🪄 2B 核心词汇表 (Target Vocabulary)
01 artificial adj. B2
/ˌɑːrtɪˈfɪʃl/
释义 Definition
made or produced by human beings rather than occurring naturally; man-made
人造的，人工的，非自然的
课文例句 Example
“He proclaimed that the very essence of alpinism was to master a mountain with superior physical and mental skill—not “artificial aid.””
02 ascend v. C2
/əˈsend/
释义 Definition
to climb up or go up toward the top of something, such as a mountain or cliff
攀登，登高，上升
课文例句 Example
“Alex researched several El Capitan routes, finally settling on Freerider, a popular test piece for veteran climbers and one that usually requires multiple days to ascend.”
03 contemplate v. C2
/ˈkɑːntəmpleɪt/
释义 Definition
to think carefully and deeply about a possibility or plan for a long time
深思熟虑，盘算，考虑
课文例句 Example
“As sponsorship offers poured in and journalists and fans hailed his achievements, Alex was secretly contemplating a much bigger goal.”
04 delicate adj. B2
/ˈdelɪkət/
释义 Definition
needing to be done carefully and with great precision or sensitivity
微妙的，需要小心处理的，精密的
课文例句 Example
“This part—a barely less than vertical slab on a section called the Freeblast—must be mastered with a delicate balance of fine skills and poise.”
05 devoid of phr. C2
/dɪˈvɔɪd əv/
释义 Definition
entirely lacking or completely free from something
完全没有，全然缺乏
课文例句 Example
“Above him, the stone is blank for several feet, devoid of any holds.”
06 plummet v. C2
/ˈplʌmɪt/
释义 Definition
to fall or drop suddenly and quickly from a high level or position
骤降，暴跌，垂直坠落
课文例句 Example
“Certain times of the day the sun heats the rock so much that it burns to touch it; hours later the temperature can plummet below freezing.”
07 scheme n. C1
/skiːm/
释义 Definition
an organized, often ambitious or daring plan for doing or achieving something
计划，方案，大胆的构想
课文例句 Example
“And I know why: he’s facing the move that has haunted him ever since he first dreamed up this scheme seven years ago.”
08 stamina n. C2
/ˈstæmɪnə/
释义 Definition
the physical or mental strength that enables you to do something difficult for long periods of time
耐力，持久力，毅力
课文例句 Example
“Its 30 or so pitches—or rope lengths—challenge a climber in practically every possible way... not to mention balance, flexibility, problem solving, and emotional stamina.”
09 successive adj. C1
/səkˈsesɪv/
释义 Definition
happening or following one after another without any break
连续的，接连的，历代的
课文例句 Example
“But Preuss’s ideas would live on, influencing successive generations of climbers and inspiring the “free climbing” movement of the 1960s and ’70s.”
10 tackle v. B2
/ˈtækl/
释义 Definition
to make a determined effort to deal with a difficult problem, task, or challenge
着手解决，应对，攻克（难题或难关）
课文例句 Example
“But before he could tackle the Boulder Problem, he would have to get over the Freeblast.”
Reading 2B: The Free Soloist · 课文互动精读
💭 Before You Read (P.39)

A. Discussion: Look at the photo and read the caption. Then read the first paragraph of the reading passage. What challenges might Alex Honnold face making this climb? Discuss your ideas with a partner.

Teacher's Guide · Possible answer(s)

The rock face is very steep, and he has no rope. It’s very dangerous. He might get tired and fall at any point.

B. Predicting: What kind of physical and mental characteristics do you think someone would need to successfully complete this climb? Note some ideas and then compare with a partner.

Teacher's Guide · Possible answer(s)

stamina, endurance, strength, determination, will, grit, willing to take risks, bravery

