Level 1 Reading 9B

Ch.18 Reading 9B

第18章 阅读9B

SMOKEJUMPERS Every year, wildfires destroy millions of hectares of forest land. Homes are damaged, and thousands of people die. Smokejumpers help to stop this. Smokejumpers are a special type of firefighter. They jump from planes or are lowered by helicopters into areas that are difficult to reach by car or on foot, such as the middle of a mountain forest. They race to put out fires as fast as they can. At a fire site, smokejumpers first examine the land and decide how to fight the fire. Their main goal is to stop a fire from spreading or to slow its progress until full, ground-based firefighters arrive. Using basic equipment such as shovels and axes, smokejumpers clear land of burnable material, like dry grass and dead trees. They carry water with them, too, but only a limited amount. Although the majority of smokejumpers are men, more women are joining now. The most important factors are your height and weight. Smokejumpers employed in the United States, for example, must be between 120 and 200 pounds(between 54 and 91 kilograms) so they don't get blown away by the strong winds or get hurt when they land. Smokejumpers must also be capable of surviving in the wilderness. In Russia, many smokejumpers know how to find food in the forest and can even make simple furniture from trees. The work is dangerous, and the hours are long. But for these firefighters, smokejumping isn't just an occupation. They love being able to jump out of planes, fight fires, and live in the forest. As 28-year-old Russian smokejumper Alexi Tishin says, "This is the best job for tough guys."

吸烟者 每年，野火都会摧毁数百万公顷的林地。 房屋受损，数千人死亡。 戒烟者有助于阻止这种情况。 消防员是一种特殊类型的消防员。 他们从飞机上跳下，或被直升机降落到汽车或步行难以到达的地区， 例如山林的中央。 他们竞相以最快的速度灭火。 在火灾现场，跳火者首先检查土地并决定如何灭火。 他们的主要目标是阻止火灾蔓延或减缓其进展，直到地面消防员到达。 吸烟者使用铲子和斧头等基本设备清除土地上的可燃物质，如干草和枯树。 它们也会携带水，但数量有限。 尽管大多数吸烟者是男性，但现在有更多的女性加入。 最重要的因素是你的身高和体重。 例如，在美国，吸烟者的体重必须在120至200磅（54至91公斤）之间 这样它们就不会被强风吹走，也不会在降落时受伤。 吸烟者还必须能够在荒野中生存。 在俄罗斯，许多吸烟者知道如何在森林里寻找食物，甚至可以用树做简单的家具。 这项工作很危险，而且时间很长。 但对于这些消防员来说，跳烟不仅仅是一种职业。 他们喜欢从飞机上跳下来，灭火，住在森林里。 正如28岁的俄罗斯跳弹运动员Alexi Tishin所说， “这是硬汉最好的工作。”

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