`I found the Palace of Green Porcelain¹, when we approached it about noon, deserted² and falling into ruin. Only ragged³ vestiges⁴ of glass remained in its windows, and great sheets of the green facing had fallen away from the corroded⁵ metallic⁶ framework. It lay very high upon a turfy down, and looking north-eastward before I entered it, I was surprised to see a large estuary⁷, or even creek⁸, where I judged Wandsworth and Battersea must once have been. I thought then--though I never followed up the thought--of what might have happened, or might be happening, to the living things in the sea.

`The material of the Palace proved on examination to be indeed porcelain, and along the face of it I saw an inscription⁹ in some unknown character. I thought, rather foolishly, that Weena might help me to interpret this, but I only learned that the bare idea of writing had never entered her head. She always seemed to me, I fancy, more human than she was, perhaps because her affection was so human.

`Within the big valves of the door--which were open and broken--we found, instead of the customary hall, a long gallery lit by many side windows. At the first glance I was reminded of a museum. The tiled floor was thick with dust, and a remarkable¹⁰ array of miscellaneous objects was shrouded¹¹ in the same grey covering. Then I perceived, standing

点击收听单词发音  

1 porcelain
n.瓷；adj.瓷的，瓷制的
参考例句：
These porcelain plates have rather original designs on them.这些瓷盘的花纹很别致。 The porcelain vase is enveloped in cotton.瓷花瓶用棉花裹着。

2 deserted
adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的
参考例句：
The deserted village was filled with a deathly silence.这个荒废的村庄死一般的寂静。 The enemy chieftain was opposed and deserted by his followers.敌人头目众叛亲离。

3 ragged
adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的
参考例句：
A ragged shout went up from the small crowd.这一小群人发出了刺耳的喊叫。 Ragged clothing infers poverty.破衣烂衫意味着贫穷。

4 vestiges
残余部分( vestige的名词复数 )； 遗迹； 痕迹； 毫不
参考例句：
the last vestiges of the old colonial regime 旧殖民制度最后的残余 These upright stones are the vestiges of some ancient religion. 这些竖立的石头是某种古代宗教的遗迹。

5 corroded
已被腐蚀的
参考例句：
Rust has corroded the steel rails. 锈侵蚀了钢轨。 Jealousy corroded his character. 嫉妒损伤了他的人格。

6 metallic
adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的
参考例句：
A sharp metallic note coming from the outside frightened me.外面传来尖锐铿锵的声音吓了我一跳。 He picked up a metallic ring last night.昨夜他捡了一个金属戒指。

7 estuary
n.河口，江口
参考例句：
We live near the Thames estuary.我们的住处靠近泰晤士河入海口。 The ship has touched bottom.The estuary must be shallower than we thought.船搁浅了。这河口的水比我们想像的要浅。

8 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。

9 inscription
n.（尤指石块上的）刻印文字，铭文，碑文
参考例句：
The inscription has worn away and can no longer be read.铭文已磨损，无法辨认了。 He chiselled an inscription on the marble.他在大理石上刻碑文。

10 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。

11 shrouded
v.隐瞒( shroud的过去式和过去分词 )；保密
参考例句：
The hills were shrouded in mist . 这些小山被笼罩在薄雾之中。 The towers were shrouded in mist. 城楼被蒙上薄雾。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 standing
n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的
参考例句：
After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。 They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

13 oblique
adj.斜的，倾斜的，无诚意的，不坦率的
参考例句：
He made oblique references to her lack of experience.他拐弯抹角地说她缺乏经验。 She gave an oblique look to one side.她向旁边斜看了一眼。

14 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。

15 preservation
n.保护，维护，保存，保留，保持
参考例句：
The police are responsible for the preservation of law and order.警察负责维持法律与秩序。 The picture is in an excellent state of preservation.这幅画保存得极为完好。

16 apparently
adv.显然地；表面上，似乎
参考例句：
An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。 He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

17 inevitable
adj.不可避免的，必然发生的
参考例句：
Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。 The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。

18 extinction
n.熄灭，消亡，消灭，灭绝，绝种
参考例句：
The plant is now in danger of extinction.这种植物现在有绝种的危险。 The island's way of life is doomed to extinction.这个岛上的生活方式注定要消失。

19 fungi
n.真菌，霉菌
参考例句：
Students practice to apply the study of genetics to multicellular plants and fungi.学生们练习把基因学应用到多细胞植物和真菌中。 The lawn was covered with fungi.草地上到处都是蘑菇。

