Lesson 43 Over the South Pole飛越南極
First listen and then answer the question.聽錄音，然后回答以下問題。
How was the plane able to clear the mountains?
In 1929, three years after his flight over the North Pole, the American explorer, R.E. Byrd, successfully flew over the South Pole for the first time. Though, at first, Byrd and his men were able to take a great many photographs of the mountains that lay below, they soon ran into serious trouble. At one point, it seemed certain that their plane would crash. It could only get over the mountains if it rose to 10,000 feet. Byrd at once ordered his men to throw out two heavy food sacks. The plane was then able to rise and it cleared the mountains by 400 feet. Byrd now knew that he would be able to reach the South Pole which was 300 miles away, for there were no more mountains in sight. The aircraft was able to fly over the endless white plains without difficulty.
參考譯文
美國探險家 R.E. 伯德在飛越北極3年之后，于1929年第一次飛越了南極。雖然開始時伯德和他的助手們拍下了飛機下面連綿群山的大量照片，但他們很快就陷入了困境。在有個 地方，飛機似乎肯定要墜毀了。只有在飛至10,000英尺的高度時，它才能飛過這些山頭。伯德馬上命令他的助手們把兩個沉重的食物袋扔掉，于是飛機可以上 升了，它在離山頭400英尺的高度飛越了過去。伯德這時知道他能夠順利飛抵300英里以外的南極了，因為前面再沒有山了。飛機可以毫無困難地飛過這片茫茫 無際的白色原野！
New words and Expressions生詞和短語
pole
n.（地球的）極
flight
n. 飛行
explorer
n. 探險家
lie
v. 處于
serious
adj. 嚴重的
point
n. 地點
seem
v. 似乎
crash
v. 墜毀
sack
n. 袋子
clear
v. 越過
aircraft
n. 飛機
endless
adj. 無盡的
plain
n. 平原
Lesson 43 自學導讀First things first
課文詳注 Further notes on the text1．In 1929, three years after his flight over the North Pole, the American explorer, R. E. Byrd, successfully flew over the South Pole for the first time. 美國探險家 R·E·伯德在飛越北極3年之后，于1929年第1次飛越了南極。
?。?）這句話包含兩個同位語。three years after…為 1929的同位語，作插入性的補充說明；R．E．Byrd 作 the American explorer 的同位語。
（2）for the first time 表示“第一次”，time在這里表示“次”、“回”，還可以說 this time, last time, next time, another time, each time, for the last time等：
I remind you for the last time that if you don't hurry, you'll miss the train.
我最后一次提醒你，如果不快點，你會誤了火車的。
Give him these photos next time you see him.
下次你見到他時把這些相片給他。
2．Though, at first, Byrd and his men were able to take a great many photographs of the mountains that lay below, they soon ran into serious trouble. 雖然開始時伯德和他的助手們拍下了飛機下面連綿群山的大量照片，但他們很快就陷入了困境。
?。?）連詞though引導的是讓步狀語從句，其含義為“雖然……”、“盡管……”。這個從句中的時間狀語at first被單獨用逗號隔開了，它如果按正常的詞序應放在從句的末尾，但有可能會引起誤解。
（2）at first與主句中的 soon形成時間上的照應，表示先后次序。
（3）take a photograph of 表示“拍……的照片”：
He took a photograph of his house before he left home.
他離家前給他家的房子拍了一張照片。
?。?）that lay below為 the mountains的定語從句，that為從句的主語。
（5）run into trouble的含義與 get into trouble相似，表示“陷入困境”：
Each time he ran into trouble, he asked his parents for help.
每當他陷入困境時，他都向他父母求助。
3．At one point, it seemed certain that their plane would crash. 在有個地方，飛機似乎肯定要墜毀了。
?。?）at one point在此處可以解釋為“在有個地方”，但它通常的含義為“在某一時刻”，point指時間上的某一點：
At one point, he made up his mind to become a painter.
他曾一度下決心要當個畫家。
?。?）it為“先行主語”，真正的主語為that引導的從句。it作先行主語時經常與seem，appear，look等連用：
It now looks certain that the meeting is going to be put off.
