综合教程Unit 7 When lightning struck (2)

First-personnarrationofherexperiencehelpstoinvitereaderstoexperienceherfeeling,asiftheywereintheauthenticscene.Thetextiswellorganized,withabeginning,abodyandanend.Thehappeningsarepresentedmainlyintheorderoftheiroccurrence,i.e.inchronologicalIwasinthetinybathroominthebackoftheplanewhenIfelttheslammingjolt,andthenthehorribleswervethatthrewmeagainstthedoor.Oh,Lord,Ithought,thisisit!SomehowImanagedtounboltthedoorandscrambleout.Theflightattendants,alreadystrappedin,wavedwildlyformetositdown.AsIlungedtowardmyseat,passengerslookedupatmewiththestrickenexpressionsofcreatureswhoknowtheyareabouttodie.WhenLightningStruckDetailedreading11“Ithinkwegothitbylightning,”thegirlintheseatnexttominesaid.ShewasfromasmalltownineastTexas,andthiswasonlyhersecondtimeonanairplane.ShehadwonatriptoEnglandbycompetinginahighschoolgeographybeeandwassupposedtomakeaconnectingflightwhenwelandedinNewark.Inthenextseat,atthewindow,satayoungbusinessmanwhohadbeenconfidentlyworking.Nowhelookedworried.Andthatreallyworriesme—whenconfident-lookingbusinessmenlookworried.Thelaptopwasputaway.“Something’snotright,”hesaid.Detailedreading2-323Thepilot’svoicecameoverthespeaker.Iheardvaguelythroughmyfear,“Enginenumbertwo...emergencylanding...NewOrleans.”Whenhewasdone,thevoiceofaflightattendantcameon,remindingusoftheemergencyproceduresshehadreviewedbeforetakeoff.OfcourseIneverpaidattentiontothisdrill,alwaysfiguringthatifweevergottothepointwhereweneededtouselifejackets,Iwouldhavealreadydiedofterror.Detailedreading44apieceofelectricalequipment,forexample,partofaradioorsetofequipmentforplayingrecordsorCDs,throughwhichsoundcomesout.E.g.Theirnameswerecalledovertheloudspeaker.Whatdoesitmean?Nowwebeganaroller-coasterridethroughthethunderclouds.Iwasreadytofaint,butwhenIsawthefaceofthegirlnexttome,Ipulledmyselftogether.Ireachedforherhandandreassuredherthatweweregoingtomakeit.“Whatastoryyou’regoingtotellwhenyougethome!”Isaid.“Afterthis,London’sgoingtoseemlikesmallpotatoes.”Detailedreading55Ifyousaythatsomeoneorsomethingisonarollercoaster,youmeanthattheygothroughmanysuddenorextremechangesinashorttime.IwonderedwhereIwasgettingmystrength.ThenIsawthatmyotherhandwastightlyheldbyaringedhand.Someonewascomfortingme—aglamorousyoungwomanacrosstheaisle,thefemaleequivalentoftheconfidentbusinessman.ShemusthaveseenhowscaredIwasandreachedover.Detailedreading66Tospeculatethepastevent“Itellyou,”sheconfided,“theproblemsIbroughtuponthisplanewithmesuredon’tseemrealbigrightnow.”IlovedherSoutherndrawl,herindiscriminateuseofperfume,andhersoulfulsqueezes.IwassurethatevenifIsurvivedtheplanecrash,I’dhaveacoupleofbrokenfingersfromalltheTLC.“Areyouokay?”shekeptaskingme.Detailedreading77speakingslowlywithvowelsoundsthatarelongerthanusualAmongthemanyfeelingsgoingthroughmyheadduringthoseexcruciating20minuteswaspride—prideinhowwelleverybodyonboardwasbehaving.Noonepanicked.Noonescreamed.Aswejoltedandscreechedourwaydownward,Icouldhearsmallpocketsofsoothingconversationeverywhere.IthoughtofsomethingIhadheardafriendsayaboutthewonderfulgifthisdyingfatherhadgiventhefamily:hehaddiedpeacefully,asifnottoalarmanyofthemaboutanexperiencetheywouldallhavetogothroughsomeday.Detailedreading8-989extremelypainfultorturingAndthen—yes!—welandedsafely.Outsideontheground,attendantsandofficialswerewaitingtotransferustoalternativeflights.Butwepassengersclungtogether.Wechattedabouttheliveswenowfeltblessedtobeliving,asdifficultorrockyastheymightbe.Theyoungbusinessmanlamentedthathehadnotachancetobuyhistwolittlegirlsapresent.AnolderwomanofferedhimherboxofexpensiveLindtchocolates,stilluntouched,tiedwithalovelybow.“Ishouldn’tbeeatingthemanyhow,”shesaid.Myglamorousaislematetookouthercellphoneandpasseditaroundtoanyonewhowantedtomakeacalltohearthereassuringvoiceofalovedone.Detailedreading1010Cf:Ishouldn’teatthemanyhow.TherewassomeoneIwantedtocall.BackinVermont,myhusband,Bill,wasanticipatingmyarrivallatethatnight.Hehadbeencomplainingthathewasn’tgettingtoseeverymuchofmebecauseofmybooktour.Ihadplannedtosurprisehimbygettinginafewhoursearly.NowIjustwantedhimtoknowIwasokayandonmyway.Whenmynamewasfinallycalledtoboardmynewflight,Ifeltalmosttearfultobepartingfromthepeoplewhoseliveshadsointensely,ifbriefly,touchedmine.Detailedreading11-121112AstateofthenortheastUnitedStatesborderingonCanada.Itwasadmittedasthe14thstatein1791.Evennow,backonterrafirma,walkingdownaVermontroad,Isometimeshearanairplaneandlookupatthatsmall,glintingpieceofmetal.Irememberthepassengersonthatfateful,luckyflightandwishIcouldthankthemforthemanyactsofkindnessIwitnessedandreceived.IamindebtedtomyfellowpassengersandwishIcouldpaythemback.Butthen,rememberingmyaislemate’shandclutchingminewhileIclutchedthehandofthehighschoolstudent,Ifeelstruckbylightningalloveragain:thepointisnottopaybackkindnessbuttopassiton.Detailedreading13-141314(fromLatin,usuallyhumorous)safedryland,ascontrastedwithwaterorair:Aftertwodaysatsea,itwasgoodtobebackonterrafirmaagain.lightning:n.apowerfulflashoflightintheskycausedbyelectricitypassingfromonecloudtoanotherortotheearth,usu.followedbythunderDetailed