The next day, the 16th of April, and Easter Sunday, the settlers issued from the Chimneys at daybreak, and proceeded to wash their linen¹. The engineer intended to manufacture soap as soon as he could procure² the necessary materials--soda or potash, fat or oil. The important question of renewing their wardrobe would be treated of in the proper time and place. At any rate their clothes would last at least six months longer, for they were strong, and could resist the wear of manual labor³. But all would depend on the situation of the island with regard to inhabited land. This would be settled to-day if the weather permitted.

The sun rising above a clear horizon, announced a magnificent day, one of those beautiful autumn days which are like the last farewells of the warm season.

It was now necessary to complete the observations of the evening before by measuring the height of the cliff above the level of the sea.

"Shall you not need an instrument similar to the one which you used yesterday?" said Herbert to the engineer.

"No, my boy," replied the latter, "we are going to proceed differently, but in as precise a way."

Herbert, wishing to learn everything he could, followed the engineer to the beach. Pencroft, Neb, and the reporter remained behind and occupied themselves in different ways.

Cyrus Harding had provided himself with a straight stick, twelve feet long, which he had measured as exactly as possible by comparing it with his own height, which he knew to a hair. Herbert carried a plumb-line which Harding had given him, that is to say, a simple stone fastened to the end of a flexible fiber⁴. Having reached a spot about twenty feet from the edge of the beach, and nearly five hundred feet from the cliff, which rose perpendicularly⁵, Harding thrust the pole two feet into the sand, and wedging it up carefully, he managed, by means of the plumb-line, to erect⁷ it perpendicularly with the plane of the horizon.

That done, he retired

点击收听单词发音  

1 linen
n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的
参考例句：
The worker is starching the linen.这名工人正在给亚麻布上浆。 Fine linen and cotton fabrics were known as well as wool.精细的亚麻织品和棉织品像羊毛一样闻名遐迩。

2 procure
vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条
参考例句：
Can you procure some specimens for me?你能替我弄到一些标本吗？ I'll try my best to procure you that original French novel.我将尽全力给你搞到那本原版法国小说。

3 labor
n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦
参考例句：
We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。 He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

4 fiber
n.纤维，纤维质
参考例句：
The basic structural unit of yarn is the fiber.纤维是纱的基本结构单元。 The material must be free of fiber clumps.这种材料必须无纤维块。

5 perpendicularly
adv. 垂直地, 笔直地, 纵向地
参考例句：
Fray's forehead was wrinkled both perpendicularly and crosswise. 弗雷的前额上纹路纵横。 Automatic resquaring feature insures nozzle is perpendicularly to the part being cut. 自动垂直功能，可以确保刀头回到与工件完全垂直的位置去切割。

6 perpendicular
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。

7 erect
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。

8 retired
adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的
参考例句：
The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。 Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

9 crest
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。

10 slate
n.板岩，石板，石片，石板色，候选人名单；adj.暗蓝灰色的，含板岩的；vt.用石板覆盖，痛打，提名，预订
参考例句：
The nominating committee laid its slate before the board.提名委员会把候选人名单提交全体委员会讨论。 What kind of job uses stained wood and slate? 什么工作会接触木头污浊和石板呢？

11 granite
adj.花岗岩，花岗石
参考例句：
They squared a block of granite.他们把一块花岗岩加工成四方形。 The granite overlies the older rocks.花岗岩躺在磨损的岩石上面。

12 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。

13 situated
adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的
参考例句：
The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。 She is awkwardly situated.她的处境困难。

14 latitude
n.纬度，行动或言论的自由(范围)，(pl.)地区
参考例句：
The latitude of the island is 20 degrees south.该岛的纬度是南纬20度。 The two cities are at approximately the same latitude.这两个城市差不多位于同一纬度上。

15 longitude
n.经线，经度
参考例句：
The city is at longitude 21°east.这个城市位于东经21度。 He noted the latitude and longitude,then made a mark on the admiralty chart.他记下纬度和经度，然后在航海图上做了个标记。

16 determined
adj.坚定的；有决心的
参考例句：
I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。 He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

17 meridian
adj.子午线的；全盛期的
参考例句：
All places on the same meridian have the same longitude.在同一子午线上的地方都有相同的经度。 He is now at the meridian of his intellectual power.他现在正值智力全盛期。

18 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。

19 gulf
n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂
参考例句：
The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。 There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

20 cape
n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风
参考例句：
I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。 She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

21 strutting
加固，支撑物
参考例句：
He, too, was exceedingly arrogant, strutting about the castle. 他也是非常自大，在城堡里大摇大摆地走。 The pompous lecturer is strutting and forth across the stage. 这个演讲者在台上趾高气扬地来回走着。

22 divers
adj.不同的；种种的
参考例句：
He chose divers of them,who were asked to accompany him.他选择他们当中的几个人，要他们和他作伴。 Two divers work together while a standby diver remains on the surface.两名潜水员协同工作，同时有一名候补潜水员留在水面上。

23 braying
v.发出驴叫似的声音( bray的现在分词 )；发嘟嘟声；粗声粗气地讲话（或大笑）；猛击
参考例句：
A donkey was braying on the hill behind the house. 房子后面的山上传来驴叫声。 来自互联网 What's the use of her braying out such words? 她粗声粗气地说这种话有什么用呢？ 来自互联网

24 alimentary
adj.饮食的，营养的
参考例句：
He had the disease of alimentary canal.他患了消化道疾病。 This system is mainly a long tube,called the alimentary canal.这一系统主要是一根长管，称作消化道。

25 attentively
adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神
参考例句：
She listened attentively while I poured out my problems. 我倾吐心中的烦恼时，她一直在注意听。 来自《简明英汉词典》 She listened attentively and set down every word he said. 她专心听着，把他说的话一字不漏地记下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

26 oyster
n.牡蛎；沉默寡言的人
参考例句：
I enjoy eating oyster; it's really delicious.我喜欢吃牡蛎，它味道真美。 I find I fairly like eating when he finally persuades me to taste the oyster.当他最后说服我尝尝牡蛎时，我发现我相当喜欢吃。

27 spacious
adj.广阔的，宽敞的
参考例句：
Our yard is spacious enough for a swimming pool.我们的院子很宽敞，足够建一座游泳池。 The room is bright and spacious.这房间很豁亮。

28 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。

29 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。

30 lava
n.熔岩，火山岩
参考例句：
The lava flowed down the sides of the volcano.熔岩沿火山坡面涌流而下。 His anger spilled out like lava.他的愤怒像火山爆发似的迸发出来。

31 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：
The city was burned into a desolate waste.那座城市被烧成一片废墟。 We all felt absolutely desolate when she left.她走后，我们都觉得万分孤寂。

32 gulls
n.鸥( gull的名词复数 )v.欺骗某人( gull的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
A flock of sea gulls are hovering over the deck. 一群海鸥在甲板上空飞翔。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 The gulls which haunted the outlying rocks in a prodigious number. 数不清的海鸥在遥远的岩石上栖息。 来自辞典例句

33 implements
n.工具( implement的名词复数 )；家具；手段；[法律]履行（契约等）v.实现( implement的第三人称单数 )；执行；贯彻；使生效
参考例句：
Primitive man hunted wild animals with crude stone implements. 原始社会的人用粗糙的石器猎取野兽。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 They ordered quantities of farm implements. 他们订购了大量农具。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

34 astounded
v.使震惊(astound的过去式和过去分词)；愕然；愕；惊讶
参考例句：
His arrogance astounded her. 他的傲慢使她震惊。 How can you say that? I'm absolutely astounded. 你怎么能说出那种话？我感到大为震惊。

35 utterly
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。

36 ascertain
vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清
参考例句：
It's difficult to ascertain the coal deposits.煤储量很难探明。 We must ascertain the responsibility in light of different situtations.我们必须根据不同情况判定责任。

