At intervals4 in our lonely voyage, there were sights which diversified5 the scene; especially when the constellation6 Pisces was in the ascendant.
It's famous botanizing, they say, in Arkansas' boundless7 prairies; I — commend the student of Ichthyology to an open boat, and the ocean moors8 of the Pacific. As your craft glides9 along, what strange monsters float by. Elsewhere, was never seen their like. And nowhere are they found in the books of the naturalists10.
Though America be discovered, the Cathays of the deep are unknown. And whoso crosses the Pacific might have read lessons to Buffon. The sea-serpent is not a fable11; and in the sea, that snake is but a garden worm. There are more wonders than the wonders rejected, and more sights unrevealed than you or I ever ever dreamt of. Moles12 and bats alone should be skeptics; and the only true infidelity is for a live man to vote himself dead. Be Sir Thomas Brown our ensample; who, while exploding "Vulgar Errors," heartily13 hugged all the mysteries in the Pentateuch.
But look! fathoms14 down in the sea; where ever saw you a phantom15 like that? An enormous crescent with antlers like a reindeer16, and a Delta17 of mouths. Slowly it sinks, and is seen no more.
Doctor Faust saw the devil; but you have seen the "Devil Fish."
Look again! Here comes another. Jarl calls it a Bone Shark. Full as large as a whale, it is spotted18 like a leopard19; and tusk-like teeth overlap20 its jaws21 like those of the walrus22. To seamen23, nothing strikes more terror than the near vicinity of a creature like this. Great ships steer24 out of its path. And well they may; since the good craft Essex, and others, have been sunk by sea-monsters, as the alligator25 thrusts his horny snout through a Carribean canoe.
Ever present to us, was the apprehension26 of some sudden disaster from the extraordinary zoological specimens27 we almost hourly passed.
For the sharks, we saw them, not by units, nor by tens, nor by hundreds; but by thousands and by myriads28. Trust me, there are more sharks in the sea than mortals on land.
And of these prolific29 fish there are full as many species as of dogs. But by the German naturalists Muller and Henle, who, in christening the sharks, have bestowed30 upon them the most heathenish names, they are classed under one family; which family, according to Muller, king-at-arms, is an undoubted branch of the ancient and famous tribe of the Chondropterygii.
To begin. There is the ordinary Brown Shark, or sea attorney, so called by sailors; a grasping, rapacious31 varlet, that in spite of the hard knocks received from it, often snapped viciously at our steering32 oar33. At times, these gentry34 swim in herds35; especially about the remains36 of a slaughtered37 whale. They are the vultures of the deep.
Then we often encountered the dandy Blue Shark, a long, taper38 and mighty39 genteel looking fellow, with a slender waist, like a Bond- street beau, and the whitest tiers of teeth imaginable. This dainty spark invariably lounged by with a careless fin40 and an indolent tail. But he looked infernally heartless.
How his cold-blooded, gentlemanly air, contrasted with the rude, savage41 swagger of the Tiger Shark; a round, portly gourmand42; with distended43 mouth and collapsed44 conscience, swimming about seeking whom he might devour45. These gluttons46 are the scavengers of navies, following ships in the South Seas, picking up odds47 and ends of garbage, and sometimes a tit-bit, a stray sailor. No wonder, then, that sailors denounce them. In substance, Jarl once assured me, that under any temporary misfortune, it was one of his sweetest consolations48 to remember, that in his day, he had murdered, not killed, shoals of Tiger Sharks.
Yet this is all wrong. As well hate a seraph49, as a shark. Both were made by the same hand. And that sharks are lovable, witness their domestic endearments50. No Fury so ferocious51, as not to have some amiable52 side. In the wild wilderness53, a leopard-mother caresses54 her cub55, as Hagar did Ishmael; or a queen of France the dauphin. We know not what we do when we hate. And I have the word of my gentlemanly friend Stanhope, for it; that he who declared he loved a good hater was but a respectable sort of Hottentot, at best. No very genteel epithet56 this, though coming from the genteelest of men. But when the digger of dictionaries said that saying of his, he was assuredly not much of a Christian57. However, it is hard for one given up to constitutional hypos like him; to be filled with the milk and meekness58 of the gospels. Yet, with deference59, I deny that my old uncle Johnson really believed in the sentiment ascribed to him. Love a hater, indeed! Who smacks60 his lips over gall61? Now hate is a thankless thing. So, let us only hate hatred62; and once give love play, we will fall in love with a unicorn63. Ah! the easiest way is the best; and to hate, a man must work hard. Love is a delight; but hate a torment64. And haters are thumbscrews, Scotch65 boots, and Spanish inquisitions to themselves. In five words—would they were a Siamese diphthong—he who hates is a fool.
