The Clanton square had three cafes, two for the whites and one for the blacks. The Tea Shoppe crowd leaned toward banking¹ and law and retail², more of a white-collar bunch, where the chatter³ was a bit heavier - the stock market, politics, golf. Claude's, the black diner, had been around for forty years and had the best food.
The Coffee Shop was favored by the farmers, cops, and factory workers who talked football and bird hunting. Harry⁴ Rex preferred it, as did a few other lawyers who liked to eat with the people they represented. It opened at five every morning but Sunday, and was usually crowded by six. Ray parked near it on the square and locked his car. The sun was inching above the hills to the east. He would drive fifteen hours or so and hopefully be home by midnight.
Harry Rex had a table in the window and a Jackson newspaper that had already been rearranged and folded to the point of being useless to anyone else. "Anything in the news?" Ray asked. There was no television at Maple⁵ Run.
"Not a damned thang," Harry Rex grumbled⁶ with his eyes glued to the editorials. "I'll send you all the obituaries⁷." He slid across a crumpled⁸ section the size of a paperback⁹. "You wanna read this?"
"No, I need to go."
"You're eating first?"
"Yes.”
"Hey, Dell!" Harry Rex yelled across the cafe. The counter and booths and other tables were crowded with men, only men, all eating and talking.
"Dell is still here?" Ray asked.
"She doesn't age," Harry Rex said, waving. "Her mother is eighty and her grandmother is a hundred. She'll be here long after we're buried."

点击收听单词发音  

1 banking
n.银行业，银行学，金融业
参考例句：
John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。 He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

2 retail
v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格
参考例句：
In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。 These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。

3 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。

4 harry
vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼
参考例句：
Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。 Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

5 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。

6 grumbled
抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声
参考例句：
He grumbled at the low pay offered to him. 他抱怨给他的工资低。 The heat was sweltering, and the men grumbled fiercely over their work. 天热得让人发昏，水手们边干活边发着牢骚。

7 obituaries
讣告，讣闻( obituary的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Next time I read about him, I want it in the obituaries. 希望下次读到他的消息的时候，是在仆告里。 People's obituaries are written while they're still alive? 人们在世的时候就有人给他们写讣告？

8 crumpled
adj. 弯扭的, 变皱的 动词crumple的过去式和过去分词形式
参考例句：
She crumpled the letter up into a ball and threw it on the fire. 她把那封信揉成一团扔进了火里。 She flattened out the crumpled letter on the desk. 她在写字台上把皱巴巴的信展平。

9 paperback
n.平装本，简装本
参考例句：
A paperback edition is now available at bookshops.平装本现在在书店可以买到。 Many books that are out of print are reissued in paperback form.许多绝版的书籍又以平装本形式重新出现。

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 medley
n.混合
参考例句：
Today's sports meeting doesn't seem to include medley relay swimming.现在的运动会好象还没有混合接力泳这个比赛项目。 China won the Men's 200 metres Individual Medley.中国赢得了男子200米个人混合泳比赛。

12 swirling
v.旋转，打旋( swirl的现在分词 )
参考例句：
Snowflakes were swirling in the air. 天空飘洒着雪花。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 She smiled, swirling the wine in her glass. 她微笑着，旋动着杯子里的葡萄酒。 来自辞典例句

13 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。

14 fragrances
n.芳香，香味( fragrance的名词复数 )；香水
参考例句：
The bath oil comes in various fragrances. 这种沐浴油有不同的香味。 This toilet soap lathers so nicely and has several fragrances. 这种香皂起泡很多，并且有好几种香味。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

15 ribs
n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹
参考例句：
He suffered cracked ribs and bruising. 他断了肋骨还有挫伤。 Make a small incision below the ribs. 在肋骨下方切开一个小口。

16 lighter
n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级
参考例句：
The portrait was touched up so as to make it lighter.这张画经过润色，色调明朗了一些。 The lighter works off the car battery.引燃器利用汽车蓄电池打火。

17 cuisine
n.烹调，烹饪法
参考例句：
This book is the definitive guide to world cuisine.这本书是世界美食的权威指南。 This restaurant is renowned for its cuisine.这家餐馆以其精美的饭菜而闻名。

18 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。

19 shovel
n.铁锨，铲子，一铲之量；v.铲，铲出
参考例句：
He was working with a pick and shovel.他在用镐和铲干活。 He seized a shovel and set to.他拿起一把铲就干上了。

20 chomp
v. （人、动物进食时）大声地咬，嚼得很响
参考例句：
I lost a tooth while chomping on a French baguette!我啃法棍面包时，崩掉了一颗牙！ They just chomp on tundra, nap a few hours and feast again.它们只是在苔原上大嚼特嚼，睡上几小时，接着再吃。

21 Ford
n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过
参考例句：
They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。 If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

