Lesson-1-Face-to-Face-with-Hurricane-Camille.docx

Face to Face with Hurricane Camille
Joseph P. Blank
1. John Koshak, Jr., knew that Hurricane Camille would be bad.主题句
Radio and television warnings had sounded throughout遍及；各处；自始至终；贯穿整个时期
that Sunday, last August 17, as Camille lashed northwestward across the Gulf of Mexico. It was certain to pummel连续猛击；反复拳打；捶打
GulfportA city of southeast Mississippi on an arm of the Gulf of Mexico west of Biloxi.
, Miss, where the Koshaks lived. Along the coasts海岸;海滨
of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, nearly 150,000 people fled‌Flee:逃跑
inland to safer ground. But, like thousands of others in the coastal communities沿海居民区
, John was reluctant不情愿的；勉强的
to abandon his home unless the family-his wife, Janis, and their seven children, aged 3 to 11-was clearly endangered危及,危害,使遭到危险
.
2. Trying to reason out推论出;作出
the best course处理办法,行动方式
of action, he talked with his father and mother, who had moved into the ten-room house with the Koshaks a month earlier from California. He also consulted 咨询；商量；考虑；【医】会诊
Charles Hill, a long-time friend, who had driven from Las Vegas for a visit.
3. John, 37—whose business was right there in his home (he designed and developed educational toys and supplies供应；提供；供给；补给
, and all of Magna Products’ correspondence通信；通信联系；相似；来往信件
, engineering drawings设计图纸
and art work 原图
were there on the first floor) --was familiar with the power of a hurricane. Four years earlier, Hurricane Betsy had demolished毁坏；〈俚〉吃光
his former home a few miles west of Gulfport (Koshak had moved his family to a motel for the night). But that house had stood only a few feet above超过,高过,多过,以上,以外
sea level. “We’re elevated提高；提拔；举起；抬起
23 feet,” he told his father, “and we’re a good 250 yards码
from the sea. The place has been here since 1915, and no hurricane has ever bothered打扰，烦恼，使伤脑筋
it. We’re probably 大概，几乎肯定，很可能
be as safe as anyplace else.”
4. The elder Koshak, a gruff低沉粗哑的；生硬的；冷淡的；态度生硬的
, warm-hearted expert machinist机械师；机工；缝纫机工；机械安装修理工
of 67, agreed. “We can batten down and ride it out严加防守，安然度过
,” he said. “If we see signs of danger, we can get out before dark.”
5. The men methodically有条不紊地，有系统地
prepared for the hurricane. Since water mains自来水总管道
might be damaged损伤，损坏（名誉等）
, they filled填满，满足，弥漫，担任
bathtubs澡盆，浴缸
and pails桶，水桶
. A power failure失败，故障，失灵，倒闭
was likely, so they checked out检出，检查，辞职，付账后离开，开支票
batteries电池；炮组；炮列；【法】殴打
for the portable radio手提式无线电台，手提式收音机
and flashlights, and fuel燃料，燃油
for the hallway, wired several light bulbs to it装上几颗电灯泡
and prepared a connection连接，关联，联结，联通
to the refrigerator冷藏库，冰箱
.
6. Rain fell steadily稳定的，坚定地，坚固的，不断地
that afternoon; gray clouds scudded飞奔，飘
in from the Gulf on the rising wind. The family had an early supper. A neighbour, whose husband was in Vietnam, asked if she and her two children could sit out袖手旁观，坐等结束
the storm with the Koshaks. Another neighbour came by on his way inland—would the Koshaks mind taking care of his dog?
7. It grew dark before seven o’clock. Wind and rain now whipped鞭打，鞭挞，鞭子，鞭策
the house. John sent his oldest son and daughter upstairs to bring down mattresses床垫，床褥，垫子
and pillows枕头
for the younger children. He wanted to keep the group together on one floor. “Stay away from the windows,” he warned, concerned about glass flying from storm-shattered破碎，粉碎，碎裂
panes窗玻璃
. As the wind mounted to 登上顶峰
a roar, the house began leaking泄露，渗漏，漏洞，事故
, the rain seemingly似乎，看似，表面上看
driven right through the walls. With mops, towels, pots and buckets拖把，毛巾，锅盆，桶
the Koshaks began a struggle against the rapidly迅速，急速，高速，急促
spreading蔓延，扩展，传播
water. At 8:30, power failed, and Pop Koshak turned on the generator发电机
.
8. The roar of the hurricane now was overwhelming. The house shookShake过去式
, and the ceiling天花板
in the living room was falling piece by piece. The French doors in an upstairs room blew in（风）吹进来
with an explosive sound, and the group heard gun-like reports as other upstairs windows disintegrated瓦解，分化，分裂
above their ankles.
9. Then the front door started to break away from its frame架构，结构，框架
. John and Charlie put their shoulders against it, but a blast of一股
water hit the house, flinging猛冲，突进
open the door, and the lights went out. Charlie licked舔，打败，鞭打
his lips and shouted to John. “I think we’re in real trouble. That water tasted salty.” The sea had reached the house, and the water was rising by the minute!
10. “Everybody out the back door to the cars!” John yelled. “We’ll pass the children along between us传递，向前行，转嫁到，告诉
. Count them! Nice!”
11. The children went from adult to adult like buckets in a fire bridge像消防队的水桶一样
. But the cars wouldn’t start; the electrical systems had been killed by water. The winds was too strong and the water too deep to flee on foot. “Back to the house!” John yelled. “Count the children! Count nine!”
12. As they scrambled爬，争取，攀援
back, John ordered, “Everybody on the stairs楼梯，梯子的一级
!” Frightened, breathless and wet, the group settled on the stairs, which were protected by two interior内部，内陆，里面的
walls. The children put the cat, Spooky, and a box with her four kittens on the landing在楼梯平台上
. She peered nervously at her litter心神不定地打量着自己的幼崽
. The neighbor’s dog curled up卷曲，蜷紧身子
and went to sleep.
13. The wind sounded like the roar of a train passing a few yards away. The house shuddered and shifted on its foundations在地基上晃动移位
. Water inched its way up漫上了楼梯 = rise inch by inch
the steps as first-floor outside walls collapsed折叠，瓦解，倒塌
. No one spoke. Everyone knew there was no escape; they would live or die in the house.
14. Charlie Hill had more or less taken responsibility for the neighbour and her two children. The mother was on the verge of panic吓昏了头
. She clutched抓住，攥住，拽紧
his arm and kept repeating, “I can’t swim, I can’t swim.”
15. “You won’t have to,”he told her, with outward calm强作镇定地
. “It’s bound to必定
end soon.”
16. Grandmother Koshak reached an arm around伸出手臂挽住
her husband’s shoulder and put her mouth close to his ear. “Pop,” she said, “I love you.” He turned his head and answered, “I love you.” – and his voice lacked its usual gruffness他的声音已不像平常那般的粗声粗气
.
17. John watched the water lap at the steps漫过一级级的台阶
, and felt a crushing guilt一阵强烈的内疚
. He had underestimated低估，对……估计不足，轻视
the ferocity凶猛，残暴，凶恶，猛烈
of Camille. He had assumed that what had never happened could not happen. He held his head between his hands, and silently prayed: “Get us through this mess, will you?”
18. A moment later, the hurricane, in one mighty swipe一阵强风掠过
, lifted the entire roof off the house将整个屋顶卷入空中
and skimmed略过，浏览，撇去
it 40 feet through the air. The bottom steps of the staircase broke apart楼梯底层的几层台阶断裂开来
. One wall began crumbling on the marooned group倒向这群陷入进退维谷境地的一伙人
.
19. Dr. Robert H. Simpson, director董事，经理，理事，负责人
of the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Fla., graded Hurricane Camille as将……列为
“the greatest recorded storm ever to hit a populated有人居住的，人口密集的
area in the Western Hemisphere半球；西半球
.” In its concentrated breadth of some 70 miles在飓风中心纵横约70英里的范围
it shot out winds of刮起风
nearly 200 mph and raised tides涨潮，掀起巨浪
as high as 30 feet. Along the Gulf Coast it devastated everything in its swath所到之处一扫而光
: 19,467 homes and 709 small businesses were demolished or severely严重的，严厉的，苛刻的
damaged. It seized抓住，没收，扣押
a 600,000-gallon Gulfport oil tank and dumped倾销，落下，卸货
it 312 miles away. It tore three large cargo ships from their moorings货轮被刮离泊位，推上岸滩
and beached them. Telephone poles电线杆
and 20-inch-thick pines松树
cracked like guns 像连珠炮似的根根断裂
as the winds snapped them.
