SEFC 3A unit 1 That must be a record!
1. In 1951, the then director of the Guinness Brewery, Sir Hugh Beaver, wanted to settle an argument about the fastest bird in Europe. 1951年，當(dāng)時(shí)吉尼斯啤酒廠的廠長(zhǎng)畢偉休先生很想解決歐洲哪一種鳥(niǎo)飛的最快這一爭(zhēng)論。
① settle: vt. 解決;處理
e.g. I’d like to get it settled today while we’re at it. 既然我們大家都關(guān)注這件事, 我很想今天就把他解決了。
② argument: n. 辯論;爭(zhēng)論
e.g. They got into quite a heated argument.他們進(jìn)行了十分熱烈的爭(zhēng)論。
2. Instead, the editors of the book set down the records and keep track of them in other ways. 然而，本書(shū)的編輯們會(huì)寫(xiě)下該紀(jì)錄，隨后設(shè)法跟蹤了解它們。
① set down寫(xiě)下; 放下; 讓下車; 規(guī)定
e.g. I’ll set down one or two points while they are fresh in my mind. 趁我記憶猶新我得寫(xiě)下一兩個(gè)要點(diǎn)。
② keep track of （繼續(xù)）了解…的情況; 記住…的情況
e.g. Mr. Steven kept track of his business by telephone when he was in hospital. 史蒂芬先生住院期間，通過(guò)電話了解他的生意。
3. The records are put into different categories. 紀(jì)錄被分為兩類。
① category: n. [C] 類（屬）; 范疇
e.g. Helen groups all people into two categories: those she likes and those she dislikes. 海輪把人們分為兩類：一類是她喜歡的，一類是她不喜歡的。
4. And there are also strange records, like the Englishman who balanced a small car weighing 159.6 kilograms on his head for thirty-three seconds! 也會(huì)有些奇怪的紀(jì)錄，譬如，一個(gè)英國(guó)人曾頭頂159.6 公斤的一個(gè)小汽車堅(jiān)持了33秒。
① balance: vt.&vi. 保持平衡；使平衡
e.g. In order to balance their trade, they would have to buy less goods in the United States. 為了讓他們的貿(mào)易保持平衡，他們將必須減少購(gòu)買美國(guó)的貨物。
② weighing 159.6 kilograms on his head for thirty-three seconds! 現(xiàn)在分詞短語(yǔ)做定語(yǔ)。
5. Among the brilliant athletic achievements, a few records stand out because of the moving life stories behind them. 在非常優(yōu)秀的運(yùn)動(dòng)員的成績(jī)檔案里， 有幾個(gè)紀(jì)錄是由于這些成績(jī)的后面那動(dòng)人的生命故事而引人注目的。
① stand out: 顯得突出; 顯眼; 引人注目
e.g. your red pullover really stands out in that photograph. 你的紅毛衣在那張照片中非常顯眼。
② because of 由于
e.g. He realized that she was crying because of what he had said. 他意識(shí)到她是因?yàn)樗f(shuō)的話而在哭泣。
③ moving: adj. 動(dòng)人的; 感人的
e.g. The beggar told her such a moving story that she almost wept. 乞丐講述了一個(gè)幾乎令她流淚的動(dòng)人的故事。
6. Impressive as the record is, it fades next to the story of Armstrong’s struggle against disease. 盡管這紀(jì)錄給人流下了非常深刻的印象，但是與阿姆斯特朗同疾病斗爭(zhēng)的故事比起來(lái)它就變的黯然失色了。
① as: conj. 盡管; 雖說(shuō)：引導(dǎo)讓步狀語(yǔ)從句，注意該句型要倒裝。
e.g. Intelligent as she was, she had not much insight. 盡管她很聰明，但是她沒(méi)有多少洞察力。
② fade: vi. 退色; 逐漸消失：
e.g. As evening came the coastline faded into darkness. 隨著夜幕的降臨，海岸線消失在黑暗中。
7. He went on to set the speed record and achieve his goal of winning the Tour de France six times in a row in 2004. 他繼續(xù)創(chuàng)造著世界紀(jì)錄，并且在2004年他連續(xù)6次實(shí)現(xiàn)了他的目標(biāo)：贏得了環(huán)法大賽冠軍。
