1、The most frightening words in the English language are, “Our computer is down.” You hear it more and more when you are in business. The other day I was at the airport waiting for a ticket to Washington and the girl in the ticket office said, “Im sorry, I cant sell you a ticket. Our computer is down.
2、”“If your computer is down, just write me out a ticket.”“I cant write you out a ticket. The computer is the only one allowed to do so.”I looked down the counter and every passenger was just standing there drinking coffee and staring at the black screen. Then I asked her, “What do you do?”“We give th
3、e computer the information about your trip, and it tells us whether you can fly with us or not.”“So when it goes down, you go down with it.”“Thats right, sir.”“How long will the computer be down?” I wanted to know.“I have no idea. Sometimes its down for 10 minutes, sometimes for two hours. There is
4、no way we can find out without asking the computer, and since its down it wont answer us.”After the girl told me they had no backup(备用的) computers. I said, “Lets forget the computer. What about your planes? Theyre still flying, arent they?”“I couldnt tell without asking the computer.”“Maybe I could
5、just go to the gate and ask the pilot the hes flying to Washington.” I suggested.“I wouldnt know what gate to sent you to. Even if the pilot was going to Washington, he couldnt take you if you didnt have a ticket.”“Is there any other flight to Washington within the next few hours?”“I wouldnt know,”
6、she said, pointing at the dark screen. “Only IT knows. IT can tell me.”By this time there were quiet a few people standing in line. The word spread to other travelers that the computer was down. Some people left, some people started to cry and still others kicked luggage. 在英语语言中最可怕的话是：“我们的电脑出故障了。”当你
7、在进行业务时，你听到这话越来越多了。有一天，我在机场候买去华盛顿的机票，售票处里的女孩说，“对不起，我无法给你出票。我们的电脑出故障了。”“如果您的电脑出故障了，我手写一张票吧。”“我无法手写给你。只有电脑是唯一允许这样操作的。”我低头扫视了柜台，每个乘客只是站在那里喝着咖啡，盯着黑色屏幕。然后我问她：“那你做什么呢？”“我们把你的旅行信息输入电脑，它会告诉我们您是否能飞或不能。”“所以，当电脑出现故障，你和电脑一起停工。”“没错，先生。”“电脑出故障会有多长时间？”我想知道。“我不知道。有时停10分钟，有时停两个小时。除了问电脑我们没有其他办法知道，因为它出故障也就不会回答我们。”女孩告诉我
8、他们没有备用的电脑之后。我说：“让我们忘掉电脑。那么你们的飞机怎么样了？它们是不是还在飞行呢？”“不问电脑我无法告诉你。”“也许我只能走向大门，去问飞向华盛顿的飞行员。”我建议。“我不知道你该进什么大门。即使飞行员要飞华盛顿，如果你没有机票，他也不能带上你。”“在未来几个小时里，还有没有其他飞往华盛顿的航班？”“我不知道，”她指着黑色屏幕说。“只有它知道。只有它能告诉我。”到这时候还有相当一部份人在排队。电脑出故障这个词传播到其余旅客。有些人离开，有些人哭了起来，还有一些人踢行李。P321 (2)Almost every family buys at least one copy of a n
9、ewspaper everyday. Some people have as many as two or three different newspapers. But why do people read newspapers?Five hundred years ago, news of important happenings, battles lost and won, kings or rulers overthrown(推翻) or killed took months and even years to travel from one country to another. T
10、he news passed by words of mouth. Today we can read in our newspapers of important things that happen in far away countries on the same day.Besides giving news from all over the world, newspapers tell us a lot of other useful information. There are weather reports, radio, television and film guides,
11、 book reviews, stories, and of course, advertisements(广告). There are all kinds of advertisements. They pay the newspapers thousands of dollars for the advertising space(广告版面), but it is worth the money because news of what they make in factories goes into almost every home in the country. For those
12、who make newspapers, advertisements are also very important. Money from advertisements makes it possible for them to sell their newspapers at a low price and still make a profit.Newspapers often have information on gardening, cookery and fashion(时装) as well as a small but very popular part on jokes
