Lesson56 Faster than sound! 比声音还快！
How fast did the winning car go?
Once a year, a race is held for old cars.
A lot of cars entered for this race last year
and there was a great deal of excitement just before it began.
One of the most handsome cars was a Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost.
The most unusual car was a Benz which had only three wheels.
Built in 1885,it was the oldest car taking part.
After a great many loud explosions, the race began.
Many of the cars broke down on the course
and some drivers spent more time under their cars than in them!
A few cars, however, completed the race.
The winning car reached a speed of forty miles an hour
—-much faster than any of its rivals.
It sped downhill at the end of the race
and its driver had a lot of trouble trying to stop it.
The race gave everyone a great deal of pleasure.
It was very different from modern car races but no less exciting.
New words and expressions 生词和短语
- sound(title)/saund/n. 声音
- explosion(1.6)/ik’splәuʒ(ә)n/n.爆炸，轰响
- excitement(1.2)/ik’saitmənt/n.激动，兴奋
- course(1.7)/kɔ:s/n.跑道；行程
- handsome(1.3)/’hænsəm/adj. 漂亮的；美观的
- rival(1.9)/’raivəl/n.对手
- speed(1.9)/spi:d/(sped/sped/,sped)v.疾驶
- Benz(1.4)/benz/ n.奔驰
- downhill(1.9)/’daun’hil/adv. 下坡
- wheel(1.5)/wi:l/ n.轮子
Notes on the text 课文注释
- once a year，每年一次。
- A lot of cars entered for this race last year. 去年许多车参加了这项比赛。
- a great deal of，大量的，后面接不可数名词。
- break down，抛锚，出故障。
- some drivers spent more time under their cars than in them！有些驾驶员花在汽车底下的时间比坐在车子里面的时间还长。 under the car是指在车下面修理，in the car是指正常驾驶。句中的under和in都是斜体，主要是用来对比，有强调的意味，要重读。
- its driver had a lot of trouble trying to stop it, 驾驶员费了很大劲才把车停了下来。
- but no less exciting, 但激动人心的程度并不亚于现代汽车大赛。这是一句省略句，完整的句子应是 but it was no less exciting than modern car races。
参考译文
旧式汽车的比赛每年举行一次。 去年有很多汽车参加了这项比赛。 比赛开始之前，人们异常激动。 最漂亮的汽车之一是罗尔斯-罗伊斯生产的银鬼汽车， 而最不寻常的一辆则要属只有3只轮子的奔驰牌汽车了。 该车造于1885年，是参赛车中最老的一辆。 在好一阵喧闹的爆炸声之后，比赛开始了。 很多汽车在途中就抛了锚， 而有些驾驶员花在汽车底下的时间比坐在汽车里面的时间还长。 然而还是有几辆汽车跑完了全程。 获胜的那辆车达到了时速40英里——远远超过任何对手。 它在接近终点时，冲下了山坡，驾驶员费了好大劲才把车停下来。 这次比赛使每个人都挺开心。 它虽然与现代汽车比赛大不相同， 但激动人心的程度并不亚于现代汽车大赛。
Lesson57 Can I help you,madam?你要买什么，夫人？
Did the woman get what she wanted?
A woman in jeans stood at the window of an expensive shop.
Though she hesitated for a moment,
she finally went in and asked to see a dress that was in the window.
The assistant who served her did not like the way she was dressed.
Glancing at her scornfully, he told her that the dress was sold.
The woman walked out of the shop angrily and decided to punish the assistant next day.
She returned to the shop the following morning dressed in a fur coat,
with a handbag in one hand and a long umbrella in the other.
After seeking out the rude assistant, she asked for the same dress.
Not realizing who she was, the assistant was eager to serve her this time.
With great difficulty, he climbed into the shop window to get the dress.
As soon as she saw it, the woman said she did not like it.
She enjoyed herself making the assistant bring almost everything in the window
before finally buying the dress she had first asked for.
New words and expressions 生词和短语
- madam(title)/’mædəm/n.(对妇女的尊称)太太；夫人
- scornfully(1.4)/’skɔ:nfəli/adv. 轻蔑地
- punish(1.6)/’pʌniʃ/v. 惩罚
- jeans(1.1)/dʒi:nz/n. 牛仔裤
- fur(1.7)/fə:/n. 裘皮
- hesitate(1.2)/’heziteit/v. 犹豫，迟疑
- eager(1.9)/’i:gə/adj.热切的，热情的
- serve(1.3)/sə:v/v. 接待(顾客)
Notes on the text 课文注释
- Can I help you, Madam?您要买什么，夫人？这是售货员的常用语。
- A woman in jeans, 一位穿着牛仔裤的妇女。
- She returned to the shop the following morning dressed in a fur coat, with a handbag in one hand and a long umbrella in the other.第二天上午她又来到这家商店，穿着一件裘皮大衣，一手拎着一只手提包，另一只手拿着一把长柄伞。 dressed in a fur coat是过去分词短语作状语，表示伴随状态。
- seek out,找出，找到。
- Not realizing who she was,没有认出她是谁。这是现在分词短语的否定形式。
- She enjoyed herself making the assistant bring almost everything in the window.她开心地迫使那位售货员把橱窗里几乎所有的东西都拿了出来。 enjoy oneself，开心。
参考译文
一位穿着牛仔裤的妇女站在一家高档商店的橱窗前。 她虽然犹豫了片刻，但终于还是走进了商店， 要求把陈列在橱窗里的一件衣服拿给她看。 接待她的售货员不喜欢她的那副打扮，轻蔑地看了她一眼后， 便告诉她那件衣服已经卖出去了。 这位妇女怒气冲冲地走出了商店，决定第二天教训一下那个售货员。 第二天上午，她又来到这家商店， 穿了一件裘皮大衣，一只手拎着一只手提包， 另一只手拿着一把长柄伞。 找到那个无礼的售货员后，她还要看昨天的那件衣服。 那个售货员没有认出她是谁，这一回接待她的态度非常殷勤。 费了好大劲几，他爬进橱窗去取那件衣服。 这位妇女对那件衣服只看一眼，就说不喜欢。 她开心地迫使那位售货员把橱窗里几乎所有的东西都拿了出来， 最后才买下了她最先要看的那一件。
Lesson58 A blessing in disguise?是因祸得福吗？
Why does the vicar refuse to cut down the tree?
The tiny village of Frinley is said to possess a ‘cursed tree’.
Because the tree was mentioned in a newspaper,
the number of visitors to Frinley has now increased.
The tree was planted near the church fifty years ago,
but it is only in recent years that it has gained an evil reputation.
It is said that if anyone touches the tree,
he will have bad luck; if he picks a leaf, he will die.
Many villagers believe that the tree has already claimed a number of victims.
The vicar has been asked to have the tree cut down,
but so far he has refused.
He has pointed out that the tree is a useful source of income,
as tourists have been coming from all parts of the country to see it.
In spite of all that has been said,
the tourists have been picking leaves
and cutting their names on the tree-trunk.
So far, not one of them has been struck down by sudden death !
New words and expressions 生词和短语
- blessing(title)/’blesiŋ/n.福分，福气
- evil(1.5)/’i:vəl/adj. 坏的
- disguise(title)/dis’gaiz/. 伪装
- reputation(1.5) /’repju’teiʃən/n. 名声
- tiny(1.1)/’taini/adj.极小的
- claim(1.7)/kleim/v. 以……为其后果
- possess(1.1)/pə’zes/v. 拥有
- victim(1.8)/’viktim/n. 受害者，牺牲品
- cursed(1.1)/kə:st/adj. 可恨的
- vicar(1.8)/’vikə/n. 教区牧师
- increase(1.3)/in’kri:s/v. 增加
- source(1.9)/sɔ:s/n. 来源
- plant( 1. 3)/pla:nt/v. 种植
- income(1.9)/’iŋkʌm/n. 收入
- church(1.4)/tʃə:tʃ/n. 教堂
- trunk(1.11)/trʌŋk/n. 树干
Notes on the text 课文注释
- a blessing in disguise,坏事变好事，因祸得福。
- The tiny village of Frinley, 弗林利这个小村庄，介词of这里表示的是同位关系。
- but it is only in recent years that it has gained an evil reputation,但是只是近年来才得到了一个坏名声。句中的 it是强调句型，结构是 it is(was)+被强调的部分+that(who)从句。
- to have the tree cut down,把这棵树砍掉。在这个短语中 cut down是动词 have的宾语 the tree的补足语，常用来表示叫别人完成的动作。
- In spite of all that has been said是介词短语，在句中作让步状语。that has been said是定语从句，修饰all，关系代词that在从句中作主语，不能省略。
参考译文
据说弗林利这个小村里有一棵“该诅咒的树”。 就因为报上提到过这棵树， 所以现在来弗林利参观的人越来越多。 该树是50年前栽在教堂附近的， 但只是近几年才得到了一个坏名声。 据说，谁要是触摸了这棵树，谁就会交上恶运； 如果谁摘了一片树叶，谁就会死去。 很多村民相信此树已经害了不少人。 人们曾请求教区的牧师叫人把树砍掉， 但他直到现在也没有同意。 他指出，由于人们从全国各地纷纷前来参观这棵树， 它成了一个有用的财源。 尽管有上述种种说法， 但游客们还是照常摘树叶和把他们的名字刻在树干上。 然而到目前为止，还没有一个人暴死呢！
Lesson59 In or out? 进来还是出去？
Why did Rex run away?
Our dog, Rex, used to sit outside our front gate and bark.
