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Chapter 7 The Wall Of The World
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By the time his mother began leaving the cave on hunting expeditions,the cub1 had learned well the law that forbade his approaching the entrance.

  Not only had this law been forcibly and many times impressed on him byhis mother's nose and paw, but in him the instinct of fear was developing.

  Never, in his brief cave- life, had he encountered anything of which to beafraid. Yet fear was in him. It had come down to him from a remoteancestry through a thousand thousand lives. It was a heritage he hadreceived directly from One Eye and the she-wolf; but to them, in turn, ithad been passed down through all the generations of wolves that had gonebefore. Fear! - that legacy2 of the Wild which no animal may escape norexchange for pottage.

  So the grey cub knew fear, though he knew not the stuff of which fearwas made. Possibly he accepted it as one of the restrictions4 of life. For hehad already learned that there were such restrictions. Hunger he hadknown; and when he could not appease5 his hunger he had felt restriction3.

  The hard obstruction6 of the cave-wall, the sharp nudge of his mother'snose, the smashing stroke of her paw, the hunger unappeased of severalfamines, had borne in upon him that all was not freedom in the world, thatto life there was limitations and restraints. These limitations and restraintswere laws. To be obedient to them was to escape hurt and make forhappiness.

  He did not reason the question out in this man fashion. He merelyclassified the things that hurt and the things that did not hurt. And aftersuch classification he avoided the things that hurt, the restrictions andrestraints, in order to enjoy the satisfactions and the remunerations of life.

  Thus it was that in obedience7 to the law laid down by his mother, andin obedience to the law of that unknown and nameless thing, fear, he keptaway from the mouth of the cave. It remained to him a white wall of light.

  When his mother was absent, he slept most of the time, while during theintervals that he was awake he kept very quiet, suppressing thewhimpering cries that tickled8 in his throat and strove for noise.

  Once, lying awake, he heard a strange sound in the white wall. He didnot know that it was a wolverine, standing9 outside, all a- trembling with itsown daring, and cautiously scenting10 out the contents of the cave. The cubknew only that the sniff11 was strange, a something unclassified, thereforeunknown and terrible - for the unknown was one of the chief elements thatwent into the making of fear.

  The hair bristled12 upon the grey cub's back, but it bristled silently. Howwas he to know that this thing that sniffed14 was a thing at which to bristle13?

  It was not born of any knowledge of his, yet it was the visible expressionof the fear that was in him, and for which, in his own life, there was noaccounting. But fear was accompanied by another instinct - that ofconcealment. The cub was in a frenzy15 of terror, yet he lay withoutmovement or sound, frozen, petrified16 into immobility, to all appearancesdead. His mother, coming home, growled17 as she smelt18 the wolverine'strack, and bounded into the cave and licked and nozzled him with unduevehemence of affection. And the cub felt that somehow he had escaped agreat hurt.

  But there were other forces at work in the cub, the greatest of whichwas growth. Instinct and law demanded of him obedience. But growthdemanded disobedience. His mother and fear impelled19 him to keep awayfrom the white wall. Growth is life, and life is for ever destined20 to makefor light. So there was no damming up the tide of life that was risingwithin him - rising with every mouthful of meat he swallowed, with everybreath he drew. In the end, one day, fear and obedience were swept awayby the rush of life, and the cub straddled and sprawled21 toward theentrance.

  Unlike any other wall with which he had had experience, this wallseemed to recede22 from him as he approached. No hard surface collidedwith the tender little nose he thrust out tentatively before him. Thesubstance of the wall seemed as permeable and yielding as light. And ascondition, in his eyes, had the seeming of form, so he entered into whathad been wall to him and bathed in the substance that composed it.

  It was bewildering. He was sprawling23 through solidity. And ever thelight grew brighter. Fear urged him to go back, but growth drove him on.

  Suddenly he found himself at the mouth of the cave. The wall, insidewhich he had thought himself, as suddenly leaped back before him to animmeasurable distance. The light had become painfully bright. He wasdazzled by it. Likewise he was made dizzy by this abrupt24 and tremendousextension of space. Automatically, his eyes were adjusting themselves tothe brightness, focusing themselves to meet the increased distance ofobjects. At first, the wall had leaped beyond his vision. He now saw itagain; but it had taken upon itself a remarkable25 remoteness. Also, itsappearance had changed. It was now a variegated26 wall, composed of thetrees that fringed the stream, the opposing mountain that towered abovethe trees, and the sky that out-towered the mountain.

  A great fear came upon him. This was more of the terrible unknown.

  He crouched27 down on the lip of the cave and gazed out on the world. Hewas very much afraid. Because it was unknown, it was hostile to him.

  Therefore the hair stood up on end along his back and his lips wrinkledweakly in an attempt at a ferocious28 and intimidating29 snarl30. Out of hispuniness and fright he challenged and menaced the whole wide world.

  Nothing happened. He continued to gaze, and in his interest he forgotto snarl. Also, he forgot to be afraid. For the time, fear had been routed bygrowth, while growth had assumed the guise31 of curiosity. He began tonotice near objects - an open portion of the stream that flashed in the sun,the blasted pine-tree that stood at the base of the slope, and the slope itself,that ran right up to him and ceased two feet beneath the lip of the cave onwhich he crouched.

  Now the grey cub had lived all his days on a level floor. He had neverexperienced the hurt of a fall. He did not know what a fall was. So hestepped boldly out upon the air. His hind-legs still rested on the cave-lip,so he fell forward head downward. The earth struck him a harsh blow onthe nose that made him yelp32. Then he began rolling down the slope, overand over. He was in a panic of terror. The unknown had caught him at last.

