Helen was engaged in
rinsing1 up the breakfast dishes, thinking busily meantime what could be done for Herbert, when a gentle tap called her to the door. Wondering a little at so early a call, she looked up to meet the smiling face of Mr. Sharp.
“Good morning, Mr. Sharp,” she said, politely. “Won’t you come in and see papa?”
“Thank you, my dear Miss
Ford2; at the risk of interrupting your respected father in his valuable scientific
labors3 I will yet do so. I am quite aware that I have called at an unseasonable hour. I should not have ventured to do it, but that I am summoned hither by business of an important character—business, which I may venture to hope, will make me welcome.”
“You are welcome, sir; we are always glad to see one who has shown himself a friend.”
“Thank you, my dear Miss Ford. Such a
testimony4 is most grateful to my feelings, the more so that I feel, so far as my intentions are concerned, it is not wholly undeserved.”
“Papa, Mr. Sharp is here,” said Helen, going up to her father, and laying her hand lightly upon his shoulder.
Rousing at the touch, Mr. Ford advanced and welcomed the lawyer cordially.
“I was just apologizing to your charming daughter for calling so early,” said Mr. Sharp.
268“There is no occasion for that,” said Mr. Ford,
courteously5. “We don’t stand on ceremony with our friends.”
“I hope you will ever include me in that number. But my call this morning is of a business character.”
“Shall I leave the room, papa?”
“No, my dear, I can have no business in which you are not equally interested.”
“By no means, my dear Miss Ford; I particularly desire that you should be present. Mr. Ford, I called on your cousin Lewis last evening.”
“And I suppose he renewed his offer,” said Mr. Ford, hastily. “Tell him from me that I shall accept no
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收听单词发音
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1
rinsing
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| n.清水，残渣v.漂洗( rinse的现在分词 )；冲洗；用清水漂洗掉（肥皂泡等）；（用清水）冲掉 |
参考例句： |
- Pablo made a swishing noise rinsing wine in his mouth. 巴勃罗用酒漱着口，发出咕噜噜噜的声音。 来自辞典例句
- The absorption of many molecular layers could be reestablished by rinsing the foils with tap water. 多分子层的吸附作用可用自来水淋洗金属箔而重新实现。 来自辞典例句
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2
Ford
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| n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过 |
参考例句： |
- They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
- If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。
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3
labors
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| v.努力争取(for)( labor的第三人称单数 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 |
参考例句： |
- He was tiresome in contending for the value of his own labors. 他老为他自己劳动的价值而争强斗胜，令人生厌。 来自辞典例句
- Farm labors used to hire themselves out for the summer. 农业劳动者夏季常去当雇工。 来自辞典例句
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4
testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 |
参考例句： |
- The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
- He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。
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5
courteously
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| adv.有礼貌地，亲切地 |
参考例句： |
- He courteously opened the door for me.他谦恭有礼地为我开门。
- Presently he rose courteously and released her.过了一会，他就很客气地站起来，让她走开。
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6
pittance
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| n.微薄的薪水，少量 |
参考例句： |
- Her secretaries work tirelessly for a pittance.她的秘书们为一点微薄的工资不知疲倦地工作。
- The widow must live on her slender pittance.那寡妇只能靠自己微薄的收入过活。
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 |
参考例句： |
- They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
- I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。
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extorted
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| v.敲诈( extort的过去式和过去分词 )；曲解 |
参考例句： |
- The gang extorted money from over 30 local businesses. 这帮歹徒向当地30多户商家勒索过钱财。
- He extorted a promise from me. 他硬要我答应。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 |
参考例句： |
- The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
- His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。
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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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conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 |
参考例句： |
- He had to conceal his identity to escape the police.为了躲避警方，他只好隐瞒身份。
- He could hardly conceal his joy at his departure.他几乎掩饰不住临行时的喜悦。
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suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 |
参考例句： |
- The suspense was unbearable.这样提心吊胆的状况实在叫人受不了。
- The director used ingenious devices to keep the audience in suspense.导演用巧妙手法引起观众的悬念。
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acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 |
参考例句： |
- Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
- During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。
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authorize
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| v.授权，委任；批准，认可 |
参考例句： |
- He said that he needed to get his supervisor to authorize my refund.他说必须让主管人员批准我的退款。
- Only the President could authorize the use of the atomic bomb.只有总统才能授权使用原子弹。
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proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 |
参考例句： |
- He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
- to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼
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tardy
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| adj.缓慢的，迟缓的 |
参考例句： |
- It's impolite to make a tardy appearance.晚到是不礼貌的。
- The boss is unsatisfied with the tardy tempo.老板不满于这种缓慢的进度。
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disinterested
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| 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。
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humble
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| 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。
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interfere
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| 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。
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compensate
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| 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。
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allude
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| v.提及，暗指 |
参考例句： |
- Many passages in Scripture allude to this concept.圣经中有许多经文间接地提到这样的概念。
- She also alluded to her rival's past marital troubles.她还影射了对手过去的婚姻问题。
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investigations
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| （正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究 |
参考例句： |
- His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
- He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 |
参考例句： |
- It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长，到家时我们已筋疲力尽。
- Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。
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opposition
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| 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。
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embolden
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| v.给…壮胆，鼓励 |
参考例句： |
- Emboldened by the wine,he went over to introduce himself to her.他借酒壮胆，走上前去向她作自我介绍。
- The Prime Minister was steadily emboldened by the discovery that he faced no opposition.发现自己并未遭到反对，首相渐渐有了信心。
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