Jtvamadan came in the fall that year, 1974. For the first timein her life, Mariam saw how the sighting of the new crescentmoon could transform an entire city, alter its rhythm andmood. She noticed a drowsy¹ hush² overtaking Kabul Trafficbecame languid, scant³, even quiet. Shops emptied. Restaurantsturned off their lights, closed their doors. Mariam saw nosmokers on the streets, no cups of tea steaming from windowledges. And atifiar, when the sun dipped in the west and thecannon fired from the Shir Darwaza mountain, the city brokeits fast, and so did Mariam, with bread and a date, tasting forthe first time in her fifteen years the sweetness of sharing in acommunal experience.
Except for a handful of days, Rasheed didn't observe the fast.
The few times he did, he came home in a sour mood. Hungermade him curt⁴, irritable⁵, impatient. One night, Mariam was afew minutes late with dinner, and he started eating bread withradishes. Even after Mariam put the rice and the lamb andokraqurma in front of him, he wouldn't touch it. He saidnothing, and went on chewing the bread, his temples working,the vein⁶ on his forehead, full and angry. He went on chewingand staring ahead, and when Mariam spoke⁷ to him he lookedat her without seeing her face and put another piece of breadinto his mouth.
Mariam was relieved when Ramadan ended.
Back at thekolba, on the first of three days of Eid-ul-Fitrcelebration that followed Ramadan, Jalil would visit Mariam andNana. Dressed in suit and tie, he would come bearing Eidpresents. One year, he gave Mariam a wool scarf. The three ofthem would sit for tea and then Jalil would excuse himself "Offto celebrate Eid with his real family," Nana would say as hecrossed the stream and waved-Mullah Faizullah would cometoo. He would bring Mariam chocolate candy wrapped in foil, abasketful of dyed boiled eggs, cookies. After he was gone,Mariam would climb one of the willows

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1 drowsy
adj.昏昏欲睡的，令人发困的
参考例句：
Exhaust fumes made him drowsy and brought on a headache.废气把他熏得昏昏沉沉，还引起了头疼。 I feel drowsy after lunch every day.每天午饭后我就想睡觉。

2 hush
int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静
参考例句：
A hush fell over the onlookers.旁观者们突然静了下来。 Do hush up the scandal!不要把这丑事声张出去！

3 scant
adj.不充分的，不足的；v.减缩，限制，忽略
参考例句：
Don't scant the butter when you make a cake.做糕饼时不要吝惜奶油。 Many mothers pay scant attention to their own needs when their children are small.孩子们小的时候，许多母亲都忽视自己的需求。

4 curt
adj.简短的，草率的
参考例句：
He gave me an extremely curt answer.他对我作了极为草率的答复。 He rapped out a series of curt commands.他大声发出了一连串简短的命令。

5 irritable
adj.急躁的；过敏的；易怒的
参考例句：
He gets irritable when he's got toothache.他牙一疼就很容易发脾气。 Our teacher is an irritable old lady.She gets angry easily.我们的老师是位脾气急躁的老太太。她很容易生气。

6 vein
n.血管，静脉；叶脉，纹理；情绪；vt.使成脉络
参考例句：
The girl is not in the vein for singing today.那女孩今天没有心情唱歌。 The doctor injects glucose into the patient's vein.医生把葡萄糖注射入病人的静脉。

7 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。

8 willows
n.柳树( willow的名词复数 )；柳木
参考例句：
The willows along the river bank look very beautiful. 河岸边的柳树很美。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Willows are planted on both sides of the streets. 街道两侧种着柳树。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 scattered
adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的
参考例句：
Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来，塞进文件夹里。

10 dreaded
adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词)
参考例句：
The dreaded moment had finally arrived. 可怕的时刻终于来到了。 He dreaded having to spend Christmas in hospital. 他害怕非得在医院过圣诞节不可。 来自《用法词典》

