Despite her monumental reputation, the Mona Lisa was a mere¹ thirty-one inches by twenty-oneinches—smaller even than the posters of her sold in the Louvre gift shop. She hung on thenorthwest wall of the Salle des Etats behind a two-inch-thick pane² of protective Plexiglas. Paintedon a poplar wood panel, her ethereal, mist-filled atmosphere was attributed to Da Vinci's masteryof the sfumato style, in which forms appear to evaporate into one another.

　　Since taking up residence in the Louvre, the Mona Lisa—or La Jaconde as they call her inFrance—had been stolen twice, most recently in 1911, when she disappeared from the Louvre's"satte impénétrable"—Le Salon³ Carre. Parisians wept in the streets and wrote newspaper articlesbegging the thieves for the painting's return. Two years later, the Mona Lisa was discovered hiddenin the false bottom of a trunk in a Florence hotel room.

　　Langdon, now having made it clear to Sophie that he had no intention of leaving, moved with heracross the Salle des Etats. The Mona Lisa was still twenty yards ahead when Sophie turned on theblack light, and the bluish crescent of penlight fanned out on the floor in front of them. She swungthe beam back and forth⁴ across the floor like a minesweeper, searching for any hint of luminescentink.

　　Walking beside her, Langdon was already feeling the tingle⁵ of anticipation⁶ that accompanied hisface-to-face reunions with great works of art. He strained to see beyond the cocoon⁷ of purplishlight emanating⁸ from the black light in Sophie's hand. To the left, the room's octagonal viewingdivan emerged, looking like a dark island on the empty sea of parquet⁹.

点击收听单词发音  

1 mere
adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过
参考例句：
That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。 It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

2 pane
n.窗格玻璃，长方块
参考例句：
He broke this pane of glass.他打破了这块窗玻璃。 Their breath bloomed the frosty pane.他们呼出的水气，在冰冷的窗玻璃上形成一层雾。

3 salon
n.[法]沙龙；客厅；营业性的高级服务室
参考例句：
Do you go to the hairdresser or beauty salon more than twice a week?你每周去美容院或美容沙龙多过两次吗？ You can hear a lot of dirt at a salon.你在沙龙上会听到很多流言蜚语。

4 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。

5 tingle
vi.感到刺痛，感到激动；n.刺痛，激动
参考例句：
The music made my blood tingle.那音乐使我热血沸腾。 The cold caused a tingle in my fingers.严寒使我的手指有刺痛感。

6 anticipation
n.预期，预料，期望
参考例句：
We waited at the station in anticipation of her arrival.我们在车站等着，期待她的到来。 The animals grew restless as if in anticipation of an earthquake.各种动物都变得焦躁不安，像是感到了地震即将发生。

7 cocoon
n.茧
参考例句：
A cocoon is a kind of silk covering made by an insect.蚕茧是由昆虫制造的一种由丝组成的外包层。 The beautiful butterfly emerged from the cocoon.美丽的蝴蝶自茧中出现。

8 emanating
v.从…处传出，传出( emanate的现在分词 )；产生，表现，显示
参考例句：
Even so, there is a slight odour of potpourri emanating from Longfellow. 纵然如此，也还是可以闻到来自朗费罗的一种轻微的杂烩的味道。 来自辞典例句 Many surface waters, particularly those emanating from swampy areas, are often colored to the extent. 许多地表水，特别是由沼泽地区流出的地表水常常染上一定程度的颜色。 来自辞典例句

9 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。

10 celebrated
adj.有名的，声誉卓著的
参考例句：
He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。 The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

11 interpretations
n.解释( interpretation的名词复数 )；表演；演绎；理解
参考例句：
This passage is open to a variety of interpretations. 这篇文章可以有各种不同的解释。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The involved and abstruse passage makes several interpretations possible. 这段艰涩的文字可以作出好几种解释。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

12 conspiracy
n.阴谋，密谋，共谋
参考例句：
The men were found guilty of conspiracy to murder.这些人被裁决犯有阴谋杀人罪。 He claimed that it was all a conspiracy against him.他声称这一切都是一场针对他的阴谋。

13 accomplishment
n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能
参考例句：
The series of paintings is quite an accomplishment.这一系列的绘画真是了不起的成就。 Money will be crucial to the accomplishment of our objectives.要实现我们的目标，钱是至关重要的。

14 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。

15 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。

16 veneration
n.尊敬，崇拜
参考例句：
I acquired lasting respect for tradition and veneration for the past.我开始对传统和历史产生了持久的敬慕。 My father venerated General Eisenhower.我父亲十分敬仰艾森豪威尔将军。

17 collage
n.拼贴画；v.拼贴；把……创作成拼贴画
参考例句：
A collage of coloured paper covers a table top.一副彩纸拼贴画盖在桌面上。 He has used a mixture of mosaic,collage and felt-tip pen.他混合使用了马赛克、拼贴画和毡头笔。

18 allusions
暗指，间接提到( allusion的名词复数 )
参考例句：
We should not use proverbs and allusions indiscriminately. 不要滥用成语典故。 The background lent itself to allusions to European scenes. 眼前的情景容易使人联想到欧洲风光。

