Lewisham's inquiries¹ for evening teaching and private tuition were essentially² provisional measures. His proposals for a more permanent establishment displayed a certain defect in his sense of proportion. That Melbourne professorship, for example, was beyond his merits, and there were aspects of things that would have affected⁴ the welcome of himself and his wife at Eton College. At the outset he was inclined to regard the South Kensington scholar as the intellectual salt of the earth, to overrate the abundance of "decent things" yielding from one hundred and fifty to three hundred a year, and to disregard the competition of such inferior enterprises as the universities of Oxford⁵, Cambridge, and the literate⁶ North. But the scholastic⁷ agents to whom he went on the following Saturday did much in a quiet way to disabuse⁸ his mind.

Mr. Blendershin's chief assistant in the grimy little office in Oxford Street cleared up the matter so vigorously that Lewisham was angered. "Headmaster of an endowed school, perhaps!" said Mr. Blendershin's chief assistant "Lord!--why not a bishopric? I say,"--as Mr. Blendershin entered smoking an assertive¹¹ cigar--"one-and-twenty, _no_ degree, _no_ games, two years' experience as junior--wants a headmastership of an endowed school!" He spoke¹² so loudly that it was inevitable¹³ the selection of clients in the waiting-room should hear, and he pointed¹⁴

点击收听单词发音  

1 inquiries
n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听
参考例句：
He was released on bail pending further inquiries. 他获得保释，等候进一步调查。 I have failed to reach them by postal inquiries. 我未能通过邮政查询与他们取得联系。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

2 essentially
adv.本质上，实质上，基本上
参考例句：
Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。 She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

3 profess
v.声称，冒称，以...为业，正式接受入教，表明信仰
参考例句：
I profess that I was surprised at the news.我承认这消息使我惊讶。 What religion does he profess?他信仰哪种宗教？

4 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。

5 Oxford
n.牛津（英国城市）
参考例句：
At present he has become a Professor of Chemistry at Oxford.他现在已是牛津大学的化学教授了。 This is where the road to Oxford joins the road to London.这是去牛津的路与去伦敦的路的汇合处。

6 literate
n.学者；adj.精通文学的，受过教育的
参考例句：
Only a few of the nation's peasants are literate.这个国家的农民中只有少数人能识字。 A literate person can get knowledge through reading many books.一个受过教育的人可以通过读书而获得知识。

7 scholastic
adj.学校的，学院的，学术上的
参考例句：
There was a careful avoidance of the sensitive topic in the scholastic circles.学术界小心地避开那个敏感的话题。 This would do harm to students' scholastic performance in the long run.这将对学生未来的学习成绩有害。

8 disabuse
v.解惑；矫正
参考例句：
Let me disabuse of that foolish prejudices.让我消除那个愚蠢的偏见。 If you think I'm going to lend you money,I must disabuse you of that wrong idea.你若认为我会借钱给你，我倒要劝你打消那念头。

9 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。

10 bishop
n.主教，（国际象棋）象
参考例句：
He was a bishop who was held in reverence by all.他是一位被大家都尊敬的主教。 Two years after his death the bishop was canonised.主教逝世两年后被正式封为圣者。

11 assertive
adj.果断的，自信的，有冲劲的
参考例句：
She always speaks an assertive tone.她总是以果断的语气说话。 China appears to have become more assertive in the waters off its coastline over recent years.在近些年，中国显示出对远方海洋的自信。

12 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。

13 inevitable
adj.不可避免的，必然发生的
参考例句：
Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。 The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。

14 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。

15 attentive
adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的
参考例句：
She was very attentive to her guests.她对客人招待得十分周到。 The speaker likes to have an attentive audience.演讲者喜欢注意力集中的听众。

16 briefly
adv.简单地，简短地
参考例句：
I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。 He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

17 speculatively
adv.思考地，思索地；投机地
参考例句：
He looked at her speculatively. 他若有所思的看着她。 来自《简明英汉词典》 She eyed It'speculatively as a cruel smile appeared on her black lips. 她若有所思地审视它，黑色的嘴角浮起一丝残酷的微笑。 来自互联网

