新概念英语第四册精讲：Lesson 16 The modern city
Lesson 16The modern city
现代城市
What is the author's main argument about the modern city?
In the organisation 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. Civilised men like such a way of living. While they enjoy the
comfort and banal luxury of their dwelling, they do not realise 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.
ALEXIS CARREL Man, the Unknown
New words and expressions 生词与短语
physiological
adj. 生理的
maximum
adj. 最大限度的
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. 不停地
throng
v. 挤满，壅塞
本文参考译文
在工业生活的组织中，工厂对工人的生理和精神状态的影响完全被忽视了。现代工业的基本概念是：以最低成本获取最多产品，为的是让某个个人或某一部分人尽可能多地赚钱。现代工业发展起来了，却根本没想到操作机器的人的本质。工厂把一种人为的生存方式强加给工人，却不顾及这种生存方式给工人及其后代带来的影响。大城市的建设毫不关心我们。摩天大楼完全是按这样的需要修建的：每平方英尺地皮取得最大收入和向租房人提供使他满意的办公室和住房。这样就导致了许多摩天大厦拔地而起，大厦内众多的人挤地一起。文明人喜欢这样一种生活方式。在享受自己住宅的舒适和庸俗的豪华时，却没有意识到被剥夺了生活所必需的东西。大得吓人的高楼和阴暗狭窄的街道组成了今日现代化的城市。街道上充斥着汽油味和有毒气体，出租汽车、卡车、公共汽车的噪音刺耳难忍，络绎不绝的人群挤来挤去。显然，现代化的城市不是这居民的利益而规划的。
(兼职编辑：张博)
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