For several days our Chamois was followed by two of these aforesaid Tiger Sharks. A brace66 of confidential67 inseparables, jogging along in our wake, side by side, like a couple of highwaymen, biding68 their time till you come to the cross-roads. But giving it up at last, for a bootless errand, they dropped farther and farther astern, until completely out of sight. Much to the Skyeman's chagrin69; who long stood in the stern, lance poised70 for a dart71.
But of all sharks, save me from the ghastly White Shark. For though we should hate naught72, yet some dislikes are spontaneous; and disliking is not hating. And never yet could I bring myself to be loving, or even sociable73, with a White Shark. He is not the sort of creature to enlist74 young affections.
This ghost of a fish is not often encountered, and shows plainer by night than by day. Timon-like, he always swims by himself; gliding75 along just under the surface, revealing a long, vague shape, of a milky76 hue77; with glimpses now and then of his bottomless white pit of teeth. No need of a dentist hath he. Seen at night, stealing along like a spirit in the water, with horrific serenity78 of aspect, the White Shark sent many a thrill to us twain in the Chamois.
By day, and in the profoundest calms, oft were we startled by the ponderous79 sigh of the grampus, as lazily rising to the surface, he fetched a long breath after napping below.
And time and again we watched the darting80 albicore, the fish with the chain-plate armor and golden scales; the Nimrod of the seas, to whom so many flying fish fall a prey81. Flying from their pursuers, many of them flew into our boat. But invariably they died from the shock. No nursing could restore them. One of their wings I removed, spreading it out to dry under a weight. In two days' time the thin membrane82, all over tracings like those of a leaf, was transparent83 as isinglass, and tinted84 with brilliant hues85, like those of a changing silk.
Almost every day, we spied Black Fish; coal-black and glossy86. They seemed to swim by revolving87 round and round in the water, like a wheel; their dorsal88 fins89, every now and then shooting into view, like spokes90.
Of a somewhat similar species, but smaller, and clipper-built about the nose, were the Algerines; so called, probably, from their corsair propensities91; waylaying92 peaceful fish on the high seas, and plundering93 them of body and soul at a gulp94. Atrocious Turks! a crusade should be preached against them.
Besides all these, we encountered Killers95 and Thrashers, by far the most spirited and "spunky" of the finny tribes. Though little larger than a porpoise96, a band of them think nothing of assailing97 leviathan himself. They bait the monster, as dogs a bull. The Killers seizing the Right whale by his immense, sulky lower lip, and the Thrashers fastening on to his back, and beating him with their sinewy98 tails. Often they come off conquerors99, worrying the enemy to death. Though, sooth to say, if leviathan gets but one sweep al them with his terrible tail, they go flying into the air, as if tossed from Taurus' horn.
This sight we beheld100. Had old Wouvermans, who once painted a bull bait, been along with us, a rare chance, that, for his pencil. And Gudin or Isabey might have thrown the blue rolling sea into the picture. Lastly, one of Claude's setting summer suns would have glorified101 the whole. Oh, believe me, God's creatures fighting, fin for fin, a thousand miles from land, and with the round horizon for an arena102; is no ignoble103 subject for a masterpiece.
Such are a few of the sights of the great South Sea. But there is no telling all. The Pacific is populous104 as China.
