Useful Expressions

骄兵必败 pride comes before a fall

战无不胜 nothing could stand in their way

奋勇抵抗 fierce resistance

阴冷凄苦的俄罗斯寒冬 a raw, bitter, bleak Russian winter

堪称无敌 make ends meet

向…发动进攻 launch an attack against…

痛苦的教训 a painful lesson

速决速胜 a quick, decisive victory

面临着一个重要抉择 be faced with a crucial decision孤注一掷 take the gamble

激战 fierce battle

向…提出停战 offer a truce to

等待时机 bide one’s time

成为一场噩梦 turn into a nightmare

拖着脚步行进 drag on

溃不成军的幸存者 the tattered survivors

不宣而战 without a declaration of war闪电式战略 lightning war

“焦土”政策 “scorch the earth”

处境变得危急 the situation becomes desperate

食品匮乏 food runs out

死于饥饿与疾病 die from hunger and disease

食品和补给的匮乏 a lack of food and supplies

raw: adj. cold and wet; not cooked, refined, processed, organized or analyzed

这块砧板是专门用来切生肉的。This cutting board is only used to cut raw meat.

Raw materials are the natural substances from which industrial products are made.

The event took place on a raw February morning.

On October 4, 1957, Soviet scientists launched the world’s first artificial satellite, called Sputnik.

launch: vt.

这家电脑公司今年开始生产一种新产品。

This computer company launches a new product this year.

1) start

2) send (sth.) on its course

Collocation: launch an attack 发动进攻

launch a massive campaign发动一场大规模的运动launch a company 开一家公司launch threats at sb. 向某人发出威胁launch into （积极有力地）开始 launch out （精力充沛或戏剧性地）开始

He launched into a long speech about the danger of taking drugs.他开始作关于吸毒危险性的长篇演说。 She wants to be more than a singer and is launching out into films.她不仅仅是想当一名歌手，而且正在积极涉足电影界。

campaign: n. a series of military operations or planned activities with a particular aim

在我们城市开展的灭鼠运动开端良好。

The government is launching a massive campaign against corruption.

campaign 通常指在一场大的战争中，某一地区进行的一连 串有既定目的的军事行动，也可作引申用。

campaign, battle & war “ ”这三个词都是名词，均含有 战斗，战争 之意。

CF:

The campaign against rats in our city got off to a good start.

battle 强调指战争中的一次较全面、时间较长的战斗，也指 陆军或海军在某一特定地区进行的战斗，或个人之间 的争斗。war 是战争的总称，一般指包括多个战役的大规模战争。

campaign, battle & war “ ”这三个词都是名词，均含有 战斗，战争 之意。

CF:

Directions: Fill in the blanks with the words above. Change the form where necessary.1. Many criminals were proceeded against following World War II. 2. The American presidential lasts for eighteen months.

war_____

campaign___________

3. It was a decisive — we won the because of it. 4. The Philippines had suffered grievously under the Japanese occupation. A highly effective guerilla controlled sixty percent of the islands, mostly jungle and mountain areas.

battle________ war____

campaign___________

efficient: adj. working well, quickly and without wasteTo cut back on fossil fuels, we should build more

efficient cars.

雇佣未受良好训练的工人效果是不会好的。

It is not efficient to hire poorly trained workers.

conquest: n. conquering, defeat Hitler badly miscalculated when he assumed the conquest of the USSR would be simple.

The year 1939 had witnessed the conquest of Poland by Germany.

1939 年德国征服了波兰。

conquest 指获取胜利或征服，把失败者置于控制之下。triumph 着重指胜利或成功的辉煌。victory 普通用词，主要指在战争、斗争或竞赛中获得的 胜利，强调艰辛与成功。

conquest, triumph & victory “ ”这三个词都是名词，均含有 胜利 之意。

CF:

Directions: Fill in the blanks with the words above. Change the form where necessary.

1. Under the leadership of the Party, we are marching from to . 2. The Yangtze Bridge is a great of modern civil engineering. 3. It was a of human intellect, and also international cooperation and communication.4. In process of time, Rome became a great empire by .

victory_______ victory_________

triumph_________

triumph_________

conquest__________

retreat: v. move back or withdraw when faced with danger or difficulty

After a fierce battle, the troops retreated southward.我们采取如下策略：敌进我退，敌退我追。We adopted the following strategies: When the enemy advances, we retreat; when they retreat, we pursue.

NB: retreat 的反义词是 advance ，例如：to advance against (on, to, toward) 朝…前进to retreat from 从…撤退to retreat to 撤退到

The commander ordered the soldiers to engage the enemy immediately.他们与敌人交战。They engaged the enemy.

engage: vt. 1) begin fighting with sb.

