高级英语第一册 第三课词汇、课后练习及答案

第三课Ships in the Desert
目录
一、词汇(V ocabulary)--------------------------------------------------------------------------1
二、课文解释------------------------------------------------------------------------------------5
三、课后练习及答案--------------------------------------------------------------------------19
四、补充练习及答案--------------------------------------------------------------------------19
一、词汇(Vocabulary)
lap ( v．) : (of waves，etc．)move or strike gently with a light，splashing sound such as a dog makes in lapping(波浪)拍打；泼溅
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
divert ( v．) : turn(a person or thing)aside(from a course，direction，etc．)；deflect转移；使(人或物)转向；岔开，使偏斜
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Antarctic ( adj. ) : of or near the South Pole or the region around it南极的；近南极的；南极区的；南极地带的；南极周围的
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trans—Antarctic (adj.) : crossing or spanning the Antarctic横贯南极的；横贯南极地带的
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
parka ( n.) : a hip—length pullover fur garment with a hood，worn 1n arctic regions风雪大衣，派克大衣
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
glacier ( n.) : a slowly moving river or mass of ice and snow that forms in areas where the rate of snowfall constantly exceeds the rate at which the snow melts冰河；冰川
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
accessible ( adj.) : that can be approached or entered；easy to approach or enter能够接近的；能够进去的；易接近的；易进去的
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
trap ( v．) : catch in or as in a trap；entrap诱捕；计捉
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
inexorable ( adj.) :that cannot be altered，checked，etc．不可变的；不可抗拒的；无情的
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
graph ( n.) : a diagram consisting of nodes and links and representing logical relationships or sequences of events(曲线)图，标绘图；图表；图形
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
slab ( n.) : a piece that is flat，broad，and fairly thick平板；厚片
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
frigid ( adj.) : extremely cold；without heat or warmth极冷的，寒冷的，严寒的
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
snowmobile ( n.) : any of various motor vehicles for traveling over snow，usually with steerable runners at the front and tractor treads at the rear(机动)雪车；(履带式)雪上汽车
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
rendezvous ( n.) : [Fr．] a place designated for meeting or assembling [法语]指定集合地；会合点----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
hover ( v．) : stay suspended or flutter in the air near oneplace盘旋
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
eerie，eery ( adj. ) : mysterious，uncanny，or weird，esp. in such a way as to frighten or make uneasy神秘的，离奇的，怪异的；阴森的，恐怖的，可怕的／eerily adv．
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
hummock ( n.) : ridge or rise in an ice field冰群；(冰原上的)冰丘
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
collide ( v．) : come into violent contact；strike violently against each other；crash碰撞；猛撞；互撞
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
scenario ( n.) : a sequence 0f events esp. when imagined；an account or synopsis of a projected course of action or events(设想中的)未来事态；方案
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
controversial ( adj. ) : of，subject to，or stirring up controversy；disbatable争论的；引起争论的；
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
tundra ( n.) : any of the vast，nearly level，treeless plains of the arctic regions冻原；苔原；冻土带
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
equator ( n.) : an imaginary circle around the earth，equally distant at all points from both the North Pole and the South Pole，dividing the earth's surface into the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere赤道
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
billow ( v．) : surge，swell，or rise like or in a billow(巨浪)奔腾；(波涛)汹
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
pasture ( n.) : ground suitable for grazing牧场
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
slash (v．) : cut or wound with a sweeping stroke or strokes，as of a knife(用刀等)猛砍，乱砍
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
blot (v．) : make blots on；spot；stain；blur(esp. used in blot out：darken or hide entirely；obscure)涂污；玷污；把……弄模糊；遮暗(尤用于bolt out：把……弄模糊；遮暗，遮蔽；掩蔽)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
noctilucent (adj.) : designating or of a luminous cloud of unknown composition。

visible at night in the polar regions at an altitude of c．50 miles夜光云的；夜间发光的
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
shimmer ( v．) : shine with an unsteady light；glimmer闪烁；发出微光
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
translucent ( adj.) : 1etting light pass but diffusing it so that objects on the other side cannot be clearly distinguished；partially transparent，as frosted glass半透明的
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
buildup ( n.) : a gradual increase in amount，power，influence，etc．；expansion(在数目、力量、
影响等方面)逐渐增加，扩大，扩充；集结
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
