Unit 1 My first day at senior high我的高中第一天
Monday 4 September 9月4日星期一
After I had pictured it over and over again in my mind, the big day finally arrived: my first day at senior high! I woke up early and rushed out of the door in my eagerness to get to know my new school.
我在脑海中进行一遍又一遍地想象之后，如今这一天终于来了：我高中生活的第一天！我一大早就起床冲出家门，迫不及待地想要了解我的新学校。
The campus was still quiet when I arrived, so I decided to explore a bit. I was looking at the photos on the noticeboard when I heard a voice behind me. “New here?” Turing around, I saw a white-haired man. “Yes,” I replied. “I’m wondering what life is going to be like here.” “Don’t worry,” he gave me a smile. “You’ll soon find out.”
我来到的时候校园里还很安静，我决定四处探索一番。当我正在看布告栏上的照片时，身后忽然传来一个声音：“你是新生吗？”我转过身，看到一位白发老人。“是的，”我回答道，“我想知道这里的生活将是怎么样的。”“别担心，”他对我微微一笑，“你很快就会知道了。”
How true these words were! When my English teacher stepped into the classroom, I was surprised to see the same man I had met earlier.
这话说得真是太对了！当我的英语老师走进教室时，我很惊讶地发现，他就是我之前遇到的那位老人。
“Good morning, everyone. Before we start, please come to the front one by one and introduce yourself to the class. I’ll go first…”
“大家早上好。开始上课前，请大家依次到前面来向全班介绍一下你自己。我先来……” “What?!” I tried to turn on my brain but the engine just wouldn’t start. “I should say my name, of course. But what else? What could I say to make a good first impression? Something about my insect collection, perhaps.” I was organizing my words in my head when the girl next to me gave me a nudge. “It’s your turn!”
“什么？！”我试图让我的大脑运转起来，但引擎怎么就是无法启动。“当然，我得先介绍我的名字。还有呢？我该说些什么才能给别人留下一个不错的第一印象呢？也许应该说说我收藏昆虫标本的事。”我正忙着在脑海中组织语言，坐在我旁边的女孩轻轻推了我一下：“轮到你了！”
With butterflies in my stomach, I breathed deeply. “Hi, I’m Meng Hao.” Everyone started laughing. I looked at them in panic. “Nice to know we share the same name,” said my new teacher. I had been too nervous to pay attention when he introduced himself! Although I was embarrassed, his words made me a lot more relaxed!
我心里七上八下、紧张万分。我深呼一口气说：“大家好，我叫孟浩。”大家开始大笑起来。我惊慌失措地看着他们。“很高兴我们同名啊。”我的新老师说。我刚才太紧张了，竟然没有仔细听老师的自我介绍！尽管有些尴尬，但他的话还是让我放松了很多！
When we had all introduced ourselves, Mr Meng said, “Well done, everyone! I know this isn’t easy for many of you. But this is just the kind of thing you are going to face at senior
high. Challenges like this might sometimes put you under pressure. But it all depends on what you do. Keep calm and be prepared. That way, you’ll make the most of your time at senior high.”
我们都介绍完后，孟老师说：“大家都做得很好！我知道这对你们很多人来说并不容易，但这正是你们在高中阶段将会面对的。类似的挑战有时可能会让大家倍感压力，但这一切都取决于你自己的努力。大家要时刻保持冷静，做好准备，这样就可以充分利用高中的时光了。”
People say, “Well begun, half done.” I guess this was a good beginning to my new school life.
常言道：“好的开始是成功的一半。”我想，我的高中生活开了一个好头。
High School Hints
高中生活指南
Interviewer: Hello and welcome to School Talk! Today I’m joined by a former student of our school, Lisa Osborne. Lisa graduated from our school last June and is about to go to college in New York. Lisa, thank you for coming to share your suggestions for high school with us.
采访人：大家好，欢迎收看《校园访谈》！本期嘉宾是我校校友莉萨•奥斯本。莉萨今年六月从我校毕业，即将在纽约上大学。莉萨，谢谢你来和我们分享你对高中的建议。
Lisa: Hi, everybody. I’m very glad to be back. I feel as if high school was only yesterday! 莉萨：嗨，大家好。我很高兴回到母校。我觉得高中生活就像是昨天发生的事一样历历在目！
Interviewer: So what helped when you first started high school? 采访人：那么，刚上高中时，有哪些事情对你有所帮助？
Lisa: Orientation Day was really helpful. It’s a fantastic opportunity for new students to get to know the school and the other students. I even made some new friends! Just keep an open mind and take part in as much as possible.
莉萨：迎新日真的很有帮助。这是新生了解学校和认识学生的绝佳机会。我那天结交了一些新朋友！只管敞开心扉，尽可能地参与其中。
Interviewer:That’s sound advice for sure. But how did you deal with new challenges, like starting a new course?