Paragraph A The Ultimate Climb · 终极攀登：无绳四小时登顶酋长岩
1 In June 2017, Alex Honnold completed a stunning scramble up El Capitan, a 3,000-foot granite wall in Yosemite National Park.
2 Mark Synnott recounts how Honnold’s meticulous planning and training prepared him for “the ultimate climb”—a four-hour vertical ascent without a rope.
Paragraph B November 2016: On the Wall · 2016年11月：月光下的绝壁独行
1 It’s 4:54 a.m. on a chilly November morning in 2016 in Yosemite National Park.
2 A full moon casts an eerie glow onto the southwest face of El Capitan, where Alex Honnold clings to the side of the granite wall with nothing more than the tips of his fingers and two thin edges of shoe rubber.
3 He’s attempting to do something that professional rock climbers have long thought impossible—a free solo ascent of the world’s most famous cliff.
4 That means he is alone and climbing without a rope as he inches his way up more than half a mile of vertical rock.
Paragraph C Walking Up Glass · 如履玻璃：光滑无着力点的 Freeblast
1 A light breeze rustles his hair as he shines his headlamp on the cold, smooth patch of granite where he must next place his foot.
2 Above him, the stone is blank for several feet, devoid of any holds.
3 Unlike parts of the climb higher up, which feature shallow divots, pebble-size nubs, and tiny cracks that Alex can cling onto with his amazingly strong fingers, this part—a barely less than vertical slab on a section called the Freeblast—must be mastered with a delicate balance of fine skills and poise.
4 Climbers call it friction climbing.
5 “It’s like walking up glass,” Alex once said.
Paragraph D No Margin for Error · 毫无容错余地：错一步即是死亡
1 He wiggles his toes; they’re numb.
2 His right ankle is stiff and swollen from a severe sprain he sustained two months earlier when he fell while practicing this part of the route.
3 That time he was attached to a rope, but now, falling isn’t an option.
4 Free soloing isn’t like other dangerous sports.
5 There is no “maybe” when you’re 60 stories up without a rope: If you make a mistake, you die.
Paragraph E Watching from Below · 谷底凝望：令人反胃的窒息感
1 Six hundred feet below, I sit on a fallen tree watching the tiny circle of Alex’s light.
2 It hasn’t moved in what feels like an eternity, but is probably less than a minute.
3 And I know why: he’s facing the move that has haunted him ever since he first dreamed up this scheme seven years ago.
4 I’ve climbed this slab myself, and the thought of doing it free solo makes me nauseated.
5 The log on which I’m sitting lies less than a hundred yards from where Alex will land if he slips.
Paragraph F Bailing Out · 暂时放弃：活着就有下一次
1 A sudden noise jolts me back to the present; my heart skips.
2 A cameraman, part of the crew recording the feat, hustles up the trail toward the base of the wall.
3 I can hear the static of his walkie-talkie.
4 “Alex is bailing,” he says.
5 Thank God, I think, Alex will live.
Paragraph G The Father of Free Soloing · 徒手独攀之父：保罗·普鲁斯
1 Some in the climbing world view free soloing as something that isn’t meant to be.
2 Critics regard it as reckless showmanship that gives the sport a bad name, noting the long list of those who’ve died attempting it.
3 Others, myself included, recognize it as the sport’s purest expression.
4 Such was the attitude of Austrian alpinist Paul Preuss, considered by climbing historians to be the father of free soloing.
5 He proclaimed that the very essence of alpinism was to master a mountain with superior physical and mental skill—not “artificial aid.”
6 By age 27, Preuss had made some 150 ropeless first ascents, and was celebrated throughout Europe.
7 Then, on October 3, 1913, while free soloing the North Ridge of the Mandlkogel in the Austrian Alps, he fell to his death.
Paragraph H Successive Generations · 薪火相传：从巴伯到克罗夫特
1 But Preuss’s ideas would live on, influencing successive generations of climbers and inspiring the “free climbing” movement of the 1960s and ’70s, which espoused using ropes and other gear only as safety devices, never to assist a climber’s upward progress.
