Just for a moment that hostile pause endured. I suppose that both we and the Selenites did some very rapid thinking. My clearest impression was that there was nothing to put my back against, and that we were bound to be surrounded and killed. The overwhelming folly¹ of our presence there loomed² over me in black, enormous reproach. Why had I ever launched myself on this mad, inhuman³ expedition?

Cavor came to my side and laid his hand on my arm. His pale and terrified face was ghastly in the blue light.

"We can't do anything," he said. "It's a mistake. They don't understand. We must go. As they want us to go."

I looked down at him, and then at the fresh Selenites who were coming to help their fellows. "If I had my hands free--"

"It's no use," he panted.

"No."

"We'll go."

And he turned about and led the way in the direction that had been indicated for us.

I followed, trying to look as subdued⁴ as possible, and feeling at the chains about my wrists. My blood was boiling. I noted⁵ nothing more of that cavern⁶, though it seemed to take a long time before we had marched across it, or if I noted anything I forgot it as I saw it. My thoughts were concentrated, I think, upon my chains and the Selenites, and particularly upon the helmeted ones with the goads⁸. At first they marched parallel with us, and at a respectful distance, but presently they were overtaken by three others, and then they drew nearer, until they were within arms length again. I winced⁹ like a beaten horse as they came near to us. The shorter, thicker Selenite marched at first on our right flank, but presently came in front of us again.

How well the picture of that grouping has bitten into my brain; the back of Cavor's downcast head just in front of me, and the dejected

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1 folly
n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话
参考例句：
Learn wisdom by the folly of others.从别人的愚蠢行动中学到智慧。 Events proved the folly of such calculations.事情的进展证明了这种估计是愚蠢的。

2 loomed
v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近
参考例句：
A dark shape loomed up ahead of us. 一个黑糊糊的影子隐隐出现在我们的前面。 The prospect of war loomed large in everyone's mind. 战事将起的庞大阴影占据每个人的心。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 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。

4 subdued
adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
He seemed a bit subdued to me. 我觉得他当时有点闷闷不乐。 I felt strangely subdued when it was all over. 一切都结束的时候，我却有一种奇怪的压抑感。

5 noted
adj.著名的，知名的
参考例句：
The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。 Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

6 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。

7 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。

8 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

9 winced
赶紧避开，畏缩( wince的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He winced as the dog nipped his ankle. 狗咬了他的脚腕子，疼得他龇牙咧嘴。 He winced as a sharp pain shot through his left leg. 他左腿一阵剧痛疼得他直龇牙咧嘴。

10 droop
v.低垂，下垂；凋萎，萎靡
参考例句：
The heavy snow made the branches droop.大雪使树枝垂下来。 Don't let your spirits droop.不要萎靡不振。

11 gaping
adj.口的；张口的；敞口的；多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 )；张开，张大
参考例句：
Ahead of them was a gaping abyss. 他们前面是一个巨大的深渊。 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。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 watchful
adj.注意的，警惕的
参考例句：
The children played under the watchful eye of their father.孩子们在父亲的小心照看下玩耍。 It is important that health organizations remain watchful.卫生组织保持警惕是极为重要的。

13 purely
adv.纯粹地，完全地
参考例句：
I helped him purely and simply out of friendship.我帮他纯粹是出于友情。 This disproves the theory that children are purely imitative.这证明认为儿童只会单纯地模仿的理论是站不住脚的。

14 gutter
n.沟，街沟，水槽，檐槽，贫民窟
参考例句：
There's a cigarette packet thrown into the gutter.阴沟里有个香烟盒。 He picked her out of the gutter and made her a great lady.他使她脱离贫苦生活，并成为贵妇。

15 luminous
adj.发光的，发亮的；光明的；明白易懂的；有启发的
参考例句：
There are luminous knobs on all the doors in my house.我家所有门上都安有夜光把手。 Most clocks and watches in this shop are in luminous paint.这家商店出售的大多数钟表都涂了发光漆。

