Spring in the Piedmont, calm clear skies, the foothills growing greener by the day, the Shenandoah Valley changing as the farmers crossed and recrossed their perfect rows. Rain was forecast for tomorrow, though no forecast could be trusted in central Virginia.
With almost three hundred hours under his belt, Ray began each day with an eye on the sky as he jogged five miles. The running he could do come rain or shine, the flying he could not. He had promised himself (and his insurance company) that he would not fly at night and would not venture into clouds. Ninety-five percent of all small plane crashes happened either in weather or in darkness, and after nearly three years of flying Ray was still determined¹ to be a coward. "There are old pilots and bold pilots," the adage² went, "but no old bold pilots." He believed it, and with conviction.
Besides, central Virginia was too beautiful to buzz over in clouds. He waited for perfect weather - no wind to push him around and make landings complicated, no haze³ to dim the horizon and get him lost, no threat of storms or moisture. Clear skies during his jog usually determined the rest of his day. He could move lunch up or back, cancel a class, postpone⁵ his research to a rainy day, or a rainy week for that matter. The right forecast, and Ray was off to the airport.
It was north of town, a fifteen-minute drive from the law school. At Docker's Flight School he was given the normal rude welcome by Dick Docker, Charlie Yates, and Fog Newton, the three retired⁶ Marine⁷ pilots who owned the place and had trained most of the private aviators⁸ in the area. They held court each day in the Cockpit, a row of old theater chairs in the front office of the flight school, and from there they drank coffee by the gallon and told flying tales and lies that grew by the hour. Each customer and student got the same load of verbal abuse, like it or not, take it or leave it, they didn't care. They were drawing nice pensions.

点击收听单词发音  

1 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。

2 adage
n.格言，古训
参考例句：
But the old adage that men grow into office has not proved true in my experience.但是，根据我的经验，人们所谓的工作岗位造就人材这句古话并不正确。 Her experience lends credence to the adage " We live and learn!"她的经验印证了一句格言: 活到老，学到老！

3 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。

4 ass
n.驴；傻瓜，蠢笨的人
参考例句：
He is not an ass as they make him.他不象大家猜想的那样笨。 An ass endures his burden but not more than his burden.驴能负重但不能超过它能力所负担的。

5 postpone
v.延期，推迟
参考例句：
I shall postpone making a decision till I learn full particulars.在未获悉详情之前我得从缓作出决定。 She decided to postpone the converastion for that evening.她决定当天晚上把谈话搁一搁。

6 retired
adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的
参考例句：
The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。 Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

7 marine
adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵
参考例句：
Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。 When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

8 aviators
飞机驾驶员，飞行员( aviator的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Analysis on Sickness Status of 1149 Aviators during Recuperation. 飞行员1149例疗养期间患病情况分析。 In America the whole scale is too big, except for aviators. 在美国整个景象的比例都太大了，不过对飞行员来说是个例外。

9 rental
n.租赁，出租，出租业
参考例句：
The yearly rental of her house is 2400 yuan.她这房子年租金是2400元。 We can organise car rental from Chicago O'Hare Airport.我们可以安排提供从芝加哥奥黑尔机场出发的租车服务。

10 bucks
n.雄鹿( buck的名词复数 )；钱；（英国十九世纪初的）花花公子；（用于某些表达方式）责任v.（马等）猛然弓背跃起( buck的第三人称单数 )；抵制；猛然震荡；马等尥起后蹄跳跃
参考例句：
They cost ten bucks. 这些值十元钱。 They are hunting for bucks. 他们正在猎雄兔。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 inevitable
adj.不可避免的，必然发生的
参考例句：
Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。 The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。

12 ramp
n.暴怒，斜坡，坡道；vi.作恐吓姿势，暴怒，加速；vt.加速
参考例句：
That driver drove the car up the ramp.那司机将车开上了斜坡。 The factory don't have that capacity to ramp up.这家工厂没有能力加速生产。

13 fixed
adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的
参考例句：
Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？ Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

14 beech
n.山毛榉；adj.山毛榉的
参考例句：
Autumn is the time to see the beech woods in all their glory.秋天是观赏山毛榉林的最佳时期。 Exasperated,he leaped the stream,and strode towards beech clump.他满腔恼怒，跳过小河，大踏步向毛榉林子走去。

15 bonanza
n.富矿带，幸运，带来好运的事
参考例句：
Bargain hunters enjoyed a real bonanza today.到处买便宜货的人今天真是交了好运。 What a bonanza for the winning ticket holders!对于手持胜券的人来说，这是多好的运气啊。

