A voyage up the east coast of Great Britain and through the Pentland Firth does not usually take a long time. When the vessel3 is a swift little schooner-yacht, and the breeze is stiff as well as fair, the voyage is naturally a brief one.
Everything favoured the little Fairy. Sun, moon, and stars cheered her, and winds were propitious4, so that our voyagers soon found themselves skimming over the billows of the western sea.
It was one part of Mabberly’s plan that he and his friends should do duty as part of the crew. He was himself accustomed to the handling of yachts, and Barret he knew had been familiar with the management of boats from childhood.
“Well, ye–es, oh yes. No doubt I could steer if I were to try.”
“Have you never tried?” asked his friend in surprise.
“Oh yes, I have tried—once. It was on an occasion when a number of us had gone on a picnic. We had to proceed part of the way to our destination by river in a small boat, which was managed by a regular old sea-dog—I forget his name, for we generally hailed him by the title of Old Salt. Some of the impatient members of the party suggested a little preliminary lunch. There are always people ready to back up impatient suggestions! It was agreed to, and Old Salt was ordered to open the provision basket, which had been stowed away in the bows of the boat. ‘Would you steer, sir?’ said Old Salt to me, as he rose to go forward. ‘Certainly, with pleasure,’ said I, for, as you know, it’s an old weakness of mine to be obliging! Well, in a few minutes they were all eating away as if they’d had no breakfast, while we went merrily down the river, with the current and a light breeze in our favour.
“Suddenly Old Salt shouted something that was smothered6 in its passage through a bite of sandwich. I looked up, and saw a native canoe coming straight towards us. ‘Port!’ roared Old Salt, in an explosion that cleared away half the sandwich. ‘No, thankee; I prefer sherry,’ said I. But I stopped there, for I saw intuitively from the yell with which he interrupted me that something was wrong. ‘Hard a-port!’ he cried, jumping up and scattering7 his rations8. I shoved the tiller hard to the side that suggested itself, and hoped for the best. The worst followed, for we struck the native canoe amidships, as it was steering9 wildly out of our way, and capsized it! There were only two men in it, and they could swim like ducks; but the river was full of alligators10, and two sharp-set ones were on the scent11 instantly. It is my opinion that those two natives would, then and there, have been devoured12, if we had not run in between and made such a splashing and hullaballoo with boat-hook, oars13, and voices, that the monsters were scared away. I have never steered14 since that day.”
“I don’t wonder; and, with my consent, you shall not steer now,” said Mabberly, laughing. “Why, Giles, I was under the impression that you understood everything, and could do almost anything!”
“Quite a mistake, Bob, founded in error or superstition15. You have confused the will with the deed. I am indeed willing to try anything, but my capacity for action is limited, like my knowledge. In regard to the higher mathematics, for instance, I know nothing. Copper-mining I do not understand. I may say the same with reference to Tartar mythology16, and as regards the management of infants under two years I am densely18 ignorant.”
“But do you really know nothing at all about boats and ships, Giles?” asked Barret, who, being a good listener, did not always shine as a speaker.
“How can you ask such a question? Of course I know a great deal about them. They float, they sail and row, they steer—”
“Rather badly sometimes, according to your own showing!” remarked Barret.
Having cleared the Pentland Firth, Mabberly consulted the skipper one morning as to the prospects20 of the weather. “Going to fall calm, I fear,” he said, as McPherson came aft with his hands in his pilot-coat pockets.
“Ay, sir, that iss true, what-?-ver.”
To pronounce the last word correctly, the central ”?” must be run into a long-drawn, not an interjectional, sound.
“More-?-ver,” continued the skipper, in his drawling nasal tone, “it’s goin’ to be thick.”
Being a weather-wise man, the skipper proved to be right. It did come thick; then it cleared, and, as we have said, things became favourable21 until they got further out to sea. Then a fancy took possession of Mabberly—namely, to have a “spin out into the Atlantic and see how it looked!” It mattered not to Jackman or Barret what they did or where they went; the first being exuberantly22 joyous23, the other quietly happy. So they had their run out to sea; but twenty-four hours of it sufficed—it became monotonous24.
“I think we’d better go back now,” suggested Mabberly.
“Agreed,” said his companions.
“Iss it goin’ back you’ll be?” asked the skipper.
“Yes. Don’t you think we may as well turn now?” said Mabberly, who made it a point always, if possible, to carry the approbation25 of the skipper with him.
“I think it wass petter if we had niver come oot.”
“Why so, Captain?”
James McGregor, to whom the order was given, and who was the other man of the crew, obeyed. The yacht, which had latterly been beating against a headwind, now ran gaily27 before it towards the Scottish coast, but when night closed in no outlying islands were visible.
“We wull hev to keep a sharp look-oot, Shames,” remarked the skipper, as he stopped in his monotonous perambulation of the deck to glance at the compass.
“Oo, ay,” responded McGregor, with the air of a man who knew that as well as his superior.
“What do you fear?” asked Mabberly, coming on deck at the moment to take a look at the night before turning in.
“I fear naething, sir,” replied McPherson, gravely.
“I mean, what danger threatens us?”
It may be well to remark here that the skipper, having voyaged much on all parts of the Scottish coast, had adopted and mixed up with his own peculiar31 English several phrases and words in use among the lowland Scots.
Next morning, when Mabberly again visited the deck, he found the skipper standing32 on the same spot where he had left him, apparently33 in the same attitude, and with the same grave, sleepless34 expression on his cast-iron features. The boy, Robin35 Tips, was at the helm, looking very sleepy. He was an English boy, smart, active, and wide-awake—in the slang sense—in which sense also we may add that he was “cheeky.”
But neither the skipper nor Tips was very visible at the distance of three yards, owing to a dense17 fog which prevailed. It was one of those white, luminous36, dry fogs which are not at all depressing to the spirits, though obstructive to the eyes, and which are generally, if not always, accompanied by profound calm.
“Has it been like this long?” asked Mabberly, after the first salutations.
“Ay, sir, a coot while.”
“And have we made no progress during the night?”
“Oo, ay, a coot bit. We should nae be far off some o’ the islands noo, but it’s hard to say, wi’ naither sun, moon, nor stars veesible to let us fin’ oot where we are.”
Jackman and Barret came on deck at the moment, closely followed by Quin, who, quietly ignoring the owner of the yacht, went up to his master and said—
“Tay’s riddy, sor.”
“Breakfast, you mean,” said Mabberly, with a smile.
“Sure I wouldn’t conterdick—ye, sor, av ye was to call it supper—but it was tay that I put in the pot.”
At breakfast the conversation somehow turned upon boats—ship’s boats—and their construction.
“It is quite disgraceful,” said Jackman, “the way in which Government neglects that matter of boats. Some things, we know, will never be generally adopted unless men are compelled to adopt them. Another biscuit, Barret.”
“Instance something, Giles,” said Mabberly, “and pass the butter. I hate to hear sweeping37 assertions of an indefinite nature, which no one can either corroborate38 or confute.”
“Well, there is the matter of lowering boats into the water from a ship’s davits. Now, I’ll be bound that the apparatus39 for lowering your little punt astern is the ordinary couple of blocks—one at the stem, the other at the stern?”
“Of course it is. What then?”
“Why, then, don’t you know what would happen if you were lowering that boat full of people in a rough sea, and the man at the bow failed to unhook his block at the exact same moment as the man at the stern?”
“Yes, I know too well, Giles, for I have seen it happen. The boat, on the occasion I refer to, was hung up by one of the blocks, all the people were dropped into the water, and several of the women and children drowned. But how is Government to remedy that?”
“Thus, Bob, thus. There is a splendid apparatus invented by somebody which holds fast the two blocks. By means of an iron lever worked by one man, the rod is disengaged from both blocks at the same instant. You cannot work it wrong if you tried to do so. Now, the Government has only to compel the adoption40 of that apparatus in the Royal and Merchant Navies, and the thing is done.”
“Then, again,” continued Jackman, devouring41 food more ravenously42 in proportion as he warmed with his subject, “look at the matter of rafts. How constantly it happens that boats get swamped and lost while being launched in cases of shipwreck43 at sea, and there is nothing left for the crews and passengers, after the few remaining boats are filled, save loose spars or a hastily and ill-made raft; for of course things cannot be well planned and constructed in the midst of panic and sudden emergency. Now, it has been suggested, if not actually carried out, that mattresses45 should be made of cork46, with bands and straps47 to facilitate buckling48 them together, and that a ship’s chairs, tables, camp-stools, etcetera, should be so constructed as to be convertible49 into rafts, which might be the means of saving hundreds of lives that would, under present arrangements, inevitably50 be lost. Why, I ask, does not Government see to this? have a special committee appointed to investigate, find out the best plan, and compel its adoption? Men will never do this. They are too obstinate51. What’s wanted is that our ladies should take it up, and howl with indignation till it is done.”
