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RAPIDS
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“Good night.”
“Sleep tight,” replied the room.
Tally1 pulled on a jacket, clipped her sensor2 to her bellyring, and opened the window. The air was still, the river soflat that she could make out every detail of the city skylinemirrored in it. It looked like the pretties were having somesort of event. She could hear the roar of a huge crowdacross the water, a thousand cheers rising and fallingtogether. The party towers were dark under the almost fullmoon, and the fireworks all shimmering4 hues5 of blue,climbing so high that they exploded in silence.
The city had never looked so far away.
“I’ll see you soon, Peris,” she said quietly.
The roof tiles were slick with a late evening rain. Tallyclimbed carefully to the corner of the dorm where it wasbrushed by an old sycamore tree. The handholds in itsbranches felt solid and familiar, and she descended6 quicklyinto the darkness behind a recycler.
When she’d cleared the dormitory grounds, Tallylooked back. The pattern of shadows that led away from thedorm seemed so convenient, almost intentional7. As if uglieswere supposed to sneak8 out every once in a while.
Tally shook her head. She was starting to think likeShay.
They met at the dam, where the river split in two to encircleNew Pretty Town. Tonight, there weren’t any river skimmersout to disturb the darkness, and Shay was practicingmoves on her board when Tally walked up.
“Should you be doing that here in town?” Tally calledover the roar of water rushing through the dam’s gates.
Shay danced, shifting her weight back and forth9 on thefloating board, dodging10 imaginary obstacles. “I was justmaking sure it worked. In case you were worried.”
Tally looked at her own board. Shay had tricked thesafety governor so it wouldn’t tattle when they flew at night,or crossed the boundary out of town. Tally wasn’t so muchworried about it squealing11 on them as whether it would flyat all. Or let her fly into a tree. But Shay’s board seemed tobe hovering12 just fine.
“I boarded all the way here, and nobody’s come to getme,” Shay said.
Tally dropped her board to the ground. “Thanks formaking sure. I didn’t mean to be so wimpy14 about this.”
“You weren’t.”
“Yeah, I was. I should tell you something. That night,54 Scott Westerfeldwhen you met me, I kind of promised my friend Peris Iwouldn’t take any big risks. You know, in case I really gotin trouble, and they got really mad.”
“Who cares if they get mad? You’re almost sixteen.”
“But what if they get mad enough that they won’t makeme pretty?”
Shay stopped bouncing. “I’ve never heard of that happening.”
“I guess I haven’t either. But maybe they wouldn’t tell usif it had. Anyway, Peris made me promise to take it easy.”
“Tally, do you think maybe he just said that so youwouldn’t come around again?”
“Huh?”
“Maybe he made you promise to take it easy so youwouldn’t bother him anymore. To make you afraid to go toNew Pretty Town again.”
Tally tried to answer, but her throat was dry.
“Listen, if you don’t want to come, that’s fine,” Shaysaid. “I mean it, Squint15. But we’re not going to get caught.
And if we do, I’ll take the blame.” She laughed. “I’ll tellthem I kidnapped you.”
Tally stepped onto her board and snapped her fingers.
When she reached Shay’s eye level she said, “I’m coming. Isaid I would.”
Shay smiled and took Tally’s hand for a second, squeezing.
“Great. It’s going to be fun. Not new pretty fun—thereal kind. Put these on.”
UGLIES 55“What are they? Night vision?”
“Nope. Goggles16. You’re going to love the white water.”
They hit the rapids ten minutes later.
Tally had lived her whole life within sight of the river.
Slow-moving and dignified17, it defined the city, marking theboundary between worlds. But she’d never realized that afew kilometers upstream from the dam, the stately band ofsilver became a snarling18 monster.
The churning water really was white. It crashed overrocks and through narrow channels, catapulted up intomoonlit sprays, split apart, rejoined, and dropped downinto boiling cauldrons at the bottom of steep falls.
Shay was skimming just above the torrent19, so low thatshe lifted a wake every time she banked. Tally followed atwhat she guessed was a safe distance, hoping her trickedupboard was still reluctant to crash into the darknesscloakedrocks and tree branches. The forest to either sidewas a black void full of wild and ancient trees, nothing likethe generic20 carbon-dioxide suckers that decorated the city.
