hiding behind the loose?dusty?curtain, a teenager?packed up?his overcoat?into the suitcase. he planned to leave home at dusk?though there was thunder?and lightning?outdoors. he had got to do?this because he was tired of?his parents’ nagging about his english study and did not want to?go through?it any longer. he couldn’t get along?well with?english and disliked joining in?english classes because he thought his teacher ignored him on purpose. as a result, his score in each exam never added up?to?over 60.
????his partner?was concerned about?him very much. she understood exactly?what he was suffering from, but entirely?disagreed with?his idea. in order to?calm?him down?and settle?his problem, she talked with him face to face?and swapped a series?of?learning tips with him. the items she set down?helped him find the highway?to studying english well.
????the teenager was grateful?and got great power?from his friend’s words. now, he has recovered from?being upset?and has fallen in love with?english.
2. different countries have different kinds of englishes
不同的国家有不同的英语
?voyages of people from england play an?important part in?spreading the english language. at present, english is frequently?spoken as an?official?or common language in many countries, such as?america, singapore,?malaysia?and some?african?countries. all based on?british english, the english spoken in these countries can be well understood by native?english speakers. but actually, these englishes have been gradually?changing in accents, spellings, expressions and the?usage?of vocabulary.
because of?this fact, you can make use of?the differences to tell which country the foreigners of your block?are from. for example, if a boss fluently?commands?his driver, “come up straight?to my apartment?by elevator?and take some gas?for my trucks and cabs”, instead of requesting, “please come to my flat?by lift?and take some?petrol?for my?lorries?and taxis”, you can recognize?his american?identity, while the latter?suggests that he is british.
因为这一情况的存在,你就可以利用这些英语之间的区别说出你们街区的外国人是哪个国家来的了。例如,如果有个老板流利地命令他的司机:“come up straight to my apartment by elevator and take some gas for my trucks and cabs(直接搭电梯到我公寓上来拿卡车和出租车的汽油)”,而不是要求说,“please come to my flat by lift and take some petrol for my lorries and taxis(请直接搭电梯到我公寓上来拿卡车和出租车的汽油)”,你就可以轻易地辨认出他的美国人身份,而后者却暗示着那是一位英国人。(请注意:听力录音里第二段两个“电梯”的单词跟原文不一致,原文是对的,录音弄错了,elevator才是美式说法而lift是英式说法。)
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3.a hard trip
一次辛苦的旅行
?my sister was fond of?traveling. ever since?graduating, she had been determined?to?organize?a trip to an old temple. since transporting fare?was expensive, she decided to use a bicycle to cycle?there not caring about?the disadvantages. her stubborn?attitude?was always her shortcoming. once she made up?her mind?to do something, no one could persuade?her to change her mind.?finally,?we gave in?as usual?though we preferred to take a train. after we prepared everything, including the schedule, reliable?weather forecast?and the insurance, we began our trip.
our journey?was along a river flowing from a high altitude. our pace?was slow because the river frequently had many sharp bends through deep valleys, where the water seemed to boil. just as i recorded in my journal, it was really a hard journey. but we also enjoyed great views. one night, i put my head on my pillow--a parcel of?wool?coats, and lay beneath?the stars. when the flame?in front of our cave?went out at midnight, i found the sky so beautiful!
dirty?water rose in wells and canals before the earthquake. but no one judged that an earthquake was coming. suddenly, everything shook. it seemed?as if?the world was at an end. millions of?brick?houses and?a number of?dams were destroyed. railway tracks became useless?bars. pipes in mines burst?and let out smelly?steam. huge cracks trapped cyclists everywhere.
the next day, this event?was the headline?or main?title?of all newspapers. with the reporters giving an outline?of the disaster, the whole nation?was?shocked by the damage?and the victim’s extreme?suffering. people were moved when they read that the survivors?comforted each other by saying “congratulations! you survived!”. so they not only expressed their sympathy sincerely, but also organized together to help the victims right away. the injured were rescued and the dead were buried. the frightened survivors were dug out?from under the ruins and were offered shelter, fresh water and?electricity. thanks to people’s help, the loss was minimized.
as the founder?of the republic, the president?had many good qualities. before coming to?power, he was a generous?lawyer. he was willing to?selflessly?help everyone who turned to?him. he accepted no fee?to offer legal?guidance?and opinions to those who were out of work?or uneducated. later, believing all?mankind?to be equal, he devoted himself to?stopping the unfair?anti-black laws. he set up?the black youth league?and was voted to be the leader. however, though he kept peaceful?principles without violence?and terror, his?mean?enemies still?blew up?his house and attacked his relatives, and he himself couldn’t escape?being?sentenced to?30 years in prison.
not fearing of the prison guards’ cruelty, he kept active?and begged no mercy from them. as a matter of fact, he was always hopeful?and never lost heart?during the stage?even though he was in trouble.
finally, people rewarded him with the leader’s position and a gold blanket.?