methane ( n.) : a colorless，odorless，inflammable gaseous hydrocarbon，CH4，present in natural gas and formed by the decomposition of vegetable matter，as in marshes and mines. or produced artificially by heating carbon monoxide and hydrogen over a nickle catalyst甲烷；沼气
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
landfill ( n.) : the disposal of garbage or rubbish by burying it under a shallow layer of ground埋入地下的垃圾
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
paddy ( n.) :rice in the husk，growing or gathered稻，谷
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
termite ( n.) : a kind of insect found chiefly in tropical areas，very destructive to wood，textiles，etc．，which makes large hills of hard earth白蚁
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
biomass ( n.) : the total mass or amount of living organisms in a particular area or volume生物量----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
extinction ( n.) : the fact or state of being or becoming extinct；dying out，as of a race，species of animal，etc．(动物的)灭绝，绝种
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
rip (v．) : cut or tear apart roughly or vigorously撕，扯
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
spectral ( adj.) : of or like a specter；phantom；ghostly鬼怪(似)的；幽灵(般)的
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
skirmish ( n.) : a brief fight or encounter between small groups，usually an incident of a battle小规模战斗；前哨战
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
aquifer ( n.) : an underground layer of porous rock，sand，etc．containing water，into which wells can be sunk含水层(能对水井提供重要经济价值的水量的地下岩层)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
chlorine ( n.) : a greenish—yellow，poisonous，gaseous chemical element with a disagreeable odor．used as a bleaching agent，in water purification，in various industrial processes，etc．(symbol C1)氯(符号C1)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
chlorofluorocarbon ( n.) : any of a series of gaseous or low—boiling，inert，nonflammable derivatives of methane or ethane，used as refrigerants and solvents，and as propellants in aerosol products[化]氟利昂
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
disrupt ( v．) : disturb or interrupt the orderly course of扰乱；破坏
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ultraviolet ( adj. ) :1ying just beyond the violet end of the visible spectrum and having wavelengths shorter than approximately 4 000 angstroms紫外(线)的
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
molecule ( n.) : the smallest particle of an element or compound that can exist in the free state and still retain the characteristics of the element or compound[化]分子
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
equilibrium ( n.) : a state of balance or equality between opposing forces平衡(状态)；平均；相称----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
exponential ( adj.)[Math．] : of or relating to an exponent：involving a variable or unknown quantity as an exponent[数]指数的；幂的
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
axiom ( n.) : a statement universally accepted as true；maxim格言，箴言
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
cumulative (adj. ) : increasing in effect，size, quantity，etc．by successive additions；accumulated 累积的，堆积的；累加的；(作用、大小、数量等)渐增的
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
sustenance ( n.) : one’s means of livelihood；maintenance；support生计；支撑；支持，维持
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ozone ( n.) : n unstable，pale—blue gas，O3，with a penetraring odor(an allotropic form of oxygen，formed usually by a silent electrical discharge in air，and used as an oxidizing，deodorizing．and bleaching agent and in the purification of water)[化]臭氧
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
depletion ( n.) : the gradual using up or destruction or capital assets，esp. of natural resources资产(尤指自然资源)的折耗，耗减
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
deforestation ( n.) : the act or action of clearing (1and)of forests of trees毁林，滥伐森林
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
precedent ( n.) : existing practice resulting from earlier precedents先例；前例
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
sober ( v．) : make or become self—controlled，calm，serious in thought，etc．(使)变清醒(或冷静、严肃、庄严等)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
weaponry ( n.) : the design and production o{weapons武器设计和生产
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
deploy ( v．) : spread out or place in accordance with a plan展开；部署
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
leapfrog ( v．) : jump or skip over跃过；越过
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
obsolete ( adj.) : no longer in use or practice；discarded；no longer in fashion；out—of-date已废弃的；已不用的；过时的；老式的
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
simplistic (adj.) : making complex problems unrealistically simple；oversimplifying or oversimplified过分简单化的
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
短语(Expressions)
at stake: to be won or lost；being risked 在胜败关头，冒风险
例：This decision put out lives at stake．这一决定，我们的生命就凶吉难保了。

二、课文解释Detailed Study
1. Ships in the Desert [image-7]: Ships anchored in the desert. This is an eye-catching title and it gives an image that people hardly see. When readers read the title, they ca n’t help wondering why and how.
