英语听力精选进阶版 7115

Background: 中国银行已经开始面向欧洲市场发放购房贷款。作为全球第三大银行，中国银行提供的贷款要比英国当地资金紧缺的银行更具吸引力，很多业主将会看到中行的利率和信贷紧缩前的利率相差无几。

It's a hat trick. Sarah Outen has reached the south-eastern tip of Mauritius, becoming the first woman to row alone across the Indian Ocean, the fastest person to do so and at the age of 24, the youngest.

In a rowing boat she's covered 3100 miles under scorching¹ sun, sometimes riding 30-foot waves in shark-infested² water. When she set off she admitted she was slightly mad:

"People ask that as the first question sometimes. 'Are you mad?' And my answer is, 'Well you've got to be a bit of a fruit loop to get through this life I think'. So yes I am and I'm proud of it."

It wasn't just a test of endurance and stamina³, it was about raising money for arthritis⁴ charities.

Sarah's dad, who had rheumatoid arthritis, died three years ago. She went on her extraordinary adventure in his memory.

GLOSSARY⁵ 词汇表

hat trick 帽子戏法，创三项记录

row 划船

scorching 灼热的

shark-infested 鲨鱼经常出没地区

mad 疯了

fruit loop 表现失常的

endurance 忍耐力

stamina 毅力/持久力

arthritis charities 关节炎病慈善机构

extraordinary adventure 不寻常的探险之举

Questions and Answers

1. What three world records has Sarah Outen set?

Sarah is the first woman, the fastest person and the youngest person to row across the Indian Ocean.

2. How far did Sarah Outen row?

Sarah rowed over 3100 miles (4988 kilometres).

3. What dangers did Sarah face during her adventure?

Sarah faced shark infested water and 30-foot (nine metres) waves during her adventure.

4. Who did Sarah Outen dedicate her trip to?

Sarah dedicated⁶ her trip to her father.

1 scorching   

adj. 灼热的

参考例句：

• a scorching, pitiless sun 灼热的骄阳
• a scorching critique of the government's economic policy 对政府经济政策的严厉批评

2 infested   

adj.为患的，大批滋生的（常与with搭配）v.害虫、野兽大批出没于( infest的过去式和过去分词 )；遍布于

参考例句：

• The kitchen was infested with ants. 厨房里到处是蚂蚁。
• The apartments were infested with rats and roaches. 公寓里面到处都是老鼠和蟑螂。

3 stamina   

n.体力；精力；耐力

参考例句：

• I lacked the stamina to run the whole length of the race.我没有跑完全程的耐力。
• Giving up smoking had a magical effect on his stamina.戒烟神奇地增强了他的体力。

4 arthritis   

n.关节炎

参考例句：

• Rheumatoid arthritis has also been linked with the virus.风湿性关节炎也与这种病毒有关。
• He spent three months in the hospital with acute rheumatic arthritis.他患急性风湿性关节炎，在医院住了三个月。

5 glossary   

n.注释词表；术语汇编

参考例句：

• The text is supplemented by an adequate glossary.正文附有一个详细的词汇表。
• For convenience,we have also provided a glossary in an appendix.为了方便，我们在附录中也提供了术语表。

6 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。