As Ginni Bazlinton reached Antarctica, she found herself greeted by a group of little Gentoo penguins(企鹅) longing to say hello. These gentle, lovely gatekeepers welcomed her and kick-started what was to be a trip Ginni would never forget.
当吉尼·巴兹林顿到达南极洲时，她发现一群渴望打招呼的小根趾企鹅迎接着她。这些温柔可爱的门卫欢迎她，开启了吉尼将永远难忘的旅程。

Ever since her childhood, Ginni, now, 71, has had a deep love for travel. Throughout her career (职业) as a professional dancer, she toured in the UK, but always longed to explore further. When she retired from dancing and her sons eventually flew the nest, she decided it was time to take the plunge.
自从她童年时期以来，现年71岁的吉尼就对旅行充满热爱。在她作为职业舞者的职业生涯中，她在英国巡回演出，但总是渴望进一步探索。当她从舞蹈中退休，儿子们最终也飞出了鸟巢，她决定是时候踏出那一步了。

After taking a degree at Chichester University in Related Arts, Ginni began to travel the world, eventually getting work teaching English in Japan and Chile. And it was in Chile she discovered she could get last-minute cheap deals on ships going to Antarctica from the islands off Tierra del Fuego, the southernmost tip of the South American mainland. “I just decided I wanted to go,” she says .”I had no idea about what l’d find there and I wasn’t nervous, I just wanted to do it. And I wanted to do it alone as I always prefer it that way.”
在获得基切斯特大学相关艺术学位后，金尼开始环游世界，最终在日本和智利找到了教英语的工作。而就是在智利，她发现可以获得前往南极的廉价临时船票，从智利身处南美大陆的最南端的火地岛群岛出发。“我当时就想去，”她说。“我并不知道我会在那里找到什么，我也不紧张，我只是想去做。而且我喜欢一个人去。”

In March 2008, Ginni boarded a ship with 48 passengers she’d never met before, to begin the journey towards Antarctica. “From seeing the wildlife to witnessing sunrises, the whole experience was amazing, Antarctica left an impression on me that no other place has,” Ginni says. “I remember the first time I saw a humpback whale; it just rose out of the water like some prehistoric creature and I thought it was smiling at us. You could still hear the operatic sounds it was making underwater.”
2008年3月，Ginni和48名之前从未见过的乘客一起登上了一艘开往南极洲的船只。”从观赏野生动物到欣赏日出，整个经历都让我印象深刻，南极洲给我留下了其他任何地方都不能比拟的印象，” Ginni说。”我记得第一次看到座头鲸的时候；它像某种史前生物一样从水中探出头来，我觉得它在对我们微笑。你还能听到它在水下发出的歌剧般的声音。”

The realization that this is a precious land, to be respected by humans, was one of the biggest things that hit home to Ginni.
意识到这是一片珍贵的土地，应该受到人类的尊重，是给Ginni留下的最深刻的感受之一。

1. Which of the following best explains “take the plunge” ‘underlined in paragraph2?
   A. Try challenging things. B. Take a degree.
   C. Bring back lost memories. D. Stick to a promise.
   答案：A

2. What made Ginni decide on the trip to Antarctica?
   A. Lovely penguins. B. Beautiful scenery.
   C. A discount fare. D.A friend’s invitation.
   答案：C

3. What does Ginni think about Antarctica after the journey?
   A. It could be a home for her. B. It should be easily accessible.
   C. It should be well preserved. D. It needs to be fully introduced.
   答案：C

4. What is the text mainly about?
   A. A childhood dream. B. An unforgettable experience,
   C. Sailing around the world. D. Meeting animals in Antarctica.
   答案：B