Cyrus Harding stood still, without saying a word. His companions searched in the darkness on the wall, in case the wind should have moved the ladder, and on the ground, thinking that it might have fallen down.... But the ladder had quite disappeared. As to ascertaining¹ if a squall had blown it on the landing-place, half way up, that was impossible in the dark.

"If it is a joke," cried Pencroft, "it is a very stupid one! To come home and find no staircase to go up to your room by--that's nothing for weary men to laugh at."

Neb could do nothing but cry out "Oh! oh! oh!"

"I begin to think that very curious things happen in Lincoln Island!" said Pencroft.

"Curious?" replied Gideon Spilett, "not at all, Pencroft, nothing can be more natural. Some one has come during our absence, taken possession of our dwelling² and drawn³ up the ladder."

"Some one," cried the sailor. "But who?"

"Who but the hunter who fired the bullet?" replied the reporter.

"Well, if there is any one up there," replied Pencroft, who began to lose patience, "I will give them a hail, and they must answer."

And in a stentorian⁴ voice the sailor gave a prolonged "Halloo!" which was echoed again and again from the cliff and rocks.

The settlers listened and they thought they heard a sort of chuckling⁵ laugh, of which they could not guess the origin. But no voice replied to Pencroft, who in vain repeated his vigorous shouts.

There was something indeed in this to astonish the most apathetic⁶ of men, and the settlers were not men of that description. In their situation every incident had its importance, and, certainly, during the seven months which they had spent on the island, they had not before met with anything of so surprising a character.

Be that as it may, forgetting their fatigue⁷ in the singularity of the event, they remained below

点击收听单词发音  

1 ascertaining
v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的现在分词 )
参考例句：
I was ascertaining whether the cellar stretched out in front or behind. 我当时是要弄清楚地下室是朝前还是朝后延伸的。 来自辞典例句 The design and ascertaining of permanent-magnet-biased magnetic bearing parameter are detailed introduced. 并对永磁偏置磁悬浮轴承参数的设计和确定进行了详细介绍。 来自互联网

2 dwelling
n.住宅，住所，寓所
参考例句：
Those two men are dwelling with us.那两个人跟我们住在一起。 He occupies a three-story dwelling place on the Park Street.他在派克街上有一幢3层楼的寓所。

3 drawn
v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的
参考例句：
All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。 Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

4 stentorian
adj.大声的，响亮的
参考例句：
Now all joined in solemn stentorian accord.现在，在这庄严的响彻云霄的和声中大家都联合在一起了。 The stentorian tones of auctioneer,calling out to clear,now announced that the sale to commence.拍卖人用洪亮的声音招呼大家闪开一点，然后宣布拍卖即将开始。

5 chuckling
轻声地笑( chuckle的现在分词 )
参考例句：
I could hear him chuckling to himself as he read his book. 他看书时，我能听见他的轻声发笑。 He couldn't help chuckling aloud. 他忍不住的笑了出来。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子

6 apathetic
adj.冷漠的，无动于衷的
参考例句：
I realised I was becoming increasingly depressed and apathetic.我意识到自己越来越消沉、越来越冷漠了。 You won't succeed if you are apathetic.要是你冷淡，你就不能成功。

7 fatigue
n.疲劳，劳累
参考例句：
The old lady can't bear the fatigue of a long journey.这位老妇人不能忍受长途旅行的疲劳。 I have got over my weakness and fatigue.我已从虚弱和疲劳中恢复过来了。

8 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。

9 exhausted
adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的
参考例句：
It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长，到家时我们已筋疲力尽。 Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。

10 warehouse
n.仓库；vt.存入仓库
参考例句：
We freighted the goods to the warehouse by truck.我们用卡车把货物运到仓库。 The manager wants to clear off the old stocks in the warehouse.经理想把仓库里积压的存货处理掉。

11 ammunition
n.军火，弹药
参考例句：
A few of the jeeps had run out of ammunition.几辆吉普车上的弹药已经用光了。 They have expended all their ammunition.他们把弹药用光。

12 pillaged
v.抢劫，掠夺( pillage的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
They are to be pillaged and terrorised in Hitler's fury and revenge. 在希特勒的狂怒和报复下，他们还遭到掠夺和恐怖统治。 来自辞典例句 They villages were pillaged and their crops destroyed. 他们的村子被抢，他们的庄稼被毁。 来自辞典例句

13 habitual
adj.习惯性的；通常的，惯常的
参考例句：
He is a habitual criminal.他是一个惯犯。 They are habitual visitors to our house.他们是我家的常客。

14 exasperated
adj.恼怒的
参考例句：
We were exasperated at his ill behaviour. 我们对他的恶劣行为感到非常恼怒。 Constant interruption of his work exasperated him. 对他工作不断的干扰使他恼怒。

