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现代大学英语精读1课本内容

Lesson One Half a Day

Naguib Mahfous

1. I walked alongside my father, clutching his right hand. All my clothes were new: the black shoes, the

green school uniform, and the red cap. They did not make me happy, however, as this was the day I was to be thrown into school for the first time.

2. My mother stood at the window watching our progress, and I turned towards her from time to time,

hoping she would help. We walked along a street lined with gardens, and fields planted with crops: pears, and date palms.

3. "Why school ?" I asked my father. "What have I done ?"

4. "I'm not punishing you, " he said, laughing. "School's not a punishment. It's a place that makes useful

men out of boys. Don' t you want to be useful like your brothers?"

5. I was not convinced. I did not believe there was really any good to be had in tearing me away from my

home and throwing me into the huge, high-walled building.

6. When we arrived at the gate we could see the courtyard, vast and full of boys and girls. "Go in by

yourself, " said my father, "and join them. Put a smile on your face and be a good example to others. "

7. I hesitated and clung to his hand, but he gently pushed me from him. "Be a man, " he said. "Today you

truly begin life. You will find me waiting for you when it's time to leave. "

8. I took a few steps. Then the faces of the boys and girls came into view. I did not know a single one of

them, and none of them knew me. I felt I was a stranger who had lost his way. But then some boys began to glance at me in curiosity, and one of them came over and asked, "Who brought you?"

9. "My father, " I whispered.

10. "My father's dead, " he said simply.

11. I did not know what to say. The gate was now closed. Some of the children burst into tears. The bell rang.

A lady came along, followed by a group of men. The men began sorting us into ranks. We were formed

into an intricate pattern in the great courtyard surrounded by high buildings; from each floor we were overlooked by a long balcony roofed in wood.

12. "This is your new home, "said the woman. "There are mothers and fathers here, too. Everything that is

enjoyable and beneficial is here. So dry your tears and face life joyfully. "

13. Well, it seemed that my misgivings had had no basis. From the first moments I made many friends and

fell in love with many girls. I had never imagined school would have this rich variety of experiences.

14. We played all sorts of games. In the music room we sang our first songs. We also had our first

introduction to language. We saw a globe of the Earth, which revolved and showed the various continents and countries. We started learning numbers, and we were told the story of the Creator of the universe. We ate delicious food, took a little nap, and woke up to go on with friendship and love, playing and learning.

15. Our path, however, was not totally sweet and unclouded. We had to be observant and patient. It was not

all a matter of playing and fooling around. Rivalries could bring about pain and hatred or give rise to

fighting. And while the lady would sometimes smile, she would often yell and scold. Even more

frequently she would resort to physical punishment.

16. In addition, the time for changing one' s mind was over and gone and there was no question of ever

returning to the paradise of home. Nothing lay ahead of us but exertion, struggle, and perseverance. Those who were able took advantage of the opportunities for success and happiness that presented themselves.

17. The bell rang, announcing the passing of the day and the end of work. The children rushed toward the

gate, which was opened again. I said goodbye to friends and sweethearts and passed through the gate. I looked around but found no trace of my father, who had promised to be there. I stepped aside to wait.

When I had waited for a long time in vain, I decided to return home on my own. I walked a few steps, then came to a startled halt. Good Lord! Where was the street lined with gardens? Where had it

disappeared to? When did all these cars invade it? And when did all these people come to rest on its

surface? How did these hills of rubbish find their way to cover its sides? And where were the fields that bordered it? High buildings had taken over, the street was full of children, and disturbing noises shook the air. Here and there stood conjurers showing off their tricks or making snakes appear from baskets. Then there was a band announcing the opening of a circus, with clowns and weight lifters walking in front.

18. Good God! I was in a daze. My head spun. I almost went crazy. How could all this have happened in half

a day, between early morning and sunset? I would find the answer at home with my father. But where was

my home? I hurried towards the crossroads, because I remembered that I had to cross the street to reach our house, but the stream of cars would not let up. Extremely irritated, I wondered when I would be able to cross.

19. I stood there a long time, until the young boy employed at the ironing shop on the corner came up to me.

20. He stretched out his arm and said, "Grandpa, let me take you across."

Lesson Two The Boy and the Bank Officer

Philip Ross

1. I have a friend who hates banks with a special passion. "A bank is just a store like a candy store or a grocery

store", he says . "The only difference is that a bank's goods happen to be money, which is yours in the first place. If banks were required to sell wallets and money belts, they might act less like churches."

2. I began thinking about my friend the other day as I walked into a small, over lighted branch office on the

West Side. I had come to open a checking account.

3. It was lunchtime and the only officer on duty was a fortyish black man with short, pressed hair, a pencil

mustache, and a neatly pressed brown suit. Everything about him suggested a carefully dressed authority.

4. This officer was standing across a small counter from a young white boy who was wearing a V-necked

sweater, khakis, and loafers. He had sandy hair, and I think I was especially aware of him because he looked more like a kid from a prep school than a customer in a West Side bank.

5. The boy continued to hold my attention because of what happened next.

6. He was holding an open savings-account book and wearing an expression of open dismay. "But I don't

understand," he was saying to the officer. "I opened the account myself, so why can't I withdraw any money?"

7. "I've already explained to you," the officer told him, "that a fourteen-year-old is not allowed to withdraw

money without a letter from his parents."

8. "But that doesn't seem fair," the boy said, his voice breaking. "It's my money, I put it in. It's my account."

9. "I know it is," the officer said, "but those are the rules. Now if you'll excuse me."

10. He turned to me with a smile. "May I help you, sir?"

11. I didn't think twice. "I was going to open a new account," I said, "but after seeing what's going on here, I think

I've changed my mind."

12. "Excuse me?" he said.

13. "Look," I said. "If I understand what's going on here correctly, what you're saying is that this boy is old

enough to deposit his money in your bank but he's not old enough to withdraw it. And since there doesn't seem to be any question as to whether it's his money or his account, the bank's so-called policy is clearly ridiculous."

14. "It may seem ridiculous to you," he replied in a voice rising slightly in irritation, "but that is the bank's policy

and I have no other choice but to follow the rules".

15. The boy had stood hopefully next to me during this exchange, but now I was just as helpless. Suddenly I

noticed that the open savings book he continued to grasp showed a balance of about $100. It also showed that there had been a series of small deposits and withdrawals.

16. I had my opening.

17. "Have you withdrawn money before by yourself?" I asked the boy.

18. "Yes," he said.

19. I moved in for the kill.

20. "How do you explain that?" I zeroed in on the officer. "Why did you let him withdraw money before, but not

now?"

21. He looked annoyed. "Because the tellers were not aware of his age before and now they are. It's really very

simple".

22. I turned to the boy with a shrug. "You're really getting cheated," I said. "You ought to get your parents to

come in here and protest."

23. The boy looked destroyed. Silently, he put his savings book in a rear-pocket and walked out of the bank.

24. The officer turned to me. "You know," he said, "you really shouldn't have interfered."

25. "Shouldn't have interfered?" I shouted. "Well, it damn well seemed to me that he needed someone to represent

his interests."

26. "Someone was representing his interests," he said softly.

27. "And who might that be?"

28. "The bank."

29. I couldn't believe what this idiot was saying. "Look," I concluded, "we're just wasting each other's time. But

maybe you'd like to explain exactly how the bank was representing that boy's interests?"

30. "Certainly," he said. "We were informed this morning that some neighborhood bully has been shaking this boy

down for more than a month. The other guy was forcing him to take money out every week and hand it over.

The poor kid was apparently too scared to tell anyone. That's the real reason he was so upset. He was afraid of what the other guy would do to him. Anyway, the police are on the case and they'll probably make an arrest today."

