I have already said that my storms of emotion have a trick of exhausting themselves. After a time I discovered that I was cold and wet, and with little pools of water about me on the stair carpet. I got up almost mechanically, went into the dining room and drank some whiskey, and then I was moved to change my clothes.

After I had done that I went upstairs to my study, but why I did so I do not know. The window of my study looks over the trees and the railway towards Horsell Common. In the hurry of our departure this window had been left open. The passage was dark, and, by contrast with the picture the window frame enclosed, the side of the room seemed impenetrably dark. I stopped short in the doorway¹.

The thunderstorm had passed. The towers of the Oriental College and the pine trees about it had gone, and very far away, lit by a vivid red glare, the common about the sand pits was visible. Across the light huge black shapes, grotesque² and strange, moved busily to and fro.

It seemed indeed as if the whole country in that direction was on fire--a broad hillside set with minute tongues of flame, swaying and writhing³ with the gusts⁴ of the dying storm, and throwing a red reflection upon the cloud scud⁵ above. Every now and then a haze⁶ of smoke from some nearer conflagration⁷ drove across the window and hid the Martian shapes. I could not see what they were doing, nor the clear form of them, nor recognise the black objects they were busied upon. Neither could I see the nearer fire, though the reflections of it danced on the wall and ceiling of the study. A sharp, resinous⁸ tang of burning was in the air.

I closed the door noiselessly and crept towards the window. As I did so, the view opened out until, on the one hand, it reached to the houses about Woking station, and on the other to the

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1 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。

2 grotesque
adj.怪诞的，丑陋的；n.怪诞的图案，怪人（物）
参考例句：
His face has a grotesque appearance.他的面部表情十分怪。 Her account of the incident was a grotesque distortion of the truth.她对这件事的陈述是荒诞地歪曲了事实。

3 writhing
（因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 )
参考例句：
She was writhing around on the floor in agony. 她痛得在地板上直打滚。 He was writhing on the ground in agony. 他痛苦地在地上打滚。

4 gusts
一阵强风( gust的名词复数 )； （怒、笑等的）爆发； （感情的）迸发； 发作
参考例句：
Her profuse skirt bosomed out with the gusts. 她的宽大的裙子被风吹得鼓鼓的。 Turbulence is defined as a series of irregular gusts. 紊流定义为一组无规则的突风。

5 scud
n.疾行；v.疾行
参考例句：
The helpers came in a scud.救援者飞奔而来。 Rabbits scud across the turf.兔子飞快地穿过草地。

6 haze
n.霾，烟雾；懵懂，迷糊；vi.(over)变模糊
参考例句：
I couldn't see her through the haze of smoke.在烟雾弥漫中，我看不见她。 He often lives in a haze of whisky.他常常是在威士忌的懵懂醉意中度过的。

7 conflagration
n.建筑物或森林大火
参考例句：
A conflagration in 1947 reduced 90 percent of the houses to ashes.1947年的一场大火，使90%的房屋化为灰烬。 The light of that conflagration will fade away.这熊熊烈火会渐渐熄灭。

8 resinous
adj.树脂的，树脂质的，树脂制的
参考例句：
Alcohol is a solvent of resinous substances.酒精是树脂性物质的溶媒。 He observed that the more resinous the wood, the more resistant it was to decay.他观察到木材含树脂越多，其抗腐力越强。

9 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》

10 wrecked
adj.失事的，遇难的
参考例句：
the hulk of a wrecked ship 遇难轮船的残骸 the salvage of the wrecked tanker 对失事油轮的打捞

11 fore
adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部
参考例句：
Your seat is in the fore part of the aircraft.你的座位在飞机的前部。 I have the gift of fore knowledge.我能够未卜先知。

12 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。

13 potteries
n.陶器( pottery的名词复数 )；陶器厂；陶土；陶器制造（术）
参考例句：
Almost all potteries found in the tomb were sacrifices. 几乎所有在这个墓里找到的陶器都是祭品。 来自互联网

14 fiery
adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的
参考例句：
She has fiery red hair.她有一头火红的头发。 His fiery speech agitated the crowd.他热情洋溢的讲话激动了群众。

15 chaos
n.混乱，无秩序
参考例句：
After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。 The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

16 sluggish
adj.懒惰的，迟钝的，无精打采的
参考例句：
This humid heat makes you feel rather sluggish.这种湿热的天气使人感到懒洋洋的。 Circulation is much more sluggish in the feet than in the hands.脚部的循环比手部的循环缓慢得多。

17 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。

18 impersonal
adj.无个人感情的，与个人无关的，非人称的
参考例句：
Even his children found him strangely distant and impersonal.他的孩子们也认为他跟其他人很疏远，没有人情味。 His manner seemed rather stiff and impersonal.他的态度似乎很生硬冷淡。

19 mechanisms
n.机械( mechanism的名词复数 )；机械装置；[生物学] 机制；机械作用
参考例句：
The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms. 这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He explained how the two mechanisms worked. 他解释这两台机械装置是如何工作的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 pinpoint
vt.准确地确定；用针标出…的精确位置
参考例句：
It is difficult to pinpoint when water problems of the modern age began.很难准确地指出，现代用水的问题是什么时候出现的。 I could pinpoint his precise location on a map.我能在地图上指明他的准确位置。

21 torpor
n.迟钝；麻木；（动物的）冬眠
参考例句：
The sick person gradually falls into a torpor.病人逐渐变得迟钝。 He fell into a deep torpor.他一下子进入了深度麻痹状态。

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 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。

24 abruptly
adv.突然地，出其不意地
参考例句：
He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。 I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。

