# Lesson 72 A car called Bluebird "蓝鸟"汽车

## 一、课文原文

The great racing driver, Sir Malcolm Campbell, was the first man to drive at over 300 miles per hour. He set up a new world record in September 1935 at Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah. Bluebird, the car he was driving, had been specially built for him. It was over 30 feet in length and had a 2,500-horsepower engine. Although Campbell reached a speed of over 304 miles per hour, he had great difficulty in controlling the car because a tyre burst during the first run. After his attempt, Campbell was disappointed to learn that his average speed had been 299 miles per hour. However, a few days later, he was told that a mistake had been made. His average speed had been 301 miles per hour. Since that time, racing drivers have reached speeds over 600 miles an hour. Following in his father's footsteps many years later, Sir Malcolm's son, Donald, also set up a world record. Like his father, he was driving a car called Bluebird.

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## 二、重点词汇详解

| 单词 | 音标 | 词性 | 释义 | 用法说明 |
|------|------|------|------|----------|
| **racing** | /ˈreɪsɪŋ/ | n. | 竞赛 | racing driver 赛车手 |
| **per** | /pɜː/ | prep. | 每 | miles per hour 每小时英里数 |
| **burst** | /bɜːst/ | v. | 爆裂 | 三态同形：burst, burst, burst |
| **average** | /ˈævərɪdʒ/ | adj. | 平均的 | average speed 平均速度 |
| **footstep** | /ˈfʊtstep/ | n. | 足迹 | follow in one's footsteps 步某人后尘 |
| **horsepower** | /ˈhɔːspaʊə/ | n. | 马力 | 2,500-horsepower engine |
| **Utah** | /ˈjuːtɑː/ | n. | 犹他州 | 美国州名 |

### 词汇拓展

**1. burst 的搭配**
- burst into tears 突然哭起来
- burst into laughter 突然大笑
- burst out 突然……起来
- a tyre burst 轮胎爆了

**2. per 的用法**
- miles per hour (mph) 每小时英里
- kilometers per hour (km/h) 每小时公里
- per person 每人
- per day 每天

**3. average 的用法**
- average speed 平均速度
- average age 平均年龄
- on average 平均而言
- above/below average 高于/低于平均水平

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## 三、语法知识点

### 1. 过去完成时的被动语态

> Bluebird, the car he was driving, **had been specially built** for him.

- 结构：had been + 过去分词
- 表示在过去某个时间点之前已经完成的被动动作
- 车是在比赛之前被专门制造的

| 时态 | 被动结构 | 例句 |
|---|---|---|
| 一般过去时被动 | was/were done | The car was built in 1935. |
| 过去完成时被动 | had been done | The car had been built before the race. |

### 2. the first man to do sth.

> ...the first man **to drive** at over 300 miles per hour.

- 序数词 + 名词 + to do
- 表示"第一个做某事的人"

| 结构 | 例句 |
|---|---|
| the first to do | He was the first to arrive. |
| the last to do | She was the last to leave. |
| the only one to do | He was the only one to pass. |

### 3. have difficulty (in) doing sth.

> He **had great difficulty in controlling** the car.

- 结构：have difficulty/trouble (in) doing sth.
- 意为"做某事有困难"
- 介词 in 可省略

### 4. 现在分词短语作状语

> **Following in his father's footsteps** many years later, Sir Malcolm's son, Donald, also set up a world record.

- Following in his father's footsteps 是现在分词短语
- 作方式/伴随状语
- 修饰主句主语 Donald

### 5. 过去分词短语作后置定语

> ...a car **called Bluebird**.

- called Bluebird 是过去分词短语
- 作后置定语修饰 car
- 相当于：a car which was called Bluebird

### 6. was disappointed to learn that...

> Campbell **was disappointed to learn that** his average speed had been 299 miles per hour.

- be + 形容词 + to do 表示"做某事感到……"
- be disappointed to learn 得知后很失望
- 类似：be glad to hear, be sorry to say

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## 四、重点句型分析

### 1. 固定搭配

| 短语 | 含义 | 例句 |
|---|---|---|
| **miles per hour** | 每小时英里 | drive at over 300 miles per hour |
| **set up a record** | 创纪录 | set up a new world record |
| **in length** | 在长度方面 | over 30 feet in length |
| **have difficulty (in) doing** | 做某事有困难 | had great difficulty in controlling |
| **during the first run** | 在第一趟行程中 | a tyre burst during the first run |
| **follow in one's footsteps** | 步某人后尘 | Following in his father's footsteps |
| **be disappointed to do** | 做某事感到失望 | was disappointed to learn |

### 2. "in + 度量名词" 表示方面

| 结构 | 含义 | 例句 |
|---|---|---|
| in length | 在长度方面 | 30 feet in length |
| in width | 在宽度方面 | 10 feet in width |
| in height | 在高度方面 | 50 feet in height |
| in weight | 在重量方面 | 2 tons in weight |

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## 五、课文翻译

伟大的赛车手马尔科姆·坎贝尔爵士是第一个以超过300英里的时速驾驶汽车的人。他于1935年9月在犹他州的邦纳维尔盐滩创造了一项新的世界纪录。他所驾驶的"蓝鸟"汽车是专门为他制造的。这辆车长达30多英尺，装有一台2,500马力的发动机。虽然坎贝尔的时速达到了304英里以上，但他很难驾驭这辆车，因为在开始的行程中一只轮胎爆了。在这次尝试之后，坎贝尔得知自己的平均时速只有299英里，感到很失望。然而，几天后他被告知出了一个差错。他的平均时速实际上是301英里。从那时起，赛车手们的速度已达到600英里以上。许多年后，马尔科姆爵士的儿子唐纳德步其父后尘，也创造了一项世界纪录。和他父亲一样，他驾驶的也是一辆名叫"蓝鸟"的汽车。

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## 六、语言点精讲

### 1. "Following in his father's footsteps" 习语
- 字面：踏着父亲的脚步
- 引申：继承父业，走同样的道路
- 唐纳德不仅子承父业，连车名都一样

### 2. "a mistake had been made" 的幽默
- 官方计算错误，把301英里算成了299英里
- 差了2英里——但决定了是否突破300英里大关
- 从失望到惊喜的转折

### 3. 课文的结构：父子两代的传承
- 父亲：第一个突破300英里/小时
- 儿子：步其后尘，也创了纪录
- 两代人都驾驶"蓝鸟"——家族传承

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## 七、课后练习要点

### 1. 语法复习
- 过去完成时的被动语态
- 序数词 + to do 结构
- have difficulty (in) doing 的用法

### 2. 词汇运用
- per / average / burst 的用法
- follow in one's footsteps 习语

### 3. 写作练习
- 写一位名人或家族的故事（使用过去完成时被动语态）

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## 八、本课小结

| 项目 | 内容 |
|------|------|
| **核心语法** | 复习（过去完成时被动语态、序数词+to do、have difficulty doing、分词短语作状语/定语） |
| **重点词汇** | 7个（racing, per, burst, average, footstep, horsepower, Utah） |
| **重点短语** | miles per hour, set up a record, in length, have difficulty in doing, follow in one's footsteps |
| **学习难点** | 过去完成时被动语态的综合运用、in+度量名词 |

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*本课是复习课，综合了过去完成时被动语态、分词短语等语法点，需将所学知识融会贯通。*