a wooden?vase?from the ming dynasty?at the entrance?of the reception?hall amazed everyone. the artists designed it in a rare?style?and selected valuable?jewels to decorate?it. people thought highly of?its fancy?colour of honey?and the beautiful paintings on it.
the vase used to belong to?a former?castle. but when the country was at war, the enemy troops exploded the castle. debates on how the vase survived went on and on. in order to remove?people’s doubt, a team of no less than?20 people carried out an informal?investigation. the?evidences?they found showed that a maid?took the vase apart?and asked a sailor?to sink?it in a local?well. she never gave away the secret even under the cruel trial?of the enemies who were in search of?treasures.
it is worth?giving this brave maid a fortune in return.
swifter, higher and stronger stands for?the spirit of the olympics. but fairness is the basis?of this motto. only when you win fairly will you and your homeland?deserve?the great glory. but nowadays, unlike the ancient?honest slave?competitors, some hopeless?athletes who can’t bear the pain?of training cheat when taking part in?games. medals seem to have magical?power causing them to cheat, and the prize money has replaced the motto as their only goal.
so, in the gymnastics?event to be held in our city next month, one of the host’s responsibilities?is to keep competitions fair. they advertised on posters outside the stadium?to promise that every competitor is to have a regular?physical?examination in a gymnasium?one after?another. no one can bargain?on this. the?volunteers?in charge?will be very strict. it is foolish?to cheat because they will not be admitted to compete?and will even be fined as well.?
the goal?of early calculating?machines was to?simplify?difficult sums. but with the help of?new technology, electronic?chips replaced tubes and a revolution?of artificial intelligence?has arisen.?from?then?on, the appearance?of computers totally?changed our lives. they can not only download?information from the wet?when connected by the network?or mobile?phone signals, but also solve?different types of logical?problems. with operators as their coaches, they can even control rockets to explore?the moon and instruct?androids with the human race’s characters to mop?floors and watch over?your naughty?niece. anyhow, computers are so helpful?that?they do bring happiness.
however, computers are easily attacked by viruses. this reality?has become a hard-to-deal with-problem. as a result, computers are dangerous in a way. so, personally, i worry about their universal?applications in some fields, such as?finance.?
dinosaurs?died out?because of an unexpected?incident. but wildlife?today disappears or is in danger?just because humans do?harm?to it. for example, tigers are hunted for fur?to make carpets so that?they can only live in secure?reserves; grassland is destroyed without mercy?so that dust?storms come into?being?affecting distant?cities.
last year, scientists saw some ms rubbing themselves with a certain?kind of insects to?protect themselves from?fierce?mosquitoes biting. according to?the result of the inspection, they found that the insect contains a powerful?drug, so local farmers were employed to catch the insects. the ending?was that the insects disappeared from the whole zone. when told that it was a loss?to humans, the farmers burst into laughter?and responded, “our real loss is our decreasing?income.”
we should appreciate?the natural balance and pay?more attention to?the importance?of wildlife protection. not until we succeed in?letting wildlife live in peace, can we smile in relief.?
i was very sensitive?to music. just dipping into?the music books briefly, i could sing or play well. to be honest, i always dreamt of?becoming a famous folk actor. i was so confident?that i never decreased my devotion.
i formed my first band called “rolling frog”. at the beginning, we relied on?performing on instruments in pubs or to?passers –by?to earn?extra?money in cash. then we wore false beards?to pretend?to be the musicians whom people?were familiar with. in addition, we attached?humorous?acts to our performances?and played jokes on?each other. soon, our “funny jazz” became famous and invitations to perform for broadcast?stations began to come.
afterwards, we sorted out?attractive?music and made a record in a studio. a million or so?copies were sold and we became millionaires.
it was painful?that the band broke up?finally. but above all, i realized my dream to be a musician.?
the agricultural?feast?takes place?after the independence?day. it is not a worldwide?celebration. only christians in mexico?look forward to?its arrival?for its religious?origin:
long ago, humans’ ancestors were bad. they fooled and played tricks on?each other and never kept?their word. so god turned up?and drowned all their crops. humans starved day and night, weeping. in order to gain?god’s forgiveness, a woman poet?set off?to see god. she admired god and kept apologizing. god was moved. with his permission, humans finally had good harvests again. so, to wipe?sadness?and remind themselves?of?the belief?in god, people began the festival.
on the festival, people gather?in open air, such as playgrounds or?parking lots, and energetically have fun with?each other all night long, as though?they were never tired. when a beauty?dressed up?in lovely clothing?reads poems in memory of?the poet, everyone holds their breath. then, it is the custom?that the bone?of a rooster?head is given to her as an award.
obviously, the story is not true, but the festival is interesting.
wang peng earned his living?by running a barbecue?restaurant, which served delicious?bacon, fried?chicken breast?and mutton?roasted with pepper?and garlic. but his food and discount?attracted fewer and fewer customers. finally, he was in debt. yong hui’s?slimming restaurant served fresh peas, carrots, eggplants, and raw?cucumbers with vinegar. as the hostess, she said fibres benefited customers’ digestion?the most. in order not to let yong hui get away with?telling
lies, wang peng spied on?yong hui despite her glare. but he was surprised that she was losing her customers, too.
curiosity?drove wang peng to consult?an expert. the expert sighed and said, “both of your menus have weakness?and limited?strength. your customers put on weight?too easily, while yong hui’s lose weight?too quickly. so, wang peng, cut down?the fat of your food and increase vegetables and fruits, like nuts, beans, mushrooms, peaches and lemons. you ought to?combine?the two menus and provide a balanced?diet.”
this novel?was about an unbelievable?but genuine?adventure. its author?was a black businessman?who was brought up?in america. in 1956, he visited africa, his birthplace. one day, when he was wandering on the pavement?near the bay?enjoying the sea scenes, he lost his money and passport that he kept in an envelope. so he went to the embassy?to seek?help, but the ambassador with rude?manners didn’t permit?his staff to help though he bowed to him. staring at?his impatient?face, he understood that it was the fault?of his skin colour that accounted for?their ??refection. so he decided to take a chance?to sail on a small boat home.
he met a large amount of?difficulty but was never stopped. on the contrary, difficulty pushed him to go ahead?harder. three months later, he was spotted by a ship by accident. he was in rags?indeed. a maid even screamed when bringing him a steak?and pineapple?dessert. aboard, he earned his passage?by working as a barber and got home finally. as for?the name of his novel, he couldn’t think of a better one than the phrase?“go ahead”.
mkii, a planet billions of kilometers away, is the origin of life in many religions. physicists have proved the theory?that its gentle?climate?and the pull?of its gravity?are similar to the earth’s. and astronomers have found that oxygen?atoms and carbon?dioxide, which are fundamental?to life, exist in its atmosphere?through satellites. cheered up?by this news, biologists, in their turn, began to do some research to remove people’s puzzles—now that?there are some suitable conditions, does life really exist?on this globe? do they multiply?by laying eggs?or giving birth to?babies?
last month, a spaceship?was sent there. it’s a pity that this mission failed. unlike?the earth, mkii is a much younger planet. thus, masses of harmful?acid?clouds float?everywhere causing violent?chain reactions?to break out. these clouds not only blocked out?the pilots’ sight but also damaged the engine system. luckily, the pilots watched out?carefully and prevented the spaceship from?crashing in time.?
after a quiz?last autumn, kuang crossed the continent?eastward?to toronto to visit his schoolmate, the distance?measuring?approximately?5,000 kilometers,
his train started from vancouver, a city surrounded by mountains. after confirming his baggage?was aboard?the train, kuang settled down?in his seat. having a gift for?communication, he started chatting with another passenger within?5 minutes. their topics included the canadian?traditions, the prime minister, the mixture?of races, and the terrifying?great fall. after a nice buffet?at noon, he was pleased?to find that the scenery?was impressive. he saw beautiful harbours in the distance,?wealthy?urban?areas and maple?forest that covered thousands of acres. he even managed?to?catch sight of?an eagle?flying upward?over bushes.
kuang reached toronto which lies slightly?near the border?at a misty?dawn. there was frost?and the broad?downtown?streets were very quiet. though it was early, kuang phoned his schoolmate in a booth?nearby?at once rather than?waiting for him to come. they had a good time together.
?born in a pigs’ nest, lina led a?poor life?in her childhood. she was looked down upon?by the children of her generation. but she intended to become a doctor after she came across?lin qiaozhi by chance, who was delivering medical courses to an audience?crowding around her. before moving off, lin inspired her to carry on?her study. with lin’s support, lina entered an institute?and studied hard sparing no time for entertainment. her being outspoken?and modest?won respect?for her. her excellent arguing?skills and observation?ability put?others into the shade.
now, lina has become a specialist?in human beings’ emergency?sickness. her kindness?and considerate?behavior?to the poor were well known. the organization?she founded carried out campaigns and welfare projects to help cut the death rate?for the poor. her job was hard but worthwhile. she often refers to?the connection?between her achievement?and lin qiaozhi, and says that her poor childhood is the bond?between her and the poor.
tuan was a farmer in vietnam. for decades, he had been struggling?to rid?his family of?hunger. however, it always confused him how to expand the output?of his crops. this disturbing?problem led to?his regretting being a farmer. he would rather?have chosen another job.
one day, when skimming through a newspaper, tuan read a comment?on yuan longpin. he underlined yuan’s nationality?and occupation, and then focused on?his discovery?and the statistics of his research. he found the knowledge yuan circulated very practical. therefore, he made a summary?and began to build up?a new farming method. he planted super grain?of rich nutrition?and equipped himself to keep his crops roots free from?bacteria?and?pests. he also enriched minerals in the soil?while reducing?chemical fertilizers. though it cost him more time and freedom, he was full of hope.
the next year, tuan was sunburnt?but satisfied with?his production?very much. thanks to?yuan longpin, he not only won the battle?against hunger, but he could also export?his crops abroad.
chaplin was an extraordinary?performer?who starred in?and directed many outstanding?comedies. few were bored?watching his moustache, his gestures or his entertaining?reactions when chased by detectives. being drunk, sliding?on a banana skin or whispering his own failures to nobody, he made us feel?more content with?our life without any verbal?explanation. his particular?sense of humor?has astonished everybody throughout?the world up to now.
