# 第三册 Lesson 44 Speed and comfort 又快捷又舒适

## 一、课文原文

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. 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 travelling 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.

## 二、重点词汇详解

| 单词 | 音标 | 词性 | 释义 | 用法说明 |
|------|------|------|------|----------|
| cramped | /kræmpt/ | adj. | 狭窄的，拥挤的 | get cramped 变得拥挤 |
| stuffy | /ˈstʌfi/ | adj. | 闷热的，不通气的 | stuffy compartments 闷热的车厢 |
| monotonous | /məˈnɒtənəs/ | adj. | 单调的 | monotonous rhythm 单调节奏 |
| lull | /lʌl/ | v. | 使入睡，催眠 | lull sb. to sleep 哄某人入睡 |
| fumble | /ˈfʌmbl/ | v. | 摸索 | fumble to find 摸索着找 |
| intimidate | /ɪnˈtɪmɪdeɪt/ | v. | 恐吓，使害怕 | be intimidated by 被……吓住 |
| exhilarating | /ɪɡˈzɪləreɪtɪŋ/ | adj. | 令人振奋的 | exhilarating experience 令人兴奋的经历 |
| escapist | /ɪˈskeɪpɪst/ | n. | 逃避现实者 | the real escapist 真正的享乐主义者 |
| refinement | /rɪˈfaɪnmənt/ | n. | 精致的享受 | such refinements 这样的精致享受 |
| uncrumpled | /ʌnˈkrʌmpld/ | adj. | 没有皱纹的，整洁的 | arrive fresh and uncrumpled 精神焕发地到达 |
| soar | /sɔː/ | v. | 翱翔，高飞 | soar over mountains 飞越山脉 |
| breathtaking | /ˈbreθteɪkɪŋ/ | adj. | 惊人的，令人叹为观止的 | breathtaking view 令人叹为观止的景色 |

## 三、语法知识点

### 1. Hardly... 否定词前置

> **Hardly anyone** can positively enjoy sitting in a train for more than a few hours.

hardly = almost not，表示"几乎不"。

| 否定词 | 含义 | 例句 |
|--------|------|------|
| hardly | 几乎不 | Hardly anyone came. |
| rarely | 很少 | She rarely goes out. |
| seldom | 不常 | He seldom writes. |

### 2. 动名词短语作主语

> **Travelling at a height of 30,000 feet**... is an exhilarating experience.

动名词短语可作主语，谓语用单数。

### 3. more often than not 往往，多半

> **More often than not**, the greater part of the journey is spent on roads...

= more frequently than not; usually

### 4. prevent sb. from doing 阻止某人做某事

> There is nothing to **prevent you from** reading or sleeping.

## 四、重点句型分析

### 1. take one's mind off 使某人不惦记
> It is almost impossible to **take your mind off** the journey.

### 2. in snatches 断断续续地
> During the day, sleep comes **in snatches**.

### 3. by comparison 相比之下
> **By comparison**, ferry trips or cruises offer a great variety of civilized comforts.

### 4. 长难句分析
> 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.

if引导条件从句；that stretch out修饰cloud plains；while引导时间/对比状语从句。

## 五、课文翻译

长途旅行的人常常不得不决定是走陆路、海路还是空路。几乎没有人能真正享受在火车上坐上几个小时的滋味。火车车厢很快就变得拥挤闷热。你几乎不可能把心思从旅途上移开。看书只能部分解决问题，因为车轮在铁轨上发出的咔嗒声的单调节奏很快就会使你昏昏欲睡。白天，睡眠是断断续续的。到了夜晚，当你真正想睡觉的时候，却往往睡不着。如果你运气好弄到卧铺，你会花半个晚上盯着天花板上的小蓝灯，或者摸索着找车票接受检查。长途汽车旅行更不愉快，因为连看书都不可能。在高速公路上，你至少可以安全地高速行驶，但往往大部分旅程是在缺少加油站且交通拥挤的道路上度过的。相比之下，轮渡或游轮提供各种文明的舒适享受。你可以在宽敞的甲板上活动腿脚、做游戏、认识有趣的人、享受美食——当然，前提是海面平静。如果海面不平静，你又容易晕船，那就没有比这更糟糕的交通方式了。即使在理想的天气条件下旅行，海上旅程也很耗时。相对而言，很少有人愿意牺牲假期时间来换取海上旅行的乐趣。

飞机有危险的名声，甚至连老练的旅行者也为之胆怯。它们还有昂贵的缺点。但就速度和舒适而言，没有什么能与之相比。在三万英尺的高空，远在云层之上，以超过每小时500英里的速度旅行是一种令人振奋的体验。你不必想办法分散旅途中的注意力，因为飞机会迅速把你送到目的地。几个小时里，你靠在深扶手椅上享受飞行。真正的享乐者可以在某些航班上看电影、品香槟。但即使没有这些精致享受，也有足够的东西让你消遣。飞机为你提供了一个不寻常的、令人叹为观止的世界景观。你毫不费力地飞越高山深谷。你真正看到了大地的形状。如果看不到地面景色，你可以欣赏连绵不断的云海在你面前延伸数英里的非凡景象，而太阳在晴朗的天空中灿烂地照耀着。飞行如此平稳，没有任何东西妨碍你阅读或睡觉。无论你怎么安排时间，有一点是确定的：你到达目的地时会精神焕发、衣冠整洁。你不必在接下来的几天里从漫长而艰苦的旅程中恢复过来。

## 六、语言点精讲

### 写作手法
1. **三段对比**：火车→轮船→飞机，逐层递进
2. **欲扬先抑**：先说飞机的缺点（危险、昂贵），再大力赞美
3. **感官描写**：视觉（云海、大地形状）、触觉（平稳）、味觉（香槟）

### 文化背景
- 英国的铁路旅行历史悠久，但车厢舒适度常被批评
- "sleeper"指火车卧铺车厢
- 英国和欧洲大陆之间的轮渡曾是主要交通方式

## 七、课后练习要点

1. **否定词用法**：hardly, rarely, seldom
2. **动名词作主语**：travelling at...is an experience
3. **词汇搭配**：take one's mind off, in snatches, by comparison
4. **写作练习**：写一篇对比不同交通方式的文章

## 八、本课小结

本课对比了火车、轮船和飞机三种长途旅行方式的优缺点，最终论证飞机最具优势。语法重点是hardly否定词、动名词作主语和prevent...from结构。词汇方面掌握cramped、monotonous、exhilarating、uncrumpled等核心词。写作上学习三段对比和欲扬先抑。