Notes on the text
课文注释
1 Cutty Sark，“卡蒂萨克”号，19世纪一艘著名的帆船。现在这艘船在伦敦格林威治作为展品被保护了起来。在轮船时代以前，它是那时侯最快的帆船。
2 both these ships，这两艘船。
也可写成 both of these ships或 both ships。
3 The first of the two ships to reach Java…，两艘船中首先到达爪哇的……。不定式短语 to reach Java此处作定语，修饰 first，中间被另一个修饰 first的介词短语 of the two ships所分开。
4 take the lead，领先。
lose one's lead，失去其领先地位。
5 There is no doubt that if she had not lost her rudder she would have won the race easily. 毫无疑问，如果中途没有失去舵，“卡蒂萨克”号肯定能在比赛中轻易夺冠。这是一个虚拟语气的句子，是对过去的一种假设。
参考译文
人们在格林威治仍可看到19世纪最有名的帆船之一“卡蒂萨克”号。它停在陆地上，每年接待成千上万的参观者。它给人们留下深刻的印象，使人们回忆起历史上的巨型帆船。在蒸汽船取代帆船之前，“卡蒂萨克”号之类的帆船被用来从中国运回茶叶，从澳大利亚运回羊毛。“卡蒂萨克”号是帆船制造史上建造的最快的一艘帆船。唯一可以与之一比高低的是“塞姆皮雷”号帆船。两船于1872年6月18日同时从上海启航驶往英国，途中展开了一场激烈的比赛。这场比赛持续了整整4个月，是这类比赛中的最后一次，它标志着帆船伟大传统的结束与一个新纪元的开始。
比赛开始后，“赛姆皮雷”号率先抵达爪哇岛。但在印度洋上，“卡蒂萨克”号驶到了前面。看来，它首先返抵英国是确信无疑的了，但它却在比赛中连遭厄运。8月份“卡蒂萨克”号遭到了一场特大风暴的袭击，失去了一只舵。船身左右摇晃，无法操纵。船员用备用的木板在船上赶制了一只应急用的舵，并克服重重困难将舵安装就位。这样一来，大大降低了船的航速。因为船不能开得太快，否则就有危险，应急舵也会被刮走。因为这个缘故，“卡蒂萨克”号落到了后面。跨越赤道后，船长将船停靠在一个港口，在那儿换了一只舵。但此时，“塞姆皮雷”号早已在500多英里之遥了。尽管换装新舵时分秒必争，但“卡蒂萨克”号已经不可能取胜了，它抵达英国时比“塞姆皮雷”号晚了 1个星期。但考虑到路上的多次耽搁，这个成绩也已很不容易了。毫无疑问，如果中途没有失去舵，“卡蒂萨克”号肯定能在比赛中轻易夺冠。
Exercises 练习
1 vessels like the Cutty Sark were used to carry tea. (11. 5-6) Write three sentences using the following: I use, I am used to, I used to. (ISD 55a) （参见第2册第55课难点 a）
2 The Cutty Sark was one of the fastest sailing ships. (11. 6-7) Write sentences using the words fast and faster than. (IKS 8)（参见第2册第8课关键句型）
3 these ships set out from Shanghai. (1. 8) Write two sentences using the verbs set off and set up. (ISD 12b) （参见第2册第12难点b）
4 This race… was the last of its kind. (1. 9) Write two sentences using its and it's. (ISD 20b) （参见第2册第20课难点 b）
5 she had a lot of bad luck. (1. 13) Write sentences using a lot of, a great many and a great deal of. (IKS 56b) （参见第2册第56课关键名型b）
6 A temporary rudder was made on board. (11. 14-15) Which of the following words are preceded by on (ISD 80)（参见第二册第80课难点） and which by in（第2课难点）: fire, ink, common, tears, foot, purpose, love, a hurry.
7 if she travelled too quickly. (1. 16) Write two sentences showing the difference between very and too. (ISD 29c) （参见第2册第29课难点 c）
8 The captain called in at a port to have a new rudder fitted. (11. 17-18) Note this use of have. (IKS 66) （参见第2册第66课关键句型） Write these sentences again using have with the verbs in italics:
He is building a house.
She had cleaned his suit.
9 it was impossible for the Cutty Sark to win. (1. 19) Write two sentences using the verbs win and beat. (ISD 51c) （参
见第2册第51课难点c）
Multiple choice questions
多项选择题
Choose the correct answers to the following questions.
Comprehension 理解
1 The fame of the Cutty Sark rests mainly upon ______ .
a．the number of tourists who come to visit her annually
b．her likeness to other great sailing ships of the past
c．her being one of the last and one of the fastest of a line of great sailing ships
d．her victory in the race against the Thermopylae
2 The race which took place between the Cutty Sark and the Thermopylae was ______ .
a．a landmark in the history of shipping
b．held to celebrate the invention of the steamship
c．held especially for sailing ships on the route from Shanghai to London