Great changes had been going on at the Weights and Measures; or rather it might be more proper to say that great changes were now in progress. From that moment in which it had been hinted to Mr. Hardlines that he must relax the rigour of his examinations, he had pondered deeply over the matter. Hitherto he had confined his efforts to his own office, and, so far from feeling personally anxious for the amelioration of the Civil Service generally, had derived¹ no inconsiderable share of his happiness from the knowledge that there were such sinks of iniquity² as the Internal Navigation. To be widely different from others was Mr. Hardlines' glory. He was, perhaps, something of a Civil Service Pharisee, and wore on his forehead a broad phylactery, stamped with the mark of Crown property. He thanked God that he was not as those publicans at Somerset House, and took glory to himself in paying tithes⁴ of official cumin.

 

But now he was driven to a wider range. Those higher Pharisees who were above him in his own pharisaical establishment, had interfered⁵ with the austerity of his worship. He could not turn against them there, on their own ground. He, of all men, could not be disobedient to official orders. But if he could promote a movement beyond the walls of the Weights and Measures; if he could make Pharisees of those benighted⁷ publicans in the Strand⁸; if he could introduce conic sections into the Custom House, and political economy into the Post Office; if, by any effort of his, the Foreign Office clerks could be forced to attend punctually at ten; and that wretched saunterer, whom five days a week he saw lounging into the Council Office—if he could be made to mend his pace, what a wide field for his ambition would Mr. Hardlines then have found!

 

Great ideas opened themselves to his mind as he walked to and from his office daily. What if he could become the parent of a totally different order of things! What if the Civil Service, through his instrumentality, should become the nucleus

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1 derived
vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取
参考例句：
Many English words are derived from Latin and Greek. 英语很多词源出于拉丁文和希腊文。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He derived his enthusiasm for literature from his father. 他对文学的爱好是受他父亲的影响。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 iniquity
n.邪恶；不公正
参考例句：
Research has revealed that he is a monster of iniquity.调查结果显示他是一个不法之徒。 The iniquity of the transaction aroused general indignation.这笔交易的不公引起了普遍的愤怒。

3 mar
vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟
参考例句：
It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。 Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

4 tithes
n.（宗教捐税）什一税，什一的教区税，小部分( tithe的名词复数 )
参考例句：
For your tithes and offerings, please use the envelopes at the entrance. 什一捐款及奉献：奉献信封摆放于入口处。 来自互联网 Although she left the church officially, she still tithes. 虽然她正式离开了该教堂，但她仍然对教堂缴纳什一税。 来自互联网

5 interfered
v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉
参考例句：
Complete absorption in sports interfered with his studies. 专注于运动妨碍了他的学业。 来自《简明英汉词典》 I am not going to be interfered with. 我不想别人干扰我的事情。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 interfere
v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰
参考例句：
If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。 When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

7 benighted
adj.蒙昧的
参考例句：
Listen to both sides and you will be enlightened,heed only one side and you will be benighted.兼听则明，偏信则暗。 Famine hit that benighted country once more.饥荒再次席卷了那个蒙昧的国家。

8 strand
vt.使（船）搁浅，使（某人）困于（某地）
参考例句：
She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ears.她把一缕散发夹到了耳后。 The climbers had been stranded by a storm.登山者被暴风雨困住了。

9 reign
n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势
参考例句：
The reign of Queen Elizabeth lapped over into the seventeenth century.伊丽莎白王朝延至17世纪。 The reign of Zhu Yuanzhang lasted about 31 years.朱元璋统治了大约三十一年。

10 nucleus
n.核，核心，原子核
参考例句：
These young people formed the nucleus of the club.这些年轻人成了俱乐部的核心。 These councils would form the nucleus of a future regime.这些委员会将成为一个未来政权的核心。

11 sloth
n.[动]树懒；懒惰，懒散
参考例句：
Absence of competition makes for sloth.没有竞争会导致懒惰。 The sloth spends most of its time hanging upside down from the branches.大部分时间里树懒都是倒挂在树枝上。

12 meditated
深思，沉思，冥想( meditate的过去式和过去分词 )； 内心策划，考虑
参考例句：
He meditated for two days before giving his answer. 他在作出答复之前考虑了两天。 She meditated for 2 days before giving her answer. 她考虑了两天才答复。