20. To the west of Gulfport, the town of Pass Christian was virtually差不多，几乎，实际上
wiped outdestroyed completely
. Several vacationers at the luxurious十分舒适地，奢华的
Richelieu Apartments there held a hurricane party to watch the storm from their spectacular壮观的，令人惊叹的
vantage point有利地位，有利地形
. Richelieu Apartments were smashed被打得粉碎
apart as if by a gigantic fist巨大的拳头
, and 26 people perished丧生
.
21. Seconds after the roof屋顶
blew off the Koshak house, John yelled, “Up the stairs – into our bedroom! Count the kids!” The children huddled挤在一起，缩成一团
in the slashing rain在倾盆大雨中
within the circle of adults. Grandmother Koshak implored祈求，恳求
, “Children, let’s sing!” The children were too frightened to respond. She carried on alone for a few bars; then her voice trailed away完全消失
.
22. Debris flew瓦砾横飞
as the living-room fireplace壁炉
and its chimney烟囱，烟道
collapsed崩溃，折叠，坍塌，暴跌
. With two walls in their bedroom sanctuary避难所，庇护所，圣殿
beginning to disintegrate瓦解，解体，分裂，崩溃
, John ordered, “Into the television room!” This was the room farthest from the direction方向，指导，趋势，方位
of the storm.
23. For an instant一瞬间，片刻
, John put his arm around his wife. Janis understood. Shivering寒颤，瑟瑟发抖
from the wind and rain and fear, clutching抓住，拽住，握紧
two children to her, she thought, “Dear Lord, give me the strength to endure忍受，支持，忍耐
what I have to.” She left anger against the hurricane. “We won’t let it win.”
24. Pop Koshak raged silently心里窝着火
, frustrated at not being able to do anything深为自己的无能为力而感到沮丧
to fight Camille. Without reason说不清为什么
, he dragged拖拽，牵引，打捞
a cedar chest衫木箱子
and a double mattress from a bedroom into the TV room. At that moment, the wind tore out撕毁，撕碎，撕裂
one wall and extinguished扑灭，熄灯，废除，压制
the lantern熄灭了提灯
. At second wall moved, wavered, Charlie Hill tried to support it, but it toppled on倒塌
him, injuring his back. The house, shuddering and rocking颤抖摇晃
, had moved 25 feet from its foundations. The world seemed to be breaking apart分崩离析
.
25. “Let’s get that mattress up!” John shouted to his father. “Make it a lean-to斜靠，单坡
against the wind. Get the kids under it. We can prop it up用……支起垫子
with our heads and shoulders!”
26. The larger children sprawled蔓延，伸开四肢，杂乱无序地伸展
on the floor, with the smaller ones in a layer层次，分层，表层
on top of them, and the adults bent弯曲，弯腰
over all nine, The floor tilted翘起，倾斜
. The box containing包含，遏制，能容纳
the litter乱扔，乱七八糟的东西
of kittens小猫
slid滑，滑动
off a shelf架子，搁板
and vanished in the wind. Spooky怪异吓人的，阴森恐怖的
flew off the top of a sliding bookcase 书架，书柜
and also disappeared. The dog cowered畏缩
with eyes closed. A third wall gave way倒塌
. Water lapped across the slanting floor. John grabbed a door which was still hinged to one closet wall. “If the floor goes,” he yelled at his father, “let’s get the kid on this.”
27. In that moment, the wind slightly diminished减少；削弱；减小；贬低
, and the water stopped rising. Then the water began receding减退；退缩；后退；(价值,品质等)跌落
. The main thrustn. A forceful shove or push.
of Camille had passed. The Koshaks and their friends had survived.
28. With the dawn黎明；曙光；拂晓；破晓
, Gulfport people started coming back to their homes. They saw human bodies – more than 130 men, women and children died along the Mississippi coast – and parts of the beach and highway were strewn with布满
dead dogs, cats, cattle牛
. Strips of clothing festooned the standing trees, and blown-down吹倒;吹落
power lines coiled卷；卷曲；蜿蜒流进
like black spaghetti 意大利细面条
over the roads.
29. None of the returnees moved quickly or spoke loudly; they stood shocked, trying to absorb吸收；吸附；吸引；吸取
the shattering令人非常惊愕难过的；给人以极大打击的；非常响亮的
scenes before their eyes. “What do we do?” they asked. “Where do we go?”