新概念英語第3冊?01-30

課文1 逃遁的美洲獅1. Pumas are large, cat-like animals which are found in America. 美洲獅是一種體形似貓的大動物，產於美洲。2. When reports came into London Zoo that a wild puma had been spotted forty-five miles south of London, they were not taken seriously. 當倫敦動物園接到報告說，在倫敦以南45英里處發現一隻美洲獅時，這些報告並沒有受到重視。3. However, as the evidence began to accumulate, experts from the Zoo felt obliged to investigate, 可是，隨著證據越來越多，動物園的專家們感到有必要進行一番調查，4. for the descriptions given by people who claimed to have seen the puma were extraordinarily similar. 因為凡是聲稱見到過美洲獅的人們所描述的情況竟是出奇地相似。5. The hunt for the puma began in a small village where a woman picking blackberries saw "a large cat" only five yards away from her. 搜尋美洲獅的工作是從一座小村莊開始的。那裡的一位婦女在採摘黑莓時的看見「一隻大貓」，離她僅5碼遠，6. It immediately ran away when she saw it, and experts confirmed that a puma will not attack a human being unless it is cornered. 她剛看見它，它就立刻逃走了。專家證實，美洲獅非被逼得走投無路，是決不會傷人的。7. The search proved difficult, 事實上搜尋工作很困難，8. for the puma was often observed at one place in the morning and at another place twenty miles away in the evening. 因為常常是早晨在甲地發現那隻美洲獅，晚上卻在20英里外的乙地發現它的蹤跡。9. Wherever it went, it left behind it a trail of dead deer and small animals like rabbits. 無論它走哪兒，一路上總會留下一串死鹿及死兔子之類的小動物，10. Paw prints were seen in a number of places and puma fur was found clinging to bushes. 在許多地方看見爪印，灌木叢中發現了粘在上面的美洲獅毛。11. Several people complained of "cat-like noises" at night and a businessman on a fishing trip saw the puma up a tree. 有人抱怨說夜裡聽見「像貓一樣的叫聲」；一位商人去釣魚，看見那隻美洲獅在樹上。12. The experts were now fully convinced that the animal was a puma, but where had it come from? 專家們如今已經完全肯定那隻動物就是美洲獅，但它是從哪兒來的呢?13. As no pumas had been reported missing from any zoo in the country, 由於全國動物園沒有一家報告丟了美洲獅，14. this one must have been in the possession of a private collector and somehow managed to escape. 因此那隻美洲獅一定是某位私人收藏豢養的，不知怎麼設法逃出來了。15. The hunt went on for several weeks, but the puma was not caught. 搜尋工作進行了好幾個星期，但始終未能逮住那隻美洲獅。16. It is disturbing to think that a dangerous wild animal is still at large in the quiet countryside. 想到在寧靜的鄉村裡有一頭危險的野獸繼續逍遙流竄，真令人擔心。$課文2 十三等於一17. Our vicar is always raising money for one cause or another, 我們教區的牧師總是為各種各樣的事籌集資金。18. but he has never managed to get enough money to have the church clock repaired. 但始終未能籌足資金把教堂的鐘修好。19. The big clock which used to strike the hours day and night was damaged many years ago and has been silent ever since. 教堂的鐘很大，以前不分晝夜打點報時，但很多年前遭到毀壞，從此便無聲無息了。20. One night, however, our vicar woke up with a start: the clock was striking the hours! 一天夜裡，我們的牧師突然被驚醒了，大鐘又在「打點」報時了！21. Looking at his watch, he saw that it was one o"clock, but the bell struck thirteen times before it stopped. 他一看錶，才1點鐘，可是那鍾一邊敲了13下才停。22. Armed with a torch, the vicar went up into the clock tower to see what was going on. 牧師拿著一支電筒走上鐘樓想去看看究竟發生了什麼事情。23. In the torchlight, he caught sight of a figure whom he immediately recognized as Bill Wilkins, our local grocer. 借著電筒光。他看見一個人，馬上認出那是本地雜貨店主經比爾.威爾金斯。24. "Whatever are you doing up here Bill?" asked the vicar in surprise. 「你究竟在這上面幹什麼，比爾?」牧師驚訝地問。25. "I"m trying to repair the bell," answered Bill. 「我想把這口鐘修好，」比爾回答說。26. I"ve been coming up here night after night for weeks now. 「好幾個星期了，我天天夜裡到鐘樓上來。27. You see, I was hoping to give you a surprise. 嗯，我是想讓你大吃一驚。」28. "You certainly did give me a surprise!" said the vicar. 「你確實使我大吃了一驚！」牧師說，29. You"ve probably woken up everyone in the village as well. 「也許同時你把村裡所有的人都吵醒了。30. Still, I"m glad the bell is working again. 不過，鍾又能報時了，我還是很高興的。」31. That"s the trouble, vicar," answered Bill. 「問題就在這裡，牧師，」比爾回答說。32. It"s working all right, but I"m afraid that at one o"clock it will strike thirteen times and there"s nothing I can do about it. 「不錯，鍾能報時了，但是，恐怕每到1點鐘，它總要敲13下，對此我已無能為力了。」33. We"ll get used to that, Bill," said the vicar. 「大家慢慢就習慣了，比爾，」牧師說。34. Thirteen is not as good as one, but it"s better than nothing. 「13下是不如1下好，但總比1下也不敲強。35. Now let"s go downstairs and have a cup of tea. 來，咱們下樓去喝杯茶吧。」$課文3 無名女神36. Some time ago, an interesting discovery was made by archaeologists on the Aegean island of Kea. 不久之前，在愛琴海的基亞島上，考古工作者有一項有趣的發現。37. An American team explored a temple which stands in an ancient city on the promontory of Ayia Irini. 一個美國考古隊在阿伊亞.依里尼海角的一座古城裡考察了一座廟宇。38. The city at one time must have been prosperous, for it enjoyed a high level of civilization. 這座古城肯定一度很繁榮，因為它曾享有高度的文明，39. Houses -- often three storeys high -- were built of stone. 房子一般有3層樓高，用石塊修建。40. They had large rooms with beautifully decorated walls. 裡面房間很大，牆壁裝飾華麗。41. The city was even equipped with a drainage system, for a great many clay pipes were found beneath the narrow streets. 城裡甚至還敷設了排水系統，因為在狹窄的街道底下發現了許許多多陶土製作的排水管道。42. The temple which the archaeologists explored was used as a place of worship from the fifteenth century B.C. until Roman times. 考古工作者考察的這座廟宇從公元前15世紀直到羅馬時代一直是祭祀祈禱的場所。43. In the most sacred room of temple, clay fragments of fifteen statues were found. 在廟中最神聖的一間殿堂里發現了15尊陶雕像的碎片。44. Each of these represented a goddess and had, at one time, been painted. 每一尊雕像代表一位女神，而且一度上過色。45. The body of one statue was found among remains dating from the fifteenth century B.C. 其中有一尊雕像，她的軀體是在公元前15世紀的歷史文物中發現的，46. Its missing head happened to be among remains of the fifth century B.C. 而她那身異處的腦袋卻碰巧是在公元前5世紀的文物中找到的。47. This head must have been found in Classical times and carefully preserved. 她的腦袋一定是在古希臘羅馬時代就為人所發現，並受到精心的保護。48. It was very old and precious even then. 卻使在當時，它也屬歷史悠久的珍奇之物。考49. When the archaeologists reconstructed the fragments, 古工作者把這些碎片重新拼裝起來後，50. they were amazed to find that the goddess turned out to be a very modern-looking woman. 驚奇地發現那位女神原來是一位相貌十分摩登的女郎。51. She stood three feet high and her hands rested on her hips. 她身高3英尺，雙手叉腰。52. She was wearing a full-length skirt which swept the ground. 身穿一條拖地長裙，53. Despite her great age, she was very graceful indeed, 儘管上了年紀，但體態確實優美。54. but, so far, the archaeologists have been unable to discover her identity. 不過，考古工作者至今未能確定這位女神的身份。$課文4 阿爾弗雷德.布洛格斯的雙重生活55. These days, people who do manual work often receive far more money than people who work in offices. 如今，從事體力勞動的人的收入一般要比坐辦公室的人高出許多。56. People who work in offices are frequently referred to as "white-collar workers" for the simple reason that they usually wear a collar and tie to go to work. 坐辦公室的之所以常常被稱作「白領工人」，就是因為他們通常是穿著硬領白襯衫，系著領帶去上班。57. Such is human nature, that a great many people are often willing to sacrifice higher pay for the privilege of becoming white-collar workers. 許多人常常情願放棄較高的薪水以換取做白領工人的殊榮，此乃人之常情。58. This can give rise to curious situations, as it did in the case of Alfred Bloggs who worked as a dustman for the Ellesmere Corporation. 而這常常會引起種種奇怪的現象，在埃爾斯米爾公司當清潔工的艾爾弗雷德.布洛斯就是一個例子。59. When he got married, Alf was too embarrassed to say anything to his wife about his job. 艾爾弗結婚時，感到非常難為情，而沒有將自己的職業告訴妻子。60. He simply told her that he worked for the Corporation. 他只說在埃爾斯米爾公司上班。61. Every morning, he left home dressed in a smart black suit. 每天早晨，他穿上一身漂亮的黑色西裝離家上班，62. He then changed into overalls and spent the next eight hours as a dustman. 然後換上工作服，當8個小時清潔工。63. Before returning home at night, He took a shower and changed back into his suit. 晚上回家前，他洗個淋浴，重新換上那身黑色西服。64. Alf did this for over two years and his fellow dustmen kept his secret . 兩年多以來，艾爾弗一直這樣，他的同事也為他保守秘密。65. Alf"s wife has never discovered that she married a dustman and she never will, 艾爾弗的妻子一直不知道她嫁給了一個清潔工，而且她永遠也不會知道了，66. for Alf has just found another job. 因為艾爾弗已找到薪職，67. He will soon be working in an office. 不久就要坐辦公室里工作了。68. He will be earning only half as much as he used to, but he feels that his rise in status is well worth the loss of money. 他將來掙的錢只有他現在的一半。不過他覺得，地位升高了，損失點兒錢也值得。69. From now on, he will wear a suit all day and others will call him "Mr. Bloggs", not "Alf". 從此，艾爾弗可以一天到晚穿西服了。別人將稱呼他為「布洛格斯先生」，而不再叫他「艾爾弗」了。$課文5 確切數字70. Editors of newspapers and magazines often go to extremes to provide their readers with unimportant facts and statistics. 報刊雜誌的編輯常常為了向讀者提供成立一些關緊要的事實和統計數字而走向極端。71. Last year a journalist had been instructed by a well-known magazine to write an article on the president"s palace in a new African republic. 去年，一位記者受一家有名的雜誌的委託寫一篇關於非洲某個新成立共和國總統府的文章。