How Tom Brangwen Married a Polish Lady
I
The Brangwens had lived for generations on the
Marsh1 Farm, in the meadows where the Erewash twisted
sluggishly2 through
alder3 trees, separating Derbyshire from Nottinghamshire. Two miles away, a church-tower stood on a hill, the houses of the little country town climbing assiduously up to it. Whenever one of the Brangwens in the fields lifted his head from his work, he saw the church-tower at Ilkeston in the empty sky. So that as he turned again to the horizontal land, he was aware of something
standing4 above him and beyond him in the distance.
There was a look in the eyes of the Brangwens as if they were expecting something unknown, about which they were eager. They had that air of readiness for what would come to them, a kind of surety, an
expectancy5, the look of an inheritor.
They were fresh, blond, slow-speaking people, revealing themselves plainly, but slowly, so that one could watch the change in their eyes from laughter to anger, blue, lit-up laughter, to a hard blue-staring anger; through all the
irresolute6 stages of the sky when the weather is changing.
Living on rich land, on their own land, near to a growing town, they had forgotten what it was to be in straitened circumstances. They had never become rich, because there were always children, and the
patrimony7 was divided every time. But always, at the Marsh, there was ample.
So the Brangwens came and went without fear of necessity, working hard because of the life that was in them, not for want of the money. Neither were they thriftless. They were aware of the last halfpenny, and instinct made them not waste the peeling of their apple, for it would help to feed the cattle. But heaven and earth was
teeming8 around them, and how should this cease? They felt the rush of the sap in spring, they knew the wave which cannot halt, but every year throws forward the seed to
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收听单词发音
1
marsh
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n.沼泽,湿地 |
参考例句: |
- There are a lot of frogs in the marsh.沼泽里有许多青蛙。
- I made my way slowly out of the marsh.我缓慢地走出这片沼泽地。
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2
sluggishly
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adv.懒惰地;缓慢地 |
参考例句: |
- The river is silted up and the water flows sluggishly. 河道淤塞,水流迟滞。
- Loaded with 870 gallons of gasoline and 40 gallons of oil, the ship moved sluggishly. 飞机载着八百七十加仑汽油和四十加仑机油,缓慢地前进了。 来自英汉非文学 - 百科语料821
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3
alder
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n.赤杨树 |
参考例句: |
- He gave john some alder bark.他给了约翰一些桤木树皮。
- Several coppice plantations have been seeded with poplar,willow,and alder.好几个灌木林场都种上了白杨、柳树和赤杨。
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standing
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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。
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5
expectancy
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n.期望,预期,(根据概率统计求得)预期数额 |
参考例句: |
- Japanese people have a very high life expectancy.日本人的平均寿命非常长。
- The atomosphere of tense expectancy sobered everyone.这种期望的紧张气氛使每个人变得严肃起来。
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6
irresolute
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adj.无决断的,优柔寡断的,踌躇不定的 |
参考例句: |
- Irresolute persons make poor victors.优柔寡断的人不会成为胜利者。
- His opponents were too irresolute to call his bluff.他的对手太优柔寡断,不敢接受挑战。
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7
patrimony
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n.世袭财产,继承物 |
参考例句: |
- I left my parents' house,relinquished my estate and my patrimony.我离开了父母的家,放弃了我的房产和祖传财产。
- His grandfather left the patrimony to him.他的祖父把祖传的财物留给了他。
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8
teeming
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adj.丰富的v.充满( teem的现在分词 );到处都是;(指水、雨等)暴降;倾注 |
参考例句: |
- The rain was teeming down. 大雨倾盆而下。
- the teeming streets of the city 熙熙攘攘的城市街道
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9
begetting
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v.为…之生父( beget的现在分词 );产生,引起 |
参考例句: |
- It was widely believed that James' early dissipations had left him incapable of begetting a son. 人们普通认为,詹姆士早年生活放荡,致使他不能生育子嗣。 来自辞典例句
