CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry¹, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” J. K. Rowling IInstead of trying to clean up a stable or converting an outbuilding to house the sophisticated equipment used in the Hermes Project, they had constructed a 120 by 40 foot steel shell. The building was functional², sterile³ and boring. It had its own diesel⁴ power generators⁵ so any sudden increase in electric consumption wouldn’t raise eyebrows⁶ at the local power company. Dr. Altman was like a proud papa as he showed Penelope his fMRI machine. The fMRI took up half of the room; next to it was an area with a gurney and a wall of machines that Penelope couldn’t identify. Aft er removing all metallic⁷ objects, Penelope laid down on the table and felt totally relaxed. “This is the room where we do all of our initial work with subjects. What we’re going to do, Ms. Spence, is get a baseline fMRI of you. This will allow us to track any future changes and, based on the results, determine which programs would be most beneficial for you.” Spence flinched⁸ when she felt the table she was lying on begin to move. “Just relax. This is just a preliminary scan and won’t take very long.” Walker and Altman both stared intently as the magnetic resonant⁹ equipment thumped¹⁰ to life and the image began to build. Altman gasped¹¹ audibly. “Is there a problem?” Spence asked. 235 The Fourth Awakening¹² “No,” Walker said calmly. “We just spilled something on the desk. Please remain still.” Walker fl ipped off the intercom so Penelope could not hear. “I warned you that this was a possibility,” Altman said, his face bright crimson¹³. Walker placed a firm hand on Altman’s shoulder. “Not now, Carl.” After a steady stream of chatter¹⁴ the sudden silence was a bit unnerving. “What are you two talking about over there?” asked Penelope. There was faint click as the intercom was reactivated. “Okay. We’re all done.” Walker entered the exam room and helped her off the table. Dr. Altman, limited by his cane¹⁵, was slow arriving. Spence smiled. Dr. Altman reminded her of her late grandfather. He told wonderful stories of his wild adventures from his younger days, and had a speaking style similar to Altman’s. He used crisp precise language and full enunciation¹⁶ of each word. Walker had been correct to wait and let Altman explain the process. Without context or being able to see the actual facility, the effort would have been unproductive. Dr. Altman kept using terms such as “k-space formalism” and “inverse Fourier transform” and at one point Altman put a complex math formula on a chalkboard that was perfectly¹⁷ logical to a Nobel Laureate such as him, but to Penelope was nothing but squiggles and lines. “In a nutshell, Penelope, different parts of the brain serve diff erent functions. Here,” Walker said as he touched the upper back portion of his head, “is one part that is very important to our work, for example.” “This is the part of the brain,” Dr. Altman said, “the posterior superior parietal lobe¹⁸, that assists with determining your reality and orients you to the physical world, thereby¹⁹ clearly defining what is you and what is everything else so that you can function….” “Carl,” Walker said softly as he saw the confusion cloud Penelope’s face. “Let me try.” Altman bowed slightly from the waist and yielded the fl oor to Walker. “That part of the brain is always busy determining distance, interpreting sounds, checking the temperature. It is what lets center fielders catch fl y balls. People who have had this part of the brain damaged due to injury have diffi culty functioning. They will try to lie on their bed and end up on the fl oor instead.” “So far, so good,” Penelope acknowledged. 236 Rod Pennington & Jeffery A. Martin “It has been well established that when people are in deep meditation²⁰, activity in this part of the brain changes significantly.” Walker drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Scientists currently believe that this is one of the gatekeepers that separates you from the carefully craft ed world this part of the brain has created, and the larger universal world that we are all a part of.” “Whenever a person starts to glimpse the greater world that we all share,” Altman interjected, “this is one of the key parts of the brain that immediately wants to pull the curtains shut and go back to the reality it has created for you.” “I’m not sure I understand…” “We can go into this aspect later,” Walker said as he glared at Altman. “For now let’s just say this is a part of the brain that is constantly working to fine-tune your perceived world.” “Okay,” Penelope said, watching Altman struggle to keep from jumping in. “The brain is a complex biochemical system. What we’ve done is isolate²¹ some very precise electromagnetic, or EM, wavelengths²² that aff ect certain parts of the brain. By sending very carefully tuned²³ electromagnetic pulses, we are able to cause different parts of the brain either to relax or to be stimulated²⁴. We have found that when we alter the input²⁵ the posterior superior parietal lobe receives from other key areas of the brain, as well as other sections such as the right temporal lobe, all sorts of interesting things start to happen.” “For example.” Walker and Altman exchanged worried glances. “When this section is …” Dr. Altman couldn’t restrain himself any longer. “Occupied trying to figure out what is going on due to the stimuli²⁶ we are providing. Th e other parts of the brain are more responsive to other stimuli.” “What Carl is saying… without certain gatekeepers to stand guard, various parts of the brain start doing remarkable²⁷ things.” “Such as?” “With the proper combination of EM pulses, we can give the test subject a brief spike²⁸ in psychic²⁹ ability.” “We,” Altman added, “can even give them a glimpse of Enlightenment.” “That was the breakthrough Senator Horn was so worried about?” “No,” Walker answered. “Researchers have been doing this at a clinical level for years, mostly with drugs and by implanting wires and electrodes 237 The Fourth Awakening in people’s brains. Our breakthrough is that we are now able to do this without any physical contact, and without the subject ingesting any drugs.” “What?” Penelope’s eyes and mouth were both wide open. “So you’re saying you have developed some type of a ray gun that can alter a person’s reality without touching³⁰ them or attaching any wires?” “I don’t think I would characterize it as a ray gun, but the answer to your question is yes. This also isn’t new, the government has been able to do this for decades, but it never occurred to them to use it in the way we have. Some of our results have been rather stunning³¹. That’s what we want to show the people from The Washington Post.” “So people don’t even have to volunteer; you can just blast them as they walk down the street.” “Pretty