英語新概念短文

英語新概念短文篇一：新概念英語2 課文及翻譯

新概念英語第2冊課文

1 A private conversation私人談話

Last week I went to the theatre. I had a very good seat. The play was very interesting. I did not enjoy it. A young man and a young woman were sitting behind me. They were talking loudly. I got very angry. I could not hear the actors. I turned round. I looked at the man and the woman angrily. They did not pay any attention. In the end, I could not bear it. I turned round again. 'I can't hear a word!' I said angrily.

'It's none of your business,' the young man said rudely. 'This is a private conversation!'

上星期我去看戲。我的座位很好。發(fā)揮是很有趣的。我不喜歡它。一青年男子與一年輕女子坐在我的身后。他們在大聲地說話。我很生氣。我聽不見演員。我轉(zhuǎn)過身。我看著那個男人和女人生氣。他們沒有注意。最后，我忍不住了。我又一次轉(zhuǎn)過身去�！蔽也荒苈牭揭粋�字！”我憤怒地說�！边@不關(guān)你的事，”那男的毫不客氣地說。”這是私人間的談話！”

2 Breakfast or lunch?早餐還是午餐？

It was Sunday. I never get up early on Sundays. I sometimes stay in bed until lunchtime. Last Sunday I got up very late. I looked out of the window. It was dark outside. 'What a day!' I thought. 'It's raining again.' Just then, the telephone rang. It was my aunt Lucy. 'I've just arrived by train,' she said. 'I'm coming to see you.'

'But I'm still having breakfast,' I said.

'What are you doing?' she asked.

'I'm having breakfast,' I repeated.

'Dear me,' she said. 'Do you always get up so late? It's one o'clock!'

它是星期日。在星期天我是從來不早起。有時我要一直躺到吃午飯的時候。上周日我起床很晚。我看著窗外。它是黑暗的外面�！倍嗪玫囊惶�！”我的思想。”又下雨了�！闭�在這時，電話鈴響了。是我姑母露西打來的�！蔽覄傁禄疖�，”她說�！蔽襾砜茨恪！薄暗�我還在吃早飯，”我說�！蹦愀墒裁茨�。她問�！蔽艺�在吃早飯，”我又說了一遍�！蔽矣H愛的，”她說�！蹦憧偸瞧鸬眠@么晚嗎？現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)一點(diǎn)了！”

3 Please send me a card請給我寄一張明信片

Postcards always spoil my holidays. Last summer, I went to Italy. I visited museums and sat in public gardens. A friendly waiter taught me a few words of Italian. Then he lent me a book. I read a few lines, but I did not understand a word. Everyday I thought about postcards. My holidays passed quickly, but I did not send cards to my friends. On the last day I made a big decision. I got up early and bought thirty-seven cards. I spent the whole day in my room, but I did not write a single card!

明信片總是破壞我的假期。去年夏天，我去了意大利。我參觀了博物館，然后坐在公園里。一位好客的服務(wù)員教了我?guī)拙湟獯罄�語。然后他借給我一本書。我讀了幾行，但一個字也不懂。我每天都想著明信片的事。假期過得真快，可我還沒有給我的朋友寄卡片。在最后一天我做了一個重大的決定。我起得很早，買了三十七張明信片。我花了一整天在我的房間，但我沒有寫一張卡片！

4 An exciting trip激動人心的旅行

I have just received a letter from my brother, Tim. He is in Australia. He has been there for six months. Tim is an engineer. He is working for a big firm and he has already visited a great number of different places in Australia. He has just bought an Australian car and has gone to Alice springs, a small town in the centre of Australia. He will soon visit Darwin. From there, he will fly to Perth. My brother has never been abroad before, so he is fending this trip very exciting.

我剛剛收到弟弟的來信，提姆。他在澳大利亞。他有六個月了。提姆是一個工程師。他是一家大公司工作，他已經(jīng)訪問了許多不同的地方在澳大利亞。他剛買了一輛汽車和澳大利亞已經(jīng)向愛麗絲斯普林斯，一個小鎮(zhèn)的中心，澳大利亞。他將很快訪問達(dá)爾文。從那里，他再飛往珀斯。我兄弟從來沒有出過國，因此他覺得這次旅行非常激動。

5 No wrong numbers無錯號之虞

Mr.James Scott has a garage in Silbury and now he has just bought another garage in Pinhurst. Pinhurst is only five miles from Silbury, but Mr. Scott cannot get a telephone for his new garage, so he has just bought twelve pigeons. Yesterday, a pigeon carried the first message from Pinhurst to Silbury. The bird covered the distance in three minutes. Up to now, Mr.Scott has sent a great many requests for spare parts and other urgent messages from one garage to the other. In this way, he has begun his own private 'telephone' service.

杰姆斯先生在錫爾伯里有一個汽車修理廠史葛，現(xiàn)在他剛在平赫斯特買了另一個汽車修理廠。只從熾熱玻璃的五英里，但史葛先生未能為他新的汽車修理部得到一個電話機(jī)，所以他買了十二只鴿子。昨天，鴿子把第一封信從。鳥覆蓋的距離在三分鐘。到目前為止，史葛先生發(fā)送了大量索取備件的信件和其他緊急信息從一個地方到另一。就這樣，他開始自己的私人電話服務(wù)。

6 Percy Buttons珀西.巴頓斯

I have just moved to a house in Bridge Street. Yesterday a beggar knocked at my door. He asked me for a meal and a glass of beer. In return for this, the beggar stood on his head and sang songs. I gave him a meal. He ate the food and drank the beer. Then he put a piece of cheese in his pocket and went away. Later a neighbour told me about him. Everybody knows him. His name is Percy Buttons. He calls at every house in the street once a month and always asks for a meal and a glass of beer.

我剛剛搬進(jìn)了大橋街的一所房子。昨天一個乞丐來敲我的門。他問我要一頓飯和一杯啤酒。作為回報，那乞丐頭頂?shù)氐沽⑵饋�，唱起了歌。我給了他一頓飯。他吃的食物和喝啤酒。然后他把一塊奶酪放在口袋里，走了。后來的一位鄰居告訴了我他的情況。每個人都知道他。他的名字叫佩爾西。他這條街上的每戶每月一次，而且總是要一頓飯和一杯啤酒。

7 Too late為時太晚

The plane was late and detectives were waiting at the airport all morning. They were expecting a valuable parcel of diamonds from South Africa. A few hours earlier, someone had told the police that thieves would try to steal the diamonds. When the plane arrived,

some of the detectives were waiting inside the main building while others were waiting on the airfield. Two men took the parcel off the plane and carried it into the Customs House. While two detectives were keeping guard at the door, two others opened the parcel. To their surprise, the precious parcel was full of stones and sand!

飛機(jī)誤點(diǎn)了，偵探們在機(jī)場等了整整一上午。他們正期待從南非鉆石的貴重包裹。幾個小時前，有人告訴警察，小偷想偷鉆石。當(dāng)飛機(jī)到達(dá)時，一些偵探等候在主樓內(nèi)，另一部分則等在停機(jī)坪。兩個男人帶著包裹下了飛機(jī)，進(jìn)了海關(guān)。當(dāng)兩個偵探把住門口，另外兩個打開包裹。令他們吃驚的是，那珍貴的包裹里面裝的全是石頭和沙子！

8 The best and the worst最好的和最差的

Joe Sanders has the most beautiful garden in our town. Nearly everybody enters for 'The Nicest Garden Competition' each year, but Joe wins every time. Bill Frith's garden is larger than Joe's. Bill works harder than Joe and grows more flowers and vegetables, but Joe's garden is more interesting. He has made neat paths and has built a wooden bridge over a pool. I like gardens too, but I do not like hard work. Every year I enter for the garden competition too, and I always win a little prize for the worst garden in the town!

