1、M1-M6 B4 Cultural Corner 課文逐句翻譯M1B4 Cultural CornerFamous Last Words沒有實現的著名預言Not all predictions come true.并非所有的預言都能成真。 Many of them are wrong, and some are very wrong. 許多預言是錯的，并且有些還是大錯特錯。Here are just a few of the bad predictions people made in the twentieth century about the twenty-first century:下

2、面就是人們在20世紀對21世紀所作出的一些錯誤的預言：AIRPLANES飛機 "No flying machine will ever fly from New York to Paris."“將不會有從紐約飛往巴黎的飛機。” Orville Wright, 1908.奧維爾·賴特，1908。COMPUTERS電腦"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."“我認為將會有一個大約有五臺電腦的世界市場。” Thomas Waston, chairman of IBM, 19

3、43.托馬斯·沃森，IBM主席，1943。CLOTHES衣服"Thirty years from now people will be wearing clothes made of paper which they will be able to throw away after wearing them two or three times."“從現在起30年后人們將穿紙制的衣服，穿過兩三次后就可以把它們扔掉。” Changing Times Magazine, 1957.流年雜志，1957。MEN ON THE MOON月球上的人類"With th

4、e first moon colonies predicted for the 1970's, work is now in progress on the types of building required for men to stay in when they're on the moon."“因為預測在20世紀70年代會有第一批到月球的移民，現在正在修建幾種類型的建筑物，當人類在月球上時，他們需要住在里面。”Arnold B. Barach in The Changes to Come, 1962.阿諾德·B. 貝拉克在未來變化中，1962。THE

5、 BEATLES甲殼蟲樂隊"We don't like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out."“我們不喜歡他們的歌聲，吉他音樂即將過時。” Decca Recording Co. rejecting the Beatles, 1962.反對甲殼蟲樂隊的臺卡唱片公司，1962。ROBOTS IN THE HOUSE家庭機器人"By the year 2000, housewives will probably have a robot shaped like a box with one large

6、 eye on the top, several arms and hands, and long narrow pads on the side for moving about."“到2000年之前，家庭主婦們可能會有一個盒狀的機器人，它的頂部有一只大眼睛，它還有幾只胳膊和手，身體兩邊還有又長又窄的用來四處移動的腳。”New York Times, 1966.紐約時報，1966。KEYS鑰匙"By the mid-1980's no one will ever need to hide a key under the doormat again, because

7、 there won't be any keys."“到20紀世80年代中期人們將沒有必要把鑰匙藏在門口的擦鞋墊下面了，因為那時將不會有鑰匙了。”Computer scientist Christopher Evans,The Micro Millennium, 1979. 電腦科學家克里斯多弗埃文斯，微機黃金時代，1979。M1B4 Cultural CornerFamous Last WordsNot all predictions come true. Many of them are wrong, and some are very wrong. Here are j

8、ust a few of the bad predictions people made in the twentieth century about the twenty-first century:AIRPLANES"No flying machine will ever fly from New York to Paris."Orville Wright, 1908.COMPUTERS"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."Thomas Waston, chairman

9、of IBM, 1943.CLOTHES"Thirty years from now people will be wearing clothes made of paper which they will be able to throw away after wearing them two or three times."Changing Times Magazine, 1957.MEN ON THE MOON"With the first moon colonies predicted for the 1970's, work is now in

10、progress on the types of building required for men to stay in when they're on the moon."Arnold B. Barach in The Changes to Come, 1962.THE BEATLES"We don't like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out."Decca Recording Co. rejecting the Beatles, 1962.ROBOTS IN THE HOUSE&

11、quot;By the year 2000, housewives will probably have a robot shaped like a box with one large eye on the top, several arms and hands, and long narrow pads on the side for moving about."New York Times, 1966.KEYS"By the mid-1980's no one will ever need to hide a key under the doormat aga

