We have no intention of carrying our reader on step by step through all the adventures and deeds of Charlie Brooke. It is necessary to hasten over his boyhood, leaving untold3 the many battles fought, risks run, and dangers encountered.
He did not cut much of a figure at the village school—though he did his best, and was fairly successful—but in the playground he reigned4 supreme5. At football, cricket, gymnastics, and, ultimately, at swimming, no one could come near him. This was partly owing to his great physical strength, for, as time passed by he shot upwards6 and outwards7 in a way that surprised his companions and amazed his mother, who was a distinctly little woman—a neat graceful8 little woman—with, like her stalwart son, a modest opinion of herself.
As a matter of course, Charlie’s school-fellows almost worshipped him, and he was always so willing to help and lead them in all cases of danger or emergency, that “Charlie to the rescue!” became quite a familiar cry on the playground. Indeed it would have been equally appropriate in the school, for the lad never seemed to be so thoroughly9 happy as when he was assisting some boy less capable than himself to master his lessons.
About the time that Charlie left school, while yet a stripling, he had the shoulders of Samson, the chest of Hercules, and the limbs of Apollo. He was tall also—over six feet—but his unusual breadth deceived people as to this till they stood close to him. Fair hair, close and curly, with bright blue eyes and a permanent look of grave benignity10, completes our description of him.
Rowing, shooting, fishing, boxing, and swimming seemed to come naturally to him, and all of them in a superlative degree. Swimming was, perhaps, his most loved amusement and in this art he soon far outstripped11 his friend Leather. Some men are endowed with exceptional capacities in regard to water. We have seen men go into the sea warm and come out warmer, even in cold weather. Experience teaches that the reverse is usually true of mankind in northern regions, yet we once saw a man enter the sea to all appearance a white human being, after remaining in it upwards of an hour, and swimming away from shore; like a vessel12 outward bound, he came back at last the colour of a boiled lobster13!
Such exceptional qualities did Charlie Brooke possess. A South Sea Islander might have envied but could not have excelled him.
“Charlie,” said his mother, as they sat eating their mid-day meal alone one day—the mother being, as we have said, a widow, and Charlie an only child—“what do you think of doing, now that you have left school? for you know my income renders it impossible that I should send you to college.”
“I don’t know what to think, mother. Of course I intend to do something. If you had only influence with some one in power who could enable a fellow to get his foot on the first round of any sort of ladder, something might be done, for you know I’m not exactly useless, though I can’t boast of brilliant talents, but—”
“Your talents are brilliant enough, Charlie,” said his mother, interrupting; “besides, you have been sent into this world for a purpose, and you may be sure that you will discover what that purpose is, and receive help to carry it out if you only ask God to guide you. Not otherwise,” she added, after a pause.
“Do you really believe, mother, that every one who is born into the world is sent for a purpose, and with a specific work to do?”
“I do indeed, Charlie.”
“What! all the cripples, invalids16, imbeciles, even the very infants who are born to wail17 out their sad lives in a few weeks, or even days?”
“Yes—all of them, without exception. To suppose the opposite, and imagine that a wise, loving, and almighty18 Being would create anything for no purpose seems to me the very essence of absurdity20. Our only difficulty is that we do not always see the purpose. All things are ours, but we must ask if we would have them.”
“But I have asked, mother,” said the youth, with an earnest flush on his brow. “You know I have done so often, yet a way has not been opened up. I believe in your faith, mother, but I don’t quite believe in my own. There surely must be something wrong—a screw loose somewhere.”
He laid down his knife and fork, and looked out at the window with a wistful, perplexed21 expression.
“How I wish,” he continued, “that the lines had been laid down for the human race more distinctly, so that we could not err15!”
“And yet,” responded his mother, with a peculiar22 look, “such lines as are obviously laid down we don’t always follow. For instance, it is written, ‘Ask, and it shall be given you,’ and we stop there, but the sentence does not stop: ‘Seek, and ye shall find’ implies care and trouble; ‘Knock, and it shall be opened unto you’ hints at perseverance23, does it not?”
“There’s something in that, mother,” said Charlie, casting another wistful glance out of the window. “Come, I will go out and ‘seek’! I see Shank Leather waiting for me. We agreed to go to the shore together, for we both like to watch the waves roaring in on a breezy day like this.”
