---
url: https://gaojian.site/new-concept/book-3/44-speed-and-comfort.md
description: 新概念英语第三册：Speed and Comfort。精读、词块回忆、双向译练、句法、逻辑与FSRS复习。
---

# 44 · 又快捷又舒适

### 第1段

People travelling long distances frequently have to decide whether they would prefer to go by land, sea, or air. Hardly anyone can positively enjoy sitting in a train for more than a few hours. Train compartments soon get cramped and stuffy. It is almost impossible to take your mind off the journey. Reading is only a partial solution, for the monotonous rhythm of the wheels clicking on the rails soon lulls you to sleep. During the day, sleep comes in snatches. At night, when you really wish to go to sleep, you rarely manage to do so. If you are lucky enough to get a sleeper, you spend half the night staring at the small blue light in the ceiling, or fumbling to find your ticket for inspection. Inevitably you arrive at your destination almost exhausted. Long car journeys are even less pleasant, for it is quite impossible even to read. On motorways you can, at least, travel fairly safely at high speeds, but more often than not, the greater part of the journey is spent on roads with few service stations and too much traffic. By comparison, ferry trips or cruises offer a great variety of civilized comforts. You can stretch your legs on the spacious decks, play games, meet interesting people and enjoy good food—always assuming, of course, that the sea is calm.If it is not, and you are likely to get seasick, no form of transport could be worse. Even if you travel in ideal weather, sea journeys take a long time. Relatively few people are prepared to sacrifice holiday time for the pleasure of travlling by sea.
Aeroplanes have the reputation of being dangerous and even hardened travellers are intimidated by them. They also have the disadvantage of being an expensive form of transport. But nothing can match them for speed and comfort. Travelling at a height of 30,000 feet, far above the clouds, and at over 500 miles an hour is an exhilarating experience. You do not have to devise ways of taking your mind off the journey, for an aeroplane gets you to your destination rapidly. For a few hours, you settle back in a deep armchair to enjoy the flight. The real escapist can watch a film and sip champagne on some services. But even when such refinements are not available, there is plenty to keep you occupied. An aeroplane offers you an unusual and breathtaking view of the world. You soar effortlessly over high mountains and deep valleys. You really see the shape of the land. If the landscape is hidden from view, you can enjoy the extraordinary sight of unbroken cloud plains that stretch out for miles before you, while the sun shines brilliantly in a clear sky. The journey is so smooth that there is nothing to prevent you from reading or sleeping. However you decide to spend your time, one thing is certain: you will arrive at your destination fresh and uncrumpled. You will not have to spend the next few days recovering from a long and arduous journey.

中文理解：长途旅行时，人们经常要在陆路、海路和航空之间作出选择。坐火车一连坐上好几个小时，几乎没人能真觉得享受。车厢很快就显得拥挤憋闷，想不去在意旅途的煎熬，几乎做不到。读书只能暂时排遣，因为车轮碾过铁轨的单调声响，很快又会把人催眠。白天，睡得断断续续；夜里真想好好睡，却又往往睡不着。就算幸运地买到卧铺，也可能半夜不是盯着顶上的蓝色小灯，就是摸索着找车票，准备查验。抵达目的地时，免不了已是筋疲力尽。长途乘车更不舒服，连书都没法看。高速公路上，至少还能比较安全地高速行驶，可更多时候，大半路程都是车流拥挤、服务站寥寥的普通道路。相比之下，乘渡轮或邮轮有着丰富而舒适的享受：可以在宽敞的甲板上活动腿脚，玩游戏，结识有趣的人，品尝美食。当然，这一切都以风平浪静为前提。要是海况不好，而你又容易晕船，那就没有比乘船更糟的交通方式了。即使天气理想，海上旅行也十分耗时，没有多少人愿意为了乘船的乐趣，牺牲宝贵的假期。
飞机向来有不安全的名声，甚至让久经旅行的人也感到害怕，而且票价昂贵也是一大缺点。但论速度和舒适，没有什么交通方式能比得上它。在三万英尺的高空、云层之上，以每小时五百多英里的速度前进，是一种令人振奋的体验。你不必设法转移注意力、熬过旅途，因为飞机很快就会把你送到目的地。只需舒舒服服地靠在宽大的座椅上，享受几个小时的飞行。在某些航班上，真想暂时抛开尘世烦恼的人，还可以一边看电影，一边小酌香槟。即使没有这些讲究，也有许多事可做。飞机会带你从不同寻常的角度，看见这个世界令人惊叹的景色：你毫不费力地掠过高山深谷，真正看清大地的轮廓。如果看不见地面，也可以欣赏眼前绵延数英里的无边云海，以及晴空中灿烂的阳光。飞行平稳，读书或睡觉都不受妨碍。不论选择怎样打发时间，有一点可以肯定：到达时，你依然精神饱满、衣着整齐，不必再花上好几天，从漫长艰苦的旅途中恢复过来。

* **travelling long distances**：长途出行；travel long distances 不加介词；作后置修饰时用 travelling。

