高中英语选修10详解Unit 1高三英语课文答案翻译Nothing Ventured

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Warming Up
A spider was making its web while Robert the Bruce was watching it in a cave. It tried again and again to fix its thread but each time it failed. When it finally succeeded, Robert realized that it had taught him a valuable lesson and he was inspired to continue fighting till he defeated the English and gained independence for Scotland. He became the first Scottish king.

Helen Keller was a young girl who was unable to speak, hear or see anything, Struggling in a world of silence and darkness, she seemed to be simple-minded. One day a teacher, Anne Sullivan, came to her parents' house and she helped Helen to learn how to communicate with others using her hands. The patience and kindness of Anne Sullivan proved very successful and finally Helen became a famous writer.

Beaten by Wu in 494 BC, Gou Jian, the King of Yue, was forced to live as a slave in Wu for three years. When Gou Jian returned to his homeland, he plotted to recover his lost land. He slept on firewood and straw to remind him of his sufferings. Before every meal and at bedtime he lasted a bitter gall-bladder to strengthen his determination. Eventually he defeated the King of Wu.

Reading
A SUCCESSFUL FAILURE
If at first you don't succeed, try and try again.
Perce Blackborow joined an expedition with Sir Ernest Shackleton to Antarctica on the ship Endurance in August 1914. Shackleton was one of the most famous explorers of his day and it was considered a great honour to be part of any expeditions he led. Now read the first part of Perce's story.

August 29th, 1916
Slowly I put my head out of my sleeping bag and look around me. Everything is grey: the inside of the hut appears grey, the morning light looks grey and the pot bubbling on the oil stove is grey. The smell is, as usual, almost unbearable, being a mixture of sweat, seal oil fat and dirty underwear. I try to think of happier things: warm and dry clothes, a cosy bedroom, sunny days, my mother's face and the celebration we will get when we return, for I am part of a failed expedition that tried to cross the continent of Antarctica, something that had never been done before. As I think of this, a black blanket drops and covers me, almost blocking out the memories of happier times. I feel breathless as I remember my rotten toes that had to be removed when they became blackened from frostbite. Our circumstances are so desperate that it is uncertain whether we will ever return alive. Perhaps our bodies will be recognized and collected by some other expedition team many years from now.

Just as I am about to become self-pitying, the door to our shelter opens and a blast of cold air tears through the hut. "Shut that door!" I yell in a hoarse voice that I hardly recognize as my own. "Hold on now, Perce. Don't you go turning into another Tom." comes the reply. "We've caught another penguin, so it's penguin soup tonight!" Bless Frank Wild, the kindest man there is, after our leader, Ernest Shackleton. How could I become as selfish and bad-tempered as Tom Orde-Lees! I struggle out of my bed and a new day begins.

When the expedition was announced. I was only twenty and I had always dreamed of adventure. So it was with great excitement one morning in July 1914 that I read this advertisement:
Men wanted for a dangerous journey: small wages, bitter cold, months of complete darkness and safe return uncertain. Honour and reward will follow if it is successful. Sir Ernest Shackleton.

An expedition with the great Sir Ernest Shackleton to the South Pole--I was hooked! I was an amateur but I was young, fit and energetic. I secretly hid aboard the ship, Endurance, in a small cupboard. Nobody found me until the ship had sailed and I was suffering badly from seasickness. Anyhow, Shackleton seemed interested in my silly behaviour and accepted the situation. He made me a steward to help cook twenty-eight meals three times a day.

On January 18th, 1915, the Endurance became stuck in pack ice (which can be solid or broken into huge floating pieces of ice) as we approached Antarctica. The ice froze around us and we were well and truly stuck! The ship was gradually crushed in front of our eyes. I believe Shackleton must have mourned this unexpected end to his expedition, but he did not waste time on regrets. Calling us calmly together, he made an urgent announcement that we must save only essential supplies before the ship sank, particularly the small boats, food, cooking equipment, candles, bedding and clothes. To show his determination, Shackleton threw some gold coins and his gold watch unto the ice. But to my surprise he encouraged Hussey to bring his banjo. He described it as vital for keeping us cheerful.

His perseverance won our complete failh in him. He was always honest with us (as in the advertisement) and never gave way to disappointment, even when the ship sank. On April 9th 1916, we moved to our present camp on Elephant Island. Soon Shackleton set out the framework for our life here: no differences in rank or in social status; everyone to keep busy; a fair division of food and bedding; and a concern for all. This team-spirit contributed to the morale of the crew and saved our lives.

Once we were settled on Elephant Island, Shackleton explained his plan to save us: twenty-two of us were to remain here and he would select five others to go to South Georgia and bring help. No rescue attempt could be expected from outside as nobody knew where we were, I will never forget watching the little boat disappear through the booming waves into the stormy ocean. We who remained on Elephant Island swore that we would do as he advocated: remain optimistic and recover our health before he returned to rescue us.