Great was the dismay of Mrs. Rushton when she heard from Robert that he was discharged from the factory. She was a timid woman, and rather apt to take desponding views of the future.
"Oh, Robert, what is going to become of us?" she exclaimed,
nervously1. "We have only ten dollars in the house, and you know how little I can earn by braiding straw. I really think you were too hasty and impetuous."
"Don't be alarmed, my dear mother," said Robert,
soothingly2. "I am sorry I have lost my place, but there are other things I can do besides working in the factory. We are not going to starve yet."
"But, suppose you can't find any work?" said his mother.
"Then I'll help you braid straw," said Robert, laughing. "Don't you think I might learn after a while?"
"I don't know but you might," said Mrs. Rushton,
dubiously3; "but the pay is very poor."
"That's so, mother. I shan't, take to braiding straw except as a last resort."
"Wouldn't Mr. Davis take you back into the factory if I went to him and told him how much we needed the money?"
"Don't think of such a thing, mother," said Robert, hastily, his brown cheek flushing. "I am too proud to beg to be taken back."
"But it wouldn't be you."
"I would sooner ask myself than have you do it, mother. No; the
superintendent4 sent me away for no good reason, and he must come and ask me to return before I'll do it."
"I am afraid you are proud, Robert."
"So I am, mother; but it is an honest pride. Have faith in me for a week, mother, and see if I don't earn something in that time. I don't expect to make as much as I earned at the factory; but I'll earn something, you may depend upon that. Now, how would you like to have some fish for supper?"
"I think I should like it. It is a good while since we had any."
"Then, I'll tell you what—I'll borrow Will Paine's boat, if he'll let me have it, and see if I can't catch something."
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收听单词发音
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1
nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 |
参考例句： |
- He bit his lip nervously,trying not to cry.他紧张地咬着唇，努力忍着不哭出来。
- He paced nervously up and down on the platform.他在站台上情绪不安地走来走去。
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2
soothingly
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| adv.抚慰地，安慰地；镇痛地 |
参考例句： |
- The mother talked soothingly to her child. 母亲对自己的孩子安慰地说。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- He continued to talk quietly and soothingly to the girl until her frightened grip on his arm was relaxed. 他继续柔声安慰那姑娘，她那因恐惧而紧抓住他的手终于放松了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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3
dubiously
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| adv.可疑地，怀疑地 |
参考例句： |
- "What does he have to do?" queried Chin dubiously. “他有什么心事？”琴向觉民问道，她的脸上现出疑惑不解的神情。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）
- He walked out fast, leaving the head waiter staring dubiously at the flimsy blue paper. 他很快地走出去，撇下侍者头儿半信半疑地瞪着这张薄薄的蓝纸。 来自辞典例句
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4
superintendent
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| n.监督人，主管，总监；(英国)警务长 |
参考例句： |
- He was soon promoted to the post of superintendent of Foreign Trade.他很快就被擢升为对外贸易总监。
- He decided to call the superintendent of the building.他决定给楼房管理员打电话。
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5
squire
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| n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 |
参考例句： |
- I told him the squire was the most liberal of men.我告诉他乡绅是世界上最宽宏大量的人。
- The squire was hard at work at Bristol.乡绅在布里斯托尔热衷于他的工作。
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6
sneak
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| vt.潜行(隐藏,填石缝)；偷偷摸摸做；n.潜行；adj.暗中进行 |
参考例句： |
- He raised his spear and sneak forward.他提起长矛悄悄地前进。
- I saw him sneak away from us.我看见他悄悄地从我们身边走开。
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7
stanch
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| v.止住（血等）；adj.坚固的；坚定的 |
参考例句： |
- Cuttlebone can be used as a medicine to stanch bleeding.海螵蛸可以入药，用来止血。
- I thought it my duty to help stanch these leaks.我认为帮助堵塞漏洞是我的职责。
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8
drooped
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| 弯曲或下垂，发蔫( droop的过去式和过去分词 ) |
参考例句： |
- Her eyelids drooped as if she were on the verge of sleep. 她眼睑低垂好像快要睡着的样子。
- The flowers drooped in the heat of the sun. 花儿晒蔫了。
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9
thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 |
参考例句： |
- He wandered hither and thither looking for a playmate.他逛来逛去找玩伴。
- He tramped hither and thither.他到处流浪。
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10
oars
