一 : 【综合★教程】Acid Pro 4.0中文版教程【龙少原创】
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二 : 全新版大学英语综合教程4课文翻译
全新版大学英语综合教程 Book4 课文翻译 Appendix Ⅱ Chinese Translations of Texts B (Units 1-8) 参考译文 第一单元 与自然力量抗争 课文 A 人道是骄兵必败。就拿拿破仑和希特勒两人来说吧，他们所向披靡，便以为自己战 无不胜，不可阻挡。但俄罗斯的冰雪卫士证明他们错了。 冰雪卫士 奈拉?B?斯密斯 1812 年，法国皇帝拿破
仑?波拿巴率大军入侵俄罗斯。他准备好俄罗斯人民会为保卫祖 国而奋勇抵抗。 他准备好在俄罗斯广袤的国土上要经过长途跋涉才能进军首都莫斯科。 但他 没有料到在莫斯科他会遭遇劲敌——俄罗斯阴冷凄苦的寒冬。 1941 年，纳粹德国元首阿道夫?希特勒进攻当时被称作苏联的俄罗斯。希特勒的军事实力堪 称无敌。他的战争机器扫除了欧洲绝大部分地区的抵抗。希特勒希望速战速决，但是，就像 在他之前的拿破仑一样， 他得到的是痛苦的教训。 仍是俄罗斯的冬天助了苏维埃士兵一臂之 力。 拿破仑发起的战役 1812 年春，拿破仑在俄国边境屯兵 60 万。这些士兵受过良好训练，作战力强，装备精 良。这支军队被称为大军。拿破仑对马到成功充满自信，预言要在 5 个星期内攻下俄国。 不久，拿破仑的大军渡过涅曼河进入俄国。拿破仑期盼着的速决速胜迟迟没有发生。令 他吃惊的是，俄国人并不奋起抵抗。相反，他们一路东撤，沿途焚毁庄稼和民居。大军紧追 不舍，但它的长驱直入很快由于粮草运输缓慢而停顿下来。 到了 8 月，法俄两军在斯摩棱斯克交战，这一战役中，双方各有上万人阵亡。可是，俄 国人仍能在自己的国土上继续后撒。 拿破仑未能取得决定性的胜利。 此刻他面临着一个重要 抉择。是继续追击俄国，军队，还是把军队驻扎在斯摩棱斯克，在那儿度过将到的冬天? 拿破仑孤注一掷，决定向远在 448 公里之外的莫斯科进发。1812 年 9 月 7 日，法俄两 军在莫斯科以西 112 公里外的鲍罗季诺激战。夜幕降临时，3 万名法国士兵以及 4 万 4 千名 俄国士兵或伤或亡，倒在了战场上。 俄国军队再次撤往安全之处。拿破仑顺利进入莫斯科，然而，对该市的占领成为毫无意义的 胜利。俄国人弃城而走。法国人进城不久，一场熊熊大火烧毁了整个城市的三分之二。拿破 仑向亚历山大一世提出停战，但沙皇深知他可以等待时机： “且让俄罗斯的严冬为我们战斗 吧。 ” 拿破仑很快意识到， 他无法在冬天向远在莫斯科的军队供应粮草、 提供御寒衣物和宿营 之地。1812 年 10 月，他命令大军撤出莫斯科。 法军的撤离成为一场噩梦。俄国人出没于田野与森林，采用打了就跑的战术，向法国人 发起攻击。刚出莫斯科城，气温就降到摄氏零下 4 度。11 月 3 日降下初雪。困乏的马匹倒 地而死。大炮陷入雪中。装备只得被用作燃料焚烧。士兵们染病冻死。法国士兵拖着脚步行 进，一路上留下无数死尸。 正当俄罗斯军队集聚兵力之时，法国人却不得不逃离俄国，以避免注定的失败。在别列 津纳河，俄国人焚烧了涨水的河道上的桥梁，差点将后撤的法军困于河边。侥幸的是，拿破 仑居然突击造起两座桥。 成千上万法国士兵得以逃脱， 但却损失了 5 万人。 渡过别列津纳河， 溃不成军的幸存者一瘸一拐地向维尔纽行进。
拿破仑发兵 60 万进入俄国， 只有不到 10 万士兵返回。 元气大伤的法国军队在欧洲继续 西撤。不久，英国、奥地利、俄国以及普鲁士组成强大的联盟， ：攻击这些散兵游勇。1814 年 3 月，巴黎被攻占。拿破仑退位去过流放生活，他缔造的帝国随之灭亡。 希特勒的入侵 到 1941 年初， 纳粹德国元首阿道夫?希特勒已经控制了欧洲大部分地区。 希特勒的德意 志帝国的东部与苏联毗邻。194'1 年 6 月 22 日，希特勒不宣而战，入侵苏联， ，发动了历史 上规模最大的一场陆地战役。希特勒自信能速战速决， ，预计这一战役不会超过 3 个月。他 计划采用征服了欧洲其余地区的闪电式战略。 入侵计划包含三大目标： 向列宁格勒与莫斯科 进攻，并横扫乌克兰。 苏联领导人约瑟夫?斯大林被打了个措手不及，-?他指示全国人民在德国入侵者到来之 前实行“焦土”政策。农场和工厂被焚烧毁坏，或被弄得无法运转。 ’在入侵的最初 10 个星 期内，德国人一路东进，俄国人伤亡人数多达一百多万。 在北方，德国人包围了列宁格勒。尽管忍受着极大困苦，列宁格勒的人民绝不投降。列 宁格勒保卫战一直持续到冬季，此时该市的处境变得危急。由于食品匮乏，人们死于饥饿与 疾病。到了 1941 年和 1942 年之间的寒冬，几乎每天有 4 千人死于饥饿。列宁格勒之围造成 近百万人死亡。 在俄国中部，希特勒的目标是占领莫斯科。由于德国人指望速战速决，他们没有准备过 冬的补给。10 月来临，大雨不停。 “泥泞将军”拖延了德国人闪电式进攻韵行动。 正当希特勒的军队逼近莫斯科时，寒冷的冬季早早地降临苏联，那是多年不遇的严寒。 气温降到摄氏零下 48 度。大雪纷飞。对俄国的严寒冬季毫无思想准备的德国士兵身着单薄 的夏装，一个个被冻伤+德国人的坦克掩埋在深深的雪堆中。俄罗斯的冬季阻止了德国人的 攻势。 到 1942 夏天，希特勒又发起两场新的攻势。在南方，德国人占领了塞瓦斯托波尔。希 特勒随后向东推进到斯大林格勒， 口是沿伏尔加河绵延 48 公里的一座大工业城市。 』 尽管艰 苦卓绝，苏联抵抗者拒绝放弃斯大林格勒。 1942 年 11 月，俄国人发起了一场反攻。德国军队在斯大林格勒城内外几乎没有挡风避 寒的地方，食品和补给的匮乏更使其元气大伤。直到 1943 年 1 月德国人才放弃围城。进攻 斯大林格勒的 30 万德国人只剩下 9 万忍饥挨饿的士兵。斯大林格勒一战的失利最终使希特 勒时乖运蹇。部分地由于俄罗斯的冬季，德国人走向失败了。 在 1943 年与 1944 年期间， 苏联军队将德军阵线往西逼退。 在北方， 1944 年 1 月 15 日， 红军发起突然袭击， 解除了列宁格勒长达 3 年之久的围困。 列宁格勒那些英勇无畏的幸存者 看着入侵者在两个星期内全部撤离。 到了 1944 年 3 月， 乌克兰的农村又回到了苏维埃手中。 1944 年 5 月 9 日，塞瓦斯托波尔从德国人手中被解放出来。至此，俄国人向柏林进发。 就希特勒而言，对苏联的入侵成为一场军事灾难。对俄罗斯人民来说，这场入侵带来了 无法形容的苦难。苏维埃在第二次世界大战中死亡的人数几乎达到 2 千 3 百万。 俄罗斯的冰雪卫士 任何军事行动都必须考虑到自然的因素。拿破仑和希特勒都低估了俄罗斯冬季的严酷。 冰雪和极低的气温使两支侵略军付出惨重的代价。 对俄罗斯人民而言， 严冬是他们的冰雪卫 士。 第二单元 智能汽车
课文 A 能看、能听、有知觉、具嗅觉、会说话的智能汽车?还能自动驾驶?这听起来或许 像是在做梦，但计算机革命正致力于把这一切变为现实。 智能汽车 米基奥?卡库 即便是过去 70 年间基本上没有多少变化的汽车工业，也将感受到计算机革命的影响。 汽车工业是 20 世纪最赚钱、最有影响力的产业之一。目前世界上有 5 亿辆车，或者说 每 10 人就有 1 辆车。 汽车工业的销售额达一万亿美元左右， 从而成为世界上最大的制造业。 汽车及其行驶的道路，将在 2l 世纪发生重大变革。未来“智能汽车”的关键在于传感 器。 “我们会见到能看、能听、有知觉、具嗅觉、会说话并能采取行动的车辆与道路， ”正在 设计未来智能汽车和智能道路的通用汽车公司 ITS 项目的技术主任比尔?斯普雷扎预言道。 美国每年有大约 4 万人死于交通事故。 在汽车事故中死亡或严重受伤的人数太多， 我们 已经不屑在报纸上提及。 这些死亡的人中至少有半数是酒后开车者造成的， 另有许多死亡事 故是驾驶员不小心所导致。 智能汽车能消除绝大多数这类汽车事故。 它能通过会感测空气中 的酒精雾气的电子传感器检测开车者是否喝醉酒， 并拒绝启动引擎。 这种车还能在遇窃后通 报警方，告知车辆的确切地点。 能监控行车过程以及周围行车状况的智能汽车已经建造出来。 藏在保险杠里的微型雷达 能对周围的汽车作扫描。如果你发生重大行车失误(如变道时有车辆在你“盲点”内)，计算 机立即会发出警报。 在麻省理工学院媒介实验室， 业已制造出能测知你行车时有多少睡意的样车， 这对长途 卡车司机意义尤其重要。 一连数小时注视着中夹分道线这样一个单调、 几乎能催眠的过程是 被严重低估的威胁生命的重大隐患。 为消除这一隐患， 藏在仪表板里的一架微型相机可对准 开车者的脸部及眼睛。如果司机的眼帘合上一定时间，行车变得不稳，仪表板里的计算机就 会向司机发出警报。 开车最头疼的两大麻烦是迷路和交通堵塞。虽然计算机革命不可能彻底解决这两个问 题， 但却会带来积极的影响。 你汽车上与绕轨道运行的卫星发出的无线电信号调谐的传感器 能随时精确地确定你汽车的方位，并告知交通阻塞情况。我们已经有 24 颗环绕地球运行的 导航卫星， 组成了人们所说的全球卫星定位系统。 通过这些卫星我们有可能以小于 100 英尺 的误差确定你在地球上的方位。在任何一个特定时间，总有若干颗全球定位系统的卫星在 11，000 英里的高空绕地球运行。每颗卫星都装有 4 个“原子钟” ，它们根据量子理论法则， 以精确的频率振动。 卫星从高空经过时发出能被汽车上计算机里的接收器辨认的无线电信号。 汽车上的计算 机就会根据信号传来所花的时间计算出卫星有多远。 由于光速为人熟知， 接收卫星信号时的 任何时间迟缓都能折算出距离的远近。 在日本，具有某种导航能力的汽车已有一百万辆之多。(有些导航装置通过将方向盘的 转动与汽车在地图上的位置并置来测定汽车的方位。) 随着微芯片价格的大幅度下降，未来对全球卫星定位系统的应用几乎是无限的。 “制造 这一商品的工业定会飞速发展， ”生产导航系统的麦哲伦航仪公司的兰迪?霍夫曼说。盲人可 以在手杖里装配全球卫星定位系统传感器， 飞机可以通过遥控着陆， 徒步旅行者可以测定自 己在林中的方位——其潜在的应用范围是无止境的。 全球卫星定位系统其实只是叫做“远程信息学”的这一更大行动的一部分，这一行动最 终将把智能汽车送上智能高速公路。 这种高速公路的样品已经在欧洲问世， 加州也在进行试 验，在高速公路上安装计算机芯片、传感器和无线电发射机，以便向汽车报告交通拥挤堵塞 情况。
在圣迭戈以北 10 英里的 15 号州际公路一段 8 英里长的路面上， 交通工程师正在安装一 个由麻省理工学院设计的引进“自动司机”的系统。这一计划要求计算机在公路上埋设的数 千个 3 英寸长的磁钉的协助下，在车辆极多的路段完全控制车辆的运行。车辆会编成 10 辆 或 12 辆一组，车距仅 6 英尺，在计算机的控制下一齐行驶。 这种计算机化的公路的倡导者对其未来的应用充满希望。到 2010 年，远程信息技术很 可能应用于美国的一条主要公路。如果成功的话，到 2020 年，当微芯片的价格降到一片一 美分以下时，远程信息技术就会应用在美国成千上万英里的公路上。这对环保也会很有利， 能节省燃油，减轻交通阻塞，减少空气污染，还可用作公路扩建的替代办法。 第三单元 求职面试 课文 A 自己经营公司的哈维?麦凯经常对求职者进行面试。文中他告诉我们关于雇主看重什么样品 质的秘密，并提出 4 点建议，帮助你显得比众人突出。 得到你想要的工作 哈维?B?麦凯 我经营着一家有 350 名左右员工的制造公司， 我本人常常要对求职者进行面试， 决定是 否聘用。我喜欢与可能成为营业员的人交谈，因为他们会是我们与顾客联系的纽带。 不久前一个新近毕业的大学生到我办公室谋求一份销售工作。 我问他为这次面试做过哪 些准备。他说他在什么地方看到过有关本公司的一些情况。 他有没有给麦凯信封公司的人打过电话，好了解更多有关我们的情况?没打过。他有没 有给我们的供应厂商打过电话?还有我们的客户?都没有。 他可曾在就读的大学里查问过有没有校友在本公司就职，以便向他们了解一些情况?他 可曾请朋友向他提问，对他进行模拟面试?可曾去图书馆查找过有关本公司的剪报? 他事先有没有写封信来介绍自己， 告诉我们自己为这次面试在做哪些准备， 自己何以能 胜任此项工作?面试之后他是否打算再写一封信， 表明自己加盟本公司的诚意?这封信会不会 在面试后的 24 小时之内送到我们手上，也许甚至是亲自送来? 他对上述每一个问题的回答全都一样：没有。这样我就只剩一个问题要问了：如果此人 代表本公司去见可能成为我们客户的人，他准备工作会做得怎样?答案不言自明。 在笔者看来，如欲被聘用，应注意四个要诀： 1．准备去赢。 “一日不练，自己知道， ”音乐家中有这样的说法。 “两日不练，音乐评论 家知道。三日不练，观众知道。 ” ． 我们在观看世界级音乐家或顶尖运动员的表演时， 看到的并不是使他们变成出类拔萃人 物的长年苦练。世界上诸如迈克尔?乔丹这样的顶尖人物无疑具有≤≥凡才能，但他们在篮 球场上也是第一个到，最后一个走。同样的苦练适用于人类的各项活动。若想被聘用，就要 准备去赢。 我大学毕业时，我极有可能终身从事同一个工作。当时情况也的确如此。但如今已不再 是一生被聘去做一个工作了。 指导就业的专家认为， 今天的大学毕业生在他们的生涯中可能 会经历多达 10 次的职业变动。 听上去似乎压力不小。 然而， 如果你作了准备， 压力就是别人的——那些没做准备的人。 你不可能得到你想要的每份工作。最好的售货员也不可能每次都成交。迈克尔．乔丹投 篮命中率勉强过半。 但认真准备一次面试的时间不会多于马马虎虎准备五次面试的时间， 而 你成功的可能性要多得多。