采访人：这的确是个不错的建议。但是，你是如何应对新挑战的呢，比如学习一门新课程？
Lisa:I had a chemistry test right at the end of the first week. I was frightened at the sight of the test paper. But then I figured I’d better just go all out and see what happens. If you fail, no problem—next time you can fail better!
莉萨：开学第一周才结束时，我就有一场了化学考试。我看到试卷就害怕了。不过后来我就觉得，最好还是全力以赴考考看。如果这次考不好，没关系——下次你可以做得更好！
Interviewer: So, hold your head up, then. But life is not always easy. You must have had some moments when you were disappointed. If so, how did you deal with them?
采访人：也就是说，诀窍就是永不放弃。但生活并非总是一帆风顺。你肯定有过灰心丧
气的时候。这种情况下，你是如何应对的呢？
Lisa: As a member of the school volleyball team, I wasn’t selected for the end-of-year competition. At first I was really sad, but later I realized that I joined the team for the love of the sport. It wasn’t just about winning. So I kept working hard to support my teammates during our training. There’s always a way to be part of something you love, isn’t there?
莉萨：作为学校排球队的一员，我没有入选年终赛。一开始我非常难过，但后来我意识到，我是因为热爱这项运动才加入球队的，与我赢球(是不是能上场)无关。所以，我在培训期间一直努力支持我的队友。对于自己热爱的事情，总有办法参与其中，不是吗？
Interviewer: Yes, I totally agree. Is there anything else in particular that you’d like to share with us?
采访人：是的，我完全赞同。你还有什么特别想和我们分享的事情呢？
Lisa:Looking back on my high school life, the most important advice I’d give is these wonderful words from the writer Maya Angelou. She said, “Be a rainbow in somebody else’s cloud.” So, give your friends a hand when they need it. And this will make you feel good, too.
莉萨：回顾高中生活，我能给大家的最重要的建议就是作家玛雅•安吉洛的一句精彩名言。她说：“要成为别人云中的一道彩虹。”所以，当朋友需要帮助时要施以援手，这也会让你感觉很开心。
Interviewer: Neat! Well, thanks again for coming to speak to us, Lisa. And good luck with college!
采访人：太棒了！好的，再次感谢你今天来和我们分享，莉萨。祝你在大学一切顺利！ Lisa: Thank you. 莉萨：谢谢。 Unit 2
Neither Pine nor Apple in Pineapple 菠萝≠松树+苹果
Have you ever asked yourself why people often have trouble learning English? I hadn’t, until one day my five-year-old son asked me whether there was ham in a hamburger. There isn’t. This made me realize that there’s no egg in eggplant either. Neither is there pine nor apple in pineapple. This got me thinking how English can be a crazy language to learn.
你有没有问过自己，为什么人们常常在学习英语方面有困难？我从未想过这个问题，直到有一天，我五岁的儿子问我hamburger(汉堡包)里是否有ham(火腿)。答案是没有。这让我意识到eggplant(茄子)里也没有egg(鸡蛋)。pineapple(菠萝)里既没有pine(松树)，也没有apple(苹果)。这让我陷入思考：对于学习者而言，英语到底可以有多疯狂呢？
For example, in our free time we can sculpt a sculpture and paint a painting, but we take a photo. And when we are traveling we say that we are in the car or the taxi, but on the train or bus! While we’re doing all this traveling, we can get seasick at sea, airsick in the air and carsick in a car, but we don’t get homesick when we get back home. And speaking of home, why aren’t homework and housework the same thing?
例如，我们可以在闲暇时雕刻一座雕像(sculpt a sculpture)、画一幅画(paint a painting)，但我们只能拍一张照片(take a photo)。旅行时，我们坐汽车或出租车时是说坐在里面(in)，
但是坐火车或公共汽车时却要说坐在上面(on)！同样，我们会在海上晕船(seasick at sea)、在飞机晕机(airsick in the air)、在车里晕车(carsick in a car)，但回到家里我们却不会“晕家”(homesick，实际意为“想家的，思乡的”)。说到家，为什么homework(家庭作业)和housework(家务)(这两个英语单词看起来很像意思却)不是一回事呢？
If “hard” is the opposite of “soft”, why are “hardly” and “softly” not an opposing pair? If harmless actions are the opposite of harmful actions, why are shameless and shameful behaviors the same?
When we look out of the window and see rain or snow, we can say “it’s raining” or “it’s snowing”. But when we see sunshine, we can’t say “it’s sunshining”.
如果说hard(硬)是soft(软)的反义词，为什么hardly(几乎不)和softly(柔和地，轻柔地)却不是一对反义词呢？如果说harmless actions(无害的行为)与harmful actions(有害的行为)意思相反，为什么无耻的行为(shameless behaviors)和可耻的行为(shameful behaviors)反而是一回事？当我们望向窗外，看到雨(rain)或雪(snow)时，我们可以说正在下雨(it’s raining)或正在下雪(it’s snowing)。但当我们看到阳光(sunshine)时，我们不能说“正在下阳光”(it’s sunshining)。
Even the smallest of words can be confusing. When you see the capitalized “WHO” in a medical report, do you read it as the “who” in “Who’s that?” What about “IT” and “US”？
即使是最短小的单词都让人费解。当你在医学报告中看到大写的WHO时，你会把它读为Who’s that?中的who吗？那么“IT”和“US”又该怎么读呢？
You also have to wonder at the unique madness of a language in which a house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form by filling it out, and in which an alarm is only heard once it goes off!
你也会对英语这门语言独有的疯狂感到惊奇。在英语里，房子烧成灰烬时，可以说burn up(字面意思是“烧上去”)，也可以说burn down(字面意思是“烧下去”)；填表时，你可以说fill in a form(字面意思是“填入表里”)，也可以说fill out a form(字面意思是“填到表外”)；而且只有闹钟走了(go off字面意思是“离开”)以后你才能听到铃声！
English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race. That is why when the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible. And that is why when I wind up my watch, it starts, but when I wind up this passage, it ends.
英语是人创造的，不是计算机发明的，它反映了人类的创造力。这就是为什么stars are out(星星出现了)时，我们能看到星星，而当lights are out(灯光熄灭)时，我们却看不到灯光。这也是当我wind up my watch(给手表上紧发条)以后表针开始走，而我wind up this passage(将本文收尾)后这篇文章结束的原因。
Misadventures in English 英语尴尬事
Last week, our forum asked if you had any funny or strange stories about using English. We didn’t expect to get so many posts. Here are some of our favourites, to remind us that some of the English we learn in the classroom is rather different from the English in the outside world!
上周，我们在论坛里问大家在使用英语时是否遇到过什么有趣或者离奇的事情。我们没想到会收到这么多回帖。以下是我们最喜欢的几篇，它们让我们意识到，有些在课堂上学到
的英语和在课堂之外使用的英语真是不太一样！
Yancy:People say that the British always play safe with what they eat. Not true! I went to a summer school in Manchester and my English teacher was called Maggie. One day, a different teacher took our class. He told us that Maggie couldn’t teach that day COZ she had a frog in her throat. Poor Maggie—but why did she try to eat such a big frog?
扬西：都说英国人吃东西很谨慎。才不是呢！我在曼彻斯特参加过一个暑期培训班，我的英语老师叫玛吉。有一天，另外一位老师来给我们代课。他说玛吉老师没法来上课，因为她的喉咙里卡了一只青蛙。可怜的玛吉老师——可是她为什么要吃这么大的青蛙呢？
Sophie:When I first visited New York, I went to a downtown shopping centre to buy some winter boots. At the information desk at the entrance, I asked a lady where the shoe section was. She said that it was on the first floor. So I went up to the first floor, but couldn’t find any shoes. I decided to leave. When I was looking for the exit, I saw that shoes were actually sold downstairs on the ground floor, not the first floor. Why did she give me the wrong information？
索菲娅：第一次去纽约时，我去市中心一家购物中心买冬靴。我在入口处问服务台的女士卖鞋的地方在哪里。她说在二楼，于是我上到二楼，但并没有找到鞋子，所以决定离开。就在我找出口的时候，我发现鞋区是在一楼，不在二楼。她为什么告诉我错误的信息？
Julien:I’ve got an English penfriend, who I finally got to meet in London this summer. He had told me that his grandfather was “really wicked”. But when I met his grandfather, I liked him a lot. I found it very odd. Why did my friend use a negative word about such a nice man?
朱利恩：我有个英国笔友，今年夏天我们终于在伦敦见面了。他以前跟我说他的爷爷“很邪恶”。可我一见到他的爷爷就很喜欢他。我觉得很奇怪。我的朋友为什么用一个贬义词来形容这么好的人呢？
Zheng Xu:The British must have really high standards. I was part of a student exchange programme between a university in England and my university in China. I spent days preparing and writing my first English paper. I knew I had done a good job and was looking forward to getting a positive comment. When I got the paper back, I found my teacher had written the comment “Not bad!” Not bad? But there weren’t any errors in my paper.
郑旭：英国人一定有很高很高的标准。我在中国上的大学和英国一所大学有一个交换项目，我作为交换生到英国学习。我的第一篇英语论文从准备到写作花了若干天时间。我知道自己写得很好，并期待得到老师积极的评价。可是论文发下来后，我发现老师的评语竟然是“不算差！”不算差？可是我的论文里没有错误呀。
Unit 3
Like Father, Like Son 有其父必有其子
(The living room. Friday night. A table and two chairs at front centre. Grandfather and Father, seated at the table, are playing chess.)
(起居室。周五晚上。舞台正前方有一张桌子和两把椅子。祖父和父亲正坐在桌边下棋。) Grandfather：And...I win！ 祖父：嗯……我赢了！ (Son enters room.) (儿子进入房间。)
Father：Not again! Oh look, here comes my boy. How are you, son? 父亲：怎么又输了！哟，我的孩子来了。最近怎么样啊，儿子？ Son：(nervously approaching the table) Erm... Dad, can we talk? 儿子：(小心翼翼地走近桌子)呃……爸爸，我们能聊聊吗？
Father：Sure! You know you can always turn to your dad for a chat. 父亲：当然！你随时都可以找你老爸聊天啊。
Son：OK. Here it is. I’ve decided not to go to university. I want to focus on my band and have a career in music when I leave school.
儿子：好吧。是这样，我决定不上大学了。我想专注搞我的乐队，毕业后走音乐这条路。 Father：(raising his voice in surprise) You can’t be serious! What about your future career as a lawyer？！
父亲：(惊讶地提高声音说)你是在开玩笑吧！你不准备做律师了吗？！
Son：I knew you’d say that. You just assume I want to be a lawyer, but that’s only because you are a lawyer.
儿子：我就知道您会这么说。您以为我想当律师，可那只是因为您自己是律师。
Father：What’s wrong with being a lawyer? Lawyers help people and are respected by others.
父亲：当律师有什么不好？律师帮助别人，还受人尊重。
Son：Yes, but I’m not interested in law. I want to work in a studio, not a court. 儿子：的确，但我对法律不感兴趣。我想在录音棚里工作，而不是在法院工作。 Grandfather：(looking at Father) Calm down. OK? 祖父：(看着父亲)先冷静一下，好吗？
Father：(ignoring Grandfather’s words) Stop daydreaming ! Playing in a band is not a job.
父亲：(无视祖父的话)别再做白日梦了！搞乐队根本不是份工作。
Son：Of course it is! The music industry is developing fast now. Making music is a job. 儿子：当然是！现在音乐产业发展得很快。做音乐是一份工作。
Grandfather：(stepping between Father and Son and raising his voice) Hey! I told you to calm down, both of you!
祖父：(走到父亲和儿子中间，提高嗓门)嘿！我说了冷静一下，你们俩！ Father：But I told him to study something useful at university! 父亲：可我也说了他得去上大学，学些有用的东西！
Grandfather：(laughing) Easy, son! I remember when you were his age, you said that you wanted to be a professional football player.
祖父：(笑)别生气，儿子！我记得你像他这么大的时候，你说你想成为一名职业足球运动员。
Father：And you wanted me to be an engineer!
父亲：可您想让我做工程师！
Grandfather：I just wanted you to be happy, and an engineer—a happy engineer. 祖父：我只是希望你能快乐，而且能当一名工程师——一名快乐的工程师。 Father：But in the end, you just advised me to think carefully. 父亲：但最后您是建议我认真考虑。
Grandfather：Yes, and you have found the career that suits your talents. I’m so proud of you. Your son is proud of you, too.
祖父：是的，而且你找到了能发挥你天赋的职业。我真为你感到骄傲。你儿子也为你感到骄傲。
Son：Of course I am, but I have different talents. 儿子：没错，但我的天赋不一样。
Grandfather：(turning to Son) Why don’t you also take my advice and think carefully before jumping in with both feet?
祖父：(对儿子说)要不然你也按照我说的，三思而后行？ Son：Well, I could try...
儿子：好吧，我可以试试……
Grandfather：If you go to university and play music at the same time, you will have two options for your future. And I’m sure playing in a band will help you make lots of new friends at university.
祖父：如果你边上大学边搞音乐，你的未来将有两种选择。而且，我相信加入乐队中能让你在大学里结交很多新朋友。
Father：Yes, lots of new lawyer friends! 父亲：是的，很多新的律师朋友！ Son：(with a sigh) Dad... 儿子：(叹了口气)爸爸…… (Curtain) (落幕)
JUST A BROTHER 只是一位兄长
It was the final part of the 2016 World Triathlon Series in Mexico. With just 700 metres to go, Alistair Brownlee was in third place and his younger brother, Jonny, was in the lead. Alistair pushed himself towards the finish line in the burning heat, but as he came round the corner, he saw his brother about to fall onto the track. Alistair had to choose—brotherly love, or a chance to win the race?
这是2016年在墨西哥举行的世界铁人三项系列赛的最后一程。离终点只有700米，阿利斯泰尔·布朗利位列第三，他的弟弟乔尼则处于领先地位。阿利斯泰尔在燃烧的高温中奋力奔向终点，但就在他转过弯道时，却看到弟弟快要摔倒在跑道上。阿利斯泰尔必须做出选择——是要手足之情，还是要赢得比赛？
For Alistair, the choice was clear. His brother was in trouble. He had to help. Alistair ran towards Jonny, caught him and started pulling him towards the finish line. Alistair then pushed his brother over the line. The move put Jonny in second place and Alistair himself in third. It was an unexpected end to the race, but Alistair did not want to discuss it with the media. He
just wanted to see his younger brother, who had been rushed to the medical area.
对阿利斯泰尔来说，如何选择显而易见。弟弟遇到麻烦了，他必须施以援手。阿利斯泰尔跑向乔尼，抓住他，并拖着他跑向终点。接着，阿利斯泰尔把他的弟弟推过终点线。这一举动使乔尼名列第二，而他自己名列第三。这是一个意料之外的结局，但阿利斯泰尔不想和媒体讨论此事。他只是想去探望被紧急送到医疗区的弟弟。
The Brownlee brothers have been doing triathlons since they were children. “Obviously, when your older brother is doing it, you think it’s a cool thing to do,” says Jonny. Alistair says that they encourage each other as much as they can when they train. Despite arguments over “stupid things” now and then, Alistair agrees that having a brother is an advantage. “Throughout my entire life, I’ve had my brother trying to beat me at everything I do. It has been an enormously positive force.”
布朗利兄弟从小就参加铁人三项。“显然，当你的哥哥参加铁人三项时，你会觉得这是一件很酷的事情。”乔尼说道。阿利斯泰尔称，他们在训练时尽可能互相鼓励对方。尽管偶尔会为一些“愚蠢的事情”争吵，阿利斯泰尔仍然觉得有个兄弟是一种优势。“在我的一生中，我弟弟总试图在各个方面打败我。这是一股非常积极的动力。”
Watched by millions, the ending to the race has divided opinions: should the brothers have been disqualified or highly praised for their actions? But for Alistair, this decision was easy to explain: “Mum wouldn’t have been happy if I’d left Jonny behind.” At that moment, he was no longer an athlete aiming for a medal—he was just a brother.
有数百万人目睹了这场比赛的结局，但对此也是众说纷纭：这对兄弟是应该因他们的行为被取消比赛资格，还是应该被高度赞扬？但对阿利斯泰尔而言，他的决定很容易解释：“要是我撇下乔尼，妈妈肯定不会高兴的。”在那一刻，他不再是一名想赢得奖牌的运动员——他只是一位兄长。
Unit 4
CLICK FOR A FRIEND? 一键交友？
How would you feel if moving to a new town meant losing track of your friends? What if the only way of getting news from faraway friends was writing letters that took ages to be delivered? This was how things worked not very long ago. Thanks to advances in technology, how we make friends and communicate with them has changed significantly.
如果搬到一个新的城镇意味着与朋友失去联系，你会作何感想？如果唯有通过写信和漫长的等待才能得知远方朋友的消息，你会怎样？直到不久之前，现实情况还都是这样的。然而，得益于技术的进步，我们结交朋友和与朋友沟通的方式发生了很大的变化。
Nowadays, we can move around the world and still stay in touch with the people that we want to remain friends with. Social media tools let us see what our friends are up to and maintain friendships. All you need is a wi-fi connection.
如今，我们可以一边环游世界，一边仍与我们希望与之维持友谊的人们保持联系。通过
社交媒体工具，我们能了解朋友所做之事、维持彼此间的友谊。而这一切只要有无线网络即可实现。
The digital age also enables us to find people who share our interests, such as collecting model cars or playing an unusual instrument. Whatever our hobbies, the Internet can connect us with others who also enjoy doing them, even if they live on the other side of the world.
数字时代还可以帮我们找到志趣相投的人——例如收集汽车模型或演奏不寻常的乐器。不管我们的爱好是什么，我们都能在网上结识同好，哪怕他们生活在世界的另一端。
But when you “friend” people online, does this mean that they really are your friends? 然而，在网上跟别人“交朋友”时，这是否意味着他们真的是你的朋友呢？ It depends.
这要视情况而定。
If people always exchange true personal information online, then yes, these friendships can be real and meaningful. But we need to keep in mind that what we see on social media is often not the whole truth about a person.
如果人们在网上交换的个人信息是真实的，那么答案为“是的”，这种友谊是真实而有意义的。但我们需要谨记，我们在社交媒体上看到的，往往不是一个人的全部真面目。
On social media sites, people tend to post only positive updates that make them appear happy and friendly. But smiling photos can hide real problems. Remember the saying: on the Internet, nobody knows you’re a dog. A young person could be old; a woman could be a man; we could even be sharing our information with criminals.
在社交网站上，人们倾向于只发布正面的信息，塑造自己快乐和友好的形象。然而，微笑的照片会掩盖真正的问题。记住这句话：在互联网上，没人知道你是一条狗。(网上展示的)年轻人形象的背后可能是个老人，而女性形象的背后可能是个男人，我们分享个人信息的对象甚至可能是罪犯。
But this doesn’t mean that we should throw the baby out with the bathwater. Although technology has changed the way we acquire friends, the meaning of friendship and our longing for friends remain the same. As Aristotle said, no one would choose to live without friends, even if he had all other goods.
但是，这并不意味着我们应该因噎废食、弃沙抛金。尽管技术改变了我们交朋友的方式，但友谊的意义和我们对友谊的渴望依然不变。正如亚里士多德所说的：没有人会选择没有朋友的生活，哪怕他拥有其他所有财富。
After Twenty Years 二十年后
The short story “After Twenty Years” is set in New York on a cold, dark night. Most people have left work to go home, and this part of the city is now quiet. A policeman who is checking the area sees a man outside a shop. He goes up to the man and finds he has a scar on his face. They have a chat and the man starts to tell his story.
短篇小说《二十年后》设定在纽约的一个寒冷而黑暗的夜晚。大部分人已经下班回家，城市的这个角落静悄悄的。一名正在该地区巡逻的警察看到一名男子站在商店外面。他走近男子，发现他的脸上有一道伤疤。他们开始聊天，男子开始讲述他的故事。
“Twenty years ago tonight,” said the man, “ I dined here at ‘Big Joe’ Brady’s with Jimmy Wells, my best chum, and the finest chap in the world. He and I were raised here in New York,
just like two brothers, together. I was eighteen and Jimmy was twenty. The next morning I was to start for the West to make my fortune. You couldn’t have dragged Jimmy out of New York; he thought it was the only place on earth. Well, we agreed that night that we would meet here again exactly twenty years from that date and time, no matter what our conditions might be or from what distance we might have to come. We figured that in twenty years each of us ought to have our destiny worked out and our fortunes made, whatever they were going to be.”
“二十年前的今晚，”男子说，“我和吉米·威尔斯——我最好的朋友，也是这世界上最好的小伙子——在这儿的‘大乔’布雷迪餐厅吃饭。我们俩都是在纽约长大的，就像亲兄弟一样。那时我十八，吉米二十。第二天一早我就要去西部赚大钱了。可你不可能把吉米拖出纽约，他觉得地球上只有(纽约)这么一个地方。反正，那天晚上我们约定，不管日后各自的情况如何，也不管距离多远，我们都会在二十年的此地、此日、此时再次见面。我们当时觉得，不管要做什么，二十年的时间足够自己找到出路、赚到钱。”
“It sounds pretty interesting, ” said the policeman.“Rather a long time between meets, though, it seems to me. Haven’t you heard from your friend since you left？”
“这事倒挺新鲜，”警察说。“但在我看来，你们这两次见面间隔时间太久了。分手以后你没有你朋友的消息吗？”
“Well, yes, for a time we corresponded, ” said the other. “But after a year or two we lost track of each other. You see, the West is a pretty big proposition, and I kept hustling around over it pretty lively. But I know Jimmy will meet me here if he’s alive, for he always was the truest, staunchest old chap in the world. He’ll never forget. I came a thousand miles to stand in this door tonight, and it’s worth it if my old partner turns up.”
“嗯，不是的。我们也有过一段书信来往，”男子说。“但过了一两年便断了联系。你知道，西部很大，我不停地四处奔波、忙东忙西。但我相信，只要吉米还活着，他肯定会来赴约的，因为他一直是世界上最真诚、最可靠的老伙计。他绝对不会忘记我们的约定。今晚，我从千里之外赶来站在这扇门前，只要我的老朋友出现，这一切就都是值得的。”
(Excerpts from “After Twenty Years” by O. Henry) （节选自《二十年后》，作家欧·亨利）
Unit 5
The Monarch’s Journey 黑脉金斑蝶的旅程
Many animals move from one place to another at certain times of the year. This annual movement is called migration. They migrate to find food, seek a partner, or in search of warmer weather. One of the most wonderful migrations in nature is that of the North American monarch butterfly.
许多动物都会在每年的特定时间从一个地方迁移到另一个地方。这种一年一度的行为叫
做“迁徙”。它们为了觅食、寻找伴侣或温暖的环境而迁徙。自然界中最壮观的迁徙之一是北美洲黑脉金斑蝶的迁徙。
Every autumn, millions of these beautiful insects with fine black and orange wings begin a long and difficult journey. Somehow they manage to travel around 4,000 kilometres south and find their way to California or Mexico. However, until recently no one knew how they did this.
每年秋天，数百万这种翅膀橙黑相间的美丽昆虫都会开始漫长而艰辛的旅程。它们总是设法完成大约4000公里的南行之旅，成功到达加利福尼亚或墨西哥。然而，直到最近人们才明白它们是如何做到的。
A team of scientists led by Professor Eli Shlizerman at the University of Washington has now found the answer. They have found out that the monarch is able to tell the time of day. It uses its eyes to measure the position of the sun. These two pieces of information — the time of day and the point where the sun is in the sky — allow the butterfly to determine the way to go. Eventually, it manages to reach the places where it will spend the winter.
一支由伊莱·史莱泽曼教授领导的来自华盛顿大学的科学家团队现已找到了答案。他们发现，黑脉金斑蝶可以判断时间，并能用眼睛来测量太阳的位置。这两条信息——一天中的时间和太阳在天空中的位置——让黑脉金斑蝶判定前进方向，最终成功抵达过冬的地点。
The solution to the mystery of the monarch’s amazing ability comes at a time when it is in serious trouble. Its population has crashed by as much as 90 per cent in the last few years. Sadly, human activity is the main reason why the number of monarch butterflies is falling. In many of the places where the butterfly can be found, people are destroying the natural environment. They cut down trees and use chemicals that kill the plants that monarch caterpillars eat.
黑脉金斑蝶这一惊人能力的奥秘被揭晓时，这一生物正处于水深火热的生存状态中。其数量在近几年内减少了百分之九十之多。可悲的是，人类活动是黑脉金斑蝶数量下降的主要原因。在黑脉金斑蝶生存的许多地方，人们正破坏着那里的自然环境。他们砍伐树木，他们所用的化学制剂杀死了黑脉金斑蝶幼虫食用的植物。
The research on the monarch’s behaviour has however led to a greater awareness of this creature. People have been working together to record its migration and make sure that there are enough plants for it to feed on. If this works, there may come a time when the number of monarch butterflies increases once again. The more we know about this lovely creature, the greater the chance it will survive and keep its place in the natural world for a long time to come.
不过，对黑脉金斑蝶行为的研究也使得人们对这种生物有了更多的认识。人们已经在共同努力，记录它的迁徙，并确保它有足够的食物。如果这些努力产生效果，黑脉金斑蝶的数量在未来有可能会再次回升。我们对这个可爱的生物了解越多，它们在自然界中得以长久生存并保持其地位的可能性就越大。
An Encounter with Nature
一次与自然的邂逅
As a nature photographer, I have to brave the elements. But despite the wind and the rain, I still enjoy working outside in the wild. One of the best things about this job is that you can observe animals in their natural environment.
作为一名自然摄影师，我必须要风雨无阻地行动。但尽管风吹雨淋，我仍然享受在野外工作。这份工作的好处之一是你可以观察到自然状态下的动物。
My favourite place to take photos is Yellowstone National Park. As the world’s first national park, Yellowstone is famous for the variety of its wildlife, but it is probably best known for its bears. These huge, strong animals can live for 30 years. Despite a weight of up to 300 kilograms, they can run at a speed of around 64 kilometres per hour and are also excellent swimmers.
我最喜欢的拍照地点是黄石国家公园。作为世界上第一个国家公园，黄石公园以其野生动物的多样性而闻名，不过其中最广为人知的还是那里的熊。这种体型庞大而强壮有力的动物寿命长达30年。虽然体重最高可达300公斤，它们却能以每小时约64公里的时速奔跑，还非常擅长游泳。
Last spring in Yellowstone, I followed a path that took me through a dark forest. When I finally stepped out of the trees, the view was breathtaking. An eagle flew over the snow-capped mountains, which were reflected in the still lake below. While I was concentrating on photographing this amazing scene, I suddenly had a feeling that I was being watched. Slowly, and with the camera still held to my eye, I turned... and froze. Only meters away from me was a bear. With water falling off its thick, brown hair, the bear stared back at me. Time stood still as the bear and I both waited to see who would move first. My legs started shaking. Somehow, I forced my finger to press the button. A second later, the bear turned and ran back into the forest. When I recovered from the shock, I looked at my camera. My most frightening but magical experience was now captured forever in a single image.
去年春天，我沿着黄石公园的一条小路穿过一片昏暗的森林。当我终于走出森林时，眼前的景色令人叹为观止。白雪皑皑的山峰倒映在山脚下平静的湖面上，一只鹰掠过山顶。当我正聚精会神地拍摄这惊人的景观时，我突然感觉有什么在盯着我。我慢慢地转身，相机还端在眼前……然后我僵住了。那是一只熊，离我只有几米远。它也盯着我，水珠从厚厚的棕色皮毛上滴下来。时间凝固了，我和熊都等着看谁会先动。我的双腿开始颤抖。但我竟然还硬是按下了快门。一秒钟过后，那头熊转身跑回了森林。等我从震惊中缓过神来，我查看了相机。这个可怕至极却又如此神奇的经历已经被永久地定格在一张照片中。
From time to time I look at the photo as a reminder to show respect to all animals. It is after all we who are the visitors to their world.
我不时会看看这张照片，提醒自己要尊重所有的动物。毕竟我们才是他们世界的访客。
Unit 6
Longji Rice Terraces
龙脊梯田
Imagine mountains wrapped in silver water, shining in the spring sun. Summer sees the mountains turn bright green with growing rice. During autumn, these same mountains are gold, and in winter they are covered in sheets of white frost. These are the colours of the Longji Rice Terraces.
想象一下：春日，群山被银白色的水包裹着，在阳光下闪闪发光；盛夏，佳禾吐绿，将群山染成一片青翠。秋收，满山黄金，而隆冬，它们又披上了冰霜做成的雪白毛毯。这，就是绚丽多彩的龙脊梯田。
These terraces were built by the local Zhuang and Yao people, to whom Guangxi is home. Starting in the Yuan Dynasty, work on the terraces took hundreds of years, until its completion in the early Qing Dynasty. Reaching as far as the eye can see, these terraces cover tall mountains, often from the bottom to the very top.
龙脊梯田的建造者是广西当地的壮族和瑶族居民。梯田从元朝开始修建，历经数百年，直到清初才完工。目之所及，梯田包裹着巍峨的高山，往往从山脚一直盘绕到山顶。
So why did these people go to so much trouble to turn the entire mountains into terraces? Firstly, there are few large, flat areas of land in the region. Building the terraces therefore meant that they could increase the areas in which they could grow rice. Secondly, although the region has plenty of rain, the mountains are steep and the soil is shallow. The flat terraces catch the rainwater and prevent the soil from being washed away.
为什么当地人要如此大费周章，把整片山区变成梯田呢？首先，这里缺乏大面积的平原，建造梯田意味着他们可以扩大水稻的种植面积。其次，尽管该地区雨水充沛，但山地坡度大，土层浅薄。水平的梯田能够储存雨水，防止土壤被冲走。
But perhaps what is most significant is the way in which people have worked in harmony with nature to make these terraces and grow rice. The terraces are cleverly designed, with hundreds of waterways that connect with each other. During the rainy season, it is along these waterways that rainwater moves down the mountains and into the terraces. The sun heats the water and turns it into vapour.This forms clouds from which rain falls down onto the mountain terraces once again. These terraces also provide a perfect environment for birds and fish, some of which feed on insects that can harm the rice crops.
但也许最令人惊叹的还是人们与自然和谐相处建造梯田和种植水稻的方式。梯田设计巧妙，其间有数百条相互连接的水渠。在雨季，雨水会沿着这些水渠从山上流入梯田。水分经太阳蒸发成水蒸气，水蒸气形成云，而雨水又从云中再次落到山上的梯田里。这些梯田还为
鸟类和鱼类提供了绝佳的栖息地，而一部分鸟和鱼又以危害水稻作物的昆虫为食。
Although modern technology could help produce more crops, these terraces still mean a lot to the people for whom traditions hold much value. This knowledge is passed down through families, which means that new generations continue to use ancient methods of agriculture to maintain the terraces. Today, the Longji Rice Terraces attract thousands of visitors who come to admire this great wonder created by people and nature working together.
尽管现代技术可以帮助提高农作物产量，但这些梯田对珍视传统的当地人来说仍然意义重大。这种知识通过家庭代代相传，后代子孙一直沿用古老的农耕方法来维持着梯田的运作。今天，成千上万的游客慕名前来欣赏这由人与自然共同创造的壮丽奇观。
A Love of Gardening
热爱园艺
“If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden.” These words come from the author of the book The Secret Garden, first published in 1911. At that time, only the very rich in Britain had gardens. Very soon after this, homes with gardens began to be built. This is what started the British love of gardening！Today, millions of Brits like to say that they have “green fingers”, with around half the population spending their free time gardening.
“如果欣赏的角度对了，你会发现整个世界就是一个花园。”《秘密花园》一书的作者曾这样说。这本书1911年首次出版。在当时的英国，只有富人才拥有花园。不久之后，人们开始建造带有花园的房子。英国人对园艺的热爱就此开始！如今，数百万的英国人喜欢说他们有“绿手指(意为擅长园艺)”，约有一半的英国人都把空闲时间用在打理花园上。
For many people in the UK, their garden is their own private world. Each spring, children plant sunflowers and wait to see which one is the tallest.Expert gardeners know just the right corner for roses, and others spend hours trying to grow perfect vegetables to enter into competitions. And while many Brits like nothing better than spending their Sunday cutting the grass, some are happy just to sit under the branches of the trees and enjoy the beauty of the world around them.
对于许多英国人来说，花园是他们的秘密世界。每年春天，孩子们种下向日葵，满怀期待地看谁种的长得最高。高明的园艺对于花园哪个角落最适合种植玫瑰了如指掌，其他人则大量时间力图种出最完美的蔬菜参加竞赛。虽然许多英国人认为除草是周日最棒的活动，但也有的人只要能坐在树下享受周围世界的美丽就心满意足了。
But in cities, limited space has led to people looking for new solutions. Those without outside space can rent small pieces of land on which to grow things. Today, there are over 4,000 people in London waiting for such pieces of land. One recent idea has been to turn rooftops and walls into private gardens. These gardens have helped make the cities greener and improve air quality.
但在城市里，有限的空间促使人们寻找新的解决方案。住宅外部没有空间的居民可以租用小块土地种植作物。现如今，伦敦有四千多人在等待租用这样的土地。近期的一个理念是将屋顶和墙壁改造成私人花园。这些花园可以帮助绿化城市，改善空气质量。
As well as being good for the environment, gardening is also good for the soul. What other free-time activity allows you to be at one with nature and create more beautiful living things? And if you’re in any doubt about this, take a moment to reflect on this line from The Secret Garden: “Where you tend a rose... A thistle cannot grow.”
除了能改善环境，园艺还能净化心灵。还有什么其他业余活动能让你在享受自然的同时创造出更美丽的生物呢？如果你对此有任何疑问，请停下片刻，回味一下《秘密花园》中的这句话：“玫瑰生长的土地上没有蓟草。”
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