1、UNIT ONE SCIENCE FICTION Todays science fiction is tomorrows science fact. -Isaac Asimov 今天的科幻小说即明天的科学现实。 Reading and Thinking SATISFACTION GUARANTEED 包你满意包你满意 Larry Belmont worked for a company that made robots. Recently it had begun experimenting with a household robot. It was going to be tested o
2、ut by Larrys wife. Claire. 拉里贝尔蒙特在一家机器人制造公司工作。该公司最近开始试验家用机器人。机器人将由拉里的 妻子克菜尔进行试用。 Claire didnt want the robot in her house, especially as her husband would be away on a business trip for three weeks, but Larry persuaded her that the robot wouldnt harm her or allow her to be harmed. It would be a bonu
3、s. However when she first saw the robot, she felt alarmed. His name was Tony. He seemed more like a human than a machine. He was tall and handsome with smooth hair and a deep voice, although his facial expression never changed. 克菜尔并不想家里有个机器人，尤其是在她丈夫要出差三周的时候，但是拉里劝她说机器人不会伤 害她，也不会让她受到伤害。还会是个意外收获。然而，第一次
4、看到机器人时，克莱尔还是有点惊慌。这 个机器人名叫托尼，看着不太像机器，而更像个真人。托尼高大英俊，头发顺滑，嗓音低沉，不过他的面 部表情始终不变。 On the second morning. Tony brought her breakfast and then asked her whether she needed help dressing. She felt embarrassed and quickly told him to go. Now she was being looked after by a robot that looked so human, and it wa
5、s disturbing. 第二天早晨，托尼给克菜尔端来了早餐，还问她是否需要帮忙穿衣打扮。克莱尔感到非常尴尬，立 刻让托尼走开。现在，她正由一个看起来这么像人类的机器人照料着，这很令人不安。 One day, Claire mentioned that she didnt think she was clever. Tony said that she must feel very unhappy to say that. Claire thought it was ridiculous that she was being offered sympathy by a robot, but
6、she gradually admired his wisdom and integrity and began to trust him. He always treated her with dignity. She told him how she was unhappy that her home wasnt elegant enough for Larry, who wanted to improve his social position with a bigger salary. She wasnt like Gladys Claffern, one of the richest
7、 and most powerful women around. 有一天，克菜尔说她觉得自己并不聪明。托尼说她肯定是感到很不开心才会这么说。克菜尔觉得一 个机器人对她表示同情十分荒谬， 但她逐渐欣赏托尼的智慧和正直， 并且开始信任他。 托尼对她彬彬有礼。 克菜尔告诉托尼自己多么的不开心， 因为拉里觉得家里不够雅致;拉里想通过涨工资来提高自己的社会地位。 克菜尔与格拉迪丝克拉芬不同，后者是当地最有钱有势的女性之一。 As a favour, Tony promised to help Claire make herself more beautiful and her home more ele
8、gant. So Claire borrowed some library books for him to read, or rather, scan. She looked at his fingers with wonder as they turned each page. How absurd. she thought. He was just a machine. 作为一项恩惠，托尼答应帮助克菜尔，把她变得更漂亮些，也把她的家变得更雅致些。于是，克菜 尔从图书馆借来了一些书让托尼阋读，应该说是让他扫视。她惊奇地看着托尼的手指翻动书页的样子，心 想这太荒唐了。他只不过是一台机器罢了。
9、 Tony gave Claire a new hairstyle and improved her makeup. As he was not allowed to accompany her to the shops, he wrote out a list of things that he would need for his work on the house. Claire went downtown and bought these things. She had an appointment to paint her nails, then she went into an e
10、xpensive clothes shop. The saleswoman there was rude to her, so she rang Tony and told him she was being treated badly. He spoke to the woman, who immediately changed her attitude. Claire thanked Tony, telling him that he was a dear As she turned around, there stood Gladys Claffern. How awful to be
