The only thing to do, Sophie decided¹, was to show Howl that she was an excellent cleaning lady, a real treasure. She tied an old rag round her wispy² white hair, she rolled the sleeves up her skinny old arms and wrapped an old tablecloth³ from the broom cupboard round her as an apron⁴. It was rather a relief to think there were only four rooms to clean instead of a whole castle. She grabbed up a bucket and besom and got to work.
“What are you doing?” cried Michael and Calcifer in a horrified⁵ chorus.
“Cleaning up,” Sophie replied firmly. “The place is a disgrace.”
Calcifer said, “It doesn’t need it,” and Michael muttered, “Howl will kick you out!” but Sophie ignored them both. Dust flew in clouds.
In the midst of it there came another set of thumps⁶ at the door. Calcifer blazed up, calling, “Porthaven door!” and gave a great, sizzling sneeze which shot purple sparks through the dust clouds.
Michael left the workbench and went to the door. Sophie peered through the dust she was raising and saw that this time Michael turned the square knob over the door so that the side with a blue blob of paint on it was downward. Then he opened the door on the street you saw out of the window.
A small girl stood there. “Please, Mr. Fisher,” she said, “I’ve come for that spell for me mum.”
“Safety spell for your dad’s boat, wasn’t it?” Michael said. “Won’t be a moment.” He went back to the bench and measured powder from a jar from the shelves into a square of paper. While he was doing it, the little girl peered in at Sophie as curiously⁷ as Sophie peered out at her. Michael twisted the paper round the powder and came back saying, ‘Tell her to sprinkle it right along the boat. It’ll last out and back, even if there’s a storm.”
The girl took the paper and passed over a coin. “Has the Sorcerer got a witch working for him too?” she asked.

点击收听单词发音  

1 decided
adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的
参考例句：
This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。 There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

2 wispy
adj.模糊的；纤细的
参考例句：
Grey wispy hair straggled down to her shoulders.稀疏的灰白头发披散在她肩头。 The half moon is hidden behind some wispy clouds.半轮月亮躲在淡淡的云彩之后。

3 tablecloth
n.桌布，台布
参考例句：
He sat there ruminating and picking at the tablecloth.他坐在那儿沉思，轻轻地抚弄着桌布。 She smoothed down a wrinkled tablecloth.她把起皱的桌布熨平了。

4 apron
n.围裙；工作裙
参考例句：
We were waited on by a pretty girl in a pink apron.招待我们的是一位穿粉红色围裙的漂亮姑娘。 She stitched a pocket on the new apron.她在新围裙上缝上一只口袋。

5 horrified
a.(表现出)恐惧的
参考例句：
The whole country was horrified by the killings. 全国都对这些凶杀案感到大为震惊。 We were horrified at the conditions prevailing in local prisons. 地方监狱的普遍状况让我们震惊。

6 thumps
n.猪肺病；砰的重击声( thump的名词复数 )v.重击， （指心脏）急速跳动( thump的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
Normally the heart movements can be felt as distinct systolic and diastolic thumps. 正常时，能够感觉到心脏的运动是性质截然不同的收缩和舒张的撞击。 来自辞典例句 These thumps are replaced by thrills when valvular insufficiencies or stenoses or congenital defects are present. 这些撞击在瓣膜闭锁不全或狭窄，或者有先天性缺损时被震颤所代替。 来自辞典例句

7 curiously
adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地
参考例句：
He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。 He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。

8 exasperated
adj.恼怒的
参考例句：
We were exasperated at his ill behaviour. 我们对他的恶劣行为感到非常恼怒。 Constant interruption of his work exasperated him. 对他工作不断的干扰使他恼怒。

9 embarrassment
n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫
参考例句：
She could have died away with embarrassment.她窘迫得要死。 Coughing at a concert can be a real embarrassment.在音乐会上咳嗽真会使人难堪。

10 nosily
好打听地，爱管闲事地
参考例句：

11 hearth
n.壁炉炉床，壁炉地面
参考例句：
She came and sat in a chair before the hearth.她走过来，在炉子前面的椅子上坐下。 She comes to the hearth,and switches on the electric light there.她走到壁炉那里，打开电灯。

12 underneath
adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面
参考例句：
Working underneath the car is always a messy job.在汽车底下工作是件脏活。 She wore a coat with a dress underneath.她穿着一件大衣，里面套着一条连衣裙。

13 sweeping
adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的
参考例句：
The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。 Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

14 waft
v.飘浮，飘荡；n.一股；一阵微风；飘荡
参考例句：
The bubble maker is like a sword that you waft in the air.吹出泡泡的东西就像你在空中挥舞的一把剑。 When she just about fall over,a waft of fragrance makes her stop.在她差点跌倒时，一股幽香让她停下脚步。