15 inexplicable
adj.无法解释的，难理解的
参考例句：
It is now inexplicable how that development was misinterpreted.当时对这一事态发展的错误理解究竟是怎么产生的，现在已经无法说清楚了。 There are many things which are inexplicable by science.有很多事科学还无法解释。

16 conversed
v.交谈，谈话( converse的过去式 )
参考例句：
I conversed with her on a certain problem. 我与她讨论某一问题。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 She was cheerful and polite, and conversed with me pleasantly. 她十分高兴，也很客气，而且愉快地同我交谈。 来自辞典例句

17 colonists
n.殖民地开拓者，移民，殖民地居民( colonist的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Colonists from Europe populated many parts of the Americas. 欧洲的殖民者移居到了美洲的许多地方。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Some of the early colonists were cruel to the native population. 有些早期移居殖民地的人对当地居民很残忍。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 shutters
百叶窗( shutter的名词复数 )； （照相机的）快门
参考例句：
The shop-front is fitted with rolling shutters. 那商店的店门装有卷门。 The shutters thumped the wall in the wind. 在风中百叶窗砰砰地碰在墙上。

19 foliage
n.叶子，树叶，簇叶
参考例句：
The path was completely covered by the dense foliage.小路被树叶厚厚地盖了一层。 Dark foliage clothes the hills.浓密的树叶覆盖着群山。

20 brigands
n.土匪，强盗( brigand的名词复数 )
参考例句：
They say there are brigands hiding along the way. 他们说沿路隐藏着土匪。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The brigands demanded tribute from passing vehicles. 土匪向过往车辆勒索钱财。 来自辞典例句

21 epithet
n.（用于褒贬人物等的）表述形容词，修饰语
参考例句：
In "Alfred the Great","the Great"is an epithet.“阿尔弗雷德大帝”中的“大帝”是个称号。 It is an epithet that sums up my feelings.这是一个简洁地表达了我思想感情的形容词。

22 facade
n.(建筑物的)正面，临街正面；外表
参考例句：
The entrance facade consists of a large full height glass door.入口正面有一大型全高度玻璃门。 If you look carefully,you can see through Bob's facade.如果你仔细观察，你就能看穿鲍勃的外表。

23 illuminated
adj.被照明的；受启迪的
参考例句：
Floodlights illuminated the stadium. 泛光灯照亮了体育场。 the illuminated city at night 夜幕中万家灯火的城市

24 exterior
adj.外部的，外在的；表面的
参考例句：
The seed has a hard exterior covering.这种子外壳很硬。 We are painting the exterior wall of the house.我们正在给房子的外墙涂漆。

25 bent
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。

26 rascals
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。

27 rascal
n.流氓；不诚实的人
参考例句：
If he had done otherwise,I should have thought him a rascal.如果他不这样做，我就认为他是个恶棍。 The rascal was frightened into holding his tongue.这坏蛋吓得不敢往下说了。

28 baboon
n.狒狒
参考例句：
A baboon is a large monkey that lives in Africa.狒狒是一种生活在非洲的大猴子。 As long as the baboon holds on to what it wants,it's trapped.只要狒狒紧抓住想要的东西不放手，它就会被牢牢困住。

29 gorilla
n.大猩猩，暴徒，打手
参考例句：
I was awed by the huge gorilla.那只大猩猩使我惊惧。 A gorilla is just a speechless animal.猩猩只不过是一种不会说话的动物。

30 saluted
v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂
参考例句：
The sergeant stood to attention and saluted. 中士立正敬礼。 He saluted his friends with a wave of the hand. 他挥手向他的朋友致意。 来自《简明英汉词典》

31 proprietors
n.所有人，业主( proprietor的名词复数 )
参考例句：
These little proprietors of businesses are lords indeed on their own ground. 这些小业主们，在他们自己的行当中，就是真正的至高无上的统治者。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹 Many proprietors try to furnish their hotels with antiques. 许多经营者都想用古董装饰他们的酒店。 来自辞典例句

32 hideous
adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的
参考例句：
The whole experience had been like some hideous nightmare.整个经历就像一场可怕的噩梦。 They're not like dogs,they're hideous brutes.它们不像狗，是丑陋的畜牲。

33 grimaces
n.（表蔑视、厌恶等）面部扭曲，鬼脸( grimace的名词复数 )v.扮鬼相，做鬼脸( grimace的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
Mr. Clark winked at the rude child making grimaces. 克拉克先生假装没有看见那个野孩子做鬼脸。 来自辞典例句 The most ridiculous grimaces were purposely or unconsciously indulged in. 故意或者无心地扮出最滑稽可笑的鬼脸。 来自辞典例句

