【生词】

steer: [I,T] to control the direction a vehicle is going, for example by turning a wheel

sulky:  adj.sulking, or tending to sulk（爱）生闷气的；绷着脸的  a sulky child 生闷气的孩子

serge: strong woollen cloth used for making suits, trousers etc n. 哔叽〔衣料〕

necktie: 领带

stain：[I,T] to accidentally make a mark on something, especially one that cannot be removed, or to be marked in this way〔意外地〕（被）染污，（被）弄污

referee： [,rɛfə'ri]n. 裁判员

on your mark(s), get set, go!：spoken said in order to start a race 各就（各）位，预备，跑！

wheel：[I] if birds or planes wheel, they fly around in circles〔鸟或飞机〕盘旋

rigging：all the ropes, posts, and chains that hold up a ship’s sails〔船只的〕索具

peanut shell：花生壳

toss：[T] to throw something, especially something light, with a quick gentle movement of your hand

the deep：literary the sea

soaked: adj. very wet or wearing very wet clothes

crest: v. [T ]to reach the top of a hill or mountain；n. [C ]the top or highest point of something such as a hill or a wave

billow： v. [I ] if something made of cloth billows, it moves in the wind；if a cloud or smoke billows, it rises in a round mass

consternation：a feeling of worry, shock, or fear惊愕；震惊；惊惶失措

tower above：to be much taller than the people or things around you

sweep over：迅速有力地掠过；席卷

drown：[I,T] to die from being under water for too long, or to kill someone in this way（使）淹死，（使）溺毙

course：the planned direction taken by a boat or plane to reach a place〔船或飞机的〕航向

put about：to change course or cause to change course (使)转向

barometer： [bə'rɑmɪtɚ]n. [气象] 气压计；晴雨表

dirty weather：恶劣天气

blot sth out：phr v. to cover or hide something completely

blouse：n. [C ]a shirt for women女式宽松短衫，女衬衫

confused sea：骇浪；汹涛

flotsam：broken pieces of wood and other things from a wrecked ship, floating in the sea or scattered on the shore〔漂在海面或冲到岸上的〕残骸，碎木，零碎杂物

ominous： ['ɑmɪnəs]adj.making you feel that something bad is going to happen

boil：to rush headlong

bow wave:【航海学】船首波，船首两侧的浪花

strain your ears/eyes：=try very hard to hear or see

loom： v. [I ] [always + adv/prep] to appear as a large unclear shape, especially in a threatening way [+ up/out/ahead etc]

bowspirit：n. 船首斜桅

sail：n. 帆，篷

flap：the flap of the sails 船帆的拍动

splinter： v. [I,T ]if something such as wood splinters, or if you splinter it, it breaks into thin sharp pieces

from stem to stern: 完全；从头到尾 stem: n. 船首 stern: n. 船尾

in a jiffy：spoken very soon

tangle：n. [C ]a confused state or situation

spring a leak：if a boat or a container springs a leak, it begins to let liquid in or out through a crack or hole

fire off：射击，开炮

directions：instructions for doing something or for reaching a place 

staysail：n. [船] 支索帆

halyard：['hæljɚd] n. [船] 升降索

ripple： ['rɪpl] [I,T] to move in small waves, or to make something move in this way

whip：[I,T always + adv/prep] to move quickly and violently, or to make something do this (使)迅速[猛地]移动

slash：[I,T always + adv/prep] to cut or try to cut something violently with a knife, sword etc

soggy：adj. unpleasantly wet and soft

boom：[C]帆桁，帆杆

spring：[I always + adv/prep] to move suddenly and quickly in a particular direction, especially by jumping 跳，跳跃，跳起

true：adv. in an exact straight line

bring：[always + adv/prep] to make something move in a particular direction

seamanship：n. 船艺；航海技术

knock around：hang around

【表达】

When the people in the Central Park learned that one of the sailboats was being steered by a mouse in a sailor suit, they all came running.

He hit the water in a sitting position, and got wet clear up to the third button of his jacket.

Stuart had no intention of drowning.

He looked over and saw that the wave had capsized the Lillan B. Womrath but that she had righted herself and was sailing on her course, close by.

Suddenly a dark cloud swept across the sun, blotting it out and leaving the earth in shadow.

Just at the moment Stuart leard a splintering crash, saw the bow of the Lillian plow through his rigging, and felt the whole ship tremble from stem to stern with the force of the collision.

He said model boats were his hobby and that he would be delighted to have Stuart take command of his vessel at any time.

【拓展】

serge哔叽：用精梳毛纱织制的一种素色斜纹毛织物，光洁平整，纹路清晰，质地较厚而软，紧密适中，悬垂性好，以藏青色和黑色为多。