(单词翻译:单击)
课文
Lesson 41 Illusions of Pastoral peace 宁静田园生活的遐想
Listen to the tape then answer the question below.
听录音，然后回答以下问题。
What particular anxiety spoils the country dweller's visit to the theatre?
The quiet life of the country has never appealed to me. City born and city bred. I have always regarded the country as something you look at through a train window, or something you occasional visit during the weekend. Most of my friends live in the city, yet they always go into raptures at the mere mention of the country. Though they extol the virtues of the peaceful life, only one of hem has ever gone to live in the country and he was back in town within six months. Even he still lives under the illusion that country life is somehow superior to town life. He is forever talking about the friendly people, the clean atmosphere, the closeness to nature and the gentle pace of living. Nothing can be compared, he maintains, with the first cockcrow, the twittering of birds at dawn, the sight of the rising sun glinting on the trees and pastures. This idyllic pastoral scene is only part of the picture. My friend fails to mention the long and friendless winter evenings in front of the TV -- virtually the only form of entertainment. He says nothing about the poor selection of goods in the shops, or about those unfortunate people who have to travel from the country to the city every day to get to work. Why people are prepared to tolerate a four-hour journey each day for the dubious privilege of living in the country is beyond me. They could be saved so much misery and expense if they chose to live in the city where they rightly belong.
If you can do without the few pastoral pleasures of the country, you will find the city can provide you with the best that life can offer. You never have to travel miles to see your friends. They invariably lie nearby and are always available for an informal chat or an evening's entertainment. Some of my acquaintances in the country come up to town once or twice a year to visit the theatre as a special treat. For them this is a major operation which involves considerable planning. As the play draws to its close, they wonder whether they will ever catch that last train home. The cit dweller never experiences anxieties of this sort. The latest exhibitions, films, or plays are only a short bus ride away. Shopping, too, is always a pleasure. The latest exhibitions, films, or plays are only a short bus ride away. Shopping, too, is always a pleasure. There is so much variety that you never have to make do with second best. Country people run wild when they go shopping in the city and stagger home loaded with as many of the exotic items as they can carry. Nor is the city without its moments of beauty. There is something comforting about the warm glow shed by advertisements on cold wet winter nights. Few things could be more impressive than the peace that descends on deserted city streets at weekends when the thousands that travel to work every day are tucked away in their homes in the country. It has always been a mystery to me who city dwellers, who appreciate all these things, obstinately pretend that they would prefer to live in the country.
参考译文
【参考译文】
宁静的乡村生活从来没有吸引过我。我生在城市，长在城市，总认为乡村是透过火车车窗看到的那个样了，或偶尔周末去游玩一下景象。我的许多朋友都住在城市，但他们只要一提起乡村，马上就会变得欣喜若狂。尽管他们都交口称赞宁静的乡村生活的种种优点，但其中只有一个人真去农村住过，而且不足6个月就回来了。即使他也仍存有幻觉，好像乡村生活就是比城市生活优越。他滔滔不绝地大谈友好的农民，洁净的空气，贴近大自然的环境和悠闲的生活节奏。他坚持认为，凌晨雄鸡第一声啼叫，黎明时分小鸟吱喳欢叫，冉冉升起的朝阳染红树木、牧场，此番美景无与伦比。但这种田园诗般的乡村风光仅仅是一个侧面。我的朋友没有提到在电视机前度过的漫长寂寞的冬夜——电视是唯一的娱乐形式。他也不说商店货物品种单调，以及那些每天不得不从乡下赶到城里工作的不幸的人们。人们为什么情愿每天在路上奔波4个小时去换取值得怀疑的乡间的优点，我是无法理解的。要是他们愿意住在本来属于他们的城市，则可以让他们省去诸多不便与节约大量开支。
如果你愿舍弃乡下生活那一点点乐趣的话，那么你会发出城市可以为你提供生活最美好的东西。你去看朋友根本不用跋涉好几英里，因为他们都住在附近，你随时可以同他们聊天或在晚上一起娱乐。我在乡村有一些熟人，他们每年进城来看一回或几回戏，并把此看作一种特殊的享受。看戏在他们是件大事，需要精心计划。当戏快演完时，他们又为是否能赶上末班火车回家而犯愁。这种焦虑，城里人是从未体验过的。坐公共汽车几站路，就可看到最新的展览、电影、戏剧。买东西也是一种乐趣。物品种繁多，从来不必用二等品来凑合。乡里人进城采购欣喜若狂，每次回家时都买足了外来商品，直到拿不动方才罢休，连走路都摇摇晃晃的。城市也并非没有良辰美景。寒冷潮湿的冬夜里，广告灯箱发出的暖光，会给人某种安慰。周末，当成千上万进城上班的人回到他们的乡间寓所之后，空旷的街市笼罩着一种宁静气氛，没有什么能比此时的宁静更令人难忘了。城里人对这一切心里很明白，却偏要执拗地装出他们喜欢住在乡村的样子，这对我来说一直是个谜。
词汇讲解
1.illusion n.幻想，错觉
例句：The people should not conceive the illusion that dictator may quit his power.