① achieve: vt. 取得（勝利，成就）; 實(shí)現(xiàn)（目標(biāo)，目的等）
e.g. Nothing would stop me from achieving my ambition. 沒(méi)有任何事情會(huì)阻止我去實(shí)現(xiàn)我的目標(biāo)。
② in a row 一個(gè)接一個(gè)地； 連續(xù)不斷
e.g. The children stood in a row in front of the row of chairs. 孩子們一個(gè)接一個(gè)地站在那排椅子的前面。
8. Part of the reason for our interest is probably the same curiosity that led Sir Hugh to write The Guinness Book of World Records in the first place. 最初可能正是我們興趣中那一部分好奇心促使休先生開(kāi)始寫(xiě)這本吉尼斯世界紀(jì)錄一書(shū)的。
① let sb. to do 使得某人做某事
e.g. The news leads me to believe that they will come.這則消息讓我相信他們會(huì)回來(lái)的。
② in the first place （用于列舉理由等時(shí)）首先；第一；原先
e.g. The thing for me to have done was to have married her to him in the first place. 對(duì)我來(lái)說(shuō)所做的一件事就是首先把她許配給了他。
9. We want to know what is possible and find out just how far we can push ourselves. 我們想知道什么是可能的，也想弄明白我們的極限是多遠(yuǎn)。
① find out 了解; 弄清楚
e.g. We must find out the truth of the matter. 我們必須弄明白事情的真相。
One morning the baby found out for the first time that she could walk. 一天早上，嬰兒第一次發(fā)現(xiàn)她會(huì)走了。
10. Clearly, we are also entertained by accounts of strange and unusual deeds and facts. 顯然，這些奇怪而不尋常的行為和事實(shí)的描述也使我們感到很開(kāi)心。
① entertain: vt.款待；招待（客人）；提供消遣；使高興
e.g. Every summer they entertain the neighbors at an outdoor party. 每年夏天，他們會(huì)舉辦戶外聚會(huì)來(lái)招待鄰居們。
The magician entertained the children with a variety of tricks. 魔術(shù)師變各種各樣的戲法來(lái)逗孩子們開(kāi)心。
② account: n. [C] 敘述；報(bào)道；賬目；銀行戶頭
e.g. The accounts I have received of Australia are not particularly encouraging. 我所得到的關(guān)于澳大利亞的報(bào)道并不令人歡欣鼓舞。
11. The editors will decide if your idea is suitable and then send you rules and the form you need to apply for the record. 編輯們會(huì)決定是否你的想法很合適，然后會(huì)寄給你申請(qǐng)這個(gè)紀(jì)錄所需要的規(guī)則和表格。
① suitable: adj. 合適；適合
e.g. Those shoes are not suitable for walking in the country.這鞋不適合在鄉(xiāng)間走路。
Have you a suitable book for a young child? 你是否有適合小孩子讀的書(shū)。
② apply: 申請(qǐng); 應(yīng)用
e.g. I applied at the local police station for a peddler’s certificate. 我在當(dāng)?shù)鼐炀稚暾?qǐng)了商販執(zhí)照。
12. Afterwards, if all goes well, a Guinness official will come to inspect your attempt. 之后， 如果一切進(jìn)展順利的話，吉尼斯辦公室會(huì)來(lái)檢查你嘗試的情況。
① inspect: vt. 檢查；視察
e.g. They inspected the whole house for traces of damp. 他們來(lái)檢查整個(gè)房子的潮濕的證跡。
All factories and mines are inspected by government officials. 政府官員檢查所有工廠和煤礦。
13. If you are successful, the official will confirm the record and you will get a certificate from The Guinness Book of World Records stating that you are a world record holder. 如果你成功了, 吉尼斯官員會(huì)確認(rèn)你紀(jì)錄, 而且你會(huì)得到吉尼斯世界紀(jì)錄證書(shū), 并聲明你是世界紀(jì)錄的保持者。
