CLAY COULD THINK OF only one other occasion in the past four years on which he called, or tried to call, Bennett the Bulldozer. That effort had ended dismally¹ when he'd been unable to penetrate² the layers of importance surrounding the great man. Mr. BVH wanted folks to think he spent his time "on the job," which for him meant out among the earth-moving machinery³ where he could direct matters and smell up close the unlimited⁴ potential of Northern Virginia. In the family's home there were large photos of him "on the job," wearing his own custom-made and monogrammed hard hat, pointing here and there as land got leveled and more malls and shopping centers got built. He said he was too busy for idle chatter⁵ and claimed to hate telephones, yet always had a supply nearby to take care of business.

Truth was, Bennett played a lot of golf, and played it badly, according to the father of one of Clay's law school classmates. Rebecca had let it slip more than once that her father played at least four rounds a week at Potomac, and his secret dream was to win the club championship.

Mr. Van Horn was a man of action with no patience for life behind a desk. He spent little time there, he claimed. The pit bull who answered "BVH Group" reluctantly agreed to forward Clay on to another secretary deeper inside the company. "Development" the second girl said rudely, as if the company had unlimited divisions. It took at least five minutes to get Bennett's personal secretary on the phone. "He's out of the office," she said.

"How can I reach him?" Clay asked.

"He's on the job."

"Yes, I figured that. How can I reach him?"

"Leave a number and I'll put it with the rest of his messages," she said.

"Oh thank you," Clay said, and left his office number.

Thirty minutes later Bennett returned the call. He sounded indoors, perhaps in the Men's Lounge at the Potomac Country Club, double Scotch⁶ in hand, big cigar, a game of gin rummy in progress with the boys. "Clay, how in the world are you?" he asked, as if they hadn't seen each other in months.

点击收听单词发音  

1 dismally
adv.阴暗地，沉闷地
参考例句：
Fei Little Beard assented dismally. 费小胡子哭丧着脸回答。 来自子夜部分 He began to howl dismally. 它就凄凉地吠叫起来。 来自辞典例句

2 penetrate
v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解
参考例句：
Western ideas penetrate slowly through the East.西方观念逐渐传入东方。 The sunshine could not penetrate where the trees were thickest.阳光不能透入树木最浓密的地方。

3 machinery
n.(总称)机械，机器；机构
参考例句：
Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗？ Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。

4 unlimited
adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的
参考例句：
They flew over the unlimited reaches of the Arctic.他们飞过了茫茫无边的北极上空。 There is no safety in unlimited technological hubris.在技术方面自以为是会很危险。

5 chatter
vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战
参考例句：
Her continuous chatter vexes me.她的喋喋不休使我烦透了。 I've had enough of their continual chatter.我已厌烦了他们喋喋不休的闲谈。

6 scotch
n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的
参考例句：
Facts will eventually scotch these rumours.这种谣言在事实面前将不攻自破。 Italy was full of fine views and virtually empty of Scotch whiskey.意大利多的是美景，真正缺的是苏格兰威士忌。

7 diesel
n.柴油发动机，内燃机
参考例句：
We experimented with diesel engines to drive the pumps.我们试着用柴油机来带动水泵。 My tractor operates on diesel oil.我的那台拖拉机用柴油开动。

8 motive
n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的
参考例句：
The police could not find a motive for the murder.警察不能找到谋杀的动机。 He had some motive in telling this fable.他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。

9 deteriorate
v.变坏；恶化；退化
参考例句：
Do you think relations between China and Japan will continue to deteriorate?你认为中日关系会继续恶化吗？ He held that this would only cause the situation to deteriorate further.他认为，这只会使局势更加恶化。

10 bout
n.侵袭，发作；一次(阵，回)；拳击等比赛
参考例句：
I was suffering with a bout of nerves.我感到一阵紧张。 That bout of pneumonia enfeebled her.那次肺炎的发作使她虚弱了。

