Unit409


     Unit Nine

      Text

                    1976, during  America's  bicetennial celebra-

          tion, a family  decided  to travel  to the  American West

          instead of jaining the majority of people that were cele-

          brating on the East Coast. They wanted  to follozer the 

          trails that  the pioneers had made when they  began to 

          settle  the  West. The  family  was  looking  forward  to 

          making their owm discoveries.

                            WEST

Jim Doherty

began our trip out West on June 19, 1976, a time when millions of

other American families were preparing to crowd into the Bicentennial

shrines of the East. We sized up America's 200th birthday celebration a bit

differently. Although the Republic may have been born in the East, it had

5 spent most of its time and energies since then moving west. So we resolved

to head in the same direction in 1976, following the old pioneer trails and

the famous rivers.Concentrating primarily on Wyoming and Montana,we would

explore such legendary mountain ranges as the Big Horns, the Bitterroots

and the Swan.

10 was one problem though. I was sure our four kids -- educated

about the West through the movies -- would be disappointed. As an envi-

ronmental editor, I knew that strip mining was tearing up many scenic areas

and that clear-cutting was causing widespread damage in the mountains. I

was well aware that draining and damming were making a mess of many rivers

15 and wetlands. The grasslands were overgrazed and coal-burning power plants

were befouling the air. Wildlife was on the run everywhere and tourists

were turning the national parks into slums.

was prepared for the worst. But how to prepare the kids?

answer, we decided, was to undertake our journey not just as

20 tourists on a holiday, but as reporters on the trail of "the real West."

So all of us, from my kids to my wife, pledged to do our homework before we

left and to record on the way everything we did,saw,heard,felt or thought.

, we did not uncover any new truths about the West in three

short weeks. But there were plenty of surprises on that 5, 200-mile journey

25 and the biggest one was this: I had been wrong. Some of the troubles we

saw were every bit as bad as I had dreaded. But by and large, the country

was as glorious, as vast and as overwhelmingly spectacular as those

know-nothing kids had expected !

the fun of. going west is discovering, along the way, how much

30 the past is still with us. Old wives' tales. Little old farm towns shaded

from the summer heat by enarmous maple trees on streets. White-haired folks

reading the paper on their farmhouse porches at sunset. Worn-out windmills

standing alone in pastures... All in all, we did not see much evidence that

small-town America is vanishing as we traveled through rural Wisconsin,

35 Minnesota arid South Dakota. It's true that many new homes are rising in

many old cornfields. But for the most part, life in vast areas of the Ameri-

can heartland remains pretty much the same as it was 30 and 40 years ago.

the hilly farmlands of southern Wisconsin and Minnesota, we found

the fields and forests green and the creeks still flowing. The farnis, with

40 their "eggs for sale" signs and enormous "grandma's gardens" in the front

yards, looked prosperous and secure. Not much further north, though, a

drought was threatening the land.

South Dakota, the situation was far worse. "Haven't seen anything

like this since the dirty thirties," one farmer told us. Even in normal

45 times, most of South Dakota is dry. Now it was being burned to a crisp. The

water holes were dried up and we saw dead cattle lying here and there on

the treeless, rolling range. Some farmers were hauling water out to their

thirsty stock daily; others were trying to drill deep wells.

saw two distinctly different Wyomings. We crossed the first Wyoming

50 between the Black Hills and the Big Horns. Wide-open grassland, fenced and

colorless, with red rocks and sweet-smelling shrubs scattered about, it was

typical of a hard-used land. Cattle grazed on it. Oil rigs pumped on it and

power lines zigzagged all over it. Freight trains labored across it, hauling

coal from strip mine to power plant, hauling uranium and other minerals to

55 refineries. This Wyoming, clearly, was booming.

other Wyoming started some miles east of Buffalo, an unexpectedly-

graceful community in the foothills of the Big Horns. On one side of town,

antelope abounded by fours and fives in the hills, and yellow wild flowers

lined the roads. On the other side rose the Big Horns and nearly 10, 000

60 feet up, Powder River Pass cut through them.

Big Horn canyons were incredible, with four and five distinct lay-

ers of pine trees somehow clinging to the steep, rocky walls. Far, far be-

low, Ten Sleep Creek was a thin, white torrent on the rampage. In some of

the less wild terrain, we saw deer on the high green hillsides and, as we

65 climbed up toward our picnic spot, we flushed two does and two fawns. That

night, we fell asleep with the roar of Ten Sleep in our ears.

had picked by chance for our stopping place an area rich in western

lore. At one time, Ten Sleep -- a small village at the western base of the

Big Horns -- lay midway between two great Indian camps. in those days, the

70 Indians measured distances by the number of sleeps and the halfway mark

between those two camps was exactly ten sleeps.

crossed the Continental Divide for the first time on a cool morning,

cutting through the Rockies in northwestern Wyoming at a place called

Togwatee Pass (at a height of 9, 656 feet) . Our van had just leveled off

75 and we were rounding a downhill bend when, all at once, there they were,

stretched out before us in a spectacular procession of massive white peaks:

the Tetons. My wife gasped and, behind us, the kids began to yell.In truth,

it was a startling sight -- a sight none of us will ever forget.

had seen mountains before, but we had never experienced anything

even remotely like that initial impact of the Tetons. It was exactly what

80 we had in mind when we decided to take our first trip "out West. "

bicentennial / a. happening once in 200 years; of a 200th

anniversary

n. 200th anniversary

shrine / n. a building or place associated with sth.

or sb. deeply respected 神殿, 圣地

resolve / vt. make up one's mind (to do sth.) ; decide

决心; 决定

trail / n. a path across rough country made by the

passing of people or animals 小径,小道

legendary / a. of,like or told in a legend 传奇(似)的

mountain range a row of connected mountains 山脉

disappointed / a. sad at not getting what was hoped for 失

望的

environmental / a. having to do with environment 环境的

environment / n.

editor / n. 编辑

strip mine / n. a mine which is operated from the surface

by removing the overlying layers of

earth 露天矿

vt. take(a mineral or ore) from a strip mine

露天开采（矿物）

scenic / a. of or having to do with natural scenery

天然风景的

clear-cut / vt. cut all the trees in ( a given area or

forest) 将…的树木砍伐光

drain / vt. carry away the surface water of 排(水等)

dam / n. a wall or bank built to keep back water

坝 , 水闸

vt. build a dam across

mess /mes/ n. state of confusion, dirt or disorder 混

乱，肮脏

wetland / n. land or areas containing much soil

moisture; swamp 沼泽地

grassland / n. land rovered with grass, esp. wild open

land for cattTe to feed on 草地; 牧场

overgraze / vt. allow animals to graze to the point of

damaging the grass cover 在…上过度放牧

power plant 发电厂

befoul / vt. make dirty 弄脏

wildlife / n. animals and plants which live and grow

in natural conditions 野生动植物

tourist / n. a person making a tour for pleasure 游客

slum / n. (often ph) street,alley,or building in a

crowded, run-down,dirty part of a city

or town, where the poorest people live

贫民窟

undertake / vt. take up (a duty, etc. ); start on (work)

承担; 从事

pledge / vt. make a solemn promise or agreement 发誓，

保证

predictably / ad. as one may predict

uncover / vt. remove a cover from; f ind out, discover

揭开…盖子；发现

know-nothing / a. ignorant

n. ignoramus

shade / vt. shelter from direct light or heat 萌蔽

maple / n. 槭树, 枫树

folk (AmE folks) / n. people

worn-out / a. used until no longer fit for use; very

tired 破旧的; 精疲力尽的

windmill / n. a mill operated by the action of the

wind on sails which revolve 风车

pasture / n. grassland for cattle; grass on such land

牧场; 牧草

rural / a. of or relating to the country, country

people or life, or agriculture 农村的

cornfield / n (AmE)玉米田;(BrE)小麦田,谷物田

heartland / n. any area or region that is the center of,

or vital to,a oountry 心脏地带,中心地带

hilly / a. full of hills

grandma / n. ( informal ) grandmother

secure / a. safe; having no doubt, fear, or anxiety

安全的

drought / n. a long period of dry weather, when there

is not enough water 干旱

crisp / a. dry; hard; easily broken 脆的; 易碎的

n. something crisp

rolling / a. rising and falling in long gentle slopes

绵延起伏的

haul / vt. pull or drag with force 拖曳

stock / n. farm animals, usu. cattle 牲畜

distinctly / ad. clearly

graze / v. feed on growing grass ( in) 吃(…的)草

rig / n. 钻塔

pump / vt. force (water, etc. ) out by using a pump

n. 泵

zigzag / vi. go in a zigzag 弯弯曲曲地行走, 蜿蜒曲折

n. a line shaped like a row of z's

freight /freit/ n. the goods carried from place to place by

water or by land 货物

freight train n. (AmE) goods train

uranium / n.

