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It was not possible for a boy of my temperament1 to be a blighted2 being longer than three consecutive3 weeks.
I was gradually emerging from my self-imposed cloud when events took place that greatly assisted in restoring me to a more natural frame of mind. I awoke from an imaginary trouble to face a real one.
I suppose you don't know what a financial crisis is? I will give you an illustration.
You are deeply in debt -- say to the amount of a quarter of a dollar -- to the little knicknack shop round the corner, where they sell picture-papers, spruce-gum, needles, and Malaga raisins4.
A boy owes you a quarter of a dollar, which he promises to pay at a certain time. You are depending on this quarter to settle accounts with the small shop-keeper. The time arrives -- and the quarter doesn't. That's a financial crisis, in one sense -- twenty-five senses, if I may say so.
When this same thing happens, on a grander scale, in the mercantile world, it produces what is called a panic. One man's inability to pay his debts ruins another man, who, in turn, ruins someone else, and so on, until failure after failure makes even the richest capitalists tremble. Public confidence is suspended, and the smaller fry of merchants are knocked over like tenpins.
These commercial panics occur periodically, after the fashion of comets and earthquakes and other disagreeable things.
Such a panic took place in New Orleans in the year 18 -- , and my father's banking-house went to pieces in the crash.
Of a comparatively large fortune nothing remained after paying his debts excepting a few thousand dollars, with which he proposed to return North and embark6 in some less hazardous7 enterprise. In the meantime it was necessary for him to stay in New Orleans to wind up the business.
My grandfather was in some way involved in this failure, and lost, I fancy, a considerable sum of money; but he never talked much on the subject. He was an unflinching believer in the spilt-milk proverb.

1
temperament
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n.气质,性格,性情 | |
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2
blighted
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adj.枯萎的,摧毁的 | |
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consecutive
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adj.连续的,联贯的,始终一贯的 | |
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4
raisins
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n.葡萄干( raisin的名词复数 ) | |
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5
confide
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v.向某人吐露秘密 | |
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embark
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vi.乘船,着手,从事,上飞机 | |
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hazardous
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adj.(有)危险的,冒险的;碰运气的 | |
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cholera
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n.霍乱 | |
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contradictory
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adj.反驳的,反对的,抗辩的;n.正反对,矛盾对立 | |
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discredited
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不足信的,不名誉的 | |
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11
imperative
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n.命令,需要;规则;祈使语气;adj.强制的;紧急的 | |
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wreck
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n.失事,遇难;沉船;vt.(船等)失事,遇难 | |
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feverish
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adj.发烧的,狂热的,兴奋的 | |
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impatience
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n.不耐烦,急躁 | |
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penetrated
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adj. 击穿的,鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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Christian
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adj.基督教徒的;n.基督教徒 | |
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postponed
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vt.& vi.延期,缓办,(使)延迟vt.把…放在次要地位;[语]把…放在后面(或句尾)vi.(疟疾等)延缓发作(或复发) | |
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18
longing
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n.(for)渴望 | |
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irresistible
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adj.非常诱人的,无法拒绝的,无法抗拒的 | |
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determined
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adj.坚定的;有决心的 | |
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decided
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adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
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hereditary
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adj.遗传的,遗传性的,可继承的,世袭的 | |
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peculiarity
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n.独特性,特色;特殊的东西;怪癖 | |
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thereby
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adv.因此,从而 | |
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nutter
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n.疯子 | |
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conspire
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v.密谋,(事件等)巧合,共同导致 | |
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thoroughly
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adv.完全地,彻底地,十足地 | |
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seamen
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n.海员 | |
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wharf
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n.码头,停泊处 | |
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judicious
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adj.明智的,明断的,能作出明智决定的 | |
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gale
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n.大风,强风,一阵闹声(尤指笑声等) | |
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32
dissuade
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v.劝阻,阻止 | |
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explicitly
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ad.明确地,显然地 | |
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rations
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定量( ration的名词复数 ); 配给量; 正常量; 合理的量 | |
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plank
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n.板条,木板,政策要点,政纲条目 | |
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rev
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v.发动机旋转,加快速度 | |
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immediate
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adj.立即的;直接的,最接近的;紧靠的 | |
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retired
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adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的 | |
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caress
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vt./n.爱抚,抚摸 | |
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bravado
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n.虚张声势,故作勇敢,逞能 | |
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saluted
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v.欢迎,致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 );赞扬,赞颂 | |
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nervously
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adv.神情激动地,不安地 | |
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steadily
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adv.稳定地;不变地;持续地 | |
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phantom
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n.幻影,虚位,幽灵;adj.错觉的,幻影的,幽灵的 | |
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genial
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adj.亲切的,和蔼的,愉快的,脾气好的 | |
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dire
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adj.可怕的,悲惨的,阴惨的,极端的 | |
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tilted
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v. 倾斜的 | |
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succumbed
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不再抵抗(诱惑、疾病、攻击等)( succumb的过去式和过去分词 ); 屈从; 被压垮; 死 | |
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considerably
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adv.极大地;相当大地;在很大程度上 | |
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melodiously
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glided
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v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 );掠过;(鸟或飞机 ) 滑翔 | |
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zigzag
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n.曲折,之字形;adj.曲折的,锯齿形的;adv.曲折地,成锯齿形地;vt.使曲折;vi.曲折前行 | |
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obstructed
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阻塞( obstruct的过去式和过去分词 ); 堵塞; 阻碍; 阻止 | |
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twilight
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n.暮光,黄昏;暮年,晚期,衰落时期 | |
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exertion
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n.尽力,努力 | |
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56
trot
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n.疾走,慢跑;n.老太婆;现成译本;(复数)trots:腹泻(与the 连用);v.小跑,快步走,赶紧 | |
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discretion
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n.谨慎;随意处理 | |
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severely
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adv.严格地;严厉地;非常恶劣地 | |
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sullenly
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不高兴地,绷着脸,忧郁地 | |
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condescend
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v.俯就,屈尊;堕落,丢丑 | |
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mere
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adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 | |
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lodging
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n.寄宿,住所;(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
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chamber
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n.房间,寝室;会议厅;议院;会所 | |
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pitcher
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n.(有嘴和柄的)大水罐;(棒球)投手 | |
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ornamented
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adj.花式字体的v.装饰,点缀,美化( ornament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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petrified
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adj.惊呆的;目瞪口呆的v.使吓呆,使惊呆;变僵硬;使石化(petrify的过去式和过去分词) | |
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lurid
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adj.可怕的;血红的;苍白的 | |
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frigate
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n.护航舰,大型驱逐舰 | |
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dismal
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adj.阴沉的,凄凉的,令人忧郁的,差劲的 | |
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sitting-room
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n.(BrE)客厅,起居室 | |
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wig
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n.假发 | |
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benevolently
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adv.仁慈地,行善地 | |
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gilt
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adj.镀金的;n.金边证券 | |
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prodigal
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adj.浪费的,挥霍的,放荡的 | |
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calf
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n.小牛,犊,幼仔,小牛皮 | |
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frightful
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adj.可怕的;讨厌的 | |
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riotous
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adj.骚乱的;狂欢的 | |
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haughtily
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adv. 傲慢地, 高傲地 | |
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repulsed
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v.击退( repulse的过去式和过去分词 );驳斥;拒绝 | |
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systematic
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adj.有系统的,有计划的,有方法的 | |
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hearty
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adj.热情友好的;衷心的;尽情的,纵情的 | |
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fret
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v.(使)烦恼;(使)焦急;(使)腐蚀,(使)磨损 | |
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disconsolate
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adj.忧郁的,不快的 | |
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soothing
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adj.慰藉的;使人宽心的;镇静的 | |
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fragrance
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n.芬芳,香味,香气 | |
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condescended
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屈尊,俯就( condescend的过去式和过去分词 ); 故意表示和蔼可亲 | |
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flickering
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adj.闪烁的,摇曳的,一闪一闪的 | |
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sipped
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v.小口喝,呷,抿( sip的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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tickled
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(使)发痒( tickle的过去式和过去分词 ); (使)愉快,逗乐 | |
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wager
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n.赌注;vt.押注,打赌 | |
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stoutly
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adv.牢固地,粗壮的 | |
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meditating
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a.沉思的,冥想的 | |
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awakened
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v.(使)醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 );(使)觉醒;弄醒;(使)意识到 | |
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depressed
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adj.沮丧的,抑郁的,不景气的,萧条的 | |
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exult
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v.狂喜,欢腾;欢欣鼓舞 | |
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96
mortification
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n.耻辱,屈辱 | |
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allude
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v.提及,暗指 | |
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98
lodgings
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n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍 | |
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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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glum
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adj.闷闷不乐的,阴郁的 | |
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101
careworn
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adj.疲倦的,饱经忧患的 | |
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102
shutters
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百叶窗( shutter的名词复数 ); (照相机的)快门 | |
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103
doorway
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n.门口,(喻)入门;门路,途径 | |
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104
laborers
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n.体力劳动者,工人( laborer的名词复数 );(熟练工人的)辅助工 | |
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105
relish
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n.滋味,享受,爱好,调味品;vt.加调味料,享受,品味;vi.有滋味 | |
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106
felon
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n.重罪犯;adj.残忍的 | |
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107
mien
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n.风采;态度 | |
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108
alluring
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adj.吸引人的,迷人的 | |
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industriously
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110
cynical
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adj.(对人性或动机)怀疑的,不信世道向善的 | |
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111
vengeance
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n.报复,报仇,复仇 | |
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112
wreak
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v.发泄;报复 | |
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113
perfidious
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adj.不忠的,背信弃义的 | |
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114
fathomed
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理解…的真意( fathom的过去式和过去分词 ); 彻底了解; 弄清真相 | |
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115
inflicted
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把…强加给,使承受,遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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116
folly
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n.愚笨,愚蠢,蠢事,蠢行,傻话 | |
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117
spires
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n.(教堂的) 塔尖,尖顶( spire的名词复数 ) | |
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118
dread
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vt.担忧,忧虑;惧怕,不敢;n.担忧,畏惧 | |
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119
apparently
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adv.显然地;表面上,似乎 | |
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120
defiant
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adj.无礼的,挑战的 | |
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121
entirely
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ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地 | |
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122
deserted
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adj.荒芜的,荒废的,无人的,被遗弃的 | |
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123
touching
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adj.动人的,使人感伤的 | |
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astonishment
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n.惊奇,惊异 | |
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125
kindly
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adj.和蔼的,温和的,爽快的;adv.温和地,亲切地 | |
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126
wrung
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绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 ); 握紧(尤指别人的手); 把(湿衣服)拧干; 绞掉(水) | |
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127
reproof
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n.斥责,责备 | |
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128
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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