The youth rose and began to encase his bulky frame in a great pilot-cloth coat, each button of which might have done duty as an afternoon tea-saucer.
“I wish you would choose any companion to walk with but young Leather,” said the widow, with a sigh. “He’s far too like his father to do you any good.”
“Mother, would you have me give up an old playmate and school-fellow because he is not perfect?” asked the youth in grave tones as he tied on a sou’-wester.
“Well, no—not exactly, but—”
Not having a good reason ready, the worthy24 woman only smiled a remonstrance25. The stalwart son stooped, kissed her and was soon outside, battling with the storm—for what he styled a breezy day was in reality a wild and stormy one.
Long before the period we have now reached Mrs Brooke had changed her residence to the sea-coast in the small town of Sealford. Her cottage stood in the centre of the village, about half-a-mile from the shore, and close to that of her bosom26 friend, Mrs Leather, who had migrated along with her, partly to be near her and partly for the sake of her son Shank, who was anxious to retain the companionship of his friend Brooke. Partly, also, to get her tippling husband away from old comrades and scenes, in the faint hope that she might rescue him from the great curse of his life.
When Charlie went out, as we have said, he found that Shank had brought his sister May with him. This troubled our hero a good deal, for he had purposed having a confidential27 talk with his old comrade upon future plans and prospects28, to the accompaniment of the roaring sea, and a third party was destructive of such intention. Besides, poor May, although exceedingly unselfish and sweet and good, was at that transition period of life when girlhood is least attractive—at least to young men: when bones are obtrusive29, and angles too conspicuous30, and the form generally is too suggestive of flatness and longitude31; while shyness marks the manners, and inexperience dwarfs32 the mind. We would not, however, suggest for a moment that May was ugly. By no means, but she had indeed reached what may be styled a plain period of life—a period in which some girls become silently sheepish, and others tomboyish; May was among the former, and therefore a drag upon conversation. But, after all, it mattered little, for the rapidly increasing gale33 rendered speech nearly impossible.
“It’s too wild a day for you, May,” said Brooke, as he shook hands with her; “I wonder you care to be out.”
“She doesn’t care to be out, but I wanted her to come, and she’s a good obliging girl, so she came,” said Shank, drawing her arm through his as they pressed forward against the blast in the direction of the shore.
Shank Leather had become a sturdy young fellow by that time, but was much shorter than his friend. There was about him, however, an unmistakable look of dissipation—or, rather, the beginning of it—which accounted for Mrs Brooke’s objection to him as a companion for her son.
We have said that the cottage lay about half-a-mile from the shore, which could be reached by a winding34 lane between high banks. These effectually shut out the view of the sea until one was close to it, though, at certain times, the roar of the waves could be heard even in Sealford itself.
Such a time was the present, for the gale had lashed35 the sea into wildest fury, and not only did the three friends hear it, as, with bent36 heads, they forced their way against the wind, but they felt the foam37 of ocean on their faces as it was carried inland sometimes in lumps and flakes38. At last they came to the end of the lane, and the sea, lashed to its wildest condition, lay before them like a sheet of tortured foam.
“Grand! isn’t it?” said Brooke, stopping and drawing himself up for a moment, as if with a desire to combat the opposing elements.
If May Leather could not speak, she could at all events gaze, for she had superb brown eyes, and they glittered, just then, like glowing coals, while a wealth of rippling39 brown hair was blown from its fastenings, and flew straight out behind her.
“Look! look there!” shouted her brother with a wild expression, as he pointed40 to a part of the rocky shore where a vessel was dimly seen through the drift.
“She’s trying to weather the point,” exclaimed Brooke, clearing the moisture from his eyes, and endeavouring to look steadily41.
“She’ll never weather it. See! the fishermen are following her along-shore,” cried young Leather, dropping his sister’s arm, and bounding away.
“Oh! don’t leave me behind, Shank,” pleaded May.
Shank was beyond recall, but our hero, who had also sprung forward, heard the pleading voice and turned back.
“Here, hook on to me,” he cried quickly, for he was in no humour to delay.
The girl grasped his arm at once, and, to say truth, she was not much of a hindrance42, for, although somewhat inelegant, as we have said, she was lithe43 as a lizard44 and fleet as a young colt.
A few minutes brought them to the level shore where Brooke left May to shelter herself with some fisher-women behind a low wall, while he ran along to a spot where a crowd of fishermen and old salts, enveloped45 in oil-skins, were discussing the situation as they leaned against the shrieking46 wind.
