Sophie arrived breathless outside the large wooden doors of the Salle des Etats—the room thathoused the Mona Lisa. Before entering, she gazed reluctantly farther down the hall, twenty yards orso, to the spot where her grandfather's body still lay under the spotlight¹.

　　The remorse² that gripped her was powerful and sudden, a deep sadness laced with guilt³. The manhad reached out to her so many times over the past ten years, and yet Sophie had remainedimmovable—leaving his letters and packages unopened in a bottom drawer and denying his effortsto see her. He lied to me! Kept appalling⁴ secrets! What was I supposed to do? And so she hadblocked him out. Completely.

　　Now her grandfather was dead, and he was talking to her from the grave.

　　The Mona Lisa.

　　She reached for the huge wooden doors, and pushed. The entryway yawned open. Sophie stood onthe threshold a moment, scanning the large rectangular chamber⁵ beyond. It too was bathed in a softred light. The Salle des Etats was one of this museum's rare culs-de-sac—a dead end and the onlyroom off the middle of the Grand Gallery. This door, the chamber's sole point of entry, faced adominating fifteen-foot Botticelli on the far wall. Beneath it, centered on the parquet⁶ floor, animmense octagonal viewing divan⁷ served as a welcome respite⁸ for thousands of visitors to rest theirlegs while they admired the Louvre's most valuable asset.

　　Even before Sophie entered, though, she knew she was missing something. A black light. Shegazed down the hall at her grandfather under the lights in the distance, surrounded by electronicgear. If he had written anything in here, he almost certainly would have written it with thewatermark stylus.

　　Taking a deep breath, Sophie hurried down to the well-lit crime scene. Unable to look at hergrandfather, she focused

点击收听单词发音  

1 spotlight
n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目
参考例句：
This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。 The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

2 remorse
n.痛恨，悔恨，自责
参考例句：
She had no remorse about what she had said.她对所说的话不后悔。 He has shown no remorse for his actions.他对自己的行为没有任何悔恨之意。

3 guilt
n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责
参考例句：
She tried to cover up her guilt by lying.她企图用谎言掩饰自己的罪行。 Don't lay a guilt trip on your child about schoolwork.别因为功课责备孩子而使他觉得很内疚。

4 appalling
adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的
参考例句：
The search was hampered by appalling weather conditions.恶劣的天气妨碍了搜寻工作。 Nothing can extenuate such appalling behaviour.这种骇人听闻的行径罪无可恕。

5 chamber
n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所
参考例句：
For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。 The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

6 parquet
n.镶木地板
参考例句：
The parquet floors shone like mirrors.镶木地板亮得象镜子。 The snail left a trail of slime along the parquet floor.蜗牛在镶木地板上留下一道黏液。

7 divan
n.长沙发；（波斯或其他东方诗人的）诗集
参考例句：
Lord Henry stretched himself out on the divan and laughed.亨利勋爵伸手摊脚地躺在沙发椅上，笑着。 She noticed that Muffat was sitting resignedly on a narrow divan-bed.她看见莫法正垂头丧气地坐在一张不宽的坐床上。

8 respite
n.休息，中止，暂缓
参考例句：
She was interrogated without respite for twenty-four hours.她被不间断地审问了二十四小时。 Devaluation would only give the economy a brief respite.贬值只能让经济得到暂时的缓解。

9 solely
adv.仅仅，唯一地
参考例句：
Success should not be measured solely by educational achievement.成功与否不应只用学业成绩来衡量。 The town depends almost solely on the tourist trade.这座城市几乎完全靠旅游业维持。

10 muffled
adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己）
参考例句：
muffled voices from the next room 从隔壁房间里传来的沉闷声音 There was a muffled explosion somewhere on their right. 在他们的右面什么地方有一声沉闷的爆炸声。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 racing
n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的
参考例句：
I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。 The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。

12 haze
n.霾，烟雾；懵懂，迷糊；vi.(over)变模糊
参考例句：
I couldn't see her through the haze of smoke.在烟雾弥漫中，我看不见她。 He often lives in a haze of whisky.他常常是在威士忌的懵懂醉意中度过的。

13 hoarse
adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的
参考例句：
He asked me a question in a hoarse voice.他用嘶哑的声音问了我一个问题。 He was too excited and roared himself hoarse.他过于激动，嗓子都喊哑了。

14 silhouette
n.黑色半身侧面影，影子，轮廓；v.描绘成侧面影，照出影子来，仅仅显出轮廓
参考例句：
I could see its black silhouette against the evening sky.我能看到夜幕下它黑色的轮廓。 I could see the silhouette of the woman in the pickup.我可以见到小卡车的女人黑色半身侧面影。

15 momentary
adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的
参考例句：
We are in momentary expectation of the arrival of you.我们无时无刻不在盼望你的到来。 I caught a momentary glimpse of them.我瞥了他们一眼。

16 monogram
n.字母组合
参考例句：
There was a monogram in the corner in which were the initials"R.K.B.".原来手帕角上有个图案，其中包含着RKB三个字母。 When we get married I don't have to change the monogram on my luggage.当我们结婚后，我连皮箱上的字母也不用改。

17 stationery
n.文具；(配套的)信笺信封
参考例句：
She works in the stationery department of a big store.她在一家大商店的文具部工作。 There was something very comfortable in having plenty of stationery.文具一多，心里自会觉得踏实。

18 mustered
v.集合，召集，集结（尤指部队）( muster的过去式和过去分词 )；（自他人处）搜集某事物；聚集；激发
参考例句：
We mustered what support we could for the plan. 我们极尽所能为这项计划寻求支持。 The troops mustered on the square. 部队已在广场上集合。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 sneak
vt.潜行(隐藏,填石缝)；偷偷摸摸做；n.潜行；adj.暗中进行
参考例句：
He raised his spear and sneak forward.他提起长矛悄悄地前进。 I saw him sneak away from us.我看见他悄悄地从我们身边走开。

20 peek
vi.偷看，窥视；n.偷偷的一看，一瞥
参考例句：
Larry takes a peek out of the window.赖瑞往窗外偷看了一下。 Cover your eyes and don't peek.捂上眼睛，别偷看。

21 shimmering
v.闪闪发光，发微光( shimmer的现在分词 )
参考例句：
The sea was shimmering in the sunlight. 阳光下海水波光闪烁。 The colours are delicate and shimmering. 这些颜色柔和且闪烁微光。 来自辞典例句

22 triangular
adj.三角（形）的，三者间的
参考例句：
It's more or less triangular plot of land.这块地略成三角形。 One particular triangular relationship became the model of Simone's first novel.一段特殊的三角关系成了西蒙娜第一本小说的原型。

23 scowling
怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的现在分词 )
参考例句：
There she was, grey-suited, sweet-faced, demure, but scowling. 她就在那里，穿着灰色的衣服，漂亮的脸上显得严肃而忧郁。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹 Scowling, Chueh-hui bit his lips. 他马上把眉毛竖起来。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）

24 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。

25 doorway
n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径
参考例句：
They huddled in the shop doorway to shelter from the rain.他们挤在商店门口躲雨。 Mary suddenly appeared in the doorway.玛丽突然出现在门口。

26 spun
v.纺，杜撰，急转身
参考例句：
His grandmother spun him a yarn at the fire.他奶奶在火炉边给他讲故事。 Her skilful fingers spun the wool out to a fine thread.她那灵巧的手指把羊毛纺成了细毛线。

27 eternity
n.不朽，来世；永恒，无穷
参考例句：
The dull play seemed to last an eternity.这场乏味的剧似乎演个没完没了。 Finally,Ying Tai and Shan Bo could be together for all of eternity.英台和山伯终能双宿双飞，永世相随。

28 retrieved
v.取回( retrieve的过去式和过去分词 )；恢复；寻回；检索（储存的信息）
参考例句：
Yesterday I retrieved the bag I left in the train. 昨天我取回了遗留在火车上的包。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He reached over and retrieved his jacket from the back seat. 他伸手从后座上取回了自己的夹克。 来自辞典例句

29 riddle
n.谜，谜语，粗筛；vt.解谜，给…出谜，筛，检查，鉴定，非难，充满于；vi.出谜
参考例句：
The riddle couldn't be solved by the child.这个谜语孩子猜不出来。 Her disappearance is a complete riddle.她的失踪完全是一个谜。

30 pointed
adj.尖的，直截了当的
参考例句：
He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。 She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

31 darted
v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔
参考例句：
The lizard darted out its tongue at the insect. 蜥蜴伸出舌头去吃小昆虫。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The old man was displeased and darted an angry look at me. 老人不高兴了，瞪了我一眼。 来自《简明英汉词典》

32 forth
adv.向前；向外，往外
参考例句：
The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。 He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

33 shrieked
v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
She shrieked in fright. 她吓得尖叫起来。 Li Mei-t'ing gave a shout, and Lu Tzu-hsiao shrieked, "Tell what? 李梅亭大声叫，陆子潇尖声叫：“告诉什么？ 来自汉英文学 - 围城

34 steered
v.驾驶( steer的过去式和过去分词 )；操纵；控制；引导
参考例句：
He steered the boat into the harbour. 他把船开进港。 The freighter steered out of Santiago Bay that evening. 那天晚上货轮驶出了圣地亚哥湾。 来自《简明英汉词典》

35 pouted
v.撅（嘴）( pout的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
Her lips pouted invitingly. 她挑逗地撮起双唇。 I pouted my lips at him, hinting that he should speak first. 我向他努了努嘴，让他先说。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

36 eyebrows
眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Eyebrows stop sweat from coming down into the eyes. 眉毛挡住汗水使其不能流进眼睛。 His eyebrows project noticeably. 他的眉毛特别突出。

37 scowled
怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He scowled his displeasure. 他满脸嗔色。 The teacher scowled at his noisy class. 老师对他那喧闹的课堂板着脸。

