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The Last Great Race 冰原的终极奔驰

課文朗讀

課文中英文講解

繁體中文譯本

It has been called the last great race on Earth, and for good reason: It stretches over 1,100 miles, and takes two weeks for the fastest competitors to complete. Unlike a marathon, it can’t be done alone. Racers, known as mushers, must rely on a team of well-trained dogs.

它号称为世上最后一项伟大赛事是有充分理由的：它全长超过一千一百英哩，就算是速度最快的竞赛者也得花上两星期才能完成赛事。与马拉松不同的是，这项赛事无法独力完成。参赛者，也就是驾驶雪橇的人，必须仰赖一群训练良好的狗团队。

The race is called the Iditarod, and it takes place in late winter in the northern US state of Alaska. If you picture a tough man, or woman, riding a yelping dogsled team across a vast landscape filled with towering snowy mountains, frozen rivers, and wild animals, you are pretty close to the reality. The Iditarod covers some of the harshest, but most beautiful, terrain on earth.

这项比赛称为「雪橇犬大赛」，于晚冬在美国北方的阿拉斯加举行。如果你能想象一位硬汉(铁娘子)，驾驭汪汪叫着的狗橇团队，穿越遍布着高耸的雪山、冰河及野生动物的大陆，你大概就会知道是怎么回事了。雪橇犬大赛行径地表上某些最恶劣但又最美丽的地方。

The race starts each year in March. By this time, mushers and dogs have been training for almost a year. Each musher has his own strategy for completing the race, but all have to carry such things as parkas and sleeping bags to contend with the extreme conditions. For safety, a series of checkpoints are set up along the route for mushers to rest, eat, restock their supplies, and even change dog teams.

该赛事于每年三月起跑。每年这个时候，参赛者与狗狗们都已接受了将近一年的训练。每位参赛者对于如何完全程都各有策略，但所有的人都得带携带爱斯基摩雪衣及睡袋等物品来对抗最严酷的环境。为了安全起见，沿途都设有哨站供参赛者休息、吃东西、补充补给品、甚至更换另一组狗队。

Years ago, the race was all about the joy of completing a great challenge and keeping a part of Alaskan heritage alive. Now, it’s the social, culture, and sporting event of the year. The top mushers and dogs are treated like celebrities. In 2005 the prize money was US$72,000. It’s not that much, but it’s certainly enough to keep a team in dog food for a while.

多年前，这项比赛纯粹是为了能完成这项极限挑战的乐趣及保存阿拉斯加遗产而举行。现在则演变成年度社交、文化及运动盛会。最优秀的参赛者及狗狗们受到明星般的待遇。2005年的奖金为七万五千美元，虽然不是很多，但若用来买狗食供应整个团队，也够用好一段时间了。

Vocabulary

competitor [kəmˋpɛtətɚ] n. 竞争者；对手

yelp [jɛlp] v.（狗）吠

dogsled [ˋdɔgslɛd] n. 狗拖的雪橇

restock [riˋstɑk] v. 补充货物; 备办新货

heritage [ˋhɛrətɪdʒ] n. 传统; 遗产

More Information

musher: 狗拉雪橇大赛的参赛者 a traveler who drives (or travels with) a dog team

terrain [ˋtɛren] n. 地形；地势

parka [ˋpɑrkə] n. 有头套的毛皮外套

contend [kənˋtɛnd] v. 全力对付；搏斗；奋斗

checkpoint [ˋtʃɛk͵pɔɪnt] n. 检查站；关卡

課文中英文講解

To win the longest race in the world, your dogs need to be in top shape. You also need a certain kind of dog. These days, most mushers go with the Siberian husky. These dogs have strength, speed, stamina, and a good temperament. But most of all, they love to run!

要赢得世界上距离最长的比赛，参赛犬必须处于颠峰状态。你也需要某种特定品种的狗。现今，大多数雪橇驾驶喜欢选用西伯利亚哈士奇犬。这种狗具备体力、速度、耐性及温驯的性情。但最重要的是，牠们热爱奔跑。

This love is key to their success as a sled animal. Part of their love of running is genetic, but much of it is learned from an early age. Mushers first harness pups to a sled when they are only five months old. They team the pups up with older experienced dogs who have been running for years. Don’t worry, the pups don’t pull any real weight. They just learn to pull in the right direction, and also to get excited about being part of a team.

这份热爱是牠们能成为雪橇犬的关键。牠们对跑步的热爱有一部份是天生的，但大多数是因为从小开始学习跑步。驾驶员在幼犬只有五个月大时就将牠套在雪橇上，并与具有多年参赛经验的资深赛犬共组一个团队。不过别担心，这些幼犬不需要拖曳任何重物；牠们只是学习如何往正确的方向拉动，同时能对身为团队的一分子感到兴奋。

The love which the mushers have for their animals is also paramount. Most say that they get great joy out of working with dogs. They’d better, since they need to spend a great deal of time feeding, grooming, walking, and even camping out with their animals.

驾雪橇者对狗狗们的爱是最重要的。大部分驾驶员都觉得跟狗狗忆起工作能获得许多乐趣。他们最好能这么觉得，因为他们得花很多时间喂食、照料、遛狗，甚至还跟狗狗们一起在户外扎营露宿呢!

Do the dogs enjoy pulling a sled? It seems so. They may howl and yelp when they are running, but they cry even louder to get back on the road when resting. These animals are superb athletes. And just like people, they like to show what they are made of.

雪橇犬喜欢拉雪橇吗?似乎是的。当他们跑步时会又吼又叫，但当停下休息时，牠们会哭得更大声，吵着要继续上路。这些动物真是超级运动员，而且跟人类一样，喜欢表现出牠们就是那块料!

−By Robert Kelly

Vocabulary

temperament [ˋtɛmprəmənt] n. 性情，性格

genetic [dʒəˋnɛtɪk] adj. 基因的；遗传（学）的

groom [grum] v. 照料; 使整洁；打扮

howl [haʊl] v. 嗥叫；怒吼

superb [sʊˋpɝb] adj. 极好的，上乘的，一流的

More Information

in.... shape: 处于.....状况 in good health; strong and healthy; fit.

Siberian [saɪˋbɪrɪən] adj. 西伯利亚的

husky [ˋhʌskɪ] n. 爱斯基摩犬

stamina [ˋstæmənə] n. 精力；耐力

harness... to:给……上挽具；套 to attach someone, something, or an animal to something with a harness.

pup [pʌp] n. 小狗，幼犬

paramount [ˋpærə͵maʊnt] adj. 最重要的；主要的

Iditarod: Alaskan Husky