Darrow had no idea how long he had sat there when he heardAnna's hand on the door. The effort of rising, and ofcomposing his face to meet her, gave him a factitious senseof self-control. He said to himself: "I must decide onsomething----" and that lifted him a hair's breadth abovethe whirling waters.

　　She came in with a lighter¹ step, and he instantly perceivedthat something unforeseen and reassuring² had happened.

　　"She's been with me. She came and found me on the terrace.

　　We've had a long talk and she's explained everything. Ifeel as if I'd never known her before!"Her voice was so moved and tender that it checked his startof apprehension³.

　　"She's explained----?""It's natural, isn't it, that she should have felt a littlesore at the kind of inspection⁴ she's been subjected to? Oh,not from you--I don't mean that! But Madame de Chantelle'sopposition--and her sending for Adelaide Painter! She toldme frankly⁵ she didn't care to owe her husband to AdelaidePainter...She thinks now that her annoyance⁶ at feelingherself so talked over and scrutinized⁷ may have shown itselfin her manner to Owen, and set him imagining the insanethings he did...I understand all she must have felt, and Iagree with her that it's best she should go away for awhile. She's made me," Anna summed up, "feel as if I'd beendreadfully thick-skinned and obtuse⁹!""YOU?""Yes. As if I'd treated her like the bric-a-brac that usedto be sent down here 'on approval,' to see if it would lookwell with the other pieces." She added, with a sudden flushof enthusiasm: "I'm glad she's got it in her to make onefeel like that!"She seemed to wait for Darrow to agree with her, or to putsome other question, and he finally found voice to ask:

点击收听单词发音  

1 lighter
n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级
参考例句：
The portrait was touched up so as to make it lighter.这张画经过润色，色调明朗了一些。 The lighter works off the car battery.引燃器利用汽车蓄电池打火。

2 reassuring
a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的
参考例句：
He gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. 他轻拍了一下她的肩膀让她放心。 With a reassuring pat on her arm, he left. 他鼓励地拍了拍她的手臂就离开了。

3 apprehension
n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑
参考例句：
There were still areas of doubt and her apprehension grew.有些地方仍然存疑，于是她越来越担心。 She is a girl of weak apprehension.她是一个理解力很差的女孩。

4 inspection
n.检查，审查，检阅
参考例句：
On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。 The soldiers lined up for their daily inspection by their officers.士兵们列队接受军官的日常检阅。

5 frankly
adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说
参考例句：
To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。 Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

6 annoyance
n.恼怒，生气，烦恼
参考例句：
Why do you always take your annoyance out on me?为什么你不高兴时总是对我出气？ I felt annoyance at being teased.我恼恨别人取笑我。

7 scrutinized
v.仔细检查，详审( scrutinize的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The jeweler scrutinized the diamond for flaws. 宝石商人仔细察看钻石有无瑕庇 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 Together we scrutinized the twelve lemon cakes from the delicatessen shop. 我们一起把甜食店里买来的十二块柠檬蛋糕细细打量了一番。 来自英汉文学 - 盖茨比

8 dread
vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧
参考例句：
We all dread to think what will happen if the company closes.我们都不敢去想一旦公司关门我们该怎么办。 Her heart was relieved of its blankest dread.她极度恐惧的心理消除了。

9 obtuse
adj.钝的；愚钝的
参考例句：
You were too obtuse to take the hint.你太迟钝了，没有理解这种暗示。 "Sometimes it looks more like an obtuse triangle,"Winter said.“有时候它看起来更像一个钝角三角形。”温特说。

10 plunge
v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲
参考例句：
Test pool's water temperature before you plunge in.在你跳入之前你应该测试水温。 That would plunge them in the broil of the two countries.那将会使他们陷入这两国的争斗之中。

11 misery
n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦
参考例句：
Business depression usually causes misery among the working class.商业不景气常使工薪阶层受苦。 He has rescued me from the mire of misery.他把我从苦海里救了出来。

12 syllables
n.音节( syllable的名词复数 )
参考例句：
a word with two syllables 双音节单词 'No. But I'll swear it was a name of two syllables.' “想不起。不过我可以发誓，它有两个音节。” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

13 bliss
n.狂喜，福佑，天赐的福
参考例句：
It's sheer bliss to be able to spend the day in bed.整天都可以躺在床上真是幸福。 He's in bliss that he's won the Nobel Prize.他非常高兴，因为获得了诺贝尔奖金。

