现代大学英语课文译文VI-3

第一篇：现代大学英语课文译文VI-3

现代大学英语课文译文VI-3

四、课文译文

星球之战

巴里·卡门纳

1．人类生活在两个世界中。和所有的生物一样，我们生存在这个经过50多亿年物理、化学、生物变化所形成的地球上，即自然世界。另外一个世界则源于人类的创造，如家庭、汽车、农场、工厂、实验室、食物、服装、书籍、绘画、音乐、诗歌等。我们为人类世界所发生的一切承担责任，却对自然世界的变化无能为力。风暴、干旱、洪水等都是上帝的“手笔”，人类无法控制，也无须负责。

2．但如今，从全球的角度看，这个界限已被打破。对地球起保护作用的臭氧层出现空洞，全球变暖威胁人类，甚至干旱、洪水、热电波等都可能是人类的无心之过。

3．正如宇宙的建立，这种预示性的全球事件是影响深远的。它们改变了地球与它的恒星太阳之间的关系。太阳通过两种力量对地球发挥重要作用：重力和太阳辐射。重力是一种使地球轨道绕太阳转的稳定力量。太阳辐射——大部分为可见光和紫外线——是沐浴着地球表层的取之不尽、用之不竭的能量，它会随时间和季节的变化而波动。太阳能为生命进程提供必需的能量：它创造了地球上的气候并掌管着庞大而多样的生物群的逐渐进化和当前的行为。我们一直在滥用这股强大的力量，就像传说中的魔术师的徒弟一样，并没有意识到我们的这种行为很可能会导致灾难性的后果。

4．自从人类第一次登月起，我们就一直习惯于如今这平常无奇的地球景象——一个被装点着旋涡状白云的蓝色星球。这真是个壮观的自然天体。隔着那么远的距离，人类活动的明显痕迹无法被察觉。但这种曾无数次展现在照片、海报和广告上的景象都是误导。即使全球变暖这种灾害永不发生，即使臭氧层空洞仍然只是一种深奥的极地现象，人类活动已极大地改变了地球条件，这些也许是用照相机拍不出来的。世界的每个角落都出现了由核爆炸和核能工业的危险剩余物质所产生的辐射现象，那是从前不存在的；烟霾的有害烈焰笼罩着世界上的大都市；各地都有报道发现母亲的奶水中有致癌的合成杀虫剂的成分；大片大片的森林被砍伐，摧毁了生态小环境，也毁灭了生存在其中的物种。

5．显而易见，我们需要深入认识这两个世界间的相互作用：一个是稀薄的地表空气、水、土壤和植物、动物们赖以存在的生态圈；另一个是人造生物圈——它庞大的力量完全配得上这一称号。如此庞大和强烈的技术圈已经改变了控制自然圈的自然进程。接着，被改变了的生态圈也已淹没我们的城市，耗尽丰厚的农场资源，污染食物和水源，并毒害我们的身体——使我们丧失供应人类基本需求的能力。人类对生态圈侵害已遭到反击。两大世界正处于交战状态。

6．我们所居住的两个世界分别受控于不同的规律。生态圈一个最基本的规律可概括为“万物都互相联系”。这说明生态圈是一个精密的网络，其间的每个成员都与其他成员相联系。因此，在海洋生态系统中，鱼不仅是鱼，也不仅是其他鱼的生育者；它还充当有机废料的生产者，而这些有机废料滋养着微生物甚至水生植物；它又是由植物光合作用生成的氧气的消耗者；它也是寄生虫的栖息地和鱼鹰的猎食对象。鱼并不仅仅是孤立的鱼，它也是网络上的一个要素并限制网络的功能。的确，从进化论的角度上看，网络中的很多成员，比如微生物和植物，都先于鱼而存在。但正因为鱼能适应这一业已存在的系统，它才得以立足。

7．在技术圈中，成员们即众多形形色色的人造物体之间相对于它们的环境来说关系也不一样。例如，汽车立于社区却不受其限制；同型的汽车可以奔驰在熙熙攘攘的洛杉矶高速公路上，也可以行驶在安静的乡村小路上。汽车被生产出来就是为了出售，就是一种商品，无须考虑它适合于外界条件：交通系统或环境。当然，所有汽车都需要交通通道，并要有合适的闸、灯、喇叭等。但正如洛杉矶或纽约的每个居民所知道的那样，近年来，拥挤的街道和高速公路全都充塞着长龙般的小轿车。而这些小轿车的设计只求迎合买者并使生产商获利，却很少考虑与环境相宜。

8．若只为迎合买者和生产商，汽车具有不利于环境的性能也就不足为奇了。人们成功地设计出了既舒适又快捷的新型汽车，却从不考虑环境中的必备要素——人类本身和他们对清洁的、无烟空气的需求。

9．就连技术圈中如此接近自然的农场也遭受到同样的与环境的冲突。作为人造物体，农场仅仅旨在生产农作物。为此，二战后农学家们大力提倡增加化学氮肥料的投入量。生产量增长了，却与肥料投入量不成正比；年复一年，庄稼吸收到的肥料日益减少，投入的肥料大都通过土壤流失到地下水中，并以硝酸盐的形式污染河流、湖泊和淡水供应。仅仅为了提高产量而出售氮肥料，甚至单单为了提高化学工业的利润而生产氮肥料。20世纪50年代引进无机氮肥料时，人们就很少考虑其在土壤／水系统中的生态情况和饮用水中硝酸盐比重提高的危害。

lO．第二条生态规律——“任何事物都会转化成其他事物”——与第一条合起来，体现出自然圈中循环的重要性。例如在水域生态系统中，参与其中的化学要素通过封闭的循环流程运动。鱼呼吸时产生二氧化碳，接下来，二氧化碳被水生植物吸收并用于光合作用生成鱼呼吸需要的氧气。鱼分泌出含氮的有机化合物；当废料被水生细菌和霉分解时，有机氮就转化为硝酸盐；依次下来，硝酸盐又是水生藻类的必要营养品；水生藻类被鱼吸收后会促成其产生有机废料，这个循环到此完成。在这个封闭的循环系统中，没有真正的“废料”，循环中产生的任何事物都会转化为它物并在下一步被利用。

11．与生态圈相反，技术圈是由线性流程决定的。农作物和以它们为生的动物被人食用；而它们的废料被冲进下水道，经处置后构成保持不变但数量发生变化，然后残余部分被倒入河流或海洋中，因此这部分废物便打乱了自然水域生态系统。铀经开采后被加工成用于生产能源的原子燃料，然后变成放射性极强的核废料。为防污染环境，这些核废料必须被认真保管长达数千年。但迄今为止，保管工作一直效果不佳。现在技术圈运作的能源主要是矿物燃料，一旦用完，永不再生。线性流程的最终后果就是空气污染和全球变暖的威胁。所以，在技术圈中，物质被直线性地转化为废物：农作物转化为污物；铀成为放射性残余；矿物燃料成为二氧化碳。在技术圈中，直线末段永远是废物，是对生态圈循环流程的攻击。

12．第三条规律即“自然深知一切”。生态系统内部和谐；各组成部分间相容并共存于一体。经过50亿年这一相当长时期生物进化的反复尝试，终于成就了如此和谐的结构。生态圈的生物部分——生物圈——由经受过考验的生物构成。它们经过准确的调整后能适应自身居住的特殊生态小环境。若生态小环境不被外界打扰，它们将几乎保持不变，进化速度十分缓慢。即使有暂时的变化，比如说兔子的激增，也会很快被狼群重新调整。

13．与生态圈相反，技术圈由能反映出快速、激烈变化的物质组成。在不到一个世纪的时间里，交通工具不断更新，从马车、T型福特汽车到如今每年不断更新的汽车和飞机。在不长的一段时间里，书写工具便从羽毛笔变成了打字机，直至现在的文字处理器。150年前普通自然物质尿素的实验生产意味着AI合成工业的开端，但很快人们就从这条模仿型的道路转移到生产一系列自然界中从未有过的有机合成物，因此导致与生命化学极不相容。例如尼龙，它不会像植物纤维那样的天然聚合物一样可以进行生物分解——也就是说，在现存的有机生物中还没发现哪种酶可以分解尼龙。所以，若尼龙被遗弃到生态圈，它就会像塑料一样永存。因此，海洋学家目前发现在他们的打捞网中有不少橙色、蓝色和白色的尼龙，在死海龟的消化道里也卡着大张尼龙船用绳索的残留物。在技术圈中，尼龙是一种有用的新商品；但在生态圈中，尼龙没有经过进化的检验，是一个有害的侵犯者。

14.“自然深知一切”是一个概括。在他们进化的几十亿年里，有生命的东西创造了一系列对生命至关重要的有限但独立的物质和反应。石油化学制品工业已经偏离了这些限制，生产出数以万计的新型人造物质。既然他们基于与自然合成物相同的碳化学工业的基本模式，这些新得物质往往被认为属于生物化学流程。因此他们就对有生命物质发挥了一种暗中为害的作用。事实上，石油化学制品工业生产出的物质一一就像貌似人类却极其危险的外星人入侵人类社会一样——狡猾地进人生命化学并对其进行攻击。