31. "You mean there is no rule about being too young to withdraw money from a savings account?"

32. "Not that I ever heard of. Now, sir, what can we do for you?"

Lesson Three Message of the Land

Pira Sudham

1. Yes, these are our rice fields. They belonged to my parents and forefathers. The land is more than three

centuries old. I'm the only daughter in our family and it was I who stayed with my parents till they died. My three brothers moved out to their wives' houses when they got married. My husband moved into our house as is the way with us in Esarn. I was then eighteen and he was nineteen. He gave me six children. Two died in

infancy from sickness. The rest, two boys and two girls, went away as soon as we could afford to buy jeans for them. Our oldest son got a job as a gardener in a rich man's home in Bangkok but later an employment agency sent him to a foreign land to work. My other son also went far away.

2. One of our daughters is working in a textile factory in Bangkok, and the other has a job in a store. They come

home to see us now and then, stay a few days, and then they are off again. Often they send some money to us and tell us that they are doing well. I know this is not always true. Sometimes, they get bullied and insulted, and it is like a knife piercing my heart. It's easier for my husband. He has ears which don't hear, a mouth which doesn't speak, and eyes that don't see. He has always been patient and silent, minding his own life.

3. All of them remain my children in spite of their long absence. Maybe it's fate that sent them away from us.

Our piece of land is small, and it is no longer fertile, bleeding year after year and, like us, getting old and

exhausted. Still my husband and I work on this land. The soil is not difficult to till when there is a lot of rain, but in a bad year, it's not only the ploughs that break but our hearts, too.

4. No, we two haven't changed much, but the village has. In what way? Only ten years ago, you could barter for

things, but now it's all cash. Years ago, you could ask your neighbors to help build your house, reap the rice or dig a well. Now they'll do it only if you have money to pay them. Plastic things replace village crafts. Men used to make things with fine bamboo pieces, but no longer. Plastic bags litter the village. Shops have sprung up, filled with colorful plastic things and goods we have no use for. The young go away to towns and cities leaving us old people to work on the land. They think differently, I know, saying that the old are old-fashioned.

All my life, I have never had to go to a hairdresser, or to paint my lips or nails. These rough fingers and toes are for working in the mud of our rice fields, not for looking pretty. Now young girls put on jeans, and look like boys and they think it is fashionable. Why, they are willing to sell their pig or water buffalo just to be able to buy a pair of jeans. In my day, if I were to put on a pair of trousers like they do now, lightning would strike me.

5. I know, times have changed, but certain things should not change. We should offer food to the monks every

day, go to the temple regularly. Young people tend to leave these things to old people now, and that's a shame.

6. Why, only the other day I heard a boy shout and scream at his mother. If that kind of thing had happened

when I was young, the whole village would have condemned such an ungrateful son, and his father would surely have given him a good beating.

7. As for me, I wouldn't change, couldn't change even if I wanted to. Am I happy or unhappy? This question has

never occurred to me. Life simply goes on. Yes, this bag of bones dressed in rags can still plant and reap rice from morning till dusk. Disease, wounds, hardship and scarcity have always been part of my life. I don't

complain.

8. The farmer: My wife is wrong. My eyes do see—they see more than they should. My ears do hear—they hear

more than is good for me. I don't talk about what I know because I know too much. I know for example, greed, anger, and lust are the root of all evils.

9. I am at peace with the land and the conditions of my life. But I feel a great pity for my wife. I have been

forcing silence upon her all these years, yet she has not once complained of anything.

10. I wanted to have a lot of children and grandchildren around me but now cities and foreign lands have attracted

my children away and it seems that none of them will ever come back to live here again. To whom shall I give these rice fields when I die? For hundreds of years this strip of land has belonged to our family. I know every inch of it. My children grew up on it, catching frogs and mud crabs and gathering flowers. Still the land could not tie them down or call them back. When each of them has a pair of jeans, they are off like birds on the wing.

11. Fortunately, my wife is still with me, and both of us are still strong. Wounds heal over time. Sickness comes

and goes, and we get back on our feet again. I never want to leave this land. It's nice to feel the wet earth as my fingers dig into the soil, planting rice, to hear my wife sighing, "Old man, if I die first, I shall become a cloud to protect you from the sun." It's good to smell the scent of ripening rice in November. The soft cool breeze moves the sheaves, which ripple and shimmer like waves of gold. Yes, I love this land and I hope one of my children comes back one day to live, and gives me grandchildren so that I can pass on the land's secret

messages to them.

Lesson Four The Midnight Visitor

Robert Arthur

1. Ausable did not fit the description of any secret agent Fowler had ever read about. Following him down the

corridor of the gloomy French hotel where Ausable had a room, Fowler felt disappointed. It was a small room on the sixth floor and hardly a setting for a romantic figure.

2. Ausable was, for one thing, fat. Very fat. And then there was his accent. Though he spoke French and

German passably, he had never altogether lost New England accent he had brought to Paris from Boston

twenty years ago.

3. "You are disappointed," Ausable said wheezily over his shoulder. "You were told that I was a secret agent, a

spy, dealing in espionage and danger. You wished to meet me because you are a writer, young and romantic.

You thought you would have mysterious figures in the night, the crack of pistols, drugs in the wine."

4. "Instead, you have spent a dull evening in a French music hall with a sloppy fat man who, instead of having

messages slipped into his hand by dark-eyed beauties, gets only an ordinary telephone call making an

appointment in his room. You have been bored!" The fat man chuckled to himself as he unlocked the door of his room and stood aside to let his frustrated guest enter.

5. "You are disillusioned," Ausable told him. "But take cheer, my young friend. Before long you will see a paper,

a quite important paper for which several men and women have risked their lives, come to me in the

next-to-last step of its journey into official hands. Some day soon that paper may well affect the course of

history. There is drama in that thought, don't you think?" As he spoke, Ausable closed the door behind him.

Then he switched on the light.

6. And as the light came on, Fowler had his first real thrill of the day. For halfway across the room, a small

automatic pistol in his hand, stood a man.

7. Ausable blinked a few times.

8. "Max," he wheezed, "you gave me quite a start. I thought you were in Berlin. What are you doing in my

room?"

9. Max was slender, not tall, and with a face that suggested the look of a fox. Except for the gun, he did not look

very dangerous.

10. "The report," he murmured. "The report that is being brought to you tonight concerning some new missiles. I

thought I would take it from you. It will be safer in my hands than in yours."

11. Ausable moved to an armchair and sat down heavily. "I'm going to raise the devil with the management this

time; I am angry," he said grimly. "This is the second time in a month that somebody has gotten into my room off that confounded balcony!" Fowler's eyes went to the single window of the room. It was an ordinary window, against which now the night was pressing blackly.

12. "Balcony?" Max asked curiously. "No, I had a passkey. I did not know about the balcony. It might have saved

me some trouble had I known about it."

13. "It's not my balcony," explained Ausable angrily. "It belongs to the next apartment." He glanced explanatorily

at Fowler. "You see," he said, "this room used to be part of a large unit, and the next room through that door there used to be the living room. It had the balcony, which extends under my window now. You can get onto it

from the empty room next door, and somebody did, last month. The management promised to block it off. But they haven't."

14. Max glanced at Fowler, who was standing stiffly a few feet from Ausable, and waved the gun with a

commanding gesture. "Please sit down," he said. "We have a wait of half an hour, I think."

15. "Thirty-one minutes," Ausable said moodily. "The appointment was for twelvethirty. I wish I knew how you

learned about the report, Max."

16. The little spy smiled evilly. "And we wish we knew how your people got the report. But, no harm has been

done. I will get it back tonight. What is that? Who is at the door?"