13 solicitude
n.焦虑
参考例句：
Your solicitude was a great consolation to me.你对我的关怀给了我莫大的安慰。 He is full of tender solicitude towards my sister.他对我妹妹满心牵挂。

14 conspicuous
adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的
参考例句：
It is conspicuous that smoking is harmful to health.很明显，抽烟对健康有害。 Its colouring makes it highly conspicuous.它的色彩使它非常惹人注目。

15 attainments
成就，造诣； 获得( attainment的名词复数 )； 达到； 造诣； 成就
参考例句：
a young woman of impressive educational attainments 一位学业成就斐然的年轻女子 He is a scholar of the highest attainments in this field. 他在这一领域是一位颇有造就的学者。

16 sarcasm
n.讥讽，讽刺，嘲弄，反话 （adj.sarcastic）
参考例句：
His sarcasm hurt her feelings.他的讽刺伤害了她的感情。 She was given to using bitter sarcasm.她惯于用尖酸刻薄语言挖苦人。

17 accomplished
adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的
参考例句：
Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。 Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

18 pundits
n.某一学科的权威，专家( pundit的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The pundits disagree on the best way of dealing with the problem. 如何妥善处理这一问题，专家众说纷纭。 来自辞典例句 That did not stop Chinese pundits from making a fuss over it. 这并没有阻止中国的博学之士对此大惊小怪。 来自互联网

19 commissioner
n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员
参考例句：
The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。 He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

20 joint
adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合
参考例句：
I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。 We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

21 antagonistic
adj.敌对的
参考例句：
He is always antagonistic towards new ideas.他对新思想总是持反对态度。 They merely stirred in a nervous and wholly antagonistic way.他们只是神经质地，带着完全敌对情绪地骚动了一下。

22 zeal
n.热心，热情，热忱
参考例句：
Revolutionary zeal caught them up,and they joined the army.革命热情激励他们，于是他们从军了。 They worked with great zeal to finish the project.他们热情高涨地工作，以期完成这个项目。

23 opposition
n.反对，敌对
参考例句：
The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。 The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

24 caustic
adj.刻薄的，腐蚀性的
参考例句：
He opened his mouth to make a caustic retort.他张嘴开始进行刻薄的反击。 He enjoys making caustic remarks about other people.他喜欢挖苦别人。

25 begrudge
vt.吝啬，羡慕
参考例句：
I begrudge spending so much money on train fares.我舍不得把这么多钱花在火车票上。 We should not begrudge our neighbour's richness.我们不应该嫉妒邻人的富有。

26 remodel
v.改造，改型，改变
参考例句：
Workmen were hired to remodel and enlarge the farm buildings.雇用了工人来改造和扩建农场建筑。 I'll remodel the downstairs bedroom first.我先要装修楼下那间房间。

27 insignificant
adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的
参考例句：
In winter the effect was found to be insignificant.在冬季，这种作用是不明显的。 This problem was insignificant compared to others she faced.这一问题与她面临的其他问题比较起来算不得什么。

28 sneer
v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语
参考例句：
He said with a sneer.他的话中带有嘲笑之意。 You may sneer,but a lot of people like this kind of music.你可以嗤之以鼻，但很多人喜欢这种音乐。

29 metallic
adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的
参考例句：
A sharp metallic note coming from the outside frightened me.外面传来尖锐铿锵的声音吓了我一跳。 He picked up a metallic ring last night.昨夜他捡了一个金属戒指。

30 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。

31 expedient
adj.有用的，有利的；n.紧急的办法，权宜之计
参考例句：
The government found it expedient to relax censorship a little.政府发现略微放宽审查是可取的。 Every kind of expedient was devised by our friends.我们的朋友想出了各种各样的应急办法。

32 contrived
adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的
参考例句：
There was nothing contrived or calculated about what he said.他说的话里没有任何蓄意捏造的成分。 The plot seems contrived.情节看起来不真实。

33 acerbity
n.涩，酸，刻薄
参考例句：
His acerbity to his daughter came home to roost.他对女儿的刻薄得到了恶报。 The biggest to amino acerbity demand still is animal feed additive.对氨基酸需求量最大的仍是动物饲料添加剂。

34 intercourse
n.性交；交流，交往，交际
参考例句：
The magazine becomes a cultural medium of intercourse between the two peoples.该杂志成为两民族间文化交流的媒介。 There was close intercourse between them.他们过往很密。

