There were many rooms in the villa¹, but one room which possesseda character of its own because the door was always shut, and nosound of music or laughter issued from it. Every one in the housewas vaguely³ conscious that something went on behind that door,and without in the least knowing what it was, were influenced intheir own thoughts by the knowledge that if the passed it the doorwould be shut, and if they made a noise Mr. Ambrose inside wouldbe disturbed. Certain acts therefore possessed² merit, and otherswere bad, so that life became more harmonious⁴ and less disconnectedthan it would have been had Mr. Ambrose given up editing _Pindar_,and taken to a nomad⁵ existence, in and out of every room in the house.

　　As it was, every one was conscious that by observing certain rules,such as punctuality and quiet, by cooking well, and performing othersmall duties, one ode after another was satisfactorily restoredto the world, and they shared the continuity of the scholar's life.

　　Unfortunately, as age puts one barrier between human beings,and learning another, and sex a third, Mr. Ambrose in his studywas some thousand miles distant from the nearest human being,who in this household was inevitably⁶ a woman. He sat hour after houramong white-leaved books, alone like an idol⁷ in an empty church,still except for the passage of his hand from one side of the sheetto another, silent save for an occasional choke, which drove himto extend his pipe a moment in the air. As he worked his wayfurther and further into the heart of the poet, his chair becamemore and more deeply encircled by books, which lay open on the floor,and could only be crossed by a careful process of stepping,so delicate that his visitors generally stopped and addressed himfrom the outskirts⁸.

　　On the morning after the dance, however, Rachel came into heruncle's room and hailed him twice, "Uncle Ridley," before hepaid her any attention.

点击收听单词发音  

1 villa
n.别墅，城郊小屋
参考例句：
We rented a villa in France for the summer holidays.我们在法国租了一幢别墅消夏。 We are quartered in a beautiful villa.我们住在一栋漂亮的别墅里。

2 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。

3 vaguely
adv.含糊地，暖昧地
参考例句：
He had talked vaguely of going to work abroad.他含糊其词地说了到国外工作的事。 He looked vaguely before him with unseeing eyes.他迷迷糊糊的望着前面，对一切都视而不见。

4 harmonious
adj.和睦的，调和的，和谐的，协调的
参考例句：
Their harmonious relationship resulted in part from their similar goals.他们关系融洽的部分原因是他们有着相似的目标。 The room was painted in harmonious colors.房间油漆得色彩调和。

5 nomad
n.游牧部落的人，流浪者，游牧民
参考例句：
He was indeed a nomad of no nationality.他的确是个无国籍的游民。 The nomad life is rough and hazardous.游牧生活艰苦又危险。

6 inevitably
adv.不可避免地；必然发生地
参考例句：
In the way you go on,you are inevitably coming apart.照你们这样下去，毫无疑问是会散伙的。 Technological changes will inevitably lead to unemployment.技术变革必然会导致失业。

7 idol
n.偶像，红人，宠儿
参考例句：
As an only child he was the idol of his parents.作为独子，他是父母的宠儿。 Blind worship of this idol must be ended.对这个偶像的盲目崇拜应该结束了。

8 outskirts
n.郊外，郊区
参考例句：
Our car broke down on the outskirts of the city.我们的汽车在市郊出了故障。 They mostly live on the outskirts of a town.他们大多住在近郊。

9 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。

10 enquired
打听( enquire的过去式和过去分词 )； 询问； 问问题； 查问
参考例句：
He enquired for the book in a bookstore. 他在书店查询那本书。 Fauchery jestingly enquired whether the Minister was coming too. 浮式瑞嘲笑着问部长是否也会来。

11 stammered
v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He stammered most when he was nervous. 他一紧张往往口吃。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 Barsad leaned back in his chair, and stammered, \"What do you mean?\" 巴萨往椅背上一靠，结结巴巴地说，“你是什么意思？” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

12 commentators
n.评论员( commentator的名词复数 )；时事评论员；注释者；实况广播员
参考例句：
Sports commentators repeat the same phrases ad nauseam. 体育解说员翻来覆去说着同样的词语，真叫人腻烦。 Television sports commentators repeat the same phrases ad nauseam. 电视体育解说员说来说去就是那么几句话，令人厌烦。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 random
adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动
参考例句：
The list is arranged in a random order.名单排列不分先后。 On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。

