英语听力精选进阶版 14295

BBC Learning English

Video Words in the News 

18 September 2013

A lucky escape

Transcript¹:

Clinging on for dear life. 

Ninety-two-year-old Colombian Roberto Blanco was taking a nap by a flooded river when he was washed into the torrent².

He grabbed a cable hanging under a bridge and held tight as passers by and police carried out a precarious³ rescue operation.

Back on dry land, Roberto took time to speak to reporters, looking none the worse for his ordeal⁴.

Vocabulary:

for dear life

using all your strength or effort to avoid danger or serious trouble

taking a nap

having a short sleep

passers by

people going by a particular place

precarious

dangerous – because not firmly fixed⁵ or likely to fall

none the worse

not damaged or harmed (by something)

Exercise:

Use one of the words or phrases below to complete each of these sentences from news reports. 

Note that you may have to change the form of a word to complete the sentence correctly.

for dear life / taking a nap / passers by / precarious / none the worse

1.  Firefighters said once the pony⁶ was out of the pool it was quickly dried off and led back to his paddock, cold and wet but _________ for his escapade.

2.  "I wasn't keen on getting on the back of a motorbike, whizzing down the road, hanging on _________. No, there's nothing like a scooter."

3.  On the subsequent flight, his co-pilot asked if he could _________, which the pilot approved. But then the pilot fell asleep too - for about 10 minutes.

4.  "They had to be winched off the rocks by the helicopter. It was a _________ and dangerous rescue."

5.  A group of residents from the Isle⁷ of Wight have begun a campaign for a permanent memorial to a well known cat.

Smudge spent much of his life at the bus stop outside his home in Shanklin and became a favourite with commuters, schoolchildren and _________.

Answers:

1.  Firefighters said once the pony was out of the pool it was quickly dried off and led back to his paddock, cold and wet but none the worse for his escapade.

Source: Jersey⁸ firefighters rescure pony from swimming pool

2.  "I wasn't keen on getting on the back of a motorbike, whizzing down the road, hanging on for dear life. No, there's nothing like a scooter."

Source: Maureen Lear: Essex grandmother fuels scooter passion

3.  On the subsequent flight, his co-pilot asked if he could take a nap, which the pilot approved. But then the pilot fell asleep too - for about 10 minutes.

Source: One in five pilots 'suffers cockpit fatigue⁹'

4.  "They had to be winched off the rocks by the helicopter. It was a precarious and dangerous rescue."

Source: Seven rescued as boat hits rocks 

5.  A group of residents from the Isle of Wight have begun a campaign for a permanent memorial to a well known cat. 

Smudge spent much of his life at the bus stop outside his home in Shanklin and became a favourite with commuters, schoolchildren and passers by.

Source: Memorial plan for Shanklin 'bus stop cat'     

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 torrent   

n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发

参考例句：

• The torrent scoured a channel down the hillside. 急流沿着山坡冲出了一条沟。
• Her pent-up anger was released in a torrent of words.她压抑的愤怒以滔滔不绝的话爆发了出来。

3 precarious   

adj.不安定的，靠不住的；根据不足的

参考例句：

• Our financial situation had become precarious.我们的财务状况已变得不稳定了。
• He earned a precarious living as an artist.作为一个艺术家，他过得是朝不保夕的生活。

4 ordeal   

n.苦难经历，（尤指对品格、耐力的）严峻考验

参考例句：

• She managed to keep her sanity throughout the ordeal.在那场磨难中她始终保持神志正常。
• Being lost in the wilderness for a week was an ordeal for me.在荒野里迷路一星期对我来说真是一场磨难。

5 fixed   

adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的

参考例句：

• Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
• Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

6 pony   

adj.小型的；n.小马

参考例句：

• His father gave him a pony as a Christmas present.他父亲给了他一匹小马驹作为圣诞礼物。
• They made him pony up the money he owed.他们逼他还债。

7 isle   

n.小岛，岛

参考例句：

• He is from the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea.他来自爱尔兰海的马恩岛。
• The boat left for the paradise isle of Bali.小船驶向天堂一般的巴厘岛。

8 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

9 fatigue   

n.疲劳，劳累

参考例句：

• The old lady can't bear the fatigue of a long journey.这位老妇人不能忍受长途旅行的疲劳。
• I have got over my weakness and fatigue.我已从虚弱和疲劳中恢复过来了。