喬·桑德斯擁有我們鎮(zhèn)上最漂亮的花園。幾乎每個人都參加每年舉辦的最佳花園競賽，而每次都是喬獲勝。比爾弗里斯的花園比喬。比爾比喬工作努力，種植了更多的花和蔬菜，但喬的花園更有趣。他修筑了一條條整潔的小路，池塘上架了一座小木橋。我也喜歡花園，但是我不喜歡辛苦的工作。每年的花園競賽我也參加，我總因是鎮(zhèn)上最差的花園！

9 A cold welcome冷遇

On Wednesday evening, we went to the Town Hall. It was the last day of the year and a large crowd of people had gathered under the Town Hall clock. It would strike twelve in twenty minutes' time. Fifteen minutes passed and then, at five to twelve, the clock stopped. The big minute hand did not move. We waited and waited, but nothing happened. Suddenly someone shouted. 'It's two minutes past twelve! The clock has stopped!' I looked at my watch. It was true. The big clock refused to welcome the New Year. At that moment, everybody began to laugh and sing.

在星期三的晚上，我們?nèi)チ耸姓�廳。這是一年的最后一天，一大群人聚集在市政廳的大鐘。它將十二在二十分鐘的時間。十五分鐘過去了，然后，在五至十二，鐘停了。大分針不動了。我們等了又等，但是什么都沒發(fā)生。突然有人喊道�！边@是兩分鐘過去十二！那鐘已經(jīng)停了！”我看了看我的手表。這是真的。大鐘拒絕歡迎新年。在那一刻，大家開始又是笑。

10 Not for jazz不適于演奏爵士樂

We have an old musical instrument. It is called a clavichord. It was made in Germany in 1681. Our clavichord is kept in the living room. It has belonged to our family for a long time. The instrument was bought by my grandfather many years ago. Recently it was damaged by a visitor. She tried to play jazz on it! She struck the keys too hard and two of the strings were broken. My father was shocked. Now we are not allowed to touch it. It is being repaired by a friend of my father's.

我們有件古樂器。它叫擊弦古鋼琴。它是德國制造的1681。我們的這架古鋼琴存放在起居室里。它屬于我們家很長時間。這件樂器是我祖父在很多年以前買的�？伤�最近被一個客人。她用它來彈奏爵士樂！她擊鍵太猛，損壞了兩根琴弦。我父親大為震驚�，F(xiàn)在是不讓我們碰它。它正在修理我父親的一個朋友。

11 One good turn deserves another禮尚往來

I was having dinner at a restaurant when Tony Steele came in. Tony worked in a lawyer's office years ago, but he is now working at a bank. He gets a good salary, but he always borrows money from his friends and never pays it back. Tony saw me and came and sat at the same table. He has never borrowed money from me. While he was eating, I asked him to lend me twenty pounds. To my surprise, he gave me the money immediately. 'I have never borrowed any money from you,' Tony said, 'so now you can pay for my dinner!'

我正在一家飯館吃飯，托尼·斯梯爾走了進(jìn)來。托尼曾在一家律師事務(wù)所工作，而現(xiàn)在正在一家銀行。他的薪水很高，但他卻總是向朋友借錢，并且從來不還。托尼看見了我，就走過來和我坐到一張桌子前。他從未向我借過錢。當(dāng)他吃飯時，我提出向他借二十英鎊。讓我驚訝的是，他立刻把錢給了我�！蔽疫�從未向你借過錢，”托尼說道，“所以現(xiàn)在你可以替我付飯錢了！”

12 Goodbye and good luck再見，一路順風(fēng)

Our neighbour, Captain Charles Alison, will sail from Portsmouth tomorrow. We'll meet him at the harbour early in the morning. He will be in his small boat, Topsail. Topsail is a famous little boat. It has sailed across the Atlantic many times. Captain Alison will set out at eight o'clock, so we'll have plenty of time. We'll see his boat and then we'll say goodbye to him. He will be away for two months. We are very proud of him. He will take part in an important race across the Atlantic.

