When at last we had made an end of eating, the Selenites linked our hands closely together again, and then untwisted the chains about our feet and rebound¹ them, so as to give us a limited freedom of movement. Then they unfastened the chains about our waists. To do all this they had to handle us freely, and ever and again one of their queer heads came down close to my face, or a soft tentacle-hand touched my head or neck. I don't remember that I was afraid then or repelled² by their proximity³. I think that our incurable⁴ anthropomorphism made us imagine there were human heads inside their masks. The skin, like everything else, looked bluish, but that was on account of the light; and it was hard and shiny, quite in the beetle-wing fashion, not soft, or moist, or hairy, as a vertebrated animal's would be. Along the crest⁵ of the head was a low ridge⁶ of whitish spines⁷ running from back to front, and a much larger ridge curved on either side over the eyes. The Selenite who untied⁸ me used his mouth to help his hands.

"They seem to be releasing us," said Cavor. "Remember we are on the moon! Make no sudden movements!"

"Are you going to try that geometry?"

"If I get a chance. But, of course, they may make an advance first."

We remained passive, and the Selenites, having finished their arrangements, stood back from us, and seemed to be looking at us. I say seemed to be, because as their eyes were at the side and not in front, one had the same difficulty in determining the direction in which they were looking as one has in the case of a hen or a fish. They conversed⁹ with one another in their reedy tones, that seemed to me impossible to imitate or define. The door behind us opened wider, and, glancing over my shoulder, I saw a vague large space beyond, in which quite a little crowd of Selenites were

点击收听单词发音  

1 rebound
v.弹回；n.弹回，跳回
参考例句：
The vibrations accompanying the rebound are the earth quake.伴随这种回弹的振动就是地震。 Our evil example will rebound upon ourselves.我们的坏榜样会回到我们自己头上的。

2 repelled
v.击退( repel的过去式和过去分词 )；使厌恶；排斥；推开
参考例句：
They repelled the enemy. 他们击退了敌军。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The minister tremulously, but decidedly, repelled the old man's arm. 而丁梅斯代尔牧师却哆里哆嗦地断然推开了那老人的胳臂。 来自英汉文学 - 红字

3 proximity
n.接近，邻近
参考例句：
Marriages in proximity of blood are forbidden by the law.法律规定禁止近亲结婚。 Their house is in close proximity to ours.他们的房子很接近我们的。

4 incurable
adj.不能医治的，不能矫正的，无救的；n.不治的病人，无救的人
参考例句：
All three babies were born with an incurable heart condition.三个婴儿都有不可治瘉的先天性心脏病。 He has an incurable and widespread nepotism.他们有不可救药的，到处蔓延的裙带主义。

5 crest
n.顶点；饰章；羽冠；vt.达到顶点；vi.形成浪尖
参考例句：
The rooster bristled his crest.公鸡竖起了鸡冠。 He reached the crest of the hill before dawn.他于黎明前到达山顶。

6 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。

7 spines
n.脊柱( spine的名词复数 )；脊椎；（动植物的）刺；书脊
参考例句：
Porcupines use their spines to protect themselves. 豪猪用身上的刺毛来自卫。 The cactus has spines. 仙人掌有刺。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

8 untied
松开，解开( untie的过去式和过去分词 )； 解除，使自由； 解决
参考例句：
Once untied, we common people are able to conquer nature, too. 只要团结起来，我们老百姓也能移山倒海。 He untied the ropes. 他解开了绳子。

9 conversed
v.交谈，谈话( converse的过去式 )
参考例句：
I conversed with her on a certain problem. 我与她讨论某一问题。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 She was cheerful and polite, and conversed with me pleasantly. 她十分高兴，也很客气，而且愉快地同我交谈。 来自辞典例句

10 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。

11 curiously
adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地
参考例句：
He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。 He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。

12 rabble
n.乌合之众，暴民；下等人
参考例句：
They formed an army out of rabble.他们用乌合之众组成一支军队。 Poverty in itself does not make men into a rabble.贫困自身并不能使人成为贱民。

13 squatted
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》

14 posture
n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势
参考例句：
The government adopted an uncompromising posture on the issue of independence.政府在独立这一问题上采取了毫不妥协的态度。 He tore off his coat and assumed a fighting posture.他脱掉上衣，摆出一副打架的架势。

15 dexterous
adj.灵敏的；灵巧的
参考例句：
As people grow older they generally become less dexterous.随着年龄的增长，人通常会变得不再那么手巧。 The manager was dexterous in handling his staff.那位经理善于运用他属下的职员。