12、in, because there won't be any keys."Computer scientist Christopher Evans,The Micro Millennium, 1979.M1B4 Cultural Corner譯文沒有實現的著名預言并非所有的預言都能成真。許多預言是錯的，并且有些還是大錯特錯。下面就是人們在20世紀對21世紀所作出的一些錯誤的預言：飛機“將不會有從紐約飛往巴黎的飛機。”奧維爾·賴特，1908。電腦“我認為將會有一個大約有五臺電腦的世界市場。”托馬斯·沃森，IBM主席，1943。衣服“從現在起30年后人們將穿紙

13、制的衣服，穿過兩三次后就可以把它們扔掉。”流年雜志，1957。月球上的人類“因為預測在20世紀70年代會有第一批到月球的移民，現在正在修建幾種類型的建筑物，當人類在月球上時，他們需要住在里面。”阿諾德·B. 貝拉克在未來變化中，1962。甲殼蟲樂隊“我們不喜歡他們的歌聲，吉他音樂即將過時。”反對甲殼蟲樂隊的臺卡唱片公司，1962。家庭機器人“到2000年之前，家庭主婦們可能會有一個盒狀的機器人，它的頂部有一只大眼睛，它還有幾只胳膊和手，身體兩邊還有又長又窄的用來四處移動的腳。”紐約時報，1966。鑰匙“到20紀世80年代中期人們將沒有必要把鑰匙藏在門口的擦鞋墊下面了，因為那時將不會有

14、鑰匙了。”電腦科學家克里斯多弗埃文斯，微機黃金時代，1979。M2B4 Cultural Corner The London Congestion Charge倫敦的交通擁堵費Beijing isn't the only city with traffic problems. 北京不是唯一有交通阻塞問題的城市。You can get stuck in a traffic jam anywhere in the world.在世界任何地方你都可能遭遇堵車。 The worst problems occur in cities which are growing fast, such as

15、 Sao Paolo in Brazil and Lagos in Nigeria. 發展快的城市問題最嚴重，如巴西的圣保羅和尼日利亞的拉各斯。But even cities in developed countries such as the US suffer. Los Angeles, which was built with the motor car in mind, 但甚至在一些像美國這樣的發達國家的城市里也有這樣的問題。洛杉磯，and is famous for its six-lane highways, is now the USA's most congested

16、city.一座在建設時就考慮了機動車輛并以其六車道公路聞名的城市，現在卻是美國交通最擁擠的城市。 In Europe most capital cities were planned and built before cars, 大多數歐洲的首都城市在小汽車大量涌現之前就已規劃建設好了，and city centre traffic jams have been part of daily life for a long time.因此市中心的堵車長久以來成為人們日常生活的一部分。 The situation in central London, where drivers spent fif

17、ty percent of their time in queues, became so bad that the local government decided to do something about it.倫敦市中心的交通狀況變得如此糟糕，司機們要用50%的時間來排隊，于是當地政府決定就此采取一些措施。 In February 2003 the Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, introduced a "congestion charge"a tax for cars entering the centre of the ci

18、ty.2003年2月，倫敦市長肯利文斯通宣布進入市中心的車要交“交通擁堵費”。 The idea is simple: every car coming into the centre has to pay £5 a day.想法很簡單：每輛進入市中心的車一天要交5英鎊的費用。 Drivers can pay the charge at any of 10,000 pay points in the capital before 10 p.m. 司機們可以在晚上10點之前在首都的10000個收費點中的任何一個上繳該費用。As the cars come into the centre

19、, video cameras record their registration numbers, and these are checked with a list of drivers who have paid the charge for that day. 進入市區的小汽車都會被攝像機拍下車牌號碼，用以檢查當天司機是否繳費。People who do not pay the charge will face a fine of £80.不繳費者將會面臨80英磅的罰款。Most Londoners are not happy with the idea. 大多數倫敦人對此都

20、不開心。They agree that London has a traffic problem, but the congestion charge is expensive, and limits their freedom .他們承認倫敦存在交通問題，但是“交通擁堵費”太高，而且限制了他們的自由 But does the congestion charge work? 但是“交通擁堵費”發揮作用了嗎？A survey carried out at the end of 2003 suggests it does. 2003年年底進行的一項調查結果顯示效果很不錯。After only si