我們的鄰居，查爾斯艾麗森船長明天將從樸茨茅斯啟航。我們將在港口見到他在清晨。他將在他的小船，上桅帆。這是有名的小艇。它已經(jīng)多次橫渡大西洋。艾麗森船長將于八點(diǎn)啟航，因此我們有充裕的時間。我們將參觀他的船，然后和他告別。他要離開兩個月。我們真為他感到自豪。他將參加一次重大的橫渡大西洋的比賽。

13 The Greenwood Boys綠林少年

The Greenwood Boys are a group of pop singers. At present, they are visiting all parts of the country. They will be arriving here tomorrow. They will be coming by train and most of the young people in the town will be meeting them at the station. Tomorrow evening they will be singing at the Workers' Club. The Greenwood Boys will be staying for five days. During this time, they will give five performances. As usual, the police will have a difficult time. They will be trying to keep order. It is always the same on these occasions.

綠林少年是一個流行歌曲演唱。目前，他們正在全國各地巡回演出。明天他們將到達(dá)這里。他們將乘火車來，大多數(shù)鎮(zhèn)上的年輕人會到車站迎接他們。明晚他們將在工人俱樂部。綠林少年準(zhǔn)備在此逗留五天。在這期間，他們將演出五場。如往常一樣，警察的日子將不好過。他們將設(shè)法維持秩序。它始終是相同的在這些場合。

14 Do you speak English?你會講英語嗎？

I had an amusing experience last year. After I had left a small village in the south of France, I drove on to the next town. On the way, a young man waved to me. I stopped and he asked me for a lift. As soon as he had got into the car, I said good morning to him in French and he replied in the same language. Apart from a few words, I do not know any French at all. Neither of us spoke during the journey. I had nearly reached the town, when the young man suddenly said, very slowly, "Do you speak English?' As I soon learnt, he was English himself!'

去年我有過一次有趣的經(jīng)歷。在我離開法國南部的小村莊，我繼續(xù)駛往下一個城鎮(zhèn)。途中，一個青年人向我招手。我停了下來，他要求搭便車。他剛一上車，我就用法語向他問早上好，他也用同樣的語言回答。除了幾個單詞外，我根本不會法語。在旅途中我們都沒有說話。就要到達(dá)那個鎮(zhèn)時，那青年突然開了口，慢慢地，“你會講英語嗎？”我很快了解到，他自己就是個英國人！”

15 Good news佳音

The secretary told me that Mr. Harmsworth would see me. I felt very nervous when I went into his office. He did not look up from his desk when I entered. After I had sat down, he said that business was very bad. He told me that the firm could not afford to pay such large salaries. Twenty people had already left. I knew that my turn had come.

'Mr.Harmsworth,' I said in a weak voice.

'Don't interrupt,' he said.

Then he smiled and told me I would receive an extra thousand pounds a year!

秘書告訴我說哈姆斯沃斯先生要見我。當(dāng)我走進(jìn)他的辦公室時，我感到很緊張。當(dāng)他沒有抬頭看他的桌上我進(jìn)入。待我坐下后，他說生意很不好。他還告訴我，公司支付不起這么大的工資開支。二十人已經(jīng)離開了。我知道這次該輪到我了�！惫�姆斯沃斯先生，”我用微弱的聲音說。”不要打斷我的話，”他說。然后他微笑著告訴我，我每年將得到一個！

16 A polite request彬彬有禮的要求

If you park your car in the wrong place, a traffic policeman will soon find it. You will be very lucky if he lets you go without a ticket. However, this does not always happen. Traffic police are sometimes very polite. During a holiday in Sweden, I found this note on my car: 'sir, we welcome you to our city. This is a "No Parking" area. You will enjoy your stay here if you pay attention to our street signs. This note is only a reminder.' If you receive a request like this, you cannot fail to obey it!

