Lesson 43 

Over the South Pole 

飞越南极

First listen and then answer the question.

How was the plane able to clear the mountains？

In 1929,three years after his flight over the North Pole, the American explorer,R.E.Byrd,successfully flew over the South Pole for the first time. Though, at first,Byrd and his men were able to take a great many photographs of the mountains that lay below, they soon ran into serious trouble. At one point, it seemed certain that their plane would crash. It could only get over the mountains if it rose to 10,000 feet.Byrd at once ordered his men to throw out two heavy food sacks. The plane was then able to rise and it cleared the mountains by 400 feet.Byrd now knew that he would be able to reach the South Pole which was 300 miles away, for there were no more mountains in sight. The aircraft was able to fly over the endless white plainswithout difficulty.

New words and expressions 生词和短语 

pole n.(地球的)极 seem v.似乎，好像 

flight n.飞行 crash v.坠毁

explorer n.探险家 sack n.袋子 

lie v.处于 clear v.越过 

serious adj.严重的 aircraft n.飞机

point n.地点 endless adj.无尽的 

plain n.平原 

Notes on the text 课文注释 

1 the North Pole,北极；the South Pole,南极

2 a great many photograph,大量照片。 

3 they soon ran into serious trouble,他们很快陷入了困境。 

run into trouble 是“遇到麻烦”的意思。 

4 at one point,在某一地方。 

5 it seemed certain,看起来肯定。 

6 get over the mountains,越过山头。