【生词】

slip：[I always + adv/prep] to go somewhere, without attracting other people’s attention 溜走，悄悄地走

cloakroom：衣帽间

walkingstick：拐杖

peg：a short piece of wood, metal, or plastic that is attached to a wall or fits into a hole, used especially to hang things on or to fasten things together 〔尤用于挂物或固定用的木头、金属或塑料〕短钉，挂钉

job：[singular 单数] used to say that something is of a particular type spoken 〔用于说明某物属于某一类型〕 【口】

jay：a bird of the crow family that is noisy and brightly coloured 松鸦；㭴鸟

rakish：adj. / 'reɪkɪʃ  ; ˋrekɪʃ  /if a man looks rakish, or wears rakish clothes, he dresses nicely and looks confident and relaxed 〔外表或穿戴〕帅气的，潇洒的

daring：new or unusual in a way that may shock people 大胆的，别出心裁的

loud：loud clothes are too bright or have too many bright patterns 〔衣服〕花哨的，扎眼的

neat：tidy and carefully arranged 整齐的；整洁的

scalp：/ skælp  ; skælp  /to cut the hair and skin off the head of a dead enemy as a sign of victory 剥下头皮

attitude：[U] a style of dressing, behaving etc that shows you have the confidence to do unusual and exciting things without caring what other people think informal 我行我素的作风 【非正式】

gangster：n. [C] / 'ɡæŋstə  ; ˋgæŋstɚ  /a member of a violent group of criminals

yank：/ jæŋk  ; jæŋk  / informal，to suddenly pull something quickly and with force 猛拉，使劲拉 【非正式】give sth a yank

pane：a piece of glass used in a window or door 〔窗或门上的〕一块玻璃

nestle：v. / 'nesəl  ; ˋnɛsḷ  /[I,T always + adv/prep] to move into a comfortable position, pressing your head or body against someone or against something soft (使)舒适地安顿下来；(使)偎依，(使)依靠

rim：1 the outside edge of something circular 〔圆形物体的〕外缘，边缘，边2 The rim of a container such as a cup or glass is the edge that goes all the way around the top. (容器的) 上缘

brim：1. 帽檐；2.（容器的）口，边沿

swell: [I] to become larger and rounder than normal – used especially about parts of the body 肿，肿胀〔尤指身体部位〕RELTD SWOLLEN 

witch：1.a woman who is supposed to have magic powers, especially to do bad things〔尤指邪恶的〕女巫，巫婆；2.informal an insulting word for a woman who is old or unpleasant 丑老太婆，老巫婆〔侮辱性用语〕

splutter：[I,T] to talk quickly in short confused phrases, especially because you are angry or surprised 气急败坏地说，急促而慌乱地说〔尤因生气或吃惊〕

pink：面红耳赤的

budge：to move, or to make someone or something move（使）移动，（使）挪动

skulk：to hide or move about secretly, trying not to be noticed, especially when you are intending to do something bad〔尤指为了不良企图而〕躲藏，潜伏；鬼鬼祟祟地走动

pyjama： [pə'dʒæmə] adj. 睡衣裤的 n. （宽大的）睡衣裤

monk: a member of an all-male religious group that lives apart from other people in a monastery 修道士，僧侣

patch：a small area of something that is different from the area around it 〔与周围部分不同的〕斑，小块

lice：n. 虱子（louse 的复数） louse /laʊs,laus/

【短语】

get hold of sth ( also 又作 get a hold of sth AmE 【美】 )：to find or borrow something so that you can use it 找[借]来某物

stand on her toes：踮起脚尖

reach up：举起、抬起（手、脚）

in an effort to do sth：in order to

for the heck of it：for fun, or for no particular reason 只是闹着玩；不为什么

let out：If you let out a particular sound, you make that sound. 发出 (声音)

in heaven's name: 天啊，用于强调语气

pick one's nose: 挖鼻子

serve sb right：活该

fuss + with/around/about: to pay too much attention to small unimportant details

toss and turn: 〔因睡不着在床上〕翻来覆去

【随笔】

不能容忍父亲的dishonesty，跟父亲争辩却换来了父亲的多次谩骂和侮辱后，Matilda开始实施她的小计划来报复父母。这是第一次对父亲的惩罚。虽不能永久性地给自己的父亲上一堂课，却实实在在地给父亲一次小小的惩罚。以成人的眼光看，似乎觉得这样捉弄自己的父母是不好的行为，但是站在孩子的角度看，世界是简单的，非黑即白，父亲做错了事情就应该受到惩罚。这也是儿童文学作品跟纪实文学的区别吧。