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Unit 5
Text A
Ernest Shackleton made many great achievements in his life as an explorer. The following story does not tell us, however, what he achieved but how he managed to rescue his men after his failure to reach his goal.
Perhaps being a hero does not necessarily lie in what you do but in how you do it.
Shipwrecked in Antarctica
When Ernest Shackleton packed for his trip to Antarctica in July 1914, he seemed ready for anything. Among the items he and his crew stowed in his ship were cans of meat, a bicycle and soccer balls. Shackleton hoped to become the first person to travel across the frozen continent at the bottom of the world.
But nothing could have prepared Shackleton or his crew for what did happen. Instead of crossing Antarctica, they made history in one of the most incredible survival stories ever.
Stuck in Miles of Ice
Shackleton was already famous when he prepared for the 1914 trip. In 1908 he had come within 100 miles of the South Pole but had turned back because of bad weather.
By 1914, he was eager for another adventure. Nearly 5,000 people volunteered to go with him. Shackleton chose a crew of 26 sailors and scientists, plus a photographer, Frank Hurley. On the way to Antarctica, he picked up at least 69 sled dogs to pull the explorers on the long trek across land.
Shackleton's last stop before heading for Antarctica was a whaling station on South Georgia Island. Norwegian whalers told the crew that it was "a bad year for ice."
They were right. Upon entering the Weddell Sea, Shackleton was forced to zigzag through dangerous ice sheets, sometimes passing more than 400 icebergs a day! On January 18, 1915, the ice closed around the ship. It was stuck, as one sailor put it, "like an almond in the middle of a chocolate bar."
Although he was less than 100 miles from Antarctica, Shackleton soon realized he could not possibly cross the continent that winter. The crew would just have to wait.
Fighting Boredom and Cold
As the ship slowly drifted with the ice, the sailors played cards, listened to records and held singing contests. "This was before TV," says Armstrong. "People were used to entertaining themselves." On the snow outside, the men built fancy "doghouses" with porches and domes. Some even slept with the dogs for warmth.
Meanwhile Frank Hurley kept busy taking photos. Often braving the cold while others stayed indoors, "he would do anything to get his shot," says Armstrong.
The ship was locked in ice for 10 months. By October 1915, the ice was crushing its thick wooden walls. "It was a sickening sensation," Shackleton wrote in his diary. He ordered the crew to leave. They grabbed what they could, including 150 of Hurley's precious photos.
A Heroic Rescue
The sailors struggled to reach land on three lifeboats they dragged across ice and rowed through frigid waters. They shivered in their thin coats, which often froze solid. At times they had to crawl through slush to avoid sinking. While killer whales swam around them, Shackleton and his men ate penguin and burned seal blubber for fuel. Sadly, when they ran out of food for the dogs, the crew had to shoot them.
Eventually, the crew landed on Elephant Island. But it was deserted. So Shackleton bravely set out again with five of his strongest men. They sailed and rowed 800 miles in a tiny boat, battling high waves, winds and severe thirst. Finally they landed at South Georgia Island, where they almost died climbing jagged peaks for three days before reaching the whaling station. "The thought of those fellows on Elephant Island kept us going," said Shackleton.
Four months after Shackleton sailed away, one of the men on Elephant Island spotted a ship offshore. When it came closer, the crew recognized Shackleton. They began to laugh and hug. They were rescued!
To the world's amazement, all 28 members of the expedition arrived home safely. How? Armstrong and others say it is because Shackleton was a true hero. As the explorer said, "If you're a leader, you've got to keep going."