18 attentively
adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神
参考例句：
She listened attentively while I poured out my problems. 我倾吐心中的烦恼时，她一直在注意听。 来自《简明英汉词典》 She listened attentively and set down every word he said. 她专心听着，把他说的话一字不漏地记下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 dissented
不同意，持异议( dissent的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
We dissented from the decision. 对那项决定我们表示了不同意见。 He dissented and questioned the justice of the award. 他提出质问，说裁判不公允。

20 journalism
n.新闻工作，报业
参考例句：
He's a teacher but he does some journalism on the side.他是教师，可还兼职做一些新闻工作。 He had an aptitude for journalism.他有从事新闻工作的才能。

21 scowled
怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He scowled his displeasure. 他满脸嗔色。 The teacher scowled at his noisy class. 老师对他那喧闹的课堂板着脸。

22 scowl
vi.(at)生气地皱眉，沉下脸，怒视；n.怒容
参考例句：
I wonder why he is wearing an angry scowl.我不知道他为何面带怒容。 The boss manifested his disgust with a scowl.老板面带怒色，清楚表示出他的厌恶之感。

23 tugged
v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
She tugged at his sleeve to get his attention. 她拽了拽他的袖子引起他的注意。 A wry smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. 他的嘴角带一丝苦笑。 来自《简明英汉词典》

24 kindly
adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地
参考例句：
Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。 A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

25 austere
adj.艰苦的；朴素的，朴实无华的；严峻的
参考例句：
His way of life is rather austere.他的生活方式相当简朴。 The room was furnished in austere style.这间屋子的陈设都很简单朴素。

26 disingenuous
adj.不诚恳的，虚伪的
参考例句：
It is disingenuous of him to flatter me.他对我阿谀奉承，是居心叵测。 His brother Shura with staring disingenuous eyes was plotting to master the world.他那长着一对狡诈眼睛的哥哥瑞拉，处心积虑图谋征服整个世界。

27 corrupting
（使）败坏( corrupt的现在分词 )； （使）腐化； 引起（计算机文件等的）错误； 破坏
参考例句：
It would be corrupting discipline to leave him unpunished. 不惩治他会败坏风纪。 It would be corrupting military discipline to leave him unpunished. 不惩治他会败坏军纪。

28 whack
v.敲击，重打，瓜分；n.重击，重打，尝试，一份
参考例句：
After years of dieting,Carol's metabolism was completely out of whack.经过数年的节食，卡罗尔的新陈代谢完全紊乱了。 He gave me a whack on the back to wake me up.他为把我弄醒，在我背上猛拍一下。

29 prospectus
n.计划书；说明书；慕股书
参考例句：
An order form was included with the prospectus.订单附在说明书上。 The prospectus is the most important instrument of legal document.招股说明书是上市公司信息披露制度最重要法律文件。

30 pensively
adv.沉思地，焦虑地
参考例句：
Garton pensively stirred the hotchpotch of his hair. 加顿沉思着搅动自己的乱发。 来自辞典例句 "Oh, me,'said Carrie, pensively. "I wish I could live in such a place." “唉，真的，"嘉莉幽幽地说，"我真想住在那种房子里。” 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

31 fad
n.时尚；一时流行的狂热；一时的爱好
参考例句：
His interest in photography is only a passing fad.他对摄影的兴趣只是一时的爱好罢了。 A hot business opportunity is based on a long-term trend not a short-lived fad.一个热门的商机指的是长期的趋势而非一时的流行。

32 catching
adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住
参考例句：
There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。 Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

33 sob
n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣
参考例句：
The child started to sob when he couldn't find his mother.孩子因找不到他妈妈哭了起来。 The girl didn't answer,but continued to sob with her head on the table.那个女孩不回答，也不抬起头来。她只顾低声哭着。

34 enraged
使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 )； 歜； 激愤
参考例句：
I was enraged to find they had disobeyed my orders. 发现他们违抗了我的命令，我极为恼火。 The judge was enraged and stroke the table for several times. 大法官被气得连连拍案。