25 sob
n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣
参考例句：
The child started to sob when he couldn't find his mother.孩子因找不到他妈妈哭了起来。 The girl didn't answer,but continued to sob with her head on the table.那个女孩不回答，也不抬起头来。她只顾低声哭着。

26 artillery
n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队)
参考例句：
This is a heavy artillery piece.这是一门重炮。 The artillery has more firepower than the infantry.炮兵火力比步兵大。

27 precipitated
v.（突如其来地）使发生( precipitate的过去式和过去分词 )；促成；猛然摔下；使沉淀
参考例句：
His resignation precipitated a leadership crisis. 他的辞职立即引发了领导层的危机。 He lost his footing and was precipitated to the ground. 他失足摔倒在地上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

28 ammunition
n.军火，弹药
参考例句：
A few of the jeeps had run out of ammunition.几辆吉普车上的弹药已经用光了。 They have expended all their ammunition.他们把弹药用光。

29 furtively
adv. 偷偷地, 暗中地
参考例句：
At this some of the others furtively exchanged significant glances. 听他这样说，有几个人心照不宣地彼此对望了一眼。 Remembering my presence, he furtively dropped it under his chair. 后来想起我在，他便偷偷地把书丢在椅子下。

30 leisurely
adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的
参考例句：
We walked in a leisurely manner,looking in all the windows.我们慢悠悠地走着，看遍所有的橱窗。 He had a leisurely breakfast and drove cheerfully to work.他从容的吃了早餐，高兴的开车去工作。

31 fugitives
n.亡命者，逃命者( fugitive的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Three fugitives from the prison are still at large. 三名逃犯仍然未被抓获。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Members of the provisional government were prisoners or fugitives. 临时政府的成员或被捕或逃亡。 来自演讲部分

32 hood
n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖
参考例句：
She is wearing a red cloak with a hood.她穿着一件红色带兜帽的披风。 The car hood was dented in.汽车的发动机罩已凹了进去。

33 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。

34 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

35 funnel
n.漏斗；烟囱；v.汇集
参考例句：
He poured the petrol into the car through a funnel.他用一个漏斗把汽油灌入汽车。 I like the ship with a yellow funnel.我喜欢那条有黄烟囱的船。

36 rattle
v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓
参考例句：
The baby only shook the rattle and laughed and crowed.孩子只是摇着拨浪鼓，笑着叫着。 She could hear the rattle of the teacups.她听见茶具叮当响。

37 waddle
vi.摇摆地走；n.摇摆的走路(样子)
参考例句：
I am pregnant.I waddle awkwardly and my big stomach pressed against the weight of the world. 我怀孕了，我滑稽可笑地瞒珊而行，大肚子上压着全世界的重量。 We waddle and hop and have lots of fun.我们走起路来摇摇摆摆，还一跳一跳的。我们的生活很有趣。

38 frantic
adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的
参考例句：
I've had a frantic rush to get my work done.我急急忙忙地赶完工作。 He made frantic dash for the departing train.他发疯似地冲向正开出的火车。

39 scorching
adj. 灼热的
参考例句：
a scorching, pitiless sun 灼热的骄阳 a scorching critique of the government's economic policy 对政府经济政策的严厉批评

40 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》

41 skulking
v.潜伏，偷偷摸摸地走动，鬼鬼祟祟地活动( skulk的现在分词 )
参考例句：
There was someone skulking behind the bushes. 有人藏在灌木后面。 There were half a dozen foxes skulking in the undergrowth. 在林下灌丛中潜伏着五六只狐狸。 来自辞典例句

42 trenches
深沟，地沟( trench的名词复数 )； 战壕
参考例句：
life in the trenches 第一次世界大战期间的战壕生活 The troops stormed the enemy's trenches and fanned out across the fields. 部队猛攻敌人的战壕，并在田野上呈扇形散开。

43 survivors
幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。 survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者

44 narrative
n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的
参考例句：
He was a writer of great narrative power.他是一位颇有记述能力的作家。 Neither author was very strong on narrative.两个作者都不是很善于讲故事。

45 trampled
踩( trample的过去式和过去分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯
参考例句：
He gripped his brother's arm lest he be trampled by the mob. 他紧抓着他兄弟的胳膊，怕他让暴民踩着。 People were trampled underfoot in the rush for the exit. 有人在拼命涌向出口时被踩在脚下。

46 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》

47 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。

48 gutted
adj.容易消化的v.毁坏（建筑物等）的内部( gut的过去式和过去分词 )；取出…的内脏
参考例句：
Disappointed? I was gutted! 失望？我是伤心透了！ The invaders gutted the historic building. 侵略者们将那幢历史上有名的建筑洗劫一空。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

49 wreckage
n.（失事飞机等的）残骸，破坏，毁坏
参考例句：
They hauled him clear of the wreckage.他们把他从形骸中拖出来。 New states were born out of the wreckage of old colonial empires.新生国家从老殖民帝国的废墟中诞生。

50 warfare
n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突
参考例句：
He addressed the audience on the subject of atomic warfare.他向听众演讲有关原子战争的问题。 Their struggle consists mainly in peasant guerrilla warfare.他们的斗争主要是农民游击战。

51 puffs
n.吸( puff的名词复数 )；（烟斗或香烟的）一吸；一缕（烟、蒸汽等）；（呼吸或风的）呼v.使喷出( puff的第三人称单数 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧
参考例句：
We sat exchanging puffs from that wild pipe of his. 我们坐在那里，轮番抽着他那支野里野气的烟斗。 来自辞典例句 Puffs of steam and smoke came from the engine. 一股股蒸汽和烟雾从那火车头里冒出来。 来自辞典例句