“Will she weather it, Grinder, think you?” he asked of an elderly man, whose rugged47 features resembled mahogany, the result of having bid defiance48 to wind and weather for nigh half a century.
“She may, Mr Brooke, an’ she mayn’t,” answered the matter-of-fact man of the sea, in the gruff monotone with which he would have summoned all hands to close reef in a hurricane. “If her tackle holds she’ll do it. If it don’t she won’t.”
“We’ve sent round for the rocket anyhow,” said a smart young fisherman, who seemed to rejoice in opposing his broad chest to the blast, and in listening to the thunder of the waves as they rolled into the exposed bay in great battalions49, chasing each other in wild tumultuous fury, as if each were bent on being first in the mad assault upon the shore.
“Has the lifeboat coxswain been called?” asked Charlie, after a few minutes’ silence, for the voice of contending elements was too great to render converse51 easy or agreeable.
“Yes, sir,” answered the man nearest to him, “but she’s bin52 called to a wreck2 in Mussel Bay, an’ that brig will be all right or in Davy Jones’s locker53 long afore th’ lifeboat ’ud fetch round here.”
Silence again fell on the group as they gazed out to sea, pushing eagerly down the beach until they were ankle-deep in the foam of each expended54 wave; for the brig was by that time close on the point of rocks, staggering under more sail than she could carry with safety.
“She’ll do it!” exclaimed the smart young fisherman, ready to cheer with enthusiastic hope.
“Done for! Lost!” cried one, while something like a groan55 burst from the others as they saw the brig’s topmasts go over the side, and one of her sails blown to ribbons. She fell away towards the rocks at once.
Like great black teeth these rocks seemed to leap in the midst of the foam, as if longing56 to grasp the ill-fated vessel, which had, indeed, all but weathered the dangerous point, and all might have been well if her gear had only held; but now, as if paralysed, she drifted into the bay where certain destruction awaited her.
Just at that moment a great cheer arose, for the rocket-cart, drawn57 by the men of the Coast-Guard, was seen rattling58 over the downs towards them.
Anxiety for the fate of the doomed59 brig was now changed into eager hope for the rescue of her crew. The fishermen crowded round the Coast-Guard men as they ran the cart close down to the water’s edge, and some of them—specially the smart young fellow already mentioned—made eager offer of their services. Charlie Brooke stood aloof60, looking on with profound interest, for it was the first time he had ever seen the Manby rocket apparatus61 brought into action. He made no hasty offer to assist, for he was a cool youth—even while burning with impatient enthusiasm—and saw at a glance that the men of the Coast-Guard were well able to manage their own affairs and required no aid from him.
As the brig was coming straight in they could easily calculate where she would strike, so that the rocket men could set up their triangle and arrange their tackle without delay. This was fortunate, for the wreck was carried shoreward with great rapidity. She struck at last when within a short distance of the beach, and the faces of those on board could be distinctly seen, and their cries heard, as both masts snapped off and were swept over the side, where they tore at the shrouds62 like wild creatures, or charged the hulk like battering-rams. Instantly the billows that had borne the vessel on their crests63 burst upon her sides, and spurted65 high in air over her, falling back on her deck, and sweeping66 off everything that was moveable. It could be seen that only three or four men were on deck, and these kept well under the lee of the bulwarks67 near the stern where they were strongest.
“No passengers, I think,” said one of the fishermen; “no women, anyhow.”
“Now, then, out o’ the way,” cried the leader of the Coast-Guard men, as he laid a rocket in its place. “Line all clear, Fred?”
“All clear.”
Next moment there was a burst of flame, a crash, and a vicious whizz as the powerful projectile70 leaped from its stand and sped out to sea, in grand defiance of the opposing gale, with its light line behind it.
A cheer marked its flight, but a groan told of its descent into the boiling sea, considerably71 to the left of the wreck.
“What a pity!” cried Shank Leather, who had come close to his friend when the rocket-cart arrived.
“No matter,” said Brooke, whose compressed lips and flashing eyes told of deep but suppressed feelings. “There are more rockets.”
He was right. While he was speaking, another rocket was placed and fired. It was well directed, but fell short. Another, and yet another, rose and fell, but failed to reach its mark, and the remainder of the rockets refused to go off from some unknown cause—either because they had been too long in stock or had become damp.