15 embroidery
n.绣花，刺绣；绣制品
参考例句：
This exquisite embroidery won people's great admiration.这件精美的绣品，使人惊叹不已。 This is Jane's first attempt at embroidery.这是简第一次试着绣花。

16 affinity
n.亲和力，密切关系
参考例句：
I felt a great affinity with the people of the Highlands.我被苏格兰高地人民深深地吸引。 It's important that you share an affinity with your husband.和丈夫有共同的爱好是十分重要的。

17 latch
n.门闩，窗闩；弹簧锁
参考例句：
She laid her hand on the latch of the door.她把手放在门闩上。 The repairman installed an iron latch on the door.修理工在门上安了铁门闩。

18 nosy
adj.鼻子大的，好管闲事的，爱追问的；n.大鼻者
参考例句：
Our nosy neighbours are always looking in through our windows.好管闲事的邻居总是从我们的窗口望进来。 My landlord is so nosy.He comes by twice a month to inspect my apartment.我的房东很烦人，他每个月都要到我公寓视察两次。

19 malicious
adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的
参考例句：
You ought to kick back at such malicious slander. 你应当反击这种恶毒的污蔑。 Their talk was slightly malicious.他们的谈话有点儿心怀不轨。

20 vigor
n.活力，精力，元气
参考例句：
The choir sang the words out with great vigor.合唱团以极大的热情唱出了歌词。 She didn't want to be reminded of her beauty or her former vigor.现在，她不愿人们提起她昔日的美丽和以前的精力充沛。

21 scrambled
v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞
参考例句：
Each scrambled for the football at the football ground. 足球场上你争我夺。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 He scrambled awkwardly to his feet. 他笨拙地爬起身来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

22 cowering
v.畏缩，抖缩( cower的现在分词 )
参考例句：
He turned his baleful glare on the cowering suspect. 他恶毒地盯着那个蜷缩成一团的嫌疑犯。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He stood over the cowering Herb with fists of fury. 他紧握着两个拳头怒气冲天地站在惊魂未定的赫伯面前。 来自辞典例句

23 miserable
adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的
参考例句：
It was miserable of you to make fun of him.你取笑他，这是可耻的。 Her past life was miserable.她过去的生活很苦。

24 hunched
（常指因寒冷、生病或愁苦）耸肩弓身的，伏首前倾的
参考例句：
He sat with his shoulders hunched up. 他耸起双肩坐着。 Stephen hunched down to light a cigarette. 斯蒂芬弓着身子点燃一支烟。

25 passionate
adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的
参考例句：
He is said to be the most passionate man.据说他是最有激情的人。 He is very passionate about the project.他对那个项目非常热心。

26 killing
n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财
参考例句：
Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。 Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

27 irritable
adj.急躁的；过敏的；易怒的
参考例句：
He gets irritable when he's got toothache.他牙一疼就很容易发脾气。 Our teacher is an irritable old lady.She gets angry easily.我们的老师是位脾气急躁的老太太。她很容易生气。

28 mattress
n.床垫，床褥
参考例句：
The straw mattress needs to be aired.草垫子该晾一晾了。 The new mattress I bought sags in the middle.我买的新床垫中间陷了下去。

29 irritably
ad.易生气地
参考例句：
He lost his temper and snapped irritably at the children. 他发火了，暴躁地斥责孩子们。 On this account the silence was irritably broken by a reproof. 为了这件事，他妻子大声斥责，令人恼火地打破了宁静。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

30 apprentice
n.学徒，徒弟
参考例句：
My son is an apprentice in a furniture maker's workshop.我的儿子在一家家具厂做学徒。 The apprentice is not yet out of his time.这徒工还没有出徒。

31 oozing
v.（浓液等）慢慢地冒出，渗出( ooze的现在分词 )；使（液体）缓缓流出；（浓液）渗出，慢慢流出
参考例句：
Blood was oozing out of the wound on his leg. 血正从他腿上的伤口渗出来。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The wound had not healed properly and was oozing pus. 伤口未真正痊瘉，还在流脓。 来自《简明英汉词典》

32 skull
n.头骨；颅骨
参考例句：
The skull bones fuse between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five.头骨在15至25岁之间长合。 He fell out of the window and cracked his skull.他从窗子摔了出去，跌裂了颅骨。

