“雪龙”破冰 极地救援 英语原创专题

雪龙破冰极地救援

原创撰文汪正定

Chinese helicopter lifts all passengers on trapped Russian ship to safety

A Chinese helicopter transferred all 52 passengers aboard a stranded （搁浅的；陷于困境的）Russian vessel （船，舰）to safe ice near an Australian rescue ship on Thursday, 10 days after the MV Akademik Shokalskiy became stuck in sea ice off Antarctica.

The passengers, as well as luggage, scientific instruments and equipment, were flown to safe ice near the Aurora Australis by Xueying 12, a helicopter on board China's icebreaker Xuelong, and are aboard the Australian ship. An earlier flight examined the surrounding area to prepare for landing on ice.

On Wednesday, Xueying captain Jia Shuliang told Xinhua that they were ready to transport the 52 scientists and tourists aboard MV Akademik Shokalskiy in groups of 12.

As it is summer in Antarctica now, night is as bright as day, so rescuing flights can be made without stop, Igor Kiselev, captain of MV Akademik Shokalskiy, said after the first group of 12 passengers were airlifted at 3:25 p.m. Beijing time (0725 GMT).Each flight takes 45 minutes, so in all, five to six hours are needed, said the captain.

MV Akademik Shokalskiy, built in Finland in 1982, is carrying a team of scientists and other passengers to conduct scientific experiments and sent a distress call （遇险信号；求救呼号）on Christmas Day after becoming trapped in heavy sea ice in Antarctic sea. It is scheduled to return to New Zealand in January 2014.

Xuelong, which left Shanghai in early November on China's 30th scientific expedition to Antarctica, has established an emergency relief working group after the Russian ship's captain sent a formal request on Tuesday for chopper （helicopter 直升飞机）rescue.

1. How long were the passengers trapped aboard the Russian ship ?

A.10 days.

B. 12 days.

C. 52 days .

D. 45 minutes.

【答案】：A.

【解析】：细节理解题。根据文章一段“A Chinese helicopter transferred all 52 passengers aboard a stranded （搁浅的；陷于困境的）Russian vessel （船，舰）……on Thursday, 10 days after …….”可知。

2. Which country didn’t get involved in the rescue?

A. Russia.

B. Australia.

C. China.

D. Finland.

【答案】：D.

【解析】：细节理解题。根据文章第一段及最后一段第一句可知。

China's Xuelong trapped after Antarctica rescue

China's icebreaker Xuelong has been trapped by heavy floes since Friday after rescuing passengers on a Russian vessel stranded in Antarctica.

Xueying 12, a helicopter on board Xuelong, or Snow Dragon, on Thursday successfully evacuated （疏散，撤退）all the 52 passengers aboard the Russian vessel Akademik Shokalskiy that has been stranded since Christmas Eve to the Australian icebreaker Aurora Australis.

However, after the rescue, Xuelong's own movement was blocked by a

one-km-long iceberg which is continuously drifting northwest, according to Xinhua reporters aboard Xuelong.

The massive flat-top iceberg sometimes is as close as 1.2 nautical （航海的，海上的）miles (about 2.22 km) to Xuelong.

Wang Jianzhong, captain of Xuelong, said that currently the tidal （潮汐的；潮的，有关潮水的）conditions are extremely complex in this sea area, which is experiencing large astronomical tides, and the positions of the iceberg and ice floes （浮冰；大浮冰）are changing rapidly.

Xuelong will attempt to maneuver （机动）through the ice only after the giant iceberg drifts away, said the captain.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) said Saturday local time that the Chinese icebreaker's attempt to manoeuvre through the ice early Saturday morning was unsuccessful.

but Xuelong has confirmed to the AMSA that it is safe, is not in distress and does not require assistance at the time, according to the latest statement from AMSA.

AMSA has confirmed that there is no immediate danger to personnel aboard the Xuelong which has food supplies for several weeks.

The statement also said the masters of both Akademik Shokalskiy and Xuelong agreed Saturday morning that further assistance from Aurora Australis is no longer required and they will be able to provide mutual support to each other.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged all-out （全部的；竭尽全力的；毫无保留的）efforts to ensure the safety of the Xuelong staff.