Meantime the brig was tossed farther and farther in, until she stuck quite fast. Then it became evident that she must soon break up, and her crew perish. Hasty plans and eager advice were proposed and given. Then the smart young fisherman suddenly sprang forward, and threw off his oil-coat and sou’-wester.
“Here! hold on!” he cried, catching73 up the end of the rocket line, and fastening it round his waist, while he kicked off his heavy boots.
“You can’t do it, Bill,” cried some.
“Too far to swim,” cried others.
“The seas ’ll knock the life out o’ ye,” said Grinder, “afore you’re clear o’ the sand.”
Despite these warnings the brave young fellow dashed into the foam, and plunged74 straight into the first mighty19 breaker that towered over his head. But he was too much excited to act effectively. He failed to time his plunge75 well. The wave fell upon him with a roar and crushed him down. In a few seconds he was dragged ashore76 almost insensible.
Example, whether good or bad, is infectious. Another strapping77 young fellow, stirred to emulation78, ran forward, and, seizing the rope, tied it round his own waist, while they helped poor Bill up the beach and seated him on a sand-bank.
The second youth was more powerful than the first—and cooler. He made a better attempt, but only got past the first wave, when his comrades, seeing that he was exhausted79, drew him back. Then a third—a broad burly youth—came forward.
At this point the soul of Shank Leather took fire, for he was by no means destitute80 of generous impulses, and he tried to get hold of the rope.
“Out o’ the way,” cried the burly youth, giving Leather a rough push that almost sent him on his back; “we don’t want no land-lubbers for this kind o’ work.”
Up to this point Charlie Brooke, although burning with eager desire to take some active part in the rescue, had restrained himself and held back, believing, with characteristic modesty81, that the fishermen knew far better than he did how to face the sea and use their appliances; but when he saw his friend stagger backward, he sprang to the front, caught hold of the line, and, seizing the burly fisherman by the arm, exclaimed, “You’ll let this land-lubber try it, anyhow,” and sent him spinning away like a capsized nine-pin.
There was a short laugh, as well as a cheer at this; but next moment all were gazing at the sea in breathless anxiety, for Brooke had rushed deep into the surf. He paused one moment, as the great wave curled over him, then went through it head-first with such force that he shot waist-high out of the sea on the other side. His exceptional swimming-powers now served him well, for his otter-like rapidity of action enabled him to avoid the crushing billows either by diving through them at the right moment, or holding back until they fell, and left him only the mad swirling82 foam to contend with. This last was bad enough, but here his great muscular strength and his inexhaustible caloric, with his cork-like power of flotation, enabled him to hold his own without exhaustion83 until another opportunity of piercing an unbroken wave offered. Thus he gradually forced his way through and beyond the worst breakers, which are always those nearest shore. Had any one been close to him, and able calmly to watch his movements, it would have been seen that, great as were the youth’s powers, he did not waste them in useless battling with a force against which no man could effectively contend; that, with a cool head, he gave way to every irresistible84 force, swimming for a moment, as it were, with the current—or, rather, floating easily in the whirlpools—so as to conserve85 his strength; that, ever and anon, he struck out with all his might, rushing through foam and wave like a fish, and that, in the midst of it all, he saw and seized the brief moments in which he could take a gasping86 inhalation.
Those who watched him with breathless anxiety on shore saw little of all this as they paid out the line or perched themselves on tiptoe on the few boulders87 that here and there strewed88 the sand.
“Haul him back!” shouted the man who was farthest out on the line. “He’s used up!”
“No, he’s not, I know him well!” roared Shank Leather. “Pay out, men—pay out line!”
“Ay, ease away,” said Grinder, in a thunderous growl69. “He’s a rigler walrus89, he is. Niver see’d sich a feller since I left the southern seas. Ease away, boys.”
A cheer followed his remark, for at that moment it was seen that our hero had reached the tail of the eddy90 which was caused by the hull91 of the wreck, and that one of her crew had darted92 from the cover of the vessel’s bulwarks and taken shelter under the stump93 of the mainmast. His object was seen in a moment, for he unhooked a coil of rope from the belaying-pins, and stood ready to heave it to the approaching swimmer. In making even this preparation the man ran very great risk, for the stump was but a partial shelter—each wave that burst over the side sweeping wildly round it and leaping on the man higher than his waist, so that it was very difficult for him to avoid being torn from his position.