much.” Walker answered. “I can see why this was classified. Can it be used as a weapon?” “Yes,” Walker said. “But only against people and not military targets.” “What does that mean?” “Most high-end command and control facilities are already shielded to block the EM pulse from a nuclear blast, so our pulses couldn’t get through even if we wanted them to. It would be like trying to throw a spitball through a brick wall. But it can be used to aff ect unshielded populations.” “What does that mean?” “In the early stages of this research Dr. Altman did a demonstration³² with an auditorium³³ full of students. He used one of his early prototypes to make half the room think they were freezing. They were huddling³⁴ up with their teeth chattering³⁵.” “You are kidding?” “He always had a flair³⁶ for the dramatics,” Walker said with a laugh as he glanced over at Altman. “Those on the unaff ected side of the room thought it was a trick until it was their turn.” “Why didn’t I ever hear about this?” “Altman had touched the third rail of science…” “Th e what?” “You know? The third rail on a subway train that if you touch you get electrocuted…” “I know what the third rail is, but what on earth is the third rail of science? It sounds like one of your Timothy Leary theories.” 238 Rod Pennington & Jeffery A. Martin “Not quite,” Walker said while shaking his head. “There are certain things you simply don’t discuss among other scientists if you want to be taken seriously within your peer group. If you touch any of those rails, your funding will dry up and no one will publish your fi ndings. Th ey send you into intellectual purgatory³⁷ and you become an outcast.” “Do you have any examples?” “Tons of them. Scientists are some of the narrowest minded people on the planet and if you question the current scientific consensus³⁸ they will turn on you like a pack of wolves.” “Once again you are talking gibberish. Are there any examples in my future?” “How much funding do you think a climatologist would get for research into global warming being caused by a natural solar cycle instead of manmade pollution?” “Okay. Th at’s one.” “What about a geneticist who wanted to do a comparative study to see if race is a factor in a person’s intelligence?” “That’s settled science and borderline racist³⁹.” “Perfect example.” “What do you mean by that?” “That is the exact argument the scientific community would use. Political correctness is killing⁴⁰ science.” “Political correctness?” Penelope shook her head in disbelief. Walker shrugged⁴¹. “In any case it is well off the point. Dr. Altman had the nerve to touch the biggest third rail out there.” “Which is?” “He is doing research like the Hermes Project. Very few scientists would have the courage to do this type of research, much less talk about it.” “Why?” “It would be impossible to get tenure⁴² at any major university. Funding would be out of the question…” “He got funding.” “True, but he is a unique case.” “Why?” “He had actually gotten measurable results, plus he doesn’t give a damn what his peers think about him. He believes they should be more worried about what he thinks about them.” 239 The Fourth Awakening “What gives him that luxury?” Dr. Altman couldn’t keep himself from interjecting himself in the conversation. “Sometimes I feel like Gulliver in the land of the Lilliput. Why should I care for one moment what someone who would struggle to even get a passing grade in one of my classes thinks of my scholarship?” Walker put his hand on Altman’s arm. “Plus he’s 81 years old and has already won every award available in his field, including the Nobel Prize.” “He must drive the scientific community nuts.” “There isn’t much middle ground. The scientists who do their best work in the faculty⁴³ lounge and cocktail⁴⁴ parties hate him; those doing cutting edge research or dealing⁴⁵ with anything the slightest bit controversial love him.” “Would shining a mind control ray gun on an auditorium full of hapless students fall under the controversial category?” “Ray gun?” Altman folded his arms across his chest and glared at Penelope. “What would you call it?” “A precision controlled microwave pulse,” Walker answered. Penelope shrugged. “Still sounds like a ray gun to me and I’d be more than annoyed if you used it on one of my kids.” “We had full disclosure and signed consent forms from everyone,” Altman offered in his own defense⁴⁷. “There was even a waiting list. Besides, it’s relatively⁴⁸ easy to shield against these pulses, even for individuals.” “How?” “We’re working on a special hat…” A smile broke across Penelope’s face. “So you’re saying those guys who wrap their heads in tin foil might be on to something?” “The Pentagon has been working on special liners for their combat helmets for years.” “Really?” Penelope scratched her head. “So people without their little protective caps would be at risk to being exposed to your ray…EM pulse…” Penelope paused then smiled. “That’s why you want this technology made public, so people can protect themselves, or at the minimum know what’s going on.” “Knowledge is power, Penelope,” Walker said with a smile. “The power of thought?” Penelope answered with a wry⁴⁹ smile. “Exactly,” Walker answered. Penelope glanced at the clock on the wall. “We’re on a very tight 240 Rod Pennington & Jeffery A. Martin deadline. I already have an overview⁵⁰ of the project, which I got from your grandson’s excellent work. What else should I know before the people from WaPo start arriving? “I suppose,” Dr. Altman said with a sigh. “I could show you some progression fMRI images that show… “Dr. Altman,” Penelope cut him off. “Do you have any before and aft er shots, preferably in .jpg format⁵¹ that will be easy for the average reader to see the diff erence?” “Of course.” Dr Altman took Penelope’s arm and started to guide her toward his office. “Please. Call me Carl.” “Only if you will call me Penelope.” “Penelope. That’s an unusual name.” “I was named after the wife of Malcolm Drayton, who signed the Declaration of Independence and represented South Carolina in the fi rst Continental⁵² Congress.” “Michael told me you were from a well-established and wealthy family in Charleston.” “Well-established, yes. Wealthy is another matter.” “I thought…” “In the South, Carl, the real wealth passes to the oldest son, not to the youngest daughter.” “I see.” “Can I see those fi les now?” “I’ll have Jerold fetch whatever you need. For now I want to show you the pièce de résistance,” Altman said as he ushered⁵³ Penelope down the wall to a large room. There was slight swooshing sound as he opened the door and announced, “I give you the Hermes Project. This is where we’ve made all of our more recent breakthroughs.” She wasn’t sure what she had expected but this was certainly anti-climatic. The room was partitioned in two. One section appeared to be a control