泛读2 Unit1 课外阅读材料

泛读2Unit1课外阅读材料泛读2Unit1课外阅读材料泛读2Unit1课外阅读材料V:1.0精细整理，仅供参考泛读2Unit1课外阅读材料日期：20xx年X月UnitOne1.AloneintheArcticCold(ReadingTime:51/2minutes)Dayhadbrokenexceedinglycoldandgray,whenthemanturnedasidefromthemainYukontrailandclimbedtheslope,whereadimandlittle-traveledtrailledeastwardthroughthepineforest.Theslopewassteep,andhepausedforbreathatthetop.Therewasnosunnorhintofsun,thoughtherewasnotacloudinthesky.Itwasaclearday,andyetthereseemedtobeamistoverthefaceofthings,thatmadethedaydark.Thisfactdidnotworrytheman.Hewasusedtothelackofsun.Themanlookedbackalongthewayhehadcome.TheYukonRiverlayamilewideandhiddenunderthreefeetofice.Ontopofthisicewereasmanyfeetofsnow.Itwasunbrokenwhite,saveforadarkhairlinethatwasthetrailthatledsouthfivehundredmilestotheChilcootPass.Butallthis—themysterious,far-reachinghairlinetrail,theabsenceofsunfromthesky,thetremendouscold,andthestrangenessandweirdnessofitall—madenoimpressionontheman.Hewasanewcomerinthelandandthiswashisfirstwinter.Thetroublewithhimwasthathewaswithoutimagination.Hewasquickandalertinthethingsoflife,butonlyinthethings,andnotinthesignificances.Fiftydegreesbelowzeromeanteighty-odddegreesoffrost.Suchfactimpressedhimasbeingcoldanduncomfortable,andthatwasall.Itdidnotleadhimtothinkaboutman'sweaknessingeneral,ableonlytolivewithincertainnarrowlimitsofheatandcold.Fiftydegreesbelowzerostoodforabitoffrostthathurtandthatmustbeguardedagainstbytheuseofthick,warmclothing.Fiftydegreesbelowzerowastohimjustpreciselyfiftydegreesbelowzero.Thatthereshouldbeanythingmoretoitthanthatwasathoughtthatneverenteredhishead.Asheturnedtogoon,hespatspeculatively.Therewasasharp,explosivecracklethatstartledhim.Hespatagain.Andagain,intheair,beforeitcouldfalltothesnow,thespittlecrackled.Heknewthatatfiftybelowspittlecrackledonthesnow,butthisspittlehadcrackledintheair.Undoubtedlyitwascolderthanfiftybelow—howmuchcolderhedidnotknow.Butthetemperaturedidnotmatter.HewasboundfortheoldmineontheleftforkofHendersonCreekwheretheboyswerealready.TheyhadcomeoverthehillfromtheIndianCreekcountry,whilehehadcometheroundaboutwaytotakealookatthepossibilitiesofgettingoutlogsinthespringfromtheislandsintheYukon.Hewouldbeintocampbysixo'clock;abitafterdark,itwastrue,buttheboyswouldbethere,afirewouldbegoing,andahotsupperwouldbeready.Heplungedinamongthebigpinetrees.Thetrailwasfaint.Hewasgladhewaswithoutasled,travelinglight.Infact,hecarriednothingbutthelunchwrappedinthehandkerchief.Hewassurprised,however,atthecold.Itcertainlywascold,heconcluded,asherubbedhisnumbnoseandcheekboneswithhisglovedhand.ComprehensionExerciseSelectthemostappropriateanswerforeachofthefollowingquestions.Whenthestorybegan,_______.itwasearlyinthemorningwhenanewdayhadjuststarteditwasapproachingnoonbutthesunwasnotshinningitwasturningdarkandgrayasnightwouldsoonfallthesunwascoveredbyalayerofmistintheskyTheYukontrail_______.wasentirelycoveredbysnowandicewasanarrowpathalongsidetheYukonRiverwas500milesawayinthesouthwasapathleadingtotheChilcootPassWelearnfromthepassagethatthemaninthestory_______reactedtoeverythinginamatter-of-factwaylikedtothinkaboutthemeaningoflifewastroubledwiththestrangenessandweirdnessoftheplacecouldnotcopewiththeextremecoldsinceitwashisfirstwinterintheareaThemanwasaloneinthisareabecause______.hetookaroundaboutrouteinordertohaveabetterlookattheplacetheothernumbersofhisteamwantedtoreachtheirdestinationearliertheothersdecidedtotakeanotherroutenearHendersonCreektoexploreanoldminehewantedtoexploretheareatoseeiflogsbetakenoutinthespringThemaninthestory_______.believedhecouldtravelmuchfasterwithoutasledwasluckyinnottravelingonasledforthetrailwastoonarrowforasledhadtotravelbyfootsincethepinetreesmadetravelingonasledverydifficulttooknothingwithhimexceptsomefoodinordertotravellightTranslatetheunderlinedsentencesintoChinese2．MemoriesofAfghanistan(ReadingTime:7minutes)Afghanistan—acountryonthebrinkofahumanitariandisaster,alandfilledwithfleeingrefugees,starvingpeople,andturbanedterroristsintrainingcamps.TVpicturestellthestoryofacountryinruinandpoverty,acountrybroughtalmosttototaldestructionbytwentyyearsofwarandstruggle.Yetonce—thoughpoor—thiswasaproudnation,andabeautifulcountry,andonethathadsurvivedmanycenturiesofharshhistory.Nottoolongago,itwasacountryinpeace,andonewitharichculturalheritage...ApartfromthenationsofEurope,therearefewcountriesintheworldthathaveneverbeenundercolonialrule—oratleastneverinrecenttimes:Afghanistanwasoneofthem.Manycenturiesago,GenghisKhan'stroopsrodedownfromMongolia,mercilesslykillingthemountaintribesmenofAfghanistanwhodaredtoresisttheinvader;butapartfromthishumiliatingperiodintime,theAfghans—whoareinfactamixtureofthreeseparateethnicgroups—haveheldtheirheadshighinthefaceofinvasion.Thecountrythatisnowatthecentreoftheworld'sattentionwasonceoneoftheworld'sproudestnations,andanationthatothercountriesinvadedattheirownrisk.Inthe19thcenturythearmiesoftheBritishEmpireknewthatAfghanistanwasnotacountrytointerferewith.Ahundredandtwentyyearsago,in1881,BritishsoldierswerenonethelessstationedintheAfghancapital,Kabul.Theyweretherefortworeasons,firstlytohelpstoptheRussiansfrominvadingthecountry,andsecondlytoensuretheexistenceofanindependentbuffer-statebetweentheRussianEmpiretothenorth,andtheBritishEmpireinIndia(modernPakistan)tothesoutheast.QueenVictoriawouldhavelikedtoaddAfghanistantoherempire,buthersoldiersneversucceededinthismission,thoughtheytried,andfailed.In1879,thewholeBritishMission(embassy)inKabul,includingservants,wasmassacredbyagroupofrebelAfghansoldiers,furiousbecausetheyhadnotbeenpaidbytheirownking,MohammedYacoub.YacoubwasfriendlytotheBritish,sotheBritishgottheblame.ThestoryoftheKabulMassacrewasrememberedforalongtimebytheBritishinIndia,andrecordedbyseveralVictorianwritersandpoets.OtherbloodyeventsalsomarkedtherelationshipbetweentheBritishandtheAfghansinthe19thcentury.In1842,inthenotoriousbattleoftheKhyberPass,acompleteBritisharmywasmassacredbyAfghansastheyreturnedfromashortraidintothecountry.Justoneman,adoctor,managedtosurvivethemassacre,andmakehiswaybacktothesafetyofIndia,totellthestoryoftheterribleevent.ThoughtheworldhaschangedalotsinceVictoriantimes,Afghanistanhaschangedlittle.Inmanyways,theTalibanhaveevenmovedthecountrybackintime,toadarkageofignorance,intoleranceandrepression;butevenwithouttheTaliban,Afghanistanwouldstill,today,beoneoftheworld'smostundevelopednations.Land-locked,asidefrommostmodernroutesofcommunication,andbrokenupbythemightyHinduKushmountainsandbyvastdeserts,Afghanistan,likethe"tribalterritory"ofnorthwestPakistan,hasremainedfiercelyindependentfromoutsideinterference,andstronglyattachedtoitstraditionalways.Forthelasttwenty-fiveyears,theAfghanpeoplehavesufferedfromwaranddestruction:theoverthrowofthemonarchy,thentheinvasionbytheSovietUnionin1978,thenthewaragainsttheSoviets,thenthestruggleforcontrolofthecountrybetweentheTalibanandthesupportersofGeneralMassoud,nowthemassivedepartureofapeopleonthevergeofstarvation,drivenfromtheirhomesasmuchbyfearoftheTalibanasbythethreatofmilitaryinvasion.Yetinspiteofallthis,despitethedestructionofalargepartoftheircountry,theAfghanpeopleremainkindandhospitable.OlderAfghansrememberbacktoapast,whentheylivedinpeaceandrelativesecurity;youngerAfghans,whohaveneverknownaneraofpeace,lookforwardtothedaywhenanewageofpeacewillcome.Hopefully,thatnewdawnwillnotbetoofaraway.ComprehensionExercisesA.DecidewhetherthefollowingstatementsareTrueorFalse.