33 tacked
用平头钉钉( tack的过去式和过去分词 )； 附加，增补； 帆船抢风行驶，用粗线脚缝
参考例句：
He tacked the sheets of paper on as carefully as possible. 他尽量小心地把纸张钉上去。 The seamstress tacked the two pieces of cloth. 女裁缝把那两块布粗缝了起来。

34 soot
n.煤烟，烟尘；vt.熏以煤烟
参考例句：
Soot is the product of the imperfect combustion of fuel.煤烟是燃料不完全燃烧的产物。 The chimney was choked with soot.烟囱被煤灰堵塞了。

35 thoroughly
adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地
参考例句：
The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。 The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。

36 hoard
n./v.窖藏，贮存，囤积
参考例句：
They have a hoard of food in the basement.地下室里有他们贮藏的食物。 How many curios do you hoard in your study?你在你书房里聚藏了多少古玩？

37 lettuce
n.莴苣；生菜
参考例句：
Get some lettuce and tomatoes so I can make a salad.买些莴苣和西红柿，我好做色拉。 The lettuce is crisp and cold.莴苣松脆爽口。

38 prophesied
v.预告，预言( prophesy的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
She prophesied that she would win a gold medal. 她预言自己将赢得金牌。 She prophesied the tragic outcome. 她预言有悲惨的结果。 来自《简明英汉词典》

39 strings
n.弦
参考例句：
He sat on the bed,idly plucking the strings of his guitar.他坐在床上，随意地拨着吉他的弦。 She swept her fingers over the strings of the harp.她用手指划过竖琴的琴弦。

40 aprons
围裙( apron的名词复数 )； 停机坪，台口（舞台幕前的部份）
参考例句：
Many people like to wear aprons while they are cooking. 许多人做饭时喜欢系一条围裙。 The chambermaid in our corridor wears blue checked gingham aprons. 给我们扫走廊的清洁女工围蓝格围裙。

41 scented
adj.有香味的；洒香水的；有气味的v.嗅到(scent的过去分词)
参考例句：
I let my lungs fill with the scented air. 我呼吸着芬芳的空气。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The police dog scented about till he found the trail. 警犬嗅来嗅去，终于找到了踪迹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

42 pretext
n.借口，托词
参考例句：
He used his headache as a pretext for not going to school.他借口头疼而不去上学。 He didn't attend that meeting under the pretext of sickness.他以生病为借口，没参加那个会议。

43 cosmetics
n.化妆品
参考例句：
We sell a wide range of cosmetics at a very reasonable price. 我们以公道的价格出售各种化妆品。 Cosmetics do not always cover up the deficiencies of nature. 化妆品未能掩饰天生的缺陷。

44 grumbled
抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声
参考例句：
He grumbled at the low pay offered to him. 他抱怨给他的工资低。 The heat was sweltering, and the men grumbled fiercely over their work. 天热得让人发昏，水手们边干活边发着牢骚。

45 marshes
n.沼泽，湿地( marsh的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Cows were grazing on the marshes. 牛群在湿地上吃草。 We had to cross the marshes. 我们不得不穿过那片沼泽地。 来自《简明英汉词典》

46 hiss
v.发出嘶嘶声；发嘘声表示不满
参考例句：
We can hear the hiss of air escaping from a tire.我们能听到一只轮胎的嘶嘶漏气声。 Don't hiss at the speaker.不要嘘演讲人。

47 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。

48 rummaged
翻找，搜寻( rummage的过去式和过去分词 )； 已经海关检查
参考例句：
I rummaged through all the boxes but still could not find it. 几个箱子都翻腾遍了也没有找到。 The customs officers rummaged the ship suspected to have contraband goods. 海关人员仔细搜查了一艘有走私嫌疑的海轮。

49 whitewash
v.粉刷，掩饰；n.石灰水，粉刷，掩饰
参考例句：
They tried hard to whitewash themselves.他们力图粉饰自己。 What he said was a load of whitewash.他所说的是一大堆粉饰之词。

50 whitewashed
粉饰，美化，掩饰( whitewash的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The wall had been whitewashed. 墙已粉过。 The towers are in the shape of bottle gourds and whitewashed. 塔呈圆形，状近葫芦，外敷白色。 来自汉英文学 - 现代散文

51 racing
n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的
参考例句：
I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。 The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。

52 lighter
n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级
参考例句：
The portrait was touched up so as to make it lighter.这张画经过润色，色调明朗了一些。 The lighter works off the car battery.引燃器利用汽车蓄电池打火。

53 doom
n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定
参考例句：
The report on our economic situation is full of doom and gloom.这份关于我们经济状况的报告充满了令人绝望和沮丧的调子。 The dictator met his doom after ten years of rule.独裁者统治了十年终于完蛋了。