11、discovered by her, Claire thought. By the look on her face, Claire knew that Gladys thought they were in a relationship. After all, she knew Claires husbands name was Larry, not Tony. Although it was completely innocent, Claire felt guilty. 托尼给克菜尔做了一个新发型，还改善了她的妆容。但是，由于托尼被禁止陪同克菜尔去商店，所 以他开具了一张装修房子所需材料
12、的清单。克菜尔去市中心购买了这些东西。她按预约去美甲后，走进了 一家高档时装店。女店员对她很粗鲁，于是她打电话给托尼，告诉他说自己受到了不礼貌的对待。托尼同 店员交谈之后，店员立刻改变了态度。克尔向托尼道谢，称托尼为“亲爱的”。当她转过身来，却看到格拉 迪丝克拉芬正站在那里。被她发现了，这多么难堪啊，克莱尔心想。从她脸上的表情判断，克菜尔知道 格拉迪丝认为自己出轨了。毕竟她知道克菜尔丈夫的名字是拉里，而不是托尼。虽然完全无事，克莱尔还 是感到内疚。 When Claire got home, she wept. Gladys was everything Claire wished to be
13、. Tony told her she was being sensitive and was just as good as Cladys. He suggested that she invite Gladys and her friends to the house the night before he was to leave and Larry was to return. By that time, Tony expected that the house, which was being completely transformed, would be ready. 到家后，克
14、菜尔啜泣不止。格拉迪丝是她竭力模仿的对象。托尼对克菜尔说，她这样想有点敏感， 其实她像格拉迪丝一样优秀。托尼还建议在他离开，也就是拉里回家的前一天晚上，克菜尔邀请格拉迪丝 和她的朋友们到家里来。到那个时候，托尼预计这栋正在彻底改造的房子将大功告成。 Tony worked steadily on the improvements Claire tried to help by working on a light suspended from the ceiling, but she fell off the ladder. Even though Tony had been in the n
15、ext room, he managed to catch her in time. As he held her, she felt the warmth of his body. She screamed, pushed him away, and ran to her room. 托尼的装修工作稳步进展。莱尔试图帮忙安装天花板上的吊灯，但从梯子上摔了下来。尽管托尼当 时在隔壁房间，但他还是及时接住了她。托尼抱着她的时候，她感受到了他身体的热度。她尖叫了一声， 一把推开他，然后跑回了自己的房间。 The night of the party arrived. The clock struc
16、k eight. The guests would be arriving soon, so Claire dismissed Tony for the rest of the night. At that moment Tony took her in his arms, bringing his face close to hers. She heard him declare that he did not want to leave her the next day, and that he felt more than just the desire to please her. T
17、hen the front door bell rang. 聚会之夜到了。时钟敲响了八点整，客人们很快就要来了，于是克菜尔让托尼结束了当晚的工作， 说当夜不再需要他了。就在那一瞬间，托尼将她揽入怀中，慢慢地贴近她的脸庞。克莱尔听着托尼宣布说 他次日并不想离开她，而且他心里的愿望不只是让她开心而己。就在这时，前门的门铃响 Using Language THE TIME MACHINE(Adapted) 时间机器时间机器(改编改编) It was at ten oclock today that the first of all Time Machines began its career. I
18、gave it a last check, and sat myself in the leather seat. I pushed the starting lever on the main panel forwards an inch then immediately backwards again. Looking around, I saw my laboratory exactly as before. Had anything happened I thought my mind had tricked me. Then I saw the clock. A moment bef
19、ore, it was a minute or so past ten; now it was nearly half past three! 上午十点，所有时间机器中的第一台启动了共运转之旅。我最后检査了一遍机器，然后坐在皮椅上。 我把主面板上的启动杆往前推了一英寸，然后又立刻向后拉。环顾四周，我看到实验室与以前一模样。发 生什么事了吗?我以为我的大脑欺骗了我。然后我看了下时钟。片刻之前，大概是十点零一分，而现在已 经快三点半了! I drew a breath, gripped the lever and pushed it forwards. The laboratory went ha
20、zy around me. My niece came in to fetch something, maybe her handkerchief, apparently without seeing me. It probably took her a minute, but to me she moved like a rocket! I pushed the lever further. Night came as if a lamp was being turned out, and in another moment came the day Tomorrow night came,