35 rigidly
adv.刻板地，僵化地
参考例句：
Life today is rigidly compartmentalized into work and leisure. 当今的生活被严格划分为工作和休闲两部分。 The curriculum is rigidly prescribed from an early age. 自儿童时起即已开始有严格的课程设置。

36 waterproof
n.防水材料；adj.防水的；v.使...能防水
参考例句：
My mother bought me a waterproof watch.我妈妈给我买了一块防水手表。 All the electronics are housed in a waterproof box.所有电子设备都储放在一个防水盒中。

37 eyebrows
眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Eyebrows stop sweat from coming down into the eyes. 眉毛挡住汗水使其不能流进眼睛。 His eyebrows project noticeably. 他的眉毛特别突出。

38 tightening
上紧，固定，紧密
参考例句：
Make sure the washer is firmly seated before tightening the pipe. 旋紧水管之前，检查一下洗衣机是否已牢牢地固定在底座上了。 It needs tightening up a little. 它还需要再收紧些。

39 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。

40 gulf
n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂
参考例句：
The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。 There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

41 reassuringly
ad.安心，可靠
参考例句：
He patted her knee reassuringly. 他轻拍她的膝盖让她放心。 The doctor smiled reassuringly. 医生笑了笑，让人心里很踏实。

42 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。

43 immediate
adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的
参考例句：
His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。 We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

44 alacrity
n.敏捷，轻快，乐意
参考例句：
Although the man was very old,he still moved with alacrity.他虽然很老，动作仍很敏捷。 He accepted my invitation with alacrity.他欣然接受我的邀请。

45 meditated
深思，沉思，冥想( meditate的过去式和过去分词 )； 内心策划，考虑
参考例句：
He meditated for two days before giving his answer. 他在作出答复之前考虑了两天。 She meditated for 2 days before giving her answer. 她考虑了两天才答复。

46 cane
n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的
参考例句：
This sugar cane is quite a sweet and juicy.这甘蔗既甜又多汁。 English schoolmasters used to cane the boys as a punishment.英国小学老师过去常用教鞭打男学生作为惩罚。

47 polytechnics
理工学院( polytechnic的名词复数 )； 工艺的，综合技术的
参考例句：
I am a graduated of Shanghai Polytechnics. 我是上海理工大学毕业生。 Polytechnics present golden opportunities to bright young men. 工艺学为大有作为的年轻人提供了绝好的机会。

48 resentment
n.怨愤，忿恨
参考例句：
All her feelings of resentment just came pouring out.她一股脑儿倾吐出所有的怨恨。 She cherished a deep resentment under the rose towards her employer.她暗中对她的雇主怀恨在心。

49 abominably
adv. 可恶地，可恨地，恶劣地
参考例句：
From her own point of view Barbara had behaved abominably. 在她看来，芭芭拉的表现是恶劣的。 He wanted to know how abominably they could behave towards him. 他希望能知道他们能用什么样的卑鄙手段来对付他。

50 asymmetry
n.不对称；adj.不对称的，不对等的
参考例句：
These bands must introduce longitudinal asymmetry in the planetary albedo.这些云带必定引起行星反照率的经向不对称性。 In any event the asymmetry is clear enough.总之，不对称是非常明显的。

51 askew
adv.斜地；adj.歪斜的
参考例句：
His glasses had been knocked askew by the blow.他的眼镜一下子被打歪了。 Her hat was slightly askew.她的帽子戴得有点斜。

52 outfit
n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装
参考例句：
Jenney bought a new outfit for her daughter's wedding.珍妮为参加女儿的婚礼买了一套新装。 His father bought a ski outfit for him on his birthday.他父亲在他生日那天给他买了一套滑雪用具。

53 pedagogues
n.教师，卖弄学问的教师( pedagogue的名词复数 )
参考例句：

54 gilt
adj.镀金的；n.金边证券
参考例句：
The plates have a gilt edge.这些盘子的边是镀金的。 The rest of the money is invested in gilt.其余的钱投资于金边证券。

55 confidential
adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的
参考例句：
He refused to allow his secretary to handle confidential letters.他不让秘书处理机密文件。 We have a confidential exchange of views.我们推心置腹地交换意见。

57 amiable
adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的
参考例句：
She was a very kind and amiable old woman.她是个善良和气的老太太。 We have a very amiable companionship.我们之间存在一种友好的关系。

58 abstruse
adj.深奥的，难解的
参考例句：
Einstein's theory of relativity is very abstruse.爱因斯坦的相对论非常难懂。 The professor's lectures were so abstruse that students tended to avoid them.该教授的课程太深奥了，学生们纷纷躲避他的课。

59 courageous
adj.勇敢的，有胆量的
参考例句：
We all honour courageous people.我们都尊重勇敢的人。 He was roused to action by courageous words.豪言壮语促使他奋起行动。

60 eligible
adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的
参考例句：
He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。 Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。

61 rankling
v.（使）痛苦不已，（使）怨恨不已( rankle的现在分词 )
参考例句：
Yet the knowledge imparted to him by the chambermaid was rankling in his mind. 可是女仆告诉他的消息刺痛着他的心。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

62 persuasion
n.劝说；说服；持有某种信仰的宗派
参考例句：
He decided to leave only after much persuasion.经过多方劝说，他才决定离开。 After a lot of persuasion,she agreed to go.经过多次劝说后，她同意去了。

63 disastrous
adj.灾难性的，造成灾害的；极坏的，很糟的
参考例句：
The heavy rainstorm caused a disastrous flood.暴雨成灾。 Her investment had disastrous consequences.She lost everything she owned.她的投资结果很惨，血本无归。

64 lapses
n.失误，过失( lapse的名词复数 )；小毛病；行为失检；偏离正道v.退步( lapse的第三人称单数 )；陷入；倒退；丧失
参考例句：
He sometimes lapses from good behavior. 他有时行为失检。 来自辞典例句 He could forgive attacks of nerves, panic, bad unexplainable actions, all sorts of lapses. 他可以宽恕突然发作的歇斯底里，惊慌失措，恶劣的莫名其妙的动作，各种各样的失误。 来自辞典例句

65 bustled
闹哄哄地忙乱，奔忙( bustle的过去式和过去分词 )； 催促
参考例句：
She bustled around in the kitchen. 她在厨房里忙得团团转。 The hostress bustled about with an assumption of authority. 女主人摆出一副权威的样子忙来忙去。

66 trump
n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭
参考例句：
He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。 The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

67 flicked
（尤指用手指或手快速地）轻击( flick的过去式和过去分词 )； （用…）轻挥； （快速地）按开关； 向…笑了一下（或瞥了一眼等）
参考例句：
She flicked the dust off her collar. 她轻轻弹掉了衣领上的灰尘。 I idly picked up a magazine and flicked through it. 我漫不经心地拿起一本杂志翻看着。

68 bent
n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的
参考例句：
He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。 We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

69 endearments
n.表示爱慕的话语，亲热的表示( endearment的名词复数 )
参考例句：
They were whispering endearments to each other. 他们彼此低声倾吐着爱慕之情。 He held me close to him, murmuring endearments. 他抱紧了我，喃喃述说着爱意。 来自辞典例句

70 slippers
n. 拖鞋
参考例句：
a pair of slippers 一双拖鞋 He kicked his slippers off and dropped on to the bed. 他踢掉了拖鞋，倒在床上。

71 banking
n.银行业，银行学，金融业
参考例句：
John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。 He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

72 sufficiently
adv.足够地，充分地
参考例句：
It turned out he had not insured the house sufficiently.原来他没有给房屋投足保险。 The new policy was sufficiently elastic to accommodate both views.新政策充分灵活地适用两种观点。

73 vacancies
n.空房间( vacancy的名词复数 )；空虚；空白；空缺
参考例句：
job vacancies 职位空缺 The sign outside the motel said \"No Vacancies\". 汽车旅馆外的招牌显示“客满”。 来自《简明英汉词典》

