Every store in the mall closed at 9:00 p.m., and by 9:15 Lilly Reed had turned off the registers, punched the time clock, engaged the alarm system, and locked both doors of the ladies' boutique where she worked as an assistant manager. She left the mall through a service door and walked quickly to her car, a VW Beetle², which was parked in an area designated for employees. She was in a hurry, her boyfriend was waiting at a sports bar half a mile away. As she was opening the door to her car, she felt something move behind her and heard a footstep. Then a strange male voice said, "Hey, Lilly." In a split second, Lilly knew she was in trouble. She turned, got a glimpse of the black handgun, saw a face she would never forget, and tried to scream. With astonishing speed, he slapped a hand over her mouth, said, "Get in the car," and shoved her inside. He slammed the driver's door, slapped her hard across the face, then stuck the gun barrel in her left ear. "Not a sound," he hissed³. "And get your head down." Almost too horrified⁴ to move, she did as she was told. He started the engine.

Enrico Munez had been napping on and off for half an hour as he waited for his wife to finish her shift at a family restaurant in the mall's food court. He was parked between two other cars in a row of empty vehicles. He was still half-asleep, and he was sitting low in the seat when he saw the attack. The man seemed to appear from nowhere and knew what he was doing. He displayed the gun, but didn't wave it around. He overwhelmed the girl, who was too stunned⁵ to react. As soon as the Beetle lurched forward, with the attacker at the wheel, Enrico reacted instinctively⁶. He started the engine of his pickup⁷ truck, lunged into reverse, backed up, then sped forward. He caught the Beetle as it was turning at the end of the row and, understanding the gravity of the situation, did not hesitate to crash into it. He managed to avoid the passenger door, where the girl was, and plowed⁸

点击收听单词发音  

1 ass
n.驴；傻瓜，蠢笨的人
参考例句：
He is not an ass as they make him.他不象大家猜想的那样笨。 An ass endures his burden but not more than his burden.驴能负重但不能超过它能力所负担的。

2 beetle
n.甲虫，近视眼的人
参考例句：
A firefly is a type of beetle.萤火虫是一种甲虫。 He saw a shiny green beetle on a leaf.我看见树叶上有一只闪闪发光的绿色甲虫。

3 hissed
发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对
参考例句：
Have you ever been hissed at in the middle of a speech? 你在演讲中有没有被嘘过？ The iron hissed as it pressed the wet cloth. 熨斗压在湿布上时发出了嘶嘶声。

4 horrified
a.(表现出)恐惧的
参考例句：
The whole country was horrified by the killings. 全国都对这些凶杀案感到大为震惊。 We were horrified at the conditions prevailing in local prisons. 地方监狱的普遍状况让我们震惊。

5 stunned
adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
The fall stunned me for a moment. 那一下摔得我昏迷了片刻。 The leaders of the Kopper Company were then stunned speechless. 科伯公司的领导们当时被惊得目瞪口呆。

6 instinctively
adv.本能地
参考例句：
As he leaned towards her she instinctively recoiled. 他向她靠近，她本能地往后缩。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He knew instinctively where he would find her. 他本能地知道在哪儿能找到她。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 pickup
n.拾起，获得
参考例句：
I would love to trade this car for a pickup truck.我愿意用这辆汽车换一辆小型轻便卡车。||The luck guy is a choice pickup for the girls.那位幸运的男孩是女孩子们想勾搭上的人。

8 plowed
v.耕( plow的过去式和过去分词 )；犁耕；费力穿过
参考例句：
They plowed nearly 100,000 acres of virgin moorland. 他们犁了将近10万英亩未开垦的高沼地。 来自辞典例句 He plowed the land and then sowed the seeds. 他先翻土，然后播种。 来自辞典例句

9 immediate
adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的
参考例句：
His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。 We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

10 flailing
v.鞭打( flail的现在分词 )；用连枷脱粒；（臂或腿）无法控制地乱动；扫雷坦克
参考例句：
He became moody and unreasonable, flailing out at Katherine at the slightest excuse. 他变得喜怒无常、不可理喻，为点鸡毛蒜皮的小事就殴打凯瑟琳。 来自《简明英汉词典》 His arms were flailing in all directions. 他的手臂胡乱挥舞着。 来自辞典例句

11 authentic
a.真的，真正的；可靠的，可信的，有根据的
参考例句：
This is an authentic news report. We can depend on it. 这是篇可靠的新闻报道, 我们相信它。 Autumn is also the authentic season of renewal. 秋天才是真正的除旧布新的季节。

12 hysterical
adj.情绪异常激动的，歇斯底里般的
参考例句：
He is hysterical at the sight of the photo.他一看到那张照片就异常激动。 His hysterical laughter made everybody stunned.他那歇斯底里的笑声使所有的人不知所措。

