+第四十七篇  narrow escape 九死一生

1.  why was it “too late” by the time they left the hut 小屋in the morning?

a) it would be uncomfortable climbing in hot weather.

b) the livid colour of the sky would hurt their eyes.

c) rocks loosened松动 by melting 融化ice could be dangerous.

d) they wouldn't be able to walk on the melting ice.

解析：细节问题的考查

1 we had left the hut too late that morning.  when we stepped outside, the sky beyond the mountains to our east was already livid 铅色的with colour. it meant the day would be a hot one, and the warmth would loosen rocks that were gripped 紧握by ice.

2.the first reason given to explain why mountaineers hate talus 斜面is __________.

a) that climbers above you might cause it to fall on you

b) that it allows people climbing above you to push off

c) that it makes people climbing above you feel insecure

d) that it can cause other people to push you off the mountain

解析：细节问题的考查

2 as soon as we stepped out on to the face, it became obvious明显的 this was going to be an awkward 棘手的route路线.  the main problem was talus, the debris 碎石that collects on mountainsides.  talus is despised 轻蔑by mountaineers for two reasons. first, because it can easily be pushed off on to you by people climbing above. and second, because it makes every step you take insecure不安全.

3.  what is likely to be the meaning of “cailloux”?

a) rocks are flying through the air.

b) rocks are falling.

c) there are loose rocks on the ground ahead.

d) there are rocks everywhere.

解析：解释词义

3 for about 30 minutes we moved steadily up 稳步上升the face.  the rock was in poor condition.  when i tried to haul拖拉 myself up on a block大块物体 of it, it would pull towards me, like a drawer抽屉 opening.  my hands became progressively渐渐地 wetter湿 and colder.冷 then came a shout. “cailloux !  cailloux !”,  i heard yelled叫喊 from above, in a female voice. the words echoed 反射down towards us. i looked up to see where they had come from.

4.  what is sarcastic讽刺挖苦in the words of the boy in paragraph four?

a  he didn't keep his“face in”.

b) not every climber wears a helmet.

c) it is very difficult not to look up during a rockfall.

d) being hit by a rock isn't“pleasant” at all.

解析：细节问题的考查

4 there were just two rocks at first, leaping and bounding down the face towards us，once cannoning  炮轰撞击off each other in mid-air.  and then the air above suddenly seemed alive with falling rocks, humming 嗡嗡声through the air and filling it with noise. crack撞击声, went each one as it leapt off跳跃 the rock face, then hum-humhum as it moved through the air, then crack again.  the pause停顿 between the cracks lengthened each time, as the rocks jumped further and further.  i continued to gaze up凝视 at the rocks as they fell and skipped towards me. a boy who had been a few years above me at school had taught me never to look up during a rockfall.“why? because a rock in your face is far less pleasant than a rock on your helmet头盔”,he told us.“face in, always face in.”

5. in what sense was toby“safe”?

a) the overhanging rock would protect him from falling rocks. 

b) he felt a hand on his shoulder.

c) his rucksack was protected.

d) he had hidden under a canopy.

解析：细节问题的考察

5  i heard toby, my partner 伙伴on the mountain that day, shouting at大喊me.  i looked across, he was safe beneath在—下方 an overhanging突出的 canopy遮篷 of rock. i could not understand him. then i felt a thump重击, and was tugged 拉backwards and round, as though 好像somebody had clamped夹紧 a heavy hand on my shoulder and turned me to face them.  a rock had hit the lid 盖子of my rucksack.背包

6 i looked up again. a rock was heading down straight towards me. instinctively本能地, i leant倾斜 backwards and arched 拱my back out from the rock to try to protect my chest.前胸 what about my fingers, though, i thought: they'll be crushed 压flat if it hits them, and never get down.  then i heard a crack噼啪声 directly in front of me, and a tug拉 at my trousers, and a yell from toby.“are you all right? that went straight through you.” the rock had passed through the hoop of my body, between my legs, missing me but snatching夺得 at my clothing as it went.

7 toby and i spent the evening talking through the events of the morning: what if the big final stone hadn't leapt sideways,  what if i'd been knocked off,  would you have held握住 me,  would i have pulled you off? a more experienced mountaineer would probably have thought nothing of it.  i knew i would not forget it.