大學(xué)英語自學(xué)教程 unit 20

[00:00.00]Unit 20 text A [00:06.09]You Can't Do It Because It Hurts Nobody [00:09.77]不要以為不傷害別人就可以這樣做 [00:13.45]Who do you think breaks the law in our society? [00:16.72]在我們的社會(huì)里你認(rèn)為誰違法呢？ [00:19.98]If you believe that only tough guys commit crimes,you may have to think again [00:23.85]如果你認(rèn)為只有粗野的家伙才犯罪，你可能需要再考慮一下。 [00:27.72]Answer the following questions honestly. [00:30.45]誠實(shí)地回答下列問題： [00:33.18]Has anyone you know ever driven drunk? [00:36.01]你認(rèn)識(shí)的人中有沒有酒醉開車的？ [00:38.84]Can you think of a friend who has used drugs? [00:42.23]你想想是不是有哪位朋友用過毒品？ [00:45.61]Are you aware that your parents may not always tell the truth when they go through customs? [00:50.53]你有沒有覺得你父母在經(jīng)過海關(guān)時(shí)不是總講真話？ [00:55.46]Won't some of your friends admit that they have stolen an item from a store? [00:59.69]沒有朋友向你承認(rèn)他們偷過商店的東西嗎？ [01:03.92]Have any of your friends ever copied a CD onto a tape for someone else? [01:08.31]有沒有朋友替別人將激光唱盤上的內(nèi)容復(fù)制到磁帶上嗎？ [01:12.70]In case you did not know, all of these acts are against the law. [01:16.97]如果你不知道，那么我可以告訴你，所有這些行為都是違法的。 [01:21.24]Now, among the people you know, how many have never broken the law? [01:24.87]今天在你認(rèn)識(shí)的人中，有多少人從來沒有犯過法呢？ [01:28.50]Does that mean that most members of our society should go to jail? [01:32.29]這是不是意味著社會(huì)上絕大多數(shù)人都應(yīng)該進(jìn)監(jiān)獄？ [01:36.08]Unlike in the movies, we can't divide the world into bad guysand model citizens. [01:40.31]我們不能像電影里那樣將世人區(qū)分為壞人和模范公民。 [01:44.54]Real life is much more complex. [01:47.12]現(xiàn)實(shí)生活復(fù)雜得多。 [01:49.69]In the same way that diseases range from the common cold to fatal forms of cancer, [01:53.92]如同疾病從普通的感冒到致命的癌癥不等一樣， [01:58.15]crimes vary in degree. [02:00.44]犯罪的程度也不同。 [02:02.72]For example, smoking in an elevator will inconvenience people but [02:06.20]臂如，在電梯里吸煙給人帶來麻煩， [02:09.67]much less than threatening them with a gun. [02:12.45]但遠(yuǎn)不如用槍威脅他人那么嚴(yán)重。 [02:15.24]In addition to breaking the law themselves [02:18.03]除自己違法以外， [02:20.83]people tolerate various levels of crime. [02:23.40]人們?nèi)萑滩煌潭鹊淖镄小? [02:25.97]Why are we tolerant of some crimes? [02:29.00]這什么我們?nèi)萑棠承┳镄心兀? [02:32.03]It may be that, by seeing others do something, we accept it more easily. [02:35.91]也許因?yàn)榭匆妱e人犯罪，我們更容易接受。 [02:39.79]We may even start committing that crime ourselves. [02:42.73]甚至我們自己可能犯同樣的罪。 [02:45.67]For instance, most people will find it easier to speed on a highway [02:49.00]例如，大多數(shù)人發(fā)現(xiàn)如果其他人都在超速駕車， [02:52.33]when everybody else is driving over the speed limit. [02:54.81]他們更容易在高速路上開快車。 [02:57.29]When people celebrate a sports championship, [03:00.17]人們?cè)趹c祝奪得體育冠軍時(shí)， [03:03.04]if they see someone breaking store windows, [03:05.47]如果看見有人砸商店的窗戶， [03:07.90]they might start breaking windows themselves or even steal from the store. [03:11.69]他們自己也可能跟著去砸，甚至從商店里偷東西。 [03:15.47]So the people around us influence how much law-breaking we can tolerate. [03:19.11]我們對(duì)違法行為能容忍到什么程度與周圍的人有很大關(guān)系。 [03:22.74]We must also wonder whether seeing violence on television [03:26.37]我們一定也想知道，每天在電視上看到的暴力 [03:30.00]or reading about it in the newspapers every day [03:32.57]或者在報(bào)紙上讀到的暴力 [03:35.14]makes us tolerate crime more than we should. [03:37.77]是不是使我們更能容忍罪行。 [03:40.40]We become used to seeing blood on the news on television, [03:43.73]我們已習(xí)慣于看電視上 [03:47.06]or in full color in newspapers and magazines. [03:49.79]或者報(bào)紙雜志上色彩斑斕的血腥場(chǎng)面。 [03:52.52]Because we see thousands of dead people on TV, [03:55.55]正因?yàn)槲覀冊(cè)陔娨暽峡匆姵汕先f的死人， [03:58.58]maybe we just try to ignore the situation behind the violence. [04:02.21]也許我們才企圖無視造成暴力的環(huán)境。 [04:05.84]If so many citizens tolerate violence and crime, [04:08.97]如果如此多的公民容忍暴力和罪行， [04:12.11]or even commit crimes themselves,it may simply be because of the human mind. [04:16.43]甚至自己犯罪，原因可能純粹是我們思想工作有問題。 [04:20.75]Our minds may not care about specific laws. [04:24.23]我們的頭腦不關(guān)心具體的法律。 [04:27.70]Instead,our minds may have a system of values [04:31.23]相反，頭腦里可能有一套價(jià)值觀體系總是阻止我們 [04:34.76]that usually prevents us from hurting other people to improve our own lives [04:38.79]傷害他人，不斷完善自己的人生。 [04:42.83]Yet, when it comes to respecting the rights of a mass of anonymous individuals, [04:47.70]然而，當(dāng)涉及到尊重眾多不知姓名個(gè)人的權(quán)利時(shí)， [04:52.57]we might not be so responsible. [04:55.30]我們也許就不那么負(fù)責(zé)了。 [04:58.03]While most people would not steal a wallet containing $50, [05:01.91]盡管大多數(shù)人不會(huì)去偷裝有50美元的錢包， [05:05.79]they may not mind cheating on taxes, [05:08.36]但他們可能并不在乎偷稅漏銳， [05:10.94]because cheating on taxesdoes not hurt any one person. [05:14.62]因?yàn)橥刀惒⒉粋θ魏嗡? [05:18.30]It hurts society, [05:20.29]它傷害 社會(huì)， [05:22.27]but "society" remains an abstract ideathat is not as real as a neighbor [05:26.65]但“社會(huì)”是一個(gè)抽象概念，它不如鄰居 [05:31.02]or a friend's friend. [05:33.00]或者朋友的朋友那么真實(shí)。 [05:34.97]Perhaps this is why someone who robbers few dollars by force from a comer store [05:38.69]也許這就是為什么一個(gè)人在街角商店用暴力搶劫幾美元， [05:42.41]will often end up with a longer jail term than a fraud artist [05:46.29]其結(jié)局是比一個(gè)詐騙了成千上萬美元的冒牌藝術(shù)家 [05:50.17]who swindles thousands of dollars: [05:52.65]在監(jiān)獄里服的刑期還要長。 [05:55.13]threatening the life of an individual is not acceptable in our society. [05:58.71]因?yàn)橥{某個(gè)人生命在我們的社會(huì)是不可接受的。 [06:02.29]When we look at the questions in the first paragraph [06:05.11]在我們看到第一段提出的問題， [06:07.93]and realize that many people have misconceptions about law-breaking, [06:11.66]認(rèn)識(shí)到許多人對(duì)違法有誤解之后， [06:15.38]we could think it is surprising that only about 10% of Canadians [06:19.10]我們認(rèn)為只有大約百分之十的加拿大人 [06:22.82]have a criminal record. [06:25.11]有犯罪記錄令人吃驚。 [06:27.40]How could we improve the level of honesty in our soeiety? [06:30.67]我們?cè)鯓硬拍芴岣呱鐣?huì)的誠實(shí)水平？ [06:33.95]Would a larger police force keep everyone honest? [06:37.58]動(dòng)用更多的警察能使每一個(gè)人誠實(shí)嗎？ [06:41.21]Would severe laws help make our soeieiy better? [06:44.24]嚴(yán)厲的法規(guī)能使我們的社會(huì)變得更好嗎？ [06:47.28]Probably not. [06:49.46]恐怕不能。 [06:51.64]The police Would never be able to keep an eye on everyone, [06:55.02]警察無法盯住每一個(gè)人， [06:58.40]and people would still find ways to bend new laws. [07:01.94]人們還是會(huì)想辦法違犯新法。 [07:05.48]Honesty will have to come from social pressure: [07:08.76]誠實(shí)應(yīng)該來自社會(huì)壓力： [07:12.04]in the family,at school, on the job, [07:14.86]在家庭、在學(xué)校、在工作崗位上， [07:17.68]each and every one of us can enoourage honesty by showing [07:21.01]我們之中每個(gè)人通過示范什么行為 [07:24.34]which behaviors are unacceptable. [07:26.77]不可接受來倡導(dǎo)誠實(shí)。 [07:29.20]Teaching respect should become everyone's responsibility. [07:33.73]教人尊重應(yīng)該成為每個(gè)人的責(zé)任。 [07:38.27]Text B [07:42.11]Marriage in Iran and America: A Study in Contrasts [07:45.44]美伊婚俗：一項(xiàng)對(duì)比研究 [07:48.77]Though marriage is practiced in almost all countries of the world, [07:52.08]雖然結(jié)婚是世界上幾乎所有的國家的人都在做的事情， [07:55.40]the customs are quite different from one culture to another. [07:57.88]但結(jié)婚的習(xí)俗卻隨文化而異。 [08:00.37]It is interesting for me to compare the customs of marriage in the United States [08:07.31]with those in my country. [08:09.39]我對(duì)比較美國與我國的結(jié)婚習(xí)俗有興趣。 [08:11.47]I've lived in the U.S.for four years now, [08:14.41]我在美國生活了四年， [08:17.35]but I'm still not comfortable with the customs here. [08:19.71]但是還是不習(xí)慣這里的習(xí)俗。 [08:22.07]In fact, what seems strange to me is that courting or dating [08:25.50]其實(shí)，令我看起來奇怪的是求愛或約會(huì)的目的 [08:28.92]is not always for the purpose of finding a husband or wife. [08:31.49]并非總是為了找丈夫或者妻子， [08:34.06]Some people seem to do it as a hobby. [08:36.18]有些人這樣做好像僅僅是一種消遣。 [08:38.30]Here in the United States, [08:40.02]在美國這里， [08:41.74]I have noticed that courting is begun by the young couple themselves, [08:44.77]我發(fā)現(xiàn)求愛由年輕人自己提出來， [08:47.80]and they seem to have a lot of freedom to decide and do what they want. [08:50.99]他們似乎有很大的自由來決定自己想做的事，做自己想做的事。 [08:54.18]Both young men and women date a number of different people. [08:56.80]年輕男女都與好些異性約會(huì)， [08:59.43]They do it without the knowledge or help of their parents. [09:02.41]這樣做既不讓父母知道也不要父母的幫助。 [09:05.38]In fact,I have known several friends who got married [09:08.47]實(shí)際上，我就認(rèn)識(shí)幾位朋友結(jié)了婚 [09:11.55]with out even telling their parents or other family members. [09:14.08]也沒有告訴父母或家里其他的人。 [09:16.62]At the actual wedding ceremony, [09:18.94]在婚禮儀式上， [09:21.27]the father of the bride symbolically gives his daughter to the groom. [09:24.14]新娘的父親象征性地將自己的女兒交給新郎。 [09:27.01]It's only a custom, I think, [09:29.20]我認(rèn)為這只是一個(gè)習(xí)俗， [09:31.38]because the bride and groomalready know each other quite well. [09:33.96]因?yàn)樾履?，新郎已彼此很了解? [09:36.55]The bride and groom stand together [09:38.38]新娘，新郎一起 [09:40.21]in front of the religious leaderor govemment official to be married. [09:43.08]站在宗教神長或政府官員面前履行結(jié)婚儀式。 [09:45.95]The official reads from a short prepared speeh and then asks both the man and woman [09:50.13]官員朗讀著一篇準(zhǔn)備好的簡短講稿，然后詢問男女雙方是否愿意與對(duì)方結(jié)婚。 [09:54.31]if they are willing to be married to the other, [09:56.49]如果雙方都說同意， [09:58.67]If they both say "yes,"and nobody attending the wedding stands up to object [10:06.43]they are declared "man and wife." [10:08.65]并且出席婚禮者沒人站起來反對(duì)，就宣布也們?yōu)榉蚱蕖? [10:10.87]It is interesting that the two families are asked [10:16.91]if there are any objections right during the ceremony. [10:19.53]有趣的是舉行儀式時(shí)會(huì)詢問雙方家庭有沒有反對(duì)意見， [10:22.16]Perhaps it is because the family members [10:26.42]are not as involved in the wedding preparations as they are in Iran. [10:29.45]這也許是因?yàn)榧彝コ蓡T不像在伊朗那樣參與婚禮的準(zhǔn)備工作吧。 [10:32.48]Marriage is different in a number of ways in my country. [10:35.15]結(jié)婚在我們國家有幾方面和美國不同。 [10:37.83]In Iran,courting is more serious [10:42.38]and is performed strictly for the purpose of marriage. [10:44.70]在伊朗，求愛更認(rèn)真，求愛的目的的確是為了結(jié)婚， [10:47.03]It is definitely not a part of the fun-filled years of growing up [10:53.30]like it is here in American. [10:55.18]決不像美國這里它是成長期間浪漫年華的一部分。 [10:57.06]It is the mother of the young man [11:00.61]who initiates the process by visiting the home of a potential bride [11:03.48]整個(gè)過程從男方的母親拜訪未來新娘的家開始。 [11:06.36]She goes to inspect the girl, [11:08.19]母親去相女孩， [11:10.01]and discover the position and wealth of the girl' s family. [11:12.54]了解女方家庭的地位和財(cái)產(chǎn)。 [11:15.06]If she is pleased, then she will return another day with her son. [11:18.07]如果母親滿意了，改天她帶兒子再來。 [11:21.09]If her son is also pleased, [11:23.21]如果他的兒子也滿意了， [11:25.32]then the two families get together to talk,about the dowry, the wedding ceremony, [11:32.27]who they will hire to perform the marriage and other matters. [11:34.65]雙方家庭就聚在一起討論嫁妝，婚禮，花錢請(qǐng)誰來操辦婚禮及其他事情。 [11:37.03]The actual marriage ceremony is quite different, [11:42.67]however from the American wedding ceremonies I have seen. [11:44.80]可是，真正的結(jié)婚儀式與我見過的美國儀式大不一樣。 [11:46.93]The bride,dressed in white, with a veil over her face,sits in a room alone. [11:50.50]新娘身穿白色的禮服，臉上罩著面紗，獨(dú)自一人坐在一間房里。 [11:54.08]She sets on a special piece of silk [11:58.52] which is surrounded on two sides by very long pieces of flat bread. [12:01.65]她坐在一塊別致的絲綢上，兩邊圍滿了長長的扁面包。 [12:04.77]Two mullahs stand outside the door to this room reading from the Koran. [12:08.19]兩位毛拉站在門外朗誦《古蘭經(jīng)》。 [12:11.61]Twice the bride must remain silent to the questions of the mullahs. [12:15.33]新娘對(duì)毛拉提出的問題有兩次不應(yīng)作答， [12:19.06]The groom' s mother then presents a gift of gold [12:24.52]to show that her side of the family is serious. [12:26.88]然后新郎的母親拿出一件金制的禮品表示她這一方很認(rèn)真。 [12:29.24]The bride then responds to the mullahs [12:33.97]in much the same manneras do Americans when they say "I do.". [12:36.86]在兩位毛拉處理表正式結(jié)婚文件時(shí)， [12:39.75]The groom is allowed to go into the bride's room [12:42.32]允許新郎進(jìn)入新娘的房間。 [12:44.89]while the mullahs take care of the offidal marriage papers. [12:50.35]One more difference between the marriage iage customs of the United States [12:57.01]and my country [12:58.54]美國和我們國家的婚俗之間的另一個(gè)差別是： [13:00.07]is that the bride does not immediately go to the home of her new husband. [13:02.80]新娘不會(huì)馬上去她的丈夫家里。 [13:05.53]For several months,she continues to stay at her own home [13:11.48]preparing her dowry and receiving instructions from her mother [13:14.42]有數(shù)月之久，新娘一直呆在自己娘家準(zhǔn)備著嫁妝，接受母親的訓(xùn)導(dǎo)： [13:17.36]on how to be a good wife and mother. [13:19.19]如何做賢妻良母。 [13:21.02] After a few months, the groom and his relatives come for the bride [13:27.78]and take her to his home along with the dowry. [13:30.00]幾個(gè)月之后，新郎和他的親戚來接新娘及其嫁妝回家。 [13:32.23]Though I can certainly see the advantages of the freedom that is given [13:38.76]to American youths to choose whom they will marry and when, [13:44.03]I think I still prefer the customs of my home country. [13:46.85]但是我還是喜歡自己國家的習(xí)俗， [13:49.68]I suppose that's because there is not so much guessing and uncertainty. [13:53.01]我想這是因?yàn)闆]有太多的猜測(cè)和不確定因素的原故吧。

00:00

00:00

MP3下載 文本下載