Text:
A pilot noticed a balloon which seemed to be making for a Royal Air Force Station nearby. He informed the station at once, but no one there was able to explain the mystery. The officer in the control tower was very angry when he heard the news, because balloons can be a great danger to aircraft. He said that someone might be spying on the station and the pilot was ordered to keep track of the strange object. The pilot managed to circle the balloon for some time. He could make out three men in a basket under it and one of them was holding a pair of binoculars. When the balloon was over the station, the pilot saw one of the men taking photographs. Soon afterwards, the balloon began to descend and it landed near an airfield. The police were called in, but they could not arrest anyone, for the basket contained two Members of Parliament and the Commanding Officer of the station! As the Commanding Officer explained later, one half of the station did not know what the other half was doing!
Words & Expressions:
首先是知识点小结：英语中前缀表示个数的，都有哪些？比如一二三分别是mono-/bi-/tri-等。如下：
半：demi-/semi-： demigod半神半人；demilune半月；semiconductor半导体;semicircle半圆
一：mono-/sol-/uni-: monopoly独有/垄断；solo独奏；sole单一的；uniform 一致的；unique唯一的
二：bi-/ambi-/di-: bilingual 双语的；bilateral双边的; amphibian[æm'fɪbɪən]水陆两栖动物; dilemmas, ambiguity进退两难
三：tri- : triangle三角形；triple三倍的
四：qua-: quatrain 四行诗; quarter 四分之一; quadruple四倍的
五：pen-: pentagon五角形; pentacyclic五环的
六：hex-: hexagon六角形; hexa六
七：hept-/sept-: heptagon七角形; septivalency七价（化学）
八：oct-: octopus章鱼(八爪鱼); octave 八行诗，八度音阶
九：no-: novenary九进制的; novena连续九天的祷告
十：dec-: decade十年; decimalism十进制；decameter十米
*make for 前往 /造就
--He rose from his seat and made for the door.
--A happy parent makes for a happy child.
*make out理解,辩认出
--On a clear day, you might even be able to make out the Welsh coast.
*down pat=understand perfectly弄明白
--Never mind the facts; Gingrich had his story line down pat, and he applied it every chance he got.
Pronunciations:
*binoculars /bɪ/baɪ-ˈnɑːkjələrz/
*Parliament /ˈpɑːrləmənt/
*understand /ˌʌndərˈstænd/
*ballon /bəˈluːn/
*basket /ˈbæskɪt/ 梅花音
*afterwards /ˈæftərwərdz/梅花音
