Lesson 88    Trapped in a mine

Six men have been trapped in a mine for seventeen hours. If they are not brought to the surface soon they may lose their lives. However, rescue operations are proving difficult. If explosives are used, vibrations will cause the roof of the mine to collapse. Rescue workers are therefore drilling a hole on the north side of the mine. They intend to bring the men up in a special capsule. If there had not been a hard layer of rock beneath the soil, they would have completed the job in a few hours. As it is, they have been drilling for sixteen hours and they still have a long way to go. Meanwhile, a microphone, which was lowered into the mine two hours ago, has enabled the men to keep in touch with their closest relatives. Though they are running out of food and drink, the men are cheerful and confident that they will get out soon. They have been told that rescue operations are progressing smoothly. If they knew how difficult it was to drill through the hard rock, they would lose heart.

6个人被困在矿井里已有17个小时了。如果不把他们尽快救到地面上来，他们就有可能丧生。然而，事实证明营救工作非常困难。如果用炸药爆破，震动会引起矿顶塌落。因此，营救人员在矿井的北侧钻了一个洞。他们准备用一种特制的容器把这6个人救上来。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了。实际情况是，他们已连续钻了16个小时了，但离钻透还早着呢。与此同时，两个小时以前放下井去的一只麦克风使井下的人可以与其亲属保持联系。虽然他们的食物和饮料都快消耗尽了，但这些人的心情很好，坚信他们很快就会出去。他们一直被告知营救工作进行得非常顺利。如果他们知道了钻透那坚硬的岩石有多么困难，他们会丧失信心的。

Grammar

1. 复习现在完成时的用法

2. 复习条件句，中考要求同学们掌握if引导的真实条件句（即第一类条件句），请同学们牢记主将从现、主情从现的结构。

Exercises.

1. It’ll be a great honor if I __________ to the charity evening party next week.

A. invite   B. will invite   C. will be invited   D. am invited

2.He went out. He had his dinner. (连成一句)

__________he __________ __________his dinner, he ___________ __________.

1. 解析：本题句意：如果下周我能被邀请参加这个慈善晚会，那会是一个巨大的荣幸。当主句描述将来动作时，英语条件状语从句中用一般现在时态表示将来动作，结合语境可知从句主语是动作对象，故用一般现在时态被动语态，故答案为D。

2. 解析：本题考查过去完成时，句中有明显的前后动作。故答案为：After he had had his dinner, he went out.