13、and cartoons. 几乎每个家庭每天至少购买一份报纸。有些人购买多达两种或三种不同的报纸。人们为什么看报纸？五百年前，重大事件，战争输赢，国王或统治者被推翻或杀死的新闻信息要过上几个月甚至数年才能从一个国家传播到另一个国家。那时的新闻信息通过口头传播。今天，我们能够在报上看到同一天里在遥远的国度发生的重要事件。除了来自世界各地的新闻，报纸还给我们提供了其它很多有用的信息。有天气预报，广播，电视和电影预告，书评，故事，当然，还有广告。有各种各样的广告。他们支付给广告版面数千美元，但这是值得的，因为他们在工厂发生的新闻信息传入几乎每一个在乡间的家庭。对于经营报纸和广告的那些人也是非常重要的
14、。广告收入使他们有可能以低廉的价格出售他们的报纸并且仍然能够盈利。报纸经常有园艺，烹饪和时装方面的信息，也有笑话和漫画方面的一小块但非常流行的版面。P322 (3)Many students are injured or killed in different kinds of accidents. Chen haoyu, a teacher at Beijing No. 25 middle School and a self-protection expert, gives young students advice on how to deal with danger:If you are
15、 robbedKeep clam. If you cannot cry for help or run away, give the robber your money. Try and remember what the robber looked like and tell the police.If you are in a traffic accidentIf you are hurt by a car, take down the registration number, if it is a bicycle, try to contact your parents before y
16、ou let the rider go. This is in case you dont realize how seriously you are hurt.If it is raining hard and there is lightningDont stay in high places and keep away from trees.When there is a fireGets away as fast as you can. But wet material on your body and try to find an exit. Do not take elevator
17、!If someone is drowningIf you cant swim, dont get into the water. Cry out for help.Remember that danger is never as far away as you think. Look after yourself at all times! 许多学生在各类事故中受伤或死亡。陈浩宇，一位北京第25中学教师和自我保护的专家，给年轻学生关于如何处理危险的建议：?如果被抢劫保持沉默。如果你不能呼叫求助或逃离开，把你的钱给强盗。设法记住这个强盗长什么样子，报告警察。?如果出交通事故如果你被汽车撞了，记
18、下车牌号，如果是自行车，在你让骑车人离开之前，设法联系你的父母。这是在你不知道你伤得有多严重的情况下。?如果天下大雨并有雷电不要停留在高处，远离大树。?当发生火灾尽你的可能快速撤离。随身带上湿的东西，并设法找到一个出口。不要乘电梯！?如果有人溺水如果你不会游泳，不能跳入水中。呼叫求助。?请记住此类危险从来不是你想象中的遥远。你自己时时要当心！P323 (4)Suppose(假设) a man has a car accident. He is hurt badly and is unconscious(失去知觉的); that is, he cant think, speak, or hear
19、. His family takes him to the hospital. The doctors tell the family that his brain(大脑 ) is dead. A machine can make him breathe.Now the patients(病人) family must answer some difficult questions. Should they think he is dead? Should they ask the doctors to use the machine to make him breathe? Sometime
20、s machines can make an unconscious person breathe for years. However, if his brain is dead, he will never think, speak, or hear again. Then, should his family ask the doctors not to use the machine and let him die?Someone who is unconscious cant say he wants to die. Can his family say this for him?
21、Some people think this is a good idea. Some think otherwise(不同地).Many people are hurt when machines keep a person alive. The unconscious person doesnt know this. Machine only make the family and friends hurt longer. 假设一个男子出了车祸。他伤的很重，失去了知觉；也就是说，他不能思考，不能说话，不能听见。他的家人送他到医院。医生告诉家人，他的大脑已经死亡。一台机器可以辅助他呼吸。现在
22、，病人的家属必须回答一些棘手的问题。他们可以认为他死了吗？他们可以要求医生使用机器使他呼吸吗？有时机器可以使昏迷不醒的人呼吸多年。但是，如果他的大脑已经死亡，他再也不能思考，不能说话，不能听见了。那么，能允许他的家属要求医生不使用机器，让他死去吗？昏迷不醒的人无法说出他想死。他的家属能替他说吗？有些人认为这是一个好主意。另有一些人持不同认识。当机器维持一个人活着的时候，许多人受到了伤害。昏迷不醒的人不知道这一点。机器仅能造成他的家人和朋友更长时间的伤害。P324 (5)Most people want to work, but it has become more difficult in t
23、odays world to find work for everybody. The economies of the world need to grow by 4% each year just to keep the old number of jobs for people. often this is not possible, and so more people are without work. Some people have no jobs now because new machines can do the work of many people in a short
24、er time. Also, machines do not ask for more money and longer holidays. In all of the countries of the world machines are taking work from people, not only in factories but also on the farms. One machine can often do the work of forty percent of people. About 75,000 people are moving to the cities a
25、day to look for jobs, but only 70% of them can find jobs. 大多数人想要工作，但在当今世界每个人都找到工作已成为很大困难。世界经济需要每年增长4，仅能维持原先的就业人数。通常这是不可能的，所以好多人没有工作。现今有些人没有工作，是由于新机器能用较短时间完成许多人的工作。此外，机器不会要求更多的工资和较长的假期。在世界上所有国家，机器不仅在工厂，而且在农场正取代人的工作。一台机器通常能够完成人工作的40。每天约75,000人移居到城市找工作，但只有其中70可以找到工作。P325 (6)On Thursday morning, more th
