One may as well begin with Helen's letters to her sister.

HOWARDS END, TUESDAY.

Dearest Meg,

It isn't going to be what we expected. It is old and little, and altogether delightful--red brick. We can scarcely pack in as it is, and the dear knows what will happen when Paul (younger son) arrives tomorrow. From hall you go right or left into dining-room or drawing-room. Hall itself is practically a room. You open another door in it, and there are the stairs going up in a sort of tunnel to the first-floor. Three bedrooms in a row there, and three attics¹ in a row above. That isn't all the house really, but it's all that one notices--nine windows as you look up from the front garden.

Then there's a very big wych-elm--to the left as you look up--leaning a little over the house, and standing² on the boundary between the garden and meadow. I quite love that tree already. Also ordinary elms, oaks--no nastier than ordinary oaks--pear-trees, apple-trees, and a vine. No silver birches, though. However, I must get on to my host and hostess. I only wanted to show that it isn't the least what we expected. Why did we settle that their house would be all gables and wiggles, and their garden all gamboge-coloured paths? I believe simply because we associate them with expensive hotels--Mrs. Wilcox trailing in beautiful dresses down long corridors, Mr. Wilcox bullying³ porters, etc. We females are that unjust.

I shall be back Saturday; will let you know train later. They are as angry as I am that you did not come too; really Tibby is too tiresome⁴, he starts a new mortal disease every month. How could he have got hay fever in London? and even if he could, it seems hard that you should give up a visit to hear a schoolboy sneeze. Tell him that Charles Wilcox (the son who is here) has hay fever too, but he's brave, and gets quite cross when we inquire after it. Men like the Wilcoxes would do Tibby a power of good. But you won't agree, and I'd better change the subject.

This long letter is because I'm writing before breakfast. Oh, the beautiful vine leaves! The house is covered with a vine. I looked out earlier, and Mrs. Wilcox was already in the garden. She evidently loves it. No wonder she sometimes looks tired. She was watching the large red poppies come out. Then she walked off the lawn to the meadow, whose corner to the right I can just see. Trail, trail, went her long dress over the

点击收听单词发音  

1 attics
n. 阁楼
参考例句：
They leave unwanted objects in drawers, cupboards and attics. 他们把暂时不需要的东西放在抽屉里、壁橱中和搁楼上。 He rummaged busily in the attics of European literature, bringing to light much of interest. 他在欧洲文学的阁楼里忙着翻箱倒笼，找到了不少有趣的东西。

2 standing
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。

3 bullying
v.恐吓，威逼( bully的现在分词 )；豪；跋扈
参考例句：
Many cases of bullying go unreported . 很多恐吓案件都没有人告发。 All cases of bullying will be severely dealt with. 所有以大欺小的情况都将受到严肃处理。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 tiresome
adj.令人疲劳的，令人厌倦的
参考例句：
His doubts and hesitations were tiresome.他的疑惑和犹豫令人厌烦。 He was tiresome in contending for the value of his own labors.他老为他自己劳动的价值而争强斗胜，令人生厌。

5 sopping
adj. 浑身湿透的 动词sop的现在分词形式
参考例句：
We are sopping with rain. 我们被雨淋湿了。 His hair under his straw hat was sopping wet. 隔着草帽，他的头发已经全湿。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子

6 tacked
用平头钉钉( tack的过去式和过去分词 )； 附加，增补； 帆船抢风行驶，用粗线脚缝
参考例句：
He tacked the sheets of paper on as carefully as possible. 他尽量小心地把纸张钉上去。 The seamstress tacked the two pieces of cloth. 女裁缝把那两块布粗缝了起来。

7 inflict
vt.(on)把…强加给，使遭受，使承担
参考例句：
Don't inflict your ideas on me.不要把你的想法强加于我。 Don't inflict damage on any person.不要伤害任何人。

8 horrid
adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的
参考例句：
I'm not going to the horrid dinner party.我不打算去参加这次讨厌的宴会。 The medicine is horrid and she couldn't get it down.这种药很难吃，她咽不下去。

9 suffrage
n.投票，选举权，参政权
参考例句：
The question of woman suffrage sets them at variance.妇女参政的问题使他们发生争执。 The voters gave their suffrage to him.投票人都投票选他。

10 catching
adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住
参考例句：
There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。 Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

11 westward
n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西
参考例句：
We live on the westward slope of the hill.我们住在这座山的西山坡。 Explore westward or wherever.向西或到什么别的地方去勘探。