Over two years passed, and the Schlegel household continued to lead its life of cultured but not ignoble² ease, still swimming gracefully³ on the grey tides of London. Concerts and plays swept past them, money had been spent and renewed, reputations won and lost, and the city herself, emblematic⁴ of their lives, rose and fell in a continual flux⁵, while her shallows washed more widely against the hills of Surrey and over the fields of Hertfordshire. This famous building had arisen, that was doomed⁶. Today Whitehall had been transformed: it would be the turn of Regent Street tomorrow. And month by month the roads smelt⁷ more strongly of petrol, and were more difficult to cross, and human beings heard each other speak with greater difficulty, breathed less of the air, and saw less of the sky. Nature withdrew: the leaves were falling by midsummer; the sun shone through dirt with an admired obscurity.

To speak against London is no longer fashionable. The Earth as an artistic⁸ cult¹ has had its day, and the literature of the near future will probably ignore the country and seek inspiration from the town. One can understand the reaction. Of Pan and the elemental forces, the public has heard a little too much--they seem Victorian, while London is Georgian--and those who care for the earth with sincerity⁹ may wait long ere the pendulum¹⁰ swings back to her again. Certainly London fascinates. One visualizes¹¹ it as a

点击收听单词发音  

1 cult
n.异教，邪教；时尚，狂热的崇拜
参考例句：
Her books aren't bestsellers,but they have a certain cult following.她的书算不上畅销书，但有一定的崇拜者。 The cult of sun worship is probably the most primitive one.太阳崇拜仪式或许是最为原始的一种。

2 ignoble
adj.不光彩的，卑鄙的；可耻的
参考例句：
There's something cowardly and ignoble about such an attitude.这种态度有点怯懦可鄙。 Some very great men have come from ignoble families.有些伟人出身低微。

3 gracefully
ad.大大方方地；优美地
参考例句：
She sank gracefully down onto a cushion at his feet. 她优雅地坐到他脚旁的垫子上。 The new coats blouse gracefully above the hip line. 新外套在臀围线上优美地打着褶皱。

4 emblematic
adj.象征的，可当标志的；象征性
参考例句：
The violence is emblematic of what is happening in our inner cities. 这种暴力行为正标示了我们市中心贫民区的状况。 Whiteness is emblematic of purity. 白色是纯洁的象征。 来自辞典例句

5 flux
n.流动；不断的改变
参考例句：
The market is in a constant state of flux.市场行情在不断变化。 In most reactors,there is a significant flux of fast neutrons.在大部分反应堆中都有一定强度的快中子流。

6 doomed
命定的
参考例句：
The court doomed the accused to a long term of imprisonment. 法庭判处被告长期监禁。 A country ruled by an iron hand is doomed to suffer. 被铁腕人物统治的国家定会遭受不幸的。

7 smelt
v.熔解，熔炼；n.银白鱼，胡瓜鱼
参考例句：
Tin is a comparatively easy metal to smelt.锡是比较容易熔化的金属。 Darby was looking for a way to improve iron when he hit upon the idea of smelting it with coke instead of charcoal.达比一直在寻找改善铁质的方法，他猛然想到可以不用木炭熔炼，而改用焦炭。

8 artistic
adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的
参考例句：
The picture on this screen is a good artistic work.这屏风上的画是件很好的艺术品。 These artistic handicrafts are very popular with foreign friends.外国朋友很喜欢这些美术工艺品。

9 sincerity
n.真诚，诚意；真实
参考例句：
His sincerity added much more authority to the story.他的真诚更增加了故事的说服力。 He tried hard to satisfy me of his sincerity.他竭力让我了解他的诚意。

10 pendulum
n.摆，钟摆
参考例句：
The pendulum swung slowly to and fro.钟摆在慢慢地来回摆动。 He accidentally found that the desk clock did not swing its pendulum.他无意中发现座钟不摇摆了。

11 visualizes
在脑中使（某人或某物）形象化，设想，想像( visualize的名词复数 )
参考例句：
He mentally visualizes a complex form all round itself. 他在脑海里从形体的各个方面来模拟复杂的形体。 He is much older, but do you think he visualizes scenarios, exchanges? 他年纪大很多你对他可有想入非非？

12 tract
n.传单，小册子，大片(土地或森林)
参考例句：
He owns a large tract of forest.他拥有一大片森林。 He wrote a tract on this subject.他曾对此写了一篇短文。

