(单词翻译:单击)
课文
【课文】
Lesson 37 The Westhaven Express 开往威斯特海温的快车
Listen to the tape then answer the question below.
听录音，然后回答以下问题。
What was the mistake the author made?
We have learnt to expect that trains will be punctual. After years of conditioning, most of us have developed an unshakable faith in railway timetables. Ships may be delayed by storms; flights may be cancelled because of bad weather, but trains must be on time. Only an exceptionally heavy snowfall might temporarily dislocate railway services. It is all too easy to blame the railway authorities when something does go wrong. The truth is that when mistakes occur, they are more likely to be ours than theirs.
After consulting my railway timetable, I noted with satisfaction that there was an express train to Westhaven. It went direct from my local station and the journey lasted mere hour and seventeen minutes. When I boarded the train, I could not help noticing that a great many local people got on as well. At the time, this did not strike me as odd. I reflected that there must be a great many local people besides myself who wished to take advantage of this excellent service. Neither was I surprise when the train stopped at Widley, a tiny station a few miles along the line. Even a mighty express train can be held up by signals. But when the train dawdled at station after station, I began to wonder, It suddenly dawned on me that this express was not roaring down the line at ninety miles an hour, but barely chugging along at thirty. One hour and seventeen minutes passed and we had not even covered half the distance. I asked a passenger if this was the Westhaven Express, but he had not even heard of it. I determined to lodge a complaint as soon as we arrived. Two hours later, I was talking angrily to the station master at Westhaven. When he denied the train's existence, I borrowed his copy of the timetable. There was a note of triumph in my voice when I told him that it was there in black and white. Glancing at it briefly, he told me to look again. A tiny asterisk conducted me to a footnote at the bottom of the page. It said: 'This service has been suspended.'
参考译文
【参考译文】
我们已经习惯于相信火车总是准点的。经过多年的适应，大多数人对火车时刻表产生了一种不可动摇的信念。轮船船期可能因风暴而推延，飞机航班可能因恶劣天气而取消，唯有火车必然是准点的。只有非同寻常的大雪才可能暂时打乱铁路运行。因此，一旦铁路上真出了问题，人们便不加思索地责备铁路当局。事实上，差错很可能是我们自己，而不是铁路当局的。
我查看了列车时刻表，满意地了解到有一趟去威斯特海温的快车。这是趟直达车，旅途总共才需1小时17分钟。上车后，我不禁注意到许多当地人也上了车。一开始，我并不感到奇怪，我想除我之外，想利用快车之便的也一定大有人在。火车开出几英里即在一个小站威德里停了下来。对此，我不觉得奇怪，因为即便是特别快车也可能被信号拦住。但是，当火车一站接着一站往前蠕动时，我便产生了怀疑。我突然感到这趟快车并没以时速90英里的速度呼啸前进，而是卟哧卟哧地向前爬行，时速仅30英里。1小时17分过去了，走了还不到一半路程。我问一位乘客，这是不是开往威斯特海温的那趟快车，他说从未听说过有这么一趟快车。我决定到目的地就给铁路部门提意见。两小时后，我气呼呼地同威斯特海温站站长说起此事。他说根本没有这趟车。于是我借他本人的列车时刻表，我带着一种胜利者的调子告诉他那趟车白纸黑字。明明白白印在时刻表上。他迅速地扫视了一眼，让我再看一遍。一个小小的星形符号把我的目光引到了那页底部一个说明上。上面写着：此趟列车暂停运行。
词汇讲解
1.express
n.快车；
adj.高速的
例句：Wendy transferred to an express bus to save time.
温迪为了省时间，换乘了快速公交车。
2.punctual adj.准时的
例句：In general, John is very punctual. It's unusual for him to be late.
约翰总的说来是个很守时的人。他迟到太少见了。
3.condition v.使习惯于
4.unshakable adj.不可动摇的
例句：The "East Bright Pearl" stands erect and unshakable in Pudong, Shanghai.
东方明珠岿然不动地屹立在浦东新区。
5.faith n.信任
例句：Buddhist practice and faith involves finding inner peace and calm.
佛教的修行和信仰包括追求的是内心的平静。
6.cancel v.取消
例句：I have to cancel the appointment with my dentist because it conflicts with my new work schedule.
和牙医的预约与我新的工作日程有冲突，我必须取消预约。
7.exceptionally adv.例外地
例句：This month, the company's sales have been exceptionally good.
这个月，公司的销售情况异乎寻常地顺利。
8.dislocate v.打乱（计划等）
例句：Only an exceptionally heavy snow fall might temporarily dislocate railway services.
只有非同寻常的大雪才能临时打乱铁路业务。
9.blame v.责怪
例句：It's absolutely against my principles to blame people or make them feel guilty without any reason.
无缘无故责备别人或者让别人有罪恶感，是完全违背我的原则的。
10.consult v.请教，查阅
例句：I went to consult him, but he was cold and indifferent and not very willing to help me out.
我去向他请教，他爱理不理的，不太愿意帮助我。
11.odd adj.奇怪的，异常的
例句：People had some odd ideas about us.
人们对我们有些古怪的看法。
12.reflect v. 细想
13.advantage n.优势
例句：It would be to his advantage to accept that job. It's a great chance to become someone.
接受那份工作会对他有好处，这是成为一个大人物的好机会。
14.mighty adj.强大的，有力的
例句：He carries a mighty bearing, and has the air of a king.
他虎步龙行，具有君王霸气。
15.lodge v.提出
16.complaint n.抱怨
17.conduct v.引向，引导
例句：The University will conduct an archaeological dig with up to 30 students.
大学将组织一次有30名学生参与的考古挖掘。
课文讲解
【课文讲解】
1.Ships may be delayed by storms; flights may be cancelled because of bad weather, but trains must be on time.