15．最后，有必要从失败的后果上对生态圈和技术圈进行比较。在生态圈里，人们用“没有免费的午餐”来表达这一点，意思是说，任何对生态圈的扭曲，或者是不相容成分的侵入(比如说有毒化学物)，都会不可避免地导致恶果。乍一看来，技术圈好像完全没有错误，也就是说，技术进程或产品的失败并非源于某种不可预料的事故，而是由于无法做到预期中的事。几乎每种现代技术都有缺陷，但这种缺陷看起来不是无法完成预期目的的失败，而是其对环境的严重影响。汽车总能照常行驶，但它却产生烟雾；电站能有效地发电，却会放射出危险的污染物；现代化学农业卓有成效，但随之而来的硝酸盐污染了地下水，杀虫剂危害了野生动物和人类。即使发生在三里岛和切尔诺贝利的壮观的核灾难相对于其所造成的生态影响来说，也只是一个并不太严重的技术失败。若仅仅被视为工厂运作的失败，切尔诺贝利事故充其量也就相当于当地发生的一次破坏了工厂的严重大火。但随之释放出来的辐射，却使整个欧洲数以千计的人面临患上癌症的威胁。

16．免费的午餐实际上是一种负债。在技术圈中，债务是指已承认但尚未归还的欠款---比如说抵押在建筑上的押金。这种欠款可以忍受，因为技术圈是个生产系统，如果正常工作，便代表着财富，日后定能还清欠款。在技术领域，债务从内部被偿还，至少在理论上总能还清或者有时会被消除。相反，当债务以技术圈制造的环境污染的形式出现，然后又转嫁到生态圈时，这种债务将永远无法消除。造成破坏是不可避免的。切尔诺贝利核事故泄漏的放射性物质和弥漫在博帕尔的有毒化学物都是无法消除的债务。它们只是被转嫁给其受害者，并以其受害者病亡的形式得以偿还。

17．既然生活在两个世界中，人们就陷于生态圈和技术圈的激烈冲突中。我们说的“环境危机”---一系列从地方性的倾倒毒物到全球性气候受到破坏，这些关键而又未得到解决的问题---是一种激烈冲突的产物。这种冲突就存在于循环、保守而又和谐的生态圈进程与线性的、创新的却破坏生态和谐的技术圈进程之间。

18．既然环境危机是由人类社会生存的两大世界的战争所引发，那么要想正确理解它就必须着眼于二者的相互作用。当然，若是在传统战争中，通过袒护一方就能将问题简单化，即忽视任意一方的利益。但这种做法无法真正解决问题。如果忽略生态圈，就能把环境危机定义在控制技术圈的因素之内：生产、价格、利润及协调它们间相互作用的经济程序。然后还可以制定类似布什总统近日提出的方案，即工厂享有放出少于一定数量的污染物的权利(被仿拟为“自由市场”)，并可买卖这些权利。传统市场经营好货---具有一定用途的东西，但这一方案创建了一个市场经营“烂货”一一不仅毫无用途还具有致命的危害。除了道德问题，还应指出这一方案仍无法操作，除非执行可以生产污染物的权利——几乎不能消除它们。

19．若忽略技术圈，就可以将环境危机仅定义在生态范围内。人类将成为生物界一个特有的物种，一个注定要破坏其生存空间的物种。而简单易行的解决方法即：降低人口数量；限制他们占有自然资源的份额；通过赋予其他物种权利来保护它们不受人类掠夺。

20．这一方法引发了一个深远而又不可避免的道德问题：保护生态圈不受破坏是为了生态圈本身，还是提升依赖于它的人类的幸福感。这又引出一个关于“幸福”的更深层次的问题。一些环保支持者认为：要想提升幸福感，人类就得少依赖技术圈中的人工制品并与区域生态系统更亲密和谐——自烤面包而不买面包；散步或骑车而不开车；居住在小城镇而不是大城市。这种方式就是否认其社会价值，比如说，一位妇女买面包而不自己动手做，却节省时间用在城市博物馆里。而且省时省力技术也不可能与环境的整体性相容。假使技术圈，无论怎样设计，都必定是提供给人们与环保相违背的、生态小环境中不具备的资源。但如我们所见，这种假设是错误的；虽然现存技术圈中几乎每个方面都是与生态相对抗的，但与生态相容的技术必定存在，虽然很少被使用。

21．单纯的把人认为是生态圈中成分的观点往往会导致极端和非人性的建议。以全球变暖问题为例，人文主义道路强令积极努力阻止其进程，因为全球变暖问题会极大地威胁人类社会：城市被淹没，农业倍受干旱之苦和热波延长。但是，若仅从生态方面判断，全球变暖尽管更迅速些但又仅仅是一种全球生态系统的波动，这与伴随上一个后世纪冰川时代的变暖现象相似。从这一点上看，便没有理由再去大力反对全球变暖，而应～如既往地仅仅对冰川时代和全球温度的最终上升表示不快。再远点说，正如一个组织发表的文章《地球第一》中所反映的，这种不人道的立场还会变成反人道的。此文认为，艾滋病的传播能有效地降低人口数量又不会对其他物种造成威胁，因而对其大力支持。当然另一种极端看法是未来毁灭论：认为现代生产技术对人类社会的价值使其可以肆意破坏生态圈。

22．由我们生存的双重环境引发的多重问题产生了广泛的反应。对人类社会居住的两大世界关系的极端理解——以及间或令人费解的妥协性的立场——有力地证明了我们仍没有正确理解两大系统的冲突，因而也无法解决这一冲突。

23．理解生态圈与技术圈之间的冲突——与对其做出反应不同——是寻求和平的惟一途径。这样做的目的不是深切哀悼已经造成的损失，而是寻求避免更多损失的方法；不是声讨一方或另一方，而是开辟结束战争的道路——并与地球和平相处。

(张绚丽译，陈莺审校)

五、练习答案及详解 1．Vocabulary A．Look up the following words and phrases．Select the meaning that best suits the sentence in which each appears．

1．to cover with a thick layer 2．the specific：space oceupied by an orgamsm wi thin its habitat

第二篇：现代大学英语课文译文V-8

现代大学英语课文译文V-8 仅仅不错而已 杰里米·伯恩斯坦

1．早在1981年．我收到过一份请柬，邀请我在宾西法尼亚州特拉华河沿岸过新泽西不远的某地召开的一次作家年会上做讲座。我记不起确切的地点了，查看地图后我认为大概是在新望市。我最开始的想法是拒绝。理由很多。首先我住在纽约，担任全职教学任务．周末对我来说很珍贵。一想到为做个讲座周六天没亮就起床,驾着租来的车穿过整个新泽西州，实在不情愿。我记得给的讲课费几乎不够行程所需的花费。另外,让我讲的题目实际上已经不再是我的兴趣所在了。我边写作边搞物理学研究，经常有人让我讲讲两者之间的联系。人们一开始提问的时候，我觉得是值得讲一讲。可是过了20年,我觉得惟一想要说的就是搞物理学和搞写作都极其困难，尤其是在你想两全其美的情况下。

2．大会的主题好像集中在诗歌上,于是我想起罗伯特·奥本海默过去自我介绍时的一件事。由于奥本海默将在以下的故事中扮演重要的角色,我讲得详细点。1925年奥本海默从哈佛毕业后，获得研究员的资格到欧洲学习。在英国他的神经出了点儿毛病，度过了一段不愉快的时光之后，他去德国攻读博士学位。在哥廷根．他师从著名的德国理论物理学家马克思·伯恩,并于1927年他23岁时获得了学位。伯恩去世后对奥本海默的回忆录l975年出版,书中没有赞扬之词。他写道，奥本海默“是伟大的天才，我从一件令人尴尬并惹麻烦的事上意识到他多么与众不同。在上我的量子力学讨论课时，他经常打断别人的演讲,不管这个人是谁，连我在内，然后跨上讲台,拿起粉笔，说道：‘用下面的方法这道题可以做得更好。”’实际上,研讨课上他的同学烦得要求伯恩制止这样的事情再次发生。

3．量子力学在此前一年由欧文·施罗丁格、沃纳·海森伯格和保罗·迪拉克创造。第二年,迪拉克到哥廷根做客,碰巧住在一位名叫加里奥的物理学家的大房子里,奥本海默也住在那里。迪拉克当时25岁。两个年轻人成了朋友----此前还没有人能和迪拉克建立友谊。迪拉克虽然年轻,可当时已经是了不起的物理学家了,我想他本人知道这一点。也许他对此并不在意。然而，他从前是个谜，现在也是个谜。他很少说话,可是一但开口，他的话往往极为精确，而且常常有压倒一切的威力。这在当时一定对奥本海默产生了深刻的影响。还在奥本海默打断伯恩的讲座，声称他可以运用量子理论计算得更精确的时候,只比他年长两岁的迪拉克已经发掘了这个课题。无论当时情形如何,那时两个人经常一块散步。在据说是奥本海默自己讲的那个故事说法中，事情是这样叙述的：那天傍晚他们正在环城墙上散步,讨论起奥本海默的诗歌来。可以想像，这种“讨论”更像奥本海默的独白。迪拉克突然打断奥本海默的话，问道：“你怎么能够又写诗又搞物理学?物理学让人们明白从前不知的道理，可是诗歌„„”奥本海默意在让人们想像后半句话的内容。尽管听听人们对此如何应答会很有意思,可是这样的段子在以诗歌为主题的年会上讲恐怕不合时宜。

