15篇文章贯通大学英语四级(CET4)词汇第2篇

OneChance

Thetinyantiquesilverpinlayinmyhand.Istaredhardatthesolemnfacelook ingbackatmefromtheovalframe.Iwaslookingforsomeresemblancebetweenmyanc estorandmyself.Herbrowwasbroadandstrong,theeyeskindandforgiving.Shewo reastiffblackbonnet(无边小圆软帽),ahighwhitecollarandacoarselywovenshawl(披肩)aroundhershoulders.Inexaminingherfacemoreclosely,maybeIcouldidenti fysomesimilarityaroundtheeyesandthenose.Aninnerstrengthshonefromtheey esofthisdiminutiveladywhohadhelpedleadherfamilyfromIrelandtotheNewWor ld.

Thetimes,inIrelandduringthe1770’s,weredifficultforeveryone.Johna ndLilyLoveandallthetenants(租地者,佃户)oftheBarren’sCourtEstateweresufferingafterterriblefloodsdestroyed theircrops.Thelandlordwasgenerousinallowingthelandrenttofallintoarrea rs(拖欠,还款),duetothedifficulttimes.However,asweatherconditionscontinuedtowors en,thelittlefamilybecamepessimisticandfeltdesperateaboutthedirectiono ftheirlives.Nearlyeveryfamilyatthistimehadatleastonememberoftheirfami lywhohadleftfortheNewWorld.Theuglyfaceoffaminewaslurking(潜藏,潜伏)everywhere.Itwasnotpossiblewithoneacreofarable(可耕作的)landtomakealiving.

Lateonenight,afterthechildrenwereinbed,JohnandLilydiscussedthepos sibilityofmakingareservationaboardasailingshipboundforAmerica.Johnhad noticedaposterinthetownsquare,thatpostedbyaship’sownertryingtorecrui tpeopleforhisship.JohnknewthatconditionsaboardshipwouldnotbeidealforL ily,hernewinfantsonandthetwoelderboys;however,sheacknowledgedthatsett linginAmericawouldbetheonlywayforthefamilytogainsomeindependenceandto earnaliving.Moreimportantly,itwasrumoredthatlandwasfreeinthenewcountr y.Lilygaveherconsenttoleave.

Inport,thesailingship,Hannah,underthecommandofCaptainMitchelllaya tanchor.TheadventureofcrossingtheAtlanticOceanboundforPhiladelphiawou ldtaketwotothreemonths.Passengerswereassuredtherewouldbethebestprovis

ionsandplentyofbarrelsoffreshwater.Stormscouldbefierceandlivingcondit ionsbelowdeckwouldbeprimitive.Johnjoinedthelongqueueandeventuallyafte ralengthywait,reachedtherevenuetable.Heaffixed(签署名字)hissignaturetothecontractpromisingtopayfivepoundsperpersonforberth s(卧铺)aboardship.TheclerkreturnedthereceipttoJohnindicatingthatthesumofm oneyhadbeenpaid.

Onceundersailthethreehundredpassengersfoundthemselvescrowdedintom iserableconditions.Thesmellofsomanypeoplecrowdedtogetherwasoffensive. Thebreadthofthevesselwasnarrowandtheheadroom(净空,头上空间)belowdeckminimal.

AsthetinycraftsailedoutofLoughFoyle,andenteredtheAtlanticOcean,it startedtorollominously(不吉利的)andthoseaboardwonderediftheywouldsurvivethelongvoyageaheadorbeswal lowedupbytheenormouswaves.Seasickness(晕船)waseverywhereandpeoplehadnoappetite.Thefood,insteadofbeingofhighqu alityaspromised,wastoooftenrottenandthewaterwasbrackish(有咸味的).

Eventually,thewindslessenedandtheCaptainwasabletosethissightstowa rdsAmericaandbecomeablysteeringtheshiponanevencourse(航线).Eightweekslater,plusonday,theHannahmadelandfall(着陆)andtheLovefamilydisembarked(离船上岸)inAmericaandbecameAmericannewestimmigrants.Gazingatthemainlandafte rsomanydaysofsailingwasindeedaglorioussight.Thedifficultdaysaboardshi pseemedworthwhile.Portershurriedalongthedockspushingbaggage.Littlegir lswithribbonsi ntheirhairscannedtheship’sdeckshopingtogetafirstglimps eoftheirfatherarriving.ItseemedtoLilythatittookforevertoregisterandto passthroughimmigration.

Johnsaidthathewouldgoaheadtoscoutoutsomelandinthefarwestofthestat e.HewouldpushontothefrontierwithabunchofotherIrishchaps.Lilyandthechi ldrencouldfollowmoreslowly,harnessingthehorseandcarttoconveytheirscan ty(贫乏的,少的)possessions.Thestuffinthecartwouldincludeakettle,dishes,blankets,a chair,abucketandanaxe.

Therewasaperceptionbythegovernmentatthistimethatthefeisty(易怒的,