参考翻译：轮船船期可能因风暴而推延，飞机航班可能因恶劣天气而取消，唯有火车必然是准点的
讲解：on time准时
If you concentrate on the project, you can finish it on time.
如果你专注于这个项目的话，就可以按时完成。
2.It is all too easy to blame the railway authorities when something does go wrong.
参考翻译：因此，一旦铁路上真出了问题，人们便不加思索地责备铁路当局。
讲解：too……to……详见语法部分
3.The truth is that when mistakes occur, they are more likely to be ours than theirs.
参考翻译：事实上，差错很可能是我们自己，而不是铁路当局的。
讲解：同位语从句
4.When I boarded the train, I could not help noticing that a great many local people got on as well.
参考翻译：上车后，我不禁注意到许多当地人也上了车。
讲解：can not help doing sth
can’t help to do sth = 不能帮助做某事
can’t help doing sth = 禁不住做某事，情不自禁地做某事
请看例句：
I can’t help to do it. 我不能帮忙做这事。
He couldn’t help to wash the clothes. 我不能帮忙洗衣服。
She couldn’t help smiling. 她禁不住笑了起来。
She couldn’t help envying Helen. 她不由得不妒忌海伦。
We cannot help being impressed by their zeal. 我们不由得不被他们的热情感动。
英语有时还可说can’t help somebody doing something不能使某人不做某事。如：
I couldn’t help him saying that. 我不能让他不这样说。
We couldn’t help them seeing us. 我们无法让他们不看到我们。
She could not help the tears of rage rolling down her face. 她止不住她愤怒的眼泪顺着面颊流下来。
I cann't wait to see my girlfriend.You know,we have not met each other for three years.
就要见到我的女朋友了！我真有点等不及了。要知道，我们已经有三年没有见面了。
5.Even a mighty express train can be held up by signals.
参考翻译：对此，我不觉得奇怪，因为即便是特别快车也可能被信号拦住。
讲解：hold up举起, 支撑, 继续下去, 阻挡, 拦截
Poor people can now hold up their heads.
穷苦人有了出头的日子。
6. I determined to lodge a complaint as soon as we arrived.
参考翻译：我决定到目的地就给铁路部门提意见。
determine to决定做某事
If you are determined to make the grade in the entrance examination, you must work extra hard.
如果你决心要在入学考试中成功，你必须加倍努力学习。
7.There was a note of triumph in my voice when I told him that it was there in black and white.
in black and white.
参考翻译：于是我借他本人的列车时刻表，我带着一种胜利者的调子告诉他那趟车白纸黑字。明明白白印在时刻表上。
讲解：in black and white白纸黑字
These terms are clearly written in black and white. You can never deny them.
这些条件白纸黑字，一清二楚，想抵赖是抵赖不掉的。
8.Glancing at it briefly, he told me to look again.
参考翻译：他迅速地扫视了一眼，让我再看一遍。
讲解：glance at瞥见，一瞥
He stole a glance at his mother's face.
他偷眼看了一下母亲的神色。
语法
1）too…to 太…以至于…
He is too excited to speak.
他太激动了，说不出话来。
---- Can I help you ? 需要我帮忙吗?
---- Well, I'm afraid the box is too heavy for you to carry it, but thank you all the same. 不用了。这箱子太重，恐怕你搬不动。谢谢您。
2) 如在too前有否定词，则整个句子用否定词表达肯定， too 后那个词表达一种委婉含义，意 为"不太"。
It's never too late to mend. (谚语)
改过不嫌晚。
3) 当too 前面有only, all, but时，意思是：非常… 等于very。
I'm only too pleased to be able to help you. 我非常高兴能帮助你。
He was but too eager to get home. 他非常想回家。
too...to 结构表示肯定含义的情况
我们知道too...to结构一般表示否定含义,意为"太...以致于不能"eg:He is too old to work.
但too...to在下列情况下却表示肯定含义:
（1）当too前或to前有否定词构成双重否定时.
eg:English is not too difficult to learn. 英语并不太难学.
He is too wise not to see that. 他很聪明,不会不懂这一点.
（2）当too后是glad, pleased, happy, delighted, satisfied, ready, willing, kind, apt, good, true, easy, near, careful, well, early, delicious, eager, anxious等形容词或副词时.
eg:They are too anxious to leave.
他们急于离开.
He is too ready to help others.
他总是乐于助人.
与这些词连用时,too前还常加上only,all,but,just,simply等副词,意思不变,因为这些词加上too后与very同义.
eg:I'm only too glad to see you .
见到你非常高兴.
They are but too pleased to hear the news.
他们听到这个消息,非常高兴.
（3）与cannot连用时.
eg:You cannot be too careful(=You can never be careful enough) to do your homework.
你做作业越仔细越好(=无论怎样仔细也不过分).
（4）当不定式在句中作定语或真正的主语时.
eg:There are too many problems to be solved.
有很多问题有待解决.
It is too much to say that he is a fool.
经典句子
【经典句子】
1.We have learnt to expect that trains will be punctual.
我们已经习惯于相信火车总是准点的。
2.Ships may be delayed by storms;air flights may be cancelled because of bad weather; but trains must beon time.
可以用来举例说明比较各种运输工具的缺陷。
3.The truth is that when mistakesoccur, they are more likely to be ours than theirs.
其实，当真发生差错时，往往是咎由自取。
4.When I boardedthe train, I could not help noticing that a greatmany local people got on as well.
上车后，我不禁注意到许多当地人也上了车。
5.There was a note of triumph inmy voice when I told him that it was there in black andwhite.
我带着一种胜利者的调子告诉他那趟车白纸黑字，明明白白印在时刻表上。
