The long and narrow peninsula of Malacca, extending south-eastward from the territories of Birmah, forms the most southerly point of all Asia. In a continuous line from that peninsula stretch the long islands of Sumatra, Java, Bally, and Timor; which, with many others, form a vast mole1, or rampart, lengthwise connecting Asia with Australia, and dividing the long unbroken Indian ocean from the thickly studded oriental archipelagoes. This rampart is pierced by several sally-ports for the convenience of ships and whales; conspicuous2 among which are the straits of Sunda and Malacca. By the straits of Sunda, chiefly, vessels3 bound to China from the west, emerge into the China seas.
Those narrow straits of Sunda divide Sumatra from Java; and standing4 midway in that vast rampart of islands, buttressed5 by that bold green promontory6, known to seamen7 as Java Head; they not a little correspond to the central gateway8 opening into some vast walled empire: and considering the inexhaustible wealth of spices, and silks, and jewels, and gold, and ivory, with which the thousand islands of that oriental sea are enriched, it seems a significant provision of nature, that such treasures, by the very formation of the land, should at least bear the appearance, however ineffectual, of being guarded from the all-grasping western world. The shores of the Straits of Sunda are unsupplied with those domineering fortresses9 which guard the entrances to the Mediterranean10, the Baltic, and the Propontis. Unlike the Danes, these Orientals do not demand the obsequious11 homage12 of lowered top-sails from the endless procession of ships before the wind, which for centuries past, by night and by day, have passed between the islands of Sumatra and Java, freighted with the costliest14 cargoes15 of the east. But while they freely waive17 a ceremonial like this, they do by no means renounce18 their claim to more solid tribute.
Time out of mind the piratical proas of the Malays, lurking19 among the low shaded coves20 and islets of Sumatra, have sallied out upon the vessels sailing through the straits, fiercely demanding tribute at the point of their spears. Though by the repeated bloody21 chastisements they have received at the hands of European cruisers, the audacity22 of these corsairs has of late been somewhat repressed; yet, even at the present day, we occasionally hear of English and American vessels, which, in those waters, have been remorselessly boarded and pillaged23.
With a fair, fresh wind, the Pequod was now drawing nigh to these straits; Ahab purposing to pass through them into the Java sea, and thence, cruising northwards, over waters known to be frequented here and there by the Sperm24 Whale, sweep inshore by the Philippine Islands, and gain the far coast of Japan, in time for the great whaling season there. By these means, the circumnavigating Pequod would sweep almost all the known Sperm Whale cruising grounds of the world, previous to descending25 upon the Line in the Pacific; where Ahab, though everywhere else foiled in his pursuit, firmly counted upon giving battle to Moby Dick, in the sea he was most known to frequent; and at a season when he might most reasonably be presumed to be haunting it.
But how now? in this zoned26 quest, does Ahab touch no land? does his crew drink air? Surely, he will stop for water. Nay27. For a long time, now, the circus-running sun has raced within his fiery28 ring, and needs no sustenance29 but what's in himself. So Ahab. Mark this, too, in the whaler. While other hulls30 are loaded down with alien stuff, to be transferred to foreign wharves31; the world-wandering whale-ship carries no cargo16 but herself and crew, their weapons and their wants. She has a whole lake's contents bottled in her ample hold. She is ballasted with utilities; not altogether with unusable pig-lead and kentledge. She carries years' water in her. Clear old prime Nantucket water; which, when three years afloat, the Nantucketer, in the Pacific, prefers to drink before the brackish33 fluid, but yesterday rafted off in casks, from the Peruvian or Indian streams. Hence it is, that, while other ships may have gone to China from New York, and back again, touching34 at a score of ports, the whale-ship, in all that interval35, may not have sighted one grain of soil; her crew having seen no man but floating seamen like themselves. So that did you carry them the news that another flood had come; they would only answer--"Well, boys, here's the ark!"
Now, as many Sperm Whales had been captured off the western coast of Java, in the near vicinity of the Straits of Sunda; indeed, as most of the ground, roundabout, was generally recognised by the fishermen as an excellent spot for cruising; therefore, as the Pequod gained more and more upon Java Head, the look-outs were repeatedly hailed, and admonished36 to keep wide awake. But though the green palmy cliffs of the land soon loomed37 on the starboard bow, and with delighted nostrils38 the fresh cinnamon was snuffed in the air, yet not a single jet was descried39. Almost renouncing40 all thought of falling in with any game hereabouts, the ship had well nigh entered the straits, when the customary cheering cry was heard from aloft, and ere long a spectacle of singular magnificence saluted42 us.
But here be it premised, that owing to the unwearied activity with which of late they have been hunted over all four oceans, the Sperm Whales, instead of almost invariably sailing in small detached companies, as in former times, are now frequently met with in extensive herds43, sometimes embracing so great a multitude, that it would almost seem as if numerous nations of them had sworn solemn league and covenant45 for mutual46 assistance and protection. To this aggregation47 of the Sperm Whale into such immense caravans48, may be imputed50 the circumstance that even in the best cruising grounds, you may now sometimes sail for weeks and months together, without being greeted by a single spout51; and then be suddenly saluted by what sometimes seems thousands on thousands.
