標題: 新概念三第二部分 [打印本頁] 作者: 科技閻羅 時間: 2022-11-12 00:08 標題: 新概念三第二部分 $課文40 真假難辨
783. It has never been explained why university students seem to enjoy practical jokes more than anyone else.
誰也弄不清為什么大學(xué)生好像比任何人都更喜歡惡作劇。
784. Students specialize in a particular type of practical joke: the hoax.
大學(xué)生擅長一種特殊的惡作劇--戲弄人。
785. Inviting the fire brigade to put out a nonexistent fire is a crude form of deception which no self-respecting student would ever indulge in.
請消防隊來撲滅一場根本沒有的大火是一種低級騙局，有自尊心的大學(xué)生決不會去做。
786. Students often create amusing situations which are funny to everyone except the victims.
大學(xué)生們常常做的是制造一種可笑的局面，使大家笑上一場，當(dāng)然受害者是笑不出來的。
787. When a student recently saw two workmen using a pneumatic drill outside his university,
最近有個學(xué)生看見兩個工人在學(xué)校門外用風(fēng)鉆干活，
788. he immediately telephoned the police and informed them that two students dressed up as workmen were tearing up the road with a pneumatic drill.
馬上打電話報告警察，說有兩個學(xué)生裝扮成工人，正在用風(fēng)鉆破壞路面。
789. As soon as he had hung up, he went over to the workmen and told them that if a policeman ordered them to go away, they were not to take him seriously.
掛上電話后，他又馬上來到工人那兒，告訴他們?nèi)粲袀€警察來讓他們走開，不要把他當(dāng)回事，
790. He added that a student had dressed up as a policeman and was playing all sorts of silly jokes on people.
還對工人說，有個學(xué)生常裝扮成警察無聊地同別人開玩笑。
791. Both the police and the workmen were grateful to the student for this piece of advance information.
警察與工人都對那個學(xué)生事先通報情況表示感謝。
792. The student hid in an archway nearby where he could watch and hear everything that went on.
那個學(xué)生躲在附近一拱形的門廊里，在那兒可以看見、聽到現(xiàn)場發(fā)生的一切。
793. Sure enough, a policeman arrived on the scene and politely asked the workmen to go away.
果然，警察來了，不禮貌地請工人離開此地；
794. When he received a very rude reply from one of the workmen.
但其中一個工人粗魯?shù)鼗亓藥拙洹?br />
795. He threatened to remove them by force.
于是警察威脅要強行使他們離開。
796. The workmen told him to do as he pleased and the policeman telephoned for help.
工人說，悉聽尊便。警察去打電話叫人。
797. Shortly afterwards, four more policemen arrived and remonstrated with the workmen.
一會兒工夫，又來了4個警察，規(guī)勸工人離開。
798. As the men refused to stop working, the police attempted to seize the pneumatic drill.
由于工人拒絕停下手中的活，警察想奪風(fēng)鉆。
799. The workmen struggled fiercely and one of them lost his temper.
兩個工人奮力抗?fàn)帲渲幸粋€發(fā)了火，
800. He threatened to call the police.
威脅說要去叫警察。
801. At this, the police pointed out ironically that this would hardly be necessary as the men were already under arrest.
警察聽后譏諷地說，這大可不必，因為他倆已被逮捕了。
802. Pretending to speak seriously, one of the workmen asked if he might make a telephone call before being taken to the station.
其中一個工人裝模作樣地問道，在被帶往警察局之前，是否可以打一個電話。
803. Permission was granted and a policeman accompanied him to a pay phone.
警察同意了，陪他來到一個投幣地電話前，
804. Only when he saw that the man was actually telephoning the police did he realize that they had all been the victims of a hoax.
當(dāng)他看到那個工人真的是給警察掛電話，才恍然大悟，原來他們都成一場騙局的受害者。
$課文41 寧靜田園生活的遐想
805. The quiet life of the country has never appealed to me.
寧靜的鄉(xiāng)村生活從來沒有吸引過我。
806. City born and city bred,
我生在城市，長在城市，
807. I have always regarded the country as something you look at through a train window, or something you occasionally visit during the weekend.
總認為鄉(xiāng)村是透過火車車窗看到的那個樣了，或偶爾周末去游玩一下景象。
808. Most of my friends live in the city, yet they always go into raptures at the mere mention of the country.
我的許多朋友都住在城市，但他們只要一提起鄉(xiāng)村，馬上就會變得欣喜若狂。
809. Though they extol the virtues of the peaceful life,
盡管他們都交口稱贊寧靜的鄉(xiāng)村生活的種種優(yōu)點，
810. only one of them has ever gone to live in the country and he was back in town within six months.
但其中只有一個人真去農(nóng)村住過，而且不足6個月就回來了。
811. Even he still lives under the illusion that country life is somehow superior to town life.
即使他也仍存有幻覺，好像鄉(xiāng)村生活就是比城市生活優(yōu)越。
812. He is forever talking about the friendly people, the clean atmosphere, the closeness to nature and the gentle pace of living.
他滔滔不絕地大談友好的農(nóng)民，潔凈的空氣，貼近大自然的環(huán)境和悠閑的生活節(jié)奏。
813. Nothing can be compared, he maintains, with the first cockcrow, the twittering of birds at dawn, the sight of the rising sun glinting on the trees and pastures.
他堅持認為，凌晨雄雞第一聲啼叫，黎明時分小鳥吱喳歡叫，冉冉升起的朝陽染紅樹木、牧場，此番美景無與倫比。
814. This idyllic pastoral scene is only part of the picture.
但這種田園詩般的鄉(xiāng)村風(fēng)光僅僅是一個側(cè)面。
815. My friend fails to mention the long and friendless winter evenings in front of the TV -- virtually the only form of entertainment.
我的朋友沒有提到在電視機前度過的漫長寂寞的冬夜--電視是唯一的娛樂形式。
816. He says nothing about the poor selection of goods in the shops, or about those unfortunate people who have to travel from the country to the city every day to get to work.
他也不說商店貨物品種單調(diào)，以及那些每天不得不從鄉(xiāng)下趕到城里工作的不幸的人們。
817. Why people are prepared to tolerate a four-hour journey each day for the dubious privilege of living in the country is beyond me.
人們?yōu)槭裁辞樵该刻煸诼飞媳疾?個小時去換取值得懷疑的鄉(xiāng)間的優(yōu)點，我是無法理解的。
818. They could be saved so much misery and expense if they chose to live in the city where they rightly belong.
要是他們愿意住在本來屬于他們的城市，則可以讓他們省去諸多不便與節(jié)約大量開支。
819. If you can do without the few pastoral pleasures of the country,
如果你愿舍棄鄉(xiāng)下生活那一點點樂趣的話，
820. you will find the city can provide you with the best that life can offer.
那么你會發(fā)出城市可以為你提供生活最美好的東西。
821. You never have to travel miles to see your friends.
你去看朋友根本不用跋涉好幾英里，
822. They invariably live nearby and are always available for an informal chat or an evening's entertainment.
因為他們都住在附近，你隨時可以同他們聊天或在晚上一起娛樂。
823. Some of my acquaintances in the country come up to town once or twice a year to visit the theatre as a special treat.
我在鄉(xiāng)村有一些熟人，他們每年進城來看一回或幾回戲，并把此看作一種特殊的享受。
824. For them this is a major operation which involves considerable planning.
看戲在他們是件大事，需要精心計劃。
825. As the play draws to its close, they wonder whether they will ever catch that last train home.
當(dāng)戲快演完時，他們又為是否能趕上末班火車回家而犯愁。
826. The city dweller never experiences anxieties of this sort.
這種焦慮，城里人是從未體驗過的。
827. The latest exhibitions, films, or plays are only a short bus ride away.
坐公共汽車幾站路，就可看到最新的展覽、電影、戲劇。
828. Shopping, too, is always a pleasure.
買東西也是一種樂趣。
829. There is so much variety that you never have to make do with second best.
物品種繁多，從來不必用二等品來湊合。
830. Country people run wild when they go shopping in the city and stagger home loaded with as many of the exotic items as they can carry.
鄉(xiāng)里人進城采購欣喜若狂，每次回家時都買足了外來商品，直到拿不動方才罷休，連走路都搖搖晃晃的。
831. Nor is the city without its moments of beauty.
城市也并非沒有良辰美景。
832. There is something comforting about the warm glow shed by advertisements on cold wet winter nights.
寒冷潮濕的冬夜里，廣告燈箱發(fā)出的暖光，會給人某種安慰。
833. Few things could be more impressive than the peace that descends on deserted city streets at weekends
周末，空曠的街市籠罩著一種寧靜氣氛，沒有什么能比此時的寧靜更令人難忘了。
834. when the thousands that travel to work every day are tucked away in their homes in the country.
當(dāng)成千上萬進城上班的人回到他們的鄉(xiāng)間寓所之后，
835. It has always been a mystery to me why city dwellers, who appreciate all these things,
城里人對這一切心里很明白，
836. obstinately pretend that they would prefer to live in the country.
卻偏要執(zhí)拗地裝出他們喜歡住在鄉(xiāng)村的樣子，這對我來說一直是個謎。
$課文42 現(xiàn)代洞穴人
837. Cave exploration, or pot-holing, as it has come to be known, is a relatively new sport.
洞穴勘查--或洞穴勘探--是一項比較新的體育活動。
838. Perhaps it is the desire for solitude or the chance of making an unexpected discovery that lures people down to the depths of the earth.
尋求獨處的愿望或?qū)で笠馔獍l(fā)現(xiàn)的機會的欲望吸引人們來到地下深處。
839. It is impossible to give a satisfactory explanation for a pot-holer's motives.
要想對洞穴探險者的動機作出滿意的解釋是不可能的。
840. For him, caves have the same peculiar fascination which high mountains have for the climber.
對洞穴探險者來說，洞穴有一種特殊的魅力，就像高山對登山者有特殊魅力一樣。
841. They arouse instincts which can only be dimly understood.
為什么洞空能引發(fā)人的那種探險本能，人們對此只能有一種模模糊糊的理解。
842. Exploring really deep caves is not a task for the Sunday afternoon rambler.
探測非常深的洞穴不是那些在星期日下午漫步的人所能勝任的。
843. Such undertakings require the precise planning and foresight of military operations.
這種活動需要有軍事行動般的周密布署和預(yù)見能力。
844. It can take as long as eight days to rig up rope ladders and to establish supply bases before a descent can be made into a very deep cave.
有時需要花費整整8天時間來搭起繩梯，建立供應(yīng)基地，然后才能到一個很深的洞穴里。
845. Precautions of this sort are necessary,
作出這樣的準備是必要的，
846. for it is impossible to foretell the exact nature of the difficulties which will confront the pot-holer.
因為無法預(yù)見到洞穴探險者究竟會遇到什么性質(zhì)的困難。
847. The deepest known cave in the world is the Gouffre Berger near Grenoble.
世界上最深的洞穴是格里諾布爾附近的高弗.伯杰洞，
848. It extends to a depth of 3,723 feet.
深達3,723英尺。
849. This immense chasm has been formed by an underground stream which has tunnelled a course through a flaw in the rocks.
這個深邃的洞穴是由一條地下暗泉沖刷巖石中的縫隙并使之慢慢變大而形成的。
850. The entrance to the cave is on a plateau in the Dauphine Alps.
此洞的洞口在丹芬阿爾卑斯山的高原上，
851. As it is only six feet across, it is barely noticeable.
僅6英尺寬，很難被發(fā)現(xiàn)。
852. The cave might never have been discovered has not the entrance been spotted by the distinguished French pot-holer, Berger.
若不是法國著名洞穴探險家伯杰由于偶然的機會發(fā)現(xiàn)了這個洞口的話，這個洞也許不會為人所知。
853. Since its discovery, it has become a sort of potholers' Everest.
自從被發(fā)現(xiàn)以后，這個洞成了洞穴探險者的珠穆朗瑪峰，
854. Though a number of descents have been made, much of it still remains to be explored.
人們多次進入洞內(nèi)探險，但至今尚有不少東西有待勘探。
855. A team of pot-holers recently went down the Gouffre Berger.
最近，一隊洞穴探險者下到了高弗.伯杰洞里。
856. After entering the narrow gap on the plateau, they climbed down the steep sides of the cave until they came to narrow corridor.
他們從高原上的窄縫進去，順著筆直陡峭的洞壁往下爬。
857. They had to edge their way along this, sometimes wading across shallow streams, or swimming across deep pools.
來到一條狹窄的走廊上。他們不得不側(cè)著身子往前走，有時過淺溪，有時游過深潭。
858. Suddenly they came to a waterfall which dropped into an underground lake at the bottom of the cave.
突然，他們來到一道瀑布前，那瀑布奔瀉而下，注入洞底一處地下湖里。
859. They plunged into the lake, and after loading their gear on an inflatable rubber dinghy, let the current carry them to the other side.
他們跳入湖中，把各種器具裝上一只充氣的橡皮艇，聽任水流將他們帶往對岸。
860. To protect themselves from the icy water, they had to wear special rubber suits.
湖水冰冷刺骨，他們必須穿上一種特制的橡皮服以保護自己。
861. At the far end of the lake, they came to huge piles of rubble which had been washed up by the water.
在湖的盡頭，他們見到一大堆一大堆由湖水沖刷上岸的碎石。
862. In this part of the cave, they could hear an insistent booming sound
在這兒，他們可以聽見一種連續(xù)不斷的轟鳴聲。
863. which they found was caused by a small waterspout shooting down into a pool from the roof of the cave.
后來他們發(fā)現(xiàn)這是由山洞頂部的一個小孔里噴出的水柱跌落到水潭中發(fā)出的聲音。
864. Squeezing through a cleft in the rocks, the pot-holers arrived at an enormous cavern, the size of a huge concert hall.
洞穴探險者從巖石縫里擠身過去，來到一個巨大的洞里，其大小相當(dāng)于一個音樂廳。
865. After switching on powerful arc lights, they saw great stalagmites -- some of them over forty feet high -- rising up like tree-trunks to meet the stalactites suspended from the roof.
他們打開強力弧光燈，看見一株株巨大的石筍，有的高達40英尺，象樹干似的向上長著，與洞頂懸掛下來的鐘乳石相接。
866. Round about, piles of limestone glistened in all the colours of the rainbow.
周圍是一堆堆石灰石，像彩虹一樣閃閃發(fā)光。
867. In the eerie silence of the cavern,
洞里有一種可怕的寂靜，
868. the only sound that could be heard was made by water which dripped continuously from the high dome above them.
唯一的可以聽見的聲響是高高的圓頂上不間斷地滴水的嘀嗒聲。
$課文43 全保險
869. Insurance companies are normally willing to insure anything.
保險公司一般說來愿意承保一切東西。
870. Insuring public or private property is a standard practice in most countries in the world.
承辦公共財產(chǎn)或私人財產(chǎn)保險是世界上大部分國家的正常業(yè)務(wù)。
871. If, however, you were holding an open air garden party or a fete it would be equally possible to insure yourself in the event of bad weather.
如果你要舉辦一次露天游園會或盛宴，為避免碰上不好的天氣而遭受損失也同樣可以保險，
872. Needless to say, the bigger the risk an insurance company takes, the higher the premium you will have to pay.
不用說，保險公司承擔(dān)風(fēng)險越大，你付的保險費也就越高。
873. It is not uncommon to hear that a shipping company has made a claim for the cost of salvaging a sunken ship.
航運公司為打撈沉船而提出索賠，這是常有的事，
874. But the claim made by a local authority to recover the cost of salvaging a sunken pie dish must surely be unique.
但某地當(dāng)局為打撈一只焙制餡餅的盤子提出索賠，倒是件新鮮的事兒。
875. Admittedly it was an unusual pie dish, for it was eighteen feet long and six feet wide.
這個餡餅盤子確實少見，有18英尺長，6英尺寬。
876. It had been purchased by a local authority so that an enormous pie could be baked for an annual fair.
某地方當(dāng)局買下它用來焙制一個巨大的餡餅為一年一度交易會助興。
877. The pie committee decided that the best way to transport the dish would be by canal, so they insured it for the trip.
餡餅委員會確認運輸這只盤子的最佳方案是通過運河水運。于是，他們對這只盤子的運輸安全投了保。
878. Shortly after it was launched, the pie committee went to a local inn to celebrate.
盤子下水后不久，餡餅委員會成員們來到當(dāng)?shù)匾患倚【频陸c賀。
879. At the same time, a number of teenagers climbed on to the dish and held a little party of their own.
就在這個時候，許多十幾歲的孩子爬盤子舉行他們自己的集會。
880. Dancing proved to be more than the dish could bear, for during the party it capsized and sank in seven feet of water.
他們跳起了舞，盤子難以承受。舞會進行過程中，盤子傾覆，沉入了7英尺深的水中。
881. The pie committee telephoned a local garage owner who arrived in a recovery truck to salvage the pie dish.
餡餅委員會給當(dāng)?shù)仄囆蘩韼炖习宕螂娫?，他聞訊后開著一輛急修車前來打撈盤子。
882. Shivering in their wet clothes, the teenagers looked on while three men dived repeatedly into the water to locate the dish.
那些孩子們穿著濕衣服哆嗦，看著3個工人輪潛入水中以確定盤子的位置。
883. They had little difficulty in finding it, but hauling it out of the water proved to be a serious problem.
他們沒費多大事兒就找到了盤子?？墒前驯P子撈出卻是一個很大的難題。
884. The sides of the dish were so smooth that it was almost impossible to attach hawsers and chains to the rim without damaging it.
盤子四邊十分光滑，要在盤邊拴上繩索或鏈條而同時又不損壞它是很難辦到的。
885. Eventually chains were fixed to one end of the dish and a powerful winch was put into operation.
不過，他們終于將鏈條固定在盤子的一端，一臺大功率的絞車開動起來。
886. The dish rose to the surface and was gently drawn towards the canal bank.
盤子慢慢浮出水面，被輕輕地拽向運河岸邊。
887. For one agonizing moment, the dish was perched precariously on the bank of the canal,
在令人忐忑不安的瞬間，盤子晃晃悠悠地上了岸，
888. but it suddenly overbalanced and slid back into the water.
但它突然失去了平衡，又跌回水中。
889. The men were now obliged to try once more.
工人們只得再來一次。
890. This time they fixed heavy metal clamps to both sides of the dish so that they could fasten the chains.
這次，他們用沉重的金屬夾子把盤子夾住，以便往盤子上安裝鐵鏈。
891. The dish now had to be lifted vertically because one edge was resting against the side of the canal.
這次，盤子必須垂直吊出水面，因為盤子的一邊緊靠著運河河岸。
892. The winch was again put into operation and one of the men started up the truck.
絞盤機再次啟動，一位工人發(fā)動了急修車的引擎。
893. Several minutes later, the dish was successfully hauled above the surface of the water.
幾分鐘后，盤子被成功地拽出了水面。
894. Water streamed in torrents over its sides with such force that it set up a huge wave in the canal.
波浪從盤子兩側(cè)急涌而出，在運河里掀起一股大浪。
895. There was danger that the wave would rebound off the other side of the bank and send the dish plunging into the water again.
但是當(dāng)波浪從河對岸折回來時，就有再次把盤子拖進水里的危險。
896. By working at tremendous speed, the men managed to get the dish on to dry land before the wave returned.
工人們動作迅速，終于趕在那股大浪返回之前把盤子拽到了岸上。
$課文44 又快捷又舒適
897. People travelling long distances frequently have to decide whether they would prefer to go by land, sea, or air.
出遠門的人常常需要決定是走旱路、水路，還是坐飛機。
898. Hardly anyone can positively enjoy sitting in a train for more than a few hours.
很少有人能夠真正喜歡坐幾個小時以上的火車。
899. Train compartments soon get cramped and stuffy.
車廂很快就變得擁擠、悶熱，
900. It is almost impossible to take your mind off the journey.
想擺脫開旅途的困擾是很難的。
901. Reading is only a partial solution, for the monotonous rhythm of the wheels clicking on the rails soon lulls you to sleep.
看書只能解決部分問題。車輪與鐵軌間單調(diào)的嘎喳聲很快就會送你進入夢鄉(xiāng)。
902. During the day, sleep comes in snatches.
白天是忽睡忽醒，
903. At night, when you really wish to go to sleep, you rarely manage to do so.
到了夜晚，你真想睡了，卻很難入睡。
904. If you are lucky enough to get a sleeper, you spend half the night staring at the small blue light in the ceiling,
即使你走運弄到一個臥鋪，夜間有一半時間你會盯著車頂那盞小藍燈而睡不著覺；
905. or fumbling to find you ticket for inspection.
要不然就為查票摸索你的車票。
906. Inevitably you arrive at your destination almost exhausted.
一旦抵達目的地，你總是疲憊不堪。
907. Long car journeys are even less pleasant, for it is quite impossible even to read.
乘汽車作長途旅行則更加不舒服，因為連看書都幾乎不可能。
908. On motorways you can, at least, travel fairly safely at high speeds,
在公路上還好，你至少能以相當(dāng)快的速度安全地向前行。
909. but more often than not, the greater part of the journey is spent on roads with few service stations and too much traffic.
但旅行的大部分時間都花在路上，而且只有很少的服務(wù)設(shè)施，交通也很擁擠。
910. By comparison, ferry trips or cruises offer a great variety of civilized comforts.
相比之下，坐船旅行或環(huán)游可以得到文明世界的各種享受。
911. You can stretch your legs on the spacious decks, play games, meet interesting people and enjoy good food -- always assuming,of course, that the sea is calm.
你可以在甲板上伸展四肢、做游戲，還能也很見到各種有趣的人，能享用各種美味佳肴-當(dāng)然，這一切只有在大海風(fēng)平浪靜的情況下才有可能。
912. If it is not, and you are likely to get seasick, no form of transport could be worse.
如果大海肆虐起來，你就可能暈船，那種難受勁兒是任何一種別的旅行的方式都不會帶來的。
913. Even if you travel in ideal weather, sea journeys take a long time.
即使風(fēng)平浪靜，坐船旅行也要占用很長時間。
914. Relatively few people are prepared to sacrifice holiday time for the pleasure of travlling by sea.
沒有多少人會為享受坐船旅行的樂趣而犧牲假期的時間。
915. Aeroplanes have the reputation of being dangerous and even hardened travellers are intimidated by them.
飛機以危險而著稱，連老資格的旅行者也怕飛機。
916. They also have the disadvantage of being an expensive form of transport.
飛機另一個缺點是昂貴。
917. But nothing can match them for speed and comfort.
但就速度與舒適而言，飛機是無與倫比的。
918. Travelling at a height of 30,000 feet, far above the clouds, and at over 500 miles an hour is an exhilarating experience.
騰云駕霧，在30，000 英尺高空以500英里的時速旅行，這種經(jīng)歷令人心曠神怡。
919. You do not have to devise ways of taking your mind off the journey, for an aeroplane gets you to your destination rapidly.
你不必想辦法去擺脫旅途的困擾，因為飛機會迅速地把你送到目的地。
920. For a few hours, you settle back in a deep armchair to enjoy the flight.
幾小時之內(nèi)，你躺在扶手椅上，享受著旅途的歡樂。
921. The real escapist can watch a film and sip champagne on some services.
真正會享受的人還可以在某些航班上看一場電影和喝香檳。
922. But even when such refinements are not available, there is plenty to keep you occupied.
即使沒有這些消遣條件，也總是有事可做。
923. An aeroplane offers you an unusual and breathtaking view of the world.
飛機上，你可以觀察世界上非同尋常的奇妙的美景。
924. You soar effortlessly over high mountains and deep valleys.
你毫不費勁地飛越高山幽谷，
925. You really see the shape of the land.
你確能飽覽大地的風(fēng)貌。
926. If the landscape is hidden from view,
如果這種景色被遮住了，
927. you can enjoy the extraordinary sight of unbroken cloud plains that stretch out for miles before you, while the sun shines brilliantly in a clear sky.
你可以觀賞一下展現(xiàn)在你面前的、一望數(shù)英里的、連綿不斷的云海，同時陽光燦爛，天空清澈明朗。
928. The journey is so smooth that there is nothing to prevent you from reading or sleeping.
旅途平穩(wěn)，絲毫不妨礙你閱讀或睡眠。
929. However you decide to spend your time, one thing is certain: you will arrive at your destination fresh and uncrumpled.
不管你打算如何消磨時間，有件事是可以肯定的，即當(dāng)你抵達目的地時，你感到精神煥發(fā)，毫無倦意，
930. You will not have to spend the next few days recovering from a long and arduous journey.
用不著因為漫長的旅途的辛苦而花幾天時間休息來恢復(fù)精神。
$課文45 新聞報道的威力
931. In democratic countries any efforts to restrict the freedom of the press are rightly condemned.
在民主國家里，任何限制新聞自由的企圖都理所當(dāng)然地受到譴責(zé)。
932. However, this freedom can easily be abused.
然而，這種自由很容易被濫用。
933. Stories about people often attract far more public attention than political events.
常人軼事往往比政治事件更能引起公眾注意。
934. Though we may enjoy reading about the lives of others, it is extremely doubtful whether we would equally enjoy reading about ourselves.
我們都喜歡看關(guān)于別人生活的報道，但是否同樣喜歡看關(guān)于自己生活的報道，就很難說了。
935. Acting on the contention that facts are sacred,
記者按事實至上的論點行事，
936. reporters can cause untold suffering to individuals by publishing details about their private lives.
發(fā)表有關(guān)別人生活的細節(jié)，有時會給當(dāng)事人造成極大的痛苦。
937. Newspapers exert such tremendous influence that they can not only bring about major changes to the lives of ordinary people
新聞具有巨大的威力。它們不僅可以給尋常人家的生活帶來重大的變化，
938. but can even overthrow a government.
甚至還能推翻一個政府。
939. The story of a poor family that acquired fame and fortune overnight, dramatically illustrates the power of the press.
下面這戶窮人一夜之間出名發(fā)財?shù)墓适聭騽⌒缘卣f明了新聞報道威力。
940. The family lived in Aberdeen, a small town of 23,000 inhabitants in South Dakota.
這戶人家住在南達科他州一個人口為23，000 的小鎮(zhèn)上，鎮(zhèn)名為阿拜丁。
941. As the parents had five children, life was a perpetual struggle against poverty.
家里已有5個孩子，全家人常年在貧困中掙扎。
942. They were expecting their sixth child and were faced with even more pressing economic problems.
第6個孩子即將問世，他們面臨著更為嚴峻的經(jīng)濟問題。
943. If they had only had one more child, the fact would have passed unnoticed.
如果他們只添了1個孩子，這件事本來就不會引起任何人的注意。
944. They would have continued to struggle against economic odds and would have lived in obscurity.
這家人會繼續(xù)為克服經(jīng)濟上的拮據(jù)而奮斗，并默默無聞地活下去。
945. But they suddenly became the parents of quintuplets, four girl and a boy, an event which radically changed their lives.
但是他們出人意料生了個五胞胎，4女1男。這事使他們的生活發(fā)生了根本的變化。
946. The day after the birth of the five children, an aeroplane arrived in Aberdeen bringing sixty reporters and photographers.
