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"Well, captain, where are we going to begin?" asked Pencroft next morning of the engineer.
"At the beginning," replied Cyrus Harding.
And in fact, the settlers were compelled to begin "at the very beginning." They did not possess even the tools necessary for making tools, and they were not even in the condition of nature, who, "having time, husbands her strength." They had no time, since they had to provide for the immediate1 wants of their existence, and though, profiting by acquired experience, they had nothing to invent, still they had everything to make; their iron and their steel were as yet only in the state of minerals, their earthenware2 in the state of clay, their linen3 and their clothes in the state of textile material.
It must be said, however, that the settlers were "men" in the complete and higher sense of the word. The engineer Harding could not have been seconded by more intelligent companions, nor with more devotion and zeal4. He had tried them. He knew their abilities.
Gideon Spilett, a talented reporter, having learned everything so as to be able to speak of everything, would contribute largely with his head and hands to the colonization5 of the island. He would not draw back from any task: a determined6 sportsman, he would make a business of what till then had only been a pleasure to him.
Herbert, a gallant7 boy, already remarkably8 well informed in the natural sciences, would render greater service to the common cause.
Neb was devotion personified. Clever, intelligent, indefatigable9, robust
1
immediate
adj.立即的;直接的,最接近的;紧靠的
2
earthenware
n.土器,陶器
3
linen
n.亚麻布,亚麻线,亚麻制品;adj.亚麻布制的,亚麻的
4
zeal
n.热心,热情,热忱
5
colonization
殖民地的开拓,殖民,殖民地化; 移殖
6
determined
adj.坚定的;有决心的
7
gallant
adj.英勇的,豪侠的;(向女人)献殷勤的
8
remarkably
ad.不同寻常地,相当地
9
indefatigable
adj.不知疲倦的,不屈不挠的
10
robust
adj.强壮的,强健的,粗野的,需要体力的,浓的
11
vessels
n.血管( vessel的名词复数 );船;容器;(具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的)人
12
seamen
n.海员
13
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
14
apparatus
n.装置,器械;器具,设备
15
transformations
n.变化( transformation的名词复数 );转换;转换;变换
16
pottery
n.陶器,陶器场
17
larder
n.食物贮藏室,食品橱
18
animated
adj.生气勃勃的,活跃的,愉快的
19
fixed
adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的
20
labor
n.劳动,努力,工作,劳工;分娩;vi.劳动,努力,苦干;vt.详细分析;麻烦
21
opportune
adj.合适的,适当的
22
possessed
adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的
23
specimen
n.样本,标本
24
prospect
n.前景,前途;景色,视野
25
glade
n.林间空地,一片表面有草的沼泽低地
26
situated
adj.坐落在...的,处于某种境地的
27
edible
n.食品,食物;adj.可食用的
28
extremities
n.端点( extremity的名词复数 );尽头;手和足;极窘迫的境地
29
fibers
光纤( fiber的名词复数 ); (织物的)质地; 纤维,纤维物质
30
remarkable
adj.显著的,异常的,非凡的,值得注意的
31
tenacity
n.坚韧
32
scour
v.搜索;擦,洗,腹泻,冲刷
33
contented
adj.满意的,安心的,知足的
34
orientation
n.方向,目标;熟悉,适应,情况介绍
35
noted
adj.著名的,知名的
36
meridian
adj.子午线的;全盛期的
37
famished
adj.饥饿的
38
porcupine
n.豪猪, 箭猪
39
quills
n.(刺猬或豪猪的)刺( quill的名词复数 );羽毛管;翮;纡管
40
bristled
adj. 直立的,多刺毛的
动词bristle的过去式和过去分词
41
skilful
(=skillful)adj.灵巧的,熟练的
42
archers
n.弓箭手,射箭运动员( archer的名词复数 )
43
abounded
v.大量存在,充满,富于( abound的过去式和过去分词 )
44
grouse
n.松鸡;v.牢骚,诉苦
45
hearth
n.壁炉炉床,壁炉地面
46
jaguar
n.美洲虎
47
cape
n.海角,岬;披肩,短披风
48
ferocious
adj.凶猛的,残暴的,极度的,十分强烈的
49
exterminate
v.扑灭,消灭,根绝
50
dwelling
n.住宅,住所,寓所
51
moss
n.苔,藓,地衣
52
primitive
adj.原始的;简单的;n.原(始)人,原始事物
53
kiln
n.(砖、石灰等)窑,炉;v.烧窑
54
agglomeration
n.结聚,一堆
55
exterior
adj.外部的,外在的;表面的
56
contrived
adj.不自然的,做作的;虚构的
57
perfectly
adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地
58
hurdle
n.跳栏,栏架;障碍,困难;vi.进行跨栏赛
59
decomposed
已分解的,已腐烂的
60
mortar
n.灰浆,灰泥;迫击炮;v.把…用灰浆涂接合
61
creek
n.小溪,小河,小湾
62
quartz
n.石英
63
defective
adj.有毛病的,有问题的,有瑕疵的
64
utensils
器具,用具,器皿( utensil的名词复数 ); 器物
65
enameled
涂瓷釉于,给…上瓷漆,给…上彩饰( enamel的过去式和过去分词 )
66
worthy
adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的
67
alas
int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等)
68
scrupulous
adj.审慎的,小心翼翼的,完全的,纯粹的
69
precepts
n.规诫,戒律,箴言( precept的名词复数 )
70
velvety
adj. 像天鹅绒的, 轻软光滑的, 柔软的
71
procured
v.(努力)取得, (设法)获得( procure的过去式和过去分词 );拉皮条
72
previously
adv.以前,先前(地)
73
saturated
a.饱和的,充满的
74
gunpowder
n.火药
75
attentively
adv.聚精会神地;周到地;谛;凝神
76
colonists
n.殖民地开拓者,移民,殖民地居民( colonist的名词复数 )
77
nutritious
adj.有营养的,营养价值高的
78
constellation
n.星座n.灿烂的一群
79
constellations
n.星座( constellation的名词复数 );一群杰出人物;一系列(相关的想法、事物);一群(相关的人)
80
longitude
n.经线,经度
81
latitude
n.纬度,行动或言论的自由(范围),(pl.)地区
82
undertaking
n.保证,许诺,事业
83
ascending
adj.上升的,向上的
84
extremity
n.末端,尽头;尽力;终极;极度
85
intercepted
拦截( intercept的过去式和过去分词 ); 截住; 截击; 拦阻
86
reptile
n.爬行动物;两栖动物
87
inverted
adj.反向的,倒转的v.使倒置,使反转( invert的过去式和过去分词 )
88
pointed
adj.尖的,直截了当的
89
necessitate
v.使成为必要,需要