72. When the article arrived, the editor read the first sentence and then refused to publish it. 稿子寄來後，編輯看第一句話就拒絕予以發表。73. The article began: "Hundreds of steps lead to the high wall which surrounds the president"s palace". 文章的開頭是這樣的：「幾百級台階通向環繞總統的高牆。」74. The editor at once sent the journalist a fax instructing him to find out the exact number of steps and the height of the wall. 編輯立即給那位記者發去傳真，要求他核實一下台階的確切數字和圍牆的高度。75. The journalist immediately set out to obtain these important facts, 記者立即出發去核實這些重要的事實，76. but he took a long time to send them. Meanwhile, the editor was getting impatient, for the magazine would soon go to press. 但過了好長時間不見他把數字寄來，在此期間，編輯等得不耐煩了，因為雜誌馬上要付印。77. He sent the journalist two more faxes, but received no reply. 他給記者先後發去兩份傳真，但對方毫無反應。78. He sent yet another fax informing the journalist that if he did not reply soon he would be fired. 於是他又發了一份傳真，通知那位記者說，若再不迅速答覆，將被解僱。79. When the journalist again failed to reply, the editor reluctantly published the article as it had originally been written. 但記者還是沒有回復。編輯無奈，勉強按原樣發稿了。80. A week later, the editor at last received a fax from the journalist. 一周之後，編輯終於接到記者的傳真。81. Not only had the poor man been arrested, but he had been sent to prison as well. 那個可憐的記者不僅被捕了，而且還被送進了監獄。82. However, he had at last been allowed to send a fax in which he informed the editor 不過，他終於獲准發回了一份傳真。在傳真中他告訴編輯，83. that he had been arrested while counting the 1,084 steps leading to the fifteen-foot wall which surrounded the president"s palace. 就在他數通向15英尺高的總統府圍牆的1，084級台階時，被抓了起來。$課文6 砸櫥窗搶劫84. The expensive shops in a famous arcade near Piccadilly were just opening. 皮卡迪利大街附近的一條著名拱廊街道上，幾家高檔商店剛剛開始營業。85. At this time of the morning, the arcade was almost empty. 在早晨的這個時候，拱廊街上幾乎空無一人。86. Mr. Taylor, the owner of a jewellery shop was admiring a new window display. 珠寶店主泰勒先生正在欣賞新布置的櫥窗。87. Two of his assistants had been working busily since eight o"clock and had only just finished. 他手下兩名店員從早上8點就開始忙碌，這時剛剛布置完畢。88. Diamond necklaces and rings had been beautifully arranged on a background of black velvet. 鑽石項鏈、戒指漂亮地陳列在黑色絲絨上面。89. After gazing at the display for several minutes, Mr. Taylor went back into his shop. 泰勒先生站在櫥窗外凝神欣賞了幾分鐘就回到了店裡。90. The silence was suddenly broken when a large car, with its headlights on and its horn blaring, roared down the arcade. 寧靜突然被打破，一輛大轎車亮著前燈，響著喇叭，呼嘯著衝進了拱廊街，91. It came to a stop outside the jeweller"s. 在珠寶店門口停了下來。92. One man stayed at the wheel while two others with black stockings over their faces jumped out and smashed the window of the shop with iron bars. 一人留在駕駛座上，另外兩個用黑色長筒絲襪蒙面的人跳下車來。他們用鐵棒把商店櫥窗的玻璃砸碎。93. While this was going on, Mr. Taylor was upstairs. 這開始發生時，泰勒先生正在樓上。94. He and his staff began throwing furniture out of the window. Chairs and tables went flying into the arcade. 他與店員動手向窗外投擲傢具，椅子，桌子飛落花流水在拱廊街上。95. One of the thieves was struck by a heavy statue, but he was too busy helping himself to diamonds to notice any pain. 一個竊賊被一尊很重的雕像擊中，但由於他忙著搶鑽石首飾，竟連疼痛都顧不上了。96. The raid was all over in three minutes, for the men scrambled back into the car and it moved off at a fantastic speed. 這場搶劫只持續了3分鐘，因為竊賊爭先恐後地爬上轎車，以驚人的速度開跑了。97. Just as it was leaving, Mr. Taylor rushed out and ran after it throwing ashtrays and vases, but it was impossible to stop the thieves. 就在轎車離開的時候，泰勒先生從店裡沖了出來，跟在車後追趕，一邊還往車上扔煙灰缸、花瓶。但他已無法抓住那些竊賊了。98. They had got away with thousands of pounds worth of diamonds. 他們已帶著價值數千鎊的首飾逃之夭夭了。$課文7 殘鈔鑒別組99. Has it ever happened to you? 這種事情在你身上出現過嗎?100. Have you ever put your trousers in the washing machine and then remembered there was a large bank note in your back pocket? 你有沒有把褲子塞洗衣機，然後又想在褲子的後兜有一張大面值的紙幣?101. When you rescued your trousers, did you find the note was whiter than white? 當你把褲子搶救出來時，你有沒有發現那張紙幣已經變得比白紙還白?102. People who live in Britain needn"t despair when they made mistakes like this (and a lot of people do)! 當英國人犯這種錯誤時，他們不必感到絕望（而許多國家的人都有這種絕望的感覺）。103. Fortunately for them, the Bank of England has a team called Mutilated Ladies 對英國人來說，值得慶幸的是英國銀行有一個殘鈔鑒別組，104. which deals with claims from people who fed their money to a machine or to their dog. 負責理那些把錢塞進機器或塞給狗的人提出的索賠要求。105. Dogs, it seems, love to chew up money! 看起來，狗很喜歡咀嚼錢幣。106. A recent case concerns Jane Butlin whose fiancé, John, runs a successful furniture business. 最近的一個案例與簡.巴特林有關，她的未婚夫約翰擁有一家生意興隆傢具店。107. John had very good day and put his wallet containing $3,000 into the microwave oven for safekeeping. 有一天約翰的生意很好，他把一隻裝有3,000 英鎊的錢包放進微波爐內保存。108. Then he and Jane went horse-riding. 然後，他和簡一起去騎馬。109. When they got home, Jane cooked their dinner in the microwave oven and without realizing it, cooked her fiancé"s wallet as well. 回家後，簡用微波爐煮了晚飯，無意中之中把她未婚夫的錢包也一起煮了。110. Imagine their dismay when they found a beautifully-cooked wallet and notes turned to ash! 可以想像他們發現一隻煮得很好看的錢包，鈔票已化成灰時的沮喪心情。111. John went to see his bank manager who sent the remains of wallet and the money to the special department of the Bank of England in Newcastle: the Mutilate Ladies! 約翰去找銀行經理，經理把約翰的錢包和紙幣的殘留物送到英國銀行在紐卡斯爾的一個專門部門--殘鈔鑒別組。112. They examined the remains and John got all his money back. 他們鑒定了這些殘留物。約翰拿回了他損失的全部數額。113. "So long as there"s something to identify, we will give people their money back," said a spokeswoman for the Bank. 「只要有東西可供識別，我們會把錢還給人家的，」銀行的一位女發言人說。114. Last year, we paid $1.5m on 21,000 claims. 「去年，我們對21，000 起索賠要求支付了150萬英鎊。」$課文8 著名的修道院115. The Great St. Bernard Pass connects Switzerland to Italy. 聖伯納德大山口連接著瑞士與義大利，116. At 2,473 metres, it is the highest mountain pass in Europe. 海拔2,473O米，是歐洲最高的山口。117. The famous monastery of St. Bernard, which was founded in the eleventh century, lies about a mile away. 11世紀建造的著名的聖伯納德修道院位於離山口1英里遠的地方。118. For hundreds of years, St. Bernard dogs have saved the lives of travellers crossing the dangerous Pass. 幾百年來，聖伯納德修道院馴養狗拯救了許多翻越這道山口的旅遊者的生命。119. These friendly dogs, which were first brought from Asia, were used as watchdogs even in Roman times. 那些最先從亞洲引進的狗，待人友好，早在羅馬時代就給人當看門狗了。120. Now that a tunnel has been built through the mountains, the Pass is less dangerous, 如今由於山裡開挖了隧道，翻越山口已不那麼危險了。121. but each year, the dogs are still sent out into the snow whenever a traveller is in difficulty. 但每年還要派狗到雪山地里去幫助那些遇到困難的旅遊者，122. Despite the new tunnel, there are still a few people who rashly attempt to cross the Pass on foot. 儘管修通了隧道，但仍有一些人想冒險徒步跨越聖伯納德山口。123. During the summer months, the monastery is very busy, for it is visited by thousands of people who cross the Pass in cars. 夏天的幾個月里，修道院十分忙碌，因為有成千上萬的人駕車通過山口，順道來修道院參觀。124. As there are so many people about, the dogs have to be kept in a special enclosure. 由於來人太多，狗被關在專門的圍欄里。125. In winter, however, life at the monastery is quite different. 然而到了冬天，修道院里的生活則是另一番景象。126. The temperature drops to -30 and very few people attempt to cross the Pass. 氣溫下降到零下30度，試圖跨越山口的人寥寥無幾。127. The monks prefer winter to summer for they have more privacy. 修道士們喜歡冬天，而不太喜歡夏天。128. The dogs have greater freedom, too, for they are allowed to wander outside their enclosure. 因為在冬天，他們可以更多地過無人打擾的生活。129. The only regular visitors to the monastery in winter are parties of skiers who go there at Christmas and Easter. 狗也比較自由，被放出圍欄，四處遛達。冬天常來修道院參觀的只有一批批滑雪者。130. These young people, who love the peace of mountains, always receive a warm welcome at St. Bernard"s monastery. 他們在聖誕節或復活節到那兒去。這些熱愛高山清靜環境的年輕人每年都受到聖伯納德道院的熱烈歡迎。$課文9 飛貓131. Cats never fail to fascinate human beings. 貓總能引起人們的極大興趣。132. They can be friendly and affectionate towards humans, but they lead mysterious lives of their own as well. 它們可以對人友好，充滿柔情。但是，它們又有自己神秘的生活方式。133. They never become submissive like dogs and horses. 它們從不像狗和馬一樣變得那麼順從。134. As a result, humans have learned to respect feline independence. 結果是人們已經學會尊重貓的獨立性。135. Most cats remain suspicious of humans all their lives. 在它們的一生中，大多數貓都對人存有戒心。136. One of the things that fascinates us most about cats is the popular belief that they have nine lives. 最使我們感興趣的一件事情就是一種通俗的信念--貓有九條命。137. Apparently, there is a good deal of truth in this idea. 顯然，這種說法裡面包含著許多真實性。138. A cat"s ability to survive falls is based on fact. 貓在跌落時能夠大難不死是有事實作為依據的。139. Recently the New York Animal Medical Center made a study of 132 cats over a period of five months. 最近，紐約動物醫療中心對132隻貓進行了為期5個月的綜合研究。