37 preservation
n.保护，维护，保存，保留，保持
参考例句：
The police are responsible for the preservation of law and order.警察负责维持法律与秩序。 The picture is in an excellent state of preservation.这幅画保存得极为完好。

38 jug
n.(有柄，小口，可盛水等的)大壶，罐，盂
参考例句：
He walked along with a jug poised on his head.他头上顶着一个水罐，保持着平衡往前走。 She filled the jug with fresh water.她将水壶注满了清水。

39 astronomical
adj.天文学的，（数字）极大的
参考例句：
He was an expert on ancient Chinese astronomical literature.他是研究中国古代天文学文献的专家。 Houses in the village are selling for astronomical prices.乡村的房价正在飙升。

40 ebbing
（指潮水）退( ebb的现在分词 )； 落； 减少； 衰落
参考例句：
The pain was ebbing. 疼痛逐渐减轻了。 There are indications that his esoteric popularity may be ebbing. 有迹象表明，他神秘的声望可能正在下降。

41 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。

42 diurnal
adj.白天的，每日的
参考例句：
Kangaroos are diurnal animals.袋鼠是日间活动的动物。 Over water the diurnal change in refraction is likely to be small. 在水面上，折光的周日变化可能是很小的。

43 culmination
n.顶点；最高潮
参考例句：
The space race reached its culmination in the first moon walk.太空竞争以第一次在月球行走而达到顶峰。 It may truly be regarded as the culmination of classical Greek geometry.这确实可以看成是古典希腊几何的登峰造级之作。

44 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？

45 lengthen
vt.使伸长，延长
参考例句：
He asked the tailor to lengthen his coat.他请裁缝把他的外衣放长些。 The teacher told her to lengthen her paper out.老师让她把论文加长。

46 modifications
n.缓和( modification的名词复数 )；限制；更改；改变
参考例句：
The engine was pulled apart for modifications and then reassembled. 发动机被拆开改型，然后再组装起来。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The original plan had undergone fairly extensive modifications. 原计划已经作了相当大的修改。 来自《简明英汉词典》

47 ascertained
v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The previously unidentified objects have now been definitely ascertained as being satellites. 原来所说的不明飞行物现在已证实是卫星。 来自《简明英汉词典》 I ascertained that she was dead. 我断定她已经死了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

48 pegs
n.衣夹( peg的名词复数 )；挂钉；系帐篷的桩；弦钮v.用夹子或钉子固定( peg的第三人称单数 )；使固定在某水平
参考例句：
She hung up the shirt with two (clothes) pegs. 她用两只衣夹挂上衬衫。 来自辞典例句 The vice-presidents were all square pegs in round holes. 各位副总裁也都安排得不得其所。 来自辞典例句

49 chronometer
n.精密的计时器
参考例句：
Murchison followed with his eye the hand of his chronometer.莫奇生的眼睛追随着他的时计的秒针。 My watch is more expensive because it's a chronometer.我的手表是精密型的，所以要比你的贵。

50 longitudes
经度
参考例句：
Nothing makes earth seem so to have friends at a distance; they make latitudes and longitudes. 没有什么比得上有朋在远方更使地球显得如此巨大，他们构成了纬度和经度。

51 concurrently
adv.同时地
参考例句：
He was given two twelve month sentences to run concurrently. 他两罪均判12个月监禁，同期执行。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He was given two prison sentences, to run concurrently. 他两罪均判监禁，同期执行。 来自辞典例句

52 positively
adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实
参考例句：
She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。 The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。

53 hazardous
adj.(有)危险的，冒险的；碰运气的
参考例句：
These conditions are very hazardous for shipping.这些情况对航海非常不利。 Everybody said that it was a hazardous investment.大家都说那是一次危险的投资。

54 frail
adj.身体虚弱的；易损坏的
参考例句：
Mrs. Warner is already 96 and too frail to live by herself.华纳太太已经九十六岁了，身体虚弱，不便独居。 She lay in bed looking particularly frail.她躺在床上，看上去特别虚弱。