September 13th, 2009 
ghostlei } Cave exploration, or pot-holing, as it has come to be known, is a relatively new sport. Perhaps it is the desire for solitude or the chance of making an unexpected discovery that lures people down to the depths of the earth. It is impossible to give a satisfactory explanation for a pot-holer’s motives. For him, caves have the same peculiar fascination which high mountains have for the climber. They arouse instincts which can only be dimly understood.
} to arouse the pity of passers-by.(lesson27)
27课出现过，撩起路人的怜悯之心。本课是指撩起本能，本性。
} Exploring really deep caves is not a task for the Sunday afternoon rambler. Such undertakings require the precise planning and foresight of military operations. It can take as long as eight days to rig up rope ladders and to establish supply bases before a descent can be made into a very deep cave. Precautions of this sort are necessary, for it is impossible to foretell the exact nature of the difficulties which will confront the pot-holer.
} require :
需要
Especially at this age, they require constant care.
特别是在这样的年龄，他们需要不停的关怀。
That kind of thing requires some serious thought.
这种事情需要好好想一想。
} The deepest known cave in the world is the Gouffre Berger near Grenoble. It extends to a depth of 3,723 feet. This immense chasm has been formed by an underground stream which has tunneled a course through a flaw in the rocks. The entrance to the cave is on a plateau in the Dauphine Alps. As it is only six feet across, it is barely noticeable.
} Flaw:
缺点
Don’t just focus on his flaws !
你不要只看他的缺点。
I accept all those flaws of you guys, why can’t you accept me for this?
你们那么多缺点我都能忍受，你们怎么不能接受我这一点呢？
} Suddenly they came to a waterfall which dropped into an underground lake at the bottom of the cave. They plunged into the lake, and after loading their gear on an inflatable rubber dinghy, let the current carry them to the other side. To protect themselves from the icy water, they had to wear special rubber suits. At the far end of the lake, they came to huge piles of rubble which had been washed up by the water.
} inflatable :
I have a flat tire.
车胎没气了。
I ran out of gas.
没有油了
I locked my keys in the car.
I’m locked out of my car.
指把自己所在车外面了
} CAA (Canadian Automobile Association )
加拿大有个组织叫做CAA。你要是买了它的会员，车出问题的时候可以给他们打电话。那么一般电话里你会听到这样的句子——
What’s the expiration date on your card?
你的CAA的卡什么时候到期？
In which direction were you going?
你在哪个方向？
What make and model is your car?
你车子的型号是什么？
What’s your license plate number?
车牌号码是多少？
} In this part of the cave, they could hear an insistent booming sound which they found was caused by a small waterspout shooting down into a pool from the roof of the cave. Squeezing through a cleft in the rocks, the pot-holers arrived at an enormous cavern, the size of a huge concert hall.
} Squeeze:
挤；拥挤
Fresh squeezed orange juice,
鲜榨出来的橙汁。在超市买橙汁，有的橙汁是纸盒包装的，上面可能会写着有没有带果肉，就是——
with pulp/no pulp
另外，街上人与人的拥挤也叫做squeeze。
} After switching on powerful arc lights, they saw great stalagmites — some of them over forty feet high — rising up like tree-trunks to meet the stalactites suspended from the roof.
} Switch:
switch off
turn off
这两组词用法差不多
} roof :
W: I borrowed Peter’s favorite pen; and now I’ve lost it.
M: When he finds out, he will really raise the roof.
W: 我借了Peter最喜欢的钢笔，还把他弄丢了。
M: 他要是知道了会把房顶都先起来，跟你没完。
raise the roof 是指非常生气
} Round about, piles of limestone glistened in all the colors of the rainbow. In the eerie silence of the cavern, the only sound that could be heard was made by water which dripped continuously from the high dome above them.
} Round about : around
As there are so many people about…
(Lesson 
和第八课一样，这里about 等于 around。这里the only sound that could be heard指唯一可以听到的声音，only 形容的是sound，后面又带了一个句子形容这个sound。下面是两个相似的例子——
} the only thing that matters is you.
唯一的重要的事情就是你；唯一在意的就是你
the only question you need to ask is, “ Do you see a future? “
唯一的问题是你有没有看到未来。
Posted in 
