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Fancy a novel about Chicago or Buffalo1, let us say, or Nashville, Tennessee! There are just three big cities in the United States that are "story cities" - New York, of course, New Orleans, and, best of the lot, San Francisco.
FRANK NORRIS.
East is East, and West is San Francisco, according to Californians. Californians are a race of people; they are not merely inhabitants of a State. They are the Southerners of the West. Now, Chicagoans are no less loyal to their city; but when you ask them why, they stammer2 and speak of lake fish and the new Odd Fellows Building. But Californians go into detail.
Of course they have, in the climate, an argument that is good for half an hour while you are thinking of your coal bills and heavy underwear. But as soon as they come to mistake your silence for conviction, madness comes upon them, and they picture the city of the Golden Gate as the Bagdad of the New World. So far, as a matter of opinion, no refutation is necessary. But, dear cousins all (from Adam and Eve descended), it is a rash one who will lay his finger on the map and say: "In this town there can be no romance - what could happen here?" Yes, it is a bold and a rash deed to challenge in one sentence history, romance, and Rand and McNally.
NASHVILLE - A city, port of delivery, and the capital of the State of Tennessee, is on the Cumberland River and on the N. C. & St. L. and the L. & N. railroads. This city is regarded as the most important educational centre in the South.
I stepped off the train at 8 P.M. Having searched the thesaurus in vain for adjectives, I must, as a substitution, hie me to comparison in the form of a recipe.
Take a London fog 30 parts; malaria3 10 parts; gas leaks 20 parts; dewdrops gathered in a brick yard at sunrise, 25 parts; odor of honeysuckle 15 parts. Mix.
The mixture will give you an approximate conception of a Nashville drizzle4. It is not so fragrant5 as a moth-ball nor as thick as pea-soup; but 'tis enough - 'twill serve.
I went to a hotel in a tumbril. It required strong self-suppression for me to keep from climbing to the top of it and giving an imitation of Sidney Carton. The vehicle was drawn
收听单词发音
1
buffalo
n.(北美)野牛;(亚洲)水牛
2
stammer
n.结巴,口吃;v.结结巴巴地说
3
malaria
n.疟疾
4
drizzle
v.下毛毛雨;n.毛毛雨,蒙蒙细雨
5
fragrant
adj.芬香的,馥郁的,愉快的
6
drawn
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的
7
emancipated
adj.被解放的,不受约束的v.解放某人(尤指摆脱政治、法律或社会的束缚)( emancipate的过去式和过去分词 )
8
prate
v.瞎扯,胡说
9
renovated
翻新,修复,整修( renovate的过去式和过去分词 )
10
brass
