During the eight months which were employed in the work of excavation¹ the preparatory works of the casting had been carried on simultaneously² with extreme rapidity. A stranger arriving at Stones Hill would have been surprised at the spectacle offered to his view.

At 600 yards from the well, and circularly arranged around it as a central point, rose 1,200 reverberating³ ovens, each six feet in diameter, and separated from each other by an interval⁴ of three feet. The circumference⁵ occupied by these 1,200 ovens presented a length of two miles. Being all constructed on the same plan, each with its high quadrangular chimney, they produced a most singular effect.

It will be remembered that on their third meeting the committee had decided⁶ to use cast iron for the Columbiad, and in particular the white description. This metal, in fact, is the most tenacious⁷, the most ductile⁸, and the most malleable⁹, and consequently suitable for all moulding operations; and when smelted¹⁰ with pit coal, is of superior quality for all engineering works requiring great resisting power, such as cannon¹¹, steam boilers¹², hydraulic¹³

点击收听单词发音  

1 excavation
n.挖掘，发掘；被挖掘之地
参考例句：
The bad weather has hung up the work of excavation.天气不好耽误了挖掘工作。 The excavation exposed some ancient ruins.这次挖掘暴露出一些古遗迹。

2 simultaneously
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。

3 reverberating
回响，回荡( reverberate的现在分词 )； 使反响，使回荡，使反射
参考例句：
The words are still ringing [reverberating] in one's ears. 言犹在耳。 I heard a voice reverberating: "Crawl out! I give you liberty!" 我听到一个声音在回荡：“爬出来吧，我给你自由！”

4 interval
n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息
参考例句：
The interval between the two trees measures 40 feet.这两棵树的间隔是40英尺。 There was a long interval before he anwsered the telephone.隔了好久他才回了电话。

5 circumference
n.圆周，周长，圆周线
参考例句：
It's a mile round the circumference of the field.运动场周长一英里。 The diameter and the circumference of a circle correlate.圆的直径与圆周有相互关系。

6 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。

7 tenacious
adj.顽强的，固执的，记忆力强的，粘的
参考例句：
We must learn from the tenacious fighting spirit of Lu Xun.我们要学习鲁迅先生韧性的战斗精神。 We should be tenacious of our rights.我们应坚决维护我们的权利。

8 ductile
adj.易延展的，柔软的
参考例句：
Steel in this class is tough，ductile and easily machined.这种钢强韧，延展性好，而且容易加工。 The metal is very hard and strong and less ductile than before.金属会非常坚硬、坚固，并比以前减少了韧性。

9 malleable
adj.(金属)可锻的;有延展性的；(性格)可训练的
参考例句：
Silver is the most malleable of all metals.银是延展性最好的金属。 Scientists are finding that the adult human brain is far more malleable than they once thought.科学家发现成人大脑的可塑性远超过他们之前认识到的。

10 smelted
v.熔炼，提炼（矿石）( smelt的过去式和过去分词 )；合演( costar的过去式和过去分词 )；闻到；嗅出
参考例句：
The lead paste is smelted in a blast furnace. 铅团在鼓风炉中被溶解。 来自互联网 Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore. 铁从地里挖出，铜从石中熔化。 来自互联网

11 cannon
n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮
参考例句：
The soldiers fired the cannon.士兵们开炮。 The cannon thundered in the hills.大炮在山间轰鸣。

12 boilers
锅炉，烧水器，水壶( boiler的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Even then the boilers often burst or came apart at the seams. 甚至那时的锅炉也经常从焊接处爆炸或裂开。 来自英汉非文学 - 科学史 The clean coal is sent to a crusher and the boilers. 干净的煤送入破碎机和锅炉。

13 hydraulic
adj.水力的；水压的，液压的；水力学的
参考例句：
The boat has no fewer than five hydraulic pumps.这艘船配有不少于5个液压泵。 A group of apprentics were operating the hydraulic press.一群学徒正在开动水压机。

14 fusion
n.溶化；熔解；熔化状态，熔和；熔接
参考例句：
Brass is formed by the fusion of copper and zinc. 黄铜是通过铜和锌的熔合而成的。 This alloy is formed by the fusion of two types of metal.这种合金是用两种金属熔合而成的。

15 sufficiently
adv.足够地，充分地
参考例句：
It turned out he had not insured the house sufficiently.原来他没有给房屋投足保险。 The new policy was sufficiently elastic to accommodate both views.新政策充分灵活地适用两种观点。

16 costly
adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的
参考例句：
It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。 This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

17 vessels
n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人
参考例句：
The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》 All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