2．永不中断学习。最近我和一位 90 高龄的老者搭档打双人网球。我琢磨着那会是什么 结局；可我的担心是多余的。我们以两个 6：1 连胜两局。 我们交换场地打第三局时，他对我说“我打反手击球你不介意吧?我向来喜欢多练练自 己的弱点。 ”好一个永不中断学习的精彩实例。顺便说一下，我们 6：1 赢了第三局。 走出赛场，我那 90 高龄的搭档笑着说： “你也许想知道我在 85 岁以上年龄段的美国网 球双打排名第一!”他想的不是年届 90，想的甚至也不是 85 岁高龄。他想的是第一。 如果你努力克服自己的弱点， 发挥自己的优势， 你同样可以做得那么好。 要有能力竞争， 就得终生学习。 5．相信自己，哪怕没人相信你。还记得那 4 分钟跑一英里的往事吗?几百年来，运动员 们一直试图实现这一目标，最终认定人类的身体无法做到。我们的骨结构不适应，我们的肺 活量跟不上。 可是，有一个人证明那些专家错了。奇迹中的奇迹是，在罗杰?班尼斯特打破 4 分钟一 英里的纪录 6 个星期之后， 约翰?兰迪又以几乎快出整整 2 秒的成绩打破了班尼斯特的纪录。 此后，有大约 800 多名运动员打破了 4 分钟一英里的记录。 几年前，我和女儿米米参加了纽约马拉松比赛。发令枪一响，23,000 名运动员冲出起跑 线——最后有 21,244 名运动员到达终点。第一名是一位以 2 小时 11 分钟零 1 秒跑完全程的 肯尼亚人。第 21,244 名运动员是一位越战老兵。他用了 3 天 9 小时 37 分钟跑完全程。没有 双腿的他坚持跑完了 26．2 英里。我和女儿在比赛的最初几分钟内超过了他，当时顿觉勇气 倍增，一定要跑完全程。 别听旁人说你不能实现自己的目标。 谁说你不比你的竞争对手更坚强、 更努力、 更能干? 要知道，所谓目标就是有最后限期的梦想：写成文字，可测量，可确认，可实现。 4．想方设法显得与众不同。在我看来，纽约大多数的出租车司机即使不算无礼透顶， 至少也是不友好的。 车辆大都十分肮脏， 几乎所有的车都触目地装有难以穿透的防弹隔离装 置。可近日我在拉瓜迪亚机场跳上了一辆出租车，你猜怎么样?车子竟然千千净净。放着优 美的音乐，而且没有隔离装置。 “请到帕克街酒店， ”我对司机说。他笑容满面地说： “你好，我叫沃利， ”他说着递给 我份保证书。一份保证书!上面写着他将安全、礼貌、准时地将我送到目的地。 车开后，他拿出几份报纸说： “请随意翻阅。 ”他还让我随意品尝后座篮子里的水果。接着 他又拿出手机说： “您要是想打电话，每分钟 1 美元。 ” 我大吃一惊，脱口问道： “你这么做有多久了?”他回答说： “有三、四年了。 ” “我知道不该问， ”我说， “可是，你能多挣多少小费?” “一年 12，000 到 14，000 美元左右， ”他得意地回答说。 他不知道他成了我心目中的英雄。 他就是一个生动的例证， 说明你总是可以争取到成功的机 会。 我的良师益友柯特?卡尔森是明尼苏达州的首富，拥有一家酒店和旅行社，营业收入约 达 90 亿美元。一次我要去纽约赴会，柯特慷慨地请我乘坐他的私人飞机。碰巧那天明尼苏 达州遭受多年不遇的暴风雪袭击。明尼阿波利斯?圣保罗国际机场几十年来第一次关闭。 虽然暴风雪仍在肆虐， 机场还是特地为小型飞机清出了一条跑道。 我们正在跑道上滑行 准备起飞时，柯特转过头来兴奋地说： “看哪，哈维，雪地上没有痕迹啊!” 柯特?卡尔森，当时年届 70，富甲一方，竟然还会因为自己是第一个而如此兴奋。 在我看来，这些正是关键之所在。准备去赢。永不中断学习。相信自己，哪怕没人相信 你。想方设法显得与众不同。然后就出发，在雪地上留下你自己的足迹。
多元文化社会 课文 A 美国是否会如同历史上其他强国一样走向衰亡?作者持否定观点，认为美国创建的社会 模式不同于任何已出现的社会模式。读一读他的观点，看看你是否同意。 美国大拼盘 里扎德?卡普钦斯基 仅看美国依然吸引着千百万人这一事实就足以证明美国并未衰落。 人们不会被吸引到一 个衰落的地方。在美国这样一个错综复杂的国家，当然能看到衰落的迹象，如债务、犯罪活 动、无家可归者、吸毒、逃避现实社会的人。但美国的主要特征，亦即它给人的最初的、最 持久的印象，却是充满活力、生机勃勃、不断进取、积极向上。 如果你知道世界上有广大地区完全处于瘫痪状态， 无法取得任何进步， 那就难以想象这 个国家在衰落。 我很难同意保罗?肯尼迪在锣 C 强之兴衰》中的论点， 即美国将不可避免地重蹈历史 覆辙。历史一直如此循环——强国衰落，为新兴的帝国所取代。但或许我们能从另外一个角 度看待正在发生的一切。我有种感觉，这个国家正在发生的一切不仅仅关乎一国之命运。 以欧洲为中心的美国或许是在衰落， 正由一个新的太平洋文化所取代， 这一文化包括但 并不局限于美国。 从历史的角度来看， 美国或许不会衰落， 相反， 它将与太平洋文化相融合， 创建一种广泛的太平洋拼盘文化， 一种依靠最现代的通讯技术连接的拉丁文化与亚洲文化的 混合文化。 传统意义上的历史一直是各个国家的历史。但在美国，自罗马帝国以来，首次出现了创 建一个文化的历史的可能。 现在第一次有了这样一个机遇， 在新的基础上用新技术创建一个 有着前所未有的开放性的多元文化。 一个有着多种精神中心的文化。 一个永远抛弃种族中心 主义心态、部落心态的文化。那是一种破坏性的心态。 洛杉矶就是这一新兴文化的先兆。 洛杉矶以及南加州与第三世界和亚洲的联系要比与美国的民族、文化之根欧洲的联系密 切，因此将以一个多民族、多元文化的社会进入 21 世纪。这是一种全新的现象。一个文化 由如此之多的种族、民族和文化同时创建，这样的先例从未有过。这种新型的文化多元化在 人类历史上闻所未闻。 由于来自第三世界的新移民所具有的将本族文化融入美国文化的令人难以置信的本领， 美国正变得越来越多元化。美国有“主导”文化的概念时刻在改变。来到美国，你会不可思 议地发现自己身在别地——来到了汉城，台北，墨西哥城。你在洛杉矶街头行走，就可以感 受到韩国的文化氛围。这个大城市的居民成了自己居住地的游客。 这里有规模很大的社区，住着老挝人、越南人、柬埔寨人、墨西哥人、萨尔瓦多人、危 地马拉人、伊朗人、日本人、韩国人、亚美尼亚人以及中国人。这里我们能找到小台北、小 西贡、小东京、韩国城、小中美洲、威斯特伍德的伊朗人社区、好莱坞的亚美尼亚人社区， 以及东洛杉矶墨西哥裔美国人范围很大的居住区。洛杉矶市的小学系统共使用 81 种语言， 其中鲜有欧洲语言。 美国文化的这一变化预示着人类构成的普遍趋势。 洛杉矶市 90％的移民来自第三世界。 到 21 世纪初， 90％的世界人口将是深肤色的； 所有生活在地球上的人中， 白人不会超过 11％。 只有在美国才会出现这种情况：在北部桔县环境作过美化的、超净的高科技园区，有家 7 年前尚不存在的个人电脑公司。公司的所在地那时还是草莓地。如今，这是一家有着 5 亿 美元资产、在香港和台湾都设有工厂的大公司。 这家公司由 3 位年轻的移民创办——一位巴基斯坦穆斯林和两位来自香港的中国人。他们
1984 年才成为美国公民。如今他们每个人的身价都可能值 3 千万美元。 在这家公司走走，我们看到的都是年轻的深肤色面孔——越南人、柬埔寨人、老挝人和 墨西哥人——还有最先进的技术。 员工文化混合着拉丁美洲天主教的家庭价值观念和亚洲儒 家的效忠集体的观念。招聘从来不张贴告示用人都是通过在南加州居住的家庭网络完成的。 雇员常常会要求一周加班 20 小时，好多赚钱帮助大家庭成员购买房屋。 在洛杉矶，第三世界国家的传统文化首次与最先进的理念和技术相融合。 发达国家与不发达国家的关系通常有剥削榨取这一特点——掠夺劳力和资源， 不给任何 回报。种族交界处往往是关系紧张的交界处，是危机的交界处。而在这里，我们看到了一场 建设性的革命。 这一创建中的环太平洋文化是发达与不发达之间一种新型的关系。 这里有开放精神。 这 里有希望，有前途。这里是一个多元文化的群体，但没有冲突，而是进行合作，进行和平竞 争，进行建设。在非白种人的西方世界与白种人的西方世界 400 多年的关系史上，双方关系 的基本特性第一次表现为合作与建设，而不是剥削，不是破坏。 不同于世界上任何其他地方， 洛杉矶向我们表明， 第三世界的心态一旦与充满机会的开 放精神相融合， 与有条有理的文化相融合， 与西方的时间观念相融合， 就会具有发展的潜能。 对那个我在其间度过大半生的破坏性、停滞不前的社会来说，说实在话，存在着洛杉矶 这样一种发展前景意义十分重大。 调整时间观念最为困难。这是发展的一个关键变革。 西方文化是计算时间的文化。时间由时钟来安排。在非西方文化中，时间是以事件与事 件之间的间隔来计算。我们安排在 9 点开会，但人没来。我们焦急不安，感到很生气。他无 法理解我们为何那么焦急，因为对他而言，他到达的一刻才算时间。他到了，就是准时了。 1924 年，墨西哥哲学家荷塞?伐斯冈萨雷斯在他的一本著作中，梦想着未来地球上所有 不同种族都融合成一种类型人的可能性。在文化的意义上，即便不是在人种的意义上，这样 一种类型的人正在洛杉矶诞生。由不同种族、不同文化、不同宗教和不同道德行为组成的巨 大合成体正奔向一个共同的目标。世界充满着宗教的、种族的、民族的冲突，从这个角度来 看，这种融洽的合作令人难以置信。的确令人瞩目。 使得在一个地区的相互竞争的文化和谐共存的共同目标是什么呢? 目标不仅仅是更高的生活水准。 吸引移民前来美国的是美国文化的主要特性： 有尝试的 机会。文化与空间这两个重要方面结合了起来’ 。文化使你得以想办法出人头地——去发现 自我， 找到自己的位置、自己的地位。 还有空间， 不仅仅是地理意义上的空间， 更是指机会， 指社会身份的流动性。 在充满危机的社会中， 在停滞不前的社会中——甚至在那些稳定的社 会中——没有尝试的机会。你一生已被预先决定。命运已经将你注定。 正是这一点，使得美国的不同种族和文化连结在一起。如果美国移民开始时遭遇失败， 他总是想： “我要再试一下。 ”如果他在原来的社会中遭遇失败，他就会失去信心，变得悲观 失望，接受自己所处的地位。在美国，他想的是： “我还会有机会，我还要试一下。 ”这使他 坚持下去。他充满了希望。 第五单元 残忍 课文 A 有些人似乎容易了解：他们的个性在初次交往时就表露无遗。然而，外表可能具有 欺骗性。 患难之交 S．毛姆
三十年来，我一直研究我的人类同胞，但至今了解不多。每当有人跟我说他对一个人的 第一次印象向来不错的时候， 我就耸耸肩。 我想这种人不是无知， 就是自大。 拿我自己来说， 我发现，认识一个人的时间越长，我就越感到困惑。 我产生这些想法， 是因为我在今天早上的报纸上看到爱德华?海德?伯顿在神户去世的消 息。他是个商人，在日本经商多年。我跟他并不熟，但是对他挺有兴趣，因为有一次他让我 大吃一惊。要不是听他亲口讲述这个故事，我根本不会相信他能做出这种事来。这件事之所 以特别令人惊讶，是因为无论是外表还是风度，他都让人想到一种非常明确的类型。要说真 有表里如一的人的话，那就是此公了。他个子很小，身高不过 5 英尺 4 英寸，身材纤细，白 头发、蓝眼睛，红红的脸上布满皱纹。我估计自己认识他时，他大约有 60 岁光景。他向来 衣着整洁素雅，合乎他的年龄和身份。 伯顿的办事处设在神户，但他常常到横滨宋。有一次，我正好因为等船，要在那里呆几 天，在英国俱乐部经人介绍与他相识。我们在一起玩桥牌。他打得不错，牌风也好。无论在 玩牌的时候，还是在后来一起喝酒的时候，他的话都不多，但说的话却都合情合理。他挺幽 默，但并不咋呼。他在俱乐部里似乎人缘不错，后来，在他走了以后，人家都说他是个顶呱 呱的人。事有凑巧，我们俩都住在格兰德大酒店。第二天他请我吃饭。我见到了他的太太— —一位肥肥胖胖、满面笑容的半老妇人——和他的两个女儿。这显然是和睦恩爱的一家人。 我想， 伯顿当时给我印象最深的主要还是他这个人和善。 他那双温和的蓝眼睛有种令人愉快 的神情。他说话的声音轻柔；你无法想象他会提高嗓门大发雷霆；他的笑容和蔼可亲。这个 人吸引你，是因为你从他身上感到他对别人的真正的爱。同时他也喜欢玩牌，喝鸡尾酒，他 能绘声绘色地讲个来劲儿的段子什么的，他年轻时多少还是个运动员呢。他是个阔佬，但他 的每一个便士都是自己挣来的。 我想， 人们喜欢他还有一个原因， 那就是他非常瘦小、 脆弱， 容易引起人们的恻隐之心。你觉得他甚至连只蚂蚁都不忍伤害。 一天下午，我正坐在格兰德大酒店的大堂里，伯顿走了进来，在我旁边的椅子上坐下。 “喝一点，怎么样?” 他拍了拍手招呼侍者过来，要了两杯杜松子汽酒。侍者端来酒的时候上走过，见到我招 了下手。 “你认识特纳吗?”在我点头致意的时候，伯顿问道。 “我是在俱乐部里认识他的。听说他是个靠国内寄钱过日子的人。 ” “是呀，我想是的。在这儿这种人可不少。 ” “他桥牌打得不错。 ” “这种人一般玩得都不错。去年这里有一个人，凑巧还和我同姓，我从来没有遇到过一 个桥牌打得那么好的高手。我想你在伦敦没有碰见过他。他说他叫伦尼?伯顿。我相信，他 加入过一些相当高级的俱乐部呢。 ” “嗯，我实在不记得这个名字。 ” “他称得上是桥牌高手。奸像对牌有有一种本能似的，简直神了。我那会儿常和他一起玩 牌。他在神户住了一段时间。 ” 伯顿抿了一口杜松子汽酒。 “说来也是件有趣的事， ”他说。 “他人不坏。 我挺喜欢他。 他总是衣冠楚楚，样子挺帅。 长得也算英俊，蜷曲的头发，两颊白里透红。女人都对他着迷。你知道，他没有什么害人之 处，就是野了点。自然，他酒喝得太凶了。这种人总是这样。他每个季度收到一小笔钱，靠 打牌再赚一点。他赢了我不少钱，这我可知道。 ” 伯顿和善地咯咯一笑。我的处世经验告诉我，他打桥牌输起钱来时一定是大大方方的。 他用瘦小的手摸了摸剃得光光的下巴；手上青筋鼓起，手白得几乎透明。 “大概就是因为这个，当他落得一文不名的时候，就来找我了，再说他和我同姓。有一
天，他到我办事处来见我，要我给他个差使。当时我颇为惊讶。他告诉我说家里不再给他寄 钱了，他要干活儿了。我问他多大年纪。 “ ‘35， ’他说。 “ ‘你一直都干什么来着?’我问道。 “ ‘嗯，没怎么干过事。 ’他说。 “我禁不住笑了。 “ ‘眼下恐怕不能帮你忙了， ’我说。 ‘你再过 35 年来找我，到时候我再看看能帮些什么忙。 ’ “他没有动弹，脸色变得相当苍白。他犹豫了一会／L，然后对我说，这一阵子他牌运一直 不好。原来他不甘心老打桥牌，便赌起扑克来，结果输了个精光。他一个子／L 也没有，所 有的东西都拿去当了。他连酒店的帐都付不出，人家也不肯再赊账给他。他已经山穷水尽。 要是找不到点事干，他只好自杀了。 “我瞧了他一会儿。我能看出他已经完全垮了。这一阵子他酒喝得比以前更凶，看上去 足有 50 岁。姑娘们当时要是瞧见他，准不会对他那么着迷了。 “ ‘嗯，你除了打牌以外，难道什么也不会干吗?’我问他。 “ ‘我会游泳， ’他说。 “ ‘游泳!’ “我几乎以为自己听错了呢；这种回答听起来简直是牛头不对马嘴。 “ ‘我读大学时曾经代表学校参加游泳比赛。 ’ ． “我听出了一点他话里的意思。 上大学时自以为了不起的人我见得多了， 我才不吃这套 呢。 “ ‘本人年轻时也是个游泳好手， ’我说。 “突然，我有了个想法。 ” 伯顿停了下来，看着我。 “你对神户熟悉吗?”他问。 “不熟悉， ”我说， “从前有一次路过那里，只呆了一个晚上。 ” “那么，你不会知道盐谷俱乐部吧。我年轻的时候，曾经从那里出发，游过灯塔直到垂 水小溪上岸。一共 3 英里多路，灯塔一带有激流，游起来挺费劲。于是，我把这事告诉了那 位与我同姓的年轻人，并对他说，要是他能游过去，我就给他一个差使。 “我看得出，他吓了一跳。 “ ‘你不是说你是游泳好手吗?’我说。 “ ‘我现在身体状况不太好， ’他回答说。 “我什么也没说，只是耸了耸肩。他望了我一会儿，然后点了点头。 “ ‘好吧， ’他说了， ‘你要我什么时候游呢?’ 。 “我看了看表。刚过十点。 “ ‘你游这段距离大概要花一个钟头零一刻多一些。我到 12 点半开车到小溪那里去接你， 带你到俱乐部换衣服，然后一起吃午饭。 ’ “ ‘就这样吧， ’他说。 “我们握了握手。我祝他好运，他就走了。那天上午我有好些事要办，到 12 点半总算 勉强赶到了垂水小溪。其实我根本用不着这么赶，他压根儿就没露面。 ” “他临阵脱逃了?”我问。 “没有，他没有临阵脱逃。他确实出发了。当然喽，他喝酒作乐早把身体搞垮了。灯塔周 围的激流他对付不了。大约有三天，我们都没找到尸体。 ” 我好一会儿什么话也没说。我感到有些震惊。然后我问了伯顿一个问题。 “你提出给他差使的时候，是不是知道他准会淹死?”
他轻轻地咯咯一笑，用那双和善又坦率的蓝眼睛望着我。他用手摩挲着下巴。 “哦，那时我的办事处可没有空缺呀。 ” 第六单元 生活节奏 课文 A 随着当今世界生活节奏日益加快，我们似乎一直在不停奔忙。事情那么多，时间却那么 少，我们该怎么办?里查德?汤姆金斯着手解决这一问题，并提出了建议。 时间老人成了可怕的老人 理查德?汤姆金斯 从前， 我们以为技术发展会使我们的生活变得更安逸。 那时我们觉得机器会替代我们工 作，我们则有越来越多的时间休闲娱乐。 但技术发展没有把我们解放出来，而是使我们成为奴隶。新技术纷至沓来，令人目不暇 接：一年涌现的技术创新相当于以前一千年。而每一项新发明问世，就进一步吞噬我们的光 阴。 比如，汽车曾使我们希望个人出行会方便得让人难以想像。可如今，城市车辆运行得比 马车时代还要慢，我们因交通堵塞而困在车内，徒然浪费生命。 飞机也曾有可能为我们拓展新天地。问题是，飞机提供了新的天地。其存在本身产生了 对耗时的长途旅行的需求，这种旅行，如越洋购物，或远道前往地球的另一半参加会议，以 前我们是根本无法想象的。 在大多数情况下，技术发展并未节省时间，而是使我们得以做更多的事。在家里，洗衣 机可望使妇女摆脱繁重的洗衣劳作。但事实上，它们促使我们每天，而不是每星期换一次衣 服，这就使熨洗衣物的工作量变成原来的 7 倍。同样地，每周一次的沐浴为每日一次的淋浴 所代替，使得用于个人穿着打扮的时间大大增加。 与此同时， 技术发展不仅听任工作侵入我们的闲暇时间——带着便携式电脑去海滩综合 症——而且添加了收发传真、 电子邮件和语音邮件这些新的负担。 技术发展还向我们提供机 会， 在个人电脑上一连几小时处理软件故障， 或把因特网上那些无用的信息塞进自己的大脑。 除去技术发展，因特网指出了我们为何感到时间如此紧迫的第二个原因：信息爆炸。 几个世纪以前，人类积累的几乎所有知识都能装在若干哲人的大脑之中。如今，这些大 脑休想容纳下一天中产生的新信息中的小小一部分。 各种消息、事实和见解从世界各个角落大量涌入。电视机能收到 150 个频道。因特网网 址多达千百万。杂志、书籍和光盘只读存储器的数量也激增。 “在 18 世纪，整个国际学术界总共只有屈指可数的几家科学刊物，出版一本书是件了 不起的大事， ”哈佛大学比较动物学博物馆昆虫馆名誉馆长爱德华?威尔逊说。 “如今，我本 人就订阅了 60 或 70 种期刊杂志， 以便自己跟上不断拓展的学术前沿中一个微小部分的发展 动向。 ” 我们产生日益加重的时间紧迫感还有一个原因： 日渐繁荣富足。 由于生产的物品与提供 的服务越来越多，我们必须去消费。在广告的推动下，我们努力照办：我们多多购买多多旅 游多多玩儿， 但得尽力坚持下去。 于是我们就深受威尔逊所谓的对极大富足不满之苦——即 无休止的选择所造成的困惑。 当然，并非人人感到时间过度紧迫。 “说我们都缺少时间只是随意讲讲，我们应该记住， 这种说法大约只适用于一半人， ”伦敦一家研究公司的未来基金会主任迈克尔?威尔莫特说。 “有些人早早退休了，有些人失业了，有些人或许只与经济活动沾点边，根本不会有这 种情况。如果失业了，那你的问题就是时间太多，而不是太少。 ”
总部设在伦敦的亨利中心预测小组组长保罗?爱德华兹指出，压力感也可能被夸大，或 者被强加于自身。 “人人都大谈压力，以至于多达半数的失业者或退休人员都会跟你说，他 们根本来不及把事情做完， ”他说。 “这几乎是到了羡慕压力的程度。没有感到有压力，就不 是成功者。人人都想表现几分时间紧迫感，以显示自己的重要。 ” 这一切还有另外一个方面。 几十年来由数千名志愿者所作的钟点日志表明， 英国在最近 十年中工作时间只略微增加，而在美国，即使对工作压力最大的专业人士和管理人员而言， 工作时间实际上减少了。 在美国，马里兰大学社会学教授约翰?鲁宾逊和宾夕法尼亚州立大学研究闲暇问题的教 授杰弗里?戈德比发现，自 20 世纪 60 年代中期以来，普通美国人每周增加了 5 小时空余时 间，即工作、睡眠、乘车上下班、照料孩子和家务劳动之余的时间。 但增加的时间分配得并不均匀。 受惠最多的是未婚者和子女不在身边的人。 得益最少的 ——增加了不足 1 个小时——是有学前子女的双职工夫妇， 这或许反映了父母在抚养子女方 面花费更多时间这一倾向。 这里当然也存在着性别问题。 家用器具的更新换代或许鼓励妇女去做有报酬的工作， 但 正如我们已经注意到的，技术发展并没有扫除家务杂活。其结果是，我们发现男女空余时间 的分配惊人地不平等。据亨利中心的调查，在英国，有工作的父亲平均每周有 48 小时的空 余时间。有工作的母亲只有 14 小时。 除去不平等，缺乏时间的感觉也普遍存在， ：并引起了各种反应。反应之一是试图投入 最少的时间以获取最大的满足。如今人们需要快餐，需要电台、电视台播放简短片断，还要 即刻得到满足。时间一旦被浪费，人们就会很不高兴。 “人们谈论着质量时间。他们需要最佳时光， ”亨利中心的爱德华兹说。 “如果你带孩子 去看电影或去麦当劳，但度过的时光并不甜美，你浪费了一个下午，感觉就像是你丢失了宝 贵物品。钱丢失了还能挣回来，但时间浪费了就再也无法追回。 ” 人们还试图购买时间。 任何能帮助我们提高生活效率的事物都有越做越大的市场。 美国 人所谓的家政服务——做家务，带孩子，修剪花木，居家装饰——即为一例。网上零售商在 看着销售额大幅增长——虽然利润尚未同样大幅增长。 对时间匮乏的第三个反应是有关人的一生应该工作多少年的争论增多。 你比过去更常听 到人们谈论早早退休， 谈论放弃压力大的工作去从事工作时间短的工作。 诸如英国全国工作 年限论坛这样的机构像雨后春笋般出现了， 敦促雇主终止让管理人员长时间加班的做法， 而 采取能适应家庭生活的工作方式。 所有这些反应的问题在于， 把时间解放出来——无论是靠更充分地利用时间， 靠购买他 人的时间， 还是靠缩短工作时间——是没有意义的， 如果赢得的时间又即刻被用于其他目的。 正如戈德比所指出的， 我们的紧张感并非源于时间短缺， 而是因为我们试图在一个个时 段中塞入过多的内容。 “就像糖果店里的孩子， ”他说。 “有那么多美好的事情要做。选择之 多，令人眼花缭乱。我们的空余时间在增加，但其速度跟不上我们心中日益增多的必须做的 事。 ” 更有效的解决方式或许在于去理解这一问题，而不是回避这一问题。 工业革命前，人们居住在交通联系不方便的小社区里。在本村范围内，人们自然而然地 期望了解该了解的一切，见到该见的一切，做该做的一切。 如今，生性好奇的我们仍试图这么做。然而，地球村是一个有着无限可能的世界，我们 永远无法实现自己的目标。 我们需要的不是更多的时间：是更少的欲望。我们定要关掉手机，让孩子们自己玩耍。 我们定要少购物，少阅读，少出游。我们定要在有所为、有所不为方面给自己设定界限，不 然则注定会越来越感到绝望。
第七单元 恐怖主义 课文 A 佩吉?诺南住在纽约，每周为《华尔街时报》撰写专栏文章。本文即是其中一篇。她在 文章中反思了自己的一周以及这个城市的生活。 撰写此丈时， 离世贸中心被毁还不到一周年， 她的思考不可避免地带有这一可怕事件的阴影。 梦魇与梦想 ——9?11 事件如何影响了国民的潜意识? 佩吉?诺南 纽约真热。天气如此炎热，因此，有一次我发高烧，朋友打电话来问候我感觉如何时， 我就说， “你知道发传真时纸张有多干燥多烫手吗?那就是我的感觉。 ”昨天整整一天我都是 这种感觉。太热了。我们觉得自己被传真过似的。 昨天清晨 5 点我就完全醒了， 便去布鲁克林大桥散步。 如今这座大桥越发像是赐予我们 这个城市的一件贵重礼物。它跨河而立。在业已改变的市区景观中，它依旧是一道美丽的景 致，年复一年，越发显得气势非凡。如今，人们似乎更喜欢它，至少是更多地提到它、注意 到它。本人也一样。桥上总是挤满游客，也总是挤满纽约居民。 我在这座桥上行走时总是深感骄傲， 因为自己漫步在世界工程技术一大奇迹之上； 今天 踏上这座桥，我同样深感骄傲。昨天我深受感动，因为我在观看有人类创造史以来最辉煌的 景象之一：曼哈顿日出。 而且那是分文不花的。亿万富翁要想拥有这座桥，将这一景致占为已有，那得付出亿万 钱财， 而我以及那些或慢跑、 或骑车、 或徒步的同行者却能免费享用。 我们继承了这座大桥。 如今我们所要做的只是以纳税的方式支付维修费用。我辈实属有幸。 我从布鲁克林一边上桥时，一件小事更增添了我的快乐。天刚亮，车辆稀少，我与一辆 车窗熏黑的黑色面包车擦肩而过。窗开着的驾驶座里坐着一个 30 岁左右的黑人，帽子低低 地压在眉檐上，戴着一副厚厚的黑色太阳镜。我走在通往大桥的人行道上，他距我不到两英 凡周围只有我们两个人。我们目光对视。 “早上好!”他说。 “早上好， ”我回答着，两人随即 无缘无故地大笑起来，笑罢各人继续各人的生活。这事并没有什么特别的意义，只是 30 年 或 40 年前是不是会发生这样的事。我不知道那时会不会有这种完全友好的表示，又会不会 得到回应。 这让我想起星期一晚上看的电视节目。 他们播放的是 1967 年的影片 《猜猜谁宋赴晚餐》 ， 由凯瑟琳?赫本、辛尼?普瓦提艾和斯潘塞?特雷西主演，讲的是一个白人姑娘与一个黑人小 伙子相爱，想要结婚，不得不与持反对态度的双方父母做斗争。影片拍得不错，故事的部分 细节似乎很感人，如何感人我记不清楚了，反正很切题。 有几段对话让人为之震动。饰演未来新娘父亲的斯潘塞?特雷西质问普瓦提艾先生，他 是否想过他们混血的孩子在美国将会承受多少痛苦。他考虑过这点吗?他的未婚妻考虑过这 点吗?“她很乐观， ”普瓦提艾先生说。 “她认为他们每个人都能长大成人当上美国总统。而 我则觉得他们能当国务卿也就可以了。 这些写于 35 年前的话当时听上去或许就像是痴人说 ” 梦。但影片上映时，观众中可能就有爱看电影的年轻的陆军中尉科林?鲍威尔，当年他正准 备第二次到越南去服役。如今他正担任着国务卿一职。这是个梦想成真的国度。这么说你是 否觉得有点老生常谈?是有点。这又是一件美妙的事情。 星期二晚些时候，在从布鲁克林开往曼哈顿北部的地铁上，我又看到一个我注意过，可 后来又忘了的现象。 那就是大街上， 地铁里， 我越来越经常地发现人们挂着表明身份的胸卡。 如今人人都佩带胸卡。过去我们是不带的。胸卡吊在粗棉线或铝制链上；有的佩带一张，有
的同时佩带三张，反正胸卡处处可见。 我思索着这一现象意味着什么。大家随身携带身份证件，这意味着什么?我们是在表明 什么?或者说我们自以为是在表明什么?我指的是表象之外的意义。 假设昨天地铁车厢里我对面的那排人一下子放下报纸抬起头来，逐个回答道： “这意味着我知道自己是谁， ”穿蓝衬衫和吊裤带的那个男子说。 “这意味着我能进办公楼， ”那个灰衣女子说。 “这表明我是个有职业的体面公民。 ” “在工作场所别人知道我是谁。 ” “我不是在混日子，我融入了生活。我有所归属。我有固定的工资。 ” “安检部门对我的背景来历核查过，认定我为人可靠。你呢?” 我不知道车上那些失业的人看着别人头颈里吊着的胸卡， 会不会有什么想法。 我希望开久我 也有张胸卡。我不知道那些刚刚开始工作的 17 岁的小伙子们会不会知晓，以前在美国，我 们并不是人人携带身份证的。过去只有在核电站或政府办公大楼里工作的人才用。在别处， 没人会知道你是谁。这可不是件坏事。 一个月前，有关于 9?11 事件之后出现生育高峰的新闻报道。大家为那些关于死亡的报道所 震惊，意识到决没有什么生养孩子的最佳时机，现在我们既然活着，就该生儿育女。我相信 关于生育高峰报道的真实性，期待着这些孩子的出生。 后来又有报道说，不对，没有什么生育高峰，那完全是道听途说，并没有统计数据加以 证实。我也相信这一报道的真实性。但好几个星期以来我一直关注着一个情况。我家附近出 现了生育高峰。布鲁克林到处都是婴儿。处处可见新生婴儿，处处可见粉嘟嘟的、小手小脚 软软的婴儿，他们蜷伏在父亲胸前的棉兜里。处处可见婴儿小推车，不仅是普通的小推车， 还有那种可放两个婴儿的小推车。甚至还有可放三个婴儿的小推车。 别人怎么说我不管，应该有数据证实我目睹的情况：9?11 事件之后，至少在布鲁克林 出现了生育高峰。 夜梦也激增。一天我跟事件发生后一直没见过面的一位朋友交谈。世贸大楼倒下时，他 就在两个街区之外， 目睹了一切。 我们都看过当日那令人震惊的电视镜头， 看过一遍又一遍， 但很少有人看到过我朋友所描述的情景：在世贸中心近旁的办公大楼里，他们站在窗边，突 然黑暗将他们笼罩，那两幢楼倒塌了，可怕的浓烟迅速蔓延。你有没有看到那些被迫往下跳 的人?我问。 “看到， ”他说着移开了视线。 你有没有做噩梦? “做的， ”他说着，仍看着别处。 我好几天都想着这事。我的这位朋友才华横溢，天生擅长描述自己的感受与见闻。但这次 却例外。我跟一位当治疗专家的朋友交谈。你的病人是不是都做些稀奇古怪的梦?我问。 “总是做那样的梦， ”他笑了起来。 都跟 9?11 事件有关? “是的， ”他说， “主要都是青少年。 ” 我问他有没有把这些梦收集好记下来。他摇了摇头。 是啊：9?11 梦录项目。我们应该着手进行了。本人有意去做，虽说我自己也不太清楚 到底为什么。我想，以后也许我会试着把那些梦写下来。也许不会。但我相信，梦可以反映 国民的潜意识——如果真有所谓潜意识——而且值得把梦当一回事。(卡尔，荣格持肯定态 度。) 既然值得当回事就要记录下来。 请把你做的与 9?11 事件有关的梦寄给我一一再重复的， 不同寻常的，惊人的，等等。我会阅读你们的来函，会理解，可能的话会将它们编成一篇文
章，反映 9?11 事件对我们的梦幻生活和想象力——即当我们的想像力独立地、无拘无束、 毫无牵绊地持续发挥时——产生了什么影响。 第八单元 旅行 课文 A 安妮?迪拉德讲述了自己游览厄瓜多尔丛林深处的纳波河的经历。那是大自然遭受人为 破坏最少的地区之一。她描述了森林之美以及对生活在那里的土著人的歆慕之情。 在丛林中 安妮?迪拉德 如同所有僻远之地，当你身临其境时，厄瓜多尔丛林深处的纳波河就显得那么真实，甚 至有中心要地的感觉。那么僻远之地远离什么呢?夜半时分，在亚马逊河的源头，我坐在一 个树墩上，身后是傍水的棕榈叶作屋顶的小村落。远离人类活动，远离脉脉温情。或者说远 离天堂的扫视? 一只欧夜鹰在密密的树叶间发出三声长啼， 旋即静默无声。 和我一起的那些男人轻声交 谈着：3 个北美人，4 个为我们在丛林中带路的厄瓜多尔人。我们手里拿着清凉的饮料，悠 闲地看着一只有手那么大小的狼蛛捕捉纷纷扑向我们身旁发电机棚屋上一个灯泡的飞虫。 时值 2 月，正当仲夏。绿莹莹的萤火虫在空中闪出光亮，一会儿这里照亮一下、一会儿 那里照亮一下幽木巨树暗淡的树干。在我们下方，褐黄色的纳波河水正在涨潮。万籁俱寂： 唯见河水沿着沙岸婉蜒流过，水沫裹挟在蔓生在森林里的藤蔓间以及盘绕岸边的树根上。 夜晚吸入的每口气都沁人心脾。猎户星座里的每一颗星星似乎都因了我的呼吸而颤动。 突然，我们身后空地旁的茅屋里，传出了录音机的声音，一首乐曲在村子空地之上缭绕，减 弱了我们在河畔谈话的声音，然后又传至河面，顺流飘去。 人生遇此情景足矣，我暗想。在此度过周末足矣，在此小住数月足矣，在此安家足矣。 夜半时分，我散开辫子，把头发梳理得平平整整——不是为我自己，而是为了村里那些 姑娘早上可以玩我的头发。 我们是那天下午在这个小村卜岸的， 我垂着头坐在树荫下的踏级上， 真希望自己会说几句西 班牙语或盖丘亚语，好跟围成一圈的小女孩说说话，她们一会儿看看我，一会儿又低头看着 自己的脚趾窃笑。 我还是开口了， 笑着抚弄自己的头发， 她们显然也都非常想碰碰我的头发。 没过一会儿，她们就给我编辫子了，她们 5 个人，50 个手指，我是一头辫子，连留海也编 成了辫子。她们拆了编，编了拆，一边笑一边教我西班牙语单词，望望我，又相互对望，个 个喜形于色。她们那些穿着牛仔服的小弟弟们都爬下树来，跟一个北美人踢排球玩耍。 此刻，我在低矮的帐篷里梳理着头发，另一个北美人，一位来自曼哈顿的自由作家，正 在轻声说话。他在向我们讲述他人生的故事，讲述他在好莱坞的工作、在曼哈顿的公寓、在 巴黎的家……“我不由纳闷， ”他说， “在厄瓜多尔的丛林里，在纳波河上，在庞培亚小村， 在树下的帐篷里， 自己在干什么。 他顿了顿， ” 接着说： “我不由寻思， 自己为什么要回去。 ” 去厄瓜多尔纳波河这种地方不是为了观赏什么世界奇观，而只是去看一看那里有些什 么。人生在世，唯有一次，我们不妨去感受一下那个地方。我们不妨去感受一下有生命生活 其间的远方水乡山谷， 去感受覆盖了半个大陆的亚马逊河流域， 去感受那样一种生活——在 那里，一如在别的地方——那种必定总是琐碎的生活：在各条支流上，在临水的村落里，在 有着独特形状的阴凉处吮吸着有白色浆果的独特的番石榴。 那里的一切都趣味盎然。纳波河河面宽阔，河水混浊，呈褐黄色，浮沫以及丛林里来的
木段和树枝翻浮其上。成群的鹦鹉忽而飞进树荫里，忽而飞入阳光里。水下潜伏着南美蟒蛇 ——据说每年都要吞吃几名村童——还有水蟒、鳄鱼，以及肉质鲜美的鱼类。 水浅的地方露出灰茫茫的狭长沙洲， 土著人在沙洲上为过夜的渔夫搭建了小小的棕榈茅 舍。你能见到这些清洁得出奇的人(他们在河里一天沐浴两次，满头直挺的黑发更是刚刚洗 过)在独木舟里紧贴着河岸荡桨。 在本世纪早期，这一地区的一些印第安人常常赤身睡在昂床里。夜晚颇凉。勘测亚马逊 河支流的美国探险家戈登?麦克里奇曾记述说，他凌晨 3 点就听见印第安人起身， 深感愕然。 更令他惊奇的是，夜复一夜，他都听见他们半睡半醒地缓步走向河边，膛到河里洗起澡来。 后来他才弄明白他们是在干什么：他们在取暖。凉意把他们冻醒，他们便到河里暖暖身子， 因为河水保持 90(华氏)度不变；随后他们再回到吊床上，睡到天亮。 当你离开大河，深入丛林，满眼树木高耸入云。一眼望去，成群的蝴蝶穿过丛林小径， 有宝蓝的，有条纹的，有纯色翅膀的。在脚下，则有一长列蚂蚁背负着三角形的绿叶碎片。 负叶爬行的蚂蚁就像一支规模庞大、 扬帆行驶的船队——只是它们不会停歇。 无论什么方向， 都能看到它们在丛林的地面上摇摇摆摆地爬行。 丛林中狭长的湖泊上波光闪闪。 我们荡舟其 上，划着用大砍刀砍削而成的木桨，在浅水处则以竹当篙。有着一半印第安血统的向导前一 天已经辟出了通往湖泊的小路；我们在小路上行走时，看见他砍下作为装饰的蟒蛇头，张开 大口，钉在独木舟边尖头枝条上。 湖泊奇妙无比。苍鹭在岸边缓缓地迈着步子，翠鸟和杜鹃欢叫着从阳光里飞入树荫，火鸡模 样的大鸟在枯枝间忙碌， 鹰在头上盘旋。 我们毋庸为时间担忧， 可以从容地欣赏周围的一切。 一只乌龟滑入水中。 我乘坐的独木舟船头坐着个男孩， 他用简陋的弹弓——橡皮弹架和皮索 ——发射石弹击打飞鸟。他摆出漂亮的架势瞄准飞鸟，却一次又一次地偏离目标：鸟总是飞 出他的射程。他把弹弓塞回进衬衣内。我移开目光。 湖水与河水都如热带雨林中的树叶那样乳浊：那水是面纱，是窗帘，是画屏。你只能从 表象看事物。我看到近岸的河水在起伏，上面翻腾着一条巨滑舌鱼，那是这一带水域出产的 一种奇大的黑鱼；上一个星期捕获一条，重达 430 磅。湖里有水虎鱼，还有电鳗。我用手指 在水里划着，心想即使被鱼咬一口也值得。 那天夜晚在小村里，我们将吃鸡肉，还有米饭、洋葱和一大堆水果。夕阳会西下，像落 幕似地把夜暮降下。黄昏短暂，暮色中，看不见的鸟儿在伤感似地啼鸣，声声动人。两位修 女， 身穿耀眼的白色道服——年轻的修女身材姣好， 年长的那位慈眉善目——会在夜色中悄 然来到开着门的用藤条茅草搭建的教室里，让孩子们唱歌。孩子们会用西班牙语放声歌唱， 歌声又高又纯他们会用盖丘亚语唱“上帝离你更近” ，唱得非常快。孩子们唱着唱着兴奋起 来，纷纷从木凳上站起，簇拥在两位修女身旁，又是跳，又是冲着我们笑。人人都在欢笑， 穿戴头巾的修女满脸欢笑，声音清脆的孩子们还在歌唱，棕榈叶铺的屋顶也在颤动。 纳波河：那不是荒僻的地方。那是个有人烟的地域，像杯子盛载往里倒的水那样，纳波 河接住照射下来的阳光；那是个充满清新空气的低洼地区，一片翠绿的盆地，环境优美的盆 地，看来还是个平静的盆地。
Appendix Ⅱ Chinese Translations of Texts B (Units 1-8) 参考译文 第一单元 与自然力量抗争 课文 B
大自然会站在秣马厉兵准备进攻欧洲大陆的同盟国一方， 还是会偏袒德国人？谁也说 不准。 诺曼底登陆 安东尼，沃德 有史以来规模最大、最具雄心的军事行动是 1944 年夏天英国、美国和加拿大联合部队 进攻法国北方的诺曼底。在这一战事中自然力量也起了重要作用。 军事家运筹帷幄，用了一年多的时间部署军队、大炮、船只和飞机，为这一行动作了周 密安排，以便在欧洲开辟第二战线。这样就能解放法国，也为最终攻击德国本土打开通路。 一切就绪， 英吉利海峡上甚至还设下疑兵迷惑德国人， 使他们相信将在英法最接近处的 加来海峡发起攻击，而不是在计划中的诺曼底。 一切就绪，只看天气。 代号为 D 日的进攻开始日最初定在 1944 年 6 月 5 日。选定这一天考虑了两个因素——月光 与潮汐。进攻必须在接近日出之时进行，其时乘船渡海的部队能遇到一次涨潮。他们就能借 助上涨的海水在靠近专为阻碍登陆而设的军事障碍附近登陆，而不必踩过这些障碍走上岸 去。空降兵需要满月提高能见度。月光潮汐都适合这一方案的、距预定进攻日最近的日期是 6 月 5、6、7 日三天。(1)6 月 5 日被选定为进攻开始日，其用意是留下一个安全系数，以防 万一进攻需要推迟。 除了月光和有利的海潮，渡海还需要海上风平浪静。(2)然而，当年春夏之交大风暴异 乎寻常的多，想天气在这个当儿出现一个适合进攻的风平浪静的空隙，希望微乎其微。这也 意味着被称作巨头行动的登陆计划可能不得不推迟到下半年，甚至来年。 6 月 5 日到了，气候如此恶劣，进攻部队最高统帅艾森豪威尔将军被迫将进攻推迟了一 天。当他与参谋人员讨论供选择的日子时，面临着一个严峻的现实，即看不出 6 月 6 日的天 气比原定的进攻开始日有多大好转。气象预报显示，风浪有一丁点儿可能稍稍停息的希望， 从而能争取到足够的时间发起进攻。关于是否行动的讨论持续到深夜。与会者意见不一。最 后，艾森豪威尔做出了决定。 “我相信我们必须发布命令， ”他说。 “我不想这么做，但只能 这样。我看此外我们别无选择。 ”数小时之内，由 3000 艘登陆艇、2500 艘其它船只，以及 500 艘军舰组成的舰队从英格兰各处港口启航。 与此同时，德军一系列重大失误使他们被打得措手不及。由于气候恶劣，德国海军取消了英 吉利海峡的例行巡航。 原定于 6 月 6 日举行的一次演习也被取消。 德国气象部门没有预料到 天气会突然变化。进攻前夜，许多德国高层人物都离开了他们的指挥部。负责海防的隆美尔 将军在德国探望妻子，庆祝她的生日：有几位军官远在雷恩，或在前往雷恩的路上，去参加 在那里举行的一次军事演习。 进攻诺曼底在午夜 12：15 分发起，美国空降部队的伞降信号员跳下飞机开始伞降。5 分钟之后，在登陆区域的另一侧，英国伞降信号员也开始 8L 伞。这些伞降信号员都经过特 别训练，擅长寻找、标识着落区域。大规模的空降行动 1 小时内全面展开。 由于风力强劲，也由于运输机遭遇高射炮轰击时采取规避飞行，空降行动出现混乱。结 果，伞兵降落过于分散，大多数人偏离了降落区域，有的偏离了 20 英里之多。地形也造成 了不少困难，最不利的地形在科唐坦半岛上。德国人在开阔地布置了杀伤地雷和栅栏，在低 洼地灌以海水。海水给美国 101 和 82 空降师造成严重困难，许多士兵被重型装备拖累，遭 水淹没。 空降部队的任务是从侧翼掩护两栖进攻。 这就意味着要强占桥梁津要， 夺取沿海的炮台。 完成这些任务之后，伞兵还必须顶住德军的反攻。 正当空降部队艰难地执行着任务之时，庞大的舰队也在横渡英吉利海峡，赴命运之神的
