adv.向前;向外,往外
10
prodigal
adj.浪费的,挥霍的,放荡的
11
axe
n.斧子;v.用斧头砍,削减
12
followers
追随者( follower的名词复数 ); 用户; 契据的附面; 从动件
13
follower
n.跟随者;随员;门徒;信徒
14
worthy
adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的
15
guises
n.外观,伪装( guise的名词复数 )v.外观,伪装( guise的第三人称单数 )
16
curb
n.场外证券市场,场外交易;vt.制止,抑制
17
douse
v.把…浸入水中,用水泼;n.泼洒
18
sidereal
adj.恒星的
19
beckon
v.(以点头或打手势)向...示意,召唤
20
besiege
vt.包围,围攻,拥在...周围
21
perilous
adj.危险的,冒险的
22
pallid
adj.苍白的,呆板的
23
feud
n.长期不和;世仇;v.长期争斗;世代结仇
24
radiator
n.暖气片,散热器
25
egregious
adj.非常的,过分的
26
tempt
vt.引诱,勾引,吸引,引起…的兴趣
27
allurement
n.诱惑物
28
contingent
adj.视条件而定的;n.一组,代表团,分遣队
29
specious
adj.似是而非的;adv.似是而非地
30
serenely
adv.安详地,宁静地,平静地
31
watchfully
警惕地,留心地
32
drawn
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的
33
chattering
n. (机器振动发出的)咔嗒声,(鸟等)鸣,啁啾
adj. 喋喋不休的,啾啾声的
动词chatter的现在分词形式
34
embroidered
adj.绣花的
35
discreetly
ad.(言行)审慎地,慎重地
36
advertising
n.广告业;广告活动 a.广告的;广告业务的
37
deftly
adv.灵巧地,熟练地,敏捷地
38
feat
n.功绩;武艺,技艺;adj.灵巧的,漂亮的,合适的
39
adventurous
adj.爱冒险的;惊心动魄的,惊险的,刺激的
40
inscribed
v.写,刻( inscribe的过去式和过去分词 );内接
41
pedestrians
n.步行者( pedestrian的名词复数 )
42
rattling
adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的
adv. 极其, 很, 非常
动词rattle的现在分词
43
gaudy
adj.华而不实的;俗丽的
44
garb
n.服装,装束
45
suavely
46
unintelligible
adj.无法了解的,难解的,莫明其妙的
47
akin
adj.同族的,类似的
48
jabber
v.快而不清楚地说;n.吱吱喳喳
49
withhold
v.拒绝,不给;使停止,阻挡
50
countenance
n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同
51
disdain
n.鄙视,轻视;v.轻视,鄙视,不屑
52
accusation
n.控告,指责,谴责
53
throng
n.人群,群众;v.拥挤,群集
54
recipient
a.接受的,感受性强的 n.接受者,感受者,容器
55
condemned
adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的
动词condemn的过去式和过去分词
56
deficient
adj.不足的,不充份的,有缺陷的
57
enigma
n.谜,谜一样的人或事
58
standing
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的
59
winking
n.瞬眼,目语v.使眼色( wink的现在分词 );递眼色(表示友好或高兴等);(指光)闪烁;闪亮
60
polyglot
adj.通晓数种语言的;n.通晓多种语言的人
61
abodes
住所( abode的名词复数 ); 公寓; (在某地的)暂住; 逗留
62
sneer
v.轻蔑;嘲笑;n.嘲笑,讥讽的言语
63
juggler
n. 变戏法者, 行骗者
64
rogues
n.流氓( rogue的名词复数 );无赖;调皮捣蛋的人;离群的野兽
65
rustle
v.沙沙作响;偷盗(牛、马等);n.沙沙声声
66
tottering
adj.蹒跚的,动摇的v.走得或动得不稳( totter的现在分词 );踉跄;蹒跚;摇摇欲坠
67
flickering
adj.闪烁的,摇曳的,一闪一闪的
68
chestnut
n.栗树,栗子
69
wares
n. 货物, 商品
70
pickles
n.腌菜( pickle的名词复数 );处于困境;遇到麻烦;菜酱
71
pickle
n.腌汁,泡菜;v.腌,泡
72
oysters
牡蛎( oyster的名词复数 )
73
insufficient
adj.(for,of)不足的,不够的
74
swell
vi.膨胀,肿胀;增长,增强
75
promptly
adv.及时地,敏捷地
76
bereft
adj.被剥夺的
77
eyelids
n.眼睑( eyelid的名词复数 );眼睛也不眨一下;不露声色;面不改色
78
awfully
adv.可怕地,非常地,极端地
79
eloquently
adv. 雄辩地(有口才地, 富于表情地)
80
frankly
adv.坦白地,直率地;坦率地说
81
decided
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
82
expedient
adj.有用的,有利的;n.紧急的办法,权宜之计
83
distress
n.苦恼,痛苦,不舒适;不幸;vt.使悲痛
84
curiously
adv.有求知欲地;好问地;奇特地
85
ascended
v.上升,攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 )
86
descended
a.为...后裔的,出身于...的
87
pointed
adj.尖的,直截了当的
88
stoutly
adv.牢固地,粗壮的