Lesson 03 Matterhorn Man
What was the main objective of early mountain climbers?
Modern alpinists try to climb mountains by a route which will give them good sport, and the more difficult it is, the more highly it is regarded. In the pioneering days, however, this was not the case at all. The early climbers were looking for the easiest way to the top, because the summit was the prize they sought, especially if it had never been attained before. It is true that during their explorations they often faced difficulties and dangers of the most perilous nature, equipped in a manner which would make a modern climber shudder at the thought, but they did not go out of their way to court such excitement. They had a single aim, a solitary goal — the top!
It is hard for us to realize nowadays how difficult it was for the pioneers. Except for one or two places such as Zermatt and Chamonix, which had rapidly become popular, Alpine villages tended to be impoverished settlements cut off from civilization by the high mountains. Such inns as there were generally dirty and flea-ridden; the food simply local cheese accompanied by bread often twelve months old, all washed down with coarse wine. Often a valley boasted no inn at all, and climbers found shelter wherever they could — sometimes with the local priest (who was usually as poor as his parishioners), sometimes with shepherds or cheese-makers. Invariably the background was the same: dirt and poverty, and very uncomfortable. For men accustomed to eating seven-course dinners and sleeping between fine linen sheets at home, the change to the Alps must have been very hard indeed.
📝 文章大意
现代登山者专挑有难度的路线，路线越难越受推崇；早期登山者却只想走最容易的路登顶，因为山顶才是他们追求的目标，他们虽然常常遇险，但从不主动寻求刺激。第二段描写早期登山的艰苦：阿尔卑斯山区的村庄贫穷闭塞，旅店又脏又多跳蚤，饭食粗劣，很多山谷连旅店都没有，登山者只能借宿在神父或牧羊人家里。对过惯了舒适生活的绅士们来说，这种转变一定非常艰难。
标题问题的答案：早期登山者的主要目标是登上顶峰（the summit / the top）。
📚 核心单词
| 单词 | 音标 | 词性 | 含义 | 文中用法 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| alpinist | /ˈælpɪnɪst/ | n. | 登山者（尤指登阿尔卑斯山） | Modern alpinists |
| pioneering | /ˌpaɪəˈnɪərɪŋ/ | adj. | 开拓性的，先驱的 | in the pioneering days |
| summit | /ˈsʌmɪt/ | n. | 山顶，顶峰 | the summit was the prize |
| attain | /əˈteɪn/ | v. | 达到，获得 | had never been attained before |
| perilous | /ˈperələs/ | adj. | 危险的 | of the most perilous nature |
| shudder | /ˈʃʌdə(r)/ | v. | 发抖，战栗 | shudder at the thought |
| court | /kɔːt/ | v. | 招致；追求 | court such excitement（自找刺激） |
| solitary | /ˈsɒlətri/ | adj. | 唯一的；孤独的 | a solitary goal |
| impoverished | /ɪmˈpɒvərɪʃt/ | adj. | 贫困的 | impoverished settlements |
| settlement | /ˈsetlmənt/ | n. | 村落，定居点 | cut off from civilization |
| inn | /ɪn/ | n. | 小旅馆 | Such inns as there were |
| flea-ridden | /ˈfliː ˌrɪdn/ | adj. | 跳蚤成灾的 | dirty and flea-ridden |
| coarse | /kɔːs/ | adj. | 粗劣的 | coarse wine |
| boast | /bəʊst/ | v. | 拥有（值得夸耀的东西） | boasted no inn at all |
| shelter | /ˈʃeltə(r)/ | n. | 住处，庇护所 | found shelter |
| parishioner | /pəˈrɪʃənə(r)/ | n. | 教区居民 | as poor as his parishioners |
| shepherd | /ˈʃepəd/ | n. | 牧羊人 | shepherds or cheese-makers |
| invariably | /ɪnˈveəriəbli/ | adv. | 总是，一贯地 | Invariably the background was the same |
| linen | /ˈlɪnɪn/ | n. | 亚麻布 | fine linen sheets |
📖 难句解析
1. Modern alpinists try to climb mountains by a route which will give them good sport, and the more difficult it is, the more highly it is regarded.
by a route= 通过某条路线，which 引导定语从句修饰 routegood sport= 好的乐趣、刺激，sport 在这里不是”运动”the more ..., the more ...= 越……越……；两个 it 都指 routebe highly regarded= 受到高度评价- 译: 现代登山运动员总是想找一条能获得极大乐趣的路线登山，路线越艰险，越受到称颂。
2. In the pioneering days, however, this was not the case at all.
this was not the case= 情况并非如此，case 指”实情”not ... at all= 根本不- 译: 然而，在登山运动的初期，情况却完全不是这样。
3. The early climbers were looking for the easiest way to the top, because the summit was the prize they sought, especially if it had never been attained before.
the prize (that) they sought是省略关系代词的定语从句，sought 是 seek 的过去式had never been attained是过去完成时的被动语态，指”在他们之前从未被人登上过”- 译: 早期的登山者寻找的是通往山顶最容易的路，因为山顶才是他们追求的目标，尤其是以前从未有人登上过的山峰。
4. It is true that during their explorations they often faced difficulties and dangers of the most perilous nature, equipped in a manner which would make a modern climber shudder at the thought, but they did not go out of their way to court such excitement.
It is true that ..., but ...= 诚然……，但是……，先让步再转折of the most perilous nature= 极其危险的，of + 抽象名词作定语equipped in a manner ...是过去分词短语作状语，说明他们的装备情况make sb shudder at the thought= 让人一想到就发抖，thought 指”想到那种装备”go out of one's way to do= 特意、不怕麻烦地去做；court excitement= 自找刺激- 译: 诚然，他们在探险中常常遇到极其危险的困难，而他们的装备简陋得能让现代登山者一想起来就发抖，但他们并不刻意去寻求这种刺激。
5. Except for one or two places such as Zermatt and Chamonix, which had rapidly become popular, Alpine villages tended to be impoverished settlements cut off from civilization by the high mountains.
- 主干：
Alpine villages tended to be impoverished settlements Except for引出例外；which引导非限制性定语从句，修饰 Zermatt and Chamonixtend to be= 往往是cut off from civilization by the high mountains是过去分词短语作后置定语，修饰 settlements- 译: 除了策马特和夏蒙尼等一两个很快出名的地方以外，阿尔卑斯山区的村庄大都是被高山隔绝、与文明世界不相往来的贫困村落。
6. Such inns as there were generally dirty and flea-ridden; the food simply local cheese accompanied by bread often twelve months old, all washed down with coarse wine.
such ... as there were= 仅有的那些……；as 是关系代词，这里暗示旅店数量很少，质量也差- 分号后的句子省略了谓语 was：
the food (was) simply local cheese ... accompanied by bread= 配着面包；often twelve months old修饰 breadwash down= （用饮料）把食物冲下去；all指前面的奶酪和面包- 译: 那里仅有的几家小旅店一般都很脏，跳蚤成群；吃的只是当地的奶酪和放了常常有一年之久的面包，用劣质酒送下肚去。
7. Often a valley boasted no inn at all, and climbers found shelter wherever they could — sometimes with the local priest (who was usually as poor as his parishioners), sometimes with shepherds or cheese-makers.
boast本义”自夸”，这里指”拥有（值得夸耀的东西）”，boasted no inn带有讽刺意味wherever they could后面省略了 find shelter- 破折号后用两个
sometimes with ...并列，列举借宿的地方 - 译: 山谷里常常连一家旅店都没有，登山者只好随处找地方住，有时住在当地神父家里（神父通常和他的教民一样穷），有时住在牧羊人或制作奶酪的人家里。
8. For men accustomed to eating seven-course dinners and sleeping between fine linen sheets at home, the change to the Alps must have been very hard indeed.
accustomed to eating ... and sleeping ...：过去分词短语修饰 men；be accustomed to的 to 是介词，后接动名词seven-course dinners= 有七道菜的正餐must have been= 一定曾经……，是对过去的肯定推测- 译: 对于那些在家里习惯了吃七道菜的晚餐、睡细亚麻布床单的人来说，到阿尔卑斯山区以后生活上的变化一定非常难以适应。