2) draw into; involve We tried to engage him in our conversation, but in vain.

3) attract sb.’s interest We failed to engage any active support for our project.他善良的性情吸引每个人。His good nature engages everyone.

Studying engages most of a serious student’s time.工作占去她很多时间。Work engages much of her time.

4) occupy

Pattern ：engage (sb.) in sth.: (cause to) take part in sth.

They are currently engaged in lengthy trade negotiations. The teacher tried to engage the shy boy in conversation.

Collocation: engage as 使聘为…engage in 从事；使参加engage with 与…啮合

be faced with: have to deal with

The librarians were faced with the huge task of listing all the books.

We were faced with an exceptionally difficult situation.

crucial: adj. very important (followed by to)

crucial, critical & decisive 这三个词都是形容词，都有“紧要的、紧迫的、重要的” 之意。crucial 意为“决定性的、极重要的” ，指对关键性事物不 断增长的缺乏或需求，紧急情况或危急转折关头。 例如：

Amazingly, our soccer team won the victory in the crucial final game.增强消费者信心是经济复苏的关键。Improved consumer confidence is crucial to economic recovery.

We must pay attention to this crucial test. 我们必须重视这次决定性的试验。

CF:

critical “ ”意为 决定性的 ，与 crucial相似，但表示对缺 乏程度更精确的估计。在转折关头时比 crucial表 现出更大的严重性。例如：

decisive “ ”意思是 决定性的、果断的 ，具有重要、特殊 或决定性效果。 例如：

我们的空军对打赢这场战争有决定性的贡献。

The patient’s condition is critical. 病人情况危急。

Our air forces were decisive in winning the war.

crucial, critical & decisive这三个词都是形容词，都有“紧要的、紧迫的、重要的”之意

CF:

take a gamble: take a risk The company took a gamble by cutting the price of their products, and it paid off.

I think she’s taking a gamble investing all her money in stocks.

press on/ahead: continue doing sth. in a determined way (used in the pattern: press on/ahead (with sth.))

Our school authorities are keen to press on with educational reform.Organizers of the strike are determined to press on.

bide one’s time: wait patiently for a chance

His political rivals are biding their time for an attack on his policies.

He bided his time until Harvard University offered him a professorship.

minus: prep. below zero; made less by; slightly lower than the mark stated Tomorrow’s temperature will be as low as minus

ten degrees Centigrade.20 minus 10 is 10.

I got B minus in the final examination.我在期末考试中得了 B减。

NB: 1)minus 的反义词是 plus（加上）。例如： 3 plus 6 is

9. 2)minus “ ”还可以作形容词，意为 负的；减去的 。例如：

a minus quantity 负数；minus electricity 负电。此外，minus还可用作名词 “，意为 负号， ”减号；负数 。

These compensation cases have already dragged on for one year.这个会还要拖多久？

How much longer is the meeting going to drag on?

drag on: move slowly and with effort; continue endlessly and tediously

at the cost of: with the loss of

Collocation: at any cost 不惜任何代价

at all costs 不惜一切代价

at no cost 不需花代价

The local government developed its economy but at the cost of environment.比尔为救约翰付出了自己的生命。Bill saved John at the cost of his own life.

limp: 1. vi. walk with difficulty, esp. when one foot or leg is hurt

That dog must be hurt — it’s limping.I injured my ankle and had to limp. 他一瘸一拐地走出足球场。He limped off the football field.2. adj. lacking or having lost rigidity, as of structure or

substance; lacking strength or firmness; weak or spiritless

a limp handshake无力的握手limp opposition微弱的反抗

catch sb. off guard: take sb. by surprise The invitation to his wedding caught me off

guard. The manager didn’t know what to say. It was clear that my question had caught him off guard.

instruct: vt. 1) give orders or directions to (sb.)

The family has instructed solicitors to sue Thomson for compensation.The professor instructed us that we had one month to conduct the project.我奉命在这里等老师来。I’ve been instructed to wait here until the teacher arrives.instruct sb. to do sth.

instruct sb. thatinstruct sb. with quote

Pattern:

2) teach (sb.) He instructed family members in nursing techniques.他们教给了我做这项工作的最好办法。They instructed me in the best ways of doing the job.

instruct sb. in/on sth. Pattern:instruct, direct & order这几个词都是动词，都有“吩咐、命令”之意。

CF:

He was instructed to represent the Government.他奉命代表政府。He hasn’t instructed us where to go. 他还没指示我们去哪里。

instruct 指向人下命令或指示、指导等，还可指交待。例如：

direct 一般指上级对下级进行的指示、命令等，对采取 的行动有准确 说明。例如：

instruct, direct & orderCF:

order 是普通用语，往往带有强制性，语气较强。 例如：

The owners directed that the factory be closed. 厂主下令关厂。The officer directed them to advance. 军官命令他们前进。

He ordered the enemy to lay down their arms. 他命令敌人放下武器。The policeman ordered the motorist to stop. 警察命令驾驶者停车。

render: vt. cause (sb./sth.) to be in a specified condition (same as make) The drug will render the tiger harmless for up to two hours.He was rendered unconscious by a blow on the back of the neck.地震导致成百上千的人无家可归。Hundreds of people were rendered homelessby the earthquake.