11 endearments
n.表示爱慕的话语，亲热的表示( endearment的名词复数 )
参考例句：
They were whispering endearments to each other. 他们彼此低声倾吐着爱慕之情。 He held me close to him, murmuring endearments. 他抱紧了我，喃喃述说着爱意。 来自辞典例句

12 goodwill
n.善意，亲善，信誉，声誉
参考例句：
His heart is full of goodwill to all men.他心里对所有人都充满着爱心。 We paid ￡10,000 for the shop,and ￡2000 for its goodwill.我们用一万英镑买下了这家商店，两千英镑买下了它的信誉。

13 descend
vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降
参考例句：
I hope the grace of God would descend on me.我期望上帝的恩惠。 We're not going to descend to such methods.我们不会沦落到使用这种手段。

14 shroud
n.裹尸布，寿衣；罩，幕；vt.覆盖，隐藏
参考例句：
His past was enveloped in a shroud of mystery.他的过去被裹上一层神秘色彩。 How can I do under shroud of a dark sky?在黑暗的天空的笼罩下，我该怎么做呢？

15 chilly
adj.凉快的，寒冷的
参考例句：
I feel chilly without a coat.我由于没有穿大衣而感到凉飕飕的。 I grew chilly when the fire went out.炉火熄灭后，寒气逼人。

16 maturity
n.成熟；完成；(支票、债券等)到期
参考例句：
These plants ought to reach maturity after five years.这些植物五年后就该长成了。 This is the period at which the body attains maturity.这是身体发育成熟的时期。

17 nosy
adj.鼻子大的，好管闲事的，爱追问的；n.大鼻者
参考例句：
Our nosy neighbours are always looking in through our windows.好管闲事的邻居总是从我们的窗口望进来。 My landlord is so nosy.He comes by twice a month to inspect my apartment.我的房东很烦人，他每个月都要到我公寓视察两次。

18 romped
v.嬉笑玩闹( romp的过去式和过去分词 )；（尤指在赛跑或竞选等中）轻易获胜
参考例句：
Children romped on the playground. 孩子们在操场上嬉笑玩闹。 来自《简明英汉词典》 John romped home well ahead of all the other runners. 约翰赛马跑时轻而易举地战胜了所有的选手。 来自辞典例句

19 brandished
v.挥舞( brandish的过去式和过去分词 )；炫耀
参考例句：
"Bang!Bang!"the small boy brandished a phoney pistol and shouted. “砰！砰！”那小男孩挥舞着一支假手枪，口中嚷嚷着。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Swords brandished and banners waved. 刀剑挥舞，旌旗飘扬。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

20 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。

21 sipped
v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He sipped his coffee pleasurably. 他怡然地品味着咖啡。 I sipped the hot chocolate she had made. 我小口喝着她调制的巧克力热饮。 来自辞典例句

22 queasy
adj.易呕的
参考例句：
I felt a little queasy on the ship.我在船上觉得有点晕眩想呕吐。 He was very prone to seasickness and already felt queasy.他快晕船了，已经感到恶心了。

23 pumpkin
n.南瓜
参考例句：
They ate turkey and pumpkin pie.他们吃了火鸡和南瓜馅饼。 It looks like there is a person looking out of the pumpkin!看起来就像南瓜里有人在看着你！

24 stashed
v.贮藏( stash的过去式和过去分词 )；隐藏；藏匿；藏起
参考例句：
She has a fortune stashed away in various bank accounts. 她有一大笔钱存在几个不同的银行账户下。 She has a fortune stashed away in various bank accounts. 她在不同的银行账户上秘密储存了一大笔钱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

25 trespasser
n.侵犯者；违反者
参考例句：
The worst they'd ever dealt with was an occasionally trespasser or small-time thief. 他们过去对付的充其量是一个偶尔闯入者或是小偷小摸者。 In such event the offending member or guest shall be trespasser. 在此情况下，违例的会员或嘉宾一概视作擅自进入论。

