To the circle at Bennington, a letter from Bear Creek¹ was always a welcome summons to gather and hear of doings very strange to Vermont. And when the tale of the changed babies arrived duly by the post, it created a more than usual sensation, and was read to a large number of pleased and scandalized neighbors. "I hate her to be where such things can happen," said Mrs. Wood.

"I wish I could have been there," said her son-in-law, Andrew Bell.

"She does not mention who played the trick," said Mrs. Andrew Bell.

"We shouldn't be any wiser if she did," said Mrs. Wood.

"I'd like to meet the perpetrator," said Andrew.

"Oh, no!" said Mrs. Wood. "They're all horrible."

And she wrote at once, begging her daughter to take good care of herself, and to see as much of Mrs. Balaam as possible. "And of any other ladies that are near you. For you seem to me to be in a community of roughs. I wish you would give it all up. Did you expect me to laugh about the babies?"

Mrs. Flynt, when this story was repeated to her (she had not been invited in to hear the letter), remarked that she had always felt that Molly Wood must be a little vulgar, ever since she began to go about giving music lessons like any ordinary German.

But Mrs. Wood was considerably² relieved when the next letter arrived. It contained nothing horrible about barbecues or babies. It mentioned the great beauty of the weather, and how well and strong the fine air was making the writer feel. And it asked that books might be sent, many books of all sorts, novels, poetry, all the good old books and any good new ones that could be spared. Cheap editions, of course.

"Indeed she shall have them!" said Mrs. Wood. "How her mind must be starving in that dreadful place!" The letter was not a long one, and, besides the books, spoke³ of little else except the fine weather and the chances for outdoor exercise that this gave. "You have no idea," it said, "how delightful⁴ it is to ride, especially on a spirited horse, which I can do now quite well."

"How nice that is!" said Mrs. Wood, putting down the letter. "I hope the horse is not too spirited."

"Who does she go riding with?" asked Mrs. Bell.

"She doesn't say, Sarah. Why?"

点击收听单词发音  

1 creek
n.小溪，小河，小湾
参考例句：
He sprang through the creek.他跳过小河。 People sunbathe in the nude on the rocks above the creek.人们在露出小溪的岩石上裸体晒日光浴。

2 considerably
adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上
参考例句：
The economic situation has changed considerably.经济形势已发生了相当大的变化。 The gap has narrowed considerably.分歧大大缩小了。

3 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。

4 delightful
adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的
参考例句：
We had a delightful time by the seashore last Sunday.上星期天我们在海滨玩得真痛快。 Peter played a delightful melody on his flute.彼得用笛子吹奏了一支欢快的曲子。

5 thoroughly
adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地
参考例句：
The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。 The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。

6 lesser
adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地
参考例句：
Kept some of the lesser players out.不让那些次要的球员参加联赛。 She has also been affected,but to a lesser degree.她也受到波及，但程度较轻。

7 consignment
n.寄售；发货；委托；交运货物
参考例句：
This last consignment of hosiery is quite up to standard.这批新到的针织品完全符合规格。 We have to ask you to dispatch the consignment immediately.我们得要求你立即发送该批货物。

8 sprained
v.&n. 扭伤
参考例句：
I stumbled and sprained my ankle. 我摔了一跤，把脚脖子扭了。 When Mary sprained her ankles, John carried her piggyback to the doctors. 玛丽扭伤了足踝，约翰驮她去看医生。

9 distress
n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛
参考例句：
Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。 Please don't distress yourself.请你不要忧愁了。

10 shrieked
v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
She shrieked in fright. 她吓得尖叫起来。 Li Mei-t'ing gave a shout, and Lu Tzu-hsiao shrieked, "Tell what? 李梅亭大声叫，陆子潇尖声叫：“告诉什么？ 来自汉英文学 - 围城

11 sleet
n.雨雪；v.下雨雪，下冰雹
参考例句：
There was a great deal of sleet last night.昨夜雨夹雪下得真大。 When winter comes,we get sleet and frost.冬天来到时我们这儿会有雨夹雪和霜冻。

12 syllable
n.音节；vt.分音节
参考例句：
You put too much emphasis on the last syllable.你把最后一个音节读得太重。 The stress on the last syllable is light.最后一个音节是轻音节。

13 gauge
v.精确计量；估计；n.标准度量；计量器
参考例句：
Can you gauge what her reaction is likely to be?你能揣测她的反应可能是什么吗？ It's difficult to gauge one's character.要判断一个人的品格是很困难的。

14 confession
n.自白，供认，承认
参考例句：
Her confession was simply tantamount to a casual explanation.她的自白简直等于一篇即席说明。 The police used torture to extort a confession from him.警察对他用刑逼供。

15 fecund
adj.多产的，丰饶的，肥沃的
参考例句：
The pampas are still among the most fecund lands in the world.南美大草原仍然是世界上最肥沃的土地之一。 They have a fecund soil.他们有肥沃的土地。

