新西兰英语 821 Antarctic summer season opens

 　　The first flight for the summer to Scott Base in Antarctica left Christchurch yesterday. Another flight left today and a third one will leave tomorrow with cargo². Aboard the planes are staff of the New Zealand Defence Force and the US Antarctic¹ programme.

　　The New Zealand Defence Force is responsible for transport, communications and keeping Scott Base operating during the summer season in Antarctica. They have been busy preparing for their time in Antarctica by training in survival³. It is dangerous work, flying helicopters and planes in Antarctica, even in summer.

　　Scientists will arrive at Scott Base in two weeks time ready for the next five months of work in Antarctica. Scott Base has 85 beds but usually about 60 people stay there at any one time.

　　During the winter, a small team of scientists, usually only 12 people, stays at Scott Base. They will be able to leave and return to New Zealand now.

　　The New Zealand, the US and the South Korean Antarctic programmes use Christchurch airport.

　　Listen to April 27th 2012 to hear about staying in Antarctica during the winter.

　　Vocabulary

　　Scott Base – New Zealand’s base (buildings) in Antarctica

　　cargo – goods e.g. machines, equipment, food

　　survival – how to stay safe in very cold weather

　　Questions

　　1. Why is it dangerous for pilots in Antarctica?

　　2. What work do scientists do in Antarctica?

　　3. What kind of people are needed to keep Scott Base operating?

1 Antarctic   

adj.南极(区)的；n.(the A-)南极洲，南极圈

参考例句：

• The Antarctic is a mountainous area.南极洲是一个多山的地区。
• It is well known that penguins live in the Antarctic.企鹅生活在南极洲是众所周知的。

2 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。

3 survival   

n.留住生命，生存，残存，幸存者

参考例句：

• The doctor told my wife I had a fifty-fifty chance of survival.医生告诉我的妻子，说我活下去的可能性只有50%。
• The old man was a survival of a past age.这位老人是上一代的遗老。