五胞胎降生第二天，一架飛機飛抵阿拜丁，隨機帶來60名記者與攝影師。
947. The rise to fame was swift.
這一家迅速出了名。
948. Television cameras and newspapers carried the news to everyone in the country.
電視攝像機和報紙把消息傳送到全國。
949. Newspapers and magazines offered the family huge sums for the exclusive rights to publish stories and photographs.
報紙、雜志出高價向他們購買文字、圖片的獨家報道權(quán)。
950. Gifts poured in not only from unknown people, but from baby food and soap manufacturers who wished to advertise their products.
不但素昧平生的人寄來了大量的禮物，而且嬰兒食品、嬰兒肥皂制造廠商為了替自己產(chǎn)品做廣告也寄來了大量的禮物。
951. The old farmhouse the family lived in was to be replaced by a new $500,000 home.
這家人住的舊家舍將由一座價值50萬美元的新住宅所取代。
952. Reporters kept pressing for interviews so lawyers had to be employed to act as spokesmen for the family at press conferences.
由于記者紛紛要求會見，他們不得不請了律師充當(dāng)他們家的發(fā)言人舉行記者招待會。
953. While the five babies were still quietly sleeping in oxygen tents in a hospital nursery,
眼下，五胞胎還靜靜地躺在醫(yī)院嬰兒室的氧氣帳里，
954. their parents were paying the price for fame.
他們的父母卻為這名聲付出了代價，
955. It would never again be possible for them to lead normal lives.
他們再也無法過正常的生活。
956. They had become the victims of commercialization, for their names had acquired a market value.
他們成了商業(yè)化的受害者，因為他們的名字具有了市場價值。
957. Instead of being five new family members, these children had immediately become a commodity.
這些孩子立即成了商品，而不是5個新的家庭成員。
$課文46 自己動手
958. So great is our passion for doing things for ourselves, that we are becoming increasingly less dependent on specialized labour.
現(xiàn)在我們自己動手做事的熱情很高，結(jié)果對于專業(yè)工人的依賴越來越少了。
959. No one can plead ignorance of a subject any longer, for there are countless do-it-yourself publications.
由于出版了不計其數(shù)的教人自己動手做事的書報雜志，沒有人再能說對某事一無所知。
960. Armed with the right tools and materials, newlyweds gaily embark on the task of decorating their own homes.
新婚夫婦找來合適的工具和材料，喜氣洋洋地開始布置新房。
961. Men, particularly, spend hours of their leisure time installing their own fireplaces, laying out their own gardens;
特別是男人，常利用空閑時間安裝壁爐、布置花園、建造車庫、制作家具。
962. building garages and making furniture. Some really keen enthusiasts go so far as to build their own computers.
有些熱衷于自己動手的人甚至自己組裝電腦。
963. Shops cater for the do-it-yourself craze not only by running special advisory services for novices,
為了滿足自己動手熱的需要，商店不僅為初學(xué)者提供專門的咨詢服務(wù)，
964. but by offering consumers bits and pieces which they can assemble at home.
而且為顧客準備了各種零件，供他們買回家去安裝。
965. Such things provide an excellent outlet for pent up creative energy, but unfortunately not all of us are born handymen.
這些東西為人們潛在的創(chuàng)造力提供了一個絕妙的用武之地。但不幸的是，我們并非人人都是能工巧匠。
966. Some wives tend to believe that their husbands are infinitely resourceful and can fix anything.
妻子常常認為她們的丈夫無比聰明能干。
967. Even men who can hardly drive a nail in straight are supposed to be born electricians, carpenters, plumbers and mechanics.
甚至那些連一枚釘子都釘不直的男人都被認為是天生的電工、木匠、水管工和機械師。
968. When lights fuse, furniture gets rickety, pipes get clogged, or vacuum cleaners fail to operate,
每當(dāng)電燈保險絲燒斷、家具榫頭松動、管道堵塞、吸塵器不動時，
969. some woman assume that their husbands will somehow put things right.
有些妻子認為丈夫總有辦法。
970. The worst thing about the do-it-yourself game is that sometimes even men live under the delusion that they can do anything, even when they have repeatedly been proved wrong.
自己動手的例子中最糟糕的是，有時甚至是男人盡管接連失敗卻還誤以為自己什么都行，
971. It is a question of pride as much as anything else.
原因就是要面子。
972. Last spring my wife suggested that I call in a man to look at our lawn mower.
今年春天，妻子讓我請人檢查一下我家的割草機。
973. It had broken down the previous summer, and though I promised to repair it, I had never got round to it.
那臺割草機去年夏天就壞了，盡管我答應(yīng)修，但一直沒抽出時間，
974. I would not hear of the suggestion and said that I would fix it myself.
我不愿聽妻子的建議，說我自己會修。
975. One Saturday afternoon, I hauled the machine into the garden and had a close look at it.
一個星期六的下午，我把割草機拉到了花園里，仔細檢查了一番。
976. As far as I could see, it needed only a minor adjustment:
在我看來，只需稍加調(diào)整即可。
977. a turn of a screw here, a little tightening up there, a drop of oil and it would be as good as new.
這兒緊緊螺絲，那兒固定一下，再加幾滴油，就會像新的一樣了。
978. Inevitably the repair job was not quite so simple.
事實上，修理工作遠不是那么簡單。
979. The mower firmly refused to mow, so I decided to dismantle it.
修完后割草機還是紋絲不動。于是，我決定把它拆開。
980. The garden was soon littered with chunks of metal which had once made up a lawn mower.
一會兒工夫，割草機便被拆成一個個金屬零件，亂七八糟地堆在花園里。
981. But I was extremely pleased with myself.
但我卻非常高興，
982. I had traced the cause of the trouble.
因為我找到了毛病所在。
983. One of the links in the chain that drives the wheels had snapped.
驅(qū)動輪子的鏈條斷了一節(jié)。
984. After buying a new chain I was faced with the insurmountable task of putting the confusing jigsaw puzzle together again.
我買來一根新鏈條后，面臨的就是如何把這些令人眼花繚亂的拼板重新組裝起來。
985. I was not surprised to find that the machine still refused to work after I had reassembled it,
等我裝完后，那臺割草機依舊一動不動，對此我倒并不感到吃驚。
986. for the simple reason that I was left with several curiously shaped bits of metal which did not seem to fit anywhere.
原因很簡單，因為還剩下幾個形狀奇特的零件似乎哪里也裝不上去。
987. I gave up in despair.
我無可奈何，只好罷休。
988. The weeks passed and the grass grew.
幾個星期過去了，草長了起來。
989. When my wife nagged me to do something about it, I told her that either I would have to buy a new mower or let the grass grow.
妻子喋喋不休讓我想點辦法。我告訴她，要么買一臺新割草機，要么讓草長下去。
990. Needless to say our house is now surrounded by a jungle.
不用說，我家現(xiàn)在已被叢林包圍。
991. Buried somewhere in deep grass there is a rusting lawn mower which I have promised to repair one day.
深草叢中的某個地方有一臺正在生銹的割草機，那就是我曾答應(yīng)某日要修理的割草機。
$課文47 代價太高?
992. Pollution is the price we pay for an overpopulated, over industrialized planet.
污染就是我們?yōu)檫@個人口過密，過度工業(yè)化的星球所付出的代價。
993. When you come to think about it, there are only four ways you can deal with rubbish:
當(dāng)我們開始考慮垃圾問題時，我們只有4種對付垃圾的方法：
994. dump it, burn it, turn it into something you can use again, attempt to produce less of it.
傾倒、焚燒、把垃圾變成再生材料或試圖少產(chǎn)生一些垃圾。
995. We keep trying all four methods, but he sheer volume of rubbish we produce worldwide threatens to overwhelm us.
我們一直在試這4種方式，但是，我們在世界范圍內(nèi)僅產(chǎn)生的垃圾的量就有把我們覆蓋的危險。
996. Rubbish, however, is only part of the problem of polluting our planet.
然而，垃圾只是我們這個星球的污染問題的一個方面。
997. The need to produce ever-increasing quantities of cheap food leads to a different kind of pollution.
日益增長的對廉價食物的需求導(dǎo)致了另一種形式的污染。
998. Industrialized farming methods produce cheap meat products: beef, pork and chicken.
工業(yè)化的農(nóng)作方式生產(chǎn)出廉價的肉類制品--牛肉、豬肉和雞肉。
999. The use of pesticides and fertilizers produces cheap grain and vegetables.
使用殺蟲劑和化肥生產(chǎn)出廉價的谷物和蔬菜。
1000. The price we pay for cheap food may be already too high:
為了廉價食物我們付出代價已經(jīng)太高了：
1001. Mad Cow Disease (BSE) in cattle, salmonella in chicken and eggs, and listeria in dairy products.
牛肉中的瘋牛病，雞肉和雞蛋中的沙門氏菌，奶制品中的利斯特桿菌。
1002. And if you think you'll abandon meat and become a vegetarian,
如果你想放棄肉類而變成一位素食者，
1003. you have the choice of very expensive organically-grown vegetables
那么你可以兩者擇一：或是選用價格昂貴、有機培植的蔬菜，
1004. or a steady diet of pesticides every time you think you're eating fresh salads and vegetables, or just having an innocent glass of water!
或是當(dāng)你認為在享用新鮮色拉和新鮮蔬菜或飲用一杯無害的水的時候，實際上每次都不斷吃進殺蟲劑。
1005. However, there is an even more insidious kind of pollution that particularly affects urban areas and invades our daily lives, and that is noise.
但是，還有一種更加隱蔽有害的污染，它專門影響城鎮(zhèn)地區(qū)，侵襲我們的日常生活，那就是噪音。
1006. Burglar alarms going off at any time of the day or night serve only to annoy passers-by and actually assist burglars to burgle.
防盜警報器在白天和黑夜的任何時候都會響起來，它的作用只是騷擾過路行人，而實際上卻幫助竊賊入室行竊。
1007. Car alarms constantly scream at us in the street and are a source of profound irritation.
在街上，汽車的防盜警報不斷對我們吼叫，這是人們極度煩燥的一個原因，
1008. A recent survey of the effects of noise revealed (surprisingly?) that dogs barking incessantly in the night rated the highest form of noise pollution on a scale ranging from 1 to 7.
最近一個有關(guān)噪音的作用的調(diào)查（令人吃驚地）指出，夜間連續(xù)不斷的狗叫聲，在一個從1級至7級刻度表上應(yīng)列為最嚴重的噪間污染。
1009. The survey revealed a large number of sources of noise that we really dislike. Lawn mowers whining on a summer's day,
這個調(diào)查揭示了我們所不喜歡的大量的噪間的來源：夏天嗚嗚作響的割草機，公寓樓里深夜聚會的喧嘩聲，
1010. late-night parties in apartment blocks, noisy neighbours, vehicles of all kinds,especially large container trucks thundering through quiet villages, planes and helicopters flying overhead,
大聲吵鬧的鄰居，各式各樣的車輛，特別是穿越寂靜的村莊的集裝箱卡車，從頭頂飛過的飛機和直升機，被帶到公共場所、
1011. large radios carried round in public places and played at maximum volume.
音量開到最大的大功率收音機。
1012. New technology has also made its own contribution to noise.
新技術(shù)也為噪音作了它的貢獻。
1013. A lot of people object to mobile phones, especially when they are used in public places like restaurants or on public transport.
許多人都反對移動式電話，特別是在如飯店，公共交通車等公共場所使用移動電話。
1014. Loud conversations on mobile phones invade our thoughts or interrupt the pleasure of meeting friends for a quiet chat.
用移動電話大聲交談干擾我們的思路，破壞我們和朋友在一起輕聲聊天所得到的樂趣。
1015. The noise pollution survey revealed a rather surprising and possibly amusing old fashioned source of noise.
這個有關(guān)噪音的污染調(diào)查還揭示了一種出人意外而同時可能會引人意外而同時可能會引人發(fā)笑的老式噪音源。
1016. It turned out to be snoring!
它竟然是鼾聲。
1017. Men were found to be the worst offenders.
人類是這方面的罪魁禍首。
1018. It was revealed that 20% of men in their mid-thirties snore.
調(diào)查指出，20%的35歲左右的男人打鼾；
1019. This figure rises to a staggering 60% of men in their sixties.
而到60歲這個年齡段，這個數(shù)字上升到令人驚愕的60%。
1020. Against these figures, it was found that only 5% of women snore regularly,
與這些數(shù)字相比，只有5% 的女性經(jīng)常打鼾；
1021. while the rest are constantly woken or kept awake by their trumpeting partners.
而其余則經(jīng)常被與她們同睡、像吹號似地打著呼嚕的男人吵醒或弄得睡不著。
1022. Whatever the source of noise, one thing is certain: silence, it seems, has become a golden memory.
不管噪聲來自何方，有一點是肯定的：看來寂靜已變成一種珍貴的回憶。
$課文48 沉默的村莊
1023. In this much-travelled world, there are still thousands of places which are inaccessible to tourists.
在這個旅游頻繁的世界上，仍有成千上萬個游人足跡未至的地方。
1024. We always assume that villagers in remote places are friendly and hospitable.
人們總是以為偏僻的地方的村民們熱情好客。
1025. But people who are cut off not only from foreign tourists, but even from their own countrymen can be hostile to travellers.
但是，那些不但與外國旅游者隔絕，而且與本國同胞隔絕的人們有可能對游客抱有敵意。
1026. Visits to really remote villages are seldom enjoyable -- as my wife and I discovered during a tour through the Balkans.
到真正偏僻的村莊去旅游并不是一件愉快的事情。我與妻子在一次周游巴爾干半島時對此深有體會。
1027. We had spent several days in a small town and visited a number of old churches in the vicinity.
我們在一座小鎮(zhèn)上逗留了幾天，參觀了附近的許多古老的教堂。
1028. These attracted many visitors, for they were not only of great architectural interest,
這些教堂吸引大量游客，不僅是因為建筑風(fēng)格奇特，
1029. but contained a large number of beautifully preserved frescoes as well.