16 thumping
adj.重大的，巨大的；重击的；尺码大的；极好的adv.极端地；非常地v.重击(thump的现在分词)；狠打；怦怦地跳；全力支持
参考例句：
Her heart was thumping with emotion. 她激动得心怦怦直跳。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 He was thumping the keys of the piano. 他用力弹钢琴。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

17 trickling
n.油画底色含油太多而成泡沫状突起v.滴( trickle的现在分词 )；淌；使)慢慢走；缓慢移动
参考例句：
Tears were trickling down her cheeks. 眼泪顺着她的面颊流了下来。 The engine was trickling oil. 发动机在滴油。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 travesties
n.拙劣的模仿作品，荒谬的模仿，歪曲( travesty的名词复数 )
参考例句：
What is the dolphin and whale cause of such travesties upon earth that we have experienced? 在地球上我们所体验的这类悲剧中，我们海豚鲸鱼的带来了什么？ 来自互联网

19 scintillated
v.（言谈举止中）焕发才智( scintillate的过去式和过去分词 )；谈笑洒脱；闪耀；闪烁
参考例句：
His eyes scintillated excitation. 他的眼睛闪烁激动的目光。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 The substance scintillated sparks and flashes. 这种物质发出火花和闪光。 来自互联网

20 gems
growth； economy； management； and customer satisfaction 增长
参考例句：
a crown studded with gems 镶有宝石的皇冠 The apt citations and poetic gems have adorned his speeches. 贴切的引语和珠玑般的诗句为他的演说词增添文采。

21 trickle
vi.淌，滴，流出，慢慢移动，逐渐消散
参考例句：
The stream has thinned down to a mere trickle.这条小河变成细流了。 The flood of cars has now slowed to a trickle.汹涌的车流现在已经变得稀稀拉拉。

22 sullen
adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的
参考例句：
He looked up at the sullen sky.他抬头看了一眼阴沉的天空。 Susan was sullen in the morning because she hadn't slept well.苏珊今天早上郁闷不乐，因为昨晚没睡好。

23 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。

24 exasperating
adj. 激怒的 动词exasperate的现在分词形式
参考例句：
Our team's failure is very exasperating. 我们队失败了，真是气死人。 It is really exasperating that he has not turned up when the train is about to leave. 火车快开了， 他还不来，实在急人。

25 stuffy
adj.不透气的，闷热的
参考例句：
It's really hot and stuffy in here.这里实在太热太闷了。 It was so stuffy in the tent that we could sense the air was heavy with moisture.帐篷里很闷热，我们感到空气都是潮的。

26 shaft
n.(工具的)柄，杆状物
参考例句：
He was wounded by a shaft.他被箭击中受伤。 This is the shaft of a steam engine.这是一个蒸汽机主轴。

27 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。

28 prospect
n.前景，前途；景色，视野
参考例句：
This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。 The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

29 exclusion
n.拒绝，排除，排斥，远足，远途旅行
参考例句：
Don't revise a few topics to the exclusion of all others.不要修改少数论题以致排除所有其他的。 He plays golf to the exclusion of all other sports.他专打高尔夫球，其他运动一概不参加。

30 beset
v.镶嵌；困扰，包围
参考例句：
She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。 The plan was beset with difficulties from the beginning.这项计划自开始就困难重重。

31 drawn
v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的
参考例句：
All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。 Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

32 dwindling
adj.逐渐减少的v.逐渐变少或变小( dwindle的现在分词 )
参考例句：
The number of wild animals on the earth is dwindling. 地球上野生动物的数量正日渐减少。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He is struggling to come to terms with his dwindling authority. 他正努力适应自己权力被削弱这一局面。 来自辞典例句

33 rivulet
n.小溪，小河
参考例句：
The school is located near the rivulet.学校坐落在小河附近。 They passed the dry bed of a rivulet.他们跨过了一道干涸的河床。