如果你把汽車停錯了地方，交通警察很快就會發(fā)現(xiàn)。你將非常榮幸，如果他讓你不用票。然而，這并不總是發(fā)生。交通警有時也很客氣。在瑞典度假期間，我在我的車子：“先生，歡迎您光臨我們的城市。這是一個“禁止停車”的地區(qū)。你會喜歡這里的生活，如果你留意我們街上的標(biāo)牌。謹(jǐn)此提請注意�！比绻�你收到這樣的請求，你不可能不服從！

英語新概念短文篇二：新概念英語第1冊課文及詳解

新概念英語第一冊

Lesson 1Excuse me!

對不起！

Listen to the tape then answer this question. Whose handbag is it? 聽錄音，然后回答問題，這是誰的手袋？

Excuse me!

Yes?

Is this your handbag?

Pardon?

Is this your handbag?

Yes, it is.

Thank you very much.

New Word and expressions 生詞和短語

excuse

v.原諒

me

pron.我(賓格)

yes

adv. 是的

is

v.be 動詞現(xiàn)在時第三人稱單數(shù)

this

pron.這

your

possessive adjective 你的，你們的

handbag

n.（女用）手提包

pardon

int. 原諒，請再說一遍

it

pron.它

thank you

感謝你（們）

very much

非常地

參考譯文

對不起

什么事？

這是您的手提包嗎？

對不起，請再說一遍。

這是您的手提包嗎？

是的，是我的。

非常感謝！

（偶數(shù)課為習(xí)題，無課文）

Lesson 3Sorry, sir.

對不起，先生。

Listen to the tape then answer this question.

聽錄音，然后回答問題。這位男士有沒有要回他的雨傘？

My coat and my umbrella please.

Here is my ticket.

Thank you, sir.

Number five.

Here's your umbrella and your coat.

This is not my umbrella.

Sorry sir.

Is this your umbrella?

No, it isn't.

Is this it?

Yes, it is.

Thank you very much.

New words and Expressions 生詞和短語

umbrella

n.傘

please

int. 請

here

adv. 這里

my

possessive adjective 我的

ticket

n.票

number

n.號碼

five

num. 五

sorry

adj. 對不起的

sir

n.先生

cloakroom

n.衣帽存放處

參考譯文

請把我的大衣和傘拿給我。

這是我（寄存東西）的牌子。

謝謝，先生。

是5號。

這是您的傘和大衣

這不是我的傘。

對不起，先生。

這把傘是您的嗎？

不，不是！

這把是嗎？

是，是這把

非常感謝。

Lesson 5Nice to meet you

很高興見到你。

Listen to the tape then answer this question. Is Chang-woo Chinese?

聽錄音，然后回答問題。 昌宇是中國人嗎？

MR. BLAKE: Good morning.

STUDENTS: Good morning, Mr. Blake.

MR. BLAKE: This is Miss Sophie Dupont.

Sophie is a new student.

She is French.

MR. BLAKE: Sophie, this is Hans.

He is German.

HANS:Nice to meet you.

MR. BLAKE: And this is Naoko.

She's Japanese.

NAOKO: Nice to meet you.

MR. BLAKE: And this is Chang-woo.

He's Korean.

CHANG-WOO: Nice to meet you.

MR. BLAKE: And this is Luming.

He is Chinese.

LUMNG: Nice to meet you.

MR. BLAKE: And this is Xiaohui.

She's Chinese, too.

XIAOHUI:Nice to meet you.

New Word and expressions 生詞和短語

Mr.