① confirm: vt. 批準(zhǔn)；肯定
e.g. When do you think the President will confirm you in office? 你認(rèn)為什么時(shí)候總統(tǒng)會(huì)批準(zhǔn)你執(zhí)政。
② state: vt. 陳述；聲明
e.g. State your opinion of the new school rules. 請(qǐng)陳述你對(duì)學(xué)校新規(guī)則的看法。
The stated facts conflict with what actually happened. 這些已經(jīng)說(shuō)明的事實(shí)與真實(shí)發(fā)生的情況相矛盾。
14. All of our schoolmates were here, as well as many of our parents and other kids from the neighborhood. 我們的校友, 我們的父母以及來(lái)自附近的孩子們?nèi)珌?lái)了
① as well as 同，和，也
e.g. It is important for you as well as for me. 這對(duì)你對(duì)我都重要。
The conflict spread everywhere, into villages, as well as into the cities. 沖突到處在蔓延, 進(jìn)了村莊,也進(jìn)了城市。
15. A new generation of sports is capturing the hearts and minds of people who are willing to try something new. 新一代的體育運(yùn)動(dòng)占據(jù)了想嘗試新鮮事物的人們的所有心思。
① capture: vt. 捕獲；占領(lǐng)；贏得
e.g. Our task was to capture a number of these monkeys alive. 我們的任務(wù)是活捉許多猴子。
He captured first place in the men’s broad jump with a leap of 7.51 meters. 他以7.51米的成績(jī)?nèi)〉昧四凶犹h(yuǎn)的第一名。
② be willing to 愿意做某事
e.g. She’s willing to help in any way she can. 她愿意盡可能地幫助別人。
16. These new sports are called “extreme sports” and all center on the “X-factor”---the pure joy of doing something that you didn’t think you could do and overcoming your fears. 這些新的體育運(yùn)動(dòng)被稱作為極限運(yùn)動(dòng), 所有這些運(yùn)動(dòng)都以難預(yù)測(cè)的因素為中心---
① center on 以…為中心。
e.g. The discussion centered on the most important question. 討論以最重要的問(wèn)題為中心。
②overcome: vt. 克服; 抑制
e.g. He succeeded in his efforts to overcome his fatal weakness. 他成功地克服了他最致命的弱點(diǎn)。
③ doing something that you didn’t think you could do and overcoming your fears. and 連接的并列動(dòng)名詞短語(yǔ)做of 的賓語(yǔ)。
17. I get excited and my hearts beats faster.
① get: link-v 變得
e.g. Hugh got engaged to her when traveling last winter. 在去年冬天的旅行中休與她訂了婚。
18. Then my mind becomes clear and I concentrate on the way my body moves in the air. 當(dāng)時(shí)我的頭腦很清醒而且全身心的投入在空中移動(dòng)身體的方法上。
① concentrate on/upon 聚精會(huì)神; 集中思想
e.g. He tried to concentrate on his clinical research at the hospital. 他試圖專注于醫(yī)院的臨床研究。
19. We don’t let anyone try a dangerous trick unless we know that they are skilled enough to perform it safely. 如果我們不確定他們能夠熟練且安全地進(jìn)行這個(gè)項(xiàng)目, 我們就不會(huì)讓他們?nèi)L試危險(xiǎn)的特技表演。
① perform vt.& vi. :進(jìn)行; 執(zhí)行；表演；表現(xiàn)
e.g. One should always perform what one promises. 一個(gè)人應(yīng)該履行他的諾言。
The engine performs well in cold weather. 這發(fā)動(dòng)機(jī)在寒冷的天氣也表現(xiàn)很好。