First listen and then answer the question.
听录音,然后回答以下问题。
How fast did the winning car go?
英式发音:
美式发音:
Once a year, a race is held for old cars. A lot of cars entered for this race last year and there was a great deal of excitement just before it began. One of the most handsome cars was a Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost. The most unusual car was a Benz which had only three wheels. Built in 1885,it was the oldest car taking part. After a great many loud explosions, the race began. Many of the cars broke down on the course and some drivers spent more time under their cars than in them! A few cars, however, completed the race. The winning car reached a speed of forty miles an hour----much faster than any of its rivals. It sped downhill at the pleasure. It was very different from modern car races but no less exciting.
New words and expressions 生词和短语sound(title)/saund/n. 声音
explosion(1.6)/ik'splәuʒ(ә)n/n.爆炸,轰响
excitement(1.2)/ik'saitmənt/n.激动,兴奋
course(1.7)/kɔ:s/n.跑道;行程
handsome(1.3)/'hænsəm/adj. 漂亮的;美观的
rival(1.9)/'raivəl/n.对手
speed(1.9)/spi:d/(sped/sped/,sped)v.疾驶
Benz(1.4)/benz/ n.奔驰
downhill(1.9)/'daun'hil/adv. 下坡
wheel(1.5)/wi:l/ n.轮子
Notes on the text 课文注释
1 once a year,每年一次。
2 A lot of cars entered for this race last year. 去年许多车参加了这项比赛。
3 a great deal of,大量的,后面接不可数名词。
4 break down,抛锚,出故障。
5 some drivers spent more time under their cars than in them!有些驾驶员花在汽车底下的时间比坐在车子里面的时间还长。 under the car是指在车下面修理,in the car是指正常驾驶。句中的under和in都是斜体,主要是用来对比,有强调的意味,要重读。
6 its driver had a lot of trouble trying to stop it, 驾驶员费了很大劲才把车停了下来。
7 but no less exciting, 但激动人心的程度并不亚于现代汽车大赛。这是一句省略句,完整的句子应是 but it was no less exciting than modern car races。
参考译文
旧式汽车的比赛每年举行一次。去年有很多汽车参加了这项比赛。比赛开始之前,人们异常激动。最漂亮的汽车之一是罗尔斯-罗伊斯生产的银鬼汽车,而最不寻常的一辆则要属只有3只轮子的奔驰牌汽车了。该车造于1885年,是参赛车中最老的一辆。在好一阵喧闹的爆炸声之后,比赛开始了。很多汽车在途中就抛了锚,而有些驾驶员花在汽车底下的时间比坐在汽车里面的时间还长。然而还是有几辆汽车跑完了全程。获胜的那辆车达到了时速40英里——远远超过任何对手。它在接近终点时,冲下了山坡,驾驶员费了好大劲才把车停下来。这次比赛使每个人都挺开心。它虽然与现代汽车比赛大不相同,但激动人心的程度并不亚于现代汽车大赛。