人们可不能指望独裁者会放弃他的权力。
2.pastoral adj.田园的
例句：This idyllic pastoral scene is only part of the picture.
这充满诗意的田园景色只是画面的一角。
3.breed (bred, bred) v.培育
例句：Where there is water nearby, make a special effort to breed fish.
守着水的地方要多养鱼。
4.rapture n.欣喜
例句：The beauty of the sunset fille everybody with rapture.
美丽的落日使得每个人皆为之出神。
5.extol v.赞美，颂扬
6.superior adj.优越的
例句：Organic food is superior to regular food in many ways.
有机食品在很多方面都优于普通食品。
7.cockcrow n.鸡叫
8.twitter v.（鸟）吱吱叫，嘁嘁喳喳叫
9.glint v.闪烁
10.pasture n.牧场
11.idyllic adj.田园诗的
例句：Many people living in big cities yearn for an idyllic country life.
现在的很多都市人向往那种田园化的生活。
12.virtually adv.几乎，差不多
例句：Soft drinks are also available at virtually every convenience store.
在所有便利店也能购买到饮料。
13.dubious adj.可疑的，怀疑的
例句：He has relations with a lot of dubious characters.
他交往了很多不三不四的朋友。
14.privilege n.特权
15.misery n.苦难
16.acquaintance n.熟人
例句：In consequence, their acquaintance developed into long and profitable friendship.
他们由点头之交变成了长期互利的朋友关系。
17.treat n.难得的乐事，享受
18.dweller n.居住者
19.stagger v.摇晃，蹒跚
20.exotic adj.导乎寻常的，外来的
例句：The taste of this exotic dish puts me off.
这道异国菜肴的味道令我望而却步。
21.glow n.白炽光
22.descend v.缩进，隐藏
Presently her footfall die out as she descend to the lower floor.
当走到下一层楼时,她的脚步声不久就消失了。
23.obstinately adv. 固执地，顽固地
例句：They held obstinately to the purely military viewpoint.
他们顽固坚持单纯军事观点。
课文讲解
【课文讲解】
1.The quiet life of the country has never appealed to me. City born and city bred.
参考翻译：宁静的乡村生活从来没有吸引过我。我生在城市，长在城市。
讲解：appeal to 对…有特别的吸引力，引起…的好感
Bright colours appeal to small children.
小孩喜欢鲜艳的颜色。
City born and city bred地地道道的城里人。
2.I have always regarded the country as something you look at through a train window, or something you occasional visit during the weekend.
参考翻译：总认为乡村是透过火车车窗看到的那个样了，或偶尔周末去游玩一下景象。
讲解：regard as把...认作，认为某物某人……
I regard the situation as serious.
我认为情势严重。
3.Most of my friends live in the city, yet they always go into raptures at the mere mention of the country.
参考翻译：我的许多朋友都住在城市，但他们只要一提起乡村，马上就会变得欣喜若狂。
讲解：go into raptures 变得欣喜若狂起来
Many leaders of government always go into raptures at the mere mention of artistic and cultural projects.
只要一提起艺术和文化项目，一些政府领导就会兴奋不已。
4.Why people are prepared to tolerate a four-hour journey each day for the dubious privilege of living in the country is beyond me.