19 inmates
n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 )
参考例句：
One of the inmates has escaped. 被收容的人中有一个逃跑了。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The inmates were moved to an undisclosed location. 监狱里的囚犯被转移到一个秘密处所。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 penitentiary
n.感化院；监狱
参考例句：
He worked as a warden at the state penitentiary.他在这所州监狱任看守长。 While he was in the penitentiary her father died and the family broke up.他坐牢的时候，她的父亲死了，家庭就拆散了。

21 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。

22 projector
n.投影机，放映机，幻灯机
参考例句：
There is a new projector in my office.我的办公室里有一架新的幻灯机。 How long will it take to set up the projector?把这个放映机安放好需要多长时间？

23 uneven
adj.不平坦的，不规则的，不均匀的
参考例句：
The sidewalk is very uneven—be careful where you walk.这人行道凹凸不平—走路时请小心。 The country was noted for its uneven distribution of land resources.这个国家以土地资源分布不均匀出名。

24 discrepancy
n.不同；不符；差异；矛盾
参考例句：
The discrepancy in their ages seemed not to matter.他们之间年龄的差异似乎没有多大关系。 There was a discrepancy in the two reports of the accident.关于那次事故的两则报道有不一致之处。

25 chuckled
轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
She chuckled at the memory. 想起这件事她就暗自发笑。 She chuckled softly to herself as she remembered his astonished look. 想起他那惊讶的表情，她就轻轻地暗自发笑。

26 majestic
adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的
参考例句：
In the distance rose the majestic Alps.远处耸立着雄伟的阿尔卑斯山。 He looks majestic in uniform.他穿上军装显得很威风。

27 winced
赶紧避开，畏缩( wince的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He winced as the dog nipped his ankle. 狗咬了他的脚腕子，疼得他龇牙咧嘴。 He winced as a sharp pain shot through his left leg. 他左腿一阵剧痛疼得他直龇牙咧嘴。

28 tune
n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整
参考例句：
He'd written a tune,and played it to us on the piano.他写了一段曲子，并在钢琴上弹给我们听。 The boy beat out a tune on a tin can.那男孩在易拉罐上敲出一首曲子。

29 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。

30 hearty
adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的
参考例句：
After work they made a hearty meal in the worker's canteen.工作完了，他们在工人食堂饱餐了一顿。 We accorded him a hearty welcome.我们给他热忱的欢迎。

31 etymological
adj.语源的，根据语源学的
参考例句：
The etymological closeness of the Sanskrit and English words is striking. 梵语和英语的词源的连结性是如此地惊人。 来自互联网 But the Chinese have often ignored this etymological hint. 但中国人经常忽略这一词根上隐含的意义。 来自互联网

32 stunned
adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
The fall stunned me for a moment. 那一下摔得我昏迷了片刻。 The leaders of the Kopper Company were then stunned speechless. 科伯公司的领导们当时被惊得目瞪口呆。

33 hieroglyphs
n.象形字（如古埃及等所用的）( hieroglyph的名词复数 )；秘密的或另有含意的书写符号
参考例句：
Hieroglyphs are carved into the walls of the temple. 寺庙的墙壁上刻着象形文字。 来自辞典例句 This paper discusses the fundamental distinctions between the hieroglyphs andforerunner of writing. 英汉象形文字的比较是建立在象形文字具体内涵的基础上。 来自互联网

34 promiscuity
n.混杂，混乱；（男女的）乱交
参考例句：
Promiscuity went unpunished, divorce was permitted. 乱交挨不着惩罚，离婚办得成手续。 来自英汉文学 There is also no doubt that she falls into promiscuity at last. 同时无疑她最后也堕入性乱。 来自互联网

35 gasped
v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要
参考例句：
She gasped at the wonderful view. 如此美景使她惊讶得屏住了呼吸。 People gasped with admiration at the superb skill of the gymnasts. 体操运动员的高超技艺令人赞叹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

36 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。

37 droplet
n.小滴，飞沫
参考例句：
The rate of droplet growth under different conditions can be evaluated.可以计算在不同条件下的云滴增长率。 The test results showed that increasing droplet size was associated with better stability.试验结果表明，增加液滴尺寸将使稳定性提高。

38 tingled
v.有刺痛感( tingle的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
My cheeks tingled with the cold. 我的脸颊冻得有点刺痛。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The crowd tingled with excitement. 群众大为兴奋。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

39 illuminated
adj.被照明的；受启迪的
参考例句：
Floodlights illuminated the stadium. 泛光灯照亮了体育场。 the illuminated city at night 夜幕中万家灯火的城市

40 glimmer
v.发出闪烁的微光；n.微光，微弱的闪光
参考例句：
I looked at her and felt a glimmer of hope.我注视她，感到了一线希望。 A glimmer of amusement showed in her eyes.她的眼中露出一丝笑意。

41 scrawled
乱涂，潦草地写( scrawl的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
I tried to read his directions, scrawled on a piece of paper. 我尽量弄明白他草草写在一片纸上的指示。 Tom scrawled on his slate, "Please take it -- I got more." 汤姆在他的写字板上写了几个字：“请你收下吧，我多得是哩。”