原文欣赏
To and from the heart of this great change, all day and night, throbbing currents rushed and returned incessantly like its life's blood.Crowds of people and mountains of goods, departing and arriving scores upon scores of times in every four-and-twenty hours, produced a fermentation in the place that was always in action. The very houses seemed disposed to pack up and take trips. Wonderful Members of Parliament, who, little more than twenty years before, had made themselves merry with the wild railroad theories of engineers, and given them the liveliest rubs in cross-examination, went down into the north with their watches in their hands, and sent on messages before by the electric telegraph, to say that they were coming.
滚滚翻腾的洪流像它的生命的血液一样，日日夜夜永不停息地流向这个变化巨大的心脏，又从这个心脏返流回去。成群结队的人们，如山似海的货物，每昼夜二十四小时几十次运出运进，在这个活动不息的地方起着发酵般的作用。甚至连房屋也好像喜欢给打包起来，外出旅行似的。奇妙绝伦的议员们二十年前对工程师们异想天开的铁路理论还曾冷嘲热讽，盘问时百般阻挠，现在却戴着手表乘车到北方去，事先还发出电报通知他们即将到达。
Night and day the conquering engines rumbled at their distant work, or, advancing smoothly to their journey's end, and gliding like tame dragons into the allotted corners grooved out to the inch for their reception, stood bubbling and trembling there, making the walls quake, as if they were dilating with the secret knowledge of great powers yet unsuspected in them, and strong purposes not yet achieved.
所向无敌的机车日日夜夜在远方隆隆地前进，或者平稳地开向旅程终点，像驯服的龙一般滑向指定的、精确度按英寸计算的角落，站立在那里，吐着白沫，颤抖着，使墙壁都震动起来，仿佛它们充满了至今还没有被发现的巨大力量的知识以及至今还没有被达到的伟大目标似的。
But Staggs's Gardens had been cut up root and branch. Oh woe the day when 'not a rood of English ground'—laid out in Staggs's Gardens—issecure!
可是，斯塔格斯花园已经连根带枝被彻底铲除了，斯塔格斯花园所立足的英国土地没有一方是安然无恙的了。啊，请为这个日子哀叹吧！
At last, after much fruitless inquiry, Walter, followed by the coach and Susan, found a man who had once resided in that vanished land, and who was no other than the master sweep before referred to, grown stout, and knocking a double knock at his own door. He knowed Toodle, he said, well. Belonged to the Railroad, didn't he?
沃尔特身后跟随着马车和苏珊，他经过许多毫无结果的打听之后，终于遇见了一位曾经一度在这块消失了的土地上居住过的人；他不是别人，就是我们在前面提到过的烟囱清扫工工长；他身体壮实，正在自己的门上敲打了两下。他说，他很熟悉图德尔。“他在铁路上工作，是不是？”
'Yes' sir, yes!' cried Susan Nipper from the coach window.
“是的，是的，先生！”苏珊·尼珀从马车窗口中喊道。
Where did he live now? hastily inquired Walter.
“他现在住在哪里？”沃尔特急忙问道。
He lived in the Company's own Buildings, second turning to the right, down the yard, cross over, and take the second on the right again. It was number eleven; they couldn't mistake it; but if they did, they had only to ask for Toodle, Engine Fireman, and any one would show them which was his house. At this unexpected stroke of success Susan Nipper dismounted from the coach with all speed, took Walter's arm, and set off at a breathless pace on foot; leaving the coach there to await their return.
他住在公司自己的楼房里，经过右边第二个拐弯，走到一个庭院里，穿过去，然后又往右边第二个拐弯走进去，第十一号，他们决不会弄错的。要是真的弄错了的话，他们只消问一下在机车上烧锅炉的火夫图德尔，任何人都会向他们指点他的家在哪里的。苏珊看到这意想不到的成功，急忙下了马车，挽着沃尔特的胳膊立刻就走，让马车停在那里等待他们回来。
重点讲解
一.change:n.变化, 零钱 v.改变
【语法用法】
change作“改变”时，是指“换走”，不是指“换来”。表示将旧帽子换新，应说change the old cap(for a new one)。不说change a new cap；
change常以复数形式出现。
We have to change trains at York.
在一些表达方式里，change前面不加a/the，如a change of address，a change of name，a change of scene，a change of subject等；
change of air指“移地疗养”，前面一般加a，也可不加；
change在指“零钱”或“找头”时，作不可数名字，前面不加a；
change作动词指“换上衣服”时，后通常接介词into连用。
【错句举例与错句分析】
错句: Having taken off his clothes,he changed his new shirt.
订正: Having taken off his clothes,he changed into his new shirt.
翻译: 他脱下衣服，换了套新的西装。
分析: change作动词指“换上衣服”时，后通常接介词into连用。
【词义辨析】
change, alter, vary, convert, modify, transform, turn
这些动词均含有“变化，改变”之意。
change指任何变化，完全改变，强调与原先的情况有明显的不同。
alter常指轻微的改变，强调基本上保持原物、原状的情况下所进行的部分改变。
vary暗示不规则或断断续续地变。
convert指进行全部或局部改变以适应新的功能或用途。指信仰或态度时，强调较激烈、大的改变。
modify强调起限定作用的变化或变更。指细小的变化，常含“缓和、降调”的意味。
transform指人或物在形状、外观、形式、性质等方面发生的彻底变化，失去原状成为全新的东西。
turn指外形、颜色、气味、性质等方面的变化，比change更通俗。
【例句用法】
Her expression changed when she heard the news.
她听到这一消息时表情就变了。
In autumn the leaves change from green to brown.
秋天树叶由绿色变成黄褐色。
二.return:v.返回, 归还, 回报, 回应,申报 n.归还, 返回, （收益)回报, 申报 adj.返回的
【词义辨析】
answer, reply, respond, retort, return
这些动词均有“回答”之意。
answer常用词，指用书面、口头或行动对他人的请求、询问、质问等作出回答或反应。
reply较正式用词，较少用于口语。侧重经过考虑的较正式答复。
respond正式用词，指即刻的，以口头或行动对外来的号召、请求或刺激等作出回答或响应。
retort指对不同意见、批评或控诉作出迅速、有力的回答，即“反驳”。
return正式用词，从本义“归来，回去”引申作“回答、答辨”讲时，含反驳或反唇相讥之意。
【例句用法】
Our investment accounts return a high rate of interest.
我们的投资项目利润回报很高。
We look forward to the return of spring.
我们期待着春天的到来。