16 begets
v.为…之生父( beget的第三人称单数 )；产生，引起
参考例句：
It begets at least seven standard type offspring from such matings. 这类交配中生下至少七个标准型后代。 来自辞典例句 Violence begets violence until the innocent perish with the guilty. 暴力招致暴力直到这因罪行而无缘无故的毁灭。 来自电影对白

17 squanders
v.（指钱，财产等）浪费，乱花( squander的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
He squanders all the money which his father gives him. 他挥霍了他父亲给他的全部钱财。 来自《简明英汉词典》 In squandering the health of its young, the world squanders its tomorrows. 年轻人在挥霍自己健康的同时世界也在浪费着他的未来。 来自互联网

18 wilderness
n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠
参考例句：
She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。 Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

19 undertaking
n.保证，许诺，事业
参考例句：
He gave her an undertaking that he would pay the money back with in a year.他向她做了一年内还钱的保证。 He is too timid to venture upon an undertaking.他太胆小，不敢从事任何事业。

20 enjoyment
n.乐趣；享有；享用
参考例句：
Your company adds to the enjoyment of our visit. 有您的陪同，我们这次访问更加愉快了。 After each joke the old man cackled his enjoyment.每逢讲完一个笑话，这老人就呵呵笑着表示他的高兴。

21 potently
参考例句：
Various level of SSBB shall to supervise and manage potently for boiler's quality of installation. 各级安全监察机构应加强对锅炉安装质量的监察监督管理。 来自互联网

22 stark
adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地
参考例句：
The young man is faced with a stark choice.这位年轻人面临严峻的抉择。 He gave a stark denial to the rumor.他对谣言加以完全的否认。

23 fortress
n.堡垒，防御工事
参考例句：
They made an attempt on a fortress.他们试图夺取这一要塞。 The soldier scaled the wall of the fortress by turret.士兵通过塔车攀登上了要塞的城墙。

24 lustre
n.光亮，光泽；荣誉
参考例句：
The sun was shining with uncommon lustre.太阳放射出异常的光彩。 A good name keeps its lustre in the dark.一个好的名誉在黑暗中也保持它的光辉。

25 lurked
vi.潜伏，埋伏（lurk的过去式与过去分词形式）
参考例句：
The murderers lurked behind the trees. 谋杀者埋伏在树后。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Treachery lurked behind his smooth manners. 他圆滑姿态的后面潜伏着奸计。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

26 combative
adj.好战的；好斗的
参考例句：
Mr. Obama has recently adopted a more combative tone.奥巴马总统近来采取了一种更有战斗性的语调。 She believes that women are at least as combative as are.她相信女性至少和男性一样好斗。

27 recess
n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处）
参考例句：
The chairman of the meeting announced a ten-minute recess.会议主席宣布休会10分钟。 Parliament was hastily recalled from recess.休会的议员被匆匆召回开会。

28 mighty
adj.强有力的；巨大的
参考例句：
A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。 The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。

29 giggling
v.咯咯地笑( giggle的现在分词 )
参考例句：
We just sat there giggling like naughty schoolchildren. 我们只是坐在那儿像调皮的小学生一样的咯咯地傻笑。 来自《简明英汉词典》 I can't stand her giggling, she's so silly. 她吃吃地笑，叫我真受不了，那样子傻透了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

30 intensity
n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度
参考例句：
I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。 The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。

31 bluff
v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗
参考例句：
His threats are merely bluff.他的威胁仅仅是虚张声势。 John is a deep card.No one can bluff him easily.约翰是个机灵鬼。谁也不容易欺骗他。

32 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。

33 aces
abbr.adjustable convertible-rate equity security (units) 可调节的股本证券兑换率；aircraft ejection seat 飞机弹射座椅；automatic control evaluation simulator 自动控制评估模拟器n.擅长…的人( ace的名词复数 )；精于…的人；（ 网球 ）（对手接不到发球的）发球得分；爱司球
参考例句：
The local representative of ACES will define the local area. ACES的当地代表将划定当地的范围。 来自互联网 Any medical expenses not covered by ACES insurance are the sole responsibility of the parents. 任何ACES保险未包括的医疗费用一律是父母的责任。 来自互联网

34 spartan
adj.简朴的，刻苦的；n.斯巴达；斯巴达式的人
参考例句：
Their spartan lifestyle prohibits a fridge or a phone.他们不使用冰箱和电话，过着简朴的生活。 The rooms were spartan and undecorated.房间没有装饰，极为简陋。

35 galloping
adj. 飞驰的, 急性的 动词gallop的现在分词形式
参考例句：
The horse started galloping the moment I gave it a good dig. 我猛戳了马一下，它就奔驰起来了。 Japan is galloping ahead in the race to develop new technology. 日本在发展新技术的竞争中进展迅速，日新月异。