20 strings
n.弦
参考例句：
He sat on the bed,idly plucking the strings of his guitar.他坐在床上，随意地拨着吉他的弦。 She swept her fingers over the strings of the harp.她用手指划过竖琴的琴弦。

21 urchin
n.顽童；海胆
参考例句：
You should sheer off the urchin.你应该躲避这顽童。 He is a most wicked urchin.他是个非常调皮的顽童。

22 receded
v.逐渐远离( recede的过去式和过去分词 )；向后倾斜；自原处后退或避开别人的注视；尤指问题
参考例句：
The floodwaters have now receded. 洪水现已消退。 The sound of the truck receded into the distance. 卡车的声音渐渐在远处消失了。

23 devoted
adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的
参考例句：
He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。 We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。

24 gunpowder
n.火药
参考例句：
Gunpowder was introduced into Europe during the first half of the 14th century.在14世纪上半叶，火药传入欧洲。 This statement has a strong smell of gunpowder.这是一篇充满火药味的声明。

25 aisle
n.（教堂、教室、戏院等里的）过道，通道
参考例句：
The aisle was crammed with people.过道上挤满了人。 The girl ushered me along the aisle to my seat.引座小姐带领我沿着通道到我的座位上去。

26 animated
adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的
参考例句：
His observations gave rise to an animated and lively discussion.他的言论引起了一场气氛热烈而活跃的讨论。 We had an animated discussion over current events last evening.昨天晚上我们热烈地讨论时事。

27 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。

28 colossal
adj.异常的，庞大的
参考例句：
There has been a colossal waste of public money.一直存在巨大的公款浪费。 Some of the tall buildings in that city are colossal.那座城市里的一些高层建筑很庞大。

29 intervals
n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息
参考例句：
The forecast said there would be sunny intervals and showers. 预报间晴，有阵雨。 Meetings take place at fortnightly intervals. 每两周开一次会。

30 mechanism
n.机械装置；机构，结构
参考例句：
The bones and muscles are parts of the mechanism of the body.骨骼和肌肉是人体的组成部件。 The mechanism of the machine is very complicated.这台机器的结构是非常复杂的。

31 diminution
n.减少；变小
参考例句：
They hope for a small diminution in taxes.他们希望捐税能稍有减少。 He experienced no diminution of his physical strength.他并未感觉体力衰落。

32 apprehensions
疑惧
参考例句：
He stood in a mixture of desire and apprehensions. 他怀着渴望和恐惧交加的心情伫立着。 But subsequent cases have removed many of these apprehensions. 然而，随后的案例又消除了许多类似的忧虑。

33 immediate
adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的
参考例句：
His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。 We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

34 machinery
n.(总称)机械，机器；机构
参考例句：
Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗？ Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。

35 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。

36 mace
n.狼牙棒，豆蔻干皮
参考例句：
The sword and mace were favourite weapons for hand-to-hand fighting.剑和狼牙棒是肉搏战的最佳武器。 She put some mace into the meat.她往肉里加了一些肉豆蔻干皮。

37 inhuman
adj.残忍的，不人道的，无人性的
参考例句：
We must unite the workers in fighting against inhuman conditions.我们必须使工人们团结起来反对那些难以忍受的工作条件。 It was inhuman to refuse him permission to see his wife.不容许他去看自己的妻子是太不近人情了。

38 killing
n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财
参考例句：
Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。 Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

39 persuasion
n.劝说；说服；持有某种信仰的宗派
参考例句：
He decided to leave only after much persuasion.经过多方劝说，他才决定离开。 After a lot of persuasion,she agreed to go.经过多次劝说后，她同意去了。

40 slake
v.解渴，使平息
参考例句：
We had to slake ourselves with rainwater in the desert.在沙漠中我们不得不用雨水解渴。 A menu will not satisfy your hunger,a formula will not slake your thirst.菜单不可能填饱你的肚子，一套准则也不可能消除你的饥渴。

41 brutes
兽( brute的名词复数 )； 畜生； 残酷无情的人； 兽性
参考例句：
They're not like dogs; they're hideous brutes. 它们不像狗，是丑陋的畜牲。 Suddenly the foul musty odour of the brutes struck his nostrils. 突然，他的鼻尖闻到了老鼠的霉臭味。 来自英汉文学

42 chapel
n.小教堂，殡仪馆
参考例句：
The nimble hero,skipped into a chapel that stood near.敏捷的英雄跳进近旁的一座小教堂里。 She was on the peak that Sunday afternoon when she played in chapel.那个星期天的下午，她在小教堂的演出，可以说是登峰造极。

