The Catastrophe¹"Clear the lulla!" was the general cry on a bright Decemberafternoon, when all the boys and girls of Harmony Village wereout enjoying the first good snow of the season. Up and down threelong coasts they went as fast as legs and sleds could carry them.

　　One smooth path led into the meadow, and here the little folkcongregated; one swept across the pond, where skaters weredarting about like water-bugs; and the third, from the very top ofthe steep hill, ended abruptly² at a rail fence on the high bank abovethe road. There was a group of lads and lasses sitting or leaning onthis fence to rest after an exciting race, and, as they reposed³, theyamused themselves with criticising their mates, still absorbed inthis most delightful⁴ of out-door sports.

　　"Here comes Frank Minot, looking as solemn as a judge," criedone, as a tall fellow of sixteen spun⁵ by, with a set look about themouth and a keen sparkle of the eyes, fixed⁶ on the distant goalwith a do-or-die expression.

　　"Here's Molly LooAnd little Boo?

　　sang out another; and down came a girl with flying hair, carrying asmall boy behind her, so fat that his short legs stuck out from thesides, and his round face looked over her shoulder like a fullmoon.

　　"There's Gus Burton; doesn't he go it?" and such a very long boywhizzed by, that it looked almost as if his heels were at the top ofthe hill when his head was at the bottom!

　　"Hurrah for Ed Devlin!" and a general shout greeted a sweet-facedlad, with a laugh on his lips, a fine color on his brown cheek, and agay word for every girl he passed.

　　"Laura and Lotty keep to the safe coast into the meadow, andMolly Loo is the only girl that dares to try this long one to thepond. I wouldn't for the world; the ice can't be strong yet, though itis cold enough to freeze one's nose off," said a timid damsel, whosat hugging a post and screaming whenever a mischievous

点击收听单词发音  

1 catastrophe
n.大灾难，大祸
参考例句：
I owe it to you that I survived the catastrophe.亏得你我才大难不死。 This is a catastrophe beyond human control.这是一场人类无法控制的灾难。

2 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。

3 reposed
v.将（手臂等）靠在某人（某物）上( repose的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
Mr. Cruncher reposed under a patchwork counterpane, like a Harlequin at home. 克朗彻先生盖了一床白衲衣图案的花哨被子，像是呆在家里的丑角。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记 An old man reposed on a bench in the park. 一位老人躺在公园的长凳上。 来自辞典例句

4 delightful
adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的
参考例句：
We had a delightful time by the seashore last Sunday.上星期天我们在海滨玩得真痛快。 Peter played a delightful melody on his flute.彼得用笛子吹奏了一支欢快的曲子。

5 spun
v.纺，杜撰，急转身
参考例句：
His grandmother spun him a yarn at the fire.他奶奶在火炉边给他讲故事。 Her skilful fingers spun the wool out to a fine thread.她那灵巧的手指把羊毛纺成了细毛线。

6 fixed
adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的
参考例句：
Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？ Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

7 mischievous
adj.调皮的，恶作剧的，有害的，伤人的
参考例句：
He is a mischievous but lovable boy.他是一个淘气但可爱的小孩。 A mischievous cur must be tied short.恶狗必须拴得短。

8 jack
n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克
参考例句：
I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。 He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

9 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。

10 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。

11 growled
v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说
参考例句：
\"They ought to be birched, \" growled the old man. 老人咆哮道：“他们应受到鞭打。” 来自《简明英汉词典》 He growled out an answer. 他低声威胁着回答。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 sniff
vi.嗅…味道；抽鼻涕；对嗤之以鼻，蔑视
参考例句：
The police used dogs to sniff out the criminals in their hiding - place.警察使用警犬查出了罪犯的藏身地点。 When Munchie meets a dog on the beach, they sniff each other for a while.当麦奇在海滩上碰到另一条狗的时候，他们会彼此嗅一会儿。

13 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。

14 unanimity
n.全体一致，一致同意
参考例句：
These discussions have led to a remarkable unanimity.这些讨论导致引人注目的一致意见。 There is no unanimity of opinion as to the best one.没有一个公认的最好意见。