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in a small budget?film, he played a badly-off?and homeless?person wearing worn-out?shoes and messy?clothes. on one occasion, he was trapped by a snowstorm?in a vast mountainous?area. though he overcame?many difficulties, he wasn’t fortunate?enough. with all the porridge?eaten up, he picked out?a shoe and boiled it to eat. he cut off?the leather?bottom and chewed it like a pancake. according to an actress, his acting was so convincing?and amusing?that everybody couldn’t help?bursting into laughter.
in general, spoken statements are the major?way of communication, but body language and facial?expressions also have such kinds of function. for example, yawning means being not interested and turning one’s back?to?someone or swinging your fist?shows your anger. but what those gestures really mean is subjective?in different cultures. thus, misunderstandings happen now and then in today’s world of cultural crossroads.
once, representing the adults’ education association, i went to the airport to meet an official of high rank?from columbia?and take him to his dormitory?and then to the canteen. after the flight?arrived, i saw a man looking around curiously. so i approached to greet?him. he suddenly dashed to hug?me and kissed me on both cheeks. as a young girl, i felt truly?embarrassed and put up my hands to defend?myself. his false?smile told me that he had lost face.
later, i received a cassette?from him, in which he recorded his apology. on hearing that columbians were?more likely to?kiss others, i soon felt at ease.
as soon as our shuttle?got close to?the theme?park by the freeway, everyone came to life?and put on cloth sneakers in advance?for an outing. our translator?paid for the admission, and we started enjoying the various?attractions in the sunlight.
according to the travel brochure, this unique?park is famous for?its well preserved minority?culture. we experienced many deeds of the early settlers, such as swinging across rivers, hunting creatures in the jungle, or taking part in swords fighting tournaments.
this park is also famous for its wooden souvenirs. whichever?we bought in the central?shop was made of wood, and wherever?we went we could see minority carpenters working. they made wooden tools, wooden cartoon?figures, wooden athletic?products and so on. they even built a huge wooden engine?with a length?of 20 metres, which was modeled after?a real one.
this theme park is really a fantasy?amusement?park. no wonder?it has become the brand?of local tourism.?
when the construction?of the firework?factory came to the stage of painting, a pump?was put in. then, all the painters in the neighbourhood?were defeated by a severe?disease whose characteristic?was alike?to that of a bad burn.
an expert?physician?was instructed to attend?to the victims and handle?this case. he was enthusiastic, but he didn’t foresee?that it was a hard challenge. after simple enquiry, he announced that the polluted paint was to blame. but without positive?evidence, people suspected and rejected his view, saying the theory he put forward?made no sense. being much more strict?with?himself, he contributed himself to the case. apart from?making enquiries, he made detailed charts and analysed the data cautiously. finally, he drew a scientific conclusion, linking the disease to?the radium?in the pump. exposed?to?radium, a kind of radioactive material in the universe, people absorbed radiation and got sick immediately.
spinning the pump backward, he took away the radium. this simple movement?cured all the victims.?
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?22.sightseeing in the united kingdom观光联合王国
after the wedding, my cousin and his wife went to the united kingdom?for nationwide?sightseeing. he faxed a letter to me in english yesterday. to my delight, he no longer made any tense error. and his description?roughly?clarified?my questions about the uk--its currency, its administration, the institution?which divides it into?four provinces, and the historical conflicts and quarrels when southern ireland broke away from?the uk.
unwilling?to leave out?any attraction, my cousin arranged his enjoyable?journey carefully. one attractive?place he visited was a castle in the countryside?of scotland, which lies near a port. it used to be the headquarters(请注意:音频里面是headquarter,没有加s,是不对的。)of the communism union?but broke down?during the war. finding nothing could take the place of?this splendid?architecture, people accomplished rebuilding it in 1952. it was to their credit?that all furnished rooms are consistent?with what they used to be. my cousin was thrilled by its collections consisting of statues plus?royal?uniforms folded in glass tanks. though there was no possibility?to buy some of these exhibits, it was convenient?to take photos, which he sent me along with his fax.
i was a previous?typist?in a post office. because i couldn’t?tolerate?typing any more postage?bills or postcodes on a typewriter?every day, i resigned. with a greedy?motivation?of making big money, i took up?working as a business representative?for the g.e ecology?company, which produced goods?by recycling?useful materials from our dustbins. my new job left me good impressions in many aspects except that the working timetable?was full of traveling by jets.
once, when speeding?up, our jet was swallowed by a thunderstorm, which destroyed our gps receiver?and made us lose sight of?the directions. a constantly?flashing light showed that our jet was in danger. a steward?instantly?asked us to put on masks and fasten?the safety belts, and then pressed a button?to switch?on the escaping capsule. it slid sideways out of?the opening?at once and landed in a desert?area safely. lacking food and tablets, we were nervous and uncertain?at first. but we all kept optimistic?and made good adjustment?to the situation. we swept up?the surrounding?mud?to make our settlement?and were back on our feet?soon. finally, guided by the smoke of our crashing jet, some local citizens came by?carriages and saved us.
