The train, on leaving Great Salt Lake at Ogden, passed northward¹ for an hour as far as Weber River, having completed nearly nine hundred miles from San Francisco. From this point it took an easterly direction towards the jagged Wahsatch Mountains. It was in the section included between this range and the Rocky Mountains that the American engineers found the most formidable difficulties in laying the road, and that the government granted a subsidy² of forty-eight thousand dollars per mile, instead of sixteen thousand allowed for the work done the plains. But the engineers, instead of violating nature, avoided its difficulties by winding³ around, instead of penetrating⁴ the rocks. One tunnel only, fourteen thousand feet in length, was pierced in order to arrive at the great basin.

The track up to this time had reached its highest elevation⁵ at the Great Salt Lake. From this point it described a long curve, descending⁶ towards Bitter Creek⁷ Valley, to rise again to the dividing ridge⁸ of the waters between the Atlantic and the Pacific. There were many creeks⁹ in this mountainous region, and it was necessary to cross Muddy Creek, Green Creek and others, upon culverts.

Passepartout grew more and more impatient as they went on, while Fix longed to get out of this difficult region, and was more anxious than Phileas Fogg himself to be beyond the danger of delays and accidents, and set foot on English soil.

At ten o'clock at night the train, stopped at Fort Bridger station, and twenty minutes later entered Wyoming Territory, following the valley of Bitter Creek throughout. The next day, December 7th, they stopped for a quarter of an hour at Green River station. Snow had fallen abundantly during the night, but, being mixed with rain, it had half melted, and did not interrupt their progress. The bad weather, however, annoyed Passepartout; for the accumulation of snow, by blocking the wheels of the cars, would certainly have been fatal to Mr Fogg's tour.

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1 northward
adv.向北；n.北方的地区
参考例句：
He pointed his boat northward.他将船驶向北方。 I would have a chance to head northward quickly.我就很快有机会去北方了。

2 subsidy
n.补助金，津贴
参考例句：
The university will receive a subsidy for research in artificial intelligence.那个大学将得到一笔人工智能研究的补助费。 The living subsidy for senior expert's family is included in the remuneration.报酬已包含高级专家家人的生活补贴。

3 winding
n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈
参考例句：
A winding lane led down towards the river.一条弯弯曲曲的小路通向河边。 The winding trail caused us to lose our orientation.迂回曲折的小道使我们迷失了方向。

4 penetrating
adj.（声音）响亮的，尖锐的adj.（气味）刺激的adj.（思想）敏锐的，有洞察力的
参考例句：
He had an extraordinarily penetrating gaze. 他的目光有股异乎寻常的洞察力。 He examined the man with a penetrating gaze. 他以锐利的目光仔细观察了那个人。

5 elevation
n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高
参考例句：
The house is at an elevation of 2,000 metres.那幢房子位于海拔两千米的高处。 His elevation to the position of General Manager was announced yesterday.昨天宣布他晋升总经理职位。

6 descending
n. 下行 adj. 下降的
参考例句：
The results are expressed in descending numerical order . 结果按数字降序列出。 The climbers stopped to orient themselves before descending the mountain. 登山者先停下来确定所在的位置，然后再下山。

7 creek
n.小溪，小河，小湾
参考例句：
He sprang through the creek.他跳过小河。 People sunbathe in the nude on the rocks above the creek.人们在露出小溪的岩石上裸体晒日光浴。

8 ridge
n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭
参考例句：
We clambered up the hillside to the ridge above.我们沿着山坡费力地爬上了山脊。 The infantry were advancing to attack the ridge.步兵部队正在向前挺进攻打山脊。

9 creeks
n.小湾( creek的名词复数 )；小港；小河；小溪
参考例句：
The prospect lies between two creeks. 矿区位于两条溪流之间。 来自辞典例句 There was the excitement of fishing in country creeks with my grandpa on cloudy days. 有在阴雨天和姥爷一起到乡村河湾钓鱼的喜悦。 来自辞典例句

10 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。

11 gratitude
adj.感激，感谢
参考例句：
I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。 She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。

12 adversary
adj.敌手，对手
参考例句：
He saw her as his main adversary within the company.他将她视为公司中主要的对手。 They will do anything to undermine their adversary's reputation.他们会不择手段地去损害对手的名誉。

13 reassure
v.使放心，使消除疑虑
参考例句：
This seemed to reassure him and he continued more confidently.这似乎使他放心一点，于是他更有信心地继续说了下去。 The airline tried to reassure the customers that the planes were safe.航空公司尽力让乘客相信飞机是安全的。

14 avenge
v.为...复仇，为...报仇
参考例句：
He swore to avenge himself on the mafia.他发誓说要向黑手党报仇。 He will avenge the people on their oppressor.他将为人民向压迫者报仇。

15 victorious
adj.胜利的，得胜的
参考例句：
We are certain to be victorious.我们定会胜利。 The victorious army returned in triumph.获胜的部队凯旋而归。

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 shudder
v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动
参考例句：
The sight of the coffin sent a shudder through him.看到那副棺材，他浑身一阵战栗。 We all shudder at the thought of the dreadful dirty place.我们一想到那可怕的肮脏地方就浑身战惊。

18 pretensions
自称( pretension的名词复数 )； 自命不凡； 要求； 权力
参考例句：
The play mocks the pretensions of the new middle class. 这出戏讽刺了新中产阶级的装模作样。 The city has unrealistic pretensions to world-class status. 这个城市不切实际地标榜自己为国际都市。

19 heartily
adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很
参考例句：
He ate heartily and went out to look for his horse.他痛快地吃了一顿，就出去找他的马。 The host seized my hand and shook it heartily.主人抓住我的手，热情地和我握手。

20 steward
n.乘务员，服务员；看管人；膳食管理员
参考例句：
He's the steward of the club.他是这家俱乐部的管理员。 He went around the world as a ship's steward.他当客船服务员，到过世界各地。

21 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。

22 adept
adj.老练的，精通的
参考例句：
When it comes to photography,I'm not an adept.要说照相，我不是内行。 He was highly adept at avoiding trouble.他十分善于避开麻烦。

23 budge
v.移动一点儿；改变立场
参考例句：
We tried to lift the rock but it wouldn't budge.我们试图把大石头抬起来，但它连动都没动一下。 She wouldn't budge on the issue.她在这个问题上不肯让步。

24 attained
（通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况）
参考例句：
She has attained the degree of Master of Arts. 她已获得文学硕士学位。 Lu Hsun attained a high position in the republic of letters. 鲁迅在文坛上获得崇高的地位。

25 propitious
adj.吉利的；顺利的
参考例句：
The circumstances were not propitious for further expansion of the company.这些情况不利于公司的进一步发展。 The cool days during this week are propitious for out trip.这种凉爽的天气对我们的行程很有好处。

26 declivity
n.下坡，倾斜面
参考例句：
I looked frontage straightly,going declivity one by one.我两眼直视前方，一路下坡又下坡。 He had rolled down a declivity of twelve or fifteen feet.他是从十二尺或十五尺高的地方滚下来的。

27 plentifully
adv. 许多地，丰饶地
参考例句：
The visitors were plentifully supplied with food and drink. 给来宾准备了丰富的食物和饮料。 The oil flowed plentifully at first, but soon ran out. 起初石油大量涌出，但很快就枯竭了。

28 irrigated
[医]冲洗的
参考例句：
They irrigated their crops with water from this river. 他们用这条小河里的水浇庄稼。 A crop can be sown, weeded, irrigated, and fertilized uniformly. 一种作物可以均匀一致地进行播种，除草，灌溉和施肥。

29 tributaries
n. 支流
参考例句：
In such areas small tributaries or gullies will not show. 在这些地区，小的支流和冲沟显示不出来。 These tributaries are subsequent streams which erode strike valley. 这些支流系即为蚀出走向谷的次生河。

30 contented
adj.满意的，安心的，知足的
参考例句：
He won't be contented until he's upset everyone in the office.不把办公室里的每个人弄得心烦意乱他就不会满足。 The people are making a good living and are contented,each in his station.人民安居乐业。

31 descended
a.为...后裔的，出身于...的
参考例句：
A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。 The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。

32 insolent
adj.傲慢的，无理的
参考例句：
His insolent manner really got my blood up.他那傲慢的态度把我的肺都气炸了。 It was insolent of them to demand special treatment.他们要求给予特殊待遇，脸皮真厚。

33 conspicuous
adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的
参考例句：
It is conspicuous that smoking is harmful to health.很明显，抽烟对健康有害。 Its colouring makes it highly conspicuous.它的色彩使它非常惹人注目。

34 sage
n.圣人，哲人；adj.贤明的，明智的
参考例句：
I was grateful for the old man's sage advice.我很感激那位老人贤明的忠告。 The sage is the instructor of a hundred ages.这位哲人是百代之师。

35 prudent
adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的
参考例句：
A prudent traveller never disparages his own country.聪明的旅行者从不贬低自己的国家。 You must school yourself to be modest and prudent.你要学会谦虚谨慎。

36 apprise
vt.通知，告知
参考例句：
He came to apprise us that the work had been successfully completed.他来通知我们工作已胜利完成。 We must apprise them of the dangers that may be involved.我们必须告诉他们可能涉及的危险。

37 swelled
增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情）
参考例句：
The infection swelled his hand. 由于感染，他的手肿了起来。 After the heavy rain the river swelled. 大雨过后，河水猛涨。

38 Ford
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。

39 trudge
v.步履艰难地走；n.跋涉，费力艰难的步行
参考例句：
It was a hard trudge up the hill.这趟上山是一次艰难的跋涉。 The trudge through the forest will be tiresome.长途跋涉穿越森林会令人疲惫不堪。

40 grumbled
抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声
参考例句：
He grumbled at the low pay offered to him. 他抱怨给他的工资低。 The heat was sweltering, and the men grumbled fiercely over their work. 天热得让人发昏，水手们边干活边发着牢骚。

41 avowed
adj.公开声明的，承认的v.公开声明，承认( avow的过去式和过去分词)
参考例句：
An aide avowed that the President had known nothing of the deals. 一位助理声明，总统对这些交易一无所知。 The party's avowed aim was to struggle against capitalist exploitation. 该党公开宣称的宗旨是与资本主义剥削斗争。 来自《简明英汉词典》

42 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。

43 prodigiously
adv.异常地，惊人地，巨大地
参考例句：
Such remarks, though, hardly begin to explain that prodigiously gifted author Henry James. 然而这样的说法，一点也不能解释这个得天独厚的作家亨利·詹姆斯的情况。 来自辞典例句 The prices of farms rose prodigiously. 农场的价格飞快上涨。 来自互联网

44 displeases
冒犯，使生气，使不愉快( displease的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
Nothing displeases me more than loud talking. 没有比大声谈话更使我不高兴的了。 Bill is a wise guy and displeases others by what he says. 比尔自命不凡，说的话让人生气。

45 frightful
adj.可怕的；讨厌的
参考例句：
How frightful to have a husband who snores!有一个发鼾声的丈夫多讨厌啊！ We're having frightful weather these days.这几天天气坏极了。

46 screech
n./v.尖叫；(发出)刺耳的声音
参考例句：
He heard a screech of brakes and then fell down. 他听到汽车刹车发出的尖锐的声音,然后就摔倒了。 The screech of jet planes violated the peace of the afternoon. 喷射机的尖啸声侵犯了下午的平静。

47 piston
n.活塞
参考例句：
They use a piston engine instead.他们改用活塞发动机。 The piston moves by steam pressure.活塞在蒸汽压力下运动。