新概念英语第二册第43课:Over the South Pole
Lesson 43 Over the South Pole飞越南极
First listen and then answer the question.听录音，然后回答以下问题。
How was the plane able to clear the mountains?
In 1929, three years after his flight over the North Pole, the American explorer, R.E. Byrd, successfully flew over the South Pole for the first time. Though, at first, Byrd and his men were able to take a great many photographs of the mountains that lay below, they soon ran into serious trouble. At one point, it seemed certain that their plane would crash. It could only get over the mountains if it rose to 10,000 feet. Byrd at once ordered his men to throw out two heavy food sacks. The plane was then able to rise and it cleared the mountains by 400 feet. Byrd now knew that he would be able to reach the South Pole which was 300 miles away, for there were no more mountains in sight. The aircraft was able to fly over the endless white plains without difficulty.
参考译文
美国探险家 R.E. 伯德在飞越北极3年之后，于1929年第一次飞越了南极。虽然开始时伯德和他的助手们拍下了飞机下面连绵群山的大量照片，但他们很快就陷入了困境。在有个 地方，飞机似乎肯定要坠毁了。只有在飞至10,000英尺的高度时，它才能飞过这些山头。伯德马上命令他的助手们把两个沉重的食物袋扔掉，于是飞机可以上 升了，它在离山头400英尺的高度飞越了过去。伯德这时知道他能够顺利飞抵300英里以外的南极了，因为前面再没有山了。飞机可以毫无困难地飞过这片茫茫 无际的白色原野！
New words and Expressions生词和短语
pole
n.（地球的）极
flight
n. 飞行
explorer
n. 探险家
lie
v. 处于
serious
adj. 严重的
point
n. 地点
seem
v. 似乎
crash
v. 坠毁
sack
n. 袋子
clear
v. 越过
aircraft
n. 飞机
endless
adj. 无尽的
plain
n. 平原
Lesson 43 自学导读First things first
课文详注 Further notes on the text1．In 1929, three years after his flight over the North Pole, the American explorer, R. E. Byrd, successfully flew over the South Pole for the first time. 美国探险家 R·E·伯德在飞越北极3年之后，于1929年第1次飞越了南极。
（1）这句话包含两个同位语。three years after…为 1929的同位语，作插入性的补充说明；R．E．Byrd 作 the American explorer 的同位语。
（2）for the first time 表示“第一次”，time在这里表示“次”、“回”，还可以说 this time, last time, next time, another time, each time, for the last time等：
I remind you for the last time that if you don't hurry, you'll miss the train.
我最后一次提醒你，如果不快点，你会误了火车的。
Give him these photos next time you see him.
下次你见到他时把这些相片给他。
2．Though, at first, Byrd and his men were able to take a great many photographs of the mountains that lay below, they soon ran into serious trouble. 虽然开始时伯德和他的助手们拍下了飞机下面连绵群山的大量照片，但他们很快就陷入了困境。
（1）连词though引导的是让步状语从句，其含义为“虽然……”、“尽管……”。这个从句中的时间状语at first被单独用逗号隔开了，它如果按正常的词序应放在从句的末尾，但有可能会引起误解。
（2）at first与主句中的 soon形成时间上的照应，表示先后次序。
（3）take a photograph of 表示“拍……的照片”：
He took a photograph of his house before he left home.
他离家前给他家的房子拍了一张照片。
（4）that lay below为 the mountains的定语从句，that为从句的主语。
（5）run into trouble的含义与 get into trouble相似，表示“陷入困境”：
Each time he ran into trouble, he asked his parents for help.
每当他陷入困境时，他都向他父母求助。
3．At one point, it seemed certain that their plane would crash. 在有个地方，飞机似乎肯定要坠毁了。
（1）at one point在此处可以解释为“在有个地方”，但它通常的含义为“在某一时刻”，point指时间上的某一点：
At one point, he made up his mind to become a painter.
他曾一度下决心要当个画家。
（2）it为“先行主语”，真正的主语为that引导的从句。it作先行主语时经常与seem，appear，look等连用：
It now looks certain that the meeting is going to be put off.