14 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

15 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。

16 tremor
n.震动，颤动，战栗，兴奋，地震
参考例句：
There was a slight tremor in his voice.他的声音有点颤抖。 A slight earth tremor was felt in California.加利福尼亚发生了轻微的地震。

17 lashes
n.鞭挞( lash的名词复数 )；鞭子；突然猛烈的一击；急速挥动v.鞭打( lash的第三人称单数 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥
参考例句：
Mother always lashes out food for the children's party. 孩子们聚会时，母亲总是给他们许多吃的。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Never walk behind a horse in case it lashes out. 绝对不要跟在马后面，以防它突然猛踢。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 abruptly
adv.突然地，出其不意地
参考例句：
He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。 I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。

19 banter
n.嘲弄，戏谑；v.取笑，逗弄，开玩笑
参考例句：
The actress exchanged banter with reporters.女演员与记者相互开玩笑。 She engages in friendly banter with her customers.她常和顾客逗乐。

20 fiery
adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的
参考例句：
She has fiery red hair.她有一头火红的头发。 His fiery speech agitated the crowd.他热情洋溢的讲话激动了群众。

21 attested
adj.经检验证明无病的，经检验证明无菌的v.证明( attest的过去式和过去分词 )；证实；声称…属实；使宣誓
参考例句：
The handwriting expert attested to the genuineness of the signature. 笔迹专家作证该签名无讹。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 Witnesses attested his account. 几名证人都证实了他的陈述是真实的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

22 feverishly
adv. 兴奋地
参考例句：
Feverishly he collected his data. 他拼命收集资料。 The company is having to cast around feverishly for ways to cut its costs. 公司迫切须要想出各种降低成本的办法。

23 wrung
绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水）
参考例句：
He has wrung the words from their true meaning. 他曲解这些字的真正意义。 He wrung my hand warmly. 他热情地紧握我的手。

24 anguish
n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼
参考例句：
She cried out for anguish at parting.分手时，她由于痛苦而失声大哭。 The unspeakable anguish wrung his heart.难言的痛苦折磨着他的心。

25 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。

26 plausible
adj.似真实的，似乎有理的，似乎可信的
参考例句：
His story sounded plausible.他说的那番话似乎是真实的。 Her story sounded perfectly plausible.她的说辞听起来言之有理。

27 tumult
n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹
参考例句：
The tumult in the streets awakened everyone in the house.街上的喧哗吵醒了屋子里的每一个人。 His voice disappeared under growing tumult.他的声音消失在越来越响的喧哗声中。

28 pry
vi.窥(刺)探，打听；vt.撬动(开，起)
参考例句：
He's always ready to pry into other people's business.他总爱探听别人的事。 We use an iron bar to pry open the box.我们用铁棍撬开箱子。

29 concealing
v.隐藏，隐瞒，遮住( conceal的现在分词 )
参考例句：
Despite his outward display of friendliness, I sensed he was concealing something. 尽管他表现得友善，我还是感觉到他有所隐瞒。 来自《简明英汉词典》 SHE WAS BREAKING THE COMPACT, AND CONCEALING IT FROM HIM. 她违反了他们之间的约定，还把他蒙在鼓里。 来自英汉文学 - 三万元遗产

30 horrify
vt.使恐怖，使恐惧，使惊骇
参考例句：
His family were horrified by the change.他的家人对这一变化感到震惊。 When I saw these figures I was horrified.我看到这些数字时无比惊骇。

31 groan
vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音
参考例句：
The wounded man uttered a groan.那个受伤的人发出呻吟。 The people groan under the burden of taxes.人民在重税下痛苦呻吟。

32 desperately
adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地
参考例句：
He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。 He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。

33 resonant
adj.(声音)洪亮的，共鸣的
参考例句：
She has a resonant voice.她的嗓子真亮。 He responded with a resonant laugh.他报以洪亮的笑声。

34 gale
n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等）
参考例句：
We got our roof blown off in the gale last night.昨夜的大风把我们的房顶给掀掉了。 According to the weather forecast,there will be a gale tomorrow.据气象台预报，明天有大风。

35 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。

36 veins
n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理
参考例句：
The blood flows from the capillaries back into the veins. 血从毛细血管流回静脉。 来自《简明英汉词典》 I felt a pleasant glow in all my veins from the wine. 喝过酒后我浑身的血都热烘烘的，感到很舒服。 来自《简明英汉词典》

37 paltriness
n.不足取，无价值
参考例句：

38 dishonouring
使（人、家族等）丧失名誉（dishonour的现在分词形式）
参考例句：