Unit6Active reading (1)Last man down: the fireman’s storyLanguage points1 Last man down: the fireman’s story (Title)The expression last man down, similar to last man standing, refers to the survivor or winner. The lastman down from the tower before it collapsed would be one of the bravest.2 There were about two dozen of us by the bank of elevators ... (Para 2)A bank of elevators means a set of lifts.3 Some had their turnout coats off, or tied around their waists. (Para 2) Turnout coats are the uniform firefighters wear when they turn out for a fire.4 Others were raring to go. (Para 2)The expression raring to go is an old form of rearing up, and means being eager to go like a horse.5 All of us were taking a beat to catch our breaths, and our bearings, figure out what the hell wasgoing on. (Para 2)To take a beat means to rest for a moment.A bearing is an exact compass reading measured in degrees. To take your bearings is to find where youare. Here it means both physically and mentally.6 We’d been at this thing, hard, for almost an hour, some a little bit less, and we were nowhere closeto done. (Para 2)To be at this thing is a slang expression which means to work on this mission. The expression nowhere close to done means someone is far from completing their work.7 Of course, we had no idea what there was left to do, but we hadn’t made a dent. (Para 2)A dent is a mark on a piece of metal as when you bump your car. To make a dent in something is to havean effect on it (imagine beating a piece of hard steel and not making any mark on it). To make a dent heremeans to achieve something. The firefighters had hardly begun their work.8 As if we could see clear through the ceiling tiles for an easy answer. (Para 3)Looking up for the source of the noise was only useful if you could see through the floors above, but it

新标准大学英语 - 综合教程3 - 课后答案unit 6