英语听力精选进阶版 7171（在线收听）

Background: 营救33名智利被困矿工的计划进行非常顺利。近日负责营救的工程师表示被困矿工有希望提早被营救出井。这一预计与12月下旬圣诞节救出矿工的时间表相比，要有所提前。

The engineers are digging two escape tunnels for the men and plan to start on a third one soon. Work on the second of the tunnels is going particularly well. Rene Aguilar, one of the chief engineers at the site, said he expected the drill to reach the area where the miners are sheltering this weekend.

Then, the engineers will haul the drill up to the surface and start digging again, to widen the shaft until it's big enough to serve as an escape route.

Aguilar said the team expected to rescue the men in early November.

The news has been welcomed by relatives of the men, who have been celebrating the birth of one of the miners' daughters. Baby Esperanza was born on Tuesday. Her father, Ariel Ticona, is trapped below ground.

Video images of the birth were sent down a supply chute to the miners' refuge so that he could watch them.

Glossary 词汇表

escape tunnel 逃生隧道 

drill 钻头 

to shelter 躲避 

to haul something up 拉起（某物） 

shaft 竖井 

to serve as 当…使用 

to rescue someone 营救某人 

to be trapped 被困在 

supply chute 补给通道 

refuge 避难处

Questions and Answers

Why will the digging continue after the rescue engineers reach the men? 

The engineers will need to make the shaft wide enough for the men to escape.

When does Rene Aguilar think they will be able to rescue the men? 

Early November.

Have the miners' relatives been celebrating their rescue? 

No, they have been celebrating the birth of the daughter of one of the miners.

True or false: One of the miners saw his baby being born on a video screen. 

True. Video images of the birth were sent down a supply chute to the miners' refuge.