而且還有大量保存完好的壁畫。
1030. On the day before our departure, several bus loads of tourists descended on the town.
我們離開小鎮(zhèn)的前一天，鎮(zhèn)上來了幾輛滿載游客的公共汽車。
1031. This was more than we could bear, so we decided to spend our last day exploring the countryside.
人多得使我們難以忍受，于是我們決定利用最后一天去鄉(xiāng)間一游。
1032. Taking a path which led out of the town, we crossed a few fields until we came to a dense wood.
我們走上了一條出鎮(zhèn)的小路，穿過幾塊農(nóng)田，來到一片茂密的樹林。
1033. We expected the path to end abruptly, but we found that it traced its way through the trees.
我們原以為小路會到此突然終止。沒想到它到樹林中繼續(xù)向前延伸。
1034. We tramped through the wood for over two hours until we arrived at a deep stream.
我們在樹林中跋涉了兩個多小時，到了一條深溪邊。
1035. We could see that the path continued on the other side, but we had no idea how we could get across the stream.
我們可以看到小路在深溪對岸繼續(xù)向前伸展，但卻不知如何越過這道深溪。
1036. Suddenly my wife spotted a boat moored to the bank.
突然，妻子發(fā)現(xiàn)岸邊泊著一條小船，
1037. In it there was a boatman fast asleep.
船上有一船夫在呼呼大睡。
1038. We gently woke him up and asked him to ferry us to the other side.
我們輕輕地把他喚醒，請他把我們擺渡過溪。
1039. Though he was reluctant to do so at first, we eventually persuaded him to take us.
一開始，他很不愿意，但經(jīng)勸說，終于同意了。
1040. The path led to a tiny village perched on the steep sides of a mountain.
順著小路，我們來到一個座落在陡峭山坡上的小村莊。
1041. The place consisted of a straggling unmade road which was lined on either side by small houses.
這兒有一條未經(jīng)修筑的彎彎曲曲的道路，路兩邊排列著一些矮小的農(nóng)舍。
1042. Even under a clear blue sky, the village looked forbidding, as all the houses were built of grey mud bricks.
農(nóng)舍全用灰色的土坯建成，因此，即使在晴朗的藍天底下，村莊看上去也會令人感到難以親近。
1043. The village seemed deserted, the only sign of life being an ugly-looking black goat on a short length of rope tied to a tree in a field nearby.
村里似乎無人居住，唯一的生命跡象是附近田里一只面目可憎的黑山羊，用一截短繩拴在一棵樹上。
1044. Sitting down on a dilapidated wooden fence near the field, we opened a couple of tins of sardines and had a picnic lunch.
我們在田邊一堵東倒西歪的籬笆墻上坐下來，打開幾聽沙丁魚罐頭，吃了一頓野外午餐。
1045. All at once, I noticed that my wife seemed to be filled with alarm.
突然，我注意到妻子十分驚恐。
1046. Looking up I saw that we were surrounded by children in rags who were looking at us silently as we ate.
我抬頭一看，發(fā)現(xiàn)我們被一群衣衫襤褸的小孩團團圍住了，他們在默不作聲地看著我們吃飯。
1047. We offered them food and spoke to them kindly, but they remained motionless.
我們給他們東西吃，客客氣氣地同他們交談，但他們卻一動也不動。
1048. I concluded that they were simply shy of strangers.
我認為這不過是他們在陌生人面前表現(xiàn)出的害羞。
1049. When we later walked down the main street of the village, we were followed by a silent procession of children.
后來，我們在村里的主要街道上行走的時候，一隊默不作聲的孩子跟在我們后頭。
1050. The village which had seemed deserted, immediately came to life.
剛才還似乎空蕩蕩的村莊一下子活躍了起來，
1051. Faces appeared at windows.
窗口露出了一張張面孔，
1052. Men in shirt sleeves stood outside their houses and glared at us.
只穿著襯衣的男人們站在屋子外面兇狠地盯著我們，
1053. Old women in black shawls peered at us from doorways.
披黑紗巾的老婦人站在門口偷偷地瞅著我們。
1054. The most frightening thing of all was that not a sound could be heard.
最令人害怕的是到處沒有一點聲音。
1055. There was no doubt that we were unwelcome visitors.
毫無疑問，我們的來訪是不受歡迎的。
1056. We needed no further warning.
我們不需要進一步的警告了。
1057. Turning back down the main street, we quickened our pace and made our way rapidly towards the stream where we hoped the boatman was waiting.
便掉轉(zhuǎn)身子，沿著那條主要街道加快步伐，快速地朝深溪邊走去，希望船夫還在那兒等著我們。
$課文49 理想的仆人
1058. It is a good thing my aunt Harriet died years ago.
我的姑媽哈麗特好多年前就去世了，這倒是件好事。
1059. If she were alive today she would not be able to air her views on her favourite topic of conversation: domestic servants.
如果她活到今天，她將不能就她熱衷的話題“傭人”發(fā)表意見了。
1060. Aunt Harriet lived in that leisurely age when servants were employed to do housework.
哈麗特生活在一個悠閑的年代，家務(wù)事都由雇來的傭人代勞。
1061. She had a huge, rambling country house called 'The Gables'.
她在鄉(xiāng)下有一幢巨大雜亂的房子，叫作“山墻莊園”。
1062. She was sentimentally attached to this house, for even though it was far too big for her needs,
她對這幢房子在感情上難舍難分。房子實在太大了，
1063. she persisted in living there long after her husband's death.
但在丈夫去世多年后，她依舊執(zhí)意長年住在那兒。
1064. Before she grew old, Aunt Harriet used to entertain lavishly.
哈麗特姑媽年輕時，喜歡大擺宴席，招待賓客。
1065. I often visited The Gables when I was boy.
我小時候常去“山墻莊園”作客。
1066. No matter how many guests were present, the great house was always immaculate.
不管去多少賓客，大房子里總是收拾得干干凈凈。
1067. The parquet floors shone like mirrors;
鑲木地板潔如明鏡，
1068. highly polished silver was displayed in gleaming glass cabinets;
擦得發(fā)亮的銀器陳列在明亮的玻璃柜里，
1069. even my uncle's huge collection of books was kept miraculously free from dust.
連姑夫的大量藏書也保存得很好，奇跡般地一塵不染。
1070. Aunt Harriet presided over an invisible army of servants that continuously scrubbed, cleaned, and polished.
哈麗特姑媽統(tǒng)率著一支看不見的傭人大軍，他們不停地擦拭、清掃、刷洗。
1071. She always referred to them as 'the shifting population',
她稱這些傭人叫“流動人口”，
1072. for they came and went with such frequency that I never even got a chance to learn their names.
因為他們來匆匆，所以我甚至都沒有機會知道他們的姓名。
1073. Though my aunt pursued what was, in those days, an enlightened policy, in that she never allowed her domestic staff to work more than eight hours a day, she was extremely difficult to please.
姑媽待傭人在當(dāng)時算是開明的，從來不讓傭人每天工作超過8小時，但他們很難使她稱心如意。
1074. While she always criticized the fickleness of human nature,
她一方面總是批評人的本性朝三暮四，
1075. she carried on an unrelenting search for the ideal servant to the end of her days,even after she had been sadly disillusioned by Bessie.
另一方面她又持之以恒地尋找一個理想的傭人。即使在貝西大大地傷她的心之后，她還在找，一直到她死去。
1076. Bessie worked for Aunt Harriet for three years.
貝西在哈麗特家干了3年。
1077. During that time she so gained my aunt's confidence, that she was put in charge of the domestic staff.
在此期間，她贏得了姑母的賞識，甚至當(dāng)上了大管家。
1078. Aunt Harriet could not find words to praise Bessie's industriousness and efficiency.
哈麗特不知該用什么言辭來贊揚貝西的勤奮與高效。
1079. In addition to all her other qualifications, Bessie was an expert cook.
貝西除了有各種本領(lǐng)以外，還是一個烹飪大師。
1080. She acted the role of the perfect servant for three years before Aunt Harriet discovered her 'little weakness'.
她擔(dān)任“理想仆人”角色3年之后，哈麗特終于發(fā)現(xiàn)她有“小小的弱點”。
1081. After being absent from The Gables for a week,
一次，姑媽有一個星期沒在“山墻莊園”住。
1082. my aunt unexpectedly returned one afternoon with a party of guests and instructed Bessie to prepare dinner.
一天下午，她出其不意地回來了，帶來一大批客人，吩咐貝西準備晚飯。
1083. Not only was the meal well below the usual standard, but Bessie seemed unable to walk steadily.
結(jié)果，不僅飯菜遠不如平時做得好，而且貝西走起路來似乎東倒西歪。
1084. She bumped into the furniture and kept mumbling about the guests.
她撞到了家具上，嘴里還不斷咕咕噥噥議論客人。
1085. When she came in with the last course -- a huge pudding -- she tripped on the carpet
當(dāng)她端著最后一道菜--一大盤布丁--走進屋來時，在地毯上絆了一跤。
1086. and the pudding went flying through the air, narrowly missed my aunt, and crashed on the dining table with considerable force.
布丁飛到半空，從姑母身邊擦過，然后狠狠地砸在餐桌上。
1087. Though this caused great mirth among the guests, Aunt Harriet was horrified.
這件事引起了客人們的歡笑，但哈麗特卻著實嚇了一跳。
1088. She reluctantly came to the conclusion that Bessie was drunk.
她不得不認定貝西是喝醉了。
1089. The guests had, of course, realized this from the moment Bessie opened the door for them and,long before the final catastrophe, had had a difficult time trying to conceal their amusement.
客人們自然從貝西為他們開門那一刻起就看出來了，在好長一段時間里，即最后這個亂子發(fā)生前，他們努力克制才沒笑出聲來。
1090. The poor girl was dismissed instantly.
貝西當(dāng)即被解雇了。
1091. After her departure, Aunt Harriet discovered that there were piles of empty wine bottles of all shapes and sizes neatly stacked in what had once been Bessie's wardrobe.
貝西走后，哈麗特姑媽發(fā)現(xiàn)在貝西以前用過的衣柜里整整齊齊地放著一堆堆形狀各導(dǎo)、大小不一的酒瓶子。
1092. They had mysteriously found their way there from the wine cellar!
這些酒瓶神不知鬼不覺地從酒窖來到了這里。
$課文50 新年的決心
1093. The New Year is a time for resolutions.
新年是下決心的時候，
1094. Mentally, at least, most of us could compile formidable lists of 'dos' and 'don'ts'.
至少在大多數(shù)人的心里會編排出一份“應(yīng)做什么”和“不應(yīng)做什么”的令人生畏的單子。
1095. The same old favorites recur year in year out with monotonous regularity.
相同的決心以單調(diào)的規(guī)律年復(fù)一年地出現(xiàn)。
1096. We resolve to get up earlier each morning, eat less,
我們決心每天早晨起得早些；吃得少些；
1097. find more time to play with the children, do a thousand and one jobs about the house,
多花點時間與孩子們一起做游戲；做大量的家務(wù)；
1098. be nice to people we don't like, drive carefully, and take the dog for a walk every day.
對不喜歡的人友善一些；小心駕車；每天都要帶著狗散步；等等。
1099. Past experience has taught us that certain accomplishments are beyond attainment.
以往的經(jīng)驗告訴我們有些事是辦不到的。
1100. If we remain inveterate smokers, it is only because we have so often experienced the frustration that results from failure.
如果我們煙癮大，戒不掉，那是因為屢戒屢敗，失去信心。
1101. Most of us fail in our efforts at self-improvement because our schemes are too ambitious and we never have time to carry them out.
我們大多數(shù)人想自我完善卻遭到失敗，這是因為我們的規(guī)劃過于宏大，而又根本沒有時間去實施。
1102. We also make the fundamental error of announcing our resolutions to everybody
我們還犯有一個根本性的錯誤，即把我們的決心向大家宣布。
1103. so that we look even more foolish when we slip back into our bad old ways.
這樣一旦滑回到那些老習(xí)慣上去，我們在別人的眼里會顯得更加難堪。
1104. Aware of these pitfalls, this year I attempted to keep my resolutions to myself.
我深知這些問題，于是，今年我對自己的計劃要嚴加保密，
1105. I limited myself to two modest ambitions: to do physical exercise every morning and to read more of an evening.
只給自己定下兩項適中的任務(wù)；每天早上鍛煉身體，每天晚上多看點書。
1106. An all-night party on New Year's Eve provided me with a good excuse for not carrying out either of these new resolutions on the first day of the year,
新年除夕舉辦的一次通宵晚會，使我理直氣壯地在新年頭一天免去了這兩項任務(wù)。
1107. but on the second, I applied myself assiduously to the task.
不過，新年第二天，我全力以赴地照著去做了。
1108. The daily exercises lasted only eleven minutes and I proposed to do them early in the morning before anyone had got up.
早鍛煉一共只有11分鐘，我打算在別人起床之前進行。
1109. The self-discipline required to drag myself out of bed eleven minutes earlier than usual was considerable.
這就要求我比平時早11分鐘把自己從床上拽起來，這種自我約束是很艱苦的。
1110. Nevertheless, I managed to creep down into the living room for two days before anyone found me out.
不過開頭兩天我還是成功地躡手躡腳地來到樓下起居室，被誰也沒發(fā)現(xiàn)。
1111. After jumping about on the carpet and twisting the human frame into uncomfortable positions,
我在地毯上跳來蹦過去，扭曲身子，擺出各種姿勢，弄得渾身不舒服，
1112. I sat down at the breakfast table in an exhausted condition.
然后坐到桌邊吃早飯，一副筋疲力盡的樣子。
1113. It was this that betrayed me.
正是這副模樣泄露了我的秘密。
1114. The next morning the whole family trooped in to watch the performance.
第二天早晨全家人結(jié)隊來到起居室看我表演。
1115. That was really unsettling, but I fended off the taunts and jibes of the family good-humouredly and soon everybody got used to the idea.
