NEXT DAY when Prince Andrey thought of the ball it did not occupy his mind for long. “Yes, it was a very successful ball. And besides…yes, the younger Rostov is very charming. There's something fresh in her, original, unlike Petersburg.” That was all he thought about the previous day's ball, and after his morning tea he set to work.

But from fatigue¹ and want of sleep he was not very well disposed for work, and could get nothing done. He was continually criticising his own work—a habit common with him—and was glad when he heard a visitor arrive.

The visitor was Bitsky, a man who was a member of various committees and of all the societies in Petersburg. He was a passionate² adherent³ of the new ideas and of Speransky, and the busiest purveyor⁴ of news in Petersburg, one of those men who choose their opinions like their clothes—according to the fashion—but for that very reason seem the most vehement⁵ partisans⁶. Scarcely waiting to remove his hat, he ran fussily⁷ up to Prince Andrey, and at once began talking. He had just learned particulars of the sitting of the State Council of that morning, opened by the Tsar, and began enthusiastically upon the subject. The Tsar's speech had been, he said, an extraordinary one. It had been a speech such as are only delivered by constitutional monarchs⁸. “The Emperor directly asserted that the Council and the Senate are the estates of the realm; he said that government should be founded not on arbitrary authority, but on a secure basis. The Emperor said that the fiscal⁹ system must be reconstituted and the accounts must be public,” Bitsky announced, laying stress on certain words, and opening his eyes significantly. “Yes, to-day's sitting marks an

点击收听单词发音  

1 fatigue
n.疲劳，劳累
参考例句：
The old lady can't bear the fatigue of a long journey.这位老妇人不能忍受长途旅行的疲劳。 I have got over my weakness and fatigue.我已从虚弱和疲劳中恢复过来了。

2 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。

3 adherent
n.信徒，追随者，拥护者
参考例句：
He was most liberal where money would bring him a powerful or necessary political adherent.在金钱能够收买一个干练的或者必需的政治拥护者的地方，他是最不惜花钱的。 He's a pious adherent of Buddhism.他是一位虔诚的佛教徒。

4 purveyor
n.承办商，伙食承办商
参考例句：
Silence, purveyor of gossip, do not spread that report. 快别那样说，新闻记者阁下，别散布那个消息。 来自互联网 Teaching purpose: To comprehensively understand the role function and consciousness composition of a news purveyor. 教学目的：全面深入的理解新闻传播者的角色功能和意识构成。 来自互联网

5 vehement
adj.感情强烈的；热烈的；(人)有强烈感情的
参考例句：
She made a vehement attack on the government's policies.她强烈谴责政府的政策。 His proposal met with vehement opposition.他的倡导遭到了激烈的反对。

6 partisans
游击队员( partisan的名词复数 )； 党人； 党羽； 帮伙
参考例句：
Every movement has its partisans. 每一运动都有热情的支持者。 He was rescued by some Italian partisans. 他被几名意大利游击队员所救。

7 fussily
adv.无事空扰地，大惊小怪地，小题大做地
参考例句：
She adjusted her head scarf fussily. 她小题大做地整了整头巾。 来自辞典例句 He spoke to her fussily. 他大惊小怪地对她说。 来自互联网

8 monarchs
君主，帝王( monarch的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Monarchs ruled England for centuries. 世袭君主统治英格兰有许多世纪。 Serving six monarchs of his native Great Britain, he has served all men's freedom and dignity. 他在大不列颠本国为六位君王服务，也为全人类的自由和尊严服务。 来自演讲部分

9 fiscal
adj.财政的，会计的，国库的，国库岁入的
参考例句：
The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。 The government has two basic strategies of fiscal policy available.政府有两个可行的财政政策基本战略。

10 epoch
n.(新)时代；历元
参考例句：
The epoch of revolution creates great figures.革命时代造就伟大的人物。 We're at the end of the historical epoch,and at the dawn of another.我们正处在一个历史时代的末期，另一个历史时代的开端。

11 vent
n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄
参考例句：
He gave vent to his anger by swearing loudly.他高声咒骂以发泄他的愤怒。 When the vent became plugged,the engine would stop.当通风口被堵塞时，发动机就会停转。

12 insignificant
adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的
参考例句：
In winter the effect was found to be insignificant.在冬季，这种作用是不明显的。 This problem was insignificant compared to others she faced.这一问题与她面临的其他问题比较起来算不得什么。

13 irony
n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄
参考例句：
She said to him with slight irony.她略带嘲讽地对他说。 In her voice we could sense a certain tinge of irony.从她的声音里我们可以感到某种讥讽的意味。

14 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。

15 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。

16 distinguished
adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的
参考例句：
Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。 A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。

17 parqueted
v.镶木地板( parquet的过去式 )；（剧场的）正厅后排
参考例句：

18 shrill
adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫
参考例句：
Whistles began to shrill outside the barn.哨声开始在谷仓外面尖叫。 The shrill ringing of a bell broke up the card game on the cutter.刺耳的铃声打散了小汽艇的牌局。

19 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。

20 countenance
n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同
参考例句：
At the sight of this photograph he changed his countenance.他一看见这张照片脸色就变了。 I made a fierce countenance as if I would eat him alive.我脸色恶狠狠地，仿佛要把他活生生地吞下去。

21 anecdote
n.轶事，趣闻，短故事
参考例句：
He departed from the text to tell an anecdote.他偏离课文讲起了一则轶事。 It had never been more than a family anecdote.那不过是个家庭趣谈罢了。

