"The Isle of Cripples?"
Averse4 to the barbarous custom of destroying at birth all infants not symmetrically formed; but equally desirous of removing from their sight those unfortunate beings; the islanders of a neighboring group had long ago established an asylum5 for cripples; where they lived, subject to their own regulations; ruled by a king of their own election; in short, forming a distinct class of beings by themselves.
One only restriction6 was placed upon them: on no account must they quit the isle assigned them. And to the surrounding islanders, so unpleasant the sight of a distorted mortal, that a stranger landing at Hooloomooloo, was deemed a prodigy7. Wherefore, respecting any knowledge of aught beyond them, the cripples were well nigh as isolated8, as if Hooloomooloo was the only terra-firma extant.
Dwelling9 in a community of their own, these unfortunates, who otherwise had remained few in number, increased and multiplied greatly. Nor did successive generations improve in symmetry upon those preceding them.
Soon, we drew nigh to the isle.
Heaped up, and jagged with rocks; and, here and there, covered with dwarfed11, twisted thickets12, it seemed a fit place for its denizens13.
Landing, we were surrounded by a heterogeneous14 mob; and thus escorted, took our way inland, toward the abode15 of their lord, King Yoky.
What a scene!
Here, helping16 himself along with two crotched roots, hobbled a dwarf10 without legs; another stalked before, one arm fixed17 in the air, like a lightning rod; a third, more active than any, seal-like, flirted18 a pair of flippers, and went skipping along; a fourth hopped19 on a solitary20 pin, at every bound, spinning round like a top, to gaze; while still another, furnished with feelers or fins21, rolled himself up in a ball, bowling22 over the ground in advance.
With curious instinct, the blind stuck close to our side; with their chattering23 finger, the deaf and the dumb described angles, obtuse24 and acute in the air; and like stones rolling down rocky ravines, scores of stammerers stuttered. Discord25 wedded26 deformity. All asses27' brays28 were now harmonious29 memories; all Calibans, as angels.
Yet for every stare we gave them, three stares they gave us.
At last, we halted before a tenement30 of rude stones; crooked31 Banian boughs32 its rafters, thatched with fantastic leaves. So rambling33 and irregular its plan, it seemed thrown up by the eruption34, according to sage35 Mohi, the origin of the isle itself.
Entering, we saw King Yoky.
Ah! sadly lacking was he, in all the requisites36 of an efficient ruler. Deaf and dumb he was; and save arms, minus every thing but an indispensable trunk and head. So huge his all-comprehensive mouth, it seemed to swallow up itself.
But shapeless, helpless as was Yoky,—as king of Hooloomooloo, he was competent; the state being a limited monarchy37, of which his Highness was but the passive and ornamental39 head.
As his visitors advanced, he fell to gossiping with his fingers: a servitor interpreting. Very curious to note the rapidity with which motion was translated into sound; and the simultaneousness with which meaning made its way through four successive channels to the mind—hand, sight, voice, and tympanum.
"Why club such frights as ye? Herd42 ye, to keep in countenance43; or are afraid of your own hideousness44, that ye dread45 to go alone? Monsters! speak."
"Great Oro!" cried Mohi, "are we then taken for cripples, by the very King of the Cripples? My lord, are not our legs and arms all right?"
"Comelier46 ones were never turned by turners, Mohi. But royal Yoky! in sooth we feel abashed47 before thee."
Some further stares were then exchanged; when His Highness sought to know, whether there were any Comparative Anatomists among his visitors.
"Comparative Anatomists! not one."
"And why may King Yoky ask that question?" inquired Babbalanja.
Then was made the following statement.
During the latter part of his reign48, when he seemed fallen into his dotage49, the venerable predecessor50 of King Yoky had been much attached to an old gray-headed Chimpanzee, one day found meditating51 in the woods. Rozoko was his name. He was very grave, and reverend of aspect; much of a philosopher. To him, all gnarled and knotty52 subjects were familiar; in his day he had cracked many a crabbed53 nut. And so in love with his Timonean solitude54 was Rozoko, that it needed many bribes55 and bland56 persuasions57, to induce him to desert his mossy, hillside, misanthropic58 cave, for the distracting tumult59 of a court.
