CHAPTER THREE The Letters from N

1.Uncle Vernon stopped at last outside a gloomy-looking hotel on the outskirts of a big city.

outskirt n. 市郊;郊区

2.Dudley and Harry shared a room with twin beds and damp, musty sheets.

musty adj. 发霉的,陈腐的；乏味的,陈旧的

damp vt. 使潮湿；使沮丧，抑制；使阻尼 vi. 减幅，阻尼；变潮湿 n. 潮湿，湿气 adj. 潮湿的

3.They ate stale cornflakes and cold tinned tomatoes on toast for breakfast next day.

stale adj. 不新鲜的; 味道变坏的；无趣味的; 老掉牙的；没有生气的 vi. 变陈旧; 走味

cornflake n.玉米片

4. Dudley snivelled.

 snivelled [古语] 鼻涕；啜泣，抽噎；哭诉：

5. Perched on top of the rock was the most miserable little shack you could imagine.

perch n. 栖息处, 栖枝, 栖木；高处, 较高的位置；鲈鱼 vi. (鸟)飞落, 暂栖, 停留

          vt. & vi. (在较高处或物体边缘)坐着; 把…置于较高或危险处

shack n. 窝棚, 简陋的小屋 vi. 未婚而同居

6.‘Storm forecast for tonight!’ said Uncle Vernon gleefully, clapping his hands together.

gleefully adv. 极快乐地,欢欣地

7.A toothless old man came ambling up to them, pointing, with a rather wicked grin, at an old rowing boat bobbing in the iron-grey water below them.

amble vi. （马）缓行；从容漫步 n. （马的）缓行步态；漫步

wicked adj. 邪恶的；顽皮的；恶劣的；不道德的

grin v. 露齿而笑，咧着嘴笑 n. 露齿笑

bob vt. 使上下(或来回)快速摆动;剪短(头发);截短(尾巴);轻敲,轻打

 vi. 上下(或来回)快速摆动;跃起;行屈膝礼;用浮子钓鱼;(游戏中)试咬住悬挂(或飘动)的目的物(如水果等);(迅速)冒出;(突然) 出现

n. 上下(或来回)快速摆动;跳跃;屈膝礼;跳跃舞(一种苏格兰民间舞);钟摆;秤锤;(丝带、头发等的)一束,一团;(孩童或女子的)短发;剪短的马尾;(钓鱼线上的)浮子;一串鱼饵;连橇;大雪橇;轻敲,轻打;<古>歌曲的短叠句;<英><俚>(旧时英币)一先令(相当于现时的五便士)

8.‘I’ve already got us some rations,’ said Uncle Vernon, ‘so all aboard!’

ration n. 定量; 配给量 vt. 限量供应; 配给供应

9.It was freezing in the boat. Icy sea spray and rain crept down their necks and a chilly wind whipped their faces.

spray n. 水沫；喷雾；喷雾器 vt. 喷射 vi. 喷

crept v. 匍匐爬行（creep的过去式）

whip vt. 抽打；煽动；搅打（蛋，奶油）；[口]彻底击败 n. 鞭子；抽打；车夫；搅拌器 vi. 抽打；急走；拍击

10.As night fell, the promised storm blew up around them. Spray from the high waves splattered the walls of the hut and a fierce wind rattled the filthy windows.

splatter vt. 结结巴巴地讲；使水等飞溅 vi. 结结巴巴地说话；溅泼 n. 飞溅

hut n. 小屋；临时营房 vt. 使住在小屋中；驻扎 vi. 住在小屋中；驻扎

rattle vt. 使发出咯咯声；喋喋不休；使慌乱，使惊慌 vi. 喋喋不休地讲话；发出卡嗒卡嗒声 n. 喋喋不休的人；吓吱声，格格声

 filthy adj. 肮脏的;污秽的;下流的;淫秽的

11. She and Uncle Vernon went off to the lumpy bed next door and Harry was left to find the softest bit of floor he could and to curl up under the thinnest, most ragged blanket.

lumpy adj. 粗笨的；波浪起伏的；多块状物的

curl vt. 使…卷曲；使卷起来 vi. 卷曲；盘绕 n. 卷发；螺旋状物；卷曲

rag n. 破布；碎屑 vt. 戏弄；责骂 vi. 变破碎；穿着讲究

12.The storm raged more and more ferociously as the night went on.

ferociously adv. 野蛮地,残忍地