Paragraph 1. typical example of environmental destruction [image-7]
2. capable of processing a fifty-ton catch on a good day: having the ability of cleaning and preparing for marketing or canning fifty-tons of fish on a productive day.
catch: the amount of something caught; in the sentence it refers to the amount of fish caught e.g. The boat brought back a big catch of fish.
3. but as I looked out over the bow, the prospects of a good catch looked bleak: a good catch did not look promising / hopeful.
This is obviously an understatement because with sand all around there was no chance of catching fish, to say nothing of catching a lot of fish.
bow[audio-1] : the front part of a ship
ant. stern
compare: bow[audio-2]: v. & n. to bend the upper part of the body forward, as a way of showing respect, admitting defeat, etc.
bow [audio-3]: n. a weapon for shooting arrow
a long thin piece of wood with a tight string fastened along it, used for playing musical instruments that have strings
a knot formed by doubling a string or cord into two curved pieces, and used for decoration in the hair, in tying shoes, etc
bleak: a) If a situation is bleak, it is bad, and seems unlikely to improve.
e.g. His future looked bleak.
bleak prospect; the bleakness of the post war years
b) If a place is bleak, it looks cold, bare, and unattractive
e.g. the bleak coastline
c) When the weather is bleak, it is cold, dull, and unpleasant
e.g. the bleak winters
d) If someone looks or sounds bleak, they seem depressed, hopeless, or unfriendly
e.g. his bleak features
bleakly adv.
e.g. He stared bleakly ahead.
“What,” he asked bleakly, “are these?”
4. waves lapping against the side of the ship: waves touching the side of the ship gently and makes
a soft sound lap can also be used as a noun.
e.g. Your lap is the flat area formed by your thighs when you are sitting down.
Her youngest child was asleep in her lap.
He placed the baby on the woman’s lap.
In a race, when you say that a competitor has completed a lap when he or she has gone round the course race.
5. as far as I could see in all direction: that extended as far as the eye could see;
6. that stretched all the way to the horizon: that extended to the far off place where the sky meet
the earth
7. comparable: something that is comparable to something else is a) as good as/ as big as/ as important as the other thing; b) similar to the other thing
e.g. This dinner is comparable to the best French cooking.
Our house is not comparable with yours. Ours is just a small hut while yours is a palace.
8. Now it is disappearing because the water that used to feed it has been diverted in an ill-considered irrigation scheme to grow cotton in the dessert: Now it is becoming smaller and smaller because the water that used to flow into the sea has been turned away to irrigate the land created in the desert to grow cotton. The scheme was an ill-conceived one because it failed to take into consideration the ecological effect.
9. dock: v. anchor, moor
Paragraph 2. thesis statement: travel around the world to check and study cases in order to find out the basic causes behind the environmental crisis [image-8]
10. My search for the underlying causes of the environmental crisis has led me to travel around the world to examine and study many of these images of destruction: I travelled around the world because I wanted to see, check and study cases of such destruction in order to find out the basic causes behind the environmental crisis.
This sentence is the thesis statement, expressing the main idea and indicating the development of a causal essay.
images of destruction: typical examples of destruction
11. the sun glaring at midnight through a hole in the sky: the sun shining at midnight through the ozone depletion
[image-9]
midnight sun: phenomenon occurring only in the polar regions
a hole: ozone depletion 臭氧层空洞
12. about the tunnel he was digging through time: about the tunnel he was drilling for samples from the glacier, which estimates the time. The deeper he drilled, the farther the sample in time; in other words, the surface of the glacier [image-10] is an indication of recent time while the deeper part of the glacier tells of situation of a much more remote period.
13. Slipping his parka back to reveal a badly burned face that was cracked and peeling [image-11]: Pushing his parka back, he revealed a badly burned face because of overexposure to direct sunlight; on the face there were lines that were split open and pieces of skin were coming down. parka: [image-12] n. waterproof jacket with a hood attached (as worn for skiing, mountain climbing, etc.)
14. He moved his finger back in time to the ice of two decades ago: Following the layers of ice in the core sample, his finger came to the place where the layer of ice was formed 20 years ago.
15. two continents: South America and Antarctica
16. emission: the amount of pollutants discharged
17. least accessible place on earth: the place which is the most difficult to get to in the world Paragraph 3. the global warming seen in the Antarctic [image-13]
18. Industry meant coal: the development of industry meant the use of large amount of coal as fuel to generate power.
19. bringing rising levels of carbon dioxide: making the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere grow
20. with its ability to trap more heat in the atmosphere and slowly warm the earth: heat cannot easily get through carbon dioxide and go into the high altitude so carbon dioxide plays the role of
a cover, keeping the heat near the earth.
21. the part after the dash (--) serves as an adverbial of result
22. upwind from the ice runaway where the ski plane lands and keeps its engines running to prevent the metal parts from freeze-locking together, scientists monitor the air several times every day to chart the course of that inexorable change: upwind from the ice runaway where the ski plane lands and keeps its engines running so that the metal parts will not be frozen solid, scientists watch the air several times every day to mark the course of that unalternable change.
upwind: in the direction from which the wind is blowing or usually blows
ice runway : runway is a strip of paved ground for use by airplanes in taking off and landing, and here in the South Pole the runway is a strip of ice ground
to prevent the metal parts from freeze-locking together: to stop the metal parts from being frozen solid
monitor the air: watch or check on the air
to chart the course: to show the onward movement on an outline map
inexorable: that cannot be changed; unalternable
e.g. the inexorable rise in the cost of living
23. graph: usually a mathematical diagram
Paragraph 4. a thinning cap as the result of Arctic air warms [image-14]
24. pitch: pitch a tent means put up a tent
e.g. They pitched their tent near the stream.
They pitched their tent at the edge of the field.
25. slab: A slab of something is a thick flat piece of it.
e.g. a slab of rock; a concrete slab; a slab of cheese
26. frigid: cold; icy; freezing
e.g. frigid weather
27. a hearty breakfast: a satisfying and rich breakfast
to describe meals: sumptuous dinner; humble bread and cheese; square meal
28. snowmobile [image-15]: a kind of motor vehicle for traveling over snow, usually with steer able runners at the front and tractor treads at the rear
29. rendezvous point: the place where a submarine was to pick them up
rendezvous: a) A rendezvous is a meeting often a secret one, that you have arranged with someone for a particular time and place.
e.g. We make a dawn rendezvous.
b) A rendezvous is a place where you have arranged to meet somebody often secretly.
e.g. I met him at a secret rendezvous outside the city.
30. hover: to wait close by, especially in an overprotective, insistent or anxious way
When a bird or insect hovers, it stays in the same position in the air by moving its wings very quickly.
If somebody is hovering, they are waiting in one place, for example, because they cannot decide what to do.
e.g. A figure hovered uncertainly in the doorway.
31. After it crashed through the ice, took on its new passengers, and resubmerged: After it broke
through the ice, picked up it new passengers, and went below the surface of water again emerge: appear
submerge: go below the surface of water
32. the polar ice cap [image-14]: 极地冰冠
33. to secure the release of previously top secret data: to ensure the making public of data which was originally classified as top secret .
34. from submarine sonar tracks: obtained from submarine sonar tracks
sonar: [U] (an acronym for sound navigation ranging) an apparatus using sound waves for finding the position of underwater objects, such as mines or submarines声纳（利用声波探测如水雷或潜艇等的水底目标的仪器）
Baiqi dolphins [image-16]:have sonar. Bats have sonar.
35. and then I was standing in an eerily beautiful snowscape, windswept and sparkling white, with the horizon defined by little hummocks, or “pressure ridges” of ice that are pushed up like tiny mountain ranges when separate sheets collide: and then I was standing in the vast scene of snow which was fearfully beautiful, windswept and shining white, with the stretch of ice field characterized by small ridges because of the force of the collision of the separate layers.
eerily: mysteriously or uncannily, especially in such a way as to frighten or disturb snowscape: scene of snow. Compare with landscape and seascape.
windswept: swept by or exposed to winds
with the horizon defined by little hummocks: with stretch of ice field characterized by small ridges
36. the ice here will thin: the ice here will become thin
37. the consequences of a thinning cap could be disastrous: the result of a thinning cap may indicate the possibilities of disasters
could: the word indicates “possibilities”
Paragraph 5. the rising temperature of the earth[image-17]
38. Considering such scenarios is not a purely speculative exercise: Thinking about how a series of events might happen as a consequence of the thinning of the Polar cap is not just a kind of practice in conjecture / speculation, it has got practical value.
scenario: a) an outline for an proposed or planned series of events, real or imagined 方案
b) the scenario of a film is a piece of writing that gives an outline of the story 脚本speculative: meditating; thinking; pondering; guessing
39. the pattern of ice distribution: the regular way ice is distributed
40. a still controversial claim: a statement which some scientists still do not completely accept
41. which a variety of data now suggest: data coming from different sources point to this conclusion
42. the Arctic Circle [image-18]: an imaginary line drawn round the world at a certain distance from the most northern point (the North Pole), north of which there is no darkness for six months of each year and almost no light for the other six months. cf. the Antarctic Circle
43. tundra [image-19]: any of the vast, nearly level, treeless plains of the Arctic regions Paragraph 6. the disturbing images of environmental destruction at the equator[image-20]
44. billowing: large swelling mass of
billow v. When smoke or cloud billows, it moves slowly upwards or across the sky
45. Amazon rain forest[image-21]: The Brazilian Amazon contains about a third of the Earth's remaining tropical forest and a very high portion of its biological diversity. One hectare (2.47
acres) of Amazonian moist forest contains more plant species than all of Europe. Yet still it is being destroyed just like other rainforests around the world.
46. Acre by acre, the rain forest is being burned to create fast pasture for fast-food beef: Bit by bit trees in the rain forest are felled and the land is cleared and turned into pasture where cattle can be raised quickly and slaughtered and the beef can be used in hamburgers.
Pay attention to the connection of the two “fasts” in fast pasture and fast food. With that comes the “fast” disappearance of the rain forest.
fast pasture for fast-food beef: alliteration
47. the dry season: ant. in the wet season—the rainy season
similarly: the football season, the breeding season, the planting season, the holiday season, the harvest season, the cold season, the tourist season, the game season, a season of film
in season: If a fruit or vegetable is in season, it is the time of year when it is time for eating and it’s widely available.
Ant. be out of season
season v. e.g. season the food with salt
48. with more than one Tennessee’s worth of rain forest being slashed and bur ned each year: the area of rain forest burned in one year is bigger than the state of Tennessee.
worth: equal in area or size
slash: cut with a sweeping stroke
If you slash something, you make a long, deep cut in it.
e.g. Jack’s face had been slashed with broken glass.