21、x months, traffic coming into central London was reduced by about 30 percent, and journey times by 15 percent.僅僅只是6個月之后，進入倫敦市中心的車減少了約30%，旅程的次數減少了15%。 More people used public transport to get to work, and bicycles were suddenly very popular. 更多的人乘公共交通工具上班，自行車突然流行起來。What's more, central London sho

22、ps did not lose business even though there were fewer cars.更值得一提的是，雖然車少了，但倫敦市中心的商鋪并沒有減少營業額。 But there are a few people who think the charge should be much higher, for example rich businessmen who work in the city centre and can easily afford it. 但是，有些人認為收費應該更高，（因為）像那些在市中心工作的富有的商務人士能輕松支付此項費用。This wou

23、ld keep even more cars out of central London, and the roads would be nearly empty. 這（收費更高）會避免更多的車輛進入倫敦市中心，道路也幾乎會是空的。However, there are no plans to increase the charge.但是，倫敦還沒有提高該費用的計劃。M2B4 Cultural Corner譯文M2B4 Cultural Corner The London Congestion ChargeBeijing isn't the only city with traffic

24、problems. You can get stuck in a traffic jam anywhere in the world. The worst problems occur in cities which are growing fast, such as Sao Paolo in Brazil and Lagos in Nigeria. But even cities in developed countries such as the US suffer. Los Angeles, which was built with the motor car in mind, and

25、is famous for its six-lane highways, is now the USA's most congested city.In Europe most capital cities were planned and built before cars, and city centre traffic jams have been part of daily life for a long time. The situation in central London, where drivers spent fifty percent of their time

26、in queues, became so bad that the local government decided to do something about it. In February 2003 the Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, introduced a "congestion charge"a tax for cars entering the centre of the city.The idea is simple: every car coming into the centre has to pay £5

27、 a day. Drivers can pay the charge at any of 10,000 pay points in the capital before 10 p.m. As the cars come into the centre, video cameras record their registration numbers, and these are checked with a list of drivers who have paid the charge for that day. People who do not pay the charge will fa

28、ce a fine of £80.Most Londoners are not happy with the idea. They agree that London has a traffic problem, but the congestion charge is expensive, and limits their freedom .But does the congestion charge work? A survey carried out at the end of 2003 suggests it does. After only six months, traf

29、fic coming into central London was reduced by about 30 percent, and journey times by 15 percent. More people used public transport to get to work, and bicycles were suddenly very popular. What's more, central London shops did not lose business even though there were fewer cars.But there are a fe

30、w people who think the charge should be much higher, for example rich businessmen who work in the city centre and can easily afford it. This would keep even more cars out of central London, and the roads would be nearly empty. However, there are no plans to increase the charge.M2B4 Cultural Corner譯文

31、倫敦的交通擁堵費北京不是唯一有交通阻塞問題的城市。在世界任何地方你都可能遭遇堵車。發展快的城市問題最嚴重，如巴西的圣保羅和尼日利亞的拉各斯。但甚至在一些像美國這樣的發達國家的城市里也有這樣的問題。洛杉磯，一座在建設時就考慮了機動車輛并以其六車道公路聞名的城市，現在卻是美國交通最擁擠的城市。大多數歐洲的首都城市在小汽車大量涌現之前就已規劃建設好了，因此市中心的堵車長久以來成為人們日常生活的一部分。倫敦市中心的交通狀況變得如此糟糕，司機們要用50%的時間來排隊，于是當地政府決定就此采取一些措施。2003年2月，倫敦市長肯利文斯通宣布進入市中心的車要交“交通擁堵費”。想法很簡單：每輛進入市中心的車一

