The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
之前看过阿加莎克里斯蒂的中文版《无人生还》，还有电影版的《东方快车谋杀案》，英文版的《罗杰疑案》还是第一次看，整体来说还可以大概读的懂。因为这是一篇悬疑推理的侦探类小说，我就不透露剧情了，主要是积累一些英语词汇和短语的用法~
但是看到最后还真是有大反转，密室里的几个人物形象和刚开始的印象完全不同，很让人意外。也慢慢喜欢上了这里面的小个子比利时侦探波洛（Hercule Poirot），敏锐的观察力和严密的逻辑推理，人也很nice，突然就想到了英剧《神探夏洛克》里面的一句台词：Smart is the new sexy.
1. Life is trying.
trying adj.
If you describe something or someone as trying, you mean that they are difficult to deal with and make you feel impatient or annoyed. 难对付的; 令人厌烦的
2. She will go round the village airing her views.
air vt. 公开发表(意见、观点、理论等)
to air one's opinions 公开发表意见
3. I don't know what Mrs. Cecil Ackroyd thought of the Ferrars affair when it came on the tapis.
on the tapis 在审议中；在讨论中；正在考虑
4. Such have been our preoccupations in King's Abbot for the last few years.
preoccupation n. 关注的事物
take one's preoccupation with 全神贯注于，专心致志于
5. Women, in my experience, if they once reach the determination to commit suicide, usually wish to reveal the state of mind that led to the fatal action. They covet the limelight.
covet /ˈkʌvɪt/ vt.
If you covet something, you strongly want to have it for yourself. 对…垂涎三尺
6. That earnest tete-a-tete between Ralph Paton and Mrs Ferrars the day before struck me disagreeably.
tete-a-tete ['teita:'teit] n. 促膝谈心；两人间的私下谈话
7. At 7:30. Will that suit you?
用于约定时间时问对方这个时间合适不合适的
8. Such a habbit could hardly endear him to us as a neighbour.
endear sb. to sb.
If something endears you to someone or if you endear yourself to them, you become popular with them and well liked by them. 使受欢迎; 使人喜爱
9. I won't even admit to you the wild suspicion that crossed my mind.
cross one's mind (念头等)出现在脑中， 突然从脑海中掠过，领悟过来；想起
10. I had an uneasy feeling that she saw through the transparent device.
device (为实现某种目的的)计划；手段；策略，谋略；诡计，花招，骗局
11. I got out the car in next to no time, and drove rapidly to Fernly.
in next to no time 立刻，马上，一眨眼工夫，很快地
12. It occurred to me that the roughness had been of an almost exaggerated quality.
It occurred to me that ... 突然想起……突然想到……
这个表达很实用~
13. "Major Blunt hasn't looked at it yet," objected the inspector.
object v.
If you object to something, you express your dislike or disapproval of it. 反对
14. I was shocked by the sight of her face. All the colour had faded away from it. But when she spoke her manner was as composed and resolute as possible.
这是一段关于Flora神情的描写，感觉很形象~
If someone is composed, they are calm and able to control their feelings. 镇定的; 泰然自若的 [usu v-link ADJ]
If you describe someone as resolute, you approve of them because they are very determined not to change their mind or not to give up a course of action. 坚定的 [正式]
15. We were ushered into a little sitting-room arranged with formal precision, and there, after a lapse of a minute or so, my friend of yesterday came to us.
A lapse of something such as concentration or judgment is a temporary lack of that thing, which can often cause you to make a mistake. (一时的) 走神; 判断错误
A lapse of time is a period that is long enough for a situation to change or for people to have a different opinion about it. (时间的) 间隔
16. I hesitated, but her imperious glance drove me on.
imperious adj. 迫切的；紧急的；紧要的
If you describe someone as imperious, you mean that they have a proud manner and expect to be obeyed. 专横的; 傲慢的; 飞扬跋扈的 [书面] [ADV with v]
17. We carried out this plan forthwith. We found Inspector Davis outside the police station looking very glum indeed.
forthwith [fɔːθ'wɪθ; -ð] adv.
Forthwith means immediately. 即刻, 立刻，立即；不犹豫地 [正式] [ADV with v]
18. The chief constable was clearly vexed, and Inspector Raglan looked as black as thunder.
constable ['kʌnstəb(ə)l; 'kɒn-] n. 治安官，巡警；警察
vexed adj. 生气的，烦恼的，恼怒的
as black as thunder 脸色阴森的，面带怒容的，十分生气的[亦作 like thunder]
19. I felt a secret admiration of the way he took the bull by the horns. I saw a look of respect creep into the inspector's eye.
take the bull by the horns
采取果敢行动以应付艰险局面，坚决而大胆地对付困难(或危险)，不畏艰险
20. The butler drew the chair in question out a good two feet from the wall, turning it so that the seat faced the door.
in question 有疑问的；成问题的; 讨论中的，审议中的；争执中的，辩论中的；考虑中的；上述的
good adj.
You use good to emphasize the great extent or degree of something. 十足的['a' ADJ n] [强调]
eg: We waited a good fifteen minutes. 我们足足等了15分钟。
21. But I will leave no stone unturned.
leave no stone unturned
想方设法，千方百计；尽一切努力
22. She's doing the right thing. I'll stand by her through thick and thin.
through thick and thin
赴汤蹈火,不避艰险;在任何情况下;不论祸福,同甘共苦
23. "That is a pity," And he seemed quite crestfallen.
crestfallen adj.
If you look crestfallen, you look sad and disappointed about something. 垂头丧气的 [usu v-link ADJ]
24. I was in debt - badly, and that legacy came in the nick of time. Five hundred pounds puts me on my feet again with a little to spare.
in the nick of time
在关键时刻，在紧要关头
25. "Go on, James," said Caroline at last. "You're East Wind," I discarded a tile. A round or two proceeded, broken by the monotonous remarks of "Three Bamboos," "Two Circles," "Pung," and frequently from Miss Gannett "Unpung,' owing to that lady's habit of too hastily claiming tiles to which she had no right.
这段关于众人打麻将的描写感觉好亲切呀~哈哈~
tile n. (麻将的)(一张)牌
26. But after all, happiness comes first.
这个表达也见了好几次，很实用，表示“……是第一位的，最重要的”。
学习是第一位的。Study comes first.
工作是最重要的。Work comes first.
27. Ursula flushed and began to speak, but Flora forestalled her.
forestall v. 在…之前行动，比…先采取行动，抢先一步
28. "I am not mad. It was the little discrepancy in time that first drew my attention to you- right at the beginning."
discrepancy n. If there is a discrepancy between two things that ought to be the same, there is a noticeable difference between them. 差异
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