约会。 这支浩浩荡荡舰队的先锋是扫雷舰。 跟在后面的是由各种船只组成的数量庞大的海军 舰队。以前从未调集过如此庞大的舰队。包括船上的登陆艇在内，进攻的盟军联合舰队拥有 6,000 多艘船只。约 150,000 名将士横渡英吉利海峡，分别在代号为“犹他”“奥马哈”“黄 、 、 金”“朱诺”和“宝剑”的海滩登陆。 、 最早摆脱德国人控制的法国领土是距犹他海滩 3 英里的一群小岛。 盟军指挥官担心这些 小岛可能被用来存放重型枪炮。美国第 4 和第 24 骑兵中队的士兵被派定在总攻发起之前夺 下这些岛屿。进攻小组只发现了地雷。德国人没有派兵守岛。 。 然而，对大多数登陆部队而言，战斗尚未开始。由于推迟行动，士兵在各种运输船舰上 已待命 48 小时之久，许多人严重晕船，身体虚弱，不宜投入即将来临的战斗。 凌晨 5：45 分左右，舰炮轰击开始了。空中轰击紧随其后。舰炮和空中轰击的目的在于 摧毁海滩上的火力网与障碍物，用火力把敌人困住，并在开阔的海滩上炸出弹坑，以此为地 面部队提供掩体。但舰炮和空中轰击大都没能实现自己的目标。天气状况有所好转，但仍相 当不理想。低空密密的云层致使能见度极差，于是决定轰炸机延迟 30 秒钟投弹，以避免误 伤进攻部队。结果，炸弹都落在内地，错过了目标。炮舰轰击虽然较为准确，但德国人加强 了大炮阵地，所以也未能充分发挥作用。 气候也是导致一些强击艇未能驶抵指定的登陆点的部分因素。 此外， 许多登陆艇和水陆 两用坦克在汹涌的大海中沉没。 在奥马哈区域， 装载着用以支援后续部队的大炮坦克的船只 大都在巨浪中沉没。 犹他海滩却出现了意想不到的好运，强击艇恰遇南来的水流，使他们弄错了登陆地区。 (3)要是在原定地区登陆的话，德军海岸炮群无疑会拼命抵抗并给盟军造成惨重伤亡。在新 防区的登陆几乎没有遭到任何抵抗。 (4)尽管困难重重，艾森豪威尔在与恶劣天气的赌博中赢得了胜利。登陆部队成功地在法国 领土上建立了立足点。增援部队开始源源涌入，在法国境内长驱直入。不到一年，希特勒自 吹能延续千年的帝国便崩溃了。
第二单元 智能汽车 课文 B 斯蒂夫。斯多弗阐述了能自动运动的车辆的诸多裨益，并详细论述了如何将其变为现实。 智能车辆 斯蒂夫?斯多弗 还在汽车问世之初，未来学家就开始设想无需人来操纵便能自动运行的车辆将是什么样儿 的。这类设想最出名的或许是 1939 年纽约世界博览会上轰动一时的由通用汽车公司推出的 “未来城风光” 。今天，在世纪之初，以新的目光去审视这样的设想，去探讨自动化将如何 改变交通以及我们的生活质量，是颇具价值的。 且来看一看能自动运行的汽车意味着什么。 ? 我们或许能消除 90％以上由于判断失误以及疏忽等人为因素造成的交通事故。 ? 我们或许能减少野蛮开车这类有害公众利益的开车行为，从而大大减轻行车压力。 ? 社会全体成员， 包括老老少少与体弱者， 也许都不需习得娴熟的驾车技巧就能较为自由 地奔驰了。
? 被开车接送也许会成为世人共同的享受，而不仅仅是最富裕阶层的一种奢侈。 ? 车流通畅， 相互紧随行驶的车辆能利用前车产生的较小的空气阻力， 这些都可能减少油 耗和污染。 ? 交通管理将会建立在充分了解车辆对指令的应变能力的基础上， 而非基于对车辆驾驶者 可能采取的行动的粗略估测。 ? 高速公路的车容量会增加一倍或二倍，使其不必大兴土木就能适应不断增长的行车需 求，或者，同样重要地，目前交通拥堵的程度能得到缓解，以使行车者节省时间。 是否可行? 目前这已成为一个可以实现的希望。 随着技术的进步， 我们不难设想自动化公路系统上 的行车过程。 且来设想， 工作一天下班后， 只需开车至最近的一个自动公路入口匝道。 到了入口匝道， 在仪表板…上按一下按钮选择离家最近的出口匝道， 随后就休息放松， 由车上的电子系统与 路旁的电子装置以及其他车辆上类似的系统合作，把车平稳、安全、顺畅地开往目的地。即 使是在车流量最大的高峰时段，也能一路全速行驶，从而节省时间。下了出口匝道，再照平 常那样驾驶，开过余下的路程回家，那要比自己全程驾驶省力轻松许多。 要把这一景象变成现实固然需要各种不同的技术发展，但也无需什么匪夷所思的技术， 所有的技术都能以国际车辆制造业正在积极开发研制的各种系统和部件作为基础。 这些技术 可以被看作是车辆驾驶者日常开车所起各种作用的衍代：观察路况，留意前行车辆，掌握方 向，加速，刹车，变道。 观察路况 研究人员开发了一种路况参考及传感系统， 这些能准确判断车辆的方位及所在车道中心 的相应定位。 价格低廉的永磁体以 4 英尺的间隔埋设在车道中心线上， 车辆保险杆下安装着 的磁强计能够测知。这些磁强计向车上的计算机控制台提供信息，以断定车辆的确切方位。 其他研究人员利用计算机图像系统观察路况。(1)这类系统易受气候变化的影响，提供 的数据不够精确，但它们不需要特别的道路设置，只需要将路面标志维护好就行了。 留意前行车辆 与前行车辆的车距及接近时的速度可用雷达或激光测距仪测定。 这两项技术已经在日本 和欧洲投入商业运用。 目前激光系统比较便宜， 但雷达系统能更加有效地测知野蛮行驶的车 辆，能更加安全地在天气恶劣时操作。随着产量的提高，成本的降低，雷达系统将会越来越 受欢迎。 掌握方向、加速和刹车 相当于车辆驾驶者肌功能的是安置在自动车辆上的电动机械装置。 它们接收车上计算机 控制台发出的电子指令， 再凭借小型电力发动机恰当地控制方向、 油门大小以及刹车紧急程 度。 车辆生产已经采用这类装置的最初样本， 它们通过驾驶者给方向盘和踏板的输入信息直 接获得指令。决定开发这类产品大都与自动化无关。与之有关的因素有降低能耗、简化车辆 设计、进一步提高车辆装配效率、改善根据车辆驾驶者的喜好调节性能的能力，以及低于传 统的机械直控装置的成本等。 决定何时何处变道 车用计算机与路边装置的计算机功能不同。 路边设置的计算机更适用于交通管理， 如为
不同路段和车道设定限速， 通过多车道自动化设施为车辆安排不同的车道。 其目的是使各车 道的车流量保持平衡， 避免可能堵塞车道的障碍或事故。 车用计算机更适用于精确地判断在 什么时间和位置改变车道，以避免与其他车辆碰撞。 尚存的挑战 尚有许多困难有待克服。 主要是技术性难题， 但此外也有不少非技术性的挑战需要面对， 其中包括行车责任、成本以及观念等问题。 车辆的自动控制把大多数事故的责任从车辆驾驶者个人(及其保险公司)转移到设计者、研制 者以及车辆和道路控制系统的经销商身上。 如果这一系统的确比当今的车辆驾驶者一车辆一 公路系统安全， 总体责任风险就会减少。 但其成本会从汽车保险金转移到自动车辆的售价或 租金，以及自动公路设施的使用费上来。 任何新技术在最初小批量供应时都相对昂贵， 以后随着产量的增长与技术的完善， 成本 就会降低。我们相信车辆自动控制技术也将遵循这一模式。从经济角度考虑，这类技术在最 初阶段或许只能应用于重型车辆(如公交车辆、货运卡车)和高级客车。(2)然而，不用多久， 其成本就能为广大车辆拥有者和驾驶者所接受， 尤其是目前不少可以应用的技术已经走向市 场，开始了批量生产。 （3）电子驾驶应用的最大障碍可能在于一种普遍的观念，认为这一技 术的应用比实际情况更困难， 更昂贵。 如果政治决策者和企业决策者认为自动驾驶过于超前， 他们就不会予以应有的关注，就不会投入资源，促使其早日为人们利用。这样的话，这一观 念就可能成为一种终将实现的预言。 重要的是，要看到，每天已有千百万人乘坐自动化车辆。大多数颇具规模的机场都有自 动控制的客车把乘客从一个航站楼转到另一个航站楼。不少城市公交线路，如巴黎、伦敦、 温哥华、里昂和里尔等，都是由全自动控制的无人驾驶车辆运行的，有些已运行了十多年。 现代商用飞机大多时间是由自动驾驶仪操纵的， 在装备完善的机场， 这些飞机一向在自动控 制指挥下着陆。 (4) 考虑到所有这些安全运用自动化交通运输系统的经验，开发由自动控制操纵的公路车辆 算不上什么大的飞跃。 这应该是未来十年中的一个现实目标， 交通运输系统也就会大大得益 于信息技术革命。 第三单元 求职面试 课文 B 韩素音 1917 年生于北京。她父亲是中国铁路工程师，母亲是位荷兰女子。她是医生， 也是作家，著述颇丰，其中包括《尘世的花》 。此书讲述了作者及其家庭在国内外的经历。 下述节录描写了作者在上世纪 30 年代初第一次找工作的经历。 尘世的花 韩素音 遇见希尔达的第二天，我就给洛克菲勒基金会写信申请工作。 (1) 父母亲都觉得我不会被录用。 “你要有后台才行。那可是一家美国机构，洛克菲勒基金 会。你一定要有后台。 ” 母亲说： “那里，他们在狗和人身上做各种试验。南京政府所有的头面人物也都来这里看病， 有时还带走个护士做姨太太。 ” 在医院里当打字员， 对我挺合适。 那样我就能了解一些医学知识， 这很重要， 因为我想学医。 家里没钱供我上学，所以我得挣钱，自己想办法上医学院。我已经发现女隐修会学校的教育 远远不够，要想上大学，自己至少得再努力三年才行。科学、物理、数学、中国文学、古典
文学……就凭我学的那么点儿功课，要上大学还得准备好多年。 “我要上大学， ”可是，咬牙切齿痛下决心是无济于事的；家里没钱，根本没钱，母亲 说的，整天这么说，让我觉得自己吃的每一小口东西仿佛都是从父亲身上撕下来的。 “你在 家里闲着不做事，谁来供养你。 ”(2)当然，不工作就没有饭吃，除非嫁人，那叫做“终于有 了归宿。 ”可论我的长相一辈子嫁不出去；我太瘦小，嘴快人丑。母亲这么说。大哥这么说 过。人人都觉得我该找事干，因为嫁人我是没指望了。 不到一个星期，回信就来了。早上送信的邮差送来的，我正喝着加奶咖啡，一下子给呛 着了。 “我要去面试。在北京协和医学院。审计主任的办公室。 ” 父母亲都挺高兴。母亲放下咖啡壶，取过信。 “多好的纸，这么厚实。 ”可我们怎么才能 掩饰我还不到 15 足岁的事实呢?我在信里说自己 16 岁。其实，爸爸说，这也不是撒谎，因 为中国人生下来就是 1 岁，要是到了新年再加 1 岁，就像广东人和客家人那样，他们第一次 过新年就 2 岁了(所以说 12 月 31 日生的孩子到了 1 月 2 日就已经 2 岁了)，那么我可以说自 己 16 岁了。 “你看上去有 16 岁， ”妈妈说。 “你只要别再蹦蹦跳跳的、别再掐脸上的粉刺就行了。 还有就是把裙子放放长。 ” 我该穿哪件衣服呢?我有两套校服，一套绿的和一套褐色的女服，还有一条缀着三排花 边的女服，是过节穿的，穿着去面试太花哨了。我也没什么鞋，只有学校发的平跟鞋，还有 球鞋。现做是来不及了，那时又没成衣出售，所以母亲就把那套绿颜色的服装放放长。我掐 了额头上的两粒粉刺，接着去东单买了些蝴蝶牌香粉，粉红色的，是一家日本公司在上海生 产的。 第二天上午，我带着帽子，鼻子上搽了粉，跟父亲来到医院门口。 “不是这个门，这是病人走的。走另外一扇门，拐弯就是， ”看门的说。 御王府占了整整一个街区。我们绕青灰高墙走，一路听见狗在窝里尖叫，走着走着到了 另一扇大门，是行政楼的门。门前是一公一母两个大石狮子。我们穿过大理石庭院，走上正 中雕有蟠龙的台阶，来到前厅，看见精致的雕梁画栋，丹漆柱子，还有高高大大的灯台。青 石地面上铺着软木垫。 “我走了， ”爸爸说。 “注意给人留个好印象。 ”说着他就走了。 我没费周折就找到了审计主任的办公室； 厅里有个当差的给来访者作指点。 一扇开着的门， 一间屋子，屋里两台咔哒作响的打字机，两位女士卡达卡达在打字。 我站在门口，其中一位女士走上前来。 （3）她留着新式的发型，是我所喜欢的那种馒头卷发 竖立着的式样，穿着沿褶边印有花纹的裙子。由于她怀孕已快足月，所以她向我走过来时似 乎是她的肚子最先到达我面前。她微微一笑。 “你好，有事儿吗？” “我是来面试的。 ” 她从我手里接过信。 “真高兴你来了。这样吧，你先坐下。不，坐那儿。我去跟哈内德先生 说你来了。 ” 处了通走廊的门，办公室另外还有两扇门，一扇门上写着“审计主任” 。她从这扇门走进去， 一会儿又走出来。 “哈内德先生这就见你。 ” “哈内德先生高高瘦瘦，小小的秃脑袋，尖尖的下巴，那副眼镜奇大。我一下子害怕得哆嗦 起来。他的脑袋就像是山顶上的庙宇，就像北海公园山上的白塔。他说了些什么我一句也没 挺进．可我手里拿着纸和笔，我怎么办呢。哈内德在给我口授着什么，让我做速记的速度测 试。 我走出他的办公室，那个怀孕的秘书让我在她的打字机前坐下。我愁眉苦脸地对她说： “我 没听清。 他说的我没听清……”
“别急，我去跟他说。 ”她匆匆走开去。另一张桌子前坐着的是一个苗条的金发姑娘，她看 了我一眼，接着又咔嗒咔嗒打字了。怀孕的那位回来了，手里拿着一张粉红色的纸： “你就 把这打一份，尽你最大努力吧。 ” 我快速击打着字键；打字机的牌子跟我自己那台一样，是皇家牌的。 “哟，你打得真够快的。我要去跟哈内德先生说。 ” 哈内德先生走了出来，他戴着那副奇大的有色眼镜，看上去和颜悦色。 “行，周小姐，我决 定聘用你当打字员，一个月 35 美元。星期一开始上班。行吗?” 我点了点头，话都说不出来。他即使说 10 美元我也会答应。 那位好心的秘书说： “好了，别着急，擦擦脸。对了，你多大了?” “16，快 16 了。 ” “才 16？瞧，我的大闺女都比你大，她还没毕业哪。(4)我跟哈内德先生说了，你刚才是因 为害羞不安而没法做记录的。他挺不错的，只要慢慢习惯起来就行了。 ” “我听不懂他说的英语。 ” “嗯，你会习惯的。好了，星期一我不来了，我要生孩子了。是你的信引起了他们对你的兴 趣，你的英文写的真好，写得比我们收到的其它的信都好。哈内德先生要试试你。 ”她压低 了声音说： “我帮你说了好话。 ” “谢谢，多谢了，……我需要钱，我……” “是啊，孩子，我们明白。 ”显然她想坐回到自己的椅子里，回到打字机前。可我还坐在那 张椅子上呢。 “好了，再见了；但愿你喜欢这活儿。我在这儿干了六个月了，一直干得挺开 心。别因为怕哈内德先生而发愁；他人真的挺好，只要你习惯了就行了。 ” 我有工作了，有工作了，有工作了。 第四单元 多元文化社会 课文 B 美国吸引世界各国的人去它那里。这就导致了不同生活方式的交融，对此不少美国 人感到不安。伊什梅尔?里德却认为，这种不同习俗的糅合既不是新事物，也不是什么 威胁。相反，这正是典型的美国风格。 美国的特色是什么? 伊什梅尔?里德 1983 年 6 月 23 日《纽约时报》的一则报道： “在昨天举行的每年一度的下东区犹太节 上，一位华裔女子在越南杂货店前吃着比萨。在她身边，一个说西班牙语的家庭正在光顾一 辆小推车，车上有两块牌子，写着： ‘意大利冰淇淋’和‘阿尔帕拉比犹太食品’” 。 1983 年阵亡将士纪念日的前一天，一位诗人在电话里向我描述了他刚刚去过的一个城 市。他说该市某处有不少清真寺，都是当地酌伊斯兰教信徒建造的。他说，该城共住有 4 万西班牙裔美国人， 其中许多人前来参加了他的诗歌朗诵会。 他说的不是坐落在世界某个神 秘地方的充满传奇色彩的城市。他去的城市是底特律。 几个月前我去得克萨斯， 在达拉斯机场里听见指引乘客上联运飞机的广播分别用西班牙 语和英语播报航班信息。(1)这一潮流可能持续下去，别忘了，在像得克萨斯这样的西南部 的一些州，墨西哥裔美国人是目前最大的少数民族，西班牙语是首选的书面语言，而西班牙 风格也一直存在于西部生活中。 得克萨斯之行后不久， 我坐在位于密尔沃基市的威斯康星大学的校园礼堂里， 一位耶鲁大学 教授——他那些论述非洲文化对美洲文化所产生的影响的有独到见解的著作致使他遭到某
些知识界人士的摈弃——如同旧时南方福音传道士那样， 在过道上走过来走过去， 手舞足蹈， 还拍击讲桌桌面， 在一些对他的表演报以喝彩鼓掌的非洲裔美国知识分子和艺术家前阐述着 自己的观点。这位教授是白人。讲座之后，他与‘群全都说约鲁巴语的密尔沃基人交谈，但 只有这位教授真正去过非洲。 当地一位艺术家告诉我， 他的一些含有非洲和美国黑人神话中的象征和意象的画作悬挂 在当地一家麦当劳快餐店里。 第二天我去了那家麦当劳快餐店， 拍下了一些坐在画下吃汉堡 包的面带微笑的青年人， 那些画挂在美国任何一家著名博物馆里都会增光添彩。 麦当劳的经 理对我说： “我不知道你们这是在干什么，不过我觉得挺好， ”是他允许当地画家把他们的作 品拿到店里展示。 这种文化风格模糊化的现象在美国的日常生活中屡见不鲜， 远远超出人们的想象。 然而， 当今美国教育文化界的特权分子仍紧抱着固有的观念， 认为美国属于某种定义模糊的他们称 之为“西方文明”的实体，他们所指的想必就是由欧洲人创造的文明，仿佛欧洲可以被视为 完全不受世界其它地区影响似的。 借用了土耳其进行曲的贝多芬第九交响曲是不是西方文明 的一部分?19 世纪末和 20 世纪的法国绘画呢?那些画的创作者可都是深受日本艺术影响的。 那些立体主义画家呢?通过他们，非洲艺术的影响改变了现代绘画。还有那些超现实主义艺 术家呢?他们为太平洋西北部的印第安艺术所深深打动，于是在他们所绘的北美地图上，阿 拉斯加使得其它 48 州显得很小。 经常被流亡中的拥护沙皇的持不同政见者指责为采用 “西方” 方式的俄罗斯人是不是西 方文明的成员?千百万祖先为非洲黑人和亚洲人的欧洲人呢，数百年来一直生活在一些欧洲 国家的非洲黑人呢?这些“欧洲人”是不是西方文明的一部分?还有祖辈居住在乌拉尔山脉彼 侧一个叫做大马扎尔的地方的匈牙利人呢?还有来自伊比利亚半岛的爱尔兰人呢? 就连因为我们的“政体”源自欧洲，所以北美是西方文明的一部分这一观念也遭到了美 国本土历史学家的质疑。他们声称，事实上那些开国元勋，尤其是本杰明?弗兰克林，受到 易洛魁族人在欧洲人到来前几百年就已采用的政体的影响。 (2)这样一来，由于人类试图将从狭小屏幕观察政治文化现实得出的看法强加于错综复 杂的世界， 西方文明就成为又一个令人困惑的范畴——就像第三世界或者犹太教和基督教共 有文化那样。(3) 我们知名度最高的小说家最近声称，西方文明是人类最伟大的成就——这 种态度在平民百姓中也有市场，只要看看公共厕所里的涂鸦就知道了： “白人权力”“黑鬼 、 和西班牙佬可恶”“希特勒是预言家” 、 。此类带给我们的国民生活如此深重的苦难和绝望、 甚至玷污了我们最辉煌成就的态度是如何出现的?这种态度导致了日裔美国公民在第二次世 界大战期间遭受拘禁，导致了墨西哥裔和华裔美国人遭受迫害，致使印第安人几乎被灭绝， 致使成千上万的非洲裔美国人被谋杀，被以私刑处死。 在我们的教材中，新英格兰的清教徒被理想化地描述为最早的美国人， “吃苦耐劳的一 批人” ，他们严格的行为准则把森林夷为平地，给新世界(一个令美国本土历史学家们耿耿于 怀的名称)带来了秩序。他们勤勉尽责，正是他们那“扬基式的机灵”和务实精神创立了职 业道德。 然而，那些清教徒生性也有卑劣的一面。他们憎恶戏剧演出，禁止圣诞节庆。他们惨无 人道地惩罚他人。 他们处死违抗父母旨意的孩子。 他们把教会自己如何在一个陌生的世界生 存的印第安人屠杀殆尽。(4) 从清教徒那里遗传下来的勤奋和境遇打算促成了一个伟大的工 业社会的建立， 但是还有另一面——那就是这个社会对待那些上帝选民以外的人的奇诡可怕 的态度。 那些早期的上帝选民们的文化观念在美国的日常生活中继续被传扬； 一所著名大学的校 长给《时代周刊》写信，贬低非洲文明研究的意义；电视网为一档有关梵蒂冈艺术的节目做 宣传时夸耀说，这一艺术代表了“人类精神最优秀的成就。 ”
一天晚上， 当我听到一位教师大谈国外课程侵入美国教育体系的威胁时， 我真想对着电 视机大喝一声： “女士， 它们已经来了。 ”侵入已然发生，因为整个世界已经涌入。来自欧洲、 非洲、亚洲的世界各地的人们从东西海岸涌入，至少已有一万年之久。在 19 世纪末和 20 世纪初，大批欧洲人来到这里，把他们的文化添进已经居住着的欧洲、非洲和亚洲移民的文 化中，近来又有数百万来自南美和加勒比海地区的移民涌入。 北美理应担负起比充当“西方文明”的储藏库更令人激奋的使命。我们可以成为世界不 同文化的交汇地。这是可能的，因为美国和加拿大与众不同：世界在此交汇。 第五单元 残忍 课文 B 那一架打得凶猛残酷，盲汉落下了一辈子残疾。可盲汉不要怜悯。他已经复仇雪耻。 一条好汉 欧内斯特?海明威 那个盲人对酒馆里不同机器发出的声响了如指掌。 我不知道他用了多久才把各种机器的声音 一一辨清，但这事儿准花了他不少时间，因为他一次只在一家酒馆做。不过他在两个镇上都 有活，他会在弗拉特先做，一直到天全黑了，?再前往杰塞普。听见有车开过来他就会在路 旁停下来，车灯照见他，有时他们会停下车来送他一程，有时则不，径直在冰冻的路面从他 旁边开过。(1) 带不带他要看车上有没有坐满，有没有女士，因为瞎子身上气味很重，尤其 在冬天。但总会有人停车让他上去，因为他是个盲人。 人人都认识他，叫他盲汉，在那一带，这是对盲人表示尊重的称呼，他干活的那家酒馆叫派 勒特。就在隔壁又是一家酒吧，也有赌博机和餐厅，店名叫做印岱克斯。这两家店名原来都 是山名，两家酒馆都不错，都有那种旧式的吧台，赌博机也都没什么两样，只不过派勒特的 菜肴可能略好一些。 盲汉可能喜欢派勒特， 因为进门就是吧台， 赌博机都沿左墙一溜儿摆放。 赌博机集中摆放，他就容易控制，不像在印岱克斯， 因为地方大，空间多， 机器四处摆放着。 这天晚上，外面冷得够呛，他进来时胡茬上还挂着冰柱，那样子看上去不太对劲。(2)连他 的臭味也冻住了，但冻住的时间不长，门一关上，他身上又发出气味了。过去我总是不忍心 看他，不过那晚我却仔细打量了他，因为我知道他总能搭上便车，我纳闷，他怎么会冻成这 样。我终于问他了。 “你从哪儿走过来的，盲汉?” “威利?索亚在铁路桥下面把俺撵下车。一直没别的车开过来，俺就一路走来了。 ” “他干嘛要让你下去走?”有人间。 “说俺身上气味重。 ” 有人玩吃角子机赢了，可没有赢多少。盲汉还是走了过去。那是台 25 分币的吃角子机，在 玩的那小伙子不很情愿地给了他一个 2 角 5 分的硬币。盲汉摸了摸硬币，然后放进衣袋。 “多谢了， ”他说。 “你准会赢。 ” 年轻人说： “那敢情好， ”说罢又投了个 2 角 5 分的硬币进去，再往下拉了一下。 他又赢了，可这次赢了不少。他捞起大把大把 2 角 5 分的硬币，给了盲汉一个。 “多谢， ”盲汉说， “打得不错。 ” “今晚咱运气好， ”正在玩的年轻人说。 (3)“你走运，俺沾光， ”盲汉说。年轻人继续在玩，可不再像刚才那样赢钱；占在他旁边的 瞎子气味实在难闻，样子又那么惹人厌烦，年轻人终于歇手不玩了，向酒吧间走去。 “你想喝什么，汤姆?”名叫弗兰克的酒吧间侍者问我。 “酒店请客。 ” “我想回去了。 ”