先生

good

adj. 好

Miss

小姐

new

adj. 新的

student

n.學(xué)生

French

adj. & n. 法國人

German

adj. & n. 德國人

nice

adj. 美好的

meet

v.遇見

Japanese

adj. & n. 日本人

Korean

adj. & n. 韓國人

Chinese

adj. & n. 中國人

too

adv. 也

參考譯文

布萊克先生：早上好。

學(xué)生：早上好，布萊克先生。

布萊克先生：這位是索菲婭.杜邦小姐。索菲婭是個新學(xué)生。她是法國人。 布萊克先生：索菲婭，這位是漢斯。他是德國人。

漢斯：很高興見到你。

布萊克先生：這位是直子。她是日本人。

直子：很高興見到你。

布萊克先生：這位是昌宇。他是韓國人。

昌宇：很高興見到你。

布萊克先生：這位是魯明。他是中國人。

魯明：很高興見到你。

布萊克先生：這位是曉惠。她也是中國人。

曉惠：很高興見到你。

Lesson 7Are you a teacher?

你是教師嗎？

Listen to the tape then answer this question. What is Rober's job? 聽錄音，然后回答問題。 羅伯特是做什么工作的？

ROBERT: I am a new student.

My name's Robert.

SOPHIE: Nice to meet you.

英語新概念短文篇三：新概念 英語 短文

New Concept English

Unit 1:The Language of Music

A painter hangs his or her finished pictures on a wall, and everyone can see it. A composer writes a work, but no one can hear it until it is performed. Professional singers and players have great responsibilities, for the composer is utterly dependent on them. A student of music needs as long and as arduous a training to become a performer as a medical student needs to become a doctor. Most training is concerned with technique, for musicians have to have the muscular proficiency of an athlete or a ballet dancer. Singers practice breathing every day, as their vocal chords would be inadequate without controlled muscular support. String players practice moving the fingers of the left hand up and down, while drawing the bow to and fro with the right arm—two entirely different movements.

Singers and instruments have to be able to get every note perfectly in tune. Pianists are spared this particular anxiety, for the notes are already there, waiting for them, and it is the piano tuner’s responsibility to tune the instrument for them. But they have their own difficulties; the hammers that hit the string have to be coaxed not to sound like percussion, and each overlapping tone has to sound clear.

This problem of getting clear texture is one that confronts student conductors: they have to learn to know every note of the music and how it should sound, and they have to aim at controlling these sound with fanatical but selfless authority.

Technique is of no use unless it is combined with musical knowledge and understanding. Great artists are those who are so thoroughly at home in the language of music that they can enjoy performing works written in any century.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Unit 2:Schooling and Education

It is commonly believed in United States that school is where people go to get an education. Nevertheless, it has been said that today children interrupt their education to go to school. The distinction between schooling and education implied by this remark is important.

Education is much more open-ended and all-inclusive than schooling. Education knows no bounds. It can take place anywhere, whether in the shower or in the job, whether in a kitchen or on a tractor. It includes both the formal learning that takes place in schools and the whole universe of informal learning. The agents of education can range from a revered grandparent to the people debating politics on the radio, from a child to a distinguished scientist. Whereas schooling has a certain predictability, education quite often produces surprises. A chance conversation with a stranger may lead a person to discover how little is known of other religions. People are engaged in education from infancy on. Education, then, is a very broad, inclusive term. It is a lifelong process, a process that starts long before the start of school, and one that should be an integral part of one’s entire life.

Schooling, on the other hand, is a specific, formalized process, whose general pattern varies little from one setting to the next. Throughout a country, children arrive at school at approximately the same time, take assigned seats, are taught by an adult, use similar textbooks, do homework, take exams, and so on. The slices of reality that are to be learned, whether they are the alphabet or an understanding of the working of government, have usually been limited by the boundaries of the subject being taught. For example, high school students know that there not likely to find out in their classes the truth about political problems in their

communities or what the newest filmmakers are experimenting with. There are definite conditions surrounding the formalized process of schooling.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Unit 3:The Definition of “Price”

Prices determine how resources are to be used. They are also the means by which products and services that are in limited supply are rationed among buyers. The price system of the United States is a complex network composed of the prices of all the products bought and sold in the economy as well as those of a myriad of services, including labor, professional, transportation, and public-utility services. The interrelationships of all these prices make up the ―system‖ of prices. The price of any particular product or service is linked to a broad, complicated system of prices in which everything seems to depend more or less upon everything else.