But ere long, promoted to high offices, and made the royal favorite, the woodland sage forgot his forests; and, love for love, returned the aged60 king's caresses61. Ardent62 friends they straight became; dined and drank together; with quivering lips, quaffed63 long-drawn, sober bumpers64; comparing all their past experiences; and canvassing65 those hidden themes, on which octogenarians dilate66.
For when the fires and broils67 of youth are passed, and Mardi wears its truer aspect—then we love to think, not act; the present seems more unsubstantial than the past; then, we seek out gray-beards like ourselves; and hold discourse68 of palsies, hearses, shrouds69, and tombs; appoint our undertakers; our mantles71 gather round us, like to winding- sheets; and every night lie down to die. Then, the world's great bubble bursts; then, Life's clouds seem sweeping72 by, revealing heaven to our straining eyes; then, we tell our beads73, and murmur74 pater- nosters; and in trembling accents cry—"Oro! be merciful."
But not always were they thus. Of bright, cheerful mornings, they took slow, tottering75 rambles76 in the woods; nodding over grotesque77 walking- sticks, of the Chimpanzee's handiwork. For sedate78 Rozoko was a dilletante-arborist: an amateur in canes79. Indeed, canes at last became his hobby. For half daft with age, sometimes he straddled his good staff and gently rode abroad, to take the salubrious evening air; deeming it more befitting exercise, at times, than walking. Into this menage, he soon initiated80 his friend, the king; and side by side they often pranced81; or, wearying of the saddle, dismounted; and paused to ponder over prostrate82 palms, decaying across the path. Their mystic rings they counted; and, for every ring, a year in their own calendars.
Now, so closely did the monarch cleave83 to the Chimpanzee, that, in good time, summoning his subjects, earnestly he charged it on them, that at death, he and his faithful friend should be buried in one tomb.
It came to pass, the monarch died; and Poor Rozoko, now reduced to second childhood, wailed84 most dismally:—no one slept that night in Hooloomooloo. Never did he leave the body; and at last, slowly going round it thrice, he laid him down; close nestled; and noiselessly expired.
Moon followed moon; and wrought86 upon by jeers87 and taunts88, the people of the isle became greatly scandalized, that a base-born baboon89 should share the shroud70 of their departed lord; though they themselves had tucked in the aged AEneas fast by the side of his Achates.
They straight resolved, to build another vault; and over it, a lofty cairn; and thither90 carry the remains91 they reverenced92.
But at the disinterring, a sad perplexity arose. For lo surpassing Saul and Jonathan, not even in decay were these fast friends divided. So mingled93 every relic,—ilium and ulna, carpus and metacarpus;—and so similar the corresponding parts, that like the literary remains of Beaumont and of Fletcher, which was which, no spectacles could tell. Therefore, they desisted; lest the towering monument they had reared, might commemorate94 an ape, and not a king.
Such the narration; hearing which, my lord Media kept stately silence. But in courtly phrase, as beseemed him, Babbalanja, turban in hand, thus spoke:—
"My concern is extreme, King Yoky, at the embarrassment95 into which your island is thrown. Nor less my grief, that I myself am not the man, to put an end to it. I could weep that Comparative Anatomists are not so numerous now, as hereafter they assuredly must become; when their services shall be in greater request; when, at the last, last day of all, millions of noble and ignoble96 spirits will loudly clamor for lost skeletons; when contending claimants shall start up for one poor, carious spine97; and, dog-like, we shall quarrel over our own bones."
Then entered dwarf-stewards, and major-domos; aloft bearing twisted antlers; all hollowed out in goblets98, grouped; announcing dinner.
Loving not, however, to dine with misshapen Mardians, King Media was loth to move. But Babbalanja, quoting the old proverb—"Strike me in the face, but refuse not my yams," induced him to sacrifice his fastidiousness.
