16 · 现代城市
The Modern City
区分观点、依据、例子与限制，用自己的话准确重建论述。
课文精读整篇课文
点选一句，句末即可听读；连起意思，大声读一遍。
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 of the 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, and thronged ceaselessly by great crowds. Obviously, it has not been planned for the good of its inhabitants.
本课原文与译文
展开完整文本 · 便于查阅与检索
整篇课文
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 of the 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, and thronged ceaselessly by great crowds. Obviously, it has not been planned for the good of its inhabitants.
在工业生活的组织安排中，工厂对工人生理和心理状态的影响一直被完全忽视。现代工业奉行以最低成本取得最大产出的原则，目的是让某个人或某个群体尽可能多地赚钱。它不断扩张，却不去了解操作机器的人究竟有怎样的天性，也不考虑工厂强加给人的那种人为生活方式，会怎样影响他们及其后代。大城市的建设同样没有顾及我们。摩天大楼的形状和规模，完全取决于怎样让每平方英尺土地带来最多收入，以及怎样提供令租户满意的办公室和公寓。结果，一幢幢庞大的建筑拔地而起，过多的人被拥挤地聚集在里面。文明社会的人却喜欢这样的生活。他们享受着住所的舒适与乏味的奢华，却没有意识到，生活中真正必需的东西已经被剥夺了。现代城市充斥着庞然大物般的建筑和阴暗狭窄的街道；街上弥漫着汽油废气和有毒气体，出租车、卡车、公共汽车的噪声刺耳不断，人群也昼夜拥挤。显然，这样的城市并不是为了居民的福祉而规划的。
学完这一课
用被动完成时指出一项长期被忽视的需要。
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64—66页，2022年2月第2版。