22 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》

23 fumigate
v.烟熏；用香薰
参考例句：
As preventive,spray plants with systemic insecticide or fumigate them regularly.作为预防措施，要用内吸杀虫剂对植物定期喷洒，或熏蒸。 The hospital ward was fumigated after the outbreak of typhus.发现斑疹伤寒以后，医院的病房进行了烟熏消毒。

24 jaws
n.口部；嘴
参考例句：
The antelope could not escape the crocodile's gaping jaws. 那只羚羊无法从鱷鱼张开的大口中逃脱。 The scored jaws of a vise help it bite the work. 台钳上有刻痕的虎钳牙帮助它紧咬住工件。

25 carving
n.雕刻品，雕花
参考例句：
All the furniture in the room had much carving.房间里所有的家具上都有许多雕刻。 He acquired the craft of wood carving in his native town.他在老家学会了木雕手艺。

26 gulping
v.狼吞虎咽地吃，吞咽( gulp的现在分词 )；大口地吸（气）；哽住
参考例句：
She crawled onto the river bank and lay there gulping in air. 她爬上河岸，躺在那里喘着粗气。 来自《简明英汉词典》 And you'll even feel excited gulping down a glass. 你甚至可以感觉到激动下一杯。 来自互联网

27 shrugged
vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式）
参考例句：
Sam shrugged and said nothing. 萨姆耸耸肩膀，什么也没说。 She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩，装出一副无所谓的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

28 monologue
n.长篇大论，（戏剧等中的）独白
参考例句：
The comedian gave a long monologue of jokes.喜剧演员讲了一长段由笑话组成的独白。 He went into a long monologue.他一个人滔滔不绝地讲话。

29 rattled
慌乱的，恼火的
参考例句：
The truck jolted and rattled over the rough ground. 卡车嘎吱嘎吱地在凹凸不平的地面上颠簸而行。 Every time a bus went past, the windows rattled. 每逢公共汽车经过这里，窗户都格格作响。

30 scattered
adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的
参考例句：
Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来，塞进文件夹里。

31 inventoried
vt.编制…的目录（inventory的过去式与过去分词形式）
参考例句：
These items have not been inventoried yet. 这些物品尚未编入目录。 来自互联网 The broker inventoried the bankrupt company and offered the buyer a reasonable price. 代理人将这家破产公司的财产编录清单，向买家提出了合理的价格。 来自互联网

32 annotated
v.注解，注释( annotate的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
Thematic maps should always be annotated with the source and date of the topical information. 各类专题地图，均应注明专题资料来源和日期。 来自辞典例句 And this is the version annotated by Umberto de Bologna. 并且这是有安博多-德-波罗格那注释的版本。 来自电影对白

33 Amended
adj. 修正的 动词amend的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
He asked to see the amended version. 他要求看修订本。 He amended his speech by making some additions and deletions. 他对讲稿作了些增删修改。

34 ransom
n.赎金，赎身；v.赎回，解救
参考例句：
We'd better arrange the ransom right away.我们最好马上把索取赎金的事安排好。 The kidnappers exacted a ransom of 10000 from the family.绑架者向这家人家勒索10000英镑的赎金。

35 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。

36 revered
v.崇敬，尊崇，敬畏( revere的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
A number of institutions revered and respected in earlier times have become Aunt Sally for the present generation. 一些早年受到尊崇的惯例，现在已经成了这代人嘲弄的对象了。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The Chinese revered corn as a gift from heaven. 中国人将谷物奉为上天的恩赐。 来自辞典例句

37 vowed
起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）
参考例句：
He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。 I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

38 crammed
adj.塞满的，挤满的；大口地吃；快速贪婪地吃v.把…塞满；填入；临时抱佛脚( cram的过去式)
参考例句：
He crammed eight people into his car. 他往他的车里硬塞进八个人。 All the shelves were crammed with books. 所有的架子上都堆满了书。

39 ethical
adj.伦理的，道德的，合乎道德的
参考例句：
It is necessary to get the youth to have a high ethical concept.必须使青年具有高度的道德观念。 It was a debate which aroused fervent ethical arguments.那是一场引发强烈的伦理道德争论的辩论。

40 desecrate
v.供俗用，亵渎，污辱
参考例句：
The enemy desecrate the church by using it as a stable.敌人亵渎这所教堂,把它当做马厩。 It's a crime to desecrate the country's flag.玷污国旗是犯罪。

41 porno
n.春宫，色情画；色情文学，电影等
参考例句：
They say she was in a porno movie,with a member of the local police department.他们说她跟本地警察局里的一个人拍过春宫电影。 The local porno shop has been shut down for selling materials to minors.当地的色情商店因向未成年人出售色情物品而被关闭。

42 mediated
调停，调解，斡旋( mediate的过去式和过去分词 )； 居间促成； 影响…的发生； 使…可能发生
参考例句：
He mediated in the quarrel between the two boys. 他调解两个孩子之间的争吵。 The government mediated between the workers and the employers. 政府在工人与雇主间搞调和。

43 timing
n.时间安排，时间选择
参考例句：
The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。 The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。