Broad on both bows, at the distance of some two or three miles, and forming a great semicircle, embracing one half of the level horizon, a continuous chain of whale-jets were up-playing and sparkling in the noon-day air. Unlike the straight perpendicular52 twin-jets of the Right Whale, which, dividing at top, falls over in two branches, like the cleft53 drooping54 boughs55 of a willow56, the single forward-slanting spout of the Sperm Whale presents a thick curled bush of white mist, continually rising and falling away to leeward57.
Seen from the Pequod's deck, then, as she would rise on a high hill of the sea, this host of vapory spouts58, individually curling up into the air, and beheld59 through a blending atmosphere of bluish haze60, showed like the thousand cheerful chimneys of some dense61 metropolis62, descried of a balmy autumnal morning, by some horseman on a height.
As marching armies approaching an unfriendly defile63 in the mountains, accelerate their march, all eagerness to place that perilous64 passage in their rear, and once more expand in comparative security upon the plain; even so did this vast fleet of whales now seem hurrying forward through the straits; gradually contracting the wings of their semicircle, and swimming on, in one solid, but still crescentic centre.
Crowding all sail the Pequod pressed after them; the harpooneers handling their weapons, and loudly cheering from the heads of their yet suspended boats. If the wind only held, little doubt had they, that chased through these Straits of Sunda, the vast host would only deploy66 into the Oriental seas to witness the capture of not a few of their number. And who could tell whether, in that congregated67 caravan49, Moby Dick himself might not temporarily be swimming, like the worshipped white-elephant in the coronation procession of the Siamese! So with stun-sail piled on stun-sail, we sailed along, driving these leviathans before us; when, of a sudden, the voice of Tashtego was heard, loudly directing attention to something in our wake.
Corresponding to the crescent in our van, we beheld another in our rear. It seemed formed of detached white vapors68, rising and falling something like the spouts of the whales; only they did not so completely come and go; for they constantly hovered69, without finally disappearing. Levelling his glass at this sight, Ahab quickly revolved71 in his pivot-hole, crying, "Aloft there, and rig whips and buckets to wet the sails;--Malays, sir, and after us!"
As if too long lurking behind the headlands, till the Pequod should fairly have entered the straits, these rascally72 Asiatics were now in hot pursuit, to make up for their over-cautious delay. But when the swift Pequod, with a fresh leading wind, was herself in hot chase; how very kind of these tawny73 philanthropists to assist in speeding her on to her own chosen pursuit,-- mere74 riding-whips and rowels to her, that they were. As with glass under arm, Ahab to-and-fro paced the deck; in his forward turn beholding75 the monsters he chased, and in the after one the bloodthirsty pirates chasing him; some such fancy as the above seemed his. And when he glanced upon the green walls of the watery76 defile in which the ship was then sailing, and bethought him that through that gate lay the route to his vengeance78, and beheld, how that through that same gate he was now both chasing and being chased to his deadly end; and not only that, but a herd44 of remorseless wild pirates and inhuman79 atheistical80 devils were infernally cheering him on with their curses;--when all these conceits81 had passed through his brain, Ahab's brow was left gaunt and ribbed, like the black sand beach after some stormy tide has been gnawing82 it, without being able to drag the firm thing from its place.
But thoughts like these troubled very few of the reckless crew; and when, after steadily83 dropping and dropping the pirates astern, the Pequod at last shot by the vivid green Cockatoo Point on the Sumatra side, emerging at last upon the broad waters beyond; then, the harpooneers seemed more to grieve that the swift whales had been gaining upon the ship, than to rejoice that the ship had so victoriously84 gained upon the Malays. But still driving on in the wake of the whales, at length they seemed abating85 their speed; gradually the ship neared them; and the wind now dying away, word was passed to spring to the boats. But no sooner did the herd, by some presumed wonderful instinct of the Sperm Whale, become notified of the three keels that were after them,-- though as yet a mile in their rear,--than they rallied again, and forming in close ranks and battalions86, so that their spouts all looked like flashing lines of stacked bayonets, moved on with redoubled velocity87.
Stripped to our shirts and drawers, we sprang to the white-ash, and after several hours' pulling were almost disposed to renounce the chase, when a general pausing commotion88 among the whales gave animating89 tokens that they were now at last under the influence of that strange perplexity of inert90 irresolution91, which, when the fishermen perceive it in the whale, they say he is gallied*. The compact martial92 columns in which they had been hitherto rapidly and steadily swimming, were now broken up in one measureless rout77; and like King Porus' elephants in the Indian battle with Alexander, they seemed going mad with consternation93. In all directions expanding in vast irregular circles, and aimlessly swimming hither and thither94, by their short thick spoutings, they plainly betrayed their distraction95 of panic. This was still more strangely evinced by those of their number, who, completely paralysed as it were, helplessly floated like water-logged dismantled96 ships on the sea. Had these Leviathans been but a flock of simple sheep, pursued over the pasture by three fierce wolves, they could not possibly have evinced such excessive dismay. But this occasional timidity is characteristic of almost all herding97 creatures. Though banding together in tens of thousands, the lion-maned buffaloes98 of the West have fled before a solitary99 horseman. Witness, too, all human beings, how when herded100 together in the sheepfold of a theatre's pit, they will, at the slightest alarm of fire, rush helter-skelter for the outlets101, crowding, trampling103, jamming, and remorselessly dashing each other to death. Best, therefore, withhold104 any amazement105 at the strangely gallied whales before us, for there is no folly106 of the beasts of the earth which is not infinitely107 outdone by the madness of men.