“那就先喝上一杯吧。 ” 弗兰克问年轻人要喝什么，年轻人要了同样的酒。是老林务员威±忌。 我朝他点点头，举起酒杯，两人都呷了一口。盲汉站在那排赌博机的最尽头。我想，他这是 估摸着要是见他在门口，没人会进来。这倒不是他怕难为情。 “那个人是怎么失明的?”那年轻人问我 “打架闹的， ”弗兰克告诉他。 “我不清楚， ”我对他说。 “他打架?”陌生人说。他摇摇头。 “是啊， ”弗兰克说。 “他那尖嗓子也是那一架给打出来的。跟他说说，汤姆。 ” “我从来没听说过。 ” “对了。你是不会知道的， ”弗兰克说。 “当然不知道。我想那时你还没来这儿。先生，那天 晚上差不多就跟今晚一样冷。可能更冷些。那一架打得快。我没见到是怎么打起来的。只看 到他们从印岱克斯的门里扭打出来。布兰奇，如今叫盲汉了，还有那个叫威利’?索亚的家 伙，两人又打又踢，又抓又咬，我看到布兰奇的一个眼珠掉了出来挂在脸上。两人在冰冻的 路面上打，路旁都堆着雪，这扇门里，还有印岱克斯店门里透出灯光，霍利斯?桑兹就站在 威利?索亚的身后，威利?索亚正要挖那个眼珠，霍利斯不停地嚷嚷着： ‘咬下来!咬下来，就 当是个葡萄!’布兰奇咬进威利?索亚的脸，狠狠一咬，猛地咬下一块，接着又大咬一口，两 人都倒在冰上，威利?索亚掐他的眼睛，逼他松手，就在这时，布兰奇惨叫一声，没听见过 叫得那么怕人的。比杀猪叫还吓人。 ” 这时盲汉已经走到我们对面，我们闻到他身上的气味，便转过身去。 “ ‘咬下来， 就当是个葡萄，’他尖声说，一边看着我们，一边摇头晃脑。 ” “那是左眼珠。 他连声警告也没有就把另一只也咬下了。俺什么也看不见了，他却狠命踩俺。那才叫惨哪。 ” 他拍了拍自己。 “那时俺可真能打架， ”他说。 “可俺还没明白过来是怎么回事他就咬着我眼珠了。他下 手下得巧。唉， ”布兰奇说着，不带一点敌意。 “这下俺打架的日子也就到头了。 ” “给布兰奇宋杯酒， ”我吩咐弗兰克。 “叫俺盲汉，汤姆。这个名字是俺打架打出来的。你都亲眼见到的。就是今晚把俺扔在 路上的那个小子。咬眼珠的那个小子。俺两个一直就没和好。 ” “你拿他怎么了?”陌生人问。 “啊，你会在附近见到他的， ”盲汉说。 “你一见到他就会认出他。俺要让你见了觉得出 乎意料。 ” “你见了他会害怕的， ”我跟陌生人说。 “要知道，就为了这，有时俺也希望有双眼睛能亲眼瞧瞧。 ”盲汉说。 “俺只想好好瞧他一 眼。 ” “你知道他现在的模样， ”弗兰克对他说。 “有次你走上去摸过他的脸。 ” “今晚俺又摸了一次， ”盲汉得意地说。 “就为这他把俺给撵下了车。他一点玩笑都开不起。 (4) 俺对他说，今晚这么冷，他应当穿得暖暖的，这样他脸庞里边就不会着凉感冒了。他压 根儿没觉得这话挺逗。你知道威利?索亚成不了汉子。 ” “布兰奇，喝一杯，不收钱， ”弗兰克说。 “我不能开车送你回家，因为我就住在路的那 头不过你可以在屋子后边睡。 ” “你真好，弗兰克。可别叫俺布兰奇。俺不再是什么布兰奇。俺叫盲汉。 ” ， “喝，盲汉。 ” “喝，老兄， ”盲汉说。他伸出手来摸到了杯子，很准地对着我们三人举杯。 “威利?索亚那小子， ”他说。 “没准一个人呆在家里呢。威利?索亚那小子一点儿不会取乐。 ”
第六单元 生活节奏 课文 B 好了，承认吧—称就喜欢忙得团团转。 人在快车道 詹姆斯?格利克 我们东奔西忙。我们急急匆匆。时间紧迫是我们许多人的生活特点。时间利用研究者环 顾四周，只见人人忙乱，处处步履匆匆。有时文明就像是“一个被踩瘪的大蚁冢” ，约翰. P? 罗宾逊和杰弗里?戈德比在《生活时间》一书中写道。 (1)即时行为主宰着一切。人们发表政治演说时，听众尚未形成看法，民意调查人员就 利用电子装置进行当场测定；快餐店增设了快速通道。甚至给孩子念故事也得赶时间。 《一 分钟临睡前的故事》一书收的都是让忙碌的家长仅用一分钟就能讲完的老故事。 许多场所和物件都表明人们有急躁情绪。 电梯里的关门按钮常常起心理安慰作用， 让那 些连 10 秒钟都觉得漫长难捱的乘梯人分散注意力。还有电话机的快拨键。还有可使影片和 电视广告快速播放的遥控器。 时间之神温雅从容，索福克勒斯如是说。他那时或许如此。当今社会时间扬鞭催人。(2) 我们人类选择了速度， 凭借着速度而繁荣兴旺——其程度超过人们所普通承认的那样。 我们 块节奏工作、娱乐的本领赋予我们力量。我们为此兴奋不已。 如果匆忙是加速器的踏板，一心多用就是超速档。如今，完全可能做到边开车边吃东西边听 录音书籍边打电话——要是你敢这么做。纽约的大卫?费尔德曼把用洁牙线清洁牙缝安排在 日常浏览网上讨论之时。他已经学会用小手指敲击下行键。伦敦的迈克?霍尔德内斯看带字 幕的电视节目， 这样他就能把音量调低到听不见， 好欣赏自己喜欢的与电视节目无关的音乐。 有一整套的技术专门用来促进一心多用。如汽车电话。如健身器材上的搁书架。如防水的淋 浴间收音机。 不久以前， 对大多数人而言， 听收音机是一项单一的活动。 如今极少有人在听收音机时， 别的什么也不干。 就连我们生活中占据重要地位的电视机也失去了控制力。 在许多家庭里， 电视机就一直 开着，如同一个发出噪声的灯泡，人们在其微弱的闪光里日复一日地过着他们的家庭生活。 (3)脑海中充斥的这种种并行不悖的情况带来的是一种幸福感。每次我们都宁可大干一 番而不愿厌倦懈怠。 “人类从未，也用于不会选择放慢速度， ”历史学家斯蒂芬. 克恩说。 我们染上了狂热——感觉竟然还不错。我们生活在忙乱中。 “程度已经如此严重，我的 生活排满了各种各样的活动，感觉就像是在进行奥运会耐力项目比赛：每日马拉松赛， ”杰 伊?沃加斯泼在《读者》上坦言。 当然，并非人人同染此病。(4)如果你奔忙不停，很可能你是奔忙在由技术所驱动的社 会中。社会学家也发现，富裕程度和教育程度的提高带来时间的紧迫感。我们认为自己时间 太少。 难怪美国一位电信公司经理伊凡?塞登伯格拿子虚乌有、 用户们却似乎颇为心仪的 “一 天变两天”程序开玩笑：‘一天变两天’运用先进的时间安排、压缩技术，使你天天拥有 “ 48 小时。时间比较多了，该程序就不很稳定，你会面临时间崩溃的危险，从有时间起到当 前所有的一切都会倾倒在你身旁，把你吞入一个暂时不起作用的时区。 ” 我们的文化把时间看做可囤积、 保护之物。 省时是众多书籍的主题， 《提高生活效率》 如 、 《悠着点》 、 《我的一天不止 24 小时》 商人预见到我们一心省时的欲望， 。 于是推出快速烤炉、 快速回放装置、快速冷冻以及快速贷款作为应对。 我们有那么多“节省时间”的方法，可省时这个概念真正意味着什么呢?省时是否意味
着做得更多?如果是这样，那么在海滩用手机通话是节省还是浪费时间?如果你有两个选择： 乘坐 30 分钟火车，其间你可以看书；开车 20 分钟，其间你不能看书。那开车是否算是省下 10 分钟而阅读却少了 10 分钟? 这些问题并没有答案。它们取决于一个很不明确的概念，即省时这一观念。有人说，初 看我们是想节省时间，而实际上我们不过是想多做些事，而且要做得更快。也许，最简单的 是要认识到，时间就在这儿，我们可以选择如何花时间，如何节约时间，如何利用时间，如 何填补时间。 时间不是我们遗失的东西。时间不是我们曾拥有的东西。我们生活在时间之中。 第七单元 恐怖主义 课文 B 美国在对纽约和华盛顿遭受恐怖袭击作出反应之时，便进入了一种新型的战争 种在暗中进行的战争。 走向隐密 马克. 霍森鲍尔 迈克尔. 赫什 罗恩. 莫罗 那是一次寻常的飞越大西洋的航班： 整整 9 个小时头不停地在靠垫上移来移去， 想枕得 舒服些，小屏幕上首轮影片的无声镜头抖动着，多得无法消化的淀粉食物及饮料。5 月 8 日 上午， 在从苏黎世飞往芝加哥的客机上， 乘坐瑞士国际航空公司第 8 次航班的乘客没有丝毫 异样感觉。当然，他们不知道，就在睡眼惺忪之际，自己竟处在了一场正在进行的全球战争 的第一线。然而，机组人员是知道的。 他们接到警报， 一个重要的恐怖分子嫌犯预定乘坐这架班机。 散坐在近旁座位上那些高 度警觉的人是知道的：那是一小队联邦调查局的特工人员和另一队瑞士特别部队的突击队 员，他们被精心安排在嫌犯四周，密切监视其一举一动。整整 9 个小时。 (1)这一空中监控是针对一个叫何塞. 帕迪拉，又名阿伯杜拉. 阿勒. 穆哈季尔的人，一 个布鲁克林出生的街头流氓，调查人员认定他是潜在的基地组织的恐怖分子。一个月内，他 诡密地出没在卡拉奇、苏黎世、开罗等城市，后又在苏黎世现身——这种在国际城市间飞来 飞去的情况， 我们常与基地组织的阴谋联系在一起——美国当局相信帕迪拉是要回国制造混 乱，也可能仅仅是在寻找袭击目标。帕迪拉是国外恐怖组织的成员，塔利班去年底垮台后， 他跟随本?拉登的高级副手阿 L?祖巴伊达逃至巴基斯坦。(2)根据 3 月底在巴基斯坦被捕，并 在一个高度机密的地点受到长时间严刑审讯的祖巴伊达提供的情况， 当局近来将一组极其惊 人的新情况联系在一起： 他们将帕迪拉的名字与祖巴伊达含糊提到的一项可能以华盛顿为攻 击目标的脏弹计划联系在一起。即便如此，联邦调查局仍算侥幸。虽然帕迪拉自 3 月以来就 引起了他们的注意， 美国情报官员说他们直到他起程之后的几个星期里才意识到他是多么危 险，在一个多月的时间内，他们不知道他的确切行踪。直到在对成千上万个前往美国的乘客 的旅行路线进行最后一刻检查时才找到了帕迪拉的名字——这时离他登上前往芝加哥的班 机不到 48 小时。 于是联邦调查局炸弹及危险物品专家被派往奥海厄机场等候帕迪拉的到来。 不过像整个 飞行过程一样，下午 1：30 飞机在奥海厄国际机场降落时波澜不惊。一进汽车，帕迪拉就被 风驰电掣般地押送至坐落在曼哈顿的大都会拘留中心，即距 9?11 事件现场仅几个街区之遥 的高层联邦监狱。 隐密的战争 帕迪拉被悄悄抓获是迄今最好的证据，说明反基地组织的战争进入了一个崭新的阶段。
如果说战争开始时颇具戏剧性，如飞机撞入高楼、塔利班逃离阿富汗，那么现在战争主要在 地下进行——参与作战的是恐怖主义分子、间谍、准军事部队成员以及联邦调查局人员。尸 我们必须向敌人发起进攻，挫?败其计划，在最可怕的威胁出现之前就勇敢地面对它们， ”几 个星期前布什对西点军校的毕业生说。 许多评论员认为， 他指的是要对伊拉克那样未来的敌 人进行先发制人的打击。 但布什同时重新强调秘密行动， 这引起了对公民自由权利的新的关 注。美国将在多大程度上转而采取警察国家的策略?“我们不应该自己欺骗自己。这并非防 御方针， ”前中央情报局行动处副处长杰克?迪瓦恩说。 “如果我们封锁港口，他们可以从格 兰德河， 或加拿大进入。 事实是， [有了新成立的国土安全局]我们的防御能力也许会提高 7％ 到 10％。我们最好的希望还是主动追逐并摧毁恐怖组织。 ” 帕迪拉的真正计划是什么，这个计划已经执行到什么程度?他正在接受的没完没了的审 讯或许会告诉我们。 奥海厄机场的美国官员没有做——但很想一试——的是， 帕迪拉一下飞 机就跟踪他，看他与谁接头。(3)然而，由于因其他嫌犯成功逃逸——主要指那些 9?11 的劫 机者——而受到一连串批评的联邦调查局，这时已十分紧张，认定帕迪拉太危险，不愿再冒 丢失的风险。美国官员说，结果，他们根本不知道帕迪拉到底是单枪匹马，还是在美国有一 伙同党。如果在全国搜查同党的话，那也无异于大海捞针。这一切都突出地反映了进行秘密 战争的主要难题：胜负难定。 有时连联邦调查局调查员也不知道目标在何处， 这对华盛顿情报合作的新精神而言并非 好的预兆。就在帕迪拉搭乘的班机起飞前，华盛顿的一些美国情报官员非常震惊，因为他们 注意到， 一大批瑞士及美国乘客在起飞前最后一刻订了同一次航班的票： 过了一些时间这些 分析家才接到消息， 这些临时乘客正是跟踪嫌犯的瑞士和联邦调查局工作小组。 甚至连白宫、 五角大楼和司法部也对帕迪拉究竟会构成什么威胁存在意见分歧。当司法部长约翰?阿什克 劳夫特矜持地宣布帕迪拉正在策划放射性炸弹袭击时， 白宫的官员在私下里嗤之以鼻： 副国 防部长保罗?沃尔福威茨反驳说，所谓“策划”主要的还只是传闻。 其他令人不安的迹象表明， 恐怖活动可能比美国战术所能遏制的要棘手。 上周晚些时候， 联邦调查局特工在追查来自加拿大情报部门的一个警报， 基地活动分子可能要袭击本月下旬 在加拿大举行的八国峰会。上周五，在卡拉奇的美国领事馆，设防的大楼警卫队队部遭受汽 车炸弹的袭击，造成至少 11 人死亡。这次袭击与 5 月份时怀疑是基地组织发起的对巴基斯 坦一辆海军汽车的袭击有着惊人的相似之处， 那次袭击造成 14 人死亡， 包括 11 名法国海军 技术人员。尚活着的疑犯溜走了。尽管在巴基斯坦开展了打击活动，各城市仍活跃着并产生 出狂热分子。在阿富汗，恐怖主义者的确不再拥有庇护所，但现在他们在因特网上组织一位 情报官员所谓的“虚拟培训营” 。执法当局说，在最近两个月，美国一个因特网聊天室的参 与者一直在发狂似地交谈， 很明显要计划袭击美国。 至少有一个参与聊天的人被问到会不会 说西班牙语， 因为招募恐怖分子的人在找长得像南美人、 会说西班牙语的阿拉伯人或其他穆 斯林，以便让他们“渗入美国” 。(4) 今天我们所能肯定的仅仅是，他们损失了一个新成员 何塞. 帕迪拉。
第八单元 旅游 课文 B 索尔?贝娄描述了自己对伊利诺伊看似无边无际的玉米地的印象。 伊利诺伊之旅
索尔?贝娄 伊利诺伊的地貌平平常常，没有引人注目之处。平坦的地势，初初看来单调乏味。道路 宽阔坚实，毫无损毁，有时遥看有个不深的凹陷，可差不多全是那么平坦，你禁不住以为地 球实际上是平的。从东到西，从西到东，旅人飞快地驶过茫茫大草原，驶向苍茫天际，穿过 一望无际的玉米地：高不可测的苍穹，硕大的云朵，老是几乎平淡无奇、千篇一律。你很难 缓慢地行驶。被古冰川挤压得平平坦坦的无尽长路诱使你加快车速。汽车渐行渐远，你这才 开始逐步意识到自己正穿行在北美大陆的底部，地势最低之处，既低又平坦，这时一种亟欲 行进、急着想超车的焦躁情绪在心头滋生。 (1) 连绵不断的大草原徐徐起伏，有时会让你觉得有什么东西正在生成，或是即刻有伟力释 放，某种力，一如米开朗琪罗的奴隶雕像只浮现半个身形。可以想象，擅长构筑土墩的印第 安人相信人的死而复生会与某种类似的释放同时发生， 所以他们在建造墓茔时模仿离去的冰 川积下的低矮冰碛。然而，他们迄今未能复苏，仍掩埋在泥土中。他们留下了自己的尸骸、 燧石、 壶罐、 地名和部落名， 此外就没留下什么， 除了白人后继者的意识中并不清晰的污痕。 伊利诺伊大草原上，土壤肥沃、丰产而深厚。春耕之后，泥土油亮乌黑，像是被遍布全 州的大矿脉里松软的烟煤染过似的。 田野上你常常看到一种小型翻卸车， 一种样子滑稽的抽 油用的装置，就像飞奔中马匹的颈部上下抖动……(2)沿途耸立着形似蒙古包的铁皮谷仓， 它们之间的间距如同袖口的纽扣般排列得整齐划一。 里面储满了谷物。 还有升降机、 储藏罐、 卡车、 机器缓慢地行驶在田野上， 笨拙地奔走在公路上——你所见到的一切都能产生经济效 益。这块土地创造财富，这块土地储存财富，这块土地本身就是财富。 当你穿过田野时， 你见到农场主张贴的指示牌， 上面用简短的标记写明他们播下的是什 么种子。农舍通常不在路边，而是建在田野深处。那份寂寥和静谧既深沉又广大。当你穿行 在玉米田间，行驶了十里，二十里，却看不到一个活物，看不到牛看不到狗，连晴热天空下 的飞鸟也难见到，这时，突如其宋地，你会见到路旁有个发出噪声的新奇的机械装置，?或 者说是一组机械装置，那是用来剥玉米壳碾谷的。它热得烫手，不停地砰砰作响，传送带咯 嚓喀嚓地在运行…… 你一走开，这声响，这动静就倏然消失：你重新回到那份无声的灼人的寂寥之中，呼吸 颤动的空气，回到玉米田间，孤身一人…… 东南西北，四面八方的玉米地望不到边。路边、溪边都种了玉米，林子、城镇四周也都 种了玉米，玉米种满后院，甚至挤到了加油站。(3)异乡客会以为自己来到了一个创建起玉 米海洋的对玉米顶礼膜拜的民族， 或以为自己身处那些偏爱无休止地重复同样细节的人们之 中，就如同纽约、芝加哥那些摩天高楼的建造者，他们垒万砖安千窗，全都一个模样。在玉 米田间， 你可以获得平等的观念、 划一的观念、 大众民主的观念。 如果你好做这类脑力游戏， 你可以回想一下遇到荒年的约瑟夫兄弟， 想一想在这里饥馑是如何被铲除的， 过剩本身又如 何成为一种危险，政府不得不对其采取措施。 玉米地所展现的那种震撼力、那种千篇一律、浩瀚无垠的确使过去变得渺小。你不妨回 想一下那些在草地设营的小群印第安人：伊里尼人、奥塔瓦人、卡豪凯扬人、肖尼人、迈阿 密人，也不妨回想一下顺密西西比河而下、发现他们的法国耶稣会教徒。(4)当你凝神回顾 这些昔日的印第安人时，他们在近日的辉煌之前显得犹如玩偶。他们被玉米淹没，被石油淹 没，被富兰克林县的煤埋没，被火车碾过，化作了在牲畜围场近旁出没的幽灵。为他们建的 纪念碑……遍布全州，但这些不过是为今日的荣耀添彩的历史点缀……
三 : 全新版大学英语综合教程-4-课文电子书
全新版大学英语第四册课文
Unit 1 Text A The ICY Defender
Text 课文
They say that pride comes before a fall. In the case of both Napoleon and Hitler, the many victories they enjoyed led them to believe that anything was possible, that nothing could stand in their way. Russia's icy defender was to prove them wrong.
THE ICY DEFENDER
Nila B, Smith
In 1812, Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of the French, led his Grand Army into Russia. He was prepared for the fierce resistance of the Russian people defending their homeland. He was prepared for the long march across Russian soil to Moscow, the capital city. But he was not prepared for the devastating enemy that met him in Moscow — the raw, bitter, bleak Russian winter.
In 1941, Adolf Hitler, leader of Nazi Germany, launched an attack against the Soviet Union, as Russia then was called. Hitler's military might was unequaled. His war machine had mowed down resistance in most of Europe. Hitler expected a short campaign but, like Napoleon before him, was taught a painful lesson. The Russian winter again came to the aid of the Soviet soldiers.
Napoleon's Campaign
In the spring of 1812, Napoleon assembled an army of six hundred thousand men on the borders of Russia. The soldiers were well trained, efficient, and well equipped. This military force was called the Grand Army. Napoleon, confident of a quick victory, predicted the conquest of Russia in five weeks.
Shortly afterwards, Napoleon's army crossed the Neman River into Russia. The quick, decisive victory that Napoleon expected never happened. To his surprise, the Russians refused to stand and fight. Instead, they retreated eastward, burning their crops and homes as they went. The Grand Army followed, but its advance march soon became bogged down by slow-moving supply lines.
In August, the French and Russian armies engaged at Smolensk, in a battle that left over ten thousand dead on each side. Yet, the Russians were again able to retreat farther into Russian territory. Napoleon had won no decisive victory. He was now faced with a crucial decision. Should he continue to pursue the Russian army? Or should he keep his army in Smolensk for the approaching winter?
全新版大学英语综合教程4 全新版大学英语综合教程-4-课文电子书
Napoleon took the gamble of pressing on to Moscow, 448 kilometers away. On September 7,1812, the French and Russian armies met in fierce battle at Borodino, 112 kilometers west of Moscow. By nightfall, thirty thousand French and forty-four thousand Russians lay dead or wounded on the battlefield.