35 honourable
adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的
参考例句：
I don't think I am worthy of such an honourable title.这样的光荣称号，我可担当不起。 I hope to find an honourable way of settling difficulties.我希望设法找到一个体面的办法以摆脱困境。

36 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。

37 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。

38 commissioners
n.专员( commissioner的名词复数 )；长官；委员；政府部门的长官
参考例句：
The Commissioners of Inland Revenue control British national taxes. 国家税收委员管理英国全国的税收。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The SEC has five commissioners who are appointed by the president. 证券交易委员会有５名委员，是由总统任命的。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

39 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。

40 momentous
adj.重要的，重大的
参考例句：
I am deeply honoured to be invited to this momentous occasion.能应邀出席如此重要的场合，我深感荣幸。 The momentous news was that war had begun.重大的新闻是战争已经开始。

41 worthy
adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的
参考例句：
I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。 There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned.没有值得一提的事发生。

42 mantle
n.斗篷，覆罩之物，罩子；v.罩住，覆盖，脸红
参考例句：
The earth had donned her mantle of brightest green.大地披上了苍翠欲滴的绿色斗篷。 The mountain was covered with a mantle of snow.山上覆盖着一层雪。

43 rumour
n.谣言，谣传，传闻
参考例句：
I should like to know who put that rumour about.我想知道是谁散布了那谣言。 There has been a rumour mill on him for years.几年来，一直有谣言产生，对他进行中伤。

44 vacancy
n.（旅馆的）空位，空房，（职务的）空缺
参考例句：
Her going on maternity leave will create a temporary vacancy.她休产假时将会有一个临时空缺。 The vacancy of her expression made me doubt if she was listening.她茫然的神情让我怀疑她是否在听。

45 withdrawal
n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销
参考例句：
The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。 They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

46 stimulus
n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物
参考例句：
Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。 Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。

47 stoutest
粗壮的( stout的最高级 )； 结实的； 坚固的； 坚定的
参考例句：
The screams of the wounded and dying were something to instil fear into the stoutest heart. 受伤者垂死者的尖叫，令最勇敢的人都胆战心惊。

48 maxim
n.格言，箴言
参考例句：
Please lay the maxim to your heart.请把此格言记在心里。 "Waste not,want not" is her favourite maxim.“不浪费则不匮乏”是她喜爱的格言。

49 prodigy
n.惊人的事物，奇迹，神童，天才，预兆
参考例句：
She was a child prodigy on the violin.她是神童小提琴手。 He was always a Negro prodigy who played barbarously and wonderfully.他始终是一个黑人的奇才，这种奇才弹奏起来粗野而惊人。

50 tyro
n.初学者；生手
参考例句：
She is a tyro in the art of writing poetry.她是一名诗歌创作艺术的初学者。 I am a veritable tyro at the game.我玩这个是新手。

51 scrutiny
n.详细检查，仔细观察
参考例句：
His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。 Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

52 coveted
adj.令人垂涎的；垂涎的，梦寐以求的v.贪求，觊觎(covet的过去分词)；垂涎；贪图
参考例句：
He had long coveted the chance to work with a famous musician. 他一直渴望有机会与著名音乐家一起工作。 Ther other boys coveted his new bat. 其他的男孩都想得到他的新球棒。 来自《简明英汉词典》

53 promotion
n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传
参考例句：
The teacher conferred with the principal about Dick's promotion.教师与校长商谈了迪克的升级问题。 The clerk was given a promotion and an increase in salary.那个职员升了级，加了薪。

54 vernacular
adj.地方的，用地方语写成的；n.白话；行话；本国语；动植物的俗名
参考例句：
The house is built in a vernacular style.这房子按当地的风格建筑。 The traditional Chinese vernacular architecture is an epitome of Chinese traditional culture.中国传统民居建筑可谓中国传统文化的缩影。

55 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。

56 miserable
adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的
参考例句：
It was miserable of you to make fun of him.你取笑他，这是可耻的。 Her past life was miserable.她过去的生活很苦。

57 instigate
v.教唆，怂恿，煽动
参考例句：
His object was to instigate a little rebellion on the part of the bishop.他的目的是，在主教方面煽起一场小小的造反。 It would not prove worthwhile to instigate a nuclear attack.挑起核攻击最终是不值得的。

58 plight
n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定
参考例句：
The leader was much concerned over the plight of the refugees.那位领袖对难民的困境很担忧。 She was in a most helpless plight.她真不知如何是好。

