VOA标准英语2011--Survival Guides Turn Nerds into Action Hero

Survival Guides Turn Nerds into Action Hero

 

A few years ago, David Borgenicht, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was a book agent. Then one day, he read an article that gave him an idea for his own book.

He and a friend - magazine writer Joshua Piven - produced an instant best-seller that developed almost a cult¹ following. It’s about life-and-death situations - and how to survive them.

The article that David Borgenicht was reading told people how they might safely land a small plane if the pilot passes out. It got him thinking about other hair-raising situations in movies and TV shows. Of course it’s one thing for an action hero to leap from a moving motorcycle into a car or fend² off a killer³ shark.

But how would ordinary, out-of-shape readers do it? How would they wrestle⁴ free from an alligator⁵, for example, or survive if their parachutes do not open, or escape from a mountain lion?

Borgenicht and Piven produced a pocket-sized book called The Worst-Case Scenario⁶ Survival Handbook. In its first eight months, it sold more than one million copies and has been reprinted at least a dozen times.

Great white shark bearing down on you? No worries, consult the "The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook."

Killer bees chasing you? Not a problem. Lost in the desert? Turn to Page 129. Need to build a fire but don’t have any matches? No sweat, write Borgenicht and Piven, who are themselves just ordinary physical specimens⁷.

Other advice? If you find yourself on top of a moving train, here’s how to survive: don’t stand up.

And what if a bull is charging you? Not to worry, say the authors: don’t antagonize the bull; do not move; look for an escape route; if one is not available, remove an article of clothing, such as your shirt; throw the clothing away from you and run for your life in another direction.

Common sense, perhaps, but it could come in handy. The authors have since produced a whole series of guides, reality television shows, and calendars about surviving everything from traveling to college to a game of golf.

We should note that, despite the helpful tips, the Worst Case Survival books are sold in the humor section of bookstores.

1 cult   

n.异教，邪教；时尚，狂热的崇拜

参考例句：

• Her books aren't bestsellers,but they have a certain cult following.她的书算不上畅销书，但有一定的崇拜者。
• The cult of sun worship is probably the most primitive one.太阳崇拜仪式或许是最为原始的一种。

2 fend   

v.照料（自己），（自己）谋生，挡开，避开

参考例句：

• I've had to fend for myself since I was 14.我从十四岁时起就不得不照料自己。
• He raised his arm up to fend branches from his eyes.他举手将树枝从他眼前挡开。

3 killer   

n.杀人者，杀人犯，杀手，屠杀者

参考例句：

• Heart attacks have become Britain's No.1 killer disease.心脏病已成为英国的头号致命疾病。
• The bulk of the evidence points to him as her killer.大量证据证明是他杀死她的。

4 wrestle   

vi.摔跤，角力；搏斗；全力对付

参考例句：

• He taught his little brother how to wrestle.他教他小弟弟如何摔跤。
• We have to wrestle with difficulties.我们必须同困难作斗争。

5 alligator   

n.短吻鳄(一种鳄鱼)

参考例句：

• She wandered off to play with her toy alligator.她开始玩鳄鱼玩具。
• Alligator skin is five times more costlier than leather.鳄鱼皮比通常的皮革要贵5倍。

6 scenario   

n.剧本，脚本；概要

参考例句：

• But the birth scenario is not completely accurate.然而分娩脚本并非完全准确的。
• This is a totally different scenario.这是完全不同的剧本。

7 specimens   

n.样品( specimen的名词复数 )；范例；（化验的）抽样；某种类型的人

参考例句：

• Astronauts have brought back specimens of rock from the moon. 宇航员从月球带回了岩石标本。
• The traveler brought back some specimens of the rocks from the mountains. 那位旅行者从山上带回了一些岩石标本。 来自《简明英汉词典》