49. which means we are silencing thousands of songs we have never even heard: Since miles of forest are being destroyed and the habitat for these rare birds no longer exists, thousands of birds which we have not even had a chance to see will become extinct.
Paragraph 7. images of destruction seen almost anywhere [image-22 ]
50. Images that signal the distress of our global environment are now commonly seen almost anywhere: Typical examples showing the dangerous environmental situation in the world can be found almost anywhere.
51. On some nights, in high northern latitudes, the sky itself offers another ghostly image that signals the loss of ecological balance now in progress: On some nights, in the area at a high northern latitude, the sky alone presents another example of ill omen showing there is ecological imbalance and this kind of imbalance is developing.
latitude (s): an area at a particular latitude
in high northern latitude 在北纬高纬度地区
cf. longitude经度
52. blot out: hide entirely; obscure
If one thing blots out another thing, it is in front of the other thing and prevents it from being seen.
e.g. The dust cloud blotted out the sun.
53. This “noctilucent cloud”[image-22] occasionally appears when the earth is first cloaked in the evening darkness; shimmering above us with a translucent whiteness, these clouds seem quite unnatural: This “luminous cloud” occasionally appears when the earth is first hidden in the evening darkness; shining unsteadily above us with a partially transparent whiteness, these clouds don’t seem natural.
noctilucent cloud: nocti- means night; lucent means shining, translucent
designating or of a luminous cloud visible at night
to cloak: to conceal; hide
shimmer: shine with an unsteady light
translucent: partially transparent
54. because of a huge buildup of methane gas in the atmosphere: because there has been a big increase of methane gas in the atmosphere
55. methane is released from landfills, from coal mines and rice paddies, from billons of termites that swarm through the freshly cut forestland, from the burning of biomass and from a variety of other human activities: methane is emitted from garbage disposal, from coal mines and rice fields, from billions of termites （白蚁）[image-23]moving in large numbers through the freshly cut forestland, from the burning of amount of living organism in a particular area and from a variety of other human activities.
release: let go; emit
swarm: to move in large numbers
e.g. As the fire spread, people came swarming out of the building.
The photographers swarmed round her.
56. Even though noctilucent clouds were sometimes seen in the past, all this extra methane carries more water vapor into the upper atmosphere, where it condenses at much higher altitudes to form more clouds that the sun’s rays still strike long after sunset has brought the beginning of night to the surface far beneath them: The implication is that the night comes earlier than the upper part. The balance between day and night is broken. altitudes: a high area e.g. At high altitudes it is difficult to breathe.
Paragraph 8. human attitudes towards the images of destruction [imgage-24 ]
57. What should we feel toward these ghosts in the sky: What should our attitude be toward these noctilucent clouds in the sky?
58. Simple wonder or the mix of emotions we feel at the zoo: Should it only be a feeling of surprise and admiration or a combination of different feelings we experience in the zoo?
the mix of emotions we feel at the zoo: on the one hand we feel excited about seeing those animals, but on the other hand, we feel sorry for them because they have been deprived of freedom.
59. Perhaps we should feel awe for our own power: Perhaps we should feel amazed and frightened at our own power.
60. just as men tear tusks from elephants’ heads in such quantity as to threaten the beast with extinction: men are killing such large number of elephants for their tusks that the species will soon extinguish.
61. we are ripping matter from its place in the earth in such volume as to upset the balance between daylight and darkens: we are using and destroying resources in such a big amount that we are disturbing the balance between daylight and darkness.
rip: tear; When you rip something or when it rips, it is torn violently.
e.g. The poster had been ripped to pieces.
Two of the canvas bags had been ripped
in such volume: in such quantity
upset: When the word is used as a verb or a predicative, the second syllable is stressed; When it is used as an adjective in an attributive position, the first syllable is stressed.
e.g.: You are up`set. I’ve got an `upset stomach.。