21、 then skipped to day, again and again, faster and faster still. 我吸了一口气， 一把抓住操纵， 往前推了一下。 实验室在我身边变得模糊不清。 我的侄女进来拿东西， 也许是拿她的手帕，但她显然没看见我。她大约花了一分钟时间，但在我看来，她的动作快如火箭!我把操 纵杆再往前推了下。夜幕降临了，仿佛一盏灯正在熄灭，转眼间，白昼就来临了。第二天夜晚降临，接着 又跃进到白天。如此反复，越来越快。 It is hard to explain the strange and unpleasant feeling of time travelli
22、ng. It felt like I was being driven fast on a winding road. As my pace grew faster, the walls of the laboratory fell away, and I was left in the open air. The sun and moon looked as if they were being thrown across the sky, but soon there was division between night and day. Around me I saw trees gro
23、wing like puffs of smoke; they grew, spread, and died in moments. I saw huge buildings rise up then disappear like in a dream. The whole surface of the earth was being changed, melting and flowing before my eyes. I calculated that I was being pushed through time at hundreds of years a minute. 时间旅行带来
24、的陌生感和不适感是难以解释的。 我感到我好像坐在一部汽车里， 飞驰在蜿蜒的道路上。 我的速度越来越快，实验室的墙壁随之坍塌，我置身野外。太阳和月亮看起来似乎正被抛向天空，但是很 快就有了昼夜之分。环顾四周，我看到树木似青烟升起，不断生长，变得枝繁叶茂，片刻之后枯亡。我看 到大楼拔地而起，继而消逝，犹如梦中。地球的整个表面都在变化，在我的眼前熔化、流动。我估算我一 分钟要穿越数百年的时间。 I had a strange urge to look at the random things that were being flashed before my eyes! I had thought
25、about the risk of stopping the Time Machine many times. So long as I travelled at maximum speed, it didnt matter. But if I stopped and the same space was being occupied by something else, we would be forced together and explode like a bomb! Like an impatient fool, I pulled the lever backwards hard.
26、With a sudden jolt, the Time Machine was flipped on its side, and I was thrown through the air. 我有一种强烈的欲望， 想看看眼前那些随机闪现的东西!我已多次考虑过停下时间机器的风险。 只要我 以最高的速度前进，就不会有什么问题。但是，如果我停下来，同一空间被别的东西占据，我们就会被挤 在一起，然后像炸弹一样爆炸!我就像个失去耐心的傻瓜，使劲向后拉了下操纵杆。突然一震，时间机器侧 翻了，我被抛向了空中。 I was stunned for a moment, and then heard the so
27、und of thunder. I was sitting in the rain in some mud next to the machine. A fine welcome. I said. for a man who has travelled thousands of years to be here. 我一时惊呆了，然后听到雷声。我坐在雨中的一堆烂泥上，时间机器躺在旁。 “对一个穿越了数千年 才来到这里的人来说，这欢迎真是别开生面!”我说道。 Reading and Writing JOURNEY TO THE CENTRE OF THE EARTH At first I coul
28、d hardly see anything. After so long descending deep into the earth through dark, narrow caves, my eyes were not used to the light. But when I could focus again, I stood amazed. 起初我几乎什么都看不见。在黑暗狭窄的山洞中深入地底这么久，我的眼睛已经不适应光线了。但当 我能再次聚焦时，我惊讶地站在那里。 Its a sea!I cried 是海！我大叫道。 Yes, my uncle replied, and I sha
29、ll give it my name, as it was discovered by me. 是的，我的叔叔回答说：我将用我的名字给它命名，因为它是我发现的。 A vast lake or even an ocean, spread far beyond where the eye could see. The shore was lined with shining sand, and was being softly lapped by waves. It was covered with small shells which were once inhabited by the fir
30、st living beings. Around this sea stood a huge rock wall that was being worn away by the endless action of the waves. 视力所及是一片辽阔的湖泊甚至是海洋。 岸边是闪亮的沙子， 被波浪轻轻拍打着。 上面布满了小贝壳， 这些贝壳曾经是第一批生物居住的地方。在这片海的周围，矗立着一堵巨大的岩壁，正被无尽的海浪作用 所磨灭。 I could see far over this great sea because it was being lit up by a strange ligh