The moonlit clouds above glowed through their brancheslike a ceiling of pearl.
Every time Shay screamed, Tally knew she was about tofollow her friend through a wall of spray leaping up fromthe maelstrom21. Some shone like white lace curtains in themoonlight, but others struck unexpectedly from the darkness.
Tally also found herself crashing through the arcs of56 Scott Westerfeldcold water rising from Shay’s board when it dipped orbanked, but at least she knew when a turn was coming.
The first few minutes were sheer terror, her teethclenched so hard that her jaw22 ached, her toes curled upinside her special new grippy shoes, her arms and even fingersspread wide for balance. But gradually Tally grewaccustomed to the darkness, the roar of water below, theunexpected slap of cold spray against her face. It waswilder, and faster, and farther than she’d ever flown before.
The river wound into the dark forest, cutting its serpentineroute into the unknown.
Finally, Shay waved her hands and pulled up, the backof her board dipping low into the water. Tally climbed toavoid the wake, spinning her board in a tight circle to bringit to a smooth halt.
“Are we there?”
“Not quite. But look.” Shay pointed23 back the waythey’d come.
Tally gasped24 as she took in the view. The distant citywas a bright coin nestled in darkness, the fireworks of NewPretty Town the barest cold-blue shimmer3. They must haveclimbed a long way up; Tally could see patches of moonlightrolling slowly across the low hills around the city,pushed along by the light wind that barely tugged25 at theclouds.
She’d never been beyond the city limits at night, hadnever seen it lit up like this from afar.
UGLIES 57Tally pulled off her spattered goggles and took a deepbreath. The air was full of sharp smells, evergreen26 sap andwildflowers, the electric smell of churning water.
“Nice, huh?”
“Yeah,” Tally panted. “Much better than sneakingaround New Pretty Town.”
Shay grinned happily. “I’m really glad you think so. I’vebeen wanting to come out here so bad, but not alone. Youknow?”
Tally looked at the surrounding forest, trying to peerinto the black spaces between the trees. This was really thewild, where anything could be hidden, not a place forhuman beings. She shivered at the thought of being therealone. “Where to now?”
“Now we walk.”
“Walk?”
Shay eased her board to the shore and stepped off.
“Yeah, there’s a vein27 of iron about half a kilometer that way.
But nothing between here and there.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Tally, hoverboards work on magnetic levitation28, right?
So there’s got to be some kind of metal around or they don’thover.”
“I guess so. But in town—”
“In town, there’s a steel grid29 built into the ground, nomatter where you go. Out here, you have to be careful.”
“What happens if your board can’t hover13 anymore?”
58 Scott Westerfeld“It falls down. And your crash bracelets30 don’t workeither.”
“Oh.” Tally stepped from her board and held it underone arm. All her muscles were sore from the wild ride here.
It was good to be on solid ground. The rocks felt reassuringlythe-opposite-of-hovery under her shakey legs.
After a few minutes’ walking, though, the board startedto grow heavy. By the time the noise of the river had fadedto a dull roar behind them, it felt like a plank31 of oak underher arm.
“I didn’t know these things weighed so much.”
“Yeah, this is what a board weighs when it’s not hovering.
Out here, you find out that the city fools you abouthow things really work.”
The sky was getting cloudier, and in the darkness thecold seemed more intense. Tally hoisted32 the board up to geta better grip, wondering if it was going to rain. She wasalready wet enough from the rapids. “I kind of like beingfooled about some things.”
After a long scramble33 through the rocks, Shay broke thesilence. “This way. There’s a natural vein of iron underground.
You can feel it in your crash bracelets.”
Tally held out one hand and frowned, unconvinced.
But after another minute she felt a faint tugging34 in herbracelet, like a ghost pulling her forward. Her board startedto lighten, and soon she and Shay had hopped35 on again,UGLIES 59coasting over a ridge36 and down into a dark valley.
Onboard, Tally found the breath to ask a question thathad been bugging37 her. “So if hoverboards need metal, howdo they work on the river?”
“Panning for gold.”
“What?”
“Rivers come from springs, which come from insidemountains. The water brings up minerals from inside theearth. So there’s always metals at the bottom of rivers.”