34 merged
（使）混合( merge的过去式和过去分词 )； 相融； 融入； 渐渐消失在某物中
参考例句：
Turf wars are inevitable when two departments are merged. 两个部门合并时总免不了争争权限。 The small shops were merged into a large market. 那些小商店合并成为一个大商场。

35 declivity
n.下坡，倾斜面
参考例句：
I looked frontage straightly,going declivity one by one.我两眼直视前方，一路下坡又下坡。 He had rolled down a declivity of twelve or fifteen feet.他是从十二尺或十五尺高的地方滚下来的。

36 meander
n.河流的曲折，漫步，迂回旅行；v.缓慢而弯曲地流动，漫谈
参考例句：
Visitors and locals alike meander along the sidewalks of the Seine River.游客与当地人沿着塞纳河岸漫步聊天。 They tumble down mountainsides and meander through flat farmlands.它们滚滚冲下山脊，蜿蜒穿过平坦的农田。

37 hesitation
n.犹豫，踌躇
参考例句：
After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天，他终于直说了。 There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。

38 utterly
adv.完全地，绝对地
参考例句：
Utterly devoted to the people,he gave his life in saving his patients.他忠于人民，把毕生精力用于挽救患者的生命。 I was utterly ravished by the way she smiled.她的微笑使我完全陶醉了。

39 plank
n.板条，木板，政策要点，政纲条目
参考例句：
The plank was set against the wall.木板靠着墙壁。 They intend to win the next election on the plank of developing trade.他们想以发展贸易的纲领来赢得下次选举。

40 gulf
n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂
参考例句：
The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。 There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

41 profundity
n.渊博；深奥，深刻
参考例句：
He impressed his audience by the profundity of his knowledge.他知识渊博给听众留下了深刻的印象。 He pretended profundity by eye-beamings at people.他用神采奕奕的眼光看着人们，故作深沉。

42 blur
n.模糊不清的事物；vt.使模糊，使看不清楚
参考例句：
The houses appeared as a blur in the mist.房子在薄雾中隐隐约约看不清。 If you move your eyes and your head,the picture will blur.如果你的眼睛或头动了，图像就会变得模糊不清。

43 looming
n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近
参考例句：
The foothills were looming ahead through the haze. 丘陵地带透过薄雾朦胧地出现在眼前。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Then they looked up. Looming above them was Mount Proteome. 接着他们往上看，在其上隐约看到的是蛋白质组山。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 回顾与展望

44 consternation
n.大为吃惊，惊骇
参考例句：
He was filled with consternation to hear that his friend was so ill.他听说朋友病得那么厉害，感到非常震惊。 Sam stared at him in consternation.萨姆惊恐不安地注视着他。

45 wrenched
v.（猛力地）扭( wrench的过去式和过去分词 )；扭伤；使感到痛苦；使悲痛
参考例句：
The bag was wrenched from her grasp. 那只包从她紧握的手里被夺了出来。 He wrenched the book from her hands. 他从她的手中把书拧抢了过来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

46 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》

47 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。

48 entreaty
n.恳求，哀求
参考例句：
Mrs. Quilp durst only make a gesture of entreaty.奎尔普太太仅做出一种哀求的姿势。 Her gaze clung to him in entreaty.她的眼光带着恳求的神色停留在他身上。

49 squelched
v.发吧唧声，发扑哧声( squelch的过去式和过去分词 )；制止；压制；遏制
参考例句：
We squelched over the soggy ground. 我们咕唧咕唧地走过泥泞的土地。 The mud squelched as I walked through it. 我扑哧扑哧地穿过泥泞。

50 imminent
adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的
参考例句：
The black clounds show that a storm is imminent.乌云预示暴风雨即将来临。 The country is in imminent danger.国难当头。

