【課文】
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 them 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 live 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 city 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.
【課文翻譯】
寧靜的鄉(xiāng)村生活從來沒有吸引過我。我生在城市，長在城市，總認(rèn)為鄉(xiāng)村是透過火車車窗看到的那個樣了，或偶爾周末去游玩一下景象。我的許多朋友都住在城市，但他們只要一提起鄉(xiāng)村，馬上就會變得欣喜若狂。盡管他們都交口稱贊寧靜的鄉(xiāng)村生活的種種優(yōu)點(diǎn)，但其中只有一個人真去農(nóng)村住過，而且不足6個月就回來了。即使他也仍存有幻覺，好像鄉(xiāng)村生活就是比城市生活優(yōu)越。他滔滔不絕地大談友好的農(nóng)民，潔凈的空氣，貼近大自然的環(huán)境和悠閑的生活節(jié)奏。他堅持認(rèn)為，凌晨雄雞第一聲啼叫，黎明時分小鳥吱喳歡叫，冉冉升起的朝陽染紅樹木、牧場，此番美景無與倫比。但這種田園詩般的鄉(xiāng)村風(fēng)光僅僅是一個側(cè)面。我的朋友沒有提到在電視機(jī)前度過的漫長寂寞的冬夜——電視是的娛樂形式。他也不說商店貨物品種單調(diào)，以及那些每天不得不從鄉(xiāng)下趕到城里工作的不幸的人們。人們?yōu)槭裁辞樵该刻煸诼飞媳疾?個小時去換取值得懷疑的鄉(xiāng)間的優(yōu)點(diǎn)，我是無法理解的。要是他們愿意住在本來屬于他們的城市，則可以讓他們省去諸多不便與節(jié)約大量開支。
如果你愿舍棄鄉(xiāng)下生活那一點(diǎn)點(diǎn)樂趣的話，那么你會發(fā)出城市可以為你提供生活美好的東西。你去看朋友根本不用跋涉好幾英里，因?yàn)樗麄兌甲≡诟浇汶S時可以同他們聊天或在晚上一起娛樂。我在鄉(xiāng)村有一些熟人，他們每年進(jìn)城來看一回或幾回戲，并把此看作一種特殊的享受?？磻蛟谒麄兪羌笫拢枰挠媱?。當(dāng)戲快演完時，他們又為是否能趕上末班火車回家而犯愁。這種焦慮，城里人是從未體驗(yàn)過的。坐公共汽車幾站路，就可看到新的展覽、電影、戲劇。買東西也是一種樂趣。物品種繁多，從來不必用二等品來湊合。鄉(xiāng)里人進(jìn)城采購欣喜若狂，每次回家時都買足了外來商品，直到拿不動方才罷休，連走路都搖搖晃晃的。城市也并非沒有良辰美景。寒冷潮濕的冬夜里，廣告燈箱發(fā)出的暖光，會給人某種安慰。周末，當(dāng)成千上萬進(jìn)城上班的人回到他們的鄉(xiāng)間寓所之后，空曠的街市籠罩著一種寧靜氣氛，沒有什么能比此時的寧靜更令人難忘了。城里人對這一切心里很明白，卻偏要執(zhí)拗地裝出他們喜歡住在鄉(xiāng)村的樣子，這對我來說一直是個謎。
【詞匯】
illusion n. 幻想，錯覺
pastoral adj. 田園的
breed v. 培育
rapture n. 欣喜
extol v. 贊美，頌揚(yáng)
superior adj. 優(yōu)越的
cockcrow n. 雞叫
twitter v. (鳥)吱吱叫，喊喊喳喳叫
glint v. 閃爍
pasture n. 牧場
idyllic adj. 田園詩的
virtually adv. 幾乎;差不多
dubious adj. 可疑的，懷疑的
privilege n. 特權(quán)