15 subsided
v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上
参考例句：
After the heavy rains part of the road subsided. 大雨过后，部分公路塌陷了。 来自《简明英汉词典》 By evening the storm had subsided and all was quiet again. 傍晚， 暴风雨已经过去，四周开始沉寂下来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

16 chilly
adj.凉快的，寒冷的
参考例句：
I feel chilly without a coat.我由于没有穿大衣而感到凉飕飕的。 I grew chilly when the fire went out.炉火熄灭后，寒气逼人。

17 gallant
adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的
参考例句：
Huang Jiguang's gallant deed is known by all men. 黄继光的英勇事迹尽人皆知。 These gallant soldiers will protect our country.这些勇敢的士兵会保卫我们的国家的。

18 shrieking
v.尖叫( shriek的现在分词 )
参考例句：
The boxers were goaded on by the shrieking crowd. 拳击运动员听见观众的喊叫就来劲儿了。 来自《简明英汉词典》 They were all shrieking with laughter. 他们都发出了尖锐的笑声。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 peals
n.（声音大而持续或重复的）洪亮的响声( peal的名词复数 )；隆隆声；洪亮的钟声；钟乐v.（使）（钟等）鸣响，（雷等）发出隆隆声( peal的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
She burst into peals of laughter. 她忽然哈哈大笑起来。 She went into fits/peals of laughter. 她发出阵阵笑声。 来自辞典例句

20 bumpy
adj.颠簸不平的，崎岖的
参考例句：
I think we've a bumpy road ahead of us.我觉得我们将要面临一段困难时期。 The wide paved road degenerated into a narrow bumpy track.铺好的宽阔道路渐渐变窄，成了一条崎岖不平的小径。

21 hop
n.单脚跳，跳跃；vi.单脚跳，跳跃；着手做某事；vt.跳跃，跃过
参考例句：
The children had a competition to see who could hop the fastest.孩子们举行比赛，看谁单足跳跃最快。 How long can you hop on your right foot?你用右脚能跳多远？

22 obedience
n.服从，顺从
参考例句：
Society has a right to expect obedience of the law.社会有权要求人人遵守法律。 Soldiers act in obedience to the orders of their superior officers.士兵们遵照上级军官的命令行动。

23 wilful
adj.任性的，故意的
参考例句：
A wilful fault has no excuse and deserves no pardon.不能宽恕故意犯下的错误。 He later accused reporters of wilful distortion and bias.他后来指责记者有意歪曲事实并带有偏见。

24 cowardice
n.胆小，怯懦
参考例句：
His cowardice reflects on his character.他的胆怯对他的性格带来不良影响。 His refusal to help simply pinpointed his cowardice.他拒绝帮助正显示他的胆小。

25 mittens
不分指手套
参考例句：
Cotton mittens will prevent the baby from scratching his own face. 棉的连指手套使婴儿不会抓伤自己的脸。 I'd fisted my hands inside their mittens to keep the fingers warm. 我在手套中握拳头来保暖手指。

26 mitten
n.连指手套，露指手套
参考例句：
There is a hole in the thumb of his mitten.他的手套的姆指上有个洞。 He took her money in one hand and with the other hand he grasped her mitten and said "Take me to where you live.I want to see your brother and meet your parents".他一手接过她的钱，一手抓起她的连指手套，“带我去你住的地方，我想见见你的弟弟和你的父母。

27 trudged
vt.& vi.跋涉，吃力地走（trudge的过去式与过去分词形式）
参考例句：
He trudged the last two miles to the town. 他步履艰难地走完最后两英里到了城里。 He trudged wearily along the path. 他沿着小路疲惫地走去。 来自《简明英汉词典》

28 diverged
分开( diverge的过去式和过去分词 )； 偏离； 分歧； 分道扬镳
参考例句：
Who knows when we'll meet again? 不知几时咱们能再见面！ At what time do you get up? 你几时起床？