jane is a housewife, but delighted?to work as an amateur?journalist. it is a dilemma?for her to rush between family and work, and it is also unusual?for the news department?to depend on?an amateur to cover?crimes. but jane is really gifted. it is admirable?that she is seldom accused of?making mistakes. and, eager?to become more professional, she concentrates on?her job and updates herself now and then.
once she is informed of a new?case, her normal working process?is as follows: first, she makes appointments with?guilty?people for interviews. so as to?acquire?accurate?stories, she usually demands to record what they say. meanwhile, a technically?good colleague?will assist?her in taking photographs. second, she assesses whether they are deliberately?hiding the truth. if she is skeptical?about their words, she will look into the case herself. third, she writes thorough?stories ahead of the deadline?and submits it to the?senior?chief?editor, who polishes and approves every section. finally, her stories will be published in different editions of their magazine.
a boy fell ill. his organs were damaged by the radiation?of an infrared ray?stove. but before the ambulance?arrived, a number of?other injuries?happened to this unlucky boy over and over again. first, he was choked by some?poisonous liquid?from the kettle?on the cupboard. then his?wrist?skin?was burnt by electric?shock. finally, his ankle?was cut by a pan.
fortunately, the boy’s nurse gave him proper temporary?treatments?according to his?complex?symptoms. she mildly?squeezed the poisonous liquid out of his throat?and put?bandages firmly in place?to apply?pressure?to the ankle wound to stop bleeding. as for the burn, she used scissors?to remove his sleeve, poured a basin?of cold water over the burn to cool it and put her hands on?a damp?blouse?to cover his swollen?tissue?tightly. she also inspired his bravery?to fight against the unbearable?pain. her first aid?made a vital difference?in saving his life. a ceremony?was held to honour the nurse who overcame a variety?of barriers to save the boy.?
abstract?art used to be controversial. on one hand, the artists stopped painting delicate?figures but attempted to adopt?special techniques to give people different visual?impacts. on the other hand, their works, including sculptures carved out of marble?or fragile?clay, were all with a specific?aim?of showing feelings. some conventional?scholars who were allergic to?abstract art said it was evidently ridiculous?and neither art nor geometry. their traditional art committee?predicted its soon disappearing.
but nowadays, abstract art has become part of the permanent?possessions?of contemporary?civilization. galleries?along the madison avenue?give scores of superb?exhibitions on typical?abstract works, appealing to?many who have a preference?for abstract art. the shadow?of egypt, a café?in this district, has become the home to those aggressive?abstract artists. consequently, it is not a coincidence?for you to meet one of these artists of great reputation?in the flesh. they are asked for signatures and given bunches of fragrant?flowers plus they are given a great deal?of praise by their faithful?fans.
since childhood, anton had often recited poems, accompanied by pianists and violinists, at wedding ceremonies before brides and bridegrooms exchanged rings. gradually, he found writing poems the most appropriate?way to convey?his joy and sorrow. when his poem contradictory?blank?won him a national championship?and a scholarship?to the moscow university from a sponsor, he was just an unknown librarian. after getting his diploma, he devoted his life to writing poems. using concrete?but flexible?language and the minimum?of words is his style. he tried out?different patterns and preferred nursery?rhyme?in particular. the following is a translation?of one of his works made up of?3 sections:
little sparrow?with heavy load,ran out of?energy and very cold;no compass?and all sweat salty,can you go through the endless?darkness?little balloon let out?by the thread,flew over cottages and was very glad;with warmth?transformed from sunlight,he said he could forever?fly;take it easy, little balloon;don’t tease?the sparrow with his wound;on the bare?branch?and have a rest;this diamond?heart will eventually?get success.
whether they are male?or female, adolescents feel like?deciding on?everything themselves in spite of?parents’ instruction, especially when they face problems like sex, mental stress, etc., which make them feel ashamed?and embarrassed. thus they often automatically?get into?troubles due to?their imperfect comprehension?and judgement. some are addicted to?cigarettes, only several packets of which will hurt their lungs and make them breathless?quickly. others can’t quit?drinking alcohol, whose harmful effects include causing young pregnant?women to abort?or give birth to abnormal?babies. the worst is drug abuse, for the withdrawal?is tough?once their bodies are accustomed to?the drugs. meanwhile, those who share needles bought from illegal?chemists are at great risk?of being infected with desperate?aids. if so, neither injecting nor taking pills can guarantee their survival.
however, don’t be disappointed?at or have prejudice?against our children so easily. after all, being awkward?is an appendix?of youth. as long as we strengthen?communication with them instead of only banning this or banning that, we will surely help them avoid anything unfit.