13 pulsation
n.脉搏，悸动，脉动；搏动性
参考例句：
At low frequencies, such as 10 per sec., pulsation is sensed rather than vibration. 在低频率（譬如每秒十次）时，所感觉到的是脉冲而非振动。 来自辞典例句 If the roller pulsation, the pressure on paper as cause misregister. 如果滚子径向跳不静，则差纸的不张辛有不小有小，致使套印禁绝。 来自互联网

14 exhaling
v.呼出，发散出( exhale的现在分词 )；吐出（肺中的空气、烟等），呼气
参考例句：
Take a deep breath inhaling slowly and exhaling slowly. 深呼吸，慢慢吸进，慢慢呼出。 来自互联网 Unclasp your hands and return to the original position while exhaling. 呼气并松开双手恢复到原位。 来自互联网

15 exhausted
adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的
参考例句：
It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长，到家时我们已筋疲力尽。 Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。

16 ransacked
v.彻底搜查( ransack的过去式和过去分词 )；抢劫，掠夺
参考例句：
The house had been ransacked by burglars. 这房子遭到了盗贼的洗劫。 The house had been ransacked of all that was worth anything. 屋子里所有值钱的东西都被抢去了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

17 justify
vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护
参考例句：
He tried to justify his absence with lame excuses.他想用站不住脚的借口为自己的缺席辩解。 Can you justify your rude behavior to me?你能向我证明你的粗野行为是有道理的吗？

18 pompous
adj.傲慢的，自大的；夸大的；豪华的
参考例句：
He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities.他有点自大，自视甚高。 He is a good man underneath his pompous appearance. 他的外表虽傲慢，其实是个好人。

19 pathos
n.哀婉，悲怆
参考例句：
The pathos of the situation brought tears to our eyes.情况令人怜悯，看得我们不禁流泪。 There is abundant pathos in her words.她的话里富有动人哀怜的力量。

20 noted
adj.著名的，知名的
参考例句：
The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。 Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

21 erect
n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的
参考例句：
She held her head erect and her back straight.她昂着头，把背挺得笔直。 Soldiers are trained to stand erect.士兵们训练站得笔直。

22 Oxford
n.牛津（英国城市）
参考例句：
At present he has become a Professor of Chemistry at Oxford.他现在已是牛津大学的化学教授了。 This is where the road to Oxford joins the road to London.这是去牛津的路与去伦敦的路的汇合处。

23 bleat
v.咩咩叫，(讲)废话，哭诉；n.咩咩叫，废话，哭诉
参考例句：
He heard the bleat of a lamb.他听到小羊的叫声。 They bleat about how miserable they are.他们诉说他们的生活是多么悲惨。

24 groan
vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音
参考例句：
The wounded man uttered a groan.那个受伤的人发出呻吟。 The people groan under the burden of taxes.人民在重税下痛苦呻吟。

25 groans
n.呻吟，叹息( groan的名词复数 )；呻吟般的声音v.呻吟( groan的第三人称单数 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦
参考例句：
There were loud groans when he started to sing. 他刚开始歌唱时有人发出了很大的嘘声。 来自《简明英汉词典》 It was a weird old house, full of creaks and groans. 这是所神秘而可怕的旧宅，到处嘎吱嘎吱作响。 来自《简明英汉词典》

26 enunciated
v.（清晰地）发音( enunciate的过去式和过去分词 )；确切地说明
参考例句：
She enunciated each word slowly and carefully. 她每个字都念得又慢又仔细。 His voice, cold and perfectly enunciated, switched them like a birch branch. 他的话口气冰冷，一字一板，有如给了他们劈面一鞭。 来自辞典例句

27 rattle
v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓
参考例句：
The baby only shook the rattle and laughed and crowed.孩子只是摇着拨浪鼓，笑着叫着。 She could hear the rattle of the teacups.她听见茶具叮当响。

28 cant
n.斜穿，黑话，猛扔
参考例句：
The ship took on a dangerous cant to port.船只出现向左舷危险倾斜。 He knows thieves'cant.他懂盗贼的黑话。

29 delusion
n.谬见，欺骗，幻觉，迷惑
参考例句：
He is under the delusion that he is Napoleon.他患了妄想症，认为自己是拿破仑。 I was under the delusion that he intended to marry me.我误认为他要娶我。

