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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
I sit on the bed, hating Haymitch, hating Peeta, hating myself
for mentioning that day long ago in the rain.
It’s such a joke! Peeta and I going along pretending to be
friends! Talking up each other’s strengths, insisting the other
take credit for their abilities. Because, in fact, at some point,
we’re going to have to knock it off and accept we’re bitter
adversaries1. Which I’d be prepared to do right now if it wasn’t
for Haymitch’s stupid instruction that we stick together in
training. It’s my own fault, I guess, for telling him he didn’t
have to coach us separately. But that didn’t mean I wanted to
do everything with Peeta. Who, by the way, clearly doesn’t
want to be partnering up with me, either.
I hear Peeta’s voice in my head. She has no idea. The effect
she can have. Obviously meant to demean me. Right? but a tiny
part of me wonders if this was a compliment. That he meant I
me. Like the attention he’s paid to my hunting. And apparently3,
flour. The wrestling. I have kept track of the boy with the bread.
It’s almost ten. I clean my teeth and smooth back my hair
again. Anger temporarily blocked out my nervousness about
meeting the other tributes, but now I can feel my anxiety rising
again. By the time I meet Effie and Peeta at the elevator, I
catch myself biting my nails. I stop at once.
The actual training rooms are below ground level of our building.
With these elevators, the ride is less than a minute.The doors open
into an enormous gymnasium filled with various weapons and
obstacle courses. Although it’s not yet ten, we’re the last ones to
arrive. The other tributes are gathered in a tense circle. They each
have a cloth square with their district number on it pinned to their
shirts. While someone pins the number 12 on my back, I do a quick
assessment5. Peeta and I are the only two dressed alike.
woman named Atala steps up and begins to explain the training
schedule. Experts in each skill will remain at their stations.
We will be free to travel from area to area as we choose, per
our mentor’s instructions. Some of the stations teach survival
skills, others fighting techniques. We are forbidden to engage
assistants on hand if we want to practice with a partner.
When Atala begins to read down the list of the skill stations,
my eyes can’t help flitting around to the other tributes.
It’s the first time we’ve been assembled, on level ground, in
simple clothes. My heart sinks. Almost all of the boys and at
least half of the girls are bigger than I am, even though many
of the tributes have never been fed properly. You can see it in
their bones, their skin, the hollow look in their eyes. I may be
smaller naturally, but overall my family’s resourcefulness has
given me an edge in that area. I stand straight, and while I’m
thin, I’m strong. The meat and plants from the woods combined
body than most of those I see around me. The exceptions are
the kids from the wealthier districts, the volunteers, the ones
who have been fed and trained throughout their lives for this
moment. The tributes from 1, 2, and 4 traditionally have this
look about them. It’s technically9 against the rules to train
tributes before they reach the Capitol but it happens every
year. In District 12, we call them the Career Tributes, or just
the Careers. And like as not, the winner will be one of them.
The slight advantage I held coming into the Training Center,
of my competition. The other tributes were jealous of us,
but not because we were amazing, because our stylists were.
Now I see nothing but contempt in the glances of the Career
Tributes. Each must have fifty to a hundred pounds on me.
they head straight for the deadliest-looking weapons in the
gym and handle them with ease.
I’m thinking that it’s lucky I’m a fast runner when Peeta
nudges my arm and I jump. He is still beside me, per
Haymitch’s instructions. His expression is sober. “Where
would you like to start?”
I look around at the Career Tributes who are showing off,
clearly trying to intimidate13 the field. Then at the others, the
underfed, the incompetent14, shakily having their first lessons
with a knife or an ax.
“Suppose we tie some knots,” I say.
“Right you are,” says Peeta. We cross to an empty station
where the trainer seems pleased to have students. You get
the feeling that the knot-tying class is not the Hunger games
hot spot.
点击收听单词发音
1 adversaries | |
n.对手,敌手( adversary的名词复数 ) | |
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2 weird | |
adj.古怪的,离奇的;怪诞的,神秘而可怕的 | |
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3 apparently | |
adv.显然地;表面上,似乎 | |
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4 oblivious | |
adj.易忘的,遗忘的,忘却的,健忘的 | |
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5 assessment | |
n.评价;评估;对财产的估价,被估定的金额 | |
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6 athletic | |
adj.擅长运动的,强健的;活跃的,体格健壮的 | |
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7 combative | |
adj.好战的;好斗的 | |
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8 exertion | |
n.尽力,努力 | |
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9 technically | |
adv.专门地,技术上地 | |
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10 fiery | |
adj.燃烧着的,火红的;暴躁的;激烈的 | |
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11 arrogance | |
n.傲慢,自大 | |
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12 brutality | |
n.野蛮的行为,残忍,野蛮 | |
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13 intimidate | |
vt.恐吓,威胁 | |
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14 incompetent | |
adj.无能力的,不能胜任的 | |
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