【英语趣味课堂】迷路-Getting Lost

Todd: So, Greg, do you have any stories about being lost, since you have all this good advice?

 

Greg: Ah, well, let me think. Ah, there was one time I got lost in the mountains of the Golden Triangle in Thailand. The Golden Triangle as you might know is famous for a lot of drug trafficking, and it's also a tourist spot in some areas. Some areas are very safe and some areas are very dangerous actually, and my friend and I, we were hiking by ourselves in the mountains and we got lost, and we actually wondered across the border from Thailand into Myanmar. And we came across this village; very. very poor village, very of hill tribes² people, and some of the people there were really unfriendly, they just started throwing rocks at my friends and I (oh, man) and shouting things. We couldn't talk, so we just backed away, went back quickly up the hill and we were wondering, we didn't know where to go, and luckily I could see in the distance, there was one tree that stood out because the hill had been burned, but there was one tree that didn't get burned and I remembered that tree when we were coming over, so that was my landmark³ which helped me to return, and I headed straight for that tree and then I saw the route, and I've been lost before. I love going into mountains, actually my friends and I got a little bit lost when we were hiking in some little forest in England last summer, but no, I make it a habit when I'm going through trails, and I'm not sure where to go, I put rocks, pile rocks on top of each other, or I put sticks to make an arrow in the direction I want to go.

 

Todd: Ah, that's pretty good.

 

Greg: So I find a pile of rocks and sticks and then I return that way.

 

Todd: So, wow, back to the hill tribe¹ people: Why do you think that they were mad? Do you think they were really upset with foreigners coming in to their territory, like they were trying to protect their little area?

 

Greg: There could be many reasons. Maybe because there used to be a lot of opium⁴ being grown in that area, maybe they were growing opium and they didn't want anyone to see it. That's one thing. Maybe, just they were worried about foreigners, for some reason, maybe they've been treated badly before by foreigners. (Right!) I have no idea. (Well) It was pretty scary.

 

Todd: Yeah, well, better rocks than bullets⁵.

 

Greg: Yeah.

 

学习内容：

 

drug trafficking

 

The Golden Triangle as you might know is famous for a lot of drug trafficking. 

'Drug trafficking' is the illegal movement of drugs from one place to another, usually across international borders. Notice the following:

 

Drug trafficking in Mexico has become a very dangerous problem.

He was arrested for drug trafficking.

came across

 

We came across this very, very poor village. 

When you 'come across' something you discover it by accident. It's not something you were looking for, but something you find interesting. Notice the following:

 

I came across this book when I was at the library today.

How did you ever come across this store?

backed away

 

We couldn't talk, so we just backed away and went back quickly up the hill. 

When you 'back away' from something you walk backwards⁶ away from it. You usually back away from something if you are scared of it. Notice the following:

 

When she heard the news she backed away and ran out of the building.

He saw the angry dog and backed away slowly.

stood out

 

Luckily, I could see in the distance, there was one tree that stood out. 

When something 'stands out' it is different from the things that surround it so it is easy to notice. Notice the following:

 

Her clothes make her stand out in a crowd.

He really stood out in Peru because he was so tall.

landmark

 

That tree was my landmark which helped me to return. 

In this case, 'landmark' is an object that serves as a guide to help you know where you are going in a place that you aren't familiar with. Notice the following:

 

This big red house is the landmark I use to remind me to turn at the next street.

Most people here don't know the name of the roads so they give you directions using landmarks⁷.

1 tribe   

n.部落，种族，一伙人

参考例句：

• This is a subject tribe.这是个受他人统治的部落。
• Many of the tribe's customs and rituals are as old as the hills.这部落的许多风俗、仪式都极其古老。

2 tribes   

n.部落( tribe的名词复数 )；（动、植物的）族；（一）帮；大群

参考例句：

• tribes living in remote areas of the Amazonian rainforest 居住在亚马孙河雨林偏远地区的部落
• In Africa the snake is still sacred with many tribes. 非洲许多部落仍认为蛇是不可冒犯的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 landmark   

n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标

参考例句：

• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
• The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。

4 opium   

n.鸦片；adj.鸦片的

参考例句：

• That man gave her a dose of opium.那男人给了她一剂鸦片。
• Opium is classed under the head of narcotic.鸦片是归入麻醉剂一类的东西。

5 bullets   

n.弹药；军火

参考例句：

• The bodies of the hostages were found riddled with bullets. 在人质的尸体上发现了很多弹孔。
• The bullets and cannon-balls were flying in all directions. 子弹和炮弹到处乱飞。

6 backwards   

adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地

参考例句：

• He turned on the light and began to pace backwards and forwards.他打开电灯并开始走来走去。
• All the girls fell over backwards to get the party ready.姑娘们迫不及待地为聚会做准备。

7 landmarks   

n.陆标( landmark的名词复数 )；目标；（标志重要阶段的）里程碑 ~ (in sth)；有历史意义的建筑物（或遗址）

参考例句：

• The book stands out as one of the notable landmarks in the progress of modern science. 这部著作是现代科学发展史上著名的里程碑之一。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The baby was one of the big landmarks in our relationship. 孩子的出世是我们俩关系中的一个重要转折点。 来自辞典例句