Mr. and Mrs. Vonner left Clanton on a cloudy June morning in a new sports utility four-wheel drive that promised twelve miles to the gallon and was loaded with enough luggage for a month in Europe. The District of Columbia was the destination, however, since Mrs. Vonner had a sister there whom Harry² Rex had never met. They spent the first night in Gatlinburg and the second night at White Sulphur Springs in West Virginia. They arrived in Charlottesville around noon, did the obligatory³ tour of Jefferson's Monticello, walked the grounds at the university, and had an unusual dinner at a college dive called the White Spot, the house specialty⁴ being a fried egg on a hamburger. It was Harry Rex's kind of food.
The next morning, while she slept, he went for a stroll on the downtown mall. He found the address and waited.
A FEW minutes after 8 A.M., Ray double-tied the laces of his rather expensive running shoes, stretched in the den⁵, and walked downstairs for the daily five-miler. Outside, the air was warm. July was not far away and summer had already arrived.
He turned a corner and heard a familiar voice call, "Hey, boy."
Harry Rex was sitting on a bench, a cup of coffee in hand, an unread newspaper next to him. Ray froze and took a few seconds to collect himself. Things were out of place here.
When he could move, he walked over and said, "What, exactly, are you doing here?"
"Cute outfit," Harry Rex said, taking in the shorts, old tee shirt, red runner's cap, the latest in athletic⁶ eye glasses. "Me and the wife are passing through, headed for D.C. She has a sister up there she thinks I want to meet. Sit down."
"Why didn't you call?"
"Didn't want to bother you."
"But you should've called, Harry Rex. We could do dinner, I'll show you around."
"It's not that kind of trip. Sit down."
Smelling trouble, Ray sat next to Harry Rex. "I can't believe this," he mumbled⁷.
"Shut up and listen."
Ray removed his running glasses and looked at Harry Rex. "Is it bad?"

点击收听单词发音  

1 gall
v.使烦恼，使焦躁，难堪；n.磨难
参考例句：
It galled him to have to ask for a loan.必须向人借钱使他感到难堪。 No gall,no glory.没有磨难，何来荣耀。

2 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。

3 obligatory
adj.强制性的，义务的，必须的
参考例句：
It is obligatory for us to obey the laws.我们必须守法。 It is obligatory on every citizen to safeguard our great motherland.保卫我们伟大的祖国是每一个公民应尽的义务。

4 specialty
n.(speciality)特性，特质；专业，专长
参考例句：
Shell carvings are a specialty of the town.贝雕是该城的特产。 His specialty is English literature.他的专业是英国文学。

5 den
n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室
参考例句：
There is a big fox den on the back hill.后山有一个很大的狐狸窝。 The only way to catch tiger cubs is to go into tiger's den.不入虎穴焉得虎子。

6 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。

7 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。

8 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。

9 forgery
n.伪造的文件等，赝品，伪造（行为）
参考例句：
The painting was a forgery.这张画是赝品。 He was sent to prison for forgery.他因伪造罪而被关进监狱。

10 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。

11 confidential
adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的
参考例句：
He refused to allow his secretary to handle confidential letters.他不让秘书处理机密文件。 We have a confidential exchange of views.我们推心置腹地交换意见。

12 counselor
n.顾问，法律顾问
参考例句：
The counselor gave us some disinterested advice.顾问给了我们一些无私的忠告。 Chinese commercial counselor's office in foreign countries.中国驻国外商务参赞处。

13 ranch
n.大牧场，大农场
参考例句：
He went to work on a ranch.他去一个大农场干活。 The ranch is in the middle of a large plateau.该牧场位于一个辽阔高原的中部。

14 adamant
adj.坚硬的，固执的
参考例句：
We are adamant on the building of a well-off society.在建设小康社会这一点上，我们是坚定不移的。 Veronica was quite adamant that they should stay on.维罗妮卡坚信他们必须继续留下去。

15 bind
vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬
参考例句：
I will let the waiter bind up the parcel for you.我让服务生帮你把包裹包起来。 He wants a shirt that does not bind him.他要一件不使他觉得过紧的衬衫。

16 rehabilitation
n.康复，悔过自新，修复，复兴，复职，复位
参考例句：
He's booked himself into a rehabilitation clinic.他自己联系了一家康复诊所。 No one can really make me rehabilitation of injuries.已经没有人可以真正令我的伤康复了。

17 counselors
n.顾问( counselor的名词复数 )；律师；（使馆等的）参赞；（协助学生解决问题的）指导老师
参考例句：
Counselors began an inquiry into industrial needs. 顾问们开始调查工业方面的需要。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 We have experienced counselors available day and night. ) 这里有经验的法律顾问全天候值班。） 来自超越目标英语 第4册

18 hustled
催促（hustle的过去式与过去分词形式）
参考例句：
He grabbed her arm and hustled her out of the room. 他抓住她的胳膊把她推出房间。 The secret service agents hustled the speaker out of the amphitheater. 特务机关的代理人把演讲者驱逐出竞技场。

19 inquiry
n.打听，询问，调查，查问
参考例句：
Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。 The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

20 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。

21 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。

22 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。

23 deliberately
adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地
参考例句：
The girl gave the show away deliberately.女孩故意泄露秘密。 They deliberately shifted off the argument.他们故意回避这个论点。

24 initially
adv.最初，开始
参考例句：
The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。 Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

25 abbreviated
adj. 简短的，省略的 动词abbreviate的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
He abbreviated so much that it was hard to understand his article. 他的文章缩写词使用太多，令人费解。 The United States of America is commonly abbreviated to U.S.A.. 美利坚合众国常被缩略为U.S.A.。

26 buddies
n.密友( buddy的名词复数 )；同伴；弟兄；（用于称呼男子，常带怒气）家伙v.（如密友、战友、伙伴、弟兄般）交往( buddy的第三人称单数 )；做朋友；亲近（…）；伴护艾滋病人
参考例句：
We became great buddies. 我们成了非常好的朋友。 来自辞典例句 The two of them have become great buddies. 他们俩成了要好的朋友。 来自辞典例句

27 flipping
讨厌之极的
参考例句：
I hate this flipping hotel! 我讨厌这个该死的旅馆！ Don't go flipping your lid. 别发火。

28 alibis
某人在别处的证据( alibi的名词复数 )； 不在犯罪现场的证人； 借口； 托辞
参考例句：
The suspects all had alibis for the day of the robbery. 嫌疑人均有证据证明抢劫当天不在犯罪现场。 I'm not trying to beat your alibis any more than I'm trying to prove 'em. 我并不是不让你辩护，我只是想把那个人找出来。

29 motive
n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的
参考例句：
The police could not find a motive for the murder.警察不能找到谋杀的动机。 He had some motive in telling this fable.他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。

30 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。

31 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》

32 investigation
n.调查，调查研究
参考例句：
In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。 He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

33 investigations
（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究
参考例句：
His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。 He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

34 flipped
轻弹( flip的过去式和过去分词 )； 按（开关）； 快速翻转； 急挥
参考例句：
The plane flipped and crashed. 飞机猛地翻转，撞毁了。 The carter flipped at the horse with his whip. 赶大车的人扬鞭朝着马轻轻地抽打。

35 briefcase
n.手提箱，公事皮包
参考例句：
He packed a briefcase with what might be required.他把所有可能需要的东西都装进公文包。 He requested the old man to look after the briefcase.他请求那位老人照看这个公事包。