room, and in the other section of the room was a 12-foot-by12-foot plastic cube. Inside the cube were several resin⁵⁴ lawn chairs and a plastic deck table; the kind you would expect to find next to a backyard swimming pool. “The exterior⁵⁵ walls, floors and ceiling, as well as the control room, are all electromagnetically shielded with Mu-metal that absorbs nearly all of the stray EM. The chamber⁵⁶,” Altman motioned toward the cube, “has no 241 The Fourth Awakening metal components⁵⁷ that might affect the magnetic resonations we use. You may notice your ears popping since we closely control the temperature and barometric⁵⁸ pressure in the room.” “Why is that necessary?” Penelope asked. “As far as we can tell, it’s not. But it is always important to eliminate as many variables as possible when doing science. The better you control the experiment, the purer the results.” “I see.” “You will note there are no electrical outlets⁵⁹ or wiring of any type that might possibly generate a stray electromagnetic field.” Altman pointed⁶⁰ to the ceiling and a series of translucent⁶¹ panels. “The same applies to lighting⁶² fi xtures.” “What about those?” “They are fiber⁶³ optic, they collect light on the roof and distribute it in here.” “Does that mean you can only work during daylight hours?” “Yes,” Altman answered, “we don’t want to risk any chance of contaminating the results.” Dr. Altman pointed to a heavy black shoe-box sized container mounted near the ceiling in the corner. “Th at little dime⁶⁴ sized hole is the only spot that is not 100% multi-layered shielded. The box contains the video camera we use to monitor the activity in the chamber and the hole is for the lens. The feed goes straight into the control room so nothing escapes.” “Are you going to show me how it works?” Penelope asked. “We really don’t have time right now,” Walker said. “Yes. We are short of time,” Altman added quickly. Penelope studied the two men carefully. Walker was a much better liar⁶⁵ than Altman. Something about her being in this room made both of them uneasy, but she wasn’t sure why. Penelope finally asked the big question. “Why did Senator Horn shut down your project?” Altman and Walker exchanged worried glances. The moment of truth had finally arrived. They didn’t have time to sugarcoat or avoid the subject any longer. “Initially,” Altman said, almost apologetically, “we were working with an entirely⁶⁶ new technology.” “We were in completely unknown territory,” Walker added. “It took us months to refine our screening process to be sure someone 242 Rod Pennington & Jeffery A. Martin was psychologically ready for our program.” Penelope Spence started to feel a chill; she didn’t think she was going to like what she would be hearing next. The mood was broken when Sally Winters and Jerold Altman joined them in the control room. “Sorry,” Winters said when she realized she had interrupted something important. “The people from Th e Washington Post should be here in a bit over an hour.” She nodded and was just about to leave when she caught Michael Walker’s eye; he shook his head about an eighth of an inch but didn’t say anything. He didn’t need to. Sally Winter took up a position behind Penelope. “What happened,” Penelope asked soft ly. Altman and Walker looked at each other; neither wanted to add the final piece to the puzzle. Penelope Spence waited. No one in the room was willing to make eye contact with her. She knew that what they had to say was going to be bad. Very bad. Michael Walker broke the awkward silence. “All of the people who willingly volunteered for the program were fi ne. The people sent over by Homeland Security were another matter, entirely.” “They reacted very badly to our efforts,” Dr. Altman added. “What kind of reaction?” Penelope looked back and forth⁶⁷ between Altman and Walker. Jerold and Sally had shrunk into the background. Finally, Walker gave her the answer. “We had twenty volunteers,” Walker said. “Three of them came through the process with amazing results and three of them showed no long term eff ects.” “And the rest?” Penelope asked soft ly. Walker’s shoulders sagged⁶⁸. “Fourteen of the volunteers suff ered profound psychological damage; eleven of them are currently in mental health facilities.” Penelope Spence could see the pain in Walker’s face. “What about the other three?” Walker drew in a deep breath. “They committed suicide.” “I see,” Spence said softly. “What is the current status of the remaining eleven volunteers?” Walker sighed. “Seven of them appear to be in a total non-symbolic⁶⁹ state of consciousness from which they are unwilling⁷⁰ or unable to return.” “What does that mean?” 243 The Fourth Awakening “They have found, for want of a better word, enlightenment. We’ve spoken extensively to the three from the original 20 who achieved this state and have returned, and they assure us we shouldn’t worry about the others. Each told us separately that while the seven appear to be in a near vegetative state, they are happier than they’ve ever been.” “Like the Sadhu Holy Men of India?” Penelope asked Dr. Carl Altman clapped his hands and laughed. “Excellent, Penelope. Excellent.” His eyes twinkled as he glanced in the direction of Walker. “You were spot on, Michael. She was the perfect choice. Not one in a thousand would have made that connection. ” Penelope ignored the compliment and plowed⁷¹ on. “By my count, there are still four people we haven’t talked about.” “Yes,” Walker answered. “Two of the people appear to drift between the non-symbolic state and someplace else. They will have brief periods where they are lucid⁷² enough to recognize friends and family then drift away again. The last two,” Walker lowered his eyes. “The last appear to have profound Kundalini damage that we have no idea how, or even if it is possible, to fi x.” “Kundalini?” Penelope said as she processed all of this new information. “You mean like the Kundalini they talk about at yoga classes?” “Exactly. We’re concerned that the combination of their ego⁴⁶ driven resistance and our applied⁷³ pressure to move them to a non-symbolic state may have caused some thing to break that cannot be repaired.” “Like a willow⁷⁴ verses an oak tree in a wind storm,” Penelope said soft ly. Walker’s eyes twinkled but Altman looked confused. Michael Walker touched his friend’s arm. “Some, like the willow, bend with the wind and survive the gale⁷⁵. While the oak remains⁷⁶ ridged and gets uprooted⁷⁷.” “Brilliant,” Altman said with a nod toward Penelope. “That’s the perfect symbolic analogy.” A thick silence settled over the room. They were now down to the brass⁷⁸ tacks⁷⁹ and it was no time to be bashful or overly concerned for hurt feelings. Penelope wanted the answer to the question Walker had managed so far to avoid answering. “Senator Clayton Horn strongly opposed your project on religious grounds. Why?” “Horn, as I said earlier, is a literalist. He believes the Bible says what it means and means what it says and doesn’t have much room for interpretation⁸⁰.” 