16 grunting
咕哝的，呼噜的
参考例句：
He pulled harder on the rope, grunting with the effort. 他边用力边哼声，使出更大的力气拉绳子。 Pigs were grunting and squealing in the yard. 猪在院子里哼哼地叫个不停。

17 contrived
adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的
参考例句：
There was nothing contrived or calculated about what he said.他说的话里没有任何蓄意捏造的成分。 The plot seems contrived.情节看起来不真实。

18 tentacles
n.触手( tentacle的名词复数 )；触角；触须；触毛
参考例句：
Tentacles of fear closed around her body. 恐惧的阴影笼罩着她。 Many molluscs have tentacles. 很多软体动物有触角。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 doorway
n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径
参考例句：
They huddled in the shop doorway to shelter from the rain.他们挤在商店门口躲雨。 Mary suddenly appeared in the doorway.玛丽突然出现在门口。

20 crater
n.火山口，弹坑
参考例句：
With a telescope you can see the huge crater of Ve-suvius.用望远镜你能看到巨大的维苏威火山口。 They came to the lip of a dead crater.他们来到了一个死火山口。

21 spike
n.长钉，钉鞋；v.以大钉钉牢，使...失效
参考例句：
The spike pierced the receipts and held them in order.那个钉子穿过那些收据并使之按顺序排列。 They'll do anything to spike the guns of the opposition.他们会使出各种手段来挫败对手。

22 spiked
adj.有穗的；成锥形的；有尖顶的
参考例句：
The editor spiked the story. 编辑删去了这篇报道。 来自《简明英汉词典》 They wondered whether their drinks had been spiked. 他们有些疑惑自己的饮料里是否被偷偷搀了烈性酒。 来自辞典例句

23 cylindrical
adj.圆筒形的
参考例句：
huge cylindrical gas tanks 巨大的圆柱形贮气罐 Beer cans are cylindrical. 啤酒罐子是圆筒形的。

24 goad
n.刺棒，刺痛物；激励；vt.激励，刺激
参考例句：
The opposition is trying to goad the government into calling an election.在野反对党正努力激起政府提出选举。 The writer said he needed some goad because he was indolent.这个作家说他需要刺激，因为他很懒惰。

25 chamber
n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所
参考例句：
For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。 The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

26 cavern
n.洞穴，大山洞
参考例句：
The cavern walls echoed his cries.大山洞的四壁回响着他的喊声。 It suddenly began to shower,and we took refuge in the cavern.天突然下起雨来，我们在一个山洞里避雨。

27 intelligible
adj.可理解的，明白易懂的，清楚的
参考例句：
This report would be intelligible only to an expert in computing.只有计算机运算专家才能看懂这份报告。 His argument was barely intelligible.他的论点不易理解。

28 inviting
adj.诱人的，引人注目的
参考例句：
An inviting smell of coffee wafted into the room.一股诱人的咖啡香味飘进了房间。 The kitchen smelled warm and inviting and blessedly familiar.这间厨房的味道温暖诱人，使人感到亲切温馨。

29 tumult
n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹
参考例句：
The tumult in the streets awakened everyone in the house.街上的喧哗吵醒了屋子里的每一个人。 His voice disappeared under growing tumult.他的声音消失在越来越响的喧哗声中。

30 fungus
n.真菌，真菌类植物
参考例句：
Mushrooms are a type of fungus.蘑菇是一种真菌。 This fungus can just be detected by the unaided eye.这种真菌只用肉眼就能检查出。

31 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。

32 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。

33 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。

34 subterranean
adj.地下的，地表下的
参考例句：
London has 9 miles of such subterranean passages.伦敦像这样的地下通道有9英里长。 We wandered through subterranean passages.我们漫游地下通道。

35 apparatus
n.装置，器械；器具，设备
参考例句：
The school's audio apparatus includes films and records.学校的视听设备包括放映机和录音机。 They had a very refined apparatus.他们有一套非常精良的设备。

36 shafts
n.轴( shaft的名词复数 )；（箭、高尔夫球棒等的）杆；通风井；一阵（疼痛、害怕等）
参考例句：
He deliberately jerked the shafts to rock him a bit. 他故意的上下颠动车把，摇这个老猴子几下。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子 Shafts were sunk, with tunnels dug laterally. 竖井已经打下，并且挖有横向矿道。 来自辞典例句

37 dangling
悬吊着( dangle的现在分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口
参考例句：
The tooth hung dangling by the bedpost, now. 结果，那颗牙就晃来晃去吊在床柱上了。 The children sat on the high wall,their legs dangling. 孩子们坐在一堵高墙上，摇晃着他们的双腿。