现在似乎可以肯定会议将被推迟。
4．rise to，飞机“上升至……”。
5．… it cleared the mountains by 400 feet. ……它在离山头400英尺的高度飞越了过去。
clear在这里表示“（不接触地）越过”：
He cleared 2. 10 metres.
他跳过了2.10米。
by表示“以……之差”：
I missed the train by ten minutes.
我晚了10分钟，没赶上火车。
He is younger than me by two years.
他比我小两岁。
6．…for there were no more mountains in sight. ……因为前面再没有山了。
for表示“因为”。 in sight表示“在看得见的范围内”、“在可看见之处”：
No man was in sight.
一个人也看不见。
7．white plains, 白色原野。
因为南极到处覆盖着雪，因此是白色的。
语法 Grammar in use
can，could与 be able to
在第19课的语法中，我们学习了情态助动词 can／could用于表示请求别人允许或答复时的情况：
Can／Could I borrow your unbrella (please)?
（请问）我可以借用一下你的雨伞吗？（could 比can更客气、委婉）
can有时可以用于表示可能性：
When can you have lunch with me?
你什么时候可以和我一起共进午餐?
I can have lunch with you tomorrow if you like.
如果你愿意，我明天可以与你共进午餐。
在表示天生的或学到的能力时，can／could可用于现在时和过去时：
Billy is only 9 months old and he can already stand up. 比利只有9个月，而他已经能站起来了。
在现在时和一般过去时中，can／could与 be able to通常可以互换，be able to往往用于表示学到的技能：
I tried again and found I could swim／was able to swim. 我再次努力，就发现自己会游泳了。
在谈到说话时正在发生的事时，一般不用 be able to：
Look! I can stand on my head.
看！我能倒立。
在表示成功地完成某一具体动作时，通常不用could，而用be able to；如果表示某一动作没有取得成功，则可用 couldn't：
It's a pity he couldn't visit Mary.
很遗憾他没能去看望玛丽。
Oh, didn't you know? He was able to visit her after all.
噢，你不知道吗？他最终还是能去看她了。
在问及过去某一具体活动时可用 could，但回答是肯定的时候则不能：
Could he borrow a car?
他能借到车了吗？
Yes, he was able to borrow a car after all.
是的，他最终还是能借到车了。
No, he couldn't.
不，他没能借到。
词汇学习 Word study
1．lie vi.
（1）躺，（平）卧：
While I sat by the fire, my dog lay beside me.
当我坐在火炉旁时，我的狗躺在我旁边。
Don't lie on the floor! It's too cold.
别躺在地板上！太冷了。
（2）位于：
The mountains lie below us now.
现在群山在我们的下方。
Our village lies between a river and a road.
我们的村子位于一条河流和一条公路之间。
The town lies to the east of London.
这镇子位于伦敦东面。
2．含有介词at的词组
at与许多词可以构成固定词组，其中表示时间的有：at first（开始时，最初），at once（马上，立刻），at present（目前，现在），at last（最后，终于）， at times（有时）；表示地点的有：at home（在家），at school（在学校）；表示程度的有： at least（至少）， at any rate（不管怎样）。其他词组有 at heart（内心里，实际上），at a loss（困惑不解，不知怎么办）等。
At first they were able to take photographs.
开始时他们还能照相。
Byrd at once ordered his men to throw out food sacks.
伯德马上命令他的助手们把食物袋扔掉。
At last the plane was able to rise.
最后飞机终于可以上升了。
At times I think this house will be knocked down by a passing plane.
有时我觉得这房子将会被一架飞过的飞机撞倒。
At any rate, I'm determined to stay here at present.
不管怎样，目前我决定留在这儿。
At least, I'm not mad yet.
至少我还没疯。
If Billy isn't at school, he must be at home.
如果比利不在学校，他肯定在家。
People have more money now, yet the temptation to steal is greater than ever before Why? I'm at a loss.
人们现在比以前有钱，但偷窃的诱惑力却比以往任何时候都更大。为什么呢？我感到很困惑。
Though he tried to make conversation with the lady, he wasn't interested in her at heart.
虽然他试图与那位妇女聊天，他实际上对她并不感兴趣。