Lesson 91

A pilot noticed a balloon which seemed to be making for a Royal Air Force Station nearby.
一名飞行员注意到一个气球，它似乎正飞往附近的皇家空军基地。
He informed the station at once, but no one there was able to explain the mystery.
他立刻通知了车站，但那里的没有人能够解释这个谜团。
The officer in the control tower was very angry when he heard the news, because balloons can be a great danger to aircraft.
当这名官员听到这个消息时，控制塔里的他非常生气，因为气球对飞机来说可能是一个巨大的危险。
He said that someone might be spying on the station and the pilot was ordered to keep track of the strange object.
他说有人可能在监视该站，飞行员接到命令去追踪那个奇怪的物体。
The pilot managed to circle the balloon for some time.
飞行员设法环绕气球飞行了一段时间。
He could make out three men in a basket under it and one of them was holding a pair of binoculars.
他能辨认出在它下方的吊篮里有三个人，其中一个正拿着一副望远镜。
When the balloon was over the station, the pilot saw one of the men taking photographs.
当气球经过车站上空时，飞行员看到其中一个人正在拍照。
Soon afterwards, the balloon began to descend and it landed near an airfield.
不久之后，气球开始下降，并降落在一个飞机场附近。
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!
警察被召集来，但是他们不能逮捕任何人，因为篮子里装有两名议会议员和该站的指挥官！
As the Commanding Officer explained later, one half of the station did not know what the other half was doing
正如指挥官后来解释的那样，该站的一半人员不知道另一半人员在做什么