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Chapter 99
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Mr. Okamoto: "Mr. Patel, we don't believe your story.""Sorry – these cookies are good but they tend to crumble1.
I'm amazed. Why not?""It doesn't hold up.""What do you mean?""Bananas don't float.""I'm sorry?""You said the orang-utan came floating on an island ofbananas.""That's right.""Bananas don't float.""Yes, they do.""They're too heavy.""No, they're not. Here, try for yourself. I have two bananasright here."Mr. Chiba: [translation] "Where did those come from?
What else does he have under his bedsheet?"Mr. Okamoto: "Damn it. [/translation] No, that's all right.""There's a sink over there.""That's fine.""I insist. Fill that sink with water, drop these bananas in,and we'll see who's right.""We'd like to move on.""I absolutely insist."[Silence]
Mr. Chiba: [translation] "What do we do?"Mr. Okamoto: "I feel this is going to be another very longday." [/translation]
[Sound of a chair being pushed back. Distant soundof water gushing2 out of a tap]
Pi Patel: "What's happening? I can't see from here."Mr. Okamoto [Distantly] : "I'm filling the sink.""Have you put the bananas in yet?"[Distantly] "No.""And now?"[Distantly] "They're in.""And?"[Silence]
Mr. Chiba: [translation] "Are they floating?"[Distantly] "They're floating." [/translation]
"So, are they floating?"[Distantly] "They're floating.""What did I tell you?"Mr. Okamoto: "Yes, yes. But it would take a lot of bananasto hold up an orang-utan.""It did. There was close to a ton. It still makes me sickwhen I think of all those bananas floating away and going towaste when they were mine for the picking.""It's a pity. Now, about – ""Could I have my bananas back, please?"Mr. Chiba: [translation] "I'll get them."[Sound of a chair being pushed back]
[Distantly] "Look at that. They really do float."[/translation]
Mr. Okamoto: "What about this algae3 island you say youcame upon?"Mr. Chiba: "Here are your bananas."Pi Patel: "Thank you. Yes?""I'm sorry to say it so bluntly, we don't mean to hurt yourfeelings, but you don't really expect us to believe you, do you?
Carnivorous trees? A fish-eating algae that produces freshwater? Tree-dwelling aquatic4 rodents5? These things don't exist.""Only because you've never seen them.""That's right. We believe what we see.""So did Columbus. What do you do when you're in thedark?""Your island is botanically impossible.""Said the fly just before landing in the Venus flytrap.""Why has no one else come upon it?""It's a big ocean crossed by busy ships. I went slowly,observing much.""No scientist would believe you.""These would be the same who dismissed Copernicus andDarwin. Have scientists finished coming upon new plants? Inthe Amazon basin, for example?""Not plants that contradict the laws of nature.""Which you know through and through?""Well enough to know the possible from the impossible."Mr. Chiba: "I have an uncle who knows a lot about botany.
He lives in the country near Hita-Gun. He's a bonsai6 master."Pi Patel: "A what?""A bonsai master. You know, bonsai are little trees.""You mean shrubs7.""No, I mean trees. Bonsai are little trees. They are less thantwo feet tall. You can carry them in your arms. They can bevery old. My uncle has one that is over three hundred yearsold.""Three-hundred-year-old trees that are two feet tall that youcan carry in your arms?""Yes. They're very delicate. They need a lot of attention.""Whoever heard of such trees? They're botanicallyimpossible.""But I assure you they exist, Mr. Patel. My uncle – ""I believe what I see."Mr. Okamoto: "Just a moment, please. [translation] Atsuro,with all due respect for your uncle who lives in the countrynear Hita-Gun, we're not here to talk idly about botany.""I'm just trying to help.""Do your uncle's bonsai eat meat?""I don't think so.""Have you ever been bitten by one of his bonsai?""No.""In that case, your uncle's bonsai are not helping8 us.
[/translation] Where were we?"Pi Patel: "With the tall, full-sized trees firmly rooted to theground I was telling you about.""Let us put them aside for now.""It might be hard. I never tried pulling them out andcarrying them.""You're a funny man, Mr. Patel. Ha! Ha! Ha!"Pi Patel: "Ha! Ha! Ha!"Mr. Chiba: "Ha! Ha! Ha! [translation] It wasn't thatfunny."Mr. Okamoto: "Just keep laughing.[/translation] Ha! Ha!
Ha!"Mr. Chiba: "Ha! Ha! Ha!"Mr. Okamoto: "Now about the tiger, we're not sure about iteither.""What do you mean?""We have difficulty believing it.""It's an incredible story.""Precisely9.""I don't know how I survived.""Clearly it was a strain.""I'll have another cookie.""There are none left.""What's in that bag?""Nothing.""Can I see?"Mr. Chiba: [translation] "There goes our lunch."[/translation]
Mr. Okamoto: "Getting back to the tiger…"Pi Patel: "Terrible business. Delicious sandwiches."Mr. Okamoto: "Yes, they look good."Mr. Chiba: [translation] "I'm hungry." [/translation]
"Not a trace of it has been found. That's a bit hard tobelieve, isn't it? There are no tigers in the Americas. If therewere a wild tiger out there, don't you think the police wouldhave heard about it by now?""I should tell you about the black panther that escaped fromthe Zurich Zoo in the middle of winter.""Mr. Patel, a tiger is an incredibly dangerous wild animal.
How could you survive in a lifeboat with one? It's – ""What you don't realize is that we are a strange andforbidding species to wild animals. We fill them with fear. Theyavoid us as much as possible. It took centuries to still the fearin some pliable10 animals – domestication11 it's called – but mostcannot get over their fear, and I doubt they ever will. Whenwild animals fight us, it is out of sheer desperation. They fightwhen they feel they have no other way out. It's a very lastresort.""In a lifeboat? Come on, Mr. Patel, it's just too hard tobelieve!""Hard to believe? What do you know about hard to believe?
You want hard to believe? I'll give you hard to believe. It's aclosely held secret among Indian zookeepers that in 1971 Barathe polar bear escaped from the Calcutta Zoo. She was neverheard from again, not by police or hunters or poachers oranyone else. We suspect she's living freely on the banks of theHugli River. Beware if you go to Calcutta, my good sirs: if youhave sushi on the breath you may pay a high price! If youtook the city of Tokyo and turned it upside down and shookit, you'd be amazed at all the animals that would fall out:
badgers13, wolves, boa constrictors, Komodo dragons, crocodiles,ostriches, baboons14, capybaras, wild boars, leopards15, manatees,ruminants in untold16 numbers. There is no doubt in my mindthat feral giraffes and feral hippos have been living in Tokyofor generations without being seen by a soul. You shouldcompare one day the things that stick to the soles of yourshoes as you walk down the street with what you see lying atthe bottom of the cages in the Tokyo Zoo – then look up!
And you expect to find a tiger in a Mexican jungle! It'slaughable, just plain laughable. Ha! Ha! Ha!""There may very well be feral giraffes and feral hippos livingin Tokyo and a polar bear living freely in Calcutta. We justdon't believe there was a tiger living in your lifeboat.""The arrogance17 of big-city folk! You grant your metropolisesall the animals of Eden, but you deny my hamlet the merestBengal tiger!""Mr. Patel, please calm down.""If you stumble at mere18 believability, what are you living for?
Isn't love hard to believe?""Mr. Patel – ""Don't you bully19 me with your politeness! Love is hard tobelieve, ask any lover. Life is hard to believe, ask any scientist.
God is hard to believe, ask any believer. What is your problemwith hard to believe?""We're just being reasonable.""So am I! I applied20 my reason at every moment. Reason isexcellent for getting food, clothing and shelter. Reason is thevery best tool kit12. Nothing beats reason for keeping tigers away.
But be excessively reasonable and you risk throwing out theuniverse with the bathwater.""Calm down, Mr. Patel, calm down."Mr. Chiba: [translation] "The bathwater? Why is he talkingabout bathwater?" [/translation]
"How can I be calm? You should have seen RichardParker!""Yes, yes.""Huge. Teeth like this! Claws like scimitars!"Mr. Chiba: [translation] "What are scimitars?"Mr. Okamoto: "Chiba-san,, instead of asking stupidvocabulary questions, why don't you make yourself useful? Thisboy is a tough nut to crack. Do something!" [/translation]
Mr. Chiba: "Look! A chocolate bar!"Pi Patel: "Wonderful!"[Long silence]
Mr. Okamoto: [translation] "Like he hasn't already stolenour whole lunch. Soon he'll be demanding tempura."[/translation]
[Long silence]
Mr. Okamoto: "We are losing sight of the point of thisinvestigation. We are here because of the sinking of a cargoship. You are the sole survivor23. And you were only apassenger. You bear no responsibility for what happened. We –""Chocolate is so good!""We are not seeking to lay criminal charges. You are aninnocent victim of a tragedy at sea. We are only trying todetermine why and how the Tsimtsum sank. We thought youmight help us, Mr. Patel."[Silence]
"Mr. Patel?"[Silence]
Pi Patel: "Tigers exist, lifeboats exist, oceans exist. Becausethe three have never come together in your narrow, limitedexperience, you refuse to believe that they might. Yet the plainfact is that the Tsimtsum brought them together and thensank."[Silence]
Mr. Okamoto: "What about this Frenchman?""What about him?""Two blind people in two separate lifeboats meeting up in thePacific – the coincidence seems a little far-fetched, no?""It certainly does.""We find it very unlikely.""So is winning the lottery24, yet someone always wins.""We find it extremely hard to believe.""So did I."[translation] "I knew we should have taken the day off.
[/translation] You talked about food?""We did.""He knew a lot about food.""If you can call it food.""The cook on the Tsimtsum was a Frenchman.""There are Frenchmen all over the world.""Maybe the Frenchman you met was the cook.""Maybe. How should I know? I never saw him. I was blind.
Then Richard Parker ate him alive.""How convenient.""Not at all. It was horrific and it stank25. By the way, how doyou explain the meerkat bones in the lifeboat?""Yes, the bones of a small animal were – ""More than one!"" – of some small animals were found in the lifeboat. Theymust have come from the ship.""We had no meerkats at the zoo.""We have no proof they were meerkat bones."Mr. Chiba: "Maybe they were banana bones! Ha! Ha! Ha!
Ha! Ha!"[translation] "Atsuro, shut up!""I'm very sorry, Okamoto-san. It's the fatigue26.""You're bringing our service into disrepute!""Very sorry, Okamoto-san." [/translation]
Mr. Okamoto: "They could be bones from another smallanimal.""They were meerkats.""They could be mongooses.""The mongooses at the zoo didn't sell. They stayed in India.""They could be shipboard pests, like rats. Mongooses arecommon in India.""Mongooses as shipboard pests?""Why not?""Who swam in the stormy Pacific, several of them, to thelifeboat? That's a little hard to believe, wouldn't you say?""Less hard to believe than some of the things we've heardin the last two hours. Perhaps the mongooses were alreadyaboard the lifeboat, like the rat you mentioned.""Simply amazing the number of animals in that lifeboat.""Simply amazing.""A real jungle.""Yes.""Those bones are meerkat bones. Have them checked by anexpert.""There weren't that many left. And there were no heads.""I used them as bait.""It's doubtful an expert could tell whether they were meerkatbones or mongoose bones.""Find yourself a forensic27 zoologist28.""All right, Mr. Patel! You win. We cannot explain thepresence of meerkat bones, if that is what they are, in thelifeboat. But that is not our concern here. We are herebecause a Japanese cargo22 ship owned by Oika ShippingCompany, flying the Panamanian flag, sank in the Pacific.""Something I never forget, not for a minute. I lost my wholefamily.""We're sorry about that.""Not as much as I am."[Long silence]
Mr. Chiba: [translation] "What do we do now?"Mr. Okamoto: "I don't know." [/translation]
[Long silence]
Pi Patel: "Would you like a cookie?"Mr. Okamoto: "Yes, that would be nice. Thank you."Mr. Chiba: "Thank you."[Long silence]
Mr. Okamoto: "It's a nice day."Pi Patel: "Yes. Sunny."[Long silence]
Pi Patel: "Is this your first visit to Mexico?"Mr. Okamoto: "Yes, it is.""Mine too."[Long silence]
Pi Patel: "So, you didn't like my story?"Mr. Okamoto: "No, we liked it very much. Didn't we,Atsuro? We will remember it for a long, long time."Mr. Chiba: "We will."[Silence]
Mr. Okamoto: "But for the purposes of our investigation21, wewould like to know what really happened.""What really happened?""Yes.""So you want another story?""Uhh…no. We would like to know what really happened.""Doesn't the telling of something always become a story?""Uhh…perhaps in English. In Japanese a story would havean element of invention in it. We don't want any invention.
We want the ‘straight facts', as you say in English.""Isn't telling about something – using words, English orJapanese – already something of an invention? Isn't justlooking upon this world already something of an invention?""Uhh…""The world isn't just the way it is. It is how we understandit, no? And in understanding something, we bring something toit, no? Doesn't that make life a story?""Ha! Ha! Ha! You are very intelligent, Mr. Patel."Mr. Chiba: [translation] "What is he talking about?""I have no idea." [/translation]
Pi Patel: "You want words that reflect reality?""Yes.""Words that do not contradict reality?""Exactly.""But tigers don't contradict reality.""Oh please, no more tigers.""I know what you want. You want a story that won'tsurprise you. That will confirm what you already know. Thatwon't make you see higher or further or differently. You wanta flat story. An immobile story. You want dry, yeastlessfactuality.""Uhh…""You want a story without animals.""Yes!""Without tigers or orang-utans.""That's right.""Without hyenas29 or zebras.""Without them.""Without meerkats or mongooses.""We don't want them.""Without giraffes or hippopotamuses31.""We will plug our ears with our fingers!""So I'm right. You want a story without animals.""We want a story without animals that will explain thesinking of the Tsimtsum .""Give me a minute, please.""Of course. [translation] I think we're finally gettingsomewhere. Let's hope he speaks somesense." [/translation] [Long silence]
"Here's another story.""Good.""The ship sank. It made a sound like a monstrous32 metallicburp. Things bubbled at the surface and then vanished. I foundmyself kicking water in the Pacific Ocean. I swam for thelifeboat. It was the hardest swim of my life. I didn't seem tobe moving. I kept swallowing water. I was very cold. I wasrapidly losing strength. I wouldn't have made it if the cookhadn't thrown me a lifebuoy and pulled me in. I climbedaboard and collapsed33.
"Four of us survived. Mother held on to some bananas andmade it to the lifeboat. The cook was already aboard, as wasthe sailor.
"He ate the flies. The cook, that is. We hadn't been in thelifeboat a full day; we had food and water to last us forweeks; we had fishing gear and solar stills; we had no reasonto believe that we wouldn't be rescued soon. Yet there he was,swinging his arms and catching34 flies and eating them greedily.
Right away he was in a holy terror of hunger. He was callingus idiots and fools for not joining him in the feast. We wereoffended and disgusted, but we didn't show it. We were verypolite about it. He was a stranger and a foreigner. Mothersmiled and shook her head and raised her hand in refusal. Hewas a disgusting man. His mouth had the discrimination of agarbage heap. He also ate the rat. He cut it up and dried it inthe sun. I – I'll be honest – I had a small piece, very small,behind Mother's back. I was so hungry. He was such a brute35,that cook, ill-tempered and hypocritical.
"The sailor was young. Actually, he was older than me,probably in his early twenties, but he broke his leg jumpingfrom the ship and his suffering made him a child. He wasbeautiful. He had no facial hair at all and a clear, shiningcomplexion. His features – the broad face, the flattened36 nose,the narrow, pleated eyes – looked so elegant. I thought helooked like a Chinese emperor. His suffering was terrible. Hespoke no English, not a single word, not yes or no, hello orthank you. He spoke37 only Chinese. We couldn't understand aword he said. He must have felt very lonely. When he wept,Mother held his head in her lap and I held his hand. It wasvery, very sad. He suffered and we couldn't do anything aboutit.
"His right leg was badly broken at the thigh38. The bone stuckout of his flesh. He screamed with pain. We set his leg as bestwe could and we made sure he was eating and drinking. Buthis leg became infected. Though we drained it of pus everyday, it got worse. His foot became black and bloated.
"It was the cook's idea. He was a brute. He dominated us.
He whispered that the blackness would spread and that hewould survive only if his leg were amputated. Since the bonewas broken at the thigh, it would involve no more than cuttingthrough flesh and setting a tourniquet39. I can still hear his evilwhisper. He would do the job to save the sailor's life, he said,but we would have to hold him. Surprise would be the onlyanaesthetic. We fell upon him. Mother and I held his armswhile the cook sat on his good leg. The sailor writhed40 andscreamed. His chest rose and fell. The cook worked the knifequickly. The leg fell off. Immediately Mother and I let go andmoved away. We thought that if the restraint was ended, sowould his struggling. We thought he would lie calmly. He didn't.
He sat up instantly. His screams were all the worse for beingunintelligible. He screamed and we stared, transfixed. There wasblood everywhere. Worse, there was the contrast between thefrantic activity of the poor sailor and the gentle repose41 of hisleg at the bottom of the boat. He kept looking at the limb, asif imploring42 it to return. At last he fell back. We hurried intoaction. The cook folded some skin over the bone. We wrappedthe stump43 in a piece of cloth and we tied a rope above thewound to stop the bleeding. We laid him as comfortably as wecould on a mattress44 of life jackets and kept him warm. Ithought it was all for nothing. I couldn't believe a human beingcould survive so much pain, so much butchery. Throughout theevening and night he moaned, and his breathing was harshand uneven45. He had fits of agitated46 delirium47. I expected him todie during the night.
"He clung to life. At dawn he was still alive. He went in andout of consciousness. Mother gave him water. I caught sight ofthe amputated leg. It cut my breath short. In the commotion48 ithad been shoved aside and forgotten in the dark. It hadseeped a liquid and looked thinner. I took a life jacket andused it as a glove. I picked the leg up.
"‘What are you doing?' asked the cook.
"I'm going to throw it overboard,‘ I replied.
" ‘Don't be an idiot. We'll use it as bait. That was the wholepoint.'
"He seemed to regret his last words even as they werecoming out, for his voice faded quickly. He turned away.
"‘The whole point? Mother asked. 'What do you mean bythat?‘"He pretended to be busy.
"Mother's voice rose. ‘Are you telling us that we cut thispoor boy's leg off not to save his life but to get fishing bait?
"Silence from the brute.
"‘Answer me!' shouted Mother.
"Like a cornered beast he lifted his eyes and glared at her.
‘Our supplies are running out,' he snarled49. ‘We need morefood or we'll die.'
"Mother returned his glare. ‘Our supplies are not runningout! We have plenty of food and water. We have packageupon package of biscuits to tide us over till our rescue.' Shetook hold of the plastic container in which we put the openrations of biscuits. It was unexpectedly light in her hands. Thefew crumbs50 in it rattled51. ‘What!' She opened it. ‘Where are thebiscuits? The container was full last night!'
"The cook looked away. As did I.
"‘You selfish monster!' screamed Mother. ‘The only reasonwe're running out of food is because you're gorging52 yourself onit!'
"‘He had some too,' he said, nodding my way.
"Mother's eyes turned to me. My heart sank.
"‘Piscine, is that true?'
"‘It was night, Mother. I was half asleep and I was sohungry. He gave me a biscuit. I ate it without thinking…'
"‘Only one, was it?' sneered53 the cook.
"It was Mother's turn to look away. The anger seemed togo out of her. Without saying another word she went back tonursing the sailor.
"I wished for her anger. I wished for her to punish me.
Only not this silence. I made to arrange some life jackets forthe sailor's comfort so that I could be next to her. I whispered,‘I'm sorry, Mother, I'm sorry.' My eyes were brimming withtears. When I brought them up, I saw that hers were too. Butshe didn't look at me. Her eyes were gazing upon somememory in mid-air.
"‘We're all alone, Piscine, all alone,' she said, in a tone thatbroke every hope in my body. I never felt so lonely in all mylife as I did at that moment. We had been in the lifeboat twoweeks already and it was taking its toll54 on us. It was gettingharder to believe that Father and Ravi had survived.
"When we turned around, the cook was holding the leg bythe ankle over the water to drain it. Mother brought her handover the sailor's eyes.
"He died quietly, the life drained out of him like the liquidfrom his leg. The cook promptly55 butchered him. The leg hadmade for poor bait. The dead flesh was too decayed to holdon to the fishing hook; it simply dissolved in the water. Nothingwent to waste with this monster. He cut up everything,including the sailor's skin and every inch of his intestines56. Heeven prepared his genitals. When he had finished with historso, he moved on to his arms and shoulders and to his legs.
Mother and I rocked with pain and horror. Mother shrieked57 atthe cook, ‘How can you do this, you monster? Where is yourhumanity? Have you no decency58? What did the poor boy doto you? You monster! You monster!' The cook replied withunbelievable vulgarity.
"‘At least cover his face, for God's sake!' cried my mother. Itwas unbearable59 to have that beautiful face, so noble andserene, connected to such a sight below. The cook threwhimself upon the sailor's head and before our very eyesscalped him and pulled off his face. Mother and I vomited60.
"When he had finished, he threw the butchered carcassoverboard. Shortly after, strips of flesh and pieces of organswere lying to dry in the sun all over the boat. We recoiled61 inhorror. We tried not to look at them. The smell would not goaway.
"The next time the cook was close by, Mother slapped himin the face, a full hard slap that punctuated62 the air with asharp crack. It was something shocking coming from mymother. And it was heroic. It was an act of outrage63 and pityand grief and bravery. It was done in memory of that poorsailor. It was to salvage64 his dignity.
"I was stunned65. So was the cook. He stood without movingor saying a word as Mother looked him straight in the face. Inoticed how he did not meet her eyes.
"We retreated to our private spaces. I stayed close to her. Iwas filled with a mix of rapt admiration66 and abject67 fear.
"Mother kept an eye on him. Two days later she saw himdo it. He tried to be discreet68, but she saw him bring his handto his mouth. She shouted, ‘I saw you! You just ate a piece!
You said it was for bait! I knew it. You monster! You animal!
How could you? He's human! He's your own kind!' If shehad expected him to be mortified69, to spit it out and breakdown70 and apologize, she was wrong. He kept chewing. In fact,he lifted his head up and quite openly put the rest of the stripin his mouth. Tastes like pork,‘ he muttered. Mother expressedher indignation and disgust by violently turning away. He ateanother strip. 'I feel stronger already,‘ he muttered. Heconcentrated on his fishing.
"We each had our end of the lifeboat. It's amazing howwillpower can build walls. Whole days went by as if he weren'tthere.
"But we couldn't ignore him entirely71. He was a brute, but apractical brute. He was good with his hands and he knew thesea. He was full of good ideas. He was the one who thoughtof building a raft to help with the fishing. If we survived anytime at all, it was thanks to him. I helped him as best I could.
He was very short-tempered, always shouting at me andinsulting me.
"Mother and I didn't eat any of the sailor's body, not thesmallest morsel72, despite the cost in weakness to us, but we didstart to eat what the cook caught from the sea. My mother, alifelong vegetarian73, brought herself to eat raw fish and rawturtle. She had a very hard time of it. She never got over herrevulsion. It came easier to me. I found hunger improved thetaste of everything.
"When your life has been given a reprieve74, it's impossiblenot to feel some warmth for the one to whom you owe thatreprieve. It was very exciting when the cook hauled aboard aturtle or caught a great big dorado. It made us smile broadlyand there was a glow in our chests that lasted for hours.
Mother and the cook talked in a civil way, even joked. Duringsome spectacular sunsets, life on the boat was nearly good. Atsuch times I looked at him with – yes – with tenderness. Withlove. I imagined that we were fast friends. He was a coarseman even when he was in a good mood, but we pretendednot to notice it, even to ourselves. He said that we wouldcome upon an island. That was our main hope. We exhaustedour eyes scanning the horizon for an island that never came.
That's when he stole food and water.
"The flat and endless Pacific rose like a great wall aroundus. I never thought we would get around it.
"He killed her. The cook killed my mother. We werestarving. I was weak. I couldn't hold on to a turtle. Because ofme we lost it. He hit me. Mother hit him. He hit her back.
She turned to me and said, ‘Go!' pushing me towards the raft.
I jumped for it. I thought she was coming with me. I landedin the water. I scrambled75 aboard the raft. They were fighting. Idid nothing but watch. My mother was fighting an adult man.
He was mean and muscular. He caught her by the wrist andtwisted it. She shrieked and fell. He moved over her. The knifeappeared. He raised it in the air. It came down. Next it wasup – it was red. It went up and down repeatedly. I couldn'tsee her. She was at the bottom of the boat. I saw only him.
He stopped. He raised his head and looked at me. He hurledsomething my way. A line of blood struck me across the face.
No whip could have inflicted76 a more painful lash77. I held mymother's head in my hands. I let it go. It sank in a cloud ofblood, her tress trailing like a tail. Fish spiralled down towardsit until a shark's long grey shadow cut across its path and itvanished. I looked up. I couldn't see him. He was hiding at thebottom of the boat. He appeared when he threw my mother'sbody overboard. His mouth was red. The water boiled withfish.
"I spent the rest of that day and the night on the raft,looking at him. We didn't speak a word. He could have cutthe raft loose. But he didn't. He kept me around, like a badconscience.
"In the morning, in plain sight of him, I pulled on the ropeand boarded the lifeboat. I was very weak. He said nothing. Ikept my peace. He caught a turtle. He gave me its blood. Hebutchered it and laid its best parts for me on the middlebench. I ate.
"Then we fought and I killed him. He had no expression onhis face, neither of despair nor of anger, neither of fear nor ofpain. He gave up. He let himself be killed, though it was still astruggle. He knew he had gone too far, even by his bestialstandards. He had gone too far and now he didn't want to goon living any more. But he never said ‘I'm sorry.' Why do wecling to our evil ways?
"The knife was all along in plain view on the bench. Weboth knew it. He could have had it in his hands from thestart. He was the one who put it there. I picked it up, Istabbed him in the stomach. He grimaced78 but remainedstanding. I pulled the knife out and stabbed him again. Bloodwas pouring out. Still he didn't fall over. Looking me in theeyes, he lifted his head ever so slightly. Did he meansomething by this? I took it that he did. I stabbed him in thethroat, next to the Adam's apple. He dropped like a stone.
And died. He didn't say anything. He had no last words. Heonly coughed up blood. A knife has a horrible dynamic power;once in motion, it's hard to stop. I stabbed him repeatedly. Hisblood soothed79 my chapped hands. His heart was a struggle –all those tubes that connected it. I managed to get it out. Ittasted delicious, far better than turtle. I ate his liver. I cut offgreat pieces of his flesh.
"He was such an evil man. Worse still, he met evil in me –selfishness, anger, ruthlessness. I must live with that.
"Solitude80 began. I turned to God. I survived."[Long silence]
"Is that better? Are there any parts you find hard tobelieve? Anything you'd like me to change?"Mr. Chiba: [translation] "What a horrible story."[Long silence]
Mr. Okamoto: "Both the zebra and the Taiwanese sailorbroke a leg, did you notice that""No, I didn't.""And the hyena30 bit off the zebra leg just as the cook cut offthe sailor's.""Ohhh, Okamoto-san, you see a lot.""The blind Frenchman they met in the other lifeboat – didn'the admit to killing81 a man and a woman?""Yes, he did.""The cook killed the sailor and his mother."‘Very impressive.""His stories match.""So the Taiwanese sailor is the zebra, his mother is theorang-utan, the cook is … the hyena – which means he's thetiger!""Yes. The tiger killed the hyena – and the blind Frenchman– just as he killed the cook." [/translation]
Pi Patel: "Do you have another chocolate bar?"Mr. Chiba: "Right away!""Thank you."Mr. Chiba: [translation] "But what does it mean,Okamoto-san?""I have no idea.""And what about the island? Who are the meerkats?""I don't know.""And those teeth? Whose teeth were those in the tree?""I don't know I'm not inside the boy's head." [/translation]
[Long silence]
Mr. Okamoto: "Please excuse me for asking, but did thecook say anything about the sinking of the Tsimtsum?
"In this other story?""Yes.""He didn't.""He made no mention of anything leading up to the earlymorning of July 2nd that might explain what happened?""No.""Nothing of a nature mechanical or structural82?""No.""Nothing about other ships or objects at sea?""No.""He could not explain the sinking of the Tsimtsum at all?""No.""Could he say why it didn't send out a distress83 signal?""And if it had? In my experience, when a dingy84, third-raterustbucket sinks, unless it has the luck of carrying oil, lots of it,enough to kill entire ecosystems85, no one cares and no onehears about it. You're on your own.""When Oika realized that something was wrong, it was toolate. You were too far out for air rescue. Ships in the areawere told to be on the lookout86. They reported seeing nothing.""And while we're on the subject, the ship wasn't the onlything that was third-rate. The crew were a sullen87, unfriendly lot,hard at work when officers were around but ‘doing nothingwhen they weren't. They didn't speak a word of English andthey were of no help to us. Some of them stank of alcohol bymid-afternoon. Who's to say what those idiots did? The officers– ""What do you mean by that?""By what?""‘Who's to say what those idiots did?'""I mean that maybe in a fit of drunken insanity88 some ofthem released the animals."Mr. Chiba: "Who had the keys to the cages?""Father did."Mr. Chiba: "So how could the crew open the cages if theydidn't have the keys?""I don't know. They probably used crowbars."Mr. Chiba: "Why would they do that? Why would anyonewant to release a dangerous wild animal from its cage?""I don't know. Can anyone fathom89 the workings of adrunken man's mind? All I can tell you is what happened. Theanimals were out of their cages."Mr. Okamoto: "Excuse me. You have doubts about thefitness of the crew?""Grave doubts.""Did you witness any of the officers being under theinfluence of alcohol?""No.""But you saw some of the crew being under the influence ofalcohol?""Yes.""Did the officers act in what seemed to you a competentand professional manner?""They had little to do with us. They never came close to theanimals.""I mean in terms of running the ship.""How should I know? Do you think we had tea with themevery day? They spoke English, but they were no better thanthe crew. They made us feel unwelcome in the common roomand hardly said a word to us during meals. They went on inJapanese, as if we weren't there. We were just a lowly Indianfamily with a bothersome cargo. We ended up eating on ourown in Father and Mother's cabin. ‘Adventure beckons90!' saidRavi. That's what made it tolerable, our sense of adventure. Wespent most of our time shovelling91 excrement92 and rinsing93 cagesand giving feed while Father played the vet94. So long as theanimals were all right, we were all right. I don't know if theofficers were competent.""You said the ship was listing to port?""Yes.""And that there was an incline from bow to stern?""Yes.""So the ship sank stern first?""Yes.""Not bow first?" .
"No.""You are sure? There was a slope from the front of theship to the back?""Yes.""Did the ship hit another ship?""I didn't see another ship.""Did it hit any other object?""Not that I saw.""Did it run aground?""No, it sank out of sight.""You were not aware of mechanical problems after leavingManila?""No.""Did it appear to you that the ship was properly loaded?""It was my first time on a ship. I don't know what aproperly loaded ship should look like.""You believe you heard an explosion?""Yes.""Any other noises?""A thousand.""I mean that might explain the sinking.""No.""You said the ship sank quickly.""Yes.""Can you estimate how long it took?""It's hard to say. Very quickly. I would think less thantwenty minutes.""And there was a lot of debris95?""Yes.""Was the ship struck by a freak wave?""I don't think so.""But there was a storm?""The sea looked rough to me. There was wind and rain.""How high were the waves?""High. Twenty-five, thirty feet.""That's quite modest, actually.""Not when you're in a lifeboat.""Yes, of course. But for a cargo ship.""Maybe they were higher. I don't know. The weather wasbad enough to scare me witless, that's all I know for sure.""You said the weather improved quickly. The ship sank andright after it was a beautiful day, isn't that what you said?""Yes.""Sounds like no more than a passing squall.""It sank the ship.""That's what we're wondering.""My whole family died.""We're sorry about that.""Not as much as I am.""So what happened, Mr. Patel? We're puzzled. Everythingwas normal and then…?""Then normal sank.""Why?""I don't know. You should be telling me. You're the experts.
Apply your science.""We don't understand."[Long silence]
Mr. Chiba: [translation] "Now what?"Mr. Okamoto: "We give up. The explanation for tke sinkingof the tsimtsum is at the bottom of the Pacific."[Long silence]
Mr. Okamoto: "Yes, that's it. Let's go. [/translation] Well,Mr. Patel, I think we have all we need. We thank you verymuch for your cooperation. You've been very, very helpful.""You're welcome. But before you go, I'd like to ask yousomething.""Yes?""The Tsimtsum sank on July 2nd, 1977.""Yes.""And I arrived on the coast of Mexico, the sole humansurvivor of the Tsimtsum, on February 14th, 1978.""That's right.""I told you two stories that account for the 227 days inbetween.""Yes, you did.""Neither explains the sinking of the Tsimtsum.""That's right.""Neither makes a factual difference to you.""That's true.""You can't prove which story is true and which is not. Youmust take my word for it.""I guess so.""In both stories the ship sinks, my entire family dies, and Isuffer.""Yes, that's true.""So tell me, since it makes no factual difference to you andyou can't prove the question either way, which story do youprefer? Which is the better story, the story with animals or thestory without animals?"Mr. Okamoto: "That's an interesting question…"Mr. Chiba: "The story with animals."Mr. Okamoto: [translation] "Yes. [/translation] The storywith animals is the better story."Pi Patel: "Thank you. And so it goes with God."[Silence]
Mr. Okamoto: "You're welcome."Mr. Chiba: [translation] "What did he just say?"Mr. Okamoto: "I don't know."Mr. Chiba: "Ok look – he's crying." [/translation]
[Long silence]
Mr. Okamoto: "We'll be careful when we drive away. Wedon't want to run into Richard Parker."Pi Patel: "Don't worry, you won't. He's hiding somewhereyou'll never find him."Mr. Okamoto: "Thank you for taking the time to talk to us,Mr. Patel. We're grateful. And we're really very sorry aboutwhat happened to you.""Thank you.""What will you be doing now?""I guess I'll go to Canada.""Not back to India?""No. There's nothing there for me now. Only sad memories.""Of course, you know you will be getting insurance money.""Oh.""Yes. Oika will be in touch with you."[Silence]
Mr. Okamoto: "We should be going. We wish you all thebest, Mr. Patel."Mr. Chiba: "Yes, all the best.""Thank you."Mr. Okamoto: "Goodbye."Mr. Chiba: "Goodbye."Pi Patel: "Would you like some cookies for the road?"Mr. Okamoto: "That would be nice.""Here, have three each.""Thank you."Mr. Chiba: "Thank you.""You're welcome. Goodbye. God be with you, my brothers.""Thank you. And with you too, Mr. Patel."Mr. Chiba: "Goodbye."Mr. Okamoto: [translation] "I'm starving. Let's go eat. Youcan turn that off." [/translation]

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 crumble 7nRzv     
vi.碎裂,崩溃;vt.弄碎,摧毁
参考例句:
  • Opposition more or less crumbled away.反对势力差不多都瓦解了。
  • Even if the seas go dry and rocks crumble,my will will remain firm.纵然海枯石烂,意志永不动摇。
2 gushing 313eef130292e797ea104703d9458f2d     
adj.迸出的;涌出的;喷出的;过分热情的v.喷,涌( gush的现在分词 );滔滔不绝地说话
参考例句:
  • blood gushing from a wound 从伤口冒出的血
  • The young mother was gushing over a baby. 那位年轻的母亲正喋喋不休地和婴儿说话。 来自《简明英汉词典》
3 algae tK6yW     
n.水藻,海藻
参考例句:
  • Most algae live in water.多数藻类生长在水中。
  • Algae grow and spread quickly in the lake.湖中水藻滋蔓。
4 aquatic mvXzk     
adj.水生的,水栖的
参考例句:
  • Aquatic sports include swimming and rowing.水上运动包括游泳和划船。
  • We visited an aquatic city in Italy.我们在意大利访问过一个水上城市。
5 rodents 1ff5f0f12f2930e77fb620b1471a2124     
n.啮齿目动物( rodent的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Rodents carry diseases and are generally regarded as pests. 啮齿目动物传播疾病,常被当作害虫对待。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Some wild rodents in Africa also harbor the virus. 在非洲,有些野生啮齿动物也是储毒者。 来自辞典例句
6 bonsai kx2zj5     
n.盆栽,盆景
参考例句:
  • It's a bonsai tree for your new apartment.这是一颗盆栽,祝贺你迁新居。
  • The dish looks like a bonsai flower.这道菜看上去像一盆花。
7 shrubs b480276f8eea44e011d42320b17c3619     
灌木( shrub的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • The gardener spent a complete morning in trimming those two shrubs. 园丁花了整个上午的时间修剪那两处灌木林。
  • These shrubs will need more light to produce flowering shoots. 这些灌木需要更多的光照才能抽出开花的新枝。
8 helping 2rGzDc     
n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的
参考例句:
  • The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
  • By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。
9 precisely zlWzUb     
adv.恰好,正好,精确地,细致地
参考例句:
  • It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
  • The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。
10 pliable ZBCyx     
adj.易受影响的;易弯的;柔顺的,易驾驭的
参考例句:
  • Willow twigs are pliable.柳条很软。
  • The finely twined baskets are made with young,pliable spruce roots.这些编织精美的篮子是用柔韧的云杉嫩树根编成的。
11 domestication a412c94ddc4dddbce0e57281001e9ede     
n.驯养,驯化
参考例句:
  • The first was the domestication of animals. 第一个阶段是驯养动物。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • In northwestern China, there is no evidence for endemic domestication of any animals. 在中国西北,没有任何当地动物驯化的迹象。 来自辞典例句
12 kit D2Rxp     
n.用具包,成套工具;随身携带物
参考例句:
  • The kit consisted of about twenty cosmetic items.整套工具包括大约20种化妆用品。
  • The captain wants to inspect your kit.船长想检查你的行装。
13 badgers d3dd4319dcd9ca0ba17c339a1b422326     
n.獾( badger的名词复数 );獾皮;(大写)獾州人(美国威斯康星州人的别称);毛鼻袋熊
参考例句:
  • Badgers had undermined the foundations of the church. 獾在这座教堂的地基处打了洞。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • And rams ' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins, and shittim wood. 5染红的公羊皮,海狗皮,皂荚木。 来自互联网
14 baboons 2ea074fed3eb47c5bc3098d84f7bc946     
n.狒狒( baboon的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Baboons could break branches and leaders. 狒狒会折断侧枝和顶梢。 来自辞典例句
  • And as nonprimates, they provoke fewer ethical and safety-related concerns than chimps or baboons. 而且作为非灵长类,就不会产生像用黑猩猩或狒狒那样的伦理和安全方面的顾虑。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 医学的第四次革命
15 leopards 5b82300b95cf3e47ad28dae49f1824d1     
n.豹( leopard的名词复数 );本性难移
参考例句:
  • Lions, tigers and leopards are all cats. 狮、虎和豹都是猫科动物。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • For example, airlines never ship leopards and canaries on the same flight. 例如,飞机上从来不会同时运送豹和金丝雀。 来自英语晨读30分(初三)
16 untold ljhw1     
adj.数不清的,无数的
参考例句:
  • She has done untold damage to our chances.她给我们的机遇造成了不可估量的损害。
  • They suffered untold terrors in the dark and huddled together for comfort.他们遭受着黑暗中的难以言传的种种恐怖,因而只好挤在一堆互相壮胆。
17 arrogance pNpyD     
n.傲慢,自大
参考例句:
  • His arrogance comes out in every speech he makes.他每次讲话都表现得骄傲自大。
  • Arrogance arrested his progress.骄傲阻碍了他的进步。
18 mere rC1xE     
adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过
参考例句:
  • That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
  • It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。
19 bully bully     
n.恃强欺弱者,小流氓;vt.威胁,欺侮
参考例句:
  • A bully is always a coward.暴汉常是懦夫。
  • The boy gave the bully a pelt on the back with a pebble.那男孩用石子掷击小流氓的背脊。
20 applied Tz2zXA     
adj.应用的;v.应用,适用
参考例句:
  • She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
  • This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。
21 investigation MRKzq     
n.调查,调查研究
参考例句:
  • In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
  • He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。
22 cargo 6TcyG     
n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物
参考例句:
  • The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
  • A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。
23 survivor hrIw8     
n.生存者,残存者,幸存者
参考例句:
  • The sole survivor of the crash was an infant.这次撞车的惟一幸存者是一个婴儿。
  • There was only one survivor of the plane crash.这次飞机失事中只有一名幸存者。
24 lottery 43MyV     
n.抽彩;碰运气的事,难于算计的事
参考例句:
  • He won no less than £5000 in the lottery.他居然中了5000英镑的奖券。
  • They thought themselves lucky in the lottery of life.他们认为自己是变幻莫测的人生中的幸运者。
25 stank d2da226ef208f0e46fdd722e28c52d39     
n. (英)坝,堰,池塘 动词stink的过去式
参考例句:
  • Her breath stank of garlic. 她嘴里有股大蒜味。
  • The place stank of decayed fish. 那地方有烂鱼的臭味。
26 fatigue PhVzV     
n.疲劳,劳累
参考例句:
  • The old lady can't bear the fatigue of a long journey.这位老妇人不能忍受长途旅行的疲劳。
  • I have got over my weakness and fatigue.我已从虚弱和疲劳中恢复过来了。
27 forensic 96zyv     
adj.法庭的,雄辩的
参考例句:
  • The report included his interpretation of the forensic evidence.该报告包括他对法庭证据的诠释。
  • The judge concluded the proceeding on 10:30 Am after one hour of forensic debate.经过近一个小时的法庭辩论后,法官于10时30分宣布休庭。
28 zoologist MfmwY     
n.动物学家
参考例句:
  • Charles darwin was a famous zoologist.查尔斯达尔文是一位著名的动物学家。
  • The zoologist had spent a long time living with monkeys.这位动物学家与猴子一起生活了很长时间。
29 hyenas f7b0c2304b9433d9f69980a715aa6dbe     
n.鬣狗( hyena的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • These animals were the prey of hyenas. 这些动物是鬣狗的猎物。 来自辞典例句
  • We detest with horror the duplicity and villainy of the murderous hyenas of Bukharinite wreckers. 我们非常憎恨布哈林那帮两面三刀、杀人破坏,干尽坏事的豺狼。 来自辞典例句
30 hyena k47yz     
n.土狼,鬣狗
参考例句:
  • African hyena noted for its distinctive howl.非洲鬣狗,以其特别的嚎叫而闻名。
  • The hyena's public image is not aided by its ridiculous appearance.鬣狗滑稽的外表无助于改善它在公众心中的形象。
31 hippopotamuses c181c1d78c1ede1045b338ada51479df     
n.河马(产于非洲)( hippopotamus的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Hippopotamuses teem in this river. 这条河里有很多河马。 来自《简明英汉词典》
32 monstrous vwFyM     
adj.巨大的;恐怖的;可耻的,丢脸的
参考例句:
  • The smoke began to whirl and grew into a monstrous column.浓烟开始盘旋上升,形成了一个巨大的烟柱。
  • Your behaviour in class is monstrous!你在课堂上的行为真是丢人!
33 collapsed cwWzSG     
adj.倒塌的
参考例句:
  • Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
  • The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。
34 catching cwVztY     
adj.易传染的,有魅力的,迷人的,接住
参考例句:
  • There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
  • Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。
35 brute GSjya     
n.野兽,兽性
参考例句:
  • The aggressor troops are not many degrees removed from the brute.侵略军简直象一群野兽。
  • That dog is a dangerous brute.It bites people.那条狗是危险的畜牲,它咬人。
36 flattened 1d5d9fedd9ab44a19d9f30a0b81f79a8     
[医](水)平扁的,弄平的
参考例句:
  • She flattened her nose and lips against the window. 她把鼻子和嘴唇紧贴着窗户。
  • I flattened myself against the wall to let them pass. 我身体紧靠着墙让他们通过。
37 spoke XryyC     
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
38 thigh RItzO     
n.大腿;股骨
参考例句:
  • He is suffering from a strained thigh muscle.他的大腿肌肉拉伤了,疼得很。
  • The thigh bone is connected to the hip bone.股骨连着髋骨。
39 tourniquet fnYwf     
n.止血器,绞压器,驱血带
参考例句:
  • Twist the tourniquet tighter.把止血带扎紧点。
  • The tourniquet should occlude venous and lymphatic return.止血带应阻断静脉及淋巴回流。
40 writhed 7985cffe92f87216940f2d01877abcf6     
(因极度痛苦而)扭动或翻滚( writhe的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He writhed at the memory, revolted with himself for that temporary weakness. 他一想起来就痛悔不已,只恨自己当一时糊涂。
  • The insect, writhed, and lay prostrate again. 昆虫折腾了几下,重又直挺挺地倒了下去。
41 repose KVGxQ     
v.(使)休息;n.安息
参考例句:
  • Don't disturb her repose.不要打扰她休息。
  • Her mouth seemed always to be smiling,even in repose.她的嘴角似乎总是挂着微笑,即使在睡眠时也是这样。
42 imploring cb6050ff3ff45d346ac0579ea33cbfd6     
恳求的,哀求的
参考例句:
  • Those calm, strange eyes could see her imploring face. 那平静的,没有表情的眼睛还能看得到她的乞怜求情的面容。
  • She gave him an imploring look. 她以哀求的眼神看着他。
43 stump hGbzY     
n.残株,烟蒂,讲演台;v.砍断,蹒跚而走
参考例句:
  • He went on the stump in his home state.他到故乡所在的州去发表演说。
  • He used the stump as a table.他把树桩用作桌子。
44 mattress Z7wzi     
n.床垫,床褥
参考例句:
  • The straw mattress needs to be aired.草垫子该晾一晾了。
  • The new mattress I bought sags in the middle.我买的新床垫中间陷了下去。
45 uneven akwwb     
adj.不平坦的,不规则的,不均匀的
参考例句:
  • The sidewalk is very uneven—be careful where you walk.这人行道凹凸不平—走路时请小心。
  • The country was noted for its uneven distribution of land resources.这个国家以土地资源分布不均匀出名。
46 agitated dzgzc2     
adj.被鼓动的,不安的
参考例句:
  • His answers were all mixed up,so agitated was he.他是那样心神不定,回答全乱了。
  • She was agitated because her train was an hour late.她乘坐的火车晚点一个小时,她十分焦虑。
47 delirium 99jyh     
n. 神智昏迷,说胡话;极度兴奋
参考例句:
  • In her delirium, she had fallen to the floor several times. 她在神志不清的状态下几次摔倒在地上。
  • For the next nine months, Job was in constant delirium.接下来的九个月,约伯处于持续精神错乱的状态。
48 commotion 3X3yo     
n.骚动,动乱
参考例句:
  • They made a commotion by yelling at each other in the theatre.他们在剧院里相互争吵,引起了一阵骚乱。
  • Suddenly the whole street was in commotion.突然间,整条街道变得一片混乱。
49 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》
50 crumbs crumbs     
int. (表示惊讶)哎呀 n. 碎屑 名词crumb的复数形式
参考例句:
  • She stood up and brushed the crumbs from her sweater. 她站起身掸掉了毛衣上的面包屑。
  • Oh crumbs! Is that the time? 啊,天哪!都这会儿啦?
51 rattled b4606e4247aadf3467575ffedf66305b     
慌乱的,恼火的
参考例句:
  • The truck jolted and rattled over the rough ground. 卡车嘎吱嘎吱地在凹凸不平的地面上颠簸而行。
  • Every time a bus went past, the windows rattled. 每逢公共汽车经过这里,窗户都格格作响。
52 gorging 0e89d8c03b779459feea702697460d81     
v.(用食物把自己)塞饱,填饱( gorge的现在分词 );作呕
参考例句:
  • They had been gorging fruit in the forest. 他们方才一直在森林里狼吞虎咽地大嚼野果。 来自辞典例句
  • He saw roses winding about the rain spout; or mulberries-birds gorging in the mulberry tree. 他会看到玫瑰花绕在水管上,或者是看到在桑树枝头上使劲啄食的小鸟。 来自辞典例句
53 sneered 0e3b5b35e54fb2ad006040792a867d9f     
讥笑,冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He sneered at people who liked pop music. 他嘲笑喜欢流行音乐的人。
  • It's very discouraging to be sneered at all the time. 成天受嘲讽是很令人泄气的。
54 toll LJpzo     
n.过路(桥)费;损失,伤亡人数;v.敲(钟)
参考例句:
  • The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
  • The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。
55 promptly LRMxm     
adv.及时地,敏捷地
参考例句:
  • He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
  • She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。
56 intestines e809cc608db249eaf1b13d564503dbca     
n.肠( intestine的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Perhaps the most serious problems occur in the stomach and intestines. 最严重的问题或许出现在胃和肠里。 来自辞典例句
  • The traps of carnivorous plants function a little like the stomachs and small intestines of animals. 食肉植物的捕蝇器起着动物的胃和小肠的作用。 来自辞典例句
57 shrieked dc12d0d25b0f5d980f524cd70c1de8fe     
v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • She shrieked in fright. 她吓得尖叫起来。
  • Li Mei-t'ing gave a shout, and Lu Tzu-hsiao shrieked, "Tell what? 李梅亭大声叫,陆子潇尖声叫:“告诉什么? 来自汉英文学 - 围城
58 decency Jxzxs     
n.体面,得体,合宜,正派,庄重
参考例句:
  • His sense of decency and fair play made him refuse the offer.他的正直感和公平竞争意识使他拒绝了这一提议。
  • Your behaviour is an affront to public decency.你的行为有伤风化。
59 unbearable alCwB     
adj.不能容忍的;忍受不住的
参考例句:
  • It is unbearable to be always on thorns.老是处于焦虑不安的情况中是受不了的。
  • The more he thought of it the more unbearable it became.他越想越觉得无法忍受。
60 vomited 23632f2de1c0dc958c22b917c3cdd795     
参考例句:
  • Corbett leaned against the wall and promptly vomited. 科比特倚在墙边,马上呕吐了起来。
  • She leant forward and vomited copiously on the floor. 她向前一俯,哇的一声吐了一地。 来自英汉文学
61 recoiled 8282f6b353b1fa6f91b917c46152c025     
v.畏缩( recoil的过去式和过去分词 );退缩;报应;返回
参考例句:
  • She recoiled from his touch. 她躲开他的触摸。
  • Howard recoiled a little at the sharpness in my voice. 听到我的尖声,霍华德往后缩了一下。 来自《简明英汉词典》
62 punctuated 7bd3039c345abccc3ac40a4e434df484     
v.(在文字中)加标点符号,加标点( punctuate的过去式和过去分词 );不时打断某事物
参考例句:
  • Her speech was punctuated by bursts of applause. 她的讲演不时被阵阵掌声打断。
  • The audience punctuated his speech by outbursts of applause. 听众不时以阵阵掌声打断他的讲话。 来自《简明英汉词典》
63 outrage hvOyI     
n.暴行,侮辱,愤怒;vt.凌辱,激怒
参考例句:
  • When he heard the news he reacted with a sense of outrage.他得悉此事时义愤填膺。
  • We should never forget the outrage committed by the Japanese invaders.我们永远都不应该忘记日本侵略者犯下的暴行。
64 salvage ECHzB     
v.救助,营救,援救;n.救助,营救
参考例句:
  • All attempts to salvage the wrecked ship failed.抢救失事船只的一切努力都失败了。
  • The salvage was piled upon the pier.抢救出的财产被堆放在码头上。
65 stunned 735ec6d53723be15b1737edd89183ec2     
adj. 震惊的,惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词
参考例句:
  • The fall stunned me for a moment. 那一下摔得我昏迷了片刻。
  • The leaders of the Kopper Company were then stunned speechless. 科伯公司的领导们当时被惊得目瞪口呆。
66 admiration afpyA     
n.钦佩,赞美,羡慕
参考例句:
  • He was lost in admiration of the beauty of the scene.他对风景之美赞不绝口。
  • We have a great admiration for the gold medalists.我们对金牌获得者极为敬佩。
67 abject joVyh     
adj.极可怜的,卑屈的
参考例句:
  • This policy has turned out to be an abject failure.这一政策最后以惨败而告终。
  • He had been obliged to offer an abject apology to Mr.Alleyne for his impertinence.他不得不低声下气,为他的无礼举动向艾莱恩先生请罪。
68 discreet xZezn     
adj.(言行)谨慎的;慎重的;有判断力的
参考例句:
  • He is very discreet in giving his opinions.发表意见他十分慎重。
  • It wasn't discreet of you to ring me up at the office.你打电话到我办公室真是太鲁莽了。
69 mortified 0270b705ee76206d7730e7559f53ea31     
v.使受辱( mortify的过去式和过去分词 );伤害(人的感情);克制;抑制(肉体、情感等)
参考例句:
  • She was mortified to realize he had heard every word she said. 她意识到自己的每句话都被他听到了,直羞得无地自容。
  • The knowledge of future evils mortified the present felicities. 对未来苦难的了解压抑了目前的喜悦。 来自《简明英汉词典》
70 breakdown cS0yx     
n.垮,衰竭;损坏,故障,倒塌
参考例句:
  • She suffered a nervous breakdown.她患神经衰弱。
  • The plane had a breakdown in the air,but it was fortunately removed by the ace pilot.飞机在空中发生了故障,但幸运的是被王牌驾驶员排除了。
71 entirely entirely     
ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地
参考例句:
  • The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
  • His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。
72 morsel Q14y4     
n.一口,一点点
参考例句:
  • He refused to touch a morsel of the food they had brought.他们拿来的东西他一口也不吃。
  • The patient has not had a morsel of food since the morning.从早上起病人一直没有进食。
73 vegetarian 7KGzY     
n.素食者;adj.素食的
参考例句:
  • She got used gradually to the vegetarian diet.她逐渐习惯吃素食。
  • I didn't realize you were a vegetarian.我不知道你是个素食者。
74 reprieve kBtzb     
n.暂缓执行(死刑);v.缓期执行;给…带来缓解
参考例句:
  • He was saved from the gallows by a lastminute reprieve.最后一刻的缓刑令把他从绞架上解救了下来。
  • The railway line, due for closure, has been granted a six-month reprieve.本应停运的铁路线获准多运行6 个月。
75 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》
76 inflicted cd6137b3bb7ad543500a72a112c6680f     
把…强加给,使承受,遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • They inflicted a humiliating defeat on the home team. 他们使主队吃了一场很没面子的败仗。
  • Zoya heroically bore the torture that the Fascists inflicted upon her. 卓娅英勇地承受法西斯匪徒加在她身上的酷刑。
77 lash a2oxR     
v.系牢;鞭打;猛烈抨击;n.鞭打;眼睫毛
参考例句:
  • He received a lash of her hand on his cheek.他突然被她打了一记耳光。
  • With a lash of its tail the tiger leaped at her.老虎把尾巴一甩朝她扑过来。
78 grimaced 5f3f78dc835e71266975d0c281dceae8     
v.扮鬼相,做鬼脸( grimace的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He grimaced at the bitter taste. 他一尝那苦味,做了个怪相。
  • She grimaced at the sight of all the work. 她一看到这么多的工作就皱起了眉头。 来自《简明英汉词典》
79 soothed 509169542d21da19b0b0bd232848b963     
v.安慰( soothe的过去式和过去分词 );抚慰;使舒服;减轻痛苦
参考例句:
  • The music soothed her for a while. 音乐让她稍微安静了一会儿。
  • The soft modulation of her voice soothed the infant. 她柔和的声调使婴儿安静了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
80 solitude xF9yw     
n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方
参考例句:
  • People need a chance to reflect on spiritual matters in solitude. 人们需要独处的机会来反思精神上的事情。
  • They searched for a place where they could live in solitude. 他们寻找一个可以过隐居生活的地方。
81 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。
82 structural itXw5     
adj.构造的,组织的,建筑(用)的
参考例句:
  • The storm caused no structural damage.风暴没有造成建筑结构方面的破坏。
  • The North American continent is made up of three great structural entities.北美大陆是由三个构造单元组成的。
83 distress 3llzX     
n.苦恼,痛苦,不舒适;不幸;vt.使悲痛
参考例句:
  • Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。
  • Please don't distress yourself.请你不要忧愁了。
84 dingy iu8xq     
adj.昏暗的,肮脏的
参考例句:
  • It was a street of dingy houses huddled together. 这是一条挤满了破旧房子的街巷。
  • The dingy cottage was converted into a neat tasteful residence.那间脏黑的小屋已变成一个整洁雅致的住宅。
85 ecosystems 94cb0e40a815bea1157ac8aab9a5380d     
n.生态系统( ecosystem的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • There are highly sensitive and delicately balanced ecosystems in the forest. 森林里有高度敏感、灵敏平衡的各种生态系统。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Madagascar's ecosystems range from rainforest to semi-desert. 马达加斯加生态系统类型多样,从雨林到半荒漠等不一而足。 来自辞典例句
86 lookout w0sxT     
n.注意,前途,瞭望台
参考例句:
  • You can see everything around from the lookout.从了望台上你可以看清周围的一切。
  • It's a bad lookout for the company if interest rates don't come down.如果利率降不下来,公司的前景可就不妙了。
87 sullen kHGzl     
adj.愠怒的,闷闷不乐的,(天气等)阴沉的
参考例句:
  • He looked up at the sullen sky.他抬头看了一眼阴沉的天空。
  • Susan was sullen in the morning because she hadn't slept well.苏珊今天早上郁闷不乐,因为昨晚没睡好。
88 insanity H6xxf     
n.疯狂,精神错乱;极端的愚蠢,荒唐
参考例句:
  • In his defense he alleged temporary insanity.他伪称一时精神错乱,为自己辩解。
  • He remained in his cell,and this visit only increased the belief in his insanity.他依旧还是住在他的地牢里,这次视察只是更加使人相信他是个疯子了。
89 fathom w7wy3     
v.领悟,彻底了解
参考例句:
  • I really couldn't fathom what he was talking about.我真搞不懂他在说些什么。
  • What these people hoped to achieve is hard to fathom.这些人希望实现些什么目标难以揣测。
90 beckons 93df57d1c556d8200ecaa1eec7828aa1     
v.(用头或手的动作)示意,召唤( beckon的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • He sent his ships wherever profit beckons. 他将船队派往赢利的那些地方。 来自辞典例句
  • I believe history beckons again. 我认为现在历史又在召唤了。 来自辞典例句
91 shovelling 17ef84f3c7eab07ae22ec2c76a2f801f     
v.铲子( shovel的现在分词 );锹;推土机、挖土机等的)铲;铲形部份
参考例句:
  • The workers are shovelling the sand. 工人们正在铲沙子。 来自辞典例句
  • They were shovelling coal up. 他们在铲煤。 来自辞典例句
92 excrement IhLzw     
n.排泄物,粪便
参考例句:
  • The cage smelled of excrement.笼子里粪臭熏人。
  • Clothing can also become contaminated with dust,feathers,and excrement.衣着则会受到微尘、羽毛和粪便的污染。
93 rinsing cc80e70477186de83e96464130c222ba     
n.清水,残渣v.漂洗( rinse的现在分词 );冲洗;用清水漂洗掉(肥皂泡等);(用清水)冲掉
参考例句:
  • Pablo made a swishing noise rinsing wine in his mouth. 巴勃罗用酒漱着口,发出咕噜噜噜的声音。 来自辞典例句
  • The absorption of many molecular layers could be reestablished by rinsing the foils with tap water. 多分子层的吸附作用可用自来水淋洗金属箔而重新实现。 来自辞典例句
94 vet 2HfyG     
n.兽医,退役军人;vt.检查
参考例句:
  • I took my dog to the vet.我把狗带到兽医诊所看病。
  • Someone should vet this report before it goes out.这篇报道发表之前应该有人对它进行详查。
95 debris debris     
n.瓦砾堆,废墟,碎片
参考例句:
  • After the bombing there was a lot of debris everywhere.轰炸之后到处瓦砾成堆。
  • Bacteria sticks to food debris in the teeth,causing decay.细菌附着在牙缝中的食物残渣上,导致蛀牙。


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