For a time the Master of the Earth was not even master of his own mind. Even his will seemed a will not his own, his own acts surprised him and were but a part of the confusion of strange experiences that poured across his being. These things were definite, the negroes were coming, Helen Wotton had warned the people of their coming, and he was Master of the Earth. Each of these facts seemed struggling for complete possession of his thoughts. They protruded¹ from a background of swarming² halls, elevated passages, rooms jammed with ward³ leaders in council, kinematograph and telephone rooms, and windows looking out on a seething⁴ sea of marching men. The men in yellow, and men whom he fancied were called Ward Leaders, were either propelling him forward or following him obediently; it was hard to tell. Perhaps they were doing a little of both. Perhaps some power unseen and unsuspected propelled them all. He was aware that he was going to make a proclamation to the People of the Earth, aware of certain grandiose⁵ phrases floating in his mind as the thing he meant to say. Many little things happened, and then he found himself with the man in yellow entering a little room where this proclamation of his was to be made.

This room was grotesquely⁷ latter-day in its appointments. In the centre was a bright oval lit by shaded electric lights from above. The rest was in shadow, and the double finely fitting doors through which he came from the swarming Hall of the Atlas⁸ made the place very still. The dead thud of these as they closed behind him, the sudden cessation of the tumult⁹ in which he had been living for hours, the quivering circle of light, the whispers and quick noiseless movements of vaguely¹⁰

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1 protruded
v.（使某物）伸出，（使某物）突出( protrude的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The child protruded his tongue. 那小孩伸出舌头。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The creature's face seemed to be protruded, because of its bent carriage. 那人的脑袋似乎向前突出，那是因为身子佝偻的缘故。 来自英汉文学

2 swarming
密集( swarm的现在分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去
参考例句：
The sacks of rice were swarming with bugs. 一袋袋的米里长满了虫子。 The beach is swarming with bathers. 海滩满是海水浴的人。

3 ward
n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开
参考例句：
The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。 During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。

4 seething
沸腾的，火热的
参考例句：
The stadium was a seething cauldron of emotion. 体育场内群情沸腾。 The meeting hall was seething at once. 会场上顿时沸腾起来了。

5 grandiose
adj.宏伟的，宏大的，堂皇的，铺张的
参考例句：
His grandiose manner impressed those who met him for the first time.他那种夸大的举止给第一次遇见他的人留下了深刻的印象。 As the fog vanished,a grandiose landscape unfolded before the tourists.雾气散去之后，一幅壮丽的景观展现在游客面前。

6 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。

7 grotesquely
adv. 奇异地,荒诞地
参考例句：
Her arched eyebrows and grotesquely powdered face were at once seductive and grimly overbearing. 眉棱棱着，在一脸的怪粉上显出妖媚而霸道。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子 Two faces grotesquely disfigured in nylon stocking masks looked through the window. 2张戴尼龙长袜面罩的怪脸望着窗外。

8 atlas
n.地图册，图表集
参考例句：
He reached down the atlas from the top shelf.他从书架顶层取下地图集。 The atlas contains forty maps,including three of Great Britain.这本地图集有40幅地图，其中包括3幅英国地图。

9 tumult
n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹
参考例句：
The tumult in the streets awakened everyone in the house.街上的喧哗吵醒了屋子里的每一个人。 His voice disappeared under growing tumult.他的声音消失在越来越响的喧哗声中。

10 vaguely
adv.含糊地，暖昧地
参考例句：
He had talked vaguely of going to work abroad.他含糊其词地说了到国外工作的事。 He looked vaguely before him with unseeing eyes.他迷迷糊糊的望着前面，对一切都视而不见。

11 mechanism
n.机械装置；机构，结构
参考例句：
The bones and muscles are parts of the mechanism of the body.骨骼和肌肉是人体的组成部件。 The mechanism of the machine is very complicated.这台机器的结构是非常复杂的。

12 gaped
v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的过去式和过去分词 )；张开，张大
参考例句：
A huge chasm gaped before them. 他们面前有个巨大的裂痕。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The front door was missing. A hole gaped in the roof. 前门不翼而飞，屋顶豁开了一个洞。 来自辞典例句