38 apex
n.顶点，最高点
参考例句：
He reached the apex of power in the early 1930s.他在三十年代初达到了权力的顶峰。 His election to the presidency was the apex of his career.当选总统是他一生事业的顶峰。

39 plunged
v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降
参考例句：
The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。 She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。

40 vertical
adj.垂直的，顶点的，纵向的；n.垂直物，垂直的位置
参考例句：
The northern side of the mountain is almost vertical.这座山的北坡几乎是垂直的。 Vertical air motions are not measured by this system.垂直气流的运动不用这种系统来测量。

41 cylinder
n.圆筒，柱(面)，汽缸
参考例句：
What's the volume of this cylinder?这个圆筒的体积有多少？ The cylinder is getting too much gas and not enough air.汽缸里汽油太多而空气不足。

42 vaguely
adv.含糊地，暖昧地
参考例句：
He had talked vaguely of going to work abroad.他含糊其词地说了到国外工作的事。 He looked vaguely before him with unseeing eyes.他迷迷糊糊的望着前面，对一切都视而不见。

43 incandescent
adj.遇热发光的， 白炽的，感情强烈的
参考例句：
The incandescent lamp we use in daily life was invented by Edison.我们日常生活中用的白炽灯，是爱迪生发明的。 The incandescent quality of his words illuminated the courage of his countrymen.他炽热的语言点燃了他本国同胞的勇气。

44 luminously
发光的； 明亮的； 清楚的； 辉赫
参考例句：
an alarm clock with a luminous dial 夜光闹钟 luminous hands on a clock 钟的夜光指针

45 infinitely
adv.无限地，无穷地
参考例句：
There is an infinitely bright future ahead of us.我们有无限光明的前途。 The universe is infinitely large.宇宙是无限大的。

46 sweeping
adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的
参考例句：
The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。 Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

47 unintelligible
adj.无法了解的，难解的，莫明其妙的
参考例句：
If a computer is given unintelligible data, it returns unintelligible results.如果计算机得到的是难以理解的数据，它给出的也将是难以理解的结果。 The terms were unintelligible to ordinary folk.这些术语一般人是不懂的。

48 hissed
发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对
参考例句：
Have you ever been hissed at in the middle of a speech? 你在演讲中有没有被嘘过？ The iron hissed as it pressed the wet cloth. 熨斗压在湿布上时发出了嘶嘶声。

49 beckon
v.(以点头或打手势)向...示意，召唤
参考例句：
She crooked her finger to beckon him.她勾勾手指向他示意。 The wave for Hawaii beckon surfers from all around the world.夏威夷的海浪吸引着世界各地的冲浪者前来。

50 onward
adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先
参考例句：
The Yellow River surges onward like ten thousand horses galloping.黄河以万马奔腾之势滚滚向前。 He followed in the steps of forerunners and marched onward.他跟随着先辈的足迹前进。

51 flicked
（尤指用手指或手快速地）轻击( flick的过去式和过去分词 )； （用…）轻挥； （快速地）按开关； 向…笑了一下（或瞥了一眼等）
参考例句：
She flicked the dust off her collar. 她轻轻弹掉了衣领上的灰尘。 I idly picked up a magazine and flicked through it. 我漫不经心地拿起一本杂志翻看着。

52 pointed
adj.尖的，直截了当的
参考例句：
He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。 She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

53 mantle
n.斗篷，覆罩之物，罩子；v.罩住，覆盖，脸红
参考例句：
The earth had donned her mantle of brightest green.大地披上了苍翠欲滴的绿色斗篷。 The mountain was covered with a mantle of snow.山上覆盖着一层雪。

54 apropos
adv.恰好地；adj.恰当的；关于
参考例句：
I thought he spoke very apropos.我认为他说得很中肯。 He arrived very apropos.他来得很及时。

55 pricked
刺，扎，戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 )； 刺伤； 刺痛； 使剧痛
参考例句：
The cook pricked a few holes in the pastry. 厨师在馅饼上戳了几个洞。 He was pricked by his conscience. 他受到良心的谴责。

56 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。

57 scattered
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。

58 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。

59 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。

60 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。

61 bulge
n.突出，膨胀，激增；vt.突出，膨胀
参考例句：
The apple made a bulge in his pocket.苹果把他口袋塞得鼓了起来。 What's that awkward bulge in your pocket?你口袋里那块鼓鼓囊囊的东西是什么？

62 goads
n.赶牲口的尖棒( goad的名词复数 )v.刺激( goad的第三人称单数 )；激励；（用尖棒）驱赶；驱使（或怂恿、刺激）某人
参考例句：
They are motivated by the twin goads of punishment and reward. 他们受赏与罚的双重因素所激励。 来自互联网