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In Afghanistan, _yelda_ is the first night of the month of _Jadi_, the first night of winter, and the longest night of the year. As was the tradition, Hassan and I used to stay up late, our feet tucked under the kursi, while Ali tossed apple skin into the stove and told us ancient tales of sultans and thieves to pass that longest of nights. It was from Ali that I learned the lore1 of _yelda_, that bedeviled moths2 flung themselves at candle flames, and wolves climbed mountains looking for the sun. Ali swore that if you ate water melon the night of _yelda_, you wouldn't get thirsty the coming summer.
When I was older, I read in my poetry books that _yelda_ was the starless night tormented3 lovers kept vigil, enduring the endless dark, waiting for the sun to rise and bring with it their loved one. After I met Soraya Taheri, every night of the week became a _yelda_ for me. And when Sunday mornings came, I rose from bed, Soraya Taheri's brown-eyed face already in my head. In Baba's bus, I counted the miles until I'd see her sitting barefoot, arranging cardboard boxes of yellowed encyclopedias4, her heels white against the asphalt, silver bracelets6 jingling7 around her slender wrists. I'd think of the shadow her hair cast on the ground when it slid off her back and hung down like a velvet8 curtain. Soraya. Swap9 Meet Princess. The morning sun to my yelda.
I invented excuses to stroll down the aisle10--which Baba acknowledged with a playful smirk--and pass the Taheris?stand. I would wave at the general, perpetually dressed in his shiny overpressed gray suit, and he would wave back. Sometimes he'd get up from his director's chair and we'd make small talk about my writing, the war, the day's bargains. And I'd have to will my eyes not to peel away, not to wander to where Soraya sat reading a

1
lore
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n.传说;学问,经验,知识 | |
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2
moths
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n.蛾( moth的名词复数 ) | |
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tormented
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饱受折磨的 | |
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encyclopedias
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n.百科全书, (某一学科的)专科全书( encyclopedia的名词复数 ) | |
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5
bracelet
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n.手镯,臂镯 | |
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bracelets
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n.手镯,臂镯( bracelet的名词复数 ) | |
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jingling
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叮当声 | |
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velvet
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n.丝绒,天鹅绒;adj.丝绒制的,柔软的 | |
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swap
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n.交换;vt.交换,用...作交易 | |
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aisle
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n.(教堂、教室、戏院等里的)过道,通道 | |
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paperback
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n.平装本,简装本 | |
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12
middle-aged
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adj.中年的 | |
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joints
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接头( joint的名词复数 ); 关节; 公共场所(尤指价格低廉的饮食和娱乐场所) (非正式); 一块烤肉 (英式英语) | |
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sprouted
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v.发芽( sprout的过去式和过去分词 );抽芽;出现;(使)涌现出 | |
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aced
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vt.发球得分(ace的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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minor
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adj.较小(少)的,较次要的;n.辅修学科;vi.辅修 | |
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flea
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n.跳蚤 | |
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concession
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n.让步,妥协;特许(权) | |
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initially
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adv.最初,开始 | |
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pickles
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n.腌菜( pickle的名词复数 );处于困境;遇到麻烦;菜酱 | |
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grilled
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adj. 烤的, 炙过的, 有格子的 动词grill的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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spotted
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adj.有斑点的,斑纹的,弄污了的 | |
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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 | |
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tablecloth
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n.桌布,台布 | |
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salaam
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n.额手之礼,问安,敬礼;v.行额手礼 | |
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pointed
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adj.尖的,直截了当的 | |
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nay
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adv.不;n.反对票,投反对票者 | |
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hush
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int.嘘,别出声;n.沉默,静寂;v.使安静 | |
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inquiry
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n.打听,询问,调查,查问 | |
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verge
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n.边,边缘;v.接近,濒临 | |
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fully
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adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地 | |
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gender
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n.(生理上的)性,(名词、代词等的)性 | |
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bruised
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[医]青肿的,瘀紫的 | |
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ego
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n.自我,自己,自尊 | |
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bruises
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n.瘀伤,伤痕,擦伤( bruise的名词复数 ) | |
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pulsating
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adj.搏动的,脉冲的v.有节奏地舒张及收缩( pulsate的现在分词 );跳动;脉动;受(激情)震动 | |
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scenarios
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n.[意]情节;剧本;事态;脚本 | |
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flick
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n.快速的轻打,轻打声,弹开;v.轻弹,轻轻拂去,忽然摇动 | |
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glistened
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v.湿物闪耀,闪亮( glisten的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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burrowed
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v.挖掘(洞穴),挖洞( burrow的过去式和过去分词 );翻寻 | |
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drooping
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adj. 下垂的,无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
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Amended
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adj. 修正的 动词amend的过去式和过去分词 | |
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lethal
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adj.致死的;毁灭性的 | |
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prospects
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n.希望,前途(恒为复数) | |
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fickle
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adj.(爱情或友谊上)易变的,不坚定的 | |
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crooked
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adj.弯曲的;不诚实的,狡猾的,不正当的 | |
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genetic
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adj.遗传的,遗传学的 | |
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lottery
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n.抽彩;碰运气的事,难于算计的事 | |
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determined
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adj.坚定的;有决心的 | |
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adversary
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adj.敌手,对手 | |
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simultaneously
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adv.同时发生地,同时进行地 | |
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laborious
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adj.吃力的,努力的,不流畅 | |
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arthritis
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n.关节炎 | |
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undoubtedly
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adv.确实地,无疑地 | |
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amiable
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adj.和蔼可亲的,友善的,亲切的 | |
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fawning
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adj.乞怜的,奉承的v.(尤指狗等)跳过来往人身上蹭以示亲热( fawn的现在分词 );巴结;讨好 | |
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awning
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n.遮阳篷;雨篷 | |
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certified
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a.经证明合格的;具有证明文件的 | |
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illiterate
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adj.文盲的;无知的;n.文盲 | |
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ridicule
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v.讥讽,挖苦;n.嘲弄 | |
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blurted
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v.突然说出,脱口而出( blurt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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stapled
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v.用钉书钉钉住( staple的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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fixed
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adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的 | |
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aspiring
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adj.有志气的;有抱负的;高耸的v.渴望;追求 | |
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perfectly
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adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地 | |
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hack
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n.劈,砍,出租马车;v.劈,砍,干咳 | |
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hacking
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n.非法访问计算机系统和数据库的活动 | |
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malaria
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n.疟疾 | |
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grumbled
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抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 ); 发牢骚; 咕哝; 发哼声 | |
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scribbling
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n.乱涂[写]胡[乱]写的文章[作品]v.潦草的书写( scribble的现在分词 );乱画;草草地写;匆匆记下 | |
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scribble
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v.潦草地书写,乱写,滥写;n.潦草的写法,潦草写成的东西,杂文 | |
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casually
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adv.漠不关心地,无动于衷地,不负责任地 | |
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grimacing
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v.扮鬼相,做鬼脸( grimace的现在分词 ) | |
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frustration
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n.挫折,失败,失效,落空 | |
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ominous
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adj.不祥的,不吉的,预兆的,预示的 | |
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treks
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n.远距离行走 ( trek的名词复数 );长途跋涉,艰难的旅程(尤指在山区)v.艰苦跋涉,徒步旅行( trek的第三人称单数 );(尤指在山中)远足,徒步旅行,游山玩水 | |
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brass
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n.黄铜;黄铜器,铜管乐器 | |
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zippers
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n.拉链( zipper的名词复数 );用拉链的人,装拉链的包 | |
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haggled
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v.讨价还价( haggle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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orphan
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n.孤儿;adj.无父母的 | |
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diplomat
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n.外交官,外交家;能交际的人,圆滑的人 | |
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reticence
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n.沉默,含蓄 | |
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demeanor
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n.行为;风度 | |
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furtive
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adj.鬼鬼崇崇的,偷偷摸摸的 | |
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complimentary
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adj.赠送的,免费的,赞美的,恭维的 | |
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queries
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n.问题( query的名词复数 );疑问;询问;问号v.质疑,对…表示疑问( query的第三人称单数 );询问 | |
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receded
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v.逐渐远离( recede的过去式和过去分词 );向后倾斜;自原处后退或避开别人的注视;尤指问题 | |
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88
sockets
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n.套接字,使应用程序能够读写与收发通讯协定(protocol)与资料的程序( Socket的名词复数 );孔( socket的名词复数 );(电器上的)插口;托座;凹穴 | |
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rummaged
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翻找,搜寻( rummage的过去式和过去分词 ); 已经海关检查 | |
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foamy
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adj.全是泡沫的,泡沫的,起泡沫的 | |
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seizure
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n.没收;占有;抵押 | |
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soothe
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v.安慰;使平静;使减轻;缓和;奉承 | |
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killer
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n.杀人者,杀人犯,杀手,屠杀者 | |
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walnut
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n.胡桃,胡桃木,胡桃色,茶色 | |
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riddled
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adj.布满的;充斥的;泛滥的v.解谜,出谜题(riddle的过去分词形式) | |
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swelling
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n.肿胀 | |
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conversant
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adj.亲近的,有交情的,熟悉的 | |
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orphanage
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n.孤儿院 | |
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99
groggy
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adj.体弱的;不稳的 | |
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100
croaked
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v.呱呱地叫( croak的过去式和过去分词 );用粗的声音说 | |
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101
blotted
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涂污( blot的过去式和过去分词 ); (用吸墨纸)吸干 | |
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102
Ford
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n.浅滩,水浅可涉处;v.涉水,涉过 | |
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103
ribs
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n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 );(船或屋顶等的)肋拱;肋骨状的东西;(织物的)凸条花纹 | |
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exhausted
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adj.极其疲惫的,精疲力尽的 | |
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wilted
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(使)凋谢,枯萎( wilt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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scribbled
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v.潦草的书写( scribble的过去式和过去分词 );乱画;草草地写;匆匆记下 | |
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107
flicked
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(尤指用手指或手快速地)轻击( flick的过去式和过去分词 ); (用…)轻挥; (快速地)按开关; 向…笑了一下(或瞥了一眼等) | |
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108
giggles
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n.咯咯的笑( giggle的名词复数 );傻笑;玩笑;the giggles 止不住的格格笑v.咯咯地笑( giggle的第三人称单数 ) | |
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residential
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adj.提供住宿的;居住的;住宅的 | |
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rebellious
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adj.造反的,反抗的,难控制的 | |
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hysterical
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adj.情绪异常激动的,歇斯底里般的 | |
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hoarse
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adj.嘶哑的,沙哑的 | |
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113
chastise
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vt.责骂,严惩 | |
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