“Right. Like when people used to pan for gold?”
“Yeah, exactly. But, actually, boards prefer iron. All thatglitters is not hovery.”
Tally frowned. Shay sometimes talked in a mysteriousway, like she was quoting the lyrics38 of some band no oneelse listened to.
She almost asked, but Shay came to a sudden halt andpointed downward.
The clouds were breaking, and moonlight shot throughthem to fall across the floor of the valley. Hulking towersrose up, casting jagged shadows, their human-made shapesobvious against the plain of treetops rippling39 in the wind.
The Rusty40 Ruins.

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 tally Gg1yq     
n.计数器,记分,一致,测量;vt.计算,记录,使一致;vi.计算,记分,一致
参考例句:
  • Don't forget to keep a careful tally of what you spend.别忘了仔细记下你的开支账目。
  • The facts mentioned in the report tally to every detail.报告中所提到的事实都丝毫不差。
2 sensor sz7we     
n.传感器,探测设备,感觉器(官)
参考例句:
  • The temperature sensor is enclosed in a protective well.温度传感器密封在保护套管中。
  • He plugged the sensor into a outlet.他把传感器插进电源插座。
3 shimmer 7T8z7     
v./n.发微光,发闪光;微光
参考例句:
  • The room was dark,but there was a shimmer of moonlight at the window.屋子里很黑,但靠近窗户的地方有点微光。
  • Nor is there anything more virginal than the shimmer of young foliage.没有什么比新叶的微光更纯洁无瑕了。
4 shimmering 0a3bf9e89a4f6639d4583ea76519339e     
v.闪闪发光,发微光( shimmer的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • The sea was shimmering in the sunlight. 阳光下海水波光闪烁。
  • The colours are delicate and shimmering. 这些颜色柔和且闪烁微光。 来自辞典例句
5 hues adb36550095392fec301ed06c82f8920     
色彩( hue的名词复数 ); 色调; 信仰; 观点
参考例句:
  • When the sun rose a hundred prismatic hues were reflected from it. 太阳一出,更把它映得千变万化、异彩缤纷。
  • Where maple trees grow, the leaves are often several brilliant hues of red. 在枫树生长的地方,枫叶常常呈现出数种光彩夺目的红色。
6 descended guQzoy     
a.为...后裔的,出身于...的
参考例句:
  • A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。
  • The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。
7 intentional 65Axb     
adj.故意的,有意(识)的
参考例句:
  • Let me assure you that it was not intentional.我向你保证那不是故意的。
  • His insult was intentional.他的侮辱是有意的。
8 sneak vr2yk     
vt.潜行(隐藏,填石缝);偷偷摸摸做;n.潜行;adj.暗中进行
参考例句:
  • He raised his spear and sneak forward.他提起长矛悄悄地前进。
  • I saw him sneak away from us.我看见他悄悄地从我们身边走开。
9 forth Hzdz2     
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。
10 dodging dodging     
n.避开,闪过,音调改变v.闪躲( dodge的现在分词 );回避
参考例句:
  • He ran across the road, dodging the traffic. 他躲开来往的车辆跑过马路。
  • I crossed the highway, dodging the traffic. 我避开车流穿过了公路。 来自辞典例句
11 squealing b55ccc77031ac474fd1639ff54a5ad9e     
v.长声尖叫,用长而尖锐的声音说( squeal的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • Pigs were grunting and squealing in the yard. 猪在院子里哼哼地叫个不停。
  • The pigs were squealing. 猪尖叫着。
12 hovering 99fdb695db3c202536060470c79b067f     
鸟( hover的现在分词 ); 靠近(某事物); (人)徘徊; 犹豫
参考例句:
  • The helicopter was hovering about 100 metres above the pad. 直升机在离发射台一百米的上空盘旋。
  • I'm hovering between the concert and the play tonight. 我犹豫不决今晚是听音乐会还是看戏。
13 hover FQSzM     
vi.翱翔,盘旋;徘徊;彷徨,犹豫
参考例句:
  • You don't hover round the table.你不要围着桌子走来走去。
  • A plane is hover on our house.有一架飞机在我们的房子上盘旋。
14 wimpy 2e2007f086bd13eaa7a1217cffa68306     
adj.懦弱的,无用的,哭哭啼啼的
参考例句:
  • I'd rather have a wimpy kid than a dead one, you know? 你知道么?我宁可要一个懦弱的孩子,也不想要一个死的。 来自互联网
  • I hate wimpy drinker. 我讨厌酒量差的人。 来自互联网
15 squint oUFzz     
v. 使变斜视眼, 斜视, 眯眼看, 偏移, 窥视; n. 斜视, 斜孔小窗; adj. 斜视的, 斜的
参考例句:
  • A squint can sometimes be corrected by an eyepatch. 斜视有时候可以通过戴眼罩来纠正。
  • The sun was shinning straight in her eyes which made her squint. 太阳直射着她的眼睛,使她眯起了眼睛。
16 goggles hsJzYP     
n.护目镜
参考例句:
  • Skiers wear goggles to protect their eyes from the sun.滑雪者都戴上护目镜使眼睛不受阳光伤害。
  • My swimming goggles keep steaming up so I can't see.我的护目镜一直有水雾,所以我看不见。
17 dignified NuZzfb     
a.可敬的,高贵的
参考例句:
  • Throughout his trial he maintained a dignified silence. 在整个审讯过程中,他始终沉默以保持尊严。
  • He always strikes such a dignified pose before his girlfriend. 他总是在女友面前摆出这种庄严的姿态。
18 snarling 1ea03906cb8fd0b67677727f3cfd3ca5     
v.(指狗)吠,嗥叫, (人)咆哮( snarl的现在分词 );咆哮着说,厉声地说
参考例句:
  • "I didn't marry you," he said, in a snarling tone. “我没有娶你,"他咆哮着说。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
  • So he got into the shoes snarling. 于是,汤姆一边大喊大叫,一边穿上了那双鞋。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险
19 torrent 7GCyH     
n.激流,洪流;爆发,(话语等的)连发
参考例句:
  • The torrent scoured a channel down the hillside. 急流沿着山坡冲出了一条沟。
  • Her pent-up anger was released in a torrent of words.她压抑的愤怒以滔滔不绝的话爆发了出来。
20 generic mgixr     
adj.一般的,普通的,共有的
参考例句:
  • I usually buy generic clothes instead of name brands.我通常买普通的衣服,不买名牌。
  • The generic woman appears to have an extraordinary faculty for swallowing the individual.一般妇女在婚后似乎有特别突出的抑制个性的能力。
21 maelstrom 38mzJ     
n.大乱动;大漩涡
参考例句:
  • Inside,she was a maelstrom of churning emotions.她心中的情感似波涛汹涌,起伏不定。
  • The anxious person has the spirit like a maelstrom.焦虑的人的精神世界就像一个大漩涡。
22 jaw 5xgy9     
n.颚,颌,说教,流言蜚语;v.喋喋不休,教训
参考例句:
  • He delivered a right hook to his opponent's jaw.他给了对方下巴一记右钩拳。
  • A strong square jaw is a sign of firm character.强健的方下巴是刚毅性格的标志。
23 pointed Il8zB4     
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。
24 gasped e6af294d8a7477229d6749fa9e8f5b80     
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》
25 tugged 8a37eb349f3c6615c56706726966d38e     
v.用力拉,使劲拉,猛扯( tug的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • She tugged at his sleeve to get his attention. 她拽了拽他的袖子引起他的注意。
  • A wry smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. 他的嘴角带一丝苦笑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
26 evergreen mtFz78     
n.常青树;adj.四季常青的
参考例句:
  • Some trees are evergreen;they are called evergreen.有的树是常青的,被叫做常青树。
  • There is a small evergreen shrub on the hillside.山腰上有一小块常绿灌木丛。
27 vein fi9w0     
n.血管,静脉;叶脉,纹理;情绪;vt.使成脉络
参考例句:
  • The girl is not in the vein for singing today.那女孩今天没有心情唱歌。
  • The doctor injects glucose into the patient's vein.医生把葡萄糖注射入病人的静脉。
28 levitation levitation     
n.升空,漂浮;浮起
参考例句:
  • We are particularly interested in phenomena such as telepathy and levitation. 我们对心灵感应及空中漂浮这样的现象特别有兴趣。 来自辞典例句
  • This paper presents a magnetic levitation system control using the gain-scheduling controller. 本文以增益程序控制器针对磁浮系统进行控制。 来自互联网
29 grid 5rPzpK     
n.高压输电线路网;地图坐标方格;格栅
参考例句:
  • In this application,the carrier is used to encapsulate the grid.在这种情况下,要用载体把格栅密封起来。
  • Modern gauges consist of metal foil in the form of a grid.现代应变仪则由网格形式的金属片组成。
30 bracelets 58df124ddcdc646ef29c1c5054d8043d     
n.手镯,臂镯( bracelet的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • The lamplight struck a gleam from her bracelets. 她的手镯在灯光的照射下闪闪发亮。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • On display are earrings, necklaces and bracelets made from jade, amber and amethyst. 展出的有用玉石、琥珀和紫水晶做的耳环、项链和手镯。 来自《简明英汉词典》
31 plank p2CzA     
n.板条,木板,政策要点,政纲条目
参考例句:
  • The plank was set against the wall.木板靠着墙壁。
  • They intend to win the next election on the plank of developing trade.他们想以发展贸易的纲领来赢得下次选举。
32 hoisted d1dcc88c76ae7d9811db29181a2303df     
把…吊起,升起( hoist的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He hoisted himself onto a high stool. 他抬身坐上了一张高凳子。
  • The sailors hoisted the cargo onto the deck. 水手们把货物吊到甲板上。
33 scramble JDwzg     
v.爬行,攀爬,杂乱蔓延,碎片,片段,废料
参考例句:
  • He broke his leg in his scramble down the wall.他爬墙摔断了腿。
  • It was a long scramble to the top of the hill.到山顶须要爬登一段长路。
34 tugging 1b03c4e07db34ec7462f2931af418753     
n.牵引感v.用力拉,使劲拉,猛扯( tug的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • Tom was tugging at a button-hole and looking sheepish. 汤姆捏住一个钮扣眼使劲地拉,样子显得很害羞。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险
  • She kicked him, tugging his thick hair. 她一边踢他,一边扯着他那浓密的头发。 来自辞典例句
35 hopped 91b136feb9c3ae690a1c2672986faa1c     
跳上[下]( hop的过去式和过去分词 ); 单足蹦跳; 齐足(或双足)跳行; 摘葎草花
参考例句:
  • He hopped onto a car and wanted to drive to town. 他跳上汽车想开向市区。
  • He hopped into a car and drove to town. 他跳进汽车,向市区开去。
36 ridge KDvyh     
n.山脊;鼻梁;分水岭
参考例句:
  • We clambered up the hillside to the ridge above.我们沿着山坡费力地爬上了山脊。
  • The infantry were advancing to attack the ridge.步兵部队正在向前挺进攻打山脊。
37 bugging 7b00b385cb79d98bcd4440f712db473b     
[法] 窃听
参考例句:
  • Okay, then let's get the show on the road and I'll stop bugging you. 好,那么让我们开始动起来,我将不再惹你生气。 来自辞典例句
  • Go fly a kite and stop bugging me. 走开,别烦我。 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 口语
38 lyrics ko5zoz     
n.歌词
参考例句:
  • music and lyrics by Rodgers and Hart 由罗杰斯和哈特作词作曲
  • The book contains lyrics and guitar tablatures for over 100 songs. 这本书有100多首歌的歌词和吉他奏法谱。
39 rippling b84b2d05914b2749622963c1ef058ed5     
起涟漪的,潺潺流水般声音的
参考例句:
  • I could see the dawn breeze rippling the shining water. 我能看见黎明的微风在波光粼粼的水面上吹出道道涟漪。
  • The pool rippling was caused by the waving of the reeds. 池塘里的潺潺声是芦苇摇动时引起的。
40 rusty hYlxq     
adj.生锈的;锈色的;荒废了的
参考例句:
  • The lock on the door is rusty and won't open.门上的锁锈住了。
  • I haven't practiced my French for months and it's getting rusty.几个月不用,我的法语又荒疏了。


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