59 supplanting
把…排挤掉，取代( supplant的现在分词 )
参考例句：

60 profundity
n.渊博；深奥，深刻
参考例句：
He impressed his audience by the profundity of his knowledge.他知识渊博给听众留下了深刻的印象。 He pretended profundity by eye-beamings at people.他用神采奕奕的眼光看着人们，故作深沉。

61 wondrous
adj.令人惊奇的，奇妙的；adv.惊人地；异乎寻常地；令人惊叹地
参考例句：
The internal structure of the Department is wondrous to behold.看一下国务院的内部结构是很有意思的。 We were driven across this wondrous vast land of lakes and forests.我们乘车穿越这片有着湖泊及森林的广袤而神奇的土地。

62 metropolis
n.首府；大城市
参考例句：
Shanghai is a metropolis in China.上海是中国的大都市。 He was dazzled by the gaiety and splendour of the metropolis.大都市的花花世界使他感到眼花缭乱。

63 peculiar
adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的
参考例句：
He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。 He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。

64 propensities
n.倾向，习性( propensity的名词复数 )
参考例句：
This paper regarded AFT as a criterion to estimate slagging propensities. 文中以灰熔点作为判断煤灰结渣倾向的标准。 来自互联网 Our results demonstrate that different types of authoritarian regime face different propensities to develop toward democracy. 本文研究结果显示，不同的威权主义政体所面对的民主发展倾向是不同的。 来自互联网

65 forte
n.长处，擅长；adj.(音乐)强音的
参考例句：
Her forte is playing the piano.她擅长弹钢琴。 His forte is to show people around in the company.他最拿手的就是向大家介绍公司。

66 unintelligible
adj.无法了解的，难解的，莫明其妙的
参考例句：
If a computer is given unintelligible data, it returns unintelligible results.如果计算机得到的是难以理解的数据，它给出的也将是难以理解的结果。 The terms were unintelligible to ordinary folk.这些术语一般人是不懂的。

67 humble
adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低
参考例句：
In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。 Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

68 sufficiently
adv.足够地，充分地
参考例句：
It turned out he had not insured the house sufficiently.原来他没有给房屋投足保险。 The new policy was sufficiently elastic to accommodate both views.新政策充分灵活地适用两种观点。

69 esteemed
adj.受人尊敬的v.尊敬( esteem的过去式和过去分词 )；敬重；认为；以为
参考例句：
The art of conversation is highly esteemed in France. 在法国十分尊重谈话技巧。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He esteemed that he understood what I had said. 他认为已经听懂我说的意思了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

70 previously
adv.以前，先前（地）
参考例句：
The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。 Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

71 adversary
adj.敌手，对手
参考例句：
He saw her as his main adversary within the company.他将她视为公司中主要的对手。 They will do anything to undermine their adversary's reputation.他们会不择手段地去损害对手的名誉。

72 mooted
adj.未决定的，有争议的，有疑问的v.提出…供讨论( moot的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The is sue was mooted on the Senate floor. 该问题在参院被提出讨论。 来自辞典例句 The question mooted in the board meeting is still a moot point. 那个在董事会上（提出讨论）的问题仍（未决的）。 来自互联网

73 lieutenant
n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员
参考例句：
He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。 He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

74 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。

75 swell
vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强
参考例句：
The waves had taken on a deep swell.海浪汹涌。 His injured wrist began to swell.他那受伤的手腕开始肿了。

76 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》

77 prospects
n.希望，前途(恒为复数)
参考例句：
There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。 They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。

78 inclination
n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好
参考例句：
She greeted us with a slight inclination of the head.她微微点头向我们致意。 I did not feel the slightest inclination to hurry.我没有丝毫着急的意思。

79 compensate
vt.补偿，赔偿；酬报 vi.弥补；补偿；抵消
参考例句：
She used her good looks to compensate her lack of intelligence. 她利用她漂亮的外表来弥补智力的不足。 Nothing can compensate for the loss of one's health. 一个人失去了键康是不可弥补的。

80 drawn
v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的
参考例句：
All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。 Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

81 promising
adj.有希望的，有前途的
参考例句：
The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。 We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

82 disinterested
adj.不关心的，不感兴趣的
参考例句：
He is impartial and disinterested.他公正无私。 He's always on the make,I have never known him do a disinterested action.他这个人一贯都是唯利是图，我从来不知道他有什么无私的行动。