关注小说网官方公众号(noveltingroom),原版名著免费领。
The house in Twenty-ninth Street was a solid and substantial one which could only be occupied by a man of wealth. It was handsomely furnished, and all the appointments were such as to confirm the impression that its occupant was, to say the least, in easy circumstances financially. But it happens oftentimes that outward impressions are very far from correct. It was a fact that Paul Morton, who had lived here for ten years, was on the
verge1 of ruin, and knew very well that unless some help should come he would be compelled to leave his fine residence and sink into poverty and obscurity.
He was a downtown merchant, but
lured2 by the hope of large gains, had indulged in outside
speculations3 which had sapped the springs of his prosperity and brought him face to face with ruin.
Just at this
juncture4, on reaching home one day,
jaded5 and anxious, he found that a guest had arrived whom they had not seen for years. Ralph[Pg 10] Raymond was his cousin, and of about the same age as himself. As boys they had been sworn friends and comrades, and each had promised the other that if he died first without family ties, he would leave to the
survivor6 his entire property, whatever it might amount to.
When they became young men, Paul Morton remained in New York, but Ralph went, after a few years, to China, where he had spent his subsequent life with brief
intervals7, as a successful merchant. Paul Morton heard from time to time of his success, and that he had accumulated a fortune, and the thought occurred to him, for earlier generous feelings had been swallowed up in the greed of gain, "If he only dies first, I shall be greatly the gainer."
When he met his friend, he found him greatly changed. He was thin, sallow, and to outward appearance hadn't long to live.
"You find me greatly changed, Paul, do you not?" said Ralph Raymond.
点击

收听单词发音
1
verge
|
|
n.边,边缘;v.接近,濒临 |
参考例句: |
- The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
- She was on the verge of bursting into tears.她快要哭出来了。
|
2
lured
|
|
吸引,引诱(lure的过去式与过去分词形式) |
参考例句: |
- The child was lured into a car but managed to escape. 那小孩被诱骗上了车,但又设法逃掉了。
- Lured by the lust of gold,the pioneers pushed onward. 开拓者在黄金的诱惑下,继续奋力向前。
|
3
speculations
|
|
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》
|
4
juncture
|
|
n.时刻,关键时刻,紧要关头 |
参考例句: |
- The project is situated at the juncture of the new and old urban districts.该项目位于新老城区交界处。
- It is very difficult at this juncture to predict the company's future.此时很难预料公司的前景。
|
5
jaded
|
|
adj.精疲力竭的;厌倦的;(因过饱或过多而)腻烦的;迟钝的 |
参考例句: |
- I felt terribly jaded after working all weekend. 整个周末工作之后我感到疲惫不堪。
- Here is a dish that will revive jaded palates. 这道菜简直可以恢复迟钝的味觉。 来自《简明英汉词典》
|
6
survivor
|
|
n.生存者,残存者,幸存者 |
参考例句: |
- The sole survivor of the crash was an infant.这次撞车的惟一幸存者是一个婴儿。
- There was only one survivor of the plane crash.这次飞机失事中只有一名幸存者。
|
7
intervals
|
|
n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 );间隔时间;[数学]区间;(戏剧、电影或音乐会的)幕间休息 |
参考例句: |
- The forecast said there would be sunny intervals and showers. 预报间晴,有阵雨。
- Meetings take place at fortnightly intervals. 每两周开一次会。
|
8
insidious
|
|
adj.阴险的,隐匿的,暗中为害的,(疾病)不知不觉之间加剧 |
参考例句: |
- That insidious man bad-mouthed me to almost everyone else.那个阴险的家伙几乎见人便说我的坏话。
- Organized crime has an insidious influence on all who come into contact with it.所有和集团犯罪有关的人都会不知不觉地受坏影响。
|
9
attenuated
|
|
v.(使)变细( attenuate的过去式和过去分词 );(使)变薄;(使)变小;减弱 |
参考例句: |
- an attenuated form of the virus 毒性已衰减的病毒
- You're a seraphic suggestion of attenuated thought . 你的思想是轻灵得如同天使一般的。 来自辞典例句
|
10
exultation
|
|
n.狂喜,得意 |
参考例句: |
- It made him catch his breath, it lit his face with exultation. 听了这个名字,他屏住呼吸,乐得脸上放光。
- He could get up no exultation that was really worthy the name. 他一点都激动不起来。
|
11
embarrassments
|
|
n.尴尬( embarrassment的名词复数 );难堪;局促不安;令人难堪或耻辱的事 |
参考例句: |
- But there have been many embarrassments along the way. 但是一路走来已经是窘境不断。 来自互联网
- The embarrassments don't stop there. 让人难受的事情还没完。 来自互联网
|
12
standing
|
|
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。
|
13
spoke
|
|
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说 |
参考例句: |
- They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
- The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
|
14
plunged
|
|
v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 );暴跌;骤降;突降 |
参考例句: |
- The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。
- She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳,从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。
|
15
pecuniary
|
|
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。
|
16
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。
|
17
chamber
|
|
n.房间,寝室;会议厅;议院;会所 |
参考例句: |
- For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说,牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
- The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。
|
18
attentive
|
|
adj.注意的,专心的;关心(别人)的,殷勤的 |
参考例句: |
- She was very attentive to her guests.她对客人招待得十分周到。
- The speaker likes to have an attentive audience.演讲者喜欢注意力集中的听众。
|
19
constrained
|
|
adj.束缚的,节制的 |
参考例句: |
- The evidence was so compelling that he felt constrained to accept it. 证据是那样的令人折服,他觉得不得不接受。
- I feel constrained to write and ask for your forgiveness. 我不得不写信请你原谅。
|
©英文小说网 2005-2010