Lesson21 Mad or not?是不是疯了？
Why do people think the writer is mad?
Aeroplanes are slowly driving me mad.
I live near an airport and passing planes can be heard night and day.
The airport was built years ago, but for some reason it could not be used then.
Last year, however, it came into use.
Over a hundred people must have been driven away from their homes by the noise.
I am one of the few people left.
Sometimes I think this house will be knocked down by a passing plane.
I have been offered a large sum of money to go away, but I am determined to stay here.
Everybody says I must be mad and they are probably right.
New words and expressions 生词和短语
- mad(1. 1)/mæd/ adj. 发疯
- sum(1. 7)/sʌm/ n. 量
- reason(1. 3)/’ri:zən/ n. 原因
- determined(1. 8)/di’tə:mind/ adj. 坚定的，下决心的
Notes on the text 课文注释
- Aeroplanes are slowly driving me mad．飞机正在逐渐把我逼疯。drive someone mad，逼疯。
- passing planes can be heard night and day，过往飞机日夜不绝于耳。在句中passing用来修饰名词planes，起形容词作用，是一个现在分词。
- came into use，启用。
- Over a hundred people must have been driven away from their homes by the noise．有100多人肯定是被噪音逼得离家远去。情态动词 must+完成时态，是对过去事情的推测，猜测某一事情肯定已经发生。drive away，赶走，逼走。
参考译文
飞机正在逐渐把我逼疯。 我住在一个机场附近，过往飞机日夜不绝于耳。 机场是许多年前建的，但由于某种原因当时未能启用。 然而去年机场开始使用了。 有100多人肯定是被噪音逼得已经弃家远去， 我是少数留下来的人中的一个。 有时我觉得这房子就要被一架飞过的飞机撞倒。 他们曾向我提供一大笔钱让我搬走，但我决定留在这儿。 大家都说我肯定是疯了，也许他们说的是对的。
Lesson22 A glass envelope 玻璃信封
How did Jane receive a letter from a stranger?
My daughter, Jane, never dreamed of receiving a letter from a girl of her own age in Holland.
Last year, we were travelling across the Channel
and Jane put a piece of paper
with her name and address on it into a bottle.
She threw the bottle into the sea.
She never thought of it again,
but ten months later, she received a letter from a girl in Holland.
Both girls write to each other regularly now.
However,they have decided to use the post office.
Letters will cost a little more, but they will certainly travel faster.
New words and expressions 生词和短语
- dream (1. 1) /dri:m/ v. 做梦，梦想
- throw (1. 4) /θrəu/ (threw /θru:/, thrown /θrəun/) v. 扔抛
- age (1. 2) /eidʒ/ n. 年龄
- channel (1. 3) /’tʃænl/ n. 海峡
Notes on the text 课文注释
- dreamed of receiving a letter，想到会收到一封信。dream of作“梦想”，“幻想”讲；receiving是动名词，作介词of的宾语。
- Last year，we were travelling across the Channel and…，去年，当我们横渡英吉利海峡时……。这是过去进行时的一种用法，用来叙述故事情节的背景。过去进行时描述背景，由此引出一般过去时表示的新动作。
- with her name and address on it用来进一步说明a piece of paper。可译作“写有她姓名和地址的(一张纸条)”。
参考译文
我的女儿简从未想过会接到荷兰一位同龄姑娘的来信。 去年，当我们横渡英吉利海峡时， 简把写有她姓名和住址的一张纸条装进了一只瓶子， 又将瓶子扔进了大海。此后她就再没去想那只瓶子。 但10个月以后，她收到了荷兰一位姑娘的来信。 现在这两位姑娘定期通信了。 然而她们还是决定利用邮局。 这样会稍微多花点钱，但肯定是快得多了。
Lesson23 A new house 新居
Why is the new house special?
I had a letter from my sister yesterday.
She lives in Nigeria.
In her letter, she said that she would come to England next year.
If she comes, she will get a surprise.
We are now living in a beautiful new house in the country.
Work on it had begun before my sister left.
The house was completed five months ago.
In my letter, I told her that she could stay with us.
The house has many large rooms and there is a lovely garden.
It is a very modern house, so it looks strange to some people.
It must be the only modern house in the district.
New words and expressions 生词和短语
- complete (1. 5) /kəm’pli:t/ v. 完成
- strange (1. 8) /streindʒ/ adj. 奇怪的
- modern (1. 7) /’modn/ adj. 新式的，与以往不同的
- district (1. 9) /’distrikt/ n. 地区
Notes on the text 课文注释
- get a surprise中的，surprise这里作“使人惊奇、意外的事物”解，是可数名词。
- Work on it had begun…，住宅的建设在……就开始了。work是名词，作主语，it指房屋。
- The house has many large rooms and there is a lovely garden. 栋房子里有许多房间，还有一个漂亮的花园。there is这个结构在第1册第42-44课中曾经出现过，用来说明人、物的存在。
参考译文
昨天我收到了姐姐的一封信，她住在尼日利亚。 在信中她说她明年将到英国来。 如果她来了，她会感到非常惊奇的。 我们现在住在乡间的一栋漂亮的新住宅里。 这栋房子在我姐姐离开之前就已动工了，是在5个月以前竣工的。 我在信中告诉她，她可以和我们住在一起。 这栋房子里有许多房间，还有一个漂亮的花园。 它是一栋非常现代化的住宅，因此在有些人看来很古怪。 它肯定是这个地区唯一的一栋现代化住宅。
Lesson24 It could be worse 不幸中之万幸
Had the writer’s money been stolen?
