Market officials initially tried to clear the sticky stuff off the wall, but new gum always reappeared, so they finally gave up.

市场的工作人员一开始曾试过清除掉墙上粘着的口香糖，但新的口香糖还是会层出不穷，所以最后他们放弃了。

I almost expected a rebuff for this hardly well-timed question, but, on the contrary, waking out of his scowling abstraction, he turned his eyes towards me, and the shade seemed to clear off his brow.

我几乎以为这个不合时宜的问题会遭到拒绝，但相反，他从皱着眉头的茫然中醒来，把眼睛转向我，眉毛上的阴影似乎消失了。