Premier Li Keqiang has also instructed the Xuelong team to stay calm and wait for the opportune moment to get out of trouble.

The Aurora Australis carrying all the rescued passengers has now continued to make its passage to the Casey base to complete a resupply before heading to Australia, AMSA statement said.

原创新题

1.Why was Xuelong stuck in the ice ?

A. Xuelong didn’t work.

B. the Russian vessel Akademik Shokalskiy damaged Xuelong while being rescued.

C. A giant iceberg blocked Xuelong's way.

D. Supplies on borad was run out of .

【答案】：C

【解析】：细节理解题。根据文章第三、四、五、六段可知。

2. Which is NOT true according to the passage?

A.The Australian icebreaker Aurora Australis has been stranded since Christmas Eve.

B. Xuelong will attempt to maneuver （机动）through the ice a second time .

C. China’s leaders have ecouraged the Xuelong team to

overcome the difficulty.

D.There was adequate supplies aboard the Xuelong.

【答案】：A.

【解析】：推理判断题。根据文章第一段可知A为错误。

The stranded Chinese icebreaker,Xuelong, or Snow Dragon, broke through the Antarctic's heavy ice floes at about 6 pm on Tuesday and was headed for open water, according to Xinhua News Agency.

After being stranded in heavy ice for five days, the ship had broken free by Tuesday evening and was making its way through lighter ice, China Central Television reported on Tuesday.

The vessel, which had been conducting China's 30th Antarctic expedition before going to the aid of the Russian ship Akademik Shokalskiy, will now continue with its scheduled activities.

The trapped Russian ship was also trying to free itself on Tuesday, with the favorable westerly wind loosening the surrounding ice, according to CCTV.

A helicopter onboard Xuelong ferried （空运）52 passengers onboard Akademik Shokalskiy to an Australian vessel on Thursday. The Russian ship had been stuck in the ice for 10 days.

However,Xuelong became trapped during the rescue effort, with the ice surrounding the vessel three to four meters thick, far beyond the ship's ice-breaking capability.

Qu Tanzhou, director of the Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Administration under the State Oceanic Administration, told China Daily via telephone on Tuesday that Xuelong's attempts at breakout （突围；越狱；脱逃）started on Tuesday morning.

"A westerly wind is blowing on Tuesday, as we expected, which makes the floes and ice surrounding Xuelong more loose, creating favorable conditions for sailing on Wednesday," Qu said.

In order to prepare for the breakout on Tuesday, the vessel had been maintaining a path through the ice measuring 80 meters wide and 1 kilometer long, he added.

Warming up its engine since Monday, Wu Jianjie, the vessel's chief engineer told Xinhua that all machines on the ship are operating well.

On Tuesday morning,Xuelong broke ice for about 100 meters at a speed of 6 km per hour, but later became trapped in the broken floes, according to Xinhua.

The efforts bore fruit on Tuesday afternoon with the ship sailing through the area of heavy ice.

While the ship was successful in freeing itself, the recent-established emergency team is keeping a close eye on the movements of surrounding floes and icebergs.

All the 101 crew members onboard are faring well, with entertainment facilities such as ping-pong tables, a gym and a library accessible.

There is enough food onboard to last until April, sufficient water for a month and oil for four months, Qu said in a previous interview.

1.How many media are mentioned in the passage ?

A.1.

B. 2.

C. 3.

D. 4.

【答案】：C

【解析】：细节理解题。根据文章第一、二和七等段可知有Xinhua News Agency、China Central Television（CCTV）和China Daily三家媒体报道了。

2. The best title for the passage might be_______.

A. Chinese helicopter lifts all passengers on trapped Russian ship to safety

B. China's Xuelong trapped after Antarctica rescue

C. China's icebreaker Xuelong heads to open water

D. Icebreaker prepares for Antarctica breakout.

【答案】：C.

【解析】：主旨大意题。根据文章第一段“he stranded Chinese icebreaker,Xuelong, or Snow Dragon, broke through the Antarctic's heavy ice floes at about 6 pm on Tuesday and was headed for open water,”及全文大意可知。