上外版大学英语写作精选第四册(9)

    The other Wyoming started some miles east of Buffalo， an unexpectedly graceful community in the foothills of the Big Horns. On one side of town， antelope abounded by fours and fives in the hills， and yellow wild flowers lined the roads. On the other side rose the Big Horns and nearly 10，000 feet up， Powder River Pass cut through them.

    The Big Horn canons were incredible， with four and five distinct layers of pine trees somehow clinging to the steep， rocky walls. Far， far below， Ten Sleep Creek was a thin， white torrent on the rampage. In some of the less wild terrain， we saw deer on the high green hillsides and， as we climbed up toward our picnic spot， we flushed two does and two fawns. That night， we fell asleep with the roar of Ten Sleep in our ears.

    We had picked by chance for our stopping place an area rich in western lore. At one time， Ten Sleep —— a small village at the western base of the Big Horns —— lay midway between two great Indian camps. In those days， the Indians measured distances by the number of sleeps and the halfway mark between those two camps was exactly ten sleeps.

    We crossed the Continental Divide for the first time on a cool morning， cutting through the Rockies in northwestern Wyoming at a place called Togwatee Pass （at a height of 9，656 feet）。 Our van had just leveled off and we were rounding a downhill bend when， all at once， there they were， stretched out before us in a spectacular procession of massive white peaks： the Tetons. My wife gasped and， behind us， the kids began to yell. In truth， it was a startling sight—— a sight none of us will ever forget.

    We had seen mountains before， but we had never experienced anything even remotely like that initial impact of the Tetons. It was exactly what we had in mind when we decided to take our first trip "out West."

    Phrases & Expressions

    size up form an opinion or judgment about 估计；品评

    a bit to some degree； rather 有点儿，相当

    tear up destroy completely by tearing 撕毁，毁掉

    make a mess of disorder， spoil or ruin 把……弄脏；把……弄糟

    on the run running or hurrying from place to place； in flight 奔跑着；奔逃着

    do one's homework make necessary preparations before taking part in an important activity 作必要的准备

    by and large on the whole； in general

    all in all（informal） on the whole

    here and there scattered about； in various places 零星分散，在各处

    burn to a crisp burn black or dry 烤焦

    cut through穿过，穿透

    cling to keep a firm hold on 紧紧抓住

    be/go on the / a rampage go about in an excited， mad and violent manner 横冲直撞

    by chance unintentionally； by accident 偶然地；意外地

    at one time formerly 从前，曾经

    level off/out move horizontally （after climbing）； remain steady （after a rise） （爬高后）水平移动；（上升后）达到平稳

    stretch out extend prolong  延伸，延续

    in truth truly； really 的确

    have in mind be considering， intend 考虑，打算