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 depth of the earth. It is impossible to give a satisfactory explanation for a pot-holer's motives. For him , cave has the same peculiar fascination which high mounts have for the climber. They arouse instincts which can only be dimly understood.
Exploring really deep caves is not a task for the Sunday afternoon rambler. Such undertakings require the precise planning and foresight of military operation. 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 . 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 tunnelled 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. The cave might never have been discovered had not the entrance been spotted by the distinguish French pot-holer ,Berger. Since its discovery, it has been a sort of pot-holer's Everest. Though a number of descents have been made, much of it still remains to be explored.
A team of pot-holer recently went down the Gouffre Berger. After entering the narrow gap on the plateau, they climbed down the steep sides of the cave until they came to a narrow corridor. They had to edge their way along this, sometimes wading across shallow streams, or swimming across deep pools. 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 rubber which had been washed up by the water. 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 the cave. Squeezing through a cleft in the rocks, the pot-holer arrived at an enormous cavern, the size of a huge concert hall. After switching on powerful arc lights, they saw great stalagmites--some of them cover forty feet high--rising up like tree-trunks to meet the stalactites suspended from the roof. 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.
Vocabulary
caveman / 'keivmæn / n.(远古) 洞穴人
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pot-holing / pɒtˌhəʊlɪŋ / n. 洞穴探险,洞穴探险运动
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solitude / 'sɒlɪtjuːd / n. 孤独,孤寂
the state or situation of being alone
"she savored her few hours of freedom and solitude"
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lure / l(j)ʊə / n.诱惑,饵 v. 引诱,诱惑
something that tempts or is used to tempt a person or animal to do something
"the film industry always has been a glamorous lure for young girls"
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pot-holer / 'pɔt,həulə / n.洞穴探险者
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rambler / ræmblə / n. 漫步者,漫谈者
a person who walks for pleasure, especially in the countryside
"Together they shared a love of the countryside and were keen
ramblers and fell walkers."
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undertaking / ʌndə'teɪkɪŋ / n. 事业,企业，保证，殡仪业 v. 同意,担任,许诺
n. a formal pledge or promise to do something
"I give an undertaking that we shall proceed with the legislation"
v. commit oneself to and begin (an enterprise or responsibility); take on
"a firm of builders undertook the construction work"
短语:
"
business undertaking 商业经营,业务经营,商业运营
management undertaking 管理保证书
educational undertaking 教育事业
Heroic undertaking 壮举,英雄伟大的行动举措
The Undertaking 殡葬人手记,死亡见证
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foresight / 'fɔːsaɪt / n.预见,深谋远虑
the ability to predict or the action of predicting what will happen
or be needed in the future
"he had the foresight to check that his escape route was clear"
短语:
Foresight Institute 前瞻学会,前瞻协会
Perfect Foresight [经] 完全预见,完美预见
Imperfect Foresight 不完全预见, 预见性
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foretell / fɔː'tel / v. 预言,预示,预告
predict (the future or a future event).
"as he foretold, thousands lost their lives"
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chasm / 'kæz(ə)m / n. 峡谷,裂口, 分歧,深坑
a deep fissure in the earth, rock, or another surface
"The movie also shows a panoramic view of the mountains, deep chasms and valleys
going into oblivion and the sounds of crackling icicles and snowstorms"
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flaw / flɔː / n. 瑕疵,缺点; 一阵狂风,短暂的风暴; 裂缝,裂纹
v. 使生缝,使裂缝; 使得有缺陷
n. a mark, fault, or other imperfection that mars a substance or object
"plates with flaws in them were sold at the outlet store"
v. (of an imperfection) mar, weaken, or invalidate (something).
"the computer game was flawed by poor programming"
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distinguished / dɪ'stɪŋgwɪʃt / adj. 杰出的, 著名的
successful, authoritative, and commanding great respect.
"a distinguished American educationist"
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wade / weɪd / v. 跋涉,涉水; 费力行走
[ 过去式 waded 过去分词 waded 现在分词 wading ]
walk through water or another liquid or soft substance
v.
"The men of our family waded down through our flooded meadows with boathooks,
in the hope of being able to grapple a corner of the raft ..."
n.
an act of wading
"The cave is a respectable size but we didn't follow it far, since
after 30m a wade degenerated into a full on swim"
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waterfall / 'wɔːtəfɔːl / n. 瀑布
a cascade of water falling from a height, formed when a river
or stream flows over a precipice or steep incline
"It is mantled with rainforest and there are rivers, lakes and waterfalls ."
