There was a large floral arrangement in the center of his desk, with a sympathy card signed by all fourteen students in his antitrust class. Each had written a small paragraph of condolences, and he read them all. Beside the flowers was a stack of cards from his colleagues on the faculty¹.
Word spread fast that he was back, and throughout the morning the same colleagues dropped by with a quick hello, welcome back, sorry about your loss. For the most part the faculty was a close group. They could bicker² with the best of them on the trivial issues of campus politics, but they were quick to circle the wagons³ in times of need. Ray was very happy to see them. Alex Duffman's wife sent a platter of her infamous⁴ chocolate brownies, each weighing a pound and proven to add three more to your waist. Naomi Kraig brought a small collection of roses she'd picked from her garden.
Late in the morning Carl Mirk stopped by and closed the door. Ray's closest friend on the faculty, his journey to the law school had been remarkably⁵ similar. They were the same age, and both had fathers who were small-town judges who'd ruled their lit-de counties for decades. Carl's father was still on the bench, and still holding a grudge⁶ because his son did not return to practice law in the family firm. It appeared, though, that the grudge was fading with the years, whereas Judge Atlee apparently⁷ carried his to his death.
"Tell me about it," Carl said. Before long he would make the same trip back to his hometown in northern Ohio.
Ray began with the peaceful house, too peaceful, he recalled now. He described the scene when he found the Judge.
"You found him dead?" Carl asked. The narrative⁸ continued, then, "You think he speeded things up a bit?"
"I hope so. He was in a lot of pain."
"Wow."

点击收听单词发音  

1 faculty
n.才能；学院，系；(学院或系的)全体教学人员
参考例句：
He has a great faculty for learning foreign languages.他有学习外语的天赋。 He has the faculty of saying the right thing at the right time.他有在恰当的时候说恰当的话的才智。

2 bicker
vi.(为小事)吵嘴，争吵
参考例句：
The two children used to bicker about who should do the washing-up.这两个小孩子过去常为该由谁洗餐具一事而争吵。 They always bicker when they meet at school.在学校见面时他们总是争吵。

3 wagons
n.四轮的运货马车( wagon的名词复数 )；铁路货车；小手推车
参考例句：
The wagons were hauled by horses. 那些货车是马拉的。 They drew their wagons into a laager and set up camp. 他们把马车围成一圈扎起营地。

4 infamous
adj.声名狼藉的，臭名昭著的，邪恶的
参考例句：
He was infamous for his anti-feminist attitudes.他因反对女性主义而声名狼藉。 I was shocked by her infamous behaviour.她的无耻行径令我震惊。

5 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。

6 grudge
n.不满，怨恨，妒嫉；vt.勉强给，不情愿做
参考例句：
I grudge paying so much for such inferior goods.我不愿花这么多钱买次品。 I do not grudge him his success.我不嫉妒他的成功。

7 apparently
adv.显然地；表面上，似乎
参考例句：
An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。 He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

8 narrative
n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的
参考例句：
He was a writer of great narrative power.他是一位颇有记述能力的作家。 Neither author was very strong on narrative.两个作者都不是很善于讲故事。

9 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。

10 therapeutic
adj.治疗的，起治疗作用的；对身心健康有益的
参考例句：
Therapeutic measures were selected to fit the patient.选择治疗措施以适应病人的需要。 When I was sad,music had a therapeutic effect.我悲伤的时候，音乐有治疗效力。

11 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。

12 sufficiently
adv.足够地，充分地
参考例句：
It turned out he had not insured the house sufficiently.原来他没有给房屋投足保险。 The new policy was sufficiently elastic to accommodate both views.新政策充分灵活地适用两种观点。

13 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。

14 rigid
adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的
参考例句：
She became as rigid as adamant.她变得如顽石般的固执。 The examination was so rigid that nearly all aspirants were ruled out.考试很严，几乎所有的考生都被淘汰了。

15 flirting
v.调情，打情骂俏( flirt的现在分词 )
参考例句：
Don't take her too seriously; she's only flirting with you. 别把她太当真，她只不过是在和你调情罢了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 'she's always flirting with that new fellow Tseng!" “她还同新来厂里那个姓曾的吊膀子！ 来自子夜部分

16 athletic
adj.擅长运动的，强健的；活跃的，体格健壮的
参考例句：
This area has been marked off for athletic practice.这块地方被划出来供体育训练之用。 He is an athletic star.他是一个运动明星。

17 glider
n.滑翔机；滑翔导弹
参考例句：
The glider was soaring above the valley.那架滑翔机在山谷上空滑翔。 The pilot managed to land the glider on a safe place.那个驾驶员设法让滑翔机着陆到一个安全的地方。

18 cape
n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风
参考例句：
I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。 She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

19 cod
n.鳕鱼；v.愚弄；哄骗
参考例句：
They salt down cod for winter use.他们腌鳕鱼留着冬天吃。 Cod are found in the North Atlantic and the North Sea.北大西洋和北海有鳕鱼。

