At 10:00 a.m. Friday, two days post-verdict, the Payton firm met in The Pit, a large open space with unpainted Sheetrock walls lined with homemade bookshelves and cluttered¹ with a heavy collage² of aerial photos, medical summaries, juror profiles, expert-witness reports, and a hundred other trial documents and exhibits. In the center of the room was a table of sorts-four large pieces of inch-thick plywood mounted on sawhorses and surrounded with a sad collection of metal and wooden chairs, almost all of which were missing a piece or two. The table had obviously been the center of the storm for the past four months, with piles of papers and stacks of law books. Sherman, a paralegal, had spent most of the previous day hauling out coffee cups, pizza boxes, Chinese food containers, and empty water bottles. He'd also swept the concrete floors, though no one could tell.

         Their previous office, a three-story building on Main Street, had been beautifully decorated, well-appointed, and spruced up each night by a cleaning service. Appearance and neatness were important back then.

         Now they were just trying to survive.

         In spite of the dismal³ surroundings, the mood was light, and for obvious reasons.

         The marathon was over. The incredible verdict was still hard to believe. United by sweat and hardship, the tight-knit little firm had taken on the beast and won a big one for the good guys.

         Mary Grace called the meeting to order. The phones were put on hold because Tabby, the receptionist, was very much a part of the firm and was expected to participate in the discussion. Thankfully, the phones were beginning to ring again.

        Sherman and Rusty⁴, the other paralegal, wore jeans, sweatshirts, no socks. Working in what was once a dime⁵ store, who could care about a dress code? Tabby and Vicky, the other receptionist, had abandoned nice clothes when both snagged dresses on the hand-me-down furniture. Only Olivia, the matronly bookkeeper, turned herself out each day in proper office

点击收听单词发音  

1 cluttered
v.杂物，零乱的东西零乱vt.( clutter的过去式和过去分词 )；乱糟糟地堆满，把…弄得很乱；（以…） 塞满…
参考例句：
The room is cluttered up with all kinds of things. 零七八碎的东西放满了一屋子。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 The desk is cluttered with books and papers. 桌上乱糟糟地堆满了书报。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

2 collage
n.拼贴画；v.拼贴；把……创作成拼贴画
参考例句：
A collage of coloured paper covers a table top.一副彩纸拼贴画盖在桌面上。 He has used a mixture of mosaic,collage and felt-tip pen.他混合使用了马赛克、拼贴画和毡头笔。

3 dismal
adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的
参考例句：
That is a rather dismal melody.那是一支相当忧郁的歌曲。 My prospects of returning to a suitable job are dismal.我重新找到一个合适的工作岗位的希望很渺茫。

4 rusty
adj.生锈的；锈色的；荒废了的
参考例句：
The lock on the door is rusty and won't open.门上的锁锈住了。 I haven't practiced my French for months and it's getting rusty.几个月不用，我的法语又荒疏了。

5 dime
n.（指美国、加拿大的钱币）一角
参考例句：
A dime is a tenth of a dollar.一角银币是十分之一美元。 The liberty torch is on the back of the dime.自由火炬在一角硬币的反面。

6 attire
v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装
参考例句：
He had no intention of changing his mode of attire.他无意改变着装方式。 Her attention was attracted by his peculiar attire.他那奇特的服装引起了她的注意。

7 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。

8 addicted
adj.沉溺于....的，对...上瘾的
参考例句：
He was addicted to heroin at the age of 17.他17岁的时候对海洛因上了瘾。 She's become addicted to love stories.她迷上了爱情小说。

9 baker
n.面包师
参考例句：
The baker bakes his bread in the bakery.面包师在面包房内烤面包。 The baker frosted the cake with a mixture of sugar and whites of eggs.面包师在蛋糕上撒了一层白糖和蛋清的混合料。

10 possessed
adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的
参考例句：
He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。 He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。