74 unstable
adj.不稳定的，易变的
参考例句：
This bookcase is too unstable to hold so many books.这书橱很不结实，装不了这么多书。 The patient's condition was unstable.那患者的病情不稳定。

75 beleaguered
adj.受到围困[围攻]的；包围的v.围攻( beleaguer的过去式和过去分词)；困扰；骚扰
参考例句：
The beleaguered party leader was forced to resign. 那位饱受指责的政党领导人被迫辞职。 We are beleaguered by problems. 我们被许多困难所困扰。 来自《简明英汉词典》

76 lank
adj.瘦削的；稀疏的
参考例句：
He rose to lank height and grasped Billy McMahan's hand.他瘦削的身躯站了起来，紧紧地握住比利·麦默恩的手。 The old man has lank hair.那位老人头发稀疏

77 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。

78 interval
n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息
参考例句：
The interval between the two trees measures 40 feet.这两棵树的间隔是40英尺。 There was a long interval before he anwsered the telephone.隔了好久他才回了电话。

79 miserable
adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的
参考例句：
It was miserable of you to make fun of him.你取笑他，这是可耻的。 Her past life was miserable.她过去的生活很苦。

80 perfectly
adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地
参考例句：
The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。 Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

81 followers
追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件
参考例句：
the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者 The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

82 humbug
n.花招，谎话，欺骗
参考例句：
I know my words can seem to him nothing but utter humbug.我知道，我说的话在他看来不过是彻头彻尾的慌言。 All their fine words are nothing but humbug.他们的一切花言巧语都是骗人的。

83 bishops
（基督教某些教派管辖大教区的）主教( bishop的名词复数 )； （国际象棋的）象
参考例句：
Each player has two bishops at the start of the game. 棋赛开始时，每名棋手有两只象。 "Only sheriffs and bishops and rich people and kings, and such like. “他劫富济贫，抢的都是郡长、主教、国王之类的富人。

84 scapegoats
n.代人受过的人，替罪羊( scapegoat的名词复数 )v.使成为替罪羊( scapegoat的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
They were made the scapegoats for the misfire of the program. 他们成了那个计划失败的替罪羊。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 Only some of the guards and a minor hotel employee, chosen as scapegoats, were imprisoned. 只有一些保镖和那个旅馆的小职员当了替罪羊，被关进了监狱。 来自辞典例句

85 turpitude
n.可耻；邪恶
参考例句：
He was considered unfit to hold office because of moral turpitude.因为道德上的可耻行为，他被认为不适担任公务员。 Let every declamation turn upon the beauty of liberty and virtue,and the deformity,turpitude,and malignity of slavery and vice.让每一篇演讲都来谈自由和道德之美，都来谈奴役和邪恶之丑陋、卑鄙和恶毒。

86 Christian
adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒
参考例句：
They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。 His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

87 verge
n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临
参考例句：
The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。 She was on the verge of bursting into tears.她快要哭出来了。

88 rustiness
生锈，声音沙哑； 荒疏； 锈蚀
参考例句：
His rustiness showed when he was asked to speed up. 当被要求加速时，他显得非常迟钝。 His rustiness had become a attraction to the public. 他那沙哑的讲话声，也成了公众迷醉于他的一个重要因素。

89 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。

90 animated
adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的
参考例句：
His observations gave rise to an animated and lively discussion.他的言论引起了一场气氛热烈而活跃的讨论。 We had an animated discussion over current events last evening.昨天晚上我们热烈地讨论时事。

91 salmon
n.鲑，大马哈鱼，橙红色的
参考例句：
We saw a salmon jumping in the waterfall there.我们看见一条大马哈鱼在那边瀑布中跳跃。 Do you have any fresh salmon in at the moment?现在有新鲜大马哈鱼卖吗？

92 gnawing
a.痛苦的，折磨人的
参考例句：
The dog was gnawing a bone. 那狗在啃骨头。 These doubts had been gnawing at him for some time. 这些疑虑已经折磨他一段时间了。