The Howling
The air was crisp and cold.
Jack and Annie shivered.They looked out the window at a dark gray sky.
The tree house was on the ground.There were no trees and no houses—only an endless field of ice and snow.Morgan and the owl were gone.
"R-r-read the riddle,"said Annie,her teeth chattering.
Jack unrolled the scroll.He read:
I cover what's realand hide what's true.But sometimes I bring out the courage in you.What am I?
"I'd better write it down,"said Jack,shivering.He pulled out his notebook and copied the riddle.
- Howling：读音为[ˈhaʊlɪŋ] ，作名词时意为“嚎叫；咆哮；呼啸声” ，作形容词时意为“咆哮的；嚎叫的；呼啸的” ，作动词时是howl（嚎叫；咆哮；呼啸）的现在分词 。
例句：The howling of the wind kept me awake all night.（狂风的呼啸声让我整晚都没睡着。）
- crisp：读音为[krɪsp] ，作形容词时表示“脆的；酥脆的；新鲜而脆生的；清爽的；凉爽的；洁净的；挺括的” ；作动词时意为“（使）变脆；卷曲；发脆” ；作名词时指“油炸土豆片” 。在文中取“清爽的；凉爽的”之意 。
例句：The autumn air was crisp and clear.（秋天的空气清爽宜人。）
- shivered：读音为[ˈʃɪvə(r)] ，作动词时表示“颤抖；哆嗦；打颤” ，作名词时意为“颤抖；哆嗦；寒颤” ，文中是动词过去式 。
例句：She shivered as the cold wind blew.（寒风吹来，她打了个哆嗦。）
- endless：读音为[ˈendləs] ，形容词，意思是“无止境的；无穷无尽的；无限的；不计其数的；连续不断的；无尽的” 。
例句：The journey seemed endless.（旅程似乎没有尽头。）
- owl：读音为[aʊl] ，名词，指“猫头鹰；枭” 。
例句：An owl hooted in the distance.（一只猫头鹰在远处鸣叫。）
- chattering：读音为[ˈtʃætərɪŋ] ，动词chatter的现在分词形式，意为“唠叨；喋喋不休；（因冷或害怕）打战；使咔嗒咔嗒作响” ，文中是“（因冷或害怕）打战”的意思 。
例句：Her teeth were chattering with cold.（她的牙齿冷得直打战。）
- unrolled：读音为[ˌʌnˈrəʊld] ，动词unroll的过去式和过去分词 ，意思是“展开；铺开；摊开；逐渐展现；逐步揭示” 。
例句：He unrolled the map on the table.（他把地图在桌子上展开。）
- scroll：读音为[skrəʊl] ，作名词时表示“卷轴；（石刻或木雕的）涡卷形装饰；（石刻或木雕的）卷叶形花纹；（计算机屏幕上的）滚动文本，滚动信息” ；作动词时意为“（用鼠标）滚动（页面等）” 。文中是名词“卷轴”的意思 。
例句：He unrolled the scroll and began to read.（他展开卷轴开始阅读。）
- real：读音为[ˈriːəl] ，作形容词时意为“真实的；实际存在的；非凭空想象的；真的；正宗的；非假冒的；非人工的；真正的；确实的” ；作副词时表示“非常；很” ；作名词时指“实数” 。文中取“真实的”之意 。
例句：Is your ring real gold?（你的戒指是真金的吗？）
- courage：读音为[ˈkʌrɪdʒ] ，名词，意思是“勇气；勇敢；无畏；胆量” 。
例句：She showed great courage in the face of danger.（她在危险面前表现出了极大的勇气。 ）
Then he opened the book.He found a picture of a barren white field.He read aloud:
The Arctic tundra is a treeless plain.During the dark winter,it is covered with snow and ice.In early spring,snow falls,but the sky begins to get lighter.During the summer season,the snow and ice melt and the sunshines 24 hours a day.
"It must be early spring now,"said Jack.“There's snow,but the sky is a little light."
He turned the page.There was a picture of a man wearing a hooded coat with fur trim.
"Look at this guy,"said Jack.He showed Annie the picture.
"We need his coat,"said Annie.
