The mountain on which they had alighted was not a barren waste, but had on its sides patches of green grass, some bushes, a few slender trees and here and there masses of tumbled rocks. The sides of the slope seemed rather steep, but with care one could climb up or down them with ease and safety. The view from where they now stood showed pleasant valleys and fertile hills lying below the heights.
Trot1 thought she saw some houses of queer shapes
scattered2 about the lower landscape, and there were moving dots that might be people or animals, yet were too far away for her to see them clearly.
Not far from the place where they stood was the top of the mountain, which seemed to be flat, so the Ork proposed to his companions that he would fly up and see what was there.
"That's a good idea," said Trot, "'cause it's getting toward evening and we'll have to find a place to sleep."
The Ork had not been gone more than a few minutes when they saw him appear on the edge of the top which was nearest them.
"Come on up!" he called.
So Trot and Cap'n Bill began to
ascend3 the steep slope and it did not take them long to reach the place where the Ork awaited them.
Their first view of the mountain top pleased them very much. It was a level space of wider extent than they had guessed and upon it grew grass of a brilliant green color. In the very center stood a house built of stone and very
neatly4 constructed. No one was in sight, but smoke was coming from the chimney, so with one accord all three began walking toward the house.
"I wonder," said Trot, "in what country we are, and if it's very far from my home in California."
"Can't say as to that, partner," answered Cap'n Bill, "but I'm
mighty5 certain we've come a long way since we struck that whirlpool."
"Yes," she agreed, with a sigh, "it must be miles and miles!"
"Distance means nothing," said the Ork. "I have flown pretty much all over the world, trying to find my home, and it is astonishing how many little countries there are, hidden away in the cracks and corners of this big globe of Earth. If one travels, he may find some new country at every turn, and a good many of them have never yet been put upon the maps."
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收听单词发音
1
trot
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| n.疾走,慢跑;n.老太婆;现成译本;(复数)trots:腹泻(与the 连用);v.小跑,快步走,赶紧 |
参考例句: |
- They passed me at a trot.他们从我身边快步走过。
- The horse broke into a brisk trot.马突然快步小跑起来。
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2
scattered
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| adj.分散的,稀疏的;散步的;疏疏落落的 |
参考例句: |
- Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来,塞进文件夹里。
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3
ascend
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| 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。
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4
neatly
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| adv.整洁地,干净地,灵巧地,熟练地 |
参考例句: |
- Sailors know how to wind up a long rope neatly.水手们知道怎样把一条大绳利落地缠好。
- The child's dress is neatly gathered at the neck.那孩子的衣服在领口处打着整齐的皱褶。
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5
mighty
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| adj.强有力的;巨大的 |
参考例句: |
- A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
- The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。
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6
rugged
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| adj.高低不平的,粗糙的,粗壮的,强健的 |
参考例句: |
- Football players must be rugged.足球运动员必须健壮。
- The Rocky Mountains have rugged mountains and roads.落基山脉有崇山峻岭和崎岖不平的道路。
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7
afterward
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| adv.后来;以后 |
参考例句: |
- Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏,然后吃饭。
- Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来,这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。
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8
conceal
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| 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。
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9
bumpy
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| adj.颠簸不平的,崎岖的 |
参考例句: |
- I think we've a bumpy road ahead of us.我觉得我们将要面临一段困难时期。
- The wide paved road degenerated into a narrow bumpy track.铺好的宽阔道路渐渐变窄,成了一条崎岖不平的小径。
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10
hearth
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| n.壁炉炉床,壁炉地面 |
参考例句: |
- She came and sat in a chair before the hearth.她走过来,在炉子前面的椅子上坐下。
- She comes to the hearth,and switches on the electric light there.她走到壁炉那里,打开电灯。
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11
squatted
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| v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的过去式和过去分词 );非法擅自占用(土地或房屋);为获得其所有权;而占用某片公共用地。 |
参考例句: |
- He squatted down beside the footprints and examined them closely. 他蹲在脚印旁仔细地观察。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- He squatted in the grass discussing with someone. 他蹲在草地上与一个人谈话。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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12
mustered
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| v.集合,召集,集结(尤指部队)( muster的过去式和过去分词 );(自他人处)搜集某事物;聚集;激发 |
参考例句: |
- We mustered what support we could for the plan. 我们极尽所能为这项计划寻求支持。
- The troops mustered on the square. 部队已在广场上集合。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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13
blizzard
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| n.暴风雪 |
参考例句: |
- The blizzard struck while we were still on the mountain.我们还在山上的时候暴风雪就袭来了。
- You'll have to stay here until the blizzard blows itself off.你得等暴风雪停了再走。
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14
spouting
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| n.水落管系统v.(指液体)喷出( spout的现在分词 );滔滔不绝地讲;喋喋不休地说;喷水 |
参考例句: |
- He's always spouting off about the behaviour of young people today. 他总是没完没了地数落如今年轻人的行为。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- Blood was spouting from the deep cut in his arm. 血从他胳膊上深深的伤口里涌出来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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15
fully
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| adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地 |
参考例句: |
- The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气,然后全部呼出。
- They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。
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16
astonishment
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| n.惊奇,惊异 |
参考例句: |
- They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
- I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。
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17
helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的 |
参考例句: |
- The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
- By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。
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18
forth
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| 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。
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19
chunks
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| 厚厚的一块( chunk的名词复数 ); (某物)相当大的数量或部分 |
参考例句: |
- a tin of pineapple chunks 一罐菠萝块
- Those chunks of meat are rather large—could you chop them up a bIt'smaller? 这些肉块相当大,还能再切小一点吗?
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20
condescended
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| 屈尊,俯就( condescend的过去式和过去分词 ); 故意表示和蔼可亲 |
参考例句: |
- We had to wait almost an hour before he condescended to see us. 我们等了几乎一小时他才屈尊大驾来见我们。
- The king condescended to take advice from his servants. 国王屈驾向仆人征求意见。
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21
refreshing
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| adj.使精神振作的,使人清爽的,使人喜欢的 |
参考例句: |
- I find it'so refreshing to work with young people in this department.我发现和这一部门的青年一起工作令人精神振奋。
- The water was cold and wonderfully refreshing.水很涼,特别解乏提神。
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