Again, the Russian army retreated to safety. Napoleon had a clear path to Moscow, but the occupation of the city became an empty victory. The Russians fled their capital. Soon after the French arrived, a raging fire destroyed two-thirds of the city. Napoleon offered a truce to Alexander I, but the Russian czar knew he could bide his time: "We shall let the Russian winter fight the war for us."
Napoleon soon realized he could not feed, clothe, and quarter his army in Moscow during the winter. In October 1812, he ordered his Grand Army to retreat from Moscow.
The French retreat turned into a nightmare. From fields and forests, the Russians launched hit-and-run attacks on the French. A short distance from Moscow, the temperature had already dropped to minus 4 degrees Celsius. On November 3, the winter's first snow came. Exhausted horses fell dead in their tracks. Cannon became stuck in the snow. Equipment had to be burned for fuel. Soldiers took ill and froze to death. The French soldiers dragged on, leaving the dead along every mile.
As the Russian army was gathering its strength, the French had to flee Russia to avoid certain defeat. At the Berezina River, the Russians nearly trapped the retreating French by burning the bridges over the swollen river. But Napoleon, by a stroke of luck, was able to build two new bridges. Thousands of French soldiers escaped, but at the cost of fifty thousand dead. Once across the Berezina, the tattered survivors limped toward Vilna.
Of the six hundred thousand soldiers Napoleon had led into Russia, less than one hundred thousand came back. The weakened French army continued its retreat westward across Europe. Soon, Britain, Austria, Russia, and Prussia formed a powerful alliance and attacked these stragglers. In March 1814, Paris was captured. Napoleon abdicated and went into exile, his empire at an end.
Hitler's Invasion
By early 1941, Adolf Hitler, leader of Nazi Germany, had seized control of most of Europe. To the east of Hitler's German empire was the Soviet Union. On June 22,1941, without a declaration of war, Hitler began an invasion of the Soviet Union that was the largest military land campaign in history. Confident of a quick victory, Hitler expected the campaign to last no longer than three months. He planned to use the blitzkrieg, or "lightning war," tactics that had defeated the rest of Europe. The invasion had three broad thrusts: against Leningrad and Moscow and through the Ukraine.
全新版大学英语综合教程4 全新版大学英语综合教程-4-课文电子书
Caught off guard by the invasion, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin instructed the Russian people to "scorch the earth" in front of the German invaders. Farms and factories were burned, destroyed, or rendered useless. During the first ten weeks of the invasion, the Germans pushed the front eastward, and the Russians suffered more than a million casualties.
In the north, the Germans closed in on Leningrad. Despite great suffering, however, the people of Leningrad refused to surrender. As the battle of Leningrad dragged on into winter, the city's situation became desperate. As food ran out, people died from hunger and disease. By the middle of the winter of 1941-1942, nearly four thousand people starved to death every day. Close to one million people died as a result of the siege.
In the center of Russia, Hitler's goal was the capture of Moscow. Because the Germans had anticipated a quick victory, they had made no plans for winter supplies. October arrived with heavy rains. "General Mud" slowed down the movement of the Germans' lightning attack.
As Hitler's armies drew closer and closer to Moscow, an early, severe winter settled over the Soviet Union, the harshest in years. Temperatures dropped to minus 48 degrees Celsius. Heavy snows fell. The German soldiers, completely unprepared for the Russian winter, froze in their light summer uniforms. The German tanks lay buried in the heavy snowbanks. The Russian winter brought the German offensive to a halt.
By the summer of 1942, Hitler had launched two new offensives. In the south, the Germans captured Sevastopol. Hitler then pushed east to Stalingrad, a great industrial city that stretched for 48 kilometers along the Volga River. Despite great suffering, Soviet defenders refused to give up Stalingrad.
In November 1942, the Russians launched a counterattack. With little or no shelter from the winter cold in and around Stalingrad, German troops were further weakened by a lack of food and supplies. Not until January 1943 did the Germans give up their siege. Of the three hundred thousand Germans attacking Stalingrad, only ninety thousand starving soldiers were left. The loss of the battle for Stalingrad finally turned the tide against Hitler. The German victories were over, thanks in part to the Russian winter.
During 1943 and 1944, the Soviet armies pushed the German front back toward the west. In the north, the Red Army broke the three-year siege of Leningrad with a surprise attack on January 15,1944. Within two weeks, the heroic survivors of Leningrad saw their invaders depart. By March 1944, the Ukraine farming region was again in Soviet hands. On May 9, 1944, Sevastopol was liberated from the Germans. The Russians were now heading for Berlin.
For Hitler, the invasion of the Soviet Union had turned into a military disaster. For the Russian people, it brought unspeakable suffering. The total Soviet dead in World War II reached almost 23 million.
Russia's Icy Defender
全新版大学英语综合教程4 全新版大学英语综合教程-4-课文电子书
The elements of nature must be reckoned with in any military campaign. Napoleon and Hitler both underestimated the severity of the Russian winter. Snow, ice, and freezing temperatures took their toll on both invading armies. For the Russian people, the winter was an icy defender.
Unit Two Text A Smart Cars
Text 课文
Smart cars that can see, hear, feel, smell, and talk? And drive on their own? This may sound like a dream, but the computer revolution is set to turn it into a reality.
SMART CARS
Michio Kaku
Even the automobile industry, which has remained largely unchanged for the last seventy years, is about to feel the effects of the computer revolution.
The automobile industry ranks as among the most lucrative and powerful industries of the twentieth century. There are presently 500 million cars on earth, or one car for every ten people. Sales of the automobile industry stand at about a trillion dollars, making it the world's biggest manufacturing industry.
The car, and the roads it travels on, will be revolutionized in the twenty-first century. The key to tomorrow's "smart cars" will be sensors. "We'll see vehicles and roads that see and hear and feel and smell and talk and act," predicts Bill Spreitzer, technical director of General Motors Corporation's ITS program, which is designing the smart car and road of the future.
Approximately 40,000 people are killed each year in the United States in traffic accidents. The number of people that are killed or badly injured in car accidents is so vast that we don't even bother to mention them in the newspapers anymore. Fully half of these fatalities come from drunk drivers, and many others from carelessness. A smart car could eliminate most of these car accidents. It can sense if a driver is drunk via electronic sensors that can pick up alcohol vapor in the air, and refuse to start up the engine. The car could also alert the police and provide its precise location if it is stolen.
Smart cars have already been built which can monitor one's driving and the driving conditions nearby. Small radars hidden in the bumpers can scan for nearby cars. Should you make a serious driving mistake (e.g., change lanes when there is a car in your "blind spot") the computer would sound an immediate warning.
全新版大学英语综合教程4 全新版大学英语综合教程-4-课文电子书
At the MIT Media Lab, a prototype is already being built which will determine how sleepy you are as you drive, which is especially important for long-distance truck drivers. The monotonous, almost hypnotic process of staring at the center divider for long hours is a grossly underestimated, life-threatening hazard. To eliminate this, a tiny camera hidden in the dashboard can be trained on a driver's face and eyes. If the driver's eyelids close for a certain length of time and his or her driving becomes erratic, a computer in the dashboard could alert the driver.
Two of the most frustrating things about driving a car are getting lost and getting stuck in traffic. While the computer revolution is unlikely to cure these problems, it will have a positive impact. Sensors in your car tuned to radio signals from orbiting satellites can locate your car precisely at any moment and warn of traffic jams. We already have twenty-four Navstar satellites orbiting the earth, making up what is called the Global Positioning System. They make it possible to determine your location on the earth to within about a hundred feet. At any given time, there are several GPS satellites orbiting overhead at a distance of about 11,000 miles. Each satellite contains four "atomic clocks," which vibrate at a precise frequency, according to the laws of the quantum theory.
As a satellite passes overhead, it sends out a radio signal that can be detected by a receiver in a car's computer. The car's computer can then calculate how far the satellite is by measuring how long it took for the signal to arrive. Since the speed of light is well known, any delay in receiving the satellite's signal can be converted into a distance.