______1.AfghanistanisoneofthefewcountriesoutsideofEuropethathaveneverundercolonialrule.______2.IntheentirehistoryofAfghanistan,theonlyarmiesthateverconqueredtheAfghansweretheMongols.______3.In1888,BritishsoldierswerestationedinAfghanistaninordertohelptheAfghansdriveawaytheRussianinvaders.______4.TheBritishhadbeguntoshowinterestinAfghanistanasearlyas1809.______5.TheentireBritishMissioninKabulwaskilledbyrebelAfghansoldiersbecausetheyhatedtheirkinganddecidedtokillhisBritishallies.theunderlinedsentencesintoChinese3.TheConquestofMt.JolmoLungma(ReadingTime:51/2minutes)Itwas11:30.Myfirstsensationwasoneofrelief—reliefthatthelongclimbwasover;thatthesummithadbeenreachedbeforeouroxygensupplieshaddroppedtoacriticallevel;andthereliefthatintheendthemountainhadbeenkindtousinhavingapleasantlyroundedconeforitssummitinsteadofafearsomeandunapproachablesteepcliff.ButmixedwiththereliefwasavaguesenseofastonishmentthatIshouldhavebeentheluckyonetoattaintheambitionofsomanybraveanddeterminedclimbers.Itseemeddifficultatfirsttograspthatwehadgotthere.Iwastootiredandtooconsciousofthelongwaydowntosafetyreallytofeelanygreatjoy.Butasthefactofoursuccessthrustitselfmoreclearlyintomymind,Ifeltaquietglowofsatisfactionspreadthroughmybody—asatisfactionmorepowerfulthanIhadeverfeltonamountaintopbefore.Iturnedandlookedatmyguide,Tenzing.Evenbeneathhisoxygenmaskandtheicicleshangingfromhishair,Icouldseehisinfectiousgrinofsheerdelight.ButthiswasnotenoughforTenzing,andimpulsivelyhethrewhisarmaroundmyshouldersandwethumpedeachotheronthebackinmutualcongratulations.Butwehadnotimetowaste.FirstImusttakesomephotographsandwewouldhurrydown.Iturnedoffmyoxygenandtookthesetoffmyback.IrememberedallthewarningsIhadhadofthepossiblefatalconsequencesofthis,butforsomereasonfeltquiteconfidentthatnothingseriouswouldresult.Itookmycameraoutofthepocketofmywindproofjacketandclumsilyopeneditwithmythicklyglovedhands.Iclippedonthelenshoodandultra-violetfilterandthenshuffleddowntheridgealittlesothatIcouldgetthesummitintomyviewfinder.Tenzinghadbeenwaitingpatiently,butnow,atmyrequest,heunfurledtheflagswrappedaroundhisice-axeandstandingonthesummitheldthemabovehishead.Cladinallhisbulkyequipmentandwiththeflagsflappingfuriouslyinthewind,hemadeadramaticpicture,andthethoughtdriftedthroughmymindthatthisphotographshouldbeagoodoneifitcameoutatall.Ididnotknow,hehadnevertakenaphotographbeforeandthesummitofJolmoLungmawashardlytheplacetoshowhimnow.Iclimbeduptothetopagainandstartedtakingaphotographicrecordineverydirection.Theweatherwasstillextraordinarilyfine.FromourviewpointIcouldseeallthenorthernslopesofthemountainandwasimmediatelystruckbythepossibilityofafeasibleroutetoitssummit.Withagrowingfeelingofexcitement,Itookanotherphotographtostudyatleisureonreturningtocivilization.Almostunderourfeet,itseemed,wasthefamousNorthColglacier,wheresomanyepicdeedsofcourageandendurancewereperformedbytheearlierBritishExpeditions.Itwasasoberingthoughttorememberhowoftenthesemenhadreached9,000mwithoutthebenefitsofourmodernequipmentandreasonablyefficientoxygensets.InevitablymythoughtsturnedtoMalloryandIrving,whohadlosttheirlivesonthemountain30yearsbefore.ComprehensionExercisesDecidewhetherthefollowingstatementsareTrueorFalse.