Every time he wanted to come into the garden
he would bark until someone opened the gate.
As the neighbours complained of the noise,
my husband spent weeks training him to press
his paw on the latch to let himself in.
Rex soon became an expert at opening the gate.
However, when I was going out shopping last week,
I noticed him in the garden near the gate.
This time he was barking so that someone would let him out!
Since then, he has developed another bad habit.
As soon as he opens the gate from the outside,
he comes into the garden and waits until the gate shuts.
Then he sits and barks until someone lets him out.
After this he immediately lets himself in and begins barking again.
Yesterday my husband removed the gate
and Rex got so annoyed we have not seen him since.
New words and expressions 生词和短语
- bark(1.1)/ba:k/v. 狗叫
- expert(1.5)/’ekspə:t/n. 专家
- press(1.4)/pres/v. 按，压
- develop(1.80/di’veləp/v. 养成
- paw(1.4)/pɔ:/n. 脚爪
- habit(1.8)/’hæbit/n. 习惯
- latch(1.4)/lætʃ/n. 门闩
- remove(1.11)/ri’mu:v/v.拆掉，取下
Notes on the text 课文注释
- every time此处是连词，作“每当”、“无论何时”讲，引出时间状语从句。
- Rex soon became an expert at opening the gate.很快雷克斯成了开门的专家。 become an expert at作“成了……能手”讲。
- This time he was barking so that someone would let him out!这次它叫着让人把它放出去。 so that是连词，作“为的是”讲，引导状语从句。
- Rex got so annoyed we have not seen him since.雷克斯很生气，此后我们便再也没有见到它。句中含有一个so annoyed that…的状语从句，表示结果，但that被省略了。
参考译文
我家的狗雷克斯，过去常坐在大门外面叫。 每当它想到花园里来时，便汪汪叫个不停，直到有人把门打开。 由于邻居们对狗叫很有意见， 所以我丈夫花了几个星期的时间训练它用脚爪按住门闩把自己放进来。 雷克斯很快成了开门的专家。 然而上星期我正要出去买东西时， 发现它正呆在花园里边靠门的地方。 这次它叫着让人把它放出去！ 从那以后，它养成了另外一种坏习惯。 它从外面把门一打开，就走进花园，等着门自动关上。 这之后他就坐下汪汪叫起来，直到有人来把它放出去。 出去之后，它又马上把自己放进来，接着再开始叫。 昨天，我丈夫把大门卸了下来，雷克斯很生气， 此后我们便再也没有见到它。
Lesson60 The future 卜算未来
Does what Madam Bellinsky said come true?
At a village fair, I decided to visit a fortune-teller called Madam Bellinsky.
I went into her tent and she told me to sit down.
After I had given her some money,
she looked into a crystal ball and said:
‘A relation of yours is coming to see you.
She will be arriving this evening and intends to stay for a few days.
The moment you leave this tent, you will get a big surprise.
A woman you know well will rush towards you.
She will speak to you and then she will lead you away from this place.
That is all.’ As soon as I went outside,
I forgot all about Madam Bellinsky because my wife hurried towards me.
‘Where have you been hiding?’ she asked impatiently.
‘Your sister will be here in less than an hour
and we must be at the station to meet her.
We are late already.’ As she walked away, I followed her out of the fair.
New words and expressions 生词和短语
- future(title)/’fju:tʃə/n. 未来，前途
- crystal(1.3)/’kristl/n. 水晶
- fair(1.1)/feə/n. 集市
- relation(1.4)/ri’leiʃən/n. 亲属
- fortune-teller(1.1)/’fɔ:tʃən-telə/n. 算命人
- impatiently(1.10)/im’peiʃəntli/adv.不耐烦地
Notes on the text 课文注释
- a relation of yours,您的一个亲戚，这是名词双重所有格的又一个例子。
- The moment you leave the tent,您一走出帐篷， the moment起连词作用，相当于as soon as。
- A woman you know well,一个您很熟悉的女人。 you know well作名词 woman的定语，引导词(whom或that)被省略了。
- That is all.就这些。
参考译文
在一个乡村集市上，我决定去拜访一位称作别林斯基夫人的算命人。 我走进她的帐篷，她叫我坐下。 我给了她一些钱后，她便查看着一个水晶球说道： “您的一个亲戚就要来看您了。 她将于今天傍晚到达，并准备住上几天。 您一走出这个帐篷，就会大吃一惊。 一位您很熟悉的女人将向您冲来。 她会对您说点什么，然后带您离开这个地方。 就是这些。”我一走出帐篷， 就把别林斯基夫人给我算卦的事忘得一干二净了， 因为我的妻子正匆匆向我跑来。 “你躲到哪儿去了？”她不耐烦地问， “再有不到一个小时你姐姐就要到这儿了， 我们得去车站接她。现在就已经晚了。 ”当她走开时，我也跟着她出了集市。