XI. The Automobile

【生词】

automobile：[,ɔtəmə'bil] n. 汽车

spring fever：a sudden feeling of energy that you have in the spring 春躁症〔指在春季突然觉得精力充沛〕

bitterly：in a way that produces or shows feelings of great sadness or anger

closely：very carefully

pariah： [pə'raɪə] n. 贱民（印度的最下阶级）

make sth out of：to change a person or thing into something else

disagreeable：not at all enjoyable or pleasant

chippy：a promiscuous woman 荡妇

coop： n. [C ]禽舍；〔尤指〕鸡笼

daybreak：n. 黎明；破晓

compass：n. 指南针，罗盘

bureau： ['bjʊro]a piece of furniture with several drawers, used to keep clothes in五斗橱，衣柜

match：n. 火柴

cock：v. [T ]to move your hat so that it is at an angle歪戴〔帽子〕

jaunty： ['dʒɔnti]showing that you are confident and happy

sling：[usually passive,一般用被动态] to hang something loosely

wad： n. [C ]〔纸或轻薄材料的〕一叠，一沓；〔软材料压在一起的〕一团

gauze：[gɔz]n. [U ] n. 纱布

pincer：n. 螯；拨钉钳 pincers钳子 a pair of pincers

rack：vt.(以齿轮等)调准，定准

sound：sensible and likely to produce the right results. sound ideas, sound advice

rinse：[rɪns] to wash clothes, dishes, vegetables etc quickly with water, especially running water, and without soap冲洗，〔用流动的水〕清洗 rinse sth out

mouthwash：n. 嗽口水，洗口药

miniature： [ˈmɪniətʃɚ; ˈmɪnɪtʃɚ]adj. [only before noun 仅用于名词前]much smaller than normal

fender：n. （汽车等的）挡泥板

streamlined：adj. 流线型的

blow the horn：按喇叭

panel：n. 仪表板

grinding:adj. 刺耳的

loose：free from being controlled or held in a cage, prison, or institution

runaway：a runaway vehicle or animal is out of control〔车辆或动物〕失控的 a runaway car

hearth: n.壁炉周围的地面

broom: n. 扫帚

pounce: [I] to suddenly move forward and attack someone or something, after waiting to attack them 猛扑，突然袭击 [+ on]

wastebasket: n. 废纸篓

hub：n. 中心

plain：very clear, and easy to understand or recognize. in plain sight

leak：[I,T] if a container, pipe, roof etc leaks, or if it leaks gas, liquid etc, there is a small hole or crack in it that lets gas or liquid flow through(使)漏，(使)渗漏

headlight：n. 汽车等的前灯

windshield：n. 挡风玻璃

shatter：[I,T] to break suddenly into very small pieces, or to make something break in this way（使）粉碎，（使）破碎

puncture：v.[I,T] if a tyre punctures, or if you puncture it, a small hole appears in it刺破，刺穿（轮胎）

hood：n. 〔汽车的〕引擎盖

【表达】

For three days everybody hunted all over the house for Margalo without finding so much as a feather.

hunt for: seek, search for

without so much as... 甚至连...都没有

That's just a lot of nonsense.

While I am about it, I might as well seek my fortune, too.

be about: 干，从事于，着手(工作)；忙于(工作)

seek my fortune：淘金，寻找出路

I ought to take along something to remember my mother by.

sth to remember sb by：供别人记住某人的东西

So Stuart felt around until his hand came in contact with a button.

feel around：摸索

come in contact with: 接触

Doctor got down on his hands and knees and crawled cautiously all over, feeling here and there, until at last he found the car.

get down on his hands and knees

feel here and there