考研英语阅读理解中的文章，很多来自一些外刊杂志方面的题材。接下来，北京文都考研网为扩宽2020考研学子的知识面，整理了考研英语经济学人外刊:不登珠峰非好汉?供考生参考。
2020考研英语经济学人外刊:不登珠峰非好汉?
Climbers’ success rate on the world’s tallest mountain is higher than any other Himalayan peak
与喜马拉雅山脉的其他山峰相比，登顶最高峰(珠峰)的成功率要更高
Before Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay set foot on the summit of Mount Everest in 1953, at least 145 other climbers had tried and failed to reach Earth’s highest point. In 1924 a British team got within 250 metres of the top, but turned back after two members (who may or may not have reached the peak) vanished.
1953年，埃德蒙·希拉里和丹增·诺尔盖登上了珠穆朗玛峰的峰顶。在此之前，至少有145位登山者曾尝试登顶珠峰，但均以失败告终。1924年，一支英国登山队到达了距离峰顶不到250米的地方，但在两名队员(他们可能已经登顶或尚未登顶)失踪后，他们选择了掉头返回。
Scaling Everest was scarcely easier afterwards. Excluding guides, just 9% of people making an attempt reached the summit from 1954-83, while 2% died. As climate change thaws the snow, the remains of many of these victims have emerged—including one of the lost climbers from 1924.
但在那之后，登顶珠峰并没有变得容易。1954年至1983年间，除去向导外，尝试登顶珠峰的登山者中只有9%的人成功了，有2%的人遇难了。随着气候变化使得积雪消融，许多遇难者的遗体得以重见天日，其中就包括1924年失踪的两名登山者中的一位。
But since the 1990s, the pinnacle of mountaineering has become accessible. In 1994-2003, 24% of Everest climbers got to the top, double the rate in the previous decade. The share doubled again, to 51%, in 2004-13. In the past three complete climbing seasons, 66% have made it. The first summit attempts of 2019 are due this week.
但自上世纪90年代以来，登顶珠峰已经变得触手可及了。1994年至2003年间，有24%的登山者成功登顶珠峰，成功率达前十年的两倍。2004年至 2013年间，这一比例又翻了一番，达到了51%。在过去三个完整的登山季中，有66%的登山者成功登顶珠峰。2019年首个登顶珠峰的窗口期将于本周到来。
Technology accounts for some of these gains. Oxygen tanks deliver twice as much gas as before, and suffer fewer leaks. Suits and gloves made from high-quality down and double-insulated boots keep climbers warmer. And better weather forecasting has minimised unpleasant surprises.
技术是登顶成功率提高的原因之一。氧气罐的储气量是以前的两倍，而且密封性也更好了。优质羽绒制成的登山服和手套以及双层保暖登山靴能够让登山者保持温暖。更准确的天气预报能也能让那些令人不快的意外发生的可能性降到最低。
However, these advances help just as much on other peaks. And summit rates elsewhere have risen much less. Among the 13 Himalayan mountains with available records that were climbed by at least 40 people since 2016, Everest’s summit rate was the fourth-lowest before 1994. In the past three years it has been the highest.
不管怎样，这些技术上的进步对于征服其他山峰也是有所帮助的。但其他山峰登顶率的涨幅却要小得多。自2016年以来，至少有40人攀登过的喜马拉雅山脉的山峰有13座，其中珠峰的登顶率在1994年以前排在倒数第四位，然而在过去的三年间，珠峰的登顶率已经排在了第一位。
Two factors probably account for this trend. First, Sherpas set up ladders and ropes along the entirety of the two most popular Everest routes, which are used by 98% of climbers. This work is perilous—an avalanche killed 16 Sherpas in 2014—but makes the ascent easier for foreigners.
能够解释这一趋势的原因可能有两点。首先，夏尔巴人在两条最受欢迎的珠峰登顶路线上架设了梯子和绳索，98%的登山者都会选择这两条路线。铺设工作是很危险的(2014年的一次雪崩导致16名夏尔巴人丧生)，但它让外国人登顶珠峰变得更容易了。
In addition, the bulk of Everest climbers today hire private firms to bring them up and down alive. In contrast, grizzled daredevils seek harder challenges on other mountains.
此外，如今大部分攀登珠峰的登山者都会雇佣私人向导来保证他们上山和下山的安全。相比之下，经验丰富的勇敢者则会选择其他山峰进行更艰难的挑战。
A few peaks stand out for their difficulty, after adjusting for factors like their height; the season, year and number of guides for each expedition; and how many people have tried to ascend them. Climbers on popular routes benefit from greater infrastructure and know-how.
在综合考虑了山峰的高度以及每次攀登的季节、年份和向导人数等因素后，几座山峰的难度便凸显了出来。选择热门登山路线的登山者就能受益于更完善的基础设施以及更丰富的登山经验。
Take Nuptse, whose snow is especially loose and dangerous. Just 8% of its climbers have succeeded, less than half the 19% predicted by a model we built using the factors above. Its victims include Ueli Steck, a renowned alpinist who fell 1km to his death in 2017.
以努子峰为例，其山峰上的雪特别地松散和危险。只有8%的登山者能成功登顶，还不到我们基于上述因素建立的模型所预测的登顶率19%的一半。遇难的登山者包括著名的登山家乌利·斯泰克，他于2017年从努子峰上坠下1000米后身亡。
Another siren is the Annapurna massif. For every ten people to reach its three highest summits, three have died trying. The latest perished just last week.
另一个吸引着登山者去征服的是安纳普尔纳山脉。在其最高的三座山峰，每十位攀登者中就有三人遇难。而最近的一次遇难事故就发生在上周。
【重难点词汇】
mainstream ['menstrim] n. 主流
vanish ['vænɪʃ] vi. 消失;突然不见;成为零 vt. 使不见，使消失 n. 弱化音
pinnacle ['pɪnəkl] n. 高峰;小尖塔;尖峰;极点 vt. 造小尖塔;置于尖顶上;置于高处
perilous ['pɛrələs] adj. 危险的，冒险的
ascent [ə'sɛnt] n. 上升;上坡路;登高
grizzle ['grɪz(ə)l] n. 灰色;斑白的头发 vi. 变成灰色;抱怨 vt. 使成灰色
daredevil ['dɛrdɛvl] n. 铤而走险的人，蛮勇的人 adj. 蛮勇的，不怕死的
alpinist ['ælpɪnɪst] n. 登山家;登山运动员
massif [mæ'sif] n. 山丘，群山;断层块
perish ['pɛrɪʃ] vt. 使麻木;毁坏 vi. 死亡;毁灭;腐烂;枯萎
以上是北京文都考研网给出的“2020考研英语经济学人外刊:不登珠峰非好汉?”，希望对备考2020考研英语的考生有所帮助!祝2020考研顺利!
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