Collocation: render into 译成 (某种语言 )render up 做 (祷告 ); 放弃 , 交出render blow for blow 以牙还牙render good for evil 以德报怨

casualty: n. a person who is killed or injured in war or in an accident First reports of the traffic accident tell of more

than 50 casualties.

The precise number of casualties in yesterday’s bomb explosion is not known.

bring to a halt: stop completely Air traffic in Poland had been brought to a halt by an air traffic controllers’ strike.

Our journey was brought to a halt by a storm.

我们的旅行因风暴而终止。

The Red Army brought its winter offensive to a successful conclusion.

The Red Army led a massive military offensive.

offensive: 1. n. aggressive action, attack

红军发动大规模的军事攻击。

Collocation: launch/mount an offensive发动进攻carry out/undertake an offensive进攻

Collocation: on the offensive 处于攻势assume/go on/go over/take the offensive

进攻，采取攻势If all else fails, I’ll go over to the offensive.如果其他方法都失败，那我将采取攻势。

2. adj. of or about attack; causing offense; unpleasant

这支进攻的军队很快地赢得了阵地。The offensive troops gained ground quickly.

My neighbor is really an offensive person. He always plays the piano deep into the night.

thanks to: because of

Thanks to her financial support, the two children in the remote village could go to school.

Thanks to their tireless efforts, the performance was a great success.

reckon: v. count; consider; think

The existence of the U.S. is reckoned from the Declaration of Independence.

许多人认为他是一位伟大的篮球运动员。Many people reckon him to be a great basketball player.

NB: 常用的搭配 be reckoned with意为 be taken into consideration

All these problems had to be reckoned with as they arose.

reckon, regard, consider & count 这几个词都是动词，都有“认为”之意。reckon 用来指对事件全面权衡，在有些非正式的行文中， 也用来表示建议或想法。后面接宾语从句或复合宾 语（和 as 连用，但在被动语态中也常不带 as ）。例如：

CF:

I reckon it’s time to go.

我认为该走了。

They reckon the book as one of his best works.

他们认为这本书是他最优秀的作品之一。

reckon, regard, consider & count

CF:

consider 表示经过深思熟虑或亲身经历之后而相信或确认。 其宾语后面的补足语可以是名词或形容词。例如：

他们总以为自己很了不起。

I consider him a good musician. 我认为他是一个优秀的音乐家。They always considered themselves very important.

He is generally regarded as an authority on ancient bronzes. 一般把他看作是古铜器研究的权威。

regard 源自法语，意为看、观察，因此，该词更多地通过 对事物外表的评价或视觉感观反映出这一本义。 注 意其后一定要用 as 。例如：

reckon, regard, consider & count

CF:

count 表示看法多侧重于一种判断。注意其宾语后面不用 as 。例如：

After such a bad accident you should count yourself lucky you’re since alive. 遭此严重的意外你还能活下来，该感到很幸运了。

The death toll rose from 270 in 1952 to 5,000 in1954.

toll: 1. n. 1)the number of people or animals killed or injured

in particular circumstances

2) money paid for the use of a bridge, road, etc.

Each car must pay a toll to cross the bridge.

Collocation:

charge/exact/impose a toll 征收（道路、桥梁等的）通行费levy toll on sb. 向某人收费（或征税）war toll 战争伤亡人数

这次地震给几个村庄造成重大损失。

The earthquake took a heavy toll on several villages.

take a heavy toll 造成重大伤亡（或损失）Collocation:

take a/its toll 造成损失（或危害、伤亡等）

洪水造成三百万人死亡。The flood took a toll of 3,000,000 lives.

2. v. sound (a large bell) slowly at regular intervals Bells were tolled all over the country at the President’s death.

Useful Expressions

Blank Filling

Discussion

Spot Dictation

Writing Practice

Talk about the Pictures

Proverbs and Quotations

Sentence Translation

A Brief Introduction

Homework

A Sample

Writing Practice

In the spring of 1812, Napoleon an army of six hundred thousand men on the borders of Russia. The soldiers were well trained, , and well equipped. Shortly afterwards, Napoleon’s army crossed the Neman River into Russia. In August, the French and Russian armies at Smolensk, in a battle that left over ten thousand dead on each side. Napoleon of pressing on to Moscow, 448 kilometers away. On September 7, 1812, the French and Russian armies met in fierce battle at Borodino, 112 kilometers west of Moscow. Again, the Russian army retreated to safety. Napoleon had a clear path to Moscow, but the of the city became an empty victory.

assembled ____________

efficient__________

Spot Dictation

engaged_________

took the gamble__________________

occupation ____________

Napoleon soon realized he could not feed, clothe, and his army in Moscow during the winter. In October 1812, he ordered his Grand Army to retreat from Moscow. At the Berezina River, the Russians nearly trapped the retreating French by burning the bridges over the river. But Napoleon, by a stroke of luck, was able to build two new bridges. Thousands of French soldiers escaped, but at the cost of fifty thousand dead. Once across the Berezina, the survivors limped toward Vilna.

quarter________

swollen_________

tattered_________

Blank Filling Fill in each blank in the following paragraph with the appropriate words and phrases from the text. When Hitler decided to launch his of Russia, he thought that nothing could of his armies. , it seemed, was inevitable. He had surprise on his side, Stalin by his attack without a of war. Hitler expected the to last only a few months. In the event, it was to for much longer. Like Napoleon before him, he had made a fatal mistake in failing to the severity of the Russian weather. Many German soldiers were to the cold as winter set in, the German advance ．

invasion_________

stand in the way___________________

Conquest__________

catching off his guardlaunching___________ declaration_____________

campaign___________

drag on________

_________ _______________

reckon with_____________

die from__________

bringing_________ to a

halt__________

Discussion

Translate the following Napoleon’s quotations and discuss his characters with your partner.

1. The man who has made up his mind to win will never say “impossible”.

凡是决心取得胜利的人是从来不说“不可能的”。

2. I succeeded because I willed it; I never hesitated.

我成功是因为我有决心，从不踌躇。

3. To really understand a man we must judge him in misfortune.

要真正了解一个人，需在不幸中考察他。

4. He who fears being conquered is sure of defeat.

怕吃败仗的人必然要打败仗。5. If you wage war, do it energetically and with

severity. This is the only way to make it shorter, and consequently less inhuman.

如果打仗，就要毫不留情地全力去打。这是缩短战争的唯一方法，因而也可以减少战争的残酷。

6. There is a moment in every battle at which the least maneuver is decisive and gives superiority as one drop of water causes overflow.

在每一场战争中，都有那么一刻，运用一点策略就是决定性的并带来优势，正如加一滴水就可以促成溢流一般。

4. Einstein soon acquired an image, which grew into a near legend, of being a kindly professor, distracted at times but unfailingly sweet, who rarely combed his hair or wore socks.

不久爱因斯坦在人们心目中成了这样一种形象，而且几乎变成传奇：一位平易近人的教授，有时心不在焉，但总是和蔼可亲，难得梳头发，不常穿袜子。

5. 联合国宣布 2005年为“世界物理学年”，以庆祝爱因斯坦 “奇迹年”出现 100周年。

The United Nations has declared 2005 “The World Year of Physics” to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Einstein’s “miracle year.”

6.你呆在这里损害了全班学生对我的尊重。

Your mere presence here undermines the class’s respect for me.

7. 科学是爱因斯坦家餐桌上聊天的话题。

Science was dinner-table conversation in the Einstein household.

8. 爱因斯坦对科学技术与生俱来怀有兴趣。

Albert’s interest in science and technology came naturally.

Talk about the Pictures

As we all know, one of the central components of an essay or a paper is the paragraph. In order to develop a good paragraph, let us have a clear idea of some special terms about it. They are: (1) topic sentence; (2) controlling idea; (3) supporting sentences; (4) concluding sentence; (5) unity; (6) coherence. Topic sentence — The sentence within a paragraph or discourse that states the main thought, often placed at the beginning.

A Brief Introduction

Paragraph Development

An Example and Practice1. An Example

Controlling idea — The word(s) or phrase that expresses the main idea, your attitude, your evaluation of something. It is the main element of a topic sentence. Supporting sentences — The sentences within a paragraph that support the main idea of that paragraph. These sentences could include examples, direct quotes, explanations, details, etc. Concluding sentence — The sentence which completes that paragraph and often sums up or reaffirms the main idea of that paragraph. Unity — One of writing principles referring to the fact that the sentences all refer to the main idea, or thesis of the paper.

Coherence — One of writing principles referring to the fact that the sentences should be organized in a logical manner and should follow a definite plan of development. These special terms summarize the way to develop a good paragraph. That’s to say, a good paragraph should have a topic sentence, in which controlling idea is very important. Other sentences in the paragraph should develop the main idea and should be organized in a logical manner and follow a definite plan of development. Besides the terms mentioned above, the formation of a paragraph is also worth mentioning. Generally speaking, a complete paragraph should include three parts: an introduction sentence, a body and a concluding sentence.