  It had gripped savagely33 hold of him and was about to wreak35 upon himsome terrific hurt. Growth was now routed by fear, and he ki-yi'd like anyfrightened puppy.

  The unknown bore him on he knew not to what frightful36 hurt, and heyelped and ki-yi'd unceasingly. This was a different proposition fromcrouching in frozen fear while the unknown lurked38 just alongside. Nowthe unknown had caught tight hold of him. Silence would do no good.

  Besides, it was not fear, but terror, that convulsed him.

  But the slope grew more gradual, and its base was grass-covered. Herethe cub lost momentum39. When at last he came to a stop, he gave one lastagonised yell and then a long, whimpering wail40. Also, and quite as amatter of course, as though in his life he had already made a thousandtoilets, he proceeded to lick away the dry clay that soiled him.

  After that he sat up and gazed about him, as might the first man of theearth who landed upon Mars. The cub had broken through the wall of theworld, the unknown had let go its hold of him, and here he was withouthurt. But the first man on Mars would have experienced less unfamiliaritythan did he. Without any antecedent knowledge, without any warningwhatever that such existed, he found himself an explorer in a totally newworld.

  Now that the terrible unknown had let go of him, he forgot that theunknown had any terrors. He was aware only of curiosity in all the thingsabout him. He inspected the grass beneath him, the moss- berry plant justbeyond, and the dead trunk of the blasted pine that stood on the edge of anopen space among the trees. A squirrel, running around the base of thetrunk, came full upon him, and gave him a great fright. He cowered41 downand snarled43. But the squirrel was as badly scared. It ran up the tree, andfrom a point of safety chattered44 back savagely.

  This helped the cub's courage, and though the woodpecker he nextencountered gave him a start, he proceeded confidently on his way. Such was his confidence, that when a moose-bird impudently45 hopped46 up to him,he reached out at it with a playful paw. The result was a sharp peck on theend of his nose that made him cower42 down and ki-yi. The noise he madewas too much for the moose-bird, who sought safety in flight.

  But the cub was learning. His misty47 little mind had already made anunconscious classification. There were live things and things not alive.

  Also, he must watch out for the live things. The things not alive remainedalways in one place, but the live things moved about, and there was notelling what they might do. The thing to expect of them was theunexpected, and for this he must be prepared.

  He travelled very clumsily. He ran into sticks and things. A twig48 thathe thought a long way off, would the next instant hit him on the nose orrake along his ribs49. There were inequalities of surface. Sometimes heoverstepped and stubbed his nose. Quite as often he understepped andstubbed his feet. Then there were the pebbles50 and stones that turned underhim when he trod upon them; and from them he came to know that thethings not alive were not all in the same state of stable equilibrium51 as washis cave - also, that small things not alive were more liable than largethings to fall down or turn over. But with every mishap52 he was learning.

  The longer he walked, the better he walked. He was adjusting himself. Hewas learning to calculate his own muscular movements, to know hisphysical limitations, to measure distances between objects, and betweenobjects and himself.

  His was the luck of the beginner. Born to be a hunter of meat (thoughhe did not know it), he blundered upon meat just outside his own cave-door on his first foray into the world. It was by sheer blundering that hechanced upon the shrewdly hidden ptarmigan nest. He fell into it. He hadessayed to walk along the trunk of a fallen pine. The rotten bark gave wayunder his feet, and with a despairing yelp he pitched down the roundedcrescent, smashed through the leafage and stalks of a small bush, and inthe heart of the bush, on the ground, fetched up in the midst of sevenptarmigan chicks.

  They made noises, and at first he was frightened at them. Then heperceived that they were very little, and he became bolder. They moved.

  He placed his paw on one, and its movements were accelerated. This wasa source of enjoyment53 to him. He smelled it. He picked it up in his mouth.

  It struggled and tickled his tongue. At the same time he was made awareof a sensation of hunger. His jaws54 closed together. There was a crunchingof fragile bones, and warm blood ran in his mouth. The taste of it wasgood. This was meat, the same as his mother gave him, only it was alivebetween his teeth and therefore better. So he ate the ptarmigan. Nor did hestop till he had devoured57 the whole brood. Then he licked his chops inquite the same way his mother did, and began to crawl out of the bush.

  He encountered a feathered whirlwind. He was confused and blindedby the rush of it and the beat of angry wings. He hid his head between hispaws and yelped37. The blows increased. The mother ptarmigan was in afury. Then he became angry. He rose up, snarling58, striking out with hispaws. He sank his tiny teeth into one of the wings and pulled and tuggedsturdily. The ptarmigan struggled against him, showering blows upon himwith her free wing. It was his first battle. He was elated. He forgot allabout the unknown. He no longer was afraid of anything. He was fighting,tearing at a live thing that was striking at him. Also, this live thing wasmeat. The lust59 to kill was on him. He had just destroyed little live things.

  He would now destroy a big live thing. He was too busy and happy toknow that he was happy. He was thrilling and exulting60 in ways new to himand greater to him than any he had known before.

  He held on to the wing and growled between his tight-clenched teeth.

  The ptarmigan dragged him out of the bush. When she turned and tried todrag him back into the bush's shelter, he pulled her away from it and oninto the open. And all the time she was making outcry and striking withher free wing, while feathers were flying like a snow-fall. The pitch towhich he was aroused was tremendous. All the fighting blood of his breedwas up in him and surging through him. This was living, though he did notknow it. He was realising his own meaning in the world; he was doing thatfor which he was made - killing61 meat and battling to kill it. He wasjustifying his existence, than which life can do no greater; for life achievesits summit when it does to the uttermost that which it was equipped to do.

  After a time, the ptarmigan ceased her struggling. He still held her bythe wing, and they lay on the ground and looked at each other. He tried togrowl threateningly, ferociously62. She pecked on his nose, which by now,what of previous adventures was sore. He winced63 but held on. She peckedhim again and again. From wincing64 he went to whimpering. He tried toback away from her, oblivious65 to the fact that by his hold on her hedragged her after him. A rain of pecks fell on his ill-used nose. The floodof fight ebbed66 down in him, and, releasing his prey67, he turned tail andscampered on across the open in inglorious retreat.

  He lay down to rest on the other side of the open, near the edge of thebushes, his tongue lolling out, his chest heaving and panting, his nose stillhurting him and causing him to continue his whimper. But as he lay there,suddenly there came to him a feeling as of something terrible impending68.

  The unknown with all its terrors rushed upon him, and he shrank backinstinctively into the shelter of the bush. As he did so, a draught69 of airfanned him, and a large, winged body swept ominously70 and silently past.

  A hawk71, driving down out of the blue, had barely missed him.

  While he lay in the bush, recovering from his fright and peeringfearfully out, the mother-ptarmigan on the other side of the open spacefluttered out of the ravaged72 nest. It was because of her loss that she paidno attention to the winged bolt of the sky. But the cub saw, and it was awarning and a lesson to him - the swift downward swoop73 of the hawk, theshort skim of its body just above the ground, the strike of its talons74 in thebody of the ptarmigan, the ptarmigan's squawk of agony and fright, andthe hawk's rush upward into the blue, carrying the ptarmigan away with it,It was a long time before the cub left its shelter. He had learned much.

  Live things were meat. They were good to eat. Also, live things when theywere large enough, could give hurt. It was better to eat small live thingslike ptarmigan chicks, and to let alone large live things like ptarmiganhens. Nevertheless he felt a little prick75 of ambition, a sneaking76 desire tohave another battle with that ptarmigan hen - only the hawk had carriedher away. May be there were other ptarmigan hens. He would go and see.

  He came down a shelving bank to the stream. He had never seen waterbefore. The footing looked good. There were no inequalities of surface. Hestepped boldly out on it; and went down, crying with fear, into theembrace of the unknown. It was cold, and he gasped77, breathing quickly.

  The water rushed into his lungs instead of the air that had alwaysaccompanied his act of breathing. The suffocation78 he experienced was likethe pang79 of death. To him it signified death. He had no consciousknowledge of death, but like every animal of the Wild, he possessed80 theinstinct of death. To him it stood as the greatest of hurts. It was the veryessence of the unknown; it was the sum of the terrors of the unknown, theone culminating and unthinkable catastrophe81 that could happen to him,about which he knew nothing and about which he feared everything.

  He came to the surface, and the sweet air rushed into his open mouth.

  He did not go down again. Quite as though it had been a long-establishedcustom of his he struck out with all his legs and began to swim. The nearbank was a yard away; but he had come up with his back to it, and the firstthing his eyes rested upon was the opposite bank, toward which heimmediately began to swim. The stream was a small one, but in the pool itwidened out to a score of feet.

  Midway in the passage, the current picked up the cub and swept himdownstream. He was caught in the miniature rapid at the bottom of thepool. Here was little chance for swimming. The quiet water had becomesuddenly angry. Sometimes he was under, sometimes on top. At all timeshe was in violent motion, now being turned over or around, and again,being smashed against a rock. And with every rock he struck, he yelped.

  His progress was a series of yelps82, from which might have been adducedthe number of rocks he encountered.

  Below the rapid was a second pool, and here, captured by the eddy83, hewas gently borne to the bank, and as gently deposited on a bed of gravel84.

  He crawled frantically85 clear of the water and lay down. He had learnedsome more about the world. Water was not alive. Yet it moved. Also, itlooked as solid as the earth, but was without any solidity at all. Hisconclusion was that things were not always what they appeared to be. Thecub's fear of the unknown was an inherited distrust, and it had now beenstrengthened by experience. Thenceforth, in the nature of things, he wouldpossess an abiding86 distrust of appearances. He would have to learn thereality of a thing before he could put his faith into it.

  One other adventure was destined for him that day. He had recollectedthat there was such a thing in the world as his mother. And then there cameto him a feeling that he wanted her more than all the rest of the things inthe world. Not only was his body tired with the adventures it hadundergone, but his little brain was equally tired. In all the days he hadlived it had not worked so hard as on this one day. Furthermore, he wassleepy. So he started out to look for the cave and his mother, feeling at thesame time an overwhelming rush of loneliness and helplessness.

  He was sprawling along between some bushes, when he heard a sharpintimidating cry. There was a flash of yellow before his eyes. He saw aweasel leaping swiftly away from him. It was a small live thing, and hehad no fear. Then, before him, at his feet, he saw an extremely small livething, only several inches long, a young weasel, that, like himself, haddisobediently gone out adventuring. It tried to retreat before him. Heturned it over with his paw. It made a queer, grating noise. The nextmoment the flash of yellow reappeared before his eyes. He heard again theintimidating cry, and at the same instant received a sharp blow on the sideof the neck and felt the sharp teeth of the mother-weasel cut into his flesh.

  While he yelped and ki-yi'd and scrambled87 backward, he saw themother-weasel leap upon her young one and disappear with it into theneighbouring thicket88. The cut of her teeth in his neck still hurt, but hisfeelings were hurt more grievously, and he sat down and weaklywhimpered. This mother-weasel was so small and so savage34. He was yetto learn that for size and weight the weasel was the most ferocious,vindictive, and terrible of all the killers89 of the Wild. But a portion of thisknowledge was quickly to be his.

  He was still whimpering when the mother-weasel reappeared. She didnot rush him, now that her young one was safe. She approached morecautiously, and the cub had full opportunity to observe her lean, snakelikebody, and her head, erect90, eager, and snake-like itself. Her sharp, menacingcry sent the hair bristling91 along his back, and he snarled warningly at her.

  She came closer and closer. There was a leap, swifter than his unpractisedsight, and the lean, yellow body disappeared for a moment out of the fieldof his vision. The next moment she was at his throat, her teeth buried inhis hair and flesh.

  At first he snarled and tried to fight; but he was very young, and thiswas only his first day in the world, and his snarl became a whimper, hisfight a struggle to escape. The weasel never relaxed her hold. She hung on,striving to press down with her teeth to the great vein92 were his life-bloodbubbled. The weasel was a drinker of blood, and it was ever her preferenceto drink from the throat of life itself.

  The grey cub would have died, and there would have been no story towrite about him, had not the she-wolf come bounding through the bushes.

  The weasel let go the cub and flashed at the she-wolf's throat, missing, butgetting a hold on the jaw55 instead. The she- wolf flirted93 her head like thesnap of a whip, breaking the weasel's hold and flinging it high in the air.

  And, still in the air, the she-wolf's jaws closed on the lean, yellow body,and the weasel knew death between the crunching56 teeth.

  The cub experienced another access of affection on the part of hismother. Her joy at finding him seemed even greater than his joy at beingfound. She nozzled him and caressed94 him and licked the cuts made in himby the weasel's teeth. Then, between them, mother and cub, they ate theblood-drinker, and after that went back to the cave and slept.


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 cub ny5xt     
n.幼兽,年轻无经验的人
参考例句:
  • The lion cub's mother was hunting for what she needs. 这只幼师的母亲正在捕猎。
  • The cub licked the milk from its mother's breast. 这头幼兽吸吮着它妈妈的奶水。
2 legacy 59YzD     
n.遗产,遗赠;先人(或过去)留下的东西
参考例句:
  • They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
  • He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。
3 restriction jW8x0     
n.限制,约束
参考例句:
  • The park is open to the public without restriction.这个公园对公众开放,没有任何限制。
  • The 30 mph speed restriction applies in all built-up areas.每小时限速30英里适用于所有建筑物聚集区。
4 restrictions 81e12dac658cfd4c590486dd6f7523cf     
约束( restriction的名词复数 ); 管制; 制约因素; 带限制性的条件(或规则)
参考例句:
  • I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
  • a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制
5 appease uVhzM     
v.安抚,缓和,平息,满足
参考例句:
  • He tried to appease the crying child by giving him candy.他试图给那个啼哭的孩子糖果使他不哭。
  • The government tried to appease discontented workers.政府试图安抚不满的工人们。
6 obstruction HRrzR     
n.阻塞,堵塞;障碍物
参考例句:
  • She was charged with obstruction of a police officer in the execution of his duty.她被指控妨碍警察执行任务。
  • The road was cleared from obstruction.那条路已被清除了障碍。
7 obedience 8vryb     
n.服从,顺从
参考例句:
  • Society has a right to expect obedience of the law.社会有权要求人人遵守法律。
  • Soldiers act in obedience to the orders of their superior officers.士兵们遵照上级军官的命令行动。
8 tickled 2db1470d48948f1aa50b3cf234843b26     
(使)发痒( tickle的过去式和过去分词 ); (使)愉快,逗乐
参考例句:
  • We were tickled pink to see our friends on television. 在电视中看到我们的一些朋友,我们高兴极了。
  • I tickled the baby's feet and made her laugh. 我胳肢孩子的脚,使她发笑。
9 standing 2hCzgo     
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的
参考例句:
  • After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
  • They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
10 scenting 163c6ec33148fedfedca27cbb3a29280     
vt.闻到(scent的现在分词形式)
参考例句:
  • Soames, scenting the approach of a jest, closed up. 索来斯觉察出有点调侃的味儿来了,赶快把话打断。 来自辞典例句
  • The pale woodbines and the dog-roses were scenting the hedgerows. 金银花和野蔷薇把道旁的树也薰香了。 来自辞典例句
11 sniff PF7zs     
vi.嗅…味道;抽鼻涕;对嗤之以鼻,蔑视
参考例句:
  • The police used dogs to sniff out the criminals in their hiding - place.警察使用警犬查出了罪犯的藏身地点。
  • When Munchie meets a dog on the beach, they sniff each other for a while.当麦奇在海滩上碰到另一条狗的时候,他们会彼此嗅一会儿。
12 bristled bristled     
adj. 直立的,多刺毛的 动词bristle的过去式和过去分词
参考例句:
  • They bristled at his denigrating description of their activities. 听到他在污蔑他们的活动,他们都怒发冲冠。
  • All of us bristled at the lawyer's speech insulting our forefathers. 听到那个律师在讲演中污蔑我们的祖先,大家都气得怒发冲冠。
13 bristle gs1zo     
v.(毛发)直立,气势汹汹,发怒;n.硬毛发
参考例句:
  • It has a short stumpy tail covered with bristles.它粗短的尾巴上鬃毛浓密。
  • He bristled with indignation at the suggestion that he was racist.有人暗示他是个种族主义者,他对此十分恼火。
14 sniffed ccb6bd83c4e9592715e6230a90f76b72     
v.以鼻吸气,嗅,闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 );抽鼻子(尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气);抱怨,不以为然地说
参考例句:
  • When Jenney had stopped crying she sniffed and dried her eyes. 珍妮停止了哭泣,吸了吸鼻子,擦干了眼泪。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The dog sniffed suspiciously at the stranger. 狗疑惑地嗅着那个陌生人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
15 frenzy jQbzs     
n.疯狂,狂热,极度的激动
参考例句:
  • He was able to work the young students up into a frenzy.他能激起青年学生的狂热。
  • They were singing in a frenzy of joy.他们欣喜若狂地高声歌唱。
16 petrified 2e51222789ae4ecee6134eb89ed9998d     
adj.惊呆的;目瞪口呆的v.使吓呆,使惊呆;变僵硬;使石化(petrify的过去式和过去分词)
参考例句:
  • I'm petrified of snakes. 我特别怕蛇。
  • The poor child was petrified with fear. 这可怜的孩子被吓呆了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
17 growled 65a0c9cac661e85023a63631d6dab8a3     
v.(动物)发狺狺声, (雷)作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 );低声咆哮着说
参考例句:
  • \"They ought to be birched, \" growled the old man. 老人咆哮道:“他们应受到鞭打。” 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He growled out an answer. 他低声威胁着回答。 来自《简明英汉词典》
18 smelt tiuzKF     
v.熔解,熔炼;n.银白鱼,胡瓜鱼
参考例句:
  • Tin is a comparatively easy metal to smelt.锡是比较容易熔化的金属。
  • Darby was looking for a way to improve iron when he hit upon the idea of smelting it with coke instead of charcoal.达比一直在寻找改善铁质的方法,他猛然想到可以不用木炭熔炼,而改用焦炭。
19 impelled 8b9a928e37b947d87712c1a46c607ee7     
v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He felt impelled to investigate further. 他觉得有必要作进一步调查。
  • I feel impelled to express grave doubts about the project. 我觉得不得不对这项计划深表怀疑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
20 destined Dunznz     
adj.命中注定的;(for)以…为目的地的
参考例句:
  • It was destined that they would marry.他们结婚是缘分。
  • The shipment is destined for America.这批货物将运往美国。
21 sprawled 6cc8223777584147c0ae6b08b9304472     
v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的过去式和过去分词);蔓延;杂乱无序地拓展;四肢伸展坐着(或躺着)
参考例句:
  • He was sprawled full-length across the bed. 他手脚摊开横躺在床上。
  • He was lying sprawled in an armchair, watching TV. 他四肢伸开正懒散地靠在扶手椅上看电视。
22 recede sAKzB     
vi.退(去),渐渐远去;向后倾斜,缩进
参考例句:
  • The colleges would recede in importance.大学的重要性会降低。
  • He saw that the dirty water had begun to recede.他发现那污浊的水开始往下退了。
23 sprawling 3ff3e560ffc2f12f222ef624d5807902     
adj.蔓生的,不规则地伸展的v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的现在分词 );蔓延;杂乱无序地拓展;四肢伸展坐着(或躺着)
参考例句:
  • He was sprawling in an armchair in front of the TV. 他伸开手脚坐在电视机前的一张扶手椅上。
  • a modern sprawling town 一座杂乱无序拓展的现代城镇
24 abrupt 2fdyh     
adj.突然的,意外的;唐突的,鲁莽的
参考例句:
  • The river takes an abrupt bend to the west.这河突然向西转弯。
  • His abrupt reply hurt our feelings.他粗鲁的回答伤了我们的感情。
25 remarkable 8Vbx6     
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。
26 variegated xfezSX     
adj.斑驳的,杂色的
参考例句:
  • This plant has beautifully variegated leaves.这种植物的叶子色彩斑驳,非常美丽。
  • We're going to grow a variegated ivy up the back of the house.我们打算在房子后面种一棵杂色常春藤。
27 crouched 62634c7e8c15b8a61068e36aaed563ab     
v.屈膝,蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He crouched down beside her. 他在她的旁边蹲了下来。
  • The lion crouched ready to pounce. 狮子蹲下身,准备猛扑。
28 ferocious ZkNxc     
adj.凶猛的,残暴的,极度的,十分强烈的
参考例句:
  • The ferocious winds seemed about to tear the ship to pieces.狂风仿佛要把船撕成碎片似的。
  • The ferocious panther is chasing a rabbit.那只凶猛的豹子正追赶一只兔子。
29 intimidating WqUzKy     
vt.恐吓,威胁( intimidate的现在分词)
参考例句:
  • They were accused of intimidating people into voting for them. 他们被控胁迫选民投他们的票。
  • This kind of questioning can be very intimidating to children. 这种问话的方式可能让孩子们非常害怕。
30 snarl 8FAzv     
v.吼叫,怒骂,纠缠,混乱;n.混乱,缠结,咆哮
参考例句:
  • At the seaside we could hear the snarl of the waves.在海边我们可以听见波涛的咆哮。
  • The traffic was all in a snarl near the accident.事故发生处附近交通一片混乱。
31 guise JeizL     
n.外表,伪装的姿态
参考例句:
  • They got into the school in the guise of inspectors.他们假装成视察员进了学校。
  • The thief came into the house under the guise of a repairman.那小偷扮成个修理匠进了屋子。
32 yelp zosym     
vi.狗吠
参考例句:
  • The dog gave a yelp of pain.狗疼得叫了一声。
  • The puppy a yelp when John stepped on her tail.当约翰踩到小狗的尾巴,小狗发出尖叫。
33 savagely 902f52b3c682f478ddd5202b40afefb9     
adv. 野蛮地,残酷地
参考例句:
  • The roses had been pruned back savagely. 玫瑰被狠狠地修剪了一番。
  • He snarled savagely at her. 他向她狂吼起来。
34 savage ECxzR     
adj.野蛮的;凶恶的,残暴的;n.未开化的人
参考例句:
  • The poor man received a savage beating from the thugs.那可怜的人遭到暴徒的痛打。
  • He has a savage temper.他脾气粗暴。
35 wreak RfYwC     
v.发泄;报复
参考例句:
  • She had a burning desire to wreak revenge.她复仇心切。
  • Timid people always wreak their peevishness on the gentle.怯懦的人总是把满腹牢骚向温和的人发泄。
36 frightful Ghmxw     
adj.可怕的;讨厌的
参考例句:
  • How frightful to have a husband who snores!有一个发鼾声的丈夫多讨厌啊!
  • We're having frightful weather these days.这几天天气坏极了。
37 yelped 66cb778134d73b13ec6957fdf1b24074     
v.发出短而尖的叫声( yelp的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He yelped in pain when the horse stepped on his foot. 马踩了他的脚痛得他喊叫起来。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • A hound yelped briefly as a whip cracked. 鞭子一响,猎狗发出一阵嗥叫。 来自《简明英汉词典》
38 lurked 99c07b25739e85120035a70192a2ec98     
vi.潜伏,埋伏(lurk的过去式与过去分词形式)
参考例句:
  • The murderers lurked behind the trees. 谋杀者埋伏在树后。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Treachery lurked behind his smooth manners. 他圆滑姿态的后面潜伏着奸计。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
39 momentum DjZy8     
n.动力,冲力,势头;动量
参考例句:
  • We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
  • The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。
40 wail XMhzs     
vt./vi.大声哀号,恸哭;呼啸,尖啸
参考例句:
  • Somewhere in the audience an old woman's voice began plaintive wail.观众席里,一位老太太伤心地哭起来。
  • One of the small children began to wail with terror.小孩中的一个吓得大哭起来。
41 cowered 4916dbf7ce78e68601f216157e090999     
v.畏缩,抖缩( cower的过去式 )
参考例句:
  • A gun went off and people cowered behind walls and under tables. 一声枪响,人们缩到墙后或桌子底下躲起来。
  • He cowered in the corner, gibbering with terror. 他蜷缩在角落里,吓得语无伦次。
42 cower tzCx2     
v.畏缩,退缩,抖缩
参考例句:
  • I will never cower before any master nor bend to any threat.我决不会在任何一位大师面前发抖,也不会为任何恐吓所屈服。
  • Will the Chinese cower before difficulties when they are not afraid even of death?中国人死都不怕,还怕困难吗?
43 snarled ti3zMA     
v.(指狗)吠,嗥叫, (人)咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 );咆哮着说,厉声地说
参考例句:
  • The dog snarled at us. 狗朝我们低声吼叫。
  • As I advanced towards the dog, It'snarled and struck at me. 我朝那条狗走去时,它狂吠着向我扑来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
44 chattered 0230d885b9f6d176177681b6eaf4b86f     
(人)喋喋不休( chatter的过去式 ); 唠叨; (牙齿)打战; (机器)震颤
参考例句:
  • They chattered away happily for a while. 他们高兴地闲扯了一会儿。
  • We chattered like two teenagers. 我们聊着天,像两个十多岁的孩子。
45 impudently 98a9b79b8348326c8a99a7e4043464ca     
参考例句:
  • She was his favorite and could speak to him so impudently. 她是他的宠儿,可以那样无礼他说话。 来自教父部分
  • He walked into the shop and calmly (ie impudently and self-confidently) stole a pair of gloves. 他走进商店若无其事地偷了一副手套。 来自辞典例句
46 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。
47 misty l6mzx     
adj.雾蒙蒙的,有雾的
参考例句:
  • He crossed over to the window to see if it was still misty.他走到窗户那儿,看看是不是还有雾霭。
  • The misty scene had a dreamy quality about it.雾景给人以梦幻般的感觉。
48 twig VK1zg     
n.小树枝,嫩枝;v.理解
参考例句:
  • He heard the sharp crack of a twig.他听到树枝清脆的断裂声。
  • The sharp sound of a twig snapping scared the badger away.细枝突然折断的刺耳声把獾惊跑了。
49 ribs 24fc137444401001077773555802b280     
n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 );(船或屋顶等的)肋拱;肋骨状的东西;(织物的)凸条花纹
参考例句:
  • He suffered cracked ribs and bruising. 他断了肋骨还有挫伤。
  • Make a small incision below the ribs. 在肋骨下方切开一个小口。
50 pebbles e4aa8eab2296e27a327354cbb0b2c5d2     
[复数]鹅卵石; 沙砾; 卵石,小圆石( pebble的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • The pebbles of the drive crunched under his feet. 汽车道上的小石子在他脚底下喀嚓作响。
  • Line the pots with pebbles to ensure good drainage. 在罐子里铺一层鹅卵石,以确保排水良好。
51 equilibrium jiazs     
n.平衡,均衡,相称,均势,平静
参考例句:
  • Change in the world around us disturbs our inner equilibrium.我们周围世界的变化扰乱了我们内心的平静。
  • This is best expressed in the form of an equilibrium constant.这最好用平衡常数的形式来表示。
52 mishap AjSyg     
n.不幸的事,不幸;灾祸
参考例句:
  • I'm afraid your son had a slight mishap in the playground.不好了,你儿子在操场上出了点小意外。
  • We reached home without mishap.我们平安地回到了家。
53 enjoyment opaxV     
n.乐趣;享有;享用
参考例句:
  • Your company adds to the enjoyment of our visit. 有您的陪同,我们这次访问更加愉快了。
  • After each joke the old man cackled his enjoyment.每逢讲完一个笑话,这老人就呵呵笑着表示他的高兴。
54 jaws cq9zZq     
n.口部;嘴
参考例句:
  • The antelope could not escape the crocodile's gaping jaws. 那只羚羊无法从鱷鱼张开的大口中逃脱。
  • The scored jaws of a vise help it bite the work. 台钳上有刻痕的虎钳牙帮助它紧咬住工件。
55 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。
56 crunching 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》
57 devoured af343afccf250213c6b0cadbf3a346a9     
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:
  • She devoured everything she could lay her hands on: books, magazines and newspapers. 无论是书、杂志,还是报纸,只要能弄得到,她都看得津津有味。
  • The lions devoured a zebra in a short time. 狮子一会儿就吃掉了一匹斑马。
58 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
59 lust N8rz1     
n.性(淫)欲;渴(欲)望;vi.对…有强烈的欲望
参考例句:
  • He was filled with lust for power.他内心充满了对权力的渴望。
  • Sensing the explorer's lust for gold, the chief wisely presented gold ornaments as gifts.酋长觉察出探险者们垂涎黄金的欲念,就聪明地把金饰品作为礼物赠送给他们。
60 exulting 2f8f310798e5e8c1b9dd92ff6395ba84     
vi. 欢欣鼓舞,狂喜
参考例句:
  • He leaned back, exulting at the success of his plan. 他向后一靠,为自己计划成功而得意扬扬。
  • Jones was exulting in the consciousness of his integrity. 琼斯意识到自己的忠贞十分高兴。
61 killing kpBziQ     
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。
62 ferociously e84ae4b9f07eeb9fbd44e3c2c7b272c5     
野蛮地,残忍地
参考例句:
  • The buck shook his antlers ferociously. 那雄鹿猛烈地摇动他的鹿角。
  • At intervals, he gritted his teeth ferociously. 他不时狠狠的轧平。
63 winced 7be9a27cb0995f7f6019956af354c6e4     
赶紧避开,畏缩( wince的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He winced as the dog nipped his ankle. 狗咬了他的脚腕子,疼得他龇牙咧嘴。
  • He winced as a sharp pain shot through his left leg. 他左腿一阵剧痛疼得他直龇牙咧嘴。
64 wincing 377203086ce3e7442c3f6574a3b9c0c7     
赶紧避开,畏缩( wince的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • She switched on the light, wincing at the sudden brightness. 她打开了灯,突如其来的强烈光线刺得她不敢睜眼。
  • "I will take anything," he said, relieved, and wincing under reproof. “我什么事都愿意做,"他说,松了一口气,缩着头等着挨骂。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
65 oblivious Y0Byc     
adj.易忘的,遗忘的,忘却的,健忘的
参考例句:
  • Mother has become quite oblivious after the illness.这次病后,妈妈变得特别健忘。
  • He was quite oblivious of the danger.他完全没有察觉到危险。
66 ebbed d477fde4638480e786d6ea4ac2341679     
(指潮水)退( ebb的过去式和过去分词 ); 落; 减少; 衰落
参考例句:
  • But the pain had ebbed away and the trembling had stopped. 不过这次痛已减退,寒战也停止了。
  • But gradually his interest in good causes ebbed away. 不过后来他对这类事业兴趣也逐渐淡薄了。
67 prey g1czH     
n.被掠食者,牺牲者,掠食;v.捕食,掠夺,折磨
参考例句:
  • Stronger animals prey on weaker ones.弱肉强食。
  • The lion was hunting for its prey.狮子在寻找猎物。
68 impending 3qHzdb     
a.imminent, about to come or happen
参考例句:
  • Against a background of impending famine, heavy fighting took place. 即将发生饥荒之时,严重的战乱爆发了。
  • The king convoke parliament to cope with the impending danger. 国王召开国会以应付迫近眉睫的危险。
69 draught 7uyzIH     
n.拉,牵引,拖;一网(饮,吸,阵);顿服药量,通风;v.起草,设计
参考例句:
  • He emptied his glass at one draught.他将杯中物一饮而尽。
  • It's a pity the room has no north window and you don't get a draught.可惜这房间没北窗,没有过堂风。
70 ominously Gm6znd     
adv.恶兆地,不吉利地;预示地
参考例句:
  • The wheels scooped up stones which hammered ominously under the car. 车轮搅起的石块,在车身下发出不吉祥的锤击声。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Mammy shook her head ominously. 嬷嬷不祥地摇着头。 来自飘(部分)
71 hawk NeKxY     
n.鹰,骗子;鹰派成员
参考例句:
  • The hawk swooped down on the rabbit and killed it.鹰猛地朝兔子扑下来,并把它杀死。
  • The hawk snatched the chicken and flew away.老鹰叼了小鸡就飞走了。
72 ravaged 0e2e6833d453fc0fa95986bdf06ea0e2     
毁坏( ravage的过去式和过去分词 ); 蹂躏; 劫掠; 抢劫
参考例句:
  • a country ravaged by civil war 遭受内战重创的国家
  • The whole area was ravaged by forest fires. 森林火灾使整个地区荒废了。
73 swoop nHPzI     
n.俯冲,攫取;v.抓取,突然袭击
参考例句:
  • The plane made a swoop over the city.那架飞机突然向这座城市猛降下来。
  • We decided to swoop down upon the enemy there.我们决定突袭驻在那里的敌人。
74 talons 322566a2ccb8410b21604b31bc6569ac     
n.(尤指猛禽的)爪( talon的名词复数 );(如爪般的)手指;爪状物;锁簧尖状突出部
参考例句:
  • The fingers were curved like talons, but they closed on empty air. 他的指头弯得像鹰爪一样,可是抓了个空。 来自英汉文学 - 热爱生命
  • The tiger has a pair of talons. 老虎有一对利爪。 来自辞典例句
75 prick QQyxb     
v.刺伤,刺痛,刺孔;n.刺伤,刺痛
参考例句:
  • He felt a sharp prick when he stepped on an upturned nail.当他踩在一个尖朝上的钉子上时,他感到剧烈的疼痛。
  • He burst the balloon with a prick of the pin.他用针一戳,气球就爆了。
76 sneaking iibzMu     
a.秘密的,不公开的
参考例句:
  • She had always had a sneaking affection for him. 以前她一直暗暗倾心于他。
  • She ducked the interviewers by sneaking out the back door. 她从后门偷偷溜走,躲开采访者。
77 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》
78 suffocation b834eadeaf680f6ffcb13068245a1fed     
n.窒息
参考例句:
  • The greatest dangers of pyroclastic avalanches are probably heat and suffocation. 火成碎屑崩落的最大危害可能是炽热和窒息作用。 来自辞典例句
  • The room was hot to suffocation. 房间热得闷人。 来自辞典例句
79 pang OKixL     
n.剧痛,悲痛,苦闷
参考例句:
  • She experienced a sharp pang of disappointment.她经历了失望的巨大痛苦。
  • She was beginning to know the pang of disappointed love.她开始尝到了失恋的痛苦。
80 possessed xuyyQ     
adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的
参考例句:
  • He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。
  • He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。
81 catastrophe WXHzr     
n.大灾难,大祸
参考例句:
  • I owe it to you that I survived the catastrophe.亏得你我才大难不死。
  • This is a catastrophe beyond human control.这是一场人类无法控制的灾难。
82 yelps fa1c3b784a6cf1717cec9d315e1b1c86     
n.(因痛苦、气愤、兴奋等的)短而尖的叫声( yelp的名词复数 )v.发出短而尖的叫声( yelp的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • The woman emitted queer regular little snores that sounded like yelps. 她那跟怪叫差不多的鼾声一股一股地从被里冒出来。 来自汉英文学 - 家(1-26) - 家(1-26)
  • As the moments passed the yelps grew closer and louder. 一会儿,呼叫声越来越近、越来越响了。 来自互联网
83 eddy 6kxzZ     
n.漩涡,涡流
参考例句:
  • The motor car disappeared in eddy of dust.汽车在一片扬尘的涡流中不见了。
  • In Taylor's picture,the eddy is the basic element of turbulence.在泰勒的描述里,旋涡是湍流的基本要素。
84 gravel s6hyT     
n.砂跞;砂砾层;结石
参考例句:
  • We bought six bags of gravel for the garden path.我们购买了六袋碎石用来铺花园的小路。
  • More gravel is needed to fill the hollow in the drive.需要更多的砾石来填平车道上的坑洼。
85 frantically ui9xL     
ad.发狂地, 发疯地
参考例句:
  • He dashed frantically across the road. 他疯狂地跑过马路。
  • She bid frantically for the old chair. 她发狂地喊出高价要买那把古老的椅子。
86 abiding uzMzxC     
adj.永久的,持久的,不变的
参考例句:
  • He had an abiding love of the English countryside.他永远热爱英国的乡村。
  • He has a genuine and abiding love of the craft.他对这门手艺有着真挚持久的热爱。
87 scrambled 2e4a1c533c25a82f8e80e696225a73f2     
v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 );攀登;争夺;(军事飞机)紧急起飞
参考例句:
  • Each scrambled for the football at the football ground. 足球场上你争我夺。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • He scrambled awkwardly to his feet. 他笨拙地爬起身来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
88 thicket So0wm     
n.灌木丛,树林
参考例句:
  • A thicket makes good cover for animals to hide in.丛林是动物的良好隐蔽处。
  • We were now at the margin of the thicket.我们现在已经来到了丛林的边缘。
89 killers c1a8ff788475e2c3424ec8d3f91dd856     
凶手( killer的名词复数 ); 消灭…者; 致命物; 极难的事
参考例句:
  • He remained steadfast in his determination to bring the killers to justice. 他要将杀人凶手绳之以法的决心一直没有动摇。
  • They were professional killers who did in John. 杀死约翰的这些人是职业杀手。
90 erect 4iLzm     
n./v.树立,建立,使竖立;adj.直立的,垂直的
参考例句:
  • She held her head erect and her back straight.她昂着头,把背挺得笔直。
  • Soldiers are trained to stand erect.士兵们训练站得笔直。
91 bristling tSqyl     
a.竖立的
参考例句:
  • "Don't you question Miz Wilkes' word,'said Archie, his beard bristling. "威尔克斯太太的话,你就不必怀疑了。 "阿尔奇说。他的胡子也翘了起来。
  • You were bristling just now. 你刚才在发毛。
92 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。
93 flirted 49ccefe40dd4c201ecb595cadfecc3a3     
v.调情,打情骂俏( flirt的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • She flirted her fan. 她急速挥动着扇子。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • During his four months in Egypt he flirted with religious emotions. 在埃及逗留的这四个月期间,他又玩弄起宗教情绪来了。 来自辞典例句
94 caressed de08c4fb4b79b775b2f897e6e8db9aad     
爱抚或抚摸…( caress的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • His fingers caressed the back of her neck. 他的手指抚摩着她的后颈。
  • He caressed his wife lovingly. 他怜爱万分地抚摸着妻子。


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