The hills began between Jackson and Memphis, and the coast seemed time zones away. He had often wondered at how a state so small could be so diverse: the Delta¹ region along the river with the wealth of its cotton and rice farms and the poverty that still astonished outsiders; the coast with its blend of immigrants and laid-back, New Orleans casualness; and the hills where most counties were still dry and most folks still went to church on Sundays. A person from the hills would never understand the coast and never be accepted in the Delta. Ray was just happy he lived in Virginia.
Patton French was a dream, he kept telling himself. A cartoonish character from another world. A pompous² jerk being eaten alive by his own ego³. A liar⁴, a briber⁵, a shameless crook⁶.
Then he would glance over at the passenger's seat and see the sinister⁷ face of Gordie Priest. One glance and there was no doubt this brute⁸ and his brothers would do anything for the money Ray was still hauling around the country.
An hour from Clanton, and again within range of a tower, his cell phone rang. It was Fog Newton and he was quite agitated⁹. "Where the hell have you been?" he demanded.
"You wouldn't believe me."
"I've been calling all morning."
"What is it, Fog?"
"We've had a little excitement around here. Last night, after general aviation closed, somebody sneaked¹⁰ onto the ramp¹¹

点击收听单词发音  

1 delta
n.（流的）角洲
参考例句：
He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。 The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

2 pompous
adj.傲慢的，自大的；夸大的；豪华的
参考例句：
He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities.他有点自大，自视甚高。 He is a good man underneath his pompous appearance. 他的外表虽傲慢，其实是个好人。

3 ego
n.自我，自己，自尊
参考例句：
He is absolute ego in all thing.在所有的事情上他都绝对自我。 She has been on an ego trip since she sang on television.她上电视台唱过歌之后就一直自吹自擂。

4 liar
n.说谎的人
参考例句：
I know you for a thief and a liar!我算认识你了，一个又偷又骗的家伙！ She was wrongly labelled a liar.她被错误地扣上说谎者的帽子。

5 briber
n.行贿者
参考例句：
The briber described the tribe head's bribery. 行贿者描述了部落首领的受贿行为。 来自互联网 Briber: bribing now unlocks a new trait chain that nudges the diplomat becoming at it. 贿赂者：为贿赂打开一条新路径，外交官入变成此方面的能手。 来自互联网

6 crook
v.使弯曲；n.小偷，骗子，贼；弯曲(处)
参考例句：
He demanded an apology from me for calling him a crook.我骂他骗子，他要我向他认错。 She was cradling a small parcel in the crook of her elbow.她用手臂挎着一个小包裹。

7 sinister
adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的
参考例句：
There is something sinister at the back of that series of crimes.在这一系列罪行背后有险恶的阴谋。 Their proposals are all worthless and designed out of sinister motives.他们的建议不仅一钱不值，而且包藏祸心。

8 brute
n.野兽，兽性
参考例句：
The aggressor troops are not many degrees removed from the brute.侵略军简直象一群野兽。 That dog is a dangerous brute.It bites people.那条狗是危险的畜牲，它咬人。

9 agitated
adj.被鼓动的，不安的
参考例句：
His answers were all mixed up,so agitated was he.他是那样心神不定，回答全乱了。 She was agitated because her train was an hour late.她乘坐的火车晚点一个小时，她十分焦虑。

10 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。

11 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。

12 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。

13 janitor
n.看门人，管门人
参考例句：
The janitor wiped on the windows with his rags.看门人用褴褛的衣服擦着窗户。 The janitor swept the floors and locked up the building every night.那个看门人每天晚上负责打扫大楼的地板和锁门。

14 grunted
（猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说
参考例句：
She just grunted, not deigning to look up from the page. 她只咕哝了一声，继续看书，不屑抬起头来看一眼。 She grunted some incomprehensible reply. 她咕噜着回答了些令人费解的话。

15 arson
n.纵火，放火
参考例句：
He was serving a ten spot for arson.他因纵火罪在服十年徒刑。 He was arraigned on a charge of arson.他因被指控犯纵火罪而被传讯。

16 investigator
n.研究者，调查者，审查者
参考例句：
He was a special investigator for the FBI.他是联邦调查局的特别调查员。 The investigator was able to deduce the crime and find the criminal.调查者能够推出犯罪过程并锁定罪犯。

17 gravel
n.砂跞；砂砾层；结石
参考例句：
We bought six bags of gravel for the garden path.我们购买了六袋碎石用来铺花园的小路。 More gravel is needed to fill the hollow in the drive.需要更多的砾石来填平车道上的坑洼。

18 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。

19 jeopardy
n.危险；危难
参考例句：
His foolish behaviour may put his whole future in jeopardy.他愚蠢的行为可能毁了他一生的前程。 It is precisely at this juncture that the boss finds himself in double jeopardy.恰恰在这个关键时刻，上司发现自己处于进退两难的境地。

20 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。

21 deserted
adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的
参考例句：
The deserted village was filled with a deathly silence.这个荒废的村庄死一般的寂静。 The enemy chieftain was opposed and deserted by his followers.敌人头目众叛亲离。

