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MR. LANGHOPE, tossing down a note on Mrs. Ansell's drawing-room table, commanded imperiously: "Read that!"
She set aside her tea-cup, and looked up, not at the note, but into his face, which was crossed by one of the waves of heat and tremulousness that she was beginning to fear for him. Mr. Langhope had changed greatly in the last three months; and as he stood there in the clear light of the June afternoon it came to her that he had at last suffered the sudden collapse1 which is the penalty of youth preserved beyond its time.
"What is it?" she asked, still watching him as she put out her hand for the letter.
"Amherst writes to remind me of my promise to take Cicely to Hanaford next week, for her birthday."
"Well--it was a promise, wasn't it?" she rejoined, running her eyes over the page.
"A promise--yes; but made before.... Read the note--you'll see there's no reference to his wife. For all I know, she'll be there to receive us."
"But that was a promise too."
"That neither Cicely nor I should ever set eyes on her? Yes. But why should she keep it? I was a fool that day--she fooled me as she's fooled us all! But you saw through it from the beginning--you said at once that she'd never leave him."
Mrs. Ansell reflected. "I said that before I knew all the circumstances. Now I think differently."
"You think she still means to go?"
She handed the letter back to him. "I think this is to tell you so."
"This?" He groped for his glasses, dubiously2 scanning the letter again.
"Yes. And what's more, if you refuse to go she'll have every right to break her side of the agreement."
Mr. Langhope sank into a chair, steadying himself painfully with his stick. "Upon my soul, I sometimes think you're on her side!" he ejaculated.
"No--but I like fair play," she returned, measuring his tea carefully into his favourite little porcelain3 tea-pot.
"Fair play?"
"She's offering to do her part. It's for you to do yours now--to take Cicely to Hanaford."
"If I find her there, I never cross Amherst's threshold again!"
Mrs. Ansell, without answering, rose and put his tea-cup on the slender-legged table at his elbow; then, before returning to her seat, she found the enamelled match-box and laid it by the cup. It was becoming difficult for Mr. Langhope to guide his movements about her small

1
collapse
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vi.累倒;昏倒;倒塌;塌陷 | |
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dubiously
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adv.可疑地,怀疑地 | |
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porcelain
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n.瓷;adj.瓷的,瓷制的 | |
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encumbered
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v.妨碍,阻碍,拖累( encumber的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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briefly
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adv.简单地,简短地 | |
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ingenuity
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n.别出心裁;善于发明创造 | |
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persistence
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n.坚持,持续,存留 | |
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incessant
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adj.不停的,连续的 | |
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hesitation
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n.犹豫,踌躇 | |
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decided
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adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
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murmur
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n.低语,低声的怨言;v.低语,低声而言 | |
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assent
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v.批准,认可;n.批准,认可 | |
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confidential
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adj.秘(机)密的,表示信任的,担任机密工作的 | |
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loathes
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v.憎恨,厌恶( loathe的第三人称单数 );极不喜欢 | |
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afterward
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adv.后来;以后 | |
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commotion
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n.骚动,动乱 | |
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exterior
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adj.外部的,外在的;表面的 | |
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barricading
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设路障于,以障碍物阻塞( barricade的现在分词 ); 设路障[防御工事]保卫或固守 | |
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poignant
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adj.令人痛苦的,辛酸的,惨痛的 | |
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reminders
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n.令人回忆起…的东西( reminder的名词复数 );提醒…的东西;(告知该做某事的)通知单;提示信 | |
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embittered
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v.使怨恨,激怒( embitter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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renouncing
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v.声明放弃( renounce的现在分词 );宣布放弃;宣布与…决裂;宣布摒弃 | |
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mere
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adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 | |
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severing
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v.切断,断绝( sever的现在分词 );断,裂 | |
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sever
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v.切开,割开;断绝,中断 | |
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artery
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n.干线,要道;动脉 | |
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semblance
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n.外貌,外表 | |
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erred
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犯错误,做错事( err的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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passionate
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adj.热情的,热烈的,激昂的,易动情的,易怒的,性情暴躁的 | |
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disinterestedness
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dual
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adj.双的;二重的,二元的 | |
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desolating
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毁坏( desolate的现在分词 ); 极大地破坏; 使沮丧; 使痛苦 | |
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tainted
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adj.腐坏的;污染的;沾污的;感染的v.使变质( taint的过去式和过去分词 );使污染;败坏;被污染,腐坏,败坏 | |
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exigencies
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n.急切需要 | |
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formerly
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adv.从前,以前 | |
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conceal
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v.隐藏,隐瞒,隐蔽 | |
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longing
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n.(for)渴望 | |
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motives
