88_Trapped_in_a_Mine

88 Trapped in a Mine¶

Six men have been trapped in a mine for seventeen hours. If they are not brought to the surface soon they may lose their lives. However, rescue operations are proving difficult. If explosives are used, vibrations will cause the roof of the mine to collapse. Rescue workers are therefore drilling a hole on the north side of the mine. They intend to bring the men up in a special capsule. If there had not been a hard layer of rock beneath the soil, they would have completed the job in a few hours. As it is, they have been drilling for 16 hours and they still have a long way to go. Meanwhile, a microphone, which was lowered into the mine two hours ago, has enabled the men to keep in touch with their closest relatives. Though they are running out of food and drink, the men are cheerful and confident that they will get out soon. They have been told that rescue operations are progressing smoothly. If they knew how difficult it was to drill through the hard rock, they would lose heart.

Words¶

trapped /træpt/ 困住
mine /maɪn/ 矿井
surface /ˈsɝfəs/ 表面
explosives /ɪkˈsplosɪvz/ 炸药
vibrations /vaɪˈbreʃənz/ 震动
collapse /kəˈlæps/ 倒塌
drilling /ˈdrɪlɪŋ/ 钻孔
capsule /ˈkæpsəl/ 容器
beneath /bɪˈniθ/ 在下方
smoothly /ˈsmuðli/ 顺利地

Expressions¶

on the surface 在表面
in a special capsule 在特制的舱里
layers of 一层层……
a layer of 一层……
make progress 取得进步
go/run smoothly 进展顺利
lose one’s life... 丧生
As it is... 实际上；照现状
enable sb. to do sth. 使某人能够做某事
keep in touch with ... 与……保持联系
run out of ... 用完……
lose heart… 灰心
cause sb./sth. to do sth. 使某人/某物做某事