THE ANNOUNCEMENT HAD SAID the newlyweds would honeymoon¹ in Mexico. Clay decided² to take a trip himself. If anyone deserved a month on an island, it was he.

His once formidable team had lost all direction. Perhaps it was the holidays, perhaps it was the money. Whatever the reason, Jonah, Paulette, and Rodney were spending fewer hours at the office.

As was Clay. The place was filled with tension and strife³. So many Dyloft clients were unhappy with their meager⁴ settlements. The mail was brutal⁵. Dodging⁶ the phone had become a sport. Several clients had actually found the place and presented themselves to Miss Glick with demands to see Mr. Carter, who, it happened, was always in a big trial somewhere. Usually, he was hunkering down in his office with the door locked, riding out yet another storm. After one particularly troubling day, he called Patton French for advice.

"Toughen up, ol' boy," French said. "It goes with the territory. You're making a fortune in mass torts, this is just the downside. It takes a thick skin."

The thickest skin in the firm belonged to Oscar Mulrooney, who continued to amaze Clay with his organizational skills and his ambition. Mulrooney was working fifteen hours a day and pushing his Yale Branch to collect the Dyloft money as quickly as possible. He readily assumed any unpleasant task. With Jonah making no secret of his plans to sail around the world, Paulette dropping hints about a year in Africa to study art, and Rodney following along with some vague chatter⁷ about just plain quitting, it was obvious that there would soon be room at the top.

It was just as obvious that Oscar was hustling⁸ for a partnership⁹, or at least a piece of the action. He was studying the massive litigation still raging over Skinny Bens, the diet pills that had gone

点击收听单词发音  

1 honeymoon
n.蜜月（假期）；vi.度蜜月
参考例句：
While on honeymoon in Bali,she learned to scuba dive.她在巴厘岛度蜜月时学会了带水肺潜水。 The happy pair are leaving for their honeymoon.这幸福的一对就要去度蜜月了。

2 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。

3 strife
n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争
参考例句：
We do not intend to be drawn into the internal strife.我们不想卷入内乱之中。 Money is a major cause of strife in many marriages.金钱是造成很多婚姻不和的一个主要原因。

4 meager
adj.缺乏的，不足的，瘦的
参考例句：
He could not support his family on his meager salary.他靠微薄的工资无法养家。 The two men and the woman grouped about the fire and began their meager meal.两个男人同一个女人围着火，开始吃起少得可怜的午饭。

5 brutal
adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的
参考例句：
She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。 They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

6 dodging
n.避开，闪过，音调改变v.闪躲( dodge的现在分词 )；回避
参考例句：
He ran across the road, dodging the traffic. 他躲开来往的车辆跑过马路。 I crossed the highway, dodging the traffic. 我避开车流穿过了公路。 来自辞典例句

7 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。

8 hustling
催促（hustle的现在分词形式）
参考例句：
Our quartet was out hustling and we knew we stood good to take in a lot of change before the night was over. 我们的四重奏是明显地卖座的， 而且我们知道在天亮以前，我们有把握收入一大笔钱。 Men in motors were hustling to pass one another in the hustling traffic. 开汽车的人在繁忙的交通中急急忙忙地互相超车。

9 partnership
n.合作关系，伙伴关系
参考例句：
The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。 Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

10 awry
adj.扭曲的，错的
参考例句：
She was in a fury over a plan that had gone awry. 计划出了问题，她很愤怒。 Something has gone awry in our plans.我们的计划出差错了。

11 publicity
n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告
参考例句：
The singer star's marriage got a lot of publicity.这位歌星的婚事引起了公众的关注。 He dismissed the event as just a publicity gimmick.他不理会这件事，只当它是一种宣传手法。

12 hesitation
n.犹豫，踌躇
参考例句：
After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天，他终于直说了。 There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。

13 supervision
n.监督，管理
参考例句：
The work was done under my supervision.这项工作是在我的监督之下完成的。 The old man's will was executed under the personal supervision of the lawyer.老人的遗嘱是在律师的亲自监督下执行的。

14 oblivious
adj.易忘的，遗忘的，忘却的，健忘的
参考例句：
Mother has become quite oblivious after the illness.这次病后，妈妈变得特别健忘。 He was quite oblivious of the danger.他完全没有察觉到危险。