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1 uncouth | |
adj.无教养的,粗鲁的 | |
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2 hordes | |
n.移动着的一大群( horde的名词复数 );部落 | |
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3 infesting | |
v.害虫、野兽大批出没于( infest的现在分词 );遍布于 | |
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4 intervals | |
n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 );间隔时间;[数学]区间;(戏剧、电影或音乐会的)幕间休息 | |
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5 diversified | |
adj.多样化的,多种经营的v.使多样化,多样化( diversify的过去式和过去分词 );进入新的商业领域 | |
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6 constellation | |
n.星座n.灿烂的一群 | |
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7 boundless | |
adj.无限的;无边无际的;巨大的 | |
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8 moors | |
v.停泊,系泊(船只)( moor的第三人称单数 ) | |
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9 glides | |
n.滑行( glide的名词复数 );滑音;音渡;过渡音v.滑动( glide的第三人称单数 );掠过;(鸟或飞机 ) 滑翔 | |
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10 naturalists | |
n.博物学家( naturalist的名词复数 );(文学艺术的)自然主义者 | |
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11 fable | |
n.寓言;童话;神话 | |
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12 moles | |
防波堤( mole的名词复数 ); 鼹鼠; 痣; 间谍 | |
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13 heartily | |
adv.衷心地,诚恳地,十分,很 | |
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14 fathoms | |
英寻( fathom的名词复数 ) | |
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15 phantom | |
n.幻影,虚位,幽灵;adj.错觉的,幻影的,幽灵的 | |
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16 reindeer | |
n.驯鹿 | |
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17 delta | |
n.(流的)角洲 | |
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18 spotted | |
adj.有斑点的,斑纹的,弄污了的 | |
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19 leopard | |
n.豹 | |
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20 overlap | |
v.重叠,与…交叠;n.重叠 | |
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21 jaws | |
n.口部;嘴 | |
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22 walrus | |
n.海象 | |
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23 seamen | |
n.海员 | |
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24 steer | |
vt.驾驶,为…操舵;引导;vi.驾驶 | |
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25 alligator | |
n.短吻鳄(一种鳄鱼) | |
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26 apprehension | |
n.理解,领悟;逮捕,拘捕;忧虑 | |
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27 specimens | |
n.样品( specimen的名词复数 );范例;(化验的)抽样;某种类型的人 | |
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28 myriads | |
n.无数,极大数量( myriad的名词复数 ) | |
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29 prolific | |
adj.丰富的,大量的;多产的,富有创造力的 | |
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30 bestowed | |
赠给,授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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31 rapacious | |
adj.贪婪的,强夺的 | |
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32 steering | |
n.操舵装置 | |
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33 oar | |
n.桨,橹,划手;v.划行 | |
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34 gentry | |
n.绅士阶级,上层阶级 | |
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35 herds | |
兽群( herd的名词复数 ); 牧群; 人群; 群众 | |
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36 remains | |
n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹 | |
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37 slaughtered | |
v.屠杀,杀戮,屠宰( slaughter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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38 taper | |
n.小蜡烛,尖细,渐弱;adj.尖细的;v.逐渐变小 | |
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39 mighty | |
adj.强有力的;巨大的 | |
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40 fin | |
n.鳍;(飞机的)安定翼 | |
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41 savage | |
adj.野蛮的;凶恶的,残暴的;n.未开化的人 | |
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42 gourmand | |
n.嗜食者 | |
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43 distended | |
v.(使)膨胀,肿胀( distend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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44 collapsed | |
adj.倒塌的 | |
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45 devour | |
v.吞没;贪婪地注视或谛听,贪读;使着迷 | |
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46 gluttons | |
贪食者( glutton的名词复数 ); 贪图者; 酷爱…的人; 狼獾 | |
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47 odds | |
n.让步,机率,可能性,比率;胜败优劣之别 | |
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48 consolations | |
n.安慰,慰问( consolation的名词复数 );起安慰作用的人(或事物) | |
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49 seraph | |
n.六翼天使 | |
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50 endearments | |
n.表示爱慕的话语,亲热的表示( endearment的名词复数 ) | |
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51 ferocious | |
adj.凶猛的,残暴的,极度的,十分强烈的 | |
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52 amiable | |
adj.和蔼可亲的,友善的,亲切的 | |
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53 wilderness | |
n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等,荒漠 | |
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54 caresses | |
爱抚,抚摸( caress的名词复数 ) | |
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55 cub | |
n.幼兽,年轻无经验的人 | |
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56 epithet | |
n.(用于褒贬人物等的)表述形容词,修饰语 | |
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57 Christian | |
adj.基督教徒的;n.基督教徒 | |
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58 meekness | |
n.温顺,柔和 | |
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59 deference | |
n.尊重,顺从;敬意 | |
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60 smacks | |
掌掴(声)( smack的名词复数 ); 海洛因; (打的)一拳; 打巴掌 | |
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61 gall | |
v.使烦恼,使焦躁,难堪;n.磨难 | |
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62 hatred | |
n.憎恶,憎恨,仇恨 | |
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63 unicorn | |
n.(传说中的)独角兽 | |
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64 torment | |
n.折磨;令人痛苦的东西(人);vt.折磨;纠缠 | |
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65 scotch | |
n.伤口,刻痕;苏格兰威士忌酒;v.粉碎,消灭,阻止;adj.苏格兰(人)的 | |
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66 brace | |
n. 支柱,曲柄,大括号; v. 绷紧,顶住,(为困难或坏事)做准备 | |
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67 confidential | |
adj.秘(机)密的,表示信任的,担任机密工作的 | |
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68 biding | |
v.等待,停留( bide的现在分词 );居住;(过去式用bided)等待;面临 | |
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69 chagrin | |
n.懊恼;气愤;委屈 | |
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70 poised | |
a.摆好姿势不动的 | |
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71 dart | |
v.猛冲,投掷;n.飞镖,猛冲 | |
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72 naught | |
n.无,零 [=nought] | |
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73 sociable | |
adj.好交际的,友好的,合群的 | |
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74 enlist | |
vt.谋取(支持等),赢得;征募;vi.入伍 | |
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75 gliding | |
v. 滑翔 adj. 滑动的 | |
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76 milky | |
adj.牛奶的,多奶的;乳白色的 | |
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77 hue | |
n.色度;色调;样子 | |
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78 serenity | |
n.宁静,沉着,晴朗 | |
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79 ponderous | |
adj.沉重的,笨重的,(文章)冗长的 | |
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80 darting | |
v.投掷,投射( dart的现在分词 );向前冲,飞奔 | |
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81 prey | |
n.被掠食者,牺牲者,掠食;v.捕食,掠夺,折磨 | |
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82 membrane | |
n.薄膜,膜皮,羊皮纸 | |
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83 transparent | |
adj.明显的,无疑的;透明的 | |
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84 tinted | |
adj. 带色彩的 动词tint的过去式和过去分词 | |
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85 hues | |
色彩( hue的名词复数 ); 色调; 信仰; 观点 | |
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86 glossy | |
adj.平滑的;有光泽的 | |
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87 revolving | |
adj.旋转的,轮转式的;循环的v.(使)旋转( revolve的现在分词 );细想 | |
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88 dorsal | |
adj.背部的,背脊的 | |
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89 fins | |
[医]散热片;鱼鳍;飞边;鸭掌 | |
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90 spokes | |
n.(车轮的)辐条( spoke的名词复数 );轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 | |
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91 propensities | |
n.倾向,习性( propensity的名词复数 ) | |
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92 waylaying | |
v.拦截,拦路( waylay的现在分词 ) | |
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93 plundering | |
掠夺,抢劫( plunder的现在分词 ) | |
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94 gulp | |
vt.吞咽,大口地吸(气);vi.哽住;n.吞咽 | |
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95 killers | |
凶手( killer的名词复数 ); 消灭…者; 致命物; 极难的事 | |
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96 porpoise | |
n.鼠海豚 | |
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97 assailing | |
v.攻击( assail的现在分词 );困扰;质问;毅然应对 | |
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98 sinewy | |
adj.多腱的,强壮有力的 | |
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99 conquerors | |
征服者,占领者( conqueror的名词复数 ) | |
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100 beheld | |
v.看,注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 );瞧;看呀;(叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现)哎哟 | |
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101 glorified | |
美其名的,变荣耀的 | |
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102 arena | |
n.竞技场,运动场所;竞争场所,舞台 | |
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103 ignoble | |
adj.不光彩的,卑鄙的;可耻的 | |
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104 populous | |
adj.人口稠密的,人口众多的 | |
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