通过阅读学词汇6级(2007年新版)Lesson10

文章作者 100test 发表时间 2007:04:30 09:19:08
来源 100Test.Com百考试题网

Lesson 10
The Advantages and Disadvantages of Cars

The use of the motor is becoming more and more widespread in the twentieth century. as an increasing number of countries develop both technically 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 mobility, 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 different jobs and probably changes his work more frequently as he is not restricted to a choice within a small radius. 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 the summer to suit his own needs and preference. There is no irritation caused by waiting for trains, buses or underground trains, standing in long patient queues, or sitting on windy platforms, for as long as half an hour sometimes. With the building of good, fast motorways long distances can be covered rapidly and pleasantly. For the first time in this 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 immediate neighbourhood. This feeling of independence, and the freedom to go where you please, is perhaps the greatest advantage of the car.

When considering the drawbacks, perhaps pollution is of prime importance. As more and more cars are produced and used, so the emission 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 minor illnesses 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 illnesses 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 jams. In fact, any advantage gained in comfort is often cancelled out in city driving by the frustration caused by traffic jams: endless queues of cars crawling one after another at the intersections. 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 mounting cost of petrol and the increased tolls and road tax all add to the driver’s worries. In fact, he must sometimes wonder if the motor car is such a blessing and not just a menace.

名人名言

One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.

—Virginia Woolf

I can do only one thing at a time, but I can avoid doing many things simultaneously.

—Ashleigh Brilliant

Errors like straws upon the surface flow. He who would search for pearls must dive below.

—John Dryden

小汽车的利与弊

在二十世纪，机动车的使用变得越来越广泛；随着愈来愈多的国家在技术、经济上的不断发展，世界人口中很大一部分人能够购买并使用汽车。一辆汽车提供了更大的流动性(mobility)，它使驾车人有了更大的活动空间。车主不需再依赖公共交通工具，从而不再被限制在当地工作。他可以从不同工作中进行选择，而且因为可以不再受限于一个小范围半径内的选择而更频繁地更换工作。开着车上班也比乘公交车更舒服；驾车人可以在冬天调整暖气，夏天调节空调以适应自己的需要和偏好。等火车、公交车或地铁要有耐心地排长队或坐在有风的站台上，有时要花上半个小时，而现在由此而产生的烦燥已不再有。随着优质快速车道的建成，长途距离便能够愉快而迅速地驶达。也是本世纪第一次，许多人可以在周末去乡下或海边旅行，充分享受他们的休闲时光，而不再局限于临近的周围地带。独立的感觉和想去哪儿就去哪儿的自由，也许是汽车的最大优点。

说到缺点（drawbacks），污染大概是最重要的。随着越来越多的汽车被制造和使用，这些汽车排气管里的排放物所包含的有毒气体的总量也越来越多。这种气体中的某些成分，比如铅，不仅污染大气，而且对人类身体健康也确实产生害处。现代工业社会的许多小毛病，如头痛、疲劳和胃部不适被认为是因呼吸了受污染空气而产生的；医生诊所里挤满了因空气污染而患病的人。解决城里交通问题也变得越来越难；全球绝大部分的大城市存在着交通拥塞。实际上，汽车带来的舒适经常被堵车所带来的烦躁与无奈抵消：道路交叉口（intersections）挤满了一个跟着一个慢慢爬行的无边无际的汽车车流。随着交通管理方案的不断增多，可怜而茫然失措的（bewildered）驾车人发现自己不得不转弯（diverted），被迫进入单行道，而这甚至比他们想要避开的交通阻塞耽误的时间还要多。日益上涨的汽油成本和驾驶执照费用，以及公路税都增加了驾车人的烦恼。实际上，有时他肯定在想汽车真的是一件幸事（blessing）而非威胁(menace)吗?

名人名言

一个人如果吃不好，就无法好好思考，好好去爱，好好休息。

——弗吉尼亚·伍尔芙

我一次只能做一件事情，但我可以避免同时（simultaneous）做好多事情。

——阿什雷·布里连特

错误，犹如稻草，浮于水面；想得到珍珠（pearls）的人必须潜入水底。

——约翰·德莱顿