17. Fowler jumped at the sudden knocking at the door. Ausable just smiled, "That will be the police," he said. "I

thought that such an important paper should have a little extra protection. I told them to check on me to make sure everything was all right."

18. Max bit his lip nervously. The knocking was repeated.

19. "What will you do now, Max?" Ausable asked. "If I do not answer the door, they will enter anyway. The door

is unlocked. And they will not hesitate to shoot."

20. Max's face was black with anger as he backed swiftly toward the window; with his hand behind him, he

opened the window and put his leg out into the night. "Send them away!" he warned. "I will wait on the

balcony. Send them away or I'll shoot and take my chances!"

21. The knocking at the door became louder and a voice was raised. "Mr. Ausable! Mr. Ausable!"

22. Keeping his body twisted so that his gun still covered the fat man and his guest, the man at the window swung

his other leg up and over the window sill.

23. The doorknob turned. Swiftly Max pushed with his left hand to free himself and drop to the balcony. And then

as he dropped, he screamed once, shrilly.

24. The door opened and a waiter stood there with a tray, a bottle and two glasses. "Here is the drink you ordered,

sir." He set the tray on the table, uncorked the bottle, and left the room.

25. White faced and shaking, Fowler stared after him. "But... but... what about... the police?" he stammered.

26. "There never were any police." Ausable sighed. "Only Henry, whom I was expecting."

27. "But what about the man on the balcony?" Fowler began.

28. "No," said Ausable, "he won't return."

Lesson Five The Nightingale and the Rose

Oscar Wilde

1"She said that she would dance with me if I brought her red roses," cried the young Student; "but in all my garden there is no red rose."

2From her nest in the holm-oak tree the Nightingale heard him, and she looked out through the leaves, and wondered.

3"No red rose in all my garden!" he cried, and his beautiful eyes filled with tears. "Ah, on what little things does happiness depend! I have read all that the wise men have written, and all the secrets of philosophy are mine, yet for want of a red rose is my life made wretched."

4"Here at last is a true lover," said the Nightingale. "Night after night have I sung of him, though I knew him not: night after night have I told his story to the stars, and now I see him. His hair is dark as the hyacinth-blossom, and his lips are red as the rose of his desire; but passion has made his face like pale ivory, and sorrow has set her seal upon his brow."

5"The Prince gives a ball tomorrow night," murmured the young Student, "and my love will be of the company. If I bring her a red rose she will dance with me till dawn. If I bring her a red rose, I shall hold her in my arms, and she will lean her head upon my shoulder, and her hand will be clasped in mine. But there is no red rose in my garden, so I shall sit lonely, and she will pass me by. She will have no heed of me, and my heart will break."

6"Here indeed is the true lover," said the Nightingale. Surely Love is a wonderful thing. It is more precious than emeralds and dearer than fine opals.

7"The musicians will sit in their gallery," said the young Student, "and play upon their stringed instruments, and my love will dance to the sound of the harp and the violin. She will dance so lightly that her feet will not touch the floor, and the courtiers in their gay dresses will throng round her. But with me she will not dance, for I have no red rose to give her"; and he flung himself down on the grass, and buried his face in his hands, and wept.

8"Why is he weeping?" asked a little Green Lizard, as he ran past him with his tail in the air.

9"Why, indeed?" said a Butterfly, who was fluttering about after a sunbeam.

10"Why, indeed?" whispered a Daisy to his neighbour, in a soft, low voice.

11"He is weeping for a red rose," said the Nightingale.

12 "For a red rose?" they cried; "how very ridiculous!" and the little Lizard, who was something of a cynic, laughed outright. But the Nightingale understood the secret of the Student's sorrow, and she sat silent in the oak-tree, and thought about the mystery of Love.

13 Suddenly she spread her brown wings for flight, and soared into the air. She passed through the grove like a shadow, and like a shadow she sailed across the garden.

14 In the center of the grass-plot stood a beautiful Rose-tree, and when she saw it she flew over to it. "Give me a red rose," she cried, "and I will sing you my sweetest song."

15 But the Tree shook its head.

16 "My roses are white," it answered; "as white as the foam of the sea, and whiter than the snow upon the mountain. But go to my brother who grows round the old sun-dial, and perhaps he will give you what you want."

17 So the Nightingale flew over to the Rose-tree that was growing round the old sun-dial.

18 "Give me a red rose," she cried, "and I will sing you my sweetest song." But the Tree shook its head.

19 "My roses are yellow," it answered; "as yellow as the hair of the mermaiden who sits upon an amber throne, and yellower than the daffodil that blooms in the meadow before the mower comes with his scythe. But go to my brother who grows beneath the Student's window, and perhaps he will give you what you want."

20 So the Nightingale flew over to the Rose-tree that was growing beneath the Student's window.

21 "Give me a red rose," she cried, "and I will sing you my sweetest song." But the Tree shook its head.

22 "My roses are red," it answered, "as red as the feet of the dove, and redder than the great fans of coral

that wave and wave in the ocean-cavern. But the winter has chilled my veins, and the frost has nipped my buds, and the storm has broken my branches, and I shall have no roses at all this year."

23 "One red rose is all I want," cried the Nightingale, "only one red rose! Is there no way by which I can get it?"

24 "There is a way," answered the Tree; "but it is so terrible that I dare not tell it to you."

25 "Tell it to me," said the Nightingale, "I am not afraid."

26 "If you want a red rose," said the Tree, "you must build it out of music by moonlight, and stain it with your own heart's-blood. You must sing to me with your breast against a thorn. All night long you must sing to me, and the thorn must pierce your heart, and your life-blood must flow into my veins, and become mine."

27 "Death is a great price to pay for a red rose," cried the Nightingale, "and life is very dear to all. Yet Love is better than Life, and what is the heart of a bird compared to the heart of a man?"

28 So she spread her brown wings for flight, and soared into the air. She swept over the garden like a shadow, and like a shadow she sailed through the grove.

29 The young Student was still lying on the grass, where she had left him, and the tears were not yet dry in his beautiful eyes. "Be happy," cried the Nightingale, "be happy; you shall have your red rose. I will build it out of music by moonlight, and stain it with my own heart's-blood. All that I ask of you in return is that you will be a true lover."

30 The Student looked up from the grass, and listened, but he could not understand what the Nightingale was saying to him. But the Oak-tree understood, and felt sad, for he was very fond of the little Nightingale who had built her nest in his branches. "Sing me one last song," he whispered; "I shall feel very lonely when you are gone."

31 So the Nightingale sang to the Oak-tree, and her voice was like water bubbling from a silver jar.

32 When she had finished her song the Student got up.

33 "She has form," he said to himself, as he walked away through the grove - "That cannot be denied to her; but has she got feeling? I am afraid not. In fact, she is like most artists; she is all style without any sincerity. And he went into his room, and lay down on his bed, and after a time, fell asleep.

34 And when the Moon shone in the heavens the Nightingale flew to the Rose-tree, and set her breast against the thorn. All night long she sang with her breast against the thorn, and the cold crystal Moon leaned down and listened. All night long she sang, and the thorn went deeper and deeper into her breast, and her life-blood ebbed away from her.

35 She sang first of the birth of love in the heart of a boy and a girl. And on the top-most spray of the Rose-tree there blossomed a marvellous rose, petal following petal, as song followed song.

36 But the Tree cried to the Nightingale to press closer against the thorn. "Press closer, little Nightingale," cried the Tree, "or the Day will come before the rose is finished."

37 So the Nightingale pressed closer against the thorn, and louder and louder grew her song, for she sang of the birth of passion in the soul of a man and a maid.

38 And a delicate flush of pink came into the leaves of the rose, like the flush in the face of the bridegroom when he kisses the lips of the bride. But the thorn had not yet reached her heart so the rose's heart remained white.

