If the form-rooms had been lonely, the Great Hall was doubly, trebly,so. It was a vast room, stretching from side to side of the middleblock, and its ceiling soared up into a distant dome¹. At one end was adais and an organ, and at intervals² down the room stood long tables.

　　The panels were covered with the names of Wrykynians who had wonscholarships at Oxford³ and Cambridge, and of Old Wrykynians who hadtaken first in Mods or Greats, or achieved any other recognisedsuccess, such as a place in the Indian Civil Service list. A silenttestimony, these panels, to the work the school had done in the world.

　　Nobody knew exactly how many the Hall could hold, when packed to itsfullest capacity. The six hundred odd boys at the school seemed toleave large gaps unfilled.

　　This morning there was a mere⁴ handful, and the place looked worse thanempty.

　　The Sixth Form were there, and the school prefects. The Great Picnichad not affected⁵ their numbers. The Sixth stood by their table in asolid group. The other tables were occupied by ones and twos. A buzzof conversation was going on, which did not cease when the mastersfiled into the room and took their places. Every one realised by thistime that the biggest row in Wrykyn history was well under way; andthe thing had to be discussed.

　　In the Masters' library Mr. Wain and Mr. Shields, the spokesmen of theCommon Room, were breaking the news to the headmaster.

　　The headmaster was a man who rarely betrayed emotion in his publiccapacity. He heard Mr. Shields's rambling⁷ remarks, punctuated⁸ by Mr.

　　Wain's "Exceedinglys," to an end. Then he gathered up his cap andgown.

　　"You say that the whole school is absent?" he remarked quietly.

　　Mr. Shields, in a long-winded flow of words, replied that that waswhat he did say.

　　"Ah!" said the headmaster.

　　There was a silence.

　　"'M!" said the headmaster.

点击收听单词发音  

1 dome
n.圆屋顶，拱顶
参考例句：
The dome was supported by white marble columns.圆顶由白色大理石柱支撑着。 They formed the dome with the tree's branches.他们用树枝搭成圆屋顶。

2 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。

3 Oxford
n.牛津（英国城市）
参考例句：
At present he has become a Professor of Chemistry at Oxford.他现在已是牛津大学的化学教授了。 This is where the road to Oxford joins the road to London.这是去牛津的路与去伦敦的路的汇合处。

4 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。

5 affected
adj.不自然的，假装的
参考例句：
She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。 His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

6 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。

7 rambling
adj.[建]凌乱的，杂乱的
参考例句：
We spent the summer rambling in Ireland. 我们花了一个夏天漫游爱尔兰。 It was easy to get lost in the rambling house. 在布局凌乱的大房子里容易迷路。

8 punctuated
v.（在文字中）加标点符号，加标点( punctuate的过去式和过去分词 )；不时打断某事物
参考例句：
Her speech was punctuated by bursts of applause. 她的讲演不时被阵阵掌声打断。 The audience punctuated his speech by outbursts of applause. 听众不时以阵阵掌声打断他的讲话。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 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。

10 titanic
adj.巨人的，庞大的，强大的
参考例句：
We have been making titanic effort to achieve our purpose.我们一直在作极大的努力，以达到我们的目的。 The island was created by titanic powers and they are still at work today.台湾岛是由一个至今仍然在运作的巨大力量塑造出来的。

11 hymn
n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌
参考例句：
They sang a hymn of praise to God.他们唱着圣歌，赞美上帝。 The choir has sung only two verses of the last hymn.合唱团只唱了最后一首赞美诗的两个段落。

12 placid
adj.安静的，平和的
参考例句：
He had been leading a placid life for the past eight years.八年来他一直过着平静的生活。 You should be in a placid mood and have a heart-to- heart talk with her.你应该心平气和的好好和她谈谈心。

13 reassured
adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词)
参考例句：
The captain's confidence during the storm reassured the passengers. 在风暴中船长的信念使旅客们恢复了信心。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 The doctor reassured the old lady. 医生叫那位老妇人放心。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 deserted
adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的
参考例句：
The deserted village was filled with a deathly silence.这个荒废的村庄死一般的寂静。 The enemy chieftain was opposed and deserted by his followers.敌人头目众叛亲离。

15 stammered
v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He stammered most when he was nervous. 他一紧张往往口吃。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 Barsad leaned back in his chair, and stammered, \"What do you mean?\" 巴萨往椅背上一靠，结结巴巴地说，“你是什么意思？” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