In Japan there are already over a million cars with some type of navigational capability. (Some of them locate a car's position by correlating the rotations in the steering wheel to its position on a map.)
With the price of microchips dropping so drastically, future applications of GPS are virtually limitless. "The commercial industry is poised to explode," says Randy Hoffman of Magellan Systems Corp., which manufactures navigational systems. Blind individuals could use GPS sensors in walking sticks, airplanes could land by remote control, hikers will be able to locate their position in the woods — the list of potential uses is endless.
GPS is actually but part of a larger movement, called "telematics," which will eventually attempt to put smart cars on smart highways. Prototypes of such highways already exist in Europe, and experiments are being made in California to mount computer chips, sensors, and radio transmitters on highways to alert cars to traffic jams and obstructions.
On an eight-mile stretch of Interstate 15 ten miles north of San Diego, traffic engineers are installing an MIT-designed system which will introduce the "automated driver." The plan calls for computers, aided by thousands of three-inch magnetic spikes buried in the highway, to take complete control of the driving of cars on heavily trafficked roads. Cars will be bunched into groups of ten to twelve vehicles, only six feet apart, traveling in unison, and controlled by computer.
全新版大学英语综合教程4 全新版大学英语综合教程-4-课文电子书
Promoters of this computerized highway have great hopes for its future. By 2010, telematics may well be incorporated into one of the major highways in the United States. If successful, by 2020, as the price of microchips drops to below a penny a piece, telematics could be adopted in thousands of miles of highways in the United States. This could prove to be an environmental boon as well, saving fuel, reducing traffic jams, decreasing air pollution, and serving as an alternative to highway expansion.
Unit 3 Text A Get The Job You Want
Text 课文
Harvey Mackay, who runs his own company, often interviews applicants for jobs. Here he lets us into the secret of what qualities an employer is looking for, and gives four tips on what can help you to stand out from the crowd.
GET THE JOB YOU WANT
Harvey B, Mackay
I run a manufacturing company with about 350 employees, and I often do the interviewing and hiring myself. I like talking to potential salespeople, because they're our link to customers.
When a recent college graduate came into my office not too long ago looking for a sales job, I asked him what he had done to prepare for the interview. He said he'd read something about us somewhere.
Had he called anyone at Mackay Envelope Corporation to find out more about us? No. Had he called our suppliers? Our customers? No.
Had he checked with his university to see if there were any graduates working at Mackay whom he could interview? Had he asked any friends to grill him in a mock interview? Did he go to the library to find newspaper clippings on us?
Did he write a letter beforehand to tell us about himself, what he was doing to prepare for the interview and why he'd be right for the job? Was he planning to follow up the interview with another letter indicating his eagerness to join us? Would the letter be in our hands within 24 hours of the meeting, possibly even hand-delivered?
The answer to every question was the same: no. That left me with only one other question: How well prepared would this person be if he were to call on a prospective customer for us? I already knew the answer.
As I see it, there are four keys to getting hired:
全新版大学英语综合教程4 全新版大学英语综合教程-4-课文电子书
1. Prepare to win. "If you miss one day of practice, you notice the difference," the saying goes among musicians. "If you miss two days of practice, the critics notice the difference. If you miss three days of practice, the audience notices the difference."
When we watch a world-class musician or a top athlete, we don't see the years of preparation that enabled him or her to become great. The Michael Jordans of the world have talent, yes, but they're also the first ones on and the last ones off the basketball court. The same preparation applies in every form of human endeavor. If you want the job, you have to prepare to win it.
When I graduated from college, the odds were good that I would have the same job for the rest of my life. And that's how it worked out. But getting hired is no longer a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Employment experts believe that today's graduates could face as many as ten job changes during their careers.
That may sound like a lot of pressure. But if you're prepared, the pressure is on the other folks — the ones who haven't done their homework.
You won't get every job you go after. The best salespeople don't close every sale. Michael Jordan makes barely half of his field-goal attempts. But it takes no longer to prepare well for one interview than to wander in half-prepared for five. And your prospects for success will be many times better.
2. Never stop learning. Recently I played a doubles tennis match paired with a 90-year-old. I wondered how things would work out; I shouldn't have. We hammered our opponents 6-1, 6-1!
As we were switching sides to play a third set, he said to me, "Do you mind if I play the backhand court? I always like to work on my weaknesses." What a fantastic example of a person who has never stopped learning. Incidentally, we won the third set 6-1.
As we walked off the court, my 90-year-old partner chuckled and said, "I thought you'd like to know about my number-one ranking in doubles in the United States in my age bracket, 85 and up!" He wasn't thinking 90; he wasn't even thinking 85. He was thinking number one.
You can do the same if you work on your weaknesses and develop your strengths. To be able to compete, you've got to keep learning all your life.
3. Believe in yourself, even when no one else does. Do you remember the four-minute mile? Athletes had been trying to do it for hundreds of years and finally decided it was physically impossible for humans. Our bone structure was all wrong, our lung power inadequate.
Then one human proved the experts wrong. And, miracle of miracles, six weeks after Roger Bannister broke the four-minute mile, John Landy beat Bannister's time by nearly two full seconds. Since then, close to eight hundred runners have broken the four-minute mile!
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Several years ago my daughter Mimi and I took a crack at running the New York Marathon. At the gun, 23,000 runners started — and 21,244 finished. First place went to a Kenyan who completed the race in two hours, 11 minutes and one second. The 21,244th runner to finish was a Vietnam veteran. He did it in three days, nine hours and 37 minutes. With no legs, he covered 26.2 miles. After my daughter and I passed him in the first few minutes, we easily found more courage to finish ourselves.
Don't ever let anyone tell you that you can't accomplish your goals. Who says you're not tougher, harder working and more able than your competition? You see, a goal is a dream with a deadline: in writing, measurable, identifiable, attainable.
4. Find a way to make a difference. In my opinion, the majority of New York cabdrivers are unfriendly, if not downright rude. Most of the cabs are filthy, and almost all of them sport an impenetrable, bulletproof partition. But recently I jumped into a cab at LaGuardia Airport and guess what? It was clean. There was beautiful music playing and no partition.
"Park Lane Hotel, please," I said to the driver. With a broad smile, he said, "Hi, my name is Wally," and he handed me a mission statement. A mission statement! It said he would get me there safely, courteously and on time.
As we drove off, he held up a choice of newspapers and said, "Be my guest." He told me to help myself to the fruit in the basket on the back seat. He held up a cellular phone and said, "It's a dollar a minute if you'd like to make a call."
Shocked, I blurted, "How long have you been practicing this?" He answered, "Three or four years."
"I know this is prying." I said, "but how much extra money do you earn in tips?"
"Between $12,000 and $14,000 a year!" he responded proudly.
He doesn't know it, but he's my hero. He's living proof that you can always shift the odds in your favor.
My mentor, Curt Carlson, is the wealthiest man in Minnesota, owner of a hotel and travel company with sales in the neighborhood of $9 billion. I had to get to a meeting in New York one day, and Curt generously offered me a ride in his jet. It happened to be a day Minnesota was hit with one of the worst snowstorms in years. Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport was closed for the first time in decades.
Then, though the storm continued to pound us, the airport opened a runway for small craft only. As we were taxiing down it to take off, Curt turned to me and said gleefully, "Look, Harvey, no tracks in the snow!"
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Curt Carlson, 70 years old at the time, rich beyond anyone's dreams, could still sparkle with excitement about being first.
From my standpoint, that's what it's all about. Prepare to win. Never stop learning. Believe in yourself, even when no one else does. Find a way to make a difference. Then go out and make your own tracks in the snow.
Unit 4Text A America As A Collage
Text 课文
Is America going to decline like other great nations have before? The author thinks not, arguing that the type of society being created in America is quite unlike any that has gone before it. Read what he has to say and see whether you agree.
AMERICA AS A COLLAGE
Ryzsard Kapuscinski
The mere fact that America still attracts millions of people is evidence that it is not in decline. People aren't attracted to a place of decline. Signs of decline are sure to be found in a place as complex as America: debt, crime, the homeless, drugs, dropouts. But the main characteristic of America, the first and most enduring impression, is dynamism, energy, aggressiveness, forward movement.
It is so hard to think of this nation in decline when you know that there are vast regions of the planet which are absolutely paralyzed, incapable of any improvement at all.
It is difficult for me to agree with Paul Kennedy's thesis in The Rise and Fall of Great Powers that America must inevitably follow historical precedent. That's the way history used to be — all powerful nations declined and gave way to other empires. But maybe there is another way to look at what is happening. I have a sense that what is going on here concerns much more than the fate of a nation.
It may be that the Euro-centered American nation is declining as it gives way to a new Pacific civilization that will include, but not be limited to, America. Historically speaking, America may not decline, but instead fuse with the Pacific culture to create a kind of vast Pacific collage, a mix of Hispanic and Asian cultures linked through the most modern communication technologies.
Traditional history has been a history of nations. But here, for the first time since the Roman Empire, there is the possibility of creating the history of a civilization. Now is the first chance on a new basis with new technologies to create a civilization of unprecedented openness and pluralism.
A civilization of the polycentric mind. A civilization that leaves behind forever the ethnocentric,
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tribal mentality. The mentality of destruction.
Los Angeles is a premonition of this new civilization.
Linked more to the Third World and Asia than to the Europe of America's racial and cultural roots. Los Angeles and southern California will enter the twenty-first century as a multiracial and multicultural society. This is absolutely new. There is no previous example of a civilization that is being simultaneously created by so many races, nationalities, and cultures. This new type of cultural pluralism is completely unknown in the history of mankind.
America is becoming more plural every day because of the unbelievable facility of the new Third World immigrants to put a piece of their original culture inside of American culture. The notion of a "dominant" American culture is changing every moment. It is incredible coming to America to find you are somewhere else — in Seoul, in Taipei, in Mexico City. You can travel inside this Korean culture right on the streets of Los Angeles. Inhabitants of this vast city become internal tourists in the place of their own residence.
There are large communities of Laotians, Vietnamese, Cambodians, Mexicans, Salvadorans, Guatemalans, Iranians, Japanese, Koreans, Armenians, Chinese. We find here Little Taipei, Little Saigon, Little Tokyo, Koreatown, Little Central America, the Iranian neighborhood in Westwood, the Armenian community in Hollywood, and the vast Mexican-American areas of East Los Angeles. Eighty-one languages, few of them European, are spoken in the elementary school system of the city of Los Angeles.
This transformation of American culture anticipates the general trend in the composition of mankind. Ninety percent of the immigrants to this city are from the Third World. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, 90 percent of the world's population will be dark-skinned; the white race will be no more than 11 percent of all human beings living on our planet.
Something that can only be seen in America: In the landscaped, ultraclean high-technology parks of northern Orange County there is a personal computer company that seven years ago did not exist. There were only strawberry fields where the plant is. Now, there is a $500 million company with factories in Hong Kong and Taiwan as well.
The company was founded by three young immigrants — a Pakistani Muslim and two Chinese from Hong Kong. They only became citizens in 1984. Each individual is now probably worth $30 million.
Walking through this company we see only young, dark faces — Vietnamese, Cambodians, Laotians, Mexicans — and the most advanced technology. The culture of the work force is a mix of Hispanic-Catholic family values and Asian-Confucian group loyalty. Employment notices are never posted; hiring is done through the network of families that live in southern California. Not infrequently, employees ask to work an extra twenty hours a week to earn enough money to help members of their extended family buy their first home.
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In Los Angeles, traditional Third World cultures are, for the first time, fusing with the most modern mentalities and technologies.
Usually, the contact between developed and underdeveloped worlds has the character of exploitation — just taking people's labor and resources and giving them nothing. And the border between races has usually been a border of tension, of crisis. Here we see a revolution that is constructive.
This Pacific Rim civilization being created is a new relationship between development and underdevelopment. Here, there is openness. There is hope. And a future. There is a multicultural crowd. But it is not fighting. It is cooperating, peacefully competing, building. For the first time in four hundred years of relations between the nonwhite Western world and the white Western world, the general character of the relationship is cooperation and construction, not exploitation, not destruction.
Unlike any other place on the planet, Los Angeles shows us the potential of development once the Third World mentality merges with an open sense of possibility, a culture of organization, a Western conception of time.
For the destructive, paralyzed world where I have spent most of my life, it is important, simply, that such a possibility as Los Angeles exists.
To adjust the concept of time is the most difficult thing. It is a key revolution of development.
Western culture is a culture of arithmetical time. Time is organized by the clock. In non-Western culture, time is a measure between events. We arrange a meeting at nine o'clock but the man doesn't show up. We become anxious, offended. He doesn't understand our anxiety because for him, the moment he arrives is the measure of time. He is on time when he arrives.
In 1924, the Mexican philosopher Jose Vasconcelos wrote a book dreaming of the possibility that, in the future, all races on the planet would merge into one type of man. This type of man is being borne in Los Angeles, in the cultural sense if not the anthropological sense. A vast mosaic of different races, cultures, religions, and moral habits are working toward one common aim. From the perspective of a world submerged in religious, ethnic, and racial conflict, this harmonious cooperation is something unbelievable. It is truly striking.
What is the common aim that harmonizes competing cultures in one place?
It is not only the better living standard. What attracts immigrants to America is the essential characteristic of American culture: the chance to try. There is a combination of two things that are important: culture and space. The culture allows you to try to be somebody — to find yourself, your place, your status. And there is space not only in a geographical sense, but in the sense of opportunity, of social mobility. In societies that are in crisis and in societies which are stagnant —
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or even in those which are stable — there is no chance to try. You are defined in advance. Destiny has already sentenced you.
This is what unites the diverse races and cultures in America. If the immigrant to America at first fails, he always thinks, "I will try again." If he had failed in the old society, he would be discouraged and pessimistic, accepting the place that was given to him. In America, he's thinking, "I will have another chance, I will try again." That keeps him going. He's full of hope.
Unit 5 Text A A Friend in Need
Text 课文
Some people seem easy to understand: their character appears obvious on first meeting. Appearances, however, can be deceptive.
A FRIEND IN NEED
Somerset Mauqham
For thirty years now I have been studying my fellowmen. I do not know very much about them. I shrug my shoulders when people tell me that their first impressions of a person are always right. I think they must have small insight or great vanity. For my own part I find that the longer I know people the more they puzzle me.
These reflections have occurred to me because I read in this morning's paper that Edward Hyde Burton had died at Kobe. He was a merchant and he had been in business in Japan for many years. I knew him very little, but he interested me because once he gave me a great surprise. Unless I had heard the story from his own lips, I should never have believed that he was capable of such an action. It was more startling because both in appearance and manner he suggested a very definite type. Here if ever was a man all of a piece. He was a tiny little fellow, not much more than five feet four in height, and very slender, with white hair, a red face much wrinkled, and blue eyes. I suppose he was about sixty when I knew him. He was always neatly and quietly dressed in accordance with his age and station.
Though his offices were in Kobe, Burton often came down to Yokohama. I happened on one occasion to be spending a few days there, waiting for a ship, and I was introduced to him at the British Club. We played bridge together. He played a good game and a generous one. He did not talk very much, either then or later when we were having drinks, but what he said was sensible. He had a quiet, dry humor. He seemed to be popular at the club and afterwards, when he had gone, they described him as one of the best. It happened that we were both staying at the Grand Hotel and next day he asked me to dine with him. I met his wife, fat, elderly, and smiling, and his two daughters. It was evidently a united and affectionate family. I think the chief thing that struck me
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about Burton was his kindliness. There was something very pleasing in his mild blue eyes. His voice was gentle; you could not imagine that he could possibly raise it in anger; his smile was benign. Here was a man who attracted you because you felt in him a real love for his fellows. At the same time he liked his game of cards and his cocktail, he could tell with point a good and spicy story, and in his youth he had been something of an athlete. He was a rich man and he had made every penny himself. I suppose one thing that made you like him was that he was so small and frail; he aroused your instincts of protection. You felt that he could not bear to hurt a fly.
One afternoon I was sitting in the lounge of the Grand Hotel when Burton came in and seated himself in the chair next to mine.
'What do you say to a little drink?'
He clapped his hands for a boy and ordered two gin fizzes. As the boy brought them a man passed along the street outside and seeing me waved his hand.
'Do you know Turner?' said Burton as I nodded a greeting.
'I've met him at the club. I' m told he's a remittance man.'
'Yes, I believe he is. We have a good many here.'
'He plays bridge well.'
'They generally do. There was a fellow here last year, oddly enough a namesake of mine, who was the best bridge player I ever met. I suppose you never came across him in London. Lenny Burton he called himself. I believe he'd belonged to some very good clubs.'
'No, I don't believe I remember the name.'
'He was quite a remarkable player. He seemed to have an instinct about the cards. It was uncanny. I used to play with him a lot. He was in Kobe for some time.'
Burton sipped his gin fizz.
'It's rather a funny story,' he said. 'He wasn't a bad chap. I liked him. He was always well-dressed and smart-looking. He was handsome in a way with curly hair and pink-and-white cheeks. Women thought a lot of him. There was no harm in him, you know, he was only wild. Of course he drank too much. Those sort of fellows always do. A bit of money used to come on for him once a quarter and he made a bit more by card-playing. He won a good deal of mine, I know that.'
Burton gave a kindly chuckle. I knew from my own experience that he could lose money at bridge with a good grace. He stroked his shaven chin with his thin hand; the veins stood out on it
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and it was almost transparent.
'I suppose that is why he came to me when he went broke, that and the fact that he was a namesake of mine. He came to see me in my office one day and asked me for a job. I was rather surprised.' He told me that there was no more money coming from home and he wanted to work. I asked him how old he was.
"Thirty-five," he said.
'"And what have you been doing hitherto?" I asked him.
'"Well, nothing very much," he said.
'I couldn't help laughing.
'"I'm afraid I can't do anything for you just yet," I said. "Come back and see me in another thirty-five years, and I'll see what I can do."
'He didn't move. He went rather pale. He hesitated for a moment and then he told me that he had had bad luck at cards for some time. He hadn't been willing to stick to bridge, he'd been playing poker, and he'd got trimmed. He hadn't a penny. He'd pawned everything he had. He couldn't pay his hotel bill and they wouldn't give him any more credit. He was down and out. If he couldn't get something to do he'd have to commit suicide.
'I looked at him for a bit. I could see now that he was all to pieces. He'd been drinking more than usual and he looked fifty. The girls wouldn't have thought so much of him if they'd seen him then.
'"Well isn't there anything you can do except play cards?" I asked him.
'"I can swim," he said.
'"Swim!"
'I could hardly believe my ears; it seemed such an insane answer to give.
'"I swam for my university."
'I got some glimmering of what he was driving at. I've known too many men who were little tin gods at their university to be impressed by it.
'"I was a pretty good swimmer myself when I was a young man," I said.
'Suddenly I had an idea.'
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Pausing in his story, Burton turned to me.
'Do you know Kobe?' he asked.
'No,' I said, 'I passed through it once, but I only spent a night there.'
'Then you don't know the Shioya Club. When I was a young man I swam from there round the beacon and landed at the creek of Tarumi. It's over three miles and it's rather difficult on account of the currents round the beacon. Well, I told my young namesake about it and I said to him that if he'd do it I'd give him a job.
'I could see he was rather taken aback.
'"You say you're a swimmer," I said.
"I'm not in very good condition," he answered.
'I didn't say anything. I shrugged my shoulders. He looked at me for a moment and then he nodded.
'"All right," he said. "When do you want me to do it?"
'I looked at my watch. It was just after ten.
"The swim shouldn't take you much over an hour and a quarter. I'll drive round to the creek at half past twelve and meet you. I'll take you back to the club to dress and then we'll have lunch together."
'"Done," he said.
'We shook hands. I wished him good luck and he left me. I had a lot of work to do that morning and I only just managed to get to the creek at Tarumi at half past twelve. But I needn't have hurried; he never turned up.'