If one were to ask a group of randomly selected individuals to define ―price‖, many would reply that price is an amount of money paid by the buyer to the seller of a product or service or, in other words that price is the money values of a product or service as agreed upon in a market transaction. This definition is, of course, valid as far as it goes. For a complete understanding of a price in any particular transaction, much more than the amount of money involved must be known. Both the buyer and the seller should be familiar with not only the money amount, but with the amount and quality of the product or service to be exchanged, the time and place at which the exchange will take place and payment will be made, the form of money to be used, the credit terms and discounts that apply to the transaction, guarantees on the product or service, delivery terms, return privileges, and other factors. In other words, both buyer and seller should be fully aware of all the factors that comprise the total ―package‖ being exchanged for the asked-for amount of money in order that they may evaluate a given price.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Unit 4:Electricity

The modern age is an age of electricity. People are so used to electric lights, radio, televisions, and telephones that it is hard to imagine what life would be like without them. When there is a power failure, people grope about in flickering candlelight, cars hesitate in the streets because there are no traffic lights to guide them, and food spoils in silent refrigerators.

Yet, people began to understand how electricity works only a little more than two centuries ago. Nature has apparently been experimenting in this field for million of years. Scientists are discovering more and more that the living world may hold many interesting secrets of electricity that could benefit humanity.

All living cell send out tiny pulses of electricity. As the heart beats, it sends out pulses of record; they form an electrocardiogram, which a doctor can study to determine how well the heart is working. The brain, too, sends out brain waves of electricity, which can be recorded in an electroencephalogram. The electric currents generated by most living cells are extremely small – often so small that sensitive instruments are needed to record them. But in some animals, certain muscle cells have become so specialized as electrical generators that they do not work as muscle cells at all. When large numbers of these cell are linked together, the effects can be astonishing.

The electric eel is an amazing storage battery. It can seed a jolt of as much as eight hundred volts of electricity through the water in which it live. ( An electric house current is only one hundred twenty volts.) As many as four-fifths of all the cells in the electric eel’s body are specialized for generating electricity, and the strength of the shock it can deliver corresponds roughly to length of its body.

Unit 5:The Beginning of Drama

There are many theories about the beginning of drama in ancient Greece. The on most widely accepted today is based on the assumption that drama evolved from ritual. The argument for this view goes as follows. In the beginning, human beings viewed the natural forces of the world-even the seasonal changes-as unpredictable, and they sought through various means to control these unknown and feared powers. Those measures which appeared to bring the desired results were then retained and repeated until they hardened into fixed rituals. Eventually stories arose which explained or veiled the mysteries of the rites. As time passed some rituals were abandoned, but the stories, later called myths, persisted and provided material for art and drama.

Those who believe that drama evolved out of ritual also argue that those rites contained the seed of theater because music, dance, masks, and costumes were almost always used, Furthermore, a suitable site had to be provided for performances and when the entire community did not participate, a clear division was usually made between the "a(來自:www.zuancaijixie.com 蒲公 英文 摘:英語新概念短文)cting area" and the "auditorium." In addition, there were performers, and, since considerable importance was attached to avoiding mistakes in the enactment of rites, religious leaders usually assumed that task. Wearing masks and costumes, they often impersonated other people, animals, or supernatural beings, and mimed the desired effect-success in hunt or battle, the coming rain, the revival of the Sun-as an actor might. Eventually such dramatic representations were separated from religious activities.