140. All these cats had one experience in common: they had fallen off high buildings, yet only eight of them died from shock or injuries. 所有這些貓有一個共同的經歷：它們都曾從高層建築上摔下來過，但只有其中的8隻貓死於震蕩或跌傷。141. Of course, New York is the ideal place for such an interesting study, because there is no shortage of tall buildings. 當然，紐約是進行這種有趣的試驗的一個理想的地方，因為那裡根本不缺乏高樓大廈，142. There are plenty of high-rise windowsills to fall from! 有的是高層的窗檻從上往下墜落。143. One cat, Sabrina, fell 32 storeys, yet only suffered from a broken tooth. 有一隻叫薩伯瑞的貓從32層樓上掉下來，但只摔斷一顆牙。144. "Cats behave like well-trained paratroopers." a doctor said. 「貓就像訓練有素的跳傘隊員，」 一位醫生說。145. It seems that the further cats fall, the less they are likely to injure themselves. 看起來，貓跌落的距離越長，它們就越不會傷害自己。146. In a long drop, they reach speeds of 60 miles an hour and more. 在一個長長的跌落過程中，它們可以達到每小時60里甚至更快的速度。147. At high speeds, falling cats have time to relax. 在高速下落中，貓有時間放鬆自己。148. They stretch out their legs like flying squirrels. 它們伸展四肢，就像飛行中的松鼠一樣。149. This increases their air-resistance and reduces the shock of impact when they hit the ground. 這樣就加大了空氣阻力，並減少了它們著地時衝擊力帶來的震動。$課文10 「泰坦尼克」號的沉沒150. The great ship, Titanic, sailed for New York from Southampton on April 10th, 1912. 巨輪「泰坦尼克」號1912年4月10日從南安普敦起錨駛向紐約。151. She was carrying 1,316 passengers and a crew of 891. 船上載有1,316名乘客與891名船員。152. Even by modern standards, the 46,000 ton Titanic was a colossal ship. 卻使用現代標準來衡量，45,000 噸的「泰坦尼克」號與算得上一艘巨輪了。153. At that time, however, she was not only the largest ship that had ever been built, 當時，這艘輪船不僅是造船史上建造的最大的一艘船，154. but was regarded as unsinkable, for she had sixteen watertight compartments. 而且也被認為是不會沉沒的。因為船由16個密封艙組成，155. Even if two of these were flooded, she would still be able to float. 即使有兩個艙進水，仍可漂浮的水面上。156. The tragic sinking of this great liner will always be remembered, for she went down on her first voyage with heavy loss of life. 然而，這艘巨輪首航就下沉，造成大批人員死亡。人們將永遠記著這艘巨輪的沉沒慘劇。157. Four days after setting out, while the Titanic was sailing across the icy waters of the North Atlantic, 「泰坦尼克」起航後的第4天，它正行駛在北大西洋冰冷的海面上。158. a huge iceberg was suddenly spotted by a lookout. 突然，瞭望員發現一座冰山。159. After the alarm had been given, the great ship turned sharply to avoid a direct collision. 警報響過不久，巨輪急轉彎，以避免與冰山正面相撞。160. The Titanic turned just in time, narrowly missing the immense wall of ice which rose over 100 feet out of the water beside her. 「泰坦尼克」這個彎拐得及時，緊貼著高出海面100英尺的巨大的冰牆擦過去。161. Suddenly, there was a slight trembling sound from below, and the captain went down to see what had happened. 突然，從船艙下部傳來一聲微顫音，船長走下船艙去查看究竟。162. The noise had been so faint that no one though that the ship had been damaged. 由於這個聲音非常輕，沒人會想到船身已遭損壞。163. Below, the captain realized to his horror that the Titanic was sinking rapidly, 在下面，船長驚恐的地發現「泰坦尼克」號正在急速下沉，164. for five of her sixteen watertight compartments had already been flooded! 16個密封艙已有5個進水。165. The order to abandon ship was given and hundreds of people plunged into the icy water. 於是，他發出棄船的命令，幾百人跳進了冰冷刺骨的海水裡。166. As there were not enough lifeboats for everybody, 1,500 lives were lost. 由於沒有足夠的救生艇運載所有乘客，結果，1,500 人喪生。$課文11 無罪167. Customs Officers are quite tolerant these days, 現在的海關官員往往相當寬容。168. but they can still stop you when you are going through the Green Channel and have nothing to declare. 但是，當你通過綠色通道，沒有任何東西需要申報時，他們仍可以攔住你。169. Even really honest people are often made to feel guilty. 甚至是最誠實的人也常弄得覺得有罪似的，170. The hardened professional smuggler, on the other hand, is never troubled by such feelings, even if he has five hundred gold watches hidden in his suitcase. 而老練的職業走私犯卻使手提箱里藏著500隻金錶，卻也處之泰然。171. When I returned from abroad recently, a particularly officious young Customs Officer clearly regarded me as a smuggler. 最近一次，我也出國歸來，碰上一位特別好管閑事的年輕海關官員，他顯然把我當成走私犯。172. "Have you anything to declare?" he asked, looking me in the eye. 「您有什麼需要申報的嗎?」他直盯著我的眼睛問。173. "No", I answered confidently. 「沒有。」我自信地回答說。174. Would you mind unlocking this suitcase please? 「請打開這隻手提箱好嗎?」175. "Not at all," I answered. 「好的。」我回答說。176. The Officer went through the case with great care. 那位官員十分仔細地把箱子檢查了一遍。177. All the things I had packed so carefully were soon in a dreadful mess. 所有細心包裝好的東西一會兒工夫就亂成一團。178. I felt sure I would never be able to close the case again. 我相信那箱子再也關不上了。179. Suddenly, I saw the Officer"s face light up. 突然，我看到官員臉上露出了得意的神色。180. He had spotted a tiny bottle at the bottom of my case and he pounced on it with delight. 他在我的箱底發現了一隻小瓶，高興地一把抓了起來。181. "Perfume, eh?" he asked sarcastically. 「香水，嗯?」他譏諷地說道，182. You should have declared that. Perfume is not exempt from import duty. 「你剛才應該申報，香水要上進口稅的。」183. "But it isn"t perfume," I said. 「不，這不是香水，」我說，184. "It"s hair gel." Then I added with a smile, 「是髮膠。」接著我臉帶微笑補充說：185. "It"s a strange mixture I make myself." 「這是一種我自己配製的奇特的混合物。」186. As I expected, he did not believe me. 他不相信我187. "Try it!" I said encouragingly. 「你就聞一聞吧！」我催促說。188. The officer unscrewed the cap and put the bottle to his nostrils. 海關官員擰開瓶蓋，把瓶子放到鼻子底下。189. He was greeted by an unpleasant smell which convinced him that I was telling the truth. 一股怪味襲來，使他相信了我說的真話。190. A few minutes later, I was able to hurry away with precious chalk marks on my baggage. 幾分鐘後，我終於被放行，手提劃著寶貴的粉筆記號的行李，匆匆離去。$課文12 荒島生活191. Most of us have formed an unrealistic picture of life on a desert island. 我們許多人對於荒島生活有一種不切實際的想法。192. We sometimes imagine a desert island to be a sort of paradise where the sun always shines. 我們有時想像荒島是陽光終日普照的天堂。193. Life there is simple and good. 在那裡，生活簡單又美好。194. Ripe fruit falls from the trees and you never have to work. 成熟的水果從樹上掉下來，人們根本無需勞動。195. The other side of the picture is quite the opposite. 另一種想法恰恰相反，196. Life on a desert island is wretched. 認為荒島生活很可怕，197. You either starve to death or live like Robinson Crusoe, Waiting for a boat which never comes. 要麼餓死，要麼像魯濱孫那樣，天天盼船來，卻總沒見船影。198. Perhaps there is an element of truth in both these pictures, 也許，這兩種都像都有可信之處。199. but few of us have had the opportunity to find out. 但很少有人能有機會去弄個究竟。200. Two men who recently spent five days on a coral island wished they had stayed there longer. 最近有兩個人在一座珊瑚島上呆了5天，他們真希望在那兒再多呆一些日子。201. They were taking a badly damaged boat from the Virgin Islands to Miami to have it repaired. 他們駕著一條嚴重損壞的小船從維爾京群島阿密修理。202. During the journey, their boat began to sink. 途中，船開始下沉，203. They quickly loaded a small rubber dinghy with food, matches, and cans of beer 他們迅速把食物、火柴、罐裝啤酒往一隻救生筏上裝。204. and rowed for a few miles across the Caribbean until they arrived at a tiny coral island. 然後在加勒比海上划行了幾英里，到了一座珊瑚島上。205. There were hardly any trees on the island and there was no water, but this did not prove to be a problem. 島上幾乎沒有一顆樹，也沒有淡水，但這不算什麼問題。206. The men collected rainwater in the rubber dinghy. 他們用像皮艇蓄積雨水。207. As they had brought a spear gun with them, they had plenty to eat. 由於他們隨身帶了一支捕魚槍，因此，吃飯不愁。208. They caught lobster and fish every day，and, as one of them put it "ate like kings". 他們天天捕捉龍蝦和魚，正如其中一位所說，吃得「像國王一樣好」。209. When a passing tanker rescued them five days later, both men were genuinely sorry that they had to leave. 5天後，一條油輪從那兒路過，搭救了他們。這二位不得不離開那個荒島時，還真的感到遺憾呢！$課文13 「是我，別害怕」210. After her husband had gone to work, Mrs. Richards sent her children to school and went upstairs to her bedroom. 理查茲夫人等丈夫上班走後，把孩子送去上學，然後來到樓上自己的卧室。211. She was too excited to do any housework that morning, for in the evening she would be going to a fancy-dress party with her husband. 那天上午，她興奮得什麼家務活都不想做，因為晚上她要同丈夫一起參加一個化裝舞會。212. She intended to dress up as a ghost and as she had made her costume the night before, she was impatient to try it on. 她打算裝扮成鬼的模樣。頭天晚上她已把化裝服做好，這時她急於想試試。213. Though the costume consisted only of a sheet, it was very effective. 儘管化裝服僅由一個被單製成，卻十分逼真。214. After putting it on, Mrs. Richards went downstairs. 理查茲夫人穿上化裝服後下了樓，215. She wanted to find out whether it would be comfortable to wear. 想看穿起來是否舒服。216. Just as Mrs. Richards was entering the dining room, there was a knock on the front door. 理查茲夫人剛剛走進餐廳，前門就傳來敲門聲。217. She knew that it must be the baker. 她知道來了一定麵包師。218. She had told him to come straight in if ever she failed to open the door and to leave the bread on the kitchen table. 她曾告訴過麵包師，如果她不去開門，他可直接進門，把麵包放在廚房的桌上。