現在似乎可以肯定會議將被推遲。
4．rise to，飛機“上升至……”。
5．… it cleared the mountains by 400 feet. ……它在離山頭400英尺的高度飛越了過去。
clear在這里表示“（不接觸地）越過”：
He cleared 2. 10 metres.
他跳過了2.10米。
by表示“以……之差”：
I missed the train by ten minutes.
我晚了10分鐘，沒趕上火車。
He is younger than me by two years.
他比我小兩歲。
6．…for there were no more mountains in sight. ……因為前面再沒有山了。
for表示“因為”。 in sight表示“在看得見的范圍內”、“在可看見之處”：
No man was in sight.
一個人也看不見。
7．white plains, 白色原野。
因為南極到處覆蓋著雪，因此是白色的。
語法 Grammar in use
can，could與 be able to
在第19課的語法中，我們學習了情態助動詞 can／could用于表示請求別人允許或答復時的情況：
Can／Could I borrow your unbrella (please)?
?。ㄕ垎枺┪铱梢越栌靡幌履愕挠陚銌?？（could 比can更客氣、委婉）
can有時可以用于表示可能性：
When can you have lunch with me?
你什么時候可以和我一起共進午餐?
I can have lunch with you tomorrow if you like.
如果你愿意，我明天可以與你共進午餐。
在表示天生的或學到的能力時，can／could可用于現在時和過去時：
Billy is only 9 months old and he can already stand up. 比利只有9個月，而他已經能站起來了。
在現在時和一般過去時中，can／could與 be able to通?？梢曰Q，be able to往往用于表示學到的技能：
I tried again and found I could swim／was able to swim. 我再次努力，就發現自己會游泳了。
在談到說話時正在發生的事時，一般不用 be able to：
Look! I can stand on my head.
看！我能倒立。
在表示成功地完成某一具體動作時，通常不用could，而用be able to；如果表示某一動作沒有取得成功，則可用 couldn't：
It's a pity he couldn't visit Mary.
很遺憾他沒能去看望瑪麗。
Oh, didn't you know? He was able to visit her after all.
噢，你不知道嗎？他最終還是能去看她了。
在問及過去某一具體活動時可用 could，但回答是肯定的時候則不能：
Could he borrow a car?
他能借到車了嗎？
Yes, he was able to borrow a car after all.
是的，他最終還是能借到車了。
No, he couldn't.
不，他沒能借到。
詞匯學習 Word study
1．lie vi.
?。?）躺，（平）臥：
While I sat by the fire, my dog lay beside me.
當我坐在火爐旁時，我的狗躺在我旁邊。
Don't lie on the floor! It's too cold.
別躺在地板上！太冷了。
（2）位于：
The mountains lie below us now.
現在群山在我們的下方。
Our village lies between a river and a road.
我們的村子位于一條河流和一條公路之間。
The town lies to the east of London.
這鎮子位于倫敦東面。
2．含有介詞at的詞組
at與許多詞可以構成固定詞組，其中表示時間的有：at first（開始時，最初），at once（馬上，立刻），at present（目前，現在），at last（最后，終于）， at times（有時）；表示地點的有：at home（在家），at school（在學校）；表示程度的有： at least（至少）， at any rate（不管怎樣）。其他詞組有 at heart（內心里，實際上），at a loss（困惑不解，不知怎么辦）等。
At first they were able to take photographs.
開始時他們還能照相。
Byrd at once ordered his men to throw out food sacks.
伯德馬上命令他的助手們把食物袋扔掉。
At last the plane was able to rise.
最后飛機終于可以上升了。
At times I think this house will be knocked down by a passing plane.
有時我覺得這房子將會被一架飛過的飛機撞倒。
At any rate, I'm determined to stay here at present.
不管怎樣，目前我決定留在這兒。
At least, I'm not mad yet.
至少我還沒瘋。
If Billy isn't at school, he must be at home.
如果比利不在學校，他肯定在家。
People have more money now, yet the temptation to steal is greater than ever before Why? I'm at a loss.
人們現在比以前有錢，但偷竊的誘惑力卻比以往任何時候都更大。為什么呢？我感到很困惑。
Though he tried to make conversation with the lady, he wasn't interested in her at heart.
雖然他試圖與那位婦女聊天，他實際上對她并不感興趣。
Lesson 43 課后練習和答案Exercises and Answer