2 The next serious free soloist of note appeared in 1973, when “Hot” Henry Barber shocked the climbing community by scaling the 1,500-foot north face of Yosemite’s Sentinel Rock without a rope.
3 In 1987, Canadian Peter Croft free soloed two of Yosemite’s most celebrated routes—Astroman and Rostrum—back-to-back in the same day.
Paragraph I Enter Alex Honnold · 霍诺德登场：酝酿更大的目标
1 Croft’s achievement stood until 2007, when Alex Honnold, a shy 22-year-old from Sacramento, showed up in Yosemite Valley.
2 He stunned the climbing world by repeating Croft’s Astroman–Rostrum masterpiece.
3 The next year he free soloed two famously tough routes—Zion National Park’s Moonlight Buttress and the Regular Northwest Face of Yosemite’s Half Dome—climbs so long and technically difficult that no serious climber had imagined they could be scaled without a rope.
4 As sponsorship offers poured in and journalists and fans hailed his achievements, Alex was secretly contemplating a much bigger goal.
Paragraph J More Than an Idle Boast · 绝非一时狂言
1 It’s important to note that Alex’s quest to free solo El Capitan wasn’t some adrenaline-fueled stunt that he’d come up with on a whim.
2 In 2009, during our first climbing expedition together, he had mentioned the idea to me.
3 There was something about his supreme confidence, though, and the way he effortlessly moved up incredibly difficult rock faces that made the comment seem like more than just an idle boast.
Paragraph K The Freerider Route · 自由骑士路线：全方位极限考验
1 Alex researched several El Capitan routes, finally settling on Freerider, a popular test piece for veteran climbers and one that usually requires multiple days to ascend.
2 Its 30 or so pitches—or rope lengths—challenge a climber in practically every possible way: the strength of fingers, forearms, shoulders, calves, toes, back, and abdomen, not to mention balance, flexibility, problem solving, and emotional stamina.
3 Certain times of the day the sun heats the rock so much that it burns to touch it; hours later the temperature can plummet below freezing.
4 Storms blow in, powerful winds lash the wall, water leaks out of cracks.
5 Bees, frogs, and birds can burst from crevices during crucial moves.
6 Rocks of all sizes can suddenly give way and tumble down.
Paragraph L The Boulder Problem · 抱石难题：2300英尺高空的极限动作
1 The Freeblast may be the scariest part, but more physically demanding sections await higher up: a chimney-like crack he’ll have to climb through; a wide gap where he’ll have to perform almost a full split, pressing the rock with his feet and hands to inch his way up.
2 And then 2,300 feet above the valley floor is the Boulder Problem—a blank face that requires some of the most technically challenging moves of the climb.
Paragraph M Insurmountable in 2016 · 2016年的受挫与重整旗鼓
1 But before he could tackle the Boulder Problem, he would have to get over the Freeblast.
2 In 2016, the vertical slab proved to be an insurmountable obstacle and he was forced to give up his attempt.
3 But Alex knew he would try again.
Paragraph N June 3, 2017: Return to El Capitan · 2017年6月3日：重返酋长岩
1 Saturday morning, June 3, 2017.
2 Seven months after Alex’s failed attempt, I am in a meadow near the foot of El Capitan.
3 The tall grass is covered with dew, and the sky is gray, as it always is just before dawn.
4 I squint through a telescope, and there is Alex, 600 feet above the valley floor, moving up onto the Freeblast, the glassy slab that has frustrated him for nearly a decade.
Paragraph O Overcoming the Slab · 跨越梦魇岩板
1 Alex’s movements, normally so smooth, are worrisomely jerky.
2 His foot tap-tap-taps against the wall as if he’s feeling his way tentatively into the slab.
3 And then, just like that, he’s standing on a ledge several feet above the move that has been hanging over his head for years.
Paragraph P Making History · 创造人类攀岩历史
1 I realize I’ve been holding my breath, so I consciously exhale.
2 Thousands of moves are still to come, and the Boulder Problem looms far above, but he won’t be turning back this time.
3 Alex Honnold is on his way to completing the greatest rock climb in history.
📖 原书词注 Footnotes