n.黄铜;黄铜器,铜管乐器
11
lithograph
n.平板印刷,平板画;v.用平版印刷
12
lookout
n.注意,前途,瞭望台
13
exquisite
adj.精美的;敏锐的;剧烈的,感觉强烈的
14
snail
n.蜗牛
15
accomplished
adj.有才艺的;有造诣的;达到了的
16
forth
adv.向前;向外,往外
17
caravan
n.大蓬车;活动房屋
18
reassuring
a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的,使人放心的
19
worthy
adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的
20
parlor
n.店铺,营业室;会客室,客厅
21
enticed
诱惑,怂恿( entice的过去式和过去分词 )
22
consecrated
adj.神圣的,被视为神圣的v.把…奉为神圣,给…祝圣( consecrate的过去式和过去分词 );奉献
23
discreetly
ad.(言行)审慎地,慎重地
24
tinkled
(使)发出丁当声,(使)发铃铃声( tinkle的过去式和过去分词 ); 叮当响着发出,铃铃响着报出
25
irreproachable
adj.不可指责的,无过失的
26
hood
n.头巾,兜帽,覆盖;v.罩上,以头巾覆盖
27
imposing
adj.使人难忘的,壮丽的,堂皇的,雄伟的
28
urns
n.壶( urn的名词复数 );瓮;缸;骨灰瓮
29
pitcher
n.(有嘴和柄的)大水罐;(棒球)投手
30
deductions
扣除( deduction的名词复数 ); 结论; 扣除的量; 推演
31
hereditary
adj.遗传的,遗传性的,可继承的,世袭的
32
tar
n.柏油,焦油;vt.涂或浇柏油/焦油于
33
geographical
adj.地理的;地区(性)的
34
pulpy
果肉状的,多汁的,柔软的; 烂糊; 稀烂
35
Buddha
n.佛;佛像;佛陀
36
possessed
adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的
37
virtue
n.德行,美德;贞操;优点;功效,效力
38
smoothly
adv.平滑地,顺利地,流利地,流畅地
39
repulsed
v.击退( repulse的过去式和过去分词 );驳斥;拒绝
40
standing
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的
41
promptly
adv.及时地,敏捷地
42
ragged
adj.衣衫褴褛的,粗糙的,刺耳的
43
eschew
v.避开,戒绝
44
collateral
adj.平行的;旁系的;n.担保品
45
genealogy
n.家系,宗谱
46
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
47
profanely
adv.渎神地,凡俗地
48
rumor
n.谣言,谣传,传说
49
obligatory
adj.强制性的,义务的,必须的
50
prated
v.(古时用语)唠叨,啰唆( prate的过去式和过去分词 )
51
courteously
adv.有礼貌地,亲切地
52
humdrum
adj.单调的,乏味的
53
cracker
n.(无甜味的)薄脆饼干
54
wholesale
n.批发;adv.以批发方式;vt.批发,成批出售
55
tedium
n.单调;烦闷
56
luncheon
n.午宴,午餐,便宴
57
unlimited
adj.无限的,不受控制的,无条件的
58
remarkable
adj.显著的,异常的,非凡的,值得注意的
59
variegated
adj.斑驳的,杂色的
60
cape
n.海角,岬;披肩,短披风
61
tasseled
v.抽穗, (玉米)长穗须( tassel的过去式和过去分词 );使抽穗, (为了使作物茁壮生长)摘去穗状雄花;用流苏装饰
62
surmised
v.臆测,推断( surmise的过去式和过去分词 );揣测;猜想
63
hempen
adj. 大麻制的, 大麻的
64
twine
v.搓,织,编饰;(使)缠绕
65
frayed
adj.磨损的v.(使布、绳等)磨损,磨破( fray的过去式和过去分词 )
66
splendors
n.华丽( splendor的名词复数 );壮丽;光辉;显赫
67
painstaking
adj.苦干的;艰苦的,费力的,刻苦的
68
pathos
n.哀婉,悲怆
69
lone
adj.孤寂的,单独的;唯一的
70
strings
n.弦
71
weird
adj.古怪的,离奇的;怪诞的,神秘而可怕的
72
hues
色彩( hue的名词复数 ); 色调; 信仰; 观点
73
hack
n.劈,砍,出租马车;v.劈,砍,干咳
74
hitched
(免费)搭乘他人之车( hitch的过去式和过去分词 ); 搭便车; 攀上; 跃上
75
rumbling
n. 隆隆声, 辘辘声
adj. 隆隆响的
动词rumble的现在分词
76
speck
n.微粒,小污点,小斑点
77
curb
n.场外证券市场,场外交易;vt.制止,抑制
78
memorandum
n.备忘录,便笺
79
saturnine
adj.忧郁的,沉默寡言的,阴沉的,感染铅毒的
80
rattle
v.飞奔,碰响;激怒;n.碰撞声;拨浪鼓
81
uneven
adj.不平坦的,不规则的,不均匀的
82
mansion
n.大厦,大楼;宅第
83
grove
n.林子,小树林,园林
84
overflowed
溢出的
85
noose
n.绳套,绞索(刑);v.用套索捉;使落入圈套;处以绞刑
86
grandeur
