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Jo was alone in the twilight1, lying on the old sofa, looking at the fire, and thinking. It was her favorite way of spending the hour of dusk. No one disturbed her, and she used to lie there on Beth's little red pillow, planning stories, dreaming dreams, or thinking tender thoughts of the sister who never seemed far away. Her face looked tired, grave, and rather sad, for tomorrow was her birthday, and she was thinking how fast the years went by, how old she was getting, and how little she seemed to have accomplished2. Almost twenty-five, and nothing to show for it. Jo was mistaken in that. There was a good deal to show, and by-and-by she saw, and was grateful for it.
"An old maid, that's what I'm to be. A literary spinster, with a pen for a spouse3, a family of stories for children, and twenty years hence a morsel4 of fame, perhaps, when, like poor Johnson, I'm old and can't enjoy it, solitary5, and can't share it, independent, and don't need it. Well, I needn't be a sour saint nor a selfish sinner, and, I dare say, old maids are very comfortable when they get used to it, but . . ." and there Jo sighed, as if the prospect6 was not inviting7.
It seldom is, at first, and thirty seems the end of all things to five-and-twenty. But it's not as bad as it looks, and one can get on quite happily if one has something in one's self to fall back upon. At twenty-five, girls begin to talk about being old maids, but secretly resolve that they never will be. At thirty they say nothing about it, but quietly accept the fact, and if sensible, console themselves by remembering that they have twenty more useful, happy years, in which they may be learning to grow old gracefully9. Don't laugh at the spinsters, dear girls, for often very tender, tragic
1
twilight
n.暮光,黄昏;暮年,晚期,衰落时期
2
accomplished
adj.有才艺的;有造诣的;达到了的
3
spouse
n.配偶(指夫或妻)
4
morsel
n.一口,一点点
5
solitary
adj.孤独的,独立的,荒凉的;n.隐士
6
prospect
n.前景,前途;景色,视野
7
inviting
adj.诱人的,引人注目的
8
hem
n.贴边,镶边;vt.缝贴边;(in)包围,限制
9
gracefully
ad.大大方方地;优美地
10
graceful
adj.优美的,优雅的;得体的
11
tragic
adj.悲剧的,悲剧性的,悲惨的
12
kindly
adj.和蔼的,温和的,爽快的;adv.温和地,亲切地
13
compassion
n.同情,怜悯
14
rosy
adj.美好的,乐观的,玫瑰色的
15
admiration
n.钦佩,赞美,羡慕
16
courteous
adj.彬彬有礼的,客气的
17
prim
adj.拘泥形式的,一本正经的;n.循规蹈矩,整洁;adv.循规蹈矩地,整洁地
18
chivalry
n.骑士气概,侠义;(男人)对女人彬彬有礼,献殷勤
19
deference
n.尊重,顺从;敬意
20
recollect
v.回忆,想起,记起,忆起,记得
21
maternal
adj.母亲的,母亲般的,母系的,母方的
22
ballad
n.歌谣,民谣,流行爱情歌曲
23
tart
adj.酸的;尖酸的,刻薄的;n.果馅饼;淫妇
24
joyfully
adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地
25
penitent
adj.后悔的;n.后悔者;忏悔者
26
mischief
n.损害,伤害,危害;恶作剧,捣蛋,胡闹
27
gasp
n.喘息,气喘;v.喘息;气吁吁他说
28
complimentary
adj.赠送的,免费的,赞美的,恭维的
29
abject
adj.极可怜的,卑屈的
30
barricade
n.路障,栅栏,障碍;vt.设路障挡住
31
invitingly
adv. 动人地
32
comelier
adj.英俊的,好看的( comely的比较级 )
33
mere
adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过
34
irresistibly
adv.无法抵抗地,不能自持地;极为诱惑人地
35
decided
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
36
kindle
v.点燃,着火
37
tragically
adv. 悲剧地,悲惨地
38
propriety
n.正当行为;正当;适当
39
afterward
adv.后来;以后
40
honeymoon
n.蜜月(假期);vi.度蜜月
41
manly
adj.有男子气概的;adv.男子般地,果断地
42
precocious
