新概念英語第二冊Lesson 88 Trapped in a mine
First listen and then answer the question.
聽錄音，然后回答以下問題。
Why is the rescue taking so long?
Six men have been trapped in a mine for seventeen hours. If they are not brought to the surface soon they may lose their lives. However, rescue operations are proving difficult. If explosives are used, vibrations will cause the roof of the mine to collapse. Rescue workers are therefore drilling a hole on the north side of the mine. They intend to bring the men up in a special capsule. If there had not been a hard layer of rock beneath the soil, they would have completed the job in a few hours. As it is, they have been drilling for sixteen hours and they still have a long way to go. Meanwhile, a microphone, which was lowered into the mine two hours ago, has enabled the men to keep in touch with their closest relatives. Though they are running out of food and drink, the men are cheerful and confident that they will get out soon. They have been told that rescue operations are progressing smoothly. If they knew how difficult it was to drill through the hard rock, they would lose heart.
New words and expressions 生詞和短語
trap v. 陷入，使陷于困境
surface n. 地面，表面
explosive n. 炸藥
vibration n. 震動
collapse v. 坍塌
drill v. 鉆孔
capsule n. 容器
layer n. 層
beneath prep. 在......之下
lower v. 放下，降低
progress v. 進展，進行
smoothly adv. 順利地
參考譯文
6個人被困在礦井里已有17個小時了。如果不把他們盡快救到地面上來，他們就有可能喪生。然而，事實證明營救工作非常困難。如果用炸藥爆破，震動會引起礦頂塌落。因此，營救人員在礦井的北側鉆了一個洞。他們準備用一種特制的容器把這6個人救上來。如果不是因為土壤下面有一層堅硬的巖石，他們的營救工作僅用幾個小時就可以完成了。實際情況是，他們已連續(xù)鉆了16個小時了，但離鉆透還早著呢。與此同時，兩個小時以前放下井去的一只麥克風使井下的人可以與其親屬保持聯系。雖然他們的食物和飲料都快消耗盡了，但這些人的心情很好，堅信他們很快就會出去。他們一直被告知營救工作進行得非常順利。如果他們知道了鉆透那堅硬的巖石有多么困難，他們會喪失信心的。
自學導讀
Lesson 88
Trapped in a mine
困在礦井里
課文詳注 Further notes on the text
1．…rescue operations are proving difficult.……事實證明營救工作非常困難。
prove之后帶形容詞（有時也可以是名詞）時表示“證明是”、“結果是”：
His operation proved successful.
他的手術很成功。
What he had told us proved false.
他對我們所說的原來是假的。
2．Rescue workers are therefore drilling a hole on the north side of the mine. 因此，營救人員正在礦井的北側鉆一個洞。
therefore表示“因此”、“所以”等。它是副詞，所以它既可以獨立使用，也可以位于動詞前。so表示“因此”、“所以”時通常是連詞：
The new flat is larger and therefore more expensive.
這套新房子（比原先的）要大些，因此比較貴。
His parents gave him some money, and he was therefore able to buy a car.
他的父母給了他一些錢，所以他能買得起一輛車。
His parents gave him some money, therefore, he was able to buy a car.
?。ㄗg文同上，therefore前后都可以有逗號，so后面通常不用逗號）
We arrived early, so we got good seats.
我到得早，因此我們找到了好座位。（so表示“所以”、“因此”時不放在動詞前）
3．If there had not been a hard layer of rock beneath the soil, they would have completed the job in a few hours. 如果不是因為土壤下面有一層堅硬的巖石，他們的營救工作僅用幾小時就可以完成了。
這是第3類條件句，表示與過去事實相反的假設。課文中還有第1類和第2類條件句的例子，仔細體會它們的區(qū)別。
4．as it is，實際上，事實上（也可以用as it was）。
I thought they would help us. As it was, they just sat there and looked on.
