Far into the night, while the other creatures slept, Charlotte worked on her web. First she ripped out a few of the orb¹ lines near the center. She left the radial lines alone, as they were needed for support. As she worked, her eight legs were a great help to her. So were her teeth. She loved to weave and she was an expert at it. When she was finished ripping things out, her web looked something like this:

　　A spider can produce several kinds of thread. She uses a dry, tough thread for foundation lines, and she uses a sticky thread for snare³ lines--the ones that catch and hold insects. Charlotte decided⁴ to use her dry thread for writing the new message.

　　"If I write the word 'Terrific' with sticky thread," she thought, "every bug⁵ that comes along will get stuck in it and spoil the effect.""Now let's see, the first letter is T."Charlotte climbed to a point at the top of the left hand side of the web. Swinging her spinnerets into position, she attached her thread and then dropped down. As she dropped, her spinning tubes went into action and she let out thread. At the bottom, she attached the thread. This formed the upright part of the letter T. Charlotte was not satisfied, however. She climbed up and made another attachment⁶, right next to the first. Then she carried the line down, so that she had a double line instead of a single line. "It will show up better if I make the whole thing with double lines."She climbed back up, moved over about an inch to the left, touched her spinnerets to the web, and then carried a line across to the right, forming the top of the T. She repeated this, making it double. Her eight legs were very busy helping⁷.

　　"Now for the E!"Charlotte got so interested in her work, she began to talk to herself, as though to cheer herself on. If you had been sitting quietly in the barn cellar that evening, you would have heard something like this:

　　"Now for the R! Up we go! Attach! Descend

点击收听单词发音  

1 orb
n.太阳；星球；v.弄圆；成球形
参考例句：
The blue heaven,holding its one golden orb,poured down a crystal wash of warm light.蓝蓝的天空托着金色的太阳，洒下一片水晶般明亮温暖的光辉。 It is an emanation from the distant orb of immortal light.它是从远处那个发出不灭之光的天体上放射出来的。

2 fin
n.鳍；(飞机的)安定翼
参考例句：
They swim using a small fin on their back.它们用背上的小鳍游动。 The aircraft has a long tail fin.那架飞机有一个长长的尾翼。

3 snare
n.陷阱，诱惑，圈套；（去除息肉或者肿瘤的）勒除器；响弦，小军鼓；vt.以陷阱捕获，诱惑
参考例句：
I used to snare small birds such as sparrows.我曾常用罗网捕捉麻雀等小鸟。 Most of the people realized that their scheme was simply a snare and a delusion.大多数人都认识到他们的诡计不过是一个骗人的圈套。

4 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。

5 bug
n.虫子；故障；窃听器；vt.纠缠；装窃听器
参考例句：
There is a bug in the system.系统出了故障。 The bird caught a bug on the fly.那鸟在飞行中捉住了一只昆虫。

6 attachment
n.附属物，附件；依恋；依附
参考例句：
She has a great attachment to her sister.她十分依恋她的姐姐。 She's on attachment to the Ministry of Defense.她现在隶属于国防部。

7 helping
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。

8 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。

9 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。

10 catching
adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住
参考例句：
There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。 Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

11 neatly
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。

12 swelling
n.肿胀
参考例句：
Use ice to reduce the swelling. 用冰敷消肿。 There is a marked swelling of the lymph nodes. 淋巴结处有明显的肿块。

13 joyful
adj.欢乐的，令人欢欣的
参考例句：
She was joyful of her good result of the scientific experiments.她为自己的科学实验取得好成果而高兴。 They were singing and dancing to celebrate this joyful occasion.他们唱着、跳着庆祝这令人欢乐的时刻。

14 admiration
n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕
参考例句：
He was lost in admiration of the beauty of the scene.他对风景之美赞不绝口。 We have a great admiration for the gold medalists.我们对金牌获得者极为敬佩。

15 wondrous
adj.令人惊奇的，奇妙的；adv.惊人地；异乎寻常地；令人惊叹地
参考例句：
The internal structure of the Department is wondrous to behold.看一下国务院的内部结构是很有意思的。 We were driven across this wondrous vast land of lakes and forests.我们乘车穿越这片有着湖泊及森林的广袤而神奇的土地。

16 manure
n.粪，肥，肥粒；vt.施肥
参考例句：
The farmers were distributing manure over the field.农民们正在田间施肥。 The farmers used manure to keep up the fertility of their land.农夫们用粪保持其土质的肥沃。

17 crate
vt.(up)把…装入箱中；n.板条箱，装货箱
参考例句：
We broke open the crate with a blow from the chopper.我们用斧头一敲就打开了板条箱。 The workers tightly packed the goods in the crate.工人们把货物严紧地包装在箱子里。

18 orchard
n.果园，果园里的全部果树，(美俚)棒球场
参考例句：
My orchard is bearing well this year.今年我的果园果实累累。 Each bamboo house was surrounded by a thriving orchard.每座竹楼周围都是茂密的果园。

19 alders
n.桤木( alder的名词复数 )
参考例句：

20 tattered
adj.破旧的，衣衫破的
参考例句：
Her tattered clothes in no way detracted from her beauty.她的破衣烂衫丝毫没有影响她的美貌。 Their tattered clothing and broken furniture indicated their poverty.他们褴褛的衣服和破烂的家具显出他们的贫穷。

21 overalls
n.（复）工装裤；长罩衣
参考例句：
He is in overalls today.他今天穿的是工作裤。 He changed his overalls for a suit.他脱下工装裤，换上了一套西服。

