Geometrical Details.--Calculation of the Capacity of the Balloon.--The Double Receptacle.--The Covering.--The Car.--The Mysterious Apparatus¹. --The Provisions and Stores.--The Final Summing up.

Dr. Ferguson had long been engaged upon the details of his expedition. It is easy to comprehend that the balloon --that marvellous vehicle which was to convey him through the air--was the constant object of his solicitude².

At the outset, in order not to give the balloon too ponderous³ dimensions, he had decided⁴ to fill it with hydrogen gas, which is fourteen and a half times lighter⁵ than common air. The production of this gas is easy, and it has given the greatest satisfaction hitherto in aerostatic experiments.

The doctor, according to very accurate calculations, found that, including the articles indispensable to his journey and his apparatus, he should have to carry a weight of 4,000 pounds; therefore he had to find out what would be the ascensional force of a balloon capable of raising such a weight, and, consequently, what would be its capacity.

A weight of four thousand pounds is represented by a displacement⁶ of the air amounting to forty-four thousand eight hundred and forty-seven cubic feet; or, in other words, forty-four thousand eight hundred and forty-seven cubic feet of air weigh about four thousand pounds.

By giving the balloon these cubic dimensions, and filling it with hydrogen gas, instead of common air--the former being fourteen and a half times lighter and weighing therefore only two hundred and seventy-six pounds--a difference of three thousand seven hundred and twenty-four pounds in equilibrium⁷ is produced; and it is this difference between the weight of the gas contained in the balloon and the weight of the surrounding atmosphere that constitutes the ascensional force of the former.

However, were the forty-four thousand eight hundred and forty-seven cubic feet of gas of which we speak, all introduced into the balloon, it would be

点击收听单词发音  

1 apparatus
n.装置，器械；器具，设备
参考例句：
The school's audio apparatus includes films and records.学校的视听设备包括放映机和录音机。 They had a very refined apparatus.他们有一套非常精良的设备。

2 solicitude
n.焦虑
参考例句：
Your solicitude was a great consolation to me.你对我的关怀给了我莫大的安慰。 He is full of tender solicitude towards my sister.他对我妹妹满心牵挂。

3 ponderous
adj.沉重的，笨重的，(文章)冗长的
参考例句：
His steps were heavy and ponderous.他的步伐沉重缓慢。 It was easy to underestimate him because of his occasionally ponderous manner.由于他偶尔现出的沉闷的姿态，很容易使人小看了他。

4 decided
adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的
参考例句：
This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。 There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

5 lighter
n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级
参考例句：
The portrait was touched up so as to make it lighter.这张画经过润色，色调明朗了一些。 The lighter works off the car battery.引燃器利用汽车蓄电池打火。

6 displacement
n.移置，取代，位移，排水量
参考例句：
They said that time is the feeling of spatial displacement.他们说时间是空间位移的感觉。 The displacement of all my energy into caring for the baby.我所有精力都放在了照顾宝宝上。

7 equilibrium
n.平衡，均衡，相称，均势，平静
参考例句：
Change in the world around us disturbs our inner equilibrium.我们周围世界的变化扰乱了我们内心的平静。 This is best expressed in the form of an equilibrium constant.这最好用平衡常数的形式来表示。

8 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。

9 dilate
vt.使膨胀，使扩大
参考例句：
At night,the pupils dilate to allow in more light.到了晚上，瞳孔就会扩大以接收更多光线。 Exercise dilates blood vessels on the surface of the brain.运动会使大脑表层的血管扩张。

10 elongated
v.延长，加长( elongate的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
Modigliani's women have strangely elongated faces. 莫迪里阿尼画中的妇女都长着奇长无比的脸。 A piece of rubber can be elongated by streching. 一块橡皮可以拉长。 来自《用法词典》

11 vertical
adj.垂直的，顶点的，纵向的；n.垂直物，垂直的位置
参考例句：
The northern side of the mountain is almost vertical.这座山的北坡几乎是垂直的。 Vertical air motions are not measured by this system.垂直气流的运动不用这种系统来测量。

12 incurring
遭受，招致，引起( incur的现在分词 )
参考例句：
Many of the world's farmers are also incurring economic deficits. 世界上许多农民还在遭受经济上的亏损。 He spoke to the Don directly, taking a chance on incurring Michael's ill will. 他直接向老头子谈自己的意见，这显然要冒引起迈克尔反感的风险。 来自教父部分

13 descend
vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降
参考例句：
I hope the grace of God would descend on me.我期望上帝的恩惠。 We're not going to descend to such methods.我们不会沦落到使用这种手段。

14 encumbrance
n.妨碍物，累赘
参考例句：
Only by overcoming our weaknesses can we advance without any encumbrance;only by uniting ourselves in our struggle can we be invincible.克服缺点才能轻装前进，团结战斗才能无往不胜。 Now I should be an encumbrance.现在我成为累赘了。

15 resinous
adj.树脂的，树脂质的，树脂制的
参考例句：
Alcohol is a solvent of resinous substances.酒精是树脂性物质的溶媒。 He observed that the more resinous the wood, the more resistant it was to decay.他观察到木材含树脂越多，其抗腐力越强。

16 perfectly
adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地
参考例句：
The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。 Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

17 extremity
n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度
参考例句：
I hope you will help them in their extremity.我希望你能帮助在穷途末路的他们。 What shall we do in this extremity?在这种极其困难的情况下我们该怎么办呢？

18 inflating
v.使充气（于轮胎、气球等）( inflate的现在分词 )；（使）膨胀；（使）通货膨胀；物价上涨
参考例句：
I felt myself inflating slowly with rage, like a tyre. 我感到自己体内的怒气正慢慢膨胀，像一只轮胎那样。 来自互联网 Many are already overheating, with prices rising and asset bubbles inflating. 随着物价日益上涨、资产泡沫膨胀，很多新兴国家经济已经过热。 来自互联网

19 hempen
adj. 大麻制的, 大麻的
参考例句：
The net destined to support the car was made of very solid hempen cord. 承受着吊篮的网子是用非常结实的麻绳编的。 Plant the crop such as wheaten, corn, potato, horsebean, hempen, cole aptly, a year one ripe. 适宜种植小麦、玉米、马铃薯、蚕豆、大麻、油菜等作物，一年一熟。

20 elastic
n.橡皮圈，松紧带；adj.有弹性的；灵活的
参考例句：
Rubber is an elastic material.橡胶是一种弹性材料。 These regulations are elastic.这些规定是有弹性的。

21 embedded
a.扎牢的
参考例句：
an operation to remove glass that was embedded in his leg 取出扎入他腿部玻璃的手术 He has embedded his name in the minds of millions of people. 他的名字铭刻在数百万人民心中。

22 barometers
气压计，晴雨表( barometer的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Fixed cistern barometers are used as a standard for checking aneroid barometers. 固定槽式气压计可以作为标准件去检验无液气压计。 Fixed cistern barometers are used as a standard for checking. 固定槽式气压计可以作为标准件去检验。

23 chronometers
n.精密计时器，航行表( chronometer的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Chronometers have been adjusted to the correct time. 天文钟已经调整到正确时间。 来自互联网

24 inaccessible
adj.达不到的，难接近的
参考例句：
This novel seems to me among the most inaccessible.这本书对我来说是最难懂的小说之一。 The top of Mount Everest is the most inaccessible place in the world.珠穆朗玛峰是世界上最难到达的地方。

25 observatory
n.天文台，气象台，瞭望台，观测台
参考例句：
Guy's house was close to the observatory.盖伊的房子离天文台很近。 Officials from Greenwich Observatory have the clock checked twice a day.格林威治天文台的职员们每天对大钟检查两次。

26 thoroughly
adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地
参考例句：
The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。 The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。

27 insignificant
adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的
参考例句：
In winter the effect was found to be insignificant.在冬季，这种作用是不明显的。 This problem was insignificant compared to others she faced.这一问题与她面临的其他问题比较起来算不得什么。

28 awning
n.遮阳篷；雨篷
参考例句：
A large green awning is set over the glass window to shelter against the sun.在玻璃窗上装了个绿色的大遮棚以遮挡阳光。 Several people herded under an awning to get out the shower.几个人聚集在门栅下避阵雨

29 fowling
捕鸟，打鸟
参考例句：
For that they design'd some sport of fowling as well as fishing. 看来，他们除了想捕鱼外，还打算打鸟。 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 文学 While underneath, in a corner, were fowling piece, musket, and matchlock. 下面，角落里，堆着鸟枪，步枪，和火绳枪。

30 requisite
adj.需要的，必不可少的；n.必需品
参考例句：
He hasn't got the requisite qualifications for the job.他不具备这工作所需的资格。 Food and air are requisite for life.食物和空气是生命的必需品。

31 computed
adj.[医]计算的，使用计算机的v.计算，估算( compute的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He computed that the project would take seven years to complete. 他估计这项计划要花七年才能完成。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Resolving kernels and standard errors can also be computed for each block. 还可以计算每个块体的分辨核和标准误差。 来自辞典例句

32 awnings
篷帐布
参考例句：
Striped awnings had been stretched across the courtyard. 一些条纹雨篷撑开架在院子上方。 The room, shadowed well with awnings, was dark and cool. 这间屋子外面有这篷挡着，又阴暗又凉快。

33 sundry
adj.各式各样的，种种的
参考例句：
This cream can be used to treat sundry minor injuries.这种药膏可用来治各种轻伤。 We can see the rich man on sundry occasions.我们能在各种场合见到那个富豪。

34 utensils
器具，用具，器皿( utensil的名词复数 )； 器物
参考例句：
Formerly most of our household utensils were made of brass. 以前我们家庭用的器皿多数是用黄铜做的。 Some utensils were in a state of decay when they were unearthed. 有些器皿在出土时已经残破。

35 peculiarity
n.独特性，特色；特殊的东西；怪癖
参考例句：
Each country has its own peculiarity.每个国家都有自己的独特之处。 The peculiarity of this shop is its day and nigth service.这家商店的特点是昼夜服务。