`I hope I shall soon have the pleasure of introducing my son to you,' said Mr. Weston.

Mrs. Elton, very willing to suppose a particular compliment intended her by such a hope, smiled most graciously.

`You have heard of a certain Frank Churchill, I presume,' he continued - `and know him to be my son, though he does not bear my name.'

`Oh! yes, and I shall be very happy in his acquaintance. I am sure Mr. Elton will lose no time in calling on him; and we shall both have great pleasure in seeing him at the Vicarage.'

`You are very obliging. - Frank will be extremely happy, I am sure. - He is to be in town next week, if not sooner. We have notice of it in a letter to-day. I met the letters in my way this morning, and seeing my son's hand, presumed to open it - though it was not directed to me - it was to Mrs. Weston. She is his principal correspondent, I assure you. I hardly ever get a letter.'

`And so you absolutely opened what was directed to her! Oh! Mr. Weston - (laughing affectedly) I must protest against that. - A most dangerous precedent¹ indeed! - I beg you will not let your neighbours follow your example. - Upon my word, if this is what I am to expect, we married women must begin to exert ourselves! - Oh! Mr. Weston, I could not have believed it of you!'

`Aye, we men are sad fellows. You must take care of yourself, Mrs. Elton. - This letter tells us - it is a short letter - written in a hurry, merely to give us notice - it tells us that they are all coming up to town directly, on Mrs. Churchill's account - she has not been well the whole winter, and thinks Enscombe too cold for her - so they are all to move southward without loss of time.'

`Indeed! - from Yorkshire, I think. Enscombe is in Yorkshire?'

`Yes, they are about one hundred and ninety miles from London. a considerable journey.'

`Yes, upon my word, very considerable. Sixty-five miles farther than from Maple² Grove³ to London. But what is distance, Mr. Weston, to people of large fortune? - You would be amazed to hear how my brother, Mr. Suckling, sometimes flies about. You will hardly believe me - but twice in one week he and Mr. Bragge went to London and back again with four horses.'

`The evil of the distance from Enscombe,' said Mr. Weston, `is, that Mrs. Churchill, as we understand, has not been able to leave the sofa for a week together. In Frank's last letter she complained, he said, of being too weak to get into her

点击收听单词发音  

1 precedent
n.先例，前例；惯例；adj.在前的，在先的
参考例句：
Is there a precedent for what you want me to do?你要我做的事有前例可援吗？ This is a wonderful achievement without precedent in Chinese history.这是中国历史上亘古未有的奇绩。

2 maple
n.槭树，枫树，槭木
参考例句：
Maple sugar is made from the sap of maple trees.枫糖是由枫树的树液制成的。 The maple leaves are tinge with autumn red.枫叶染上了秋天的红色。

3 grove
n.林子，小树林，园林
参考例句：
On top of the hill was a grove of tall trees.山顶上一片高大的树林。 The scent of lemons filled the grove.柠檬香味充满了小树林。

4 conservatory
n.温室，音乐学院；adj.保存性的，有保存力的
参考例句：
At the conservatory,he learned how to score a musical composition.在音乐学校里，他学会了怎样谱曲。 The modern conservatory is not an environment for nurturing plants.这个现代化温室的环境不适合培育植物。

5 antagonist
n.敌人，对抗者，对手
参考例句：
His antagonist in the debate was quicker than he.在辩论中他的对手比他反应快。 The thing is to know the nature of your antagonist.要紧的是要了解你的对手的特性。

6 exertions
n.努力( exertion的名词复数 )；费力；（能力、权力等的）运用；行使
参考例句：
As long as they lived, exertions would not be necessary to her. 只要他们活着，是不需要她吃苦的。 来自辞典例句 She failed to unlock the safe in spite of all her exertions. 她虽然费尽力气，仍未能将那保险箱的锁打开。 来自辞典例句

7 beheld
v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟
参考例句：
His eyes had never beheld such opulence. 他从未见过这样的财富。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The soul beheld its features in the mirror of the passing moment. 灵魂在逝去的瞬间的镜子中看到了自己的模样。 来自英汉文学 - 红字

8 disclaiming
v.否认( disclaim的现在分词 )
参考例句：
The Act prohibits anyone who offers a written warranty from disclaiming or modifying implied warranties. 马莫法案禁止任何提供书面保证的人否认或修改默示保证。 来自互联网

9 pretence
n.假装，作假；借口，口实；虚伪；虚饰
参考例句：
The government abandoned any pretence of reform. 政府不再装模作样地进行改革。 He made a pretence of being happy at the party.晚会上他假装很高兴。

10 retract
vt.缩回，撤回收回，取消
参考例句：
The criminals should stop on the precipice, retract from the wrong path and not go any further.犯罪分子应当迷途知返，悬崖勒马，不要在错误的道路上继续走下去。 I don't want to speak rashly now and later have to retract my statements.我不想现在说些轻率的话，然后又要收回自己说过的话。

11 stationary
adj.固定的，静止不动的
参考例句：
A stationary object is easy to be aimed at.一个静止不动的物体是容易瞄准的。 Wait until the bus is stationary before you get off.你要等公共汽车停稳了再下车。

12 retired
adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的
参考例句：
The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。 Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

13 plantation
n.种植园，大农场
参考例句：
His father-in-law is a plantation manager.他岳父是个种植园经营者。 The plantation owner has possessed himself of a vast piece of land.这个种植园主把大片土地占为己有。

14 retirement
n.退休，退职
参考例句：
She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。 I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。

15 seclusion
n.隐遁，隔离
参考例句：
She liked to sunbathe in the seclusion of her own garden.她喜欢在自己僻静的花园里晒日光浴。 I live very much in seclusion these days.这些天我过着几乎与世隔绝的生活。

16 qualified
adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的
参考例句：
He is qualified as a complete man of letters.他有资格当真正的文学家。 We must note that we still lack qualified specialists.我们必须看到我们还缺乏有资质的专家。

17 persuasion
n.劝说；说服；持有某种信仰的宗派
参考例句：
He decided to leave only after much persuasion.经过多方劝说，他才决定离开。 After a lot of persuasion,she agreed to go.经过多次劝说后，她同意去了。

18 favourable
adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的
参考例句：
The company will lend you money on very favourable terms.这家公司将以非常优惠的条件借钱给你。 We found that most people are favourable to the idea.我们发现大多数人同意这个意见。

19 contrive
vt.谋划，策划；设法做到；设计，想出
参考例句：
Can you contrive to be here a little earlier?你能不能早一点来？ How could you contrive to make such a mess of things?你怎么把事情弄得一团糟呢？

20 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。

21 untowardly
adj.意外的； 不顺利的；倔强的；难对付的
参考例句：
That's the plan—unless anything untoward happens. 计划就这么定了—除非出现异常情况。 Untoward circumstances prevent me from being with you on this festive occasion. 有些不幸的事件使我不能在这欢庆的时刻和你在一起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

22 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。

23 dispel
vt.驱走，驱散，消除
参考例句：
I tried in vain to dispel her misgivings.我试图消除她的疑虑，但没有成功。 We hope the programme will dispel certain misconceptions about the disease.我们希望这个节目能消除对这种疾病的一些误解。

24 prospect
n.前景，前途；景色，视野
参考例句：
This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。 The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

25 precisely
adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地
参考例句：
It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。 The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。

26 genial
adj.亲切的，和蔼的，愉快的，脾气好的
参考例句：
Orlando is a genial man.奥兰多是一位和蔼可亲的人。 He was a warm-hearted friend and genial host.他是个热心的朋友，也是友善待客的主人。

27 inviting
adj.诱人的，引人注目的
参考例句：
An inviting smell of coffee wafted into the room.一股诱人的咖啡香味飘进了房间。 The kitchen smelled warm and inviting and blessedly familiar.这间厨房的味道温暖诱人，使人感到亲切温馨。

28 enjoyment
n.乐趣；享有；享用
参考例句：
Your company adds to the enjoyment of our visit. 有您的陪同，我们这次访问更加愉快了。 After each joke the old man cackled his enjoyment.每逢讲完一个笑话，这老人就呵呵笑着表示他的高兴。