* **get cramped and stuffy**：变得拥挤闷热；get + 形容词写状态变化，cramped 与 stuffy 分别讲空间和空气。

* **take your mind off**：使你暂时不去想；指转移注意力，不是忘掉知识。

* **in snatches**：断断续续地；常搭配睡眠或时间碎片，不表示完全没发生。

* **go to sleep**：入睡；强调开始睡着，不同于go to bed上床。

* **arrive at your destination**：抵达目的地；arrive at + destination，arrive in + 城市或国家。

* **at least**：至少；给出下限，不表示确切数量；也可引出最低限度的好处。

* **at high speeds**：以很高的速度；at + speed；与本册其他课重复，借不同语境巩固。

* **more often than not**：往往；通常；表达多数情况，别说成无一例外。

* **By comparison**：相比之下；前文需已有比较对象或标准。

* **a great variety of**：各式各样的；variety 强调种类多，a great number 强调数量多。

* **stretch your legs**：活动一下腿脚；常用于久坐后的短暂走动。

* **have the reputation of**：有……的名声；have the reputation of being…，声誉不必全是正面。

* **have the disadvantage of**：有……的缺点；of 后接名词或 doing，说明评价的具体方面。

* **an exhilarating experience**：一次令人兴奋的体验；an experience 可数指一次经历，experience 不可数也可指经验。

* **settle back**：舒舒服服地靠坐好；settle back in / into + 座椅，描述旅行中的身体状态。

* **keep you occupied**：让你有事可做；keep + 人 + occupied，不是占据空间。

* **soar effortlessly**：轻盈自如地飞翔；soar 描写高空滑翔，effortlessly 指观感不费力。

* **hidden from view**：被遮住；看不见；be hidden from view，只指视线遮挡，非村庄不存在。

* **recovering from**：从……中恢复；recover from + illness / shock / journey，明确恢复的起因。

#### 原文注释 · People travelling long distances frequently have to decide whether they would prefer to go by land, sea, or air.

注释：①此状语（不是从句）中有一个that 引导的宾语从句作assuming 的宾语，of course 是插入语。②cramped and stuffy = very crowded and with warm stale air (from body heat)。③monotonous = regular, tiring and with an uninteresting lack of variety。④ lulls = makes…sleep。⑤in snatches = from time to time。⑥destination = the place you are travelling to。⑦翻译对于service stations 有误，应为“加油站”，而不是直译的“服务设施”. \[感谢读者徐志宸指出20200926] ⑧stretch your legs = get some exercise。⑨ sacrifice = give up or lose。

#### 原文注释 · Aeroplanes have the reputation of being dangerous and even hardened travellers are intimidated by them.

注释：①escapist，逃避现实者，这里是引申义。②arduous = laborious, taking a lot of time and effort。

#### Summary 摘要

Nothing matches a plane for speed and comfort. An aeroplane reaches its destination rapidly. You travel in complete comfort, often watching a film or sipping champagne. You have a breathtaking view of the world and you can really appreciate the landscape. When you are above the clouds, the sight of cloud plains is extraordinary. The journey is so smooth that it is easy to read or sleep, and you always arrive fresh and uncrumpled at the end of the flight. (80 words)

#### Composition 作文

\[1]All forms of travel have advantages and disadvantages. Flying has many advantages that regular international travellers will tell you about, but it has many disadvantages.

\[2]When you travel by train, you turn up at the railway station, buy a ticket to your destination, go onto the platform and get on the train when it arrives. With travelling by air, booking itself is a major problem. Immediately you are faced with choices because different airlines offer the same flights for different prices. Personally I never know which to choose.

\[3]And then there's the real time. When they tell you that it is a two-hour flight, add at least five hours to that. Remember first of all that you have to get to the airport (by car, bus, coach or train). Then you have to check in—usually at least an hour before take-off—go through customs and passport control, and then wait in the departure lounge (bored out of your mind!) until your flight is called. Boarding, takes at least half an hour, and then you sit in the aircraft waiting to take off. At the other end, after your flight, again you are subjected to customs and passport control before waiting for your luggage before you catch your transport from the airport to your real destination.

\[4]On the flight itself you are squashed in, often sitting next to strangers who might have strange or bad habits, such as an irritating cough. They always give you a meal, but airline food often tastes like plastic and there is rarely any choice. There are just two small toilets for hundreds of people and there is the constant drone of engines and the hum of the air-conditioning system.

\[5]For some travellers, top, there is a constant sense of danger: Will we arrive safely?— Will any of the engines fail? —What if there's a mad hijacker on board?...

\[6]Flying has many disadvantages but millions will still go on flying. (329 words)

## 学完这一课

用 decide whether to… or… 写一次有明确维度的选择。

[Nce · 本册复习台](/new-concept/book-3/review) · [三册选择地图](/new-concept/)

*译文依据整理稿，由本站按中文表达重新校订；解析据吴应时、何景霖整理资料及首轮审校稿；词伙与练习提示为本站学习设计。原PDF第151—154页，2022年2月第3版。*