as the director stated on behalf of?his researching group, the data?of this graph?makes a clear presentation?of the future environmental?tendency. on one hand, the quantity?of fuel?keeps?on?decreasing by 9% per?year while the growth?of a wide range?of pollution?has been a global trend. on the other hand, the mildly but steadily?going up?of the average?temperature is resulting in?catastrophes like widespread?floods. without disagreement, they subscribe?to the view that it is humans’ existence?and their randomly consuming?energy that result in this phenomenon.
many people have a commitment?that developing nuclear?power or energy from outer?space will stop bad consequences coming about. however, scientists and educators are opposed to?this view even if?our needs may be met on the whole. they tend to?advocate?refreshing our circumstances by saving energy and recycling waste. it is suggested that we use energy-saving appliances such as electrical motors, microwaves and so on?and not be casual?about little things like recycling a can. so please glance?around and see what you can do. so long as?everybody makes contribution, we will not have to put up with?this problem anymore.
as the best candidate, i was appointed to collect and evaluate?information for a database?about diverse?natural disasters, such as hurricanes, typhoons or thunderstorms. sometimes i did this by giving out questionnaires to those who went through them. but sometimes i had to go through actual?disasters myself. the musaki volcano?was one of them.
at that time, i lived in a bungalow?alongside?the volcano with a novelist, who came for the appreciation?of its eruption. one day, when i was drawing diagrams on the balcony?and he was bathing?inside, the volcano erupted unexpectedly. the ash?and lava fountains shooting highly in the sky varied from?50 to?100 meters in height. it was absolutely?fantastic! i even noticed a rainbow?appear in the fog?caused by a heat wave.
but, glancing through our surroundings, i foresaw the potential?danger and found no guarantee?of our safety. the uncomfortable?gas almost made us unconscious. sweats?of anxiety?began to drop. managing to stop panicking and trembling, we quickly put on our protective suits, helmets and boots and eventually made our way to?a safe place. how lucky we were even though my precious?equipment?and documents were all burnt to the ground!
yang’s ambition?was to get an architect?certificate?or become a bowling?master. but when he was conducting experiments with a microscope?in the basement, a tank?on the bench?exploded, sending him flying outwards?through the exit. he was out of breath?while knowing he lost his eyesight?as well as?70% of his hearing. in other words, he was disabled.?阳的雄心是,要么获得一张建筑师证书,要么成为一名保龄球高手。但是在地下室里的显微镜下进行试验时,放在长凳上的一只大桶突然爆炸,把他从出口处炸飞了出去。当知道自己除了失去70%的听力之外,还失去了视力时,他完全喘不过气来。换句话说,他残疾了。
feeling clumsy, he was annoyed at first though nobody made fun of?him. he cut out?going outdoors and just sat around?at home talking to his parrot?or tortoise?silently. his sister resigned to help him in many ways. her assistance?and encouragement?were so beneficial?to his psychology?that he adapted to?his disability?soon and became outgoing?again. in a college accessible?to him, he studied politics?and literature. he always sat in the front row?near the entry?without any absence?and, with the help of his handy?laptop, he studied well by means of dictation. his thesis, abolishing slavery, met with?all professors’ approval. after class, he and his companions often played drum?music, which was noisy?but suitable?for his hearing. after graduation, he made high profits by designing software?for a firm. all in all, in his community, he won his dignity?and people’s congratulations.
he always wished all the best?to his disabled fellows and encouraged them, “never mind! all you have is adequate?to get your achievement.”
as a talented navy?officer, he was bound to?be busy. when his wife rang?him up?to declare?her divorce?alarm, he was still scanning a digital counter?to check the data so as to give an assessment?of the theoretical?framework?for a biochemical?weapon. his junior?staff’s sympathy?made him feel embarrassed.
his wife was a part-time?clerk. with his high bonus, she lived in a grand?house with elegant?cushions and bedding. her favour?was reading stars’ biographies?or absurd?fictions with endless chapters in her armchair. people envied?her leisure life very much. but in fact, she was tired of being left alone. she sent emails to his mailbox?every week to state?her thinking?and ask for his accompaniment, but never received reply of satisfaction. tired of his explanation that he must obey?the orders, she filed for divorce.
because he desired to get their holy?affection?back, he set other affairs aside. he trimmed his fingernails short and changed his overweight?figure as well as his awful?haircut. he wore an apron?to prepare delicious cuisine?for her. he also bought her a necklace?and piles of flowers hoping that their receiver?could turn around.
after being tested out?for 3 months in all, he eventually succeeded.
mark rented an accommodation?with his pension?near the shore. he paid annual?visits there to enjoy the vivid?beauty in the depths of the pure?sea.
once, with his underwater telescope?and flashlight, mark dived along the boundary?between the steep?reef and the area of seaweed?conservation. suddenly, an awesome?antarctic?seal?with sharp?teeth appeared opposite?him. every cell in?his body was scared to death. but soon, he was aware?that he wasn’t the target?of an attack. with a neat?wound in its lip?caused by a shark, this grey?seal was washed upside down?by the tides time after time. but it tried to jog?mark as if to urge?him to help it. so mark abandoned fleeing away. with its teamwork, mark used a net?to drag?the seal to the shallow?water. without pausing?he helped it out?after a simple operation and settled it in a narrow?cave by the seaside. every time he brought it tasty?fish, it would yell?and suck?his hands happily. witnesses said their anecdotes reflected a magic dimension?of the relationship?between humans and animals.