38 tickled
（使）发痒( tickle的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）愉快，逗乐
参考例句：
We were tickled pink to see our friends on television. 在电视中看到我们的一些朋友，我们高兴极了。 I tickled the baby's feet and made her laugh. 我胳肢孩子的脚，使她发笑。

39 giggled
v.咯咯地笑( giggle的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The girls giggled at the joke. 女孩子们让这笑话逗得咯咯笑。 The children giggled hysterically. 孩子们歇斯底里地傻笑。 来自《简明英汉词典》

40 winked
v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮
参考例句：
He winked at her and she knew he was thinking the same thing that she was. 他冲她眨了眨眼，她便知道他的想法和她一样。 He winked his eyes at her and left the classroom. 他向她眨巴一下眼睛走出了教室。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

41 pang
n.剧痛，悲痛，苦闷
参考例句：
She experienced a sharp pang of disappointment.她经历了失望的巨大痛苦。 She was beginning to know the pang of disappointed love.她开始尝到了失恋的痛苦。

42 amazement
n.惊奇，惊讶
参考例句：
All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。 He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。

43 exhaled
v.呼出，发散出( exhale的过去式和过去分词 )；吐出（肺中的空气、烟等），呼气
参考例句：
He sat back and exhaled deeply. 他仰坐着深深地呼气。 He stamped his feet and exhaled a long, white breath. 跺了跺脚，他吐了口长气，很长很白。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子

44 covert
adj.隐藏的；暗地里的
参考例句：
We should learn to fight with enemy in an overt and covert way.我们应学会同敌人做公开和隐蔽的斗争。 The army carried out covert surveillance of the building for several months.军队对这座建筑物进行了数月的秘密监视。

45 brotherhood
n.兄弟般的关系，手中情谊
参考例句：
They broke up the brotherhood.他们断绝了兄弟关系。 They live and work together in complete equality and brotherhood.他们完全平等和兄弟般地在一起生活和工作。

46 tighten
v.(使)变紧；(使)绷紧
参考例句：
Turn the screw to the right to tighten it.向右转动螺钉把它拧紧。 Some countries tighten monetary policy to avoid inflation.一些国家实行紧缩银根的货币政策，以避免通货膨胀。

47 horrifying
a.令人震惊的，使人毛骨悚然的
参考例句：
He went to great pains to show how horrifying the war was. 他极力指出战争是多么的恐怖。 The possibility of war is too horrifying to contemplate. 战争的可能性太可怕了，真不堪细想。

48 specialty
n.(speciality)特性，特质；专业，专长
参考例句：
Shell carvings are a specialty of the town.贝雕是该城的特产。 His specialty is English literature.他的专业是英国文学。

49 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。

50 zeal
n.热心，热情，热忱
参考例句：
Revolutionary zeal caught them up,and they joined the army.革命热情激励他们，于是他们从军了。 They worked with great zeal to finish the project.他们热情高涨地工作，以期完成这个项目。

51 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。

52 fascination
n.令人着迷的事物，魅力，迷恋
参考例句：
He had a deep fascination with all forms of transport.他对所有的运输工具都很着迷。 His letters have been a source of fascination to a wide audience.广大观众一直迷恋于他的来信。

53 deities
n.神，女神( deity的名词复数 )；神祗；神灵；神明
参考例句：
Zeus and Aphrodite were ancient Greek deities. 宙斯和阿佛洛狄是古希腊的神。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Taoist Wang hesitated occasionally about these transactions for fearof offending the deities. 道士也有过犹豫，怕这样会得罪了神。 来自汉英文学 - 现代散文

54 reverence
n.敬畏，尊敬，尊严；Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称；v.尊敬，敬畏，崇敬
参考例句：
He was a bishop who was held in reverence by all.他是一位被大家都尊敬的主教。 We reverence tradition but will not be fettered by it.我们尊重传统，但不被传统所束缚。

55 gut
n.[pl.]胆量；内脏；adj.本能的；vt.取出内脏
参考例句：
It is not always necessary to gut the fish prior to freezing.冷冻鱼之前并不总是需要先把内脏掏空。 My immediate gut feeling was to refuse.我本能的直接反应是拒绝。

56 stark
adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地
参考例句：
The young man is faced with a stark choice.这位年轻人面临严峻的抉择。 He gave a stark denial to the rumor.他对谣言加以完全的否认。

57 utterly
adv.完全地，绝对地
参考例句：
Utterly devoted to the people,he gave his life in saving his patients.他忠于人民，把毕生精力用于挽救患者的生命。 I was utterly ravished by the way she smiled.她的微笑使我完全陶醉了。

58 murmur
n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言
参考例句：
They paid the extra taxes without a murmur.他们毫无怨言地交了附加税。 There was a low murmur of conversation in the hall.大厅里有窃窃私语声。

59 judicial
adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的
参考例句：
He is a man with a judicial mind.他是个公正的人。 Tom takes judicial proceedings against his father.汤姆对他的父亲正式提出诉讼。