# 第四册 Lesson 16 The modern city 现代城市

## 一、课文原文

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*

## 二、重点词汇详解

| 单词 | 音标 | 词性 | 释义 | 用法说明 |
|------|------|------|------|----------|
| physiological | /ˌfɪziəˈlɒdʒɪkl/ | adj. | 生理的 | physiological state 生理状态 |
| neglect | /nɪˈɡlekt/ | v. | 忽视，忽略 | completely neglected 完全被忽视 |
| conception | /kənˈsepʃn/ | n. | 概念，观念 | based on the conception 基于...概念 |
| descendant | /dɪˈsendənt/ | n. | 后代，后裔 | effects on their descendants 对后代的影响 |
| impose | /ɪmˈpəʊz/ | v. | 强加，施加 | imposed by the factory 由工厂强加的 |
| regard | /rɪˈɡɑːd/ | n. | 关心，考虑 | with no regard for us 不考虑我们 |
| dimension | /daɪˈmenʃn/ | n. | 尺寸，维度 | shape and dimensions 形状和尺寸 |
| skyscraper | /ˈskaɪskreɪpə/ | n. | 摩天大楼 | 现代城市的标志 |
| tenant | /ˈtenənt/ | n. | 租户，房客 | offering tenants offices 向租户提供办公室 |
| gigantic | /dʒaɪˈɡæntɪk/ | adj. | 巨大的 | gigantic buildings 巨型建筑 |
| banal | /bəˈnɑːl/ | adj. | 平庸的，乏味的 | banal luxury 平庸的奢华 |
| deprive | /dɪˈpraɪv/ | v. | 剥夺 | deprive of 剥夺 |
| monstrous | /ˈmɒnstrəs/ | adj. | 巨大而丑陋的 | monstrous edifices 庞大丑陋的建筑 |
| edifice | /ˈedɪfɪs/ | n. | 大厦，宏伟建筑 | 比 building 更正式 |
| fume | /fjuːm/ | n. | 烟气，废气 | petrol fumes 汽油废气 |
| toxic | /ˈtɒksɪk/ | adj. | 有毒的 | toxic gases 有毒气体 |
| throng | /θrɒŋ/ | v. | 群集，挤满 | thronged by great crowds 挤满了人群 |
| ceaselessly | /ˈsiːsləsli/ | adv. | 不停地，不断地 | = endlessly, continually |

## 三、语法知识点

### 1. in order that 目的状语从句

> ...**in order that** an individual or a group of individuals may earn as much money as possible.

- in order that + may/can/will + 动词原形
- = so that, in order to（不定式形式）

### 2. without 引导的介词短语（表伴随/条件）

> It has expanded **without** any idea of the true nature of the human beings...and **without** giving any consideration to the effects...

- without + 名词/动名词，表示"没有..."
- 两个without形成排比，强调工业扩张的盲目性

### 3. 过去分词作后置定语和状语

> ...by the **artificial** mode of existence **imposed** by the factory.

- imposed by = 被工厂强加的（过去分词表被动）
> ...**torn** by the noise of the taxicabs...

- torn by = 被噪音撕裂（过去分词作状语）

### 4. while 引导让步状语从句

> **While** they enjoy the comfort and banal luxury of their dwelling, they do not realise...

- while = although，表让步
- 区别：while = whereas（对比）

## 四、重点句型分析

### 1. with no regard for 不考虑，不顾

> The great cities have been built **with no regard for** us.

- = without considering, regardless of
- 仿写：He acted with no regard for others' feelings.

### 2. deprive sb. of sth. 剥夺某人的...

> ...they are **deprived of** the necessities of life.

- = take away from sb.
- 仿写：The war deprived many children of their education.

### 3. consist of 由...组成

> The modern city **consists of** monstrous edifices and of dark, narrow streets...

- = be composed of, be made up of
- 注意第二个of：consists of A and of B（平行结构）

### 4. for the good of 为了...的利益

> ...it has not been planned **for the good of** its inhabitants.

- = for the benefit of
- 仿写：He did it for the good of the team.

## 五、课文翻译

在工业生活的组织中，工厂对工人身心状态的影响完全被忽视了。现代工业建立在以最低成本获得最大产量的观念基础上，以使个人或一群人能赚取尽可能多的钱。它在扩张时完全不考虑操作机器的人的真实本性，也不考虑工厂强加的人为生活方式对个人及其后代产生的影响。大城市的建设不考虑我们的需要。摩天大楼的形状和尺寸完全取决于获得每平方英尺土地最大收入的必要性，以及向租户提供令他们满意的办公室和公寓的必要性。这导致了巨大建筑的建造，过多的人被挤在了一起。文明人喜欢这样的生活方式。当他们享受着住所的舒适和平庸的奢华时，他们没有意识到自己被剥夺了生活的必需品。现代城市由庞大丑陋的建筑和充满汽油废气和有毒气体的阴暗狭窄街道组成，被出租车、卡车和公共汽车的噪音撕裂，不停地挤满了人群。显然，它不是为了居民的利益而规划的。

## 六、语言点精讲

### 1. 写作手法：批判性议论文

- 全文以批判视角审视现代城市
- 先分析原因（追求最大利润），再描述结果（城市不宜居）
- 最后一句"Obviously, it has not been planned for the good of its inhabitants"作有力结论

### 2. 文化背景

- **阿历克西·卡雷尔（Alexis Carrel）**：法国外科医生，1912年诺贝尔医学奖获得者
- **《人，未知者》（Man, the Unknown）**：1935年出版，对现代文明的深刻批判
- **工业化与城市化**：20世纪城市化的负面影响是此书的关注重点

### 3. 修辞分析

- **排比**：without any idea...without giving any consideration——双without排比
- **感官描写**：dark, narrow streets, petrol fumes, toxic gases, noise——视觉、嗅觉、听觉的综合
- **反讽**：civilised men like such a way of living——"文明人"竟喜欢这种活法

## 七、课后练习要点

1. **理解题**：Has the modern city been planned for the good of its inhabitants?（显然不是，是为利润而建）
2. **语法题**：in order that 与 in order to 的互换
3. **词汇题**：区分 deprive/strip/rob + of 的用法
4. **写作练习**：用批判性视角分析一个社会现象

## 八、本课小结

本课批判**现代城市建设忽视人的需求**，核心论点：现代城市以追求利润为唯一目标，忽视了居民的生活必需。语法重点包括in order that目的从句、without介词短语表伴随、过去分词作定语和状语、while让步从句。修辞手法上运用排比、感官描写和反讽，是批判性议论文的典范。