244 Rod Pennington & Jeffery A. Martin “I know. How does it apply here?” Walker wiped his mouth and looked at Altman, who shrugged. “As our screening process got better so did our results. Those of us who went through the program started to develop a connection. Not just to each other but to plants and animals. With our consciousness more receptive to a greater world that our mind normally ignores or minimizes, we’re able to see and do things that are baffling to many, and frightening to devout⁸¹ people such as Senator Horn. By the last few oversight⁸² hearings, he didn’t even want to be in the same room as me.” “What if he’s right and you’re wrong?” “Then, as he feared, the end time is here. This genie⁸³ is not going back into the bottle. The Fourth Awakening has already started, and not just with the Hermes Project. There are other countries working on this and it is happening spontaneously all around the world.” “What scared him so much?” “Let me give you an example.” Walker motioned for them to follow him back out into the hallway and a small lobby area used by people waiting to enter the room while an experiment was in progress. He opened the shades of the window. Outside, there were a few people milling around but everything looked normal. Walker sat down in a chair facing the window and closed his eyes. He drifted into the meditative⁸⁴ state she had seen before. Doors in other buildings flew open and everyone was racing⁸⁵ full speed toward the lab. Sally Winters placed her hand on Penelope’s shoulder. “He used his mind to tell everyone they were needed in the lab immediately.” “We’ve been unable to ascertain⁸⁶ the transmission medium,” Dr. Altman said. “But there is no doubt we are not alone on this.” “What about the hats?” Penelope inquired. “They can protect from our electromagnetic research, but not from this.” Walker opened his eyes, saw that his message had been received, and closed his eyes again. All of the members of the project broke stride and headed back to what they had been doing. “Good Lord,” Penelope muttered, as she felt her knees weaken under her. Winters kept her from falling. “It can be a bit unnerving the first time you see it.” “That’s not it. I knew exactly what was going to happen because I felt the request.” 245 The Fourth Awakening “Everyone in the universe felt it,” Walker said. “It’s just that most did not have it register on a conscious level.” “I don’t understand.” “Imagine you’re in Central Park in New York.” “Okay.” “At any given moment the signal from fi fty radio stations, a dozen television stations, countless⁸⁷ cell phones, police radios, and taxi cabs are passing through your body. They are also passing through the body of every other person around you but no one hears them. Just because they are not heard doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Thoughts are the same way. Right now we’re all being hit with an infi nite number of thoughts, but our brain is very selective as to what it will let us hear. Now imagine you’re in a crowded cocktail party where you don’t know anyone and you’re alone.” “Okay.” “All you hear are murmurs⁸⁸ and fragments of conversations. Your ears hear a familiar voice calling your name from across the room and your mind quickly begins to filter out the background noise so all you hear is your friend’s voice.” “Okay.” “The same is true with thoughts. You told me you have a close relationship with your son. That would be a familiar voice that you would recognize and respond to if you heard him shouting for help. Th e only difference is you’re in the world of thought, not at a cocktail party.” “You’re saying you’re a telepath?” “Yes and no, depending on how you define your terms. We really don’t have the vocabulary yet to completely explain what is happening.” “I don’t follow.” “Imagine trying to explain the space shuttle to someone who has never seen an airplane or a computer, or an iPod to a person who has never seen an electric light bulb. We have no symbolic language yet to describe what’s going on.” Walker returned to his feet. “That’s not all. We started to discover that we were not alone. There were others who could also share our thoughts.” “A thought has power, Penelope,” Altman said. “When you send out a powerful thought it is like a shout in the night. You never know who will hear you.” 246 Rod Pennington & Jeffery A. Martin “This is when we discovered that the field really exists.” “Th e field, what fi eld?” “I won’t bore you with the details,” Altman said. “But I shared my Nobel with a gentleman in Prague that, at the time of the discovery that led to that award, I had never heard of nor met. Yet we both had exactly the same idea at the same time. Without knowing it, we were sharing the energy from the same thought. This happens all the time in science. Have you ever heard of Elisha Gray?” “No.” “He filed his patent for the telephone the same morning, but an hour later than Alexander Graham Bell,” Altman said. “As we gained a better understanding of what we were dealing with,” Walker added, “we realized that all the thoughts of all people are in the fi eld.” “What are you talking about?” “It’s almost like the Internet. You surf the Web right?” “Of course.” “All of the information on the Web is just sitting out there, waiting for you or anyone else who might want it. All that is required is a connection and the right address.” “So you’re saying all of my thoughts and all of the thoughts of the other people in the world are in this giant field of energy just waiting for someone to connect into them?” “Not just people, but plants and animals; and not just this world, but the entire universe. And not just our time, but every time.” “Th at’s absurd.” “Is it? There are times you sense things about your son. How do you explain that?” “I don’t.” “Let me try.” “Michael,” Altman snapped. “You are on dangerous ground.” “I understand. But if she is going to write the story we need told, she has to understand what’s happening to her.” “Me?” “I will have no part of this.” Dr. Carl Altman turned and shuffl ed down the hallway. Penelope was torn between her curiosity and being terrified of what 247 The Fourth Awakening Walker might say next. Walker drew in a breath and gathered his thoughts before continuing. “The power of thought. Have you ever heard of someone who is sick suddenly getting well after people have prayed for them?” “Of course. People who have gone into unexplained remission of a cancer that should…” Spence felt a chill going down her spine⁸⁹ that iced her blood and froze her vocal⁹⁰ cords. “You ordered your people to pray for Senator Horn. That’s why he improved.” “Yes.” “You have that kind of power?” “We all have that kind of power.”

