---
url: https://gaojian.site/new-concept/book-4/13-the-search-for-oil.md
description: 新概念英语第四册：The Search for Oil。精读、词块回忆、双向译练、句法、逻辑与FSRS复习。
---

# 13 · 探寻石油

### 第1段

The deepest holes of all are made for oil, and they go down to as much as 25,000 feet. But we do not need to send men down to get the oil out, as we must with other mineral deposits. The holes are only borings, less than a foot in diameter. My particular experience is largely in oil, and the search for oil has done more to improve deep drilling than any other mining activity. When it has been decided where we are going to drill, we put up at the surface an oil derrick. It has to be tall because it is like a giant block and tackle, and we have to lower into the ground and haul out of the ground great lengths of drill pipe which are rotated by an engine at the top and are fitted with a cutting bit at the bottom.
The geologist needs to know what rocks the drill has reached, so every so often a sample is obtained with a coring bit. It cuts a clean cylinder of rock, from which can be seen the strata the drill has been cutting through. Once we get down to the oil, it usually flows to the surface because great pressure, either from gas or water, is pushing it. This pressure must be under control, and we control it by means of the mud which we circulate down the drill pipe. We endeavour to avoid the old, romantic idea of a gusher, which wastes oil and gas. We want it to stay down the hole until we can lead it off in a controlled manner.

中文理解：最深的孔都是为了开采石油而钻的，深度可达二万五千英尺。不过，与开采其他矿藏不同，我们不必把人送到地下去取油。这些孔只是钻孔，直径还不到一英尺。我的专业经验主要在石油领域；论推动深井钻探技术进步，石油勘探的作用超过了其他任何采矿活动。确定钻探地点后，我们就在地面搭起井架。井架必须很高，因为它相当于一个巨大的滑轮组，要把一节节长钻杆放入地下，再从地下提出来。这些钻杆由顶部的发动机带动旋转，底端则装有切削用的钻头。
地质学家需要知道钻头到达了什么岩层，所以隔一段时间就要用取芯钻头取样。它能切出一段完整的圆柱形岩芯，让人看清钻头穿过的地层。一旦钻到油层，地下气体或水产生的巨大压力通常就会把石油推到地面。这种压力必须受到控制；我们把泥浆沿钻杆向下循环，借此控制井内压力。我们力求避免那种旧时被描绘得很浪漫的井喷场面，因为那只会浪费石油和天然气。在能够有控制地把石油引出来以前，我们希望它先留在井下。

* **as much as**：多达；突出数值之大，别读成至少。

* **mineral deposits**：矿藏；deposit在这里是地质沉积或矿藏，不是银行存款。

* **in diameter**：直径为；说明测量维度，区别于长度和周长。

* **the search for oil**：石油勘探；名词search后接for，搜索某地可用search a place。

* **deep drilling**：深井钻探；undefined

* **put up**：搭起；本课指搭建井架，不是忍受put up with。

* **haul out**：费力拖出；说明拉出方向，haul比pull更突出重物或费力。

* **are fitted with**：装有；对象装有什么，用with引出部件。

* **every so often**：每隔一阵；不是固定频率，适合说明不时进行的动作。

* **a sample is obtained**：取得样本；undefined

* **cuts a clean cylinder**：切出完整圆柱体；undefined

* **flows to the surface**：流到地面；undefined

* **under control**：受到控制；under control是状态，bring表示使之进入状态。

* **by means of**：通过；借助；说明手段，区别于表示绝不的by no means。

* **endeavour to avoid**：力求避免；较正式，日常try to也可表达努力。

* **in a controlled manner**：以受控方式；方式表达强调怎样操作，不是单纯“有控制”。

#### The deepest holes of all are made for oil, and they go down to as much as 25,000 feet.

并列句，均为主谓结构. 不过目前最深的洞是科拉超深钻孔(Kola Superdeep Borehole)，深达地底40,230 英尺. 10,000 英尺大概是3,048 米.

#### But we do not need to send men down to get the oil out, as we must with other mineral deposits.

复合句，主句为主谓宾+宾补结构，as 引导的方式状语从句为主谓结构，该方式状语从句省略了 send men down，相当于 we must send men down with other…

#### The holes are only borings, less than a foot in diameter.

简单句，主系表结构. 后面跟一个定语.

#### My particular experience is largely in oil, and the search for oil has done more to improve deep drilling than any other mining activity.

并列句，前句主系表结构，后句主谓结构. than 引导的比较状语省略了谓语 has done，即 than any other mining activity has done.

#### When it has been decided where we are going to drill, we put up at the surface an oil derrick.

复合句，主句是主谓宾结构，重点在于 when 引导的时间状语从句，从句里面包含了一个 where 引导的主语从句，it 作形式主语. 主语从句中，we 为主语，where 在这里是引导词，本身在从句中不能作为主语，主语从句为主谓结构.

#### It has to be tall because it is like a giant block and tackle, and we have to lower into the ground and haul out of the ground great lengths of drill pipe which are rotated by an engine at the top and are fitted with a cutting bit at the bottom.

复合句，第一个 and 连接了前后两个句子，前句为主系表结构，加上一个 because 引导的原因状语从句，该从句也是主系表结构.

第一个 and 后句为并列结构，由第二个 and 进行连接，两个都是主谓宾结构，其中 lower into the ground 和 haul out of the ground 共享后置的宾语 great lengths of drill pipe。意思是“把很长的钻杆放入地下，再提出地面”；out of the ground 是方向介词短语，不能作为 haul 的第二个直接宾语。

which 引导的定语从句为并列句，为主谓结构. 这里 pipe 用了单数，是因为 of drill pipe 作定语修饰 lengths，后面 which 引导的定语从句按照主谓一致原则，跟随 lengths 使用了 are.

#### The geologist needs to know what rocks the drill has reached, so every so often a sample is obtained with a coring bit.

复合句，首句为主谓+宾语从句结构. what 引导的宾语从句为主谓结构.

so 后面这句为主谓结构. core bit 在石油勘探领域的术语为取心钻头，意思是钻取岩心.

#### It cuts a clean cylinder of rock, from which can be seen the strata the drill has been cutting through.

复合句，主句为主谓宾结构，后面是 from which 引导的定语从句，为主谓结构，而在这个定语从句中，还有一个定语从句修饰 strata，为主谓结构.

取心钻头钻取岩心时，岩心立即形成与钻头体内径相等或略小的岩心柱而进入内岩心筒并受到保护成形，这里的 cylinder 应该讲的就是成为岩心柱，只不过科普文无需讲得如此细致.

#### Once we get down to the oil, it usually flows to the surface because great pressure, either from gas or water, is pushing it.

复合句，主句为主谓结构，而前面有一个 once 引导的条件状语从句，为主谓宾结构，后面有一个 because 引导的原因状语从句，为主谓宾结构.

#### This pressure must be under control, and we control it by means of the mud which we circulate down the drill pipe.

复合句，and 分成前后两句，前句为主系表结构，后句主谓宾结构，包括一个 which 引导的定语从句修饰 mud. 这里的泥浆即钻井液，钻井液是用于钻井的一种循环流体，初期进行旋转钻井时用清水，因地层中的泥质成分等而成为浑浊的泥水，称之为泥浆. 现在基本上都称为钻井液. 所以文中 circulate down 也只是一方面.

#### We endeavour to avoid the old, romantic idea of a gusher, which wastes oil and gas.

复合句，主句是主谓宾结构，which 引导的定语从句修饰 gusher，主谓宾结构.

#### We want it to stay down the hole until we can lead it off in a controlled manner.

复合句，主句是主谓宾+宾补结构，until 引导时间状语从句，为主谓宾结构，其中 lead off 动词短语作谓语，作引出之意.

\[1] 钻井液百科，里面有科普图片，推荐大家前往浏览. http://baike.yooso.com.cn/show/269105.html

## 学完这一课

比较两种工作方法，说明一种必须做而另一种不必做的步骤。

[Nce · 本册复习台](/new-concept/book-4/review) · [三册选择地图](/new-concept/)

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