“As for the boy,” said
Squire1 Pope, with his usual autocratic air, “I shall place him in the poorhouse.”
“But, Benjamin,” said gentle Mrs. Pope, who had a
kindly2 and sympathetic heart, “isn't that a little hard?”
“Hard, Almira?” said the squire, arching his
eyebrows3. “I fail to comprehend your meaning.”
“You know Philip has been tenderly reared, and has always had a comfortable home—”
“He will have a comfortable home now, Mrs. Pope. Probably you are not aware that it cost the town two thousand dollars last year to maintain the almshouse. I can show you the item in the town report.”
“I don't doubt it at all, husband,” said Mrs. Pope gently. “Of course you know all about it, being a public man.”
Squire Pope smiled
complacently4. It pleased him to be spoken of as a public man.
“Ahem! Well, yes, I believe I have no inconsiderable influence in town affairs,” he responded. “I am on the board of selectmen, and am chairman of the overseers of the poor, and in that capacity I shall convey Philip Gray to the comfortable and well-ordered institution which the town has set apart for the relief of
paupers6.”
“I don't like to think of Philip as a pauper,” said Mrs. Pope, in a deprecating tone.
“What else is he?” urged her husband. “His father hasn't left a cent. He never was a good manager.”
“Won't the furniture sell for something, Benjamin?”
“It will sell for about enough to pay the funeral expenses and outstanding debts-that is all.”
“But it seems so hard for a boy well brought up to go to the poorhouse.”
“You mean well, Almira, but you let your feelings run away with you. You may depend upon it, it is the best thing for the boy. But I must write a letter in time for the mail.”
Squire Pope rose from the breakfast-table and walked out of the room with his usual air of importance. Not even in the privacy of the domestic circle did he forget his social and official importance.
点击
收听单词发音
|
1
squire
|
|
| 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。
|
|
2
kindly
|
|
| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 |
参考例句： |
- Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
- A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。
|
|
3
eyebrows
|
|
| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) |
参考例句： |
- Eyebrows stop sweat from coming down into the eyes. 眉毛挡住汗水使其不能流进眼睛。
- His eyebrows project noticeably. 他的眉毛特别突出。
|
|
4
complacently
|
|
| adv. 满足地, 自满地, 沾沾自喜地 |
参考例句： |
- He complacently lived out his life as a village school teacher. 他满足于一个乡村教师的生活。
- "That was just something for evening wear," returned his wife complacently. “那套衣服是晚装，"他妻子心安理得地说道。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
|
|
5
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。
|
|
6
paupers
|
|
| n.穷人( pauper的名词复数 )；贫民；贫穷 |
参考例句： |
- The garment is expensive, paupers like you could never afford it! 这件衣服很贵，你这穷鬼根本买不起！ 来自互联网
- Child-friendliest among the paupers were Burkina Faso and Malawi. 布基纳法索，马拉维，这俩贫穷国家儿童友善工作做得不错。 来自互联网
|
|
7
possessed
|
|
| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 |
参考例句： |
- He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。
- He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。
|
|
8
deference
|
|
| n.尊重，顺从；敬意 |
参考例句： |
- Do you treat your parents and teachers with deference?你对父母师长尊敬吗？
- The major defect of their work was deference to authority.他们的主要缺陷是趋从权威。
|
|
9
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。
|
|
10
condescension
|
|
| n.自以为高人一等，贬低(别人) |
参考例句： |
- His politeness smacks of condescension. 他的客气带有屈尊俯就的意味。
- Despite its condescension toward the Bennet family, the letter begins to allay Elizabeth's prejudice against Darcy. 尽管这封信对班纳特家的态度很高傲，但它开始消除伊丽莎白对达西的偏见。
|
|
11
unwilling
|
|
| adj.不情愿的 |
参考例句： |
- The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。
- His tightfisted employer was unwilling to give him a raise.他那吝啬的雇主不肯给他加薪。
|
|
12
decided
|
|
| 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。
|
|
13
destitution
|
|
| n.穷困，缺乏，贫穷 |
参考例句： |
- The people lived in destitution. 民生凋敝。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
- His drinking led him to a life of destitution. 酗酒导致他生活贫穷。 来自辞典例句
|
|
14
retirement
|
|
| n.退休，退职 |
参考例句： |
- She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
- I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。
|
|
15
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。
|
|
16
invalid
|
|
| n.病人，伤残人；adj.有病的，伤残的；无效的 |
参考例句： |
- He will visit an invalid.他将要去看望一个病人。
- A passport that is out of date is invalid.护照过期是无效的。
|
|
17
consign
|
|
| vt.寄售（货品），托运，交托，委托 |
参考例句： |
- We cannot agree to consign the goods.我们不同意寄售此货。
- We will consign the goods to him by express.我们将以快递把货物寄给他。
|
|
18
rumor
|
|
| n.谣言，谣传，传说 |
参考例句： |
- The rumor has been traced back to a bad man.那谣言经追查是个坏人造的。
- The rumor has taken air.谣言流传开了。
|
|
19
guardian
|
|
| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 |
参考例句： |
- The form must be signed by the child's parents or guardian. 这张表格须由孩子的家长或监护人签字。
- The press is a guardian of the public weal. 报刊是公共福利的卫护者。
|
|
20
exertion
|
|
| n.尽力，努力 |
参考例句： |
- We were sweating profusely from the exertion of moving the furniture.我们搬动家具大费气力，累得大汗淋漓。
- She was hot and breathless from the exertion of cycling uphill.由于用力骑车爬坡，她浑身发热。
|
|
21
apparently
|
|
| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 |
参考例句： |
- An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
- He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。
|
|
22
stupor
|
|
| v.昏迷；不省人事 |
参考例句： |
- As the whisky took effect, he gradually fell into a drunken stupor.随着威士忌酒力发作，他逐渐醉得不省人事。
- The noise of someone banging at the door roused her from her stupor.梆梆的敲门声把她从昏迷中唤醒了。
|
