新概念英语第四册Lesson16~18课文翻译及学习笔记.docVIP

新概念英语第四册Lesson16~18课文翻译及学习笔记 新概念英语第四册Lesson16课文翻译及学习笔记 　　【课文】 　　First listen and then answer the following question. 　　听录音，然后回答以下问题。 　　What is the author’s main argument about the modern city? 　　In the organization of industrial life the influence of the factory upon the physiological and mental state of the workers has been completely neglected. Modern industry is based on the conception of the maximum production at lowest cost, in order that an individual or a group of individuals may earn as much money as possible. It has expanded without any idea ofthe true nature of the human beings who run the machines, and without giving any consideration to the effects produced on the individuals and on their descendants by the artificial mode of existence imposed by the factory. The great cities have been built with no regard for us. The shape and dimensions of the skyscrapers depend entirely on the necessity of obtaining the maximum income per square foot of ground, and of offering to the tenants offices and apartments that please them. This caused the construction of gigantic buildings where too large masses of human beings are crowded together. Civilized men like such a way of living. While they enjoy the comfort and banal luxury of their dwelling, they do not realize that they are deprived of the necessities of life. The modern city consists of monstrous edifices and of dark, narrow streets full of petrol fumes and toxic gases, torn by the noise of the taxicabs, lorries and buses, andthronged ceaselessly by great crowds. Obviously, it has not been planned for the good of its inhabitants. 　　ALEXIS CARREL Man, the Unknown 　　【New words and expressions 生词和短语】 　　physiological adj. 生理的 　　maximum adj. 限度的 　　consideration n. 考虑 　　descendant n. 子孙，后代 　　artificial n. 人工的 　　impose v. 强加 　　dimension n. 直径 　　skyscraper n. 摩天大楼 　　tenant n. 租户 　　civilized adj. 文明的 　　banal adj. 平庸 　　luxury n. 豪华 　　deprive v. 剥夺 　　monstrous adj. 畸形的 　　edifice n. 大厦 　　toxic adj. 有毒的 　　ceaselessly adv. 不停