新概念英语第四册Lesson 16 The modern city
时间：2018-11-28 作者：英语课 分类：新概念英语第四册
Lesson 16
The modern city
现代城市
First listen and then answer the following question.
听录音，然后回答以下问题。
What is the author's main argument about the modern city?
In the organization of industrial life the influence of the factory upon the physiological 1 and mental state of the workers has been completely neglected. Modern industry is based on the conception of the maximum production at lowest cost, in order that an individual or a group of individuals may earn as much money as possible. It has expanded without any idea of the true nature of the human beings who run the machines, and without giving any consideration to the effects produced on the individuals and on their descendants by the artificial mode of existence imposed by the factory. The great cities have been built with no regard for us. The shape and dimensions of the skyscrapers 3 depend entirely 4 on the necessity of obtaining the maximum income per square foot of ground, and of offering to the tenants 6 offices and apartments that please them. This caused the construction of gigantic buildings where too large masses of human beings are crowded together. Civilized 7 men like such a way of living. While they enjoy the comfort and banal 8 luxury of their dwelling 9, they do not realize that they are deprived of the necessities of life. The modern city consists of monstrous 10 edifices 12 and of dark, narrow streets full of petrol fumes 13 and toxic 14 gases, torn by the noise of the taxicabs, lorries and buses, and thronged 16 ceaselessly by great crowds. Obviously, it has not been planned for the good of its inhabitants.
ALEXIS CARREL Man, the Unknown
New words and expressions 生词和短语
physiological
adj. 生理的
maximum
adj. 最大限度的
consideration
n. 考虑
descendant
n. 子孙，后代
artificial
n. 人工的
impose
v. 强加
dimension
n. 直径
skyscraper 2
n. 摩天大楼
tenant 5
n. 租户
civilized
adj. 文明的
banal
adj. 平庸
luxury
n. 豪华
deprive
v. 剥夺
monstrous
adj. 畸形的
edifice 11
n. 大厦
toxic
adj. 有毒的
ceaselessly
adv. 不停地
throng 15
v. 挤满，壅塞
参考译文
在工业生活的组织中，工厂对工人的生理和精神状态的影响完全被忽视了。现代工业的基本概念是：以最低成本获取最多产品，为的是让某个个人或某一部分人尽可能多地赚钱。现代工业发展起来了，却根本没想到操作机器的人的本质。工厂把一种人为的生存方式强加给工人，却不顾及这种生存方式给工人及其后代带来的影响。大城市的建设毫不关心我们。摩天大楼完全是按这样的需要修建的：每平方英尺地皮取得最大收入和向租房人提供使他满意的办公室和住房。这样就导致了许多摩天大厦拔地而起，大厦内众多的人挤地一起。文明人喜欢这样一种生活方式。在享受自己住宅的舒适和庸俗的豪华时，却没有意识到被剥夺了生活所必需的东西。大得吓人的高楼和阴暗狭窄的街道组成了今日现代化的城市。街道上充斥着汽油味和有毒气体，出租汽车、卡车、公共汽车的噪音刺耳难忍，络绎不绝的人群挤来挤去。显然，现代化的城市不是这居民的利益而规划的。
- He bought a physiological book.他买了一本生理学方面的书。
- Every individual has a physiological requirement for each nutrient.每个人对每种营养成分都有一种生理上的需要。
- The skyscraper towers into the clouds.那幢摩天大楼高耸入云。
- The skyscraper was wrapped in fog.摩天楼为雾所笼罩。
- A lot of skyscrapers in Manhattan are rising up to the skies. 曼哈顿有许多摩天大楼耸入云霄。
- On all sides, skyscrapers rose like jagged teeth. 四周耸起的摩天大楼参差不齐。
- The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
- His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。
- The tenant was dispossessed for not paying his rent.那名房客因未付房租而被赶走。
- The tenant is responsible for all repairs to the building.租户负责对房屋的所有修理。
- A number of tenants have been evicted for not paying the rent. 许多房客因不付房租被赶了出来。
- Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent. 租金由承租人共同且分别承担。
- Racism is abhorrent to a civilized society. 文明社会憎恶种族主义。
- rising crime in our so-called civilized societies 在我们所谓文明社会中日益增多的犯罪行为
- Making banal remarks was one of his bad habits.他的坏习惯之一就是喜欢说些陈词滥调。
- The allegations ranged from the banal to the bizarre.从平淡无奇到离奇百怪的各种说法都有。
- Those two men are dwelling with us.那两个人跟我们住在一起。
- He occupies a three-story dwelling place on the Park Street.他在派克街上有一幢3层楼的寓所。
- The smoke began to whirl and grew into a monstrous column.浓烟开始盘旋上升，形成了一个巨大的烟柱。
- Your behaviour in class is monstrous!你在课堂上的行为真是丢人！
- The American consulate was a magnificent edifice in the centre of Bordeaux.美国领事馆是位于波尔多市中心的一座宏伟的大厦。
- There is a huge Victorian edifice in the area.该地区有一幢维多利亚式的庞大建筑物。
- They complain that the monstrous edifices interfere with television reception. 他们抱怨说，那些怪物般的庞大建筑，干扰了电视接收。 来自辞典例句
- Wealthy officials and landlords built these queer edifices a thousand years ago. 有钱的官吏和地主在一千年前就修建了这种奇怪的建筑物。 来自辞典例句
- The health of our children is being endangered by exhaust fumes. 我们孩子们的健康正受到排放出的废气的损害。
- Exhaust fumes are bad for your health. 废气对健康有害。
- The factory had accidentally released a quantity of toxic waste into the sea.这家工厂意外泄漏大量有毒废物到海中。
- There is a risk that toxic chemicals might be blasted into the atmosphere.爆炸后有毒化学物质可能会进入大气层。