shiver

v. 打颤，发抖

dive

v. （头向下）跳水

haul

v. 拖曳

hawser

n. 粗缆绳

rim

n. （圆形物品的）外沿，边

winch

n. 绞车

agonizing

adj. 精神紧张的，提心吊胆的

perch

v. 处于（高处）

precariously

adv. 危险地，不稳固地

overbalance

v. 失去平衡

clamp

n. 夹钳，夹板

vertically

adv. 垂直地

torrent

n. 激流，洪流

rebound

v. 弹回

参考译文

保险公司一般说来愿意承保一切东西。承办公共财产或私人财产保险是世界上大部分国家的正常业务。如果你要举办一次露天游园会或盛宴，为避免碰上不好的天气而遭受损失也同样可以保险，不用说，保险公司承担风险越大，你付的保险费也就越高。航运公司为打捞沉船而提出索赔，这是常有的事，但某地当局为打捞一只焙制馅饼的盘子提出索赔，倒是件新鲜的事儿。

这个馅饼盘子确实少见，有18英尺长，6英尺宽。某地方当局买下它用来焙制一个巨大的馅饼为一年一度交易会助兴。馅饼委员会确认运输这只盘子的最佳方案是通过运河水运。于是，他们对这只盘子的运输安全投了保。盘子下水后不久，馅饼委员会成员们来到当地一家小酒店庆贺。就在这个时候，许多十几岁的孩子爬盘子举行他们自己的集会。他们跳起了舞，盘子难以承受。舞会进行过程中，盘子倾覆，沉入了7英尺深的水中。

馅饼委员会给当地汽车修理库老板打电话，他闻讯后开着一辆急修车前来打捞盘子。那些孩子们穿着湿衣服哆嗦，看着3个工人轮潜入水中以确定盘子的位置。他们没费多大事儿就找到了盘子。可是把盘子捞出却是一个很大的难题。盘子四边十分光滑，要在盘边拴上绳索或链条而同时又不损坏它是很难办到的。不过，他们终于将链条固定在盘子的一端，一台大功率的绞车开动起来。盘子慢慢浮出水面，被轻轻地拽向运河岸边。在令人忐忑不安的瞬间，盘子晃晃悠悠地上了岸，但它突然失去了平衡，又跌回水中。工人们只得再来一次。这次，他们用沉重的金属夹子把盘子夹住，以便往盘子上安装铁链。这次，盘子必须垂直吊出水面，因为盘子的一边紧靠着运河河岸。绞盘机再次启动，一位工人发动了急修车的引擎。几分钟后，盘子被成功地拽出了水面。波浪从盘子两侧急涌而出，在运河里掀起一股大浪。但是当波浪从河对岸折回来时，就有再次把盘子拖进水里的危险。工人们动作迅速，终于赶在那股大浪返回之前把盘子拽到了岸上。

lesson 44

speed and comfort

又快捷又舒适

listen to the tape then answer the question below.

听录音，然后回答以下问题。

which type of transport does the writer prefer, do you think?

people travelling long distances frequently have to decide whether they would prefer to go by land, sea, or air. hardly anyone can positively enjoy sitting in a train for more than a few hours. train compartments soon get cramped and stuffy. it is almost impossible to take your mind off the journey. reading is only a partial solution, for the monotonous rhythm of the wheels clicking on the rails soon lulls you to sleep. during the day, sleep comes in snatches. at night, when you really wish to go to sleep, you rarely manage to do so. if you are lucky enough to get a sleeper, you spend half the night staring at the small blue light in the ceiling, or fumbling to find you ticket for inspection. inevitably you arrive at your destination almost exhausted. long car journeys are even less pleasant, for it is quite impossible even to read. on motorways you can, at least, travel fairly safely at high speeds, but more often than not, the greater part of the journey is spent on roads with few service stations and too much traffic. by comparison, ferry trips or cruises offer a great variety of civilized comforts. you can stretch your legs on the spacious decks, play games, meet interesting people and enjoy good food -- always assuming, of course, that the sea is calm. if it is not, and you are likely to get seasick, no form of transport could be worse. even if you travel in ideal weather, sea journeys take a long time. relatively few people are prepared to sacrifice holiday time for the pleasure of travlling by sea.

aeroplanes have the reputation of being dangerous and even hardened travellers are intimidated by them. they also have the disadvantage of being an expensive form of transport. but nothing can match them for speed and comfort. travelling at a height of 30,000 feet, far above the clouds, and at over 500 miles an hour is an exhilarating experience. you do not have to devise ways of taking your mind off the journey, for an aeroplane gets you to your destination rapidly. for a few hours, you settle back in a deep armchair to enjoy the flight. the real escapist can watch a film and sip champagne on some services. but even when such refinements are not available, there is plenty to keep you occupied. an aeroplane offers you an unusual and breathtaking view of the world. you soar effortlessly over high mountains and deep valleys. you really see the shape of the land. if the landscape is hidden from view, you can enjoy the extraordinary sight of unbroken cloud plains that stretch out for miles before you, while the sun shines brilliantly in a clear sky. the journey is so smooth that there is nothing to prevent you from reading or sleeping. however you decide to spend your time, one thing is certain: you will arrive at your destination fresh and uncrumpled. you will not have to spend the next few days recovering from a long and arduous journey.

new words and expressions 生词和短语

positively

adv. 绝对地，完全地

compartment

n. 列车客车厢内的分隔间（或单间）

cramped

adj. 窄小的

stuffy

adj. 憋气的，闷气的

monotonous

adj. 枯燥的，乏味的

rhythm

n. 有节奏的运动

click

v. 发出咔哒声

lull

v. 催人欲睡

snatch

n. 短时，片段

sleeper

n. 卧铺

fumble

v. 乱摸，摸索

inspection

n. 检查

inevitably

adv. 必然地，不可避免地

destination

n. 目的地

exhaust

v. 使精疲力尽

motorway

n. 快车道

ferry

n. 渡船

cruise

n. 巡游船

civilize

v. 使文明

spacious

adj. 宽敞的

seasick

adj. 晕船的

intimidate

v. 恐吓，恫吓

disadvantage

n