16 nervously
adv.神情激动地，不安地
参考例句：
He bit his lip nervously,trying not to cry.他紧张地咬着唇，努力忍着不哭出来。 He paced nervously up and down on the platform.他在站台上情绪不安地走来走去。

17 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。

18 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。

19 deafening
adj. 振耳欲聋的, 极喧闹的 动词deafen的现在分词形式
参考例句：
The noise of the siren was deafening her. 汽笛声震得她耳朵都快聋了。 The noise of the machine was deafening. 机器的轰鸣声震耳欲聋。

20 squeaking
v.短促地尖叫( squeak的现在分词 )；吱吱叫；告密；充当告密者
参考例句：
Squeaking floorboards should be screwed down. 踏上去咯咯作响的地板应用螺钉钉住。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Can you hear the mice squeaking? 你听到老鼠吱吱叫吗？ 来自《简明英汉词典》

21 shrill
adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫
参考例句：
Whistles began to shrill outside the barn.哨声开始在谷仓外面尖叫。 The shrill ringing of a bell broke up the card game on the cutter.刺耳的铃声打散了小汽艇的牌局。

22 murmur
n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言
参考例句：
They paid the extra taxes without a murmur.他们毫无怨言地交了附加税。 There was a low murmur of conversation in the hall.大厅里有窃窃私语声。

23 kindly
adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地
参考例句：
Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。 A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

24 neatly
adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地
参考例句：
Sailors know how to wind up a long rope neatly.水手们知道怎样把一条大绳利落地缠好。 The child's dress is neatly gathered at the neck.那孩子的衣服在领口处打着整齐的皱褶。

25 amuck
ad.狂乱地
参考例句：
The sea ran amuck.海上风暴肆虐。 The scoundrels who ran amuck will be severely punished.横行无忌的歹徒将受到严惩。

26 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。

27 curiously
adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地
参考例句：
He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。 He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。

28 demonstration
n.表明，示范，论证，示威
参考例句：
His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。 He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

29 legitimate
adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法
参考例句：
Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。 That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

30 gathering
n.集会，聚会，聚集
参考例句：
He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。 He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

31 eminent
adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的
参考例句：
We are expecting the arrival of an eminent scientist.我们正期待一位著名科学家的来访。 He is an eminent citizen of China.他是一个杰出的中国公民。

32 ingenuity
n.别出心裁；善于发明创造
参考例句：
The boy showed ingenuity in making toys.那个小男孩做玩具很有创造力。 I admire your ingenuity and perseverance.我钦佩你的别出心裁和毅力。

33 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。

34 wholesome
adj.适合；卫生的；有益健康的；显示身心健康的
参考例句：
In actual fact the things I like doing are mostly wholesome.实际上我喜欢做的事大都是有助于增进身体健康的。 It is not wholesome to eat without washing your hands.不洗手吃饭是不卫生的。

35 martial
adj.战争的，军事的，尚武的，威武的
参考例句：
The sound of martial music is always inspiring.军乐声总是鼓舞人心的。 The officer was convicted of desertion at a court martial.这名军官在军事法庭上被判犯了擅离职守罪。

36 descended
a.为...后裔的，出身于...的
参考例句：
A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。 The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。

37 locusts
n.蝗虫( locust的名词复数 )；贪吃的人；破坏者；槐树
参考例句：
a swarm of locusts 一大群蝗虫 In no time the locusts came down and started eating everything. 很快蝗虫就飞落下来开始吃东西，什么都吃。 来自《简明英汉词典》

38 grasshopper
n.蚱蜢，蝗虫，蚂蚱
参考例句：
He thought he had made an end of the little grasshopper.他以为把那个小蚱蜢干掉了。 The grasshopper could not find anything to eat.蚱蜢找不到任何吃的东西。

39 supreme
adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的
参考例句：
It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。 He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

40 sumptuously
奢侈地，豪华地
参考例句：
The hall was sumptuously decorated. 大厅装饰得富丽堂皇。 This government building is sumptuously appointed. 这座政府办公大楼布置得极为豪华。

41 garrison
n.卫戍部队；驻地，卫戍区；vt.派(兵)驻防
参考例句：
The troops came to the relief of the besieged garrison.军队来援救被围的守备军。 The German was moving to stiffen up the garrison in Sicily.德军正在加强西西里守军之力量。