15 exquisite
adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的
参考例句：
I was admiring the exquisite workmanship in the mosaic.我当时正在欣赏镶嵌画的精致做工。 I still remember the exquisite pleasure I experienced in Bali.我依然记得在巴厘岛所经历的那种剧烈的快感。

16 aloof
adj.远离的；冷淡的，漠不关心的
参考例句：
Never stand aloof from the masses.千万不可脱离群众。 On the evening the girl kept herself timidly aloof from the crowd.这小女孩在晚会上一直胆怯地远离人群。

17 commuter
n.(尤指市郊之间)乘公交车辆上下班者
参考例句：
Police cordoned off the road and diverted commuter traffic. 警察封锁了道路并分流交通。 She accidentally stepped on his foot on a crowded commuter train. 她在拥挤的通勤列车上不小心踩到了他的脚。

18 mansions
n.宅第，公馆，大厦( mansion的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Fifth Avenue was boarded up where the rich had deserted their mansions. 第五大道上的富翁们已经出去避暑，空出的宅第都已锁好了门窗，钉上了木板。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹 Oh, the mansions, the lights, the perfume, the loaded boudoirs and tables! 啊，那些高楼大厦、华灯、香水、藏金收银的闺房还有摆满山珍海味的餐桌！ 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

19 descended
a.为...后裔的，出身于...的
参考例句：
A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。 The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。

20 blindfold
vt.蒙住…的眼睛；adj.盲目的；adv.盲目地；n.蒙眼的绷带[布等]； 障眼物，蒙蔽人的事物
参考例句：
They put a blindfold on a horse.他们给马蒙上遮眼布。 I can do it blindfold.我闭着眼睛都能做。

21 winding
n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈
参考例句：
A winding lane led down towards the river.一条弯弯曲曲的小路通向河边。 The winding trail caused us to lose our orientation.迂回曲折的小道使我们迷失了方向。

22 full-time
adj.满工作日的或工作周的，全时间的
参考例句：
A full-time job may be too much for her.全天工作她恐怕吃不消。 I don't know how she copes with looking after her family and doing a full-time job.既要照顾家庭又要全天工作，我不知道她是如何对付的。

23 housekeepers
n.（女）管家( housekeeper的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Can you send up one of your housekeepers to make bed? 请你派个女服务员来整理床铺好吗？ 来自互联网 They work as gas station attendants, firemen, housekeepers,and security personnel. 本句翻译：机器人也能够作为煤气站的服务员，救火队员等保安作用。 来自互联网

24 premises
n.建筑物，房屋
参考例句：
According to the rules,no alcohol can be consumed on the premises.按照规定，场内不准饮酒。 All repairs are done on the premises and not put out.全部修缮都在家里进行，不用送到外面去做。

25 unpack
vt.打开包裹（或行李），卸货
参考例句：
I must unpack before dinner.我得在饭前把行李打开。 She said she would unpack the items later.她说以后再把箱子里的东西拿出来。

26 suite
n.一套(家具)；套房；随从人员
参考例句：
She has a suite of rooms in the hotel.她在那家旅馆有一套房间。 That is a nice suite of furniture.那套家具很不错。

27 nude
adj.裸体的；n.裸体者，裸体艺术品
参考例句：
It's a painting of the Duchess of Alba in the nude.这是一幅阿尔巴公爵夫人的裸体肖像画。 She doesn't like nude swimming.她不喜欢裸泳。

28 seafood
n.海产食品，海味，海鲜
参考例句：
There's an excellent seafood restaurant near here.离这儿不远有家非常不错的海鲜馆。 Shrimps are a popular type of seafood.小虾是比较普遍的一种海味。

29 grilled
adj. 烤的, 炙过的, 有格子的 动词grill的过去式和过去分词形式
参考例句：
He was grilled for two hours before the police let him go. 他被严厉盘查了两个小时后，警察才放他走。 He was grilled until he confessed. 他被严加拷问，直到他承认为止。

30 prawns
n.对虾，明虾( prawn的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Mine was a picture of four translucent prawns, with two small fish swimming above them. 给我画的是四只虾，半透明的，上画有两条小鱼。 来自汉英文学 - 现代散文 Shall we get some shrimp and prawns? 我们要不要买些小虾和对虾？ 来自无师自通 校园英语会话

