十二、冰雪路面驾车的经历

　　Driving through snowstorm on icy roads for long distances is a most nerve-racking experience. It is a paradox that the snow，coming __1__ gently，blowing gleefully in a high wind，all the while __2__ down a treacherous carpet，freezes the windows，__3__ the view. The might of automated man is__4__ . The horses，the powerful electrical systems，the deep-tread tires，all go __5__ nothing. One minute the road feels __6__，and the next the driver is sliding over it，light as a__7__，in a panic，wondering what the heavy trailer trucks coming up__8__the rear are going to do. The trucks are like __9__ when you have to pass them，not at sixty or seventy __10__ you do when the road is dry，but at twenty-five and thirty. __11__ their engines sound unnaturally loud. Snow，slush and__12__ of ice spray from beneath the wheels，obscure the windshield，and rattle __13__your car. Beneath the wheels there is plenty of __14__ for you to slide and get mashed to a pulp. Inch __15__ inch you move up，past the rear wheels，the center wheels，the cab，the front wheels，all__16__too slowly by. Straight ahead you continue，__17__ to cut over sharply would send you into a slip，__18__in front of the vehicle. At last，there is__19__enough，and you creep back over，in front of the truck now，but__20__the sound of its engine still thundering in your ears.

　　1. [A] up [B] off [C] down [D] on

　　2. [A] lies [B] lays [C] settles [D] sends

　　3. [A] blocks [B] strikes [C] puffs [D] cancels

　　4. [A] muted [B] discovered [C] doubled [D] undervalued

　　5. [A] for [B] with [C] into [D] from

　　6. [A] comfortable [B] weak [C] risky [D] firm

　　7. [A] loaf [B] feather [C] leaf [D] fog

　　8. [A] beneath [B] from [C] under [D] beyond

　　9. [A] dwarfs [B] giants [C] patients [D] princesses

　　10. [A] what [B] since [C] as [D] that

　　11. [A] So [B] But [C] Or [D] Then

　　12. [A] flakes [B] flocks [C] chips [D] cakes

　　13. [A] onto [B] against [C] off [D] along

　　14. [A] snow [B] earth [C] room [D] ice

　　15. [A] by [B] after [C] for [D] with

　　16. [A] climbing [B] crawling [C] winding [D] sliding

　　17. [A] meanwhile [B] unless [C] whereas [D] for

　　18. [A] sheer [B] mostly [C] rarely [D] right

　　19. [A] might [B] distance [C] air [D] power

　　20. [A] with [B] like [C] inside [D] upon

　　答案

　　1.C 2.B 3.A 4.A 5.A 6.D 7.B 8.C 9.B 10.C

　　11.D 12.C 13.C 14.C 15.A 16.D 17.D 18.D 19.B 20.A

　　总体分析

　　本文描述了在冰雪覆盖的路面上开车的经历。文章首句为主题句，概括了这种经历的特点是“令人非常紧张”。第二至四句分别介绍了下雪带来的隐患和机器变得没有多大用处。从第五句到文章最后则描述了在这种不利条件下和大卡车一同行驶的紧张经历。

　　全文翻译

　　在暴风雪中驱车长距离地行驶于冰雪覆盖的路面上是一种令人非常紧张的经历。矛盾的是雪一面轻轻地飘落，在强风中愉快地吹着，一面又不断地吹落可能带来危险的毯子，封冻窗户，挡住视线。机器的力量被减弱了。马、强有力的电子系统、深胎面的轮胎都毫无用处。一分钟前路面还很结实，下一分钟司机就在上面打滑，轻飘飘地，处于恐慌之中，想着从后面突然出现的笨重的挂了拖车的卡车会干出什么事情来。当你不得不开车经过这些卡车时，它们就像巨人一般。这时你行驶的速度不是当路面干燥时的60或70，而是25和30.并且它们的引擎听起来极其刺耳。雪、泥和冰渣滓从轮子下喷洒出来，使挡风玻璃变得模糊不清，然后格格作响地从车上掉下。卡车轮子下的空间很大，足以让你滑进去并被碾成肉酱。你一点点的往前挪动，经过卡车的后轮，中间的轮子，驾驶室，前轮，所有这一切都是极其缓慢地滑过去的。你继续笔直地往前开，因为突然超车抢道到卡车前面会使你的车滑倒，正好倒在大卡车的前面。最后终于和卡车有了一段距离了，你才慢慢地往后挪，挪到另外一车道上，现在你行使在卡车的前面了，但是引擎的声音仍然震耳欲聋。