219. Not wanting to frighten the poor man, Mrs. Richards quickly hid in the small storeroom under the stairs. 理查茲夫人不想嚇唬這個可憐人，便趕緊躲到了樓梯下的小儲藏室里。220. She heard the front door open and heavy footsteps in the hall. 她聽見前門被打開，走廊里響起重重的腳步聲。221. Suddenly the door of the storeroom was opened and a man entered. 突然貯藏門開了，一個男人走了進來。222. Mrs. Richards realized that it must be the man from the Electricity Board who had come to read the metre. 理查茲夫人這才想到一定是供電局來人查電錶了。223. She tried to explain the situation, saying "It"s only me", but it was too late. 她說了聲「是我，別怕！」然後想進行一番解釋，但已來不及了。224. The man let out a cry and jumped back several paces. 那人大叫了一聲，驚退了幾步。225. When Mrs. Richards walked towards him, he fled, slamming the door behind him. 理查茲夫人朝他走去，只見他「砰」的一聲關上門逃走了。$課文14 貴族歹徒226. There was a time when the owners of shops and businesses in Chicago had to pay large sums of money to gangsters in return for "protection." 曾經有一個時期,芝加哥的店主和商行的老闆們不得不拿出大筆的錢給歹徒以換取"保護"。227. If the money was not paid promptly, the gangsters would quickly put a man out of business by destroying his shop. 如果交款不及時,歹徒們就會很快搗毀他的商店,讓他破產.228. Obtaining "protection money" is not a modern crime. 榨取"保護金"並不是一種現代的罪惡行徑.229. As long ago as the fourteenth century, an Englishman, Sir John Hawkwood, made the remarkable discovery 早在14世紀,英國人約翰.霍克伍德就有過非凡的發現:230. that people would rather pay large sums of money than have their life work destroyed by gangsters. "人們情願拿出大筆的錢,也不願畢生的心血毀於歹徒之手.231. Six hundred years ago, Sir John Hawkwood arrived in Italy with a band of soldiers and settled near Florence. 600年前,約翰.霍克伍德爵士帶著一隊士兵來到義大利,在佛羅倫薩附近駐紮下來,232. He soon made a name for himself and came to be known to the Italians as Giovanni Acuto. 很快就出了名.義大利人叫他喬凡尼.阿庫托.233. Whenever the Italian city-states were at war with each other, 每次義大利各城邦之間打伏,234. Hawkwood used to hire his soldiers to princes who were willing to pay the high price he demanded. 霍克伍德把他的士兵僱傭給願給他出高價的君主。235. In times of peace, when business was bad, Hawkwood and his men would march into a city-state and, 和平時期,當生意蕭條時,霍克伍德便帶領士兵進入某個城邦,236. after burning down a few farms, would offer to go away if protection money was paid to them. 縱火燒毀一兩個農場,然後提出,如向他們繳納保護金,他們便主動撤離。237. Hawkwood made large sums of money in this way. 霍克伍德用這種方法掙了大筆錢.238. In spite of this, the Italians regarded him as a sort of hero. 儘管如此,義大利人還是把他視作某種英雄。239. When he died at the age of eighty, the Florentines gave him a state funeral 他80歲那年死去時,佛羅倫薩人為他舉行了國葬,240. and had a picture painted which was dedicated to the memory of "the most valiant soldier and most notable leader, Signor Giovanni Haukodue." 並為他畫像以紀念這位"驍勇無比的戰士、傑出的領袖喬凡尼.阿庫托先生."$課文15 五十便士的麻煩241. Children always appreciate small gifts of money. 孩子們總是喜歡得到一些零花錢。242. Mum or dad, of course, provide a regular supply of pocket money, but uncles and aunts are always a source of extra income. 爸爸媽媽當然經常給孩子零花錢，但是，叔舅嬸姨也是孩子們額外收入來源。243. With some children, small sums go a long way. 對於有些孩子來說，少量的錢可以花很長一段時間。244. If fifty pence pieces are not exchanged for sweets, they rattle for months inside money boxes. 如果50便士不拿來換糖吃，則可以放在儲蓄罐里叮噹響上好幾月。245. Only very thrifty children manage to fill up a money box. 但是能把儲蓄罐裝滿的只有屈指可數的幾個特別節儉的孩子。246. For most of them, fifty pence is a small price to pay for a nice big bar of chocolate. 對大部分孩子來說，用50便士來買一大塊好的巧克力，是算不了什麼的。247. My nephew, George, has a money box but it is always empty. 我的外甥喬治有一個儲蓄罐，但總是空空的。248. Very few of the fifty pence pieces and pound coins I have given him have found their way there. 我給了不少50便士的硬幣，但沒有幾個存到儲蓄罐里。249. I gave him fifty pence yesterday and advised him to save it. 昨天，我給了他50便士讓存起來，250. Instead he bought himself fifty pence worth of trouble. 卻拿這錢給自己買了50便士的麻煩。251. On his way to the sweet shop, he dropped his fifty pence and it bounced along the pavement and then disappeared down a drain. 在他去糖果店的路上，50便士掉在地上，在人行道上跳了幾下，掉進了陰溝里。252. George took off his jacket, rolled up his sleeves and pushed his right arm through the drain cover. 喬治脫掉外套，捲起袖子，將右胳膊伸進了陰溝蓋。253. He could not find his fifty pence piece anywhere, and what is more, he could not get his arm out. 但他摸了半天也沒找到那50便士硬幣，他的胳膊反倒退不出來了。254. A crowd of people gathered round him and a lady rubbed his arm with soap and butter, but George was firmly stuck. 這時在他周圍上了許多人，一位女士在喬治胳膊上抹了肥皂，黃油，但喬治的胳膊仍然卡得緊緊的。255. The fire brigade was called and two fire fighters freed George using a special type of grease. 有人打電話叫來消防隊，兩位消防隊員使用了一種特殊的潤滑劑才使喬治得以解脫。256. George was not too upset by his experience 不過，此事並沒使喬治過於傷心，257. because the lady who owns the sweet shop heard about his troubles and rewarded him with a large box of chocolates. 因為糖果店老闆娘聽說了他遇到的麻煩後，賞給他一大盒巧克力。$課文16 瑪麗有一頭羔羊258. Mary and her husband Dimitri lived in the tiny village of Perachora in southern Greece. 瑪麗與丈夫迪米特里住在希臘南部一個叫波拉考拉的小村莊里。259. One of Mary"s prize possessions was a little white lamb which her husband had given her. 瑪麗最珍貴的財產之一就是丈夫送給她的一隻白色小羔羊。260. She kept it tied to a tree in a field during the day and went to fetch it every evening. 白天，瑪麗把羔羊拴在地里的一顆樹上，每天晚上把它牽回家。261. One evening, however, the lamb was missing. 可是，一天晚上，那隻小羔羊失蹤了。262. The rope had been cut, so it was obvious that the lamb had been stolen. 繩子被人割斷，很明顯小羔羊是被人偷走了。263. When Dimitri came in from the fields, his wife told him what had happened. 迪米特里從地里回來，妻子把情況跟他一說，264. Dimitri at once set out to find the thief. 他馬上出去找偷羔羊的人。265. He knew it would not prove difficult in such a small village. 他知道在這樣一個小村莊里抓住小偷並不困難。266. After telling several of his friends about the theft, Dimitri found out that his neighbour, Aleko, had suddenly acquired a new lamb. 把失竊的事告訴幾個朋友後，迪米特里發出他的鄰居阿列科家突然多了一隻小羔羊。267. Dimitri immediately went to Aleko"s house and angrily accused him of stealing the lamb. 迪米特里立刻去了阿列科家，氣呼呼地指責他偷了羔羊，268. He told him he had better return it or he would call the police. 告訴他最好把羊交還，否則就去叫警察。269. Aleko denied taking it and led Dimitri into his backyard. 阿列科不承認，並把迪米特里領進院子。270. It was true that he had just bought a lamb, he explained, but his lamb was black. 不錯，他的確剛買了一隻羔羊，阿列科解釋說，但他的羔羊是黑色的。271. Ashamed of having acted so rashly, Dimitri apologized to Aleko for having accused him. 迪米特里為自己的魯莽而感到不好意思，向阿列科道了歉，說是錯怪了他。272. While they were talking it began to rain and Dimitri stayed in Aleko"s house until the rain stopped. 就在他倆說話的時候，天下起了雨，迪米特里便呆在阿列科家裡避雨，一直等到雨停為止。273. When he went outside half an hour later, he was astonished to find that the little black lamb was almost white. 半小時後，當他從屋裡出來時，他驚奇地發現小黑羔羊全身幾乎都變成白色。274. Its wool, which had been dyed black, had been washed clean by the rain! 原來羊毛上染的黑色被雨水衝掉了！$課文17 世界上最長的弔橋275. Verrazano, an Italian about whom little is known, sailed into New York Harbour in 1524 and named it Angouleme. 1524年，一位鮮為人知的義大利人維拉薩諾駕船駛進紐約港，並將該港名為安古拉姆。276. He described it as "a very agreeable situation located within two small hills in the midst of which flowed a great river." 他對該港作了這樣的描述：「地理位置十分適宜，位於兩座小山的中間，一條大河從中間流過」。277. Though Verrazano is by no means considered to be a great explorer, his name will probably remain immortal, 雖然維拉薩諾絕對算不上一個偉大的探險家，但他的名字將流芳百世，278. for on November 21st, 1964, the longest suspension bridge in the world was named after him. 因為1964年11月21日建成的一座世界上最長的弔橋是以他的名字命名。279. The Verrazano Bridge, which was designed by Othmar Ammann, joins Brooklyn to Staten Island. 維拉薩諾大橋由奧斯馬.阿曼設計，連結著布魯克林與斯塔頓島，280. It has a span of 4,260 feet. 橋長4,260英尺。281. The bridge is so long that the shape of the earth had to be taken into account by its designer. 由於橋身太長，設計者不得不考慮了地表的形狀。282. Two great towers support four huge cables. 兩座巨塔支撐著4根粗大的鋼纜。283. The towers are built on immense underwater platforms made of steel and concrete. 塔身建在巨大的水下鋼盤混凝土平台上。284. The platforms extend to a depth of over 100 feet under the sea. 平台深入海底100英尺。285. These alone took sixteen months to build. 僅這兩座塔就花了16個月才建成。286. Above the surface of the water, the towers rise to a height of nearly 700 feet. 塔身高出水面將近700英尺。287. They support the cables from which the bridge has been suspended. 高塔支撐著鋼纜，而鋼纜又懸吊著大橋，288. Each of the four cables contains 26,108 lengths of wire. 4根鋼纜中的每根由26，108股鋼繩組成。289. It has been estimated that if the bridge were packed with cars, it would still only be carrying a third of its total capacity. 據估計，若橋上擺滿了汽車，也只不過是橋的總承載力的1/3。290. However, size and strength are not the only important things about this bridge. 然而，這座橋重要特點不僅是它的規模與強度。291. Despite its immensity, it is both simple and elegant, 儘管此橋很大，但它的結構簡單，造型優美，292. fulfilling its designer"s dream to create "an enormous object drawn as faintly as possible". 實現了設計者企圖創造一個「盡量用細線條勾畫出一個龐然大物」的夢想。$課文18 現代藝術的電流293. Modern sculpture rarely surprises us any more. 現代雕塑不再使我們感到驚訝了。294. The idea that modern art can only be seen in museums is mistaken. 那種認為現代藝術只能在博物館裡才能看到的觀點是錯誤的。295. Even people who take no interest in art cannot have failed to notice examples of modern sculpture on display in public places. 即使是對藝術不感興趣的人也不會注意到在公共場所展示的現代藝術品。296. Strange forms stand in gardens, and outside buildings and shops. 公園裡、大樓和商店外豎立著的奇形怪狀的雕塑，297. We have got quite used to them. 對這些，我們已經司空見慣了。298. Some so-called "modern" pieces have been on display for nearly eighty years. 有些所謂的「現代」藝術品在那裡已經陳列了近80年了。299. In spite of this, some people -- including myself -- were surprised by a recent exhibition of modern sculpture. 儘管如此，最近舉辦的一次現代雕塑展覽還是使一些人（包括我在內）大吃了一驚。300. The first thing I saw when I entered the art gallery was a notice which said: "Do not touch the exhibits. Some of them are dangerous!" 走進展廳首先看到的是一張告示，上面寫著「切勿觸摸展品，某些展品有危險！」301. The objects on display were pieces of moving sculpture. 展品都是些活動的雕像。302. Oddly shaped forms that are suspended from the ceiling and move in response to a gust of wind are quite familiar to everybody. 人們所熟悉的是懸掛在天花板上、造型奇特、隨風飄蕩的雕塑品。303. These objects, however, were different. Lined up against the wall, there were long thin wires attached to metal spheres. 這些展品卻使人大開眼界。靠牆排列著許多細長的電線，而電線又連著金屬球。304. The spheres had been magnetized and attracted or repelled each other all the time. 金屬球經過磁化，互相之間不停地相互吸引或相互排斥。305. In the centre of the hall, there were a number of tall structures which contained coloured lights. 展廳中央是裝有彩色燈泡的許多高高的構件，燈泡一刻不停地閃爍著，就像失去了控制的紅綠燈。306. These lights flickered continuously like traffic lights which have gone mad. 小黑盒子里迸出火花，307. Sparks were emitted from small black boxes and red lamps flashed on and off angrily. 紅色燈泡發怒似地忽明忽暗。308. It was rather like an exhibition of prehistoric electronic equipment. 這兒倒像是在展覽古老的電子設備。309. These peculiar forms not only seemed designed to shock people emotionally, 好像設計這些奇形怪狀的展品不僅是為了給人感情上的強烈刺激，310. but to give them electric shocks as well! 而且還想給人以電擊似的！$課文19 一條貴重的寶貝貓311. Kidnappers are rarely interested in animals, but they recently took considerable interest in Mrs. Eleanor Ramsay"s cat. 綁架者很少對動物感興趣。最近，綁架者卻盯上了埃莉諾.拉姆齊太太的貓。312. Mrs. Eleanor Ramsay, a very wealthy old lady, has shared a flat with her cat, Rastus, for a great many years. 埃莉諾.拉姆齊太太是一個非常富有的老婦人，多年來，一直同她養的貓拉斯一起住在一所公寓里。313. Rastus leads an orderly life. 拉斯特斯生活很有規律，314. He usually takes a short walk in the evenings and is always home by seven o"clock. 傍晚常常出去溜達一會兒，並且總是在7點鐘以前回來。315. One evening, however, he failed to arrive. 可是，有一天晚上，它出去後再也沒回來。316. Mrs. Ramsay got very worried. 拉姆齊太太急壞了，317. She looked everywhere for him but could not find him. 四處尋找，但沒有找著。318. Three days after Rastus" disappearance, Mrs. Ramsay received an anonymous letter. 拉斯特斯失蹤3天後，拉姆齊太太收到一封匿名信。319. The writer stated that Rastus was in safe hands and would be returned immediately if Mrs. Ramsay paid a ransom of $1,000. 寫信人聲稱拉斯特斯安然無恙，只要拉姆齊太太願意支付1,000 英鎊贖金，可以立即將貓送還。320. Mrs. Ramsay was instructed to place the money in a cardboard box and to leave it outside her door. 他讓拉姆齊太太把錢放在一個紙盒裡，然後將紙盒放在門口。321. At first she decided to go to the police, 一開始拉姆齊太太打算報告警察，322. but fearing that she would never see Rastus again -- the letter had made that quite clear -- she changed her mind. 但又害怕再也見不到拉斯特斯--這點，信上說得十分明白--於是便改變了主意。323. She withdrew $1000 from her bank and followed the kidnapper"s instructions. 她從銀行取出1,000 英鎊，並照綁架者的要求做了。324. The next morning, the box had disappeared but Mrs. Ramsay was sure that the kidnapper would keep his word. 第二天早晨，放錢的盒子不見了。但拉姆齊太太確信綁架者是會履行諾言的。325. Sure enough, Rastus arrived punctually at seven o"clock that evening. 果然，當天晚上7點正，拉斯特斯準時回來了。326. He looked very well though he was rather thirsty, for he drank half a bottle of milk. 它看上去一切正常，只是口渴得很，喝了半瓶牛奶。327. The police were astounded when Mrs. Ramsay told them what she had done. 拉姆齊太太把她所做的事告訴了警察，警察聽後大為吃驚。328. She explained that Rastus was very dear to her. 拉姆齊太太解釋說她心疼她的貓拉斯特斯。329. Considering the amount she paid, he was dear in more ways than one! 想到她所花的那筆錢，她的心疼就具有雙重意義了。$課文20 飛行員的先驅330. In 1908 Lord Northcliffe offered a prize of $1,000 to the first man who would fly across the English Channel. 1908年，諾斯克利夫勛爵拿出1,000英鎊，作為對第一個飛越英吉利海峽的人的獎勵。331. Over a year passed before the first attempt was made. 然而一年多過去了才有人出來嘗試。332. On July 19th, 1909, in the early morning, Hubert Latham took off from the French coast in his plane the "Antoinette IV." 1909年7月19日凌晨，休伯特.萊瑟姆駕駛「安特瓦特4號」飛機從法國海岸起飛，333. He had travelled only seven miles across the Channel when his engine failed and he was forced to land on the sea. 但他只在海峽上空飛行7英里，引擎就發生了故障，他只好降落在海面上。334. The "Antoinette" floated on the water until Latham was picked up by a ship. 「安特瓦特」號飛機在海上漂浮，後來有船經過，萊瑟姆方才獲救。335. Two days later, Louis Bleriot arrived near Calais with a plane called "No. XI". 兩天之後，路易斯.布萊里奧駕駛一名為「11號」的飛機來到加來附近。336. Bleriot had been making planes since 1905 and this was his latest model. 布萊里奧從1905年起便開始研製飛機，「11號」飛機是他製作的最新型號。337. A week before, he had completed a successful overland flight during which he covered twenty-six miles. 一周以前，他曾成功地進行了一次26英里的陸上飛行。338. Latham, however, did not give up easily. 但是萊瑟姆不肯輕易罷休。339. He, too, arrived near Calais on the same day with a new "Antoinette". 同一天，他駕駛一架新的「安特瓦特」號飛機來到了加來附近。340. It looked as if there would be an exciting race across the Channel. 看來會有一場激烈的飛越英吉利海峽的競爭。341. Both planes were going to take off on July 25th, 兩天飛機都打算在7月25日起飛，342. but Latham failed to get up early enough, 但萊瑟姆那天起床晚了。343. After making a short test flight at 4:15 a.m., Bleriot set off half an hour later. 布萊里奧凌晨4點15分作了一次短距離試飛，半小時後便正式出發了。344. His great flight lasted thirty-seven minutes. 他這次偉大的飛行持續37分鐘。345. When he landed near Dover, the first person to greet him was a local policeman. 當他在多佛著陸後，第一個迎接他的是當地一名警察。346. Latham made another attempt a week later and got within half a mile of Dover, but he was unlucky again. 萊瑟姆一周以後也作了一次嘗試，飛到離多佛不到半英里的地方。這次他又遭厄運，347. His engine failed and he landed on the sea for the second time. 因引擎故障第二次降落在海面上。$課文21 丹尼爾.門多薩348. Boxing matches were very popular in England two hundred years ago. 兩百年前，拳擊比賽在英國非常盛行。349. In those days, boxers fought with bare fists for prize money. 當時，拳擊手們不戴手套，為爭奪獎金而搏鬥。350. Because of this, they were known as "prizefighters". 因此，他們被稱作「職業拳擊手」。351. However, boxing was very crude, for there were no rules and a prizefighter could be seriously injured or even killed during a match. 不過，拳擊是十分野蠻的，因為當時沒有任何比賽規則，職業拳擊手有可能在比賽中受重傷，甚至喪命。352. One of the most colourful figures in boxing history was Daniel Mendoza, who was born in 1764. 拳擊史上最引人注目的人物之一是丹尼爾.門多薩，他生於1764年。353. The use of gloves was not introduced until 1860, when the Marquis of Queensberry drew up the first set of rules. 1860年昆斯伯里侯爵第一次為拳擊比賽制定了規則，拳擊比賽這才用上了手套。354. Though he was technically a prizefighter, Mendoza did much to change crude prizefighting into a sport, for he brought science to the game. 雖然門多薩嚴格來講不過是個職業拳擊手，但在把這種粗野的拳擊變成一種體育運動方面，他作出了重大貢獻。是他把科學引進了這項運動。355. In this day, Mendoza enjoyed tremendous popularity. He was adored by rich and poor alike. 門多薩在的全盛時期深受大家歡迎，無論是富人還是窮人都對他祟拜備至。356. Mendoza rose to fame swiftly after a boxing match when he was only fourteen years old. 門多薩在14歲時參加一場拳擊賽後一舉成名。357. This attracted the attention of Richard Humphries who was then the most eminent boxer in England. 這引起當時英國拳壇名將理查德.漢弗萊斯的注意。358. He offered to train Mendoza and his young pupil was quick to learn. 他主動提出教授門多薩，而年少的門多薩一學就會。359. In fact, Mendoza soon became so successful that Humphries turned against him. 事實上，門多薩不久便名聲大振，致使漢弗萊斯與他反目為敵。360. The two men quarrelled bitterly and it was clear that the argument could only be settled by a fight. 兩個人爭吵不休，顯而易見，只有較量一番才能解決問題。361. A match was held at Stilton, where both men fought for an hour. 於是兩人在斯蒂爾頓設下賽場，廝打了一個小時。362. The public bet a great deal of money on Mendoza, but he was defeated. 公眾把大筆賭注下到了門多薩身上，但他卻輸了。