Central was a long, dislocated trunk of a wild Banian; like a huge centipede crawling on its hundred branches, sawn of even lengths for legs. This table was set out with wry-necked gourds100; deformities of calabashes; and shapeless trenchers, dug out of knotty woods.
The first course was shrimp-soup, served in great clamp-shells; the second, lobsters101, cuttle-fish, crabs102, cockles, cray-fish; the third, hunchbacked roots of the Taro-plant—plantains, perversely103 curling at the end, like the inveterate104 tails of pertinacious105 pigs; and for dessert, ill-shaped melons, huge as idiots' heads, plainly suffering from water in the brain.
Now these viands106 were commended to the favorable notice of all guests; not only for their delicacy107 of flavor, but for their symmetry.
And in the intervals108 of the courses, we were bored with hints to admire numerous objects of vertu: bow-legged stools of mangrove109 wood; zig-zag rapiers of bone; armlets of grampus-vertebrae; outlandish tureens of the callipees of terrapin110; and cannakins of the skulls111 of baboons112.
Returning to the water-side, we passed a field, where dwarfs114 were laboring115 in beds of yams, heaping the soil around the roots, by scratching it backward; as a dog.
All things in readiness, Yoky's valet, a tri-armed dwarf, treated us to a glorious start, by giving each canoe a vigorous triple-push, crying, "away with ye, monsters!"
Nor must it be omitted that just previous to embarking116, Vee-Vee, spying a curious looking stone, turned it over, and found a snake.
点击收听单词发音
1 prows | |
n.船首( prow的名词复数 ) | |
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2 isle | |
n.小岛,岛 | |
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3 narration | |
n.讲述,叙述;故事;记叙体 | |
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4 averse | |
adj.厌恶的;反对的,不乐意的 | |
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5 asylum | |
n.避难所,庇护所,避难 | |
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6 restriction | |
n.限制,约束 | |
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7 prodigy | |
n.惊人的事物,奇迹,神童,天才,预兆 | |
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8 isolated | |
adj.与世隔绝的 | |
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9 dwelling | |
n.住宅,住所,寓所 | |
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10 dwarf | |
n.矮子,侏儒,矮小的动植物;vt.使…矮小 | |
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11 dwarfed | |
vt.(使)显得矮小(dwarf的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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12 thickets | |
n.灌木丛( thicket的名词复数 );丛状物 | |
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13 denizens | |
n.居民,住户( denizen的名词复数 ) | |
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14 heterogeneous | |
adj.庞杂的;异类的 | |
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15 abode | |
n.住处,住所 | |
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16 helping | |
n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的 | |
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17 fixed | |
adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的 | |
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18 flirted | |
v.调情,打情骂俏( flirt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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19 hopped | |
跳上[下]( hop的过去式和过去分词 ); 单足蹦跳; 齐足(或双足)跳行; 摘葎草花 | |
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20 solitary | |
adj.孤独的,独立的,荒凉的;n.隐士 | |
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21 fins | |
[医]散热片;鱼鳍;飞边;鸭掌 | |
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22 bowling | |
n.保龄球运动 | |
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23 chattering | |
n. (机器振动发出的)咔嗒声,(鸟等)鸣,啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的,啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式 | |
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24 obtuse | |
adj.钝的;愚钝的 | |
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25 discord | |
n.不和,意见不合,争论,(音乐)不和谐 | |
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26 wedded | |
adj.正式结婚的;渴望…的,执著于…的v.嫁,娶,(与…)结婚( wed的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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27 asses | |
n. 驴,愚蠢的人,臀部 adv. (常用作后置)用于贬损或骂人 | |
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28 brays | |
n.驴叫声,似驴叫的声音( bray的名词复数 );(喇叭的)嘟嘟声v.发出驴叫似的声音( bray的第三人称单数 );发嘟嘟声;粗声粗气地讲话(或大笑);猛击 | |
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29 harmonious | |
adj.和睦的,调和的,和谐的,协调的 | |
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30 tenement | |
n.公寓;房屋 | |
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31 crooked | |
adj.弯曲的;不诚实的,狡猾的,不正当的 | |
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32 boughs | |
大树枝( bough的名词复数 ) | |
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33 rambling | |
adj.[建]凌乱的,杂乱的 | |
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34 eruption | |
n.火山爆发;(战争等)爆发;(疾病等)发作 | |
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35 sage | |
n.圣人,哲人;adj.贤明的,明智的 | |
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36 requisites | |
n.必要的事物( requisite的名词复数 ) | |
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37 monarchy | |
n.君主,最高统治者;君主政体,君主国 | |
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38 monarch | |
n.帝王,君主,最高统治者 | |
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39 ornamental | |
adj.装饰的;作装饰用的;n.装饰品;观赏植物 | |
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40 amazement | |
n.惊奇,惊讶 | |
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41 horrified | |
a.(表现出)恐惧的 | |
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42 herd | |
n.兽群,牧群;vt.使集中,把…赶在一起 | |
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43 countenance | |
n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同 | |
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44 hideousness | |
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45 dread | |
vt.担忧,忧虑;惧怕,不敢;n.担忧,畏惧 | |
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46 comelier | |
adj.英俊的,好看的( comely的比较级 ) | |
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47 abashed | |
adj.窘迫的,尴尬的v.使羞愧,使局促,使窘迫( abash的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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48 reign | |
n.统治时期,统治,支配,盛行;v.占优势 | |
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49 dotage | |
n.年老体衰;年老昏聩 | |
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50 predecessor | |
n.前辈,前任 | |
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51 meditating | |
a.沉思的,冥想的 | |
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52 knotty | |
adj.有结的,多节的,多瘤的,棘手的 | |
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53 crabbed | |
adj.脾气坏的;易怒的;(指字迹)难辨认的;(字迹等)难辨认的v.捕蟹( crab的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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54 solitude | |
n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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55 bribes | |
n.贿赂( bribe的名词复数 );向(某人)行贿,贿赂v.贿赂( bribe的第三人称单数 );向(某人)行贿,贿赂 | |
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56 bland | |
adj.淡而无味的,温和的,无刺激性的 | |
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57 persuasions | |
n.劝说,说服(力)( persuasion的名词复数 );信仰 | |
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58 misanthropic | |
adj.厌恶人类的,憎恶(或蔑视)世人的;愤世嫉俗 | |
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59 tumult | |
n.喧哗;激动,混乱;吵闹 | |
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60 aged | |
adj.年老的,陈年的 | |
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61 caresses | |
爱抚,抚摸( caress的名词复数 ) | |
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62 ardent | |
adj.热情的,热烈的,强烈的,烈性的 | |
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63 quaffed | |
v.痛饮( quaff的过去式和过去分词 );畅饮;大口大口将…喝干;一饮而尽 | |
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64 bumpers | |
(汽车上的)保险杠,缓冲器( bumper的名词复数 ) | |
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65 canvassing | |
v.(在政治方面)游说( canvass的现在分词 );调查(如选举前选民的)意见;为讨论而提出(意见等);详细检查 | |
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66 dilate | |
vt.使膨胀,使扩大 | |
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67 broils | |
v.(用火)烤(焙、炙等)( broil的第三人称单数 );使卷入争吵;使混乱;被烤(或炙) | |
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68 discourse | |
n.论文,演说;谈话;话语;vi.讲述,著述 | |
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69 shrouds | |
n.裹尸布( shroud的名词复数 );寿衣;遮蔽物;覆盖物v.隐瞒( shroud的第三人称单数 );保密 | |
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70 shroud | |
n.裹尸布,寿衣;罩,幕;vt.覆盖,隐藏 | |
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71 mantles | |
vt.&vi.覆盖(mantle的第三人称单数形式) | |
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72 sweeping | |
adj.范围广大的,一扫无遗的 | |
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73 beads | |
n.(空心)小珠子( bead的名词复数 );水珠;珠子项链 | |
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74 murmur | |
n.低语,低声的怨言;v.低语,低声而言 | |
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75 tottering | |
adj.蹒跚的,动摇的v.走得或动得不稳( totter的现在分词 );踉跄;蹒跚;摇摇欲坠 | |
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76 rambles | |
(无目的地)漫游( ramble的第三人称单数 ); (喻)漫谈; 扯淡; 长篇大论 | |
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77 grotesque | |
adj.怪诞的,丑陋的;n.怪诞的图案,怪人(物) | |
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78 sedate | |
adj.沉着的,镇静的,安静的 | |
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79 canes | |
n.(某些植物,如竹或甘蔗的)茎( cane的名词复数 );(用于制作家具等的)竹竿;竹杖 | |
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80 initiated | |
n. 创始人 adj. 新加入的 vt. 开始,创始,启蒙,介绍加入 | |
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81 pranced | |
v.(马)腾跃( prance的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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82 prostrate | |
v.拜倒,平卧,衰竭;adj.拜倒的,平卧的,衰竭的 | |
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83 cleave | |
v.(clave;cleaved)粘着,粘住;坚持;依恋 | |
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84 wailed | |
v.哭叫,哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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85 vault | |
n.拱形圆顶,地窖,地下室 | |
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86 wrought | |
v.引起;以…原料制作;运转;adj.制造的 | |
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87 jeers | |
n.操纵帆桁下部(使其上下的)索具;嘲讽( jeer的名词复数 )v.嘲笑( jeer的第三人称单数 ) | |
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88 taunts | |
嘲弄的言语,嘲笑,奚落( taunt的名词复数 ) | |
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89 baboon | |
n.狒狒 | |
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90 thither | |
adv.向那里;adj.在那边的,对岸的 | |
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91 remains | |
n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹 | |
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92 reverenced | |
v.尊敬,崇敬( reverence的过去式和过去分词 );敬礼 | |
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93 mingled | |
混合,混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 ); 混进,与…交往[联系] | |
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94 commemorate | |
vt.纪念,庆祝 | |
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95 embarrassment | |
n.尴尬;使人为难的人(事物);障碍;窘迫 | |
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96 ignoble | |
adj.不光彩的,卑鄙的;可耻的 | |
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97 spine | |
n.脊柱,脊椎;(动植物的)刺;书脊 | |
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98 goblets | |
n.高脚酒杯( goblet的名词复数 ) | |
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99 bugles | |
妙脆角,一种类似薯片但做成尖角或喇叭状的零食; 号角( bugle的名词复数 ); 喇叭; 匍匐筋骨草; (装饰女服用的)柱状玻璃(或塑料)小珠 | |
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100 gourds | |
n.葫芦( gourd的名词复数 ) | |
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101 lobsters | |
龙虾( lobster的名词复数 ); 龙虾肉 | |
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102 crabs | |
n.蟹( crab的名词复数 );阴虱寄生病;蟹肉v.捕蟹( crab的第三人称单数 ) | |
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103 perversely | |
adv. 倔强地 | |
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104 inveterate | |
adj.积习已深的,根深蒂固的 | |
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105 pertinacious | |
adj.顽固的 | |
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106 viands | |
n.食品,食物 | |
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107 delicacy | |
n.精致,细微,微妙,精良;美味,佳肴 | |
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108 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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109 mangrove | |
n.(植物)红树,红树林 | |
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110 terrapin | |
n.泥龟;鳖 | |
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111 skulls | |
颅骨( skull的名词复数 ); 脑袋; 脑子; 脑瓜 | |
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112 baboons | |
n.狒狒( baboon的名词复数 ) | |
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113 congees | |
v.告别,鞠躬( congee的第三人称单数 ) | |
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114 dwarfs | |
n.侏儒,矮子(dwarf的复数形式)vt.(使)显得矮小(dwarf的第三人称单数形式) | |
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115 laboring | |
n.劳动,操劳v.努力争取(for)( labor的现在分词 );苦干;详细分析;(指引擎)缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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116 embarking | |
乘船( embark的现在分词 ); 装载; 从事 | |
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