43 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。

44 charred
v.把…烧成炭( char的过去式)；烧焦
参考例句：
the charred remains of a burnt-out car 被烧焦的轿车残骸 The intensity of the explosion is recorded on the charred tree trunks. 那些烧焦的树干表明爆炸的强烈。 来自《简明英汉词典》

45 semblance
n.外貌，外表
参考例句：
Her semblance of anger frightened the children.她生气的样子使孩子们感到害怕。 Those clouds have the semblance of a large head.那些云的形状像一个巨大的人头。

46 warped
adj.反常的；乖戾的；（变）弯曲的；变形的v.弄弯，变歪( warp的过去式和过去分词 )；使（行为等）不合情理，使乖戾，
参考例句：
a warped sense of humour 畸形的幽默感 The board has warped. 木板翘了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

47 futility
n.无用
参考例句：
She could see the utter futility of trying to protest. 她明白抗议是完全无用的。 The sheer futility of it all exasperates her. 它毫无用处，这让她很生气。

48 wilderness
n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠
参考例句：
She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。 Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

49 philosophical
adj.哲学家的，哲学上的，达观的
参考例句：
The teacher couldn't answer the philosophical problem.老师不能解答这个哲学问题。 She is very philosophical about her bad luck.她对自己的不幸看得很开。

50 collapsed
adj.倒塌的
参考例句：
Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。 The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。

51 perfectly
adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地
参考例句：
The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。 Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

52 volatile
adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质
参考例句：
With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。 His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。

53 rust
n.锈；v.生锈；(脑子)衰退
参考例句：
She scraped the rust off the kitchen knife.她擦掉了菜刀上的锈。 The rain will rust the iron roof.雨水会使铁皮屋顶生锈。

54 rusting
n.生锈v.（使）生锈( rust的现在分词 )
参考例句：
There was an old rusting bolt on the door. 门上有一个生锈的旧门闩。 来自辞典例句 Zinc can be used to cover other metals to stop them rusting. 锌可用来涂在其他金属表面以防锈。 来自辞典例句

55 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。

56 cartridges
子弹( cartridge的名词复数 )； （打印机的）墨盒； 录音带盒； （唱机的）唱头
参考例句：
computer consumables such as disks and printer cartridges 如磁盘、打印机墨盒之类的电脑耗材 My new video game player came with three game cartridges included. 我的新电子游戏机附有三盘游戏带。

57 specimens
n.样品( specimen的名词复数 )；范例；（化验的）抽样；某种类型的人
参考例句：
Astronauts have brought back specimens of rock from the moon. 宇航员从月球带回了岩石标本。 The traveler brought back some specimens of the rocks from the mountains. 那位旅行者从山上带回了一些岩石标本。 来自《简明英汉词典》

58 irresistible
adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的
参考例句：
The wheel of history rolls forward with an irresistible force.历史车轮滚滚向前，势不可挡。 She saw an irresistible skirt in the store window.她看见商店的橱窗里有一条叫人着迷的裙子。

59 waned
v.衰落( wane的过去式和过去分词 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡
参考例句：
However,my enthusiasm waned.The time I spent at exercises gradually diminished. 然而，我的热情减退了。我在做操上花的时间逐渐减少了。 来自《用法词典》 The bicycle craze has waned. 自行车热已冷下去了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

60 mere
adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过
参考例句：
That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。 It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

61 dynamite
n./vt.(用)炸药(爆破)
参考例句：
The workmen detonated the dynamite.工人们把炸药引爆了。 The philosopher was still political dynamite.那位哲学家仍旧是政治上的爆炸性人物。

62 dummies
n.仿制品( dummy的名词复数 )；橡皮奶头；笨蛋；假传球
参考例句：
If he dummies up, just try a little persuasion. 如果他不说话，稍微劝劝他就是了。 来自《简明英汉词典》 All the articles in the window are dummies. 橱窗里的全部物品都是仿制品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

63 inaccessible
adj.达不到的，难接近的
参考例句：
This novel seems to me among the most inaccessible.这本书对我来说是最难懂的小说之一。 The top of Mount Everest is the most inaccessible place in the world.珠穆朗玛峰是世界上最难到达的地方。

64 inadequate
adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的
参考例句：
The supply is inadequate to meet the demand.供不应求。 She was inadequate to the demands that were made on her.她还无力满足对她提出的各项要求。