THERE was a little sea－fish of good family；the nameI cannot remember，you must get that from the learned．The little fish had eighteen hundred brothers and sisters allof the same age；they did not know either their father ortheir mother；they had just to take care of themselves atonce and swim about，but that was a great delight to them．

They had plenty of water to drink—the whole of thesea；they did not think about food—that would come of it－self；every one would do just as he liked，every one wouldhave his own story—but none of them thought about thateither．

The sun shone down into the water，and lighted it upround about them；it was so clear，it was a world with themost wonderful creatures，and some frightfully big，withenormous mouths which could have swallowed the eighteenhundred brothers and sisters；but they did not think of thateither，for none of them had been swallowed yet．

The little ones swam about together，close up to eachother，as herring and mackerel swim；but as they swamabout in the water，doing their very best and thinking ofnothing，there sank from above right into the middle ofthem，with a frightful¹ noise，a long，heavy thing thatwould not stop coming；longer and longer it stretched it－self，and every one of the little fishes which it struck，wassquashed or got a blow which it could never get over．Allthe little fishes，and the big ones too，right from the sur－face of the sea down to the bottom，swam away in alarm：the heavy，monstrous thing sank deeper and deeper，andbecame longer and longer，miles in length—throughout thewhole sea．

Fishes and snails²，everything that swims，everythingwhich crawls or drifts with the currents，noticed this fright-ful thing，this immense，unknown sea－eel³，which had sud－denly come down from above．

What kind of a thing was it？We know what it was！It was the great league－long telegraph wire，which wasbeing laid down between Europe and America．

There was a scare and a great commotion⁴ among thelawful inhabitants of the sea where the wire was sunk．The flying-fish sprang into the air above the sea，as highas it could；the gurnard flew the length of a gunshotabove the water；other fish sought the bottom of the sea，and fled so quickly that they arrived there long before thetelegraph wire had even been sighted：they frightenedboth the cod－fish and the flounder，which were swimmingabout peacefully in the depths of the sea and eating theirfellow creatures．

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1 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。

2 snails
n.蜗牛；迟钝的人；蜗牛( snail的名词复数 )
参考例句：
I think I'll try the snails for lunch—I'm feeling adventurous today. 我想我午餐要尝一下蜗牛——我今天很想冒险。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Most snails have shells on their backs. 大多数蜗牛背上有壳。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 eel
n.鳗鲡
参考例句：
He used an eel spear to catch an eel.他用一只捕鳗叉捕鳗鱼。 In Suzhou,there was a restaurant that specialized in eel noodles.苏州有一家饭馆，他们那里的招牌菜是鳗鱼面。

4 commotion
n.骚动，动乱
参考例句：
They made a commotion by yelling at each other in the theatre.他们在剧院里相互争吵，引起了一阵骚乱。 Suddenly the whole street was in commotion.突然间，整条街道变得一片混乱。

5 lawful
adj.法律许可的，守法的，合法的
参考例句：
It is not lawful to park in front of a hydrant.在消火栓前停车是不合法的。 We don't recognised him to be the lawful heir.我们不承认他为合法继承人。

6 lobsters
龙虾( lobster的名词复数 )； 龙虾肉
参考例句：
I have no idea about how to prepare those cuttlefish and lobsters. 我对如何烹调那些乌贼和龙虾毫无概念。 She sold me a couple of live lobsters. 她卖了几只活龙虾给我。

7 crabs
n.蟹( crab的名词复数 )；阴虱寄生病；蟹肉v.捕蟹( crab的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
As we walked along the seashore we saw lots of tiny crabs. 我们在海岸上散步时看到很多小蟹。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The fish and crabs scavenge for decaying tissue. 鱼和蟹搜寻腐烂的组织为食。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 rattled
慌乱的，恼火的
参考例句：
The truck jolted and rattled over the rough ground. 卡车嘎吱嘎吱地在凹凸不平的地面上颠簸而行。 Every time a bus went past, the windows rattled. 每逢公共汽车经过这里，窗户都格格作响。

9 clattered
发出咔哒声（clatter的过去式与过去分词形式）
参考例句：
He dropped the knife and it clattered on the stone floor. 他一失手，刀子当啷一声掉到石头地面上。 His hand went limp and the knife clattered to the ground. 他的手一软，刀子当啷一声掉到地上。

10 transparent
adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的
参考例句：
The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming.水清澈透明，可以看到鱼儿游来游去。 The window glass is transparent.窗玻璃是透明的。

11 adorned
[计]被修饰的
参考例句：
The walls were adorned with paintings. 墙上装饰了绘画。 And his coat was adorned with a flamboyant bunch of flowers. 他的外套上面装饰着一束艳丽刺目的鲜花。

12 courageous
adj.勇敢的，有胆量的
参考例句：
We all honour courageous people.我们都尊重勇敢的人。 He was roused to action by courageous words.豪言壮语促使他奋起行动。