這真叫人不好意思，但我心平氣和地頂住全家人的嘲笑和奚落。不久，大家對我習(xí)以為常了，
1116. However, my enthusiasm waned.
而這時我的熱情卻減退了。
1117. The time I spent at exercises gradually diminished.
我花在鍛煉上的時間逐漸減少，
1118. Little by little the eleven minutes fell to zero.
慢慢地從11分鐘減到了零。
1119. By January 10th, I was back to where I had started from.
到了1月10日，我恢復(fù)了原來的作息時間。
1120. I argued that if I spent less time exhausting myself at exercises in the morning, I would keep my mind fresh for reading when I got home from work.
我辯解說，早晨少耗費精力鍛煉，晚上下班回家看書時頭腦更清醒些。
1121. Resisting the hypnotizing effect of television, I sat in my room for a few evenings with my eyes glued to a book.
有幾天晚上，我極力擺脫了電視的誘惑，坐在自己的房間里，兩眼盯在書上。
1122. One night, however, feeling cold and lonely, I went downstairs and sat in front of the television pretending to read.
可是，有一天夜里，我感到又冷又孤單，便來到樓下坐在電視機前假裝看書。
1123. That proved to be my undoing, for I soon got back to my old bad habit of dozing off in front of the screen.
這下我可完了，因為不一會兒，我就恢復(fù)了以前的壞習(xí)慣，在屏幕前打起瞌睡來。
1124. I still haven't given up my resolution to do more reading.
但我還沒有放棄多看些書的決心。
1125. In fact, I have just bought a book entitled How to Read a Thousand Words a Minute.
事實上，我剛買來一本叫《一分鐘讀一千字的訣竅》的書。
1126. Perhaps it will solve my problem, but I just haven't had time to read it!
也許這本書能解決我的問題，但我一直還沒時間去看這本書！
$課文51 預(yù)測未來
1127. Predicting the future is notoriously difficult.
眾所周知，預(yù)測未來是非常困難的。
1128. Who could have imagined, in the mid 1970s, for example, that by the end of the 20th century, computers would be as common in people's homes as TV sets?
舉個例子吧，在20世紀70年代中葉又有誰能想得到在20世紀末的時候，家庭用的計算機會像電視機一樣普遍?
1129. In the 1970s, computers were common enough, but only in big business, government departments, and large organizations.
在70年代，計算機已經(jīng)相當(dāng)普及了，但只用在大公司，政府部門和大的組織之中，
1130. These were the so-called mainframe machines.
它們被稱為主機。
1131. Mainframe computers were very large indeed, often occupying whole air-conditioned rooms,
計算機主機確實很大，常常占據(jù)了裝有空調(diào)的多間房間，
1132. employing full-time technicians and run on specially-written software.
雇用專職的技師，而且得用專門編寫的軟件才能運行。
1133. Though these large machines still exist, many of their functions have been taken over by small powerful personal computers, commonly known as PCs.
雖然這種大計算機依舊存在，但它們的許多功能已被體積小但功能齊全的個人電腦--即我們常說的PC機--所代替了。
1134. In 1975, a primitive machine called the Altair, was launched in the USA.
1975年，美國推出了一臺被稱為“牛郎星”的原始機型。
1135. It can properly be described as the first 'home computer' and it pointed the way to the future.
嚴格地說起來，它可以被稱為第一臺“家用電腦”，而且它也指了今后的方向。
1136. This was followed, at the end of the 1970s, by a machine called an Apple.
70年代末，在牛郎星之后又出現(xiàn)了一種被稱為“蘋果”的機型。
1137. In the early 1980s, the computer giant, IBM produced the world's first Personal Computer.
80年代初，計算機行業(yè)的王牌公司美國國際商用機器公司（IBM）生產(chǎn)出了世界上第一臺個人電腦。
1138. This ran on an 'operating system' called DOS, produced by a then small company named Microsoft.
這種電腦采用了一種被稱為磁盤操作系統(tǒng)（DOS）的工作程序，而這種程序是由當(dāng)時規(guī)模不大的微軟公司生產(chǎn)的。
1139. The IBM Personal Computer was widely copied.
IBM的個人電腦被大規(guī)模地模仿。
1140. From those humble beginnings, we have seen the development of the user-friendly home computers and multimedia machines which are in common use today.
從那些簡陋的初級階段，我們看到了現(xiàn)在都已普及的、使用簡便的家用電腦和多媒體的微機的發(fā)展。
1141. Considering how recent these developments are, it is even more remarkable that as long ago as the 1960s, an Englishman,
想一想這些發(fā)展的時間多么短，就更覺得英國人萊昂.巴格瑞特有著非凡的能力。
1142. Leon Bagrit, was able to predict some of the uses of computers which we know today.
他在60年代就能預(yù)言我們今天知道的計算機的一些用途。
1143. Bagrit dismissed the idea that computers would learn to 'think' for themselves and would 'rule the world',
巴格瑞特根本不接受計算機可以學(xué)會自己去“思考”和計算可以“統(tǒng)治世界”這種想法，
1144. which people liked to believe in those days.
而這種想法是當(dāng)時的人們都愿意相信的。
1145. Bagrit foresaw a time when computers would be small enough to hold in the hand,
巴格瑞特預(yù)示有一天計算機可以小到拿在手上，
1146. when they would be capable of providing information about traffic jams and suggesting alternative routes,
計算機可以提供交通堵塞的信息并建議可替換的路線.
1147. when they would be used in hospitals to help doctors to diagnose illnesses,
計算機可以幫助醫(yī)生診斷病情。
1148. when they would relieve office workers and accountants of dull, repetitive clerical work.
計算機可以使辦公室人員和會計免除那些枯燥、重復(fù)的勞動。
1149. All these computer uses have become commonplace.
計算機的所有這些功能現(xiàn)在都變得很平常。
1150. Of course, Leon Bagrit could not possibly have foreseen the development of the Internet,
當(dāng)然了，萊昂.巴格瑞特根本沒有可能預(yù)測到國際交互網(wǎng)--就是把計算機連結(jié)到電話線路上，
1151. the worldwide system that enables us to communicate instantly with anyone in any part of the world by using computers linked to telephone networks.
以便和世界上任何一個地方的人立即進行聯(lián)系的一個世界范圍的通訊系統(tǒng)--的發(fā)展。
1152. Nor could he have foreseen how we could use the Internet to obtain information on every known subject,
他也無法預(yù)測到我們可以利用國際交互網(wǎng)獲取有關(guān)任何已知專題的信息，
1153. so we can read it on a screen in our homes and even print it as well if we want to.
以便在家里的屏幕上閱讀，如果愿意的話甚至可以將其打印出來。
1154. Computers have become smaller and smaller, more and more powerful and cheaper and cheaper.
計算機已經(jīng)變得體積越來越小，功能越來越多，價格越來越低，
1155. This is what makes Leon Bagrit's predictions particularly remarkable.
這就是萊昂.巴格瑞特的預(yù)測非凡的地方。
1156. If he, or someone like him, were alive today, he might be able to tell us what to expect in the next fifty years.
如果他或是像他的什么人今天還活著的話，他大概可以告訴我們下一個50年后會發(fā)生什么事情。
$課文52 實事求是
1157. My cousin, Harry, keeps a large curiously-shaped bottle on permanent display in his study.
我的堂兄哈里在他的書房里一直擺著一只形狀古怪的大瓶子。
1158. Despite the fact that the bottle is tinted a delicate shade of green,
盡管那只瓶子呈淡綠色，
1159. an observant visitor would soon notice that it is filled with what looks like a thick, greyish substance.
但細心的客人很快就會發(fā)現(xiàn)瓶里裝的是一種看上去黏稠，顏色發(fā)灰的東西。
1160. If you were to ask Harry what was in the bottle, he would tell you that it contained perfumed mud.
要是你問哈里瓶里裝著什么，他會告訴你是香水泥。
1161. If you expressed doubt or surprise, he would immediately invite you to smell it and then to rub some into your skin.
如果你表示懷疑或驚奇，他會立即請你聞一聞，然后取出一些抹在你的皮膚上。
1162. This brief experiment would dispel any further doubts you might have.
這一簡單的試驗會消除你可能存有的一切疑慮。
1163. The bottle really does contain perfumed mud.
瓶里裝的的確是香水泥。
1164. How Harry came into the possession of this outlandish stuff makes an interesting story which he is fond of relating.
哈里如何得到這種稀奇古怪的東西的，這里有個有趣的故事，而且他挺愛把它講給別人聽。
1165. Furthermore, the acquisition of this bottle cured him of a bad habit he had been developing for years.
此外，得到這瓶香水泥還治好了他多年的一個壞習(xí)慣。
1166. Harry used to consider it a great joke to go into expensive cosmetic shops and make outrageous requests for goods that do not exist.
哈里曾認為走進一家名貴化妝品商店，荒唐地提出要買一種根本不存在的商品是件開心的事兒。
1167. He would invent fanciful names on the spot.
他會當(dāng)場編造出一些稀奇古怪的貨名。
1168. On entering a shop, he would ask for a new perfume called 'Scented Shadow' or for 'insoluble bath cubes'.
他走進商店后，會提出要一種名叫“香影”的新型香水或什么“不溶浴皂”。
1169. If a shop assistant told him she had not heard of it, he would pretend to be considerably put out.
要是女售貨員告訴他從未聽說過這些東西，他會裝出十分遺憾和不安的樣子。
1170. He loved to be told that one of his imaginary products was temporarily out of stock and he would faithfully promise to call again at some future date, but of course he never did.
他愛聽售貨員說他想像出來的那種東西暫時脫銷，于是他就煞有介事地許諾改天再來光顧。當(dāng)然，他再也不會來了。
1171. How Harry managed to keep a straight face during these performances is quite beyond me.
我實在想像不出哈里在這些表演中是怎樣裝出一本正經(jīng)的樣子的。
1172. Harry does not need to be prompted to explain how he bought his precious bottle of mud.
毋須暗示哈里就會向你講起他買下那瓶珍貴香水泥的經(jīng)過。
1173. One day, he went to an exclusive shop in London and asked for 'Myrolite',
一天，他去倫敦一家高級商店要買一種叫“密諾萊特”的東西，
1174. the shop assistant looked puzzled and Harry repeated the word, slowly stressing each syllable.
店員露出詫異的神色。哈里又慢慢地，一字一頓說了一遍這個詞，
1175. When the woman shook her head in bewilderment,
那個女售貨員還是迷惑不解地搖了搖頭。
1176. Harry went on to explain that 'myrolite' was a hard, amber-like substance which could be used to remove freckles.
哈里便進一步解釋“密諾萊特”是一種質(zhì)地堅硬、狀似琥珀的東西，可以用來除去雀斑。
1177. This explanation evidently conveyed something to the woman who searched shelf after shelf.
他的解釋顯然對女售貨員有些啟示。她一個貨架接著一個貨架地尋找，
1178. She produced all sorts of weird concoctions, but none of them met with Harry's requirements.
拿出各種各樣稀奇古怪的化妝品，但沒有一樣能夠符合哈里的要求。
1179. When Harry put on his act of being mildly annoyed, the assistant promised to order some for him.
哈里裝出不高興的樣子時，女售貨員答應(yīng)為他定貨。
1180. Intoxicated by his success, Harry then asked for perfumed mud.
哈里為他的騙術(shù)而感到洋洋得意，又提出要買香水泥。
1181. He expected the assistant to look at him in blank astonishment.
他原想女售貨員會驚奇地望著他，不知所措，
1182. However, it was his turn to be surprised,
沒料到這回該輪到他自己吃驚了。
1183. for the woman's eyes immediately lit up and she fetched several bottles which she placed on the counter for Harry to inspect.
因為那女售貨員聽完哈里的話后，馬上眼睛一亮，拿出幾瓶東西放在柜臺上讓哈里挑選。
1184. For once, Harry had to admit defeat.
哈里只好認輸。
1185. He picked up what seemed to be the smallest bottle and discreetly asked the price.
他挑出一個看上去最小的瓶子，謹慎地問了價。
1186. He was glad to get away with a mere twenty pounds and he beat a hasty retreat, clutching the precious bottle under his arm.
他慶幸自己只破費了20英鎊便得以脫身。他把那寶貴的瓶子放在腋下夾著，溜之大吉。
1187. From then on, Harry decided that this little game he had invented might prove to be expensive.
從那以后，他認識到自己發(fā)明的小小惡作劇是要付出很大的代價的。
1188. The curious bottle, which now adorns the bookcase in his study, was his first and last purchase of rare cosmetics.
在他書房的書柜里擺著那瓶形狀古怪的香水泥就是他第一次也是最后一次購買的稀有化妝品。
$課文53 為了公眾的利益
1189. The Scandinavian countries are much admired all over the world for their enlightened social policies.
斯堪的納維亞半島各國實行開明的社會政策，受到全世界的推崇。
1190. Sweden has evolved an excellent system for protecting the individual citizen from highhanded or incompetent public officers.
在瑞典，已逐漸形成了一種完善的制度以保護每個公民不受專橫的和不稱職的政府官員的欺壓。
1191. The system has worked so well, that it has been adopted in other countries too.
由于這種制度行之有效，已被其他國家采納。
1192. The Swedes were the first to recognize that public official like civil servants, police officers, health inspectors or tax-collectors can make mistakes or act over-zealously in the belief that they are serving the public.