- barren：读音为[ˈbærən] ，形容词，意为“贫瘠的；不毛的；不育的；不结果实的；没有价值的；无趣味的” 。
例句：The barren land could produce little food.（这片贫瘠的土地几乎长不出食物。 ）
- tundra：读音为[ˈtʌndrə] ，名词，指“冻原；苔原；冻土带” 。
例句：The Arctic tundra is a unique ecosystem.（北极苔原是一个独特的生态系统。 ）
- plain：读音为[pleɪn] ，作名词时表示“平原；旷野；（编织或刺绣中的）平针” ；作形容词时意为“清晰的；明白的；易懂的；朴素的；平常的；普通的；平凡的；平坦的；无装饰的；单色的” ；作副词时表示“简直；绝对地；完全地” 。文中是“平原”的意思 。
例句：The vast plain stretched as far as the eye could see.（广阔的平原一望无际。 ）
- melt：读音为[melt] ，作动词时表示“融化；熔化；（使）软化；（使）消散；逐渐消失；使感动；使同情” ；作名词时意为“融化；熔化；熔化的金属；熔化物” 。文中是动词“融化”的意思 。
例句：The ice will melt when the sun shines on it.（太阳照射时，冰就会融化。 ）
- sunshines：读音为[ˈsʌnʃaɪn] ，名词sunshine的第三人称单数形式，意为“阳光；日光；欢乐；幸福；(友好地称呼某人，有时显得不礼貌)朋友，老兄 ” ，文中可理解为“照耀” 。
例句：The sun shines brightly in the sky.（太阳在天空中明亮地照耀着。 ）
- hooded：读音为[ˈhʊdɪd] ，形容词，意思是“有兜帽的；带风帽的；兜帽状的；（眼睛）蒙着薄膜的；有罩的；（鸟或其他动物头部）有羽冠的，羽冠似兜帽的” 。
例句：She wore a hooded jacket in the cold weather.（寒冷的天气里她穿了一件带兜帽的夹克。 ）
- fur：读音为[fɜː(r)] ，作名词时指“柔毛；软毛；(某些动物的)粗毛；毛皮；毛皮衣服；皮围脖” ；作动词时意为“给…穿毛皮服装；用毛皮覆盖；使长绒毛；使生水垢” 。文中是“毛皮”的意思 。
例句：The coat is made of real fur.（这件外套是用真毛皮制成的。 ）
- trim：读音为[trɪm] ，作动词时表示“修剪；修整；(尤指)剪短；装饰；修饰；装点；调整(船帆)以适应风向；削减” ；作名词时意为“修剪； haircut 的非正式说法；(电影剪辑的)版本；准备就绪的状态；(飞机或船的)平衡” ；作形容词时意为“苗条的；修长的；健康的” 。文中是“饰边；边饰”的意思 。
例句：The dress has a lace trim around the neckline.（这条连衣裙的领口有蕾丝饰边。 ）
“Yeah,"said Jack."Listen to this ..”He read aloud:
This seal hunter wears sealskin clothing to protect him from icy winds.Before modern times,native people of the Arctic lived by hunting seals,caribou,polar bears,and whales.
Jack took out his notebook.He wrote:
77E ARCTIC
Sea/hunter wear sea/skin
He was too cold to write any more.
He clutched his pack against his chest and blew on his fingers.He wished he were back home in bed.
"Morgan said someone was coming to meet us,"said Annie.
"If they don't come soon,we'll freeze to death,"said Jack."It's getting darker and colder."
"Shh.Listen,"said Annie.
A howling sound came from the distance ...then more howling sounds ...and more.
"What's that?"said Jack.
- hunter：读音为[ˈhʌntə(r)]，名词，意为“猎人；猎手；猎兽；（猎狐或鹿等的）猎犬，猎马；搜集某种东西的人；搜索器” 。
例句：The hunter stalked his prey through the forest.（猎人在森林里悄悄追踪猎物。）
- sealskin：读音为[ˈsiːlskɪn] ，名词，指“海豹皮；海豹皮衣” 。
例句：She wore a beautiful sealskin coat in the winter.（冬天她穿了一件漂亮的海豹皮大衣。）
- icy：读音为[ˈaɪsi] ，形容词，意思是“冰冷的；覆盖着冰的；结冰的；冷淡的；不友好的” 。
例句：小心地在结冰的路面上行走。 Walk carefully on the icy pavement.
- native：读音为[ˈneɪtɪv] ，作形容词时表示“本国的；本土的；当地的；出生地的；天生的；天赋的；土生土长的；土著的” ；作名词时意为“当地人；本地人；出生于某国的人；土著；土生土长的动物（或植物）” 。
例句：The kangaroo is a native of Australia.（袋鼠是澳大利亚的本土动物。）
- caribou：读音为[ˈkærɪbuː] ，名词，指“北美驯鹿” 。
例句：Caribou are well - adapted to the cold Arctic environment.（北美驯鹿非常适应寒冷的北极环境。）
- polar bears：读音为[ˈpəʊlə(r) beəz] ，“polar bear”的复数形式，意为“北极熊；白熊” 。
例句：Polar bears are facing the threat of habitat loss due to climate change.（由于气候变化，北极熊正面临栖息地丧失的威胁。）
- whales：读音为[weɪlz] ，“whale”的复数形式，名词，指“鲸；鲸鱼” 。
例句：There are many different species of whales in the ocean.（海洋中有许多不同种类的鲸鱼。）
- clutched：读音为[klʌtʃt] ，动词clutch的过去式和过去分词，意为“紧握；抱紧；抓紧；（因害怕或痛苦）突然抓住” 。
例句：She clutched her bag tightly as she walked through the dark alley.（她走过黑暗的小巷时紧紧抓着自己的包。）
- chest：读音为[tʃest] ，名词，意思是“胸部；胸膛；大箱子；大盒子；胸部……的人” 。
例句：He has a strong chest from doing a lot of exercise.（他因为经常锻炼，胸部很结实。）
- howling：读音为[ˈhaʊlɪŋ] ，作形容词时意为“咆哮的；嚎叫的；呼啸的；极大的；厉害的” ；作名词时指“嚎叫；咆哮；呼啸声” ；是动词howl的现在分词 。
例句：They heard the howling of wolves in the distance.（他们听到远处狼的嚎叫声。 ）
They looked out the window.Snow was falling now.It was hard to see.
The howling grew louder.It was mixed with yipping and yelping noises.Jack and Annie saw dark shapes coming through the snow.They seemed to be running toward the tree house.
"Wolves?"said Annie.
“Great.That's all we need,"said Jack."We're freezing,and now a pack of wolves is coming for us."
Jack pulled Annie into the corner of the tree house.
They huddled close together.
The howling got louder and louder.It sounded as if the wolves were circling the tree house.They whined and yelped.
Jack couldn't stand it any longer.He grabbed the Arctic book.
- mixed：读音为[mɪkst]，形容词，意为“混合的；混杂的；各种各样的；男女混合的；不同种族混合的”，动词mix的过去式和过去分词。
例句：She has a mixed collection of stamps from different countries.（她有一批来自不同国家的混合邮票收藏。）
- yipping：读音为[ˈjɪpɪŋ]，动词yip的现在分词，意为“（狗等）短而尖地叫；犬吠” ，文中用作名词，表示“（狗等的）短吠声”。
例句：The little dog was yipping excitedly.（那只小狗兴奋地汪汪叫着。）
- yelping：读音为[ˈjelpɪŋ] ，动词yelp的现在分词，意为“（因疼痛、愤怒等）尖叫，急叫” ，文中作名词，指“尖叫（声）；急叫（声）” 。
例句：We heard the yelping of a hurt animal.（我们听到了一只受伤动物的叫声。）
- shapes：读音为[ʃeɪps]，名词shape的复数形式，意为“形状；外形；样子；呈……形状的事物；模糊的影子；状况；情况” ，文中指“模糊的影子” 。
例句：The clouds formed strange shapes in the sky.（云朵在天空中形成了奇怪的形状。）
- huddled：读音为[ˈhʌdld]，动词huddle的过去式和过去分词，意为“（通常因寒冷或害怕）挤在一起；缩成一团；聚集在一起（私下讨论）” 。
例句：The children huddled together for warmth.（孩子们挤在一起取暖。）
- circling：读音为[ˈsɜːklɪŋ]，动词circle的现在分词，意为“盘旋；环绕……移动；画圈；圈出” 。
例句：The plane was circling the airport waiting for permission to land.（飞机在机场上空盘旋，等待着陆许可。）
- yelped：读音为[jelpt]，动词yelp的过去式和过去分词，意为“（因疼痛、愤怒等）尖叫，急叫” 。
例句：He yelped in pain when he stubbed his toe.（他脚趾撞到东西时疼得叫了起来。）
"Maybe this can help us,"he said.He searched for a picture of wolves."Oh—hi!"Annie said.
Jack looked up.He caught his breath.
A man was looking through the tree house window.His face was surrounded by fur.
It was the seal hunter from the Arctic book.
- surrounded：读音为[səˈraʊndɪd]，动词surround的过去式和过去分词，意为“围绕；环绕；（使）包围，围住；与……紧密相关” 。
例句：The house is surrounded by trees.（这所房子被树木环绕。）
- fur：读音为[fɜː(r)] ，作名词时意为“柔毛；软毛；（某些动物的）粗毛；毛皮；毛皮衣服；皮围脖” ；作动词时意为“给……穿毛皮服装；用毛皮覆盖；使长绒毛；使生水垢” 。此处为名词“毛皮”的意思。
例句：The cat has soft fur.（这只猫有柔软的毛。）
- hunter：读音为[ˈhʌntə(r)] ，名词，意思是“猎人；猎手；猎兽；（猎狐或鹿等的）猎犬，猎马；搜集某种东西的人；搜索器” 。
例句：The hunter tracked the deer through the forest.（猎人在森林里追踪鹿。 ）