22 bass
n.男低音(歌手)；低音乐器；低音大提琴
参考例句：
He answered my question in a surprisingly deep bass.他用一种低得出奇的声音回答我的问题。 The bass was to give a concert in the park.那位男低音歌唱家将在公园中举行音乐会。

23 guffaw
n.哄笑；突然的大笑
参考例句：
All the boys burst out into a guffaw at the joke.听到这个笑话，男孩子们发出一阵哄笑。 As they guffawed loudly,the ticket collector arrived.他们正哈哈大笑的时候，检票员到了。

24 munched
v.用力咀嚼（某物），大嚼( munch的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
She munched on an apple. 她在大口啃苹果。 The rabbit munched on the fresh carrots. 兔子咯吱咯吱地嚼着新鲜胡萝卜。 来自辞典例句

25 hissed
发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对
参考例句：
Have you ever been hissed at in the middle of a speech? 你在演讲中有没有被嘘过？ The iron hissed as it pressed the wet cloth. 熨斗压在湿布上时发出了嘶嘶声。

26 chuckle
vi.／n.轻声笑，咯咯笑
参考例句：
He shook his head with a soft chuckle.他轻轻地笑着摇了摇头。 I couldn't suppress a soft chuckle at the thought of it.想到这个，我忍不住轻轻地笑起来。

27 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。

28 disillusion
vt.使不再抱幻想，使理想破灭
参考例句：
Do not say anything to disillusion them.别说什么叫他们泄气的话。 I'd hate to be the one to disillusion him.我不愿意成为那个让他幻想破灭的人。

29 anecdotes
n.掌故，趣闻，轶事( anecdote的名词复数 )
参考例句：
amusing anecdotes about his brief career as an actor 关于他短暂演员生涯的趣闻逸事 He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman. 他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

30 insignificance
n.不重要；无价值；无意义
参考例句：
Her insignificance in the presence of so much magnificence faintly affected her. "她想象着他所描绘的一切，心里不禁有些刺痛。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹 It was above the common mass, above idleness, above want, above insignificance. 这里没有平凡，没有懒散，没有贫困，也没有低微。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

31 hilarity
n.欢乐；热闹
参考例句：
The announcement was greeted with much hilarity and mirth.这一项宣布引起了热烈的欢呼声。 Wine gives not light hilarity,but noisy merriment.酒不给人以轻松的欢乐，而给人以嚣嚷的狂欢。

32 remarkable
adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的
参考例句：
She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。 These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

33 stammering
v.结巴地说出( stammer的现在分词 )
参考例句：
He betrayed nervousness by stammering. 他说话结结巴巴说明他胆子小。 来自《简明英汉词典》 \"Why,\" he said, actually stammering, \"how do you do?\" “哎呀，\"他说，真的有些结结巴巴，\"你好啊？” 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

34 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。

35 cork
n.软木，软木塞
参考例句：
We heard the pop of a cork.我们听见瓶塞砰的一声打开。 Cork is a very buoyant material.软木是极易浮起的材料。

36 witty
adj.机智的，风趣的
参考例句：
Her witty remarks added a little salt to the conversation.她的妙语使谈话增添了一些风趣。 He scored a bull's-eye in their argument with that witty retort.在他们的辩论中他那一句机智的反驳击中了要害。

37 zest
n.乐趣；滋味，风味；兴趣
参考例句：
He dived into his new job with great zest.他充满热情地投入了新的工作。 He wrote his novel about his trip to Asia with zest.他兴趣浓厚的写了一本关于他亚洲之行的小说。

38 unnatural
adj.不自然的；反常的
参考例句：
Did her behaviour seem unnatural in any way?她有任何反常表现吗？ She has an unnatural smile on her face.她脸上挂着做作的微笑。

39 corking
adj.很好的adv.非常地v.用瓶塞塞住( cork的现在分词 )
参考例句：
I've often thought you'd make a corking good actress." 我经常在想你会成为很了不起的女演员。” 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

40 lull
v.使安静，使入睡，缓和，哄骗；n.暂停，间歇
参考例句：
The drug put Simpson in a lull for thirty minutes.药物使辛普森安静了30分钟。 Ground fighting flared up again after a two-week lull.经过两个星期的平静之后，地面战又突然爆发了。

41 conversing
v.交谈，谈话( converse的现在分词 )
参考例句：
I find that conversing with her is quite difficult. 和她交谈实在很困难。 来自《简明英汉词典》 They were conversing in the parlor. 他们正在客厅谈话。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

42 skit
n.滑稽短剧；一群
参考例句：
The comic skIt sent up the foolishness of young men in love.那幅画把沉溺于热恋中的青年男子的痴态勾勒得滑稽可笑。 They performed a skit to amuse the crowd.他们表演了一个幽默小品来娱乐观众。

43 marvelled
v.惊奇，对…感到惊奇( marvel的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
I marvelled that he suddenly left college. 我对他突然离开大学感到惊奇。 来自《简明英汉词典》 I marvelled at your boldness. 我对你的大胆感到惊奇。 来自《简明英汉词典》

44 conscientious
adj.审慎正直的，认真的，本着良心的
参考例句：
He is a conscientious man and knows his job.他很认真负责，也很懂行。 He is very conscientious in the performance of his duties.他非常认真地履行职责。

45 legislative
n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的
参考例句：
Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。 Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

46 vividly
adv.清楚地，鲜明地，生动地
参考例句：
The speaker pictured the suffering of the poor vividly.演讲者很生动地描述了穷人的生活。 The characters in the book are vividly presented.这本书里的人物写得栩栩如生。