But few towns, merely as towns, can be better worth visiting.  In the first place, the volcanic¹ formation of the ground on which it stands is not only singular in the extreme, so as to be interesting to the geologist², but it is so picturesque³ as to be equally gratifying to the general tourist.  Within a narrow valley there stand several rocks, rising up from the ground with absolute abruptness⁵.  Round two of these the town clusters, and a third stands but a mile distant, forming the centre of a faubourg, or suburb.  These rocks appear to be, and I believe are, the harder particles of volcanic matter, which have not been carried away through successive ages by the joint⁶ agency of water and air.

 

When the tide of lava⁷ ran down between the hills the surface left was no doubt on a level with the heads of these rocks; but here and there the deposit became harder than elsewhere, and these harder points have remained, lifting up their steep heads in a line through the valley.

 

The highest of these is called the Rocher de Corneille.  Round this and up its steep sides the town stands.  On its highest summit there was an old castle; and there now is, or will be before these pages are printed, a colossal⁸ figure in bronze of the Virgin¹⁰ Mary, made from the cannon

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1 volcanic
adj.火山的；象火山的；由火山引起的
参考例句：
There have been several volcanic eruptions this year.今年火山爆发了好几次。 Volcanic activity has created thermal springs and boiling mud pools.火山活动产生了温泉和沸腾的泥浆池。

2 geologist
n.地质学家
参考例句：
The geologist found many uncovered fossils in the valley.在那山谷里，地质学家发现了许多裸露的化石。 He was a geologist,rated by his cronies as the best in the business.他是一位地质学家，被他的老朋友们看做是这门行当中最好的一位。

3 picturesque
adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的
参考例句：
You can see the picturesque shores beside the river.在河边你可以看到景色如画的两岸。 That was a picturesque phrase.那是一个形象化的说法。

4 abrupt
adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的
参考例句：
The river takes an abrupt bend to the west.这河突然向西转弯。 His abrupt reply hurt our feelings.他粗鲁的回答伤了我们的感情。

5 abruptness
n. 突然，唐突
参考例句：
He hid his feelings behind a gruff abruptness. 他把自己的感情隐藏在生硬鲁莽之中。 Suddenly Vanamee returned to himself with the abruptness of a blow. 伐那米猛地清醒过来，象挨到了当头一拳似的。

6 joint
adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合
参考例句：
I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。 We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

7 lava
n.熔岩，火山岩
参考例句：
The lava flowed down the sides of the volcano.熔岩沿火山坡面涌流而下。 His anger spilled out like lava.他的愤怒像火山爆发似的迸发出来。

8 colossal
adj.异常的，庞大的
参考例句：
There has been a colossal waste of public money.一直存在巨大的公款浪费。 Some of the tall buildings in that city are colossal.那座城市里的一些高层建筑很庞大。

9 fig
n.无花果(树)
参考例句：
The doctor finished the fig he had been eating and selected another.这位医生吃完了嘴里的无花果，又挑了一个。 You can't find a person who doesn't know fig in the United States.你找不到任何一个在美国的人不知道无花果的。

10 virgin
n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的
参考例句：
Have you ever been to a virgin forest?你去过原始森林吗？ There are vast expanses of virgin land in the remote regions.在边远地区有大片大片未开垦的土地。

11 cannon
n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮
参考例句：
The soldiers fired the cannon.士兵们开炮。 The cannon thundered in the hills.大炮在山间轰鸣。

12 wondrous
adj.令人惊奇的，奇妙的；adv.惊人地；异乎寻常地；令人惊叹地
参考例句：
The internal structure of the Department is wondrous to behold.看一下国务院的内部结构是很有意思的。 We were driven across this wondrous vast land of lakes and forests.我们乘车穿越这片有着湖泊及森林的广袤而神奇的土地。

13 ERECTED
adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立
参考例句：
A monument to him was erected in St Paul's Cathedral. 在圣保罗大教堂为他修了一座纪念碑。 A monument was erected to the memory of that great scientist. 树立了一块纪念碑纪念那位伟大的科学家。

14 professing
声称( profess的现在分词 )； 宣称； 公开表明； 信奉
参考例句：
But( which becometh women professing godliness) with good works. 只要有善行。这才与自称是敬神的女人相宜。 Professing Christianity, he had little compassion in his make-up. 他号称信奉基督教，却没有什么慈悲心肠。

15 remarkable
adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的
参考例句：
She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。 These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

16 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。

17 aroma
n.香气，芬芳，芳香
参考例句：
The whole house was filled with the aroma of coffee.满屋子都是咖啡的香味。 The air was heavy with the aroma of the paddy fields.稻花飘香。

18 emulated
v.与…竞争( emulate的过去式和过去分词 )；努力赶上；计算机程序等仿真；模仿
参考例句：
The havoc that months had previously wrought was now emulated by the inroads of hours. 前几个月已经使他垮下来，如今更是一小时一小时地在恶化。 来自辞典例句 The key technology emulated by CAD and the circuit is showed. 对关键技术进行了仿真，给出了电路实现形式。 来自互联网