32、天要交5英鎊的費用。司機們可以在晚上10點之前在首都的10000個收費點中的任何一個上繳該費用。進入市區的小汽車都會被攝像機拍下車牌號碼，用以檢查當天司機是否繳費。不繳費者將會面臨80英磅的罰款。大多數倫敦人對此都不開心。他們承認倫敦存在交通問題，但是“交通擁堵費”太高，而且限制了他們的自由但是“交通擁堵費”發揮作用了嗎？2003年年底進行的一項調查結果顯示效果很不錯。僅僅只是6個月之后，進入倫敦市中心的車減少了約30%，旅程的次數減少了15%。更多的人乘公共交通工具上班，自行車突然流行起來。更值得一提的是，雖然車少了，但倫敦市中心的商鋪并沒有減少營業額。但是，有些人認為收費應該更高，（因為）

33、像那些在市中心工作的富有的商務人士能輕松支付此項費用。這（收費更高）會避免更多的車輛進入倫敦市中心，道路也幾乎會是空的。但是，倫敦還沒有提高該費用的計劃。M3 B4 Cultural CornerClapping鼓掌 Why do we clap? 我們為什么鼓掌？To show we like something, of course.當然是為了表示我們喜歡某件東西。 But we don't clap at the end of a television programme or a book, however good they are. 但不論一個電視節目或一本書有多好，在結束

34、時我們都不鼓掌。We clap at the end of a live performance, such as a play, or a concert, to say thank you to the performers. 我們在現場表演，如戲劇或音樂會結束時鼓掌，以表示對演出者的感謝。First they give, and then we give. 首先他們給予精彩的表演，然后我們給予熱烈的掌聲。Without usthe audiencethe performance would not be complete.沒有我們觀眾表演就是不完整的。The custom of clap

35、ping has early beginnings.鼓掌的習俗很早就開始了。 In classical Athens, applause meant judgement and taking part.在古代雅典，掌聲意味著評判和參與。 Plays were often in competition with each other, and prolonged clapping helped a play to win. 戲劇常常是彼此競爭的，延長的掌聲可以幫助某出戲劇獲勝。The theatre was largeit could hold 14,000 people,劇場很大可容納1400

36、0人， half the adult male population of the city, which meant that the audience could make a lot of noise.是城市成年男性人口的一半，這就意味著觀眾們可以制造出很多聲響。Applause was a sign of being part of the community, and of equality between actors and audience. 掌聲是一個人成為團體一員的標志，是演員與觀眾平等的標志。The important thing was to make the nois

37、e together, to add one's own small handclap to others. 重要的是整齊地制造聲響，將一個人微弱的鼓掌聲與其他人的融合起來。Clapping is social, like laughter:鼓掌具有其社會性，就像笑聲： you don't very often clap or laugh out loud alone.你獨自一人時不會經常鼓掌或大笑。 It is like laughter in another way, too:鼓掌在另一方面也很像笑聲： it is infectious, and spreads very

38、quickly.會傳染，而且傳播得很快。 Clapping at concerts and theatres is a universal habit.在音樂會上和劇場里鼓掌是世界性的習慣。 But some occasions on which people clap change from one country to another.但是每個國家人們鼓掌的習慣在某些場合是不同的。 For example, in Britain people clap at a wedding, but in Italy they sometimes clap at a funeral.例如，在英國人們在

39、婚禮上鼓掌，而在意大利人們有時會在葬禮上鼓掌。 M3 B4 Cultural CornerClappingWhy do we clap? To show we like something, of course. But we don't clap at the end of a television programme or a book, however good they are. We clap at the end of a live performance, such as a play, or a concert, to say thank you to the perf

40、ormers. First they give, and then we give. Without usthe audiencethe performance would not be complete.The custom of clapping has early beginnings. In classical Athens, applause meant judgement and taking part. Plays were often in competition with each other, and prolonged clapping helped a play to

41、win. The theatre was largeit could hold 14,000 people, half the adult male population of the city, which meant that the audience could make a lot of noise.Applause was a sign of being part of the community, and of equality between actors and audience. The important thing was to make the noise togeth