39 And the Tree cried to the Nightingale to press closer against the thorn. "Press closer, little Nightingale," cried the Tree, "or the Day will come before the rose is finished."

40 So the Nightingale pressed closer against the thorn, and the thorn touched her heart, and a fierce pang of pain shot through her. Bitter, bitter was the pain, and wilder and wilder grew her song, for she sang of the Love that is perfected by Death, of the Love that dies not in the tomb.

41 And the marvellous rose became crimson, like the rose of the eastern sky. Crimson was the girdle of petals, and crimson as a ruby was the heart.

42 But the Nightingale's voice grew fainter, and her little wings began to beat, and a film came over her eyes. Fainter and fainter grew her song, and she felt something choking her in her throat.

43 Then she gave one last burst of music. The white Moon heard it, and she forgot the dawn, and lingered on in the sky. The red rose heard it, and it trembled all over with ecstasy, and opened its petals to the cold

morning air.

44 "Look, look!" cried the Tree, "the rose is finished now"; but the Nightingale made no answer, for she was lying dead in the long grass, with the thorn in her heart.

45 And at noon the Student opened his window and looked out.

46 "Why, what a wonderful piece of luck!" he cried; "here is a red rose! I have never seen any rose like it in all my life. It is so beautiful that I am sure it has a long Latin name"; and he leaned down and plucked it.

47 Then he put on his hat, and ran up to the Professor's daughter with the rose in his hand.

48 "You said that you would dance with me if I brought you a red rose," cried the Student. "Here is the reddest rose in all the world. You will wear it tonight next your heart, and as we dance together it will tell you how I love you."

49 But the girl frowned.

50 "I am afraid it will not go with my dress," she answered; "and, besides, the Chamberlain's nephew has sent me some real jewels, and everybody knows that jewels cost far more than flowers."

51 "Well, upon my word, you are very ungrateful," said the Student angrily; and he threw the rose into the street, where it fell into the gutter, and a cart-wheel went over it.

52 "What a silly thing Love is," said the Student as he walked away. "It is not half as useful as logic. In fact, it is quite unpractical, and, as in this age to be practical is everything, I shall go back to Philosophy and study metaphysics."

53 So he returned to his room and pulled out a great dusty book, and began to read.

Lesson Six The Green Banana

Donald Batchelder

1. Although it might have happened anywhere, my encounter with the green banana started on a steep mountain

road in the central area of Brazil. My ancient jeep was straining up through beautiful countryside when the radiator began to leak, and I was ten miles from the nearest mechanic. The over-heated engine forced me to stop at the next village, which consisted of a small store and a few houses that were scattered here and there.

People came over to look. They could see three fine streams of hot water spouting from holes in the jacket of the radiator. "That's easy to fix," a man said. He sent a boy running for some green bananas. He patted me on the shoulder, assuring me that everything would work out. "Green bananas," he smiled. Everyone agreed.

2. We chattered casually while all the time I was wondering what they could possibly do to my radiator with

their green bananas. I did not ask them, though, as that would show my ignorance, so I talked about the beauty of the land that lay before our eyes. Huge rock formations, like Sugar Loaf in Rio, rose up all around us. "Do you see that tall one right over there?" asked the man, pointing to a particularly tall, slender pinnacle of dark rock. "That rock marks the center of the world."

3. I looked to see if he was teasing me, but his face was serious. He, in turn, inspected me carefully, as if to

make sure I grasped the significance of his statement. The occasion called for some show of recognition on my part. "The center of the world?" I repeated, trying to show interest if not complete acceptance. He nodded. "The absolute center. Everyone around here knows it."

4. At that moment the boy returned with an armful of green bananas. The man cut one in half and pressed the

cut end against the radiator jacket. The banana melted into a glue against the hot metal, stopping the leaks instantly. I was so astonished at this that I must have looked rather foolish and everyone laughed. They then refilled me radiator and gave me extra bananas to take along in case my radiator should give me trouble again.

An hour later, after using the green banana once more, my radiator and I reached our destination. The local mechanic smiled. "Who taught you about the green banana?" I gave him the name of the village. "Did they show you the rock marking the center of the world?" he asked. I assured him they had. "My grandfather came from there," he said. "The exact center. Everyone around here has always known about it."

5. As a product of American education, I had never paid the slightest attention to the green banana, except to

regard it as a fruit whose time had not yet come. Suddenly, on that mountain road, its time had come to meet my need. But as I reflected on it further, I realized that the green banana had been there all along. Its time reached back to the very origins of the banana. The people in that village had known about it for years. It was my own time that had come, all in relation to it. I came to appreciate the special genius of those people, and the special potential of the green banana. I had been wondering for some time about what educators like to call "learning moments," and I now knew I had just experienced two of them at once.

6. It took me a little longer to fully grasp the importance of the rock which the villagers believed marked the

center of the world. I had at first doubted their claim, as I knew for a fact that the center was located

somewhere else in New England. After all, my grandfather had come from there. But gradually I realized the village people had a very reasonable belief and I agreed with them. We all tend to regard as the center that special place where we are known, where we know others, where things mean much to us, and where we

ourselves have both identity and meaning: family, school, town and local region could all be our center of the world.

7. The lesson which gradually dawned on me was actually very simple. Every place has special meanings for

the people in it, and in a certain sense every place represents the center of the world. The world has numerous

such centers, and no one student or traveler can experience all of them. But once a conscious breakthrough to a second center is made, a life-long perspective and collection can begin.

8. The cultures of the world are full of unexpected green bananas with special value and meaning. They have

been there for ages, ripening slowly, perhaps waiting patiently for people to come along to encounter them. In fact, a green banana is waiting for all of us if we would leave our own centers of the world in order to

experience other places.

Lesson Eight The Kindness of Strangers

Mike Mclntyre

1. One summer I was driving from my home town of Tahoe City, Calif, to New Orleans. In the middle of the

desert, I came upon a young man standing by the roadside. He had his thumb out and held a gas can in his other hand. I drove right by him. There was a time in the country when you' d be considered a jerk if you passed by somebody in need. Now you are a fool for helping. With gangs, drug addicts, murderers, rapists, thieves

lurking everywhere, "I don't want to get involved" has become a national motto.

2. Several states later I was still thinking about the hitchhiker. Leaving him stranded in the desert did not bother

me so much. What bothered me was how easily I had reached the decision. I never even lifted my foot off the accelerator.

3. Does anyone stop any more? I wondered. I recalled Blanche DuBois's famous line: "I have always depended

on the kindness of strangers." Could anyone rely on the kindness of strangers these days? One way to test this would be for a person to journey from coast to coast without any money, relying solely on the good will of his fellow Americans. What kind of Americans would he find? Who would feed him, shelter him, carry him down the road?

4. The idea intrigued me.

5. The week I turned 37, I realized that I had never taken a gamble in my life. So I decided to travel from the

Pacific to the Atlantic without a penny. It would be a cashless journey through the land of the almighty dollar. I would only accept offers of rides, food and a place to rest my head. My final destination would be Cape Fear in North Carolina, a symbol of all the fears I'd have to conquer during the trip.

6. I rose early on September 6, 1994, and headed for the Golden Gate Bridge with a 50-pound pack on my back

and a sign displaying my destination to passing vehicles: "America."

7. For six weeks I hitched 82 rides and covered 4223 miles across 14 states. As I traveled, folks were always

warning me about someplace else. In Montana they told me to watch out for the cowboys in Wyoming, In Nebraska they said people would not be as nice in Iowa. Yet I was treated with kindness everywhere I went. I was amazed by people's readiness to help a stranger, even when it seemed to run contrary to their own best interests.