But in reality, many a time there is not a “concluding sentence”, especially one paragraph in a long story or essay.

A Brief Introduction

We had a wonderful vacation! (1) We visited my grand parents’ home for the holiday. (2) There we met all my cousins, aunts, and uncles. (3) We ate good food and played a lot. (4) We went shopping and sightseeing. (5) I didn’t feel like coming back! (6) Sentence (1) is a topic sentence. The controlling idea is “wonderful”. Therefore, in sentences (2), (3), (4) and (5), the author develops this controlling idea by means of providing details. In sentence (2) he uses “visited my grand

Paragraph Development

parents’ home”, in sentence (3) “met all my cousins, aunts, and uncles”, in sentence (4) “ate and played”, in sentence (5) “went shopping and sightseeing”. The last sentence serves as a concluding sentence. In this way he develops this paragraph logically, coherently and completely.

Directions: The following paragraph is from Unit 1, Book III. Now you are required to analyze the structure by pointing out the controlling ideas of the topic sentence and details. It’s a self-reliant sort of life.(1) We grow nearly all of our fruits and vegetables.(2) Our hens keep us in eggs, with several dozen left over to sell each week.(3) Our bees provide us with honey, and we cut enough wood to just about make it through the heating season.(4)

Controlling idea: self-reliant Details:In Sentence 2 — fruits and vegetables

In Sentence 3 — eggsIn Sentence 4 — honey and wood

Practice

1. He was prepared for the fierce resistance of the Russian people defending their homeland.

Sentence Translation

他知道俄罗斯人民会为保卫祖国而奋勇抵抗，并为此做好了准备。

2. As the Russian army was gathering its strength, the French had to flee Russia to avoid certain defeat.

正当俄罗斯军队集聚兵力之时，法国人却不得不逃离俄国，以避免注定的失败。

6 月 5日到了，气候如此恶劣，进攻部队最高统帅艾森豪威尔将军被迫将进攻推迟了一天。

3. The loss of the battle for Stalingrad finally turned the tide against Hitler. The German victories were over, thanks in part to the Russian winter.

斯大林格勒一战的失利最终使希特勒走向穷途末路。部分地由于俄罗斯的冬季，德国人走向失败了。

4. With the arrival of June 5, the weather was so bad that General Eisenhower, supreme commander of the invasion forces, was forced to postpone the invasion by one day.

5. 拿破仑顺利进入莫斯科，然而，对该市的占领成为毫 无意义的胜利。

Napoleon had a clear path to Moscow, but the occupation of the city became an empty victory.

6. 法国士兵拖着脚步行进，一路上留下无数死尸。

The French soldiers dragged on, leaving the dead along every mile.

7. 与此同时，德军一系列重大失误使他们被打得措手不及。

Meanwhile, critical errors by the German side allowed them to be taken completely by surprise.

8. 不到一年，希特勒自吹能延续千年的帝国便崩溃了。

Within a year Hitler’s empire, which he had boasted would last a thousand years, lay in ruins.

Proverbs and Quotations

1. An army marches on its stomach.

兵马未动，粮草先行。2. He that forecasts all perils will never sail the

sea. 担惊受怕者航不了海。 / 懦者事之贼。

3. Either by might or by sleight.

不动武，就斗智。

4. All delays are dangerous in war. — John Drydon, British poet

在战争中，任何拖延都是危险的。 ——英国诗人 J. 德莱顿

5. In war, whichever side may call itself the victor, there are no winners, but all are losers.

— Nerille Chamberlain, British prime minister

战争中只有输家，没有赢家，尽管双方不论哪一方均可能自称为胜利者。

—— 英国首相 N. 张伯伦

Culture Notes

Reading

Comprehension Task

Dwight David Eisenhower

D-Day

Culture Notes

Dwight David Eisenhower

Dwight David Eisenhower (1890 — 1969)the popular World War II general and the 34th President of the United States

1. A brief introduction Born in Texas and raised in Kansas, Eisenhower was a general and political leader of the twentieth century. As supreme commander in Europe of the forces of the Allies during World War II, he directed the invasion of Normandy on D-Day and led in the overthrow of the Nazi government of Germany. He later organized the military forces of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. In 1952, his popularity was so high that both the Democrats and the Republicans wanted him for a presidential candidate; he chose the Republicans. “I Like Ike” was a popular slogan of his campaigns. He defeated the Democratic candidate, Adlai Stevenson, in both 1952 and 1956. In

office, he negotiated the end of the Korean War and generally pursued moderate policies. His years as President were marked by increasing prosperity at home, although the cold war with the Soviet Union continued abroad. Richard Nixon was Eisenhower’s vice president.