18 ascended
v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He has ascended into heaven. 他已经升入了天堂。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The climbers slowly ascended the mountain. 爬山运动员慢慢地登上了这座山。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 cargoes
n.（船或飞机装载的）货物( cargo的名词复数 )；大量，重负
参考例句：
This ship embarked cargoes. 这艘船装载货物。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The crew lashed cargoes of timber down. 全体船员将木材绑牢。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 converging
adj.收敛[缩]的，会聚的，趋同的v.（线条、运动的物体等）会于一点( converge的现在分词 )；（趋于）相似或相同；人或车辆汇集；聚集
参考例句：
Plants had gradually evolved along diverging and converging pathways. 植物是沿着趋异和趋同两种途径逐渐演化的。 来自辞典例句 This very slowly converging series was known to Leibniz in 1674. 这个收敛很慢的级数是莱布尼茨在1674年得到的。 来自辞典例句

21 trenches
深沟，地沟( trench的名词复数 )； 战壕
参考例句：
life in the trenches 第一次世界大战期间的战壕生活 The troops stormed the enemy's trenches and fanned out across the fields. 部队猛攻敌人的战壕，并在田野上呈扇形散开。

22 masonry
n.砖土建筑；砖石
参考例句：
Masonry is a careful skill.砖石工艺是一种精心的技艺。 The masonry of the old building began to crumble.旧楼房的砖石结构开始崩落。

23 axis
n.轴，轴线，中心线；坐标轴，基准线
参考例句：
The earth's axis is the line between the North and South Poles.地轴是南北极之间的线。 The axis of a circle is its diameter.圆的轴线是其直径。

24 cylinder
n.圆筒，柱(面)，汽缸
参考例句：
What's the volume of this cylinder?这个圆筒的体积有多少？ The cylinder is getting too much gas and not enough air.汽缸里汽油太多而空气不足。

25 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。

26 fixed
adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的
参考例句：
Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？ Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

27 intervals
n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息
参考例句：
The forecast said there would be sunny intervals and showers. 预报间晴，有阵雨。 Meetings take place at fortnightly intervals. 每两周开一次会。

28 lining
n.衬里，衬料
参考例句：
The lining of my coat is torn.我的外套衬里破了。 Moss makes an attractive lining to wire baskets.用苔藓垫在铁丝篮里很漂亮。

29 projection
n.发射，计划，突出部分
参考例句：
Projection takes place with a minimum of awareness or conscious control.投射在最少的知觉或意识控制下发生。 The projection of increases in number of house-holds is correct.对户数增加的推算是正确的。

30 privately
adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地
参考例句：
Some ministers admit privately that unemployment could continue to rise.一些部长私下承认失业率可能继续升高。 The man privately admits that his motive is profits.那人私下承认他的动机是为了牟利。

31 projectile
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?

32 influx
n.流入，注入
参考例句：
The country simply cannot absorb this influx of refugees.这个国家实在不能接纳这么多涌入的难民。 Textile workers favoured protection because they feared an influx of cheap cloth.纺织工人拥护贸易保护措施，因为他们担心涌入廉价纺织品。

33 averting
防止，避免( avert的现在分词 )； 转移
参考例句：
The margin of time for averting crisis was melting away. 可以用来消弥这一危机的些许时光正在逝去。 These results underscore the value of rescue medications in averting psychotic relapse. 这些结果显示了救护性治疗对避免精神病复发的价值。

34 delegation
n.代表团；派遣
参考例句：
The statement of our delegation was singularly appropriate to the occasion.我们代表团的声明非常适合时宜。 We shall inform you of the date of the delegation's arrival.我们将把代表团到达的日期通知你。

35 precisely
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。

36 vomited
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

37 torrents
n.倾注；奔流( torrent的名词复数 )；急流；爆发；连续不断
参考例句：
The torrents scoured out a channel down the hill side. 急流沿着山腰冲刷出一条水沟。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 Sudden rainstorms would bring the mountain torrents rushing down. 突然的暴雨会使山洪暴发。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

38 agitated
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。

39 rumbling
n. 隆隆声, 辘辘声 adj. 隆隆响的 动词rumble的现在分词
参考例句：
The earthquake began with a deep [low] rumbling sound. 地震开始时发出低沉的隆隆声。 The crane made rumbling sound. 吊车发出隆隆的响声。

40 vent
n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄
参考例句：
He gave vent to his anger by swearing loudly.他高声咒骂以发泄他的愤怒。 When the vent became plugged,the engine would stop.当通风口被堵塞时，发动机就会停转。

41 saturated
a.饱和的，充满的
参考例句：
The continuous rain had saturated the soil. 连绵不断的雨把土地淋了个透。 a saturated solution of sodium chloride 氯化钠饱和溶液

42 impatience
n.不耐烦，急躁
参考例句：
He expressed impatience at the slow rate of progress.进展缓慢，他显得不耐烦。 He gave a stamp of impatience.他不耐烦地跺脚。

43 mingled
混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系]
参考例句：
The sounds of laughter and singing mingled in the evening air. 笑声和歌声交织在夜空中。 The man and the woman mingled as everyone started to relax. 当大家开始放松的时候，这一男一女就开始交往了。