参考翻译：人们为什么情愿每天在路上奔波4个小时去换取值得怀疑的乡间的优点，我是无法理解的。
讲解：Why people are prepared to tolerate……主语从句
5.As the play draws to its close, they wonder whether they will ever catch that last train home.
参考翻译：当戏快演完时，他们又为是否能赶上末班火车回家而犯愁。
讲解：draw to close接近尾声
It becomes apparent that our trip will soon draw to a close.
毫无疑问，我们的旅行马上就要结束了。
6.Few things could be more impressive than the peace that descends on deserted city streets at weekends when the thousands that travel to work every day are tucked away in their homes in the country.
参考翻译：寒冷潮湿的冬夜里，广告灯箱发出的暖光，会给人某种安慰。周末，当成千上万进城上班的人回到他们的乡间寓所之后，空旷的街市笼罩着一种宁静气氛，没有什么能比此时的宁静更令人难忘了。
讲解：descend on突然访问，突然光临，突然到达，突然降临
Bob and his girl friend descend on us for the weekend.
鲍伯和他女友突然来我家过周末。
7.It has always been a mystery to me who city dwellers, who appreciate all these things, obstinately pretend that they would prefer to live in the country.
参考翻译：城里人对这一切心里很明白，却偏要执拗地装出他们喜欢住在乡村的样子，这对我来说一直是个谜。
讲解：prefer…to…；prefer to… rather than…
两个动词短语均可作喜欢……而不喜欢……或宁愿……而不愿……解，其后均可接名词。
例如：
I prefer volleyball to basketball（＝I prefer to volleyball rather than basketball）． 我喜欢排球而不喜欢篮球。
主要区别在于：prefer…to…之后接动词时，均用-ing形式。例如：
He prefers walking to cycling． 他宁愿步行而不愿骑自行车。
而prefer to…rather than…之后接动词时，均要用动词原形。例如：
Liu Hulan preferred to die rather than surrender before the enemy． 刘胡兰在敌人面前宁死不屈。
Xiao Wu prefers to work rather than sit idle． 小吴喜欢工作而不喜欢闲坐。
经典句子
【经典句子】
1.City born andcity bred, I have always regarded the country as somethingyou look at through a train window, or something you occasionally visitduring the week-end.
我生在城市，长在城市，总认为乡村是透过火车车窗看到的那个样了，或偶尔周末去游玩一下景象。
2.He isforever talking about the friendly people, the clean atmosphere, thecloseness to nature and the gentle pace of living.
滔滔不绝地大谈友好的农民，洁净的空气，贴近大自然的环境和悠闲的生活节奏。
3.My friend fails to mention the long and friendless winter eveningswhich are interrupted only by an occasional visit to the local cinema-virtuallythe only form of entertainment.
我的朋友没有提到在电视机前度过的漫长寂寞的冬夜——电视是唯一的娱乐形式。
4.He saysnothing about the poor selection offoods in the shops, or about those unfortunate people who have to travel fromthe country to the city every day to get to work.
他也不说商店货物品种单调，以及那些每天不得不从乡下赶到城里工作的不幸的人们。
5.They could be saved so muchmisery and expense if they chose to live in the city where they rightly belong.
要是他们愿意住在本来属于他们的城市，则可以让他们省去诸多不便与节约大量开支。
6.If you can do without the few pastoral pleasures of the country,you will find the city can provide you with the best that life can offer.
如果你愿舍弃乡下生活那一点点乐趣的话，那么你会发出城市可以为你提供生活最美好的东西。
7.They invariably live nearby and are always availablefor an informal chat or an evening’s entertainment.
你去看朋友根本不用跋涉好几英里，因为他们都住在附近，你随时可以同他们聊天或在晚上一起娱乐。
8.Shopping, too, is always a pleasure.
买东西也是一种乐趣。
9.There is so much variety thatyou never have to make do with second best.
物品种繁多，从来不必用二等品来凑合。
10.Country people run wild when they go shopping in the city andstagger home loaded with as many of the necessities of life as theycan carry.
乡里人进城采购欣喜若狂，每次回家时都买足了外来商品，直到拿不动方才罢休，连走路都摇摇晃晃的。
11.Nor is the city withoutits moments of beauty.
城市也并非没有良辰美景。
