ARTEMIS'S main problem was one of location - how to locate a leprechaun. This was one sly bunch of fairies, hanging around for God knows how many millennia1 and still not one photo, not one frame of video. Not even a Loch-Ness-type hoax2. They weren't exactly a sociable3 group. And they were smart too. No one had ever got his hands on fairy gold. But no one had ever had access to the Book either. And puzzles were so simple when you had the key.
Artemis had summoned the Butlers to his study, and spoke4 to them now from behind a mini-lectern.
'There are certain rituals every fairy must complete to renew his magic,' explained Artemis.
Butler and Juliet nodded, as though this were a normal briefing.
Artemis flicked5 through his hard copy of the Book and selected a passage.
'From the earth thine power flows,
Given through courtesy, so thanks are owed.
Pluck thou the magick seed,
Where full moon, ancient oak and twisted water meet.
And bury it far from where it was found,
So return your gift into the ground.'
Artemis closed the text. 'Do you see?'
Butler and Juliet kept nodding, while still looking thoroughly6 mystified.
Artemis sighed. 'The leprechaun is bound by certain rituals. Very specific rituals, I might add. We can use them to track one down.'
Juliet raised a hand, even though she herself was four years Artemis's senior.
'Yes?'
'Well, the thing is, Artemis,' she said hesitantly, twisting a strand7 of blonde hair in a way that several of the local louts considered extremely attractive. 'The bit about leprechauns.'
Artemis frowned. It was a bad sign. 'Your point, Juliet?'
'Well, leprechauns. You know they're not real, don't you?'
Butler winced8. It was his fault really. He'd never got around to filling in his sister on the mission parameters9.
Artemis scowled10 reprovingly at him.
'Butler hasn't already talked to you about this?'
'No. Was he supposed to?'
'Yes, he certainly was. Perhaps he thought you'd laugh at him.'
Butler squirmed. That was exactly what he'd thought. Juliet was the only person alive who laughed at him with embarrassing regularity11. Most other people did it once. Just once.
Artemis cleared his throat. 'Let us proceed under the assumption that the fairy folk do exist and that I am not a gibbering moron12.'
Butler nodded weakly. Juliet was unconvinced.
'Very well. Now, as I was saying, the People have to fulfil a specific ritual to renew their powers. According to my interpretation13, they must pick a seed from an ancient oak tree by the bend in a river. And they must do this during the full moon.'
The light began to dawn in Butler's eyes. 'So all we have to do ...'
'Is run a cross-reference through the weather satellites, which I already have. Believe it or not, there aren't that many ancient oaks left, if you take ancient to be a hundred years plus. When you factor in the river bend and full moon, there are precisely14 one hundred and twenty-nine sites to be surveyed in this country.'
Butler grinned. Stakeout. Now the Master was talking his language.
'There are preparations to be made for our guest's arrival,' said Artemis, handing a typewritten sheet of A4 to Juliet. 'These alterations15 must be made to the cellar. See to it, Juliet. To the letter.'
'Yes, Arty.'
Artemis frowned, but only slightly. For reasons that he couldn't quite fathom16, he didn't mind terribly when Juliet called him by the pet name his mother had for him.
Butler scratched his chin thoughtfully. Artemis noticed the gesture.
'Well, Artemis. The sprite in Ho Chi Minh City
Artemis nodded. 'I know. Why didn't we simply abduct18 her?'
'Yes, sir.'
'According to Chi Lun's Almanac of the People, a seventh-century manuscript recovered from the lost city of Sh'shamo: "Once a fairy has taken spirits with the Mud People" - that's us, by the way - "they are forever dead to their brothers and sisters." So there was no guarantee that that particular fairy was worth even an ounce of gold. No, my old friend, we need fresh blood. All clear?'
Butler nodded.
'Good. Now, there are several items you will need to procure19 for our moonlight jaunts21.'
Butler scanned the sheet: basic field equipment, a few eyebrow22 raisers, nothing too puzzling until ...
'Sunglasses? At night?'