16 gadgets
n.小机械，小器具（ gadget的名词复数 ）
参考例句：
Certainly. The idea is not to have a house full of gadgets. 当然。设想是房屋不再充满小配件。 来自超越目标英语 第4册 This meant more gadgets and more experiments. 这意味着要设计出更多的装置，做更多的实验。 来自英汉非文学 - 科学史

17 instructor
n.指导者，教员，教练
参考例句：
The college jumped him from instructor to full professor.大学突然把他从讲师提升为正教授。 The skiing instructor was a tall,sunburnt man.滑雪教练是一个高高个子晒得黑黑的男子。

18 strapped
adj.用皮带捆住的，用皮带装饰的；身无分文的；缺钱；手头紧v.用皮带捆扎(strap的过去式和过去分词)；用皮带抽打；包扎；给…打绷带
参考例句：
Make sure that the child is strapped tightly into the buggy. 一定要把孩子牢牢地拴在婴儿车上。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The soldiers' great coats were strapped on their packs. 战士们的厚大衣扎捆在背包上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 smoothly
adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地
参考例句：
The workmen are very cooperative,so the work goes on smoothly.工人们十分合作，所以工作进展顺利。 Just change one or two words and the sentence will read smoothly.这句话只要动一两个字就顺了。

20 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。

21 turbulence
n.喧嚣，狂暴，骚乱，湍流
参考例句：
The turbulence caused the plane to turn over.空气的激流导致飞机翻转。 The world advances amidst turbulence.世界在动荡中前进。

22 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。

23 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。

24 psychiatrists
n.精神病专家，精神病医生( psychiatrist的名词复数 )
参考例句：
They are psychiatrists in good standing. 他们是合格的精神病医生。 来自辞典例句 Some psychiatrists have patients who grow almost alarmed at how congenial they suddenly feel. 有些精神分析学家发现，他们的某些病人在突然感到惬意的时候几乎会兴奋起来。 来自名作英译部分

25 psychiatrist
n.精神病专家；精神病医师
参考例句：
He went to a psychiatrist about his compulsive gambling.他去看精神科医生治疗不能自拔的赌瘾。 The psychiatrist corrected him gently.精神病医师彬彬有礼地纠正他。

26 jewelry
n.（jewllery）（总称）珠宝
参考例句：
The burglars walked off with all my jewelry.夜盗偷走了我的全部珠宝。 Jewelry and lace are mostly feminine belongings.珠宝和花边多数是女性用品。

27 solitary
adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士
参考例句：
I am rather fond of a solitary stroll in the country.我颇喜欢在乡间独自徜徉。 The castle rises in solitary splendour on the fringe of the desert.这座城堡巍然耸立在沙漠的边际，显得十分壮美。

28 ridge
n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭
参考例句：
We clambered up the hillside to the ridge above.我们沿着山坡费力地爬上了山脊。 The infantry were advancing to attack the ridge.步兵部队正在向前挺进攻打山脊。

29 soothing
adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的
参考例句：
Put on some nice soothing music.播放一些柔和舒缓的音乐。 His casual, relaxed manner was very soothing.他随意而放松的举动让人很快便平静下来。

30 pal
n.朋友，伙伴，同志；vi.结为友
参考例句：
He is a pal of mine.他是我的一个朋友。 Listen,pal,I don't want you talking to my sister any more.听着，小子，我不让你再和我妹妹说话了。

31 swapping
交换，交换技术
参考例句：
The slow swapping and buying of horses went on. 马匹的买卖和交换就是这样慢慢地进行着。 He was quite keen on swapping books with friends. 他非常热衷于和朋友们交换书籍。

32 arena
n.竞技场，运动场所；竞争场所，舞台
参考例句：
She entered the political arena at the age of 25. 她25岁进入政界。 He had not an adequate arena for the exercise of his talents.他没有充分发挥其才能的场所。

33 limousine
n.豪华轿车
参考例句：
A chauffeur opened the door of the limousine for the grand lady.司机为这个高贵的女士打开了豪华轿车的车门。 We arrived in fine style in a hired limousine.我们很气派地乘坐出租的豪华汽车到达那里。

34 mansion
n.大厦，大楼；宅第
参考例句：
The old mansion was built in 1850.这座古宅建于1850年。 The mansion has extensive grounds.这大厦四周的庭园广阔。

35 corporate
adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的
参考例句：
This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。 His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

36 trophy
n.优胜旗，奖品，奖杯，战胜品，纪念品
参考例句：
The cup is a cherished trophy of the company.那只奖杯是该公司很珍惜的奖品。 He hung the lion's head as a trophy.他把那狮子头挂起来作为狩猎纪念品。