19 crooked
adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的
参考例句：
He crooked a finger to tell us to go over to him.他弯了弯手指，示意我们到他那儿去。 You have to drive slowly on these crooked country roads.在这些弯弯曲曲的乡间小路上你得慢慢开车。

20 sketches
n.草图( sketch的名词复数 )；素描；速写；梗概
参考例句：
The artist is making sketches for his next painting. 画家正为他的下一幅作品画素描。 You have to admit that these sketches are true to life. 你得承认这些素描很逼真。 来自《简明英汉词典》

21 requisites
n.必要的事物( requisite的名词复数 )
参考例句：
It is obvious that there are two requisites. 显然有两个必要部分。 来自辞典例句 Capacity of donor is one of the essential requisites of \"gift\". 赠与人的行为能力是\"赠与\"的一个重要前提。 来自口语例句

22 luxurious
adj.精美而昂贵的；豪华的
参考例句：
This is a luxurious car complete with air conditioning and telephone.这是一辆附有空调设备和电话的豪华轿车。 The rich man lives in luxurious surroundings.这位富人生活在奢侈的环境中。

23 converse
vi.谈话，谈天，闲聊；adv.相反的，相反
参考例句：
He can converse in three languages.他可以用3种语言谈话。 I wanted to appear friendly and approachable but I think I gave the converse impression.我想显得友好、平易近人些,却发觉给人的印象恰恰相反。

24 dames
n.（在英国）夫人（一种封号），夫人（爵士妻子的称号）( dame的名词复数 )；女人
参考例句：
Dames would not comment any further. Dames将不再更多的评论。 来自互联网 Flowers, candy, jewelry, seemed the principal things in which the elegant dames were interested. 鲜花、糖果和珠宝看来是那些贵妇人的主要兴趣所在。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

25 unnaturally
adv.违反习俗地；不自然地；勉强地；不近人情地
参考例句：
Her voice sounded unnaturally loud. 她的嗓音很响亮，但是有点反常。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Her eyes were unnaturally bright. 她的眼睛亮得不自然。 来自《简明英汉词典》

26 bosom
n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的
参考例句：
She drew a little book from her bosom.她从怀里取出一本小册子。 A dark jealousy stirred in his bosom.他内心生出一阵恶毒的嫉妒。

27 jaunty
adj．愉快的，满足的；adv.心满意足地，洋洋得意地；n.心满意足；洋洋得意
参考例句：
She cocked her hat at a jaunty angle.她把帽子歪戴成俏皮的样子。 The happy boy walked with jaunty steps.这个快乐的孩子以轻快活泼的步子走着。

28 junction
n.连接，接合；交叉点，接合处，枢纽站
参考例句：
There's a bridge at the junction of the two rivers.两河的汇合处有座桥。 You must give way when you come to this junction.你到了这个路口必须让路。

29 alluded
提及，暗指( allude的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
In your remarks you alluded to a certain sinister design. 在你的谈话中，你提到了某个阴谋。 She also alluded to her rival's past marital troubles. 她还影射了对手过去的婚姻问题。

30 possessed
adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的
参考例句：
He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。 He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。

31 propensities
n.倾向，习性( propensity的名词复数 )
参考例句：
This paper regarded AFT as a criterion to estimate slagging propensities. 文中以灰熔点作为判断煤灰结渣倾向的标准。 来自互联网 Our results demonstrate that different types of authoritarian regime face different propensities to develop toward democracy. 本文研究结果显示，不同的威权主义政体所面对的民主发展倾向是不同的。 来自互联网

32 thither
adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的
参考例句：
He wandered hither and thither looking for a playmate.他逛来逛去找玩伴。 He tramped hither and thither.他到处流浪。

33 pretence
n.假装，作假；借口，口实；虚伪；虚饰
参考例句：
The government abandoned any pretence of reform. 政府不再装模作样地进行改革。 He made a pretence of being happy at the party.晚会上他假装很高兴。

34 niche
n.壁龛；合适的职务(环境、位置等)
参考例句：
Madeleine placed it carefully in the rocky niche. 玛德琳小心翼翼地把它放在岩石壁龛里。 The really talented among women would always make their own niche.妇女中真正有才能的人总是各得其所。

35 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。

36 thoroughly
adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地
参考例句：
The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。 The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。

37 chateau
n.城堡，别墅
参考例句：
The house was modelled on a French chateau.这房子是模仿一座法国大别墅建造的。 The chateau was left to itself to flame and burn.那府第便径自腾起大火燃烧下去。

38 positively
adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实
参考例句：
She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。 The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。

39 complaisance
n.彬彬有礼，殷勤，柔顺
参考例句：
She speaks with complaisance.她说话彬彬有礼。 His complaisance leaves a good impression on her.他的彬彬有礼给她留下了深刻的印象。

40 procure
vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条
参考例句：
Can you procure some specimens for me?你能替我弄到一些标本吗？ I'll try my best to procure you that original French novel.我将尽全力给你搞到那本原版法国小说。

41 killing
n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财
参考例句：
Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。 Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。