11．虽然有了以上那些冠冕堂皇的不去的理由,可是有两条最终还是让我启程了。第一条是我刚刚同一位极其热衷于写作的年轻女士坠人情网。为了写作她甚至放弃了在一家广告公司收入颇丰的职位，仅靠积蓄生活,在一年的时间里全身心地投入写作。这么做的确勇气可嘉，可是像许多尝试过的人一样,她感觉目前举步维艰,毫无进展。事实上,她已经有了挫折感。为了给她打气,我建议参加这个会,以便有机会结识一些同类人。这个先不说，我还读到会议议程上的另一位导师将由斯带芬·斯彭德担当。这个最终决定的原因我会在这里解释。首先我得说我其实并不欣赏斯彭德的诗。对我来说，他是那种人们对他们作品的评价比这些人的作品本身来的更有意思的那类人。不过我很有兴致地拜读过斯彭德的自传《世界包容的世界》，尤其是其中谈到了一位我最欣赏的诗人，即W·H·奥登。奥登有迪拉克的清晰敏捷，对语言驾驭纯熟，能从严肃呆板中找出幽默。“至少我的大作将妙趣横生．犹如英国主教涉足量子理论”---这样的诗句我简直爱不释手。斯彭德对奥登的情结让我着迷。奥登对于斯彭德来说一定跟迪拉克对于奥本海默一样，永远提醒人们“伟大”与“仅仅不错”之间有怎样的区别。让人难以理解的是，与奥本海默一样，斯彭德也有些“漂移不定”。某种程度上是犹太教信徒，某种程度上搞点同性恋，某种程度上又是英国当权派中的重要角色，真不知道他还有没有时间用来写诗。而奥登和迪拉克则不然，他们举止极其怪异，很自然就把自己与他人隔离开来。他们像激光一样目标集中。在1981年那个当时我所不知的是----这是我直到1986年斯彭德的日志发表以后才知晓的----斯彭德曾于1956年11月短期造访普林斯顿的高级研究院，早我一年，比迪拉克多次访问中的一次早两年。

5．斯彭德在日志中对他本人的那次造访的记载所提到的事和没有提到的事都同样引起我的兴趣。一开始他就说道“奥本海默的房子非常漂亮．房子内部几乎全部漆成白色。”这就是高级研究院主任的房子。斯彭德没有注意到的是，正是由于奥本海默与西方渊源至深，他的庭院里还怪怪地有一匹马。斯彭德接着写道：“奥本海默有几幅漂亮的画。我们刚一到，他就说，‘大家该欣赏欣赏梵高啦。’到了他的起居室，我们看到的是一幅梵高的作品，太阳高高地悬挂在完全笼罩在阴影里的田地上空。”那次我也是驾着棚顶露个大洞的折篷汽车，从洛斯阿拉莫斯匆匆赶来见面，一路风尘。与奥本海默会面终了的时候，他告诉我他和他妻子的有些画儿，也许我愿意什么时候欣赏欣赏。我那时不知他指的什么画儿，几个月以后我应邀参加奥本海默在家举办的晚会，才知道他说的是梵高的画儿。几年以后，我了解到那时他从他父亲那儿继承了几幅收藏品，他本人再也没有增添过。

6．斯彭德在日志中描写了奥本海默的长相：“罗伯特·奥本海默是我见过的长相最奇特的人。他的头跟一个聪明的小孩的头差不多，脖子长长的，让人想到埃及人特意拉长了脖子的脑壳。他的脑壳让人觉得像鸡蛋壳似的不堪一击，由一根细细的脖颈支撑着。他的表情看上去容光焕发，同时又让人觉得清苦淡漠。”对这个描写我很认同，但是遗漏了一个事实。那就是奥本海默看上去像一个进行过大量户外活动的人，皮肤黝黑，而事实也是如此。斯彭德也没有提到奥本海默的眼睛，那双眼睛里闪烁着一种提防的冷冷的光，这样的目光也可以在暹罗猫身上找到。更重要的是，奥本海默在斯彭德的日志中是一个游离于他人的人物，与斯彭德本人的生活圈格格不入。

7．日志中也没有提到另外一件事；那就是，三年前奥本海默由于对国家忠诚问题被审查，最终他的参加秘密工作许可被吊销。对他的指控之一是他的妻子凯瑟琳·普宁·奥本海默，也就是约瑟夫·戴勒特的前妻。约瑟夫·戴勒特是共产党员，参与西班牙共和军在1937年时战死。同一年，斯彭德也是英国共产党员，也曾到过西班牙。不知奥本海默是否了解此事。他总是了解很多对他感兴趣的人的事情。“基蒂”·奥本海默知道此事吗?斯彭德来访时，她恰好在楼上养“病”，这与此事是否相关?斯彭德在日志里没有提起。他当时怎么想的?他们两人其实有许多话题可谈，却没有谈。谈的是入侵苏伊士运河的事。

8．我在研究院的第二年，迪拉克曾经来访。我们大家都知道他要来，却谁也没有遇见他，只是有人说在远处看见他的身影。当年迪拉克50多岁，在物理学界的地位有些奇怪。他与爱因斯坦的不同之处是，他跟上了许多研究项目的发展，还时不时地评论一番。但是与爱因斯坦一样，他没有建立学派，没有追随者，也没有培养出几个学生。也基本是没有合作者。有一次被问及此事时，他回答说：“物理学中真正有价值的主张只能为个人享有。”这个说法好像也挺适用于诗歌。他曾是剑桥大学卢卡斯教授，此前牛顿曾经拥有这个位子，在教授量子理论课程时，他实际上是用他一贯精确而掐头去尾的方式念着他本人的著作。当有人对此提出疑问时．他回答说他对该课程斟酌至深，没有更好的方式讲给学生听。

9．研究院召开了一个为期一周的研讨会，奥本海默主持，还是不断地打断讲话者的发言。那是初秋的一天，研讨会正在进行，在那个小会议室里当时大约有40多位与会人员。这时门开了，迪拉克突然到来。我此前没有见过他，不过他的照片倒是常常看到。他本人比照片好多了。他身着大致是蓝色的西装----西裤、衬衫、领带，我还记得他还穿着毛衣。但是给人以不可磨灭的印象的是，他当时穿着一双齐大腿、沾满泥土的胶皮靴。后来得知他花了很多时间手持板斧在离研究院不远的林子里朝特棱顿大致的方向开辟一条小径。几年以后，我开始给《纽约人》撰稿，想让迪拉克提供他个人的传略，他建议我们的几次会面可以一边清理那条小径一边谈。显然他仍在进行着这项工作。

10．现在25年过去了。太阳还没有升起来，我开着车和我的女伴穿越新泽西州。我们大约在早晨五点钟离开纽约，这样能赶上安排在上午的讲座。我胡乱拼凑了一xie关于物理学与写作的东西。两个人谁也没正经吃早饭。行至林肯第一隧道时，我想起我的同事诺贝尔奖获得者李政道讲的关于迪拉克的一件轶事。李政道当时开车送迪拉克从纽约到普林斯顿，穿过这座隧道。出隧道有一会儿了，迪拉克打破沉默说道：平均算起来，如果把收费价增加一倍并且把收费站都建在一端，收上来的钱会一样多。几年以后，口岸管理部门好像做了同样的分析，把收费站减少了一半。车驶过了通往普林斯顿的岔道，很想再去看一看。可是那时奥本海默已经去世，迪拉克和妻子住在佛罗里达。他的妻子是同是物理学家的尤金·威格纳的妹妹。迪拉克经常把妻子以威格纳的妹妹的身份介绍给人们，比方他会说：“请让我来介绍维格纳的妹妹。”迪拉克于1984年在佛罗里达去世。

11．我们在预定时间前几分钟到达会议中心。讲课厅里没有人，或者几乎没有人。但是在屋子的中央坐着斯彭德。我见过他的照片．所以一眼就认出他来。克里斯托弗·伊舍伍德曾描绘斯彭德的眼睛里有“蓝钟花的猛烈的颜色”。斯彭德穿着一套藏蓝色的西装，里面是一件带条纹的英国衬衫---特恩布尔一阿瑟品牌?----一穿上就让人觉得特精神的那种。打的是一条带有某个俱乐部标志的领带。我讲课的过程中他一言未发，课程一结束就跟着那小伙儿零零星星的听众一起离开了，而我特意为了他们跑了5个小时的车程。此后我和我的同伴在当地的一家咖啡馆吃了顿不怎么样的午餐，好像会议没有提供正规午餐。这时我已经完全恼怒不已，要立刻回纽约去，但是她非常想多呆一会儿，看看斯彭德的诗歌研习会的一部分也好，所以我们留了下来。

12．我从未参加过诗歌研习会，想不出里面有些什么。物理学研习会倒是参加了不少，我太了解它们都干些什么了：一个屋子里有6个物理学家在黑板前互相大喊大叫。斯彭德举行诗歌研习会的屋子坐满了人，大约有30个人。可能不该以貌取人，可是这些观众----大多数是妇女，在我看来好像把诗歌当成救命的稻草一样抓住不放。如果我能够读到斯彭德的日志(他的日志几年以后才出版)，我会知道斯彭德对这一切已经习以为常了。事实上，从10年前他从伦敦的大学学院退休以后就以给这样的群体做讲座和讲课赖以生计的。我后来也了解到1981年的时候他对此已经厌倦了，也对做他过世的朋友----奥登、C·戴·刘易斯以及其他人的替身厌倦了。他比他们每个人都活得长久，可是仍然活在他们的阴影里，尤其是奥登。他们在牛津头一次结识，刚好和奥本海默与迪拉克头一次结识时同一年龄，也同一年代。

13．斯彭德夹着一摞研习会学员写的诗走了进来。没有开场白，开板就读起学员们的诗来。我感到惊奇的是那些诗竟然那么拙劣，多数都好像一串名单，什么“天空、性爱、海洋、大地、红色、绿色、蓝色”等等。斯彭德没有表露他对这些诗的看法，不时停下朗读，问问谁是作者，并且提出类似这样的问题：“为什么你选红色不选绿色?红色对你意味着什么?”问题脱口而出，好像自动化控制的一样。

14．很遗憾斯彭德的日志中没有记下这一段，但是很明显他的社交生活很丰富：某日与杰奎琳·奥尼瑟斯共餐，一星期以后出现在缪顿的罗氏银行----手段高明。我的感觉是无论他在想什么都与这个研习会无关。不知怎么，我越来越感觉不对头。大概这不是我该管的事，不过我可是花了一整天的时间，我觉得斯彭德欠我们不少。我不知道他欠的什么----反正不少。

15．我的同伴大概感觉到我要有所行动，因为她在带来的大本子上大写特写。最终，在读了又一串典型的愚蠢的“单子”之后，我举手发言。斯彭德有点吃惊，但还是允许我说话。“为什么那也是一首诗?”我问道。几年后读了他的日志我才发现，这个问题他被问过许多遍，从来没有拿出过令他满意的答案。1935年，奥登为一本给小学生写的诗集写过序，其中他对诗歌的定义是“可以记忆的演讲”。这一定义听上去尚可，直到有人质疑：对谁可以记忆?这很重要吗?如果不重要，为什么要搞这个研习会?

16．我没有记住当时斯彭德是怎么回答的，但是我后来告诉他，我当学生那会儿听过T·S·艾略特的课。课后一个学生问艾略特他认为英国语言中最美的诗句是什么----疯子才问的问题，真的，就像问最大的数字是什么一样。令我万分吃惊的是，艾略特回答了这个问题，没有半点迟疑，“瞧啊，晨披金色氅，脚踏东山露。”我问斯彭德，他认为英国语言中最美的诗句是什么。他从椅子上起身，坚定地在黑板上写下了一行奥登的诗句。他盯着诗句的神情我永远难忘----悲哀、惊奇、懊丧、也许还有妒忌。他慢慢地背诵了一遍，然后坐下来。室内鸦雀无声。我道了谢。然后与同伴离开了课堂。

17．我有好多年没有去想这件事了，可是最近出于某种原因，这件事完全又回到我的脑海里来，几乎完全回来了。我记起了所有的一切，就差斯彭德写在黑板上的那行诗句。我只记得那句诗与月亮有关----反正是关于月亮的。15年前我的那位同伴已经不再是同伴了，所以我没法去问她。我有强制性地收藏自己历史资料的习惯，多数资料是返税时有用的东西。或许我保存了那次会议的议程表，在上面写下了那句诗。我翻遍了装着1981年材料的信封，没有找到那次旅行的痕迹。于是我有了个主意----精神错乱的(lunatic)、月的(lunar)，或许是这个字。我要从头到尾查一查奥登的诗集，找出每一句与月亮有关的来，看看是不是能唤醒我的记忆。令我惊奇的是，开始了这项工程以后我才发现这些诗里提到月亮的有多么少!我怀疑一本897页的集子中，连20处都不到。在《月球登陆》里有“谢天谢地，我的月亮没有受到污染，月缺又月圆，她仍后居天庭„„”或者在《焦虑的时代》里，“月亮升起，温柔，安详，草在摇曳„„”，还有在《夜曲》里的“月亮出现，悄然无声，避让山峦的獠牙磋齿；悄悄然，溜进开阔的天空，豁然知所处”----都是特棒的诗句，可都不是我记忆中的那一句。最接近的是“渐逝的月儿苍白地高悬，犹豫踌躇在天边„„”，也是《焦虑的时代》里的。这一句也不像。

18．我又想到了一个主意。我要重读斯彭德的日志，看他是否提到过奥登的有关月亮的诗。于是，在1975年2月6日的那一条中我找到了这样的话：“模仿已故的奥登并不难。(他于1973年去世)因为在奥登晚年的诗中有一种怪诞的外表，一些雄心勃勃掌握了技巧的年轻人可以效仿。但是模仿早期的奥登难乎其难。‘此月之美，无始无终，初始即已成„„”我敢肯定，这一句正是1981年那个下午斯彭德写在黑板上的那行诗。

19．可怜的斯蒂芬·斯彭德，可怜的罗伯特·奥本海默，即使不是被划分到仅仅不错之列，也都受其限制。他们了解什么是真正出类拔萃，因此两人都不可避免地感到悲哀。“做个渺小的诗人如同做个渺小的皇族，”斯彭德在日志中写道，“正如玛格利特公主的贴身女仆有一次告诉我的那样，任何人在那个地位上都不会高兴的。”至于奥本海默，我记得埃斯德·拉比曾经跟我说“如果他研究的是犹太教法典和希伯来语，而不是梵语的话，他(奥本海默)或许会成为更杰出的物理学家。我从未遇见过他那么聪明的人。但是要更具原创性和博大精深，注意力得更集中才行。”

20．正如斯彭德所说，w·H·奥登的诗无法模仿，保罗·迪拉克的物理学更无法模仿。这就是伟大的诗歌与伟大的物理学之间的共同之处：两者犹如前无古人的天才们掀起的巨浪，席卷澎湃而去，将那些仅仅不错的人甩在后头。

(宋兴蕴译，边娜审校)

第三篇：高级英语课文译文

Lesson2

The Game of the Name

By Peter Farb

Here comes John Smith walking toward me.Even though he is but a passing acquaintance, the American greeting ritual demands that I utter a few words to reassure him of my good will.But what form of address should I use? John? Smith? Dr.Smith? A decision such as this is usually made unconsciously.As native speakers in the American speech community, we have grown up learning the rules of address at the same time that we were acquiring the grammatical rules of American-English.At first thought, it might seem a trivial pursuit to examine the ways in which we address one another.But forms of address reveal many assumptions we make about members of our speech community.Our initial decision about the appropriate address form is based on relative ages.If the person being addressed is a child, then almost all the rules that we have unconsciously assimilated can safely be ignored, and we use the simple formula First Name.The child, in turn, addresses an adult by using the formula Title plus Last Name(TLN).But defining a “child” is not always easy.I address my son's roommate at college by Uneven though he is an adult under the law.I, too, have the relative age of a child to a 75-year-old acquaintance who calls me Pete.Let us assume that John Smith is not a child who can be addressed by FN but is either my contemporary or my elder.The next important determiner for the form of address will then be the speech situation.If the situation is a formal one, then I must disregard all other rules and use social Identity plus Last Name.John Smith will always be addressed as Dr.Smith(or sometimes simply as Doctor, with Last Name understood)in the medical setting of office or hospital.(I am allowed to call him if my status is at least as high as his or if we are friends outside of our social roles, but the rest of my utterance must remain respectful.)

We are also obliged to address certain other people by their social Identity in formal situation: public officials(Congressman: Your Honor),educators(Professor or Doctor),leaders of meetings(Mr.Chairman),Roman Catholic priests(Father Daffy)and nuns(Sister Anna),and so forth.By the way, note the sexist distinction in the formulas for priests and nuns.The formula for a priest is Father plus Last Name, but for a nun it is Sister plus Religious Name(usually an FN).Most conversations, however, are not carried on in formal speech situations, and so the basic decision is when to use FN to TLN.A social acquaintance or newly hired colleague of approximately the same age and rank is usually introduced on an FN basis.“Pete, I’d like you to meet Harry.” Now a problem arises if both age and rank of cone of the parties are higher：“Pete, I’d like you to meet Attorney Brown.”

Attorney Brown may, of course, at any time signal me that he is willing to suspend the rules of address and allow an FN basis.Such a suspension is his privilege to bestow, and it is usually handled humorously, with a remark like,“I answer quicker to Bruce.”

Complications arise when relative age and relative rank are not both the same.A young doctor who joins a hospital finds it difficult to address a much older doctor.They are equal in rank(and therefore FN should be used)but the great disparity in ages calls for TLN.In such cases, the young doctor can use the No-Name(NN)formula, phrasing his utterances adroitly to avoid using any term of address at all.English is quite exceptional among the world's languages in this respect.Most European languages oblige the speaker to choose between the familiar and formal second person singular(as in the French tu and vous), as English once did when“thou”was in use.This is the basic American system, but the rules vary according to speech situations, subtle friendship or kin relationships between the speakers, regions of the country, and so forth.Southern speech, for example, adds the formula Title plus First Name(Mr.Charlie)to indicate familiar respect.Southerners are also likely to specify kin terms(as in Cousin Jane)whereas in most of the United States FN is used for cousins.Address to strangers also alters some of the rules.A speaker usually addresses a stranger whose attire and behavior indicate higher status by saying sir.But sometimes speakers with low status address those with obviously higher status by spurning this rule and instead using Mac or buddy—as when a construction worker asks a passing executive, socially identified by his attaché case, “You got a match, buddy?”

第二课 名字游戏

约翰·史密斯正朝我走过来。虽然他只是我的一个很平常的熟人，但按照美国人的问候习惯，我得说出那么几个字来（如：“你好！”或“早上好！”之类的话。）向他表示我的好意。然而，我该怎么叫他呢？叫他约翰？或是史密斯？或者史密斯医生？像这样的问题在平常，是不用思考的事情。

对于在美国土生土长讲美语的人来说，我们长大后，学会语法规则的同时也学会了称呼别人的规则。乍一想，我们会认为仔细去考察我们称呼的方式是一件不值得做的事情，然而正是这些称呼的方式揭示了我们对同一个语言社区的人们的主观看法。

首先，我们会用讲话者的年龄关系去判断使用的称呼是否合适。如果我们招呼的是个孩子，那么我们就可以毫无顾虑地忽略那些无意之中学来的规则，而简单地直呼其名（FN）。然而，孩子却要用“头衔+姓氏”的方式来招呼大人。

但“孩子”一词却不是那么容易界定的。我直呼其名地招呼我儿子的大学室友，即使他已经是法定的成人了。我也一样，相对一个叫我乳名（Pete）的75岁的老人来说，我也是个孩子。

假定约翰·史密斯不是一个可以直呼其名的孩子，他既不是我的同龄人，也不是我的长者，那么怎么招呼他就主要看语境了。

如果是在一个很正式的场合，我们就会用“社会身份+姓氏”的方式来招呼他，而不会考虑其他规则。这样一来，在与医学有关场合，如医生办公室或医院里，约翰·史密斯就会被称呼为“史密斯医生”（或者有时，在已知姓氏的情况下，直接叫他“医生”）（如果至少与他地位相当或者除开社会地位的因素我们是朋友，而且我对他的称呼又要保持一份敬意，这时我就可以叫他“Doc”）

在正式的场合，我们还不得不用社会身份来称呼其他的某些人：如出入公众视野的官员（议员；阁下），教育工作者（教授或博士），会议的领导（主席先生），罗马天主教的牧师（达夫神父）和修女（安娜姊姊）等等。顺便提一下，要注意，对牧师和修女的称呼差异中存在着性别歧视的倾向。对牧师的称呼是Father（父亲）+ 姓氏，而对修女的称呼却是Sister（姐妹）+ 教名（通常情况下就是名字）。

然而，大多数谈话都不是在正式的场合进行的。因此我们最基本的考虑就是什么时候直呼其名，什么时候用“头衔+姓氏”的方式。如果是一个社会上的熟人或刚刚雇来的一个与你年龄和级别相仿的同事，就有可能用直呼其名的方式介绍他：“皮特，过来见见哈里”如果那个人的年龄比你大，级别比你高，这样介绍也是没有问题的：“皮特，请过来见见布朗律师。”

当然,布朗律师任何时候都有可能向我表示愿意抛开那些客套的规矩, 让我直呼其名。这种放弃是他的一种特权，通常用一种幽默的方式来处理。比如说句这样的话：“你如果叫我布鲁斯，我会反应快些。”

当彼此的年龄和级别这两个方面不是都相仿的时候，事情就变得复杂了。一个刚到医院来的的年轻医生就会感到不太好称呼一个年龄比他大很多的医生。他们级别相当（因此应该直呼其名），但是他们年龄的差异又要求他用“头衔+姓氏” 的方式打招呼。在这样的情况下，这个年轻医生就可以用避开姓名的方式打招呼，巧妙地措辞，完全避开那些称呼的形式。

英语在这方面是世界其他语言不可比拟的。大多数欧洲语言都要求说话的人对第二人称单数作出“随和用语”和“正式用语”的选择（比如法语就用“tu”和“vous”这两个词分别表示非正式场合和正式场合中的“你”）,就如英语曾经用过“thou”这个词一样。

上面所谈到的只是美国人打招呼的基本规则。根据说话双方微妙的朋友或亲缘关系，语境以及地区差异等因素，这些规则也有所改变。

例如，南方话就用“头衔+名字”的形式（如：查理先生）来暗示关系亲近。同时，南方人也会使用很确切的亲缘名称（如：简表妹），而在美国大多数地方，表兄妹常常是直呼其名的。给陌生人打招呼时，这些规则也会发生变化。当那个陌生人的衣着和行为举止显示他的地位高一些的时候，说话的人就会用“sir”（阁下）去称呼他。但是，有时，一个地位低一点的人也可能忽视这个规矩，用“老兄“”“伙计”等语言去招呼一个明显比他低位高些的人——比如，当一个经理走过来，一个建筑工人凭社会经验从他夹着公文包看出了他的身份, 而他却这样打招呼:“你有火吗? 老兄!”

第四篇：Spring sowing现代大学英语课文读后感

A simple life is a true life

Spring sowing, a simple but meaningful story, describes the first day of the first spring sowing of a newly-wedded couple against the background of a traditional agricultural country.Although the development of the story is flat without any suspense, just describing a whole day of spring sowing, but their life and dreams are fully revealed by the detailed description, such as their talks, behaviors and thoughts.The story can be divided into four parts.Part one was the description of the setting of the story and the introduction of the two main characters of the story.The next part mainly told us about the young couple’s preparation for the work of spring sowing after their breakfast.The third part was the detailed description of their first day of spring sowing work.They worked very hard and were hopeful with their future.In addition, the author also described the different thought between the couple, especially the feelings of Mary.The last part described that they finished the work of the first day of the first spring sowing.For Mary and Martin Delaney, as this important day will show what kind of wife or husband they have had, so they’re excited and a bit nervous about the spring sowing.Above all, as they’re hoping for a fruitful autumn and a good beginning of their new life, so they

work so hard regardless of the pain and fatigue from the dawn to dark.Spring sowing, in some ways, for them, means sow the hope of their life, their future.They have the typical farmer’s virtues.They’re painstaking, hardworking, frugal and responsible.After reading this story, frankly speaking, the life in the story just the one I’m looking for all the time, simple but real, toilsome but meaningful.A simple life is a true life.Every day, in the morning, you and your lover go to your own field and start a day’s work.Maybe sometimes you feel so bored and tired that you want to leave just like Mary once thought.However, mutual love will melt everything.Once you and your lover sweated together;you and your lover suffered hardship together.You can not forget all of these unique memories, for the true and deep love already have been created during this time.The difficulty, poverty and common experience connect you with your lover tightly.In my view, that’s the true happiness, and the spiritual contentment surpasses the material contentment.Nevertheless, nowadays, the meaning of love has been spoiled and twisted.The marriage is more like a transaction rather than a promise of true love.Once in a while, I will feel sad and wonder that why people like fooling themselves.Possibly, you can not agree with me, because in the story Mary seems not to be very happy.But I think it is just her complaint, and everyone has complaint, in

addition, she is so young after all.What’s more, at the end of the story we know that all her dissatisfaction and weariness are vanished from her mind, and night will always bring sleep and forgetfulness.I think for Mary, the happiness is that working with her husband.Definitely, the happiness, in fact, is simple and easy.Don’t always relate happiness with the money or the reality.Happiness is a kind of peaceful and magical feeling, which only belong to human beings.A simple life is a true life.

