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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Lesson 28
Are Cars Doing More Harm Than Good?
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Cars Only Bring Peogle Trouble
Today any Chinese can enjoy the luxury of owning a private car--if he can afford it, that is. And to be able to afford it, you have first of all to pay a five or six figure sum to buy a machine. Even the toylike Polish midget Fiat1 costs something
like 20,000 yuan. Any decent car would cost ten times that much.
But however large this initial sum you have to pay, the real drain on your purse is yet to come, in the running and maintenance of the machine--the various taxes, the fuel, and of course the repairs. The last item especially is a bottomless
pit. Any single repair may cost you thousands. If your car is of foreign make and you have to change a spare part, then God help you!
The financial burden is not your only worry. When you buy a car, you are like an elderly.man who marries a young wife. You have to guard her jealously, and protect her from prowling wolves who are constantly at your gate. A famous violinist who bought a second-hand2 car last year had to buy a pair of binoculars3 at the same time too, because he had to watch the car from his window every few minutes. Not only the car itself, but accesories such as rear-view mirrors, batteries, even wheels are all objects of prey4.
I once read about a man in Shanghai who had the luck to win a car in a savings5' lottery6. Of course it was the cheapest of all cars, a Polish midget Fiat mentioned above. Nevertheless for the rnan who won it, it was the chance of a life time, and he could hardly believe in his own luck. But his joy was short-lived, for the troubles that followed were enough to put any man into utter despair.
First of all he couldn't get a license7 plate. He was sent from place to place, and after months of running around and after having handed out around four thousand yuan ( the greater part of which as "good will gifts") he finally becarr.e the proud legal owner of the car.
But his troubles were by no means over. Like the violinist, he found he had to guard his newly-wedded "bride" from all sorts of violations8. In fact the whole family had to take turn s for the "night shift", which meant sleep in the car to protect her from night prowlers. Our friend had the hardest time because he is a tall fellow with long limbs.For him to sleep in a toy-like midget car was literally9 a form of torture. When he clarnbered out of the car in the morning, he found he could hardly walk. Obviously things couldn't go on like that and so in the end he found a place to park his car for the night-in a school about two bus-stops away. The distance was noth ing compared with the parking fee he had to pay the school every month.But the greatest inconvenience was the fact that he had to get his car out of the school before eight every morning when school starts.
With conditions as they are in our country, one may well wonder who would ever want to own a private car. According to officially published figures, there were over 4,000 private cars in Beijing at the beginning of this year. That's a big leap from just over a hundred five years ago-a forty times increase. But in proportion to Beijing's population, the figure is piteously low, probably the lowest compared to other capitals in the world.
II . Read
Read the following passages. Underline the important viewpoints while reading.
1. The Advantages of the Car
The use of the motor car is becoming more and more widespread in the twentieth century. As an increasing number of countries develop both technically10 and economically, so a larger proportion of the world's population is able to buy and use a car. Possessing a car gives a much greater degree of mobility11, enabling the driver to move around freely. The owner of a car is no longer forced to rely on public transport and is, therefore, not compelled to work locally.
He can choose from a greater variety of jobs and probably changes his work more frequently as he is not restricted to a choice within a small radius12. Travelling to work by car is also more comfortable than having to use public transport, the driver can adjust the heating in winter and the air conditioning in summer to suit his own needs and preference. There is no irritation13 caused by waiting for trains, buses or underground. trains, standing14 in long patient queues, or sitting on draughty platforms, for as long as half an hour sometimes. With the building of good fast motorways15 long distances can be covered rapidly and pleasantly. For the first time in fhis century also, many people are now able to enjoy their leisure time to the full by making trips to the country or seaside at the weekends, instead of being confined to their immediate16 neighbourhood. This feeling of independence, and the freedom to go where you please, is perhaps the greatest advantage of the car.
2. The Drawbacks of the Car
When considering the drawbacks, perhaps pollution is of prime importance. As more and more cars are produced and used, so the emission17 from their exhaust pipes contains an ever larger volume of poisonous gas. Some of the contents of this gas, such as lead, not only pollute the atmosphere but cause actual harm to the health of people. Many of the minor18 illness of modern industrial society, headaches, tiredness, and stomach upsets are thought to arise from breathing polluted air. Doctors' surgeries are full of people suffering from illness caused by pollution.
It is also becoming increasingly difficult to deal with the problem of traffic in towns. Most of the important cities of the world suffer from traffic congestion19. In fact, any advantage gained in comfort is often cancelled out in city by the frustration20 caused by traffic jams, endless queues of cars crawling bumper21 to bumper through all the main streets. As an increasing number of traffic regulation schemes are devised, the poor bewildered driver finds himself diverted and forced into one-way systems which cause even greater delays than the traffic jams they are supposed to prevent. The soaring cost of petrol and the increased licence fees and road tax all add to the driver's worries In fact, he must sometimes wonder if the motor car is such a boon22, or just a menace.
3. Cars Are the Major Cause of Road Accidents
From the health point of view we are living in a marvellous age. We are immunised from birth against many of the most dangerous diseases. A large number of once fatal illnesses can now be cured by modern drugs and surgery. It is almost certain that one day rsmedies will be found for the most stubborn remaining disease. The expectation of life has increased enormously. But though the possibility of living a long and happy life is greater than ever before, every day we witness the incredible slaughter23 of men, women and children on the roads. Man versus24 the motor-car! It is a never- ending battle which man is losing. Thousands of people the world over are killed or horribly mutilated each year and we are quietly sitting back and letting it happen.
It has been rightly said that when a man is sitting behind a steering25 wheel, his car becomes the extension of his personality. There is no doubt that the motor-car often brings out a man's very worst qualities. People who are normally quiet and pleasant may become unrecognizable when they are behind a steering-wheel. They swear, they are ill-mannered and aggressive, wilful26 as two-year-olds and utterly27 selfish. All their hidden frustrations28, disappointments and jealousies29 seem to be brought to the surface by the act of driving.
The surprising thing is that society smiles so benignly30 on the motorist and seems to condone31 his behaviour. Everything is done for his convenience. Cities are allowed to become almost uninhabitable because of heavy traffic; towns are made ugly by huge car parks; the countryside is desecrated32 by road networks; and the mass annual slaughter becomes nothing more than a statistic33, to be conveniently forgotten.
With regard to driving, the laws of some countries are notoriously lax and even the strictest are not strict enough. The driving test should be standardised and made far more difficult than it is; all drivers should be made to take a test every three years or so; the age at which young peopleare allowed to drive any vehicle should be raised to at least 21; all vehicles should be put through stringent34 annual tests for safety.Even the smallest amount of alcohol in the blood can impair35 a person's driving ability.
Present drinking and driving laws (where they exist) should be made much stricter. Maximum and minimum speed limits should be imposed on all roads. These measures may sound inordinately36 harsh, but surely nothing should be considered as too severe if it results in reducing the annual toll37 of human life. After all, the world is for human beings, not motor-cars.
4. Road Accidents
There are far too many road accidents in this country: too many deaths and too many people injured. One wonders who are most to blame: drivers or pedestrians38. Some people say that the blame cannot be put fairly without considering the roads and the whole transport system. In crowded cities like London, Birmingham or Manchester, road conditions are so chaotic39 that both driver and pedestrian often endanger lives through no fault of their own. Such deficiencies as too many road signs, faulty traffic lights, sudden narrowing of a street, congested parking are all a sure indication of bad ioad conditions. On the other hand, many experts are convinced that the larger part of the blame for the death toll must be put on persons and persons alone: drivers who drive too fast and without any consideration for others, drivers
One Day We May Need to Use This Ambulance
who think they are safe at the wheel even though they have drunk too much alcohol, drivers who, out of some curious sense of power, are incapable40 of understanding that their car is a lethal41 weapon if improperly42 used. Pedestrians, likewise, must share the guilt43: stepping off the pavement without first looking to the left or right, crossing roads when the traffic lights are against them, jumping off a moving bus. To be fair, pedestrians, drivers and road conditions are all to blame.
One looks forward to the day when the motor car has been replaced by some less dangerous means of transport.
5. At the Scene of the Accident
Policeman: Now, sir, I,m sorry to have kept you waiting. I had to look after thetraffic on the road until some more police arrived. You,re the driverof the blue car, I believe.
Mr.Simpson: Yes.
Policeman: Just a few questions, sir. Do you feel all right?
Mr.Simpson: Yes, I'm... I'm fine now. I was a little shaken up at first.
Policeman: Well, I'll try not to keep you long. I just want a few details, and therest of the information I can get tomorrow. Can I have your name andaddress, please?
Mr.Simpson: Jeremiah Simpson, 15 Portland Crescent, Leeds.
Policeman: Have you got your driving licence and insurance certificate with you?
