EZCNN 易英网

Snowblind – The Great Alaskan Adventure 雪盲驰千里

课文朗读

课文讲解

繁體中文譯本

The Iditarod Race is one of the most grueling endurance events in the world. So tough are the demands of the 1,688-kilometer course that fewer people have successfully completed the race than have climbed Mount Everest. To reach the finish line in northern Alaska, sled dog racers, or mushers, must drive their teams of dogs over mountains, through forests, and across a frozen sea; and they have to do it in temperatures that, when wind chill is accounted for, can reach minus 70 degrees Celsius.

艾迪塔罗德雪橇赛是世上最累人的耐力比赛之一。这1,688公里的比赛路线非常艰困，成功完成赛程的人比登上圣母峰的人还少。要到达北阿拉斯加的终点线，雪橇犬参赛者（或称拉雪橇的人）必须带领他们的犬队翻山越岭、穿过树林并横跨冰封的海洋。他们必须在极度低温下进行，当加上风寒作用时，温度会降至摄氏零下70度。

The Discovery Channel documentary Snowblind follows one of the race’s newest mushers, Rachael Scdoris, as she trains for and competes in the 2008 race. Rachael is both determined and professional; she has to be, because she must face the Iditarod’s treacherous conditions with an added disadvantage – Rachael is legally blind and sees the world in blurry, black-and-white images. She has never let this hold her back, though, and began mushing when she was just three years old.

探索频道的纪录片《雪盲驰千里》跟着比赛最新的雪橇犬参赛者之一瑞秋．史多瑞斯，看她为2008年赛事训练以及参赛的过程。瑞秋有决心又专业，而她必须如此，因为她必须带着额外的不利条件面对艾迪塔罗德大赛的险恶环境──瑞秋被诊断为法定失明，眼中仅能看见模糊的黑白世界。不过她从未让这件事阻碍她前进，年仅3岁即开始驾狗拉雪橇。

To help Rachael find her way along the frozen Iditarod course, she is allowed to race with another sled dog team. Her travel partner acts as an extra set of eyes and is allowed to call out instructions for Rachael to follow. For the 2008 race, she pairs up with Joe Runyan, a previous Iditarod champion.

为了让瑞秋能够在冰冻的艾迪塔罗德赛道上知道去向，她被允许和另一组雪橇犬队合作竞赛。她的旅伴扮演着额外一双眼睛的角色，可以大声叫喊让瑞秋遵循的指令。在2008的比赛中，她与先前艾迪塔罗德赛的冠军乔．罗尼恩搭档。

Like nearly all the competitors, Joe uses Alaska Huskies to pull his sled; Rachael, however, has other ideas. She uses Husky-Pointer hybrids for their enthusiasm and affectionate natures. It’s a brave decision, but will she be proven right?

就如同大部分的参赛者，乔也是用阿拉斯加哈士奇犬来拉雪撬，然而瑞秋有着不同的想法。她选用哈士奇以及指示犬的混种，看中牠们具热忱且有感情的天性。这是个勇敢的决定，但她会是对的吗？

Vocabulary

单词发音

grueling [ˋgruəlɪŋ] adj. 累垮人的；令人受不了的

endurance [ɪnˋdjʊrəns] n.（忍）耐力

tough [tʌf] adj. 困难的; 费力的

demand [dɪˋmænd] n. 要求

determined [dɪˋtɝmɪnd] adj. 〔尤指在困境中〕坚决的﹐坚定的

disadvantage [͵dɪsədˋvæntɪdʒ] n. 不利条件

hold one back 阻止; 阻挡 to restrain someone from getting at or getting to something

hybrid [ˋhaɪbrɪd] n. 杂种；混血儿

enthusiasm [ɪnˋθjuzɪ͵æzəm] n. 热情

affectionate [əˋfɛkʃənɪt] adj. 充满深情的，温柔亲切的

More Information

单词发音

Iditarod Race 阿拉斯加州爱迪塔罗德狗拉雪橇比赛

sled [slɛd] n. 雪橇

musher [ˈmʌʃɚ] n. 赶狗拉雪橇的人 a traveler who drives (or travels with) a dog team

wind chill 风寒

account for 作某事物的解释, 解释某事物的原因 to provide an explanation or justification for

Celsius [ˋsɛlsɪəs] adj. 摄氏的

treacherous [ˋtrɛtʃərəs] adj. 不牢靠的；危险的

Husky [ˋhʌskɪ] n. 爱斯基摩犬

pointer [ˋpɔɪntɚ] n.（能指出猎物位置的）猎犬

课文朗读

课文讲解

As Rachael Scdoris lines up at the start of the Iditarod, she is already a winner. The organizers didn’t want a legally blind musher taking part in the race, and Rachael had to fight for three years to change their minds. She’s not content with just taking part, though, and has much higher ambitions. Having taken 12.5 days to complete the race in 2006, her goal is now to cross the finish line under 12 days.