31 oysters
牡蛎( oyster的名词复数 )
参考例句：
We don't have oysters tonight, but the crayfish are very good. 我们今晚没有牡蛎供应。但小龙虾是非常好。 She carried a piping hot grill of oysters and bacon. 她端出一盘滚烫的烤牡蛎和咸肉。

32 siesta
n.午睡
参考例句：
Lots of people were taking a short siesta in the shade.午后很多人在阴凉处小睡。 He had acquired the knack of snatching his siesta in the most unfavourable circumstance.他学会了在最喧闹的场合下抓紧时间睡觉的诀窍。

33 rugged
adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的
参考例句：
Football players must be rugged.足球运动员必须健壮。 The Rocky Mountains have rugged mountains and roads.落基山脉有崇山峻岭和崎岖不平的道路。

34 makeup
n.组织；性格；化装品
参考例句：
Those who failed the exam take a makeup exam.这次考试不及格的人必须参加补考。 Do you think her beauty could makeup for her stupidity?你认为她的美丽能弥补她的愚蠢吗？

35 unaware
a.不知道的，未意识到的
参考例句：
They were unaware that war was near. 他们不知道战争即将爆发。 I was unaware of the man's presence. 我没有察觉到那人在场。

36 displeased
a.不快的
参考例句：
The old man was displeased and darted an angry look at me. 老人不高兴了，瞪了我一眼。 He was displeased about the whole affair. 他对整个事情感到很不高兴。

37 hormone
n.荷尔蒙，激素，内分泌
参考例句：
Hormone implants are used as growth boosters.激素植入物被用作生长辅助剂。 This hormone interacts closely with other hormones in the body.这种荷尔蒙与体內其他荷尔蒙紧密地相互作用。

38 touted
v.兜售( tout的过去式和过去分词 )；招揽；侦查；探听赛马情报
参考例句：
She's being touted as the next leader of the party. 她被吹捧为该党的下一任领导人。 People said that he touted for his mother and sister. 据说，他给母亲和姐姐拉生意。 来自辞典例句

39 rammed
v.夯实（土等）( ram的过去式和过去分词 )；猛撞；猛压；反复灌输
参考例句：
Two passengers were injured when their taxi was rammed from behind by a bus. 公共汽车从后面撞来，出租车上的两位乘客受了伤。 I rammed down the earth around the newly-planted tree. 我将新栽的树周围的土捣硬。 来自《简明英汉词典》

40 devastating
adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的
参考例句：
It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。 Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

41 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。

42 lawsuit
n.诉讼，控诉
参考例句：
They threatened him with a lawsuit.他们以诉讼威逼他。 He was perpetually involving himself in this long lawsuit.他使自己无休止地卷入这场长时间的诉讼。

43 crooks
n.骗子( crook的名词复数 )；罪犯；弯曲部分；（牧羊人或主教用的）弯拐杖v.弯成钩形( crook的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
The police are getting after the crooks in the city. 警察在城里追捕小偷。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The cops got the crooks. 警察捉到了那些罪犯。 来自《简明英汉词典》

44 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。

45 remarkably
ad.不同寻常地，相当地
参考例句：
I thought she was remarkably restrained in the circumstances. 我认为她在那种情况下非常克制。 He made a remarkably swift recovery. 他康复得相当快。

46 peddling
忙于琐事的，无关紧要的
参考例句：
He worked as a door-to-door salesman peddling cloths and brushes. 他的工作是上门推销抹布和刷子。 "If he doesn't like peddling, why doesn't he practice law? "要是他不高兴卖柴火，干吗不当律师呢？

47 advertising
n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的
参考例句：
Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗? The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

48 knack
n.诀窍，做事情的灵巧的，便利的方法
参考例句：
He has a knack of teaching arithmetic.他教算术有诀窍。 Making omelettes isn't difficult,but there's a knack to it.做煎蛋饼并不难，但有窍门。

49 sip
v.小口地喝，抿，呷；n.一小口的量
参考例句：
She took a sip of the cocktail.她啜饮一口鸡尾酒。 Elizabeth took a sip of the hot coffee.伊丽莎白呷了一口热咖啡。

50 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。

51 warily
adv.留心地
参考例句：
He looked warily around him,pretending to look after Carrie.他小心地看了一下四周，假装是在照顾嘉莉。 They were heading warily to a point in the enemy line.他们正小心翼翼地向着敌人封锁线的某一处前进。