'Did he funk it at the last moment?' I asked.
'No, he didn't funk it. He started all right. But of course he'd ruined his constitution by drink and dissipation. The currents round the beacon were more than he could manage. We didn't get the body for about three days.'
I didn't say anything for a moment or two. I was a trifle shocked. Then I asked Burton a question.
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'When you made him that offer of a job, did you know he'd be drowned?'
He gave a little mild chuckle and he looked at me with those kind and candid blue eyes of his. He rubbed his chin with his hand.
'Well, I hadn't got a vacancy in my office at the moment.'
Unit 6 Text A OLD Father Time Becomes A Terror
Text 课文
As the pace of life in today's world grows ever faster, we seem forever on the go. With so much to do and so little time to do it in, how are we to cope? Richard Tomkins sets about untangling the problem and comes up with an answer.
OLD FATHER TIME BECOMES A TERROR
Richard Tomkins
Once upon a time, technology, we thought, would make our lives easier. Machines were expected to do our work for us, leaving us with ever-increasing quantities of time to waste away on idleness and pleasure.
But instead of liberating us, technology has enslaved us. Innovations are occurring at a bewildering rate: as many now arrive in a year as once arrived in a millennium. And as each invention arrives, it eats further into our time.
The motorcar, for example, promised unimaginable levels of personal mobility. But now, traffic in cities moves more slowly than it did in the days of the horse-drawn carriage, and we waste our lives stuck in traffic jams.
The aircraft promised new horizons, too. The trouble is, it delivered them. Its very existence created a demand for time-consuming journeys that we would never previously have dreamed of undertaking — the transatlantic shopping expedition, for example, or the trip to a convention on the other side of the world.
In most cases, technology has not saved time, but enabled us to do more things, in the home, washing machines promised to free women from having to toil over the laundry. In reality, they encouraged us to change our clothes daily instead of weekly, creating seven times as much washing and ironing. Similarly, the weekly bath has been replaced by the daily shower, multiplying the hours spent on personal grooming.
Meanwhile, technology has not only allowed work to spread into our leisure time — the laptop-on-the-beach syndrome — but added the new burden of dealing with faxes, e-mails and
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voicemails. It has also provided us with the opportunity to spend hours fixing software glitches on our personal computers or filling our heads with useless information from the Internet.
Technology apart, the Internet points the way to a second reason why we feel so time-pressed: the information explosion.
A couple of centuries ago, nearly all the world's accumulated learning could be contained in the heads of a few philosophers. Today, those heads could not hope to accommodate more than a tiny fraction of the information generated in a single day.
News, facts and opinions pour in from every corner of the world. The television set offers 150 channels. There are millions of Internet sites. Magazines, books and CD-ROMs proliferate.
"In the whole world of scholarship, there were only a handful of scientific journals in the 18th century, and the publication of a book was an event," says Edward Wilson, honorary curator in entomology at Harvard University's museum of comparative zoology. "Now, I find myself subscribing to 60 or 70 journals or magazines just to keep me up with what amounts to a minute proportion of the expanding frontiers of scholarship."
There is another reason for our increased time stress levels, too: rising prosperity. As ever-larger quantities of goods and services are produced, they have to be consumed. Driven on by advertising, we do our best to oblige: we buy more, travel more and play more, but we struggle to keep up. So we suffer from what Wilson calls discontent with super abundance — the confusion of endless choice.
Of course, not everyone is overstressed. "It's a convenient shorthand to say we're all time-starved, but we have to remember that it only applies to, say, half the population," says Michael Willmott, director of the Future Foundation, a London research company.
"You've got people retiring early, you've got the unemployed, you've got other people maybe only peripherally involved in the economy who don't have this situation at all. If you're unemployed, your problem is that you've got too much time, not too little."
Paul Edwards, chairman of the London-based Henley Centre forecasting group, points out that the feeling of pressures can also be exaggerated, or self-imposed. "Everyone talks about it so much that about 50 percent of unemployed or retired people will tell you they never have enough time to get things done," he says. "It's almost got to the point where there's stress envy. If you're not stressed, you're not succeeding. Everyone wants to have a little bit of this stress to show they're an important person."
There is another aspect to all of this too. Hour-by-hour logs kept by thousands of volunteers over the decades have shown that, in the U.K., working hours have risen only slightly in the last 10 years, and in the U.S., they have actually fallen — even for those in professional and executive jobs, where the perceptions of stress are highest.
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In the U.S., John Robinson, professor of sociology at the University of Maryland, and Geoffrey Godbey, professor of leisure studies at Penn State University found that, since the mid-1960s, the average American had gained five hours a week in free time — that is, time left after working, sleeping, commuting, caring for children and doing the chores.
The gains, however, were unevenly distributed. The people who benefited the most were singles and empty-nesters. Those who gained the least — less than an hour — were working couples with pre-school children, perhaps reflecting the trend for parents to spend more time nurturing their offspring.
There is, of course, a gender issue here, too. Advances in household appliances may have encouraged women to take paying jobs: but as we have already noted, technology did not end household chores. As a result, we see appalling inequalities in the distribution of free time between the sexes. According to the Henley Centre, working fathers in the U.K. average 48 hours of free time a week. Working mothers get 14.
Inequalities apart, the perception of the time famine is widespread, and has provoked a variety of reactions. One is an attempt to gain the largest possible amount of satisfaction from the smallest possible investment of time. People today want fast food, sound bytes and instant gratification. And they become upset when time is wasted.
"People talk about quality time. They want perfect moments," says the Henley Centre's Edwards. "If you take your kids to a movie and McDonald's and it's not perfect, you've wasted an afternoon, and it's a sense that you've lost something precious. If you lose some money you can earn some more, but if you waste time you can never get it back."
People are also trying to buy time. Anything that helps streamline our lives is a growth market. One example is what Americans call concierge services — domestic help, childcare, gardening and decorating. And on-line retailers are seeing big increases in sales — though not, as yet, profits.
A third reaction to time famine has been the growth of the work-life debate. You hear more about people taking early retirement or giving up high pressure jobs in favour of occupations with shorter working hours. And bodies such as Britain's National Work-Life Forum have sprung up, urging employers to end the long-hours culture among managers and to adopt family-friendly working policies.
The trouble with all these reactions is that liberating time — whether by making better use of it, buying it from others or reducing the amount spent at work — is futile if the hours gained are immediately diverted to other purposes.
As Godbey points out, the stress we feel arises not from a shortage of time, but from the surfeit of things we try to cram into it. "It's the kid in the candy store," he says. "There's just so
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many good things to do. The array of choices is stunning. Our free time is increasing, but not as fast as our sense of the necessary."
A more successful remedy may lie in understanding the problem rather than evading it.
Before the industrial revolution, people lived in small communities with limited communications. Within the confines of their village, they could reasonably expect to know everything that was to be known, see everything that was to be seen, and do everything that was to be done.
Today, being curious by nature, we are still trying to do the same. But the global village is a world of limitless possibilities, and we can never achieve our aim.
It is not more time we need: it is fewer desires. We need to switch off the cell-phone and leave the children to play by themselves. We need to buy less, read less and travel less. We need to set boundaries for ourselves, or be doomed to mounting despair.
Unit 7 Text A The Nightmare And The Dreams
Text 课文
Peggy Noonan lives in New York and writes a weekly column for The Wall Street Journal. This piece is taken from one of them. In it she reflects on her week and on life in the city. Writing less than a year away from the destruction of the World Trade Center, her thoughts are inevitably affected by that terrible event.
THE NIGHTMARE AND THE DREAMS
?a How has Sept. 11 affected our national unconscious?
Peqqy Noonan
It is hot in New York. It is so hot that once when I had a fever a friend called and asked me how I felt and I said, "You know how dry and hot paper feels when it's been faxed? That's how I feel." And how I felt all day yesterday. It is hot. We feel as if we've been faxed.
I found myself fully awake at 5 a.m. yesterday and went for a walk on the Brooklyn Bridge. Now more than ever the bridge seems like a great gift to my city. It spans. In the changed landscape of downtown it is our undisturbed beauty, grown ever more stately each year. People seem to love it more now, or at least mention it more or notice it more. So do I. It's always full of tourists but always full of New Yorkers, too.
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I am struck, as I always am when I' m on it, that I am walking on one of the engineering wonders of the world. And I was struck yesterday that I was looking at one of the greatest views in the history of man's creation, Manhattan at sunrise.
And all of it was free. A billionaire would pay billions to own this bridge and keep this view, but I and my jogging, biking and hiking companions have it for nothing. We inherited it. Now all we do is pay maintenance, in the form of taxes. We are lucky.
As I rounded the entrance to the bridge on the Brooklyn side, a small moment added to my happiness. It was dawn, traffic was light, I passed a black van with smoked windows. In the driver's seat with the window down was a black man of 30 or so, a cap low on his brow, wearing thick black sunglasses. I was on the walkway that leads to the bridge; he was less than two feet away; we were the only people there. We made eye contact. "Good morning!" he said. "Good morning to you," I answered, and for no reason at all we started to laugh, and moved on into the day. Nothing significant in it except it may or may not have happened that way 30 or 40 years ago. I'm not sure the full charge of friendliness would have been assumed or answered.
It made me think of something I saw Monday night on TV. They were showing the 1967 movie "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?" with Katharine Hepburn, Sidney Poitier and Spencer Tracy, about a young white woman and a young black man who fall in love, hope to marry and must contend with disapproving parents on both sides. It's held up well, and parts of it seemed moving in a way I didn't remember, and pertinent.
There was a bit of dialogue that packed a wallop. Spencer Tracy as the father of the would-be bride is pressing Mr. Poitier on whether he has considered the sufferings their mixed-race children might have to endure in America. Has he thought about this? Has his fiancee? "She is optimistic," says Mr. Poitier. "She thinks every one of them will grow up to become president of the United States. I on the other hand would settle for secretary of state." Those words, written 35 years ago may have seemed dreamy then. But in its audience when the movie came out would likely have been a young, film-loving Army lieutenant named Colin Powell who, that year, was preparing for a second tour of duty in Vietnam. And now he is secretary of state. This is the land dreams are made of. Does that strike you as a corny thing to say and talk about? It is. That's another great thing.
Late Tuesday, on a subway ride from Brooklyn to the north of Manhattan, I resaw something I'd noticed and forgotten about. It is that more and more, on the streets and on the train, I see people wearing ID tags. We all wear IDs now. We didn't use to. They hang from thick cotton string or an aluminum chain; they're worn one at a time or three at a time, but they're there.
I ponder the implications. What does it mean that we wear IDs? What are we saying, or do we think we're saying? I mean aside from the obvious.
I imagined yesterday the row of people across from me on the train, looking up all of a
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sudden from their newspaper and answering one after another:
"It means I know who I am," says the man in blue shirt and suspenders.
"It means I can get into the building," says the woman in gray.
"It means I am a solid citizen with a job."
"I am known to others in my workplace."
''I'm not just blowing through life, I'm integrated into it. I belong to something. I receive a regular paycheck."
"I have had a background check done by security and have been found to be a Safe Person. Have you?"
I wonder if unemployed people on the train look at the tags around the other peoples' necks and think. Soon I hope I'll have one too. I wonder if kids just getting their first job at 17 will ever know that in America we didn't all use to be ID'd. Used to be only for people who worked in nuclear power plants or great halls of government. Otherwise you could be pretty obscure. Which isn't a bad way to be.
A month ago there were news reports of a post-Sept. 11 baby boom. Everyone was so rocked by news of their mortality that they realized there will never be a perfect time to have kids but we're here now so let's have a family. I believed the baby boom story and waited for the babies.
Then came the stories saying: Nah, there is no baby boom, it's all anecdotal, there's no statistical evidence to back it up. And I believed that too. But I've been noticing something for weeks now. In my neighborhood there is a baby boom. There are babies all over in Brooklyn. It is full of newborns, of pink soft-limbed infants in cotton carriers on daddy's chest. It is full of strollers, not only regular strollers but the kind that carry two children ?a double-wides. And triple-wides. I don't care what anyone says, there have got to be data that back up what I'm seeing: that after Sept. 11, there was at least a Brooklyn baby boom.
A dream boom, too. The other day I spoke with a friend I hadn't seen since the world changed. He was two blocks away when the towers fell, and he saw everything. We have all seen the extraordinary footage of that day, seen it over and over, but few of us have seen what my friend described: how in the office buildings near the World Trade Center they stood at the windows and suddenly darkness enveloped them as the towers collapsed and the demonic cloud swept through. Did you see those forced to jump? I asked.
"Yes," he said, and looked away.
Have you had bad dreams?
全新版大学英语综合教程4 全新版大学英语综合教程-4-课文电子书
"Yes," he said, and looked away.
I thought about this for a few days. My friend is brilliant and by nature a describer of things felt and seen. But not this time. I spoke to a friend who is a therapist. Are your patients getting extraordinary dreams? I asked.
"Always," he laughs.
Sept. 11-related?
"Yes," he says, "mostly among adolescents."
I asked if he was saving them, writing them down. He shook his head no.
So: The Sept. 11 Dream Project. We should begin it. I want to, though I'm not sure why. I think maybe down the road I will try to write about them. Maybe not. I am certain, however, that dreams can be an expression of a nation's unconscious, if there can be said to be such a thing, and deserve respect. (Carl Jung thought so.)
To respect is to record. Send in your Sept. 11 related dream ?a recurring, unusual, striking, whatever. I will read them, and appreciate them and possibly weave them into a piece on what Sept. 11 has done to our dream lives and to our imaginations, when our imaginations are operating on their own, unfettered, unstopped, spanning.
Unit 8 Text A In The Jungl
Text 课文
Annie Dillard tells of her visit to the Napo River in the heart of the Ecuadorian jungle, one of nature's most unspoiled places. She describes the beauty of the forest and her admiration for the people who live there.
IN THE JUNGLE
Annie Dillard
Like any out-of-the-way place, the Napo River in the Ecuadorian jungle seems real enough when you are there, even central. Out of the way of what? I was sitting on a stump at the edge of a bankside palm-thatch village, in the middle of the night, on the headwaters of the Amazon. Out of the way of human life, tenderness, or the glance of heaven?
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A nightjar in deep-leaved shadow called three long notes, and hushed. The men with me talked softly: three North Americans, four Ecuadorians who were showing us the jungle. We were holding cool drinks and idly watching a hand-sized tarantula seize moths that came to the lone bulb on the generator shed beside us.
It was February, the middle of summer. Green fireflies spattered lights across the air and illumined for seconds, now here, now there, the pale trunks of enormous, solitary trees. Beneath us the brown Napo River was rising, in all silence; it coiled up the sandy bank and tangled its foam in vines that trailed from the forest and roots that looped the shore.
Each breath of night smelled sweet. Each star in Orion seemed to tremble and stir with my breath. All at once, in the thatch house across the clearing behind us came the sound of a recorder, playing a tune that twined over the village clearing, muted our talk on the bankside, and wandered over the river, dissolving downstream.
This will do, I thought. This will do, for a weekend, or a season, or a home.
Later that night I loosed my hair from its braids and combed it smooth — not for myself, but so the village girls could play with it in the morning.
We had disembarked at the village that afternoon, and I had slumped on some shaded steps, wishing I knew some Spanish or some Quechua so I could speak with the ring of little girls who were alternately staring at me and smiling at their toes. I spoke anyway, and fooled with my hair, which they were obviously dying to get their hands on, and laughed, and soon they were all braiding my hair, all five of them, all fifty fingers, all my hair, even my bangs. And then they took it apart and did it again, laughing, and teaching me Spanish nouns, and meeting my eyes and each other's with open delight, while their small brothers in blue jeans climbed down from the trees and began kicking a volleyball around with one of the North American men.
Now, as I combed my hair in the little tent, another of the men, a freelance writer from Manhattan, was talking quietly. He was telling us the tale of his life, describing his work in Hollywood, his apartment in Manhattan, his house in Paris.... "It makes me wonder," he said, "what I'm doing in a tent under a tree in the village of Pompeya, on the Napo River, in the jungle of Ecuador." After a pause he added, "It makes me wonder why I'm going back."
The point of going somewhere like the Napo River in Ecuador is not to see the most spectacular anything. It is simply to see what is there. We are here on the planet only once, and might as well get a feel for the place. We might as well get a feel for the fringes and hollows in which life is lived, for the Amazon basin, which covers half a continent, and for the life that — there, like anywhere else — is always and necessarily lived in detail: on the tributaries, in the riverside villages, sucking this particular white-fleshed guava in this particular pattern of shade.
What is there is interesting. The Napo River itself is wide and brown, opaque, and smeared with floating foam and logs and branches from the jungle. Parrots in flocks dart in and out of the
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light. Under the water in the river, unseen, are anacondas — which are reputed to take a few village toddlers every year — and water boas, crocodiles, and sweet-meated fish.
Low water bares gray strips of sandbar on which the natives build tiny palm-thatch shelters for overnight fishing trips. You see these extraordinarily clean people (who bathe twice a day in the river, and whose straight black hair is always freshly washed) paddling down the river in dugout canoes, hugging the banks.
Some of the Indians of this region, earlier in the century, used to sleep naked in hammocks. The nights are cold. Gordon MacCreach, an American explorer in these Amazon tributaries, reported that he was startled to hear the Indians get up at three in the morning. He was even more startled, night after night, to hear them walk down to the river slowly, half asleep, and bathe in the water. Only later did he learn what they were doing: they were getting warm. The cold woke them; they warmed their skins in the river, which was always ninety degrees; then they returned to their hammocks and slept through the rest of the night.
When you are inside the jungle, away from the river, the trees vault out of sight. Butterflies, bright blue, striped, or clear-winged, thread the jungle paths at eye level. And at your feet is a swath of ants bearing triangular bits of green leaf. The ants with their leaves look like a wide fleet of sailing dinghies — but they don't quit. In either direction they wobble over the jungle floor as far as the eye can see.
Long lakes shine in the jungle. We traveled one of these in dugout canoes, canoes paddled with machete-hewn oars, or poled in the shallows with bamboo. Our part-Indian guide had cleared the path to the lake the day before; when we walked the path we saw where he had impaled the lopped head of a boa, open-mouthed, on a pointed stick by the canoes, for decoration.
This lake was wonderful. Herons plodded the shores, kingfishers and cuckoos clattered from sunlight to shade, great turkey like birds fussed in dead branches, and hawks hung overhead. There was all the time in the world. A turtle slid into the water. The boy in the bow of my canoe slapped stones at birds with a simple sling, a rubber thong and leather pad. He aimed brilliantly at moving targets, always, and always missed; the birds were out of range. He stuffed his sling back in his shirt. I looked around.
The lake and river waters are as opaque as rainforest leaves; they are veils, blinds, painted screens. You see things only by their effects. I saw the shoreline water heave above a thrashing paichi, an enormous black fish of these waters; one had been caught the previous week weighing 430 pounds. Piranha fish live in the lakes, and electric eels. I dangled my fingers in the water, figuring it would be worth it.
We would eat chicken that night in the village, together with rice, onions and heaps of fruit. The sun would ring down, pulling darkness after it like a curtain. Twilight is short, and the unseen birds of twilight wistful, catching the heart. The two nuns in their dazzling white habits — the beautiful-boned young nun and the warm-faced old — would glide to the open cane-and-thatch
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schoolroom in darkness, and start the children singing. The children would sing in piping Spanish, high-pitched and pure; they would sing "Nearer My God to Thee" in Quechua, very fast. As the children became excited by their own singing, they left their log benches and swarmed around the nuns, hopping, smiling at us, everyone smiling, the nuns' faces bursting in their cowls, and the clear-voiced children still singing, and the palm-leafed roofing stirred.
The Napo River: it is not out of the way. It is in the way, catching sunlight the way a cup catches poured water; it is a bowl of sweet air, a basin of greenness, and of grace, and, it would seem, of peace.
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