37 addictions
瘾( addiction的名词复数 )； 吸毒成瘾； 沉溺； 癖好
参考例句：
He has removed the stigma of drug addictions. 他已经洗去吸毒的污点了。 Intelligent people are good at using reason to control excessive addictions. 智慧的人善于用理性来控制过度的嗜欲。

38 delinquent
adj.犯法的，有过失的；n.违法者
参考例句：
Most delinquent children have deprived backgrounds.多数少年犯都有未受教育的背景。 He is delinquent in paying his rent.他拖欠房租。

39 accomplished
adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的
参考例句：
Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。 Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

40 chancellor
n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长
参考例句：
They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。 He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。

41 banishment
n.放逐，驱逐
参考例句：
Qu Yuan suffered banishment as the victim of a court intrigue. 屈原成为朝廷中钩心斗角的牺牲品，因而遭到放逐。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 He was sent into banishment. 他被流放。 来自辞典例句

42 maple
n.槭树，枫树，槭木
参考例句：
Maple sugar is made from the sap of maple trees.枫糖是由枫树的树液制成的。 The maple leaves are tinge with autumn red.枫叶染上了秋天的红色。

43 huddled
挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式）
参考例句：
We huddled together for warmth. 我们挤在一块取暖。 We huddled together to keep warm. 我们挤在一起来保暖。

44 crumbs
int. (表示惊讶)哎呀 n. 碎屑 名词crumb的复数形式
参考例句：
She stood up and brushed the crumbs from her sweater. 她站起身掸掉了毛衣上的面包屑。 Oh crumbs! Is that the time? 啊，天哪！都这会儿啦？

45 leftovers
n.剩余物，残留物，剩菜
参考例句：
He can do miracles with a few kitchen leftovers.他能用厨房里几样剩饭做出一顿美餐。 She made supper from leftovers she had thrown together.她用吃剩的食物拼凑成一顿晚饭。

46 gorge
n.咽喉，胃，暴食，山峡；v.塞饱，狼吞虎咽地吃
参考例句：
East of the gorge leveled out.峡谷东面地势变得平坦起来。 It made my gorge rise to hear the news.这消息令我作呕。

47 lottery
n.抽彩；碰运气的事，难于算计的事
参考例句：
He won no less than ￡5000 in the lottery.他居然中了5000英镑的奖券。 They thought themselves lucky in the lottery of life.他们认为自己是变幻莫测的人生中的幸运者。

48 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。

49 rigors
严格( rigor的名词复数 )； 严酷； 严密； （由惊吓或中毒等导致的身体）僵直
参考例句：
The rigors of that lonely land need no further description. 生活在那个穷乡僻壤的困苦是无庸赘言的。 You aren't ready for the rigors of industry. 你不适合干工业的艰苦工作了。

50 gliding
v. 滑翔 adj. 滑动的
参考例句：
Swans went gliding past. 天鹅滑行而过。 The weather forecast has put a question mark against the chance of doing any gliding tomorrow. 天气预报对明天是否能举行滑翔表示怀疑。

51 configuration
n.结构，布局，形态，(计算机)配置
参考例句：
Geographers study the configuration of the mountains.地理学家研究山脉的地形轮廓。 Prices range from $119 to $199,depending on the particular configuration.价格因具体配置而异，从119美元至199美元不等。

52 suburban
adj.城郊的，在郊区的
参考例句：
Suburban shopping centers were springing up all over America. 效区的商业中心在美国如雨后春笋般地兴起。 There's a lot of good things about suburban living.郊区生活是有许多优点。

53 royalty
n.皇家，皇族
参考例句：
She claims to be descended from royalty.她声称她是皇室后裔。 I waited on tables，and even catered to royalty at the Royal Albert Hall.我做过服务生， 甚至在皇家阿伯特大厅侍奉过皇室的人。

54 peeking
v.很快地看( peek的现在分词 )；偷看；窥视；微露出
参考例句：
I couldn't resist peeking in the drawer. 我不由得偷看了一下抽屉里面。 They caught him peeking in through the keyhole. 他们发现他从钥匙孔里向里窥视。 来自辞典例句

55 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。

56 aisle
n.（教堂、教室、戏院等里的）过道，通道
参考例句：
The aisle was crammed with people.过道上挤满了人。 The girl ushered me along the aisle to my seat.引座小姐带领我沿着通道到我的座位上去。

57 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。

58 belly
n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛
参考例句：
The boss has a large belly.老板大腹便便。 His eyes are bigger than his belly.他眼馋肚饱。

59 jaunt
v.短程旅游；n.游览
参考例句：
They are off for a day's jaunt to the beach.他们出去到海边玩一天。 They jaunt about quite a lot,especially during the summer.他们常常到处闲逛，夏天更是如此。

60 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。