MRS. JENNINGS was a widow with an ample jointure. She had only two daughters, both of whom she had lived to see respectably married, and she had now, therefore, nothing to do but to marry all the rest of the world. In the promotion¹ of this object she was zealously² active, as far as her ability reached; and missed no opportunity of projecting weddings among all the young people of her acquaintance. She was remarkably³ quick in the discovery of attachments⁴, and had enjoyed the advantage of raising the blushes and the vanity of many a young lady by insinuations of her power over such a young man; and this kind of discernment enabled her, soon after her arrival at Barton, decisively to pronounce that Colonel Brandon was very much in love with Marianne Dashwood. She rather suspected it to be so, on the very first evening of their being together, from his listening so attentively⁵ while she sang to them; and when the visit was returned by the Middletons dining at the cottage, the fact was ascertained⁶ by his listening to her again. It must be so. She was perfectly⁷ convinced of it. It would be an excellent match, for he was rich, and she was handsome. Mrs. Jennings had been anxious to see Colonel Brandon well married, ever since her connection with Sir John first brought him to her knowledge; and she was always anxious to get a good husband for every pretty girl.

The immediate⁸ advantage to herself was by no means inconsiderable, for it supplied her with endless jokes against them both. At the Park she laughed at the colonel, and in the cottage at Marianne. To the former her raillery was probably, as far as it regarded only himself, perfectly indifferent; but to the latter it was at first incomprehensible; and when its object was understood, she hardly knew whether most to laugh at its

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1 promotion
n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传
参考例句：
The teacher conferred with the principal about Dick's promotion.教师与校长商谈了迪克的升级问题。 The clerk was given a promotion and an increase in salary.那个职员升了级，加了薪。

2 zealously
adv.热心地；热情地；积极地；狂热地
参考例句：
Of course the more unpleasant a duty was, the more zealously Miss Glover performed it. 格洛弗小姐越是对她的职责不满意，她越是去积极执行它。 来自辞典例句 A lawyer should represent a client zealously within the bounds of the law. 律师应在法律范围内热忱为当事人代理。 来自口语例句

3 remarkably
ad.不同寻常地，相当地
参考例句：
I thought she was remarkably restrained in the circumstances. 我认为她在那种情况下非常克制。 He made a remarkably swift recovery. 他康复得相当快。

4 attachments
n.（用电子邮件发送的）附件( attachment的名词复数 )；附着；连接；附属物
参考例句：
The vacuum cleaner has four different attachments. 吸尘器有四个不同的附件。 It's an electric drill with a range of different attachments. 这是一个带有各种配件的电钻。

5 attentively
adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神
参考例句：
She listened attentively while I poured out my problems. 我倾吐心中的烦恼时，她一直在注意听。 来自《简明英汉词典》 She listened attentively and set down every word he said. 她专心听着，把他说的话一字不漏地记下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 ascertained
v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The previously unidentified objects have now been definitely ascertained as being satellites. 原来所说的不明飞行物现在已证实是卫星。 来自《简明英汉词典》 I ascertained that she was dead. 我断定她已经死了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 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。

8 immediate
adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的
参考例句：
His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。 We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

9 absurdity
n.荒谬，愚蠢；谬论
参考例句：
The proposal borders upon the absurdity.这提议近乎荒谬。 The absurdity of the situation made everyone laugh.情况的荒谬可笑使每个人都笑了。

10 censure
v./n.责备；非难；责难
参考例句：
You must not censure him until you know the whole story.在弄清全部事实真相前不要谴责他。 His dishonest behaviour came under severe censure.他的不诚实行为受到了严厉指责。

11 ridicule
v.讥讽，挖苦；n.嘲弄
参考例句：
You mustn't ridicule unfortunate people.你不该嘲笑不幸的人。 Silly mistakes and queer clothes often arouse ridicule.荒谬的错误和古怪的服装常会引起人们的讪笑。

12 accusation
n.控告，指责，谴责
参考例句：
I was furious at his making such an accusation.我对他的这种责备非常气愤。 She knew that no one would believe her accusation.她知道没人会相信她的指控。

13 intentionally
ad.故意地，有意地
参考例句：
I didn't say it intentionally. 我是无心说的。 The local authority ruled that he had made himself intentionally homeless and was therefore not entitled to be rehoused. 当地政府裁定他是有意居无定所，因此没有资格再获得提供住房。

14 animated
adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的
参考例句：
His observations gave rise to an animated and lively discussion.他的言论引起了一场气氛热烈而活跃的讨论。 We had an animated discussion over current events last evening.昨天晚上我们热烈地讨论时事。

15 rheumatism
n.风湿病
参考例句：
The damp weather plays the very devil with my rheumatism.潮湿的天气加重了我的风湿病。 The hot weather gave the old man a truce from rheumatism.热天使这位老人暂时免受风湿病之苦。

16 apprehensive
adj.担心的，恐惧的，善于领会的
参考例句：
She was deeply apprehensive about her future.她对未来感到非常担心。 He was rather apprehensive of failure.他相当害怕失败。

17 dooming
v.注定( doom的现在分词 )；判定；使…的失败（或灭亡、毁灭、坏结局）成为必然；宣判
参考例句：
Of course, it may all go horribly wrong in the end, dooming Obamacare altogether. 当然，他们的方案也可能都会背离初衷，从而注定将宣判奥巴马的医改计划死刑。 来自互联网

18 confinement
n.幽禁，拘留，监禁；分娩；限制，局限
参考例句：
He spent eleven years in solitary confinement.他度过了11年的单独监禁。 The date for my wife's confinement was approaching closer and closer.妻子分娩的日子越来越近了。

19 chamber
n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所
参考例句：
For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。 The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

20 flannel
n.法兰绒；法兰绒衣服
参考例句：
She always wears a grey flannel trousers.她总是穿一条灰色法兰绒长裤。 She was looking luscious in a flannel shirt.她穿着法兰绒裙子，看上去楚楚动人。

21 cramps
n. 抽筋, 腹部绞痛, 铁箍 adj. 狭窄的, 难解的 v. 使...抽筋, 以铁箍扣紧, 束缚
参考例句：
If he cramps again let the line cut him off. 要是它再抽筋，就让这钓索把它勒断吧。 "I have no cramps." he said. “我没抽筋，"他说。

22 ailment
n.疾病，小病
参考例句：
I don't have even the slightest ailment.我什么毛病也没有。 He got timely treatment for his ailment.他的病得到了及时治疗。

23 afflict
vt.使身体或精神受痛苦，折磨
参考例句：
I wish you wouldn't afflict me with your constant complains.我希望你不要总是抱怨而使我苦恼。 There are many illnesses,which afflict old people.有许多疾病困扰着老年人。

24 conceal
v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽
参考例句：
He had to conceal his identity to escape the police.为了躲避警方，他只好隐瞒身份。 He could hardly conceal his joy at his departure.他几乎掩饰不住临行时的喜悦。

25 recollecting
v.记起，想起( recollect的现在分词 )
参考例句：
Once wound could heal slowly, my Bo Hui was recollecting. 曾经的伤口会慢慢地愈合，我卜会甾回忆。 来自互联网 I am afraid of recollecting the life of past in the school. 我不敢回忆我在校过去的生活。 来自互联网

26 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。