国家地理 加里曼丹岛的地底洞天(11)

But no wall appeared. So they tried a different tactic¹, veering² sharply, figuring they'd bump into a side wall. They heard swiftlets calling overhead, the river roaring somewhere beneath their feet. Still no wall. Their headlamp beams simply dissolved into the darkness.

但是他们没有看到墙壁。因此，他们改变策略，突然转向，以为会撞上侧壁。他们听见金丝燕在头顶发出叫声，河流在脚下咆哮，但还是没有看到墙。他们头上的照明灯发出的光束消失在黑暗中。

After 17 hours of exploring, the men tumbled out of Good Luck Cave, soaked and confused. Either they'd just spent hours walking in circles, or they'd made an astounding³ find.

17个小时的探索后，队员们跌跌撞撞地离开了幸运洞，浑身湿透，满脸困惑。他们要么就是花了几小时在洞里转圈，要么就是有了惊人的发现。

Later teams proved that Sarawak Chamber⁴ is the largest known enclosed space on Earth, at 2,000 feet long, 1,400 feet wide, and almost 500 feet tall. It's more than twice as big as the United Kingdom's most celebrated⁵ sports arena⁶, Wembley Stadium.

后来的探险队证明，砂拉越洞穴是已知的世界上最大的封闭空间，足有2000英尺长、1400英尺宽、近500英尺高。面积是英国最有名的体育场温布利球场的两倍多。

As we trekked⁷ toward Good Luck through thick rainforest, I asked a caver named Philip Rowsell, known as "Mad Phil," why an ambitious explorer would return to this storied terrain⁸ if so many records had been set here. He told me that caves never reveal everything during a first visit.

当我们穿越茂密的热带雨林，向幸运洞艰苦跋涉时，我问了一个名叫菲利普·劳斯尔的探险者（人们称他为“疯狂菲尔”）：如果这里已经创下了许多记录，那为什么这样一个有抱负的探险者还要回到这个非常有名的地方？他告诉我，人们第一次来洞穴时，不可能了解这里的一切。

"You often find things earlier guys missed. Especially if it's so frickin' massive that they're sort of stunned⁹."

“你往往能发现前人所遗漏的东西，尤其是一个大到让人目瞪口呆的洞穴。”

1 tactic   

n.战略，策略；adj.战术的，有策略的

参考例句：

• Reducing prices is a common sales tactic.降价是常用的销售策略。
• She had often used the tactic of threatening to resign.她惯用以辞职相威胁的手法。

2 veering   

n.改变的；犹豫的；顺时针方向转向；特指使船尾转向上风来改变航向v.（尤指交通工具）改变方向或路线( veer的现在分词 )；（指谈话内容、人的行为或观点）突然改变；（指风） （在北半球按顺时针方向、在南半球按逆时针方向）逐渐转向；风向顺时针转

参考例句：

• Anyone veering too close to the convoys risks being shot. 任何人改变方向，过于接近车队就有遭枪击的风险。 来自互联网
• The little boat kept veering from its course in such a turbulent river. 小船在这湍急的河中总是改变方向。 来自互联网

3 astounding   

adj.使人震惊的vt.使震惊，使大吃一惊astound的现在分词)

参考例句：

• There was an astounding 20% increase in sales. 销售量惊人地增加了20%。
• The Chairman's remarks were so astounding that the audience listened to him with bated breath. 主席说的话令人吃惊，所以听众都屏息听他说。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

5 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

6 arena   

n.竞技场，运动场所；竞争场所，舞台

参考例句：

• She entered the political arena at the age of 25. 她25岁进入政界。
• He had not an adequate arena for the exercise of his talents.他没有充分发挥其才能的场所。

7 trekked   

v.艰苦跋涉，徒步旅行( trek的过去式和过去分词 )；（尤指在山中）远足，徒步旅行，游山玩水

参考例句：

• They trekked for three days along the banks of the Zambezi. 他们沿着赞比西河河岸跋涉了三天。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Six-man teams trekked through the woods, respectively for 72 to 96 hours. 6人一组的小分队，经过长途跋涉，穿过了森林，分别用72小时到96小时不等。 来自互联网

8 terrain   

n.地面，地形，地图

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• He knows the terrain of this locality like the back of his hand.他对这一带的地形了如指掌。

9 stunned   

adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The fall stunned me for a moment. 那一下摔得我昏迷了片刻。
• The leaders of the Kopper Company were then stunned speechless. 科伯公司的领导们当时被惊得目瞪口呆。