20 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》

21 wary
adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的
参考例句：
He is wary of telling secrets to others.他谨防向他人泄露秘密。 Paula frowned,suddenly wary.宝拉皱了皱眉头，突然警惕起来。

22 flirtation
n.调情，调戏，挑逗
参考例句：
a brief and unsuccessful flirtation with the property market 对房地产市场一时兴起、并不成功的介入 At recess Tom continued his flirtation with Amy with jubilant self-satisfaction. 课间休息的时候，汤姆继续和艾美逗乐，一副得意洋洋、心满意足的样子。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险

23 illicit
adj.非法的，禁止的，不正当的
参考例句：
He had an illicit association with Jane.他和简曾有过不正当关系。 Seizures of illicit drugs have increased by 30% this year.今年违禁药品的扣押增长了30%。

24 hopped
跳上[下]( hop的过去式和过去分词 )； 单足蹦跳； 齐足（或双足）跳行； 摘葎草花
参考例句：
He hopped onto a car and wanted to drive to town. 他跳上汽车想开向市区。 He hopped into a car and drove to town. 他跳进汽车，向市区开去。

25 mightily
ad.强烈地；非常地
参考例句：
He hit the peg mightily on the top with a mallet. 他用木槌猛敲木栓顶。 This seemed mightily to relieve him. 干完这件事后，他似乎轻松了许多。

26 sprawling
adj.蔓生的，不规则地伸展的v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的现在分词 )；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着）
参考例句：
He was sprawling in an armchair in front of the TV. 他伸开手脚坐在电视机前的一张扶手椅上。 a modern sprawling town 一座杂乱无序拓展的现代城镇

27 lighting
n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光
参考例句：
The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。 The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。

28 brawl
n.大声争吵，喧嚷；v.吵架，对骂
参考例句：
They had nothing better to do than brawl in the street.他们除了在街上斗殴做不出什么好事。 I don't want to see our two neighbours engaged in a brawl.我不希望我们两家吵架吵得不可开交。

29 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》

30 scribbled
v.潦草的书写( scribble的过去式和过去分词 )；乱画；草草地写；匆匆记下
参考例句：
She scribbled his phone number on a scrap of paper. 她把他的电话号码匆匆写在一张小纸片上。 He scribbled a note to his sister before leaving. 临行前，他给妹妹草草写了一封短信。

31 flea
n.跳蚤
参考例句：
I'll put a flea in his ear if he bothers me once more.如果他再来打扰的话，我就要对他不客气了。 Hunter has an interest in prowling around a flea market.亨特对逛跳蚤市场很感兴趣。

32 authenticity
n.真实性
参考例句：
There has been some debate over the authenticity of his will. 对于他的遗嘱的真实性一直有争论。 The museum is seeking an expert opinion on the authenticity of the painting. 博物馆在请专家鉴定那幅画的真伪。

33 alley
n.小巷，胡同；小径，小路
参考例句：
We live in the same alley.我们住在同一条小巷里。 The blind alley ended in a brick wall.这条死胡同的尽头是砖墙。

34 meticulous
adj.极其仔细的，一丝不苟的
参考例句：
We'll have to handle the matter with meticulous care.这事一点不能含糊。 She is meticulous in her presentation of facts.她介绍事实十分详细。

35 paperbacks
n.平装本，平装书( paperback的名词复数 )
参考例句：
This shop only sells paperbacks. 这家书店只出售平装本的书。 来自辞典例句 Other paperbacks were selling for ten or 15 cents each. 其它的平装书每本才卖十或十五美分。 来自互联网

36 penetrated
adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式
参考例句：
The knife had penetrated his chest. 刀子刺入了他的胸膛。 They penetrated into territory where no man had ever gone before. 他们已进入先前没人去过的地区。

37 cursory
adj.粗略的；草率的；匆促的
参考例句：
He signed with only a cursory glance at the report.他只草草看了一眼报告就签了名。 The only industry mentioned is agriculture and it is discussed in a cursory sentence.实业方面只谈到农业,而且只是匆匆带了一句。

38 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。

39 vow
n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓
参考例句：
My parents are under a vow to go to church every Sunday.我父母许愿，每星期日都去做礼拜。 I am under a vow to drink no wine.我已立誓戒酒。

40 radar
n.雷达，无线电探测器
参考例句：
They are following the flight of an aircraft by radar.他们正在用雷达追踪一架飞机的飞行。 Enemy ships were detected on the radar.敌舰的影像已显现在雷达上。

41 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。

42 perfectly
adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地
参考例句：
The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。 Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

43 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。

44 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。

45 coveting
v.贪求，觊觎( covet的现在分词 )
参考例句：
We begin by coveting what we see every day. 垂涎的开始是我们每天看见的东西。 来自互联网 We coveting what we see every day. 之所以如此，是因为我们垂涎每日所见的一些东西。 来自互联网

46 poker
n.扑克；vt.烙制
参考例句：
He was cleared out in the poker game.他打扑克牌，把钱都输光了。 I'm old enough to play poker and do something with it.我打扑克是老手了，可以玩些花样。

47 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。