英语博客：Climb to the sky.

　　Every two weeks, on Wednesdays I meet up with a friend of mine, and go for a walk in the park. Today was that day, and though it was really rainy, we had a nice time walking and chatting. I took my camera just in case a photo opportunity presented itself. One did. Coming over a small hill, I saw in the distance about twenty, huge poles sticking up out of the ground, equally spaced, and filling the view. "What on earth are they?" I asked my friend Jody. She told me that they were poles for the power lineman climbing competition. Phew! That is a bit of a mouthful. Power linemen are the men who put up and repair the power cables¹ that are held up by very tall, wooden poles. I had no idea that there were pole climbing competitions anywhere. Who has ever heard of that? Anyway, about the time that school is out for the summer, there will be a day of competition and family fun in the park. Linemen from all around the Northwest will compete to win special belt buckles², and the reputation of being strong and skilled³. One of the great things about this event, is that it helps to raise scholarship money for high schoolers who are active in preventing drug and alcohol⁴ abuse⁵ in the community. Now, that's always a good thing. This competition is named after a lineman who was killed by a drunk⁶ driver, and so the fundraising is appropriate. There will also be talks on electrical safety, the dangers of drinking and driving, and the need to wear a seat belt. I will take my kids to the park. They will be allowed to talk to the linemen, handle their tools, and have a photo taken with them. I might be able to try my hand at climbing a pole. Wouldn't that be funny! It sounds like an unusual event, so I'm curious to take part.
Grammar notes.
Practice of the past subjunctive using the phrase 'in case'.
1. I took my umbrella just in case it rained.
2. She prepared herself in case he proposed⁷.
3. I studied extra hard, in case the test was difficult.
4. They took a compass on their hike, just in case they got lost.

1 cables   

n.电报( cable的名词复数 )；电缆；（系船用的）缆绳；（船只、桥梁等上的）巨缆

参考例句：

• Use the crocodile clips to attach the cables to the battery. 用鳄鱼嘴夹把电缆接到蓄电池上。
• Please don't touch these metal cables inside a plastic sleeve. 请不要碰那些套着塑料管的金属电缆。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 buckles   

搭扣，扣环( buckle的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• She gazed proudly at the shiny buckles on her shoes. 她骄傲地注视着鞋上闪亮的扣环。
• When the plate becomes unstable, it buckles laterally. 当板失去稳定时，就发生横向屈曲。

3 skilled   

adj.(in)熟练的，有技能的；需要技能的

参考例句：

• Unskilled workers usually earn less money than skilled workers.无技能的工人通常比有技能的工人挣钱少。
• She was skilled enough in French to translate a novel.她法语娴熟，足以翻译小说。

4 alcohol   

n.酒精，乙醇；含酒精的饮料

参考例句：

• The law forbids shops to sell alcohol to minors.法律禁止商店向未成年者出售含酒精的饮料。
• The alcohol is industrial.这些酒精是供工业用的。

5 abuse   

vt.滥用；辱骂；诋毁；n.滥用；恶习；弊端

参考例句：

• You can't make personal abuse on her.你不可对她进行人身攻击。
• She screamed abuse at me.她尖声责备我。

6 drunk   

adj.醉酒的；(喻)陶醉的；n.酗酒者，醉汉

参考例句：

• People who drives when they are drunk should be heavily penalised.醉酒驾车的人应受重罚。
• She found him drunk when she came home at night.她晚上回家时，经常发现他醉醺醺的。

7 proposed   

被提议的

参考例句：

• There is widespread discontent among the staff at the proposed changes to pay and conditions. 员工对改变工资和工作环境的建议普遍不满。
• an outcry over the proposed change 对拟议的改革所发出的强烈抗议