(638 words)
New Words
shipwreck
vt. 使…遭受海难
item
n. one of a list of objects （清单上或一组事物中的）一项，一件
crew
n. 1. a group of people working together 一队工作人员
2. 全体船员（或机务人员）
stow
vt. pack or store away 堆垛；装载；装填
soccer
n. 英式足球
incredible
a. unbelievable or very hard to believe 难以置信的
survival
n. the act, state or fact of surviving 幸存
adventure
n. an unusual, exciting and possibly dangerous journey, experience, etc. 冒险活动（或经历等）
volunteer
n. sb. who does work, esp. socially useful work, for which they are not paid 志愿者
plus
prep.1. increased by 加，加上
2. in addition to 外加；另有
photographer
n. a person who takes photographs esp. as a professional or as an artist 摄影师
sled
n. 雪橇
explorer
n. sb. who travels for the purpose of discovery 探险者
trek
n. a long and hard journey 长途跋涉
head
vi. move or go toward 朝…行进
whale
vi. engage in the activity of hunting whales 捕鲸
Norwegian
挪威人
whaler
n. 捕鲸人
zigzag
vi. move forward by going at an angle first to the right and then to the left 曲折行进
iceberg
n. 冰山，浮在海洋上的巨大冰块
almond
n. 杏仁
bar
n. 条；块
boredom
n. the state of being bored 厌倦
drift
vi. be carried along or driven by wind, waves or currents 飘；飘流
entertain
vt. keep interested or amused 给…娱乐；使快乐
doghouse
n. 狗窝
* porch
n. 门廊
* dome
n. 圆屋顶；穹顶
meanwhile
ad. in the intervening period of time; at the same time 在间隔时间里；（与此）同时
brave
vt. face or risk facing (danger, pain, or trouble) without showing fear 勇敢地面对
indoors
ad. inside a building 在室内
shot
n. a photograph 照相，快照；拍摄
crush
vt. press so as to break or destroy 压碎，压坏
sickening
a. very unpleasant, disgusting 令人厌恶的
* sensation
n. a general feeling caused by a particular experience 感觉，知觉
grab
vt. take or pick up suddenly and roughly 抓取，攫取
precious
a. of great value or worth 贵重的；珍贵的
heroic
a. brave and courageous 英雄的；英勇的
rescue
n. a successful attempt to save sb. or sth. from a difficult or dangerous situation 营救，救援
vt. save; set free 营救，救出
lifeboat
n. 救生艇
drag
vt. pull along with effort or difficulty （用力地或慢慢地）拖，拉
frigid
a. very cold, icy 寒冷的
shiver
v. shake slightly, esp. because of cold or fear 颤抖，哆嗦
crawl
vi. move slowly on hands and knees 爬，爬行
slush
n. partly melted snow 半融化的雪；雪泥
avoid
vt. keep away or to prevent from happening 避免；防尘
killer whale
n. 逆戟鲸
* penguin
n. 企鹅
seal
n. 海豹
blubber
n. 鲸脂，海兽脂
eventually
a. in the end; at last, finally 终于，最终
desert
vt. abandon, leave; go away from (a place) without intending ever to return 抛弃；遗弃；离弃（某地方）
deserted
a. with no one present; abandoned 无人的；被离弃的；被遗弃的
severe
a. serious; extreme 严重的；剧烈的
thirst
n. a feeling of needing to drink water 渴
jagged
a. having a rough and sharp edge 参差不齐的；嶙峋的
peak
n. the pointed top of a mountain 山峰
spot
vt. catch sight of; recognize; discover 看出；认出；发现
offshore
a. & ad. a small distance away from the coast （在）离岸一定距离的（地方）
* hug
vt. hold (sb.) tightly in the arms 拥抱
amazement
n. great surprise, astonishment 惊奇，惊诧
* expedition
n. a long journey for a certain purpose 远征
leader
n. a person who guides or directs a group, team, organization, etc. 领导者
Phrases and Expressions
be ready for
be prepared for （对…）有准备
at the bottom of
at the lowest part of 在…底部
prepare sb. for sth.
put sb. into a suitable state for a purpose, event, or experience 使…为…做好准备
instead of
in place of 代替…，而不是…
make history
do sth. important that will be recorded in history 彪炳史册
be eager for
showing a strong desire for (sth.) 急于（做某事）
on the way to
going towards 去…途中
pick up
come to have; gain, buy, learn, etc. 获得；得到；买到；学会
head for
move towards 朝…前进
be forced to
be made to (do sth.) 被迫（做）
less than
fewer than 少于
be used to
习惯于
at times
sometimes 有时
run out of
use up a supply of 把…用完
have to
must 不得不
set out
begin a journey or course 出发；开始
to sb.'s amazement
to sb's surprise 让某人惊讶的是
Proper names
Antarctica
南极洲（地名）
Ernest Shackleton
欧内斯特·沙克尔顿（1874—1922，美国探险家）
Frank Hurley
弗兰克·赫尔利（人名）
South Georgia
南乔治亚岛（在南极洲附近，是捕鲸业基地）
Weddell sea
威德尔海（南极洲的边缘海）
Armstrong
阿姆斯特朗（人名）
Elephant Island
象岛（在南极洲附近） |