Unit 3 Amazing people【美文阅读】 John Wesley Powell－Famous Explorer of the American West1869 年美国独臂炮兵少校约翰·卫斯莱·鲍威尔带领一支探险小分队发现了科罗拉多大峡谷。从此，他声名远扬。John Wesley Powell became famous for his trip on the Green and Colorado Rivers. It was one of the greatest trips of discovery in the history of North America.John was born in 1834 in New York State. When he was a little boy, he learned many things about the natural sciences, philosophy and history from George Crookham, a self－taught scientist. In 1861 the civil war broke out in the United States. John joined the army. At the battle of Shiloh, he lost his right arm. After the war, John Wesley Powell taught science at two universities in Illinois. He also helped found the Illinois Museum of Natural History.From 1867 Powell led a series of expeditions into the Rocky Mountains and around the Green and Colorado rivers. Powell’s first trip was extremely successful. A second trip took place the following year. In 1869, Powell decided to explore the Green River and the Colorado River, which he believed would provide a wealth of scientific information about that part of America.Powell got help from the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D ． C. The Smithsonian gave him scientific equipment. He got help from the army. The army promised to protect the explorers in dangerous areas. And he got help from the railroads. The railroads agreed to let the explorers ride free as far as possible.The trip was just as dangerous as expected，perhaps more. The rivers were filled with rocky (多岩石的) areas and waterfalls. One of the boats broke in two against a big rock. The explorers suffered from a hot sun and cold rain. They...
