It was a morning in the middle of April, and the Jackson family wereconsequently breakfasting in comparative silence. The cricket seasonhad not begun, and except during the cricket season they were in thehabit of devoting their powerful minds at breakfast almost exclusivelyto the task of victualling against the labours of the day. In May,June, July, and August the silence was broken. The three grown-upJacksons played regularly in first-class cricket, and there was alwayskeen competition among their brothers and sisters for the copy of the_Sportsman_ which was to be found on the hall table with theletters. Whoever got it usually gloated over it in silence till urgedwrathfully by the multitude to let them know what had happened; whenit would appear that Joe had notched² his seventh century, or thatReggie had been run out when he was just getting set, or, as sometimesoccurred, that that ass¹ Frank had dropped Fry or Hayward in the slipsbefore he had scored, with the result that the spared expert had madea couple of hundred and was still going strong.

　　In such a case the criticisms of the family circle, particularly ofthe smaller Jackson sisters, were so breezy and unrestrained that Mrs.

　　Jackson generally felt it necessary to apply the closure. Indeed,Marjory Jackson, aged³ fourteen, had on three several occasions beenfined pudding at lunch for her caustic⁴ comments on the batting of herbrother Reggie in important fixtures⁵. Cricket was a tradition in thefamily, and the ladies, unable to their sorrow to play the gamethemselves, were resolved that it should not be their fault if thestandard was not kept up.

　　On this particular morning silence reigned⁶. A deep gasp⁷ from somesmall Jackson, wrestling with bread-and-milk, and an occasional remarkfrom Mr. Jackson on the letters he was reading, alone broke it.

　　"Mike's late again," said Mrs. Jackson plaintively

点击收听单词发音  

1 ass
n.驴；傻瓜，蠢笨的人
参考例句：
He is not an ass as they make him.他不象大家猜想的那样笨。 An ass endures his burden but not more than his burden.驴能负重但不能超过它能力所负担的。

2 notched
a.有凹口的，有缺口的
参考例句：
Torino notched up a 2-1 win at Lazio. 都灵队以2 比1 赢了拉齐奧队。 He notched up ten points in the first five minutes of the game. 他在比赛开始后的五分钟里得了十分。

3 aged
adj.年老的，陈年的
参考例句：
He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。 He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。

4 caustic
adj.刻薄的，腐蚀性的
参考例句：
He opened his mouth to make a caustic retort.他张嘴开始进行刻薄的反击。 He enjoys making caustic remarks about other people.他喜欢挖苦别人。

5 fixtures
（房屋等的）固定装置( fixture的名词复数 )； 如（浴盆、抽水马桶）； 固定在某位置的人或物； （定期定点举行的）体育活动
参考例句：
The insurance policy covers the building and any fixtures contained therein. 保险单为这座大楼及其中所有的设施保了险。 The fixtures had already been sold and the sum divided. 固定设备已经卖了，钱也分了。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

6 reigned
vi.当政，统治（reign的过去式形式）
参考例句：
Silence reigned in the hall. 全场肃静。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 Night was deep and dead silence reigned everywhere. 夜深人静，一片死寂。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

7 gasp
n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说
参考例句：
She gave a gasp of surprise.她吃惊得大口喘气。 The enemy are at their last gasp.敌人在做垂死的挣扎。

8 plaintively
adv.悲哀地，哀怨地
参考例句：
The last note of the song rang out plaintively. 歌曲最后道出了离别的哀怨。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Birds cry plaintively before they die, men speak kindly in the presence of death. 鸟之将死，其鸣也哀；人之将死，其言也善。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 chuckle
vi.／n.轻声笑，咯咯笑
参考例句：
He shook his head with a soft chuckle.他轻轻地笑着摇了摇头。 I couldn't suppress a soft chuckle at the thought of it.想到这个，我忍不住轻轻地笑起来。