29 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。

30 perilous
adj.危险的，冒险的
参考例句：
The journey through the jungle was perilous.穿过丛林的旅行充满了危险。 We have been carried in safety through a perilous crisis.历经一连串危机，我们如今已安然无恙。

31 defiant
adj.无礼的，挑战的
参考例句：
With a last defiant gesture,they sang a revolutionary song as they were led away to prison.他们被带走投入监狱时，仍以最后的反抗姿态唱起了一支革命歌曲。 He assumed a defiant attitude toward his employer.他对雇主采取挑衅的态度。

32 plowed
v.耕( plow的过去式和过去分词 )；犁耕；费力穿过
参考例句：
They plowed nearly 100,000 acres of virgin moorland. 他们犁了将近10万英亩未开垦的高沼地。 来自辞典例句 He plowed the land and then sowed the seeds. 他先翻土，然后播种。 来自辞典例句

33 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。

34 reined
勒缰绳使（马）停步( rein的过去式和过去分词 )； 驾驭； 严格控制； 加强管理
参考例句：
Then, all of a sudden, he reined up his tired horse. 这时，他突然把疲倦的马勒住了。 The officer reined in his horse at a crossroads. 军官在十字路口勒住了马。

35 chattering
n. （机器振动发出的）咔嗒声，(鸟等)鸣，啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的，啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式
参考例句：
The teacher told the children to stop chattering in class. 老师叫孩子们在课堂上不要叽叽喳喳讲话。 I was so cold that my teeth were chattering. 我冷得牙齿直打战。

36 steer
vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶
参考例句：
If you push the car, I'll steer it.如果你来推车，我就来驾车。 It's no use trying to steer the boy into a course of action that suits you.想说服这孩子按你的方式行事是徒劳的。

37 alas
int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等)
参考例句：
Alas!The window is broken!哎呀！窗子破了！ Alas,the truth is less romantic.然而，真理很少带有浪漫色彩。

38 forth
adv.向前；向外，往外
参考例句：
The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。 He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

39 wilfully
adv.任性固执地；蓄意地
参考例句：
Don't wilfully cling to your reckless course. 不要一意孤行。 来自辞典例句 These missionaries even wilfully extended the extraterritoriality to Chinese converts and interfered in Chinese judicial authority. 这些传教士还肆意将"治外法权"延伸至中国信徒，干涉司法。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书

40 plunge
v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲
参考例句：
Test pool's water temperature before you plunge in.在你跳入之前你应该测试水温。 That would plunge them in the broil of the two countries.那将会使他们陷入这两国的争斗之中。

41 scattering
n.[物]散射；散乱，分散；在媒介质中的散播adj.散乱的；分散在不同范围的；广泛扩散的；（选票）数量分散的v.散射(scatter的ing形式)；散布；驱散
参考例句：
The child felle into a rage and began scattering its toys about. 这孩子突发狂怒，把玩具扔得满地都是。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The farmers are scattering seed. 农夫们在播种。 来自《简明英汉词典》

42 raven
n.渡鸟，乌鸦；adj.乌亮的
参考例句：
We know the raven will never leave the man's room.我们知道了乌鸦再也不会离开那个男人的房间。 Her charming face was framed with raven hair.她迷人的脸上垂落着乌亮的黑发。

43 croaking
v.呱呱地叫( croak的现在分词 )；用粗的声音说
参考例句：
the croaking of frogs 蛙鸣 I could hear croaking of the frogs. 我能听到青蛙呱呱的叫声。 来自《简明英汉词典》

44 wailed
v.哭叫，哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
She wailed over her father's remains. 她对着父亲的遗体嚎啕大哭。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 The women of the town wailed over the war victims. 城里的妇女为战争的死难者们痛哭。 来自辞典例句

45 wail
vt./vi.大声哀号，恸哭；呼啸，尖啸
参考例句：
Somewhere in the audience an old woman's voice began plaintive wail.观众席里，一位老太太伤心地哭起来。 One of the small children began to wail with terror.小孩中的一个吓得大哭起来。