“My dear Giles, ladies never howl,” said Barret, quietly tapping the end of an egg; “they smile, and gently insinuate—that is always sufficient, because irresistible53!”
“Well, being a bachelor I cannot say much on that point,” returned Jackman. “But I was not aware that you were married?”
“Neither am I; but I have a mother and sisters, aunts and cousins, and I know their ways.”
“If such are their ways, I must get you to introduce me to them,” said the woods-and-forester. “Come on deck, now, and I will give you a practical illustration of what might be done.”
Jackman, being an enthusiast54, always went at things, “with a will.”
“Bring me a hen-coop, Quin,” he said to the steward55, who, having so far completed his morning work, and consumed his morning meal, was smoking his pipe, seated on the rail beside Tips. Tips was an admirer of the Irishman, and, in consequence, an imitator as far as he dared and was permitted.
“Lend a hand, ye spalpeen,” said Quin, going forward, and quickly returning with the coop, from which a cackling of strong remonstrance56 issued.
“Yes, and the main-hatch besides, and a lot of spun-yarn. Of course that’s not strong enough for real service, but it will do for illustration.”
In a few minutes the two hen-coops were placed face to face and lashed57 firmly together, despite the remonstrative58 poultry59. Then the main-hatch was laid upon the top, and fixed60 there by means of the iron rings at its four corners.
“Now, Quin, fetch four of the cabin chairs,” said the operator, “and observe, gentlemen, how much more easily and quickly this would have been accomplished61 if the coops, and hatch, and chairs had been made to fit into each other, with a view to this very purpose, with strong straps and buckles62 in handy positions. Now, then, for the chairs.”
At each corner of this extemporised raft Jackman fastened one of the cabin chairs, pointing out, as he did so, that there was no limit to the extension of the raft.
“You see,” he continued, “all you would have to do, if the ship were properly fitted out, would be to add chair to chair, bench to bench, cork mattress44 to mattress, until your raft was as big as you wanted; or you could make two or three rafts, if preferable.”
“But sure, sor, it would be an unstiddy machine intirely, an’ given to wobblin’,” said Quin, who was one of those privileged men who not only work for their wages, but generously throw their opinions into the bargain.
“It would not be more unsteady than the waves, Quin; and as to wobbling, that would be an advantage, for a rigid63 raft in a rough sea would be more liable to be damaged than one that was pliable64.”
The discussion about rafts and ship’s boats which thus began was continued with much interest till lunchtime, for it chanced that John Barret was one of those men whose tendency of heart and mind is to turn everything to its best uses, and generally to strive after the highest point of perfection in everything, with a view to the advancement65 of human felicity. This tendency called into exercise his inventive faculties66, inducing him to search after improvements of all descriptions. Thus it was natural that he and Jackman should enter into a keen controversy67 as to what was the best method of constructing the raft in detail; and that, when the faithful Quin announced lunch as being, “riddy, sor,” the life-saving machine was left in an incomplete state on the deck.
The interest attaching to this discussion had helped the three comrades and crew alike to tide over what might otherwise have proved a tedious forenoon, for during the whole of that day the dense fog and profound calm continued.
On returning to the deck the discussion was continued for a time, but gradually the interest flagged, then other subjects engaged attention, and the raft was finally allowed to lie undisturbed and forgotten.
“I don’t know how it is,” said Bob Mabberly; “but somehow I always feel a depression of spirits in a fog at sea.”
“Explanation simple enough,” returned Jackman; “are we not constantly reading in the papers of ships being run down in fogs? Where there is risk there is always in some minds anxiety—in your case you call it depression of spirits.”
“Your explanation, Giles, uncomplimentary to me though it be, might have some force if we were just now in the Channel, where being run down in fog is an event of frequent occurrence; but here, in a comparatively unfrequented sea, it would be strange indeed were I to be influenced by such possibilities. What say you, Captain?”
McPherson, who had sauntered towards the group, gazed in the direction where the horizon would have been visible had the fog been absent, and said:—
“Hm!—weel—” and then stopped, as if for the purpose of mature consideration. The audience waited for the announcement of the oracle’s opinion.
“Oo ay—weel, ye see, many persons are strangely influenced by possibeelities, what-?-ver. There is a maiden69 aunt o’ my own—she wass niver marrit, an’ she wass niver likely to be, for besides bein’ poor an’ plain, an’ mittle-aged, which are not in my opeenion objectionable, she had an uncommon70 bad temper. Yet she wass all her life influenced by the notion that half the young men o’ the place wass wantin’ to marry her! though the possibeelities in her case wass fery small.”
“I should like to ’ave know’d that old gurl!” whispered Tips to Quin.
“Howld your tongue, ye spalpeen!” whispered his friend in reply.
“Have you any idea, Captain, where we are now?” asked Jackman.
“Oo ay, we’re somewhere’s wast’ard o’ the Lewis. But whether wast, nor’-wast, or sooth-wast, I could not say preceesely. The nicht, ye see, wass uncommon dark, an’ when the fog came doon i’ the mornin’, I could na’ feel sure we had keep it the richt coorse, for the currents hereaboots are strang. But we’ll see whan it comes clear.”
“Do you believe in presentiments72, Giles?” asked Barret, in an unusually grave tone.
“Of course I do,” answered Jackman. “I have a presentiment71 just now that you are going to talk nonsense.”
Barret was not, however, to be silenced by his friend’s jest.
“Listen,” he said, earnestly, as he rose and stood in an attitude of intense attention. “It may be imagination playing with the subjects of our recent conversation, but I cannot help thinking that I hear the beating of paddles.”
“Keep a sherp look-oot, Shames,” cried the skipper, suddenly, as he went forward with unwonted alacrity73.
A few minutes more and the sound which had at first been distinguished74 only by Barret’s sharp ear, became audible to all—the soft regular patting of a paddle-wheel steamer in the distance, yet clearly coming towards them. Presently a shrill75 sound, very faint but prolonged, was heard, showing that she was blowing her steam-whistle as a precaution.
“Strange, is it not, that the very thing we have been talking about should happen?” said Mabberly.
“Nay,” returned Jackman, lightly, “we were talking about being run down, and we have not yet come to that.”
“The strangest thing of all to me,” said Barret, “is that, with a wide ocean all round, vessels76 should ever run into each other at all, at least on the open sea, for there is only one line, a few feet wide, in favour of such an accident, whereas there are thousands of miles against it.”
Jackman, who was a great theorist, here propounded77 a reason for this.
“If vessels would only hold straight on their courses, you see,” he said, “the accident of collision would be exceedingly rare, for, although thousands of ships might pass near to each other, not one in ten thousand would meet; but when vessels come pretty near, their commanders sometimes become anxious, take fancies into their heads, as to each having forgotten the ‘rules of the road,’ and each attempting to correct the other—as we do sometimes in the streets—they bring about the very disaster they are trying to avoid.”
“Had we not better ring the bell, Captain?” cried Mabberly, in rising excitement.
“Oo ay, if you think so, sir. Ring, poy!”
The boy, who was getting alarmed, seized the tongue of the ship’s bell, and rang with all his might. Whether this had the effect to which Jackman had referred, we cannot tell, but next moment what appeared to be a mountain loomed78 out of the mist. The steam-whistle had been silent for some time, but as soon as the bell was heard it burst forth79 with increased fury. From the instant her form was dimly seen the fate of the yacht was sealed. There was a wild shouting on board the steamer, but there was no time for action.
“Starboard hard!” was the cry.
“Starboard it is!” was the immediate80 answer. But before the helm could act, the great rushing mass struck the Fairy amidships, and literally81 cut her in two!
The awful suddenness of a catastrophe82, which those on board had just been arguing was all but impossible, seemed to have paralysed every one, for no one made the slightest effort to escape. Perhaps the appearance of the wall-like bow of the steamer, without rope or projection83 of any kind to lay hold of, or jump at, might have conveyed the swift perception that their case was hopeless. At all events, they all went under with the doomed84 yacht, and nothing was left in the wake of the leviathan but a track of foam85 on the mist-encumbered sea.
But they were not lost! One after another the wrecked86 party rose struggling to the surface, and all of them could swim except the boy.