a year ago, the famous astronaut?received an invitation by airmail?from a remote?village. intending to sniff?some fresh air, he and his interpreter?paid a fortnight?visit there. it was a privilege?for them to be there, but they were shocked by what they saw. the tracks were muddy. the river was drying up. most villagers only possessed one broom, a few tins and several jars and their rectangular?grass huts with round angles were surrounded by weeds. besides, their school had no roof?and platform, and the students had no concept?of clicking a computer at all. they were badly in need.
soon, the astronaut made a generous voluntary?donation?to the village. there were textbooks for students, sewing machines for tailors and tractors for farmers. his distribution?catalogue?also included operating?a clinic?and a trunk?library, as well as giving weekly?lessons to teach relevant?farming knowledge like how to dry out?seeds or raise oxen. he himself not only helped do some paperwork?but also purchased grills for boys to toast?potatoes and combs for girls who were dying to?get one. the other day, he heard from the villagers again inviting him to participate in?the donation anniversary. for political?and security?reasons, he couldn’t adjust?his outgoing arrangement-otherwise?he would go. but his deeds were remembered forever.
nannan’s father runs an enterprise?near the ming tombs selling batteries?and drills to the daqing oilfield. hoping to get the qualification?to help govern?it, nannan made much preparation?and then left her motherland?with her visa?to study in america. having reached her destination, she settled in?an inn?recommended by the travel agent.
as far as?nannan was concerned, she always kept it up?in china. but she had to acknowledge?it was not easy to adjust?herself to?the new academic?requirements, which were not parallel?with china’s. though she was occupied with?lectures and seminars day in and day out, the essays she drafted were still contradicted by her tutors. as for her routine?life, she felt that it was hard to fit in, too. for example, she found english idioms difficult to understand. and it was out of the question?to eat delicious chinese foods though many optional?cafeterias served abundant?substitutes. in addition, she had to wait in a queue?early for the minibus?that took her to school and it was usually so cold that she felt numb. what bothered her most was that she received no apology?when her sleeping was disturbed by a barking dog in a shopkeeper’s cage.
luckily, with her parents comforting her by videophone, she became autonomous?soon and eventually got her bachelor’s degree?successfully.
attracted by the boom?in america, my nephew?teamed up?with?a korean?to illegally cross the bearing strait?in the arctic?to america. to avoid the customs’ punishment, they hid in a small ferry?called the north pole?seagull, sitting back to back?without sleeping, showering and shaving?for 3 days, and had no chance to mourn?their lost luggage?when landing. the hardship?of this crossing?was apparent.
at first, he made a living by means of?raising cattle?and then was hired in aircraft?industries. he lived in a catholic?district. taking in?a small percentage?of pakistani?immigrants, the majority?of the residents were from italy?and denmark, who all kept up?their customs and cultures. different blocks here were distinctly marked out?and indicated from the racial?angle. it was unfair and needed reforming. but with nowhere else to go, my nephew lived on?and managed to make a life?for himself.
my nephew’s fortune came when he bravely helped a conductor?brake a ream?to stop it from slipping out of the rails. the man was elected vice?chairman of the socialist?party later. it occurred to my nephew that he could grasp?this opportunity to ask for his help. the man who was thankful?helped him apply?to the civil?authority?for the right to live in america by inserting his brave deed into his documents. unlike a great many?other applicants, his application was approved by the federal justice ministry. before long, he started his own bakery?and lived a better life.
after a series of initial?experiments and corrections, the scientist’s hard work paid off?when the twin?clone turkeys were hatched with normal feather?and claws. this breakthrough?possibly enabled people to bring their adored pets back to life. however, it bothered him from time to time?that their health was in poor condition?because they were unable to?resist?illnesses. this drawback?cast?him down. merely?2 weeks later, the clones and their carrier?died, which struck?frustration into his heart. he retired before he attained his ambition and became a member of an opera?chorus?to relieve his depression.
shortly?afterwards, the media?published a conservative?argument objecting to?cloning owing?to?moral?problems, and suggested the constitution?include compulsory?regulations to forbid?obtaining commercial?profits from cloning.
when interviewed, the scientist stared at the decorations on the ceiling, thinking for a while, and then said, “i’m not in favour of?any arbitrary?assumption, but undertaking?cloning does differ from?the straightforward?procedure?of making loafs out of flour. until we accumulate?enough exact?knowledge, any practice is in vain?and is bound to fail. altogether, being more careful is reasonable?or we may walk into a side road.”
