Although he had waited a long time to make this trip, he did not feel strange or nervous. He was accustomed to flying alone, and he had flown this route in his imagination many times. The idea of flying across the Atlantic had occurred to him one night when he had been carrying the mail between St. Louis and Chicago. That night, he told himself that a non-stop flight between New York and Paris was possible. He knew that airplanes capable of making the long flight over the ocean could be built. A man of skill and endurance could succeed.
As he was recalling that night, he reduced the altitude of the plane. Close to the surface of the ocean, he found a cushion of warm air. The ice on the wings began to melt; the fog disappeared. For the time being, at least, he was safe. As he flew close to the surface of the water, he could see the waves in the moonlight beneath him. The steady sound of the motor seemed like music in his ears. He had perfect confidence in his plane because he knew that there was not a more dependable plane than his. He thought of it as a partner. The Ryan Aircraft Company had constructed the plane to meet his specifications. He had worked with the chief engineer of the Ryan Aircraft Company, Donald Hall, to produce the airplane as rapidly as possible. Although Hall had worked with the basic design of the Ryan airplane, he had had to make many modifications. The wing span was greater to reduce the wingloading during take-off and increase the range. The tail surfaces were farther back to maintain satisfactory stability and control. The engine was farther forward. A large gas tank was located directly in front of him so that he was unable to see directly forward. All together it was a very special airplane. He had named it The Spirit of St. Louis, in honour of the St. Louis businessmen whose financial backing had made the trip possible. Besides their money, he had invested all of his own savings, which came to two thousand dollars, in the venture.
Alone in the plane, Lindbergh knew that it would be fatal to fall asleep. Before the flight, he had trained himself to stay awake for long periods of time. Now he watched the instrument panel intently. He began to imagine what he would do at the end of the trip. He hoped to visit all the countries in Europe. He had always wanted to see them. He especially wanted to go to Sweden because his grandfather, August Lindbergh, had been born there and had talked about the old country. August Lindbergh had been a farmer. Through his own efforts, he had risen to a seat in Parliament and become a secretary to the king. He had been a man of pioneering instincts and liberal sympathies. In 1859, he had come to America to seek new opportunities and greater freedom. He, his wife, and his son had measured the trip across the ocean in terms of days, but their grandson was to measure his trip across the ocean in hours.
After arriving in America, August Lindbergh travelled west to the frontier. He built a log cabin in the territory of Minnesota, thirty miles from the nearest town. His son Charles became a lawyer and settled in Little Falls. He married a school teacher there, and their only son, Charles A. Lindbergh, Jr. was born in 1902.
雅思写作常用词汇:开拓/开发
雅思写作常用词汇:本土/本国/土著的
雅思写作常用词汇:受支配/从属于
雅思写作范文:咖啡的制作
雅思A类小作文写作四步走策略
雅思写作常用词汇:多方面的
雅思写作范文:蚕丝制作
雅思写作常用词汇:削减
雅思写作常用词汇:贫富差距
雅思写作常用词汇:抚养子女
雅思写作:英汉写作差异举例
雅思写作常用词汇:使散开/分散
雅思写作范文:讨论广告的利弊
雅思写作题目解析:上大学的人数
雅思写作常用词汇:身份/一致
雅思写作科技类话题常用词组
4个雅思大作文写作技巧
雅思写作范文:学校授课的讨论
雅思作文链接词的合理使用
雅思作文范文:电脑游戏有助老年人保持智力
雅思写作机经使用误区
雅思写作低分的原因分析:词汇不当
雅思写作常用词汇:诉诸/求助于
雅思作文:Task1满分标准解读
雅思写作常用词汇:人道主义的/者
雅思写作高频词汇:Culture
雅思写作常用词汇:解除/缓解/救援
雅思写作常用词汇:自然景观
雅思写作常用词汇:不当的行为/处理不当
雅思写作范文:运动员高薪合理吗?
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |