In another life, Nathaniel Lester had been a flamboyant¹ criminal defense² lawyer with an uncanny knack³ for winning murder trials. At one point, two decades earlier, he had put together a streak⁴ of twelve consecutive⁵ not-guilty verdicts, virtually all in small towns throughout Mississippi, the types of places where those accused of heinous⁶ crimes are generally presumed guilty the moment they are arrested. His notoriety attracted clients from the civil side, and his country law office in the town of Mendenhall prospered⁷ nicely.

         Nat won big verdicts and negotiated even larger settlements. His specialty⁸ became catastrophic personal injuries on the offshore⁹ oil rigs where many local men went for high-paying jobs. He was active in various trial lawyer groups, gave huge sums to political candidates, built the biggest house in town, went through a series of wives, and began drinking heavily. The booze, along with a string of ethics¹⁰ complaints and legal skirmishes, finally slowed him down, and when he was ultimately boxed in, he surrendered his law license¹¹ to avoid a prison sentence. He left Mendenhall, found a new wife, sobered up, and resurfaced in Jackson, where he embraced Buddhism¹²

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1 flamboyant
adj.火焰般的，华丽的，炫耀的
参考例句：
His clothes were rather flamboyant for such a serious occasion.他的衣着在这种严肃场合太浮夸了。 The King's flamboyant lifestyle is well known.国王的奢华生活方式是人尽皆知的。

2 defense
n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩
参考例句：
The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。 The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

3 knack
n.诀窍，做事情的灵巧的，便利的方法
参考例句：
He has a knack of teaching arithmetic.他教算术有诀窍。 Making omelettes isn't difficult,but there's a knack to it.做煎蛋饼并不难，但有窍门。

4 streak
n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动
参考例句：
The Indians used to streak their faces with paint.印第安人过去常用颜料在脸上涂条纹。 Why did you streak the tree?你为什么在树上刻条纹？

5 consecutive
adj.连续的，联贯的，始终一贯的
参考例句：
It has rained for four consecutive days.已连续下了四天雨。 The policy of our Party is consecutive.我党的政策始终如一。

6 heinous
adj.可憎的，十恶不赦的
参考例句：
They admitted to the most heinous crimes.他们承认了极其恶劣的罪行。 I do not want to meet that heinous person.我不想见那个十恶不赦的人。

7 prospered
成功，兴旺( prosper的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The organization certainly prospered under his stewardship. 不可否认，这个组织在他的管理下兴旺了起来。 Mr. Black prospered from his wise investments. 布莱克先生由于巧妙的投资赚了不少钱。

8 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。

9 offshore
adj.海面的，吹向海面的；adv.向海面
参考例句：
A big program of oil exploration has begun offshore.一个大规模的石油勘探计划正在近海展开。 A gentle current carried them slowly offshore.和缓的潮流慢慢地把他们带离了海岸。

10 ethics
n.伦理学；伦理观，道德标准
参考例句：
The ethics of his profession don't permit him to do that.他的职业道德不允许他那样做。 Personal ethics and professional ethics sometimes conflict.个人道德和职业道德有时会相互抵触。

11 license
n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许
参考例句：
The foreign guest has a license on the person.这个外国客人随身携带执照。 The driver was arrested for having false license plates on his car.司机由于使用假车牌而被捕。

12 Buddhism
n.佛教（教义）
参考例句：
Buddhism was introduced into China about 67 AD.佛教是在公元67年左右传入中国的。 Many people willingly converted to Buddhism.很多人情愿皈依佛教。

13 vegetarianism
n.素食，素食主义
参考例句：
More and more people are believing in vegetarianism and diet for health. 而今越来越多的人们相信素食和节食有利于身体健康。 来自《简明英汉词典》 She is an exponent of vegetarianism. 她是一个素食主义的倡导者。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 heyday
n.全盛时期，青春期
参考例句：
The 19th century was the heyday of steam railways.19世纪是蒸汽机车鼎盛的时代。 She was a great singer in her heyday.她在自己的黄金时代是个了不起的歌唱家。

15 pestered
使烦恼，纠缠( pester的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
Journalists pestered neighbours for information. 记者缠着邻居打听消息。 The little girl pestered the travellers for money. 那个小女孩缠着游客要钱。

16 sprouts
n.新芽，嫩枝( sprout的名词复数 )v.发芽( sprout的第三人称单数 )；抽芽；出现；（使）涌现出
参考例句：
The wheat sprouts grew perceptibly after the rain. 下了一场雨，麦苗立刻见长。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 The sprouts have pushed up the earth. 嫩芽把土顶起来了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

17 apprehensive
adj.担心的，恐惧的，善于领会的
参考例句：
She was deeply apprehensive about her future.她对未来感到非常担心。 He was rather apprehensive of failure.他相当害怕失败。