22 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。

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 blowhard
n.自吹自擂者
参考例句：
I don't want to sit next to that old blowhard.我不想坐在那个爱自吹自擂的老人旁边。 That blowhard bragged that his car was the fastest.那个吹牛大王说他的汽车是最快的。

25 indict
v.起诉，控告，指控
参考例句：
You can't indict whole people for the crudeness of a few.您不能因少数人的粗暴行为就控诉整个民族。 I can indict you for abducting high school student.我可以告你诱拐中学生。

26 killings
谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发
参考例句：
His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。 The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。

27 prosecutor
n.起诉人；检察官，公诉人
参考例句：
The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。 The prosecutor would tear your testimony to pieces.检查官会把你的证言驳得体无完肤。

28 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。

29 whatsoever
adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么
参考例句：
There's no reason whatsoever to turn down this suggestion.没有任何理由拒绝这个建议。 All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,do ye even so to them.你想别人对你怎样，你就怎样对人。

30 rummaged
翻找，搜寻( rummage的过去式和过去分词 )； 已经海关检查
参考例句：
I rummaged through all the boxes but still could not find it. 几个箱子都翻腾遍了也没有找到。 The customs officers rummaged the ship suspected to have contraband goods. 海关人员仔细搜查了一艘有走私嫌疑的海轮。

31 tightening
上紧，固定，紧密
参考例句：
Make sure the washer is firmly seated before tightening the pipe. 旋紧水管之前，检查一下洗衣机是否已牢牢地固定在底座上了。 It needs tightening up a little. 它还需要再收紧些。

32 sipping
v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的现在分词 )
参考例句：
She sat in the sun, idly sipping a cool drink. 她坐在阳光下懒洋洋地抿着冷饮。 She sat there, sipping at her tea. 她坐在那儿抿着茶。

33 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。

34 lumbered
砍伐（lumber的过去式与过去分词形式）
参考例句：
A rhinoceros lumbered towards them. 一头犀牛笨重地向他们走来。 A heavy truck lumbered by. 一辆重型卡车隆隆驶过。

35 brawling
n.争吵，喧嚷
参考例句：
They were arrested for brawling in the street. 他们因在街上打斗而遭到拘捕。 The officers were brawling commands. 军官们大声地喊口令。

36 spouse
n.配偶(指夫或妻)
参考例句：
Her spouse will come to see her on Sunday.她的丈夫星期天要来看她。 What is the best way to keep your spouse happy in the marriage?在婚姻中保持配偶幸福的最好方法是什么？

37 custody
n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留
参考例句：
He spent a week in custody on remand awaiting sentence.等候判决期间他被还押候审一个星期。 He was taken into custody immediately after the robbery.抢劫案发生后，他立即被押了起来。

38 feuding
vi.长期不和（feud的现在分词形式）
参考例句：
Riccardo and Cafiero had been feuding so openly that the whole town knew about it. 里卡多和卡菲埃罗一直公开地闹别扭，全城的人都知道此事。 来自辞典例句 The two families have been feuding with each other for many generations. 这两个家族有好多代的世仇了。 来自互联网

39 vile
adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的
参考例句：
Who could have carried out such a vile attack?会是谁发起这么卑鄙的攻击呢？ Her talk was full of vile curses.她的话里充满着恶毒的咒骂。

40 toll
n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)
参考例句：
The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。 The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

41 contingency
n.意外事件，可能性
参考例句：
We should be prepared for any contingency.我们应该对任何应急情况有所准备。 A fire in our warehouse was a contingency that we had not expected.库房的一场大火是我们始料未及的。

42 multinationals
跨国公司( multinational的名词复数 )
参考例句：
These local companies are only small fry compared with the huge multinationals. 同那些跨国公司比，这些当地的公司不过是小鱼小虾。 Some people believe that the multinationals have too much power. 有人认为跨国公司的权力太大了。

43 rusted
v.（使）生锈( rust的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
I can't get these screws out; they've rusted in. 我无法取出这些螺丝，它们都锈住了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 My bike has rusted and needs oil. 我的自行车生锈了，需要上油。 来自《简明英汉词典》

44 bickering
v.争吵( bicker的现在分词 )；口角；（水等）作潺潺声；闪烁
参考例句：
The children are always bickering about something or other. 孩子们有事没事总是在争吵。 The two children were always bickering with each other over small matters. 这两个孩子总是为些小事斗嘴。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

45 prospect
n.前景，前途；景色，视野
参考例句：
This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。 The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

46 outfit
n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装
参考例句：
Jenney bought a new outfit for her daughter's wedding.珍妮为参加女儿的婚礼买了一套新装。 His father bought a ski outfit for him on his birthday.他父亲在他生日那天给他买了一套滑雪用具。

47 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》

48 rustling
n. 瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的
参考例句：
the sound of the trees rustling in the breeze 树木在微风中发出的沙沙声 the soft rustling of leaves 树叶柔和的沙沙声