Lesson46 Expensive and uncomfortable 即昂贵又受罪
What did the man in this story do?
When a plane from London arrived at Sydney airport,
workers began to unload a number of wooden boxes which contained clothing.
No one could account for the fact that one of the boxes was extremely heavy.
It suddenly occurred to one of the workers to open up the box.
He was astonished at what he found.
A man was lying in the box on top of a pile of woollen goods.
He was so surprised at being discovered that he did not even try to run away.
After he was arrested,the man admitted hiding in the box before the plane left London.
He had had a long and uncomfortable trip,
for he had been confined to the wooden box for over eighteen hours.
The man was ordered to pay ￡3,500 for the cost of the trip. The normal price of a ticket is ￡2,000!
New words and expressions 生词和短语
- unload(1.2) /ʌn’ləud/ v．卸(货)
- wooden(1.2) /’wudn/adj. 木制的
- goods (1.6)/guds/n. (常用复数)货物，商品
- extremely(1.3)/ik’stri:mli/adv．非常，极其
- discover(1．7)/dis’kʌvə/v．发现
- occur(1.4)/ə’kə:/v．发生
- admit(1.8)/əd’mit/v. 承认
- astonish(1.5)/ə’stɔniʃ/v. 使惊讶
- confine(1.9)/kən’fain/v. 关在(一个狭小的空间里)
- pile(1.6)/pail／n. 堆
- woollen(1.6)/’wulən/ n. 羊毛的
- normal (1.10)/’nɔ:məl/ adj. 正常的，通常的
Notes on the text 课文注释
- a number of, 许多。
- No one could account for the fact that…, 谁也弄不清……这样一个事实。account for 有“说明原因”的意思；that后面的从句用来进一步说明这个“事实”本身，在语法上称作同位语。
- It suddenly occurred to one of the workers to open up the box. 突然一个工人想到打开箱子看看。occur to可译作“想起”。在这句话中， it是先行词，主语是动词不定式 to open up the box。
- He was astonished at what he found. 看到的情景使他吃惊。在这句话中 what引导的名词性从句作介词 at的宾语，其中what相当于 the thing which。
- on top of，在……之上。
- He was so surprised at being discovered that he did not even try to run away. 他由于被发现而感到非常吃惊，甚至都没有企图逃跑。这句话的主要句型仍为 so… that…。动名词短语 being discovered是介词 at的宾语，由于是被动语态，因此要用动词 be加上-ing的形式。
- the man admitted hiding in the box, 这个人承认藏在箱子里。在这句话中动名词 hiding作动词 admit的宾语。
参考译文
当一架来自伦敦的飞机抵达悉尼机场时， 工人们开始卸下装有服装的一批木箱。 其中有只箱子特别重，可谁也弄不清是怎么回事。 突然一个工人想到打开箱子看看。 看到的情景使他吃惊，箱内有一个人正躺在一堆毛织品之上。 他由于被人发现而感到非常吃惊，甚至都没有企图逃跑。 此人被逮捕后，承认他是在飞机离开伦敦前躲进箱里的。 他经历了一次漫长而又难受的旅程， 因为他在那木箱里闷了18个多小时。 此人被责令交付旅费3,500英镑，而正常票价是2,000英镑！
Lesson47 A thirsty ghost 嗜酒的鬼魂
What evidence is there of a ghost?
A public house which was recently bought by Mr. Ian Thompson is up for sale.
Mr. Thompson is going to sell it because it is haunted.
He told me that he could not go to sleep one night
because he heard a strange noise coming from the bar.
The next morning, he found that the doors had been blocked by chairs
and the furniture had been moved.
Though Mr. Thompson had turned the lights off before he went to bed,
they were on in the morning.
He also said that he had found five empty whisky bottles
which the ghost must have drunk the night before.
When I suggested that some villagers must have come in for a free drink,
Mr. Thompson shook his head.
The villagers have told him that they will not accept the pub even if he gives it away.