Giles Jackman was the first who rose. Treading water and brushing the hair out of his eyes, he gazed wildly about. Barret came up close beside him, almost a moment later. He had barely taken breath, when the others rose at various distances. A cry not far from him caused him to turn. It was poor Robin Tips, struggling for life. A few powerful strokes carried Barret alongside. He got behind the boy, caught him under the armpits, and thus held him, at arm’s length, until he could quiet him.
“There is a spar, thank God! Make for it, Barret, while I see to Quin,” shouted Jackman.
Barret, forcing himself breast-high out of the water, glanced quickly round and caught sight of the floating spar to which his companion had referred. Although only a few yards off, the fog rendered it almost invisible.
“Are you quiet now?” demanded Barret, in a stern voice, for the terrified boy still showed something like a hysterical88 determination to turn violently round, and grasp his rescuer in what would probably have turned out to be the grip of death.
“Yes, sir, oh! yes. But d–don’t let me go! M–mind, I can’t swim!”
“You are perfectly89 safe if you simply do nothing but what I tell you,” returned Barret, in a quiet, ordinary tone of voice, that reassured90 the poor lad more than the words.
Getting gradually on his back, and drawing Tips slowly on to his chest, so that he rested with his mouth upwards91, and his head entirely92 out of the water, Barret struck out for the spar, swimming thus on his back.
On reaching it, he found to his surprise that it was the experimental raft, and that the captain, Mabberly, and McGregor were already clinging to it.
“Won’t bear us all, I fear,” said Mabberly; “but thank God that we have it. Put the boy on.”
In order to do this, Barret had to get upon the raft, and he found that it bore him easily as well as the boy.
“Have you seen Jackman?” asked Mabberly.
“Yes,” replied Barret, rising and looking round.
But Giles suddenly ceased to swim, turned over on his back, and lay as if dead.
“Rescue, Bob, rescue!” shouted Barret, plunging94 into the water. Mabberly followed, and soon had hold of Giles and his man by the hair.
“All right!” said Jackman, turning round; “I was only taking a rest. No one lost, I hope?”
“No; all safe, so far.”
“You can tow him in now. I’m almost used up,” said Jackman, making for the raft. “He’s only stunned, I think.”
It was found that the Irishman had in truth been only stunned when they lifted him on to the raft, for he soon began to show signs of returning life, and a large bump on his head sufficiently95 explained the nature of his injury.
But when the whole party had cautiously clambered up on the raft it sank so deep that they scarcely dared to move. To make matters worse, they clearly distinguished the steamer’s whistle going farther and farther away, as if she were searching for them in a wrong direction. This was indeed the case, and although they all shouted singly and together, the whistle grew fainter by degrees, and finally died away.
With feelings approaching to despair, the crew of the frail96 raft began to talk of the prospect19 before them, when they were silenced by a slight movement in the mist. The white curtain was lifted for a few yards, and revealed to their almost incredulous eyes a rocky shore, backed by a range of precipitous cliffs, with a wild mountainous region beyond.