misery n. 苦難
acquaintance n. 熟人
treat n. 難得的樂事，享受
dweller n. 居住者
stagger v. 搖晃;蹣跚
exotic adj. 尋乎尋常的，外來的
glow n. 白熾光
descend v. 下落，降臨
tuck v. 縮進(jìn)，隱藏
obstinately adv. 固執(zhí)地，頑固地
【重點(diǎn)詞匯講解】
【pastoral】
例句：
1. It was a very old house, beautifully situated in pastoral surroundings.
那是一座古老的房子，周圍環(huán)境幽靜，頗具田園風(fēng)情。
2. The whole cabinet is a lately classic style, wearing a very thick pastoral breathing deeply.
整個櫥柜是新古典樣式，透著一股濃濃的田園氣息。
【breed】
英英：cause forth
例句：
1. Birds breed in the spring.
鳥類在春季繁殖。
2. Positive habits breed positive results.
好習(xí)慣會產(chǎn)生積極的結(jié)果。
3. Avoid foolish and ignorant debates, for you know that they breed quarrels.
至于那些愚昧和粗野的辯論，務(wù)要躲避，因?yàn)槟阒擂q論只會產(chǎn)生爭吵。
【rapture】
例句：
1. She listened with rapture to the sweet music.
她著迷地聽著那美妙的音樂。
2. The beauty of the sunset filled everybody with rapture.
美麗的日落使得每一個人皆為之出神。
【extol】
英英：praise, glorify, or honor
例句：
1. We will extol your love more than wine.
我們要稱贊你的愛情，勝似稱贊美酒。
2. Taicang, my hometown, I love and extol it for my whole life.
太倉，我的故鄉(xiāng)，我用一生的時間也愛不完，贊不盡的故鄉(xiāng)。
3. You are my God, and I give thanks to You; You are my God, I extol You.
你是我的神，我要稱謝你。你是我的神，我要尊崇你。
【superior】
例句：
1. He is a man of great dignity, superior talents and high ideals.
他是一個很有尊嚴(yán)的人，具有超人的才華和崇高的理想。
2. They leave little doubt as to which culture they consider superior.
至于他們認(rèn)為出眾的文化他們甚少懷疑。
【idyllic】
例句：
1. These scenes had an idyllic air.
這種情景多少有點(diǎn)田園氣氛。
2. On the surface it was an idyllic life.
表面上這是一種悠閑的的生活。
【virtually】
例句：
1. Direct criticism of leaders is still virtually taboo in China.
在中國，直接批評領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人實(shí)際上依然是禁忌。
2. This implied there would be virtually no inflation at all, on average, over the next decade.
這意味著，在未來十年內(nèi)，平均而言將幾乎沒有任何通貨膨脹。
【dubious】
例句：
1.Two prime ministers were removed by the courts on dubious grounds.
兩任總理都被法院以可疑的理由開除。
2. He uses some dubious shifts to get money.
他用一些可疑的手段去賺錢。
【misery】
例句：
1. War breeds misery and ruin.
戰(zhàn)爭造成苦難和毀壞。
2. This change reflects the success of developing countries in hauling themselves out of misery.
這種變化反映出發(fā)展中國家自身成功地擺脫了悲慘遭遇。
【exotic】
例句：
1. Dark matter may seem exotic, but cosmologists regard it as the essence of simplicity.
暗物質(zhì)可能看來奇特，但是宇宙學(xué)家將其視為簡單的要素。
2. Yet that first night in the city was exotic enough to thrill this impressionable adult.
然而，在這座城市的第一個夜晚，大量的異國情調(diào)使一個敏感的成年人顫抖。
【obstinately】
例句：
1. Obstinately he clung to his choice.
他固執(zhí)地堅持他的選擇。
2. He obstinately refused to consider the future.
他執(zhí)意拒不考慮未來。
【常用表達(dá)】
【regard as】視為，當(dāng)作
【closeness to nature】與自然親近
【gentle pace of living】慢節(jié)奏生活
【part of the picture】事實(shí)的一個方面
【do without】摒棄，沒有也行
【make do with】湊合，應(yīng)付
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 them 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 live 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 city 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.
【課文翻譯】
寧靜的鄉(xiāng)村生活從來沒有吸引過我。我生在城市，長在城市，總認(rèn)為鄉(xiāng)村是透過火車車窗看到的那個樣了，或偶爾周末去游玩一下景象。我的許多朋友都住在城市，但他們只要一提起鄉(xiāng)村，馬上就會變得欣喜若狂。盡管他們都交口稱贊寧靜的鄉(xiāng)村生活的種種優(yōu)點(diǎn)，但其中只有一個人真去農(nóng)村住過，而且不足6個月就回來了。即使他也仍存有幻覺，好像鄉(xiāng)村生活就是比城市生活優(yōu)越。他滔滔不絕地大談友好的農(nóng)民，潔凈的空氣，貼近大自然的環(huán)境和悠閑的生活節(jié)奏。他堅持認(rèn)為，凌晨雄雞第一聲啼叫，黎明時分小鳥吱喳歡叫，冉冉升起的朝陽染紅樹木、牧場，此番美景無與倫比。但這種田園詩般的鄉(xiāng)村風(fēng)光僅僅是一個側(cè)面。我的朋友沒有提到在電視機(jī)前度過的漫長寂寞的冬夜——電視是的娛樂形式。他也不說商店貨物品種單調(diào)，以及那些每天不得不從鄉(xiāng)下趕到城里工作的不幸的人們。人們?yōu)槭裁辞樵该刻煸诼飞媳疾?個小時去換取值得懷疑的鄉(xiāng)間的優(yōu)點(diǎn)，我是無法理解的。要是他們愿意住在本來屬于他們的城市，則可以讓他們省去諸多不便與節(jié)約大量開支。
如果你愿舍棄鄉(xiāng)下生活那一點(diǎn)點(diǎn)樂趣的話，那么你會發(fā)出城市可以為你提供生活美好的東西。你去看朋友根本不用跋涉好幾英里，因?yàn)樗麄兌甲≡诟浇汶S時可以同他們聊天或在晚上一起娛樂。我在鄉(xiāng)村有一些熟人，他們每年進(jìn)城來看一回或幾回戲，并把此看作一種特殊的享受?？磻蛟谒麄兪羌笫拢枰挠媱?。當(dāng)戲快演完時，他們又為是否能趕上末班火車回家而犯愁。這種焦慮，城里人是從未體驗(yàn)過的。坐公共汽車幾站路，就可看到新的展覽、電影、戲劇。買東西也是一種樂趣。物品種繁多，從來不必用二等品來湊合。鄉(xiāng)里人進(jìn)城采購欣喜若狂，每次回家時都買足了外來商品，直到拿不動方才罷休，連走路都搖搖晃晃的。城市也并非沒有良辰美景。寒冷潮濕的冬夜里，廣告燈箱發(fā)出的暖光，會給人某種安慰。周末，當(dāng)成千上萬進(jìn)城上班的人回到他們的鄉(xiāng)間寓所之后，空曠的街市籠罩著一種寧靜氣氛，沒有什么能比此時的寧靜更令人難忘了。城里人對這一切心里很明白，卻偏要執(zhí)拗地裝出他們喜歡住在鄉(xiāng)村的樣子，這對我來說一直是個謎。
【詞匯】
illusion n. 幻想，錯覺
pastoral adj. 田園的
breed v. 培育
rapture n. 欣喜
extol v. 贊美，頌揚(yáng)
superior adj. 優(yōu)越的
cockcrow n. 雞叫
twitter v. (鳥)吱吱叫，喊喊喳喳叫
glint v. 閃爍
pasture n. 牧場
idyllic adj. 田園詩的
virtually adv. 幾乎;差不多
dubious adj. 可疑的，懷疑的
privilege n. 特權(quán)