When Artemis smiled, as he did now, one almost expected vampire23 fangs24 to sprout25 from his gums. 'Yes, Butler. Sunglasses. Trust me.' And Butler did. Implicitly26.
Holly27 activated28 the thermal29 coil in her suit and climbed to 4,000 metres. The Hummingbird30 wings were top of the range. The battery readout showed four red bars - more than enough for a quick jaunt20 through mainland Europe and across the British Isles32. Of course, the regulations said always travel over water if possible, but Holly could never resist knocking the snowcap from the highest alp on her way past.
The suit protected Holly from the worst of the elements, but she could still feel the chill sinking into her bones. The moon seemed huge from this altitude, the craters33 on its surface easily distinguishable. Tonight it was a perfect sphere. A magical full moon. Immigration would have their hands full, as thousands of surface-sick fairies were drawn34 irresistibly35 overground. A large percentage would make it, probably causing mayhem in their revelry. The earth's mantle36 was riddled37 with illegal tunnels and it was impossible to police them all.
Holly followed the Italian coast up to Monaco and from there across the Alps to France. She loved flying, all fairies did. According to the Book, they had once been equipped with wings of their own, but evolution had stripped them of this power. All but the sprites. One school of thought believed that the People were descended38 from airborne dinosaurs39. Possibly pterodactyls. Much of the upper-body skeletal structure was the same. This theory would certainly explain the tiny nub of bone on each shoulder blade.
Holly toyed with the idea of visiting Disneyland Paris. The LEP had several undercover operatives stationed there, most of them working in the Snow White exhibit. It was one of the few places on earth that the People could pass unnoticed. But if some tourist got a photo of her and it ended up on the Internet, Root would have her badge for sure. With a sigh of regret, she passed over the shower of multicoloured fireworks below.
Once over the Channel, Holly flew low, skipping over the white-crested waves. She called out to the dolphins and they rose to the surface, leaping from the water to match her pace. She could see the pollution in them, bleaching40 their skin white and causing red sores on their backs. And although she smiled, her heart was breaking. Mud People had a lot to answer for.
Finally the coast loomed41 ahead of her. The old country. Eiriu, the land where time began. The most magical place on the planet. It was here, 10,000 years ago, that the ancient fairy race, the De Danann, had battled against the demon42 Fomorians, carving43 the famous Giant's Causeway with the strength of their magical blasts. It was here that the Lia Fáil stood, the rock at the centre of the universe, where the fairy kings and later the human Ard Rí were crowned. And it was also here, unfortunately, that the Mud People were most in tune44 with magic, which resulted in a far higher People-sighting rate than you got anywhere else on the planet. Thankfully the rest of the world assumed that the Irish were crazy, a theory that the Irish themselves did nothing to debunk45. They had somehow got it into their heads that each fairy lugged46 around a pot of gold with them wherever they went. While it was true that LEP had a ransom47 fund, because of its officers' high-risk occupation, no human had ever taken a chunk48 of it yet. This didn't stop the Irish population in general from skulking49 around rainbows, hoping to win the supernatural lottery50.
But in spite of all that, if there was one race the People felt an affinity51 for it was the Irish. Perhaps it was their eccentricity52, perhaps their dedication53 to the craic, as they called it. And if the People were actually related to humans, as another theory had it, odds54 on it was the Emerald Isle31 where it started.
Holly punched up a map on her wrist locator and set it to sweep for magical hotspots. The best site would obviously be Tara, near the Lia Fáil, but on a night like tonight, every traditionalist fairy with an overground pass would be dancing around the holy scene, so best to give it a miss.
There was a secondary site not far from here, just off the south-east coast. Easy access from the air, but remote and desolate55 for land-bound humans. Holly reined56 in the throttle57 and descended to eighty metres. She skipped over a bristling58 evergreen59 forest, emerging in a moonlit meadow. A silver thread of river bisected the field and there, nestling in the fold of a meander60 loop, was the proud oak.
Holly checked her locator for life forms. Once she judged the cow two fields over not to be a threat, she cut her engines and glided61 to the foot of the mighty62 tree.
Four months of stakeout. Even Butler, the consummate63 professional, was beginning to dread64 the long nights of damp and insect bites. Thankfully, the moon was not full every night.
It was always the same. They would crouch65 in their foil-lined hide in complete silence, Butler repeatedly checking his equipment, while Artemis stared unblinking through the eye of the scope. At times like these, nature seemed deafening66 in their confined space. Butler longed to whistle, to make conversation, anything to break the unnatural67 silence. But Artemis's concentration was absolute. He would brook68 no interference or lapse69 of focus. This was business.
Tonight they were in the south-east. The most inaccessible70 site yet. Butler had been forced to make three trips to the jeep in order to hump the equipment across a stile, a bog71 and two fields. His boots and trousers were ruined. And now he would have to sit in the hide with ditchwater soaking into the seat of his trousers. Artemis had somehow contrived72 to remain spotless.
The hide was ingenious in design and interest had already been expressed in the manufacturing rights mostly by military representatives - but Artemis had resolved to sell the patent to a sporting-goods multinational73. It was constructed of an elasticated foil polymer on a multi-hinged fibreglass skeleton. The foil, similar to that used by NASA, trapped the heat inside the structure while preventing the camouflaged74 outside surface from overheating. This ensured that any animals sensitive to heat would be unaware75 of its presence. The hinges meant that the hide would move almost like a liquid, filling whatever depression it was dropped into. Instant shelter and vantage point. You simply placed the Velcroed bag in a hole and pulled the string.
But all the cleverness in the world couldn't improve the atmosphere. Something was troubling Artemis. It was plain in the web of premature76 lines that spread from the corners of his deep-blue eyes.
After several nights of fruitless surveillance, Butler plucked up enough courage to ask ...
'Artemis,' he began hesitantly, 'I realize it's not my place, but I know there's something wrong. And if there's anything I can do to help ...'
Artemis didn't speak for several moments. And for those few moments, Butler saw the face of a young boy. The boy Artemis might have been.
'It's my mother, Butler,' he said at last. 'I'm beginning to wonder if she'll ever -'
Then the proximity77 alarm flashed red.
Holly hooked the wings over a low branch, unstrapping the helmet to give her ears some air. You had to be careful with elfin ears - a few hours in the helmet and they started to flake80. She gave the tips a massage81. No dry skin there. That was because she had a daily moisturizing regime, not like some of the male LEP officers. When they took off their helmets, you'd swear it had just started to snow.
Holly paused for a minute to admire the view. Ireland certainly was picturesque82. Even the Mud People hadn't been able to destroy that. Not yet anyway ... Give them another century or two. The river was folding gently before her like a silver snake, hissing83 as the water tumbled across a stony84 bed. The oak tree crackled overhead, its branches rasping together in the bracing85 breeze.
Now, to work. She could do the tourist thing all night once her business was complete. A seed. She needed a seed. Holly bent86 to the ground, brushing the dried leaves and twigs87 from the clay's surface. Her fingers closed around a smooth acorn88. That wasn't hard now, was it? she thought. All that remained for her to do was plant it somewhere else and her powers would come rushing back.
Butler checked the porta-radar, muting the volume in case the equipment betrayed their position. The red arm swept the screen with agonizing89 lethargy, and then ... Flash! An upright figure by the tree. Too small for an adult, the wrong proportions for a child. He gave Artemis the thumbs-up. Possible match.
Artemis nodded, strapping78 the mirrored sunglasses across his brow. Butler followed his lead, popping the cap on his weapon's starlight scope. This was no ordinary dart90 rifle. It had been specially91 tooled for a Kenyan ivory hunter and had the range and rapid-fire capacity of a Kalashnikov. Butler had picked it up for a song from a government official after the ivory poacher's execution.
They crept into the night with practised silence. The diminutive92 figure before them unhooked a contraption from around its shoulders and lifted a full-face helmet from a definitely non-human head. Butler wrapped the rifle strap79 twice around his wrist, pulling the stock into his shoulder. He activated the scope and a red dot appeared in the centre of the figure's back. Artemis nodded and his manservant squeezed the trigger.
In spite of a million to one odds, it was at that precise moment that the figure bent low to the earth.
Something whizzed over Holly's head, something that glinted in the starlight. Holly had enough on-the-job experience to realize that she was under fire, and immediately curled her elfin frame into a ball, minimizing the target.
She drew her pistol, rolling towards the shelter of the tree trunk. Her brain scrambled93 for possibilities. Who could be shooting at her and why?
Something was waiting beside the tree. Something roughly the size of a mountain, but considerably94 more mobile.
'Nice pea-shooter,' grinned the figure, smothering95 Holly's gun hand in a turnip-sized fist.
Holly managed to extricate96 her fingers a nanosecond before they snapped like brittle97 spaghetti.
'I don't suppose you would consider peaceful surrender?' said a cold voice behind her.
Holly turned, elbows raised for combat.
'No,' sighed the boy melodramatically. 'I suppose not.'
Holly put on her best brave face.
'Stay back, human. You don't know what you're dealing98 with.'
The boy laughed. 'I believe, fairy, that you are the one unfamiliar99 with the facts.'
Fairy? He knew she was a fairy.
'I have magic mud-worm. Enough to turn you and your gorilla100 into pig droppings.'
The boy took a step closer. 'Brave words, miss. But lies nonetheless. If, as you say, you had magic, you would have no doubt used it by now. No, I suspect that you have gone too long without the Ritual and you are here to replenish101 your powers.'
Holly was dumbfounded. There was a human before her, casually102 spouting103 sacred secrets. This was disastrous104. Catastrophic. It could mean the end of generations of peace. If the humans were aware of a fairy subculture, it was only a matter of time before the two species went to war. She must do something, and there was only one weapon left in her arsenal105.
The mesmer is the lowest form of magic and requires only a trickle106 of power. There are even certain humans with a bent for the talent. It is within the ability of even the most drained fairy to put a complete mind kibosh on any human alive.
Holly summoned the final dribble107 of magic from the base of her skull108.
'Human,' she intoned, her voice suddenly resonating with bass109 tones, 'your will is mine.'
Artemis smiled, safe behind his mirrored lenses. 'I doubt it,' he said, and nodded curtly110.
Holly felt the dart puncture111 the suit's toughened material, depositing its load of curare and succinylcholine chloride-based tranquillizer into her shoulder. The world instantly dissolved into a series of technicoloured bubbles and, try as she might, Holly couldn't seem to hold on to more than one thought. And that thought was: how did they know? It spiralled around her head as she sank into unconsciousness. How did they know? How did they know? How did they ...
Artemis saw the pain in the creature's eyes as the hollow hypodermic plunged112 into her body. And for a moment he experienced misgivings113. A female. He hadn't expected that. A female, like Juliet, or Mother. Then the moment passed and he was himself again.
'Good shooting,' he said, bending to study their prisoner. Definitely a girl. Pretty too. In a pointy sort of way.
'Sir?'
'Hmm?'
Butler was pointing to the creature's helmet. It was half-buried in a drift of leaves where the fairy had dropped it. A buzzing noise was coming from the crown.
Artemis picked up the contraption by the straps114, searching for the source.
'Ah, here we are.' He plucked the viewcam from its slot, careful to point the lens away from him.'Fairy technology. Most impressive,' he muttered, popping the battery from its groove115. The camera whined116 and died. 'Nuclear power source, if I'm not mistaken. We must be careful not to underestimate our opponents.'
Butler nodded, sliding their captive into an oversized duffel bag. Something else to be lugged across two fields, a bog and a stile.
收听单词发音 |
1
millennia
|
|
| n.一千年，千禧年 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
hoax
|
|
| v.欺骗，哄骗，愚弄；n.愚弄人，恶作剧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
sociable
|
|
| adj.好交际的，友好的，合群的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
spoke
|
|
| 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： |
|
|
|
|
5
flicked
|
|
| （尤指用手指或手快速地）轻击( flick的过去式和过去分词 )； （用…）轻挥； （快速地）按开关； 向…笑了一下（或瞥了一眼等） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
thoroughly
|
|
| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
strand
|
|
| vt.使（船）搁浅，使（某人）困于（某地） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
winced
|
|
| 赶紧避开，畏缩( wince的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
parameters
|
|
| 因素，特征； 界限； （限定性的）因素( parameter的名词复数 )； 参量； 参项； 决定因素 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
scowled
|
|
| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
regularity
|
|
| n.规律性，规则性；匀称，整齐 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
moron
|
|
| n.极蠢之人，低能儿 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
interpretation
|
|
| n.解释，说明，描述；艺术处理 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
precisely
|
|
| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
alterations
|
|
| n.改动( alteration的名词复数 )；更改；变化；改变 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
fathom
|
|
| v.领悟，彻底了解 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
query
|
|
| n.疑问，问号，质问；vt.询问，表示怀疑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
abduct
|
|
| vt.诱拐，拐带，绑架 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
procure
|
|
| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
jaunt
|
|
| v.短程旅游；n.游览 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
jaunts
|
|
| n.游览( jaunt的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
eyebrow
|
|
| n.眉毛，眉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
vampire
|
|
| n.吸血鬼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
fangs
|
|
| n.（尤指狗和狼的）长而尖的牙( fang的名词复数 )；（蛇的）毒牙；罐座 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
sprout
|
|
| n.芽，萌芽；vt.使发芽，摘去芽；vi.长芽，抽条 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
implicitly
|
|
| adv. 含蓄地, 暗中地, 毫不保留地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
holly
|
|
| n.[植]冬青属灌木 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
activated
|
|
| adj. 激活的 动词activate的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
thermal
|
|
| adj.热的，由热造成的；保暖的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
hummingbird
|
|
| n.蜂鸟 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
isle
|
|
| n.小岛，岛 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
isles
|
|
| 岛( isle的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
craters
|
|
| n.火山口( crater的名词复数 )；弹坑等 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
drawn
|
|
| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
irresistibly
|
|
| adv.无法抵抗地，不能自持地；极为诱惑人地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
mantle
|
|
| n.斗篷，覆罩之物，罩子；v.罩住，覆盖，脸红 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
riddled
|
|
| adj.布满的；充斥的；泛滥的v.解谜，出谜题(riddle的过去分词形式) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
descended
|
|
| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
dinosaurs
|
|
| n.恐龙( dinosaur的名词复数 )；守旧落伍的人，过时落后的东西 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
bleaching
|
|
| 漂白法，漂白 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
demon
|
|
| n.魔鬼，恶魔 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
carving
|
|
| n.雕刻品，雕花 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
tune
|
|
| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
debunk
|
|
| v.揭穿真相，暴露 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
lugged
|
|
| vt.用力拖拉（lug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
ransom
|
|
| n.赎金，赎身；v.赎回，解救 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
chunk
|
|
| n.厚片，大块，相当大的部分（数量） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
skulking
|
|
| v.潜伏，偷偷摸摸地走动，鬼鬼祟祟地活动( skulk的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
lottery
|
|
| n.抽彩；碰运气的事，难于算计的事 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
affinity
|
|
| n.亲和力，密切关系 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
eccentricity
|
|
| n.古怪，反常，怪癖 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
dedication
|
|
| n.奉献，献身，致力，题献，献辞 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
odds
|
|
| n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
desolate
|
|
| adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
reined
|
|
| 勒缰绳使（马）停步( rein的过去式和过去分词 )； 驾驭； 严格控制； 加强管理 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
throttle
|
|
| n.节流阀，节气阀，喉咙；v.扼喉咙，使窒息，压 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
bristling
|
|
| a.竖立的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
evergreen
|
|
| n.常青树；adj.四季常青的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
meander
|
|
| n.河流的曲折，漫步，迂回旅行；v.缓慢而弯曲地流动，漫谈 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
glided
|
|
| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
mighty
|
|
| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
consummate
|
|
| adj.完美的；v.成婚；使完美 [反]baffle | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
dread
|
|
| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
crouch
|
|
| v.蹲伏，蜷缩，低头弯腰；n.蹲伏 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
deafening
|
|
| adj. 振耳欲聋的, 极喧闹的 动词deafen的现在分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
unnatural
|
|
| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
brook
|
|
| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
lapse
|
|
| n.过失，流逝，失效，抛弃信仰，间隔；vi.堕落，停止，失效，流逝；vt.使失效 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
inaccessible
|
|
| adj.达不到的，难接近的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
bog
|
|
| n.沼泽；室...陷入泥淖 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
contrived
|
|
| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
multinational
|
|
| adj.多国的，多种国籍的；n.多国籍公司，跨国公司 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
74
camouflaged
|
|
| v.隐蔽( camouflage的过去式和过去分词 )；掩盖；伪装，掩饰 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
75
unaware
|
|
| a.不知道的，未意识到的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
76
premature
|
|
| adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
77
proximity
|
|
| n.接近，邻近 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
78
strapping
|
|
| adj. 魁伟的, 身材高大健壮的 n. 皮绳或皮带的材料, 裹伤胶带, 皮鞭 动词strap的现在分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
79
strap
|
|
| n.皮带，带子；v.用带扣住，束牢；用绷带包扎 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
80
flake
|
|
| v.使成薄片；雪片般落下；n.薄片 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
81
massage
|
|
| n.按摩，揉；vt.按摩，揉，美化，奉承，篡改数据 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
82
picturesque
|
|
| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
83
hissing
|
|
| n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
84
stony
|
|
| adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
85
bracing
|
|
| adj.令人振奋的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
86
bent
|
|
| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
87
twigs
|
|
| 细枝，嫩枝( twig的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
88
acorn
|
|
| n.橡实，橡子 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
89
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) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
90
dart
|
|
| v.猛冲，投掷；n.飞镖，猛冲 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
91
specially
|
|
| adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
92
diminutive
|
|
| adj.小巧可爱的，小的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
93
scrambled
|
|
| 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： |
|
|
|
|
94
considerably
|
|
| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
95
smothering
|
|
| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的现在分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
96
extricate
|
|
| v.拯救，救出；解脱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
97
brittle
|
|
| adj.易碎的；脆弱的；冷淡的；(声音)尖利的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
98
dealing
|
|
| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
99
unfamiliar
|
|
| adj.陌生的，不熟悉的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
100
gorilla
|
|
| n.大猩猩，暴徒，打手 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
101
replenish
|
|
| vt.补充；(把…)装满；(再)填满 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
102
casually
|
|
| adv.漠不关心地，无动于衷地，不负责任地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
103
spouting
|
|
| n.水落管系统v.（指液体）喷出( spout的现在分词 )；滔滔不绝地讲；喋喋不休地说；喷水 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
104
disastrous
|
|
| adj.灾难性的，造成灾害的；极坏的，很糟的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
105
arsenal
|
|
| n.兵工厂，军械库 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
106
trickle
|
|
| vi.淌，滴，流出，慢慢移动，逐渐消散 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
107
dribble
|
|
| v.点滴留下，流口水；n.口水 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
108
skull
|
|
| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
109
bass
|
|
| n.男低音(歌手)；低音乐器；低音大提琴 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
110
curtly
|
|
| adv.简短地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
111
puncture
|
|
| n.刺孔，穿孔；v.刺穿，刺破 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
112
plunged
|
|
| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
113
misgivings
|
|
| n.疑虑，担忧，害怕；疑虑，担心，恐惧( misgiving的名词复数 )；疑惧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
114
straps
|
|
| n.带子( strap的名词复数 )；挎带；肩带；背带v.用皮带捆扎( strap的第三人称单数 )；用皮带抽打；包扎；给…打绷带 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
115
groove
|
|
| n.沟，槽；凹线，（刻出的）线条，习惯 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
116
whined
|
|
| v.哀号( whine的过去式和过去分词 )；哀诉，诉怨 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |