时间:2019-01-14 作者:英语课 分类:VOA标准英语2011年(十月)


英语课

Survival Guides Turn Nerds into Action Hero


 


A few years ago, David Borgenicht, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was a book agent. Then one day, he read an article that gave him an idea for his own book.



He and a friend - magazine writer Joshua Piven - produced an instant best-seller that developed almost a cult 1 following. It’s about life-and-death situations - and how to survive them.



The article that David Borgenicht was reading told people how they might safely land a small plane if the pilot passes out. It got him thinking about other hair-raising situations in movies and TV shows. Of course it’s one thing for an action hero to leap from a moving motorcycle into a car or fend 2 off a killer 3 shark.



But how would ordinary, out-of-shape readers do it? How would they wrestle 4 free from an alligator 5, for example, or survive if their parachutes do not open, or escape from a mountain lion?



Borgenicht and Piven produced a pocket-sized book called The Worst-Case Scenario 6 Survival Handbook. In its first eight months, it sold more than one million copies and has been reprinted at least a dozen times.









Great white shark bearing down on you? No worries, consult the "The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook."




Killer bees chasing you? Not a problem. Lost in the desert? Turn to Page 129. Need to build a fire but don’t have any matches? No sweat, write Borgenicht and Piven, who are themselves just ordinary physical specimens 7.



Other advice? If you find yourself on top of a moving train, here’s how to survive: don’t stand up.



And what if a bull is charging you? Not to worry, say the authors: don’t antagonize the bull; do not move; look for an escape route; if one is not available, remove an article of clothing, such as your shirt; throw the clothing away from you and run for your life in another direction.



Common sense, perhaps, but it could come in handy. The authors have since produced a whole series of guides, reality television shows, and calendars about surviving everything from traveling to college to a game of golf.



We should note that, despite the helpful tips, the Worst Case Survival books are sold in the humor section of bookstores.



n.异教,邪教;时尚,狂热的崇拜
  • Her books aren't bestsellers,but they have a certain cult following.她的书算不上畅销书,但有一定的崇拜者。
  • The cult of sun worship is probably the most primitive one.太阳崇拜仪式或许是最为原始的一种。
v.照料(自己),(自己)谋生,挡开,避开
  • I've had to fend for myself since I was 14.我从十四岁时起就不得不照料自己。
  • He raised his arm up to fend branches from his eyes.他举手将树枝从他眼前挡开。
n.杀人者,杀人犯,杀手,屠杀者
  • Heart attacks have become Britain's No.1 killer disease.心脏病已成为英国的头号致命疾病。
  • The bulk of the evidence points to him as her killer.大量证据证明是他杀死她的。
vi.摔跤,角力;搏斗;全力对付
  • He taught his little brother how to wrestle.他教他小弟弟如何摔跤。
  • We have to wrestle with difficulties.我们必须同困难作斗争。
n.短吻鳄(一种鳄鱼)
  • She wandered off to play with her toy alligator.她开始玩鳄鱼玩具。
  • Alligator skin is five times more costlier than leather.鳄鱼皮比通常的皮革要贵5倍。
n.剧本,脚本;概要
  • But the birth scenario is not completely accurate.然而分娩脚本并非完全准确的。
  • This is a totally different scenario.这是完全不同的剧本。
n.样品( specimen的名词复数 );范例;(化验的)抽样;某种类型的人
  • Astronauts have brought back specimens of rock from the moon. 宇航员从月球带回了岩石标本。
  • The traveler brought back some specimens of the rocks from the mountains. 那位旅行者从山上带回了一些岩石标本。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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