14 idiotic
adj.白痴的
参考例句：
It is idiotic to go shopping with no money.去买东西而不带钱是很蠢的。 The child's idiotic deeds caused his family much trouble.那小孩愚蠢的行为给家庭带来许多麻烦。

15 screech
n./v.尖叫；(发出)刺耳的声音
参考例句：
He heard a screech of brakes and then fell down. 他听到汽车刹车发出的尖锐的声音,然后就摔倒了。 The screech of jet planes violated the peace of the afternoon. 喷射机的尖啸声侵犯了下午的平静。

16 fiddle
n.小提琴；vi.拉提琴；不停拨弄，乱动
参考例句：
She plays the fiddle well.她小提琴拉得好。 Don't fiddle with the typewriter.不要摆弄那架打字机了。

17 pointed
adj.尖的，直截了当的
参考例句：
He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。 She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

18 bestowing
砖窑中砖堆上层已烧透的砖
参考例句：
Apollo, you see, is bestowing the razor on the Triptolemus of our craft. 你瞧，阿波罗正在把剃刀赠给我们这项手艺的特里泼托勒默斯。 What thanks do we not owe to Heaven for thus bestowing tranquillity, health and competence! 我们要谢谢上苍，赐我们的安乐、健康和饱暖。

19 inexplicable
adj.无法解释的，难理解的
参考例句：
It is now inexplicable how that development was misinterpreted.当时对这一事态发展的错误理解究竟是怎么产生的，现在已经无法说清楚了。 There are many things which are inexplicable by science.有很多事科学还无法解释。

20 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。

21 luncheon
n.午宴，午餐，便宴
参考例句：
We have luncheon at twelve o'clock.我们十二点钟用午餐。 I have a luncheon engagement.我午饭有约。

22 civilisation
n.文明，文化，开化，教化
参考例句：
Energy and ideas are the twin bases of our civilisation.能源和思想是我们文明的两大基石。 This opera is one of the cultural totems of Western civilisation.这部歌剧是西方文明的文化标志物之一。

23 farmhouse
n.农场住宅（尤指主要住房）
参考例句：
We fell for the farmhouse as soon as we saw it.我们对那所农舍一见倾心。 We put up for the night at a farmhouse.我们在一间农舍投宿了一夜。

24 glossy
adj.平滑的；有光泽的
参考例句：
I like these glossy spots.我喜欢这些闪闪发光的花点。 She had glossy black hair.她长着乌黑发亮的头发。

25 petals
n.花瓣( petal的名词复数 )
参考例句：
white petals tinged with blue 略带蓝色的白花瓣 The petals of many flowers expand in the sunshine. 许多花瓣在阳光下开放。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

26 exquisite
adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的
参考例句：
I was admiring the exquisite workmanship in the mosaic.我当时正在欣赏镶嵌画的精致做工。 I still remember the exquisite pleasure I experienced in Bali.我依然记得在巴厘岛所经历的那种剧烈的快感。

27 crimson
n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色
参考例句：
She went crimson with embarrassment.她羞得满脸通红。 Maple leaves have turned crimson.枫叶已经红了。

28 unreasonable
adj.不讲道理的，不合情理的，过度的
参考例句：
I know that they made the most unreasonable demands on you.我知道他们对你提出了最不合理的要求。 They spend an unreasonable amount of money on clothes.他们花在衣服上的钱太多了。

29 tunes
n.曲调，曲子( tune的名词复数 )v.调音( tune的第三人称单数 )；调整；（给收音机、电视等）调谐；使协调
参考例句：
a potpourri of tunes 乐曲集锦 When things get a bit too much, she simply tunes out temporarily. 碰到事情太棘手时，她干脆暂时撒手不管。 来自《简明英汉词典》

30 constraint
n.(on)约束，限制；限制(或约束)性的事物
参考例句：
The boy felt constraint in her presence.那男孩在她面前感到局促不安。 The lack of capital is major constraint on activities in the informal sector.资本短缺也是影响非正规部门生产经营的一个重要制约因素。

31 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。

32 caressing
爱抚的，表现爱情的，亲切的
参考例句：
The spring wind is gentle and caressing. 春风和畅。 He sat silent still caressing Tartar, who slobbered with exceeding affection. 他不声不响地坐在那里，不断抚摸着鞑靼，它由于获得超常的爱抚而不淌口水。