第五篇：大学英语课文（范文）

第一单元 Dr.Rob Boll was craving a hot turkey dinner and a slice of apple pie.After a hectic week treating patients with sore throats and ear infections at his family practice, the 52-year-old physician was ready for a night of home cooking and fellowship at his church’s annual fund-raising dinner.2 Stepping inside the crowded gym at St.John’s United Church of Christ, Boll and his family found a long line of people waiting to be seated.He wasn’t surprised.The turkey feast had become a popular event in Mokena, Illinois, attended by hundreds from the surround-the good food and were willing to pay ＄10 to heap their plates and help pay for the church’s new community center.Boll and his wife, Dana, and their son, Kyle, 14, went every year.3 After sitting down, Boll had barely placed his napkin in his lap when he heard a commotion on the other side of the room.”Help!” a woman shouted.“Does anybody know how to do the Heimlich?” Jumping up from the table, the doctor could see a white-haired woman slumped over in her chair.“I’m a doctor.What’s going on?” Boll said to the group gathered around 76-year-old Pat Rohrer.5 “My mother-in-law choked on a piece of turkey,” answered a frantic Colleen Rohrer.“We’ve tried the Heimlich maneuver, but it’s not working.” Boll reached around Pat’s abdomen and pulled sharply upward with his fists.Nothing happened.Moving quickly, he lifted Pat up and onto the floor to get her into a better position.Twice again he tried the Heimlich, but she didn’t respond.6 This can’t be happening, Boll thought.He worried he wouldn’t be able to help her.Looking up, he recognized Steve Hoblin, a nurse from the hospital near his office.“Steve, stick your fingers down her throat and see if you can sweep anything out,” he said.Hoblin reached in and pulled out a small piece of turkey.7 But Pat still wasn’t breathing.In fact, she was rapidly turning blue.Apparently, some food was still lodged in her throat.Boll knew he needed to do something drastic---and fast---to get air into her lungs.His only chance was to perform an emergency tracheotomy.8 “Call 911!And get me a sharp knife!” He shouted.His wife ran to the kitchen, and Hoblin handed over his pocketknife.9 Boll had never done the operation before.He flashed back to the only time he’d seen one performed: during his residency 20 years earlier.That procedure had been done in a sterile, controlled environment by expert surgeons.How was a family doctor supposed to accomplish the same thing at a church dinner with a dull pocketknife? 10 He was relieved to see that his wife had found a clean paring knife.Taking a deep breath, Boll carefully cut a small slit in Pat’s neck.As blood poured from the wound, he broke into a sweat.But Boll knew it was too late to stop.Two or three precious minutes had already passed.She couldn’t survive much longer without oxygen.Boll figured he had about 45 seconds to save her life.11 Oblivious to the crowd breathlessly watching him work, Boll steadied his hands and continued.But the knife wouldn’t cut deep enough.Out of nowhere, a man handed Boll a switchblade.It had a tapered point, nice and sharp, with a three-inch blade that locked securely in place.Boll quickly finished the cut.12 Then, as if she were reading his mind, Colleen handed him a tracheotomy tube.Her son, Shaun---Pat’s grandson---has a severe lung condition and needs a tube to keep his airway clear.But he could manage without it for an hour or so.13 Pat was turning bluer by the second.Colleen helped Boll gently push the tube into Pat’s trachea.Seconds ticked by like minutes, but the pair worked calmly, with precision---just like a surgical team, thought the doctor.14 “I’m in,” he said once the tube was finally in place.but the crisis was far from over.Boll needed to resuscitate the unconscious woman.Fortunately, her family never went anywhere without an emergency kit containing a manual resuscitator bag, just in case Shaun had trouble breathing.colleen clicked the bag onto the tube and pumped.within seconds, Pat Rohrer started breathing and the color returned to her cheeks.17 as paramedics rushed in and took over, boll stood up, trembling.He certainly hadn't anticipated anything like this when he left his job as a social worker to go to med school.“i 'm not terribly religious, ”Boll says now, “but i know now that God goes to Turkey dinners at churches.To take a doctor who only half knows what he's doing and give him the right tools ——i don't know how i recalled to do.To me there's no explanation but divine intervention.” 19 Maybe so, but Howard Stephens, assistant chief of the Mokena Fire Protection District, was quick to point out, “without Dr.Boll, this lady wouldn't have made it.” now that her grateful mother-in-law is back at home, with no signs of infection from the switchblade surgery.Colleen says, “we are so thankful that in this age of lawsuits, dr.boll was willing to put himself on the line.he just stepped up and did what had to be done.” later that November night, after returning from the hospital, Rob boll found another job that needed to be finished.he strolled into the church kitchen and rolled up his sleeves.“Divine intervention doesn't usually come into play, ”he says, “when it's time to do the dishes.”

第二单元

The forest was full of shadows as a little girl hurried through it one summer evening in June.It was already eight o’clock and Sylvia wondered if her grandmother would be angry with her for being so late

Every evening Sylvia left her grandmother’s house at five thirty to bring their cow home.It was Sylvia’s job to bring the animal home to the milked.When the cow heard Sylvia’s voice calling her.She would hide among the bushes This evening it had taken Sylvia longer than usual to find her cow.The child hurried the cow though the dark forest.toward her grandmother’s home As the cow stopped at a small stream to drink.Sylvia put her bare feet in cold ,fresh water of the stream

She had never before been alone in the forest as late as this.Sylvia felt as if she were a part of the gray shadows and the silver leaves that moved in the evening breeze.It was only a year ago that she came to her grandmother’s farm.before that she had lived with her mother and father in a dirty crowded factory town One day , Sylvia’s grandmother had visited them and had chosen Sylvia form all her brothers and sister to comer help her on her farm in Vermont The cow finish drinking and as the nine-year-old child hurried through the forest the air was suddenly cut by a sharp whistle not far away Sylvia knew it wasn’t a friendly bird’s whistle she forgot the cow and hid in some bushes but she was too late

Hello little girl a young man called out cheerfully How far is it to the main road Sylvia was trembling as she whispered two miles She came out of the bushes and looked up into the face of a tall young man carrying a gun The stranger began walking with Sylvia as she followed her cow through the forest I’ve been hunting for birds he explained but I’ve lost my way Do you think I spend the night at your home Sylvia didn’t answer She was glad she could see her grandmother standing near the door of the farm house

When they reached her the stranger explained his problem to Sylvia’s smiling grandmother

Of course you can stay with us she said we don’t have much but you’re welcome to share what we have Now Sylvia get a plate for the gentleman

After eating,they all sat outside.The young man explained he was a bird collector.“Do you put them ina cage?”Sylvia asked.“No,”he answered slowly,“I shoot them and stuff them with put them with special chemicals to preserve them.I have over one hundred different kinds of birds from all over the United States.”

“Sylvia knows a lot about birds,too,”her grandmother said proudly.“She knows the forest so well,the wild animals come and eat bread right out of her hands.”

“Maybe she can help me then,”the young man said.“I saw a white heron two days ago.I've been looking for it ever since.It's a very rare bird.Have you seen it,too?”He asked Sylvia.But Sylvia.But Sylvia was silent.“You would know it if you saw it,”he said.“It's a tall,strange bird with soft white feathers and long thin legs.It probably has its nest at the top of a tall tree.”

Sylvia's heart began to beat fast.She had seen that strange white bird on the other side of the forest.The young man was staring at Sylvia.“I would give ten dollars to the person who showed me where it is.”

That night Sylvia's dreams were full of all the wonderful things she and her grandmother could buy for ten dollars.Sylvia spent the next day in the forest with the young man.He told her a lot about the birds they saw.Sylvia could not understand why he killed the birds he seemed to like so much.She felt her heart tremble every time he shot an unsuspecting bird as it was singsing in the trees.Sylvia would have liked him vastly better without his gun;but as the day waned,Sylvia still watched the asleep inchild,was vaguely thrilled by a dream of love.They stopped to listen to a bird's song;they pressed forward again eagerly--speaking to each other rarely and in whispers;Sylvia followed the young man,fascinated,a few steps behind,with her gray eyes dark fascinated,a few steps behind,with her gray eyes dark with excitement.Long after the moom came out and the young man had fallen asleep,Sylvia was still awake.She had a plan that would get the ten dollars for her grandmother and make the young man happy.When it was near sunrise,she quietly left her house and hurried through the forest.She finally reached a huge pine tree.She could see the whole forest from there.She was sure she would be able to see where the white heron had hidden its nest.Sylvia's bare feet and tiny fingers grabbed the tree's rough trunk.Sharp dry branches scratched at her like cat's claws as she climbed higher and higher.When Sylvia had at last reached the tree'shighest branch,the golden sun's rays hit the green forest.Two hawks flew together in slow-moving circles far below Sylvia.Sylvia felt as if she could go flying among the clouds.too.Suddenly Sylvia caught a flash of white that grew larger and larger.A bird with broad white wings and a long slender neck flew past Sylvia and landed on a pine branch below her.The white heron smoothed its feathers and called to its mate,sitting on their nest in a nearby tree.Then it flew away.Sylvia gave a long sigh.She knew the wild bird's secret now.Slowly she began her dangerous trip down the ancient pine tree.She did not dare to look down and tried to rorget that her fingers hurt and her feet were bleeding.All she wanted to think about was what the stranger would say to her when she told him where to find the heron's nest.About an hour later Sylvia came back home.Both her grandmother and the young man stood up as she came into the kitchen.The splendid moment to speak about her secret had come,but Sylvia was silent.She remembered how the white heron came flying through the golden air and how they watched the sun rise together from the top of the world.Sylvia could not speak.She could not tell the heron's secret and give its life away.The young man went away disappointed later that day.He never returned.Many a night Sylvia heard the echo of his whistle haunting the forest.She forgot even her sorrow at the sharp report of his gun and the sight of thrushes and sparrows dropping silent to the ground ,their songs hushed and their pretty feathers stained and wet with blood.Were the birds better friends than their hunter might have been?Who can know?