I entered the hotel manager’s office and sat down.
I had just lost ￡50 and I felt very upset.
‘I left the money in my room, ’I said, ‘and it’s not there now.
’ The manager was sympathetic, but he could do nothing.
‘Everyone’s losing money these days,’ he said.
He started to complain about this wicked world but was interrupted by a knock at the door.
A girl came in and put an envelope on his desk. It contained ￡50.
‘I found this outside this gentleman’s room, ’ she said.
‘Well, ’ I said to the manager, ‘there is still some honesty in this world!’
New words and expressions 生词和短语
- manager (1. 1) /’mænid’ʒə/ n, 经理
- wicked (1. 5) /’wikid/ adj. 很坏的，邪恶的
- upset (1. 2) /’ʌp’set/ adj. 不安
- contain (1. 7) /kən’tein/ v. 包含，内装
- sympathetic (1. 3) /’simpə’θetik/ adj. 表示同情的
- honesty (1. 8) /’onisti/ n. 诚实
- complain (1. 5) /kəm’plein/ v. 抱怨
Notes on the text 课文注释
- 本文的题目可以有几种不同的理解方式：“如果我丢失的不止50英镑”，“如果经理没有任何同情心”。“如果拾到钱的姑娘没有把钱送回来”，结局会更糟糕。
- Everyone’s losing money these days. 现在大家都在丢钱。用现在进行时来表示不断重复的动作，其中常含有埋怨的意思。
参考译文
我走进饭店经理的办公室，坐了下来。 我刚刚丢了50英镑，感到非常烦恼。 “我把钱放在房间里，”我说，“可现在没有了。 ”经理深表同情，但却无能为力。 “现在大家都在丢钱，”他说。 他开始抱怨起这个邪恶的世道来，却被一阵敲门声打断了。 一个姑娘走了进来，把一个信封放在了他桌上。它里面装着50英镑。 “这是我在这位先生的房门外捡到的，”她说。 “是啊，”我对那位经理说，“这世界上还是有诚实可言的！”
Lesson25 Do the English speak English?英国人讲的是英语吗？
Why does the writer not understand the porter?
I arrived in London at last.
The railway station was big, black and dark.
I did not know the way to my hotel, so I asked a porter.
I not only spoke English very carefully, but very clearly as well.
The porter, however, could not understand me.
I repeated my question several times and at last he understood.
He answered me, but he spoke neither slowly nor clearly.
‘I am a foreigner,’ I said. Then he spoke slowly, but I could not understand him.
My teacher never spoke English like that!
The porter and I looked at each other and smiled.
Then he said something and I understood it.
‘You’ll soon learn English!’ he said. I wonder.
In England, each person speaks a different language.
The English understand each other, but I don’t understand them! Do they speak English?
New words and expressions 生词和短语
- railway(1．1)/’reilwei/ n．铁路
- foreigner(1．6)/’forinə/ n．外国人
- porter(1．2)/’pɔ:tə/ n．搬运工
- wonder(1．9)/’wʌndə/ v．感到奇怪
- several(1．5)/’sevərəl/quantifier 几个
Notes on the text 课文注释
- at last，终于。
- the way to my hotel，去(我住的那家)饭店的路。
- not only… but… as well，不但……而且……，与 not only… but also是同样意思，所连接的前后两部分的成分必须一致。
- neither…nor…，既不又不……，这个结构所连接的两个否定概念也必须是对等的成分。
- like that，像那样。介词短语作状语，修饰动词spoke。
- the English，英国人。与定冠词连用，表示一个群体，所跟的动词用复数。
参考译文
我终于到了伦敦。火车站很大，又黑又暗。 我不知道去饭店的路该怎么走，于是向一个搬运工打听。 我的英语讲得不但非常认真，而且咬字也非常清楚。 然而搬运工却不明白我的话。 我把问话重复了很多遍。他终于听懂了。 他回答了，但他讲得既不慢也不清楚。 “我是个外国人”我说。于是他说得慢了，可我还是听不懂。 我的老师从来不那样讲英语！ 我和搬运工相视一笑。 接着，他说了点什么，这回我听懂了。 “您会很快学会英语的！”他说。我感到奇怪。 在英国，人们各自说着一种不同的语言。 英国人之间相互听得懂，可我却不懂他们的话！他们说的是英语吗？