42、er, to add one's own small handclap to others. Clapping is social, like laughter: you don't very often clap or laugh out loud alone. It is like laughter in another way, too: it is infectious, and spreads very quickly. Clapping at concerts and theatres is a universal habit. But some occasions

43、 on which people clap change from one country to another. For example, in Britain people clap at a wedding, but in Italy they sometimes clap at a funeral. M3B4 Cultural Corner譯文鼓掌我們為什么鼓掌？當然是為了表示我們喜歡某件東西。但不論一個電視節目或一本書有多好，在結束時我們都不鼓掌。我們在現場表演，如戲劇或音樂會結束時鼓掌，以表示對演出者的感謝。首先他們給予精彩的表演，然后我們給予熱烈的掌聲。沒有我們觀眾表演就是不完整

44、的。鼓掌的習俗很早就開始了。在古代雅典，掌聲意味著評判和參與。戲劇常常是彼此競爭的，延長的掌聲可以幫助某出戲劇獲勝。劇場很大可容納14000人，是城市成年男性人口的一半，這就意味著觀眾們可以制造出很多聲響。掌聲是一個人成為團體一員的標志，是演員與觀眾平等的標志。重要的是整齊地制造聲響，將一個人微弱的鼓掌聲與其他人的融合起來。鼓掌具有其社會性，就像笑聲：你獨自一人時不會經常鼓掌或大笑。鼓掌在另一方面也很像笑聲：會傳染，而且傳播得很快。在音樂會上和劇場里鼓掌是世界性的習慣。但是每個國家人們鼓掌的習慣在某些場合是不同的。例如，在英國人們在婚禮上鼓掌，而在意大利人們有時會在葬禮上鼓掌。M4 B4 Cu

45、ltural CornerRockets火箭 Today rockets are very advanced machines which we can use to send astronauts into space. 今天，火箭是我們用來將宇航員送入太空的非常先進的機器。They are also used in firework displays to celebrate great events, such as the end of the Olympic Games or the beginning of the new millennium in the year 2000.它

46、們也被用在慶祝重大事件的焰火表演中，像奧運會的閉幕式或2000年新千年的開始。 Rockets were probably invented by accident about 2,000 years ago.火箭大概是大約兩千年前被偶然發明出來的。 The Chinese had a form of gunpowder which was put in bamboo tubes and thrown into fires to make explosions during festivals.中國人有一種裝在竹管里的火藥，這種火藥是節日中被用來扔進火里爆炸的。 Perhaps some of

47、 the tubes jumped out of the fire instead of exploding in it.也許一些竹管從火堆里躥了出來，而不是在里面炸開。 The Chinese discovered that the gas escaping from the tube could lift it into the air.中國人發現從竹管里釋放出來的氣體可以使其飛向空中。 The idea of the rocket was born.于是關于火箭的想法誕生了。 The first military use of rockets was in 1232.火箭第一次被用于軍事

48、上是在1232年。 The Song Dynasty was at war with the Mongols.那時宋朝正與蒙古作戰。 During the battle of Kaifeng, the Song army shot "arrows of flying fire". 在開封戰役中，宋軍射出了“飛火箭”。The tubes were attached to a long stick which helped keep the rocket moving in a straight direction.這些竹管被綁到一根長棍上，這根長棍可幫助火箭沿筆直的方向飛行。

49、 Soon the Mongols learned how to make rockets themselves and it is possible that they introduced them to Europe.不久，蒙古人學會了怎樣自己制造火箭，并且可能是他們將其引入歐洲的。 Between the 13th and 15th centuries there were many rocket experiments in England, France and Italy. 在13世紀到15世紀期間，在英國、法國和意大利有很多關于火箭的實驗。They were used for

50、military purposes. One Italian scientist even invented a rocket which could travel over the surface of water and hit an enemy ship.它們都用于軍事目的。一個意大利科學家甚至發明了一種可以飛過水面打中敵艦的火箭。 But not everybody wanted to use rockets in battles. 但并不是每個人都想將火箭用于戰爭。Wan Hu, a Chinese government official, invented a flying cha