29 uncertainty
n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物
参考例句：
Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。 After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

30 prodigy
n.惊人的事物，奇迹，神童，天才，预兆
参考例句：
She was a child prodigy on the violin.她是神童小提琴手。 He was always a Negro prodigy who played barbarously and wonderfully.他始终是一个黑人的奇才，这种奇才弹奏起来粗野而惊人。

31 implicitly
adv. 含蓄地, 暗中地, 毫不保留地
参考例句：
Many verbs and many words of other kinds are implicitly causal. 许多动词和许多其他类词都蕴涵着因果关系。 I can trust Mr. Somerville implicitly, I suppose? 我想，我可以毫无保留地信任萨莫维尔先生吧？

32 musing
n. 沉思，冥想 adj. 沉思的, 冥想的 动词muse的现在分词形式
参考例句：
"At Tellson's banking-house at nine," he said, with a musing face. “九点在台尔森银行大厦见面，”他想道。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记 She put the jacket away, and stood by musing a minute. 她把那件上衣放到一边，站着沉思了一会儿。

33 injustice
n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利
参考例句：
They complained of injustice in the way they had been treated.他们抱怨受到不公平的对待。 All his life he has been struggling against injustice.他一生都在与不公正现象作斗争。

34 instigator
n.煽动者
参考例句：
It is not a and differs from instigator in nature. 在刑法理论中，通常将教唆犯作为共犯的一种类型加以探究。 来自互联网 If we are really the instigator, we are awaiting punishment. 如果我们真的是煽动者，那我们愿意接受惩罚。 来自互联网

35 tiresome
adj.令人疲劳的，令人厌倦的
参考例句：
His doubts and hesitations were tiresome.他的疑惑和犹豫令人厌烦。 He was tiresome in contending for the value of his own labors.他老为他自己劳动的价值而争强斗胜，令人生厌。

36 arrogance
n.傲慢，自大
参考例句：
His arrogance comes out in every speech he makes.他每次讲话都表现得骄傲自大。 Arrogance arrested his progress.骄傲阻碍了他的进步。

37 insolence
n.傲慢；无礼；厚颜；傲慢的态度
参考例句：
I've had enough of your insolence, and I'm having no more. 我受够了你的侮辱，不能再容忍了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 How can you suffer such insolence? 你怎么能容忍这种蛮横的态度？ 来自《简明英汉词典》

38 mighty
adj.强有力的；巨大的
参考例句：
A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。 The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。

39 infinitely
adv.无限地，无穷地
参考例句：
There is an infinitely bright future ahead of us.我们有无限光明的前途。 The universe is infinitely large.宇宙是无限大的。

40 annoyance
n.恼怒，生气，烦恼
参考例句：
Why do you always take your annoyance out on me?为什么你不高兴时总是对我出气？ I felt annoyance at being teased.我恼恨别人取笑我。

41 encumbered
v.妨碍，阻碍，拖累( encumber的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The police operation was encumbered by crowds of reporters. 警方的行动被成群的记者所妨碍。 The narrow quay was encumbered by hundreds of carts. 狭窄的码头被数百辆手推车堵得水泄不通。 来自辞典例句

42 positively
adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实
参考例句：
She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。 The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。

43 inclination
n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好
参考例句：
She greeted us with a slight inclination of the head.她微微点头向我们致意。 I did not feel the slightest inclination to hurry.我没有丝毫着急的意思。

44 concise
adj.简洁的，简明的
参考例句：
The explanation in this dictionary is concise and to the point.这部词典里的释义简明扼要。 I gave a concise answer about this.我对于此事给了一个简要的答复。

45 preclude
vt.阻止，排除，防止；妨碍
参考例句：
We try to preclude any possibility of misunderstanding.我们努力排除任何误解的可能性。 My present finances preclude the possibility of buying a car.按我目前的财务状况我是不可能买车的。

46 encumbrance
n.妨碍物，累赘
参考例句：
Only by overcoming our weaknesses can we advance without any encumbrance;only by uniting ourselves in our struggle can we be invincible.克服缺点才能轻装前进，团结战斗才能无往不胜。 Now I should be an encumbrance.现在我成为累赘了。