是瑞典人首先認識到政府工作人員如文職人員、警官、衛(wèi)生稽查員、稅務(wù)人員等等也會犯錯誤或者自以為在為公眾服務(wù)而把事情做過了頭。
1193. As long ago as 1809, the Swedish Parliament introduced a scheme to safeguard the interest of the individual.
早在1809年，瑞典論會就建立一個保護公民利益的制度。
1194. A parliamentary committee representing all political parties appoints a person who is suitably qualified to investigate private grievances against the State.
議會內(nèi)有一個代表各政黨利益的委員會，由它委派一位稱職的人選專門調(diào)查個人對國家的意見。
1195. The official title of the person is 'Justiteombudsman', but the Swedes commonly refer to him as the 'J.O.' or 'Ombudsman'.
此人官銜為“司法特派員”，但瑞典人一般管他叫“J.O.”，即“司法特派員”。
1196. The Ombudsman is not subject to political pressure.
司法特派員不受任何政治壓力的制約。
1197. He investigates complaints large and small that come to him from all levels of society.
他聽取社會各階層的各種大小意見，并進行調(diào)查。
1198. As complaints must be made in writing, the Ombudsman receives an average of 1,200 letters a year.
由于意見均需用書面形式提出，司法特派員每年平均收到1,200封信。
1199. He has eight lawyer assistants to help him and he examines every single letter in detail.
他有8位律師作他的助手協(xié)助工作，每封信都詳細批閱。
1200. There is nothing secretive about the Ombudsman's work, for his correspondence is open to public inspection.
司法特派員的工作沒有什么秘密可言，他的信件是公開的，供公眾監(jiān)督。
1201. If a citizen's complaint is justified, the Ombudsman will act on his behalf.
如果公民的意見正確，司法特派員便為他伸張正義。
1202. The action he takes varies according to the nature of the complaint.
司法特員采取的行動因意見的性質(zhì)不同而有所不同。
1203. He may gently reprimand an official or even suggest to parliament that a law the altered.
他可以善意地批評某位官員，也可以甚至向議會提議修改某項法律。
1204. The following case is a typical example of the Ombudsman's work.
下述事件是司法特派員工作的一個典型例子。
1205. A foreigner living in a Swedish village wrote to the Ombudsman complaining that he had been ill-treated by the police,
一個住在瑞典鄉(xiāng)村的外國人寫信給司法特派員，抱怨說他受到警察的虐待，
1206. simply because he was a foreigner.
原因就是因為他是個外國人。
1207. The Ombudsman immediately wrote to the Chief of Police in the district asking him to send a record of the case.
司法特派員立即寫信給當(dāng)?shù)鼐炀珠L，請他寄送與此事有關(guān)的材料。
1208. There was nothing in the record to show that the foreigner's complaint was justified and the Chief of Police strongly denied the accusation.
材料中沒有任何文字記載證明外國人所說的情況符合事實，警察局長矢口否認這一指控。
1209. It was impossible for the Ombudsman to take action,
司法特派員難以處理。
1210. but when he received a similar complaint from another foreigner in the same village,
但是，當(dāng)他又收到住在同一村莊的另一個外國人寫的一封內(nèi)容類似的投訴信時，
1211. he immediately sent one of his layers to investigate the matter.
他立即派出一位律師前去調(diào)查。
1212. The lawyer ascertained that a policeman had indeed dealt roughly with foreigners on several occasions.
律師證實有個警察確實多次粗魯?shù)貙Υ鈬恕?br />
1213. The fact that the policeman was prejudiced against foreigners could not be recorded in the official files.
警察歧視外國人的事在官方檔案中不可能加以記載，
1214. It was only possible for the Ombudsman to find this out by sending one of his representatives to check the facts.
司法特派員只有派他的代表去核對事實才能了解真相。
1215. The policeman in question was severely reprimanded and was informed that if any further complaints were lodged against him, he would be prosecuted.
當(dāng)事的警察受到嚴厲的斥責(zé)，并被告知，如果再有人投訴他，他將受到起訴。
1216. The Ombudsman's prompt action at once put an end to an unpleasant practice which might have gone unnoticed.
司法特派員及時采取的行動，迅速制止了這一起不愉快的事件，不然這件事可能因未得到人們注意而不了了之。
$課文54 是本能還是機智
1217. We have been brought up to fear insects.
我們自幼就在對昆蟲的懼怕中長大。
1218. We regard them as unnecessary creatures that do more harm than good.
我們把昆蟲當(dāng)作害多益少的無用東西。
1219. We continually wage war on them, for they contaminate our food, carry diseases, or devour our crops.
人類不斷同昆蟲斗爭，因為昆蟲弄臟我們的食物，傳播疾病，吞噬莊稼。
1220. They sting or bite without provocation;
它們無緣無故地又叮又咬；
1221. they fly uninvited into our rooms on summer nights, or beat against our lighted windows.
夏天的晚上，它們未經(jīng)邀請便飛到我們房間里，或者對著露出亮光的窗戶亂撲亂撞。
1222. We live in dread not only of unpleasant insects like spiders or wasps, but of quite harmless one like moths.
我們在日常生活中，不但憎惡如蜘蛛、黃蜂之類令人討厭的昆蟲，而且憎惡并無大害的飛蛾等。
1223. Reading about them increases our understanding without dispelling our fears.
閱讀有關(guān)昆蟲的書能增加我們對它們的了解，卻不能消除我們的恐懼的心理。
1224. Knowing that the industrious ant lives in a highly organized society does nothing to prevent us from being filled with revulsion
即使知道勤奮的螞蟻生活具有高度組織性的社會里，我們也無法抑制對它們的反感。
1225. when we find hordes of them crawling over a carefully prepared picnic lunch.
當(dāng)看到大群螞蟻在我們精心準備的午間野餐上爬行時，
1226. No matter how much we like honey, or how much we have read about the uncanny sense of direction which bees possess,
不管我們多么愛吃蜂蜜，或讀過多少關(guān)于蜜蜂具有神秘的識別方向的靈感的書，
1227. we have a horror of being stung.
我們依舊十分害怕被蜂蜇。
1228. Most of our fears are unreasonable, but they are impossible to erase.
我們的恐懼大部分是沒有道理的，但去無法消除。
1229. At the same time, however, insects are strangely fascinating.
同時，不知為什么昆蟲又是迷人的。
1230. We enjoy reading about them, especially when we find that, like the praying mantis, they lead perfectly horrible lives.
我們喜歡看有關(guān)昆蟲的書，尤其是當(dāng)我們了解螳螂等過著一種令人生畏的生活時，就更加愛讀有關(guān)昆蟲的書了。
1231. We enjoy staring at them, entranced as they go about their business, unaware (we hope) of our presence.
我們喜歡入迷地看它們做事，它們不知道（但愿如此）我們就在它們身邊。
1232. Who has not stood in awe at the sight of a spider pouncing on a fly, or a column of ants triumphantly bearing home an enormous dead beetle?
當(dāng)看到蜘蛛撲向一只蒼蠅時，一隊螞蟻抬著一只巨大的死甲蟲凱旋歸時，誰能不感到敬畏呢?
1233. Last summer I spent days in the garden watching thousands of ants crawling up the trunk of my prize peach tree.
去年夏天，我花了好幾天時間站在花園里觀察成千只螞蟻爬上我那棵心愛的桃樹的樹干。
1234. The tree has grown against a warm wall on a sheltered side of the house.
那棵樹是靠著房子有遮擋的一面暖墻生長的。
1235. I am especially proud of it, not only because it has survived several severe winters, but because it occasionally produces luscious peaches.
我為這棵樹感到特別自豪，不僅因為它度過了幾個寒冬終于活了下來，而且還因為它有時結(jié)出些甘甜的桃子來。
1236. During the summer, I noticed that the leaves of the tree were beginning to wither.
到了夏天，我發(fā)現(xiàn)樹葉開始枯萎，
1237. Clusters of tiny insects called aphids were to be found on the underside of the leaves.
結(jié)果在樹葉背面找到成串的叫作蚜蟲小蟲子。
1238. They were visited by a large colony of ants which obtained a sort of honey from them.
蚜蟲遭到一窩螞蟻的攻擊，螞蟻從它們身上可以獲得一種蜜。
1239. I immediately embarked on an experiment which, even though if failed to get rid of the ants, kept me fascinated for twenty-four hours.
我當(dāng)即動手作了一項試驗，這項試驗盡管沒有使我擺脫這些螞蟻，卻使我著迷了24小時。
1240. I bound the base of the tree with sticky tape, making it impossible for the ants to reach the aphids.
我用一條膠帶把桃樹底部包上，不讓螞蟻接近蚜蟲。
1241. The tape was so sticky that they did not dare to cross it.
膠帶極粘，螞蟻不敢從上面爬過。
1242. For a long time. I watched them scurrying around the base of the tree in bewilderment.
在很長一段時間里，我看見螞蟻圍著大樹底部來回轉(zhuǎn)悠，不知所措。
1243. I even went out at midnight with a torch and noted with satisfaction (and surprise) that the ants were still swarming around the sticky tape without being able to do anything about it.
半夜，我還拿著電筒來到花園里，滿意地（同時驚奇地）發(fā)現(xiàn)那些螞蟻還圍著膠帶團團轉(zhuǎn)。無能為力。
1244. I got up early next morning hoping to find that the ants had given up in despair.
第二天早上，我起床后希望看見螞蟻已因無望而放棄了嘗試，
1245. Instead, I saw that they had discovered a new route.
結(jié)果卻發(fā)現(xiàn)它們又找到一條新的路徑。
1246. They were climbing up the wall of the house and then on to the leaves of the tree.
它們正在順著房子的外墻往上爬，然后爬上樹葉。
1247. I realized sadly that I had been completely defeated by their ingenuity.
我懊喪地感到敗在了足智多謀的螞蟻的手下。
1248. The ants had been quick to find an answer to my thoroughly unscientific methods!
螞蟻已很快找到了相應(yīng)的對策，來對付我那套完全不科學(xué)的辦法！
$課文55 來自地球的問候
1249. Recent developments in astronomy have made it possible to detect planets in our own Milky Way and in other galaxies.
天文學(xué)方面最新發(fā)展使得我們能夠在銀河系和其他星系發(fā)現(xiàn)行星。
1250. This is a major achievement because, in relative terms, planets are very small and do not emit light.
這是一個重要的成就，因為相對來說，行星很小，而且也不發(fā)光。
1251. Finding planets is proving hard enough, but finding life on them will prove infinitely more difficult.
尋找行星證明相當(dāng)困難，但是要在行星上發(fā)現(xiàn)生命會變得無比艱難。
1252. The first question to answer is whether a planet can actually support life.
第一個需要解答的問題是一顆行星是否有能夠維持生命的條件。
1253. In our own solar system, for example, Venus is far too hot and Mars is far too cold to support life.
舉例來說，在我們的太陽系里，對于生命來說，金星的溫度太高，而火星的溫度則太低。
1254. Only the Earth provides ideal conditions, and even here it has taken more than four billion years for plant and animal life to evolve.
只有地球提供理想的條件，而即使在這里，植物和動物的進化也用了40億年的時間。
1255. Whether a planet can support life depends on the size and brightness of its star, that is its 'sun'.
一顆行星是否能夠維持生命取決于它的恒星--即它的“太陽”--的大小和亮度。
1256. Imagine a star up to twenty times larger, brighter and hotter than our own sun.
設(shè)想一下，一顆恒星比我們的太陽還要大，還要亮，還要熱20倍，
1257. A planet would have to be a very long way from it to be capable of supporting life.
那么一顆行星為了維持生命就要離開的它的恒星非常遠。
1258. Alternatively, if the star were small, the life-supporting planet would have to have a close orbit round it and also provide the perfect conditions for life forms to develop.
反之，如果恒星很小，維持生命的行星就要在離恒星很近的軌道上運行，而且要有極好的條件才能使生命得以發(fā)展，
1259. But how would we find such a planet?
但是，我們?nèi)绾尾拍苷业竭@樣一顆行星呢?
1260. At present, there is no telescope in existence that is capable of detecting the presence of life.
現(xiàn)在，沒有一臺現(xiàn)存的望遠鏡可以發(fā)現(xiàn)生命的存在。
1261. The development of such a telescope will be one of the great astronomical projects of the twenty-first century.
而開發(fā)這樣一臺望遠鏡將會是21世紀天文學(xué)的一個重要的研究課題。
1262. It is impossible to look for life on another planet using earth-based telescopes.
使用放置在地球上的望遠鏡是無法觀察到其他行星的生命的。
1263. Our own warm atmosphere and the heat generated by the telescope would make it impossible to detect objects as small as planets.
地球周圍溫暖的大氣層和望遠鏡散出的熱量使得我們根本不可能找到比行星更小的物體。
1264. Even a telescope in orbit round the earth, like the very successful Hubble telescope, would not be suitable because of the dust particles in our solar system.
即使是一臺放置在圍繞地球的軌道上的望遠鏡--如非常成功的哈勃望遠鏡--也因為太陽系中的塵埃微粒而無法勝任。
1265. A telescope would have to be as far away as the planet Jupiter to look for life in outer space,
望遠鏡要放置在木星那樣遙遠的行星上才有可能在外層空間搜尋生命。
1266. because the dust becomes thinner the further we travel towards the outer edges of our own solar system.
因為我們越是接近太陽系的邊緣，塵埃就越稀薄。
1267. Once we detected a planet, we would have to find a way of blotting out the light from its star,
一旦我們找到這樣一顆行星，我們就要想辦法將它的恒星射過來的光線遮暗，
1268. so that we would be able to 'see' the planet properly and analyse its atmosphere.
