$课文86 失控
940. As the man tried to swing the speedboat round, the steering wheel came away in his hands.
当那人试图让快艇转弯时，方向盘脱手了。
941. He waved desperately to his companion, who had been water skiing for the last fifteen minutes.
他绝望地向他的伙伴挥手，他的伙伴在过去的15分钟里一直在滑水。
942. Both men had hardly had time to realize what was happening when they were thrown violently into the sea.
他们两个还没来得及意识到究竟发生了什么事情，就被猛地抛入了海里。
943. The speedboat had struck a buoy, but it continued to move very quickly across the water.
快艇撞上了一个浮标，但它仍在水面上快速行驶着。
944. Both men had just begun to swim towards the shore, when they noticed with dismay that the speedboat was moving in a circle.
两个人刚开始向岸边游去，就突然惊愕地发现快艇正在转着圈行驶，
945. It now came straight towards them at tremendous speed.
它现在正以惊人的速度直冲他们驶来。
946. In less than a minute, it roared past them only a few feet away.
不到1分钟的工夫，它从离他们只有几英尺远的地方呼啸着驶了过去。
947. After it had passed, they swam on as quickly as they could because they knew that the boat would soon return.
快艇过去之后，他们以最快的速度向前游去，因为他们知道快艇马上就要转回来。
948. They had just had enough time to swim out of danger when the boat again completed a circle.
他们刚刚来得及游出危险区，快艇就又转完了一圈。
949. On this occasion, however, it had slowed down considerably.
然而这一次它的速度慢多了。
950. The petrol had nearly all been used up.
汽油几乎已经用光。
951. Before long, the noise dropped completely and the boat began to drift gently across the water.
没过多久，噪音便彻底消失，快艇开始在水面上慢悠悠地漂流。
$课文87 极好的不在犯罪现场的证据
952. ‘At the time the murder was committed, I was travelling on the 8 o‘clock train to London,‘ said the man.
“在凶杀发生的时候，我正坐在8点钟开往伦敦的火车上。”那人说。
953. ‘Do you always catch such an early train?‘ asked the inspector.
“您总是赶这样早的火车？”探长问。
954. ‘Of course I do,‘ answered the man. ‘I must be at work at 10 o‘clock. My employer will confirm that I was there on time.‘
“当然是的，”那人回答。“我必须在10点钟上班，我的雇主会证明我是按时到了那儿的。”
955. ‘Would a later train get you to work on time?‘ asked the inspector.
“晚一点儿的车也能送您按时上班吗？”
956. I suppose it would, but I never catch a later train.
“我认为可以，但我从来不乘晚一点儿的车。”
957. At what time did you arrive at the station?
“您几点钟到的火车站？”
958. At ten to eight. I bought a paper and waited for the train.
“7点50分。我买了张报纸，等着车来。”
959. And you didn‘t notice anything unusual?
“您没有注意到有什么异常情况发生吗？”
960. Of course not.
“当然没有。”
961. ‘I suggest,‘ said the inspector,
“我提醒您，”探长说，
962. that you are not telling the truth.
“您讲的不是实话。
963. I suggest that you did not catch the 8 o‘clock train, but that you caught the 8.25 which would still get you to work on time.
您乘的不是8点钟的火车，而是8点25分的，这次车同样能使您按时上班。
964. You see, on the morning of the murder, the 8 o‘clock train did not run at all.
您看，在凶杀发生的那天早晨，8点钟的那次车根本没有发。
965. It broke down at Ferngreen station and was taken off the line.
它在芬格林车站出了故障而被取消了。”
$课文88 困在矿井里
966. Six men have been trapped in a mine for seventeen hours.
6个人被困在矿井里已有17个小时了。
967. If they are not brought to the surface soon they may lose their lives.
如果不把他们尽快救到地面上来，他们就有可能丧生。
968. However, rescue operations are proving difficult.
然而，事实证明营救工作非常困难。
969. If explosives are used, vibrations will cause the roof of the mine to collapse.
如果用爆破，震动会引起矿顶塌落。
970. Rescue workers are therefore drilling a hole on the north side of the mine.
因此，营救人员在矿井的北侧钻了一个洞。
971. They intend to bring the men up in a special capsule.
他们准备用一种特制的容器把这6个人救上来。
972. If there had not been a hard layer of rock beneath the soil,
如果不是因为土壤下面有一层坚硬的岩石，
973. they would have completed the job in a few hours.
他们的营救工作仅用几个小时就可以完成了。
974. As it is, they have been drilling for sixteen hours and they still have a long way to go.
实际情况是，他们已连续钻了16个小时了，但离钻透还早着呢。
975. Meanwhile, a microphone, which was lowered into the mine two hours ago,
与此同时，两个小时以前放下井去的一只麦克风
976. has enabled the men to keep in touch with their closest relatives.
使井下的人可以与其亲属保持联系。
977. Though they are running out of food and drink,
虽然他们的食物和饮料都快消耗尽了，
978. the men are cheerful and confident that they will get out soon.
但这些人的心情很好，坚信他们很快就会出去。
979. They have been told that rescue operations are progressing smoothly.
他们一直被告知营救工作进行得非常顺利。
980. If they knew how difficult it was to drill through the hard rock, they would lose heart.
如果他们知道了钻透那坚硬的岩石有多么困难，他们会丧失信心的。