New words and expressions 生词和短语
- thirsty (title)/’θә:sti／adj. 贪杯的
- whisky (1.8) /’wiski/n. 威士忌酒
- ghost (title)/gəust/ n.鬼魂
- suggest (1.9)/sə’dʒest/ v. 暗示
- haunt (1.2)/hɔ:nt/ v. (鬼)来访，闹鬼
- shake (1.10) /ʃeik/(shook /ʃuk/, shaken/’ʃeikən/) v. 摇动
- block (1.5) /blɔk/ v. 堵
- furniture (1.5) /’fə:nitʃə/ n. 家具
- accept (1.10)/ək’sept/ v. 接受
Notes on the text 课文注释
- up for sale, 供出售， to be up for是“为了某一目的”的意思。
- he heard a strange noise coming from the bar, 他听到酒吧里传来了一阵奇怪的声音。coming是现在分词，用来进一步说明宾语 noise，在语法上称作宾语补足语。
- He also said that he had found five empty whisky bottles which the ghost must have drunk the night before. 他还说他发现了5只空的威士忌酒瓶子，这肯定是鬼魂头天晚上喝的。 which引导的从句用来修饰 five empty whisky bottles，由于鬼魂喝的是酒，因此句中的 5个瓶子指的是 5瓶酒。这是一种借喻的修饰方法。句中的must用来表示推测。
- a free drink, 免费饮料。
- even if he gives it away, 即使他白送人。
- shake one’s head, 摇头，表示异议。
参考译文
伊恩·汤普森先生最近才买的一个小酒店现在又要卖出去。 汤普森先生之所以想卖它，是因为那里常闹鬼。 他告诉我有天夜里他怎么也睡不着，因为他听到酒吧里传来一阵奇怪的响声。 第二天早上，他发现酒吧间的门被椅子堵上了，家具也被挪动过。 虽然汤普森临睡觉时把灯关了，但早晨灯却都亮着。 他还说他发现了5只空的威士忌酒瓶子， 这肯定是鬼魂昨天晚上喝的。 当我暗示说一定是村里有些人来喝不花钱的酒时， 汤普森先生摇了摇头。 村里的人已经告诉他，即使他把小酒店白送人，他们也不要。
Lesson48 Did you want to tell me something? 你想对我说什么吗?
Why did the writer become very worried?
Dentists always ask questions when it is impossible for you to answer.
My dentist had just pulled out one of my teeth and had told me to rest for a while.
I tried to say something, but my mouth was full of cotton wool.
He knew I collected match boxes and asked me whether my collection was growing.
He then asked me how my brother was and whether I liked my new job in London.
In answer to these questions I either nodded or made strange noises.
Meanwhile, my tongue was busy searching out the hole where the tooth had been.
I suddenly felt very worried, but could not say anything.
When the dentist at last removed the cotton wool from my mouth,
I was able to tell him that he had pulled out the wrong tooth.
New words and expressions 生词和短语
- pull (1.2)／pul／v. 拔
- collection (1.5)/kə’lekʃən/n. 收藏品，收集品
- cotton wool (1.4)/’kɔtn-‘wul/药棉
- nod (1.7)/nɔd/ v. 点头
- collect (1.4) /kə’lekt/ v．搜集
- meanwhile (1.7)/’mi:nwail/ adv. 同时
Notes on the text 课文注释
- for a while, 一会儿，片刻。
- He then asked me how my brother was and whether I liked my new job in London. 接着他问我的兄弟近来如何，问我是否喜欢伦敦的新工作。在这句话中，以how和whether引导的从句都是作动词asked的宾语。
- In answer to these questions, 作为对这些问题的答复。
- search out, 搜寻。
- the hole where the tooth bed been, 刚拔掉的那颗牙的伤口。
参考译文
牙科医生们总是在你无法作出回答的时候向你提出问题。 我的牙科医生刚刚给我拔掉了一颗牙，叫我休息一会儿。 我想说点什么，但我嘴里塞满了药棉。 他知道我收集火柴盒，于是问我收藏的火柴盒是否在增加。 接着他又问我的兄弟近来如何，问我是否喜欢伦敦的新工作。 作为对这些问题的回答，我不是点头，就是发出奇怪的声音。 与此同时，我的舌头正在忙着寻找刚拔掉的那颗牙的伤口。 我突然非常着急起来，但却什么也说不出来。 当那位牙医最后将药棉从我嘴中取出时， 我总算有可能告诉他，他拔错了牙。
Lesson49 The end of a dream 美梦告终
How did the dream end?
Tired of sleeping on the floor,
a young man in Teheran saved up for years to buy a real bed.
For the first time in his life,
he became the proud owner of a bed which had springs and a mattress.
Because the weather was very hot,
he carried the bed on to the roof of his house.
He slept very well for the first two nights,
but on the third night, a storm blew up.
A gust of wind swept the bed off the roof
and sent it crashing into the courtyard below.
The young man did not wake up until the bed had struck the ground.
Although the bed was smashed to pieces, the man was miraculously unhurt.
When he woke up, he was still on the mattress.
Glancing at the bits of wood and metal that lay around him,
the man sadly picked up the mattress and carried it into his house.
After he had put it on the floor, he promptly went to sleep again.