26 neatly
adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地
参考例句：
Sailors know how to wind up a long rope neatly.水手们知道怎样把一条大绳利落地缠好。 The child's dress is neatly gathered at the neck.那孩子的衣服在领口处打着整齐的皱褶。

27 puffed
adj.疏松的v.使喷出( puff的过去式和过去分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧
参考例句：
He lit a cigarette and puffed at it furiously. 他点燃了一支香烟，狂吸了几口。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He felt grown-up, puffed up with self-importance. 他觉得长大了，便自以为了不起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

28 muzzle
n.鼻口部；口套；枪(炮)口；vt.使缄默
参考例句：
He placed the muzzle of the pistol between his teeth.他把手枪的枪口放在牙齿中间。 The President wanted to muzzle the press.总统企图遏制新闻自由。

29 prostrated
v.使俯伏，使拜倒( prostrate的过去式和过去分词 )；（指疾病、天气等）使某人无能为力
参考例句：
He was prostrated by the loss of his wife. 他因丧妻而忧郁。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 They prostrated themselves before the emperor. 他们拜倒在皇帝的面前。 来自《简明英汉词典》

30 propriety
n.正当行为；正当；适当
参考例句：
We hesitated at the propriety of the method.我们对这种办法是否适用拿不定主意。 The sensitive matter was handled with great propriety.这件机密的事处理得极为适当。

31 disapproval
n.反对，不赞成
参考例句：
The teacher made an outward show of disapproval.老师表面上表示不同意。 They shouted their disapproval.他们喊叫表示反对。

32 hips
abbr.high impact polystyrene 高冲击强度聚苯乙烯，耐冲性聚苯乙烯n.臀部( hip的名词复数 )；[建筑学]屋脊；臀围（尺寸）；臀部…的
参考例句：
She stood with her hands on her hips. 她双手叉腰站着。 They wiggled their hips to the sound of pop music. 他们随着流行音乐的声音摇晃着臀部。 来自《简明英汉词典》

33 wedlock
n.婚姻，已婚状态
参考例句：
My wife likes our wedlock.我妻子喜欢我们的婚姻生活。 The Fawleys were not made for wedlock.范立家的人就跟结婚没有缘。

34 judgment
n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见
参考例句：
The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。 He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

35 flicker
vi./n.闪烁，摇曳，闪现
参考例句：
There was a flicker of lights coming from the abandoned house.这所废弃的房屋中有灯光闪烁。 At first,the flame may be a small flicker,barely shining.开始时，光辉可能是微弱地忽隐忽现，几乎并不灿烂。

36 jealousy
n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌
参考例句：
Some women have a disposition to jealousy.有些女人生性爱妒忌。 I can't support your jealousy any longer.我再也无法忍受你的嫉妒了。

37 vaguely
adv.含糊地，暖昧地
参考例句：
He had talked vaguely of going to work abroad.他含糊其词地说了到国外工作的事。 He looked vaguely before him with unseeing eyes.他迷迷糊糊的望着前面，对一切都视而不见。

38 sullen
adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的
参考例句：
He looked up at the sullen sky.他抬头看了一眼阴沉的天空。 Susan was sullen in the morning because she hadn't slept well.苏珊今天早上郁闷不乐，因为昨晚没睡好。

39 tilted
v. 倾斜的
参考例句：
Suddenly the boat tilted to one side. 小船突然倾向一侧。 She tilted her chin at him defiantly. 她向他翘起下巴表示挑衅。

40 wriggle
v./n.蠕动，扭动；蜿蜒
参考例句：
I've got an appointment I can't wriggle out of.我有个推脱不掉的约会。 Children wriggle themselves when they are bored.小孩子感到厌烦时就会扭动他们的身体。

41 posture
n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势
参考例句：
The government adopted an uncompromising posture on the issue of independence.政府在独立这一问题上采取了毫不妥协的态度。 He tore off his coat and assumed a fighting posture.他脱掉上衣，摆出一副打架的架势。