英语听力精选进阶版 6079

After 13 years and 46,000 miles (75,000km) a British adventurer has completed a round-the-world journey using human power alone.

Jason Lewis, 40, crossed five continents, two oceans and a sea to become the first person to circumnavigate the globe under his own steam.

He finally returned to the UK on Saturday, crossing the Greenwich Meridian¹ Line, in his custom-designed, 26ft (8m), pedal-powered boat, 'Moksha'. It was the same point where his journey began on 12 July 1994 when he was just 26 years old.

Jason used a variety of modes of transport during his epic² journey, including cycling, swimming, kayaking, and in-line skating. His route took him west from Britain to the USA and then on to Australia, Asia, and Africa before returning to Europe from the east.

The journey was not without dangers: in Colorado Jason was run over by a drunk driver while in-line skating at the side of the road. He spent six weeks in hospital and nearly had a limb³ amputated.

As well as surviving the car accident, Jason was robbed and beaten several times on his journey, chased by a giant crocodile in Australia, and arrested by the Egyptian military as a suspected spy. But on the way he has raised money for children’s charities around the world as well as developing an education programme for schoolchildren based on his travels.

What now for the world traveller?

Jason is happy to be back and may hang up his boots for a while.

"I’ve seen enough deserts. I’ve missed green rolling hills and cosy⁴ pubs, sitting by the fire drinking a pint⁵ of warm beer," said Jason.

"I do miss British humour. It’s nice to be with people who take the mickey out of each other."

GLOSSARY 词汇表

human power 人力

circumnavigate 环绕航行

under his own steam 全凭自身的力量

Greenwich Meridian Line 格林尼治子午线

custom-designed 特别订制的

pedal-powered boat 脚踏船

epic journey 史无前例的旅程

kayaking 划皮艇

in-line skating 轮滑 

run over 撞倒

drunk driver 酒醉的司机

limb amputated 截肢

arrested 逮捕

suspected spy 可疑的间谍

children’s charities 儿童慈善组织

hang up his boots （字面意思是把靴子挂起来）退休

green rolling hills 绿绿起伏的山峦

cosy pubs 舒适的酒吧

warm beer 常温的啤酒

take the mickey 取笑

1 meridian   

adj.子午线的；全盛期的

参考例句：

• All places on the same meridian have the same longitude.在同一子午线上的地方都有相同的经度。
• He is now at the meridian of his intellectual power.他现在正值智力全盛期。

2 epic   

n.史诗，叙事诗；adj.史诗般的，壮丽的

参考例句：

• I gave up my epic and wrote this little tale instead.我放弃了写叙事诗，而写了这个小故事。
• They held a banquet of epic proportions.他们举行了盛大的宴会。

3 limb   

n.树枝，四肢，枝干，边缘；vt.切断手足，切断树干

参考例句：

• She sat on a limb of the tree and looked down.她坐在一根大树枝上往下看。
• His refusal to agree left him out on a limb.他拒不表示同意，致使自己处于孤立地位。

4 cosy   

adj.温暖而舒适的，安逸的

参考例句：

• We spent a cosy evening chatting by the fire.我们在炉火旁聊天度过了一个舒适的晚上。
• It was so warm and cosy in bed that Simon didn't want to get out.床上温暖而又舒适，西蒙简直不想下床了。

5 pint   

n.品脱

参考例句：

• I'll have a pint of beer and a packet of crisps, please.我要一品脱啤酒和一袋炸马铃薯片。
• In the old days you could get a pint of beer for a shilling.从前，花一先令就可以买到一品脱啤酒。