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gear / gɪə / n. 齿轮,装置,工具
v. 适合,搭上齿轮,开始工作
adj. 好极了
one of a set of toothed wheels that work together to alter the relation
between the speed of a driving mechanism (such as the engine
of a vehicle
or the crank of a bicycle) and the speed of the driven parts (the wheels)
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inflatable / ɪn'fleɪtəb(ə)l / adj. 可充气的, 得意的,膨胀的
capable of being filled with air
"an inflatable rubble dinghy "
短语:
inflatable boats 充气艇 ; 充气船
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rubble / 'rʌb(ə)l / n. 碎石,瓦砾
waste or rough fragments of stone, brick, concrete, etc.,
especially as the debris from the demolition of buildings
"two buildings collapsed, trapping scores of people in the rubble"
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insistent / ɪn'sɪst(ə)nt / adj. 连续不断地; 坚持的,迫切的; 显著的; 紧急的
insisting or demanding something; not allowing refusal
Tony's soft, insistent questioning
短语:
insistent dnds 迫切的需求
insistent persistent 坚持的
insistent demand 迫切的要求
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boom / buːm / v. 使兴旺;发隆隆声; 急速发展
n. 繁荣,吊杆
n.
a loud, deep, resonant sound
"the deep boom of the bass drum"
a period of great prosperity or rapid economic growth
"a boom in precious metal mining"
v.
make a loud, deep, resonant sound
"thunder boomed in the sky"
短语:
economic boom 经济繁荣,经济蓬勃
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waterspout / 'wɔːtəspaʊt / n. 强大的水柱,排水口
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cleft / kleft / n. 裂隙,开口
adj. 分裂的,劈开的
split, divided, or partially divided into two
"a cleft chin"
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cavern / 'kæv(ə)n / n. 洞穴,凹处
adj. 挖空；置…于洞穴中
a cave, or a chamber in a cave, typically a large one
"The cavern is a natural cave carved into the rock by the sea,
and widened into an underground canal by human hands"
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stalagmite / 'stæləgmaɪt / n. 石笋；石笋状
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stalactite / 'stæləktaɪt / n. 钟乳石
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limestone / 'laɪmstəʊn / n. 石灰岩
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glisten / 'glɪs(ə)n / vi. 闪光，闪亮 n. 闪光，闪亮
(of something wet or greasy) shine; glitter
"his cheeks glistened with tears"
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eerie / 'ɪərɪ / adj. 可怕的；怪异的; 引起恐惧的
strange and frightening
"an eerie green glow in the sky"
短语:
eerie asylum 逃出怪异的房子
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dome / dəʊm / n. 圆屋顶 vi. 成圆顶状
a rounded vault forming the roof of a building or structure,
typically with a circular base
"the dome of St. Paul's Cathedral"
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Notes on the text
as it has come to be known 正逐渐为人所了解,此处作插入语
it is the desire ... or the chance ... that 这是强调句式,被强调的是句子的主语 the desire ... or the chance ...
rig up 装配，搭起
the cave might never have been discovered had not the entrance been spotted by ... 如果不是...偶然发现这个洞口的话，这个洞也许永远不会为人所知。
（这是表示与过去事实不相符的虚拟语气解构，句中的非真实条件句 had not the entrance not been spotted by ...由于省略了if，所以需要倒装）
edge one's way 此处作"侧身徐徐前进讲"
参考译文:
洞穴勘探———或者洞穴探险，是一项比较新的运动，已经逐渐被人了解。 寻求独居独处的愿望或寻求意外发现机会的欲望吸引着人们来到地下深处。 想要对洞穴探险者的动机做出满意的解释是不可能的。 对洞穴探险者来说，洞穴有种特殊的魅力，就像高山对登山者的魅力一样。 为什么洞穴能引发人的那种探险本能，人们对此只有一种模糊的认识。
探测非常深的洞穴不是那些在星期日下午漫步的人所能信任的。 这种活动需要有军事行动般的周密部署和预见能力。 有时需要话费整整8天时间来搭建绳梯，建立供应基地，然后才能下到一个很深的洞穴。 做出这样的准备是必须的，因为无法预见洞穴探险者究竟会遇到什么样性质的困难。 世界上最深的洞穴是由一条地下暗泉冲刷岩石中的缝隙并使之慢慢变大而形成的。 此洞的洞口在丹芬阿尔卑斯山的高原上，仅6英尺宽，很难被人发现。 若不是法国著名的洞穴探险家伯杰由于偶然机会发现这个洞口的话，这个洞也许会永远不为人所知。 自从被发现后，这个洞成了洞穴探险者的珠穆朗玛峰，人们多次进入洞内探险，但至今尚有不少东西有待勘探。
