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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold. My fingers
dreams and climbed in with our mother. Of course, she did.
This is the day of the reaping.
bedroom to see them. My little sister, Prim, curled up on her
In sleep, my mother looks younger, still worn but not
so beaten-down. Prim’s face is as fresh as a raindrop, as lovely
very beautiful once, too. Or so they tell me.
Sitting at Prim’s knees, guarding her, is the world’s ugliest
cat. Mashed-in nose, half of one ear missing, eyes the color of
rotting squash. Prim named him Buttercup, insisting that his
muddy yellow coat matched the bright flower. He hates me.
Or at least distrusts me. Even though it was years ago, I think
he still remembers how I tried to drown him in a bucket when
another mouth to feed. But Prim begged so hard, cried even, I
had to let him stay. It turned out okay. My mother got rid of
the vermin and he’s a born mouser. Even catches the occasional
rat. Sometimes, when I clean a kill, I feed Buttercup the
Entrails. No hissing. This is the closest we will ever come to
love.
I swing my legs off the bed and slide into my hunting boots.
bag. On the table, under a wooden bowl to protect it from
hungry rats and cats alike, sits a perfect little goat cheese
wrapped in basil leaves. Prim’s gift to me on reaping day. I put
the cheese carefully in my pocket as I slip outside.
Our part of District 12, nicknamed the Seam, is usually
crawling with coal miners heading out to the morning shift at
the coal dust out of their broken nails, the lines of their sunken
two. May as well sleep in. If you can.
Our house is almost at the edge of the Seam. I only have to
Separating the Meadow from the woods, in fact enclosing all
of District 12, is a high chain-link fence topped with barbedwire
loops. In theory, it’s supposed to be electrified18 twentyfour
to threaten our streets. But since we’re lucky to get two or
three hours of electricity in the evenings, it’s usually safe to
touch. Even so, I always take a moment to listen carefully for
the hum that means the fence is live. Right now, it’s silent as a
and slide under a two-foot stretch that’s been loose for
years. There are several other weak spots in the fence, but this
one is so close to home I almost always enter the woods here.
arrows from a hollow log. Electrified or not, the fence has
been successful at keeping the flesh-eaters out of District 12.
Inside the woods they roam freely, and there are added concerns
like venomous snakes, rabid animals, and no real paths
to follow. But there’s also food if you know how to find it. My
father knew and he taught me some before he was blown to
bits in a mine explosion. There was nothing even to bury. I
was eleven then. Five years later, I still wake up screaming for
him to run.
Even though trespassing27 in the woods is illegal and poaching
carries the severest of penalties, more people would risk it
if they had weapons. But most are not bold enough to venture
out with just a knife. My bow is a rarity, crafted by my father
along with a few others that I keep well hidden in the woods,
carefully wrapped in waterproof28 covers. My father could have
made good money selling them, but if the officials found out
Most of the Peacekeepers turn a blind eye to the few of us who
hunt because they’re as hungry for fresh meat as anybody is.
In fact, they’re among our best customers. But the idea that
someone might be arming the Seam would never have been
allowed.
apples. But always in sight of the Meadow. Always close
enough to run back to the safety of District 12 if trouble arises.
“District Twelve. Where you can starve to death in safety,” I
mutter. Then I glance quickly over my shoulder. Even here,
even in the middle of nowhere, you worry someone might
overhear you.
When I was younger, I scared my mother to death, the
who rule our country, Panem, from the far-off city called the
Capitol. Eventually I understood this would only lead us to
more trouble.
点击收听单词发音
1 prim | |
adj.拘泥形式的,一本正经的;n.循规蹈矩,整洁;adv.循规蹈矩地,整洁地 | |
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2 mattress | |
n.床垫,床褥 | |
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3 prop | |
vt.支撑;n.支柱,支撑物;支持者,靠山 | |
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4 cocooned | |
v.茧,蚕茧( cocoon的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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5 primrose | |
n.樱草,最佳部分, | |
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6 belly | |
n.肚子,腹部;(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分,膛 | |
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7 swollen | |
adj.肿大的,水涨的;v.使变大,肿胀 | |
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8 fleas | |
n.跳蚤( flea的名词复数 );爱财如命;没好气地(拒绝某人的要求) | |
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9 hissing | |
n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式 | |
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10 supple | |
adj.柔软的,易弯的,逢迎的,顺从的,灵活的;vt.使柔软,使柔顺,使顺从;vi.变柔软,变柔顺 | |
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11 forage | |
n.(牛马的)饲料,粮草;v.搜寻,翻寻 | |
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12 hunched | |
(常指因寒冷、生病或愁苦)耸肩弓身的,伏首前倾的 | |
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13 knuckles | |
n.(指人)指关节( knuckle的名词复数 );(指动物)膝关节,踝v.(指人)指关节( knuckle的第三人称单数 );(指动物)膝关节,踝 | |
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14 cinder | |
n.余烬,矿渣 | |
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15 shutters | |
百叶窗( shutter的名词复数 ); (照相机的)快门 | |
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16 squat | |
v.蹲坐,蹲下;n.蹲下;adj.矮胖的,粗矮的 | |
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17 scruffy | |
adj.肮脏的,不洁的 | |
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18 electrified | |
v.使电气化( electrify的过去式和过去分词 );使兴奋 | |
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19 deterrent | |
n.阻碍物,制止物;adj.威慑的,遏制的 | |
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20 predators | |
n.食肉动物( predator的名词复数 );奴役他人者(尤指在财务或性关系方面) | |
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21 lone | |
adj.孤寂的,单独的;唯一的 | |
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22 cougars | |
n.美洲狮( cougar的名词复数 ) | |
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23 concealed | |
a.隐藏的,隐蔽的 | |
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24 clump | |
n.树丛,草丛;vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
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25 flatten | |
v.把...弄平,使倒伏;使(漆等)失去光泽 | |
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26 retrieve | |
vt.重新得到,收回;挽回,补救;检索 | |
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27 trespassing | |
[法]非法入侵 | |
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28 waterproof | |
n.防水材料;adj.防水的;v.使...能防水 | |
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29 inciting | |
刺激的,煽动的 | |
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30 sneak | |
vt.潜行(隐藏,填石缝);偷偷摸摸做;n.潜行;adj.暗中进行 | |
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31 blurt | |
vt.突然说出,脱口说出 | |
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