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首页 » 英文励志小说 » The Cruise of the Snark17章节 » CHAPTER VI A ROYAL SPORT
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CHAPTER VI A ROYAL SPORT
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 That is what it is, a royal sport for the natural kings of earth.  The grass grows right down to the water at Waikiki Beach, and within fifty feet of the everlasting1 sea.  The trees also grow down to the salty edge of things, and one sits in their shade and looks seaward at a majestic2 surf thundering in on the beach to one’s very feet.  Half a mile out, where is the reef, the white-headed combers thrust suddenly skyward out of the placid3 turquoise-blue and come rolling in to shore.  One after another they come, a mile long, with smoking crests5, the white battalions6 of the infinite army of the sea.  And one sits and listens to the perpetual roar, and watches the unending procession, and feels tiny and fragile before this tremendous force expressing itself in fury and foam7 and sound.  Indeed, one feels microscopically8 small, and the thought that one may wrestle9 with this sea raises in one’s imagination a thrill of apprehension10, almost of fear.  Why, they are a mile long, these bull-mouthed monsters, and they weigh a thousand tons, and they charge in to shore faster than a man can run.  What chance?  No chance at all, is the verdict of the shrinking ego11; and one sits, and looks, and listens, and thinks the grass and the shade are a pretty good place in which to be.
 
And suddenly, out there where a big smoker12 lifts skyward, rising like a sea-god from out of the welter of spume and churning white, on the giddy, toppling, overhanging and downfalling, precarious13 crest4 appears the dark head of a man.  Swiftly he rises through the rushing white.  His black shoulders, his chest, his loins, his limbs—all is abruptly15 projected on one’s vision.  Where but the moment before was only the wide desolation and invincible16 roar, is now a man, erect17, full-statured, not struggling frantically19 in that wild movement, not buried and crushed and buffeted20 by those mighty22 monsters, but standing23 above them all, calm and superb, poised24 on the giddy summit, his feet buried in the churning foam, the salt smoke rising to his knees, and all the rest of him in the free air and flashing sunlight, and he is flying through the air, flying forward, flying fast as the surge on which he stands.  He is a Mercury—a brown Mercury.  His heels are winged, and in them is the swiftness of the sea.  In truth, from out of the sea he has leaped upon the back of the sea, and he is riding the sea that roars and bellows25 and cannot shake him from its back.  But no frantic18 outreaching and balancing is his.  He is impassive, motionless as a statue carved suddenly by some miracle out of the sea’s depth from which he rose.  And straight on toward shore he flies on his winged heels and the white crest of the breaker.  There is a wild burst of foam, a long tumultuous rushing sound as the breaker falls futile26 and spent on the beach at your feet; and there, at your feet steps calmly ashore27 a Kanaka, burnt, golden and brown by the tropic sun.  Several minutes ago he was a speck28 a quarter of a mile away.  He has “bitted the bull-mouthed breaker” and ridden it in, and the pride in the feat29 shows in the carriage of his magnificent body as he glances for a moment carelessly at you who sit in the shade of the shore.  He is a Kanaka—and more, he is a man, a member of the kingly species that has mastered matter and the brutes30 and lorded it over creation.
 
And one sits and thinks of Tristram’s last wrestle with the sea on that fatal morning; and one thinks further, to the fact that that Kanaka has done what Tristram never did, and that he knows a joy of the sea that Tristram never knew.  And still further one thinks.  It is all very well, sitting here in cool shade of the beach, but you are a man, one of the kingly species, and what that Kanaka can do, you can do yourself.  Go to.  Strip off your clothes that are a nuisance in this mellow31 clime.  Get in and wrestle with the sea; wing your heels with the skill and power that reside in you; bit the sea’s breakers, master them, and ride upon their backs as a king should.
 
And that is how it came about that I tackled surf-riding.  And now that I have tackled it, more than ever do I hold it to be a royal sport.  But first let me explain the physics of it.  A wave is a communicated agitation32.  The water that composes the body of a wave does not move.  If it did, when a stone is thrown into a pond and the ripples33 spread away in an ever widening circle, there would appear at the centre an ever increasing hole.  No, the water that composes the body of a wave is stationary34.  Thus, you may watch a particular portion of the ocean’s surface and you will see the same water rise and fall a thousand times to the agitation communicated by a thousand successive waves.  Now imagine this communicated agitation moving shoreward.  As the bottom shoals, the lower portion of the wave strikes land first and is stopped.  But water is fluid, and the upper portion has not struck anything, wherefore it keeps on communicating its agitation, keeps on going.  And when the top of the wave keeps on going, while the bottom of it lags behind, something is bound to happen.  The bottom of the wave drops out from under and the top of the wave falls over, forward, and down, curling and cresting35 and roaring as it does so.  It is the bottom of a wave striking against the top of the land that is the cause of all surfs.
 
But the transformation36 from a smooth undulation to a breaker is not abrupt14 except where the bottom shoals abruptly.  Say the bottom shoals gradually for from quarter of a mile to a mile, then an equal distance will be occupied by the transformation.  Such a bottom is that off the beach of Waikiki, and it produces a splendid surf-riding surf.  One leaps upon the back of a breaker just as it begins to break, and stays on it as it continues to break all the way in to shore.
 
And now to the particular physics of surf-riding.  Get out on a flat board, six feet long, two feet wide, and roughly oval in shape.  Lie down upon it like a small boy on a coaster and paddle with your hands out to deep water, where the waves begin to crest.  Lie out there quietly on the board.  Sea after sea breaks before, behind, and under and over you, and rushes in to shore, leaving you behind.  When a wave crests, it gets steeper.  Imagine yourself, on your hoard37, on the face of that steep slope.  If it stood still, you would slide down just as a boy slides down a hill on his coaster.  “But,” you object, “the wave doesn’t stand still.”  Very true, but the water composing the wave stands still, and there you have the secret.  If ever you start sliding down the face of that wave, you’ll keep on sliding and you’ll never reach the bottom.  Please don’t laugh.  The face of that wave may be only six feet, yet you can slide down it a quarter of a mile, or half a mile, and not reach the bottom.  For, see, since a wave is only a communicated agitation or impetus38, and since the water that composes a wave is changing every instant, new water is rising into the wave as fast as the wave travels.  You slide down this new water, and yet remain in your old position on the wave, sliding down the still newer water that is rising and forming the wave.  You slide precisely39 as fast as the wave travels.  If it travels fifteen miles an hour, you slide fifteen miles an hour.  Between you and shore stretches a quarter of mile of water.  As the wave travels, this water obligingly heaps itself into the wave, gravity does the rest, and down you go, sliding the whole length of it.  If you still cherish the notion, while sliding, that the water is moving with you, thrust your arms into it and attempt to paddle; you will find that you have to be remarkably40 quick to get a stroke, for that water is dropping astern just as fast as you are rushing ahead.
 
And now for another phase of the physics of surf-riding.  All rules have their exceptions.  It is true that the water in a wave does not travel forward.  But there is what may be called the send of the sea.  The water in the overtoppling crest does move forward, as you will speedily realize if you are slapped in the face by it, or if you are caught under it and are pounded by one mighty blow down under the surface panting and gasping41 for half a minute.  The water in the top of a wave rests upon the water in the bottom of the wave.  But when the bottom of the wave strikes the land, it stops, while the top goes on.  It no longer has the bottom of the wave to hold it up.  Where was solid water beneath it, is now air, and for the first time it feels the grip of gravity, and down it falls, at the same time being torn asunder42 from the lagging bottom of the wave and flung forward.  And it is because of this that riding a surf-board is something more than a mere43 placid sliding down a hill.  In truth, one is caught up and hurled44 shoreward as by some Titan’s hand.
 
I deserted45 the cool shade, put on a swimming suit, and got hold of a surf-board.  It was too small a board.  But I didn’t know, and nobody told me.  I joined some little Kanaka boys in shallow water, where the breakers were well spent and small—a regular kindergarten school.  I watched the little Kanaka boys.  When a likely-looking breaker came along, they flopped46 upon their stomachs on their boards, kicked like mad with their feet, and rode the breaker in to the beach.  I tried to emulate47 them.  I watched them, tried to do everything that they did, and failed utterly48.  The breaker swept past, and I was not on it.  I tried again and again.  I kicked twice as madly as they did, and failed.  Half a dozen would be around.  We would all leap on our boards in front of a good breaker.  Away our feet would churn like the stern-wheels of river steamboats, and away the little rascals49 would scoot while I remained in disgrace behind.
 
I tried for a solid hour, and not one wave could I persuade to boost me shoreward.  And then arrived a friend, Alexander Hume Ford50, a globe trotter by profession, bent51 ever on the pursuit of sensation.  And he had found it at Waikiki.  Heading for Australia, he had stopped off for a week to find out if there were any thrills in surf-riding, and he had become wedded52 to it.  He had been at it every day for a month and could not yet see any symptoms of the fascination53 lessening54 on him.  He spoke55 with authority.
 
“Get off that board,” he said.  “Chuck it away at once.  Look at the way you’re trying to ride it.  If ever the nose of that board hits bottom, you’ll be disembowelled.  Here, take my board.  It’s a man’s size.”
 
I am always humble56 when confronted by knowledge.  Ford knew.  He showed me how properly to mount his board.  Then he waited for a good breaker, gave me a shove at the right moment, and started me in.  Ah, delicious moment when I felt that breaker grip and fling me.
 
On I dashed, a hundred and fifty feet, and subsided57 with the breaker on the sand.  From that moment I was lost.  I waded58 back to Ford with his board.  It was a large one, several inches thick, and weighed all of seventy-five pounds.  He gave me advice, much of it.  He had had no one to teach him, and all that he had laboriously59 learned in several weeks he communicated to me in half an hour.  I really learned by proxy60.  And inside of half an hour I was able to start myself and ride in.  I did it time after time, and Ford applauded and advised.  For instance, he told me to get just so far forward on the board and no farther.  But I must have got some farther, for as I came charging in to land, that miserable61 board poked62 its nose down to bottom, stopped abruptly, and turned a somersault, at the same time violently severing63 our relations.  I was tossed through the air like a chip and buried ignominiously64 under the downfalling breaker.  And I realized that if it hadn’t been for Ford, I’d have been disembowelled.  That particular risk is part of the sport, Ford says.  Maybe he’ll have it happen to him before he leaves Waikiki, and then, I feel confident, his yearning65 for sensation will be satisfied for a time.
 
When all is said and done, it is my steadfast66 belief that homicide is worse than suicide, especially if, in the former case, it is a woman.  Ford saved me from being a homicide.  “Imagine your legs are a rudder,” he said.  “Hold them close together, and steer67 with them.”  A few minutes later I came charging in on a comber.  As I neared the beach, there, in the water, up to her waist, dead in front of me, appeared a woman.  How was I to stop that comber on whose back I was?  It looked like a dead woman.  The board weighed seventy-five pounds, I weighed a hundred and sixty-five.  The added weight had a velocity68 of fifteen miles per hour.  The board and I constituted a projectile69.  I leave it to the physicists70 to figure out the force of the impact upon that poor, tender woman.  And then I remembered my guardian71 angel, Ford.  “Steer with your legs!” rang through my brain.  I steered72 with my legs, I steered sharply, abruptly, with all my legs and with all my might.  The board sheered around broadside on the crest.  Many things happened simultaneously73.  The wave gave me a passing buffet21, a light tap as the taps of waves go, but a tap sufficient to knock me off the board and smash me down through the rushing water to bottom, with which I came in violent collision and upon which I was rolled over and over.  I got my head out for a breath of air and then gained my feet.  There stood the woman before me.  I felt like a hero.  I had saved her life.  And she laughed at me.  It was not hysteria.  She had never dreamed of her danger.  Anyway, I solaced74 myself, it was not I but Ford that saved her, and I didn’t have to feel like a hero.  And besides, that leg-steering was great.  In a few minutes more of practice I was able to thread my way in and out past several bathers and to remain on top my breaker instead of going under it.
 
“To-morrow,” Ford said, “I am going to take you out into the blue water.”
 
I looked seaward where he pointed75, and saw the great smoking combers that made the breakers I had been riding look like ripples.  I don’t know what I might have said had I not recollected76 just then that I was one of a kingly species.  So all that I did say was, “All right, I’ll tackle them to-morrow.”
 
The water that rolls in on Waikiki Beach is just the same as the water that laves the shores of all the Hawaiian Islands; and in ways, especially from the swimmer’s standpoint, it is wonderful water.  It is cool enough to be comfortable, while it is warm enough to permit a swimmer to stay in all day without experiencing a chill.  Under the sun or the stars, at high noon or at midnight, in midwinter or in midsummer, it does not matter when, it is always the same temperature—not too warm, not too cold, just right.  It is wonderful water, salt as old ocean itself, pure and crystal-clear.  When the nature of the water is considered, it is not so remarkable77 after all that the Kanakas are one of the most expert of swimming races.
 
So it was, next morning, when Ford came along, that I plunged78 into the wonderful water for a swim of indeterminate length.  Astride of our surf-boards, or, rather, flat down upon them on our stomachs, we paddled out through the kindergarten where the little Kanaka boys were at play.  Soon we were out in deep water where the big smokers79 came roaring in.  The mere struggle with them, facing them and paddling seaward over them and through them, was sport enough in itself.  One had to have his wits about him, for it was a battle in which mighty blows were struck, on one side, and in which cunning was used on the other side—a struggle between insensate force and intelligence.  I soon learned a bit.  When a breaker curled over my head, for a swift instant I could see the light of day through its emerald body; then down would go my head, and I would clutch the board with all my strength.  Then would come the blow, and to the onlooker80 on shore I would be blotted81 out.  In reality the board and I have passed through the crest and emerged in the respite82 of the other side.  I should not recommend those smashing blows to an invalid83 or delicate person.  There is weight behind them, and the impact of the driven water is like a sandblast.  Sometimes one passes through half a dozen combers in quick succession, and it is just about that time that he is liable to discover new merits in the stable land and new reasons for being on shore.
 
Out there in the midst of such a succession of big smoky ones, a third man was added to our party, one Freeth.  Shaking the water from my eyes as I emerged from one wave and peered ahead to see what the next one looked like, I saw him tearing in on the back of it, standing upright on his board, carelessly poised, a young god bronzed with sunburn.  We went through the wave on the back of which he rode.  Ford called to him.  He turned an airspring from his wave, rescued his board from its maw, paddled over to us and joined Ford in showing me things.  One thing in particular I learned from Freeth, namely, how to encounter the occasional breaker of exceptional size that rolled in.  Such breakers were really ferocious84, and it was unsafe to meet them on top of the board.  But Freeth showed me, so that whenever I saw one of that calibre rolling down on me, I slid off the rear end of the board and dropped down beneath the surface, my arms over my head and holding the board.  Thus, if the wave ripped the board out of my hands and tried to strike me with it (a common trick of such waves), there would be a cushion of water a foot or more in depth, between my head and the blow.  When the wave passed, I climbed upon the board and paddled on.  Many men have been terribly injured, I learn, by being struck by their boards.
 
The whole method of surf-riding and surf-fighting, learned, is one of non-resistance.  Dodge85 the blow that is struck at you.  Dive through the wave that is trying to slap you in the face.  Sink down, feet first, deep under the surface, and let the big smoker that is trying to smash you go by far overhead.  Never be rigid86.  Relax.  Yield yourself to the waters that are ripping and tearing at you.  When the undertow catches you and drags you seaward along the bottom, don’t struggle against it.  If you do, you are liable to be drowned, for it is stronger than you.  Yield yourself to that undertow.  Swim with it, not against it, and you will find the pressure removed.  And, swimming with it, fooling it so that it does not hold you, swim upward at the same time.  It will be no trouble at all to reach the surface.
 
The man who wants to learn surf-riding must be a strong swimmer, and he must be used to going under the water.  After that, fair strength and common-sense are all that is required.  The force of the big comber is rather unexpected.  There are mix-ups in which board and rider are torn apart and separated by several hundred feet.  The surf-rider must take care of himself.  No matter how many riders swim out with him, he cannot depend upon any of them for aid.  The fancied security I had in the presence of Ford and Freeth made me forget that it was my first swim out in deep water among the big ones.  I recollected, however, and rather suddenly, for a big wave came in, and away went the two men on its back all the way to shore.  I could have been drowned a dozen different ways before they got back to me.
 
One slides down the face of a breaker on his surf-board, but he has to get started to sliding.  Board and rider must be moving shoreward at a good rate before the wave overtakes them.  When you see the wave coming that you want to ride in, you turn tail to it and paddle shoreward with all your strength, using what is called the windmill stroke.  This is a sort of spurt87 performed immediately in front of the wave.  If the board is going fast enough, the wave accelerates it, and the board begins its quarter-of-a-mile slide.
 
I shall never forget the first big wave I caught out there in the deep water.  I saw it coming, turned my back on it and paddled for dear life.  Faster and faster my board went, till it seemed my arms would drop off.  What was happening behind me I could not tell.  One cannot look behind and paddle the windmill stroke.  I heard the crest of the wave hissing88 and churning, and then my board was lifted and flung forward.  I scarcely knew what happened the first half-minute.  Though I kept my eyes open, I could not see anything, for I was buried in the rushing white of the crest.  But I did not mind.  I was chiefly conscious of ecstatic bliss89 at having caught the wave.  At the end of the half-minute, however, I began to see things, and to breathe.  I saw that three feet of the nose of my board was clear out of water and riding on the air.  I shifted my weight forward, and made the nose come down.  Then I lay, quite at rest in the midst of the wild movement, and watched the shore and the bathers on the beach grow distinct.  I didn’t cover quite a quarter of a mile on that wave, because, to prevent the board from diving, I shifted my weight back, but shifted it too far and fell down the rear slope of the wave.
 
It was my second day at surf-riding, and I was quite proud of myself.  I stayed out there four hours, and when it was over, I was resolved that on the morrow I’d come in standing up.  But that resolution paved a distant place.  On the morrow I was in bed.  I was not sick, but I was very unhappy, and I was in bed.  When describing the wonderful water of Hawaii I forgot to describe the wonderful sun of Hawaii.  It is a tropic sun, and, furthermore, in the first part of June, it is an overhead sun.  It is also an insidious90, deceitful sun.  For the first time in my life I was sunburned unawares.  My arms, shoulders, and back had been burned many times in the past and were tough; but not so my legs.  And for four hours I had exposed the tender backs of my legs, at right-angles, to that perpendicular91 Hawaiian sun.  It was not until after I got ashore that I discovered the sun had touched me.  Sunburn at first is merely warm; after that it grows intense and the blisters92 come out.  Also, the joints93, where the skin wrinkles, refuse to bend.  That is why I spent the next day in bed.  I couldn’t walk.  And that is why, to-day, I am writing this in bed.  It is easier to than not to.  But to-morrow, ah, to-morrow, I shall be out in that wonderful water, and I shall come in standing up, even as Ford and Freeth.  And if I fail to-morrow, I shall do it the next day, or the next.  Upon one thing I am resolved: the Snark shall not sail from Honolulu until I, too, wing my heels with the swiftness of the sea, and become a sun-burned, skin-peeling Mercury.

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 everlasting Insx7     
adj.永恒的,持久的,无止境的
参考例句:
  • These tyres are advertised as being everlasting.广告上说轮胎持久耐用。
  • He believes in everlasting life after death.他相信死后有不朽的生命。
2 majestic GAZxK     
adj.雄伟的,壮丽的,庄严的,威严的,崇高的
参考例句:
  • In the distance rose the majestic Alps.远处耸立着雄伟的阿尔卑斯山。
  • He looks majestic in uniform.他穿上军装显得很威风。
3 placid 7A1yV     
adj.安静的,平和的
参考例句:
  • He had been leading a placid life for the past eight years.八年来他一直过着平静的生活。
  • You should be in a placid mood and have a heart-to- heart talk with her.你应该心平气和的好好和她谈谈心。
4 crest raqyA     
n.顶点;饰章;羽冠;vt.达到顶点;vi.形成浪尖
参考例句:
  • The rooster bristled his crest.公鸡竖起了鸡冠。
  • He reached the crest of the hill before dawn.他于黎明前到达山顶。
5 crests 9ef5f38e01ed60489f228ef56d77c5c8     
v.到达山顶(或浪峰)( crest的第三人称单数 );到达洪峰,达到顶点
参考例句:
  • The surfers were riding in towards the beach on the crests of the waves. 冲浪者们顺着浪头冲向岸边。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The correspondent aroused, heard the crash of the toppled crests. 记者醒了,他听见了浪头倒塌下来的轰隆轰隆声。 来自辞典例句
6 battalions 35cfaa84044db717b460d0ff39a7c1bf     
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
参考例句:
  • God is always on the side of the strongest battalions. 上帝总是帮助强者。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • Two battalions were disposed for an attack on the air base. 配置两个营的兵力进攻空军基地。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
7 foam LjOxI     
v./n.泡沫,起泡沫
参考例句:
  • The glass of beer was mostly foam.这杯啤酒大部分是泡沫。
  • The surface of the water is full of foam.水面都是泡沫。
8 microscopically b95eb0161484f1e40de775b8b54c545f     
显微镜下
参考例句:
  • Microscopically the ores are medium grained to amorphous. 显微镜下,矿石为中粒至非晶质。 来自辞典例句
  • He studied microscopically the statistics of trade. 他极仔细地研究了贸易统计数字。 来自辞典例句
9 wrestle XfLwD     
vi.摔跤,角力;搏斗;全力对付
参考例句:
  • He taught his little brother how to wrestle.他教他小弟弟如何摔跤。
  • We have to wrestle with difficulties.我们必须同困难作斗争。
10 apprehension bNayw     
n.理解,领悟;逮捕,拘捕;忧虑
参考例句:
  • There were still areas of doubt and her apprehension grew.有些地方仍然存疑,于是她越来越担心。
  • She is a girl of weak apprehension.她是一个理解力很差的女孩。
11 ego 7jtzw     
n.自我,自己,自尊
参考例句:
  • He is absolute ego in all thing.在所有的事情上他都绝对自我。
  • She has been on an ego trip since she sang on television.她上电视台唱过歌之后就一直自吹自擂。
12 smoker GiqzKx     
n.吸烟者,吸烟车厢,吸烟室
参考例句:
  • His wife dislikes him to be a smoker.他妻子不喜欢他当烟民。
  • He is a moderate smoker.他是一个有节制的烟民。
13 precarious Lu5yV     
adj.不安定的,靠不住的;根据不足的
参考例句:
  • Our financial situation had become precarious.我们的财务状况已变得不稳定了。
  • He earned a precarious living as an artist.作为一个艺术家,他过得是朝不保夕的生活。
14 abrupt 2fdyh     
adj.突然的,意外的;唐突的,鲁莽的
参考例句:
  • The river takes an abrupt bend to the west.这河突然向西转弯。
  • His abrupt reply hurt our feelings.他粗鲁的回答伤了我们的感情。
15 abruptly iINyJ     
adv.突然地,出其不意地
参考例句:
  • He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。
  • I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。
16 invincible 9xMyc     
adj.不可征服的,难以制服的
参考例句:
  • This football team was once reputed to be invincible.这支足球队曾被誉为无敌的劲旅。
  • The workers are invincible as long as they hold together.只要工人团结一致,他们就是不可战胜的。
17 erect 4iLzm     
n./v.树立,建立,使竖立;adj.直立的,垂直的
参考例句:
  • She held her head erect and her back straight.她昂着头,把背挺得笔直。
  • Soldiers are trained to stand erect.士兵们训练站得笔直。
18 frantic Jfyzr     
adj.狂乱的,错乱的,激昂的
参考例句:
  • I've had a frantic rush to get my work done.我急急忙忙地赶完工作。
  • He made frantic dash for the departing train.他发疯似地冲向正开出的火车。
19 frantically ui9xL     
ad.发狂地, 发疯地
参考例句:
  • He dashed frantically across the road. 他疯狂地跑过马路。
  • She bid frantically for the old chair. 她发狂地喊出高价要买那把古老的椅子。
20 buffeted 2484040e69c5816c25c65e8310465688     
反复敲打( buffet的过去式和过去分词 ); 连续猛击; 打来打去; 推来搡去
参考例句:
  • to be buffeted by the wind 被风吹得左右摇摆
  • We were buffeted by the wind and the rain. 我们遭到风雨的袭击。
21 buffet 8sXzg     
n.自助餐;饮食柜台;餐台
参考例句:
  • Are you having a sit-down meal or a buffet at the wedding?你想在婚礼中摆桌宴还是搞自助餐?
  • Could you tell me what specialties you have for the buffet?你能告诉我你们的自助餐有什么特色菜吗?
22 mighty YDWxl     
adj.强有力的;巨大的
参考例句:
  • A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
  • The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。
23 standing 2hCzgo     
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的
参考例句:
  • After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
  • They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
24 poised SlhzBU     
a.摆好姿势不动的
参考例句:
  • The hawk poised in mid-air ready to swoop. 老鹰在半空中盘旋,准备俯冲。
  • Tina was tense, her hand poised over the telephone. 蒂娜心情紧张,手悬在电话机上。
25 bellows Ly5zLV     
n.风箱;发出吼叫声,咆哮(尤指因痛苦)( bellow的名词复数 );(愤怒地)说出(某事),大叫v.发出吼叫声,咆哮(尤指因痛苦)( bellow的第三人称单数 );(愤怒地)说出(某事),大叫
参考例句:
  • His job is to blow the bellows for the blacksmith. 他的工作是给铁匠拉风箱。 来自辞典例句
  • You could, I suppose, compare me to a blacksmith's bellows. 我想,你可能把我比作铁匠的风箱。 来自辞典例句
26 futile vfTz2     
adj.无效的,无用的,无希望的
参考例句:
  • They were killed,to the last man,in a futile attack.因为进攻失败,他们全部被杀,无一幸免。
  • Their efforts to revive him were futile.他们对他抢救无效。
27 ashore tNQyT     
adv.在(向)岸上,上岸
参考例句:
  • The children got ashore before the tide came in.涨潮前,孩子们就上岸了。
  • He laid hold of the rope and pulled the boat ashore.他抓住绳子拉船靠岸。
28 speck sFqzM     
n.微粒,小污点,小斑点
参考例句:
  • I have not a speck of interest in it.我对它没有任何兴趣。
  • The sky is clear and bright without a speck of cloud.天空晴朗,一星星云彩也没有。
29 feat 5kzxp     
n.功绩;武艺,技艺;adj.灵巧的,漂亮的,合适的
参考例句:
  • Man's first landing on the moon was a feat of great daring.人类首次登月是一个勇敢的壮举。
  • He received a medal for his heroic feat.他因其英雄业绩而获得一枚勋章。
30 brutes 580ab57d96366c5593ed705424e15ffa     
兽( brute的名词复数 ); 畜生; 残酷无情的人; 兽性
参考例句:
  • They're not like dogs; they're hideous brutes. 它们不像狗,是丑陋的畜牲。
  • Suddenly the foul musty odour of the brutes struck his nostrils. 突然,他的鼻尖闻到了老鼠的霉臭味。 来自英汉文学
31 mellow F2iyP     
adj.柔和的;熟透的;v.变柔和;(使)成熟
参考例句:
  • These apples are mellow at this time of year.每年这时节,苹果就熟透了。
  • The colours become mellow as the sun went down.当太阳落山时,色彩变得柔和了。
32 agitation TN0zi     
n.搅动;搅拌;鼓动,煽动
参考例句:
  • Small shopkeepers carried on a long agitation against the big department stores.小店主们长期以来一直在煽动人们反对大型百货商店。
  • These materials require constant agitation to keep them in suspension.这些药剂要经常搅动以保持悬浮状态。
33 ripples 10e54c54305aebf3deca20a1472f4b96     
逐渐扩散的感觉( ripple的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • The moon danced on the ripples. 月亮在涟漪上舞动。
  • The sea leaves ripples on the sand. 海水在沙滩上留下了波痕。
34 stationary CuAwc     
adj.固定的,静止不动的
参考例句:
  • A stationary object is easy to be aimed at.一个静止不动的物体是容易瞄准的。
  • Wait until the bus is stationary before you get off.你要等公共汽车停稳了再下车。
35 cresting b1d5201ad551eca4119401f97cdfd4f5     
n.顶饰v.到达山顶(或浪峰)( crest的现在分词 );到达洪峰,达到顶点
参考例句:
  • The old man stood with his back to the fire, cresting up erect. 老人背火昂然而立。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • Various shapes of returns like triangular, semi-circular are available for cresting your own office. 极富创意的办公桌,有着不同形装如三角形、半圆形、曲尺形及四边形,以创造您个人品位的办公室。 来自互联网
36 transformation SnFwO     
n.变化;改造;转变
参考例句:
  • Going to college brought about a dramatic transformation in her outlook.上大学使她的观念发生了巨大的变化。
  • He was struggling to make the transformation from single man to responsible husband.他正在努力使自己由单身汉变为可靠的丈夫。
37 hoard Adiz0     
n./v.窖藏,贮存,囤积
参考例句:
  • They have a hoard of food in the basement.地下室里有他们贮藏的食物。
  • How many curios do you hoard in your study?你在你书房里聚藏了多少古玩?
38 impetus L4uyj     
n.推动,促进,刺激;推动力
参考例句:
  • This is the primary impetus behind the economic recovery.这是促使经济复苏的主要动力。
  • Her speech gave an impetus to my ideas.她的讲话激发了我的思绪。
39 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。
40 remarkably EkPzTW     
ad.不同寻常地,相当地
参考例句:
  • I thought she was remarkably restrained in the circumstances. 我认为她在那种情况下非常克制。
  • He made a remarkably swift recovery. 他康复得相当快。
41 gasping gasping     
adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词
参考例句:
  • He was gasping for breath. 他在喘气。
  • "Did you need a drink?""Yes, I'm gasping!” “你要喝点什么吗?”“我巴不得能喝点!”
42 asunder GVkzU     
adj.分离的,化为碎片
参考例句:
  • The curtains had been drawn asunder.窗帘被拉向两边。
  • Your conscience,conviction,integrity,and loyalties were torn asunder.你的良心、信念、正直和忠诚都被扯得粉碎了。
43 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。
44 hurled 16e3a6ba35b6465e1376a4335ae25cd2     
v.猛投,用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 );大声叫骂
参考例句:
  • He hurled a brick through the window. 他往窗户里扔了块砖。
  • The strong wind hurled down bits of the roof. 大风把屋顶的瓦片刮了下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
45 deserted GukzoL     
adj.荒芜的,荒废的,无人的,被遗弃的
参考例句:
  • The deserted village was filled with a deathly silence.这个荒废的村庄死一般的寂静。
  • The enemy chieftain was opposed and deserted by his followers.敌人头目众叛亲离。
46 flopped e5b342a0b376036c32e5cd7aa560c15e     
v.(指书、戏剧等)彻底失败( flop的过去式和过去分词 );(因疲惫而)猛然坐下;(笨拙地、不由自主地或松弛地)移动或落下;砸锅
参考例句:
  • Exhausted, he flopped down into a chair. 他筋疲力尽,一屁股坐到椅子上。
  • It was a surprise to us when his play flopped. 他那出戏一败涂地,出乎我们的预料。 来自《简明英汉词典》
47 emulate tpqx9     
v.努力赶上或超越,与…竞争;效仿
参考例句:
  • You must work hard to emulate your sister.你必须努力工作,赶上你姐姐。
  • You must look at the film and try to emulate his behavior.你们必须观看这部电影,并尽力模仿他的动作。
48 utterly ZfpzM1     
adv.完全地,绝对地
参考例句:
  • Utterly devoted to the people,he gave his life in saving his patients.他忠于人民,把毕生精力用于挽救患者的生命。
  • I was utterly ravished by the way she smiled.她的微笑使我完全陶醉了。
49 rascals 5ab37438604a153e085caf5811049ebb     
流氓( rascal的名词复数 ); 无赖; (开玩笑说法)淘气的人(尤指小孩); 恶作剧的人
参考例句:
  • "Oh, but I like rascals. "唔,不过我喜欢流氓。
  • "They're all second-raters, black sheep, rascals. "他们都是二流人物,是流氓,是恶棍。
50 Ford KiIxx     
n.浅滩,水浅可涉处;v.涉水,涉过
参考例句:
  • They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上,所以我们只能涉水过河。
  • If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪,必须极度小心。
51 bent QQ8yD     
n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的
参考例句:
  • He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
  • We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。
52 wedded 2e49e14ebbd413bed0222654f3595c6a     
adj.正式结婚的;渴望…的,执著于…的v.嫁,娶,(与…)结婚( wed的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • She's wedded to her job. 她专心致志于工作。
  • I was invited over by the newly wedded couple for a meal. 我被那对新婚夫妇请去吃饭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
53 fascination FlHxO     
n.令人着迷的事物,魅力,迷恋
参考例句:
  • He had a deep fascination with all forms of transport.他对所有的运输工具都很着迷。
  • His letters have been a source of fascination to a wide audience.广大观众一直迷恋于他的来信。
54 lessening 7da1cd48564f42a12c5309c3711a7945     
减轻,减少,变小
参考例句:
  • So however much he earned, she spent it, her demands growing and lessening with his income. 祥子挣多少,她花多少,她的要求随着他的钱涨落。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子
  • The talks have resulted in a lessening of suspicion. 谈话消减了彼此的怀疑。
55 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。
56 humble ddjzU     
adj.谦卑的,恭顺的;地位低下的;v.降低,贬低
参考例句:
  • In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见,他将在选举中获胜。
  • Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。
57 subsided 1bda21cef31764468020a8c83598cc0d     
v.(土地)下陷(因在地下采矿)( subside的过去式和过去分词 );减弱;下降至较低或正常水平;一下子坐在椅子等上
参考例句:
  • After the heavy rains part of the road subsided. 大雨过后,部分公路塌陷了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • By evening the storm had subsided and all was quiet again. 傍晚, 暴风雨已经过去,四周开始沉寂下来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
58 waded e8d8bc55cdc9612ad0bc65820a4ceac6     
(从水、泥等)蹚,走过,跋( wade的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • She tucked up her skirt and waded into the river. 她撩起裙子蹚水走进河里。
  • He waded into the water to push the boat out. 他蹚进水里把船推出来。
59 laboriously xpjz8l     
adv.艰苦地;费力地;辛勤地;(文体等)佶屈聱牙地
参考例句:
  • She is tracing laboriously now. 她正在费力地写。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • She is laboriously copying out an old manuscript. 她正在费劲地抄出一份旧的手稿。 来自辞典例句
60 proxy yRXxN     
n.代理权,代表权;(对代理人的)委托书;代理人
参考例句:
  • You may appoint a proxy to vote for you.你可以委托他人代你投票。
  • We enclose a form of proxy for use at the Annual General Meeting.我们附上委任年度大会代表的表格。
61 miserable g18yk     
adj.悲惨的,痛苦的;可怜的,糟糕的
参考例句:
  • It was miserable of you to make fun of him.你取笑他,这是可耻的。
  • Her past life was miserable.她过去的生活很苦。
62 poked 87f534f05a838d18eb50660766da4122     
v.伸出( poke的过去式和过去分词 );戳出;拨弄;与(某人)性交
参考例句:
  • She poked him in the ribs with her elbow. 她用胳膊肘顶他的肋部。
  • His elbow poked out through his torn shirt sleeve. 他的胳膊从衬衫的破袖子中露了出来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
63 severing 03ba12fb016b421f1fdaea1351e38cb3     
v.切断,断绝( sever的现在分词 );断,裂
参考例句:
  • The death of a second parent is like severing an umbilical cord to our past. 父母当中第二个人去世,就象斩断了把我们同过去联在一起的纽带。 来自辞典例句
  • The severing theory and severing method for brittle block are studied. 研究裂纹技术应用于分离脆性块体的分离理论和分离方法。 来自互联网
64 ignominiously 06ad56226c9512b3b1e466b6c6a73df2     
adv.耻辱地,屈辱地,丢脸地
参考例句:
  • Their attempt failed ignominiously. 他们的企图可耻地失败了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • She would be scolded, abused, ignominiously discharged. 他们会说她,骂她,解雇她,让她丢尽脸面的。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
65 yearning hezzPJ     
a.渴望的;向往的;怀念的
参考例句:
  • a yearning for a quiet life 对宁静生活的向往
  • He felt a great yearning after his old job. 他对过去的工作有一种强烈的渴想。
66 steadfast 2utw7     
adj.固定的,不变的,不动摇的;忠实的;坚贞不移的
参考例句:
  • Her steadfast belief never left her for one moment.她坚定的信仰从未动摇过。
  • He succeeded in his studies by dint of steadfast application.由于坚持不懈的努力他获得了学业上的成功。
67 steer 5u5w3     
vt.驾驶,为…操舵;引导;vi.驾驶
参考例句:
  • If you push the car, I'll steer it.如果你来推车,我就来驾车。
  • It's no use trying to steer the boy into a course of action that suits you.想说服这孩子按你的方式行事是徒劳的。
68 velocity rLYzx     
n.速度,速率
参考例句:
  • Einstein's theory links energy with mass and velocity of light.爱因斯坦的理论把能量同质量和光速联系起来。
  • The velocity of light is about 300000 kilometres per second.光速约为每秒300000公里。
69 projectile XRlxv     
n.投射物,发射体;adj.向前开进的;推进的;抛掷的
参考例句:
  • The vertical and horizontal motions of a projectile can be treated independently.抛射体的竖直方向和水平方向的运动能够分开来处理。
  • Have you altered the plans of the projectile as the telegram suggests?你已经按照电报的要求修改炮弹图样了吗?
70 physicists 18316b43c980524885c1a898ed1528b1     
物理学家( physicist的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • For many particle physicists, however, it was a year of frustration. 对于许多粒子物理学家来说,这是受挫折的一年。 来自英汉非文学 - 科技
  • Physicists seek rules or patterns to provide a framework. 物理学家寻求用法则或图式来构成一个框架。
71 guardian 8ekxv     
n.监护人;守卫者,保护者
参考例句:
  • The form must be signed by the child's parents or guardian. 这张表格须由孩子的家长或监护人签字。
  • The press is a guardian of the public weal. 报刊是公共福利的卫护者。
72 steered dee52ce2903883456c9b7a7f258660e5     
v.驾驶( steer的过去式和过去分词 );操纵;控制;引导
参考例句:
  • He steered the boat into the harbour. 他把船开进港。
  • The freighter steered out of Santiago Bay that evening. 那天晚上货轮驶出了圣地亚哥湾。 来自《简明英汉词典》
73 simultaneously 4iBz1o     
adv.同时发生地,同时进行地
参考例句:
  • The radar beam can track a number of targets almost simultaneously.雷达波几乎可以同时追着多个目标。
  • The Windows allow a computer user to execute multiple programs simultaneously.Windows允许计算机用户同时运行多个程序。
74 solaced fbf612314ace37e47fdbf56c3c905765     
v.安慰,慰藉( solace的过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The unhappy man solaced himself with whisky. 那忧伤的人以威士忌酒浇愁。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • She was distracted with grief and refused to be solaced. 她悲痛得精神恍惚,怎麽安慰也没用。 来自辞典例句
75 pointed Il8zB4     
adj.尖的,直截了当的
参考例句:
  • He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
  • She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。
76 recollected 38b448634cd20e21c8e5752d2b820002     
adj.冷静的;镇定的;被回忆起的;沉思默想的v.记起,想起( recollect的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • I recollected that she had red hair. 我记得她有一头红发。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • His efforts, the Duke recollected many years later, were distinctly half-hearted. 据公爵许多年之后的回忆,他当时明显只是敷衍了事。 来自辞典例句
77 remarkable 8Vbx6     
adj.显著的,异常的,非凡的,值得注意的
参考例句:
  • She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
  • These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。
78 plunged 06a599a54b33c9d941718dccc7739582     
v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 );暴跌;骤降;突降
参考例句:
  • The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。
  • She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳,从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。
79 smokers d3e72c6ca3bac844ba5aa381bd66edba     
吸烟者( smoker的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Many smokers who are chemically addicted to nicotine cannot cut down easily. 许多有尼古丁瘾的抽烟人不容易把烟戒掉。
  • Chain smokers don't care about the dangers of smoking. 烟鬼似乎不在乎吸烟带来的种种危害。
80 onlooker 7I8xD     
n.旁观者,观众
参考例句:
  • A handful of onlookers stand in the field watching.少数几个旁观者站在现场观看。
  • One onlooker had to be restrained by police.一个旁观者遭到了警察的制止。
81 blotted 06046c4f802cf2d785ce6e085eb5f0d7     
涂污( blot的过去式和过去分词 ); (用吸墨纸)吸干
参考例句:
  • She blotted water off the table with a towel. 她用毛巾擦干桌上的水。
  • The blizzard blotted out the sky and the land. 暴风雪铺天盖地而来。
82 respite BWaxa     
n.休息,中止,暂缓
参考例句:
  • She was interrogated without respite for twenty-four hours.她被不间断地审问了二十四小时。
  • Devaluation would only give the economy a brief respite.贬值只能让经济得到暂时的缓解。
83 invalid V4Oxh     
n.病人,伤残人;adj.有病的,伤残的;无效的
参考例句:
  • He will visit an invalid.他将要去看望一个病人。
  • A passport that is out of date is invalid.护照过期是无效的。
84 ferocious ZkNxc     
adj.凶猛的,残暴的,极度的,十分强烈的
参考例句:
  • The ferocious winds seemed about to tear the ship to pieces.狂风仿佛要把船撕成碎片似的。
  • The ferocious panther is chasing a rabbit.那只凶猛的豹子正追赶一只兔子。
85 dodge q83yo     
v.闪开,躲开,避开;n.妙计,诡计
参考例句:
  • A dodge behind a tree kept her from being run over.她向树后一闪,才没被车从身上辗过。
  • The dodge was coopered by the police.诡计被警察粉碎了。
86 rigid jDPyf     
adj.严格的,死板的;刚硬的,僵硬的
参考例句:
  • She became as rigid as adamant.她变得如顽石般的固执。
  • The examination was so rigid that nearly all aspirants were ruled out.考试很严,几乎所有的考生都被淘汰了。
87 spurt 9r9yE     
v.喷出;突然进发;突然兴隆
参考例句:
  • He put in a spurt at the beginning of the eighth lap.他进入第八圈时便开始冲刺。
  • After a silence, Molly let her anger spurt out.沉默了一会儿,莫莉的怒气便迸发了出来。
88 hissing hissing     
n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式
参考例句:
  • The steam escaped with a loud hissing noise. 蒸汽大声地嘶嘶冒了出来。
  • His ears were still hissing with the rustle of the leaves. 他耳朵里还听得萨萨萨的声音和屑索屑索的怪声。 来自汉英文学 - 春蚕
89 bliss JtXz4     
n.狂喜,福佑,天赐的福
参考例句:
  • It's sheer bliss to be able to spend the day in bed.整天都可以躺在床上真是幸福。
  • He's in bliss that he's won the Nobel Prize.他非常高兴,因为获得了诺贝尔奖金。
90 insidious fx6yh     
adj.阴险的,隐匿的,暗中为害的,(疾病)不知不觉之间加剧
参考例句:
  • That insidious man bad-mouthed me to almost everyone else.那个阴险的家伙几乎见人便说我的坏话。
  • Organized crime has an insidious influence on all who come into contact with it.所有和集团犯罪有关的人都会不知不觉地受坏影响。
91 perpendicular GApy0     
adj.垂直的,直立的;n.垂直线,垂直的位置
参考例句:
  • The two lines of bones are set perpendicular to one another.这两排骨头相互垂直。
  • The wall is out of the perpendicular.这墙有些倾斜。
92 blisters 8df7f04e28aff1a621b60569ee816a0f     
n.水疱( blister的名词复数 );水肿;气泡
参考例句:
  • My new shoes have made blisters on my heels. 我的新鞋把我的脚跟磨起泡了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • His new shoes raised blisters on his feet. 他的新鞋把他的脚磨起了水疱。 来自《简明英汉词典》
93 joints d97dcffd67eca7255ca514e4084b746e     
接头( joint的名词复数 ); 关节; 公共场所(尤指价格低廉的饮食和娱乐场所) (非正式); 一块烤肉 (英式英语)
参考例句:
  • Expansion joints of various kinds are fitted on gas mains. 各种各样的伸缩接头被安装在煤气的总管道上了。
  • Expansion joints of various kinds are fitted on steam pipes. 各种各样的伸缩接头被安装在蒸气管道上了。


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