"Try Your Luck with Professor Challenger"

I always liked McArdle, the crabbed¹, old, round-backed, red-headed news editor, and I rather hoped that he liked me. Of course, Beaumont was the real boss; but he lived in the rarefied atmosphere of some Olympian height from which he could distinguish nothing smaller than an international crisis or a split in the Cabinet. Sometimes we saw him passing in lonely majesty² to his inner sanctum, with his eyes staring vaguely³ and his mind hovering⁴ over the Balkans or the Persian Gulf⁵. He was above and beyond us. But McArdle was his first lieutenant⁶, and it was he that we knew. The old man nodded as I entered the room, and he pushed his spectacles far up on his bald forehead.

"Well, Mr. Malone, from all I hear, you seem to be doing very well," said he in his kindly⁷ Scotch⁸ accent.

I thanked him.

"The colliery explosion was excellent. So was the Southwark fire. You have the true descreeptive touch. What did you want to see me about?"

"To ask a favor."

He looked alarmed, and his eyes shunned⁹ mine. "Tut, tut! What is it?"

"Do you think, Sir, that you could possibly send me on some mission for the paper? I would do my best to put it through and get you some good copy."

"What sort of meesion had you in your mind, Mr. Malone?"

"Well, Sir, anything that had adventure and danger in it. I really would do my very best. The more difficult it was, the better it would suit me."

"You seem very anxious to lose your life."

"To justify¹⁰

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1 crabbed
adj.脾气坏的；易怒的；（指字迹）难辨认的；（字迹等）难辨认的v.捕蟹( crab的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
His mature composi tions are generally considered the more cerebral and crabbed. 他成熟的作品一般被认为是触动理智的和难于理解的。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 He met a crabbed, cantankerous director. 他碰上了一位坏脾气、爱争吵的主管。 来自辞典例句

2 majesty
n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权
参考例句：
The king had unspeakable majesty.国王有无法形容的威严。 Your Majesty must make up your mind quickly!尊贵的陛下，您必须赶快做出决定！

3 vaguely
adv.含糊地，暖昧地
参考例句：
He had talked vaguely of going to work abroad.他含糊其词地说了到国外工作的事。 He looked vaguely before him with unseeing eyes.他迷迷糊糊的望着前面，对一切都视而不见。

4 hovering
鸟( hover的现在分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫
参考例句：
The helicopter was hovering about 100 metres above the pad. 直升机在离发射台一百米的上空盘旋。 I'm hovering between the concert and the play tonight. 我犹豫不决今晚是听音乐会还是看戏。

5 gulf
n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂
参考例句：
The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。 There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

6 lieutenant
n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员
参考例句：
He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。 He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

7 kindly
adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地
参考例句：
Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。 A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

8 scotch
n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的
参考例句：
Facts will eventually scotch these rumours.这种谣言在事实面前将不攻自破。 Italy was full of fine views and virtually empty of Scotch whiskey.意大利多的是美景，真正缺的是苏格兰威士忌。

9 shunned
v.避开，回避，避免( shun的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
She was shunned by her family when she remarried. 她再婚后家里人都躲着她。 He was a shy man who shunned all publicity. 他是个怕羞的人，总是避开一切引人注目的活动。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 justify
vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护
参考例句：
He tried to justify his absence with lame excuses.他想用站不住脚的借口为自己的缺席辩解。 Can you justify your rude behavior to me?你能向我证明你的粗野行为是有道理的吗？

11 exalted
adj.(地位等)高的，崇高的；尊贵的，高尚的
参考例句：
Their loveliness and holiness in accordance with their exalted station.他们的美丽和圣洁也与他们的崇高地位相称。 He received respect because he was a person of exalted rank.他因为是个地位崇高的人而受到尊敬。

12 justifies
证明…有理( justify的第三人称单数 )； 为…辩护； 对…作出解释； 为…辩解（或辩护）
参考例句：
Their frequency of use both justifies and requires the memorization. 频繁的使用需要记忆，也促进了记忆。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓 In my judgement the present end justifies the means. 照我的意见，只要目的正当，手段是可以不计较的。

13 liar
n.说谎的人
参考例句：
I know you for a thief and a liar!我算认识你了，一个又偷又骗的家伙！ She was wrongly labelled a liar.她被错误地扣上说谎者的帽子。

14 plunged
v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降
参考例句：
The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。 She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。

15 magnetism
n.磁性，吸引力，磁学
参考例句：
We know about magnetism by the way magnets act.我们通过磁铁的作用知道磁性是怎么一回事。 His success showed his magnetism of courage and devotion.他的成功表现了他的胆量和热诚的魅力。

16 vitality
n.活力，生命力，效力
参考例句：
He came back from his holiday bursting with vitality and good health.他度假归来之后，身强体壮，充满活力。 He is an ambitious young man full of enthusiasm and vitality.他是个充满热情与活力的有远大抱负的青年。

17 zoologist
n.动物学家
参考例句：
Charles darwin was a famous zoologist.查尔斯达尔文是一位著名的动物学家。 The zoologist had spent a long time living with monkeys.这位动物学家与猴子一起生活了很长时间。

18 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。

19 tact
n.机敏，圆滑，得体
参考例句：
She showed great tact in dealing with a tricky situation.她处理棘手的局面表现得十分老练。 Tact is a valuable commodity.圆滑老练是很有用处的。

20 proceedings
n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报
参考例句：
He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。 to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼

21 anthropology
n.人类学
参考例句：
I believe he has started reading up anthropology.我相信他已开始深入研究人类学。 Social anthropology is centrally concerned with the diversity of culture.社会人类学主要关于文化多样性。

22 acrimonious
adj.严厉的，辛辣的，刻毒的
参考例句：
He had an acrimonious quarrel with his girlfriend yesterday.昨天他跟他的女朋友激烈争吵了一番。 His parents went through an acrimonious divorce.他的父母在激烈吵吵闹闹中离了婚。

23 underlying
adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的
参考例句：
The underlying theme of the novel is very serious.小说隐含的主题是十分严肃的。 This word has its underlying meaning.这个单词有它潜在的含义。

24 alpine
adj.高山的；n.高山植物
参考例句：
Alpine flowers are abundant there.那里有很多高山地带的花。 Its main attractions are alpine lakes and waterfalls .它以高山湖泊和瀑布群为主要特色。

25 solitary
adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士
参考例句：
I am rather fond of a solitary stroll in the country.我颇喜欢在乡间独自徜徉。 The castle rises in solitary splendour on the fringe of the desert.这座城堡巍然耸立在沙漠的边际，显得十分壮美。

26 undoubtedly
adv.确实地，无疑地
参考例句：
It is undoubtedly she who has said that.这话明明是她说的。 He is undoubtedly the pride of China.毫无疑问他是中国的骄傲。

27 oyster
n.牡蛎；沉默寡言的人
参考例句：
I enjoy eating oyster; it's really delicious.我喜欢吃牡蛎，它味道真美。 I find I fairly like eating when he finally persuades me to taste the oyster.当他最后说服我尝尝牡蛎时，我发现我相当喜欢吃。

28 touchy
adj.易怒的；棘手的
参考例句：
Be careful what you say because he's touchy.你说话小心，因为他容易生气。 He's a little touchy about his weight.他对自己的体重感到有点儿苦恼。

29 gingery
adj.姜味的
参考例句：
You can tell that it' s root ginger, cause It'smells really gingery. 你可以分辨出姜块，因为它闻起来有很重的姜味。 来自互联网

30 savage
adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人
参考例句：
The poor man received a savage beating from the thugs.那可怜的人遭到暴徒的痛打。 He has a savage temper.他脾气粗暴。

31 sanely
ad.神志清楚地
参考例句：
This homogenization simplifies and uncomplicated the world enough to model It'sanely. 这种均质化的处理方式，简化了世界，足以能够稳妥地为它建模。 She is behaving rather sanely these days even though we know she is schizophrenic. 尽管我们知道她有精神分裂症，但那些天她的举止还算清醒。

32 cantankerous
adj.爱争吵的，脾气不好的
参考例句：
He met a crabbed,cantankerous director.他碰上了一位坏脾气、爱争吵的主管。 The cantankerous bus driver rouse on the children for singing.那个坏脾气的公共汽车司机因为孩子们唱歌而骂他们。

33 fanatic
n.狂热者，入迷者；adj.狂热入迷的
参考例句：
Alexander is a football fanatic.亚历山大是个足球迷。 I am not a religious fanatic but I am a Christian.我不是宗教狂热分子，但我是基督徒。

34 margin
n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘
参考例句：
We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。 The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。