As the sea was still perfectly calm, there was no surf. Our castaways, therefore, with the exception of Quin and the boy, quietly slipped into the water, and, with thankful hearts, propelled the raft vigorously towards the shore.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
auspiciously
|
|
| adv.吉利； 繁荣昌盛； 前途顺利； 吉祥 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
promptly
|
|
| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
vessel
|
|
| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
propitious
|
|
| adj.吉利的；顺利的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
steer
|
|
| vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
smothered
|
|
| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
scattering
|
|
| n.[物]散射；散乱，分散；在媒介质中的散播adj.散乱的；分散在不同范围的；广泛扩散的；（选票）数量分散的v.散射(scatter的ing形式)；散布；驱散 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
rations
|
|
| 定量( ration的名词复数 )； 配给量； 正常量； 合理的量 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
steering
|
|
| n.操舵装置 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
alligators
|
|
| n.短吻鳄( alligator的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
scent
|
|
| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
devoured
|
|
| 吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
oars
|
|
| n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
steered
|
|
| v.驾驶( steer的过去式和过去分词 )；操纵；控制；引导 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
superstition
|
|
| n.迷信，迷信行为 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
mythology
|
|
| n.神话，神话学，神话集 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
dense
|
|
| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
densely
|
|
| ad.密集地；浓厚地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
prospect
|
|
| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
prospects
|
|
| n.希望，前途(恒为复数) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
favourable
|
|
| adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
exuberantly
|
|
| adv.兴高采烈地，活跃地，愉快地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
joyous
|
|
| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
monotonous
|
|
| adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
approbation
|
|
| n.称赞；认可 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
plow
|
|
| n.犁，耕地，犁过的地；v.犁，费力地前进[英]plough | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
gaily
|
|
| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
ken
|
|
| n.视野，知识领域 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
behooves
|
|
| n.利益，好处( behoof的名词复数 )v.适宜( behoove的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
canny
|
|
| adj.谨慎的，节俭的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
peculiar
|
|
| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
apparently
|
|
| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
sleepless
|
|
| adj.不睡眠的，睡不著的，不休息的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
robin
|
|
| n.知更鸟，红襟鸟 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
luminous
|
|
| adj.发光的，发亮的；光明的；明白易懂的；有启发的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
sweeping
|
|
| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
corroborate
|
|
| v.支持，证实，确定 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
apparatus
|
|
| n.装置，器械；器具，设备 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
adoption
|
|
| n.采用，采纳，通过；收养 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
devouring
|
|
| 吞没( devour的现在分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
ravenously
|
|
| adv.大嚼地，饥饿地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
shipwreck
|
|
| n.船舶失事，海难 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
mattress
|
|
| n.床垫，床褥 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
mattresses
|
|
| 褥垫，床垫( mattress的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
cork
|
|
| n.软木，软木塞 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
straps
|
|
| n.带子( strap的名词复数 )；挎带；肩带；背带v.用皮带捆扎( strap的第三人称单数 )；用皮带抽打；包扎；给…打绷带 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
buckling
|
|
| 扣住 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
convertible
|
|
| adj.可改变的，可交换，同意义的；n.有活动摺篷的汽车 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
inevitably
|
|
| adv.不可避免地；必然发生地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
obstinate
|
|
| adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
wan
|
|
| (wide area network)广域网 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
irresistible
|
|
| adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
enthusiast
|
|
| n.热心人，热衷者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
steward
|
|
| n.乘务员，服务员；看管人；膳食管理员 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
remonstrance
|
|
| n抗议，抱怨 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
lashed
|
|
| adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
remonstrative
|
|
| adj.抗议的，忠告的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
59
poultry
|
|
| n.家禽，禽肉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
fixed
|
|
| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
accomplished
|
|
| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
buckles
|
|
| 搭扣，扣环( buckle的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
rigid
|
|
| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
pliable
|
|
| adj.易受影响的；易弯的；柔顺的，易驾驭的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
advancement
|
|
| n.前进，促进，提升 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
faculties
|
|
| n.能力( faculty的名词复数 )；全体教职员；技巧；院 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
controversy
|
|
| n.争论，辩论，争吵 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
eel
|
|
| n.鳗鲡 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
maiden
|
|
| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
uncommon
|
|
| adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
presentiment
|
|
| n.预感，预觉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
presentiments
|
|
| n.（对不祥事物的）预感( presentiment的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
alacrity
|
|
| n.敏捷，轻快，乐意 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
74
distinguished
|
|
| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
75
shrill
|
|
| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
76
vessels
|
|
| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
77
propounded
|
|
| v.提出（问题、计划等）供考虑[讨论]，提议( propound的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
78
loomed
|
|
| v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
79
forth
|
|
| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
80
immediate
|
|
| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
81
literally
|
|
| adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
82
catastrophe
|
|
| n.大灾难，大祸 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
83
projection
|
|
| n.发射，计划，突出部分 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
84
doomed
|
|
| 命定的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
85
foam
|
|
| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
86
wrecked
|
|
| adj.失事的，遇难的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
87
spoke
|
|
| 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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
88
hysterical
|
|
| adj.情绪异常激动的，歇斯底里般的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
89
perfectly
|
|
| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
90
reassured
|
|
| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
91
upwards
|
|
| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
92
entirely
|
|
| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
93
stunned
|
|
| adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
94
plunging
|
|
| adj.跳进的，突进的v.颠簸( plunge的现在分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
95
sufficiently
|
|
| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
96
frail
|
|
| adj.身体虚弱的；易损坏的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |