THE LAKE OF REVENGE.

Near the great mountain of Croagh-Patrick there is a lake called Clonvencagh, or the Lake of Revenge, to which evil-disposed per252sons used to resort in order to imprecate maledictions on their enemies. It was the custom also to erect¹ monuments round the well by placing on end a long flagstone, and heaping round it a pyramid of sand in order to keep it fixed² firmly in its place. Over these pillar-stones certain mystic rites³ were then performed by the pilgrims, and prayers were said which took the form of the most terrible imprecations. It was therefore with awe⁴ and terror that one man said of another, “He has been cursed by the stone.”

1 erect   

n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的

参考例句：

• She held her head erect and her back straight.她昂着头，把背挺得笔直。
• Soldiers are trained to stand erect.士兵们训练站得笔直。

2 fixed   

adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的

参考例句：

• Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
• Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

3 rites   

仪式，典礼( rite的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• to administer the last rites to sb 给某人举行临终圣事
• He is interested in mystic rites and ceremonies. 他对神秘的仪式感兴趣。

4 awe   

n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧

参考例句：

• The sight filled us with awe.这景色使我们大为惊叹。
• The approaching tornado struck awe in our hearts.正在逼近的龙卷风使我们惊恐万分。