FIRESTORM

At first there was a sound like a roaring wind in herdreams.
Then a tearing noise filled the air, the crackle of drybrush inflamed¹, and the smell of smoke swept over Tally²,bringing her suddenly and completely awake.
Billowing clouds of smoke surrounded her, blotting³ outthe sky. A ragged⁴ wall of flame moved through the flowers,giving off a wave of blistering⁵ heat. She grabbed her knapsackand stumbled down the hill away from the fire.
Tally had no idea in which direction the river lay.
Nothing was visible through the dense⁶ clouds. Her lungsfought for air in the foul⁷ brown smoke.
Then she spotted⁸ a few rays from the setting sunbreaching the billows, and she oriented herself. The riverwas back toward the flame, on the other side of the hill.
Tally retraced⁹ her path to the top of the hill and peereddown through the smoke. The fire was growing stronger.
Fingers of it shot up the hill, leaping from one beautifulflower to another, leaving them scorched¹⁰ and black. Tallycaught the glimmer¹¹ of the river through the smoke, but theheat pushed her back.
She stumbled down the other side again, coughing andspitting, one thought in her mind: Was her hoverboardalready engulfed¹² in flames?
Tally had to get to the river. The water was the onlyplace safe from the rampaging fire. If she couldn’t go overthe hill, maybe she could go around.
She descended¹³ the slope at full tilt¹⁴. There were a fewspots burning on this side, but nothing like the gallopingflame behind her. She reached level ground and made herway around the base of the hill, crouching¹⁵ low to theground to duck under the smoke.
Halfway¹⁶ around, she reached a blackened patch wherethe fire had already passed. The brittle¹⁷ stems of flowerscrunched under her shoes, and the heat coming off thescorched earth stung her eyes.
Her footsteps ignited with flame as she ran through theblackened flowers, like stabbing a poker¹⁸ into a slumberingfire. She felt her eyes drying, her face blistering.
Moments later, Tally spotted the river. The firestretched in an unbroken wall across the opposite shore, aroaring wind pressing at its back and sending embers flyingacross to alight on the near side. A rolling billow of smokesurged toward her, choking and blinding her until itpassed.
When her eyes could open again, Tally spotted theUGLIES 173shiny solar surface of her hoverboard. She ran toward it,ignoring the burning flowers in her path.
The board seemed untouched by the flame, protected bygood luck and the layer of dew it collected every nightfall.
She quickly folded the board and stepped onto it, notwaiting for the yellow light to turn green. The heat hadmostly dried it already, and it rose into the air at her command.
Tally took the board over the river, just above thewater, and skimmed her way upstream, looking for a breakin the wall of fire to her left.
Her grippy shoes were ruined, their soles cracked likesunbaked mud, so she flew slowly, scooping¹⁹ up handfuls ofwater to soothe²⁰ her burning face and arms.
A noise thundered to life on Tally’s left, unmistakableeven above the roar of the fire. She and the board werecaught in a sudden wind, shoved back toward the othershore. Tally leaned hard against it and stuck a foot into thewater to slow the board. She clung tightly with both hands,desperately fighting being thrown into the river.
The smoke suddenly cleared, and a familiar shapeloomed out of the darkness. It was the flying machine, itsthundering beat now obvious above the raging fire. Sparksjumped across the river as the machine’s windstorm stirredthe fire to a new intensity²¹.
What were they doing? she wondered. Didn’t they realizethey were spreading the fire?
Her question was answered a moment later when a174 Scott Westerfeldgout of flame shot from the machine, squirting across theriver to ignite another patch of flowers.
They had set the fire, and were driving it on in everyway they could.
The flying machine thundered closer, and she glimpsedan inhuman²² face staring at her from the pilot seat. Sheturned her board to fly away, but the machine lifted up intothe air, passing right over her, and suddenly the wind wastoo great.
Tally pitched off and into the water. Her crash braceletscaught for a moment, holding her up above the waves, butthen the wind caught the hoverboard, much lighter²⁴ withouther on it, and spun²⁵ it away like a leaf.
She sank into the deep water in the middle of the river,knapsack and all.
It was cool and quiet under the waves.
For a few endless moments, Tally felt only relief to haveescaped the searing wind, the thundering machine, the blisteringheat of the firestorm. But the weight of the crashbracelets and knapsack pulled her down fast, and panicwelled up in her pounding chest.
She thrashed in the water, climbing up toward theflickering lights of the surface. Her wet clothes and geardragged at her, but just as her lungs were about to burst,she broke the surface into the maelstrom²⁶. Tally gulped²⁷ afew breaths of smoky air, then was slapped in the faceUGLIES 175by a wave. She coughed and sputtered²⁸, struggling to stayafloat.
A shadow passed over her, blacking out the sky. Thenher hand struck something—a familiar grippy surface. . . .
Her hoverboard had come back to her! Just the way italways did when she spilled. The crash bracelets²³ lifted herup until she could grab on to it, her fingers clinging to itsknobbly surface as she gasped²⁹ for air.
A high-pitched whine³⁰ came from the nearby shore.
Tally blinked away water from her eyes and saw that theRusty machine had landed. Figures were jumping from themachine, spraying white foam³¹ at the ground as theycrashed through the burning flowers and into the river.
They were headed for her.
She struggled to climb onto the board.
“Wait!” the nearest figured called.
Tally rose shakily to her feet, trying to keep steady onthe wet surface of the board. Her hard-baked shoes wereslippery, and her sodden³² knapsack seemed to weigh a ton.
As she leaned forward, a gloved hand reached up to grabthe front of the board. A face came up from the water, wearingsome sort of mask. Huge eyes stared up at her.
She stomped³³ at the hand, crunching³⁴ the fingers. Theyslipped off, but her weight was thrown too far forward, andthe board tipped its nose into the water.
Tally tumbled into the river again.
Hands grabbed at her, pulling her away from the hover-176 Scott Westerfeldboard. She was hoisted³⁵ out of the water and onto a broadshoulder. She caught glimpses of masked faces: huge, inhumaneyes staring at her unblinkingly.
Bug³⁶ eyes.

1 inflamed   

adj.发炎的，红肿的v.（使）变红，发怒，过热( inflame的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• His comments have inflamed teachers all over the country. 他的评论激怒了全国教师。
• Her joints are severely inflamed. 她的关节严重发炎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 tally   

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。

3 blotting   

吸墨水纸

参考例句：

• Water will permeate blotting paper. 水能渗透吸水纸。
• One dab with blotting-paper and the ink was dry. 用吸墨纸轻轻按了一下，墨水就乾了。

4 ragged   

adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的

参考例句：

• A ragged shout went up from the small crowd.这一小群人发出了刺耳的喊叫。
• Ragged clothing infers poverty.破衣烂衫意味着贫穷。

5 blistering   

adj.酷热的；猛烈的；使起疱的；可恶的v.起水疱；起气泡；使受暴晒n.[涂料] 起泡

参考例句：

• The runners set off at a blistering pace. 赛跑运动员如脱缰野马般起跑了。
• This failure is known as preferential wetting and is responsible for blistering. 这种故障称为优先吸湿，是产生气泡的原因。 来自辞典例句

6 dense   

a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的

参考例句：

• The general ambushed his troops in the dense woods. 将军把部队埋伏在浓密的树林里。
• The path was completely covered by the dense foliage. 小路被树叶厚厚地盖了一层。

7 foul   

adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规

参考例句：

• Take off those foul clothes and let me wash them.脱下那些脏衣服让我洗一洗。
• What a foul day it is!多么恶劣的天气！

8 spotted   

adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的

参考例句：

• The milkman selected the spotted cows,from among a herd of two hundred.牛奶商从一群200头牛中选出有斑点的牛。
• Sam's shop stocks short spotted socks.山姆的商店屯积了有斑点的短袜。

9 retraced   

v.折回( retrace的过去式和过去分词 )；回忆；回顾；追溯

参考例句：

• We retraced our steps to where we started. 我们折回我们出发的地方。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• We retraced our route in an attempt to get back on the right path. 我们折返，想回到正确的路上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 scorched   

烧焦，烤焦( scorch的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（植物）枯萎，把…晒枯； 高速行驶； 枯焦

参考例句：

• I scorched my dress when I was ironing it. 我把自己的连衣裙熨焦了。
• The hot iron scorched the tablecloth. 热熨斗把桌布烫焦了。

11 glimmer   

v.发出闪烁的微光；n.微光，微弱的闪光

参考例句：

• I looked at her and felt a glimmer of hope.我注视她，感到了一线希望。
• A glimmer of amusement showed in her eyes.她的眼中露出一丝笑意。

12 engulfed   

v.吞没，包住( engulf的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was engulfed by a crowd of reporters. 他被一群记者团团围住。
• The little boat was engulfed by the waves. 小船被波浪吞没了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 descended   

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。

14 tilt   

v.(使)倾侧；(使)倾斜；n.倾侧；倾斜

参考例句：

• She wore her hat at a tilt over her left eye.她歪戴着帽子遮住左眼。
• The table is at a slight tilt.这张桌子没放平，有点儿歪.

15 crouching   

v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• a hulking figure crouching in the darkness 黑暗中蹲伏着的一个庞大身影
• A young man was crouching by the table, busily searching for something. 一个年轻人正蹲在桌边翻看什么。 来自汉英文学 - 散文英译

16 halfway   

adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途

参考例句：

• We had got only halfway when it began to get dark.走到半路，天就黑了。
• In study the worst danger is give up halfway.在学习上，最忌讳的是有始无终。

17 brittle   

adj.易碎的；脆弱的；冷淡的；(声音)尖利的

参考例句：

• The pond was covered in a brittle layer of ice.池塘覆盖了一层易碎的冰。
• She gave a brittle laugh.她冷淡地笑了笑。

18 poker   

n.扑克；vt.烙制

参考例句：

• He was cleared out in the poker game.他打扑克牌，把钱都输光了。
• I'm old enough to play poker and do something with it.我打扑克是老手了，可以玩些花样。

19 scooping   

n.捞球v.抢先报道( scoop的现在分词 )；（敏捷地）抱起；抢先获得；用铲[勺]等挖（洞等）

参考例句：

• Heated ice cream scoop is used for scooping really cold ice cream. 加热的冰淇淋勺是用来舀非常凉的冰淇淋的。 来自互联网
• The scoop-up was the key phase during a scooping cycle. 3个区间中，铲取区间是整个作业循环的关键。 来自互联网

20 soothe   

v.安慰；使平静；使减轻；缓和；奉承

参考例句：

• I've managed to soothe him down a bit.我想方设法使他平静了一点。
• This medicine should soothe your sore throat.这种药会减轻你的喉痛。

21 intensity   

n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度

参考例句：

• I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。
• The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。

22 inhuman   

adj.残忍的，不人道的，无人性的

参考例句：

• We must unite the workers in fighting against inhuman conditions.我们必须使工人们团结起来反对那些难以忍受的工作条件。
• It was inhuman to refuse him permission to see his wife.不容许他去看自己的妻子是太不近人情了。

23 bracelets   

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》

24 lighter   

n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级

参考例句：

• The portrait was touched up so as to make it lighter.这张画经过润色，色调明朗了一些。
• The lighter works off the car battery.引燃器利用汽车蓄电池打火。

25 spun   

v.纺，杜撰，急转身

参考例句：

• His grandmother spun him a yarn at the fire.他奶奶在火炉边给他讲故事。
• Her skilful fingers spun the wool out to a fine thread.她那灵巧的手指把羊毛纺成了细毛线。

26 maelstrom   

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。

27 gulped   

v.狼吞虎咽地吃，吞咽( gulp的过去式和过去分词 )；大口地吸（气）；哽住

参考例句：

• He gulped down the rest of his tea and went out. 他把剩下的茶一饮而尽便出去了。
• She gulped nervously, as if the question bothered her. 她紧张地咽了一下，似乎那问题把她难住了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

28 sputtered   

v.唾沫飞溅( sputter的过去式和过去分词 )；发劈啪声；喷出；飞溅出

参考例句：

• The candle sputtered out. 蜡烛噼啪爆响着熄灭了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The balky engine sputtered and stopped. 不听使唤的发动机劈啪作响地停了下来。 来自辞典例句

29 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》

30 whine   

v.哀号，号哭；n.哀鸣

参考例句：

• You are getting paid to think,not to whine.支付给你工资是让你思考而不是哀怨的。
• The bullet hit a rock and rocketed with a sharp whine.子弹打在一块岩石上，一声尖厉的呼啸，跳飞开去。

31 foam   

v./n.泡沫，起泡沫

参考例句：

• The glass of beer was mostly foam.这杯啤酒大部分是泡沫。
• The surface of the water is full of foam.水面都是泡沫。

32 sodden   

adj.浑身湿透的；v.使浸透；使呆头呆脑

参考例句：

• We stripped off our sodden clothes.我们扒下了湿透的衣服。
• The cardboard was sodden and fell apart in his hands.纸板潮得都发酥了，手一捏就碎。

33 stomped   

v.跺脚，践踏，重踏( stomp的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She stomped angrily out of the office. 她怒气冲冲，重步走出办公室。
• She slammed the door and stomped (off) out of the house. 她砰的一声关上了门，暮暮地走出了屋了。 来自辞典例句

34 crunching   

v.嘎吱嘎吱地咬嚼( crunch的现在分词 )；嘎吱作响；（快速大量地）处理信息；数字捣弄

参考例句：

• The horses were crunching their straw at their manger. 这些马在嘎吱嘎吱地吃槽里的草。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The dog was crunching a bone. 狗正嘎吱嘎吱地嚼骨头。 来自《简明英汉词典》

35 hoisted   

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。

36 bug   

n.虫子；故障；窃听器；vt.纠缠；装窃听器

参考例句：

• There is a bug in the system.系统出了故障。
• The bird caught a bug on the fly.那鸟在飞行中捉住了一只昆虫。