11 gritted
v.以沙砾覆盖（某物），撒沙砾于( grit的过去式和过去分词 )；咬紧牙关
参考例句：
He gritted his teeth and plunged into the cold weather. 他咬咬牙，冲向寒冷的天气。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 The young policeman gritted his teeth and walked slowly towards the armed criminal. 年轻警官强忍住怒火，朝武装歹徒慢慢走过去。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 promising
adj.有希望的，有前途的
参考例句：
The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。 We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

13 guts
v.狼吞虎咽，贪婪地吃，飞碟游戏（比赛双方每组5人，相距15码，互相掷接飞碟）；毁坏（建筑物等）的内部( gut的第三人称单数 )；取出…的内脏n.勇气( gut的名词复数 )；内脏；消化道的下段；肠
参考例句：
I'll only cook fish if the guts have been removed. 鱼若已收拾干净，我只需烧一下即可。 Barbara hasn't got the guts to leave her mother. 巴巴拉没有勇气离开她妈妈。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 tack
n.大头钉；假缝，粗缝
参考例句：
He is hammering a tack into the wall to hang a picture.他正往墙上钉一枚平头钉用来挂画。 We are going to tack the map on the wall.我们打算把这张地图钉在墙上。

15 subpoena
n.（法律）传票；v.传讯
参考例句：
He was brought up to court with a subpoena.他接到传讯，来到法庭上。 Select committees have the power to subpoena witnesses.特别委员会有权传唤证人。

16 confrontation
n.对抗，对峙，冲突
参考例句：
We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。 After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

17 counselor
n.顾问，法律顾问
参考例句：
The counselor gave us some disinterested advice.顾问给了我们一些无私的忠告。 Chinese commercial counselor's office in foreign countries.中国驻国外商务参赞处。

18 partially
adv.部分地，从某些方面讲
参考例句：
The door was partially concealed by the drapes.门有一部分被门帘遮住了。 The police managed to restore calm and the curfew was partially lifted.警方设法恢复了平静，宵禁部分解除。

19 counselors
n.顾问( counselor的名词复数 )；律师；（使馆等的）参赞；（协助学生解决问题的）指导老师
参考例句：
Counselors began an inquiry into industrial needs. 顾问们开始调查工业方面的需要。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 We have experienced counselors available day and night. ) 这里有经验的法律顾问全天候值班。） 来自超越目标英语 第4册

20 wrath
n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒
参考例句：
His silence marked his wrath. 他的沉默表明了他的愤怒。 The wrath of the people is now aroused. 人们被激怒了。

21 pertaining
与…有关系的，附属…的，为…固有的(to)
参考例句：
Living conditions are vastly different from those pertaining in their country of origin. 生活条件与他们祖国大不相同。 The inspector was interested in everything pertaining to the school. 视察员对有关学校的一切都感兴趣。

22 evaluation
n.估价，评价；赋值
参考例句：
I attempted an honest evaluation of my own life.我试图如实地评价我自己的一生。 The new scheme is still under evaluation.新方案还在评估阶段。

23 abatement
n.减(免)税，打折扣，冲销
参考例句：
A bag filter for dust abatement at the discharge point should be provided.在卸料地点应该装设袋滤器以消除粉尘。 The abatement of the headache gave him a moment of rest.头痛减轻给他片刻的休息。

24 rehabilitation
n.康复，悔过自新，修复，复兴，复职，复位
参考例句：
He's booked himself into a rehabilitation clinic.他自己联系了一家康复诊所。 No one can really make me rehabilitation of injuries.已经没有人可以真正令我的伤康复了。

25 evaluations
估价( evaluation的名词复数 )； 赋值； 估计价值； [医学]诊断
参考例句：
In fact, our moral evaluations are merely expressions of our desires. 事实上，我们的道德评价只是我们欲望的表达形式。 来自哲学部分 Properly speaking, however, these evaluations and insights are not within the concept of official notice. 但准确地讲，这些评估和深远见识并未包括在官方通知概念里。

