每天读一篇英语小故事：The Cluster Balloonist

英语自学网

　　Cluster balloonists tie a bunch of helium balloons to a lawn chair, sit in
the chair, cut the anchor rope, and go flying into the wild blue yonder. To
land, they cut some of the cords attaching the balloons to the chair. A small
group of daredevils has been enjoying this sport for more than 30 years.
        　　They usually take a radio to communicate with people on the ground, a GPS
device so they can be located, a parachute, and bags of sand or water that they
throw overboard to go higher. “It’s fun, but it’s not for everyone,” said Glenn
Ford. “You have to dress warmly for higher altitudes. You should always take a
life preserver and wear a helmet. And you need to take food and water for
emergencies.” Balloonists often soar up to 6,000 feet, and many have soared to
12,000 feet or higher.
        　　A popular priest in Brazil decided to try cluster ballooning. Reporters
from newspapers and TV stations interviewed and photographed him before
take-off. He laughed and waved at everyone as his chair started rising. “I’ll
see you at one o’clock,” he yelled to everyone on the ground. It was 11 a.m.
        　　The weather, however, took a sudden turn for the worse. People could see
the wind driving the balloonist toward the Atlantic. The bright balloons
disappeared into the dark clouds. The next day, a pilot in a single-engine plane
saw some balloons floating 10 miles out to sea. There was no sign of the priest.
“This is unbelievable,” said his best friend. “He was an expert sky diver. He
had a life preserver, an inflatable life raft, and a GPS device. And, he was a
priest!”