13 bracing
adj.令人振奋的
参考例句：
The country is bracing itself for the threatened enemy invasion. 这个国家正准备奋起抵抗敌人的入侵威胁。 The atmosphere in the new government was bracing. 新政府的气氛是令人振奋的。

14 scrambled
v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞
参考例句：
Each scrambled for the football at the football ground. 足球场上你争我夺。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 He scrambled awkwardly to his feet. 他笨拙地爬起身来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 commotion
n.骚动，动乱
参考例句：
They made a commotion by yelling at each other in the theatre.他们在剧院里相互争吵，引起了一阵骚乱。 Suddenly the whole street was in commotion.突然间，整条街道变得一片混乱。

16 relinquished
交出，让给( relinquish的过去式和过去分词 )； 放弃
参考例句：
She has relinquished the post to her cousin, Sir Edward. 她把职位让给了表弟爱德华爵士。 The small dog relinquished his bone to the big dog. 小狗把它的骨头让给那只大狗。

17 skull
n.头骨；颅骨
参考例句：
The skull bones fuse between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five.头骨在15至25岁之间长合。 He fell out of the window and cracked his skull.他从窗子摔了出去，跌裂了颅骨。

18 tumor
n.（肿）瘤，肿块(英)tumour
参考例句：
He was died of a malignant tumor.他死于恶性肿瘤。 The surgeons irradiated the tumor.外科医生用X射线照射那个肿瘤。

19 investigators
n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )
参考例句：
This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。 The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 fingerprint
n.指纹；vt.取...的指纹
参考例句：
The fingerprint expert was asked to testify at the trial.指纹专家应邀出庭作证。 The court heard evidence from a fingerprint expert.法院听取了指纹专家的证词。

21 interrogate
vt.讯问，审问，盘问
参考例句：
The lawyer took a long time to interrogate the witness fully.律师花了很长时间仔细询问目击者。 We will interrogate the two suspects separately.我们要对这两个嫌疑人单独进行审讯。

22 fingerprints
n.指纹( fingerprint的名词复数 )v.指纹( fingerprint的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
Everyone's fingerprints are unique. 每个人的指纹都是独一无二的。 They wore gloves so as not to leave any fingerprints behind (them). 他们戴着手套，以免留下指纹。 来自《简明英汉词典》

23 hawk
n.鹰，骗子；鹰派成员
参考例句：
The hawk swooped down on the rabbit and killed it.鹰猛地朝兔子扑下来,并把它杀死。 The hawk snatched the chicken and flew away.老鹰叼了小鸡就飞走了。

24 killing
n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财
参考例句：
Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。 Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

25 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。

26 frantically
ad.发狂地, 发疯地
参考例句：
He dashed frantically across the road. 他疯狂地跑过马路。 She bid frantically for the old chair. 她发狂地喊出高价要买那把古老的椅子。

27 clearance
n.净空；许可(证)；清算；清除，清理
参考例句：
There was a clearance of only ten centimetres between the two walls.两堵墙之间只有十厘米的空隙。 The ship sailed as soon as it got clearance. 那艘船一办好离港手续立刻启航了。

28 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。

29 moron
n.极蠢之人，低能儿
参考例句：
I used to think that Gordon was a moron.我曾以为戈登是个白痴。 He's an absolute moron!他纯粹是个傻子！

30 warriors
武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 )
参考例句：
I like reading the stories ofancient warriors. 我喜欢读有关古代武士的故事。 The warriors speared the man to death. 武士们把那个男子戳死了。

31 testy
adj.易怒的；暴躁的
参考例句：
Ben's getting a little testy in his old age.上了年纪后本变得有点性急了。 A doctor was called in to see a rather testy aristocrat.一个性格相当暴躁的贵族召来了一位医生为他检查。

32 gulped
v.狼吞虎咽地吃，吞咽( gulp的过去式和过去分词 )；大口地吸（气）；哽住
参考例句：
He gulped down the rest of his tea and went out. 他把剩下的茶一饮而尽便出去了。 She gulped nervously, as if the question bothered her. 她紧张地咽了一下，似乎那问题把她难住了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

33 postpone
v.延期，推迟
参考例句：
I shall postpone making a decision till I learn full particulars.在未获悉详情之前我得从缓作出决定。 She decided to postpone the converastion for that evening.她决定当天晚上把谈话搁一搁。

34 obituaries
讣告，讣闻( obituary的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Next time I read about him, I want it in the obituaries. 希望下次读到他的消息的时候，是在仆告里。 People's obituaries are written while they're still alive? 人们在世的时候就有人给他们写讣告？