最近，一个洞穴探险队下到了高弗.伯杰洞里。 他们从高原上的窄缝进去，顺着笔直陡峭的洞壁往下爬，来到一条狭窄的走廊上。 他们不得不侧着身子往前走，有时趟过浅溪，有时游过深潭。 突然他们来到一条瀑布前，那瀑布奔泻而下，注入洞内一处地下湖里。 他们跳入湖中，把各种器具装在一只充气橡皮艇，听任水流将它们带到对岸。 湖水冰冷刺骨，他们必须穿上一种特制橡皮服以保护自己。 在湖的尽头，他们见到一大堆一大堆由湖水冲刷上岸的碎石。 在这里，他们听到一种连续不断的轰鸣声。 后来他们发现这是由山洞顶部的一个小孔里喷出的水柱跌落到水潭中时发出的声响。 洞穴探险者从岩石缝中挤过去，来到一个巨大的洞里，其大小相当于一个音乐厅。 他们打开强力弧光灯，看到一株株巨大的石笋，有的高达40英尺，像树干似的向上长着，与洞顶悬挂下来的钟乳石相接。 周围是一堆堆石灰石，像彩虹一样闪闪发光。 洞里有种可怕的寂静，唯一可以听见的声响是高高的圆顶上不间断地滴水的滴答声。
Comprehension
1. In undertaking the descent of a really deep cave, a pot-holer _____
(a) must be motived by the desire to make an unexpected discovery
(b) is prepared to spend a whole weekend away from his home
(c) needs military co-peration in making preparations for the descent
(d) may have to spend as much as a week planning his descent
2. The cave discovered by the French pot-holer,Berger______
(a) represents the ultimate challenge to any pot-holer who is truly dedicated
(b) was recently explored for the first time since its discovery
(c) has to be approached by following a stream which leads underground
(d) consists of a large cavern,the size of a huge concert hall
3.On reaching the enormous cavern,the pot-holers_____
(a) had to squeeze into a cleft in the rocks at the side
(b) lit it up by using the arc lights they had carried down with them
(c) saw a rainbow shedding its light on the limestone around them
(d) could still hear the waterspout falling into the pool behind them
Structure
4 - or the chance that they _____ an unexpected discovery that ...
(a) would make
(b) can make
(c) may make
(d) might have made
- It can take as long as eight days getting rope ladders rigged up and __before ...
(a) to establish bases supplied
(b) supplying bases established
(c) establishing supply bases
(d) bases established and supplied
- After _____ the narrow gap,they climbed down the steep sides of the cave..
(a) they were entering
(b) entering
(c) entered
(d) they will enter
(7). ...let ___ the current to the other side.
(a) them be carried with
(b) their being carried by
(c) themselves carry
(d) themselves be carried by
(8) No other sound could be heard ____ made by water..
(a) except it was
(b) than that
(c) that was
(d) but this was
Vocabulary
- it can take ____ eight days to rig up..
(a) around
(b) more than
(c) up to
(d) at least
around : 大约；到处；在附近
more than: 多于；超出；比……多
up to: 一直到; 相当于; 忙于…...; 在做…；由…决定的
at least: 至少
- ..has tunnelled a course through a _____ in the rocks.
(a) fault
(b) gap
(c) cleft
(d) fissure
fault n. 故障；[地质] 断层；错误；缺点；毛病；（网球等）发球失误
vi. 弄错；产生断层
vt. （通常用于疑问句或否定句）挑剔
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gap n. 间隙；缺口；差距；分歧
vi. 裂开
vt. 使形成缺口
引申：
Plattform gap 月台空隙，月台与列车的空隙
financing gap 资金缺口
Knowledge Gap 知识差距，知识鸿沟
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cleft adj. 分裂的；劈开的
n. 裂缝；龟裂
v. 劈开；分开（cleave的过去式和过去分词）
n. (Cleft)人名；(英)克莱夫特
引申：
Cleft sentences 断裂句 ; 分裂句
cleft lipn 唇裂；兔唇
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fissure vi. 裂开；分裂
n. 裂缝；裂沟（尤指岩石上的）
vt. 裂开；分裂
- They had to _____ along this ...
(a) sidle nervously
(b) file sideways
(c) walk sharply
(d) move catiously
sidle vi. 侧身而行；悄悄贴近
vt. 侧身而行；悄悄贴近
n. 侧走；挨近
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sideways adv. 向侧面地；向一旁
adj. 向侧面的；一旁的
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walk sharply 大幅走
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catiously adv. 慎重地，谨慎地
- To protect themselves from the _____ water,they wore special rubber..
(a) frozen
(b) freezing
(c) chilly
(d) iced
frozen adj. 冻结的；冷酷的
v. 结冰（freeze的过去分词）；凝固；变得刻板
引申
frozen food 冷冻食品；速冻食品
frozen vegetables 冷冻蔬菜，速冻蔬菜
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freezing adj. 冰冻的；严寒的；冷冻用的
引申
freezing point [物] 冰点 ; [物] 凝固点 ; 四轮转向 ; 冻结点
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chilly adj. 寒冷的；怕冷的
n. (Chilly)人名；(法)希伊
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iced adj. 冰冻的；冰冷的；装冰的
iced beer 冰镇啤酒