8. One day in Nebraska a car pulled to the road shoulder. When I reached the window, I saw two little old ladies

dressed in their Sunday finest." I know you're not supposed to pick up hitchhikers, but it's so far between towns out here, you feel bad passing a person," said the driver, who introduced herself as Vi. I didn't know whether to kiss them or scold them for stopping. This woman was telling me she'd rather risk her life than feel bad about passing a stranger on the side of the road.

9. Once when I was hitchhiking unsuccessfully in the rain, a trucker pulled over, locking his brakes so hard he

skidded on the grass shoulder. The driver told me he was once robbed at knifepoint by a hitchhiker. "But I hate to see a man stand out in the rain," he added. "People don't have no heart anymore."

10. I found, however, that people were generally compassionate. Hearing I had no money and would take none,

people bought me food or shared whatever they happened to have with them. Those who had the least to give often gave the most. In Oregon a house painter named Mike noted the chilly weather and asked if I had a coat.

When he learned that I had "a light one," he drove me to his house, and handed me a big green army-style jacket. A lumber-mill worker named Tim invited me to a simple dinner with his family in their shabby house.

Then he offered me his tent. I refused, knowing it was probably one of the family's most valuable possessions.

But Tim was determined that I have it, and finally I agreed to take it.

11. I was grateful to all the people I met for their rides, their food, their shelter, and their gifts. But what I found

most touching was the fact that they all did it as a matter of course.

12. One day I walked into the chamber of commerce in Jamestown, Tenn. to find out about camping in the area.

The executive director, Baxter Wilson, 59, handed me a brochure for a local campground. Seeing that it cost $12, I replied, "No, that's all right. I'll try something else." Then he saw my backpack. "Most people around here will let you pitch a tent on their land, if that's what you want," he said. Now we're talking, I thought. "Any particular direction?" I asked. "Tell you what. I've got a big farm about ten miles south of here. If you're here at 5:30, you can ride with me."

13. I accepted, and we drove out to a magnificent country house. Suddenly I realized he'd invited me to spend the

night in his home. His wife, Carol, a seventh-grade science teacher, was cooking a pot roast when we walked into the kitchen. Baxter explained that local folks were "mountain stay-at-home people" who rarely entertained in their house. "When we do," he said, "it's usually kin." This revelation made my night there all the more special.

14. The next morning when I came downstairs, Carol asked if I'd come to their school and talk to her class about

my trip. I agreed, and before long had been scheduled to talk to every class in the school. The kids were

attentive and kept asking all kinds of questions: Where were people the kindest? How many pairs of shoes did you have? Did anybody try to run you over? Did you fall in love with someone? What were you most afraid of?

15. Although I hadn't planned it this way, I discovered that a patriotic tone ran through the talks I gave that

afternoon. I told the students how my faith in America had been renewed. I told them how proud I was to live in a country where people were still willing to help. I told them that the question I had had in mind when I planned this journey was now clearly answered. In spite of everything, you can still depend on the kindness of strangers.

Lesson Nine After Twenty Years

by O. Henry

1.The policeman on the beat moved up the avenue impressively. The impressiveness was habitual and not for

show, for spectators were few. The time was barely 10 o'clock at night, but chilly gusts of wind with a taste of rain in them had well nigh de–peopled the streets.

2.Trying doors as he went, twirling his club with many intricate and artful movements, turning now and then to

cast his watchful eye adown the pacific thoroughfare, the officer, with his stalwart form and slight swagger, made a fine picture of a guardian of the peace. The vicinity was one that kept early hours. Now and then you might see the lights of a cigar store or of an all–night lunch counter; but the majority of the doors belonged to business places that had long since been closed.

3.Halfway down a certain block, the policeman suddenly slowed his walk. In the doorway of a darkened hardware

store a man leaned, with an unlighted cigar in his mouth. As the policeman walked up to him the man spoke up quickly.

4."It's all right, officer," he said, reassuringly. "I'm just waiting for a friend. It's an appointment made twenty

years ago. Sounds a little funny to you, doesn't it? Well, I'll explain if you'd like to make certain it's all straight.

About that long ago there used to be a restaurant where this store stands—'Big Joe' Brady's restaurant."

5."Until five years ago," said the policeman. "It was torn down then."

6.The man in the doorway struck a match and lit his cigar. The light showed a pale, square–jawed face with keen

eyes, and a little white scar near his right eyebrow. His scarfpin was a large diamond, oddly set. 7."Twenty years ago to–night," said the man, "I dined here at 'Big Joe' Brady's with Jimmy Wells, my best chum,

and the finest chap in the world. He and I were raised here in New York, just like two brothers, together. I was eighteen and Jimmy was twenty. The next morning I was to start for the West to make my fortune. You couldn't have dragged Jimmy out of New York; he thought it was the only place on earth. Well, we agreed that night that we would meet here again exactly twenty years from that date and time, no matter what our conditions might be or from what distance we might have to come. We figured that in twenty years each of us ought to have our destiny worked out and our fortunes made, whatever they were going to be."

8."It sounds pretty interesting," said the policeman. "Rather a long time between meets, though, it seems to me.

Haven't you heard from your friend since you left?"

9."Well, yes, for a time we corresponded," said the other. "But after a year or two we lost track of each other. You

see, the West is a pretty big proposition, and I kept hustling around over it pretty lively. But I know Jimmy will meet me here if he's alive, for he always was the truest, stanchest old chap in the world. He'll never forget. I came a thousand miles to stand in this door to–night, and it's worth it if my old partner turns up."

10.The waiting man pulled out a handsome watch, the lids of it set with small diamonds.

11."Three minutes to ten," he announced. "It was exactly ten o'clock when we parted here at the restaurant door."

12."Did pretty well out West, didn't you?" asked the policeman.

13."You’re right! I hope Jimmy has done half as well. He was a kind of plodder, though, good fellow as he was.

I've had to compete with some of the sharpest brains going to get my money. A man gets stuck in New York. It takes the West to make a man really keen.”

14.The policeman swung his club and took a step or two.

15."I'll be on my way. Hope your friend comes around all right. Are you going to leave immediately?"

16."I should say not!" said the other. "I'll give him half an hour at least. If Jimmy is alive on earth he'll be here by

that time. So long, officer."

17."Good–night, sir," said the policeman, passing on along his beat.

18.There was now a fine, cold rain falling, and the wind had risen to a steady blow. The few foot passengers in that

quarter hurried dismally and silently along with coat collars turned high and pocketed hands. And in the door of

the hardware store the man who had come a thousand miles to fill an appointment, with the friend of his youth, smoked his cigar and waited.

19.About twenty minutes he waited, and then a tall man in a long overcoat, with collar turned up to his ears,

hurried across from the opposite side of the street. He went directly to the waiting man.

20."Is that you, Bob?" he asked, doubtfully.

21."Is that you, Jimmy Wells?" cried the man in the door.

22."Bless my heart!" exclaimed the new arrival, grasping both the other's hands with his own. "It's Bob, sure as

fate. I was certain I'd find you here if you were still in existence. Well, well, well!—twenty years is a long time.

The old restaurant's gone, Bob; I wish it had lasted, so we could have had another dinner there. How has the West treated you, old man?"

23."It has given me everything I asked it for. You've changed lots, Jimmy. I never thought you would get so tall."

24."Oh, I grew a bit after I was twenty."

25."Doing well in New York, Jimmy?"

26."Moderately. I have a position in one of the city departments. Come on, Bob; we'll go around to a place I know

of, and have a good long talk about old times."

27.The two men started up the street, arm in arm. The man from the West, his egotism enlarged by success, was

beginning to outline the history of his career. The other, submerged in his overcoat, listened with interest.

28.At the corner stood a drug store, brilliant with electric lights. When they came into this glare each of them

turned simultaneously to gaze upon the other's face.