22 rusty
adj.生锈的；锈色的；荒废了的
参考例句：
The lock on the door is rusty and won't open.门上的锁锈住了。 I haven't practiced my French for months and it's getting rusty.几个月不用，我的法语又荒疏了。

23 spikes
n.穗( spike的名词复数 )；跑鞋；（防滑）鞋钉；尖状物v.加烈酒于( spike的第三人称单数 )；偷偷地给某人的饮料加入（更多）酒精（ 或药物）；把尖状物钉入；打乱某人的计划
参考例句：
a row of iron spikes on a wall 墙头的一排尖铁 There is a row of spikes on top of the prison wall to prevent the prisoners escaping. 监狱墙头装有一排尖钉，以防犯人逃跑。 来自《简明英汉词典》

24 rummaging
翻找，搜寻( rummage的现在分词 )； 海关检查
参考例句：
She was rummaging around in her bag for her keys. 她在自己的包里翻来翻去找钥匙。 Who's been rummaging through my papers? 谁乱翻我的文件来着？

25 crumpled
adj. 弯扭的, 变皱的 动词crumple的过去式和过去分词形式
参考例句：
She crumpled the letter up into a ball and threw it on the fire. 她把那封信揉成一团扔进了火里。 She flattened out the crumpled letter on the desk. 她在写字台上把皱巴巴的信展平。

26 sneaked
v.潜行( sneak的过去式和过去分词 )；偷偷溜走；（儿童向成人）打小报告；告状
参考例句：
I sneaked up the stairs. 我蹑手蹑脚地上了楼。 She sneaked a surreptitious glance at her watch. 她偷偷看了一眼手表。

27 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。

28 advertising
n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的
参考例句：
Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗? The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

29 flakes
小薄片( flake的名词复数 )； （尤指）碎片； 雪花； 古怪的人
参考例句：
It's snowing in great flakes. 天下着鹅毛大雪。 It is snowing in great flakes. 正值大雪纷飞。

30 triumphantly
ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地
参考例句：
The lion was roaring triumphantly. 狮子正在发出胜利的吼叫。 Robert was looking at me triumphantly. 罗伯特正得意扬扬地看着我。

31 galloped
（使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事
参考例句：
Jo galloped across the field towards him. 乔骑马穿过田野向他奔去。 The children galloped home as soon as the class was over. 孩子们一下课便飞奔回家了。

32 flip
vt.快速翻动；轻抛；轻拍；n.轻抛；adj.轻浮的
参考例句：
I had a quick flip through the book and it looked very interesting.我很快翻阅了一下那本书，看来似乎很有趣。 Let's flip a coin to see who pays the bill.咱们来抛硬币决定谁付钱。

33 backwards
adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地
参考例句：
He turned on the light and began to pace backwards and forwards.他打开电灯并开始走来走去。 All the girls fell over backwards to get the party ready.姑娘们迫不及待地为聚会做准备。

34 writhing
（因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 )
参考例句：
She was writhing around on the floor in agony. 她痛得在地板上直打滚。 He was writhing on the ground in agony. 他痛苦地在地上打滚。

35 romp
n.欢闹；v.嬉闹玩笑
参考例句：
The child went for a romp in the forest.那个孩子去森林快活一把。 Dogs and little children romped happily in the garden.狗和小孩子们在花园里嬉戏。

36 delightfully
大喜，欣然
参考例句：
The room is delightfully appointed. 这房子的设备令人舒适愉快。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 The evening is delightfully cool. 晚间凉爽宜人。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

37 tangled
adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
Your hair's so tangled that I can't comb it. 你的头发太乱了，我梳不动。 A movement caught his eye in the tangled undergrowth. 乱灌木丛里的晃动引起了他的注意。

38 swooped
俯冲，猛冲( swoop的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The aircraft swooped down over the buildings. 飞机俯冲到那些建筑物上方。 The hawk swooped down on the rabbit and killed it. 鹰猛地朝兔子扑下来，并把它杀死。

39 sagging
下垂[沉，陷]，松垂，垂度
参考例句：
The morale of the enemy troops is continuously sagging. 敌军的士气不断低落。 We are sagging south. 我们的船正离开航线向南漂流。

40 dodging
n.避开，闪过，音调改变v.闪躲( dodge的现在分词 )；回避
参考例句：
He ran across the road, dodging the traffic. 他躲开来往的车辆跑过马路。 I crossed the highway, dodging the traffic. 我避开车流穿过了公路。 来自辞典例句

41 lashed
adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥
参考例句：
The rain lashed at the windows. 雨点猛烈地打在窗户上。 The cleverly designed speech lashed the audience into a frenzy. 这篇精心设计的演说煽动听众使他们发狂。 来自《简明英汉词典》

42 dodged
v.闪躲( dodge的过去式和过去分词 )；回避
参考例句：
He dodged cleverly when she threw her sabot at him. 她用木底鞋砸向他时，他机敏地闪开了。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He dodged the book that I threw at him. 他躲开了我扔向他的书。 来自《简明英汉词典》

43 remarkable
adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的
参考例句：
She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。 These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

44 chirped
鸟叫，虫鸣( chirp的过去式 )
参考例句：
So chirped fiber gratings have broad reflection bandwidth. 所以chirped光纤光栅具有宽的反射带宽，在反射带宽内具有渐变的群时延等其它类型的光纤光栅所不具备的特点。 The crickets chirped faster and louder. 蟋蟀叫得更欢了。