全文 12 句（男女对话）· 12 个生词和短语（加粗 + 红色音标 / 词性 / 释义）
作者1. Six men have been trapped /træpt/ v. 陷入，使陷于困境 in a mine for seventeen hours.
作者2. If they are not brought to the surface /'sɜːfɪs/ n. 地面，表面 soon they may lose their lives.
作者3. However, rescue operations are proving difficult.
作者4. If explosives /ɪk'spləʊsɪvz/ n. 炸药 are used, vibrations /vaɪ'breɪʃnz/ n. 振动，颤动 will cause the roof of the mine to collapse /kə'læps/ v. 坍塌.
作者5. Rescue workers are therefore drilling /drɪlɪŋ/ v. 钻孔 a hole on the north side of the mine.
作者6. They intend to bring the men up in a special capsule /'kæpjuːl/ n. 容器.
作者7. If there had not been a hard layer /'leɪə/ n. 层 of rock beneath /bɪ'niːθ/ prep. 在……之下 the soil, they would have completed the job in a few hours.
作者8. As it is, they have been drilling for sixteen hours and they still have a long way to go.
作者9. Meanwhile, a microphone, which was lowered /'ləʊəd/ v. 放下，降低 into the mine two hours ago, has enabled the men to keep in touch with their closest relatives.
作者10. Though they are running out of food and drink, the men are cheerful and confident that they will get out soon.
作者11. They have been told that rescue operations are progressing /prə'ɡresɪŋ/ v. 进展，进行 smoothly /'smuːðli/ adv. 顺利地.
作者12. If they knew how difficult it was to drill through the hard rock, they would lose heart.
作者1. 六个人已被困在矿井下十七个小时了。
作者2. 如果不把他们尽快救到地面上来，他们可能丧生。
作者3. 然而，营救工作证明很困难。
作者4. 如果使用炸药，震动会使矿井的顶部坍塌。
作者5. 因此，营救人员正在矿井的北侧钻一个洞。
作者6. 他们打算用一种特制的容器把这些人救上来。
作者7. 如果不是因为土壤下面有一层坚硬的岩石，他们的营救工作仅用几个小时就可以完成。
作者8. 实际情况是，他们已经钻了十六个小时，但离钻透还早着呢。
作者9. 与此同时，两小时前放进矿井里的一只麦克风使井下的人可以与最亲近的亲属保持联系。
作者10. 虽然他们的食物和饮料快用完了，但他们情绪很好，坚信很快就能出去。
作者11. 他们一直被告知营救工作进行得很顺利。
作者12. 如果他们知道钻透那坚硬的岩石有多么困难，他们就会丧失信心。