refinery / n. a building and apparatus for refining

sth.(metals,oil,or sugar)精炼厂,提炼厂

boom / vi. grow rapidly; develop rapidly in popula-

tiori and importance 迅速发展, 兴盛

graceful / a. (of shape or movement) pleasing to the

eye 优雅的

grace / n.

foothill / n. a low hill at the foot of a mountain 山

麓小丘

antelope / n. a deer-like, fast-running animal with

thin legs 羚羊

abound / vi. have or exist in great numbers or quan-

tities (物产)丰富

canyon / n. a deep narrow steep-sided valley ( usu.

with a river flowing through) 峡谷

distinct / a. easily seen, heard,understood; plain;

clearly different or separate 明显的;

不同的

pine / n. 松树; 松木

cling / (clung / ) vi. hold tightly; remain close 紧握着;粘着

steep / a. rising or falling sharply or at a large

angle 陡峭的

torrent / n. a violently rushing stream of water 激流

rampage / n. excited and violent behavior 横冲直撞,

狂暴行径

tetTain / n. a stretch of land, esp. when considered

in relation to its nature 地带,地形

hillsfde / n. the sloping side of a hill 山腰

picnic / n. 野餐

roar / n. a deep loud sound as of a lion, or

thunder, etc. 吼叫，轰鸣

western / a. of, in，from, characteristic of the west

lore / n. tradition and knowlege, esp. handed down

from past times (口头)传说

midway / a. & ad. in a middle position

halfway / a. & ad. at the midpoint between two things

continental / a. (typical) of a very large mass of land;

(AmE) of or in the North American

continent 大陆(性)的; 北美大陆的

van / n. a covered motor-vehicle for carrying

goods and sometimes people 客货两用车

level / v. bring or eome into a horizontal plane

downhill / a. (sloping or going) towards the bottom of

a hill

stretch / v. (cause to) become wider or longer;spread

out 伸延

procession / n. a line of people, vehicles, etc. moving

forward in an orderly way 行列, 队伍

massive / a. large,heavy and solid;huge 粗大的,巨大的

gasp / v. struggle for breath with open mouth,esp.

because of surprise, shock, etc. 喘息

n. catching of the breath through surprise,

pain, etc.

yell / v. make a loud sharp cry or shout, as of

pain, excitement, etc. ; say or shout

loudly

remotely / ad. to a very sxnall degree; far away 很少地;

极小地; 遥远地

remote / a.

initial / a. occurring at the beginning; first 最初的,

开始的

impact / n. a strong effect; the striking of one

thing against another 影响; 冲击

                     Phrases & Expressions

size up                                   form an opinion or judgment about 估计; 品评

a bit                                       to some degree; rather 有点儿, 相当

tear up                                   destroy completely by tearing 撕毁, 毁掉

make a mess of	                     disorder, spoil or ruin 把…弄脏 ; 把…弄糟

on the run                               running or hurrying from place to place; in 

                                                    flight 奔跑着;奔逃着

do one's homework                make necessary preparations before taking 

                                                    part in an important activity 作必要的准备

by and large                           on the whole; in general

all in al                                   ( informal ) on the whole 

here and there                         seattered about; in various places 零星分散,

                                                    在各处

burn to a crisp                        burn black or dry 烤焦

cut throu                                穿过, 穿透

cling to                                   keep a firm hold on 紧紧抓住

be/go on the/a rampage           go about in an excitad,mad and violent manner

                                              横冲直撞

by chance                               unintentionally ; by accident 偶然地; 意外地

at one time                              formerly 从前, 曾经

level off/out                             move horizontally (af ter climbing) ; remain 

                                                      steady (after a rise) (爬高后)水平移动 ; 

                                                      (上升后)达到平稳

stretch out	                              extend; prolong 延伸 ,延续

in truth                                    truly; really 的确

have in mind                            be considering, intend 考虑, 打算

                              Proper Names

  Wyoming                      怀俄明(美国州名)

  Montana                         蒙大拿(美国州名)

  the Big Horns                  大霍恩山脉(美国山名)

  the Bitterroots                 比特鲁特山脉(美国山名)

  the Swan                        斯旺山(美国山名)

  Wisconsin                       威斯康星(美国州名)

  South Dakota                  南达科他(美国州名)

  the Black Hills                 布莱克山(美国山名)

  Buffalo                           布法罗(美国城市名)

  Powder River                 波德河(美国河流名)

  Ten Sleep Creek             十眠河(美国河流名)

  the Rockies                    洛矶山脉(美国山名)

  Togwatee Pass               托格瓦堤关(美国地名)

  the Tetons                       提腾山脉(美国山名)

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Unit409