1. poise: If someone has poise, they have calm self-confidence. (沉着，泰然自若)

2. Alpinism: Alpinism refers to mountain climbing in the Alps and also other high mountains. (高山攀登运动，阿尔卑斯式登山)

3. insurmountable: If something is insurmountable, it is a problem too great to be overcome. (难以逾越的，不可克服的)

📝 2B 预习全真练习 (Preview Exercises)
Before You Read (P.39) Reading Comprehension (P.45-46) Critical Thinking (P.46) Reading Skill: Understanding Rhetorical Purpose (P.47)
💭 Before You Read (P.39)

A. Discussion: Look at the photo and read the caption. Then read the first paragraph of the reading passage. What challenges might Alex Honnold face making this climb? Discuss your ideas with a partner.

Teacher's Guide · Possible answer(s)

The rock face is very steep, and he has no rope. It’s very dangerous. He might get tired and fall at any point.

B. Predicting: What kind of physical and mental characteristics do you think someone would need to successfully complete this climb? Note some ideas and then compare with a partner.

Teacher's Guide · Possible answer(s)

stamina, endurance, strength, determination, will, grit, willing to take risks, bravery

预习练习得分: 0 / 23 题
Reading Comprehension (P.45-46)
P.45 Reading Comprehension · Part A #1
1. [INFERENCE] The divots, nubs, and cracks mentioned in paragraph C ________.
P.45 Reading Comprehension · Part A #2
2. [AUTHOR TONE] In paragraph E, the author’s tone is ________.
P.45 Reading Comprehension · Part A #3
3. [VOCABULARY] When the cameraman says, “Alex is bailing” in paragraph F, he means that Honnold ________.
P.45 Reading Comprehension · Part A #4
4. [AUTHOR ATTITUDE] According to the information in paragraph G, the author ________.
P.45 Reading Comprehension · Part A #5
5. [DETAIL] Who was the second free soloist to become well known?
P.45 Reading Comprehension · Part A #6
6. [COHESION] Where would be the best place in paragraph J to insert this sentence?
“At first, I thought he was totally crazy.”
P.45 Reading Comprehension · Part A #7
7. [DETAIL] Which of the following was NOT given as one of the challenges involved in climbing the Freerider route?
Part B · Inferring Meaning (P.46)

INFERRING MEANING B. Scan the reading passage for the words in bold below. Study the context around each word or phrase and then match it to its definition.

P.46 Reading Comprehension · Part B #1
1. meticulous (paragraph A)
P.46 Reading Comprehension · Part B #2
2. cling (paragraph B)
P.46 Reading Comprehension · Part B #3
3. slab (paragraph C)
P.46 Reading Comprehension · Part B #4
4. eternity (paragraph E)
P.46 Reading Comprehension · Part B #5
5. nauseated (paragraph E)
P.46 Reading Comprehension · Part B #6
6. reckless (paragraph G)
P.46 Reading Comprehension · Part B #7
7. espoused (paragraph H)
P.46 Reading Comprehension · Part B #8
8. on a whim (paragraph J)
Part C · Inferring Meaning (P.46)

INFERRING MEANING C. Find and underline the words or phrases in the reading passage that mean the same as the definitions below.

P.46 Reading Comprehension · Part C #1
1. to praise and show approval (paragraph I)
P.46 Reading Comprehension · Part C #2
2. to hit with a lot of force (paragraph K)
P.46 Reading Comprehension · Part C #3
3. to partly close eyes when looking (paragraph N)
P.46 Reading Comprehension · Part C #4
4. quick and sudden (paragraph O)
💡 Critical Thinking · Inferring Reasons (P.46)

What do you think Honnold’s main motivation was for doing the climb? Is it an example of “reckless showmanship” or could there be other reasons? Note your ideas below, then discuss with a partner.

Teacher's Guide · Possible answer(s)

I think Honnold’s main reason was to prove to himself that he could do it. In paragraph J, the author says that he doesn’t think Honnold wanted to do it on a whim or boast about it, so I don’t think the main reason was for “reckless showmanship.”

Reading Skill: Understanding Rhetorical Purpose (P.47)
Understanding Rhetorical Purpose

An author’s rhetorical purpose refers to either their overall reason for writing a text, or their reason for including certain information in it. Identifying an author’s purpose is a key part of engaging critically with any reading passage. It is also an important skill for taking exams. Examples of this type of question might include:

What is the author’s purpose in mentioning ...?
Why does the author mention/include ...?
The author includes the information ... in order to ...
The author uses ... as an example of ...
The author mentions ... for which of the following reasons?

RHETORICAL PURPOSE A. Choose the best answer for each question.

P.47 Reading Skill · Part A #1
1. What is the main purpose of the passage?
P.47 Reading Skill · Part A #2
2. Why does the author include the quote “It’s like walking up glass” in paragraph C?
P.47 Reading Skill · Part A #3
3. Why does the author mention Paul Preuss’s exploits in paragraph G?
P.47 Reading Skill · Part A #4
4. Why does the author include information about the temperature, weather, and animals in paragraph K?
💬 Reading Skill · Part B: Rhetorical Purpose (P.47)

RHETORICAL PURPOSE B. Why do you think the author mentions that Honnold completed his climb successfully in the first paragraph rather than leaving this for the final paragraph? Discuss your ideas with a partner.

Teacher's Guide · Possible answer(s)

I don’t think the focus is on whether Honnold completed the climb successfully. The focus is on what went into the planning and training to prepare for this challenge.

📘 2B 核心词汇掌握打卡

请自主朗读并检测以下 10 个核心词汇，勾选已熟练掌握的单词：

artificial /ˌɑːrtɪˈfɪʃl/ 人造的，人工的，非自然的
ascend /əˈsend/ 攀登，登高，上升
contemplate /ˈkɑːntəmpleɪt/ 深思熟虑，盘算，考虑
delicate /ˈdelɪkət/ 微妙的，需要小心处理的，精密的
devoid of /dɪˈvɔɪd əv/ 完全没有，全然缺乏
plummet /ˈplʌmɪt/ 骤降，暴跌，垂直坠落
scheme /skiːm/ 计划，方案，大胆的构想
stamina /ˈstæmɪnə/ 耐力，持久力，毅力
successive /səkˈsesɪv/ 连续的，接连的，历代的
tackle /ˈtækl/ 着手解决，应对，攻克（难题或难关）
📝 2B 词汇实战强化 (Vocabulary Practice)
Part A: Completion (P.48) Part B: Words in Context (P.48) Part C: Collocations (plummet) (P.48)
复习练习得分: 0 / 13 题
Part A: Completion (P.48)

COMPLETION A. Complete the information using the correct form of the words in the box. Four words are extra.

artificialascendcontemplatedelicatedevoid ofplummetschemestaminasuccessivetackle

When Honnold first began to seriously (1) ________ a free solo climb of El Capitan, he spoke with friend and fellow climber Jimmy Chin to discuss filming the event. This eventually resulted in the movie Free Solo—which won the 2018 Academy Award for best documentary film.

To film the event, Chin hired a team of climbers who would climb an easy route up El Capitan ahead of Honnold, lugging up cameras, ropes, and supplies. Then they’d rappel down on ropes to keep pace with Honnold as he (2) ________ the near vertical cliff. Honnold of course used no (3) ________ aids.

Filming was (4) ________ work. No one was allowed to make any noise that might distract Honnold—distractions that could cause him to (5) ________ to his death.

Chin wanted his film to be about Honnold’s process. The final movie showcases Honnold’s incredible focus, (6) ________, and determination. “Whether it ended with him summiting El Cap or deciding not to go for it didn’t matter,” Chin says.

P.48 Vocabulary Practice · Part A #1
1. When Honnold first began to seriously (1) ________ a free solo climb of El Capitan, he spoke with friend and fellow climber Jimmy Chin to discuss filming the event.
P.48 Vocabulary Practice · Part A #2
2. Then they’d rappel down on ropes to keep pace with Honnold as he (2) ________ the near vertical cliff.
P.48 Vocabulary Practice · Part A #3
3. Honnold of course used no (3) ________ aids.
P.48 Vocabulary Practice · Part A #4
4. Filming was (4) ________ work. No one was allowed to make any noise that might distract Honnold...
P.48 Vocabulary Practice · Part A #5
5. ...distractions that could cause him to (5) ________ to his death.
P.48 Vocabulary Practice · Part A #6
6. The final movie showcases Honnold’s incredible focus, (6) ________, and determination.
Part B: Definitions (P.48)

DEFINITIONS B. Match each unused word from the box in Activity A with its definition.

P.48 Vocabulary Practice · Part B #1
1. ________: an organized plan for doing something
P.48 Vocabulary Practice · Part B #2
2. ________: entirely lacking or free from
P.48 Vocabulary Practice · Part B #3
3. ________: happening one after another
P.48 Vocabulary Practice · Part B #4
4. ________: to try and deal with something or someone
Part C: Collocations (plummet) (P.48)

COLLOCATIONS C. The nouns in the box are frequently used with the word plummet. Complete the sentences with the correct words.

popularitypricetemperatures
P.48 Vocabulary Practice · Part C #1
1. The ________ of oil plummets when there’s too much supply.
P.48 Vocabulary Practice · Part C #2
2. Typically, a politician’s ________ plummets after a scandal.
P.48 Vocabulary Practice · Part C #3
3. In the middle of winter, ________ can plummet to record lows at night.

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