54 drizzling
下蒙蒙细雨，下毛毛雨( drizzle的现在分词 )
参考例句：
The rain has almost stopped, it's just drizzling now. 雨几乎停了，现在只是在下毛毛雨。 It was drizzling, and miserably cold and damp. 外面下着毛毛细雨，天气又冷又湿，令人难受。

55 avenging
adj.报仇的，复仇的v.为…复仇，报…之仇( avenge的现在分词 )；为…报复
参考例句：
He has devoted the past five years to avenging his daughter's death. 他过去5年一心报丧女之仇。 来自辞典例句 His disfigured face was like some avenging nemesis of gargoyle design. 他那张破了相的脸，活象面目狰狞的复仇之神。 来自辞典例句

56 gadded
v.闲逛( gad的过去式和过去分词 )；游荡；找乐子；用铁棒刺
参考例句：
It's gadded off the runway and crashed into a heavily what it gorged below. 飞机飞出跑道重重的撞到下面的峡谷。 来自互联网

57 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。

58 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。

59 doorway
n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径
参考例句：
They huddled in the shop doorway to shelter from the rain.他们挤在商店门口躲雨。 Mary suddenly appeared in the doorway.玛丽突然出现在门口。

60 gaped
v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的过去式和过去分词 )；张开，张大
参考例句：
A huge chasm gaped before them. 他们面前有个巨大的裂痕。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The front door was missing. A hole gaped in the roof. 前门不翼而飞，屋顶豁开了一个洞。 来自辞典例句

61 descend
vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降
参考例句：
I hope the grace of God would descend on me.我期望上帝的恩惠。 We're not going to descend to such methods.我们不会沦落到使用这种手段。

62 severely
adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地
参考例句：
He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。 He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

63 dangling
悬吊着( dangle的现在分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口
参考例句：
The tooth hung dangling by the bedpost, now. 结果，那颗牙就晃来晃去吊在床柱上了。 The children sat on the high wall,their legs dangling. 孩子们坐在一堵高墙上，摇晃着他们的双腿。

64 gnawed
咬( gnaw的过去式和过去分词 )； （长时间） 折磨某人； （使）苦恼； （长时间）危害某事物
参考例句：
His attitude towards her gnawed away at her confidence. 他对她的态度一直在削弱她的自尊心。 The root of this dead tree has been gnawed away by ants. 这棵死树根被蚂蚁唼了。

65 bossy
adj.爱发号施令的，作威作福的
参考例句：
She turned me off with her bossy manner.她态度专橫很讨我嫌。 She moved out because her mother-in-law is too bossy.她的婆婆爱指使人,所以她搬出去住了。

66 appallingly
毛骨悚然地
参考例句：
His tradecraft was appallingly reckless. 他的经营轻率得令人吃惊。 Another damning statistic for South Africa is its appallingly high murder rate. 南非还有一项糟糕的统计，表明它还有着令人毛骨悚然的高谋杀率。

67 pigsty
n.猪圈，脏房间
参考例句：
How can you live in this pigsty?你怎能这住在这样肮脏的屋里呢？ We need to build a new pigsty for the pigs.我们需修建一个新猪圈。

68 drizzle
v.下毛毛雨；n.毛毛雨，蒙蒙细雨
参考例句：
The shower tailed off into a drizzle.阵雨越来越小，最后变成了毛毛雨。 Yesterday the radio forecast drizzle,and today it is indeed raining.昨天预报有小雨，今天果然下起来了。

69 metallic
adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的
参考例句：
A sharp metallic note coming from the outside frightened me.外面传来尖锐铿锵的声音吓了我一跳。 He picked up a metallic ring last night.昨夜他捡了一个金属戒指。

70 rusty
adj.生锈的；锈色的；荒废了的
参考例句：
The lock on the door is rusty and won't open.门上的锁锈住了。 I haven't practiced my French for months and it's getting rusty.几个月不用，我的法语又荒疏了。

71 thwarted
阻挠( thwart的过去式和过去分词 )； 使受挫折； 挫败； 横过
参考例句：
The guards thwarted his attempt to escape from prison. 警卫阻扰了他越狱的企图。 Our plans for a picnic were thwarted by the rain. 我们的野餐计划因雨受挫。

72 trot
n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧
参考例句：
They passed me at a trot.他们从我身边快步走过。 The horse broke into a brisk trot.马突然快步小跑起来。

73 fabric
n.织物，织品，布；构造，结构，组织
参考例句：
The fabric will spot easily.这种织品很容易玷污。 I don't like the pattern on the fabric.我不喜欢那块布料上的图案。