Another theory traces the theater's origin from the human interest in storytelling. According to this vies tales (about the hunt, war, or other feats) are gradually elaborated, at first through the use of impersonation, action, and dialogue by a narrator and then through the assumption of each of the roles by a different person. A closely related theory traces theater to those dances that are primarily rhythmical and gymnastic or that are imitations of animal movements and sounds.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Unit 6:Television

Television-----the most pervasive and persuasive of modern technologies, marked by rapid change and growth-is moving into a new era, an era of extraordinary sophistication and versatility, which promises to reshape our lives and our world. It is an electronic revolution of sorts, made possible by the marriage of television and computer technologies.

The word "television", derived from its Greek (tele: distant) and Latin (visi sight) roots, can literally be interpreted as sight from a distance. Very simply put, it works in this way: through a sophisticated system of electronics, television provides the capability of converting an image (focused on a special photoconductive plate within a camera) into electronic impulses, which can be sent through a wire or cable. These impulses, when fed into a receiver (television set), can then be electronically reconstituted into that same image.

Television is more than just an electronic system, however. It is a means of expression, as well as a vehicle for communication, and as such becomes a powerful tool for reaching other human beings.

The field of television can be divided into two categories determined by its means of transmission. First, there is broadcast television, which reaches the masses through broad-based airwave transmission of television signals. Second, there is nonbroadcast television, which provides for the needs of individuals or specific interest groups through controlled transmission techniques.

Traditionally, television has been a medium of the masses. We are most familiar with broadcast television because it has been with us for about thirty-seven years in a form similar to what exists today. During those years, it has been controlled, for the most part, by the broadcast networks, ABC, NBC, and CBS, who have

been the major purveyors of news, information, and entertainment. These giants of broadcasting have actually shaped not only television but our perception of it as well. We have come to look upon the picture tube as a source of entertainment, placing our role in this dynamic medium as the passive viewer.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Unit 7:Andrew Carnegie

Andrew Carnegie, known as the King of Steel, built the steel industry in the United States, and , in the process, became one of the wealthiest men in America. His success resulted in part from his ability to sell the product and in part from his policy of expanding during periods of economic decline, when most of his competitors were reducing their investments.

Carnegie believed that individuals should progress through hard work, but he also felt strongly that the wealthy should use their fortunes for the benefit of society. He opposed charity, preferring instead to provide educational opportunities that would allow others to help themselves. "He who dies rich, dies disgraced," he often said.

Among his more noteworthy contributions to society are those that bear his name, including the Carnegie Institute of Pittsburgh, which has a library, a museum of fine arts, and a museum of national history. He also founded a school of technology that is now part of Carnegie-Mellon University. Other philanthrophic gifts are the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace to promote understanding between nations, the Carnegie Institute of Washington to fund scientific research, and Carnegie Hall to provide a center for the arts.

Few Americans have been left untouched by Andrew Carnegie's generosity. His contributions of more than five million dollars established 2,500 libraries in small communities throughout the country and formed the nucleus of the public library system that we all enjoy today.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Unit 8:American Revolution

The American Revolution was not a sudden and violent overturning of the political and social framework, such as later occurred in France and Russia, when both were already independent nations. Significant changes were ushered in, but they were not breathtaking. What happened was accelerated evolution rather than outright revolution. During the conflict itself people went on working and praying, marrying and playing. Most of them were not seriously disturbed by the actual fighting, and many of the more isolated communities scarcely knew that a war was on.

America's War of Independence heralded the birth of three modern nations. One was Canada, which received its first large influx of English-speaking population from the thousands of loyalists who fled there from the United States. Another was Australia, which became a penal colony now that America was no longer available for prisoners and debtors. The third newcomer-the United States-based itself squarely on republican principles. Yet even the political overturn was not so revolutionary as one might suppose. In some states, notably Connecticut and Rhode Island, the war largely ratified a colonial self-rule already existing. British officials, everywhere ousted, were replaced by a home-grown governing class, which promptly sought a local substitute for king and Parliament.

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