我以為他們會幫助我們。實際上他們卻只是坐著旁觀。
I promised to return the books yesterday. As it is, I won't be able to do so until next Monday.
我答應昨天還書的，但事實上我要到下星期一才能還。
5．…a microphone…has enabled the men to keep in touch with their closest relatives.……一只麥克風使井下的人可以與其親屬保持聯系。
（1）enable為及物動詞，表示“使……能夠”：
The hubble telescope will enable us to have a better understanding of the distant stars and galaxies.
哈勃望遠鏡將使我們能更好地了解遠距離的恒星和星系。
前綴en-加在名詞或形容詞前可以使這個詞成為動詞，如endanger（危及，使遭受危險），enlarge（擴大，擴展，擴充），enslave（奴役，使成為奴隸），entrap（使……入陷阱/圈套，欺騙）。
?。?）keep in touch with表示“與……保持聯系”，也可以用stay，get 等其他動詞：
Though he works in New York, he still keeps in touch with his friends in London.
他雖然在紐約工作，但仍然與倫敦的朋友們保持聯系。
George is in close touch with Ian.
喬治與伊恩聯系密切。
Can you get in touch with the company?
你能與那家公司取得聯系嗎？
6．lose heart為固定搭配，表示“喪失信心/勇氣”、“泄氣”、“灰心”：
He told his men not to lose heart, saying that they would soon discover gold mines.
他告訴手下人不要灰心，并說他們很快就會發(fā)現金礦的。
Seeing that the enemy was much stronger than themselves, the soldiers lost heart at once.
當戰(zhàn)士們發(fā)現敵軍比自己要強大得多時，他們立刻就喪失了勇氣。
詞匯學習 Word study
1．collapse vi.
?。?）倒塌：
If explosives are used, vibrations will cause the roof of the mine to collapse.
如果用炸藥爆破，震動會引起礦頂塌落。
With no one to repair it, the old church collapsed long ago.
由于無人維修，那座老教堂早就倒塌了。
（2）（因精疲力竭等）倒下；（身體等）垮掉：
After many years' hard work, my mother's health collapsed.
由于多年的辛苦勞動，我母親的身體垮了。
He had run more than forty miles As soon as he was out of danger, he collapsed.
他已經跑了四十多英里路了。他剛脫離危險便（累得）倒下了。
2．與動詞run有關的短語
run可以與不同的介詞或副詞搭配產生不同的含義。
?。?）run out of可表示“用完”、“耗盡”：
They are running out of food and drink.
他們的食物和飲料都快消耗盡了。
He has run out of money.
他的錢用光了。
（2）run after表示“追趕”、“追逐”：
She ran through a forest after the two thieves.
她穿過森林，追趕那兩個小偷。
Seeing that his sister was annoyed, he ran after her to apologize.
當他發(fā)現他妹妹/姐姐生氣時，他便追上去道歉。
?。?）run over的含義之一是“在……駛過/輾過”：
The car ran over a snake/his legs.
那車輾過一條蛇/他的雙腿。
The cat was run over by a train.
那只貓被火車壓死了。
（4）run in的含義之一是“試車”、“試轉（發(fā)動機等）”：
John is running his new car in.
約翰正在試他的新車。
Run in the engine before you start work.
在開始工作前，先試試發(fā)動機。
?。?）run into可以表示“偶然碰見”：I ran into
Mary and Jane in the flower shop.我在花店里碰見了瑪麗和簡。
He ran into the Sterlings while travelling in Italy.
他在意大利旅游時遇見了斯特林一家。
練習答案 Key to written exercises
1．關鍵句型練習答案
A The word if is contained in four sentences.
C 1 would not have been injured 2 had been 3 will find
4 had given 5 is forbidden
2．難點練習答案
1 into 2 out of 3 in 4 over 5 after
3．多項選擇題答案
1c 2b 3b 4c 5c 6a
7b 8b 9c 10c 11c 12b