Charlie’s progress was now comparatively easy. A few vigorous strokes brought him under the lea of the wreck, which, however, was by no means a quiet spot, for each divided wave, rushing round bow and stern, met there in a tumult50 of foam that almost choked the swimmer, while each billow that burst over the wreck poured a small Niagara on his head.
How to get on board in such circumstances was a subject that had troubled Charlie’s mind as he drew near, but the action of the sailor unhooking the coil of rope at once relieved him. The moment he came within reach, the sailor, watching his opportunity between waves, threw out the coil. It was aimed by an accustomed hand and fell on the rescuer’s head. Another minute and young Brooke stood on the deck. Without waiting an instant he leaped under the shelter of the stump of the mainmast beside the seaman94. He was only just in time, for a wave burst in thunder on the weather side of the quivering brig, and, pouring over the bulwarks, almost dragged him from the belaying-pins to which he clung.
The instant the strain was off, he passed a rope round his waist and gave the end of it to the sailor.
“Here, make it fast,” he said, beginning to haul with all his might on the line which he had brought from shore. “You’re the skipper—eh?”
“Yes. Don’t waste your breath in speech. I know what to do. All’s ready.”
These few words were an unspeakable relief to our hero, who was well aware that the working of the rocket apparatus required a slight amount of knowledge, and who felt from his manner and tone that the skipper was a thorough man. He glanced upwards as he hauled in the line, assisted by his companion, and saw that a stout95 rope with two loops on it had been fixed96 to the stump of the mast. Just as he noted97 this with satisfaction a large block with a thin line rove through it emerged from the boiling sea. It had been attached by the men on shore to the rocket line which Charlie had been hauling out with so much energy. Its name was indicated by the skipper.
“Here comes the whip,” he cried, catching hold of the block when it reached him. “Hold me up, lad, while I make it fast to them loops.”
While Charlie obeyed he saw that by fixing the tail-lines of the block quickly to the loops prepared for them, instead of winding them round the mast,—a difficult process in such a sea—much time was saved.
“There, our part o’ the job is done now,” said the skipper, pulling off his sou’-wester as he spoke98 and holding it up as a signal to the men on shore.
Meanwhile those to whom he signalled had been watching every movement with intense eagerness, and with the expressions of men whose gaze has to penetrate99 with difficulty through a haze100 of blinding spray.
“They’ve got the block now,” cried one man.
“Does that young feller know about fixin’ of it?” asked another.
“Clap a stopper on your mugs; they’re a-fixin’ of it now,” said old Grinder. “There’s the signal! Haul away, lads!”
We must explain here that the “whip” above mentioned was a double or endless line, passing through the block which had been hauled out to the wreck by our hero.
By means of this whip one end of a stout cable was sent off to the wreck, and on this cable a sling-lifebuoy was hung to a pulley and also run out to the wreck. The working of the apparatus, though simple enough to seamen101, would entail102 a complicated, perhaps incomprehensible, description to landsmen: we therefore pass it by with the remark that, connection with the shore having been established, and the sling-lifebuoy—or life-saving machine—run out, the crew received it with what was meant for a hearty103 cheer, but which exhaustion modified to a feeble shout.
“Now, lads,” cried the skipper to his men, “look sharp! Let out the passengers.”
“Passengers?” exclaimed Charlie Brooke in surprise.
“Ay—my wife an’ little gurl, two women and an old gentleman. You don’t suppose I’d keep ’em on deck to be washed overboard?”
As he spoke two of the men opened the doors of the companion-hatch, and caught hold of a little girl of about five years of age, who was handed up by a woman.
“Stay! keep her under cover till I get hold of her,” cried the skipper.
As he was passing from the mast to the companion a heavy sea burst over the bulwarks, and swept him into the scuppers. The same wave wrenched104 the child from the grasp of the man who held it and carried it right overboard. Like an eel72, rather than a man, Charlie cleft105 the foam close behind her, caught her by the skirt and bore her to the surface, when a few strokes of his free arm brought him close under the lee of the wreck just in time to prevent the agonised father from leaping after his child. There was terrible suspense106 for a few minutes. At one moment our hero, with his burden held high aloft, was far down in the hollow of the watery107 turmoil108, with the black hull like a great wall rising above him, while the skipper in the main-chains, pale as death but sternly silent held on with his left hand and reached down with his right—every finger rigid109 and ready! Next moment a water-spout, so to speak, bore the rescuer upward on its crest64, but not near enough—they went downward again. Once more the leaping water surged upwards; the skipper’s strong hand closed like the grip of death on the dress, and the child was safe while its rescuer sank away from it.
