Lesson 16 The modern city

第十六课现代城市

by ALEXIS CARREL

from Man, the Unknown

16-1. In the organization of industrial life the influence of the factory upon the physiological and mental state of the workers has been completely neglected.

【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无人过问。

16-2. 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.

【译文】现代工业的基本理念是以最低成本获取最多产品，为的是让某人或某团体尽可能地多赚钱。

【讲解】at lowest cost作production的定语。in order that作连词用引导目的状语从句。

16-3. 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.

【译文】现代工业不断扩张，却根本没考虑到操作机器者的真实本性。工厂把一种人造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的影响。

【讲解】it指modern industry。produced作effects的定语，on与effect搭配在一起用，意为“对……的影响”。

imposed by the factory作the artificial mode of existence的定语。如果把produced摆在descendants和by之间则被容易误认为修饰descendents。produced摆在effects后面使读者一看即知是修饰effects。

【单词和短语】

artificial：人工的，人造的，人为的（not real or not made of natural things but made to be like something that is real or natural），

例如：

artificial leather 人造革

an artificial leg 假腿

请注意，“假牙”只能用false teeth。

impose：把……强加于（to force someone to have the same ideas, beliefs etc. as you），

例如：

He imposed on me his own ideas about the novel.

他把自己对这本小说的看法强加于我。

impose oneself（one’s company）on others

(尽管不受欢迎)还硬缠着别人

She imposed herself as their leader.

她自封为他们的头头。

impose的名词形式为imposition。

16-4. The great cities have been built with no regard for us.

【译文】大城市的建设根本没虑及我们。

【单词和短语】

regard:考虑，注意，关心（attention or consideration that is shown towards someone or something），

例如：

The next object of regard is his conduct.

有待考虑的下一点是他的行为。

You have (shown) no regard for my feelings.

你一点也不顾及我的感情。

pay no regard at all for (to) the human dignities of people

丝毫不顾人们作为人的尊严

Have some regard for cleanliness. 要注意些清洁。

Out of regard for your father, I shall not dismiss you this time.

看在你父亲面上，这回我不开除你。

16-5. 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.

【译文】摩天大楼的形状和大小完全取决于每平方英尺土地取得最大收入的需要，取决于向租户提供使他们满意的办公室和住房的需要。

【讲解】of obtaining the maximum…ground和of offering to… them是两个并列的介词短语，作necessity的定语。offices and apartments that please them作offering的宾语，that please them作offices和apartments的定语从句。them指tenants。

16-6. This caused the construction of gigantic buildings where too large masses of human beings are crowded together.

【译文】这就促使建设高楼大厦，里面众多的人挤地一起。

【讲解】where too large masses of human beings are crowded together系定语从句，修饰gigantic buildings。

【单词和短语】

gigantic：巨大的，庞大的（extremely big），

例如：

make a gigantic concession 做出重大让步

make a gigantic mistake 铸成大错

16-7. Civilized men like such a way of living.

【译文】文明人喜欢这种生活方式。

16-8. While they enjoy the comfort and banal luxury of their dwelling, they do not realize that they are deprived of the necessities of life.

【译文】当他们享受着他们住宅的舒适和乏味的奢侈生活时，并未意识到他们被剥夺了生活所必需的东西。

【单词和短语】

banal：陈腐的，平庸的，乏味的（ordinary and not interesting, because of a lack of new or different ideas），

例如：

a banal remark 陈词滥调

There was nothing new in his banal lecture.

他的演讲平庸之极，没有一点新东西。

The restaurant serves banal food.

那家饭馆供应的饭菜全无特色。

banal的名词形式为banality。

necessity：必要的东西，必不可少的事物，必需品（something that you need to have in order to live），

例如：

Good maps are a necessity to travelers.

好的地图是出门旅行必不可少的。

Water is a necessity of life.

生命不可缺水。

What we did was a moral necessity.

我们做了在道义上非做不可的事。

16-9. The modern city consists of monstrous edifices and of dark, narrow streets full of petrol fumes，coal dust and toxic gases, torn by the noise of the taxicabs, lorries and buses, and thronged ceaselessly by great crowds.

【译文】畸形建筑群和阴暗狭窄的街道构成了现代城市。街上充满汽油味、煤灰和有毒气体，出租车、卡车和公共汽车的噪音刺耳，熙熙攘攘的人群挤来挤去。

【讲解】of monstrous edifices和of dark, narrow streets…great crowds都与consists搭配在一起使用。full of petrol fumes，coal dust and toxic gases作streets的定语。torn by the noise of the taxicabs, lorries and buses和thronged ceaselessly by great crowds都是过去分词短语，作定语修饰streets。

【单词和短语】

throng：在……聚集，使拥塞（people throng a place, they go there in large numbers），

例如：

They thronged the doorway. 他们都挤在门口。

16-10. Obviously, it has not been planned for the good of its inhabitants.

【译文】显然，现代城市并非按居民利益规划的。

【讲解】it指the modern city。

【单词和短语】

good：好处，用处，利益（a useful effect），

例如：

Milk does you (your health) good.

牛奶对你（你的健康）有好处。

It was for her own good. 这是为他自己好。

What is the good of his coming tomorrow?

他明天才来有什么用呢？

the good of the state 国家利益

the common good 公益

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。