【生词】
chasten：/'tʃeɪs ə n,ˋtʃesṇ/ to make someone realize that their behaviour was wrong or mistaken 惩戒，责罚，磨炼
crummy：/'krʌmi,ˋkrʌmɪ/ adj. of bad quality or unpleasant 劣质的，低劣的
simmer： /'sɪmə,ˋsɪmɚ/ v. 1 [I] if an argument is simmering, people feel angry with each other but only show it slightly〔争吵〕酿，即将爆发 ；2 [I] if you are simmering with anger, or if anger is simmering in you, you feel very angry but do not show your feelings 内心充满〔怒火〕；〔愤怒〕积聚 simmer down phr v to become calm again after you have been very angry
stride：to walk quickly with long steps 迈着大步走，大踏步走 【书面】
blare：to make a very loud unpleasant noise （使）刺耳地大声鸣响
ghastly：/ 'ɡɑːstli ; ˋgæstlɪ /very bad or unpleasant 糟透的；讨厌的
dreaded： / 'dredɪd /making you feel afraid or anxious – often used humorously 可怕的，令人忧虑的〔常为幽默用法〕
infuriate：v. [T] / ɪn'fjʊərieɪt ; ɪnˋfjurɪ͵et / to make someone extremely angry 使〔某人〕大怒
snatch：to take something away from someone with a quick, often violent, movement 抢去，强夺，攫取
filth：1[U] very offensive language, stories, or pictures about sex 下流话；淫秽故事；淫秽图片；2[U] dirt, especially a lot of it 〔尤指大量的〕污物
rip：[I,T] to tear something or be torn quickly and violently 撕，扯；被撕裂，被扯开
jealousy：a feeling of being jealous 妒忌，嫉妒
kitty：[usually singular 一般用单数] the money that people have collected for a particular purpose 〔为某目的〕筹集的钱款 in the kitty
sulk：to be silently angry and refuse to be friendly or discuss what is annoying or upsetting you – used to show disapproval 生闷气，怒〔含贬义〕
subtle：adj. / 'sʌtl ; ˋsʌtḷ /not easy to notice or understand unless you pay careful attention 难以察觉[理解]的；微妙的，细微的
devise：v. [T] / dɪ'vaɪz ; dɪˋvaɪz /to plan or invent a new way of doing something 想出，设计，发明〔新的方法〕
spooky：adj. / 'spuːki ; ˋspukɪ / informal strange or frightening in a way that makes you think of ghosts 阴森恐怖的，使人毛骨悚然的 【非正式】
stagger：[I always + adv/prep] to walk or move unsteadily, almost falling over 蹒跚；摇摇晃晃地走
wedge：v. to force something firmly into a narrow space 把…挤入[插入]
chimney：烟囱
nut: informal someone who is crazy or behaves strangely 疯子；怪人
soot: black powder that is produced when something is burned 炱，煤烟（灰）
sooty：Something that is sooty is covered with soot.
hiss: [I,T] to say something in a loud whisper
collar: to catch someone and hold them so that they cannot escape
red-handed: 当场，正在作案
dash：[I always + adv/prep] to go or run somewhere very quickly
napkin：〔布或纸质的〕餐巾
golf-club：高尔夫球杆
seize：to take hold of something suddenly and violently
plug：插头
socket：插座
brandish：to wave something around in a dangerous or threatening way, especially a weapon〔危险或气势汹汹地〕挥舞〔尤指武器〕
quake：to shake or tremble, usually because you are very frightened
haunt：/hɔːnt,hɔnt/ v. if the soul of a dead person haunts a place, it appears there often
throttle：/'θrɒtl,ˋθrɑtḷ/ v. [T ] to kill or injure someone by holding their throat very tightly so that they cannot breathe
flee： /fliː,fli/ v. [I,T ] 过去式 fled过去分词 fled现在分词 fleeing；to leave somewhere very quickly, in order to escape from danger
slam：[I,T] if a door, gate etc slams, or if someone slams it, it shuts with a loud noise
grumpy：bad-tempered and easily annoyed
【短语】
be (in) for the high jump： informal if someone is for the high jump, they will be punished for something they have done wrong 将受到惩罚
make oneself scarce /skeəs,skɛrs/：informal to leave a place, especially in order to avoid an unpleasant situation〔为避免出现令人不快的情形而〕离开，溜走
light up：点亮
be fed up with sth：annoyed or bored, and wanting something to change 厌烦的，不满的，无法再忍受的 【非正式】
burst into floods of tears
make out： If you make out that something is the case or make something out to be the case, you try to cause people to believe that it is the case. 证明; 竭力说
go on about：唠叨，发牢骚；没完没了地说
set about：to start or begin 开始
stick up：1.rob at gunpoint or by means of some other threat；2.defend against attack or criticism
behave oneself：[口语]放规矩点，好好做人[用于祈使句或具有祈使意义的不定式中]
【随笔】
这一章里Matilda一家以为有鬼的场景作者描绘得栩栩如生，画面感十足。Matilda再次经历了爸爸的bully之后，再次反击，在家里自编自演了这一场ghost的戏。看到Mr Wormwood吓得脸色苍白逃跑的样子，真是让人忍俊不禁。