Lesson 94 Future champions 将来的冠军
First listen and then answer the question.
听录音，然后回答以下问题。
What kind of race do the children compete in?
Experiments have proved that children can be instructed in swimming at a very early age. At a special swimming pool in Los Angeles, children become expert at holding their breath under water even before they can walk. Babies of two months old do not appear to be reluctant to enter the water. It is not long before they are so accustomed to swimming that they can pick up weights from the floor of the pool. A game that is very popular with these young swimmers is the underwater tricycle race. Tricycles are lined up on the floor of the pool seven feet under water. The children compete against each other to reach the other end of the pool. Many pedal their tricycles, but most of them prefer to push or drag them. Some children can cover the whole length of the pool without coming up for breath even once. Whether they will ever become future Olympic champions, only time will tell. Meanwhile, they should encourage those among us who cannot swim five yards before they are gasping for air.
New words and expressions 生词和短语
instruct v. 指导，传授
Los Angeles 洛杉矶
reluctant adj. 勉强的，不想的
weight n. 重物
underwater adj. 水下的
tricycle n. 三轮车
compete v. 比赛，对抗
yard n. 码
gasp v. 喘气
参考译文
实验证明，儿童在非常小的时候就能开始学习游泳。在洛杉矶的一个特设的游泳池里，孩子们甚至在还没掌握走路时就已经能熟练地在水下屏住呼吸了。两个月的婴儿并未看上去不想入水。他们非常快便适应了游泳，以致能捡起池底的物品。这类幼小的游泳运动员很喜欢的一种游戏是水下三轮车比赛。三轮车并排放在7英尺深的游泳池底上。孩子们比赛看哪个先到达游泳池的另一端。不少孩子用脚蹬车，但多数孩子更想推或是拉着三轮车。有的孩子可以跑完游泳池的全长而不需要露出水面换气。他们以后是不是能成为奥林匹克的冠军，这只能由时间来作出回答。同时，他们对大家中的那些游不了5码就已喘不过气来的人应该是种激励。
自学导读
课文详注 Further notes on the text
1．children become expert at holding their breath under water even before they can walk．孩子们甚至在还没掌握走路时就已经能熟练地在水下屏住呼吸了。
（1）expert表示熟练者、专家，后面一般跟 at／in+ doing sth．结构（cf．第59课课文详注）：
Rex soon became an expert at opening the gate.
雷克斯非常快成了开门的专家。
（2）hold one's breath 为固定短语，表示屏住呼吸：
When the film became very exciting, Tom and Sally
would hold their breath.
电影演到激动人心处时，汤姆和萨莉就会屏住呼吸。
Last night, when I heard a strange noise coming from the bar, I held my breath and listened carefully.
昨天晚上，当我听到夜店间有奇怪的响声后便屏住呼吸仔细听。
2．It is not long before they are so accustomed to swimming that they can pick up weights from the floor of the pool. 他们非常快便适应了游泳，以致能捡起池底的物品。
not long before 一般译为不久、非常快。 sothat 引导的是结果状语从句。 pick up 表示捡起。weight 在这里指比重较大（因此能沉在水底）的物品。 be accustomed to 表示习惯的、适应了的，后面一般跟名词或动名词：
My mother is accustomed to getting up early.
我妈妈习惯早起。
He soon became accustomed to his new job.
他非常快适应了新工作。
3．A game that is very popular with these young swimmers is这类幼小的游泳运动员很喜欢的一种游戏是
popular表示受青睐的、讨人喜欢的，常与with或among连用：
Swimming is popular with these girls.
这类女生们喜欢游泳。
Mary is popular with / among children.
玛丽受孩子们的欢迎。
4．Tricycles are lined up on the floor of the pool
三轮车并排放在游泳池底上
line up 为短语动词，表示（使）排成行／排队：
Why are people lining up over there?
大家在那边排队做什么？
Line these chairs up, please.
请把这类椅子排好。
5．Whether they will ever become future Olympic champions, only time will tell. 他们以后是不是能成为奥林匹克的冠军，这只能由时间来作出回答。
这是一个倒装句，宾语从句置于句首。一般，以疑问词引导的宾语从句会用于这种句型：
What made him do it, no one knows.
是什么致使他干了这事，无人了解。
How they found out the truth, only George can tell.
他们是怎么样发现真相的，只有乔治能作出回答。
词语学习 Word study
1．instruct vt．
（1）指导，教，传授：
Children can be instructed in swimming at a very early age.
儿童在非常小的时候就能开始学习游泳。
Dan instructs chemistry at a nearby college.
丹在附近的一所学院教化学。
（2）指示，命令，吩咐：
The doctor instructed Jimmy to stay in bed for a week.
大夫嘱咐吉米卧床一星期。
I've been instructed to give you this parcel.
我奉命将这个包裹交给你。
2．compete vi．
（1）比赛，对抗（一般与 with或 against连用）：
The children compete against each other to reach the other end of the pool.
孩子们比赛看哪个先到达游泳池的另一端。
How many people will compete in the race?
有多少人参加这个比赛？
During the singing contest, Mary competed with Helen for the first prize.
在歌咏比赛中，玛丽与海伦争夺一等奖。
（2）匹敌，比得上，媲美（一般与with连用，多用于否定句）：
Hugh's house can't compete with yours.
休的房屋比不上你的。
None of his later books can compete with his first one.
他后来的书没一本能比得上第一本。
新定义英语默写本点击购买
训练答案 Key to written exercises
1．重点句型训练答案
1 of 2 ofto 3 tofrom
4 onon 5 fromwith 6 toof
7 withon 8 withto 9 towith
10 aton 11 offor 12 in / with
13 in 14 toinwith 15 ofto
16 of 17 for 18 ofto
19 forfor 20 onin 21 ofabout
22 to 23 for/ aboutat/by 24 in
25 ofof 26 toof 27 for
28 to 29 on 30 onof
31 to 32 to/withof 33 toto
34 fromof 35 inon
2．多项选择题答案
1a 2b 3c 4b 5a 6d
7a 8c 9d 10a 11b 12c