51、ir.一個名叫萬戶的中國官員發明了一種“飛椅”。 He attached two big kites to the chair, and 47 rockets to the kites.他把兩個大風箏綁到椅子上，又把47個火箭綁一風箏上。 The rockets were lit, there was a huge explosion and clouds of thick smoke. 火箭被點燃了，發生了巨大的爆炸，出現了厚厚的濃煙。When the smoke cleared Wan Hu and his chair had disappeared.當煙霧消散時，萬戶和他的椅子已經不見。

52、 No one knows what happened.沒有人知道發生了什么。 Did Wan Hu die in the explosion? 萬戶被炸死了？Or was he carried miles into space, becoming the world's first astronaut?還是他被載入了數英里遠的太空而成為世界上第一個宇航員了呢？ M4 B4 Cultural CornerRocketsToday rockets are very advanced machines which we can use to send astronauts into spa

53、ce. They are also used in firework displays to celebrate great events, such as the end of the Olympic Games or the beginning of the new millennium in the year 2000.Rockets were probably invented by accident about 2,000 years ago. The Chinese had a form of gunpowder which was put in bamboo tubes and

54、thrown into fires to make explosions during festivals. Perhaps some of the tubes jumped out of the fire instead of exploding in it. The Chinese discovered that the gas escaping from the tube could lift it into the air. The idea of the rocket was born.The first military use of rockets was in 1232. Th

55、e Song Dynasty was at war with the Mongols. During the battle of Kaifeng, the Song army shot "arrows of flying fire". The tubes were attached to a long stick which helped keep the rocket moving in a straight direction. Soon the Mongols learned how to make rockets themselves and it is possi

56、ble that they introduced them to Europe. Between the 13th and 15th centuries there were many rocket experiments in England, France and Italy. They were used for military purposes. One Italian scientist even invented a rocket which could travel over the surface of water and hit an enemy ship.But not

57、everybody wanted to use rockets in battles. Wan Hu, a Chinese government official, invented a flying chair. He attached two big kites to the chair, and 47 rockets to the kites. The rockets were lit, there was a huge explosion and clouds of thick smoke. When the smoke cleared Wan Hu and his chair had

58、 disappeared. No one knows what happened. Did Wan Hu die in the explosion? Or was he carried miles into space, becoming the world's first astronaut? M4B4 Cultural Corner譯文火箭今天，火箭是我們用來將宇航員送入太空的非常先進的機器。它們也被用在慶祝重大事件的焰火表演中，像奧運會的閉幕式或2000年新千年的開始。火箭大概是大約兩千年前被偶然發明出來的。中國人有一種裝在竹管里的火藥，這種火藥是節日中被用來扔進火里爆炸的。也許

59、一些竹管從火堆里躥了出來，而不是在里面炸開。中國人發現從竹管里釋放出來的氣體可以使其飛向空中。于是關于火箭的想法誕生了。火箭第一次被用于軍事上是在1232年。那時宋朝正與蒙古作戰。在開封戰役中，宋軍射出了“飛火箭”。這些竹管被綁到一根長棍上，這根長棍可幫助火箭沿筆直的方向飛行。不久，蒙古人學會了怎樣自己制造火箭，并且可能是他們將其引入歐洲的。在13世紀到15世紀期間，在英國、法國和意大利有很多關于火箭的實驗。它們都用于軍事目的。一個意大利科學家甚至發明了一種可以飛過水面打中敵艦的火箭。但并不是每個人都想將火箭用于戰爭。一個名叫萬戶的中國官員發明了一種“飛椅”。他把兩個大風箏綁到椅子上，又把47個火箭綁一風箏上。火箭被點燃了，發生了巨大的爆炸，出現了厚厚的濃煙。當煙霧消散時，萬戶和他的椅子已經不見。沒有人知道發生了什么。萬戶被炸死了？還是他被載入了數英里遠的太空而成為世界上第一個宇航員了呢？M5B4 Cult