读故事

　　I was clinging to the cliff as well as I could.Even as large chunks of earth were still falling all around me and clattering on the rocks below, I could still hear the chuckles of the Dempsy clan as they walked away through the field of the chrysanthemums just over the ridge.I knew they had no remorse for pushing me over the edge.As a matter of fact,they had seemed to enjoy themselves quite well with the thought of my death.This was obviously the climax of my dealings with these people who I now knew behaved more as though they were in a circus than in the clergy.

　　As the lack of circulation in my arms was beginning to cause some pain, however,and my body screamed in chorus,I had a moment of clarity that now was the time to move and try to climb over the ridge.I clamped down my fears and,clenching a tree root with my left hand, carefully tried to open the clip of my cloak.It was tightly clasped shut,but I succeeded in opening it.Then, with my right hand I swung the cloak up to where it wrapped around another tree.Knowing that I had very little clearance to work with,I cleansed my thoughts of the chorus of death swimming through my head, and swung all my weight onto the cloak.

　　As I clamped one hand above the other to begin my upward climb,I could hear myself clinching the surprise of my return from death with the only cliché I could think of,“I'm baaaacck!”

　　记单词

　　chorus n.1.合唱队2.合唱，合唱曲3.副歌，叠句4.齐声，齐声说的话(或发出的喊声)vt.齐声说，随声附和

　　in chorus一齐，一致，共同

　　chrysanthemum n.菊花

　　chuckle vi./n.轻声笑，咯咯笑

　　chunk n.1.厚片，大块2.相当大的部分(或数量)

　　circulation n.1.(体液的)循环，(水、空气等的)流通2.流传，传播，发行3.发行量4.(货币等的)流通

　　circus n.1.马戏，马戏团

　　2.喧闹的场面3.环形广场

　　clamp[klmp]vt.(用夹具等)夹紧，夹住，固定n.夹头，夹具，夹钳

　　clamp down(on)(对…)进行压制(或取缔)

　　clan n.宗族，家族

　　clarity n.清楚，明晰

　　clasp n.1.扣子，钩子

　　2.紧抱，紧握vt.1.抱紧，握紧2.扣住，扣紧

　　clatter v.(使)发出连续而清脆的撞击声n.(硬物等发出)连续而清脆的撞击声

　　cleanse vt.使清洁，使纯洁，清洗

　　clearance n.1.净空，余隙，余地2.许可(证)，批准3.(银行)票据交换，清算4.清除，清理，出空

　　clench vt.1.捏紧(拳头等)，咬紧(牙齿等)2.紧紧握住

　　clergy n.神职人员

　　cliché n.陈词滥调，陈腐的思想

　　climax n.高潮，最令人兴奋(或感兴趣)的部分

　　clinch vt.解决，达成vi./n.扭抱，拥抱

　　cling vi.1.(to)紧紧抓住(或抱住)

　　2.黏着，挨近3.依附，依恋4.坚持，墨守，忠实于

　　clip n.1.(弹簧)夹子，回形针，别针

　　2.弹夹，弹仓3.剪，修剪4.剪报，电影(或电视)片断vt.1.(用夹子、回形针等)夹住，扣住2.剪，修剪3.削减，缩短

　　cloak n.1.斗篷，披风2.掩盖，掩饰，幌子vt.掩盖，掩饰

　　我尽可能紧紧抓住悬崖。尽管我周围的泥块仍在大块大块地往下掉，在下面的岩石上发出连续而清脆的撞击声，我仍然能听到登普西家族的人走过山脊上菊花地时发出的咯咯笑声。我知道他们对把我推下悬崖一点也不后悔。实际上，他们好像一想到我就会死就非常高兴。这显然是我与这些人周旋的高潮，我现在才知道他们的行为与其说像神职人员，不如说更像马戏团的小丑。

　　但是，由于血液缺乏循环，我的手开始有些发痛，我的身体一齐叫喊起来。有那么一会儿我很清楚现在是挪动身子尝试着爬到山脊那边去的时候了。我压制住恐惧、用左手紧紧握住一个树根、小心翼翼地试着打开斗篷的夹子。夹子扣得很紧，但我还是成功地把它打开了。然后我用右手把斗篷抛到了另外一棵树上。我知道我没有多少回旋的余地，我把死神的声音从我的脑子里清除干净，然后纵身跳到了斗篷上面。

　　我两手交叉往上固定抓紧开始向上攀援，我听到自己用一句能想起来的陈词滥调来拥抱我死里逃生的惊喜：“我回……来啦!”