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| n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 ) |
参考例句： |
- He pulled as hard as he could on the oars. 他拼命地划桨。
- The sailors are bending to the oars. 水手们在拼命地划桨。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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11
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 |
参考例句： |
- After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
- They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
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12
mortification
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| n.耻辱，屈辱 |
参考例句： |
- To my mortification, my manuscript was rejected. 使我感到失面子的是：我的稿件被退了回来。
- The chairman tried to disguise his mortification. 主席试图掩饰自己的窘迫。
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13
meddle
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| v.干预，干涉，插手 |
参考例句： |
- I hope he doesn't try to meddle in my affairs.我希望他不来干预我的事情。
- Do not meddle in things that do not concern you.别参与和自己无关的事。
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14
impudent
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| adj.鲁莽的，卑鄙的，厚颜无耻的 |
参考例句： |
- She's tolerant toward those impudent colleagues.她对那些无礼的同事采取容忍的态度。
- The teacher threatened to kick the impudent pupil out of the room.老师威胁着要把这无礼的小学生撵出教室。
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15
rascal
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| n.流氓；不诚实的人 |
参考例句： |
- If he had done otherwise,I should have thought him a rascal.如果他不这样做，我就认为他是个恶棍。
- The rascal was frightened into holding his tongue.这坏蛋吓得不敢往下说了。
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16
cane
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| n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的 |
参考例句： |
- This sugar cane is quite a sweet and juicy.这甘蔗既甜又多汁。
- English schoolmasters used to cane the boys as a punishment.英国小学老师过去常用教鞭打男学生作为惩罚。
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17
enviously
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| adv.满怀嫉妒地 |
参考例句： |
- Yet again, they were looking for their way home blindly, enviously. 然而，它们又一次盲目地、忌妒地寻找着归途。 来自辞典例句
- Tanya thought enviously, he must go a long way south. 坦妮亚歆羡不置，心里在想，他准是去那遥远的南方的。 来自辞典例句
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18
speculations
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| n.投机买卖( speculation的名词复数 )；思考；投机活动；推断 |
参考例句： |
- Your speculations were all quite close to the truth. 你的揣测都很接近于事实。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
- This possibility gives rise to interesting speculations. 这种可能性引起了有趣的推测。 来自《用法词典》
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19
persuasions
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| n.劝说，说服（力）( persuasion的名词复数 )；信仰 |
参考例句： |
- To obtain more advertisting it needed readers of all political persuasions. 为获得更多的广告，它需要迎合各种政治见解的读者。 来自辞典例句
- She lingered, and resisted my persuasions to departure a tiresome while. 她踌躇不去，我好说歹说地劝她走，她就是不听。 来自辞典例句
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20
decided
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| 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。
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21
forestalled
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| v.先发制人，预先阻止( forestall的过去式和过去分词 ) |
参考例句： |
- She forestalled their attempt. 她先发制人，阻止了他们的企图。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- I had my objection all prepared, but Stephens forestalled me. 我已做好准备要提出反对意见，不料斯蒂芬斯却抢先了一步。 来自辞典例句
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22
parlor
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| n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅 |
参考例句： |
- She was lying on a small settee in the parlor.她躺在客厅的一张小长椅上。
- Is there a pizza parlor in the neighborhood?附近有没有比萨店？
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23
maliciously
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| adv.有敌意地 |
参考例句： |
- He was charged with maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm. 他被控蓄意严重伤害他人身体。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- His enemies maliciously conspired to ruin him. 他的敌人恶毒地密谋搞垮他。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
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pointedly
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| adv.尖地，明显地 |
参考例句： |
- She yawned and looked pointedly at her watch. 她打了个哈欠，又刻意地看了看手表。
- The demand for an apology was pointedly refused. 让对方道歉的要求遭到了断然拒绝。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 |
参考例句： |
- Some women have a disposition to jealousy.有些女人生性爱妒忌。
- I can't support your jealousy any longer.我再也无法忍受你的嫉妒了。
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