当瑞秋．史多瑞斯在艾迪塔罗德雪橇比赛起点列队时，她已经是个赢家了。承办单位起初不想让一位法定失明的拉雪橇者参赛，而瑞秋奋斗了3年的时间才改变他们的想法。不过，光是参赛并不让她感到满足，她有更远大的志向。2006年她花了12.5天完成比赛，她现在的目标是在12天之内跨越终点线。

Rachael and her travel partner, Joe Runyan, get off to a good start and steadily move up the rankings. They progress even further when other teams pull out after taking a battering from the steep slopes and thick forests of the Alaska Range mountains. Despite her eyesight, Rachael makes it through relatively unharmed.

瑞秋和的旅伴乔．罗尼恩有了好的开始，名次也稳稳地上升。其他队伍在阿拉斯加山脉的陡坡及密林中遭受打击并退出，而此时他们更加往前推进。尽管她的视力有缺陷，瑞秋相对而言却安然地通过。

Just when things begin to look good for Rachael, tragedy strikes. She had planned to switch her heavy, mountain sled for a lighter one that should have been sent to a rest station. Unfortunately, her sled never arrives and she loses time trying to borrow one from other racers. Things get worse when her dogs begin to suffer with injury and illness. One by one, they get left behind at rest stations, and it gets harder and harder for Rachael to maintain a good place.

当所有情势看起来都对瑞秋有利时，悲剧发生了。她原本计划在休息站将重的高山雪橇与早应送达休息站的轻雪橇替换。不幸的是，她的雪橇一直都没到达，而她在试着向其他参赛者借雪橇时，又让时间流逝。当她的犬只开始遭受受伤以及病痛之苦时，情势每况愈下。那些雪橇犬一只接一只的被留在休息站，而瑞秋要维持稳定步调也越来越困难了。

Will she be able to finish in less than 12 days – will she finish at all? Whatever happens, Rachael’s positive attitude and determination to overcome every obstacle in her path should serve as an inspiration to us all.

她能够在12天内完成比赛吗？她能完成吗？不管发生什么事，瑞秋积极正面的态度以及克服旅程中所有障碍的决心，对我们来说都应该是种启发。

−by Andrew Crosthwaite

Vocabulary

单词发音

organizer [ˋɔrgə͵naɪzɚ] n. 组织者

ambition [æmˋbɪʃən] n. 雄心，抱负

get off to a good start 一开始就顺利, 有好的开始 starting out correctly; beginning something carefully and cautiously

steadily [ˋstɛdəlɪ] adv. 稳定地；不断地

ranking [ˋræŋkɪŋ] n. 排行﹐名次

progress [ˈprɑgrɛs] n. 进步；发展

pull out 撤离; 撤出; 退出 to withdraw from something

steep [stip] adj. 陡峭的

injury [ˋɪndʒərɪ] n.（对物体的）损伤，损害

overcome [͵ovɚˋkʌm] v. 战胜；克服

obstacle [ˋɑbstək!] n. 障碍（物）

More Information

单词发音

take part in something 参加, 出席 to participate in something

battering [ˋbætərɪŋ] n. 重创，连续打击

slope [slop] n. 斜坡

tragedy [ˋtrædʒədɪ] n. 悲剧; 不幸; 遗憾

Reading Questions

1. Which of the following is NOT a reason why the Iditarod is considered a difficult race?

A. Racers must travel over mountains.

B. Racers must make it through forests.

C. Racers must sail across a sea.

D. Racers must deal with freezing cold weather.

2. What is provided for Rachael to help her stay on the path?

A. She is given an extra sled dog to help her out.

B. Her sled is equipped with a GPS device.

C. Her sled makes a noise when it travels off the track.

D. She is allowed to work with another driver.

3. According to the article, what do we know about Rachael’s performance?

A. She began slowly but started going faster at the end.

B. She did well at the start but then encountered some problems.

C. She was forced to quit after a serious accident occurred.

D. She was able to finish the race in 12 days.

4. How can we best describe this article?

A. It’s a tragic story about sled dog racers.

B. It’s a comical tale about beating the odds.

C. It’s a horrifying account of a dangerous event.

D. It’s an inspiring tale about an interesting sport.

Good Morning Northwest with Rachael Scdoris

National Geographic "Rachel Scdoris"

Answer