26 lining
n.衬里，衬料
参考例句：
The lining of my coat is torn.我的外套衬里破了。 Moss makes an attractive lining to wire baskets.用苔藓垫在铁丝篮里很漂亮。

27 defender
n.保卫者，拥护者，辩护人
参考例句：
He shouldered off a defender and shot at goal.他用肩膀挡开防守队员，然后射门。 The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。

28 mumbled
含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He mumbled something to me which I did not quite catch. 他对我叽咕了几句话，可我没太听清楚。 George mumbled incoherently to himself. 乔治语无伦次地喃喃自语。

29 dealing
n.经商方法，待人态度
参考例句：
This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。 His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

30 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。

31 benign
adj.善良的，慈祥的；良性的，无危险的
参考例句：
The benign weather brought North America a bumper crop.温和的气候给北美带来大丰收。 Martha is a benign old lady.玛莎是个仁慈的老妇人。

32 pals
n.朋友( pal的名词复数 )；老兄；小子；（对男子的不友好的称呼）家伙
参考例句：
We've been pals for years. 我们是多年的哥们儿了。 CD 8 positive cells remarkably increased in PALS and RP(P CD8+细胞在再生脾PALS和RP内均明显增加(P 来自互联网

33 countless
adj.无数的，多得不计其数的
参考例句：
In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。 I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。

34 minions
n.奴颜婢膝的仆从( minion的名词复数 )；走狗；宠儿；受人崇拜者
参考例句：
She delegated the job to one of her minions. 她把这份工作委派给她的一个手下。 来自辞典例句 I have been a slave to the vicious-those whom I served were his minions. 我当过那帮坏人的奴隶，我伺候的都是他的爪牙。 来自辞典例句

35 passionate
adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的
参考例句：
He is said to be the most passionate man.据说他是最有激情的人。 He is very passionate about the project.他对那个项目非常热心。

36 subdued
adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
He seemed a bit subdued to me. 我觉得他当时有点闷闷不乐。 I felt strangely subdued when it was all over. 一切都结束的时候，我却有一种奇怪的压抑感。

37 determined
adj.坚定的；有决心的
参考例句：
I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。 He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

38 sneaked
v.潜行( sneak的过去式和过去分词 )；偷偷溜走；（儿童向成人）打小报告；告状
参考例句：
I sneaked up the stairs. 我蹑手蹑脚地上了楼。 She sneaked a surreptitious glance at her watch. 她偷偷看了一眼手表。

39 fanfare
n.喇叭；号角之声；v.热闹地宣布
参考例句：
The product was launched amid much fanfare worldwide.这个产品在世界各地隆重推出。 A fanfare of trumpets heralded the arrival of the King.嘹亮的小号声宣告了国王驾到。

40 strings
n.弦
参考例句：
He sat on the bed,idly plucking the strings of his guitar.他坐在床上，随意地拨着吉他的弦。 She swept her fingers over the strings of the harp.她用手指划过竖琴的琴弦。

41 prevailing
adj.盛行的；占优势的；主要的
参考例句：
She wears a fashionable hair style prevailing in the city.她的发型是这个城市流行的款式。 This reflects attitudes and values prevailing in society.这反映了社会上盛行的态度和价值观。

42 miserable
adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的
参考例句：
It was miserable of you to make fun of him.你取笑他，这是可耻的。 Her past life was miserable.她过去的生活很苦。

43 decided
adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的
参考例句：
This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。 There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

44 barb
n.（鱼钩等的）倒钩，倒刺
参考例句：
The barb of his wit made us wince.他那锋芒毕露的机智使我们退避三舍。 A fish hook has a barb to prevent the fish from escaping after being hooked.鱼钩上都有一个倒钩以防上了钩的鱼逃走。

45 widower
n.鳏夫
参考例句：
George was a widower with six young children.乔治是个带著六个小孩子的鳏夫。 Having been a widower for many years,he finally decided to marry again.丧偶多年后，他终于决定二婚了。