31、t. Not sunlight, of course, as we were deep below the surface. No with its bright, clear whiteness, the light must have been electric. Under the sky, if it could be called so, being made of rock, were also vast clouds. They were being illuminated by this light, but the light gave no heat, so the pla
32、ce felt rather gloomy. Here we were, shut up inside a cave of a size that could not be estimated. It must have been several miles high. 我可以远远地看到这片大海，因为它正被一种奇怪的光照亮。当然，不是阳光，因为我们在海面之下 的深处。不，以其明亮、清晰的白色，那光一定是电光。在 天空 之下，如果可以这样称呼的话，因为 它是由岩石构成的，也是巨大的云层。它们被这道光照亮了，但这道光并不给人以热量，所以这个地方感 觉相当阴暗。我们在这里，被关在一个无法估计大小的山
33、洞里面。它一定有几英里高。 Human words cannot describe the discoveries of those who have been deep into the earth. My imagination was powerless before such wonders. felt like I was on some distant planet, and was both amazed and rather scared. However, I was energised by the breezy salty air supplying more oxyge
34、n to my lungs. After many days in much narrower spaces, it was a great relief. 人类的语言无法描述那些深入地底的人的发现。 我的想象力在这样的奇观面前无能为力.感觉自己好像 是在某个遥远的星球上，既惊奇又相当害怕。然而，微风咸湿的空气给我的肺部提供了更多的氧气，使我 精力充沛。在狭窄得多的空间里呆了许多天之后，这真是一种极大的安慰。 Ready to walk a little now? asked my uncle. 现在准备好走一走了吗？我叔叔问道。 Yes, certainly 是的，当然 Well, let
35、us follow the shore then, he said, and we began to explore. 他说：那我们就沿着海岸走吧。我们开始探索。 Soon in front of us appeared a tall, dense forest, composed of trees formed like umbrellas. Mushrooms! said my uncle. And he was right! There were mushrooms in their thousands, and each at least thirty feet high. 很快，在我
36、们面前出现了一片高大的密林，由像伞一样的树木组成。蘑菇！我叔叔说。我叔叔说。 他说的没错! 那里有成千上万的蘑菇，每一个至少有三十英尺高。 Wonderful! cried my uncle. A botanist never had such a feast as this! Now look under your feet. 太棒了！我叔叔喊道。我叔叔喊道。一个植物学家从来没有过这样的盛宴！现在看看你的脚下 Oh yes! I exclaimed 哦，是的! 我惊呼道。 I hadnt noticed the many bones, which were being crushed und
37、er our feet as we walked. Suddenly I thought, if once these monsters lived here, might some still roam through these gloomy forests? I anxiously surveyed the landscape, but we were the only living creatures in this subterranean world. Thankfully. 我没有注意到很多骨头，在我们行走的过程中，这些骨头正在被压在我们的脚下。我忽然想到，如果 曾经这些怪物生活
38、在这里，会不会还有一些怪物在这些阴森的森林里游荡？我焦急地打量着这里的景象， 但我们是这个地下世界唯一的活物。谢天谢地。 Eventually we returned to the cave we had entered from, and I fell asleep with strange thoughts. Where did this underground sea end? Where did it lead to? 最终，我们回到了从这里进入的山洞，我带着奇怪的想法睡着了。这片地下海的尽头是哪里？它又通 向哪里？ UNIT TWO ICONIC ATTACTIONS Whateve
39、r makes an impression on the heart seems lovely in the eye. -Saadi 任何给心灵留下深刻印象的东西，在人们眼里似乎都是可爱的。 Reading and Thinking Experience the iconic features of Australia 25 Sep 9 月 25 Next week Im travelling to Australia to visit a friend there over the school holidays. I plan to keep this blog to record my
40、experiences and what I learn. I have already done some research on the country. Located to the south of the equator, below many other countries on the globe, its often informally referred to as down under 趁学校放假，我打算下周去澳大利亚看望那里的一位朋友。我计划用这个博客记录我的所见所闻。 我对澳大利亚做了一番研究。它位于赤道以南，在地球上许多其他国家的下方，常被俗称为“ down unde