29.The man from the West stopped suddenly and released his arm.

30."You're not Jimmy Wells," he snapped. "Twenty years is a long time, but not long enough to change a man's

nose from a Roman to a pug."

31."It sometimes changes a good man into a bad one," said the tall man. "You've been under arrest for ten minutes,

'Silky' Bob. Chicago thinks you may have dropped over our way and wires us she wants to have a chat with you.

Going quietly, are you? That's sensible. Now, before we go on to the station here's a note I was asked to hand you. You may read it here at the window. It's from Patrolman Wells."

32.The man from the West unfolded the little piece of paper handed him. His hand was steady when he began to

read, but it trembled a little by the time he had finished. The note was rather short.

Bob: I was at the appointed place on time. When you struck the match to light your cigar I saw it was the face of the man wanted in Chicago. Somehow I couldn't do it myself, so I went around and got a plain clothes man to do the job.

Lesson Ten Mandela's Garden

Nelson Mandela

1. In early 1977, the authorities announced the end of manual labor and arranged some type of work for us to do

in the courtyard, so we could spend our days in our section. The end of manual labor was liberating. I could now spend the day reading, writing letters, discussing issues with my comrades, or preparing legal documents.

The free time also allowed me to pursue what became two of my favorite hobbies on Robben Island: gardening and tennis.

2. To survive in prison, one must develop ways to take satisfaction in one's daily life. One can feel fulfilled by

washing one's clothes so that they are particularly clean, by sweeping a hallway so that it is empty of dust, by organizing one's cell to save as much space as possible. Just as one takes pride in important tasks outside of prison, one can find the same pride in doing small things inside prison.

3. "Almost from the beginning of my sentence on Robben Island, I asked the authorities for permission to start a

garden in the courtyard. For years, they refused without offering a reason. But eventually they gave in, and we were able to cut out a small garden on a narrow patch of earth against the far wall.

4. The soil in the courtyard was dry and rocky. The courtyard had been constructed over a garbage dump, and in

order to start my garden, I had to remove a great many rocks to allow the plants room to grow. At the time, some of my comrades joked that I was a miner at heart, for I spent my days in a wasteland and my free time digging in the courtyard.

5. The authorities supplied me with seeds. I at first planted tomatoes, chilies, and onions—hardy plants that did

not require rich earth or constant care. The early harvests were poor, but they soon improved. The authorities did not regret giving permission, for once the garden began to flourish, I often provided the warders with some of my best tomatoes and onions.

6. While I have always enjoyed gardening, it was not until I was behind bars that I was able to tend my own

garden. My first experience in the garden was at Fort Hare where, as part of the university's manual labor requirement, I worked in one of my professors' gardens and enjoyed the contact with the soil as an alternative to my intellectual labors. Once I was in Johannesburg studying and then working, I had neither the time nor the space to start a garden.

7. I began to order books on gardening. I studied different gardening techniques and types of fertilizers. I did not

have many of the materials that the books discussed, but I learned through trial and error. For a time, I

attempted to grow peanuts, and used different soils and fertilizers, but finally I gave up. It was one of my few failures.

8. A garden was one of the few things in prison that one could control. To plant a seed, watch it grow, to tend it

and then harvest it, offered a simple but enduring satisfaction. The sense of being the owner of the small patch of earth offered a small taste of freedom.

9. In some ways, I saw the garden as a metaphor for certain aspects of my life. Leaders must also look after their

gardens; they, too, plant seeds, and then watch, cultivate, and harvest the results. Like gardeners, leaders must take responsibility for what they cultivate; they must mind their work, try to drive back enemies, save what can be saved, and eliminate what cannot succeed.

10. I wrote Winnie two letters about a particularly beautiful tomato plant, how I made it grow from a tender

seedling to a strong plant that produced deep red fruit. But then, either through some mistake or lack of care,

the plant began to wither and decline, and nothing I did would bring it back to health. When it finally died, I removed the roots from the soil, washed them, and buried them in a corner of the garden.

11. I told her this small story at great length. I do not know what she read into that letter, but when I wrote it I had

a mixture of feelings: I did not want our relationship to go the way of that plant, and yet I felt that I had been

unable to nourish many of the most important relationships in my life. Sometimes there is nothing one can do to save something that must die.

Lesson Eleven Maheegun My Brother

Eric Acland

1.The year I found Maheegun, spring was late in coming. That day, I was spearing fish with my grandfather when

I heard the faint crying and found the shivering wolf cub.

2.As I bent down, he moved weakly toward me. I picked him up and put him inside my jacket. Little Maheegun

gained strength after I got the first few drops of warm milk in him. He wiggled and soon he was full and warm.

3.My grandfather finally agreed to let me keep him.

4.That year, which was my 14th, was the happiest of my life.

5.Not that we didn't have our troubles. Maheegun was the most mischievous wolf cub ever. He was curious too.

Like looking into Grandma's sewing basket — which he upset, scattering thread and buttons all over the floor.

At such times, she would chase him out with a broom and Maheegun would poke his head around the corner, waiting for things to quiet down.

6.That summer Maheegun and I became hunting partners. We hunted the grasshoppers that leaped about like little

rockets. And in the fall, after the first snow our games took us to the nearest meadows in search of field mice.

By then, Maheegun was half grown. Gone was the puppy-wool coat. In its place was a handsome black mantle.

7.The winter months that came soon after were the happiest I could remember. They belonged only to Maheegun

and myself. Often we would make a fire in the bushes. Maheegun would lay his head between his front paws, with his eyes on me as I told him stories.

8.It all served to fog my mind with pleasure so that I forgot my Grandpa's repeated warnings, and one night left

Maheegun unchained. The following morning in sailed Mrs. Yesno, wild with anger, who demanded Maheegun be shot because he had killed her rooster. The next morning, my grandpa announced that we were going to take Maheegun to the north shack.

9.By the time we reached the lake where the trapper's shack stood, Maheegun seemed to have become restless.

Often he would sit with his nose to the sky, turning his head this way and that as if to check the wind.

10.The warmth of the stove soon brought sleep to me. But something caused me to wake up with a start. I sat up,

and in the moon-flooded cabin was my grandfather standing beside me. "Come and see, son," whispered my grandfather.

11.Outside the moon was full and the world looked all white with snow. He pointed to a rock that stood high at the

edge of the lake. On the top was the clear outline of a great wolf sitting still, ears pointed, alert, listening.

12."Maheegun," whispered my grandfather.

13.Slowly the wolf raised his muzzle. "Oooo-oo-wow-wowoo-oooo!"

14.The whole white world thrilled to that wild cry. Then after a while, from the distance came a softer call in reply.

Maheegun stirred, with the deep rumble of pleasure in his throat. He slipped down the rock and headed out across the ice.

15."He's gone," I said.

16."Yes, he's gone to that young she-wolf." My grandfather slowly filled his pipe. "He will take her for life, hunt

for her, protect her. This is the way the Creator planned life. No man can change it."

17.I tried to tell myself it was all for the best, but it was hard to lose my brother.

18.For the next two years I was as busy as a squirrel storing nuts for the winter. But once or twice when I heard

wolf cries from distant hills, I would still wonder if Maheegun, in his battle for life, found time to remember me.

19.It was not long after that I found the answer.

20.Easter came early that year and during the holidays I went to visit my cousins.

21.My uncle was to bring me home in his truck. But he was detained by some urgent business. So I decided to

come back home on my own.

22. A mile down the road I slipped into my snowshoes and turned into the bush. The strong sunshine had dimmed. I

had not gone far before big flakes of snow began drifting down.

