Lesson 91 Three men in a basket

【New words and expressions】（5）

balloon n. 气球

royal adj. 皇家

spy v. 侦察

track n. 轨迹，踪迹

binoculars n. 望远镱

★spy v. 侦察

① vi. 暗中监视；侦察（通常与on，upon连用）

I noticed some policemen spying on the foreign tourists.

② vt. 发现，看见

She spied a cloud of smoke in the distance.

He spied a stranger in his garden.

③ n. 间谍，密探

He was once a spy for the police/British government.

They have arrested three spies.

【Text】

A pilot noticed a balloon which seemed to be making for a Royal Air Force Station nearby. He informed the station at once, but no one there was able to explain the mystery. The officer in the control tower was very angry when he heard the news, because balloons can be a great danger to aircraft. He said that someone might be spying on the station and the pilot was ordered to keep track of the strange object. The pilot managed to circle the balloon for some time. He could make out three men in a basket under it and one of them was holding a pair of binoculars. When the balloon was over the station, the pilot saw one of the men taking photographs. Soon afterwards, the balloon began to descend and it landed near an airfield. The police were called in, but they could not arrest anyone, for the basket contained two Members of Parliament and the Commanding Officer of the station! As the Commanding Officer explained later, one half of the station did not know what the other half was doing!

参考译文

一个飞行员发现了一只气球，它像是正飞往附近的一个皇家空军基地。他马上把情况报告了该基地，但那里的人没有一个能解释这到底是怎么回事。控制塔上的官员得知这一消息后，非常气愤，因为气球有可能给飞机造成极大的危险。他说可能有人正对基地进行侦察，因此命令那个飞行员跟踪那个奇怪的飞行物。飞行员设法绕着气球飞了一阵。他看清了气球下面有3个人呆在一只筐里，其中一个举着望远镜。当气球飞临基地上空时，飞行员看见有一个人在拍照。不久，气球开始降落，在一个停机坪附近着了陆。警察被召来了，但他们却不能逮捕任何人，因为筐里是两名国会议员和一名基地的指挥官！正如指挥官后来解释的那样，基地的这半边不知道那半边正在干什么！

【课文讲解】

1、A pilot noticed a balloon which seemed to be making for a Royal Air Force Station nearby.

seem to be doing sth. 似乎正在做……

She seems to be looking for somebody/something.

make for 走向，飞向，向……前进

After leaving Calais, the ship made for Dover.

2、He said that someone might be spying on the station and the pilot was ordered to keep track of the strange object.

keep track of 跟踪，追踪，保持联系，记录（反义词为lose track of）

Keep track of the man wearing a grey hat. He looks suspicious to me.

She managed to keep track of her friends.

3、He could make out three men in a basket under it and one of them was holding a pair of binoculars.

make out （勉强）看出，辨认出，听出

I can’t make out the boss’s handwriting.

In the darkness of night, he could just make out three men coming toward them.

4、The police were called in, but they could not arrest anyone, for the basket contained two Members of Parliament and the Commanding Officer of the station!

call in 召来

When he discovered that some important thins were missing in his room, he called the police in.

Sam has a temperature. We’d better call in a doctor.

【Special Difficulties】 

与make连用的短语

make out

① 写出，填写（相当于write out）

He made out a cheque of 1,000 dollars and gave it to the secretary.

②（勉强）看出，辨认出，听出，理解

Can you make out what they are talking about?

I can’t make out the boss’s handwriting.

Jane is angry again. Sometimes I can’t make her out at all. Her moods change quickly.

I could not make out what he said.

make up 

① 编造，捏造，虚构

Every time he played truant, Tom would make up an excuse.

②（给……）化妆/化装

She always makes herself up/makes up her face before going out.

Making up takes up a lot of her time.

make up for 补偿，弥补

I had to walk faster to make up for lost time.

She managed to make up for her mistake.

make for （匆匆）走向，向……前进

While the thief was making for his car, a policeman stopped him.