41、r” I have also read about some iconic sites, such as the Sydney Opera House and the Great Ocean Road, and animals like the cute koalas and kangaroos. I cant wait to see all of them! However, as I major in social studies, Im more interested in meeting people in Australia and experiencing their cultur
42、e, food and way of life. 我也看了一些标志性景点的介绍， 比如悉尼歌刷院和大洋路， 还有可爱的考拉和袋鼠等动物的资料。 我迫不及待想见到所有这一切!不过，因为我主修社会研究，所以我对结识澳大利亚人并体验他们的文化、 饮食和生活方式更感兴趣。 1Oct 10 月 1 Im here in Sydney Since I arrived, my friend has brought me to my first open-air barbecue and has also shared many different but yummy meals with me, so my
43、 first impressions of Australia have been all about food! A lot of typical Australian food, such as the Sunday roast, is originally British. Bakeries, fast-food joints, butcher shops, cafes, and restaurants everywhere provide some of the premier food experiences in the world. The influence of Asian
44、cultures on the other hand, led to the introduction of bean curd and Asian herbs, along with Australian versions of foods like the Chinese-inspired dim sim. 我在悉尼啦!自我来这儿之后，朋友就带着我去吃了这辈子第一次的露天烧烤，还和我分享了许多风 格各异的美味佳肴， 所以我对澳大利亚的第一印象就是美食!很多澳大利亚的特色美食都源自英国， 比如星 期日烤肉。随处可见的面包店、快餐连锁店、肉店、咖啡馆和餐馆提供世界顶级的美食体验。另一方面， 在
45、亚洲文化的影响下，除了灵感源自中国的点心等澳大利亚版的食物以外，还引入了豆腐和亚洲药草。 3Oct 10 月 3 号 My friend and I have arrived in Katherine, a town in Australias Northern Territory. Were here to learn about the life and customs of the Aborigines, who are native to Australia. The Aboriginal population might be small, but its influence is
46、still visible. For example, “Bondi” in “ Bondi Beach” is an Aboriginal word meaning water breaking over rocks”. 我和朋友来到了澳大利亚北的凯瑟琳小镇。我们此行的目的是了解土著人的生活和习俗，他们是澳 大利亚的原住民。土著人的人口可能很少，但其影响依旧可见。例如，“邦迪海滩”中的“邦迪”就是一个土 著词汇意思是“拍打着岩石的海浪(声)”。 To survive in this vast land on the ocean, the Aborigines had to be in clo
47、se contact with nature. This shows in their music. too, which celebrates the natural world and the spiritual world around them. Most of their musical instruments are really just sticks found on the ground, among which there is an amazing instrument called the didgeridoo. 为了在大洋中这片辽阔的土地上生存，澳大利亚土著人得和大自
48、然保持密切的联系。这也体现在它 们的音乐中。这些音乐歌颂身边的自然世界，以及围绕着它们的精神世界。他们的大多数乐器其实就是在 地上找到的树枝，其中有一种叫作迪吉里杜管的神奇乐器. The didgeridoo is made from a tree branch which is hollow. To play the didgeridoo, you put your mouth on one end and blow while vibrating your lips. Unlike a horn, there are no finger holes. The didgeridoo play
49、er has to change the shape of his mouth in order to change pitch. A skilled player can play for a long time without stopping to breathe. He does this by continually breathing in through his nose while breathing out through his mouth and into the didgeridoo I tried to learn how to play it, but after trying for hours, I was convinced that I could never make a musical sound with this instrument. 迪吉里杜管由空心的树枝制成。吹奏迪吉里杜管时，把嘴巴靠在一端，边吹气，一边振动嘴唇。与 喇叭不同，迪吉里杜管没有指孔。吹奏迪吉里杜管必须靠改变嘴形才能改变音高。一名娴熟的演奏者可以 长时间吹奏，不用停下