1 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

2 functional   

adj.为实用而设计的，具备功能的，起作用的

参考例句：

• The telephone was out of order,but is functional now.电话刚才坏了，但现在可以用了。
• The furniture is not fancy,just functional.这些家具不是摆着好看的，只是为了实用。

3 sterile   

adj.不毛的，不孕的，无菌的，枯燥的，贫瘠的

参考例句：

• This top fits over the bottle and keeps the teat sterile.这个盖子严实地盖在奶瓶上，保持奶嘴无菌。
• The farmers turned the sterile land into high fields.农民们把不毛之地变成了高产田。

4 diesel   

n.柴油发动机，内燃机

参考例句：

• We experimented with diesel engines to drive the pumps.我们试着用柴油机来带动水泵。
• My tractor operates on diesel oil.我的那台拖拉机用柴油开动。

5 generators   

n.发电机，发生器( generator的名词复数 )；电力公司

参考例句：

• The factory's emergency generators were used during the power cut. 工厂应急发电机在停电期间用上了。
• Power can be fed from wind generators into the electricity grid system. 电力可以从风力发电机流入输电网。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 eyebrows   

眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Eyebrows stop sweat from coming down into the eyes. 眉毛挡住汗水使其不能流进眼睛。
• His eyebrows project noticeably. 他的眉毛特别突出。

7 metallic   

adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的

参考例句：

• A sharp metallic note coming from the outside frightened me.外面传来尖锐铿锵的声音吓了我一跳。
• He picked up a metallic ring last night.昨夜他捡了一个金属戒指。

8 flinched   

v.（因危险和痛苦）退缩，畏惧( flinch的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He flinched at the sight of the blood. 他一见到血就往后退。
• This tough Corsican never flinched or failed. 这个刚毅的科西嘉人从来没有任何畏缩或沮丧。 来自辞典例句

9 resonant   

adj.(声音)洪亮的，共鸣的

参考例句：

• She has a resonant voice.她的嗓子真亮。
• He responded with a resonant laugh.他报以洪亮的笑声。

10 thumped   

v.重击， （指心脏）急速跳动( thump的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Dave thumped the table in frustration . 戴夫懊恼得捶打桌子。
• He thumped the table angrily. 他愤怒地用拳捶击桌子。

11 gasped   

v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要

参考例句：

• She gasped at the wonderful view. 如此美景使她惊讶得屏住了呼吸。
• People gasped with admiration at the superb skill of the gymnasts. 体操运动员的高超技艺令人赞叹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

12 awakening   

n.觉醒，醒悟 adj.觉醒中的；唤醒的

参考例句：

• the awakening of interest in the environment 对环境产生的兴趣
• People are gradually awakening to their rights. 人们正逐渐意识到自己的权利。

13 crimson   

n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色

参考例句：

• She went crimson with embarrassment.她羞得满脸通红。
• Maple leaves have turned crimson.枫叶已经红了。