* To gally, or gallow, is to frighten excessively-- to confound with fright. It is an old Saxon word. It occurs once in Shakespeare:--
The wrathful skies Gallow the very wanderers of the dark And make them keep their caves.
To common language, the word is now completely obsolete108. When the polite landsman first hears it from the gaunt Nantucketer, he is apt to set it down as one of the whaleman's self-derived savageries. Much the same is it with many other sinewy109 Saxonisms of this sort, which emigrated to New-England rocks with the noble brawn110 of the old English emigrants111 in the time of the Commonwealth112. Thus, some of the best and furthest-descended English words--the etymological113 Howards and Percys--are now democratised, nay, plebeianised--so to speak-- in the New World.
Though many of the whales, as has been said, were in violent motion, yet it is to be observed that as a whole the herd neither advanced nor retreated, but collectively remained in one place. As is customary in those cases, the boats at once separated, each making for some one lone114 whale on the outskirts115 of the shoal. In about three minutes' time, Queequeg's harpoon65 was flung; the stricken fish darted117 blinding spray in our faces, and then running away with us like light, steered119 straight for the heart of the herd. Though such a movement on the part of the whale struck under such circumstances, is in no wise unprecedented120; and indeed is almost always more or less anticipated; yet does it present one of the more perilous vicissitudes121 of the fishery. For as the swift monster drags you deeper and deeper into the frantic122 shoal, you bid adieu to circumspect123 life and only exist in a delirious124 throb125.
As, blind and deaf, the whale plunged126 forward, as if by sheer power of speed to rid himself of the iron leech127 that had fastened to him; as we thus tore a white gash128 in the sea, on all sides menaced as we flew, by the crazed creatures to and fro rushing about us; our beset129 boat was like a ship mobbed by ice-isles in a tempest, and striving to steer118 through their complicated channels and straits, knowing not at what moment it may be locked in and crushed.
But not a bit daunted130, Queequeg steered us manfully; now sheering off from this monster directly across our route in advance; now edging away from that, whose colossal131 flukes were suspended overhead, while all the time, Starbuck stood up in the bows, lance in hand, pricking132 out of our way whatever whales he could reach by short darts134, for there was no time to make long ones. Nor were the oarsmen quite idle, though their wonted duty was now altogether dispensed136 with. They chiefly attended to the shouting part of the business. "Out of the way, Commodore!" cried one, to a great dromedary that of a sudden rose bodily to the surface, and for an instant threatened to swamp us. "Hard down with your tail, there!" cried a second to another, which, close to our gunwale, seemed calmly cooling himself with his own fan-like extremity137.
All whale-boats carry certain curious contrivances, originally invented by the Nantucket Indians, called druggs. Two thick squares of wood of equal size are stoutly138 clenched139 together, so that they cross each other's grain at right angles; a line of considerable length is then attached to the middle of this block, and the other end of the line being looped, it can in a moment be fastened to a harpoon. It is chiefly among gallied whales that this drugg is used. For then, more whales are close round you than you can possibly chase at one time. But sperm whales are not every day encountered; while you may, then, you must kill all you can. And if you cannot kill them all at once, you must wing them, so that they can be afterwards killed at your leisure. Hence it is, that at times like these the drug, comes into requisition. Our boat was furnished with three of them. The first and second were successfully darted, and we saw the whales staggeringly running off, fettered140 by the enormous sidelong resistance of the towing drugg. They were cramped141 like malefactors with the chain and ball. But upon flinging the third, in the act of tossing overboard the clumsy wooden block, it caught under one of the seats of the boat, and in an instant tore it out and carried it away, dropping the oarsman in the boat's bottom as the seat slid from under him. On both sides the sea came in at the wounded planks142, but we stuffed two or three drawers and shirts in, and so stopped the leaks for the time.
It had been next to impossible to dart116 these drugged-harpoons, were it not that as we advanced into the herd, our whale's way greatly diminished; moreover, that as we went still further and further from the circumference143 of commotion, the direful disorders144 seemed waning145. So that when at last the jerking harpoon drew out, and the towing whale sideways vanished; then, with the tapering146 force of his parting momentum147, we glided148 between two whales into the innermost heart of the shoal, as if from some mountain torrent149 we had slid into a serene150 valley lake. Here the storms in the roaring glens between the outermost151 whales, were heard but not felt. In this central expanse the sea presented that smooth satin-like surface, called a sleek152, produced by the subtle moisture thrown off by the whale in his more quiet moods. Yes, we were now in that enchanted153 calm which they say lurks154 at the heart of every commotion. And still in the distracted distance we beheld the tumults155 of the outer concentric circles, and saw successive pods of whales, eight or ten in each, swiftly going round and round, like multiplied spans of horses in a ring; and so closely shoulder to shoulder, that a Titanic156 circus-rider might easily have over-arched the middle ones, and so have gone round on their backs. Owing to the density157 of the crowd of reposing158 whales, more immediately surrounding the embayed axis159 of the herd, no possible chance of escape was at present afforded us. We must watch for a breach160 in the living wall that hemmed161 us in; the wall that had only admitted us in order to shut us up. Keeping at the centre of the lake, we were occasionally visited by small tame cows and calves162; the women and children of this routed host.
Now, inclusive of the occasional wide intervals163 between the revolving164 outer circles, and inclusive of the spaces between the various pods in any one of those circles, the entire area at this juncture165, embraced by the whole multitude, must have contained at least two or three square miles. At any rate--though indeed such a test at such a time might be deceptive--spoutings might be discovered from our low boat that seemed playing up almost from the rim32 of the horizon. I mention this circumstance, because, as if the cows and calves had been purposely locked up in this innermost fold; and as if the wide extent of the herd had hitherto prevented them from learning the precise cause of its stopping; or, possibly, being so young, unsophisticated, and every way innocent and inexperienced; however it may have been, these smaller whales-- now and then visiting our becalmed boat from the margin166 of the lake-- evinced a wondrous167 fearlessness and confidence, or else a still becharmed panic which it was impossible not to marvel168 at. Like household dogs they came snuffling round us, right up to our gunwales, and touching them; till it almost seemed that some spell had suddenly domesticated169 them. Queequeg patted their foreheads; Starbuck scratched their backs with his lance; but fearful of the consequences, for the time refrained from darting170 it.
But far beneath this wondrous world upon the surface, another and still stranger world met our eyes as we gazed over the side. For, suspended in those watery vaults171, floated the forms of the nursing mothers of the whales, and those that by their enormous girth seemed shortly to become mothers. The lake, as I have hinted, was to a considerable depth exceedingly transparent172; and as human infants while suckling will calmly and fixedly173 gaze away from the breast, as if leading two different lives at the time; and while yet drawing mortal nourishment174, be still spiritually feasting upon some unearthly reminiscence;--even so did the young of these whales seem looking up towards us, but not at us, as if we were but a bit of Gulfweed in their new-born sight. Floating on their sides, the mothers also seemed quietly eyeing us. One of these little infants, that from certain queer tokens seemed hardly a day old, might have measured some fourteen feet in length, and some six feet in girth. He was a little frisky175; though as yet his body seemed scarce yet recovered from that irksome position it had so lately occupied in the maternal176 reticule; where, tail to head, and all ready for the final spring, the unborn whale lies bent177 like a Tartar's bow. The delicate side-fins, and the palms of his flukes, still freshly retained the plaited crumpled178 appearance of a baby's ears newly arrived from foreign parts.
"Line! line!" cried Queequeg, looking over the gunwale; "him fast! him fast!--Who line him! Who struck?--Two whale; one big, one little!"
"What ails13 ye, man?" cried Starbuck.
"Look-e here," said Queequeg, pointing down.
As when the stricken whale, that from the tub has reeled out hundreds of fathoms179 of rope; as, after deep sounding, he floats up again, and shows the slackened curling line buoyantly rising and spiralling towards the air; so now, Starbuck saw long coils of the umbilical cord of Madame Leviathan, by which the young cub180 seemed still tethered to its dam. Not seldom in the rapid vicissitudes of the chase, this natural line, with the maternal end loose, becomes entangled181 with the hempen182 one, so that the cub is thereby183 trapped. Some of the subtlest secrets of the seas seemed divulged184 to us in this enchanted pond. We saw young Leviathan amours in the deep.*
*The sperm whale, as with all other species of the Leviathan, but unlike most other fish, breeds indifferently at all seasons; after a gestation185 which may probably be set down at nine months, producing but one at a time; though in some few known instances giving birth to an Esau and Jacob:--a contingency186 provided for in suckling by two teats, curiously187 situated188, one on each side of the anus; but the breasts themselves extend upwards189 from that. When by chance these precious parts in a nursing whale are cut by the hunter's lance, the mother's pouring milk and blood rivallingly discolor the sea for rods. The milk is very sweet and rich; it has been tasted by man; it might do well with strawberries. When overflowing190 with mutual esteem191, the whales salute41 more hominum.
And thus, though surrounded by circle upon circle of consternations and affrights, did these inscrutable creatures at the centre freely and fearlessly indulge in all peaceful concernments; yea, serenely192 revelled193 in dalliance and delight. But even so, amid the tornadoed Atlantic of my being, do I myself still for ever centrally disport194 in mute calm; and while ponderous195 planets of unwaning woe196 revolve70 round me, deep down and deep inland there I still bathe me in eternal mildness of joy.
Meanwhile, as we thus lay entranced, the occasional sudden frantic spectacles in the distance evinced the activity of the other boats, still engaged in drugging the whales on the frontier of the host; or possibly carrying on the war within the first circle, where abundance of room and some convenient retreats were afforded them. But the sight of the enraged197 drugged whales now and then blindly darting to and fro across the circles, was nothing to what at last met our eyes. It is sometimes the custom when fast to a whale more than commonly powerful and alert, to seek to hamstring him, as it were, by sundering198 or maiming his gigantic tail-tendon. It is done by darting a short-handled cutting-spade, to which is attached a rope for hauling it back again. A whale wounded (as we afterwards learned) in this part, but not effectually, as it seemed, had broken away from the boat, carrying along with him half of the harpoon line; and in the extraordinary agony of the wound, he was now dashing among the revolving circles like the lone mounted desperado Arnold, at the battle of Saratoga, carrying dismay wherever he went.
But agonizing199 as was the wound of this whale, and an appalling200 spectacle enough, any way; yet the peculiar201 horror with which he seemed to inspire the rest of the herd, was owing to a cause which at first the intervening distance obscured from us. But at length we perceived that by one of the unimaginable accidents of the fishery, this whale had become entangled in the harpoon-line that he towed; he had also run away with the cutting-spade in him; and while the free end of the rope attached to that weapon, had permanently202 caught in the coils of the harpoon-line round his tail, the cutting-spade itself had worked loose from his flesh. So that tormented203 to madness, he was now churning through the water, violently flailing204 with his flexible tail, and tossing the keen spade about him, wounding and murdering his own comrades.
This terrific object seemed to recall the whole herd from their stationary205 fright. First, the whales forming the margin of our lake began to crowd a little, and tumble against each other, as if lifted by half spent billows from afar; then the lake itself began faintly to heave and swell206; the submarine bridal-chambers and nurseries vanished; in more and more contracting orbits the whales in the more central circles began to swim in thickening clusters. Yes, the long calm was departing. A low advancing hum was soon heard; and then like to the tumultuous masses of block-ice when the great river Hudson breaks up in Spring, the entire host of whales came tumbling upon their inner centre, as if to pile themselves up in one common mountain. Instantly Starbuck and Queequeg changed places; Starbuck taking the stern.
"Oars135! Oars!" he intensely whispered, seizing the helm--"gripe your oars, and clutch your souls, now! My God, men, stand by! Shove him off, you Queequeg--the whale there!--prick133 him!--hit him! Stand up--stand up, and stay so! Spring men--pull, men; never mind their backs--scrape them!--scrape away!"
The boat was now all but jammed between two vast black bulks, leaving a narrow Dardanelles between their long lengths. But by desperate endeavor we at last shot into a temporary opening; then giving way rapidly, and at the same time earnestly watching for another outlet102. After many similar hair-breadth escapes, we at last swiftly glided into what had just been one of the outer circles, but now crossed by random207 whales, all violently making for one centre. This lucky salvation208 was cheaply purchased by the loss of Queequeg's hat, who, while standing in the bows to prick the fugitive209 whales, had his hat taken clean from his head by the air-eddy made by the sudden tossing of a pair of broad flukes close by.
Riotous210 and disordered as the universal commotion now was, it soon resolved itself into what seemed a systematic211 movement; for having clumped212 together at last in one dense body, they then renewed their onward213 flight with augmented214 fleetness. Further pursuit was useless; but the boats still lingered in their wake to pick up what drugged whales might be dropped astern, and likewise to secure one which Flask215 had killed and waited. The waif is a pennoned pole, two or three of which are carried by every boat; and which, when additional game is at hand, are inserted upright into the floating body of a dead whale, both to mark its place on the sea, and also as token of prior possession, should the boats of any other ship draw near.
The result of this lowering was somewhat illustrative of that sagacious saying in the Fishery,--the more whales the less fish. Of all the drugged whales only one was captured. The rest contrived216 to escape for the time, but only to be taken, as will hereafter be seen, by some other craft than the Pequod.
1 mole | |
n.胎块;痣;克分子 | |
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2 conspicuous | |
adj.明眼的,惹人注目的;炫耀的,摆阔气的 | |
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n.血管( vessel的名词复数 );船;容器;(具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的)人 | |
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4 standing | |
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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5 buttressed | |
v.用扶壁支撑,加固( buttress的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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6 promontory | |
n.海角;岬 | |
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7 seamen | |
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8 gateway | |
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9 fortresses | |
堡垒,要塞( fortress的名词复数 ) | |
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10 Mediterranean | |
adj.地中海的;地中海沿岸的 | |
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11 obsequious | |
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12 homage | |
n.尊敬,敬意,崇敬 | |
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13 ails | |
v.生病( ail的第三人称单数 );感到不舒服;处境困难;境况不佳 | |
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14 costliest | |
adj.昂贵的( costly的最高级 );代价高的;引起困难的;造成损失的 | |
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15 cargoes | |
n.(船或飞机装载的)货物( cargo的名词复数 );大量,重负 | |
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16 cargo | |
n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
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17 waive | |
vt.放弃,不坚持(规定、要求、权力等) | |
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18 renounce | |
v.放弃;拒绝承认,宣布与…断绝关系 | |
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19 lurking | |
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20 coves | |
n.小海湾( cove的名词复数 );家伙 | |
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21 bloody | |
adj.非常的的;流血的;残忍的;adv.很;vt.血染 | |
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22 audacity | |
n.大胆,卤莽,无礼 | |
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23 pillaged | |
v.抢劫,掠夺( pillage的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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24 sperm | |
n.精子,精液 | |
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25 descending | |
n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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26 zoned | |
adj.划成区域的,束带的v.(飞机、汽车等)急速移动( zoom的现在分词 );(价格、费用等)急升,猛涨 | |
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27 nay | |
adv.不;n.反对票,投反对票者 | |
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28 fiery | |
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29 sustenance | |
n.食物,粮食;生活资料;生计 | |
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30 hulls | |
船体( hull的名词复数 ); 船身; 外壳; 豆荚 | |
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31 wharves | |
n.码头,停泊处( wharf的名词复数 ) | |
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32 rim | |
n.(圆物的)边,轮缘;边界 | |
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33 brackish | |
adj.混有盐的;咸的 | |
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34 touching | |
adj.动人的,使人感伤的 | |
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35 interval | |
n.间隔,间距;幕间休息,中场休息 | |
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36 admonished | |
v.劝告( admonish的过去式和过去分词 );训诫;(温和地)责备;轻责 | |
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37 loomed | |
v.隐约出现,阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 );隐约出现,阴森地逼近 | |
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38 nostrils | |
鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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39 descried | |
adj.被注意到的,被发现的,被看到的 | |
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40 renouncing | |
v.声明放弃( renounce的现在分词 );宣布放弃;宣布与…决裂;宣布摒弃 | |
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41 salute | |
vi.行礼,致意,问候,放礼炮;vt.向…致意,迎接,赞扬;n.招呼,敬礼,礼炮 | |
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42 saluted | |
v.欢迎,致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 );赞扬,赞颂 | |
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43 herds | |
兽群( herd的名词复数 ); 牧群; 人群; 群众 | |
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44 herd | |
n.兽群,牧群;vt.使集中,把…赶在一起 | |
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45 covenant | |
n.盟约,契约;v.订盟约 | |
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46 mutual | |
adj.相互的,彼此的;共同的,共有的 | |
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47 aggregation | |
n.聚合,组合;凝聚 | |
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48 caravans | |
(可供居住的)拖车(通常由机动车拖行)( caravan的名词复数 ); 篷车; (穿过沙漠地带的)旅行队(如商队) | |
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49 caravan | |
n.大蓬车;活动房屋 | |
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50 imputed | |
v.把(错误等)归咎于( impute的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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51 spout | |
v.喷出,涌出;滔滔不绝地讲;n.喷管;水柱 | |
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52 perpendicular | |
adj.垂直的,直立的;n.垂直线,垂直的位置 | |
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53 cleft | |
n.裂缝;adj.裂开的 | |
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54 drooping | |
adj. 下垂的,无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
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55 boughs | |
大树枝( bough的名词复数 ) | |
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56 willow | |
n.柳树 | |
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57 leeward | |
adj.背风的;下风的 | |
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58 spouts | |
n.管口( spout的名词复数 );(喷出的)水柱;(容器的)嘴;在困难中v.(指液体)喷出( spout的第三人称单数 );滔滔不绝地讲;喋喋不休地说;喷水 | |
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59 beheld | |
v.看,注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 );瞧;看呀;(叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现)哎哟 | |
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60 haze | |
n.霾,烟雾;懵懂,迷糊;vi.(over)变模糊 | |
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61 dense | |
a.密集的,稠密的,浓密的;密度大的 | |
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62 metropolis | |
n.首府;大城市 | |
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63 defile | |
v.弄污,弄脏;n.(山间)小道 | |
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64 perilous | |
adj.危险的,冒险的 | |
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65 harpoon | |
n.鱼叉;vt.用鱼叉叉,用鱼叉捕获 | |
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66 deploy | |
v.(军)散开成战斗队形,布置,展开 | |
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67 congregated | |
(使)集合,聚集( congregate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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68 vapors | |
n.水汽,水蒸气,无实质之物( vapor的名词复数 );自夸者;幻想 [药]吸入剂 [古]忧郁(症)v.自夸,(使)蒸发( vapor的第三人称单数 ) | |
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69 hovered | |
鸟( hover的过去式和过去分词 ); 靠近(某事物); (人)徘徊; 犹豫 | |
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70 revolve | |
vi.(使)旋转;循环出现 | |
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71 revolved | |
v.(使)旋转( revolve的过去式和过去分词 );细想 | |
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72 rascally | |
adj. 无赖的,恶棍的 adv. 无赖地,卑鄙地 | |
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73 tawny | |
adj.茶色的,黄褐色的;n.黄褐色 | |
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74 mere | |
adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 | |
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75 beholding | |
v.看,注视( behold的现在分词 );瞧;看呀;(叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现)哎哟 | |
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76 watery | |
adj.有水的,水汪汪的;湿的,湿润的 | |
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77 rout | |
n.溃退,溃败;v.击溃,打垮 | |
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78 vengeance | |
n.报复,报仇,复仇 | |
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79 inhuman | |
adj.残忍的,不人道的,无人性的 | |
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80 atheistical | |
adj.无神论(者)的 | |
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81 conceits | |
高傲( conceit的名词复数 ); 自以为; 巧妙的词语; 别出心裁的比喻 | |
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82 gnawing | |
a.痛苦的,折磨人的 | |
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83 steadily | |
adv.稳定地;不变地;持续地 | |
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84 victoriously | |
adv.获胜地,胜利地 | |
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85 abating | |
减少( abate的现在分词 ); 减去; 降价; 撤消(诉讼) | |
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86 battalions | |
n.(陆军的)一营(大约有一千兵士)( battalion的名词复数 );协同作战的部队;军队;(组织在一起工作的)队伍 | |
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87 velocity | |
n.速度,速率 | |
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88 commotion | |
n.骚动,动乱 | |
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89 animating | |
v.使有生气( animate的现在分词 );驱动;使栩栩如生地动作;赋予…以生命 | |
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90 inert | |
adj.无活动能力的,惰性的;迟钝的 | |
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91 irresolution | |
n.不决断,优柔寡断,犹豫不定 | |
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92 martial | |
adj.战争的,军事的,尚武的,威武的 | |
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93 consternation | |
n.大为吃惊,惊骇 | |
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94 thither | |
adv.向那里;adj.在那边的,对岸的 | |
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95 distraction | |
n.精神涣散,精神不集中,消遣,娱乐 | |
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96 dismantled | |
拆开( dismantle的过去式和过去分词 ); 拆卸; 废除; 取消 | |
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97 herding | |
中畜群 | |
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98 buffaloes | |
n.水牛(分非洲水牛和亚洲水牛两种)( buffalo的名词复数 );(南非或北美的)野牛;威胁;恐吓 | |
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99 solitary | |
adj.孤独的,独立的,荒凉的;n.隐士 | |
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100 herded | |
群集,纠结( herd的过去式和过去分词 ); 放牧; (使)向…移动 | |
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101 outlets | |
n.出口( outlet的名词复数 );经销店;插座;廉价经销店 | |
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102 outlet | |
n.出口/路;销路;批发商店;通风口;发泄 | |
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103 trampling | |
踩( trample的现在分词 ); 践踏; 无视; 侵犯 | |
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104 withhold | |
v.拒绝,不给;使停止,阻挡 | |
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105 amazement | |
n.惊奇,惊讶 | |
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106 folly | |
n.愚笨,愚蠢,蠢事,蠢行,傻话 | |
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107 infinitely | |
adv.无限地,无穷地 | |
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108 obsolete | |
adj.已废弃的,过时的 | |
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109 sinewy | |
adj.多腱的,强壮有力的 | |
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110 brawn | |
n.体力 | |
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111 emigrants | |
n.(从本国移往他国的)移民( emigrant的名词复数 ) | |
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112 commonwealth | |
n.共和国,联邦,共同体 | |
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113 etymological | |
adj.语源的,根据语源学的 | |
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114 lone | |
adj.孤寂的,单独的;唯一的 | |
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115 outskirts | |
n.郊外,郊区 | |
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116 dart | |
v.猛冲,投掷;n.飞镖,猛冲 | |
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117 darted | |
v.投掷,投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 );向前冲,飞奔 | |
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118 steer | |
vt.驾驶,为…操舵;引导;vi.驾驶 | |
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119 steered | |
v.驾驶( steer的过去式和过去分词 );操纵;控制;引导 | |
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120 unprecedented | |
adj.无前例的,新奇的 | |
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121 vicissitudes | |
n.变迁,世事变化;变迁兴衰( vicissitude的名词复数 );盛衰兴废 | |
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122 frantic | |
adj.狂乱的,错乱的,激昂的 | |
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123 circumspect | |
adj.慎重的,谨慎的 | |
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124 delirious | |
adj.不省人事的,神智昏迷的 | |
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125 throb | |
v.震颤,颤动;(急速强烈地)跳动,搏动 | |
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126 plunged | |
v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 );暴跌;骤降;突降 | |
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127 leech | |
n.水蛭,吸血鬼,榨取他人利益的人;vt.以水蛭吸血;vi.依附于别人 | |
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128 gash | |
v.深切,划开;n.(深长的)切(伤)口;裂缝 | |
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129 beset | |
v.镶嵌;困扰,包围 | |
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130 daunted | |
使(某人)气馁,威吓( daunt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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131 colossal | |
adj.异常的,庞大的 | |
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132 pricking | |
刺,刺痕,刺痛感 | |
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133 prick | |
v.刺伤,刺痛,刺孔;n.刺伤,刺痛 | |
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134 darts | |
n.掷飞镖游戏;飞镖( dart的名词复数 );急驰,飞奔v.投掷,投射( dart的第三人称单数 );向前冲,飞奔 | |
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135 oars | |
n.桨,橹( oar的名词复数 );划手v.划(行)( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
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136 dispensed | |
v.分配( dispense的过去式和过去分词 );施与;配(药) | |
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137 extremity | |
n.末端,尽头;尽力;终极;极度 | |
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138 stoutly | |
adv.牢固地,粗壮的 | |
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139 clenched | |
v.紧握,抓紧,咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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140 fettered | |
v.给…上脚镣,束缚( fetter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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141 cramped | |
a.狭窄的 | |
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142 planks | |
(厚)木板( plank的名词复数 ); 政纲条目,政策要点 | |
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143 circumference | |
n.圆周,周长,圆周线 | |
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144 disorders | |
n.混乱( disorder的名词复数 );凌乱;骚乱;(身心、机能)失调 | |
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145 waning | |
adj.(月亮)渐亏的,逐渐减弱或变小的n.月亏v.衰落( wane的现在分词 );(月)亏;变小;变暗淡 | |
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146 tapering | |
adj.尖端细的 | |
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147 momentum | |
n.动力,冲力,势头;动量 | |
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148 glided | |
v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 );掠过;(鸟或飞机 ) 滑翔 | |
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149 torrent | |
n.激流,洪流;爆发,(话语等的)连发 | |
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150 serene | |
adj. 安详的,宁静的,平静的 | |
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151 outermost | |
adj.最外面的,远离中心的 | |
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152 sleek | |
adj.光滑的,井然有序的;v.使光滑,梳拢 | |
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153 enchanted | |
adj. 被施魔法的,陶醉的,入迷的 动词enchant的过去式和过去分词 | |
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154 lurks | |
n.潜在,潜伏;(lurk的复数形式)vi.潜伏,埋伏(lurk的第三人称单数形式) | |
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155 tumults | |
吵闹( tumult的名词复数 ); 喧哗; 激动的吵闹声; 心烦意乱 | |
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156 titanic | |
adj.巨人的,庞大的,强大的 | |
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157 density | |
n.密集,密度,浓度 | |
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158 reposing | |
v.将(手臂等)靠在某人(某物)上( repose的现在分词 ) | |
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159 axis | |
n.轴,轴线,中心线;坐标轴,基准线 | |
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160 breach | |
n.违反,不履行;破裂;vt.冲破,攻破 | |
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161 hemmed | |
缝…的褶边( hem的过去式和过去分词 ); 包围 | |
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162 calves | |
n.(calf的复数)笨拙的男子,腓;腿肚子( calf的名词复数 );牛犊;腓;小腿肚v.生小牛( calve的第三人称单数 );(冰川)崩解;生(小牛等),产(犊);使(冰川)崩解 | |
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163 intervals | |
n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 );间隔时间;[数学]区间;(戏剧、电影或音乐会的)幕间休息 | |
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164 revolving | |
adj.旋转的,轮转式的;循环的v.(使)旋转( revolve的现在分词 );细想 | |
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165 juncture | |
n.时刻,关键时刻,紧要关头 | |
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166 margin | |
n.页边空白;差额;余地,余裕;边,边缘 | |
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167 wondrous | |
adj.令人惊奇的,奇妙的;adv.惊人地;异乎寻常地;令人惊叹地 | |
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168 marvel | |
vi.(at)惊叹vt.感到惊异;n.令人惊异的事 | |
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169 domesticated | |
adj.喜欢家庭生活的;(指动物)被驯养了的v.驯化( domesticate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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170 darting | |
v.投掷,投射( dart的现在分词 );向前冲,飞奔 | |
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171 vaults | |
n.拱顶( vault的名词复数 );地下室;撑物跳高;墓穴 | |
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172 transparent | |
adj.明显的,无疑的;透明的 | |
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173 fixedly | |
adv.固定地;不屈地,坚定不移地 | |
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174 nourishment | |
n.食物,营养品;营养情况 | |
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175 frisky | |
adj.活泼的,欢闹的;n.活泼,闹着玩;adv.活泼地,闹着玩地 | |
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176 maternal | |
adj.母亲的,母亲般的,母系的,母方的 | |
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177 bent | |
n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的 | |
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178 crumpled | |
adj. 弯扭的, 变皱的 动词crumple的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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179 fathoms | |
英寻( fathom的名词复数 ) | |
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180 cub | |
n.幼兽,年轻无经验的人 | |
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181 entangled | |
adj.卷入的;陷入的;被缠住的;缠在一起的v.使某人(某物/自己)缠绕,纠缠于(某物中),使某人(自己)陷入(困难或复杂的环境中)( entangle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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182 hempen | |
adj. 大麻制的, 大麻的 | |
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183 thereby | |
adv.因此,从而 | |
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184 divulged | |
v.吐露,泄露( divulge的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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185 gestation | |
n.怀孕;酝酿 | |
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186 contingency | |
n.意外事件,可能性 | |
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187 curiously | |
adv.有求知欲地;好问地;奇特地 | |
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188 situated | |
adj.坐落在...的,处于某种境地的 | |
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189 upwards | |
adv.向上,在更高处...以上 | |
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190 overflowing | |
n. 溢出物,溢流 adj. 充沛的,充满的 动词overflow的现在分词形式 | |
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191 esteem | |
n.尊敬,尊重;vt.尊重,敬重;把…看作 | |
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192 serenely | |
adv.安详地,宁静地,平静地 | |
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193 revelled | |
v.作乐( revel的过去式和过去分词 );狂欢;着迷;陶醉 | |
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194 disport | |
v.嬉戏,玩 | |
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195 ponderous | |
adj.沉重的,笨重的,(文章)冗长的 | |
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196 woe | |
n.悲哀,苦痛,不幸,困难;int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌 | |
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197 enraged | |
使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 ); 歜; 激愤 | |
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198 sundering | |
v.隔开,分开( sunder的现在分词 ) | |
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199 agonizing | |
adj.痛苦难忍的;使人苦恼的v.使极度痛苦;折磨(agonize的ing形式) | |
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200 appalling | |
adj.骇人听闻的,令人震惊的,可怕的 | |
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201 peculiar | |
adj.古怪的,异常的;特殊的,特有的 | |
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202 permanently | |
adv.永恒地,永久地,固定不变地 | |
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203 tormented | |
饱受折磨的 | |
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204 flailing | |
v.鞭打( flail的现在分词 );用连枷脱粒;(臂或腿)无法控制地乱动;扫雷坦克 | |
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205 stationary | |
adj.固定的,静止不动的 | |
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206 swell | |
vi.膨胀,肿胀;增长,增强 | |
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207 random | |
adj.随机的;任意的;n.偶然的(或随便的)行动 | |
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208 salvation | |
n.(尤指基督)救世,超度,拯救,解困 | |
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209 fugitive | |
adj.逃亡的,易逝的;n.逃犯,逃亡者 | |
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210 riotous | |
adj.骚乱的;狂欢的 | |
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211 systematic | |
adj.有系统的,有计划的,有方法的 | |
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212 clumped | |
adj.[医]成群的v.(树、灌木、植物等的)丛、簇( clump的过去式和过去分词 );(土、泥等)团;块;笨重的脚步声 | |
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213 onward | |
adj.向前的,前进的;adv.向前,前进,在先 | |
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214 Augmented | |
adj.增音的 动词augment的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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215 flask | |
n.瓶,火药筒,砂箱 | |
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216 contrived | |
adj.不自然的,做作的;虚构的 | |
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