30 plentifully
adv. 许多地，丰饶地
参考例句：
The visitors were plentifully supplied with food and drink. 给来宾准备了丰富的食物和饮料。 The oil flowed plentifully at first, but soon ran out. 起初石油大量涌出，但很快就枯竭了。

31 elicited
引出，探出( elicit的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
Threats to reinstate the tax elicited jeer from the Opposition. 恢复此项征税的威胁引起了反对党的嘲笑。 The comedian's joke elicited applause and laughter from the audience. 那位滑稽演员的笑话博得观众的掌声和笑声。

32 heroism
n.大无畏精神，英勇
参考例句：
He received a medal for his heroism.他由于英勇而获得一枚奖章。 Stories of his heroism resounded through the country.他的英雄故事传遍全国。

33 sneered
讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He sneered at people who liked pop music. 他嘲笑喜欢流行音乐的人。 It's very discouraging to be sneered at all the time. 成天受嘲讽是很令人泄气的。

34 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
参考例句：
They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。 The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

35 poke
n.刺，戳，袋；vt.拨开，刺，戳；vi.戳，刺，捅，搜索，伸出，行动散慢
参考例句：
We never thought she would poke her nose into this.想不到她会插上一手。 Don't poke fun at me.别拿我凑趣儿。

36 unemployed
adj.失业的，没有工作的；未动用的，闲置的
参考例句：
There are now over four million unemployed workers in this country.这个国家现有四百万失业人员。 The unemployed hunger for jobs.失业者渴望得到工作。

37 tinkling
n.丁当作响声
参考例句：
I could hear bells tinkling in the distance. 我能听到远处叮当铃响。 To talk to him was like listening to the tinkling of a worn-out musical-box. 跟他说话，犹如听一架老掉牙的八音盒子丁冬响。 来自英汉文学

38 perfectly
adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地
参考例句：
The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。 Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

39 vowels
n.元音，元音字母( vowel的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Vowels possess greater sonority than consonants. 元音比辅音响亮。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 Note the various sounds of vowels followed by r. 注意r跟随的各种元音的发音。 来自超越目标英语 第3册

40 modesty
n.谦逊，虚心，端庄，稳重，羞怯，朴素
参考例句：
Industry and modesty are the chief factors of his success.勤奋和谦虚是他成功的主要因素。 As conceit makes one lag behind,so modesty helps one make progress.骄傲使人落后，谦虚使人进步。

41 remarkable
adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的
参考例句：
She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。 These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

42 squeaked
v.短促地尖叫( squeak的过去式和过去分词 )；吱吱叫；告密；充当告密者
参考例句：
The radio squeaked five. 收音机里嘟嘟地发出五点钟报时讯号。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 Amy's shoes squeaked on the tiles as she walked down the corridor. 埃米走过走廊时，鞋子踩在地砖上嘎吱作响。 来自辞典例句

43 delightful
adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的
参考例句：
We had a delightful time by the seashore last Sunday.上星期天我们在海滨玩得真痛快。 Peter played a delightful melody on his flute.彼得用笛子吹奏了一支欢快的曲子。

44 apprehensions
疑惧
参考例句：
He stood in a mixture of desire and apprehensions. 他怀着渴望和恐惧交加的心情伫立着。 But subsequent cases have removed many of these apprehensions. 然而，随后的案例又消除了许多类似的忧虑。

45 incompetent
adj.无能力的，不能胜任的
参考例句：
He is utterly incompetent at his job.他完全不能胜任他的工作。 He is incompetent at working with his hands.他动手能力不行。

46 reeks
n.恶臭( reek的名词复数 )v.发出浓烈的臭气( reek的第三人称单数 )；散发臭气；发出难闻的气味 (of sth)；明显带有（令人不快或生疑的跡象）
参考例句：
His statement reeks of hypocrisy. 他的话显然很虛伪。 来自《简明英汉词典》 His manner reeks prosperity. 他的态度表现得好象有钱的样子。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

47 turmoil
n.骚乱，混乱，动乱
参考例句：
His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。 The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

48 hatred
n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨
参考例句：
He looked at me with hatred in his eyes.他以憎恨的眼光望着我。 The old man was seized with burning hatred for the fascists.老人对法西斯主义者充满了仇恨。