23.The snow thickened fast. I could not locate the tall pine that stood on the north slope of Little Mountain. I

circled to my right and stumbled into a snow-filled creek bed. By then the snow had made a blanket of white darkness, but I knew only too well there should have been no creek there.

大学英语精读第一册课文翻译

第一单元课程开始之际，就如何使学习英语的任务更容易提出一些建议似乎正当其实。学习英语的几种策略学习英语决非易事。它需要刻苦和长期努力。虽然不经过持续的刻苦努力便不能期望精通英语，然而还是有各种有用的学习策略可以用来使这一任务变得容易一些。以下便是其中的几种： 1．不要以完全相同的方式对待所有的生词。你可曾因为简直无法记住所学的所有生词而抱怨自己的记忆力太差？其实，责任并不在你的记忆力。如果你一下子把太多的生词塞进头脑，必定有一些生词会被挤出来。你需要做的是根据生词日常使用的频率以不同的方式对待它们。积极词汇需要经常练习，有用的词汇必须牢记，而在日常情况下不常出现的词只需见到时认识即可。你会发现把注意力集中于积极有用的词上是扩大词汇量最有效的途径。 2．密切注意地道的表达方式。你可曾纳闷过，为什么我们说“我对英语感兴趣”是“I’m interested in English”，而说“我精于法语”则是“I’m good at French”?你可曾问过自己，为什么以英语为母语的人说“获悉消息或密秘”是“learnthenewsorsecret”,而“获悉某人的成功或到来”却是“learn of someone’s success or arrival”?这些都是惯用法的例子。在学习英语时，你不仅必须注意词义，还必须注意以英语为母语的人在日常生活中如何使用它。 3．每天听英语。经常听英语不仅会提高你的听力，而且有助你培养说的技能。除了专为课程准备的语言磁带外，你还可以听英语广播，看英语电视和英语电影。第一次听录好音的英语对话或语段，你也许不能听懂很多。先试着听懂大意，然后在反复地听。你会发现每次重复都会听懂更多的xx。 4．抓住机会说。的确，在学校里必须用英语进行交流的场合并不多，但你还是可以找到练习讲英语的机会。例如，跟你的同班同学进行交谈可能就是得到一些练习的一种轻松愉快的方式。还可以找校园里以英语为母语的人跟他们

现代大学英语精读1课本内容及翻译

Lesson Eight The Kindness of Strangers Mike Mclntyre 1. One summer I was driving from my home town of Tahoe City, Calif, to New Orleans. In the middle of the desert, I came upon a young man standing by the roadside. He had his thumb out and held a gas can in his other hand. I drove right by him. There was a time in the country when you' d be considered a jerk if you passed by somebody in need. Now you are a fool for helping. With gangs, drug addicts, murderers, rapists, thieves lurking everywhere, "I don't want to get involved" has become a national motto. 2. Several states later I was still thinking about the hitchhiker. Leaving him stranded in the desert did not bother me so much. What bothered me was how easily I had reached the decision. I never even lifted my foot off the accelerator. 3. Does anyone stop any more? I wondered. I recalled Blanche DuBois's famous line: "I have always depended on the kindness of strangers." Could anyone rely on the kindness of strangers these days? One way to test this would be for a person to journey from coast to coast without any money, relying solely on the good will of his fellow Americans. What kind of Americans would he find? Who would feed him, shelter him, carry him down the road? 4. The idea intrigued me. 5. The week I turned 37, I realized that I had never taken a gamble in my life. So I decided to travel from the Pacific to the Atlantic without a penny. It would be a cashless journey through the land of the almighty dollar. I would only accept offers of rides, food and a place to rest my head. My final destination would be Cape Fear in North Carolina, a symbol of all the fears I'd have to conquer during the trip. 6. I rose early on September 6, 1994, and headed for the Golden Gate Bridge with a 50-pound pack on my back and a sign displaying my destination to passing vehicles: "America." 7. For six weeks I hitched 82 rides and covered 4223 miles across 14 states. As I traveled, folks were always warning me about someplace else. In Montana they told me to watch out for the cowboys in Wyoming, In Nebraska they said people would not be as nice in Iowa. Yet I was treated with kindness everywhere I went. I was amazed by people's readiness to help a stranger, even when it seemed to run contrary to their own best interests. 8. One day in Nebraska a car pulled to the road shoulder. When I reached the window, I saw two little old ladies dressed in their Sunday finest." I know you're not supposed to pick up hitchhikers, but it's so far between towns out here, you feel bad passing a person," said the driver, who introduced herself as Vi. I didn't know whether to kiss them or scold them for stopping. This woman was telling me she'd rather risk her life than feel bad about passing a stranger on the side of the road. 9. Once when I was hitchhiking unsuccessfully in the rain, a trucker pulled over, locking his brakes so hard he skidded on the grass shoulder. The driver told me he was once robbed at knifepoint by a hitchhiker. "But I hate to see a man stand out in the rain," he added. "People don't have no heart anymore." 10. I found, however, that people were generally compassionate. Hearing I had no money and would take none, people bought me food or shared whatever they happened to have with them. Those who had the least to give often gave the most. In Oregon a house painter named Mike noted the chilly weather and asked if I had a coat. When he learned that I had "a light one," he drove me to his house, and handed me a big green army-style jacket. A lumber-mill worker named Tim invited me to a simple dinner with his family in their shabby house. Then he offered me his tent. I refused, knowing it was probably one of the family's most valuable possessions. But Tim was determined that I have it, and finally I agreed to take it. 11. I was grateful to all the people I met for their rides, their food, their shelter, and their gifts. But what I found most touching was the fact that they all did it as a matter of course.

现代大学英语精读单词

U n i t 1 Baptist counsel encyclopedia agenda attitudinal contribute crisis endeavor ethical ethnic masculine resentment evaluate feminine adulthood option perceive project excessive functional genetic inherit interaction peer process stressful endowment ethnic adolescence affirm approval unquestionably heighten inhibition internalize newscast

rebel seminary theological wardrobe unit4 bearded Cynicism elegant guffaw lunatic monarch page pebble scant scratch block elaborately fountain half-naked nudge olive paradox privacy scoop squatter stroll titter sweat unit5 abundance adapt angler biocide birch bound built-in

chorus colossal confined considerable throb trout vegetation migrant suppress synthetic contamination counterpart deliberate ecologist evolve fern flame flicker gear harmony immune reserve score sicken span spiral subject mold outbreak potent primitive puzzle rapidity resurgence midst modify organism

现代大学英语精读1 UNIT5 The Nightingale and the Rose 课文翻译

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现代大学英语精读1第二版

Page 39 6. Translate the following sentences into English. 1.It seemed impossible to me, but all the others looked very confident. Sth. seems (to be) + adj.(表) + to sb. 2.We looked around. There wasn't a building standing in sight. The earthquake seemed to have destroyed everything. Sth. /sb. +（seem + to do）复合谓语3.He seems to be in low spirits these days. Sth./Sb. + seem to be + 表语 wonder why. I think it's because he doesn't seem to be making much progress in his studies. He is afraid of being looked down upon by his classmates. Sb. + seem to do sth There seems to be 4.What are you looking for, Dick? I seem to have lost my key. How annoying! 5.If you find that a word doesn't seem to

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现代大学英语精读1 UNIT6 The Green Banana 课文翻译

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现代大学英语精读1课本内容

Lesson One Half a Day Naguib Mahfous 1. I walked alongside my father, clutching his right hand. All my clothes were new: the black shoes, the green school uniform, and the red cap. They did not make me happy, however, as this was the day I was to be thrown into school for the first time. 2. My mother stood at the window watching our progress, and I turned towards her from time to time, hoping she would help. We walked along a street lined with gardens, and fields planted with crops: pears, and date palms. 3. "Why school ?" I asked my father. "What have I done ?" 4. "I'm not punishing you, " he said, laughing. "School's not a punishment. It's a place that makes useful men out of boys. Don' t you want to be useful like your brothers?" 5. I was not convinced. I did not believe there was really any good to be had in tearing me away from my home and throwing me into the huge, high-walled building. 6. When we arrived at the gate we could see the courtyard, vast and full of boys and girls. "Go in by yourself, " said my father, "and join them. Put a smile on your face and be a good example to others. " 7. I hesitated and clung to his hand, but he gently pushed me from him. "Be a man, " he said. "Today you truly begin life. You will find me waiting for you when it's time to leave. " 8. I took a few steps. Then the faces of the boys and girls came into view. I did not know a single one of them, and none of them knew me. I felt I was a stranger who had lost his way. But then some boys began to glance at me in curiosity, and one of them came over and asked, "Who brought you?" 9. "My father, " I whispered. 10. "My father's dead, " he said simply. 11. I did not know what to say. The gate was now closed. Some of the children burst into tears. The bell rang. A lady came along, followed by a group of men. The men began sorting us into ranks. We were formed into an intricate pattern in the great courtyard surrounded by high buildings; from each floor we were overlooked by a long balcony roofed in wood. 12. "This is your new home, "said the woman. "There are mothers and fathers here, too. Everything that is enjoyable and beneficial is here. So dry your tears and face life joyfully. " 13. Well, it seemed that my misgivings had had no basis. From the first moments I made many friends and fell in love with many girls. I had never imagined school would have this rich variety of experiences. 14. We played all sorts of games. In the music room we sang our first songs. We also had our first introduction to language. We saw a globe of the Earth, which revolved and showed the various continents and countries. We started learning numbers, and we were told the story of the Creator of the universe. We ate delicious food, took a little nap, and woke up to go on with friendship and love, playing and learning. 15. Our path, however, was not totally sweet and unclouded. We had to be observant and patient. It was not all a matter of playing and fooling around. Rivalries could bring about pain and hatred or give rise to

现代大学英语精读2第二版课文翻译

UNIT1 又一学年——为了什么？约翰·切阿迪 1.给你们讲讲我刚当老师时候的一次失败经历吧。那是1940年的1月，我从研究生院毕业不久，在堪萨斯城大学开始第一学期的教学工作。一个瘦高，长得就像顶上有毛的豆角架一样的男学生走进我的课堂，坐下，双臂交叉放在胸前，看着我，好像在说：“好吧，教我一些东西。”两周后我们开始学习《哈姆雷特》。三周后他双手叉腰走进我的办公室，“看，”他说，“我来这是学习当药剂师的。我为什么必须读这个？”由于没有随身带着自己的书，他就指着桌子上放着的我的那本。 2.虽然我是位新老师，我本来可以告诉这个家伙许多事情的。我本来可以指出，他考入的不是制药技工培训学校而是大学，而且他在毕业时，应该得到一张写有理学学士而不是“合格的磨药工”的学位证书。这证书会证明他专修过药剂学，但它还能进一步证明他曾经接触过一些人类发展史上产生的思想。换句话说，他上的不是技能培训学校而是大学，在大学里学生既要得到培训又要接受教育。 3.我本来可以把这些话都告诉他，但是很明显，他不会待很长时间，说了也没用。 4.但是，由于我当时很年轻而且责任感也很强，我尽量把我的意思这样表达出来：“在你的余生中，”我说，“平均每天24小时左右。谈恋爱时，你会觉得它有点短；失恋时，你会觉得它有点长。但平均每天24小时会保持不变。在其余的大约8个小时的时间里，你会处于睡眠状态。 5.“然后在每个工作日8个小时左右的时间里，我希望你会忙于一些有用的事情。假设你毕业于一所药科大学——或工程大学，法学院，或者其他什么大学——在那8个小时时间里，你将用到你的专业技能。作为一个药剂师，你要确保氯化物没有和阿斯匹林混在一起；作为一个工程师，你要确保一切都在你的掌控之中；作为一个律师，你要保证你的当事人没有因为你的无能而被处以电刑。这些都是有用的工作，它们涉及到的技能每个人都必须尊重，而且它们都能给你带来基本的满足。无论你还干些什么，这些技能都很可能是你养家糊口的本领。它们会给你带来收入；但愿你的收入总能够用。” 6.“但完成一天的工作后，剩下的8小时你做什么呢？比如说你可以回家，和你的家人待在一起。你所供养的是一个什么样的家庭呢？孩子们在家里能接触到一点还算是精辟的思想吗？你主持的家庭中有民主气息吗？家里有书吗？有那种一般敏感的人看了不会发怵的画吗？孩子们会听到巴赫的音乐吗？” 7.这差不多就是我所说的，但这个讨厌鬼不感兴趣。“看，”他说，“你们教授用你们的方法培养孩子；我会以我自己的方式抚养我自己的孩子。我呀，我会尽一切努力挣钱的。” 8.“我希望你能赚很多，”我告诉他，“因为你在开支票的余暇会愁没事干的。” 9.14年后的今天，我仍然在教书，在此我要告诉你们，大学的职责并不只是在于培训你，它还要使你接触人类思想的精髓。如果你没时间看莎士比亚的作品，没时间看哲学入门，没时间欣赏艺术的存续，也没时间学习我们称之为历史的人类发展的课

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UNIT 1 As we are at the start of the course, this seems a good moment to offer some advice on how to make the task of learning English easier. 课程开始之际，就如何使学习英语的任务更容易提出一些建议似乎正当其时。 Some Strategies for Learning English Learning English is by no means easy. It takes great diligence and prolonged effort. 学习英语绝非易事。它需要刻苦和长期努力。 Nevertheless, while you cannot expect to gain a good command of English without sustained hard work, there are various helpful learning strategies you can employ to make the task easier. Here are some of them. 虽然不经过持续的刻苦努力便不能期望精通英语，然而还是有各种有用的学习策略可以用来使这一任务变得容易一些。以下便是其中的几种。 1. Do not treat all new words in exactly the same way. Have you ever complained about your memory because you find it simply impossible to memorize all the new words you are learning? But, in fact, it is not your memory that is at fault. If you cram your head with too many new words at a time, some of them are bound to be crowded out. What you need to do is to deal with new words in different ways according to how frequently they occur in everyday use. While active words demand constant practice and useful words must be committed to memory, words that do not often occur in everyday situations require just a nodding acquaintance. You will find concentrating on active and useful words the most effective route to enlarging your vocabulary. 1. 不要以完全同样的方式对待所有的生词。你可曾因为简直无法记住所学的所有生词而抱怨自己的记忆力太差？其实，责任并不在你的记忆力。如果你一下子把太多的生词塞进头脑，必定有一些生词会被挤出来。你需要做的是根据生词日常使用的频率以不同的方式对待它们。积极词汇需要经常练习，有用的词汇必须牢记，而在日常情况下不常出现的词只需见到时认识即可。你会发现把注意力集中于积极有用的词上是扩大词汇量最有效的途径。 2. Watch out for idiomatic ways of saying things. Have you ever wondered why we say, "I am interested in English", but "I am good at French"? And have you ever asked yourself why native English speakers say, "learn the news or secret", but "learn of someone's success or arrival"? These are all examples of idiomatic usage. In learning English, you must pay attention not only to the meaning of a word, but also to the way native speakers use it in their daily lives. 2．密切注意地道的表达方式。你可曾纳闷过，为什么我们说“我对英语感兴趣”是“I'm interested in English”，而说“我精于法语”则是“I'm good at French”？你可曾问过自己，为什么以英语为母语的人说“获悉消息或秘密”是“learn the news or secret”，而“获悉某

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