18 earrings
n.耳环( earring的名词复数 )；耳坠子
参考例句：
a pair of earrings 一对耳环 These earrings snap on with special fastener. 这付耳环是用特制的按扣扣上去的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 tattoo
n.纹身，(皮肤上的)刺花纹；vt.刺花纹于
参考例句：
I've decided to get my tattoo removed.我已经决定去掉我身上的纹身。 He had a tattoo on the back of his hand.他手背上刺有花纹。

20 bracelets
n.手镯，臂镯( bracelet的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The lamplight struck a gleam from her bracelets. 她的手镯在灯光的照射下闪闪发亮。 来自《简明英汉词典》 On display are earrings, necklaces and bracelets made from jade, amber and amethyst. 展出的有用玉石、琥珀和紫水晶做的耳环、项链和手镯。 来自《简明英汉词典》

21 passionate
adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的
参考例句：
He is said to be the most passionate man.据说他是最有激情的人。 He is very passionate about the project.他对那个项目非常热心。

22 hatred
n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨
参考例句：
He looked at me with hatred in his eyes.他以憎恨的眼光望着我。 The old man was seized with burning hatred for the fascists.老人对法西斯主义者充满了仇恨。

23 sanity
n.心智健全，神智正常，判断正确
参考例句：
I doubt the sanity of such a plan.我怀疑这个计划是否明智。 She managed to keep her sanity throughout the ordeal.在那场磨难中她始终保持神志正常。

24 gut
n.[pl.]胆量；内脏；adj.本能的；vt.取出内脏
参考例句：
It is not always necessary to gut the fish prior to freezing.冷冻鱼之前并不总是需要先把内脏掏空。 My immediate gut feeling was to refuse.我本能的直接反应是拒绝。

25 castigation
n.申斥，强烈反对
参考例句：
Marx never lost an opportunity to castigate colonialism.马克思抓住每一个机会严厉谴责殖民主义。 She castigated him for having no intellectual interests.她斥责他没有智识兴趣。

26 frenzy
n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动
参考例句：
He was able to work the young students up into a frenzy.他能激起青年学生的狂热。 They were singing in a frenzy of joy.他们欣喜若狂地高声歌唱。

27 mettle
n.勇气，精神
参考例句：
When the seas are in turmoil,heroes are on their mettle.沧海横流，方显出英雄本色。 Each and every one of these soldiers has proved his mettle.这些战士个个都是好样的。

28 berated
v.严厉责备，痛斥( berate的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
Marion berated Joe for the noise he made. 玛丽昂严厉斥责乔吵吵闹闹。 来自辞典例句 It berated Mussolini for selling out to Berlin. 它严厉谴责了墨索里尼背叛、投靠柏林的行径。 来自辞典例句

29 labor
n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦
参考例句：
We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。 He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

30 haggled
v.讨价还价( haggle的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The cook and the grocer haggled over the price of eggs. 厨师和杂货商为蛋价计较个没完。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 After they had haggled for some time, the two men decided to close the bargain. 那两个人经过一番讨价还价以后，决定成交。 来自《简明英汉词典》

31 pending
prep.直到，等待…期间；adj.待定的；迫近的
参考例句：
The lawsuit is still pending in the state court.这案子仍在州法庭等待定夺。 He knew my examination was pending.他知道我就要考试了。

32 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。

33 pastor
n.牧师，牧人
参考例句：
He was the son of a poor pastor.他是一个穷牧师的儿子。 We have no pastor at present:the church is run by five deacons.我们目前没有牧师：教会的事是由五位执事管理的。

34 overtime
adj.超时的，加班的；adv.加班地
参考例句：
They are working overtime to finish the work.为了完成任务他们正在加班加点地工作。 He was paid for the overtime he worked.他领到了加班费。

35 lamented
adj.被哀悼的，令人遗憾的v.（为…）哀悼，痛哭，悲伤( lament的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
her late lamented husband 她那令人怀念的已故的丈夫 We lamented over our bad luck. 我们为自己的不幸而悲伤。 来自《简明英汉词典》

36 supreme
adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的
参考例句：
It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。 He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

37 grovel
vi.卑躬屈膝，奴颜婢膝
参考例句：
He said he would never grovel before a conqueror.他说他永远不会在征服者脚下摇尾乞怜。 You will just have to grovel to the bank manager for a loan.你只得低声下气地向银行经理借贷。

38 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。

39 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。

40 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。

41 magistrates
地方法官，治安官( magistrate的名词复数 )
参考例句：
to come up before the magistrates 在地方法院出庭 He was summoned to appear before the magistrates. 他被传唤在地方法院出庭。

42 referees
n.裁判员( referee的名词复数 )；证明人；公断人；（专业性强的文章的）审阅人
参考例句：
The fiery player has had numerous run-ins with referees. 这位脾气暴躁的队员曾和裁判员发生过无数次争吵。 If you want to appeal, the Court of Referees will decide. 如果你要上诉，可以由仲裁法庭去判决。 来自辞典例句

43 aspired
v.渴望，追求( aspire的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
She aspired to a scientific career. 她有志于科学事业。 Britain,France,the United States and Japan all aspired to hegemony after the end of World War I. 第一次世界大战后，英、法、美、日都想争夺霸权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

44 toil
vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事
参考例句：
The wealth comes from the toil of the masses.财富来自大众的辛勤劳动。 Every single grain is the result of toil.每一粒粮食都来之不易。

45 shameful
adj.可耻的，不道德的
参考例句：
It is very shameful of him to show off.他向人炫耀自己，真不害臊。 We must expose this shameful activity to the newspapers.我们一定要向报社揭露这一无耻行径。

46 marketing
n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西
参考例句：
They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。 He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

47 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。

48 hinds
n.（常指动物腿）后面的( hind的名词复数 )；在后的；（通常与can或could连用）唠叨不停；滔滔不绝
参考例句：
He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places. 诗18:33他使我的脚快如母鹿的蹄、使我在高处安稳。 来自互联网 He makes my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places. 33他使我的脚快如母鹿的蹄，又使我在高处安稳。 来自互联网

49 chancellor
n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长
参考例句：
They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。 He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。

50 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。

51 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。

52 noted
adj.著名的，知名的
参考例句：
The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。 Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

53 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。

54 equity
n.公正，公平，（无固定利息的）股票
参考例句：
They shared the work of the house with equity.他们公平地分担家务。 To capture his equity,Murphy must either sell or refinance.要获得资产净值，墨菲必须出售或者重新融资。

55 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。

56 shrill
adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫
参考例句：
Whistles began to shrill outside the barn.哨声开始在谷仓外面尖叫。 The shrill ringing of a bell broke up the card game on the cutter.刺耳的铃声打散了小汽艇的牌局。

57 discriminated
分别，辨别，区分( discriminate的过去式和过去分词 )； 歧视，有差别地对待
参考例句：
His great size discriminated him from his followers. 他的宽广身材使他不同于他的部下。 Should be a person that has second liver virus discriminated against? 一个患有乙肝病毒的人是不是就应该被人歧视？

58 rebutted
v.反驳，驳回( rebut的过去式和过去分词 )；击退
参考例句：
Has Mr. Chiang or any member of his party ever rebutted this? 蒋先生及其党人曾经对这话提出过任何驳斥吗？ 来自互联网 He rebutted the argument of the other team in a debate. 他在辩论会中反驳对方的论点。 来自互联网

59 strenuous
adj.奋发的，使劲的；紧张的；热烈的，狂热的
参考例句：
He made strenuous efforts to improve his reading. 他奋发努力提高阅读能力。 You may run yourself down in this strenuous week.你可能会在这紧张的一周透支掉自己。

60 formats
n.（出版物的）版式( format的名词复数 )；[电视]电视节目的总安排（或计划）
参考例句：
They are producing books in all kinds of different formats. 他们出版各种不同开本的书籍。 来自《简明英汉词典》 A true GUI includes standard formats for representing text and graphics. 真正的图形用户界面包括表示文字和图形的标准格式。 来自互联网

61 recess
n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处）
参考例句：
The chairman of the meeting announced a ten-minute recess.会议主席宣布休会10分钟。 Parliament was hastily recalled from recess.休会的议员被匆匆召回开会。

62 succinct
adj.简明的，简洁的
参考例句：
The last paragraph is a succinct summary.最后这段话概括性很强。 A succinct style lends vigour to writing.措辞简练使文笔有力。

63 screeching
v.发出尖叫声( screech的现在分词 )；发出粗而刺耳的声音；高叫
参考例句：
Monkeys were screeching in the trees. 猴子在树上吱吱地叫着。 the unedifying sight of the two party leaders screeching at each other 两党党魁狺狺对吠的讨厌情景

64 aggrieved
adj.愤愤不平的，受委屈的；悲痛的；（在合法权利方面）受侵害的v.令委屈，令苦恼，侵害( aggrieve的过去式)；令委屈，令苦恼，侵害( aggrieve的过去式和过去分词)
参考例句：
He felt aggrieved at not being chosen for the team. 他因没被选到队里感到愤愤不平。 来自《简明英汉词典》 She is the aggrieved person whose fiance&1& did not show up for their wedding. 她很委屈，她的未婚夫未出现在他们的婚礼上。 来自《简明英汉词典》