46 stoutly
adv.牢固地，粗壮的
参考例句：
He stoutly denied his guilt.他断然否认自己有罪。 Burgess was taxed with this and stoutly denied it.伯杰斯为此受到了责难，但是他自己坚决否认有这回事。

47 winking
n.瞬眼，目语v.使眼色( wink的现在分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮
参考例句：
Anyone can do it; it's as easy as winking. 这谁都办得到，简直易如反掌。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 The stars were winking in the clear sky. 星星在明亮的天空中闪烁。 来自《简明英汉词典》

48 croaked
v.呱呱地叫( croak的过去式和过去分词 )；用粗的声音说
参考例句：
The crow croaked disaster. 乌鸦呱呱叫预报灾难。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 'she has a fine head for it," croaked Jacques Three. “她有一个漂亮的脑袋跟着去呢，”雅克三号低沉地说。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

49 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。

50 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。

51 droll
adj.古怪的，好笑的
参考例句：
The band have a droll sense of humour.这个乐队有一种滑稽古怪的幽默感。 He looked at her with a droll sort of awakening.他用一种古怪的如梦方醒的神情看着她.

52 tragic
adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的
参考例句：
The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。 Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

53 dismal
adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的
参考例句：
That is a rather dismal melody.那是一支相当忧郁的歌曲。 My prospects of returning to a suitable job are dismal.我重新找到一个合适的工作岗位的希望很渺茫。

54 remorseful
adj.悔恨的
参考例句：
He represented to the court that the accused was very remorseful.他代被告向法庭陈情说被告十分懊悔。 The minister well knew--subtle,but remorseful hypocrite that he was!牧师深知这一切——他是一个多么难以捉摸又懊悔不迭的伪君子啊！

55 anguish
n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼
参考例句：
She cried out for anguish at parting.分手时，她由于痛苦而失声大哭。 The unspeakable anguish wrung his heart.难言的痛苦折磨着他的心。

56 pervaded
v.遍及，弥漫( pervade的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
A retrospective influence pervaded the whole performance. 怀旧的影响弥漫了整个演出。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The air is pervaded by a smell [smoking]. 空气中弥散着一种气味[烟味]。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

57 reassuring
a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的
参考例句：
He gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. 他轻拍了一下她的肩膀让她放心。 With a reassuring pat on her arm, he left. 他鼓励地拍了拍她的手臂就离开了。

58 squire
n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅
参考例句：
I told him the squire was the most liberal of men.我告诉他乡绅是世界上最宽宏大量的人。 The squire was hard at work at Bristol.乡绅在布里斯托尔热衷于他的工作。

59 velvet
n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的
参考例句：
This material feels like velvet.这料子摸起来像丝绒。 The new settlers wore the finest silk and velvet clothing.新来的移民穿着最华丽的丝绸和天鹅绒衣服。

60 mite
n.极小的东西；小铜币
参考例句：
The poor mite was so ill.可怜的孩子病得这么重。 He is a mite taller than I.他比我高一点点。

61 cistern
n.贮水池
参考例句：
The cistern is empty but soon fills again.蓄水池里现在没水，但不久就会储满水的。 The lavatory cistern overflowed.厕所水箱的水溢出来了

62 invalids
病人，残疾者( invalid的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The invention will confer a benefit on all invalids. 这项发明将有助于所有的残疾人。 H?tel National Des Invalids is a majestic building with a golden hemispherical housetop. 荣军院是有着半球形镀金屋顶的宏伟建筑。

63 hover
vi.翱翔，盘旋；徘徊；彷徨，犹豫
参考例句：
You don't hover round the table.你不要围着桌子走来走去。 A plane is hover on our house.有一架飞机在我们的房子上盘旋。

64 asunder
adj.分离的，化为碎片
参考例句：
The curtains had been drawn asunder.窗帘被拉向两边。 Your conscience,conviction,integrity,and loyalties were torn asunder.你的良心、信念、正直和忠诚都被扯得粉碎了。