Mr.Simpson: Yes... Oh, here they are.
Policeman: M'hm... Thank you... Oh... Yes, they're all right. Now, were there anypassengers in the car?
Mr.Simpson Er yes, er my wife and a friend - a young lady. My wife was ittingin the back and her friend in the front passenger seat.
Policeman: Where are they now?
Mr.Simpson: The ambulance has just taken them to hospital. You spoke44 to theambulance driver before he set off. Did he say anything aboutthe young lady?
Policeman: He said that her injuries looked worse than they really were. The otherwoman--that'd be your wife, I assume--appeared to be suffering fromshock.
Mr.Simpson: Yes, I know. They advised her to go to hospital for a check-up, just incase.
Policeman: Mm. Was the young lady wearing her seatbelt?
Mr.Simpson: No, unfortunately. I told her to put it on, but she couldn't adjust it.
I didn't think it was worth stopping the car because we were onlygoing a few miles.
Policeman: Did she go through the windscreen?
Mr.Simpson: No, she was very lucky. But she hurt her leg on the dashboard.
Paliceman: Mm. It could've been much worse. Now, sir, will you tell me in your ownwords what happened?
Mr.Simpson: Oh... Well, as you can see, I was travelling along this?main road whensuddenly er the other car came out of er that sidestreet. It allhappened so quickly. I just didn't see him until he hit me.
Policeman: I've just spoken to the other motoriest and he says that you werespeeding.
Mr.Simpson: What?
Policeman: Is this true?
Mr.Simpson: That,s a lie. My wife and Becky'll tell you that I stopped at the away.
pedestrian crossing just down there. You can see it's only fifty yardsI could hardly have reached thirty miles an hour by the time I got here.
Goodness knows what would've happened if I'd been going faster.
Policeman: The other driver said that he stopped at the junction45. When he pulledout there was nobody coming, so you must have been speeding.
Mr.Simpson: Well, it' s not true. I've witnesses to prove it. He couldn't havestopped. The lighting46 is very good here along this stretchPoliceman: Yes.He should have stopped.Why did you stop at the pedestrian crossing?
Mr.Simpson: There were two old ladies on it. I'm always a bit careful with oldpeople because they're likely to walk across the road without lookingproperly.
Policeman: I shouldn't worry, sir. We don't think you were speeding--even withoutmeasuring the skid47 marks.
Mr.Simpson: Er, was he-er, the other driver-drunk?
Policeman: I don't know yet.He's admitted that he's had one or two drinks,but saysit was only two half-pints. We're going to give him a breathalyser testto see whether he's over the limit. If he is, he'll be asked to have ablood test.
Mr.Simpson: Well, I haven't touched a drop all night!
Policeman: No, sir. It's surprising how much a driver's breath smells even if he'sonly had one drink. Well, sir, I don't think I need to detain youany longer. We shall want written statements from you, your wife andthe young lady tomorrow.
Mr.Simpson: Yes... What'll happen to my car? It's obvious that with thatbadly-damaged wheel I shan't be able to drive it.
Policeman: We'il have to take some measurements of the skid marks and thepositions of the cars. We' 11 arrange to have it towed away when we'vefinished. If you ring the police station tomorrow, they'll tell you whatto do.
Mr.Simpson Thank you very much.
Policeman Oh, er, by the way, is the young lady staying with you?
Mr.Simpson No, she's a friend of my wife. She's staying at the Station Hotel.
Her name is er Becky Softe. She has a friend with her and she'll need tobe told about the accident, I suppose. I--I don,t know...
Policeman We'll see to that. I expect you'll want to go to the hospitalto see how your wife is.
Mr.Simpson Yes, er I must go there now. I told my wife to wait there until I couldcollect her in a taxi. I hope they don't keep her in.
Policeman If you feel well enough, you can get a taxi just around the next corner.
Mr.Simpson Yes, I'm fine. Goodnight.
Policeman Goodnight.
6. The Alcohol Limit and the Punishment
The limit of the amount of alcohol a driver is allowed to have in his blood is 80 milligrams for every 100 millilitres of blood: that is about one and a half litres of beer, or one double whisky.
If the driver is convicted of "being drunk while in charge of a motor vehicle", the usual sentence is a ) a heavy fine. b ) disqualification from driving for 12 months.
If the driver causes an accident, the sentence can be stricter. For example, a drunken driver who killed a pedestrian was sent to prison for 9 months, as well as being fined and losing his licence for a year. (A demonstrator who destroyed a tennis court as a protest was sent to prison for 18 months.)
7. How Do Police Detect Drunk Drivers
If the police suspect you of having drunk more than the limit (see above) they can ask you to blow into a breathalyser, which is a plastic bag; if the crystals inside turn green, the police can take you to a police station and take a blood sample. If the driver has had a drink less than 20 minutes before he is stopped, the breathalyser cannot be used.
Officially the police can stop you only if they think you are driving badly, but in practice they sometimes simply stop drivers, and give them the breathalyser test.
8. Different Opinions on the Alcohol Limit
Chief Inspector48 Kale (Head of Southern Police) would like the alcohol limit lowered and sentences made tougher.
Mrs. Nash (a lawyer) is often professionally involved in drinking and driving cases. She thinks judges are too kind, and that seniences should be made tougher.
Dr.Smalby has been asked to explain the effects of alcohol. He says fhat it slows down reactions, and affects vision.
Mrs.Houghton, whose six-year-old son, Tommy, was killed by a drunken driver. She thinks the driver should have been sent to prison for life.
Mr.Lambert knocked down a pedestrian while slightly drunk. He feels very guilty, and is convinced it would not have happened if he had not had a few drinks.
Mr.Crosby lost his licence six months ago, and, as a result, his job. He feels he was driving quite properly, and that the law was, and is, far too stiict.
Mrs.Austin lost her licence after having three whiskies. She was driving because her husband was drunk. She thinks she drives perfectly49 well after three whiskies and that the law is unfair.
James Connery (a famous racing50 driver) thinks that everybody reacts differently to alcohol. (He would be quite safe after drinking three whiskies. ) He thinks the limit should be raised.
Gabrielle Savage51 (a famous film actress) thinks ihe law should be abolished because it stops people having a good time.
收听单词发音 |
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fiat
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| n.命令，法令，批准；vt.批准，颁布 | |
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second-hand
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| adj.用过的，旧的，二手的 | |
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binoculars
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| n.双筒望远镜 | |
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prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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savings
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| n.存款，储蓄 | |
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lottery
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| n.抽彩；碰运气的事，难于算计的事 | |
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license
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| n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许 | |
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violations
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| 违反( violation的名词复数 )； 冒犯； 违反（行为、事例）； 强奸 | |
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literally
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| adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实 | |
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technically
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| adv.专门地，技术上地 | |
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mobility
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| n.可动性，变动性，情感不定 | |
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radius
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| n.半径，半径范围；有效航程，范围，界限 | |
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irritation
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| n.激怒，恼怒，生气 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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motorways
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| n.高速公路( motorway的名词复数 ) | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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emission
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| n.发出物，散发物；发出，散发 | |
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minor
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| adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修 | |
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congestion
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| n.阻塞，消化不良 | |
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frustration
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| n.挫折，失败，失效，落空 | |
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bumper
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| n.(汽车上的)保险杠；adj.特大的，丰盛的 | |
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boon
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| n.恩赐，恩物，恩惠 | |
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slaughter
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| n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀 | |
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versus
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| prep.以…为对手，对；与…相比之下 | |
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steering
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| n.操舵装置 | |
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wilful
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| adj.任性的，故意的 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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frustrations
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| 挫折( frustration的名词复数 )； 失败； 挫败； 失意 | |
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jealousies
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| n.妒忌( jealousy的名词复数 )；妒羡 | |
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benignly
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| adv.仁慈地，亲切地 | |
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condone
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| v.宽恕；原谅 | |
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desecrated
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| 毁坏或亵渎( desecrate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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statistic
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| n.统计量；adj.统计的，统计学的 | |
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stringent
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| adj.严厉的；令人信服的；银根紧的 | |
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impair
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| v.损害，损伤；削弱，减少 | |
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inordinately
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| adv.无度地，非常地 | |
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toll
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| n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟) | |
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pedestrians
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| n.步行者( pedestrian的名词复数 ) | |
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chaotic
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| adj.混沌的，一片混乱的，一团糟的 | |
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incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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lethal
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| adj.致死的；毁灭性的 | |
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improperly
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| 不正确地，不适当地 | |
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guilt
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| n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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junction
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| n.连接，接合；交叉点，接合处，枢纽站 | |
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lighting
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| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
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skid
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| v.打滑 n.滑向一侧；滑道 ，滑轨 | |
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48
inspector
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| n.检查员，监察员，视察员 | |
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49
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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50
racing
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| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
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51
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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