14 chatter   

vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战

参考例句：

• Her continuous chatter vexes me.她的喋喋不休使我烦透了。
• I've had enough of their continual chatter.我已厌烦了他们喋喋不休的闲谈。

15 cane   

n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的

参考例句：

• This sugar cane is quite a sweet and juicy.这甘蔗既甜又多汁。
• English schoolmasters used to cane the boys as a punishment.英国小学老师过去常用教鞭打男学生作为惩罚。

16 enunciation   

n.清晰的发音；表明，宣言；口齿

参考例句：

• He is always willing to enunciate his opinions on the subject of politics. 他总是愿意对政治问题发表意见。> enunciation / I9nQnsI5eIFn; I9nQnsI`eFEn/ n [C, U]。 来自辞典例句
• Be good at communicating,sense of responsibility,the work is careful,the enunciation is clear. 善于沟通，责任心强，工作细致，口齿清晰。 来自互联网

17 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

18 lobe   

n.耳垂，（肺，肝等的）叶

参考例句：

• Tiny electrical sensors are placed on your scalp and on each ear lobe.小电器传感器放置在您的头皮和对每个耳垂。
• The frontal lobe of the brain is responsible for controlling movement.大脑前叶的功能是控制行动。

19 thereby   

adv.因此，从而

参考例句：

• I have never been to that city,,ereby I don't know much about it.我从未去过那座城市，因此对它不怎么熟悉。
• He became a British citizen,thereby gaining the right to vote.他成了英国公民，因而得到了投票权。

20 meditation   

n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录

参考例句：

• This peaceful garden lends itself to meditation.这个恬静的花园适于冥想。
• I'm sorry to interrupt your meditation.很抱歉，我打断了你的沉思。

21 isolate   

vt.使孤立，隔离

参考例句：

• Do not isolate yourself from others.不要把自己孤立起来。
• We should never isolate ourselves from the masses.我们永远不能脱离群众。

22 wavelengths   

n.波长( wavelength的名词复数 )；具有相同的/不同的思路；合拍；不合拍

参考例句：

• I find him difficult to talk to—we're on completely different wavelengths. 我没法和他谈话，因为我们俩完全不对路。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Sunlight consists of different wavelengths of radiation. 阳光由几种不同波长的射线组成。 来自辞典例句

23 tuned   

adj.调谐的，已调谐的v.调音( tune的过去式和过去分词 )；调整；（给收音机、电视等）调谐；使协调

参考例句：

• The resort is tuned in to the tastes of young and old alike. 这个度假胜地适合各种口味，老少皆宜。
• The instruments should be tuned up before each performance. 每次演出开始前都应将乐器调好音。 来自《简明英汉词典》

24 stimulated   

a.刺激的

参考例句：

• The exhibition has stimulated interest in her work. 展览增进了人们对她作品的兴趣。
• The award has stimulated her into working still harder. 奖金促使她更加努力地工作。

25 input   

n.输入(物)；投入；vt.把(数据等)输入计算机

参考例句：

• I will forever be grateful for his considerable input.我将永远感激他的大量投入。
• All this information had to be input onto the computer.所有这些信息都必须输入计算机。

26 stimuli   

n.刺激（物）

参考例句：

• It is necessary to curtail or alter normally coexisting stimuli.必需消除或改变正常时并存的刺激。
• My sweat glands also respond to emotional stimuli.我的汗腺对情绪刺激也能产生反应。

27 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

28 spike   

n.长钉，钉鞋；v.以大钉钉牢，使...失效

参考例句：

• The spike pierced the receipts and held them in order.那个钉子穿过那些收据并使之按顺序排列。
• They'll do anything to spike the guns of the opposition.他们会使出各种手段来挫败对手。

29 psychic   

n.对超自然力敏感的人；adj.有超自然力的

参考例句：

• Some people are said to have psychic powers.据说有些人有通灵的能力。
• She claims to be psychic and to be able to foretell the future.她自称有特异功能，能预知未来。

30 touching   

adj.动人的，使人感伤的

参考例句：

• It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
• His letter was touching.他的信很感人。

31 stunning   

adj.极好的；使人晕倒的

参考例句：

• His plays are distinguished only by their stunning mediocrity.他的戏剧与众不同之处就是平凡得出奇。
• The finished effect was absolutely stunning.完工后的效果非常美。

32 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

33 auditorium   

n.观众席，听众席；会堂，礼堂

参考例句：

• The teacher gathered all the pupils in the auditorium.老师把全体同学集合在礼堂内。
• The stage is thrust forward into the auditorium.舞台向前突出，伸入观众席。

34 huddling   

n. 杂乱一团, 混乱, 拥挤 v. 推挤, 乱堆, 草率了事

参考例句：

• Twenty or thirty monkeys are huddling along the thick branch. 三十只猴子挤在粗大的树枝上。
• The defenders are huddling down for cover. 捍卫者为了掩护缩成一团。

35 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

参考例句：

• The teacher told the children to stop chattering in class. 老师叫孩子们在课堂上不要叽叽喳喳讲话。
• I was so cold that my teeth were chattering. 我冷得牙齿直打战。

36 flair   

n.天赋，本领，才华；洞察力

参考例句：

• His business skill complements her flair for design.他的经营技巧和她的设计才能相辅相成。
• He had a natural flair for business.他有做生意的天分。