10 momentous
adj.重要的，重大的
参考例句：
I am deeply honoured to be invited to this momentous occasion.能应邀出席如此重要的场合，我深感荣幸。 The momentous news was that war had begun.重大的新闻是战争已经开始。

11 infliction
n.（强加于人身的）痛苦，刑罚
参考例句：
Don't immerse yourself in the infliction too long.不要长时间沉浸在痛苦经历中。 Instead of rivets there came an invasion,an infliction,and a visitation.但是铆钉并没有运来，来的却是骚扰、混乱和视察。

12 prospect
n.前景，前途；景色，视野
参考例句：
This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。 The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

13 softened
（使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰
参考例句：
His smile softened slightly. 他的微笑稍柔和了些。 The ice cream softened and began to melt. 冰淇淋开始变软并开始融化。

14 affected
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。

15 aspersion
n.诽谤，中伤
参考例句：
Carrie felt this to contain,in some way,an aspersion upon her ability.嘉莉觉得这话多少含有贬低她的才能的意思。 Should you hear my name blackened and maligned,will you credit the aspersion?要是你听见我的名誉受到诽谤，你会相信那谗言吗？

16 disdained
鄙视( disdain的过去式和过去分词 )； 不屑于做，不愿意做
参考例句：
I disdained to answer his rude remarks. 我不屑回答他的粗话。 Jackie disdained the servants that her millions could buy. 杰姬鄙视那些她用钱就可以收买的奴仆。

17 brilliance
n.光辉，辉煌，壮丽，（卓越的）才华，才智
参考例句：
I was totally amazed by the brilliance of her paintings.她的绘画才能令我惊歎不已。 The gorgeous costume added to the brilliance of the dance.华丽的服装使舞蹈更加光彩夺目。

18 truculently
参考例句：
She said it almost truculently but she was weeping with fright. 她的语气简直有点粗暴，不过她却因为恐惧而哭哭啼啼。 来自教父部分 They strive for security by truculently asserting their own interests. 他们通过拼命维护自身利益来争取安全保障。 来自互联网

19 curiously
adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地
参考例句：
He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。 He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。

20 mere
adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过
参考例句：
That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。 It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

21 groaned
v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦
参考例句：
He groaned in anguish. 他痛苦地呻吟。 The cart groaned under the weight of the piano. 大车在钢琴的重压下嘎吱作响。 来自《简明英汉词典》

22 fixed
adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的
参考例句：
Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？ Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

23 chilly
adj.凉快的，寒冷的
参考例句：
I feel chilly without a coat.我由于没有穿大衣而感到凉飕飕的。 I grew chilly when the fire went out.炉火熄灭后，寒气逼人。

24 squealed
v.长声尖叫，用长而尖锐的声音说( squeal的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He squealed the words out. 他吼叫着说出那些话。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The brakes of the car squealed. 汽车的刹车发出吱吱声。 来自《简明英汉词典》

25 melodrama
n.音乐剧；情节剧
参考例句：
We really don't need all this ridiculous melodrama!别跟我们来这套荒唐的情节剧表演！ White Haired Woman was a melodrama,but in certain spots it was deliberately funny.《白毛女》是一出悲剧性的歌剧，但也有不少插科打诨。

26 crease
n.折缝，褶痕，皱褶；v.(使)起皱
参考例句：
Does artificial silk crease more easily than natural silk?人造丝比天然丝更易起皱吗？ Please don't crease the blouse when you pack it.包装时请不要将衬衫弄皱了。

27 awfully
adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地
参考例句：
Agriculture was awfully neglected in the past.过去农业遭到严重忽视。 I've been feeling awfully bad about it.对这我一直感到很难受。

28 bowler
n.打保龄球的人，（板球的）投（球）手
参考例句：
The bowler judged it well,timing the ball to perfection.投球手判断准确，对球速的掌握恰到好处。 The captain decided to take Snow off and try a slower bowler.队长决定把斯诺撤下，换一个动作慢一点的投球手试一试。