Half a dozen people supping at a table in one of the upper-Broadway all-night restaurants were making too much noise. Three times the manager walked past them with a politely warning glance; but their argument had waxed too warm to be quelled¹ by a manager's gaze. It was midnight, and the restaurant was filled with patrons from the theatres of that district. Some among the dispersed² audiences must have recognized among the quarrelsome sextet the faces of the players belonging to the Carroll Comedy Company.

Four of the six made up the company. Another was the author of the comedietta, "A Gay Coquette," which the quartette of layers had been presenting with fair success at several vaudeville³ houses in the city. The sixth at the table was a person inconsequent in the realm of art, but one at whose bidding many lobsters⁴ had perished.

Loudly the six maintained their clamorous⁵ debate. No one of the Party was silent except when answers were stormed from him by the excited ones. That was the comedian⁶ of "A Gay Coquette." He was a young man with a face even too melancholy⁷ for his profession.

The oral warfare⁸ of four immoderate tongues was directed at Miss Clarice Carroll, the twinkling star of the small aggregation⁹. Excepting the downcast comedian, all members of the party united in casting upon her with vehemence¹⁰ the blame of some momentous¹¹ misfortune. Fifty times they told her: "It is your fault, Clarice- it is you alone who spoilt the scene. It is only of late that you have acted this way. At this rate the

点击收听单词发音  

1 quelled
v.（用武力）制止，结束，镇压( quell的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
Thanks to Kao Sung-nien's skill, the turmoil had been quelled. 亏高松年有本领，弹压下去。 来自汉英文学 - 围城 Mr. Atkinson was duly quelled. 阿特金森先生被及时地将了一军。 来自辞典例句

2 dispersed
adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的
参考例句：
The clouds dispersed themselves. 云散了。 After school the children dispersed to their homes. 放学后，孩子们四散回家了。

3 vaudeville
n.歌舞杂耍表演
参考例句：
The standard length of a vaudeville act was 12 minutes.一个杂耍节目的标准长度是12分钟。 The mayor talk like a vaudeville comedian in his public address.在公共演讲中，这位市长讲起话来像个歌舞杂耍演员。

4 lobsters
龙虾( lobster的名词复数 )； 龙虾肉
参考例句：
I have no idea about how to prepare those cuttlefish and lobsters. 我对如何烹调那些乌贼和龙虾毫无概念。 She sold me a couple of live lobsters. 她卖了几只活龙虾给我。

5 clamorous
adj.吵闹的，喧哗的
参考例句：
They are clamorous for better pay.他们吵吵嚷嚷要求增加工资。 The meeting began to become clamorous.会议开始变得喧哗了。

6 comedian
n.喜剧演员；滑稽演员
参考例句：
The comedian tickled the crowd with his jokes.喜剧演员的笑话把人们逗乐了。 The comedian enjoyed great popularity during the 30's.那位喜剧演员在三十年代非常走红。

7 melancholy
n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的
参考例句：
All at once he fell into a state of profound melancholy.他立即陷入无尽的忧思之中。 He felt melancholy after he failed the exam.这次考试没通过，他感到很郁闷。

8 warfare
n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突
参考例句：
He addressed the audience on the subject of atomic warfare.他向听众演讲有关原子战争的问题。 Their struggle consists mainly in peasant guerrilla warfare.他们的斗争主要是农民游击战。

9 aggregation
n.聚合，组合；凝聚
参考例句：
A high polymer is a very large aggregation of units.一个高聚物是许多单元的非常大的组合。 Moreover,aggregation influences the outcome of chemical disinfection of viruses.此外，聚集作用还会影响化学消毒的效果。

10 vehemence
n.热切；激烈；愤怒
参考例句：
The attack increased in vehemence.进攻越来越猛烈。 She was astonished at his vehemence.她对他的激昂感到惊讶。

11 momentous
adj.重要的，重大的
参考例句：
I am deeply honoured to be invited to this momentous occasion.能应邀出席如此重要的场合，我深感荣幸。 The momentous news was that war had begun.重大的新闻是战争已经开始。

12 sketch
n.草图；梗概；素描；v.素描；概述
参考例句：
My sister often goes into the country to sketch. 我姐姐常到乡间去写生。 I will send you a slight sketch of the house.我将给你寄去房屋的草图。

13 ancestry
n.祖先，家世
参考例句：
Their ancestry settled the land in 1856.他们的祖辈1856年在这块土地上定居下来。 He is an American of French ancestry.他是法国血统的美国人。