______1.Uponreachingthesummit,thewriterfeltrelievedthathisoxygensupplieshadnotbeenusedup.______2.Weknowfromthepassagethatthemountaintophadtheshapeofasteepcliff.______3.Thewriterfeltimmenselyproudofhavingreachedthesummit—anambitionsomanybraveandeterminedclimberswantedtoachieve.______4.Thewriterwasnotovercomewithjoyuponreachingthetopashewasstilloverwhelmedwithdisbeliefandalsoafeelingofanxietyaboutthedangerousdecentdownthemountain.______5.Thewriterwasa33-yearoldmountaineerfromNewZealand.4.Buzz–bombsandDoodlebugs(ReadingTime:61/2minutes)In1944Iwasaschoolboyof15.IhadnotbeeninLondonduringtheBlitzof1940-41,butIreturnedtothefamilyhomeinSouthLondonin1942andwenttoschoolthere.Ithastoberememberedthatfornearlythreeyears,from1941to1944,therewasalmostnobombingatall.TheninFebruary1944Germanylaunchedwhatbecameknownasthe"littleBlitz".Thiswentonforafewdays,butwasonnothinglikethescaleofthebombingof1940-41,stilllessthemassiveAnglo-AmericanairraidsthenbeingdirectedatGermany.InJune1944thefirstflyingbombsfellonLondon;theywereusuallycalled"buzz-bombs"or"doodlebugs".Itwasnotclearwhattheywereatfirst,astheywereobviouslynotdroppedfromaplane.Thenitwasunderstoodthattheywereineffectself-propelledpilotlessaircraft,whichwhentheyreachedtheirmaximumrangewouldcrashwiththeirexplosiveload.Atfirstonlyoneortwofell,butsoonitbecameobviousthataregularbombardmentwasunderway.Themostnoticeableaspectofthedoodlebugswastheirsound,whichwasquiteunlikeanyordinaryplane;ithadastrangetearingandraspingsound,morelikeamotorcycle.Itsoonacquiredadisquietinganddisturbingquality,andpromptedunbecomingreactions.Ifthemotorcutoutwhentheweaponwasapproaching,thenitwaslikelytodropnearbyandonetriedtotakeshelter;ifitcontinueditsflight,onecouldfeelrelieved:someoneelsewouldbethevictim.SouthLondonwasontheirregularflightpath,andmanyofthemfellnearby,causingdamageandlossoflife.Ourhousesufferedbrokenglassandaceilingdownbutnoseriousdamage.Therewasaparticularlybadincidenton28thJuly1944whenaflyingbombfellinthemainshoppingcentreofLewisham;itpenetratedanairraidshelter,causing51deathsandmanycasualties.AtaboutthattimeIwasinastreetaboutaquarterofamileaway,consciousofallthenearbydisturbance;whatIremembermostclearlywasseeingbloodstainsonthepavement.Lookingback,Iamstruckbytheverymatter-of-factwayinwhichatthatageIrespondedtoallthis.InAugust1944IwenttostaywithanunclewholivedinavillagenearCanterburyinKent.Thiswasoutofthewayoftheflyingbombsinonesense,astheyweredirectedatLondon;buttheyoftenpassedoverheadasthevillagewassituatedinwhatwascalledDoodlebugAlley.Sometimestheywouldfallinthenearbyfields,eitherbecausetheyhadfallenshort,orwereshotdownbyfighters.TheRAFbroughtthefirstjetfightersintooperationtotrytocatchthemastheyweremuchfasterthanpiston-enginedfighters.Theywouldflyalongsidethemandfliptheirwingtospillthemharmlesslyintotheopenfieldsbelow.IremembersittingontheNorthDownswithmycousinandhisgirl-friend,andseeingafighterchasingadoodlebug.Itcrashedsomewhereinthedistance,whichwasanexcitingspectacle,eithershotdownortippedoffcoursebythepursuingplane.SomeofthemfailedtoexplodeandonewasputondisplayatastoreinCanterbury.ThereisnodoubtthatthesethingsdidagreatdealofdamageinLondonwithinthespaceofafewweeks.ThealliedarmieswereadvancingonthelaunchingsitesinNorthernFranceandBelgium,andtherewasconcernthattheywouldnotgetthereintimetopreventmoredamageandlossoflife.Soon,however,theywerereplacedbythefarmorefrighteningV2weapons.Thesewererocketsproper,muchlargerandmoredestructivewhichgavenonoticeatalloft