37 purgatory   

n.炼狱；苦难；adj.净化的，清洗的

参考例句：

• Every step of the last three miles was purgatory.最后3英里时每一步都像是受罪。
• Marriage,with peace,is this world's paradise;with strife,this world's purgatory.和谐的婚姻是尘世的乐园，不和谐的婚姻则是人生的炼狱。

38 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？

39 racist   

n.种族主义者，种族主义分子

参考例句：

• a series of racist attacks 一连串的种族袭击行为
• His speech presented racist ideas under the guise of nationalism. 他的讲话以民族主义为幌子宣扬种族主义思想。

40 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

41 shrugged   

vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Sam shrugged and said nothing. 萨姆耸耸肩膀，什么也没说。
• She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩，装出一副无所谓的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

42 tenure   

n.终身职位；任期；(土地)保有权，保有期

参考例句：

• He remained popular throughout his tenure of the office of mayor.他在担任市长的整个任期内都深得民心。
• Land tenure is a leading political issue in many parts of the world.土地的保有权在世界很多地区是主要的政治问题。

43 faculty   

n.才能；学院，系；(学院或系的)全体教学人员

参考例句：

• He has a great faculty for learning foreign languages.他有学习外语的天赋。
• He has the faculty of saying the right thing at the right time.他有在恰当的时候说恰当的话的才智。

44 cocktail   

n.鸡尾酒；餐前开胃小吃；混合物

参考例句：

• We invited some foreign friends for a cocktail party.我们邀请了一些外国朋友参加鸡尾酒会。
• At a cocktail party in Hollywood,I was introduced to Charlie Chaplin.在好莱坞的一次鸡尾酒会上，人家把我介绍给查理·卓别林。

45 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

46 ego   

n.自我，自己，自尊

参考例句：

• He is absolute ego in all thing.在所有的事情上他都绝对自我。
• She has been on an ego trip since she sang on television.她上电视台唱过歌之后就一直自吹自擂。

47 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

48 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

49 wry   

adj.讽刺的；扭曲的

参考例句：

• He made a wry face and attempted to wash the taste away with coffee.他做了个鬼脸，打算用咖啡把那怪味地冲下去。
• Bethune released Tung's horse and made a wry mouth.白求恩放开了董的马，噘了噘嘴。

50 overview   

n.概观，概述

参考例句：

• The opening chapter gives a brief historical overview of transport.第一章是运输史的简要回顾。
• The seminar aims to provide an overview on new media publishing.研讨会旨在综览新兴的媒体出版。

51 format   

n.设计，版式；[计算机]格式，DOS命令:格式化(磁盘)，用于空盘或使用过的磁盘建立新空盘来存储数据；v.使格式化，设计，安排

参考例句：

• Please format this floppy disc.请将这张软盘格式化。
• The format of the figure is very tasteful.该图表的格式很雅致。

52 continental   

adj.大陆的，大陆性的，欧洲大陆的

参考例句：

• A continental climate is different from an insular one.大陆性气候不同于岛屿气候。
• The most ancient parts of the continental crust are 4000 million years old.大陆地壳最古老的部分有40亿年历史。

53 ushered   

v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The secretary ushered me into his office. 秘书把我领进他的办公室。
• A round of parties ushered in the New Year. 一系列的晚会迎来了新年。 来自《简明英汉词典》

54 resin   

n.树脂，松香，树脂制品；vt.涂树脂

参考例句：

• This allyl type resin is a highly transparent, colourless material.这种烯丙基型的树脂是一种高度透明的、无色材料。
• This is referred to as a thixotropic property of the resin.这种特性叫做树脂的触变性。

55 exterior   

adj.外部的，外在的；表面的

参考例句：

• The seed has a hard exterior covering.这种子外壳很硬。
• We are painting the exterior wall of the house.我们正在给房子的外墙涂漆。

56 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

57 components   

（机器、设备等的）构成要素，零件，成分； 成分( component的名词复数 )； [物理化学]组分； [数学]分量； （混合物的）组成部分

参考例句：

• the components of a machine 机器部件
• Our chemistry teacher often reduces a compound to its components in lab. 在实验室中化学老师常把化合物分解为各种成分。

58 barometric   

大气压力

参考例句：

• Electricity compensates for barometric pressure as well as system pressure variations. 用电补偿大气压和系统压力的变化。
• A barometric altimeter indicates height above sea level or some other selected elevation. 气压高度表用以指示海平面或另外某个被选定高度以上的高度。

59 outlets   

n.出口( outlet的名词复数 )；经销店；插座；廉价经销店

参考例句：

• The dumping of foreign cotton blocked outlets for locally grown cotton. 外国棉花的倾销阻滞了当地生产的棉花的销路。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They must find outlets for their products. 他们必须为自己的产品寻找出路。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

60 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

61 translucent   

adj.半透明的；透明的

参考例句：

• The building is roofed entirely with translucent corrugated plastic.这座建筑完全用半透明瓦楞塑料封顶。
• A small difference between them will render the composite translucent.微小的差别,也会使复合材料变成半透明。

62 lighting   

n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光

参考例句：

• The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
• The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。

63 fiber   

n.纤维，纤维质

参考例句：

• The basic structural unit of yarn is the fiber.纤维是纱的基本结构单元。
• The material must be free of fiber clumps.这种材料必须无纤维块。