44 superintendent
n.监督人，主管，总监；(英国)警务长
参考例句：
He was soon promoted to the post of superintendent of Foreign Trade.他很快就被擢升为对外贸易总监。 He decided to call the superintendent of the building.他决定给楼房管理员打电话。

45 aperture
n.孔，隙，窄的缺口
参考例句：
The only light came through a narrow aperture.仅有的光亮来自一个小孔。 We saw light through a small aperture in the wall.我们透过墙上的小孔看到了亮光。

46 eminence
n.卓越，显赫；高地，高处；名家
参考例句：
He is a statesman of great eminence.他是个声名显赫的政治家。 Many of the pilots were to achieve eminence in the aeronautical world.这些飞行员中很多人将会在航空界声名显赫。

47 artillery
n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队)
参考例句：
This is a heavy artillery piece.这是一门重炮。 The artillery has more firepower than the infantry.炮兵火力比步兵大。

48 accomplished
adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的
参考例句：
Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。 Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

49 abeyance
n.搁置，缓办，中止，产权未定
参考例句：
The question is in abeyance until we know more about it.问题暂时搁置，直到我们了解更多有关情况再行研究。 The law was held in abeyance for well over twenty years.这项法律被搁置了二十多年。

50 pealed
v.（使）（钟等）鸣响，（雷等）发出隆隆声( peal的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The bells pealed (out) over the countryside. 钟声响彻郊野。 来自辞典例句 A gun shot suddenly pealed forth and shot its flames into the air. 突然一声炮响，一道火光升上天空。 来自辞典例句

51 forth
adv.向前；向外，往外
参考例句：
The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。 He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

52 fiery
adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的
参考例句：
She has fiery red hair.她有一头火红的头发。 His fiery speech agitated the crowd.他热情洋溢的讲话激动了群众。

53 incandescent
adj.遇热发光的， 白炽的，感情强烈的
参考例句：
The incandescent lamp we use in daily life was invented by Edison.我们日常生活中用的白炽灯，是爱迪生发明的。 The incandescent quality of his words illuminated the courage of his countrymen.他炽热的语言点燃了他本国同胞的勇气。

54 plunged
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。

55 hurled
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》

56 dense
a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的
参考例句：
The general ambushed his troops in the dense woods. 将军把部队埋伏在浓密的树林里。 The path was completely covered by the dense foliage. 小路被树叶厚厚地盖了一层。

57 savage
adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人
参考例句：
The poor man received a savage beating from the thugs.那可怜的人遭到暴徒的痛打。 He has a savage temper.他脾气粗暴。

58 crater
n.火山口，弹坑
参考例句：
With a telescope you can see the huge crater of Ve-suvius.用望远镜你能看到巨大的维苏威火山口。 They came to the lip of a dead crater.他们来到了一个死火山口。

59 bosom
n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的
参考例句：
She drew a little book from her bosom.她从怀里取出一本小册子。 A dark jealousy stirred in his bosom.他内心生出一阵恶毒的嫉妒。

60 eruption
n.火山爆发；（战争等）爆发；（疾病等）发作
参考例句：
The temple was destroyed in the violent eruption of 1470 BC.庙宇在公元前1470年猛烈的火山爆发中摧毁了。 The eruption of a volcano is spontaneous.火山的爆发是自发的。

61 phenomena
n.现象
参考例句：
Ade couldn't relate the phenomena with any theory he knew.艾德无法用他所知道的任何理论来解释这种现象。 The object of these experiments was to find the connection,if any,between the two phenomena.这些实验的目的就是探索这两种现象之间的联系，如果存在着任何联系的话。

62 vapors
n.水汽，水蒸气，无实质之物( vapor的名词复数 )；自夸者；幻想 [药]吸入剂 [古]忧郁（症）v.自夸，（使）蒸发( vapor的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
His emotions became vague and shifted about like vapors. 他的心情则如同一团雾气，变幻无常，捉摸不定。 来自辞典例句 They have hysterics, they weep, they have the vapors. 他们歇斯底里，他们哭泣，他们精神忧郁。 来自辞典例句

63 worthy
adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的
参考例句：
I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。 There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned.没有值得一提的事发生。

64 vibrations
n.摆动( vibration的名词复数 )；震动；感受；（偏离平衡位置的）一次性往复振动
参考例句：
We could feel the vibrations from the trucks passing outside. 我们可以感到外面卡车经过时的颤动。 I am drawn to that girl; I get good vibrations from her. 我被那女孩吸引住了，她使我产生良好的感觉。 来自《简明英汉词典》

65 precipitated
v.（突如其来地）使发生( precipitate的过去式和过去分词 )；促成；猛然摔下；使沉淀
参考例句：
His resignation precipitated a leadership crisis. 他的辞职立即引发了领导层的危机。 He lost his footing and was precipitated to the ground. 他失足摔倒在地上。 来自《简明英汉词典》