這樣我們就能徹底“看見”這顆行星，并分析它的大氣層。
1269. In the first instance, we would be looking for plant life, rather than 'little green men'.
首先我們要尋找植物，而不是那種“小綠人”。
1270. The life forms most likely to develop on a planet would be bacteria.
行星上最容易生存下來的是細菌。
1271. It is bacteria that have generated the oxygen we breathe on earth.
正是細菌生產(chǎn)出我們在地球上呼吸的氧氣。
1272. For most of the earth's history they have been the only form of life on our planet.
在地球上發(fā)展的大部分進程中，細菌是地球上唯一的生命形式。
1273. As Earth-dwellers, we always cherish the hope that we will be visited by little green men and that we will be able to communicate with them.
作為地球上的居民，我們總存有這樣的希望：小綠人來拜訪我們，而我們可以和他們交流。
1274. But this hope is always in the realms of science fiction.
但是，這種希望總是只在科幻小說中存在。
1275. If we were able to discover lowly forms of life like bacteria on another planet, it would completely change our view of ourselves.
如果我們能夠在另一顆行星上找到諸如細菌的那種低等生命，那么這個發(fā)現(xiàn)將徹底改變我們對我們自己的看法。
1276. As Daniel Goldin of NASA observed, 'Finding life elsewhere would change everything.
正如美國國家航空和宇宙航空局的丹尼爾.戈爾丁指出的“在其他地方發(fā)現(xiàn)生命會改變一切。
1277. No human endeavor or thought would be unchanged by it.
任何人類的努力和想法都會發(fā)生變化?！?br />
$課文56 河流，我們的鄰居
1278. The river which forms the eastern boundary of our farm has always played an important part in our lives.
形成我們農(nóng)場東部邊界的一條河流一直在我們生活中發(fā)揮著重要作用。
1279. Without it we could not make a living.
要是沒有這條河，我們就無法生存下去。
1280. There is only enough spring water to supply the needs of the house, so we have to pump from the river for farm use.
泉水只能滿足家庭生活用水，因此我們必須從河里抽水以用于農(nóng)業(yè)生產(chǎn)。
1281. We tell river all our secrets.
我們向那條河傾訴我們的秘密。
1282. We know instinctively, just as beekeepers with their bees,that misfortune might overtake us if the important events of our lives were not related to it.
我們本能地懂得，就像養(yǎng)蜂人和他的蜜蜂那樣，
1283. We have special river birthday parties in the summer.
夏天，我們?yōu)檫@條河舉辦特殊的生日宴會。
1284. Sometimes were go upstream to a favourite backwater,
有時，我們溯流而上來到我們喜愛的回水河汊舉辦；
1285. sometimes we have our party at the boathouse,
有時在船塢舉辦。
1286. which a predecessor of ours at the farm built in the meadow hard by the deepest pool for swimming and diving.
那船塢是農(nóng)場一位前輩在一塊草地上蓋的，草地緊挨著一個專供游泳、跳水的深水池。
1287. In a heat wave we choose a midnight birthday party and that is the most exciting of all.
天氣炎熱時，我們便選擇在半夜舉辦生日聚會，這種聚會是最令人激動的。
1288. We welcome the seasons by the riverside, crowning the youngest girl with flowers in the spring,
我們在河邊迎接一年四季。春天在河邊為最年輕的姑娘戴上花冠，
1289. holding a summer festival on Midsummer Eve, giving thanks for the harvest in the autumn,
夏天在河邊歡慶“仲夏前夜”，秋天在河邊豐收而感恩，
1290. and throwing a holly wreath into the current in the winter.
冬天往河中拋撒一個冬表花環(huán)。
1291. After a long period of rain the river may overflow its banks.
久雨這后，河水會泛濫成災(zāi)，
1292. This is a rare occurrence as our climate seldom goes to extremes.
但是在我們這里，氣候很少發(fā)生異常，河水極少泛濫。
1293. We are lucky in that only the lower fields, which make up a very small proportion of our farm, are affected by flooding,
值得慶幸的是，只有低洼的受到洪水影響，而低洼地在我們農(nóng)場比例很小。
1294. but other farms are less favorably sited, and flooding can sometimes spell disaster for their owners.
其他農(nóng)場地勢欠佳，洪水有時會給農(nóng)場主帶來災(zāi)難。
1295. One had winter we watched the river creep up the lower meadows.
有一年冬天，天氣不好，我們眼看著河水浸沒了地勢較低的草場。
1296. All the cattle had been moved into stalls and we stood to lose little.
所有的牲口已提前轉(zhuǎn)移到畜圈里，沒有造成什么損失。
1297. We were, however, worried about our nearest neighbours, whose farm was low lying and who were newcomers to the district.
不過，我們很為我們的近鄰擔(dān)心。他們的農(nóng)場地勢低洼，而且他們又新來乍到。
1298. As the floods had put the telephone out of order, we could not find out how they were managing.
由于洪水造成了電話中斷，我們無法了解他們情況。
1299. From an attic window we could get a sweeping view of the river where their land joined ours,
從頂樓窗口看去，我們農(nóng)場與他們農(nóng)場接壤處的那段河流一覽無余。
1300. and at the most critical juncture we took turns in watching that point.
在最緊急的時刻，我們輪流監(jiān)視那段河流的險情。
1301. The first sign of disaster was a dead sheep floating down.
災(zāi)難的第一跡象是一只死羊順流而下，
1302. Next came a horse, swimming bravely,
接著一匹活馬勇敢地與水搏擊。
1303. but we were afraid that the strength of the current would prevent its landing anywhere before it became exhausted.
但我們擔(dān)心，洪水力量將使它上岸之前就筋疲力盡了。
1304. Suddenly a raft appeared, looking rather like Noah's ark, carrying the whole family, a few hens, the dogs, a cat, and a bird in a cage.
突然，出現(xiàn)了一只筏子，看起來很像諾亞方舟，上面載著他們?nèi)依闲?，還有幾只母雞、幾只狗，一只貓與一只鳥籠，那里頭有一只小鳥。
1305. We realized that they must have become unduly frightened by the rising flood,
我們意識到他們一定是被不斷上漲的洪水嚇壞了。
1306. for their house, which had sound foundations, would have stood stoutly even if it had been almost submerged.
因為他們的房子地基牢固，即使洪水幾乎滅頂也不會倒塌。
1307. The men of our family waded down through our flooded meadows with boathooks,in the hope of being able to grapple a corner of the raft and pull it out of the current towards our bank.
我家的男人們手拿船篙過被水淹沒草場，
1308. We still think it a miracle that they were able to do so.
至今我們?nèi)哉J為這是個奇跡。
$課文57 重返故里
1309. I stopped to let the car cool off and to study the map.
我停下車，讓汽車發(fā)動機冷卻一下，同時查看一下地圖。
1310. I had expected to be near my objective by now, but everything still seemed alien to me.
我本想離目的地已經(jīng)不遠，但周圍一切對我仍很陌生。
1311. I was only five when my father had taken me abroad, and that we eighteen years ago.
我5歲那年，父親就帶我出了國，那是18年前的事了。
1312. When my mother had died after a tragic accident, he did not quickly recover from the shock and loneliness.
當(dāng)時我母親在一次事故中慘死，父親未能很快從悲痛與孤獨中恢復(fù)過來。
1313. Everything around him was full of her presence, continually reopening the wound.
他身邊的一切都是母親的影子不斷勾起他的傷感。
1314. So he decided to emigrate.
于是他決定移居他國。
1315. In the new country he became absorbed in making a new life for the two of us, so that he gradually ceased to grieve.
在這個新的國家里，父親專心致志地為我們倆開創(chuàng)一種新的生活，慢慢地不傷心了。
1316. He did not marry again and I was brought up without a woman's care;
父親沒有再娶，因此，我在沒有母親的環(huán)境里長大成人。
1317. but I lacked for nothing, for he was both father and mother to me.
但我卻什么都不缺，他既當(dāng)父親又當(dāng)母親。
1318. He always meant to go back one day, but not to stay.
他總想將來回國看看，但卻不愿長期住下去，
1319. His roots and mine bad become too firmly embedded in the new land.
因為他與我一樣已經(jīng)把根深深地扎在異國的土地上。
1320. But he wanted to see the old folk again and to visit my mother's grave.
但是，他想看一看家鄉(xiāng)父老鄉(xiāng)親，為我的母親掃墓。
1321. He became mortally ill a few months before we had planned to go and, when he knew that he was dying, he made me promise to go on my own.
就在他計劃回國的前幾個月，他突然身患絕癥。他知道自己已奄奄一息，于是他要我答應(yīng)一定單獨回故鄉(xiāng)一趟。
1322. I hired a car the day after landing and bought a comprehensive book of maps,
我下飛機后租了一輛車，并買了一本詳盡的地圖冊。
1323. which I found most helpful on the cross-country journey, but which I did not think I should need on the last stage.
在鄉(xiāng)間行車途中，我覺得它非常有用，但快到家了，我倒覺得它沒什么用了。
1324. It was not that I actually remembered anything at all.
這倒并非是我背熟了地圖，
1325. But my father had described over and over again what we should see at every milestone, after leaving the nearest town,
而是父親曾詳細給我講了，在過了離故鄉(xiāng)最近的那個小鎮(zhèn)后，在每一個路標處可見到些什么。
1326. so that I was positive I should recognize it as familiar territory.
因此，我相信這段路對我來說會是很熟悉的。
1327. Well, I had been wrong, for I was now lost.
唉，實際我錯了，我現(xiàn)在迷路了。
1328. I looked at the map and then at the millimeter.
我看了看地圖，又查了一下里程表。
1329. I had come ten miles since leaving the town,
從小鎮(zhèn)出來，我走了10英里。
1330. and at this point, according to my father, I should be looking at farms and cottages in a valley,
照父親的說法，我面前應(yīng)是一個山谷，有農(nóng)場與村舍，
1331. with the spire of the church of our village showing in the far distance.
還可遠遠望見老家村子里的教堂的尖頂。
1332. I could see no valley, no farms, no cottages and no church spire -- only a lake.
可現(xiàn)在我卻看不出山谷，看不見農(nóng)舍，也看見教學(xué)尖頂，看見只是一片湖泊。
1333. I decided that I must have taken a wrong turning somewhere.
我想一定是什么地方拐錯了彎兒。
1334. So I drove back to the town and began to retrace the route, taking frequent glances at the map.
于是我駕車返回小鎮(zhèn)，重新按路線行駛。
1335. I landed up at the same corner.
結(jié)果又來到剛才那個拐彎處。
1336. The curious thing was that the lake was not marked on the map.
奇怪的是那個湖沒有在地圖上標出。
1337. I felt as if I had stumbled into a nightmare country, as you sometimes do in dreams.
我感到自己就像平時作夢那樣迷迷糊糊地闖進了惡夢境地。
1338. And, as in a nightmare, there was nobody in sight to help me.
就像在惡夢里一樣，見不到一個人可以幫助我。
1339. Fortunately for me, as I was wondering what to do next, there appeared on the horizon a man on horseback, riding in my direction.
不過，我是幸運的，正當(dāng)我走投無路之時，從天邊出現(xiàn)一個騎馬的人向我騎來。
1340. I waited till he came near, then I asked him the way to our old village.
等他走近了，問他去老家的路。
1341. He said that there was now no village.
他說那村子已經(jīng)沒有了。
1342. I thought he must have misunderstood me, so I repeated its name.
我想他一定誤解了我的意思，于是又說一遍村莊的名字。
1343. This time he pointed to the lake.
這次他用手指了一下那個湖。
1344. The village no longer existed because it had been submerged, and all the valley too.
村莊已不復(fù)存在，因為已經(jīng)為水所淹，山谷也被水淹沒了。
1345. The lake was not a natural one, but a man-made reservoir.
這不是一個天然湖泊，是一座人工修建的水庫。
$課文58 一點兒小麻煩
1346. The old lady was glad to be back at the block of flats where she lived.
老婦人回到了她居住的公寓樓，心里很高興。
1347. Her shopping had tired her and her basket and grown heavier with every step of the way home.
去商店買東西把她搞得筋疲力盡；在回家的路上，她每走一步，就感到手里的籃子又重了一點。
1348. In the lift her thoughts were on lunch and a good rest;
她乘上電梯后，只想著午餐和好好休息一下。
1349. but when she got out at her own floor, both were forgotten in her sudden discovery that her front door was open.
但她到自己的樓層走出電梯后，就把這兩件事忘了個干凈，因為她突然發(fā)現(xiàn)她家的大門開著。
1350. She was thinking that she must reprimand her home help the next morning for such a monstrous piece of negligence,
她心想明天上午一定要好好訓(xùn)斥那個干家務(wù)的幫手，她竟如此疏忽大意。
1351. when she remembered that she had gone shopping after the home help had left and she knew that she had turned both keys in their locks.
但突然記起來了，幫手是在她出去買東西之前走的，她還記得曾用了兩把鑰匙把大門鎖上了。
1352. She walked slowly into the hall and at once noticed that all the room doors were open,
她慢慢地走進前廳，立即發(fā)現(xiàn)所有的房門都敞開著，
1353. yet following her regular practice she had shut them before going out.
而她記得在出門買東西前，她按老規(guī)矩是把房門一一鎖上的。
1354. Looking into the drawing room, she saw a scene of confusion over by her writing desk.
她往起居室里看去，寫字臺邊一片狼籍。
1355. It was as clear as daylight then that burglars had forced an entry during her absence.
事情很清楚，在她外出時，竊賊曾闖進家門。
1356. Her first impulse was to go round all the rooms looking for the thieves,
她第一個條件反射是各個房間搜尋一下竊賊，
1357. but then she decided that at her age it might be more prudent to have someone with her,
但轉(zhuǎn)念一想，像她這個年紀，最好找個人一起去。
1358. so she went to fetch the porter from his basement.
于是她到地下室去找看門的人。
1359. By this time her legs were beginning to tremble, so she sat down and accepted a cup of very strong tea, while he telephoned the police.