35 hawks
鹰( hawk的名词复数 )； 鹰派人物，主战派人物
参考例句：
Two hawks were hover ing overhead. 两只鹰在头顶盘旋。 Both hawks and doves have expanded their conditions for ending the war. 鹰派和鸽派都充分阐明了各自的停战条件。

36 moratorium
n.(行动、活动的)暂停(期)，延期偿付
参考例句：
The government has called for a moratorium on weapons testing.政府已要求暂停武器试验。 We recommended a moratorium on two particular kinds of experiments.我们建议暂禁两种特殊的实验。

37 rants
n.夸夸其谈( rant的名词复数 )；大叫大嚷地以…说教；气愤地)大叫大嚷；不停地大声抱怨v.夸夸其谈( rant的第三人称单数 )；大叫大嚷地以…说教；气愤地)大叫大嚷；不停地大声抱怨
参考例句：
This actor rants his lines. 这演员背台词拿腔拿调。 来自辞典例句 Parents might also profit from eliminating the rants. 改掉大声叫骂的习惯，家长们也会受益。 来自互联网

38 moratoriums
正式的延缓，暂停( moratorium的名词复数 )
参考例句：

39 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。

40 monotonous
adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的
参考例句：
She thought life in the small town was monotonous.她觉得小镇上的生活单调而乏味。 His articles are fixed in form and monotonous in content.他的文章千篇一律，一个调调儿。

41 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。

42 mansion
n.大厦，大楼；宅第
参考例句：
The old mansion was built in 1850.这座古宅建于1850年。 The mansion has extensive grounds.这大厦四周的庭园广阔。

43 ethnic
adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的
参考例句：
This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。 The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

44 loathed
v.憎恨，厌恶( loathe的过去式和过去分词 )；极不喜欢
参考例句：
Baker loathed going to this red-haired young pup for supplies. 面包师傅不喜欢去这个红头发的自负的傻小子那里拿原料。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Therefore, above all things else, he loathed his miserable self! 因此，他厌恶不幸的自我尤胜其它！ 来自英汉文学 - 红字

45 momentum
n.动力，冲力，势头；动量
参考例句：
We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。 The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

46 slanted
有偏见的； 倾斜的
参考例句：
The sun slanted through the window. 太阳斜照进窗户。 She had slanted brown eyes. 她有一双棕色的丹凤眼。

47 busted
adj. 破产了的，失败了的，被降级的，被逮捕的，被抓到的 动词bust的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
You are so busted! 你被当场逮住了！ It was money troubles that busted up their marriage. 是金钱纠纷使他们的婚姻破裂了。

48 prosecute
vt.告发；进行；vi.告发，起诉，作检察官
参考例句：
I am trying my best to prosecute my duties.我正在尽力履行我的职责。 Is there enough evidence to prosecute?有没有起诉的足够证据？

49 monk
n.和尚，僧侣，修道士
参考例句：
The man was a monk from Emei Mountain.那人是峨眉山下来的和尚。 Buddhist monk sat with folded palms.和尚合掌打坐。

50 publicity
n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告
参考例句：
The singer star's marriage got a lot of publicity.这位歌星的婚事引起了公众的关注。 He dismissed the event as just a publicity gimmick.他不理会这件事，只当它是一种宣传手法。

51 intrigued
adj.好奇的，被迷住了的v.搞阴谋诡计(intrigue的过去式)；激起…的兴趣或好奇心；“intrigue”的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
You've really intrigued me—tell me more! 你说的真有意思—再给我讲一些吧！ He was intrigued by her story. 他被她的故事迷住了。

52 unity
n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调
参考例句：
When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。 We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

53 spun
v.纺，杜撰，急转身
参考例句：
His grandmother spun him a yarn at the fire.他奶奶在火炉边给他讲故事。 Her skilful fingers spun the wool out to a fine thread.她那灵巧的手指把羊毛纺成了细毛线。

54 imposing
adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的
参考例句：
The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。 He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。

55 chapel
n.小教堂，殡仪馆
参考例句：
The nimble hero,skipped into a chapel that stood near.敏捷的英雄跳进近旁的一座小教堂里。 She was on the peak that Sunday afternoon when she played in chapel.那个星期天的下午，她在小教堂的演出，可以说是登峰造极。

56 granite
adj.花岗岩，花岗石
参考例句：
They squared a block of granite.他们把一块花岗岩加工成四方形。 The granite overlies the older rocks.花岗岩躺在磨损的岩石上面。

57 persecution
n. 迫害,烦扰
参考例句：
He had fled from France at the time of the persecution. 他在大迫害时期逃离了法国。 Their persecution only serves to arouse the opposition of the people. 他们的迫害只激起人民对他们的反抗。

58 Christians
n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。 His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

59 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。