【有声英语文学名著】CHAPTER FOUR（6）

Certainly seems that way,‘ said Emma. What was it, she wondered, this need to brandish¹ his shiny new metropolitan² life at her? As soon as she‘d met him at the arrivals gate on his return from Thailand, lithe³ and brown and shaven-headed, she knew that there was no chance of a relationship between them. Too much had happened to him, too little had happened to her. Even so this would be the third girlfriend, lover, whatever, that she had met in the last nine months, Dexter presenting them up to her like a dog with a fat pigeon in his mouth. Was it some kind of sick revenge for something? Because she got a better degree than him? Didn‘t he know what this was doing to her, sat at table nine with their groins jammed in each other‘s faces?

Can‘t you go, Ian? It‘s your section.‘

He asked for you.‘

She sighed, wiped her hands on her  apron, removed the baseball cap from her head to minimise the shame and pushed the swing door open.

So – do you want to hear the specials or what?‘

Dexter  stood  up  quickly,  untangling  himself  from  the  girl‘s  long  limbs,  and  threw  his arms around his old, old friend. Hey there, how are  you, Em? Big hug!‘ Since starting to work  in  the  TV  industry  he  had  developed  a  mania  for  hugging,  or  for  Big  Hugging.  The company of TV presenters⁴ had rubbed off on him, and he spoke⁵ to her now less like an old friend, more like our next very special guest.

Emma, this—‘ He placed one hand on the girl‘s bare, bony shoulder, forming a chain between them. This is Naomi, pronounced Gnome-y.‘

Hello,  Gnome-y,‘  smiled  Emma.  Naomi  smiled  back,  the  drinking  straw  nipped  tight between white teeth.

Hey, come and join us for a margarita!‘ Boozy and sentimental⁶, he tugged⁷ on Emma‘s hand.

Can‘t, Dex, I‘m working.‘

Come on, five minutes. I want to buy you a drunk. A drink! I mean a drink.‘

Ian joined them now, his notebook poised⁸. So shall I get you guys something to eat?‘ he asked convivially⁹.

The girl wrinkled her nose. I don‘t think so!‘

Dexter, you‘ve met Ian, haven‘t you?‘ said Emma quickly.

No, no, I haven‘t,‘ said Dexter. Yes, several times,‘ said Ian, and there was a moment of silence as they stood there, the staff and the customers.

1 brandish   

v.挥舞，挥动；n.挥动，挥舞

参考例句：

• She answered with a brandish of her umbrella.她挥动着伞回答。
• Come on together! Brandish the florid youth together!一起舞动绚丽的青春吧！

2 metropolitan   

adj.大城市的，大都会的

参考例句：

• Metropolitan buildings become taller than ever.大城市的建筑变得比以前更高。
• Metropolitan residents are used to fast rhythm.大都市的居民习惯于快节奏。

3 lithe   

adj.(指人、身体)柔软的，易弯的

参考例句：

• His lithe athlete's body had been his pride through most of the fifty - six years.他那轻巧自如的运动员体格，五十六年来几乎一直使他感到自豪。
• His walk was lithe and graceful.他走路轻盈而优雅。

4 presenters   

n.节目主持人，演播员( presenter的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Each week presenters would put the case for their favourite candidate. 每个星期主持人推出他们最喜欢的候选人。 来自互联网
• Karaoke was set up to allowed presenters to sing on the stage. 宴会设有歌唱舞台，可让出席者大演唱功。 来自互联网

5 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。

6 sentimental   

adj.多愁善感的，感伤的

参考例句：

• She's a sentimental woman who believes marriage comes by destiny.她是多愁善感的人，她相信姻缘命中注定。
• We were deeply touched by the sentimental movie.我们深深被那感伤的电影所感动。

7 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》

8 poised   

a.摆好姿势不动的

参考例句：

• The hawk poised in mid-air ready to swoop. 老鹰在半空中盘旋，准备俯冲。
• Tina was tense, her hand poised over the telephone. 蒂娜心情紧张，手悬在电话机上。

9 convivially   

adv.欢乐地，愉悦地

参考例句：

• Let's and have a drink, ' she said convivially. ‘我们去喝点酒。’她欢快地说。 来自互联网