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When we arrived at the Taheris?home the next evening--for lafz, the ceremony of "giving word?-I had to park the Ford1 across the street. Their driveway was already jammed with cars. I wore a navy blue suit I had bought the previous day, after I had brought Baba Home from _khastegari_. I checked my tie in the rearview mirror.
"You look khoshteep,?Baba said. Handsome.
"Thank you, Baba. Are you all right? Do you feel up to this??
"Up to this? It's the happiest day of my life, Amir,?he said, smiling tiredly.
I COULD HEAR CHATTER2 from the other side of the door, laughter, and Afghan music playing softly--it sounded like a classical ghazal by Ustad Sarahang. I rang the bell. A face peeked3 through the curtains of the foyer window and disappeared. "They're here!?I heard a woman's voice say. The chatter stopped. Someone turned off the music.
Khanum Taheri opened the door. "_Salaam alaykum_,?she said, beaming. She'd permed her hair, I saw, and wore an elegant, ankle-length black dress. When I stepped into the foyer, her eyes moistened. "You're barely in the house and I'm crying already, Amir jan,?she said. I planted a kiss on her hand, just as Baba had instructed me to do the night before.
She led us through a brightly lit hallway to the living room. On the wood-paneled walls, I saw pictures of the people who would become my new family: A young bouffant-haired Khanum Taheri and the general--Niagara Falls in the background; Khanum Taheri in a seamless dress, the general in a narrow-lapelled jacket and thin tie, his hair full and black; Soraya, about to board a wooden roller coaster, waving and smiling, the sun glinting off the silver wires in her teeth. A photo of the general, dashing in full military outfit4, shaking hands with King Hussein of Jordan. A portrait of Zahir Shah.
The living room was packed with about two dozen guests seated on chairs placed along the walls. When Baba entered, everybody stood up. We went around the room, Baba leading slowly, me behind him, shaking hands and greeting the guests. The general--still in his gray suit--and Baba embraced, gently tapping each other on the back. They said their Salaams5 in respectful hushed tones.
The general held me at arm's length and smiled knowingly, as if saying, "Now, this is the right way--the Afghan way--to do it, _bachem_.?We kissed three times on the cheek.

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Ford
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n.浅滩,水浅可涉处;v.涉水,涉过 | |
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2
chatter
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vi./n.喋喋不休;短促尖叫;(牙齿)打战 | |
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3
peeked
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v.很快地看( peek的过去式和过去分词 );偷看;窥视;微露出 | |
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4
outfit
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n.(为特殊用途的)全套装备,全套服装 | |
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salaams
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(穆斯林的)额手礼,问安,敬礼( salaam的名词复数 ) | |
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ragged
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adj.衣衫褴褛的,粗糙的,刺耳的 | |
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humility
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n.谦逊,谦恭 | |
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distinguished
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adj.卓越的,杰出的,著名的 | |
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worthy
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adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的 | |
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humble
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adj.谦卑的,恭顺的;地位低下的;v.降低,贬低 | |
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blessings
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n.(上帝的)祝福( blessing的名词复数 );好事;福分;因祸得福 | |
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stunning
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adj.极好的;使人晕倒的 | |
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tightened
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收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 ); (使)变紧; (使)绷紧; 加紧 | |
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swelled
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增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 ); 肿胀; (使)凸出; 充满(激情) | |
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forgo
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v.放弃,抛弃 | |
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improper
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adj.不适当的,不合适的,不正确的,不合礼仪的 | |
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savings
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n.存款,储蓄 | |
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tuxedo
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n.礼服,无尾礼服 | |
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frenzied
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a.激怒的;疯狂的 | |
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fluffy
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adj.有绒毛的,空洞的 | |
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lengthy
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adj.漫长的,冗长的 | |
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dedicated
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adj.一心一意的;献身的;热诚的 | |
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jotted
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v.匆忙记下( jot的过去式和过去分词 );草草记下,匆匆记下 | |
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stationery
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n.文具;(配套的)信笺信封 | |
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momentary
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adj.片刻的,瞬息的;短暂的 | |
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feverish
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adj.发烧的,狂热的,兴奋的 | |
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tempo
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n.(音乐的)速度;节奏,行进速度 | |
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exhaustion
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n.耗尽枯竭,疲惫,筋疲力尽,竭尽,详尽无遗的论述 | |
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pharmacy
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n.药房,药剂学,制药业,配药业,一批备用药品 | |
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liar
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n.说谎的人 | |
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31
flares
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n.喇叭裤v.(使)闪耀( flare的第三人称单数 );(使)(船舷)外倾;(使)鼻孔张大;(使)(衣裙、酒杯等)呈喇叭形展开 | |
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bouquet
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n.花束,酒香 | |
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bouquets
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n.花束( bouquet的名词复数 );(酒的)芳香 | |
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spinach
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n.菠菜 | |
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mosque
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n.清真寺 | |
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mattresses
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褥垫,床垫( mattress的名词复数 ) | |
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winking
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n.瞬眼,目语v.使眼色( wink的现在分词 );递眼色(表示友好或高兴等);(指光)闪烁;闪亮 | |
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reverberated
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回响,回荡( reverberate的过去式和过去分词 ); 使反响,使回荡,使反射 | |
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wrestled
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v.(与某人)搏斗( wrestle的过去式和过去分词 );扭成一团;扭打;(与…)摔跤 | |
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overt
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adj.公开的,明显的,公然的 | |
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indignity
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n.侮辱,伤害尊严,轻蔑 | |
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cemetery
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n.坟墓,墓地,坟场 | |
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shovelful
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n.一铁铲 | |
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maple
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n.槭树,枫树,槭木 | |
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gritted
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v.以沙砾覆盖(某物),撒沙砾于( grit的过去式和过去分词 );咬紧牙关 | |
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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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vaguely
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adv.含糊地,暖昧地 | |
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winding
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n.绕,缠,绕组,线圈 | |
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gravel
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n.砂跞;砂砾层;结石 | |
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subsided
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v.(土地)下陷(因在地下采矿)( subside的过去式和过去分词 );减弱;下降至较低或正常水平;一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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flea
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n.跳蚤 | |
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monarchy
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n.君主,最高统治者;君主政体,君主国 | |
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enchanting
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a.讨人喜欢的 | |
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domain
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n.(活动等)领域,范围;领地,势力范围 | |
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lesser
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adj.次要的,较小的;adv.较小地,较少地 | |
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orchids
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n.兰花( orchid的名词复数 ) | |
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joint
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adj.联合的,共同的;n.关节,接合处;v.连接,贴合 | |
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onset
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n.进攻,袭击,开始,突然开始 | |
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arthritis
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n.关节炎 | |
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60
twitch
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v.急拉,抽动,痉挛,抽搐;n.扯,阵痛,痉挛 | |
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monologues
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n.(戏剧)长篇独白( monologue的名词复数 );滔滔不绝的讲话;独角戏 | |
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malady
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n.病,疾病(通常做比喻) | |
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middle-aged
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adj.中年的 | |
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virtuous
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adj.有品德的,善良的,贞洁的,有效力的 | |
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curb
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n.场外证券市场,场外交易;vt.制止,抑制 | |
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66
wedlock
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n.婚姻,已婚状态 | |
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dabbing
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石面凿毛,灰泥抛毛 | |
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68
chamber
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n.房间,寝室;会议厅;议院;会所 | |
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69
slurring
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含糊地说出( slur的现在分词 ); 含糊地发…的声; 侮辱; 连唱 | |
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70
sob
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n.空间轨道的轰炸机;呜咽,哭泣 | |
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71
maverick
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adj.特立独行的;不遵守传统的;n.持异议者,自行其是者 | |
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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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73
warehouse
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n.仓库;vt.存入仓库 | |
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74
aisles
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n. (席位间的)通道, 侧廊 | |
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enrolled
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adj.入学登记了的v.[亦作enrol]( enroll的过去式和过去分词 );登记,招收,使入伍(或入会、入学等),参加,成为成员;记入名册;卷起,包起 | |
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chagrin
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n.懊恼;气愤;委屈 | |
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ministry
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n.(政府的)部;牧师 | |
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tightening
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上紧,固定,紧密 | |
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hissed
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发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 ); 发嘘声表示反对 | |
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reclaim
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v.要求归还,收回;开垦 | |
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81
bruise
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n.青肿,挫伤;伤痕;vt.打青;挫伤 | |
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ego
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n.自我,自己,自尊 | |
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83
soviets
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苏维埃(Soviet的复数形式) | |
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84
Soviet
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adj.苏联的,苏维埃的;n.苏维埃 | |
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85
query
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n.疑问,问号,质问;vt.询问,表示怀疑 | |
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86
stunned
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adj. 震惊的,惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词 | |
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vow
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n.誓(言),誓约;v.起誓,立誓 | |
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slaughtered
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v.屠杀,杀戮,屠宰( slaughter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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killing
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n.巨额利润;突然赚大钱,发大财 | |
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celebrated
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adj.有名的,声誉卓著的 | |
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celebrity
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n.名人,名流;著名,名声,名望 | |
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withdrawal
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n.取回,提款;撤退,撤军;收回,撤销 | |
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93
unleashed
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v.把(感情、力量等)释放出来,发泄( unleash的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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94
swirl
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v.(使)打漩,(使)涡卷;n.漩涡,螺旋形 | |
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daunting
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adj.使人畏缩的 | |
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96
frustrated
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adj.挫败的,失意的,泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 );挫败;使受挫折;令人沮丧 | |
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irritable
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adj.急躁的;过敏的;易怒的 | |
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initially
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adv.最初,开始 | |
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alluding
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提及,暗指( allude的现在分词 ) | |
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perked
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(使)活跃( perk的过去式和过去分词 ); (使)增值; 使更有趣 | |
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terse
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adj.(说话,文笔)精炼的,简明的 | |
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102
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 | |
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103
plumbing
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n.水管装置;水暖工的工作;管道工程v.用铅锤测量(plumb的现在分词);探究 | |
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104
notches
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n.(边缘或表面上的)V型痕迹( notch的名词复数 );刻痕;水平;等级 | |
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105
blur
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n.模糊不清的事物;vt.使模糊,使看不清楚 | |
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106
hormone
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n.荷尔蒙,激素,内分泌 | |
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apparently
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adv.显然地;表面上,似乎 | |
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108
infertility
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n.不肥沃,不毛;不育 | |
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meticulous
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adj.极其仔细的,一丝不苟的 | |
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frustrating
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adj.产生挫折的,使人沮丧的,令人泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的现在分词 );挫败;使受挫折;令人沮丧 | |
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sterile
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adj.不毛的,不孕的,无菌的,枯燥的,贫瘠的 | |
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fluorescent
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adj.荧光的,发出荧光的 | |
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113
humiliation
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n.羞辱 | |
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114
specimen
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n.样本,标本 | |
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115
adoption
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n.采用,采纳,通过;收养 | |
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116
grill
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n.烤架,铁格子,烤肉;v.烧,烤,严加盘问 | |
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grilling
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v.烧烤( grill的现在分词 );拷问,盘问 | |
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trout
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n.鳟鱼;鲑鱼(属) | |
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sipping
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v.小口喝,呷,抿( sip的现在分词 ) | |
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fragrance
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n.芬芳,香味,香气 | |
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caress
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vt./n.爱抚,抚摸 | |
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ambivalent
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adj.含糊不定的;(态度等)矛盾的 | |
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labored
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adj.吃力的,谨慎的v.努力争取(for)( labor的过去式和过去分词 );苦干;详细分析;(指引擎)缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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revved
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v.(使)加速( rev的过去式和过去分词 );(数量、活动等)激增;(使发动机)快速旋转;(使)活跃起来 | |
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125
ancestry
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n.祖先,家世 | |
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126
ledge
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n.壁架,架状突出物;岩架,岩礁 | |
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127
reassured
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adj.使消除疑虑的;使放心的v.再保证,恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
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128
decided
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adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
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129
bemoaned
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v.为(某人或某事)抱怨( bemoan的过去式和过去分词 );悲悼;为…恸哭;哀叹 | |
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130
precisely
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adv.恰好,正好,精确地,细致地 | |
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131
chirping
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鸟叫,虫鸣( chirp的现在分词 ) | |
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132
seeped
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v.(液体)渗( seep的过去式和过去分词 );渗透;渗出;漏出 | |
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