2. His chronologyBorn Dwight David Eisenhower, in Denison, Texas.

JULY 1,1916 Marries Mamie Geneva Dowd. 

1932Becomes staff officer under General Douglas Mac Arthur.

JUNE 25,1942 Assumes command of U.S. forces in Europe.

DECEMBER 24,1943

Appointed to orchestrate the Allied invasions of northern and western Europe.

OCTOBER 14,1890

JUNE 6,1944Leads the D-Day invasion of Europe.

Becomes President of Columbia University.

Named supreme commander of NATO land forces.

JANUARY 20,1953

Inaugurated as 34th President of the United States, along with Richard Nixon as his vice president.

Dies in Washington, D.C.; buried in Abilene, Kansas.

JUNE 7,1948

DECEMBER 19,1950

MARCH 28,1969

3. A video clip about himDirections: Here is a video clip about Dwight D. Eisenhower. After you watch it, you are required to say something about him with your partner or in your group. You can adopt different ways to do that such as retelling, dialog, interview and so on.

D-DayDirections: This text describes the Normandy Landings in detail and D-Day is its code name. Now here is a video clip about it and you can have a visual-aural experience of it. You can see the transcript of it if necessary.

Now, on June 6, 1944 Eisenhower was ready and the first waves of nearly 2 million alive troop sailed for Normandy. A giant Armanda of 4,000 ships. The skies were alive with a light planes pounding road and real networks. German reinforcement for Normandy will be slow in arriving and tired and disorganized after their continual hammering from the air. German defenses on the beaches were soften up by massive bombardment. They expected an attack across the Straits of Dover and the landing at Normandy came as a complete tactical surprise. This was a crucial attack at the power of Nazi Germany. This was the D-Day. It was the greatest amphibious invasion of all time and even Stalin was force to admit that history of warfare knows no other like undertaking from the point of view of its scale, its vast conception and its masterly execution. By the end of D-Day, more than a quarter of a million of alive troops were firmly established in French soil.

Would nature be on the side of the Allied forces as they prepared to invade mainland Europe or would it favour the Germans? No one was certain.

The Normandy Landings

Anthony Ward The largest and most ambitious military expedition in history was the invasion of Normandy in northern France by British, American and Canadian forces that took place in the summer of 1944. Even nature played a role.

It took more than a year for military planners to orchestrate every movement of troops, artillery, ships and aircraft and to set everything in place for the move that was to open up a second front in Europe. This would liberate France and open the way for the final assault on Germany itself. Everything was controlled; right down to the placement of military decoys across the English Channel to fool the Germans into thinking the attack would come from Britain’s closest point to France at Pas de Calais[ Pas de Calais: the part of France closest to the British Isles] rather than in Normandy as planned. Everything was controlled, that is, except the weather.

D-Day, the code name given to the day of invasion, was originally scheduled for 5 June 1944. This date had been arrived at by considering two factors — moonlight and tide. The hour of the invasion would need to be near sunrise, when the seaborne troops would have a rising tide. This would enable them to land close to the obstacles that had been placed to hinder their landing without coming ashore on top of them. The paratroopers needed a full moon for visibility. The days with the proper tide-moonlight formula closest to the target date were 5, 6 and 7 June. The fifth was chosen for D-Day to allow a safety margin in case the attack needed to be postponed.

In addition to moonlight and favourable tides, calm seas were needed for the crossing. But an unusually stormy transition from spring toward summer that year held out little hope that there would be a suitable break in the weather. It also meant the possibility that Operation Overlord, as the invasion was called, might have to be postponed until later in the year or even the following year. With the arrival of 5 June, the weather was so bad that General Eisenhower [Dwight David Eisenhower (1890-1972): nicknamed Ike. US general, Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force (1943-1945) and 34th President of the US (1953-1961)] , supreme commander of the invasion forces, was forced to postpone the invasion by one day.

When he met with his staff to review their options, they were faced with the grim reality that 6 June did not look much better than the original D-Day. The meteorological report gave a thin ray of hope that a lull in the storm would allow enough time to launch the invasion. Consultations went on late into the night on whether to press ahead. Opinions were divided. Finally, Eisenhower made his decision. “I am quite positive we must give the order,” he said. “I don’t like it, but there it is. I don’t see how we can do anything else.” Within hours, an armada of 3,000 landing craft, 2,500 other ships, and 500 naval vessels began to leave English ports.

Meanwhile, critical errors by the German side allowed them to be taken completely by surprise. Due to the bad weather, the German navy cancelled its usual patrol of the English Channel. Also, a practice drill scheduled for June 6 was called off. The German meteorological services were unaware of the break in the weather. On the eve of the attack, many of the top German leaders were absent from their commands. Rommel [Erwin Rommel (1891-1944) nicknamed the Desert Fox. German field marshal, noted for his brilliant generalship in north Africa in World War II. Later a commander in France. He committed suicide after the officers’ plot against Hitler. ] , the general in charge of the coastal defences, was in Germany visiting his wife on her birthday, and several officers were some distance away in Rennes[ Rennes: city in northwest France] or on their way there for a war-game exercise.

The assault on Normandy began at 12:15 a.m., when the pathfinders for the American airborne units left their planes and parachuted to earth. Five minutes later, on the other side of the invasion area, the British pathfinders made their jump. The pathfinders were specially trained to find and mark the drop zones. The main airborne assault was to commence within the hour. The airborne attack became confused because of stiff winds and the evasive flying of the transport planes when they encountered anti-aircraft fire. As a result, the paratroopers were scattered over a wide area and most missed their drop zones, some by as much as 20 miles. Other complications were caused by the terrain, and the worst terrain was on the Cotentin Peninsula.

The Germans had laced the open fields with anti-personnel and glider stakes and flooded the low areas. The flooding caused the most trouble for the Americans of the 101st and 82nd Airborne divisions, with many of the troops drowned, laden down by their heavy equipment. The airborne units were to secure the flanks of the amphibious assault. That meant capturing bridges, crossroads and coastal batteries. After accomplishing those tasks, the paratroopers had to withstand any German counterattacks.

As the airborne units struggled to achieve their goals, the great fleet made its way across the channel to its appointment with destiny. Leading that grand armada were the minesweepers. Behind them followed a vast array of naval vessels of every conceivable type. Never before had such a fleet been assembled. Including the landing craft carried on board, the combined Allied invasion armada numbered up to 6,000 ships. Approximately 150,000 men were to cross the English Channel and land at assault beaches code-named “Utah,” “Omaha,” “Gold,” “Juno” and “Sword.”

The first areas of French soil wrested from German control were a group of small islands located three miles off Utah Beach. Allied commanders were concerned that these islands could be used as sites for heavy guns. The men of the U.S. 4th and 24th Cavalry squadrons were designated to take the islands prior to the main invasion. The assault teams found only land mines. The Germans had left the islands unoccupied. For the majority of the assault troops, however, the war had not begun yet. After spending as long as 48 hours aboard the various transport ships as a result of the delay, many of the men were miserably seasick and in poor shape for the challenge ahead.

The naval bombardment began around 5:45 a.m. The air attack followed. The naval and air bombardments were designed to destroy the beach guns and obstacles, pin down the enemy and provide shelter for the ground troops on the open beaches by making craters. Both, however, largely failed in their objectives. Weather conditions had improved, but they were not perfect. Because of poor visibility caused by low cloud cover, it was decided that the bombers would delay the release of bombs 30 seconds to avoid hitting the assaulting troops. As a result, the bombs fell inland and missed their targets. Although the naval bombardment was more accurate, it was not much more effective against the hardened German gun emplacements.

The weather also was partially responsible for causing some of the assault craft to miss their assigned landing areas. Additionally, many of the landing craft and amphibious tanks foundered in the rough sea. In the Omaha area, most of the craft carrying artillery and tanks intended to support the incoming troops sank in the high waves. At Utah Beach, however, a strange stroke of good fortune occurred when the assault craft encountered a southerly current that caused them to land in the wrong sector. The German shore batteries that would have contested a landing in the original area would undoubtedly have taken a heavy toll. The landing at the new sector was virtually unopposed.

Despite difficulties, Eisenhower’s gamble with the elements was to pay off. The invasion forces succeeded in establishing a toehold on French soil. Reinforcements began to pour in, thrusting on deep into France. Within a year Hitler’s empire, which he had boasted would last a thousand years, lay in ruins.

ambitious: adj. full of ambition

A slave has but one master; an ambitious man has as many masters as there are people who may be useful in bettering his position.

这看起来像一个非常雄心勃勃的计划！我祝你们两个好运！

That looks like a very ambitious plan! I wish both of you good luck!

obstacle: n. a thing that blocks one’s way

这一决定排除了人质获释的最后障碍。

The biggest obstacle in our way was a tree trunk in the road.

This decision has removed the last obstacle to the hostages’ release.

in case: so as to be safe if (sth.) happens

我带了一些三明治以防我们饿了。I’ve brought some sandwiches in case we get hungry.

I brought my key just in case you forgot yours.

The fifth was chosen for D-Day to allow a safety margin in case the attack needed to be postponed.

Translate the sentence into Chinese.

6 月 5 日被选定为进攻开始日，其用意是留下一个安全系数，以防万一进攻需要推迟。

hold out: offer

我们的食品供应将只能再撑两个星期。

Few people held out any hope of finding the lost jewelry.

Our food supplies will only hold out for another two weeks.

But an unusually stormy transition from spring toward summer that year held out little hope that there would be a suitable break in the weather.

然而，当年春夏之交大风暴异乎寻常地多，希望在这个时候天气会出现一个适合进攻的风平浪静的间隙，可能性微乎其微。

Translate the sentence into Chinese.

A lot of her unhappiness is due to boredom.

due to: because of

Due to wet leaves on the line, this train will arrive an hour late.她的众多不幸是由无聊造成的。

cancel: vt. decide not to go ahead with (sth. previously arranged)

去伦敦的火车已被取消。

Janet had to cancel tomorrow’s trip because of her bad cold.

The train to London has been cancelled.

call off: decide that a planned event will not take place; cancel

由于寒冷的天气，明天的比赛已被取消。

Tomorrow’s match has been called off because of the icy weather.

The police have called off the search for the missing child until dawn tomorrow.

on the eve of: immediately before

在中国新年前夕，美国总统向华人社区发去贺信。

The US President issued a letter of congratulations to the Chinese community on the eve of the Chinese New Year.

On the eve of the national entrance examinations, he was so stressed that he couldn’t concentrate on his reading.

stiff: adj. (of a wind, etc.) blowing strongly; not easily bent

当该名男子在雪地里被发现时，他的尸体已经僵硬得像块木板。The man’s body was as stiff as a board when it was found in the snow.

The handle on this door is rather stiff.

secure:

他们尽力保卫大桥，使之免遭再次袭击。They tried to secure the bridge from the threat of further attack.

Our missiles and bombers secure us from attack.1. vt. make (sth.) safe from being attacked, harmed, or lost

2. adj. Is your online banking information secure from hackers?尽管失业率上升， 79％的美国人觉得他们的工作是安全的。79% of Americans feel secure in their jobs despite rises in joblessness.

withstand: vt. endure without giving in; resist

这座桥被设计成能抵御地震。

The bridge was designed to withstand earthquakes.

The specially designed shelters are built to withstand ground and air attacks.

concern: vt. worry

我父亲的健康问题使我们非常担心。The state of my father’s health concerns us greatly.

It concerns me that he hasn’t been in contact with the company yet.

prior to: before

在面试前，他做了大量的准备工作。He had made a lot of preparation prior to the interview.

There is only one week prior to her going abroad.

aboard: prep. on board of; on; in.

在船碰撞中，船上所有的乘客都落入河中。During the collision all passengers aboard the ship fell into the river.

How many people were aboard the hijacked plane?

pin down: prevent from moving

The troops were pinned down by resistance forces 30 miles north of the capital.

It took four nurses to pin down the little boy for an injection.

该部队在首都以北 30英里处被抵抗力量牵制住了。

objective: n. a thing aimed at or wished for

销售人员可以实现财务目标吗？Can the sales force achieve its financial objectives?

Her main objective now is simply to stay in power.

responsible: adj. being the cause of; legally or morally

obliged

她的部门负责监督理事会。Her department is responsible for overseeing the councils.

Paul is directly responsible for the efficient running of the office.

contest: vt. fight for; struggle to win or keep

她很可能会赢得，因为只有两个人角逐席位。

She is likely to win since only two people are contesting the seat.

The medal is being keenly contested by eight gymnasts.

The German shore batteries that would have contested a landing in the original area would undoubtedly have taken a heavy toll. The landing at the new sector was virtually unopposed.

Translate the sentence into Chinese.要是在原定地区登陆的话，德军海岸炮群无疑会拼命抵

抗并给盟军造成惨重伤亡。在新登陆区的登陆几乎没有遭到任何抵抗。

pay off: bring good results; succeed

她所有的努力得到了回报，最终，她终于通过了考试。

All her hard work paid off in the end, and she finally passed the exam.

I was pleased to hear about your job offer — all that hard work has obviously paid off.

Despite difficulties, Eisenhower’s gamble with the elements was to pay off.

尽管困难重重，艾森豪威尔在与恶劣天气的赌博中赢得了胜利。

Translate the sentence into Chinese.

boast: vt. talk about in a manner showing too much pride and satisfaction (usu. used in the pattern: boast about sth. / that)

家长喜欢吹嘘他们的孩子所取得的成就。

Parents enjoy boasting about their children’s achievements.

He didn’t talk about his success in case people thought he was boasting.

They boasted that they had never lost a single game.