64 dime   

n.（指美国、加拿大的钱币）一角

参考例句：

• A dime is a tenth of a dollar.一角银币是十分之一美元。
• The liberty torch is on the back of the dime.自由火炬在一角硬币的反面。

65 liar   

n.说谎的人

参考例句：

• I know you for a thief and a liar!我算认识你了，一个又偷又骗的家伙！
• She was wrongly labelled a liar.她被错误地扣上说谎者的帽子。

66 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

67 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

68 sagged   

下垂的

参考例句：

• The black reticule sagged under the weight of shapeless objects. 黑色的拎包由于装了各种形状的东西而中间下陷。
• He sagged wearily back in his chair. 他疲倦地瘫坐到椅子上。

69 symbolic   

adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的

参考例句：

• It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
• The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。

70 unwilling   

adj.不情愿的

参考例句：

• The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。
• His tightfisted employer was unwilling to give him a raise.他那吝啬的雇主不肯给他加薪。

71 plowed   

v.耕( plow的过去式和过去分词 )；犁耕；费力穿过

参考例句：

• They plowed nearly 100,000 acres of virgin moorland. 他们犁了将近10万英亩未开垦的高沼地。 来自辞典例句
• He plowed the land and then sowed the seeds. 他先翻土，然后播种。 来自辞典例句

72 lucid   

adj.明白易懂的，清晰的，头脑清楚的

参考例句：

• His explanation was lucid and to the point.他的解释扼要易懂。
• He wasn't very lucid,he didn't quite know where he was.他神志不是很清醒，不太知道自己在哪里。

73 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

74 willow   

n.柳树

参考例句：

• The river was sparsely lined with willow trees.河边疏疏落落有几棵柳树。
• The willow's shadow falls on the lake.垂柳的影子倒映在湖面上。

75 gale   

n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等）

参考例句：

• We got our roof blown off in the gale last night.昨夜的大风把我们的房顶给掀掉了。
• According to the weather forecast,there will be a gale tomorrow.据气象台预报，明天有大风。

76 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

77 uprooted   

v.把（某物）连根拔起( uproot的过去式和过去分词 )；根除；赶走；把…赶出家园

参考例句：

• Many people were uprooted from their homes by the flood. 水灾令许多人背井离乡。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The hurricane blew with such force that trees were uprooted. 飓风强烈地刮着，树都被连根拔起了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

78 brass   

n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器

参考例句：

• Many of the workers play in the factory's brass band.许多工人都在工厂铜管乐队中演奏。
• Brass is formed by the fusion of copper and zinc.黄铜是通过铜和锌的熔合而成的。

79 tacks   

大头钉( tack的名词复数 )； 平头钉； 航向； 方法

参考例句：

• Never mind the side issues, let's get down to brass tacks and thrash out a basic agreement. 别管枝节问题，让我们讨论问题的实质，以求得基本一致。
• Get down to the brass tacks,and quit talking round the subject. 谈实质问题吧，别兜圈子了。

80 interpretation   

n.解释，说明，描述；艺术处理

参考例句：

• His statement admits of one interpretation only.他的话只有一种解释。
• Analysis and interpretation is a very personal thing.分析与说明是个很主观的事情。

81 devout   

adj.虔诚的，虔敬的，衷心的 (n.devoutness)

参考例句：

• His devout Catholicism appeals to ordinary people.他对天主教的虔诚信仰感染了普通民众。
• The devout man prayed daily.那位虔诚的男士每天都祈祷。

82 oversight   

n.勘漏，失察，疏忽

参考例句：

• I consider this a gross oversight on your part.我把这件事看作是你的一大疏忽。
• Your essay was not marked through an oversight on my part.由于我的疏忽你的文章没有打分。

83 genie   

n.妖怪，神怪

参考例句：

• Now the genie of his darkest and weakest side was speaking.他心灵中最阴暗最软弱的部分有一个精灵在说话。
• He had to turn to the Genie of the Ring for help.他不得不向戒指神求助。

84 meditative   

adj.沉思的，冥想的

参考例句：

• A stupid fellow is talkative;a wise man is meditative.蠢人饶舌，智者思虑。
• Music can induce a meditative state in the listener.音乐能够引导倾听者沉思。

85 racing   

n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的

参考例句：

• I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。
• The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。

86 ascertain   

vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清

参考例句：

• It's difficult to ascertain the coal deposits.煤储量很难探明。
• We must ascertain the responsibility in light of different situtations.我们必须根据不同情况判定责任。

87 countless   

adj.无数的，多得不计其数的

参考例句：

• In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
• I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。

88 murmurs   

n.低沉、连续而不清的声音( murmur的名词复数 )；低语声；怨言；嘀咕

参考例句：

• They spoke in low murmurs. 他们低声说着话。 来自辞典例句
• They are more superficial, more distinctly heard than murmurs. 它们听起来比心脏杂音更为浅表而清楚。 来自辞典例句

89 spine   

n.脊柱，脊椎；(动植物的)刺；书脊

参考例句：

• He broke his spine in a fall from a horse.他从马上跌下摔断了脊梁骨。
• His spine developed a slight curve.他的脊柱有点弯曲。

90 vocal   

adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目

参考例句：

• The tongue is a vocal organ.舌头是一个发音器官。
• Public opinion at last became vocal.终于舆论哗然。