51 retracted
v.撤回或撤消( retract的过去式和过去分词 )；拒绝执行或遵守；缩回；拉回
参考例句：
He made a false confession which he later retracted. 他作了假供词，后来又翻供。 A caddy retracted his statement. 一个球童收回了他的话。 来自辞典例句

52 wriggle
v./n.蠕动，扭动；蜿蜒
参考例句：
I've got an appointment I can't wriggle out of.我有个推脱不掉的约会。 Children wriggle themselves when they are bored.小孩子感到厌烦时就会扭动他们的身体。

53 receding
v.逐渐远离( recede的现在分词 )；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：
Desperately he struck out after the receding lights of the yacht. 游艇的灯光渐去渐远，他拼命划水追赶。 来自辞典例句 Sounds produced by vehicles receding from us seem lower-pitched than usual. 渐渐远离我们的运载工具发出的声似乎比平常的音调低。 来自辞典例句

54 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。

55 hampered
妨碍，束缚，限制( hamper的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The search was hampered by appalling weather conditions. 恶劣的天气妨碍了搜寻工作。 So thought every harassed, hampered, respectable boy in St. Petersburg. 圣彼德堡镇的那些受折磨、受拘束的体面孩子们个个都是这么想的。

56 jabbering
v.急切而含混不清地说( jabber的现在分词 )；急促兴奋地说话；结结巴巴
参考例句：
What is he jabbering about now? 他在叽里咕噜地说什么呢？ He was jabbering away in Russian. 他叽里咕噜地说着俄语。 来自《简明英汉词典》

57 shuffling
adj. 慢慢移动的, 滑移的 动词shuffle的现在分词形式
参考例句：
Don't go shuffling along as if you were dead. 别像个死人似地拖着脚走。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹 Some one was shuffling by on the sidewalk. 外面的人行道上有人拖着脚走过。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

58 whack
v.敲击，重打，瓜分；n.重击，重打，尝试，一份
参考例句：
After years of dieting,Carol's metabolism was completely out of whack.经过数年的节食，卡罗尔的新陈代谢完全紊乱了。 He gave me a whack on the back to wake me up.他为把我弄醒，在我背上猛拍一下。

59 shriek
v./n.尖叫，叫喊
参考例句：
Suddenly he began to shriek loudly.突然他开始大声尖叫起来。 People sometimes shriek because of terror,anger,or pain.人们有时会因为恐惧，气愤或疼痛而尖叫。

60 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。

61 caverns
大山洞，大洞穴( cavern的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Within were dark caverns; what was inside them, no one could see. 里面是一个黑洞，这里面有什么东西，谁也望不见。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26） UNDERGROUND Under water grottos, caverns Filled with apes That eat figs. 在水帘洞里，挤满了猿争吃无花果。

62 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。

63 clatter
v./n.(使)发出连续而清脆的撞击声
参考例句：
The dishes and bowls slid together with a clatter.碟子碗碰得丁丁当当的。 Don't clatter your knives and forks.别把刀叉碰得咔哒响。

64 uproar
n.骚动，喧嚣，鼎沸
参考例句：
She could hear the uproar in the room.她能听见房间里的吵闹声。 His remarks threw the audience into an uproar.他的讲话使听众沸腾起来。

65 muffled
adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己）
参考例句：
muffled voices from the next room 从隔壁房间里传来的沉闷声音 There was a muffled explosion somewhere on their right. 在他们的右面什么地方有一声沉闷的爆炸声。 来自《简明英汉词典》

66 dwindled
v.逐渐变少或变小( dwindle的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
Support for the party has dwindled away to nothing. 支持这个党派的人渐渐化为乌有。 His wealth dwindled to nothingness. 他的钱财化为乌有。 来自《简明英汉词典》

67 pallid
adj.苍白的，呆板的
参考例句：
The moon drifted from behind the clouds and exposed the pallid face.月亮从云朵后面钻出来，照着尸体那张苍白的脸。 His dry pallid face often looked gaunt.他那张干瘪苍白的脸常常显得憔悴。