adj.早熟的;较早显出的
43
remorseful
adj.悔恨的
44
traitorous
adj. 叛国的, 不忠的, 背信弃义的
45
prettily
adv.优美地;可爱地
46
mighty
adj.强有力的;巨大的
47
mingled
混合,混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 ); 混进,与…交往[联系]
48
fable
n.寓言;童话;神话
49
imposing
adj.使人难忘的,壮丽的,堂皇的,雄伟的
50
exulted
狂喜,欢跃( exult的过去式和过去分词 )
51
hearty
adj.热情友好的;衷心的;尽情的,纵情的
52
revolve
vi.(使)旋转;循环出现
53
entirely
ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地
54
torment
n.折磨;令人痛苦的东西(人);vt.折磨;纠缠
55
betokens
v.预示,表示( betoken的第三人称单数 )
56
marred
adj. 被损毁, 污损的
57
delightful
adj.令人高兴的,使人快乐的
58
bribe
n.贿赂;v.向…行贿,买通
59
tempting
a.诱人的, 吸引人的
60
unconditional
adj.无条件的,无限制的,绝对的
61
philosophical
adj.哲学家的,哲学上的,达观的
62
fiddle
n.小提琴;vi.拉提琴;不停拨弄,乱动
63
peeks
n.偷看,窥视( peek的名词复数 )v.很快地看( peek的第三人称单数 );偷看;窥视;微露出
64
promiscuous
adj.杂乱的,随便的
65
lull
v.使安静,使入睡,缓和,哄骗;n.暂停,间歇
66
hoarse
adj.嘶哑的,沙哑的
67
pranced
v.(马)腾跃( prance的过去式和过去分词 )
68
millennium
n.一千年,千禧年;太平盛世
69
revel
vi.狂欢作乐,陶醉;n.作乐,狂欢
70
sips
n.小口喝,一小口的量( sip的名词复数 )v.小口喝,呷,抿( sip的第三人称单数 )
71
trespass
n./v.侵犯,闯入私人领地
72
crumble
vi.碎裂,崩溃;vt.弄碎,摧毁
73
treacherously
背信弃义地; 背叛地; 靠不住地; 危险地
74
pastry
n.油酥面团,酥皮糕点
75
frail
adj.身体虚弱的;易损坏的
76
sequestered
adj.扣押的;隐退的;幽静的;偏僻的v.使隔绝,使隔离( sequester的过去式和过去分词 );扣押
77
tarts
n.果馅饼( tart的名词复数 );轻佻的女人;妓女;小妞
78
refreshments
n.点心,便餐;(会议后的)简单茶点招 待
79
parlor
n.店铺,营业室;会客室,客厅
80
inquiry
n.打听,询问,调查,查问
81
genial
adj.亲切的,和蔼的,愉快的,脾气好的
82
toiled
长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的过去式和过去分词 ); 艰难缓慢地移动,跋涉
83
deserted
adj.荒芜的,荒废的,无人的,被遗弃的
84
dismal
adj.阴沉的,凄凉的,令人忧郁的,差劲的
85
hospitable
adj.好客的;宽容的;有利的,适宜的
86
bereft
adj.被剥夺的
87
irresistible
adj.非常诱人的,无法拒绝的,无法抗拒的
88
abruptly
adv.突然地,出其不意地
89
trumpet
n.喇叭,喇叭声;v.吹喇叭,吹嘘
90
talisman
n.避邪物,护身符
91
juvenile
n.青少年,少年读物;adj.青少年的,幼稚的
92
audacity
n.大胆,卤莽,无礼
93
jealousy
n.妒忌,嫉妒,猜忌
94
aloof
adj.远离的;冷淡的,漠不关心的
95
circumspection
n.细心,慎重
96
drawn
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的
97
spoke
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
98
prudently
adv. 谨慎地,慎重地
99
maiden
n.少女,处女;adj.未婚的,纯洁的,无经验的
100
propitious
adj.吉利的;顺利的
101
omens
n.前兆,预兆( omen的名词复数 )
102
detriment
n.损害;损害物,造成损害的根源
103
quenched
解(渴)( quench的过去式和过去分词 ); 终止(某事物); (用水)扑灭(火焰等); 将(热物体)放入水中急速冷却
104
smoothly
adv.平滑地,顺利地,流利地,流畅地
105
rumpled
v.弄皱,使凌乱( rumple的过去式和过去分词 )
106
droll
adj.古怪的,好笑的
107
rampantly
粗暴地,猖獗的
108
erect
n./v.树立,建立,使竖立;adj.直立的,垂直的
109
glorify
vt.颂扬,赞美,使增光,美化
110
maneuver
n.策略[pl.]演习;v.(巧妙)控制;用策略
111
metaphorically
adv. 用比喻地
112
utterly
adv.完全地,绝对地
113
lapse
n.过失,流逝,失效,抛弃信仰,间隔;vi.堕落,停止,失效,流逝;vt.使失效
114
vent
n.通风口,排放口;开衩;vt.表达,发泄
115
serene
adj. 安详的,宁静的,平静的
116
promising
adj.有希望的,有前途的
117
hymn
n.赞美诗,圣歌,颂歌
118
grasshopper
n.蚱蜢,蝗虫,蚂蚱
119
tune
n.调子;和谐,协调;v.调音,调节,调整
120
heartily
adv.衷心地,诚恳地,十分,很
121
subsided
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
122
subdued
adj. 屈服的,柔和的,减弱的
动词subdue的过去式和过去分词
123
mellow
adj.柔和的;熟透的;v.变柔和;(使)成熟
124
peculiar
adj.古怪的,异常的;特殊的,特有的
125
thither
adv.向那里;adj.在那边的,对岸的
126
retired
adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的
127
laurels
n.桂冠,荣誉
128
bonnet
n.无边女帽;童帽
129
illuminated
adj.被照明的;受启迪的
130
delightfully
大喜,欣然
131
assent
v.批准,认可;n.批准,认可
132
placid
adj.安静的,平和的
133
rigid
adj.严格的,死板的;刚硬的,僵硬的