i set about?working in the current?patent?office after resigning from the court?personnel. competent?and dynamic, i never feel passive?while diving into?the identifications of whether applications are valid?and practical?according to the new version?of the criteria.?从法院人事部辞职后,我开始在现在的专利局工作。我工作起来既称职又有活力,在投身于根据新版的申请标准鉴定专利申请,以防他们无效或不实用时,我从未感觉到消极没劲。
with the expectation?of distinguishing their own importance, some people leave the beaten track?and file?strange products with us now and then, for example, lantern?that can be attached on your forehead, cubic?walnuts, refrigerator?made of straw?and glue, perfume?that nobody can bear to smell, and so on.?为了显示与众不同,时不时就有人违反常规,向我们提交一些奇怪的产品申请,例如固定在前额的信号灯、立方体的胡桃、用稻草和胶水制作的冰箱、没人能受得了的香水等
once, a man made a triangle?helicopter?out of stainless?wires and string. he called us up and merrily?claimed it was stable?and convenient?to use, and never out of order. i asked him to hang on, but this innocent?man just rang off?and set out?to fly from his courtyard. i dialed his number in the directory?trying to ring?him back, but never got through.?有一次,有个人用不锈钢丝和绳子制作了一架三角形的直升飞机。他致电给我们,高兴地声称其确实牢固,而且方便使用,从不发生故障。我请他稍等,但这个天真的人挂了电话就开始从院子里起飞。我拨打他在电话簿上的号码试图回电给他,却无法接通。
merciful?god blessing, an abrupt?freezing?rainfall?made his powder?wet. luckily, the trouble was without any extension?except that he crashed into a greengrocer’s making all the ripe?fruits become messy jam. when people seized this crazy man with caution?and sobered him by tapping his face, he complained about the bad weather instead of associating?his failure with?his unscientific design.
an ambassador?and a referee?were consulting a professor?on the caption?of a buddhistic?alphabet?when a sobbing woman stopped them to sell an antique?musical?bathtub. her dirty garment?and the handkerchief?around her waist?were badly in need of?sending to a laundry. the ambassador uncomfortably?gave her a handful?of pence from his wallet?and said, “take this fortune?away, troublesome?woman.”
when her figure faded away, the brilliant?professor said, “you are mistaken?and your improper?remark?on her should be condemned. in terms of this extraordinary?woman, you can’t classify?her status?by her horrible?clothes or disgusting?nails. her clean woolen?vest?and stockings, especially her classic?pronunciation, all suggested her upper?status.” the ambassador gave a whistle?in amazement, and advised making?her acquaintance. the professor hesitated for a while, then compromised.
the outcome?was that she was an authentic?superior?police officer. when they were shown in?her office and saw her once more, she brought them a teapot?of tea and some cookies, laughing and saying, “i rubbed some cream?and wax?on my garment and passed?myself off as?a shabby?woman among thieves?and robbers to investigate a plot. generally speaking, your overlooking me and my adaptation?are the best help. but my pronunciation seemed to have betrayed me.”
when giving a lecture about the significance?of punctuation, the academic?professor was interrupted and arrested by the police for murdering his wife, a receptionist?of a kindergarten. the police found some photos he deleted from their e-album?showing that they used to have a gay?life. but, fed up with?her wrinkled face, he murdered her instead of divorcing her to avoid fortune division. he cut up?a kind of seashell?with a sharpened knife, and hammered it into powder on a skateboard, and made at most?one gram, which was enough to accelerate?one’s pulse?until he or she dies. this kind of poison can date back?to 10,000 bc?when people rubbed it on spears to kill beasts. the professor mixed the poison with onion, watermelon?and yogurt?for his wife. howling and scratching her chest, she felt dizzy?and died soon.?那位学院的教授在发表关于标点符号重要意义的演讲时被警察打断了,他因谋杀自己的妻子——一位幼儿园的接待员——而被逮捕。警察找到了一些被他从电子相册里删除的照片,照片表明,他们曾经有过快乐的生活,但是,因为厌烦了妻子起皱的脸,他杀死她而不是和她离婚以避免离婚时的财产分割。他用一把磨利的小刀切碎一种贝壳,然后在滑板上锤打成粉末,最多1克就足以加速人的脉搏直到其死亡。这种毒药可以追溯到公元前10,000年,当时它就被涂抹在长予上杀死野兽。教授把这种毒药混合在洋葱、西瓜和酸奶里给他的妻子,后者叫喊、抓挠胸口、头晕目眩,很快就死了。
after tentative?examination, the police assumed she died of heart disease. but systematic?botanical?analyses?showed that the watermelon spit?on the messy?mat?and the quilt?was poisonous. regardless of?exhaustion and starvation, the acute?and skilful?policemen used radioactive?equipment to make sure the category?of the poison. primitive?and not ample?as their alternative?equipment was, they got perfect accuracy?somehow.?在初步检查之后,警察设想她是死于心脏病。但是系统的植物学分析却表明,吐在凌乱的席子和被子上的西瓜有毒。敏锐而又技术娴熟的警察不顾疲劳和饥饿,用放射性的设备确定了毒素的种类。尽管可供选择的设备原始,且数量不足,他们还是设法取得了完美的准确度。
people applauded the police and the woman’s family can look ahead?with relief now. ?