New words and expressions 生词和短语
- tired(1.1)/taiəd/adj．厌烦的
- courtyard (1.7)/’kɔ:tja:d/n．院子
- real (1.2)/ri:l/adj．真正的
- smash(1.8)/smæʃ/v．碰碎．摔碎
- owner (1.3)/’əunə/n．主人
- miraculously (1.9)/mi’rækjuləsli/adv．奇迹般地
- spring (1.3)/spriŋ/n．弹簧
- unhurt(1.9)/ʌn’hə:t/adj．没有受伤的
- mattress (1.3)/’mætrəs/n．床垫
- glance(1.9)/gla:ns/v．扫视
- gust(1.6)/gʌst/n．一阵风
- promptly(1.11)/’prɔmptli/adv．迅速地
- sweep(1.6)/swi:p/(swept/swept/,swept)v．扫，刮
Notes on the text 课文注释
- Tired of sleeping on the floor, 由于对睡地板感到厌倦。be tired of 是“对……感到厌倦”的意思。在这句话里省略了现在分词being,这个短语表示原因状语。
- save up, 攒钱。
- blow up, (指暴风雨)出现并加剧；刮起。
- A gust of wind swept the bed off the roof and sent it crashing into the courtyard below. 一阵大风把床从屋顶上刮了下来，把它摔碎在下面的院子里。 crashing into the courtyard below是现在分词短语，作宾语补足语。
- The young man did not wake up until the bed had struck the ground. 那年轻人直到床撞到地上才醒了过来。 not…until有“直到……才……”的意思。
参考译文
德黑兰的一个年轻人由于对睡地板感到厌倦， 于是积蓄多年买了一张真正的床。 他平生第一次自豪地拥有了一张既有弹簧又带床垫的床。 由于天气很热，他便把床搬到了他的屋顶上。 头两天晚上，他睡得非常好。但第三天晚上起了风暴。 一阵大风把床从屋顶上刮了下来，把它摔碎在下面的院子里。 那年轻人直到床撞到地上才醒了过来。 尽管床摔成了碎片，但年轻人却奇迹般地没有受伤。 他醒来时，仍然躺在床垫上。 年轻人看了一眼周围的碎木片和碎金属片， 伤心地捡起了床垫，把它拿进了屋。 他把床垫往地板上一放，很快又睡着了。
Lesson50 Taken for a ride 乘车兜风
Why did the writer not get off the bus at Woodford Green?
I love travelling in the country, but I don’t like losing my way.
I went on an excursion recently, but my trip took me longer than I expected.
‘I’m going to Woodford Green,’I said to the conductor as I got on the bus,
‘but I don’t know where it is.’
‘I’ll tell you where to get off,’answered the conductor.
I sat in the front of the bus to get a good view of the countryside.
After some time, the bus stopped. Looking round,
I realized with a shock that I was the only passenger left on the bus.
‘You’ll have to get off here.’the conductor said.‘This is as far as we go.’
‘Is this Woodford Green?’asked.
‘Oh dear,’said the conductor suddenly.‘I forgot to put you off.’
‘It doesn’t matter,’I said.‘I’ll get off here.’
‘We’re going back now,’ said the conductor.
‘Well, in that case, I prefer to stay on the bus,’I answered.
New words and expressions 生词和短语
- ride (title)/raid/n．旅行
- conductor(1.4)/kən’dʌktə/n．售票员
- excursion (1.2)/ik’skə:ʃən/n．远足
- view (1.7)/vju:/n．景色
Notes on the text 课文注释
- 标题“Taken for a ride”中 take…for…是“把……当作……”的意思。taken for a ride意思是“就当作是一次乘车兜风”； take sb. for a ride又作“欺骗”讲，因此taken for也有“上当了”的含义。
- lose one’s way, 迷路。
- go on an excursion, 作一次短距离的旅行。
- get on the bus,上公共汽车。
- I’ll tell you where to get off.我告诉你哪里下车。在这个句子中，副词where加上动词不定式to get off组成一个名词性结构，作动词tell的直接宾语。
- I sat in the front of the bus to get a good view of the countryside.我坐在车的前部，以便饱览农村风光。in the front of作“在……的前部”讲；to get a good view 动词不定式短语作状语，表示目的。
参考译文
我喜欢在乡间旅行，但却不愿意迷路。最近我作了一次短途旅行，但这次旅行所花费的时间比我预计的要长。 “我要去伍德福德草地，”我一上车就对售票员说，“但我不知道它在哪儿。” “我来告诉您在哪儿下车，”售票员回答说。 我坐在汽车的前部，以便饱览农村风光。过了一些时候，车停了。 我环视了一下身旁，惊奇地发现车里就只剩我一个乘客了。 “您得在这里下车，”售票员说，“我们的车就到此为止了。” “这里是伍德福德草地吗？”我问道。 “哎呀，”售票员突然说，“我忘了让您下车了。” “没关系，”我说，“我就在这儿下吧。” “我们现在要返回去，”售票员说。 “好吧，既然如此，我还是留在车上吧。”我回答说。