“Help him!” shouted the skipper, as he staggered to the shelter of the companion.
But Charlie required no help. A loose rope hanging over the side caught his eye: he seized it and was on deck again in a few seconds. A minute later and he was down in the cabin.
There, terror-stricken, sat the skipper’s wife, never venturing to move, because she had been told to remain there till called. Happily she knew nothing of the incident just described.
Beside her sat the other women, and, near to them, a stern old gentleman, who, with compressed lips, quietly awaited orders.
“Come, quick!” said Charlie, grasping by the arm one of the women.
It was the skipper’s wife. She jumped up right willingly and went on deck. There she found her child already in the life-buoy, and was instantly lifted in beside it by her husband, who looked hastily round.
“Come here, Dick,” he said to a little cabin-boy who clung to a stanchion near by. “Get in.”
The boy looked surprised, and drew back.
“Get in, I say,” repeated the skipper sternly.
“There’s more women, sir,” said the boy, still holding back.
“True—brave lad! but you’re wanted to keep these from getting washed out. I am too heavy, you know.”
The boy hesitated no longer. He squeezed himself into the machine beside the woman and child.
Then up at arm’s-length went the skipper’s sou’-wester as a signal that all was ready, and the fishermen began to haul the life-buoy to the shore.
It was an awful trip! Part of the distance, indeed, the trio were borne along well out of the sea, though the waves leaped hungrily up and sent spray over them, but as they drew near the shore they were dipped again and again into the foam, so that the little cabin boy needed all his energy and knowledge, as well as his bravery and strength, to prevent his charge being washed out. Amid ringing cheers from the fishermen—and a treble echo from the women behind the wall—they were at last safely landed.
“My lass, that friend o’ your’n be a braave cheeld,” said an old woman to May Leather, who crouched110 beside her.
“Ay, that he is!” exclaimed May, with a gush111 of enthusiasm in tone and eyes that made them all turn to look at her.
“Your brother?” asked a handsome, strapping young woman.
“No—I wish he was!”
“Hm! ha!” exclaimed the strapping young woman—whereat there was exchanged a significant laugh; but May took no notice of it, being too deeply engrossed112 with the proceedings113 on shore and sea.
Again the fishermen ran out the life-buoy and soon hauled it back with another woman; then a third. After that came the old gentleman, quite self-possessed and calm, though very pale and dishevelled; and, following him, the crew, one by one, were rescued. Then came the hero of the hour, and last of all, as in duty bound, the skipper—not much too soon, for he had barely reached the land when the brig was overwhelmed and engulfed114 in the raging sea.
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shipwreck
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| n.船舶失事，海难 | |
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wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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untold
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| adj.数不清的，无数的 | |
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reigned
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| vi.当政，统治（reign的过去式形式） | |
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supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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outwards
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| adj.外面的，公开的，向外的；adv.向外；n.外形 | |
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graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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benignity
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outstripped
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| v.做得比…更好，（在赛跑等中）超过( outstrip的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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lobster
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| n.龙虾，龙虾肉 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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err
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| vi.犯错误，出差错 | |
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invalids
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| 病人，残疾者( invalid的名词复数 ) | |
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wail
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| vt./vi.大声哀号，恸哭；呼啸，尖啸 | |
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almighty
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| adj.全能的，万能的；很大的，很强的 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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absurdity
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| n.荒谬，愚蠢；谬论 | |
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perplexed
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| adj.不知所措的 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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23
perseverance
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| n.坚持不懈，不屈不挠 | |
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24
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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25
remonstrance
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| n抗议，抱怨 | |
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26
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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confidential
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| adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的 | |
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28
prospects
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| n.希望，前途(恒为复数) | |
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29
obtrusive
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| adj.显眼的；冒失的 | |
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30
conspicuous
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| adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的 | |
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31
longitude
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| n.经线，经度 | |
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32
dwarfs
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| 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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33
gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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34
winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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35
lashed
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| adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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36
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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37
foam
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| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
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38
flakes
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| 小薄片( flake的名词复数 )； （尤指）碎片； 雪花； 古怪的人 | |
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39
rippling
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| 起涟漪的，潺潺流水般声音的 | |
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40
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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41
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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42
hindrance
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| n.妨碍，障碍 | |
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43
lithe
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| adj.(指人、身体)柔软的，易弯的 | |
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44
lizard
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| n.蜥蜴，壁虎 | |
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45
enveloped
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| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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46
shrieking
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| v.尖叫( shriek的现在分词 ) | |
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47
rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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48
defiance
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| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
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49
battalions
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| n.（陆军的）一营（大约有一千兵士）( battalion的名词复数 )；协同作战的部队；军队；（组织在一起工作的）队伍 | |
