SLEP考试必备十篇文章（五）.

　������������������������������������������� 　Modern cavemen

　　��������������������������������������������� 现代洞穴人

　　Cave exploration, or pot-holing, as it has come to be known, is a relatively new sport. Perhaps it is the desire for solitude or the chance of making an unexpected discovery that lures people　down to the depths of the earth. It is impossible to give a　satisfactory explanation for a pot-holer&apos&aposs motives. For him,　caves have the same peculiar fascination which high mountains　have for the climber. They arouse instincts which can only be　dimly understood.

　　Exploring really deep caves is not a task for the Sunday　afternoon rambler. Such undertakings require the precise　planning and foresight of military operations. It can take as long　as eight days to rig up rope ladders and to establish supply bases bore a descent can be made into a very deep cave.　Precautions of this sort are necessary, for it is impossible to　foretell the exact nature of the difficulties which will confront the　pot-holer. The deepest known cave in the world is the Gouffre　Berger near Grenoble. It extends to a depth of 3,723 feet. This　immense chasm has been formed by an underground stream　which has tunneled a course through a flaw in the rocks. The　entrance to the cave is on a plateau in the Dauphine Alps. As it　is only six feet across, it is barely noticeable. The cave might　never have been discovered had not the entrance been spotted　by the distinguished French pot-holer, Berger. Since its　discovery, it has become a sort of pot-holers&apos&apos Everest(珠峰).　Though a number of descents have been made, much of it still　remains to be explored.

　　洞穴勘查——或洞穴勘探——是一项比较新的体育活动。寻求独处的愿望或寻求意外发现的机会的欲望吸引人们来到地下深处。要想对洞穴探险者的动机作出满意的解释是不可能的。对洞穴探险者来说，洞穴有一种特殊的魅力，就像高山对登山者有特殊魅力一样。为什么洞空能引发人的那种探险本能，人们对此只能有一种模模糊糊的理解。

　　探测非常深的洞穴不是那些在星期日下午漫步的人所能胜任的。这种活动需要有军事行动般的周密布署和预见能力。有时需要花费整整8 天时间来搭起绳梯，建立供应基地，然后才能到一个很深的洞穴里。作出这样的准备是必要的，因为无法预见到洞穴探险者究竟会遇到什么性质的困难。世界上最深的洞穴是格里诺布尔附近的高弗.伯杰洞，深达3,723 英尺。这个深邃的洞穴是由一条地下暗泉冲刷岩石中的缝隙并使之慢慢变大而形成的。此洞的洞口在丹芬阿尔卑斯山的高原上，仅6 英尺宽，很难被发现。若不是法国著名洞穴探险家伯杰由于偶然的机会发现了这个洞口的话，这个洞也许不会为人所知。自从被发现以后，这个洞成了洞穴探险者的珠穆朗玛峰，人们多次进入洞内探险，但至今尚有不少东西有待勘探。