34 anthropoid
adj.像人类的，类人猿的；n.类人猿；像猿的人
参考例句：
Man evolved from the anthropoid ape.人是从类人猿进化而来的。 Gorilla are the largest of the anthropoid apes native to the forests of equatorial Africa.大猩猩是栖居在赤道非洲的最大的类人猿。

35 mischief
n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹
参考例句：
Nobody took notice of the mischief of the matter. 没有人注意到这件事情所带来的危害。 He seems to intend mischief.看来他想捣蛋。

36 poked
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》

37 conceal
v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽
参考例句：
He had to conceal his identity to escape the police.为了躲避警方，他只好隐瞒身份。 He could hardly conceal his joy at his departure.他几乎掩饰不住临行时的喜悦。

38 irritation
n.激怒，恼怒，生气
参考例句：
He could not hide his irritation that he had not been invited.他无法掩饰因未被邀请而生的气恼。 Barbicane said nothing,but his silence covered serious irritation.巴比康什么也不说，但是他的沉默里潜伏着阴郁的怒火。

39 penetrate
v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解
参考例句：
Western ideas penetrate slowly through the East.西方观念逐渐传入东方。 The sunshine could not penetrate where the trees were thickest.阳光不能透入树木最浓密的地方。

40 ascend
vi.渐渐上升，升高；vt.攀登，登上
参考例句：
We watched the airplane ascend higher and higher.我们看着飞机逐渐升高。 We ascend in the order of time and of development.我们按时间和发展顺序向上溯。

41 prospect
n.前景，前途；景色，视野
参考例句：
This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。 The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

42 agility
n.敏捷，活泼
参考例句：
The boy came upstairs with agility.那男孩敏捷地走上楼来。 His intellect and mental agility have never been in doubt.他的才智和机敏从未受到怀疑。

43 acrobats
n.杂技演员( acrobat的名词复数 )；立场观点善变的人，主张、政见等变化无常的人
参考例句：
I was always fascinated by the acrobats at the circus. 我总是着迷于马戏团里的杂技演员。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The acrobats' performance drew forth applause from the audience. 杂技演员的表演博得了观众的掌声。 来自《简明英汉词典》

44 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。

45 hatchet
n.短柄小斧；v.扼杀
参考例句：
I shall have to take a hatchet to that stump.我得用一把短柄斧来劈这树桩。 Do not remove a fly from your friend's forehead with a hatchet.别用斧头拍打朋友额头上的苍蝇。

46 cleave
v．(clave；cleaved)粘着，粘住；坚持；依恋
参考例句：
It examines how the decision to quit gold or to cleave to it affected trade policies.论文分析了放弃或坚持金本位是如何影响贸易政策的。 Those who cleave to the latter view include many conservative American politicians.坚持后一种观点的大多是美国的保守派政客。

47 peculiar
adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的
参考例句：
He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。 He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。

48 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：
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。

49 gallantly
adv. 漂亮地，勇敢地，献殷勤地
参考例句：
He gallantly offered to carry her cases to the car. 他殷勤地要帮她把箱子拎到车子里去。 The new fighters behave gallantly under fire. 新战士在炮火下表现得很勇敢。

50 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》

51 possessed
adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的
参考例句：
He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。 He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。

52 zealous
adj.狂热的，热心的
参考例句：
She made zealous efforts to clean up the classroom.她非常热心地努力清扫教室。 She is a zealous supporter of our cause.她是我们事业的热心支持者。

53 skull
n.头骨；颅骨
参考例句：
The skull bones fuse between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five.头骨在15至25岁之间长合。 He fell out of the window and cracked his skull.他从窗子摔了出去，跌裂了颅骨。

54 glossy
adj.平滑的；有光泽的
参考例句：
I like these glossy spots.我喜欢这些闪闪发光的花点。 She had glossy black hair.她长着乌黑发亮的头发。

55 specimen
n.样本，标本
参考例句：
You'll need tweezers to hold up the specimen.你要用镊子来夹这标本。 This specimen is richly variegated in colour.这件标本上有很多颜色。

56 subdue
vt.制服，使顺从，征服；抑制，克制
参考例句：
She tried to subdue her anger.她尽力压制自己的怒火。 He forced himself to subdue and overcome his fears.他强迫自己克制并战胜恐惧心理。

57 rancor
n.深仇，积怨
参考例句：
I have no rancor against him.我对他无怨无仇。 Their rancor dated from a political dogfight between them.他们的积怨来自于他们之间在政治上的狗咬狗。

58 grunt
v.嘟哝；作呼噜声；n.呼噜声，嘟哝
参考例句：
He lifted the heavy suitcase with a grunt.他咕噜着把沉重的提箱拎了起来。 I ask him what he think,but he just grunt.我问他在想什麽，他只哼了一声。