第三单元

Ryan Halligan was taunted for months.Classmates spread rumors via instant messaging that the 13-year-old boy was gay.A popular female classmate pretended to like him and chatted with him online,only to copy thier personal exchanges and share them with her friends.Unable to cope,the teenager from Verment in the US,killed himself.Gail Jones,a 15-year-old from the UK,took her life after receiving,at one point,20 silent calls on her cell phone every 30 minutes.Her father,Glyn,suspects a final call in the middle of the night pushed her over the edge.These are extreme but far from unipue examples of the devastation caused by cyber-bullying.Since Halligan died in 2003 and Jones in 2000,more and more and children are logging on to the Internet,so it's likely that online bullying,including sending threatening messages,displaying private messages,and posting embarrassing videos and photos online,is also increasing.A study last month by the Pew Internet & Amrican Life Project,based in Washington,found that one third of US teenage Internet users have been targets of cyber-bullying.And as online communication evolves from instant messaging and chatrooms to social networking sites and YouTube,the venues where bullying occurs are becoming both more central to young people's lives,and more public.Research into the causes and effects of cyber-bullying is still in its infancy.But it is becoming clear that aspects of online communicantion encourage people to act aggressively,prompting them to do things they wouldn't dare to try in real life.What's more,the ability to reach more people,and the always-on culture the internet,mean that cyber-bullying can have an even more detrimental effect on the victim than conventional playground bullying.“It's school-yard bullying taken to next level,'' says Justin Patchin,a criminologist at the University of Wisconsion.A study by UK-based Internet market research firm YouGov in 2006 found that for one in eight young people cyber-bullying is even worse than physical bullying.one reason for this is thesheer number of people who can view something that is posted online.”it would be bad enough to be cyber-bulied by one kid and nibody else knew about ut,but a video seen by hunders or thousands ofyour peer could be devastang,“says Roin Kowalski,a phychologist at Clemson University in South Caolina and co-author of the book Cyber Bullying;Bullying in the Digital Age,which will be published in October.Ghylain Raza,also known as the”Star Wars Kid“,learned thisthe hard way.In 2002,the somewhat overweigh and silghtly awkward Canadian adolescent made a video of himself playing with a pretend light sabre andleft it lying around at school.when his classmates found the video in 2003,they posted it online as a joke Raza was so upset he finished the school year from a psy chiatric ward Unfortunately for him,it was just his friends who found the video amusing.Acrodding to UK marketing firm the viral factory it became the Internet`s most downloaded video of 2006.Another reson cyber-bullying is so harmful is its relentlessness ,says John Carr,chair of the children`s Charities`Colaition for Internet Safety in London.”when I was a kid ,playground bullying stoped when the bell rang and you went back inside or when you went home at the end of the day.“he says.”with cyber-bullying it is 24/7,365 days a year.“ there is no escape While an adult could simple turn off the computer ,that`s not reallyy an option for today`s teens ,who are dependent on the Internet for communicatng whit their peers.”This is the awlways-on genertion,“say kowalski.”This is how they communicate.“A 2007 Pew study found that 93precent of US teens use the Internet and 61 percent go online daily.The Internet does`t just amplify the effect of bulying,however The many options to remain anonymous when online ,by using pseudonyms,say for instant messaging ,mean people can write things they would not daer to if their identity was known.Anonymity was at the heart of a 2001 incident when a student at an elite high school in New York City set uo a Web page that let students vote anonymously on who they felt was their most promiscuous peer.”Just enter the name of the person in the interschool who u think is the biggest ho(be them FEMALE or MALE)and write the number of their grade next to their name(maybe even their school),“read the site.”Since it's anonymous,u can write about whomever u please!“More than 13,000 votes were cast,and about 150 names,mostly girls,appeared before it was shut down.Anonymity can also amplify bullying's negative effect on the victim.”The psychological ramifications of not knowing who's attacking you can be maddening,“ says Kowalski.”The bully could be your best friend,a sibling, or half the school.“In a recent,as yet unpublished survey she carried out,nearly half of the children she interviewed didn't know who their cyberbully was.The lack of face-to-face contact might tempt bullies to new levels of cruelty.”On the playground,seeing the stress and pain of the victim face-to-face can act as an inhibitor to some degree,“explains Carr.”In cyberspace,where there is no visual contac,you get more extreme behaviour.“Kowalski says the effect unique to computer-mediated communication.”There is a distancing of the self and immediacy in response that we don't have in any other form of communication.“she says.”On the computer ,it's like it's not really you.“

So what can be done? Led by Ruth Aylett of Heriot-watt university in Edinburgh,Scotland，a consortium of European researchers recently developed roly-playing software called FearNot!, which gets children to empathize with wictims of bullying, After watching a short animation of a child being bullied either in the playground or online，the viewer is asked to help the victim by typing advice into the computer.The software will be tested in school in the UK and Germany later this year.Meanwhile,some governments have taken legislative action.In January 2006，the US congress passed a law making it a federal crime to “annoy,abuse,threaten，or harass”another person over the internet，Approximately 36 states have enacted similar legislation.And in South Korea, the “internet real-name system”,introduced last month ,forces online portals and news websites to record the identities of people who post content and to disclose their contact details if someone wants to sue them for libel or infringement of privacy.However, it can be difficult to persuade people to take these laws seriously, and in the US they only apply to over-18s.“many jurisdictions don’t want to investigate or prosecute these cases,”says Al Kush of WiredSafety.org, an Internet safety advocacy group based in Seattle, Washington, “they are short-staffed and busy pursuing what they call ‘real crime’.John Halligan, the father of the boy who killed himself after being harassed online，continues to lobby for cyber-bullying legislation that specifically targets children.He also talks to school groups and runs a website recounting the events that led to his son’s death.“it won’t bring Ryanback,” he says.“But it is helping a lot of Ryans out there are still alive and don’t know where to turn.”

第四单元

The valley known as Sleepy hides from the world in the high hills of New York state.There are many stories told about the quiet valley.But the story that people believe most is about the apparition of a headless horseman.The story says the man died many years ago during the American Revolutionary War and he had his head shot off.He is ever seen hurrying along in the qloom of night , looking for his lost head.Near Sleepy Hollow is a village calldd Tarry Town.The village had a small school teacher was named Ichabod Crane.Ichabod Crane was a good name for him, because he was tall and thin, just like a crane.His shoulders were small ,joined to long arms.His head was small, too, and flat on top.He had big ears ,large glassy green eyes ,and a long nose.Ichabod did not make much money as a teacher.And although he was tall and thin, he ate like a fat man.To help him pay for his food he earned extra money teaching young people to sing.Among the ladies Ichabod taught was one Katrina Van Tassel.She was the only daughter of Arich Dutch farmer.She was a blooming lass of fresh eighteen;plump as a partridge;ripe and melting and rosy-cheeked as one of her father’s perches.Ichabod had a soft and foolish heart for ladies, and soon found himself interested in Miss Van Tassel.But there were many hurdle blocking the road to Katrina’s heart.One was a strong young man named Brom Van Brunt, a hero to all the young ladies.He was broad-shouldered and double-jointed, with short curly black hair, and a bluff but not unpleasant countenance.He always won the horse races in Tarry Town and earned many prizes.Brom was never seen without a horse.Such was the enemy Ichabod had to defeat for Katrina’s heart.Stronger and wiser men would not have tried.But Ichabod had a plan.He could not fight his enemy in the open.So he did it silently and secretly.He made many visits to Katrina’s farm and made her think he was helping her to sing better.Time passed, and the town people thought Ichabod was winning.Brom’s horse was never seen at Katrina’s house on Sunday nights any more.One day in autumn Ichabod was asked to come to a big party at the Van Tassel home.He dressed in his best clothes.A farmer loaned him an old horse for the long trip to the party.Brom Van Brunt rode to the party on his fastest horse,called Daredevil.All the young ladies smiled happily when they saw him.Ichabod was happy dancing with Katrina ,the lady of his heart, while Brom, sorely smitten with love and jealousy, sat brooding by himself in one corner.When the music stopped, the young people sat together to tell stories about the Revolutionnary War.Soon stories about Sleepy Hollow were told.The most feared story was about the rider looking for his lost head.One farmer told how he raced the headless horseman suddenly stopped.Gone were his clothes and his skin.All that was left was a man with white bones shining in the moonlight.The stories ended and time came to leave the party.Ichabod seemed very happy until he said goodnight to Katrina.Was she ending their romance? He left feeling very sad.Had Katrina been seeing Ichabod just to make Brom Van Brunt jealous so he would marry her? Well, Ichabod began his long ride home.He thought he saw something white move in the tree.But no, it was only the moonlight shining and moving on the tree.Then he heard a noise.His body shook.He kicked his horse faster.The horse ran fast and then suddenly stopped, almost throwing Ichabod forward to the ground.There, in the dark woods on the side of the river where the bushes grew low, stood an ugly thing.Big and black.It did not move, but seemed gathered up in the gloom, like some gigantic monster ready to spring upon the traveler.Ichabod’s hair stood straight up.What was to be done? To turn and fly was nom too late.Summoning up, therefore, a show of courage, he demanded in stammering accents, Who are you ? He received no reply.Ichabod’s old horse began to move forward.The black thing began to move alone the side of Ichabod’s horse in the dark.Ichabod made his horse run faster.The black thing moved with then.Side by side they moved, slowly at first.Ichabod felt his heart sink.For a moment the moon shone down and to Ichabod’s horror,he saw it was a horse.And it had a rider.But the rider’s head was not on his body.It was in front of the rider, resting on the horse.He rained a shower movement to give his companion the slip.But the spectre started full jump with him.Away, them, they dashed though thick and thin;stones flying and sparks flashing at every bound.Up ahead was the old church bridge where the headless horseman stops and returns to his burial place.If only I can get there first, I am safe ,” though Ichabod.Ichabod looked back to see if the headless man had stopped.He saw the man pick up his head and throw it with a powerful force.The head hit Ichabod in the face and knocked him off his horse to the dirt below.They found Ichabod’s horse the next day peacefully eating grass.They could not find Ichabod.They walked all across the valley.They saw the foot marks of Ichabod’s horse as it had raced through the valley.They even found Ichabod’s old hat in the dust near the bridge.But they did not find Ichabod.The only other thing they found was lying near Ichabod’s hat.It was the broken pieces of a round orange pumpkin.The town people talked about Ichabod of many weeks, and finally they came to believe that the headless horseman had carried Ichabod away.Much later an old farmer returned from a visit to New York City.He said he was sure he had seen Ichabod there.He thought Ichabod silently left Sleepy Hollow because he had lost Katrina.As for Katrina, her mother and father gave her a big wedding when she married Brom Van Brunt.Many people who went to the wedding saw that Brom smiled whenever Ichabod’s name was spoken.And they wondered why he laughed out loud when anyone talked about the broken orange pumpkin found lying near Ichabod’s old dusty hat.第五单元 Big bang 1The big bang model of the universe’s birth is the most widely accepted model that has ever been conceived for the scientific origin of everything.no other model can predict as much with as high a degree of accuracy as the big bang model can..A common question that people ask is what happened before the big bang ?the phrase in the beginning is used here to refer to the birth of our universe with the big bang.in the creation of the universe, everything was compressed into an infinitesimally small point in which all physical laws that we know of do not apply.No information from any previous stuff could have remained intact.Therefore, for all intents and purposes, the big bang is considered the beginning of everything, for we can never know if there was anything before it.The big bang model had its beginnings with Edwin Hubble discovery in 1929 that,on large scales ,everything in the universe is moving away from everything else.The only explanation for this was that the universe was expanding in every direction ,and it was taking galaxies along with it.This is known as Hubble Law.The next step towards the Big Bang model was to take this process in reverse—that is ,to go back in time.If the universe is blowing up like a balloon as time progresses ,then what would happen if you were to run the timeline backwards ?What was the universe like in the past? If the universe is currently growing ,then the universe was smaller in the past.There must have been some point in time when the universe was half its current size.Then there must have been a time when it was half that size.If you continue to run time backwards, there must have been a time when the universe was an infinitesimally small point.This is the basic idea behind the Big Bang.All matter and energy existed in an infinitely small point of infinite density a long time ago, and has since been expanding as our universe.One important note here is that the Big Bang was not an explosion in the universe ,but rather it is an explosion of the universe.Therefore, there is no ”center“ of the universe form where the Big Bang started.Main Evidence.The Big Bang is the leading theory that almost all astrophysicists believe explains the origin of the universe.This is because all observations so far made support the Big Bang theory;there are four main lines of evidence that are most often used.the first was discussed above :he expansion of the universe.The universe is expanding now ,so in the past it must have been smaller.If it were smaller in the past ,then there probably was a time when it was infinitesimally small.One could ask why we just don't think that it might be expanding now but it could have been shrinking before and we

just don't know about it.The answer is that there is simply no known mechanism that could accomplish this transition on a universal scale.The second line of evidence is the cosmic(CMB)which was discovered in 1965 by(APARWFBL).they were working with a microwave receiver used to communicate with telstar satellite, but were getting noise from every dissection they pointed the receiver.it was coming from all over the sky at what seemed to be exactly the same frequency this was first evidence for the CMB and they later shared a NPFTD The CMB is an echo left over from when the universe was approximately 300.000 years old as predicted by the big bang model as something becomes hot the actual heat comes from particles movements the faster they move the more energetic they are and so the more heat we see the are and so hot before it was 300.000 years old that atoms could not form.because of this photos particles of light could not move around for they kept reacting with electrons the negatively charged part of atoms

Therefore during this period the universe was effectively opaque once the universe had reached 300.000 year old atoms could form and electrons were now bound to a nucleus once this happened photons could move about freely this first light is the CMB and its existence is a very strong indication that the big bang occurred

The third major pillar of the big bang theory lies in the abundance of the different elements of the universe the theory predicts that certain amounts of hydrogen helium and other elements should be made observations have shown almost exactly the amounts that are predicted

The fourth piece is that the big bang theory is the only one that comprehensively lays down a framework for the eventual evolution of the universe as we observe iy today.第六单元

Good morning, fellow Americans.Welcome to the One-Day War.CNN will be your eyes and ears for today, bringing you live coverage of a momentous day in our history.As part of bicentennial com-memoration of the Civil War we are proud to participate in Professor Brainard's project, the One-Dey War.I'm sure there isn't an American out there who hasn't heard of the project.It has been the most talked-about subject in our country for many months.Now the great day, April 9, 2065, is here, and we are all part of it.The weather is perfect and visbility is excellent.There isn't a cloud overhead;the sky is blue and clear.From our place here on the grandstand, we have a perfect vantage point.while we are waiting, we've arranged an exclusive interview with Professor Brainard, father of One-Day War.”Professor, I know how busy you are supervising this enormous undertaking, and we appreci-ate your giving us an interview.To begin with, could you give us some background information about the project?“

”I am very pleased to speak with you.At this point, the project is rolling along according to schedule, and I am here to advise on any problems that may arise.You asked for some background infomation.Well, as you may know, I'm considered an expert on the Civil War, like any other war, was how expensive and inefficient it was.Using our modern-day technology, we are able to reconstruct one battle that is the equivalent of all the battles fought during the entire war!“

”The major expenses in any war involve the movement of troops and machinery, medical equipment and perssonnel, and burial expenses.Doing all this during wartime is difficult, expensive, and inefficient.Given our cultural and scientific development during these past tow hundred years, there was no reason why we couldn't produce the same effect at a fraction of the cost.The most brilliant part of the plan is the most obvious-why not bury the soldiers right on the battlefield and eliminate a lot of cost and trouble? The battlefield becomes the cemetery!Once we settled on this idea, the other details fell into place.“An assenbly line procedure was adopted.The computer chose the soldiers and we hired digging any war crews,masons,gardeners,and florists.We saved a tremendous amount of money by not needing any war machinery except for one revolver per soldier.Naturally,there was no need for medical teams and supplies.The families of the soldiers knew well well in advance,so they could plan accordngly and put their personal affairs in order.”

“Did you encounter any difficulties with the plan?”

“A little,at first.Some members of the Congress thought the plan was 'inhumane'.I explained to them that the net result was the same as waging the war for four years at a greater expense and inconvenience to the general population.Moreover,there would be no involvement with civilians whatsoever--no attacks,no burning of houses,no families killed by marauding soldiers.They agreed unanimously that my plan was safer,more efficient,and more humane than the Civil War.”

“We did encounter a strong objection from the Western Union lobby in Washington.They would be losing revenue from the telegrams usually sent to the families of the soldiers.We worked out an agreement allowing the company to manufacture the small American flags that will be given to each family.”

“And now,Professor Brainard,after months of planning,your project is about to become a reality.Thank you,Professor.I know I speak for the entire nation when I salute you as a remarkable man and a true patriot.”

It's 8:30,and we are almost ready for the project to get under way.Before us on this immense battlefield ,stretched out for miles ,are the two opposing armies.The soldiers stand at attention in neat rows--an army of blue facing an army of gray.They stand very still like marble statues.On our left ,we can see the digging machines and their crews waiting silently.Behind them are the masons and gardeners.On our right we can see the florists.Here in the grandstand are all the dignitaries :the President ,Vice President, Speaker of the House ,Senate majority leader ,members of the Cabinet, the Supreme Court Justices, and representatives of the Armed Forces.We all rise for our National Anthem.The President approaches the podium.When he gives the signal, the band will play taps ,and on the last note of taps, watch the soldiers.With military precision ,each man withdraws his pistol ,and places it to his temple, and in unison 204000 shots ring out.The noise is deafening like a huge explosion.Gun smoke fills the air.The sky is now gray as if a storm has suddenly belown in.The field is very quiet.The rows of gray and blue fallen bodies are now irregular.I guess it's hard to plan a perfect fall even with intensive training and devotion to one's country.The soldiers have done their part.Now it's time for the rest of the team to go to work.The grandstand viewers file out of their seats and into the hand as the last officials leave the digging machines and their crews move onto the field they work from left to right digging each trench burying each body and leveling the ground the stone masons follow they place a stone at each soldier grave every stone has already been engraved with the soldier name and date of birth and death the crew work efficiently row after row the landscapers follow the masons they place strips of sod over the

newly dug earth now the florists unload their trucks and put fresh floral bouquets on each grave

We are watching the final phase of the one day war the digging crews have left the field the masons have gone the florists are leaving and the buses of widows and orphans are arriving all the families of the soldiers will be here at the same time they have all been transported here at the government expense they file into the field the ushers and hostesses dressed in tuxedos and long gowns direct each family to its particular gravesite.Each family replaying When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again.We all stand at attention as a gentle breeze blows over the field.It is truly amazing what American ingenuity can accomplish.This morning what was an ordinary field has been transformed into a military cemetery.It has been a beautiful day!I've been honored to help bring this momentous project into your homes.Yes ,it's been a perfect day.Goodnight ,Americans.Sleep well.