Unit 2 Crossing limits

The Third Period

Going High: The Pioneers of The Third Pole

Step 1 Led- in

In the last reading passage we talked about navigation exploration. That is to say, the Ocean exploration As we know, by the middle of the1920s , the farthest corners of the earth had already been explored by human being. Continents had not only been reached, but also mapped out. People had even reached the North and South Poles Now what new limit did human being endeavour to cross or conquer?

Step 2 Reading

1. First look at the title “Going High: The Pioneers of the Third Pole”. What does “going high “ mean in this text?

-----Climbing the mountain.

2. What does” the pioneers “ means?

----Of course the climbers who try to conquer the mountain.

3. What new exploration did people want to challenge?

-----How to climb the highest mountain-Mount Qomolangma

4. Why does the writer call it “ the third pole” ?

-----Because Mount Qomolangma can be compared with the North and South Poles

for its extreme condition. The exploration is as tough and risky job as reaching

the North and South Poles. It is said that climbing is like going to the moon.

5. What difficulties and dangers do you think a person will face when he climbs Mount Qomolangma?

---- I think the climbers will face the cold, thin air and low oxygen levels. Besides, continuous bad weather may endanger the climbers’ lives. Worse still, they may meet with snow collapse, which is fatal. Lastly, there will be no chance to survive if the oxygen runs out.

6. What are needed to conquer the Mount Qomolangma besides all the necessary equipment and preparations ?

---- climber’s skill, courage, strong will and wisdom

7. Since it is such a dangerous place , why can the Tibetans live at ease in such extreme conditions ?

---- Because they lived in Himalayas for centuries and have adjusted to the

conditions at such a height.

8. What makes Sherpas the most reliable guides in every attempt to climb Mount Qomolangma?

----Sherpa strength, skill, honesty and dedication have made them the most reliable

guides.

9. We know the Sherpas are the local people who live there many years and can be used to the weather there but why don’t they climb that mountain?

----Because in their eyes the mountains were sacred.

10. What might have been the possible reasons that made the British expeditions fail in 1922 and in 1924?

----They were not prepared for many unexpected difficulties and they were not very

familiar with Mount Qomolangma.

11. Why could Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay make it to the summit of Mount Qomolangma?

----Because after World War II, technological advances in clothing and equipment

had been made and more was known about the mountain itself.

12. How do you understand the sentence “ Like winning in the Olympic Games, climbing a mountain such as Mount Qomolangma is a great personal achievement”?

----Mountain climbing itself means exploring human possibilities and every success

proves the conqueror’s courage, endeavour and ability.

13. After the first successful climbing, why did so many people still want to climb Mount Qomolangma?

---- Because different people represent different countries and different “number

ones”.

14. Did the Chinese team ever reach the summit of the mountain? How do you know?

---- They left behind an iron container with our national flag and a portrait of

Chairman Mao Zedong on the summit.

Step 3 Understanding

1. Read the text again and finish Ex. 2.

(1). Going to Mount Qomolangma was like going to the moon.

= it was regarded as difficult as going to the moon.

(2). The death zone = people find it almost impossible to live in the area.

(3). They had no idea what they were up against.

= They didn’t what conditions were to be faced with.

(4). English air = oxygen

(5). Some suggested that it could not be accomplished. = thought

Step 4 :Language points:

1. accomplish: 1). complete / finish

(1). We accomplished such a difficult task in one day

(2). He has accomplished a great deal of work in the past few weeks.

Cf. finish

_____his homework, he went out to play.

_____the following sentences.

2). be accomplished in / at = be clever / skilled / expert in / at

(1). She is accomplished at several foreign languages.

(2). …………………… in a great many arts.

2. apart from: 1). except / except for / but ….

(1). Apart from a few faults, he is a reliable friend.

(2). Apart from you and me, I don’t think nobody knows this matter.

(3). To tell the truth, apart from the slow salary, I don’t think it is a bad job.

2). in addition (to)/ besides / as well as 除了…外,還;;;

(1). Apart from the cost, the dress doesn’t suit me.

姑且不論價格, 這件衣服不適合我穿.

(2). Apart from being used as a building material, wood is also made into paper.

(3). Apart from a dictionary, he presented me with a dozen pencils.

3). to / at a distance ; separately

(1). The two houses stand 80 meters apart ( from each other.)

