新概念英語第三冊
Lesson 42 Modern cavemen
1 . Perhaps it is the desire for solitude or the chance of making an unexpected discovery that lures people down to the depths of the earth.尋求獨處的願望或尋求意外發現的機會的慾望吸引人們來到地下深處。
2 . This immense chasm has been formed by an underground stream which has tunneled a course through a flaw in the rocks.這個深邃的洞穴是由一條地下暗泉沖刷岩石中的縫隙並使之慢慢變大而形成的。
3 . In the eerie silence of the cavern,洞裡有一種可怕的寂靜，
4 . The cave might never have been discovered has not the entrance been spotted by the distinguished French pot-holer, Berger.若不是法國著名洞穴探險家伯傑由於偶然的機會發現了這個洞口的話，這個洞也許不會為人所知。
5 . Suddenly they came to a waterfall which dropped into an underground lake at the bottom of the cave.突然，他們來到一道瀑布前，那瀑布奔瀉而下，注入洞底一處地下湖裡。
6 . the only sound that could be heard was made by water which dripped continuously from the high dome above them.唯一的可以聽見的聲響是高高的圓頂上不間斷地滴水的嘀嗒聲。
7 . Cave exploration, or pot-holing, as it has come to be known, is a relatively new sport.洞穴勘查——或洞穴勘探——是一項比較新的體育活動。
8 . They plunged into the lake, and after loading their gear on an inflatable rubber dinghy, let the current carry them to the other side.他們跳入湖中，把各種器具裝上一隻充氣的橡皮艇，聽任水流將他們帶往對岸。
9 . It can take as long as eight days to rig up rope ladders and to establish supply bases before a descent can be made into a very deep cave.有時需要花費整整8天時間來搭起繩梯，建立供應基地，然後才能到一個很深的洞穴裡。
10 . Precautions of this sort are necessary, for it is impossible to foretell the exact nature of the difficulties which will confront the pot-holer.作出這樣的準備是必要的，因為無法預見到洞穴探險者究竟會遇到什麼性質的困難。
11 . As it is only six feet across, it is barely noticeable.僅6英尺寬，很難被發現。
12 . It is impossible to give a satisfactory explanation for a pot-holer's motives.要想對洞穴探險者的動機作出滿意的解釋是不可能的。
13 . A team of pot-holers recently went down the Gouffre Berger.最近，一隊洞穴探險者下到了高弗。伯傑洞裡。
14 . After entering the narrow gap on the plateau, they climbed down the steep sides of the cave until they came to narrow corridor.他們從高原上的窄縫進去，順著筆直陡峭的洞壁往下爬。來到一條狹窄的走廊上。
15 . In this part of the cave, they could hear an insistent booming sound which they found was caused by a small waterspout shooting down into a pool from the roof of the cave.在這兒，他們可以聽見一種連續不斷的轟鳴聲。後來他們發現這是由山洞頂部的一個小孔裡噴出的水柱跌落到水潭中發出的聲音。
16 . At the far end of the lake, they came to huge piles of rubble which had been washed up by the water.在湖的盡頭，他們見到一大堆一大堆由湖水沖刷上岸的碎石。
17 . Since its discovery, it has become a sort of potholers' Everest.自從被發現以後，這個洞成了洞穴探險者的珠穆朗瑪峰，
18 . Squeezing through a cleft in the rocks, the pot-holers arrived at an enormous cavern, the size of a huge concert hall.洞穴探險者從岩石縫裡擠身過去，來到一個巨大的洞裡，其大小相當於一個音樂廳。
19 . Such undertakings require the precise planning and foresight of military operations.這種活動需要有軍事行動般的周密佈署和預見能力。
20 . For him, caves have the same peculiar fascination which high mountains have for the climber.對洞穴探險者來說，洞穴有一種特殊的魅力，就像高山對登山者有特殊魅力一樣。
21 . Round about, piles of limestone glistened in all the colours of the rainbow.周圍是一堆堆石灰石，像彩虹一樣閃閃發光。
22 . Exploring really deep caves is not a task for the Sunday afternoon rambler.探測非常深的洞穴不是那些在星期日下午漫步的人所能勝任的。
23 . The deepest known cave in the world is the Gouffre Berger near Grenoble.世界上最深的洞穴是格裡諾布爾附近的高弗。伯傑洞，
24 . Though a number of descents have been made, much of it still remains to be explored.人們多次進入洞內探險，但至今尚有不少東西有待勘探。
25 . They had to edge their way along this, sometimes wading across shallow streams, or swimming across deep pools.他們不得不側著身子往前走，有時過淺溪，有時游過深潭。
26 . To protect themselves from the icy water, they had to wear special rubber suits.湖水冰冷刺骨，他們必須穿上一種特製的橡皮服以保護自己。
27 . The entrance to the cave is on a plateau in the Dauphine Alps.此洞的洞口在丹芬阿爾卑斯山的高原上，
28 . After switching on powerful arc lights, they saw great stalagmites -- some of them over forty feet high -- rising up like tree-trunks to meet the stalactites suspended from the roof.他們打開強力弧光燈，看見一株株巨大的石筍，有的高達40英尺，像樹幹似地向上長著，與洞頂懸掛下來的鐘乳石相接。