英语音频杂志：海上救援

 　　Rescue at sea – the RNLI

　　by John Russell

　　Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,

　　For those in peril¹ on the sea!

　　These words come from a famous hymn² by William Whiting: 'Eternal Father Strong to Save'. It is better known as the Naval³ Hymn and is popular with many navies and lifeboat services around the globe. One of the first national lifeboat organisations in the world was founded in the UK, in 1824. It was then called the National Institution for the Preservation⁵ of Life from Shipwreck⁶; today it is better known as the RNLI – the Royal National Lifeboat institution.

　　What is the RNLI?

　　The RNLI is an organisation⁴ dedicated⁷ to the saving of people’s lives at sea. If a boat is in difficulty less than 50 miles off the coast of Britain or the Republic of Ireland, the RNLI can send a lifeboat to rescue these people. It also provides lifeguard services in certain areas, making beaches safe for swimming.

　　There are over 230 RNLI stations and almost 8,000 people were rescued in 2003 alone. Since its foundation in 1824 by Sir William Hillary, over 130,000 people have been rescued by the RNLI.

　　Who pays for it?

　　As a large, fully⁸ equipped lifeboat costs almost ?2 million pounds and it takes over ?200,000 a day to keep the service running, money is very important. It is surprising to learn that although the organisation saves so many lives, it is a charity and receives no money from the government. It is paid for completely through donations, legacies⁹ and fundraising events. The first time public collecting boxes were officially used in Britain was for the RNLI – back in 1891. Today boat-shaped collection boxes can be found all around the country.

　　Who runs it?

　　As well as being a charity, the RNLI is run by volunteers. Almost 4,000 brave men and women risk their lives to help rescue others at sea. Most volunteers have normal jobs, which they must be ready to leave at a moment’s notice if their lifeboat needs to be launched.

　　Volunteers come from all walks of life. There is even a lifeboat service in South Wales manned completely by students at a local college, Atlantic College. They are mainly 17 and 18 years of age, and over the last 30 years this service has saved over 100 lives.

　　Fateful Dates

　　1886 – The Mexico

　　The crew of a German boat, the Mexico, travelling off the north-west coast of England, needed rescuing in a storm. Three RNLI lifeboats went to the rescue, but the sea was so rough that only one reached the Mexico. One boat was hit by a large wave and the other was never seen again. Twenty-seven lifeboat-men died that day.

　　1979 – Fastnet Race

　　On August 11th 1979, 303 yachts were competing in the biennial¹⁰ Fastnet race – a 608-mile yacht race off the south coast of England. They were caught unexpectedly in a very bad storm – the worst for many years. Winds of over 60 miles an hour struck the boats and many sank. Seventeen people drowned – it was the worst yachting disaster ever in the UK. Even more would have died without the help of the RNLI and other rescue boats.

　　Safety procedures have improved since then. Racing¹¹ yachts are more difficult to sink and all must carry emergency radios. Accidents still happen, though. At a recent sailing event near the Isle¹² of Wight (the Cowes Regatta), the RNLI launched more than 70 times to help or rescue people at sea. The event only lasted one week! Happily, no lives were lost on this occasion.

　　Who is Captain Calamity¹³?

　　In an attempt to sail round Britain in a 4.5-metre boat, Mr Stuart Hill had to be rescued five times by RNLI lifeboats, and twice by helicopters in the summer of 2001. The papers at the time called him ‘Captain Calamity'. Similarly, in the year 2000, another sailor had to be rescued more than five times in the Irish Sea – he was using a road map for directions!

　　Whatever the situation, whatever the weather, the work of the RNLI volunteers continues, day and night, 365 days a year.

1 peril   

n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物

参考例句：

• The refugees were in peril of death from hunger.难民有饿死的危险。
• The embankment is in great peril.河堤岌岌可危。

2 hymn   

n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌

参考例句：

• They sang a hymn of praise to God.他们唱着圣歌，赞美上帝。
• The choir has sung only two verses of the last hymn.合唱团只唱了最后一首赞美诗的两个段落。

3 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

4 organisation   

n.组织，安排，团体，有机休

参考例句：

• The method of his organisation work is worth commending.他的组织工作的方法值得称道。
• His application for membership of the organisation was rejected.他想要加入该组织的申请遭到了拒绝。

5 preservation   

n.保护，维护，保存，保留，保持

参考例句：

• The police are responsible for the preservation of law and order.警察负责维持法律与秩序。
• The picture is in an excellent state of preservation.这幅画保存得极为完好。

6 shipwreck   

n.船舶失事，海难

参考例句：

• He walked away from the shipwreck.他船难中平安地脱险了。
• The shipwreck was a harrowing experience.那次船难是一个惨痛的经历。

7 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。

8 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

9 legacies   

n.遗产( legacy的名词复数 )；遗留之物；遗留问题；后遗症

参考例句：

• Books are the legacies that a great genius leaves to mankind. 书是伟大的天才留给人类的精神财富。 来自辞典例句
• General legacies are subject to the same principles as demonstrative legacies. 一般的遗赠要与指定数目的遗赠遵循同样的原则。 来自辞典例句

10 biennial   

adj.两年一次的

参考例句：

• The workers were strongly against the biennial election.工人们强烈反对两年一次的选举。
• His is a biennial,and one of the most useful pasture plants we have.这是两年生植物，也是我们最有用的牧草之一。

11 racing   

n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的

参考例句：

• I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。
• The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。

12 isle   

n.小岛，岛

参考例句：

• He is from the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea.他来自爱尔兰海的马恩岛。
• The boat left for the paradise isle of Bali.小船驶向天堂一般的巴厘岛。

13 calamity   

n.灾害，祸患，不幸事件

参考例句：

• Even a greater natural calamity cannot daunt us. 再大的自然灾害也压不垮我们。
• The attack on Pearl Harbor was a crushing calamity.偷袭珍珠港(对美军来说)是一场毁灭性的灾难。