13 blot
vt.弄脏（用吸墨纸）吸干；n.污点，污渍
参考例句：
That new factory is a blot on the landscape.那新建的工厂破坏了此地的景色。 The crime he committed is a blot on his record.他犯的罪是他的履历中的一个污点。

14 isolation
n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离
参考例句：
The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。 He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

15 withdrawal
n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销
参考例句：
The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。 They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

16 contagious
adj.传染性的，有感染力的
参考例句：
It's a highly contagious infection.这种病极易传染。 He's got a contagious laugh.他的笑富有感染力。

17 gaping
adj.口的；张口的；敞口的；多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 )；张开，张大
参考例句：
Ahead of them was a gaping abyss. 他们前面是一个巨大的深渊。 The antelope could not escape the crocodile's gaping jaws. 那只羚羊无法从鱷鱼张开的大口中逃脱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 anticipation
n.预期，预料，期望
参考例句：
We waited at the station in anticipation of her arrival.我们在车站等着，期待她的到来。 The animals grew restless as if in anticipation of an earthquake.各种动物都变得焦躁不安，像是感到了地震即将发生。

19 withdrawn
vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出
参考例句：
Our force has been withdrawn from the danger area.我们的军队已从危险地区撤出。 All foreign troops should be withdrawn to their own countries.一切外国军队都应撤回本国去。

20 inadequate
adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的
参考例句：
The supply is inadequate to meet the demand.供不应求。 She was inadequate to the demands that were made on her.她还无力满足对她提出的各项要求。

21 theatrical
adj.剧场的，演戏的；做戏似的，做作的
参考例句：
The final scene was dismayingly lacking in theatrical effect.最后一场缺乏戏剧效果，叫人失望。 She always makes some theatrical gesture.她老在做些夸张的手势。

22 propitiatory
adj.劝解的；抚慰的；谋求好感的；哄人息怒的
参考例句：
She saw the flowers as a propitiatory offering. 在她看来，送花是主动和解的表示。 He sent her flowers as a propitiatory gesture. 他将花送给她以求好感。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

23 agitated
adj.被鼓动的，不安的
参考例句：
His answers were all mixed up,so agitated was he.他是那样心神不定，回答全乱了。 She was agitated because her train was an hour late.她乘坐的火车晚点一个小时，她十分焦虑。

24 wards
区( ward的名词复数 )； 病房； 受监护的未成年者； 被人照顾或控制的状态
参考例句：
This hospital has 20 medical [surgical] wards. 这所医院有 20 个内科[外科]病房。 It was a big constituency divided into three wards. 这是一个大选区，下设三个分区。

25 strutting
加固，支撑物
参考例句：
He, too, was exceedingly arrogant, strutting about the castle. 他也是非常自大，在城堡里大摇大摆地走。 The pompous lecturer is strutting and forth across the stage. 这个演讲者在台上趾高气扬地来回走着。

26 futility
n.无用
参考例句：
She could see the utter futility of trying to protest. 她明白抗议是完全无用的。 The sheer futility of it all exasperates her. 它毫无用处，这让她很生气。

27 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。

28 perfectly
adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地
参考例句：
The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。 Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

29 premature
adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的
参考例句：
It is yet premature to predict the possible outcome of the dialogue.预言这次对话可能有什么结果为时尚早。 The premature baby is doing well.那个早产的婴儿很健康。

30 passionate
adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的
参考例句：
He is said to be the most passionate man.据说他是最有激情的人。 He is very passionate about the project.他对那个项目非常热心。

31 inadequacy
n.无法胜任，信心不足
参考例句：
the inadequacy of our resources 我们的资源的贫乏 The failure is due to the inadequacy of preparations. 这次失败是由于准备不足造成的。

32 inevitable
adj.不可避免的，必然发生的
参考例句：
Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。 The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。

33 swoop
n.俯冲，攫取；v.抓取，突然袭击
参考例句：
The plane made a swoop over the city.那架飞机突然向这座城市猛降下来。 We decided to swoop down upon the enemy there.我们决定突袭驻在那里的敌人。