26、an 100 citizens in Nanjing, the capital of East Chinas Jiangsu Province, donated blood at a local station as a result of the local promotion campaign of the countrys blood donation law which took effect late last year. Some 82.3 percent of the blood in the local supply(供应) centre has been donated, c
27、ompared with last year where a large amount of blood was purchased(购买). As many as 12,000 local people have freely donated their blood so far, ensuring(保证) an abundant supply for use in local hospitals. 周四早上，在中国东部江苏省省会南京，100多名市民在当地?电视台献血，以作为去年年底生效的国家献血法的本地宣传活动。与去年同期那里大量购买的血液相比，已有82.3%捐赠到当地供血中心。到目前为止
28、，多达12,000名当地市民无偿捐献了自己的鲜血，为当地医院的使用保障了丰富的供应。P326 (7)In the past, when people had problems, they went to their families or friends to get advice. Today, it is possible to get advice from radio show, TV programs and telephone hot lines, too. A hot line is a telephone line that offers a direct way of get
29、ting in touch with(同联络) advisers. Most hot lines are completely anonymous(不具名的). Callers do not have to say their names or telephone numbers. Most hot lines are usually free, too. Callers do not have to pay for the advice or the phone calls-even if the calls are long distance(长途). At some hot lines,
30、 the advisers are volunteers(志愿者). Other hot lines pay their advisers for their words. Usually the advisers are professionals(专业人员 ), with years of education and experience, but sometimes, the advisers have only taken a short class before starting to work on the hot line. All the advisers listen to
31、people and help them settle their problems. 在过去，当人们遇到问题，他们向家人或朋友咨询。今天，也可以从广播节目，电视节目和电话热线得到咨询。热线是一条电话线，提供了一个与顾问联络的直接方式。大多数热线是完全匿名的。呼叫者不必说出他们的名字或电话号码。大多数热线通常也是免费的。呼叫者不必支付咨询费或电话费，即使是长途电话费。有些热线的顾问是志愿者。其他热线给它们的顾问支付报酬。顾问通常是有多年教育和经验的专业人士，但有时候，顾问在开始热线电话工作以前只经过短期培训。所有的顾问倾听来电，帮助他们解决问题。P328 (8)Here are four me
32、ssages on Alan Marshalls answerphone.Monday 9:21Alan? Alan, if youre at home, please answer the phone. Are you really not there? Well, Id just like to say that Im very angry with youand your father is too. You know how much he loves our monthly family lunches. This is the fifth one youre missed. I h
33、ope youve got a really good reason this time. Oh, umm, this is your mother speaking.Monday 10:21Mr. Marshall, this is Stefi Rosen, Mr. Princes assistant. Im calling to confirm(确认) tomorrows lunch with Mr. Yamada of Rising Sun Computer Games. Mr. Prince wants you to know what his meeting is very impo
34、rtant. Please remember to bring to interactivity designs(互动设计) with you. He says that Mr. Yamada is ready to pay for the world rights(版权) on your new game! The restaurant is The Four Stars in Gower Streetand Ive booked a table for a quarter past one. Be there on timeplease!Monday 11:23 My name is Ka
35、ren Miller. Im a producer at Interactive Computer Games, Australia. I saw your game “Kill the Enemy!” at the International Computer Game Fair. I think your work is great and Id like to discuss buying the rights for my part of the world. Someone at the fair said that youre working on a new game which
36、 is even more interactive. How interactive can you get? Perhaps we interact over lunch? Im in London until Wednesday. My mobile number is 0277417 6130800.Monday 12:31Hello, Alan. Its Daisy. Did you have a good weekend? Hows the new game going? I miss you. Bye. 有关艾伦马歇尔的录音电话的四条消息。星期一9:21艾伦？艾伦，如果你在家里一样
37、，请接电话。难道你真的不在？嗯，我只是想说，我，还有你的父亲对你很生气。你知道他是多么重视我们的每月家庭午餐。这是你第五次缺席了。我希望这次你找到一个很好的理由。哦，嗯，?这是你母亲的留言。星期一10:21马歇尔先生，我是斯特菲罗森，普林斯先生的助手。我打电话来确认明天与旭日电脑游戏的山田先生的午餐会。普林斯先生希望你知道这个会议很重要。请记住带上你的互动设计。他说，山田先生准备为你的新游戏付款购买全世界版权！餐厅在高尔街上的四星星，我已经预订了一点一刻的座位。请准时到来！星期一11:23我是凯伦米勒，澳大利亚互动电脑游戏的制片人。我在国际电脑游戏博览会上看到你的游戏“杀敌！”。我觉得你的游戏