這時她兩腿累得開始發(fā)抖，于是坐了下來，喝了一杯濃茶。與此同時，看門的人給警察掛了電話。
1360. Then, her composure regained, she was ready to set off with the porter's assistance to search for any intruders who might still be lurking in her flat.
此刻老婦人也鎮(zhèn)定了下來，準備在看門人的協(xié)助下搜尋可能仍躲藏在她房里的竅賊。
1361. They went through the rooms, being careful to touch nothing,
他倆搜遍這每一個房間，小心翼翼地不接觸任何東西，
1362. as they did not want to hinder the police in their search for fingerprints.
因為他們怕妨礙警察尋找指紋。
1363. The chaos was inconceivable.
房間里的紊亂狀況是無法想像的。
1364. She had lived in the flat for thirty years and was a veritable magpie at hoarding;
老婦人在這套公寓里住了30年，她又是個名副其實的收藏家。
1365. and it seemed as though everything she possessed had been tossed out and turned over and over.
看來她的每一件東西都被翻了出來，并且被里里外外看了遍。
1366. At least sorting out the things she should have discarded years ago was now being made easier for her.
這樣一來，她倒是容易將那些幾年前就該扔掉的東西找出來了。
1367. Then a police inspector arrived with a constable and she told them of her discovery of the ransacked flat.
過了一會兒，一位巡官帶著一名警察來了。她向他們講述了發(fā)現(xiàn)公寓遭劫的經(jīng)過。
1368. The inspector began to look for fingerprints, while the constable checked that the front door locks had not been forced,
巡官開始搜尋指紋，警察經(jīng)檢查發(fā)現(xiàn)大門鎖頭并無撬過的跡象。
1369. thereby proving that the burglars had either used skeleton keys or entered over the balcony.
由此可以證明，竅賊或者是用萬能鑰匙，或者是翻越陽臺進來的。
1370. There was no trace of fingerprints,
巡官沒有發(fā)現(xiàn)指紋，
1371. but the inspector found a dirty red bundle that contained jewellery which the old lady said was not hers.
卻發(fā)現(xiàn)了一個裝有珠寶的、骯臟的紅包袱。老婦人說那不是她的。
1372. So their entry into this flat was apparently not the burglars' first job that day and they must have been disturbed.
很明顯，闖進這套公寓的竊賊那天并不是首次作案，而且他一定受了驚嚇。
1373. The inspector then asked the old lady to try to check what was missing by the next day and advised her not to stay alone in the flat for a few nights.
巡官請老婦人在次日之前設(shè)法查清丟了些什么，并勸她幾夜之內(nèi)不要獨自一人在公寓過夜。
1374. The old lady though he was a fussy creature,
老婦人覺得巡官大驚小怪，
1375. but since the porter agreed with him, she rang up her daughter and asked for her help in what she described as a little spot of bother.
但既然看門人也同意他的意見，她只得打電話向女兒求援，說她碰到了一點兒小麻煩。
$課文59 收藏
1376. People tend to amass possessions, sometimes without being aware of doing so.
人們喜歡收藏東西，有時并沒有意識到自己在這樣做。
1377. Indeed they can have a delightful surprise when they find something useful which they did not know they owned.
確實，一旦無意之中從自己的收藏品中找到某件有用的東西時，可以給人一種驚喜的感覺。
1378. Those who never have to move house become indiscriminate collectors of what can only be described as clutter.
那些從來不必搬家的人們成了一種無所無容的收藏家。
1379. They leave unwanted objects in drawers, cupboards and attics for years, in the belief that they may one day need just those very things.
他們專門收藏那些只能被稱作雜貨的東西。他們在抽屜里，碗柜中、閣樓上堆放著一些不用的東西，一放就是好幾年，
1380. As they grow old, people also accumulate belongings for two other reasons,
相信總有一天需要的正好是那些東西。人們年老之后也喜歡收藏東西，不過是出于兩個不同的原因：
1381. lack of physical and mental energy, both of which are essential in turning out and throwing away, and sentiment.
一是體力，精力均告不佳，這二者是清除無用的東西必不可少的因素；另一原因是感情因素。
1382. Things owned for a long time are full associations with the past, perhaps with relatives who are dead,
東西擱得時間久了，便會充滿著與過去歲月的聯(lián)系，比方說與死去的親戚有關(guān)。
1383. and so they gradually acquire a value beyond their true worth.
因此這些東西慢慢獲得了一種超出它本身的價值。
1384. Some things are collected deliberately in the home in an attempt to avoid waste.
居家度日，有目的地收藏某些東西是為了防止浪費。
1385. Among these I would list string and brown paper,
這些東西中我想舉出線繩和包裝紙為例。
1386. kept by thrifty people when a parcel has been opened, to save buying these two requisites.
節(jié)儉的人們打開包裹后便把這兩樣必備的東西收藏起來。省得日后去買。
1387. Collecting small items can easily become a mania.
收集小玩藝兒很容易著迷。
1388. I know someone who always cuts sketches out from newspapers of model clothes that she would like to buy if she had the money.
我認識一個人，她總喜歡從報紙上剪下流行服裝的圖樣，等以后有錢時去買服裝。
1389. As she is not rich, the chances that she will ever be able to afford such purchases are remote;
由于她并不富裕，她買得起這些服裝的可能性十分渺茫。
1390. but she is never sufficiently strong-minded to be able to stop the practice.
但她又缺乏足夠堅強的意志把這一收集活動停下來。
1391. It is a harmless habit, but it litters up her desk to such an extent that every time she opens it, loose bits of paper fall out in every direction.
這種習(xí)慣無害，只把寫字臺里堆得滿滿當(dāng)當(dāng)，以致每次打開抽屜總能帶出許多紙片四處飛揚。
1392. Collecting as a serious hobby is quite different and has many advantages.
作為一種嚴肅的業(yè)余愛好的收藏活動完全是另外一回事，
1393. It provides relaxation for leisure hours, as just looking at one's treasures is always a joy.
它具有許多益處。它可以使人在閑暇中得到休息，因為欣賞自己收藏的珍品總會充滿了樂趣。
1394. One does not have to go outside for amusement, since the collection is housed at home.
人們不必走到戶外去尋求娛樂，因為收藏品都是存放在家中。
1395. Whatever it consists of, stamps, records, first editions of books china,
不管收藏品是什么，郵票、唱片、頭版書籍、瓷器、
1396. glass, antique furniture, pictures, model cars, stuffed birds, toy animals,
玻璃杯、老式家具、繪畫、模型汽車、鳥類標本，還是玩具動物，
1397. there is always something to do in connection with it, from finding the right place for the latest addition, to verifying facts in reference books.
從為新增添的收藏品尋找擺放位置到核對參考書中的事實，總歸有事可做。
1398. This hobby educates one not only in the chosen subject, but also in general matters which have some bearing on it.
這種愛好不僅能使人從選擇的專題中受到教育，而且也能從與之有關(guān)的一般事物中獲得長進。
1399. There are also other benefits.
除此之外，還有其他的益處。
1400. One wants to meet like-minded collectors, to get advice, to compare notes, to exchange articles, to show off the latest find.
收藏者要會見情趣相投的收藏者，以獲取教益，交流經(jīng)驗、交換收藏品，炫耀自己的最新收藏。
1401. So one's circle of friends grows.
朋友的圈子就這樣不斷擴大。
1402. Soon the hobby leads to travel, perhaps to a meeting in another town, possibly a trip abroad in search of a rare specimen,
用不了多久，有這種愛好的人便開始旅行，也許是去另一個城市參加會議，也可能是出國尋找一件珍品，
1403. for collectors are not confined to any one country.
因為收藏家是不分國籍的。
1404. Over the years, one may well become an authority on one's hobby and will very probably be asked to give informal talks to little gatherings and then,
一人積了多年經(jīng)驗會成為自己這種愛好的權(quán)威，很可能應(yīng)邀在小型集會上作非正式的講話。
1405. if successful, to larger audiences.
如果講得好，可能向更多人發(fā)表演說。
1406. In this way self-confidence grows, first from mastering a subject, then from being able to talk about it.
這樣，你自信心不斷增強，先是因為掌握一門學(xué)問，接下來是因為能夠就此發(fā)表見解。
1407. Collecting, by occupying spare time so constructively, makes a person contented, with no time for boredom.
收藏活動通過富有建設(shè)性地利用業(yè)余時間使人感到心滿意足，不再有無聊之日。
$課文60 太早和太晚
1408. Punctuality is a necessary habit in all public affairs in civilized society.
準時是文明社會中進行一切社交活動時必須養(yǎng)成的習(xí)慣。
1409. Without it, nothing could ever be brought to a conclusion; everything would be in state of chaos.
不準時將一事無成，事事都會陷入混亂不堪的境地。
1410. Only in a sparsely-populated rural community is it possible to disregard it.
只有在人口稀少的農(nóng)村，才可以忽視準時的習(xí)慣。
1411. In ordinary living, there can be some tolerance of unpunctuality.
在日常生活中人們可以容忍一定程度的不準時。
1412. The intellectual, who is working on some abstruse problem, has everything coordinated and organized for the matter in hand.
一個專心鉆研某個復(fù)雜問題的知識分子，為了搞好手頭的研究，要把一切都協(xié)調(diào)一致，組織周密。
1413. He is therefore forgiven if late for a dinner party.
因此，他要是赴宴遲到了會得到諒解。
1414. But people are often reproached for unpunctuality when their only fault is cutting things fine.
但有些人不準時常常因為掐鐘點所致，他們常常受到責(zé)備，
1415. It is hard for energetic, quick-minded people to waste time,
精力充沛、頭腦敏捷的人極不愿意浪費時間，
1416. so they are often tempted to finish a job before setting out to keep an appointment.
因此他們常想做完一件事后再去赴約。
1417. If no accidents occur on the way, like punctured tyres, diversions of traffic, sudden descent of fog, they will be on time.
要是路上沒有發(fā)生如爆胎、改道、突然起霧等意外事故，他們決不會遲到。
1418. They are often more industrious, useful citizens than those who are never late.
他們與那些從不遲到的人相比，常常是更勤奮有用的公民。
1419. The over-punctual can be as much a trial to others as the unpunctual.
早到的人同遲到的人一樣令人討厭。
1420. The guest who arrives half an hour too soon is the greatest nuisance.
客人提前半小時到達是令人討厭的。
1421. Some friends of my family had this irritating habit.
我家有幾個朋友就有這有令人惱火的習(xí)慣。
1422. The only thing to do was ask them to come half an hour later than the other guests.
唯一的辦法就是請他們比別的客人晚來半小時。
1423. Then they arrived just when we wanted them.
這樣，他們可以恰好在我們要求的時間到達。
1424. If you are catching a train, it is always better to be comfortably early than even a fraction of a minute too late.
如果趕火車，早到總比晚到好，哪怕早到一會兒也好。
1425. Although being early may mean wasting a little time,
雖然早到可能意味著浪費一點時間，
1426. this will be less than if you miss the train and have to wait an hour or more for the next one;
但這比誤了火車等上一個多小時坐下班車浪費的時間要少，
1427. and you avoid the frustration of arriving at the very moment when the train is drawing out of the station and being unable to get on it.
而且可以避免那種正好在火車駛出站時趕到車站，因上不去車而感到的沮喪。
1428. An even harder situation is to be on the platform in good time for a train and still to see it go off without you.
更難堪的情況是雖然及時趕到站臺上，卻眼睜睜地看著那趟火車啟動，把你拋下。
1429. Such an experience befell a certain young girl the first time she was travelling alone.
一個小姑娘第一次單獨出門就碰到了這種情況。
1430. She entered the station twenty minutes before the train was due,
在火車進站20分鐘前她就進了車站。
1431. since her parents had impressed upon her that it would be unforgivable to miss it and cause the friends with whom she was going to stay to make two journeys to meet her.
因為她的父母再三跟她說，如果誤了這趟車，她的東道主朋友就得接她兩趟，這是不應(yīng)該的。
1432. She gave her luggage to a porter and showed him her ticket.
她把行李交給搬運工并給他看了車票。
1433. To her horror he said that she was two hours too soon.
搬運工說她早到了兩個小時，她聽后大吃一驚。
1434. She felt in her handbag for the piece of paper on which her father had written down all the details of the journey and gave it to the porter.
她從錢包里摸出一張紙條，那上面有她父親對這次旅行詳細說明，她把這張紙條交給了搬運工。
1435. He agreed that a train did come into the station at the time on the paper and that it did stop,
搬運工說，正如紙條所說，確有一趟火車在那個時刻到站，
1436. but only to take on mail, not passengers.
但它只停站裝郵件，不載旅客。
1437. The girl asked to see a timetable, feeling sure that her father could not have made such a mistake.
姑娘要求看到時刻表，因為她相信父親不能把這么大的事弄錯。
1438. The porter went to fetch one and arrived back with the station master,
搬運工跑回去取時刻表，同時請來了站長。
1439. who produced it with a flourish and pointed out a microscopic 'o' beside the time of the arrival of the train at his station;
站長拿著時刻表一揮手，指著那趟列車到站時刻旁邊一個很小的圓圈標記。
1440. this little 'o' indicated that the train only stopped for mail.
這個標記表示列車是為裝郵件而停車。
1441. Just as that moment the train came into the station.
正在這時，火車進站了。
1442. The girl, tears streaming down her face, begged to be allowed to slip into the guard's van.
女孩淚流滿面，央求讓她不聲不響地到押車員車廂里去算了。
1443. But the station master was adamant:
但站長態(tài)度堅決，
1444. rules could not be broken and she had to watch that train disappear towards her destination while she was left behind.
規(guī)章制度不能破壞，姑娘只得眼看那趟火車消逝在她要去的方向而撇下了她。