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50
tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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51
converse
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| vi.谈话，谈天，闲聊；adv.相反的，相反 | |
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52
bin
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| n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件 | |
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53
locker
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| n.更衣箱，储物柜，冷藏室，上锁的人 | |
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54
expended
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| v.花费( expend的过去式和过去分词 )；使用（钱等）做某事；用光；耗尽 | |
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55
groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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57
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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58
rattling
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| adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词 | |
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59
doomed
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| 命定的 | |
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60
aloof
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| adj.远离的；冷淡的，漠不关心的 | |
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61
apparatus
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| n.装置，器械；器具，设备 | |
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62
shrouds
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| 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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63
crests
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| v.到达山顶（或浪峰）( crest的第三人称单数 )；到达洪峰，达到顶点 | |
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crest
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| n.顶点；饰章；羽冠；vt.达到顶点；vi.形成浪尖 | |
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spurted
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| （液体，火焰等）喷出，（使）涌出( spurt的过去式和过去分词 )； （短暂地）加速前进，冲刺 | |
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sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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bulwarks
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| n.堡垒( bulwark的名词复数 )；保障；支柱；舷墙 | |
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growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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69
growl
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| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
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projectile
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| n.投射物，发射体；adj.向前开进的；推进的；抛掷的 | |
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71
considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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72
eel
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| n.鳗鲡 | |
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73
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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74
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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75
plunge
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| v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲 | |
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76
ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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77
strapping
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| adj. 魁伟的, 身材高大健壮的 n. 皮绳或皮带的材料, 裹伤胶带, 皮鞭 动词strap的现在分词形式 | |
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78
emulation
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| n.竞争；仿效 | |
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79
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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80
destitute
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| adj.缺乏的；穷困的 | |
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81
modesty
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| n.谦逊，虚心，端庄，稳重，羞怯，朴素 | |
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82
swirling
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| v.旋转，打旋( swirl的现在分词 ) | |
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83
exhaustion
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| n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述 | |
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84
irresistible
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| adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的 | |
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conserve
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| vt.保存，保护，节约，节省，守恒，不灭 | |
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gasping
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| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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87
boulders
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| n.卵石( boulder的名词复数 )；巨砾；（受水或天气侵蚀而成的）巨石；漂砾 | |
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88
strewed
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| v.撒在…上( strew的过去式和过去分词 )；散落于；点缀；撒满 | |
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89
walrus
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| n.海象 | |
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90
eddy
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| n.漩涡，涡流 | |
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91
hull
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| n.船身；(果、实等的)外壳；vt.去(谷物等)壳 | |
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92
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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93
stump
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| n.残株，烟蒂，讲演台；v.砍断，蹒跚而走 | |
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94
seaman
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| n.海员，水手，水兵 | |
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96
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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97
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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98
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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99
penetrate
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| v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解 | |
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100
haze
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| n.霾，烟雾；懵懂，迷糊；vi.(over)变模糊 | |
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101
seamen
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| n.海员 | |
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102
entail
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| vt.使承担，使成为必要，需要 | |
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103
hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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104
wrenched
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| v.（猛力地）扭( wrench的过去式和过去分词 )；扭伤；使感到痛苦；使悲痛 | |
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105
cleft
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| n.裂缝；adj.裂开的 | |
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106
suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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107
watery
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| adj.有水的，水汪汪的；湿的，湿润的 | |
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108
turmoil
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| n.骚乱，混乱，动乱 | |
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109
rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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110
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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111
gush
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| v.喷，涌；滔滔不绝(说话)；n.喷，涌流；迸发 | |
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112
engrossed
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| adj.全神贯注的 | |
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113
proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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114
engulfed
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| v.吞没，包住( engulf的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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