Helping Himself
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CHAPTER III — GRANT WALKS TO SOMERSET

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 GODFREY THORNTON, Grant's uncle, lived in the neighboring town of Somerset. He was an old bachelor, three years older than his brother, the minister, and followed the profession of a lawyer. His business was not large, but his habits were frugal1, and he had managed to save up ten thousand dollars. Grant had always been a favorite with him, and having no son of his own he had formed the plan of sending him to college. He was ambitious that he should be a professional man.
It might have been supposed that he would have felt disposed to assist his brother, whose scanty2 salary he knew was inadequate3 to the needs of a family. But Godfrey Thornton was an obstinate4 man, and chose to give assistance in his own way, and no other. It would be a very handsome thing, he thought, to give his nephew a college education. And so, indeed, it would. But he forgot one thing. In families of limited means, when a boy reaches the age of fifteen or sixteen he is very properly expected to earn something toward the family income, and this Grant could not do while preparing for college. If his uncle could have made up his mind to give his brother a small sum annually5 to make up for this, all would have been well. Not that this idea had suggested itself to the Rev6. John Thorn-ton. He felt grateful for his brother's intentions toward Grant, and had bright hopes of his boy's future. But, in truth, pecuniary7 troubles affected8 him less than his wife. She was the manager, and it was for her to contrive9 and be anxious.
After Grant had arranged the matters referred to in the preceding chapter, he told his mother that he proposed to go to Somerset to call on his uncle.
“No, Grant, I don't object, though I should be sorry to have you lose the chance of an education.”

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1 frugal af0zf     
adj.节俭的，节约的，少量的，微量的
参考例句：
  • He was a VIP,but he had a frugal life.他是位要人，但生活俭朴。
  • The old woman is frugal to the extreme.那老妇人节约到了极点。
2 scanty ZDPzx     
adj.缺乏的，仅有的，节省的，狭小的，不够的
参考例句：
  • There is scanty evidence to support their accusations.他们的指控证据不足。
  • The rainfall was rather scanty this month.这个月的雨量不足。
3 inadequate 2kzyk     
adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的
参考例句：
  • The supply is inadequate to meet the demand.供不应求。
  • She was inadequate to the demands that were made on her.她还无力满足对她提出的各项要求。
4 obstinate m0dy6     
adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的
参考例句：
  • She's too obstinate to let anyone help her.她太倔强了，不会让任何人帮她的。
  • The trader was obstinate in the negotiation.这个商人在谈判中拗强固执。
5 annually VzYzNO     
adv.一年一次，每年
参考例句：
  • Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。
  • They celebrate their wedding anniversary annually.他们每年庆祝一番结婚纪念日。
6 rev njvzwS     
v.发动机旋转，加快速度
参考例句：
  • It's his job to rev up the audience before the show starts.他要负责在表演开始前鼓动观众的热情。
  • Don't rev the engine so hard.别让发动机转得太快。
7 pecuniary Vixyo     
adj.金钱的；金钱上的
参考例句：
  • She denies obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception.她否认通过欺骗手段获得经济利益。
  • She is so independent that she refused all pecuniary aid.她很独立，所以拒绝一切金钱上的资助。
8 affected TzUzg0     
adj.不自然的，假装的
参考例句：
  • She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
  • His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。
9 contrive GpqzY     
vt.谋划，策划；设法做到；设计，想出
参考例句：
  • Can you contrive to be here a little earlier?你能不能早一点来？
  • How could you contrive to make such a mess of things?你怎么把事情弄得一团糟呢？
10 perfectly 8Mzxb     
adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地
参考例句：
  • The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
  • Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。
11 abruptly iINyJ     
adv.突然地，出其不意地
参考例句：
  • He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。
  • I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。
12 uncommon AlPwO     
adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的
参考例句：
  • Such attitudes were not at all uncommon thirty years ago.这些看法在30年前很常见。
  • Phil has uncommon intelligence.菲尔智力超群。
13 crestfallen Aagy0     
adj. 挫败的，失望的，沮丧的
参考例句：
  • He gathered himself up and sneaked off,crushed and crestfallen.他爬起来，偷偷地溜了，一副垂头丧气、被斗败的样子。
  • The youth looked exceedingly crestfallen.那青年看上去垂头丧气极了。
14 accomplished UzwztZ     
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。
15 drawn MuXzIi     
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。

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