33 pebbles
[复数]鹅卵石； 沙砾； 卵石，小圆石( pebble的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The pebbles of the drive crunched under his feet. 汽车道上的小石子在他脚底下喀嚓作响。 Line the pots with pebbles to ensure good drainage. 在罐子里铺一层鹅卵石，以确保排水良好。

34 lash
v.系牢；鞭打；猛烈抨击；n.鞭打；眼睫毛
参考例句：
He received a lash of her hand on his cheek.他突然被她打了一记耳光。 With a lash of its tail the tiger leaped at her.老虎把尾巴一甩朝她扑过来。

35 tickling
反馈，回授，自旋挠痒法
参考例句：
Was It'spring tickling her senses? 是不是春意撩人呢？ Its origin is in tickling and rough-and-tumble play, he says. 他说，笑的起源来自于挠痒痒以及杂乱无章的游戏。

36 reign
n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势
参考例句：
The reign of Queen Elizabeth lapped over into the seventeenth century.伊丽莎白王朝延至17世纪。 The reign of Zhu Yuanzhang lasted about 31 years.朱元璋统治了大约三十一年。

37 repelled
v.击退( repel的过去式和过去分词 )；使厌恶；排斥；推开
参考例句：
They repelled the enemy. 他们击退了敌军。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The minister tremulously, but decidedly, repelled the old man's arm. 而丁梅斯代尔牧师却哆里哆嗦地断然推开了那老人的胳臂。 来自英汉文学 - 红字

38 invaders
入侵者，侵略者，侵入物( invader的名词复数 )
参考例句：
They prepared to repel the invaders. 他们准备赶走侵略军。 The family has traced its ancestry to the Norman invaders. 这个家族将自己的世系追溯到诺曼征服者。

39 sequestered
adj.扣押的；隐退的；幽静的；偏僻的v.使隔绝，使隔离( sequester的过去式和过去分词 )；扣押
参考例句：
The jury is expected to be sequestered for at least two months. 陪审团渴望被隔离至少两个月。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Everything he owned was sequestered. 他的一切都被扣押了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

40 morasses
n.缠作一团( morass的名词复数 )；困境；沼泽；陷阱
参考例句：

41 hardy
adj.勇敢的，果断的，吃苦的；耐寒的
参考例句：
The kind of plant is a hardy annual.这种植物是耐寒的一年生植物。 He is a hardy person.他是一个能吃苦耐劳的人。

42 barbarians
n.野蛮人( barbarian的名词复数 )；外国人；粗野的人；无教养的人
参考例句：
The ancient city of Rome fell under the iron hooves of the barbarians. 古罗马城在蛮族的铁蹄下沦陷了。 来自《简明英汉词典》 It conquered its conquerors, the barbarians. 它战胜了征服者——蛮族。 来自英汉非文学 - 历史

43 ruffled
adj. 有褶饰边的, 起皱的 动词ruffle的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
She ruffled his hair affectionately. 她情意绵绵地拨弄着他的头发。 All this talk of a strike has clearly ruffled the management's feathers. 所有这些关于罢工的闲言碎语显然让管理层很不高兴。

44 haze
n.霾，烟雾；懵懂，迷糊；vi.(over)变模糊
参考例句：
I couldn't see her through the haze of smoke.在烟雾弥漫中，我看不见她。 He often lives in a haze of whisky.他常常是在威士忌的懵懂醉意中度过的。

45 enveloped
v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
She was enveloped in a huge white towel. 她裹在一条白色大毛巾里。 Smoke from the burning house enveloped the whole street. 燃烧着的房子冒出的浓烟笼罩了整条街。 来自《简明英汉词典》

46 juggle
v.变戏法，纂改，欺骗，同时做；n.玩杂耍，纂改，花招
参考例句：
If you juggle with your accounts,you'll get into trouble.你要是在帐目上做手脚，你可要遇到麻烦了。 She had to juggle her job and her children.她得同时兼顾工作和孩子。

47 melancholy
n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的
参考例句：
All at once he fell into a state of profound melancholy.他立即陷入无尽的忧思之中。 He felt melancholy after he failed the exam.这次考试没通过，他感到很郁闷。

48 awed
adj.充满敬畏的，表示敬畏的v.使敬畏，使惊惧( awe的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The audience was awed into silence by her stunning performance. 观众席上鸦雀无声，人们对他出色的表演感到惊叹。 来自《简明英汉词典》 I was awed by the huge gorilla. 那只大猩猩使我惊惧。 来自《简明英汉词典》