n.伟大,崇高,宏伟,庄严,豪华
87
excellence
n.优秀,杰出,(pl.)优点,美德
88
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
89
generosity
n.大度,慷慨,慷慨的行为
90
obstinately
ad.固执地,顽固地
91
softened
(使)变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 ); 缓解打击; 缓和; 安慰
92
mingling
adj.混合的
93
cupidity
n.贪心,贪财
94
hostility
n.敌对,敌意;抵制[pl.]交战,战争
95
mighty
adj.强有力的;巨大的
96
parlous
adj.危险的,不确定的,难对付的
97
frail
adj.身体虚弱的;易损坏的
98
nurtured
养育( nurture的过去式和过去分词 ); 培育; 滋长; 助长
99
originality
n.创造力,独创性;新颖
100
derived
vi.起源;由来;衍生;导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 );(从…中)得到获得;源于;(从…中)提取
101
loyalty
n.忠诚,忠心
102
muses
v.沉思,冥想( muse的第三人称单数 );沉思自语说(某事)
103
colloquy
n.谈话,自由讨论
104
regained
复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 ); 赢回; 重回; 复至某地
105
sedate
adj.沉着的,镇静的,安静的
106
ware
n.(常用复数)商品,货物
107
intensity
n.强烈,剧烈;强度;烈度
108
everlasting
adj.永恒的,持久的,无止境的
109
wafted
v.吹送,飘送,(使)浮动( waft的过去式和过去分词 )
110
lumber
n.木材,木料;v.以破旧东西堆满;伐木;笨重移动
111
shuffled
v.洗(纸牌)( shuffle的过去式和过去分词 );拖着脚步走;粗心地做;摆脱尘世的烦恼
112
glowering
v.怒视( glower的现在分词 )
113
bulging
膨胀; 凸出(部); 打气; 折皱
114
baker
n.面包师
115
shriek
v./n.尖叫,叫喊
116
mingled
混合,混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 ); 混进,与…交往[联系]
117
squeals
n.长而尖锐的叫声( squeal的名词复数 )v.长声尖叫,用长而尖锐的声音说( squeal的第三人称单数 )
118
unintelligible
adj.无法了解的,难解的,莫明其妙的
119
hoarse
adj.嘶哑的,沙哑的
120
rumble
n.隆隆声;吵嚷;v.隆隆响;低沉地说
121
tenant
n.承租人;房客;佃户;v.租借,租用
122
rescind
v.废除,取消
123
iniquity
n.邪恶;不公正
124
accomplice
n.从犯,帮凶,同谋
125
peripatetic
adj.漫游的,逍遥派的,巡回的
126
flirted
v.调情,打情骂俏( flirt的过去式和过去分词 )
127
kindly
adj.和蔼的,温和的,爽快的;adv.温和地,亲切地
128
countenance
n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同
129
humbly
adv. 恭顺地,谦卑地
130
thereby
adv.因此,从而
131
advertising
n.广告业;广告活动 a.广告的;广告业务的
132
follies
罪恶,时事讽刺剧; 愚蠢,蠢笨,愚蠢的行为、思想或做法( folly的名词复数 )
133
dreary
adj.令人沮丧的,沉闷的,单调乏味的
134
dividends
红利( dividend的名词复数 ); 股息; 被除数; (足球彩票的)彩金
135
rattled
慌乱的,恼火的
136
frailer
脆弱的( frail的比较级 ); 易损的; 易碎的
137
antediluvian
adj.史前的,陈旧的
138
decided
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
139
insufficient
adj.(for,of)不足的,不够的
140
devoted
adj.忠诚的,忠实的,热心的,献身于...的
141
seizure
n.没收;占有;抵押
142
royalty
n.皇家,皇族
143
negotiations
协商( negotiation的名词复数 ); 谈判; 完成(难事); 通过
144
binding
有约束力的,有效的,应遵守的
145
besieging
包围,围困,围攻( besiege的现在分词 )
146
extemporized
v.即兴创作,即席演奏( extemporize的过去式和过去分词 )
147
corporeality
n.肉体的存在,形体的存在
148
immortal
adj.不朽的;永生的,不死的;神的
149
conspicuous
adj.明眼的,惹人注目的;炫耀的,摆阔气的
150
reprobate
n.无赖汉;堕落的人
151
warrior
n.勇士,武士,斗士
152
clinched
v.(尤指两人)互相紧紧抱[扭]住( clinch的过去式和过去分词 );解决(争端、交易),达成(协议)
153
prohibition
n.禁止;禁令,禁律
154
demise
n.死亡;v.让渡,遗赠,转让