363. Mendoza met Humphries in the ring on a later occasion and he lost for a second time. 後來，門多薩與漢弗萊斯再次在拳擊場上較量，門多薩又輸了一場。364. It was not until his third match in 1790 that he finally beat Humphries and became Champion of England. 直到1790年他們第3次對壘，門多薩才終於擊敗漢弗萊斯，成了全英拳擊冠軍。365. Meanwhile, he founded a highly successful Academy and even Lord Byron became one of his pupils. 同時，他建立了一所拳擊學校，辦得很成功，連拜倫勛爵也成了他的學生。366. He earned enormous sums of money and was paid as much as $100 for a single appearance. 門多薩掙來大筆大筆的錢，一次出場費就多可達100英鎊。367. Despite this, he was so extravagant that he was always in debt. 儘管收入不少，但他揮霍無度，經常債台高築。368. After he was defeated by a boxer called Gentleman Jackson, he was quickly forgotten. 他在被一個叫傑克遜紳士的拳擊手擊敗後很快被遺忘。369. He was sent to prison for failing to pay his debts and died in poverty in 1836. 他因無力還債而被捕入獄，最後於1836年在貧困中死去。$課文22 熟記台詞370. Some plays are so successful that they run for years on end. 有些劇目十分成功，以致連續上演好幾年。371. In many ways, this is unfortunate for the poor actors who are required to go on repeating the same lines night after night. 這樣一來，可憐的演員們可倒霉了。因為他們需要一夜連著一夜地重複同樣的台詞。372. One would expect them to know their parts by heart and never have cause to falter. 人們以為，這些演員一定會把台詞背得爛熟，絕不會臨場結巴的，373. Yet this is not always the case. 但情況卻並不總是這樣。374. A famous actor in a highly successful play was once cast in the role of an aristocrat who had been imprisoned in the Bastille for twenty years. 有一位名演員曾在一出極為成功的劇目中扮演一個貴族角色，這個貴族已在巴士底獄被關押了20年。375. In the last act, a gaoler would always come on to the stage with a letter which he would hand to the prisoner. 在最後一幕中，獄卒手持一封信上場，然後將信交給獄中那位貴族。376. Even though the noble was expected to read the letter at each performance, 儘管那個貴族每場戲都得念一遍那封信。377. he always insisted that it should be written out in full. 但他還是堅持要求將信的全文寫在信紙上。378. One night, the gaoler decided to play a joke on his colleague to find out if, 一天晚上，獄卒決定與他的同事開一個玩笑，379. after so many performances, he had managed to learn the contents of the letter by heart. 看看他反覆演出這麼多場之後，是否已將信的內容記熟了。380. The curtain went up on the final act of the play and revealed the aristocrat sitting alone behind bars in his dark cell. 大幕拉開，最後一幕戲開演，貴族獨自一人坐在鐵窗後陰暗的牢房裡。381. Just then, the gaoler appeared with the precious letter in his bands. 這時獄卒上場，手裡拿著那封珍貴的信。382. He entered the cell and presented the letter to the aristocrat. 獄卒走進牢房，將信交給貴族。383. But the copy he gave him had not been written out in full as usual. 但這回獄卒給貴族的信沒有像往常那樣把全文寫全，384. It was simply a blank sheet of paper. 而是一張白紙。385. The gaoler looked on eagerly, anxious to see if his fellow actor had at last learnt his lines. 獄卒熱切地觀察著，急於想了解他的同事是否記熟了台詞。386. The noble stared at the blank sheet of paper for a few seconds. 貴族盯著紙看了幾秒鐘，387. Then, squinting his eyes, he said: "The light is dim. Read the letter to me". 然後，眼珠一轉，說道：「光線太暗，請給我讀一下這封信。」388. And he promptly handed the sheet of paper to the gaoler. 說完，他一下子把信遞給獄卒。389. Finding that he could not remember a word of the letter either, 獄卒發現自己連一個字也記不住，390. the gaoler replied: "The light is indeed dim, sire. I must get my glasses." 於是便說：「陛下，這兒光線的確太暗了，我得去眼鏡拿來。」391. With this, he hurried off the stage. 他一邊說著，一邊匆匆下台。392. Much to the aristocrat"s amusement, 貴族感到非常好笑的是：393. the gaoler returned a few moments later with a pair of glasses and the usual copy of the letter which he proceeded to read to the prisoner. 一會兒工夫，獄卒重新登台，拿來一副眼鏡以及平時使用的那封信，然後為那囚犯念了起來。$課文23 各有所愛394. People become quite illogical when they try to decide what can be eaten and what cannot be eaten. 在決定什麼能吃而什麼不能吃的時候，人們往往變得不合情理。395. If you lived in the Mediterranean, for instance, you would consider octopus a great delicacy. 比如，如果你住在地中海地區，你會把章魚視作是美味佳肴，396. You would not be able to understand why some people find it repulsive. 同時不能理解為什麼有人一見章魚就噁心。397. On the other hand, your stomach would turn at the idea of frying potatoes in animal fat -- the normally accepted practice in many northern countries. 另一方面，你一想到動物油炸土豆就會反胃，398. The sad truth is that most of us have been brought up to eat certain foods and we stick to them all our lives. 不無遺憾的是， 我們中的大部分人，生來就只吃某幾種食品，而且一輩子都這樣。399. No creature has received more praise and abuse than the common garden snail. 沒有一種生物所受到的讚美和厭惡會超過花園裡常見的蝸牛了。400. Cooked in wine, snails are a great luxury in various parts of the world. 蝸牛加酒燒煮後，便成了世界上許多地方的一道珍奇的名菜。401. There are countless people who, ever since their early years, have learned to associate snails with food. 有不計其數的人們從小就知道蝸牛可做菜。402. My friend, Robert, lives in a country where snails are despised. 但我的朋友羅伯特卻住在一個厭惡蝸牛的國家中。403. As his flat is in a large town, he has no garden of his own. 他住在大城市裡的一所公寓里，沒有自己的花園。404. For years he has been asking me to collect snails from my garden and take them to him. 多年來，他一直讓我把我園子里的蝸牛收集起來給他捎去。405. The idea never appealed to me very much, 一開始，他的這一想法沒有引起我多大興趣。406. but one day, after heavy shower, 後來有一天，一場大雨後，407. I happened to be walking in my garden when I noticed a huge number of snails taking a stroll on some of my prize plants. 我在花園裡漫無目的散步，突然注意到許許多多蝸牛在我的一些心愛的花木上慢悠悠的蠕動著。408. Acting on a sudden impulse, I collected several dozen, put them in a paper bag, and took them to Robert. 我一時衝動，逮了幾十隻，裝進一隻紙袋裡，帶著去找羅伯特。409. Robert was delighted to see me and equally pleased with my little gift. 羅伯特見到我很高興，對我的薄禮也感到滿意。410. I left the bag in the hall and Robert and I went into the living room where we talked for a couple of hours. 我把紙袋放在門廳里，與羅伯特一起進了起居室，在那裡聊了好幾個鐘頭。411. I had forgotten all about the snails when Robert suddenly said that I must stay to dinner. 我把蝸牛的事已忘得一乾二淨，羅伯特突然提出一定要我留下來吃晚飯，這才提醒了我。412. Snails would, of course, be the main dish. 蝸牛當然是道主菜。413. I did not fancy the idea and I reluctantly followed Robert out of the room. 我並不喜歡這個主意，所以我勉強跟著羅伯特走進了起居室。414. To our dismay, we saw that there were snails everywhere: 使我們驚愕的是門廳里到處爬滿了蝸牛：415. they had escaped from the paper bag and had taken complete possession of the hall! 它們從紙袋裡逃了出來，爬得滿廳都是！416. I have never been able to look at a snail since then. 從那以後，我再也不能看一眼蝸牛了。$課文24 「家醜」417. We often read in novels how a seemingly respectable person or family has some terrible secret which has been concealed from strangers for years. 在小說中，我們經常讀到一個表面上受人尊重的人物或家庭，卻有著某種多年不為人所知的駭人聽聞的秘密。418. The English language possesses a vivid saying to describe this sort of situation. 英語中有一個生動的說法來形容這種情況。419. The terrible secret is called "a skeleton in the cupboard". 驚人的秘密稱作「櫃中骷髏」。420. At some dramatic moment in the story, the terrible secret becomes known and a reputation is ruined. 在小說的某個戲劇性時刻，可怕的秘密泄漏出來，接著便是某人的聲譽掃地。421. The reader"s hair stands on end when he reads in the final pages of the novel that the heroine, a dear old lady who had always been so kind to everybody, had, in her youth, poisoned every one of her five husbands. 當讀者到小說最後幾頁了解到書中女主人公，那位一向待大家很好的可愛的老婦人年輕時一連毒死了她的5個丈夫時，不禁會毛骨悚然。422. It is all very well for such things to occur in fiction. 這種事發生在小說中是無可非議的。423. To varying degrees, we all have secrets which we do not want even our closest friends to learn, but few of us have skeletons in the cupboard. 儘管我們人人都有各種大小秘密。連最親密的朋友都不願讓他們知道，但我們當中極少有人有櫃中骷髏。424. The only person I know who has a skeleton in the cupboard is George Carlton, and he is very proud of the fact. 我所認識的唯一的在櫃中藏骷嶁的人便是喬治.卡爾頓，他甚至引以為自豪。425. George studied medicine in his youth. Instead of becoming a doctor, however, he became a successful writer of detective stories. 喬治年輕時學過醫，然而，他後來沒當上醫生，卻成了一位成功的偵探小說作家。426. I once spent an uncomfortable weekend which I shall never forget at his house. 有一次，我在他家裡度周末，過得很不愉快。這事我永遠不會忘記。427. George showed me to the guestroom which, he said, was rarely used. 喬治把我領進客房，說這間很少使用。428. He told me to unpack my things and then come down to dinner. 他讓我打開行裝後下樓吃飯。429. After I had stacked my shirts and underclothes in two empty drawers, 我將襯衫、內衣放進兩個空抽屜里，430. I decided to hang one of the two suits I had brought with me in the cupboard. 然後我想把隨身帶來的兩套西服中的一套掛到大衣櫃里去。431. I opened the cupboard door and then stood in front of it petrified. 我打開櫃門，站在櫃門前一下驚呆了。432. A skeleton was dangling before my eyes. 一具骷髏懸掛在眼前，433. The sudden movement of the door made it sway slightly and it gave me the impression that it was about to leap out at me. 由於櫃門突然打開，它也隨之輕微搖晃起來，讓我覺得它好像馬上要跳出櫃門朝我撲過來似的。