- That best form became the next parent, begetting other mutations. 那个最佳形态成为下一个父代,带来其他变异。 来自互联网
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10
intercourse
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n.性交;交流,交往,交际 |
参考例句: |
- The magazine becomes a cultural medium of intercourse between the two peoples.该杂志成为两民族间文化交流的媒介。
- There was close intercourse between them.他们过往很密。
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11
drawn
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v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的 |
参考例句: |
- All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
- Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。
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12
bowels
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n.肠,内脏,内部;肠( bowel的名词复数 );内部,最深处 |
参考例句: |
- Salts is a medicine that causes movements of the bowels. 泻盐是一种促使肠子运动的药物。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The cabins are in the bowels of the ship. 舱房设在船腹内。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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13
furrow
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n.沟;垄沟;轨迹;车辙;皱纹 |
参考例句: |
- The tractor has make deep furrow in the loose sand.拖拉机在松软的沙土上留下了深深的车辙。
- Mei did not weep.She only bit her lips,and the furrow in her brow deepened.梅埋下头,她咬了咬嘴唇皮,额上的皱纹显得更深了。
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14
supple
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adj.柔软的,易弯的,逢迎的,顺从的,灵活的;vt.使柔软,使柔顺,使顺从;vi.变柔软,变柔顺 |
参考例句: |
- She gets along well with people because of her supple nature.她与大家相处很好,因为她的天性柔和。
- He admired the graceful and supple movements of the dancers.他赞扬了舞蹈演员优雅灵巧的舞姿。
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lustre
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n.光亮,光泽;荣誉 |
参考例句: |
- The sun was shining with uncommon lustre.太阳放射出异常的光彩。
- A good name keeps its lustre in the dark.一个好的名誉在黑暗中也保持它的光辉。
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wagon
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n.四轮马车,手推车,面包车;无盖运货列车 |
参考例句: |
- We have to fork the hay into the wagon.我们得把干草用叉子挑进马车里去。
- The muddy road bemired the wagon.马车陷入了泥泞的道路。
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watery
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adj.有水的,水汪汪的;湿的,湿润的 |
参考例句: |
- In his watery eyes there is an expression of distrust.他那含泪的眼睛流露出惊惶失措的神情。
- Her eyes became watery because of the smoke.因为烟熏,她的双眼变得泪汪汪的。
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18
inert
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adj.无活动能力的,惰性的;迟钝的 |
参考例句: |
- Inert gas studies are providing valuable information about other planets,too.对惰性气体的研究,也提供了有关其它行星的有价值的资料。
- Elemental nitrogen is a very unreactive and inert material.元素氮是一个十分不活跃的惰性物质。
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calves
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n.(calf的复数)笨拙的男子,腓;腿肚子( calf的名词复数 );牛犊;腓;小腿肚v.生小牛( calve的第三人称单数 );(冰川)崩解;生(小牛等),产(犊);使(冰川)崩解 |
参考例句: |
- a cow suckling her calves 给小牛吃奶的母牛
- The calves are grazed intensively during their first season. 小牛在生长的第一季里集中喂养。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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throttle
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n.节流阀,节气阀,喉咙;v.扼喉咙,使窒息,压 |
参考例句: |
- These government restrictions are going to throttle our trade.这些政府的限制将要扼杀我们的贸易。
- High tariffs throttle trade between countries.高的关税抑制了国与国之间的贸易。
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spoke
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n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说 |
参考例句: |
- They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
- The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
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utterance
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n.用言语表达,话语,言语 |
参考例句: |
- This utterance of his was greeted with bursts of uproarious laughter.他的讲话引起阵阵哄然大笑。
- My voice cleaves to my throat,and sob chokes my utterance.我的噪子哽咽,泣不成声。
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outwards
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adj.外面的,公开的,向外的;adv.向外;n.外形 |
参考例句: |
- Does this door open inwards or outwards?这门朝里开还是朝外开?
- In lapping up a fur,they always put the inner side outwards.卷毛皮时,他们总是让内层朝外。
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dominant
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adj.支配的,统治的;占优势的;显性的;n.主因,要素,主要的人(或物);显性基因 |
参考例句: |
- The British were formerly dominant in India.英国人从前统治印度。
- She was a dominant figure in the French film industry.她在法国电影界是个举足轻重的人物。
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veins
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n.纹理;矿脉( vein的名词复数 );静脉;叶脉;纹理 |
参考例句: |
- The blood flows from the capillaries back into the veins. 血从毛细血管流回静脉。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- I felt a pleasant glow in all my veins from the wine. 喝过酒后我浑身的血都热烘烘的,感到很舒服。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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attain
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vt.达到,获得,完成 |
参考例句: |
- I used the scientific method to attain this end. 我用科学的方法来达到这一目的。
- His painstaking to attain his goal in life is praiseworthy. 他为实现人生目标所下的苦功是值得称赞的。
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geniality
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n.和蔼,诚恳;愉快 |
参考例句: |
- They said he is a pitiless,cold-blooded fellow,with no geniality in him.他们说他是个毫无怜悯心、一点也不和蔼的冷血动物。
- Not a shade was there of anything save geniality and kindness.他的眼神里只显出愉快与和气,看不出一丝邪意。
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craved
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渴望,热望( crave的过去式 ); 恳求,请求 |
参考例句: |
- She has always craved excitement. 她总渴望刺激。
- A spicy, sharp-tasting radish was exactly what her stomach craved. 她正馋着想吃一个香甜可口的红萝卜呢。
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frail
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adj.身体虚弱的;易损坏的 |
参考例句: |
- Mrs. Warner is already 96 and too frail to live by herself.华纳太太已经九十六岁了,身体虚弱,不便独居。
- She lay in bed looking particularly frail.她躺在床上,看上去特别虚弱。
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decided
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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。
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inevitably
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adv.不可避免地;必然发生地 |
参考例句: |
- In the way you go on,you are inevitably coming apart.照你们这样下去,毫无疑问是会散伙的。
- Technological changes will inevitably lead to unemployment.技术变革必然会导致失业。
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supreme
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adj.极度的,最重要的;至高的,最高的 |
参考例句: |
- It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
- He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。
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stifled
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(使)窒息, (使)窒闷( stifle的过去式和过去分词 ); 镇压,遏制; 堵 |
参考例句: |
- The gas stifled them. 煤气使他们窒息。
- The rebellion was stifled. 叛乱被镇压了。
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capes
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碎谷; 斗篷( cape的名词复数 ); 披肩; 海角; 岬 |
参考例句: |
- It was cool and they were putting on their capes. 夜里阴冷,他们都穿上了披风。
- The pastor smiled to give son's two Capes five cents money. 牧师微笑着给了儿子二角五分钱。
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beaver
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n.海狸,河狸 |
参考例句: |
- The hat is made of beaver.这顶帽子是海狸毛皮制的。
- A beaver is an animals with big front teeth.海狸是一种长着大门牙的动物。
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luminous
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adj.发光的,发亮的;光明的;明白易懂的;有启发的 |
参考例句: |
- There are luminous knobs on all the doors in my house.我家所有门上都安有夜光把手。
- Most clocks and watches in this shop are in luminous paint.这家商店出售的大多数钟表都涂了发光漆。
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37
hardy
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adj.勇敢的,果断的,吃苦的;耐寒的 |
参考例句: |
- The kind of plant is a hardy annual.这种植物是耐寒的一年生植物。
- He is a hardy person.他是一个能吃苦耐劳的人。
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epic
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n.史诗,叙事诗;adj.史诗般的,壮丽的 |
参考例句: |
- I gave up my epic and wrote this little tale instead.我放弃了写叙事诗,而写了这个小故事。
- They held a banquet of epic proportions.他们举行了盛大的宴会。
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odyssey
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n.长途冒险旅行;一连串的冒险 |
参考例句: |
- The march to Travnik was the final stretch of a 16-hour odyssey.去特拉夫尼克的这段路是长达16小时艰险旅行的最后一程。
- His odyssey of passion, friendship,love,and revenge was now finished.他的热情、友谊、爱情和复仇的漫长历程,到此结束了。
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enacting
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制定(法律),通过(法案)( enact的现在分词 ) |
参考例句: |
- Generally these statutes apply only to wastes from reactors outside the enacting state. 总之,这些法令只适宜用在对付那些来自外州的核废料。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
- In addition, the complexion of enacting standards for live working is described. 另外,介绍了带电作业标准的制订情况。
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manor
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n.庄园,领地 |
参考例句: |
- The builder of the manor house is a direct ancestor of the present owner.建造这幢庄园的人就是它现在主人的一个直系祖先。
- I am not lord of the manor,but its lady.我并非此地的领主,而是这儿的女主人。
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aspired
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v.渴望,追求( aspire的过去式和过去分词 ) |
参考例句: |
- She aspired to a scientific career. 她有志于科学事业。
- Britain,France,the United States and Japan all aspired to hegemony after the end of World War I. 第一次世界大战后,英、法、美、日都想争夺霸权。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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