(2). He keeps himself apart from other people.

(3). He lives apart from his parents.

3. adjust (sth. /oneself )to = adapt oneself to

= 1). become / get/ make suited ( to new conditions)

(1). If you want to work in Tibet , you must first adjust / adapt yourself to the

new climate.

(2). In order to get adjusted / adapted to the life there, he took an active part in

the activities there.

2). arrange / put …into correct order / position

(1). Astronauts in flight must adjust to their weightlessness.

(2). The desks and seats can be adjusted to the height of any child.

(3). This lady carefully adjusted her clothes and hair before going out.

4. dedicate …to… vt. 1). give / devote (oneself / time / energy / effort ) to…

(1). He dedicated his life to the service of his country.

(2). Madam Curies dedicated herself to the cause of science.

(3). His dedication to teaching gained the respect of his students.

2). be dedicated / devoted to = be absorbed in / bury oneself in

/ be busy with

(1). He is dedicated / devoted to the cause that he likes.

(2). When entered, he was dedicated to his work.

5. refer to 1). mention / speak of / mean

(1). The man referred to yesterday has arrived at the airport.

(2). In his speech he often referred to his past experiences as a peasant.

(3). I knew he was referring to Bill Gates when he spoke of a promising boy.

2). turn to ….for information 向。。。查詢

(1). If you don’t know the words, please refer to the dictionary.

(2). In the course of his speech he referred several times to his notes.

(3). This traveler referred to his guide book for details of his journey.

3). send…..to…for help / advice / action 提/送交。。。以求。。。

(1). They sent the patient to a big hospital for treatment.

(2). It’s suggested that the nuclear problem on Iran should be referred to the UN.

4). owe ….to….

(1). When asked about the secret of his success, he said he referred his success

to his wife and children.

5). refer to……as = regard / consider / look on…as

(1). The local people laughed at the strange bottles containing what they

referred to as “English air”.

6. arise (from / out of ) iv. 1). appear / come into existence(being)

(1). A new situation will arise when the examination system comes into being.

這種考試制度一旦形成，將會出現一個新的局面。

(2). Nobody knows how the quarrel between them arose.

2). result from

(3). New difficulties will arise from such situation.

(4). Some accidents may arise out of carelessness.

7. sth.(food/money/time/patience/strength) run out

= sth. give out / be exhausted

sb. run out of sth. = sb. use up sth.

(1). ---- Have we run out of food?

---- Yes, our food has run out. We’d better buy some.

(2). That day his patience ran out , so he got very angry with you.

8. have no chance of doing / that… = possibility / hope

(1). --- Do you think he has a good chance of winning? --- I don’t think so.

(2). Is there any chance that he will be rescued ?

/ Does he have any chance of being rescued?

9. …be the first to make it to summit of Mount …

make it 1). succeed in ( one’s career )

(1). --- Do you think we can catch the train?

---- I hope we can make it.

(2). He says he’ll get up at six tomorrow morning, but he’ll never make it.

2). arrange

(3). -- When shall we start? -- Let’s _____it 8:30. Is that all right? (02 Beijing)

A. set B. make C. meet D. take

Cf. mange it. = deal / cope with

(1). ---- May I help you to carry your suitcase?

---- No, thank you, but I can manage it.

(2). Without your help, I shan’t be able to manage the job.

10. leave ….. behind = fail / forget to take / bring ……

(1). Wait --- don’t leave me behind.

(2). It won’t rain. Please leave your umbrella behind.

Cf. leave + n. / pron. + o.c. =cause….in a certain state of….

(1). Don’t leave the door open / locked / shut / closed.

(2). The crash of the aircraft left more than 80 passengers dead.

(3). Most men in the village left for the big cities for better job, leaving the

women and children doing their farm work.

11. be( go / come) up against sth. = be faced with ( problems / difficulties…)

(1). He really doesn’t know what problems he will be up against in the future.

(2). He is really up against difficulties./ in great difficulties.

12. try to remember:

by the middle of the 1920s

at such a great height

act as a guide

rely on = depend on

make an / the attempt to do

in one’s attempt to do

a great personal achievement

on one’s return

be praised as

succeed in doing / be successful in doing

= manage to do

fail to do

ideal companions

a sacred place