38、很精彩，我很愿意与你商谈购买我的部份世界版权。在博览会上有人说你正在创作的一个新游戏具有更强的互动性。你怎么取得互动性的？也许我们互动一次午餐？我在伦敦逗留到星期三。我的手机号码是0277417 6130800。星期一12:31艾伦，你好。我是戴西。周末过得愉快吗？新游戏进展如何？我想你。再见。P329 (9)“Cool” is a word with many meanings. Its old meaning is used to express a temperature that is a little bit cold. As the world has changed, the w
39、ord has had many different meanings.“Cool” can be used to express feelings of interest in almost anything. When you see a famous car in the street, maybe you will say, “Its cool.” You may think, “Hes so cool,” when you see your favourite footballer.We all maximize(扩大) the meaning of “cool”. You can
40、use it instead of many words such as teacher asked her students to write about the waterfall they had visited. On one students paper was just the one sentence, “Its so cool.” Maybe he thought it was the best way to show that he saw and felt.But the story also shows a scarcity(不足) of words. Without “
41、cool”, some people have no words to show the same meaning. So it is quite important to keep some credibility(可信性). Can you think of many other words that make your life as colorful as the word “cool”? I can, and I think they are also very cool. “酷”是一个具有多种含义的词。其本义是用来表达一个温度有点冷。由于世界变化了，这个词有许多不同的含义。“酷”可
42、以用来表达对几乎所有的东西感兴趣的感觉。当你在街上看到一辆名牌汽车，也许你会说， “这很酷。 “当你看到你最爱的足球运动员，你可能想：” 他太酷了“。我们都在扩大“酷 ”的意思。你可以用它代替许多话，比如老师要求她的学生描写他们观赏过的瀑布。在一个学生的作文里只有一个句子， “这太酷了。 “也许他认为这是最好的方式来表达他看到的和感受到的。但这个故事也显示出词语的匮乏。不用“酷” ，有些人就没有词语来表达同样的意思。所以保留一些可信性是很重要的。你能想到许多其他词语使你生活得如同“酷” 字一样丰富多彩吗？我能做到，我觉得他们也很酷。P330 (10)Today there are about
43、7,000,000 Americans in colleges and universities. In the United States nearly half of the population(人口) are young persons under twenty-five. Many of them will soon be in charge of(掌管) the country. So their ideas are important to everyone in the country, and it is necessary for older people to under
44、stand what young people think and feel.College students today have strong opinions(观点) about right and wrong. They are interested in making a better life. They see much that is wrong in the lives of their parents. It is hard for them to see what is right and good in the older ways. Because of this,
45、there is often trouble in American families. 今天，大约有7,000,000美国人就读高校。在美国近半数的人口是二十五岁以下的青少年。他们中许多人将在不久掌管这个国家。因此对国家中的每个人而言，他们的想法是很重要的，而且成年人理解年轻人的想法和感受是必要的。今天的大学生具有强烈的对错观。他们对创造一个美好生活感兴趣。他们看到在父母生活中的很多不足。让他们用老观念去看什么是正确而好的是很困难的。正因为如此，在美国家庭往往存有烦恼。P332 (11)“How are you?” is a nice question. Its a friendly way
46、 that people in the United States greet each other, but when a person says “How are you?” he expects() to hear the answer “Fine,” even if the persons friend isnt fine. The reason is that “How are you?” isnt really a question, and “fine” isnt really an answer. They are common ways of saying “Hello” a
47、nd “Hi”.Sometimes people also dont say exactly what they mean. For example, when someone asks, “Do you agree?” the other person may be thinking. “No, I dont agree. I think you are wrong.” But it doesnt sound very polite, so he may say, “Im not so sure.” Its a nicer way to say that you dont agree wit
48、h someone.People also dont say exactly what they are thinking. For example, when a person wants to finish talking with other people on the phone, he may say “I have to go now”. Sometimes he often gives an excuse, “Someone is at the door”, “Something is burning” so on. The excuse may be real, or it m
49、ay not. Its a polite way to stop a conversation and it doesnt hurt the other persons feeling. Its an important way that people try to be nice to each other, and its a part of the game of language. “你好吗？“ 是一个友善的问题。这是一种美国人民互相问候对方的友好方式，但是当一个人说：“你好吗？“ 即使这人的朋友不是很好，他期望听到的回答：” 好， “。原因是， “你好吗？ “不是一个真正的问题，”好“也不是一个真正的回答。它们是说“你好”和“ 嗨”的常见方式。有时候，人们不是精确地说出他们的意思。例如，当有人问， “你是否同意？“其他人可能会想。 “不，我不同意。我认为你错了。 “不过，这听上去不是很有礼貌，所以他可能会说， ”我不那么肯定。 “这是一个较好的方式来表达你不同意某人。人们也不是精确地说出他们的所想。例如，当一个人要结束与他人在电话中的交谈，他会说：“我得走了。 ”有时候，他常常给出一