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n.动机,目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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motive
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n.动机,目的;adv.发动的,运动的 | |
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justifiable
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adj.有理由的,无可非议的 | |
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tragic
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adj.悲剧的,悲剧性的,悲惨的 | |
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fatality
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n.不幸,灾祸,天命 | |
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sincerity
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n.真诚,诚意;真实 | |
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justification
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n.正当的理由;辩解的理由 | |
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valid
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adj.有确实根据的;有效的;正当的,合法的 | |
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posture
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n.姿势,姿态,心态,态度;v.作出某种姿势 | |
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evasion
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n.逃避,偷漏(税) | |
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ambiguity
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n.模棱两可;意义不明确 | |
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savings
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n.存款,储蓄 | |
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harry
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vt.掠夺,蹂躏,使苦恼 | |
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judgments
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判断( judgment的名词复数 ); 鉴定; 评价; 审判 | |
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reluctance
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n.厌恶,讨厌,勉强,不情愿 | |
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braced
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adj.拉牢的v.支住( brace的过去式和过去分词 );撑牢;使自己站稳;振作起来 | |
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galling
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adj.难堪的,使烦恼的,使焦躁的 | |
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enveloped
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v.包围,笼罩,包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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altruism
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n.利他主义,不自私 | |
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enthusiast
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n.热心人,热衷者 | |
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humanitarian
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n.人道主义者,博爱者,基督凡人论者 | |
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equilibrium
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n.平衡,均衡,相称,均势,平静 | |
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regain
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vt.重新获得,收复,恢复 | |
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obligatory
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adj.强制性的,义务的,必须的 | |
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immediate
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adj.立即的;直接的,最接近的;紧靠的 | |
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disintegrating
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v.(使)破裂[分裂,粉碎],(使)崩溃( disintegrate的现在分词 ) | |
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renewal
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adj.(契约)延期,续订,更新,复活,重来 | |
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entrusted
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v.委托,托付( entrust的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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softened
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(使)变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 ); 缓解打击; 缓和; 安慰 | |
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apparently
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adv.显然地;表面上,似乎 | |
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intensified
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v.(使)增强, (使)加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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verge
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n.边,边缘;v.接近,濒临 | |
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morbidness
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(精神的)病态 | |
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dispelled
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v.驱散,赶跑( dispel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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vitality
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n.活力,生命力,效力 | |
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drawn
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v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的 | |
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precocious
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adj.早熟的;较早显出的 | |
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divers
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adj.不同的;种种的 | |
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bestowed
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赠给,授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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evade
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vt.逃避,回避;避开,躲避 | |
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pretext
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n.借口,托词 | |
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protracted
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adj.拖延的;延长的v.拖延“protract”的过去式和过去分词 | |
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scarlet
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n.深红色,绯红色,红衣;adj.绯红色的 | |
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consultations
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n.磋商(会议)( consultation的名词复数 );商讨会;协商会;查找 | |
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haughtily
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adv. 傲慢地, 高傲地 | |
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disarray
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n.混乱,紊乱,凌乱 | |
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groan
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vi./n.呻吟,抱怨;(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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gathering
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n.集会,聚会,聚集 | |
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abruptly
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adv.突然地,出其不意地 | |
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vehemence
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n.热切;激烈;愤怒 | |
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fixed
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adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的 | |
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doorway
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n.门口,(喻)入门;门路,途径 | |
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instinctive
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adj.(出于)本能的;直觉的;(出于)天性的 | |
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aged
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adj.年老的,陈年的 | |
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