434. Dropping my suit, I dashed downstairs to tell George. 我扔下西服衝下樓去告訴喬治。435. This was worse than "a terrible secret"; this was a real skeleton! 這是比「駭人聽聞的秘密」更加驚人的東西，這是一具真正的骷髏啊！436. But George was unsympathetic. "Oh, that," he said with a smile as if he were talking about an old friend. 但喬治卻無動於衷。「噢，是它呀！他笑著說道，儼然在談論一位老朋友。437. That"s Sebastian. You forget that I was a medical student once upon a time. 「那是塞巴斯蒂安。你忘了我以前是學醫的了。」$課文25 「卡蒂薩克」號帆船438. One of the most famous sailing ships of the nineteenth century, the Cutty Sark, can still be seen at Greewich. 人們在格林威治仍可看到19世紀最有名的帆船之一「卡蒂薩克」號。439. She stands on dry land and is visited by thousands of people each year. 它停在陸地上，每年接待成千上萬的參觀者。440. She serves as an impressive reminder of the great ships of the past. 它給人們留下深刻的印象，使人們回憶起歷史上的巨型帆船，441. Before they were replaced by steamships, sailing vessels like the Cutty Sark were used to carry tea from China and wool from Australia. 在蒸汽船取代帆船之前。「卡蒂薩克」號之類的帆船被用來從中國運回茶葉，從澳大利亞運回羊毛。442. The Cutty Sark was one of the fastest sailing ships that has ever been built. 「卡蒂薩克」號是帆船製造史上建造的最快的一艘帆船。443. The only other ship to match her was the Thermopylae. 唯一可以與之一比高低的是「塞姆皮雷」號帆船。444. Both these ships set out from Shanghai on June 18th, 1872 on an exciting race to England. 兩船於1872年6月18日同時從上海啟航駛往英國，途中展開了一場激烈的比賽。445. This race, which went on for exactly four months, was the last of its kind. 這場比賽持續了整整4個月，是這類比賽中的最後一次，446. It marked the end of the great tradition of ships with sails and the beginning of a new era. 它標誌著帆船偉大傳統的結束與一個新紀元的開始。447. The first of the two ships to reach Java after the race had begun was the Thermopylae, but on the Indian Ocean, the Cutty Sark took the lead. 比賽開始後，「賽姆皮雷」號率先抵達爪哇島。但在印度洋上，「卡薩薩克」號駛到了前面。448. It seemed certain that she would be the first ship home, but during the race she had a lot of bad luck. 看來，它首先返抵英國是確信無疑的了，但它卻在比賽中連遭厄運。449. In August, she was struck by a very heavy storm during which her rudder was torn away. 8月份「卡蒂薩克」號遭到一場特大風暴的襲擊，失去了一隻舵。450. The Cutty Sark rolled from side to side and it became impossible to steer her. 船身左右搖晃，無法操縱。451. A temporary rudder was made on board from spare planks and it was fitted with great difficulty. 船員用備用的木板在船上趕製了一隻應急用的舵，並克服重重困難將舵安裝就位，452. This greatly reduced the speed of the ship, 這樣一來，大大降低了船的航速。453. for there was a danger that if she traveled too quickly, this rudder would be torn away as well. 因為船不能開得太快，否則就有危險，應急舵也會被颳走。454. Because of this, the Cutty Sark lost her lead. 因為這個緣故，「卡蒂薩克」號落到了後面。455. After crossing the Equator, the captain called in at a port to have a new rudder fitted, 跨越赤道後，船長將船停靠在一個港口，在那兒換了一隻舵。456. but by now the Thermopylae was over five hundred miles ahead. 但此時，「賽姆皮雷」號早已在500多英里之遙了。457. Though the new rudder was fitted at tremendous speed, it was impossible for the Cutty Sark to win. 儘管換裝新舵時分秒必爭，但「卡蒂薩克」號已經不可能取勝了，458. She arrived in England a week after the Thermopylae. 它抵達英國時比「塞姆皮雷」號晚了1個星期。459. Even this was remarkable, considering that she had had so many delays. 但考慮到路上的多次耽擱，460. There is no doubt that if she had not lost her rudder she would have won the race easily. 這個成績也已很不容易了。毫無疑問，如果中途沒有失去舵， 「卡帝薩克」號肯定能在比賽中輕易奪冠。$課文26 徵購大餅乾筒461. No one can avoid being influenced by advertisements. 沒有人能避免受廣告的影響。462. Much as we may pride ourselves on our good taste, we are no longer free to choose the things we want, 儘管我們可以自誇自己的鑒賞力如何敏銳，但我們已經無法獨立自主地選購自己所需的東西了。463. for advertising exerts a subtle influence on us. 這是因為廣告在我們身上施加著一種潛移默化的影響。464. In their efforts to persuade us to buy this or that product, 做廣告的人在力圖勸說我們買下這種產品或那種產品之前，465. advertisers have made a close study of human nature and have classified all our little weaknesses. 已經仔細地研究了人的本性，並把人的弱點進行了分類。466. Advertisers discovered years ago that all of us love to get something for nothing. 做廣告的人們多年前就發現我們大家都喜歡免費得到東西。467. An advertisement which begins with the magic word FREE can rarely go wrong. 凡是用「免費」這個神奇的詞開頭的廣告很少會失敗的。468. These days, advertisers not only offer free samples, but free cars, free houses, and free trips round the world as well. 目前，做廣告的人不僅提供免費樣品，而且還提供免費汽車，免費住房，免費週遊世界。469. They devise hundreds of competitions which will enable us to win huge sums of money. 他們設計數以百計的競賽，競賽中有人可贏得巨額獎金。470. Radio and television have made it possible for advertisers to capture the attention of millions of people in this way. 電台、電視使做廣告的人可以用這種手段吸引成百萬人的注意力。471. During a radio programme, a company of biscuit manufacturers once asked listeners to bake biscuits and send them to their factory. 有一次，在電台播放的節目里，一個生產餅乾的公司請聽眾烘製餅乾送到他們的工廠去。472. They offered to pay $10 a pound for the biggest biscuit baked by a listener. 他們願意以每磅10美元的價錢買下由聽眾烘製的最大的餅乾。473. The response to this competition was tremendous. 這次競賽在聽眾中引起極其熱烈的反響。474. Before long, biscuits of all shapes and sizes began arriving at the factory. 不久，形狀各異，大小不一的餅乾陸續送到工廠。475. One lady brought in a biscuit on a wheelbarrow. 一位女士用手推車運來一個餅乾，476. It weighed nearly 500 pounds. 重達500磅左右。477. A little later, a man came along with a biscuit which occupied the whole boot of his car. 相隔不一會兒，一個男子也帶來一個大餅乾，那個餅乾把汽車的行李箱擠得滿滿的。478. All the biscuits that were sent were carefully weighed. 凡送來的餅乾都仔細地稱量。479. The largest was 713 pounds. 最重的一個達713磅，480. It seemed certain that this would win the prize. 看來這個餅乾獲獎無疑了。481. But just before the competition closed, a lorry arrived at the factory with a truly colossal biscuit which weighed 2,400 pounds. 但就在競賽截止時間將到之際，一輛卡車駛進了工廠，運來了一個特大無比、重達2,400磅的餅乾。482. It had been baked by a college student who had used over 1,000 pounds of flour, 800 pounds of sugar, 200 pounds of fat, and 400 pounds of various other ingredients. 它是由一個大學生烘製的，用去1,000多磅的麵粉、800磅食糖、200磅動物脂肪及400磅其他各種原料。483. It was so heavy that a crane had to be used to remove it from the lorry. 餅乾份量太重了，用了一台起重機才把它從卡車上卸下。484. The manufacturers had to pay more money than they had anticipated, for they bought the biscuit from the student for $24,000. 餅乾公司不得不付出比他們預計多得多的錢，因為為買下那學生烘製的餅乾他們支付了24,000美元。$課文27 不賣也不買485. It has been said that everyone lives by selling something. 據說每個人都靠出售某種東西來維持生活。486. In the light of this statement, teachers live by selling knowledge, 根據這種說法，教師靠賣知識為生，487. philosophers by selling wisdom and priests by selling spiritual comfort. 哲學家靠賣智慧為生，牧師靠賣精神安慰為生。488. Though it may be possible to measure the value of material goods in terms of money, 雖然物質產品的價值可以用金錢來衡量，489. it is extremely difficult to estimate the true value of the services which people perform for us. 但要估算別人為我們為所提供的服務的價值卻是極其困難的。490. There are times when we would willingly give everything we possess to save our lives, 有時，我們為了挽救生命，願意付出我們所佔有的一切。491. yet we might grudge paying a surgeon a high fee for offering us precisely this service. 但就在外科大夫給我們提供了這種服務後，我們卻可能為所支付的昂貴的費用而抱怨。492. The conditions of society are such that skills have to be paid for in the same way that goods are paid for at a shop. 社會上的情況就是如此，技術是必須付錢去買的，就像在商店裡要花錢買商品一樣。493. Everyone has something to sell. 人人都有東西可以出售。494. Tramps seem to be the only exception to this general rule. 在這條普遍的規律前面，好像只有流浪漢是個例外，495. Beggars almost sell themselves as human beings to arouse the pity of passers-by. 乞丐出售的幾乎是他本人，以引起過路人的憐憫。496. But real tramps are not beggars. 但真正的流浪並不是乞丐。497. They have nothing to sell and require nothing from others. 他們既不出售任何東西，也不需要從別人那兒得到任何東西，498. In seeking independence, they do not sacrifice their human dignity. 在追求獨立自由的同時，他們並不犧牲為人的尊嚴。499. A tramp may ask you for money, but he will never ask you to feel sorry for him. 游浪漢可能會向你討錢，但他從來不要你可憐他。500. He has deliberately chosen to lead the life he leads and is fully aware of the consequences. 他是故意在選擇過那種生活的，並完全清楚以這種方式生活的後果。501. He may never be sure where the next meal is coming from, but he is free from the thousands of anxieties which afflict other people. 他可能從不知道下頓飯有無著落，但他不像有人那樣被千萬樁愁事所折磨。502. His few material possessions make it possible for him to move from place to place with ease. 他幾乎沒有什麼財產，這使他能夠輕鬆自如地在各地奔波。503. By having to sleep in the open, he gets far closer to the world of nature than most of us ever do. 由於被迫在露天睡覺，他比我們中許多人都離大自然近得多。504. He may hunt, beg, or steal occasionally to keep himself alive; 為了生存，他可能會去打獵、乞討，偶爾偷上一兩回；505. he may even, in times of real need, do a little work; but he will never sacrifice his freedom. 確實需要的時候，他甚至可能幹一點兒活，但他決不會犧牲自由。506. We often speak of tramps with contempt and put them in the same class as beggars, 說起流浪漢，我們常常帶有輕蔑並把他們與乞丐歸為一類。507. but how many of us can honestly say that we have not felt a little envious of their simple way of life and their freedom from care? 但是，我們中有多少人能夠坦率地說我們對流浪漢的簡樸生活與無憂無慮的境況不感到有些羨慕呢?$課文28 五磅也太貴508. Small boats loaded with wares sped to the great liner as she was entering the harbour. 當一艘大型班船進港的時候，許多小船載著各種雜貨快速向客輪駛來。509. Before she had anchored, the men from the boats had climbed on board 大船還未下錨。小船上的人就紛紛爬上客輪。510. and the decks were soon covered with colourful rugs from Persia, silks from India, copper coffee pots, and beautiful handmade silverware. 一會兒工夫，甲板上就擺滿了色彩斑斕的波斯地毯。印度絲綢。銅咖啡壺以及手工製作的漂亮的銀器。511. It was difficult not to be tempted. 要想不為這些東西所動心是很困難的。512. Many of the tourists on board had begun bargaining with the tradesmen, 船上許多遊客開始同商販討價還價起來，513. but I decide not to buy anything until I had disembarked. 但我打定主意上岸之前什麼也不買。514. I had no sooner got off the ship than I was assailed by a man who wanted to sell me a diamond ring. 我剛下船，就被一個人截住，他向我兜售一枚鑽石戒指。515. I had no intention of buying one, but I could not conceal the fact that I was impressed by the size of the diamonds. 我根本不想買，但我不能掩飾這樣一個事實：其鑽石之大給我留下了深刻的印象。516. Some of them were as big as marbles. 有的鑽石像玻璃球那麼大。517. The man went to great lengths to prove that the diamonds were real. 那人竭力想證明那鑽石是真貨。518. As we were walking past a shop, he held a diamond firmly against the window and made a deep impression in the glass. 我們路過一家商店時，他將一顆鑽石使勁地往櫥窗上一按，在玻璃上留下一道深痕。519. It took me over half an hour to get rid of him. 我花了半個多小時才擺脫了他的糾纏。520. The next man to approach me was selling expensive pens and watches. 向我兜售的第二個人是賣名貴鋼筆和手錶的。521. I examined one of the pens closely. 我仔細察看了一枝鋼筆，522. It certainly looked genuine. 那看上去確實不假，523. At the base of the gold cap, the words "made in the U.S.A" had been neatly inscribed. 金筆帽下方整齊地刻有「美國製造」字樣。524. The man said that the pen was worth $50, but as a special favour, he would let me have it for $30. 那人說那支筆值50英鎊，作為特別優惠，他願意讓我出30英鎊成交。525. I shook my head and held up five fingers indicating that I was willing to pay $5. 我搖搖頭，伸出5根手指表示我只願出5鎊錢。526. Gesticulating wildly, the man acted as if he found my offer outrageous, but he eventually reduced the price to $10. 那人激動地打著手勢，彷彿我的出價使他不能容忍。但他終於把價錢降到了10英鎊。527. Shrugging my shoulders, I began to walk away when, a moment later, he ran after me and thrust the pen into my hands. 雖然他絕望地舉起雙手，但他毫不遲疑地收下了我付給他的5鎊錢。528. I felt especially pleased with my wonderful bargain -- until I got back to the ship. 在回到船上之前，我一直為我的絕妙的討價還價而洋洋得意。529. No matter how hard I tried, it was impossible to fill this beautiful pen with ink and to this day it has never written a single world! 然而不管我如何擺弄，那枝漂亮的鋼筆就是吸不進墨水來。直到今天，那枝筆連一個字也沒寫過！$課文29 是否可笑?530. Whether we find a joke funny or not largely depends on where we have been brought up. 我們覺得一則笑話是否好笑，很大程度取決於我們是在哪兒長大的。531. The sense of humour is mysteriously bound up with national characteristics. 幽默感與民族有著神秘莫測的聯繫。532. A Frenchman, for instance, might find it hard to laugh at a Russian joke. 譬如，法國人聽完一則俄國笑話可能很難發笑。533. In the same way, a Russian might fail to see anything amusing in a joke which would make an Englishman laugh to tears. 同樣的道理，一則可以令英國人笑出淚來的笑話，俄國人聽了可能覺得沒有什麼可笑之處。534. Most funny stories are based on comic situations. 大部分令人發笑的故事都是根據喜劇情節編寫的。535. In spite of national differences, certain funny situations have a universal appeal. 儘管民族不同，有些滑稽的情節卻能產生普遍的效果。536. No matter where you live, you would find it difficult not to laugh at, say, Charlie Chaplin"s early films. 比如說，不管你生活在哪裡，你看查理.卓別林的早期電影很難不發笑。537. However, a new type of humour, which stems largely from the U.S., has recently come into fashion. 然而，近來一種新式幽默流行了起來，這種幽默主要來自美國。538. It is called "sick humour". 它被叫作「病態幽默」。539. Comedians base their jokes on tragic situations like violent death or serious accidents. 喜劇演員根據悲劇情節諸如暴死，重大事故等來編造笑話。540. Many people find this sort of joke distasteful. The following example of "sick humour" will enable you to judge for yourself. 許多人認為這種笑話是低級庸俗的。下面是個「病態幽默」的實例，你可據此自己作出判斷。541. A man who had broken his right leg was taken to hospital a few weeks before Christmas. 聖誕節前幾周，某人摔斷了右腿被送進醫院。542. From the moment he arrived there, he kept on pestering his doctor to tell him when he would be able to go home. 從他進醫院那一刻時，他就纏住醫生，讓醫生告訴他什麼時候能回家。543. He dreaded having to spend Christmas in hospital. 他十分害怕在醫院過聖誕。544. Though the doctors did his best, the patient"s recovery was slow. 儘管醫生竭力醫治，但病人恢復緩慢。545. On Christmas Day, the man still had his right leg in plaster. 聖誕節那天，他的右腿還上著石膏，546. He spent a miserable day in bed thinking of all the fun he was missing. 他在床上鬱鬱不樂地躺了一天，想著他錯過的種種歡樂。547. The following day, however, the doctor consoled him by telling him that his chances of being able to leave hospital in time for New Year celebrations were good. 然而，第二天，醫生安慰他說，出院歡度新年的可能性還是很大的，548. The man took heart and, sure enough, on New Years" Eve he was able to hobble along to a party. 那人聽後振作了精神。果然，除夕時他可以一瘸一拐地去參加晚會了。549. To compensate for his unpleasant experiences in hospital, the man drank a little more than was good for him. 為了補償住院這一段不愉快的經歷，那人喝得稍許多了一點。550. In the process, he enjoyed himself thoroughly and kept telling everybody how much he hated hospitals. 在晚會上他盡情娛樂，一再告訴大家他是多麼討厭醫院。551. He was still mumbling something about hospitals at the end of the party when he slipped on a piece of ice and broke his left leg. 晚會結束時，他嘴裡還在嘟噥著醫院的事，突然踩到一塊冰上滑倒了，摔斷了左腿。$課文30 幽靈之死552. For years, villagers believed that Endley Farm was hunted. 多年來，村民們一直認為恩得利農場在鬧鬼。553. The farm was owned by two brothers, Joe and Bob Cox. 恩得利農場屬於喬.考科斯和鮑勃.考科斯兄弟倆所有。554. They employed a few farmhands, but no one was willing to work there long. 他們雇了幾個農工，但誰也不願意在那兒長期工作下去。555. Every time a worker gave up his job, he told the same story. 每次僱工辭職後都敘述著同樣的故事。556. Farm labourers said that they always woke up to find that work had been done overnight. 僱工們說，常常一早起來發現有人在夜裡把活幹了，557. Hay had been cut and cowsheds had been cleaned. 乾草已切好，牛棚也打掃乾淨了。558. A farm worker, who stayed up all night claimed to have seen a figure cutting corn in the moonlight. 有一個徹夜未眠的僱工還聲稱他看見一個人影在月光下收割莊稼。559. In time, it became an accepted fact the Cox brothers employed a conscientious ghost that did most of their work for them. 隨著時間的流逝，考科斯兄弟雇了一個盡心盡責的鬼，他們家的活大部分都讓鬼給幹了，這件事成了公認的事實。560. No one suspected that there might be someone else on the farm who had never been seen. 誰也沒想到農場竟會有一個從未露面的人。561. This was indeed the case. 但事實上確有此人。562. A short time ago, villagers were astonished to learn that the ghost of Endley had died. 不久之前，村民們驚悉恩得利農場的鬼死了。563. Everyone went to the funeral, for the "ghost" was none other than Eric Cox, a third brother who was supposed to have died as a young man. 大家都去參加了葬禮，因為那「鬼」不是別人，正是農場主的兄弟埃里克.考科斯。人們以為埃里克年輕時就死了。564. After the funeral, Joe and Bob revealed a secret which they had kept for over fifty years. 葬禮之後，喬和鮑勃透露了他們保守了長達50多年的秘密。565. Eric had been the eldest son of the family, very much older than his two brothers. 埃里克是這家長子。年齡比他兩個弟弟大很多，566. He had been obliged to join the army during the Second World War. 第二次世界大戰期間被迫參軍。567. As he hated army life, he decided to desert his regiment. 他討厭軍旅生活，決定逃離所在部隊。568. When he learnt that he would be sent abroad, he returned to the farm and his father hid him until the end of the war. 當他了解自己將被派遣出國時，他逃回農場，父親把他藏了起來，直到戰爭結束。569. Fearing the authorities, Eric remained in hiding after the war as well. 由於害怕當局，埃里克戰後繼續深藏不露。570. His father told everybody that Eric had been killed in action. 他的父親告訴大家，埃里克在戰爭中被打死了。571. The only other people who knew the secret were Joe and Bob. 除此之外，只有喬與鮑知道這個秘密。572. They did not even tell their wives. 但他倆連自己的妻子都沒告訴。573. When their father died, they thought it their duty to keep Eric in hiding. 父親死後，他們兄弟倆認為有責任繼續把埃里克藏起來。574. All these years, Eric had lived as a recluse. 這些年來，埃里克過著隱士生活，575. He used to sleep during the day and work at night, quite unaware of the fact that he had become the ghost of Endley. 白天睡覺，夜裡出來幹活，一點不知道自己已成了恩得利家場的活鬼。576. When he died, however, his brothers found it impossible to keep the secret any longer. 他死後，他的弟弟們才覺得無法再保守這個秘密了。
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