14 vivacity
n.快活，活泼，精神充沛
参考例句：
Her charm resides in her vivacity.她的魅力存在于她的活泼。 He was charmed by her vivacity and high spirits.她的活泼与兴高采烈的情绪把他迷住了。

15 scorching
adj. 灼热的
参考例句：
a scorching, pitiless sun 灼热的骄阳 a scorching critique of the government's economic policy 对政府经济政策的严厉批评

16 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。

17 possessed
adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的
参考例句：
He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。 He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。

18 hurled
v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂
参考例句：
He hurled a brick through the window. 他往窗户里扔了块砖。 The strong wind hurled down bits of the roof. 大风把屋顶的瓦片刮了下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 exhausted
adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的
参考例句：
It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长，到家时我们已筋疲力尽。 Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。

20 wrangled
v.争吵，争论，口角( wrangle的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
They wrangled over what to do next. 他们就接下来该干什么而争吵。 来自辞典例句 They wrangled and rowed with other passengers. 他们与其他旅客争辨吵闹。 来自辞典例句

21 disinterested
adj.不关心的，不感兴趣的
参考例句：
He is impartial and disinterested.他公正无私。 He's always on the make,I have never known him do a disinterested action.他这个人一贯都是唯利是图，我从来不知道他有什么无私的行动。

22 synonym
n.同义词，换喻词
参考例句：
Zhuge Liang is a synonym for wisdom in folklore.诸葛亮在民间传说中成了智慧的代名词。 The term 'industrial democracy' is often used as a synonym for worker participation. “工业民主”这个词常被用作“工人参与”的同义词。

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 philosophical
adj.哲学家的，哲学上的，达观的
参考例句：
The teacher couldn't answer the philosophical problem.老师不能解答这个哲学问题。 She is very philosophical about her bad luck.她对自己的不幸看得很开。

25 sergeant
n.警官，中士
参考例句：
His elder brother is a sergeant.他哥哥是个警官。 How many stripes are there on the sleeve of a sergeant?陆军中士的袖子上有多少条纹？

26 disturbances
n.骚乱( disturbance的名词复数 )；打扰；困扰；障碍
参考例句：
The government has set up a commission of inquiry into the disturbances at the prison. 政府成立了一个委员会来调查监狱骚乱事件。 Extra police were called in to quell the disturbances. 已调集了增援警力来平定骚乱。

27 raisin
n.葡萄干
参考例句：
They baked us raisin bread.他们给我们烤葡萄干面包。 You can also make raisin scones.你也可以做葡萄干烤饼。

28 playwright
n.剧作家，编写剧本的人
参考例句：
Gwyn Thomas was a famous playwright.格温·托马斯是著名的剧作家。 The playwright was slaughtered by the press.这位剧作家受到新闻界的无情批判。

29 remonstrated
v.抗议( remonstrate的过去式和过去分词 )；告诫
参考例句：
They remonstrated with the official about the decision. 他们就这一决定向这位官员提出了抗议。 We remonstrated against the ill-treatment of prisoners of war. 我们对虐待战俘之事提出抗议。 来自辞典例句

30 plumed
饰有羽毛的
参考例句：
The knight plumed his helmet with brilliant red feathers. 骑士用鲜红的羽毛装饰他的头盔。 The eagle plumed its wing. 这只鹰整理它的翅膀。

31 acting
n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的
参考例句：
Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。 During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

32 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。

33 reiterated
反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
"Well, I want to know about it,'she reiterated. “嗯，我一定要知道你的休假日期，"她重复说。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹 Some twenty-two years later President Polk reiterated and elaborated upon these principles. 大约二十二年之后，波尔克总统重申这些原则并且刻意阐释一番。

34 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。

35 dwarfish
a.像侏儒的，矮小的
参考例句：
Her dwarfish spouse still smoked his cigar and drank his rum without heeding her. 她那矮老公还在吸他的雪茄，喝他的蔗酒，睬也不睬她。 Rest no longer satisfied with thy dwarfish attainments, but press forward to things and heavenly. 不要再满足于属世的成就，要努力奔向属天的事物。

36 middle-aged
adj.中年的
参考例句：
I noticed two middle-aged passengers.我注意到两个中年乘客。 The new skin balm was welcome by middle-aged women.这种新护肤香膏受到了中年妇女的欢迎。

37 thespian
adj.戏曲的；n.演员；悲剧演员
参考例句：
If you enjoy acting in plays,join your school's thespian club.如果你喜欢戏剧表演，就加入你学校的戏剧社团。 The actress demonstrated thespian talents at her first audition.这位女演员第一次试镜就展现出戏剧天分。

38 dubiously
adv.可疑地，怀疑地
参考例句：
"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） He walked out fast, leaving the head waiter staring dubiously at the flimsy blue paper. 他很快地走出去，撇下侍者头儿半信半疑地瞪着这张薄薄的蓝纸。 来自辞典例句

39 standing
n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的
参考例句：
After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。 They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

40 mischievous
adj.调皮的，恶作剧的，有害的，伤人的
参考例句：
He is a mischievous but lovable boy.他是一个淘气但可爱的小孩。 A mischievous cur must be tied short.恶狗必须拴得短。

41 gorilla
n.大猩猩，暴徒，打手
参考例句：
I was awed by the huge gorilla.那只大猩猩使我惊惧。 A gorilla is just a speechless animal.猩猩只不过是一种不会说话的动物。

42 sylvan
adj.森林的
参考例句：
Venerable oaks forms a sylvan archway.古老的栎树形成一条林荫拱道。 They lived in a sylvan retreat.他们住在一个林中休养地。

43 capers
n.开玩笑( caper的名词复数 )；刺山柑v.跳跃，雀跃( caper的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
I like to fly about and cut capers. 我喜欢跳跳蹦蹦闹着玩儿。 来自辞典例句 He always leads in pranks and capers. 他老是带头胡闹和开玩笑。 来自辞典例句

44 vindication
n.洗冤，证实
参考例句：
There is much to be said in vindication of his claim.有很多理由可以提出来为他的要求作辩护。 The result was a vindication of all our efforts.这一结果表明我们的一切努力是必要的。

45 agile
adj.敏捷的，灵活的
参考例句：
She is such an agile dancer!她跳起舞来是那么灵巧！ An acrobat has to be agile.杂技演员必须身手敏捷。

46 mimicking
v.（尤指为了逗乐而）模仿( mimic的现在分词 )；酷似
参考例句：
She's always mimicking the teachers. 她总喜欢模仿老师的言谈举止。 The boy made us all laugh by mimicking the teacher's voice. 这男孩模仿老师的声音，逗得我们大家都笑了。 来自辞典例句

47 uncouth
adj.无教养的，粗鲁的
参考例句：
She may embarrass you with her uncouth behavior.她的粗野行为可能会让你尴尬。 His nephew is an uncouth young man.他的侄子是一个粗野的年轻人。

48 hideous
adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的
参考例句：
The whole experience had been like some hideous nightmare.整个经历就像一场可怕的噩梦。 They're not like dogs,they're hideous brutes.它们不像狗，是丑陋的畜牲。

49 prankish
adj.爱开玩笑的，恶作剧的；开玩笑性质的
参考例句：

50 lyric
n.抒情诗，歌词；adj.抒情的
参考例句：
This is a good example of Shelley's lyric poetry.这首诗是雪莱抒情诗的范例。 His earlier work announced a lyric talent of the first order.他的早期作品显露了一流的抒情才华。

51 worthy
adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的
参考例句：
I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。 There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned.没有值得一提的事发生。

52 tenor
n.男高音（歌手），次中音（乐器），要旨，大意
参考例句：
The tenor of his speech was that war would come.他讲话的大意是战争将要发生。 The four parts in singing are soprano,alto,tenor and bass.唱歌的四个声部是女高音、女低音、男高音和男低音。

53 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。

54 scenic
adj.自然景色的，景色优美的
参考例句：
The scenic beauty of the place entranced the visitors.这里的美丽风光把游客们迷住了。 The scenic spot is on northwestern outskirts of Beijing.这个风景区位于北京的西北远郊。

55 impatience
n.不耐烦，急躁
参考例句：
He expressed impatience at the slow rate of progress.进展缓慢，他显得不耐烦。 He gave a stamp of impatience.他不耐烦地跺脚。

56 Flared
adj. 端部张开的, 爆发的, 加宽的, 漏斗式的 动词flare的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
The match flared and went out. 火柴闪亮了一下就熄了。 The fire flared up when we thought it was out. 我们以为火已经熄灭，但它突然又燃烧起来。

57 pointed
adj.尖的，直截了当的
参考例句：
He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。 She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

58 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。

59 grasshopper
n.蚱蜢，蝗虫，蚂蚱
参考例句：
He thought he had made an end of the little grasshopper.他以为把那个小蚱蜢干掉了。 The grasshopper could not find anything to eat.蚱蜢找不到任何吃的东西。