13 spout
v.喷出，涌出；滔滔不绝地讲；n.喷管；水柱
参考例句：
Implication in folk wealth creativity and undertaking vigor spout.蕴藏于民间的财富创造力和创业活力喷涌而出。 This acts as a spout to drain off water during a rainstorm.在暴风雨季，这东西被用作喷管来排水。

14 tickled
（使）发痒( tickle的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）愉快，逗乐
参考例句：
We were tickled pink to see our friends on television. 在电视中看到我们的一些朋友，我们高兴极了。 I tickled the baby's feet and made her laugh. 我胳肢孩子的脚，使她发笑。

15 jaws
n.口部；嘴
参考例句：
The antelope could not escape the crocodile's gaping jaws. 那只羚羊无法从鱷鱼张开的大口中逃脱。 The scored jaws of a vise help it bite the work. 台钳上有刻痕的虎钳牙帮助它紧咬住工件。

16 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。

17 oysters
牡蛎( oyster的名词复数 )
参考例句：
We don't have oysters tonight, but the crayfish are very good. 我们今晚没有牡蛎供应。但小龙虾是非常好。 She carried a piping hot grill of oysters and bacon. 她端出一盘滚烫的烤牡蛎和咸肉。

18 lair
n.野兽的巢穴；躲藏处
参考例句：
How can you catch tiger cubs without entering the tiger's lair?不入虎穴，焉得虎子？ I retired to my lair,and wrote some letters.我回到自己的躲藏处，写了几封信。

19 wildernesses
荒野( wilderness的名词复数 )； 沙漠； （政治家）在野； 不再当政（或掌权）
参考例句：
Antarctica is one of the last real wildernesses left on the earth. 南极洲是地球上所剩不多的旷野之一。 Dartmoor is considered by many to be one of Britain's great nature wildernesses. Dartmoor被很多人认为是英国最大的荒原之一。

20 swarm
n.(昆虫)等一大群；vi.成群飞舞；蜂拥而入
参考例句：
There is a swarm of bees in the tree.这树上有一窝蜜蜂。 A swarm of ants are moving busily.一群蚂蚁正在忙碌地搬家。

21 countless
adj.无数的，多得不计其数的
参考例句：
In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。 I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。

22 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。

23 supple
adj.柔软的，易弯的，逢迎的，顺从的，灵活的；vt.使柔软，使柔顺，使顺从；vi.变柔软，变柔顺
参考例句：
She gets along well with people because of her supple nature.她与大家相处很好，因为她的天性柔和。 He admired the graceful and supple movements of the dancers.他赞扬了舞蹈演员优雅灵巧的舞姿。

24 hurled
v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂
参考例句：
He hurled a brick through the window. 他往窗户里扔了块砖。 The strong wind hurled down bits of the roof. 大风把屋顶的瓦片刮了下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

25 mermaids
n.（传说中的）美人鱼( mermaid的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The high stern castle was a riot or carved gods, demons, knights, kings, warriors, mermaids, cherubs. 其尾部高耸的船楼上雕满了神仙、妖魔鬼怪、骑士、国王、勇士、美人鱼、天使。 来自辞典例句 This is why mermaids should never come on land. 这就是为什么人鱼不应该上岸的原因。 来自电影对白

26 discourse
n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述
参考例句：
We'll discourse on the subject tonight.我们今晚要谈论这个问题。 He fell into discourse with the customers who were drinking at the counter.他和站在柜台旁的酒客谈了起来。

27 tiresomeness
参考例句：
Sometimes, when I am seized by tiresomeness, I and gaze at the sky absently. 有些时候，当一人无聊时，我会抬头看着天空。我不是在寻找什么。我只是寂寞。

28 crumble
vi.碎裂，崩溃；vt.弄碎，摧毁
参考例句：
Opposition more or less crumbled away.反对势力差不多都瓦解了。 Even if the seas go dry and rocks crumble,my will will remain firm.纵然海枯石烂，意志永不动摇。

29 ingenuity
n.别出心裁；善于发明创造
参考例句：
The boy showed ingenuity in making toys.那个小男孩做玩具很有创造力。 I admire your ingenuity and perseverance.我钦佩你的别出心裁和毅力。

30 swarming
密集( swarm的现在分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去
参考例句：
The sacks of rice were swarming with bugs. 一袋袋的米里长满了虫子。 The beach is swarming with bathers. 海滩满是海水浴的人。

31 reptiles
n.爬行动物，爬虫( reptile的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Snakes and crocodiles are both reptiles. 蛇和鳄鱼都是爬行动物。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Birds, reptiles and insects come from eggs. 鸟类、爬虫及昆虫是卵生的。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

32 marvels
n.奇迹( marvel的名词复数 )；令人惊奇的事物（或事例）；不平凡的成果；成就v.惊奇，对…感到惊奇( marvel的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
The doctor's treatment has worked marvels : the patient has recovered completely. 该医生妙手回春，病人已完全康复。 来自辞典例句 Nevertheless he revels in a catalogue of marvels. 可他还是兴致勃勃地罗列了一堆怪诞不经的事物。 来自辞典例句