11 contemplating
深思，细想，仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 )； 注视，凝视； 考虑接受（发生某事的可能性）； 深思熟虑，沉思，苦思冥想
参考例句：
You're too young to be contemplating retirement. 你考虑退休还太年轻。 She stood contemplating the painting. 她站在那儿凝视那幅图画。

12 evict
vt.驱逐，赶出，撵走
参考例句：
The lessor can evict the lessee for failure to pay rent.出租人可驱逐不付租金的承租人。 The government always says it's for the greater good when they evict farmers from their land.当政府把农民从他们的土地赶出去的时候，总是号称是为了更大众的利益。

13 spouses
n.配偶，夫或妻( spouse的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Jobs are available for spouses on campus and in the community. 校园里和社区里有配偶可做的工作。 来自辞典例句 An astonishing number of spouses-most particularly in the upper-income brackets-have no close notion of their husbands'paychecks. 相当大一部分妇女——特别在高收入阶层——并不很了解他们丈夫的薪金。 来自辞典例句

14 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。

15 lawsuit
n.诉讼，控诉
参考例句：
They threatened him with a lawsuit.他们以诉讼威逼他。 He was perpetually involving himself in this long lawsuit.他使自己无休止地卷入这场长时间的诉讼。

16 bankruptcies
n.破产( bankruptcy的名词复数 )；倒闭；彻底失败；（名誉等的）完全丧失
参考例句：
It's a matter of record that there were ten bankruptcies in the town last year. 去年这个城市有十家破产是事实。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Business bankruptcies rose 50 percent over the previous year. 破产企业的数量比前一年增加５０％。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

17 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》

18 weird
adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的
参考例句：
From his weird behaviour,he seems a bit of an oddity.从他不寻常的行为看来，他好像有点怪。 His weird clothes really gas me.他的怪衣裳简直笑死人。

19 pestering
使烦恼，纠缠( pester的现在分词 )
参考例句：
He's always pestering me to help him with his homework. 他总是泡蘑菇要我帮他做作业。 I'm telling you once and for all, if you don't stop pestering me you'll be sorry. 我这是最后一次警告你。如果你不停止纠缠我，你将来会后悔的。

20 descending
n. 下行 adj. 下降的
参考例句：
The results are expressed in descending numerical order . 结果按数字降序列出。 The climbers stopped to orient themselves before descending the mountain. 登山者先停下来确定所在的位置，然后再下山。

21 shredded
shred的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
Serve the fish on a bed of shredded lettuce. 先铺一层碎生菜叶，再把鱼放上，就可以上桌了。 I think Mapo beancurd and shredded meat in chilli sauce are quite special. 我觉得麻婆豆腐和鱼香肉丝味道不错。 来自《简明英汉词典》

22 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。

23 stilts
n.（支撑建筑物高出地面或水面的）桩子，支柱( stilt的名词复数 )；高跷
参考例句：
a circus performer on stilts 马戏团里踩高跷的演员 The bamboo huts here are all built on stilts. 这里的竹楼都是架空的。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

24 pier
n.码头；桥墩，桥柱；[建]窗间壁，支柱
参考例句：
The pier of the bridge has been so badly damaged that experts worry it is unable to bear weight.这座桥的桥桩破损厉害，专家担心它已不能负重。 The ship was making towards the pier.船正驶向码头。

25 spacious
adj.广阔的，宽敞的
参考例句：
Our yard is spacious enough for a swimming pool.我们的院子很宽敞，足够建一座游泳池。 The room is bright and spacious.这房间很豁亮。

26 loft
n.阁楼，顶楼
参考例句：
We could see up into the loft from bottom of the stairs.我们能从楼梯脚边望到阁楼的内部。 By converting the loft,they were able to have two extra bedrooms.把阁楼改造一下，他们就可以多出两间卧室。

27 anticipation
n.预期，预料，期望
参考例句：
We waited at the station in anticipation of her arrival.我们在车站等着，期待她的到来。 The animals grew restless as if in anticipation of an earthquake.各种动物都变得焦躁不安，像是感到了地震即将发生。

28 fiddled
v.伪造( fiddle的过去式和过去分词 )；篡改；骗取；修理或稍作改动
参考例句：
He fiddled the company's accounts. 他篡改了公司的账目。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He began with Palestrina, and fiddled all the way through Bartok. 他从帕勒斯春纳的作品一直演奏到巴塔克的作品。 来自辞典例句

29 silhouettes
轮廓( silhouette的名词复数 )； （人的）体形； （事物的）形状； 剪影
参考例句：
Now that darkness was falling, only their silhouettes were outlined against the faintly glimmering sky. 这时节两山只剩余一抹深黑，赖天空微明为画出一个轮廓。 来自汉英文学 - 散文英译 They could see silhouettes. 他们能看得见影子的。

30 thoroughly
adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地
参考例句：
The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。 The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。

31 toxic
adj.有毒的，因中毒引起的
参考例句：
The factory had accidentally released a quantity of toxic waste into the sea.这家工厂意外泄漏大量有毒废物到海中。 There is a risk that toxic chemicals might be blasted into the atmosphere.爆炸后有毒化学物质可能会进入大气层。

32 defective
adj.有毛病的，有问题的，有瑕疵的
参考例句：
The firm had received bad publicity over a defective product. 该公司因为一件次品而受到媒体攻击。 If the goods prove defective, the customer has the right to compensation. 如果货品证明有缺陷， 顾客有权索赔。

33 crooks
n.骗子( crook的名词复数 )；罪犯；弯曲部分；（牧羊人或主教用的）弯拐杖v.弯成钩形( crook的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
The police are getting after the crooks in the city. 警察在城里追捕小偷。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The cops got the crooks. 警察捉到了那些罪犯。 来自《简明英汉词典》

34 judgment
n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见
参考例句：
The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。 He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

35 fatigue
n.疲劳，劳累
参考例句：
The old lady can't bear the fatigue of a long journey.这位老妇人不能忍受长途旅行的疲劳。 I have got over my weakness and fatigue.我已从虚弱和疲劳中恢复过来了。

36 full-time
adj.满工作日的或工作周的，全时间的
参考例句：
A full-time job may be too much for her.全天工作她恐怕吃不消。 I don't know how she copes with looking after her family and doing a full-time job.既要照顾家庭又要全天工作，我不知道她是如何对付的。

37 retirement
n.退休，退职
参考例句：
She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。 I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。

38 radical
n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的
参考例句：
The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。 She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

39 dwelling
n.住宅，住所，寓所
参考例句：
Those two men are dwelling with us.那两个人跟我们住在一起。 He occupies a three-story dwelling place on the Park Street.他在派克街上有一幢3层楼的寓所。

40 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。

41 flickered
（通常指灯光）闪烁，摇曳( flicker的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The lights flickered and went out. 灯光闪了闪就熄了。 These lights flickered continuously like traffic lights which have gone mad. 这些灯象发狂的交通灯一样不停地闪动着。

42 outskirts
n.郊外，郊区
参考例句：
Our car broke down on the outskirts of the city.我们的汽车在市郊出了故障。 They mostly live on the outskirts of a town.他们大多住在近郊。

43 shrieked
v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
She shrieked in fright. 她吓得尖叫起来。 Li Mei-t'ing gave a shout, and Lu Tzu-hsiao shrieked, "Tell what? 李梅亭大声叫，陆子潇尖声叫：“告诉什么？ 来自汉英文学 - 围城

44 yelped
v.发出短而尖的叫声( yelp的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He yelped in pain when the horse stepped on his foot. 马踩了他的脚痛得他喊叫起来。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 A hound yelped briefly as a whip cracked. 鞭子一响，猎狗发出一阵嗥叫。 来自《简明英汉词典》