35 disapproval
n.反对，不赞成
参考例句：
The teacher made an outward show of disapproval.老师表面上表示不同意。 They shouted their disapproval.他们喊叫表示反对。

36 retracted
v.撤回或撤消( retract的过去式和过去分词 )；拒绝执行或遵守；缩回；拉回
参考例句：
He made a false confession which he later retracted. 他作了假供词，后来又翻供。 A caddy retracted his statement. 一个球童收回了他的话。 来自辞典例句

37 wail
vt./vi.大声哀号，恸哭；呼啸，尖啸
参考例句：
Somewhere in the audience an old woman's voice began plaintive wail.观众席里，一位老太太伤心地哭起来。 One of the small children began to wail with terror.小孩中的一个吓得大哭起来。

38 faddist
n.趋于时尚者，好新奇的人
参考例句：

39 fad
n.时尚；一时流行的狂热；一时的爱好
参考例句：
His interest in photography is only a passing fad.他对摄影的兴趣只是一时的爱好罢了。 A hot business opportunity is based on a long-term trend not a short-lived fad.一个热门的商机指的是长期的趋势而非一时的流行。

40 awfully
adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地
参考例句：
Agriculture was awfully neglected in the past.过去农业遭到严重忽视。 I've been feeling awfully bad about it.对这我一直感到很难受。

41 versus
prep.以…为对手，对；与…相比之下
参考例句：
The big match tonight is England versus Spain.今晚的大赛是英格兰对西班牙。 The most exciting game was Harvard versus Yale.最富紧张刺激的球赛是哈佛队对耶鲁队。

42 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。

43 continental
adj.大陆的，大陆性的，欧洲大陆的
参考例句：
A continental climate is different from an insular one.大陆性气候不同于岛屿气候。 The most ancient parts of the continental crust are 4000 million years old.大陆地壳最古老的部分有40亿年历史。

44 layman
n.俗人，门外汉，凡人
参考例句：
These technical terms are difficult for the layman to understand.这些专门术语是外行人难以理解的。 He is a layman in politics.他对政治是个门外汉。

45 contentious
adj.好辩的，善争吵的
参考例句：
She was really not of the contentious fighting sort.她委实不是好吵好闹的人。 Since then they have tended to steer clear of contentious issues.从那时起，他们总想方设法避开有争议的问题。

46 censor
n./vt.审查，审查员；删改
参考例句：
The film has not been viewed by the censor.这部影片还未经审查人员审查。 The play was banned by the censor.该剧本被查禁了。

47 humble
adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低
参考例句：
In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。 Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

48 speculations
n.投机买卖( speculation的名词复数 )；思考；投机活动；推断
参考例句：
Your speculations were all quite close to the truth. 你的揣测都很接近于事实。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 This possibility gives rise to interesting speculations. 这种可能性引起了有趣的推测。 来自《用法词典》

49 lucid
adj.明白易懂的，清晰的，头脑清楚的
参考例句：
His explanation was lucid and to the point.他的解释扼要易懂。 He wasn't very lucid,he didn't quite know where he was.他神志不是很清醒，不太知道自己在哪里。

50 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。

51 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。

52 triumphantly
ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地
参考例句：
The lion was roaring triumphantly. 狮子正在发出胜利的吼叫。 Robert was looking at me triumphantly. 罗伯特正得意扬扬地看着我。

53 confession
n.自白，供认，承认
参考例句：
Her confession was simply tantamount to a casual explanation.她的自白简直等于一篇即席说明。 The police used torture to extort a confession from him.警察对他用刑逼供。

54 tickled
（使）发痒( tickle的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）愉快，逗乐
参考例句：
We were tickled pink to see our friends on television. 在电视中看到我们的一些朋友，我们高兴极了。 I tickled the baby's feet and made her laugh. 我胳肢孩子的脚，使她发笑。

55 tickling
反馈，回授，自旋挠痒法
参考例句：
Was It'spring tickling her senses? 是不是春意撩人呢？ Its origin is in tickling and rough-and-tumble play, he says. 他说，笑的起源来自于挠痒痒以及杂乱无章的游戏。

56 deigns
v.屈尊，俯就( deign的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
She scarcely deigns a glance at me. 她简直不屑看我一眼。 来自辞典例句

57 butt
n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶
参考例句：
The water butt catches the overflow from this pipe.大水桶盛接管子里流出的东西。 He was the butt of their jokes.他是他们的笑柄。