34 resolutely
adj.坚决地，果断地
参考例句：
He resolutely adhered to what he had said at the meeting. 他坚持他在会上所说的话。 He grumbles at his lot instead of resolutely facing his difficulties. 他不是果敢地去面对困难，而是抱怨自己运气不佳。

35 determined
adj.坚定的；有决心的
参考例句：
I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。 He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

36 waned
v.衰落( wane的过去式和过去分词 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡
参考例句：
However,my enthusiasm waned.The time I spent at exercises gradually diminished. 然而，我的热情减退了。我在做操上花的时间逐渐减少了。 来自《用法词典》 The bicycle craze has waned. 自行车热已冷下去了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

37 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。

38 eloquence
n.雄辩；口才，修辞
参考例句：
I am afraid my eloquence did not avail against the facts.恐怕我的雄辩也无补于事实了。 The people were charmed by his eloquence.人们被他的口才迷住了。

39 lamely
一瘸一拐地，不完全地
参考例句：
I replied lamely that I hope to justify his confidence. 我漫不经心地回答说，我希望我能不辜负他对我的信任。 The wolf leaped lamely back, losing its footing and falling in its weakness. 那只狼一跛一跛地跳回去，它因为身体虚弱，一失足摔了一跤。

40 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。

41 passionately
ad.热烈地，激烈地
参考例句：
She could hate as passionately as she could love. 她能恨得咬牙切齿，也能爱得一往情深。 He was passionately addicted to pop music. 他酷爱流行音乐。

42 utterly
adv.完全地，绝对地
参考例句：
Utterly devoted to the people,he gave his life in saving his patients.他忠于人民，把毕生精力用于挽救患者的生命。 I was utterly ravished by the way she smiled.她的微笑使我完全陶醉了。

43 overthrown
adj. 打翻的，推倒的，倾覆的 动词overthrow的过去分词
参考例句：
The president was overthrown in a military coup. 总统在军事政变中被赶下台。 He has overthrown the basic standards of morality. 他已摒弃了基本的道德标准。

44 exhortations
n.敦促( exhortation的名词复数 )；极力推荐；（正式的）演讲；（宗教仪式中的）劝诫
参考例句：
The monuments of men's ancestors were the most impressive exhortations. 先辈们的丰碑最能奋勉人心的。 来自辞典例句 Men has free choice. Otherwise counsels, exhortations, commands, prohibitions, rewards and punishments would be in vain. 人具有自由意志。否则，劝告、赞扬、命令、禁规、奖赏和惩罚都将是徒劳的。 来自辞典例句

45 humanitarian
n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者
参考例句：
She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。 The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

46 vitality
n.活力，生命力，效力
参考例句：
He came back from his holiday bursting with vitality and good health.他度假归来之后，身强体壮，充满活力。 He is an ambitious young man full of enthusiasm and vitality.他是个充满热情与活力的有远大抱负的青年。

47 cramped
a.狭窄的
参考例句：
The house was terribly small and cramped, but the agent described it as a bijou residence. 房子十分狭小拥挤，但经纪人却把它说成是小巧别致的住宅。 working in cramped conditions 在拥挤的环境里工作

48 tempted
v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词）
参考例句：
I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't. 我极想发牢骚，但还是没开口。 I was tempted by the dessert menu. 甜食菜单馋得我垂涎欲滴。

49 folly
n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话
参考例句：
Learn wisdom by the folly of others.从别人的愚蠢行动中学到智慧。 Events proved the folly of such calculations.事情的进展证明了这种估计是愚蠢的。

50 gustily
adv.暴风地，狂风地
参考例句：

51 immortal
adj.不朽的；永生的，不死的；神的
参考例句：
The wild cocoa tree is effectively immortal.野生可可树实际上是不会死的。 The heroes of the people are immortal!人民英雄永垂不朽！

52 recording
n.录音，记录
参考例句：
How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？ I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

53 sincerity
n.真诚，诚意；真实
参考例句：
His sincerity added much more authority to the story.他的真诚更增加了故事的说服力。 He tried hard to satisfy me of his sincerity.他竭力让我了解他的诚意。