misery n. 苦難
acquaintance n. 熟人
treat n. 難得的樂事，享受
dweller n. 居住者
stagger v. 搖晃;蹣跚
exotic adj. 尋乎尋常的，外來的
glow n. 白熾光
descend v. 下落，降臨
tuck v. 縮進(jìn)，隱藏
obstinately adv. 固執(zhí)地，頑固地
【重點(diǎn)詞匯講解】
【pastoral】
例句：
1. It was a very old house, beautifully situated in pastoral surroundings.
那是一座古老的房子，周圍環(huán)境幽靜，頗具田園風(fēng)情。
2. The whole cabinet is a lately classic style, wearing a very thick pastoral breathing deeply.
整個櫥柜是新古典樣式，透著一股濃濃的田園氣息。
【breed】
英英：cause forth
例句：
1. Birds breed in the spring.
鳥類在春季繁殖。
2. Positive habits breed positive results.
好習(xí)慣會產(chǎn)生積極的結(jié)果。
3. Avoid foolish and ignorant debates, for you know that they breed quarrels.
至于那些愚昧和粗野的辯論，務(wù)要躲避，因?yàn)槟阒擂q論只會產(chǎn)生爭吵。
【rapture】
例句：
1. She listened with rapture to the sweet music.
她著迷地聽著那美妙的音樂。
2. The beauty of the sunset filled everybody with rapture.
美麗的日落使得每一個人皆為之出神。
【extol】
英英：praise, glorify, or honor
例句：
1. We will extol your love more than wine.
我們要稱贊你的愛情，勝似稱贊美酒。
2. Taicang, my hometown, I love and extol it for my whole life.
太倉，我的故鄉(xiāng)，我用一生的時間也愛不完，贊不盡的故鄉(xiāng)。
3. You are my God, and I give thanks to You; You are my God, I extol You.
你是我的神，我要稱謝你。你是我的神，我要尊崇你。
【superior】
例句：
1. He is a man of great dignity, superior talents and high ideals.
他是一個很有尊嚴(yán)的人，具有超人的才華和崇高的理想。
2. They leave little doubt as to which culture they consider superior.
至于他們認(rèn)為出眾的文化他們甚少懷疑。
【idyllic】
例句：
1. These scenes had an idyllic air.
這種情景多少有點(diǎn)田園氣氛。
2. On the surface it was an idyllic life.
表面上這是一種悠閑的的生活。
【virtually】
例句：
1. Direct criticism of leaders is still virtually taboo in China.
在中國，直接批評領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人實(shí)際上依然是禁忌。
2. This implied there would be virtually no inflation at all, on average, over the next decade.
這意味著，在未來十年內(nèi)，平均而言將幾乎沒有任何通貨膨脹。
【dubious】
例句：
1.Two prime ministers were removed by the courts on dubious grounds.
兩任總理都被法院以可疑的理由開除。
2. He uses some dubious shifts to get money.
他用一些可疑的手段去賺錢。
【misery】
例句：
1. War breeds misery and ruin.
戰(zhàn)爭造成苦難和毀壞。
2. This change reflects the success of developing countries in hauling themselves out of misery.
這種變化反映出發(fā)展中國家自身成功地擺脫了悲慘遭遇。
【exotic】
例句：
1. Dark matter may seem exotic, but cosmologists regard it as the essence of simplicity.
暗物質(zhì)可能看來奇特，但是宇宙學(xué)家將其視為簡單的要素。
2. Yet that first night in the city was exotic enough to thrill this impressionable adult.
然而，在這座城市的第一個夜晚，大量的異國情調(diào)使一個敏感的成年人顫抖。
【obstinately】
例句：
1. Obstinately he clung to his choice.
他固執(zhí)地堅持他的選擇。
2. He obstinately refused to consider the future.
他執(zhí)意拒不考慮未來。
【常用表達(dá)】
【regard as】視為，當(dāng)作
【closeness to nature】與自然親近
【gentle pace of living】慢節(jié)奏生活
【part of the picture】事實(shí)的一個方面
【do without】摒棄，沒有也行
【make do with】湊合，應(yīng)付