---
url: https://gaojian.site/new-concept/book-3/41-illusions-of-pastoral-peace.md
description: 新概念英语第三册：Illusions of Pastoral Peace。精读、词块回忆、双向译练、句法、逻辑与FSRS复习。
---

# 宁静田园生活的遐想

## 课文学习台 {#study}

### 第1段

The quiet life of the country has never appealed to me. City born and city bred, I have always regarded the country as something you look at through a train window, or something you occasionally visit during the weekend. Most of my friends live in the city, yet they always go into raptures at the mere mention of the country. Though they extol the virtues of the peaceful life, only one of them has ever gone to live in the country and he was back in town within six months. Even he still lives under the illusion that country life is somehow superior to town life. He is forever talking about the friendly people, the clean atmosphere, the closeness to nature and the gentle pace of living. Nothing can be compared, he maintains, with the first cockcrow, the twittering of birds at dawn, the sight of the rising sun glinting on the trees and pastures. This idyllic pastoral scene is only part of the picture. My friend fails to mention the long and friendless winter evenings in front of the TV—virtually the only form of entertainment. He says nothing about the poor selection of goods in the shops, or about those unfortunate people who have to travel from the country to the city every day to get to work. Why people are prepared to tolerate a four-hour journey each day for the dubious privilege of living in the country is beyond me. They could be saved so much misery and expense if they chose to live in the city where they rightly belong.

中文理解：宁静的乡村生活从来没有吸引过我。我生在城市，长在城市，总认为乡村是透过火车车窗看到的那个样子，或者在周末你偶尔会去一趟的地方。我的许多朋友都住在城市，但他们只要一提起乡村，马上就会变得欣喜若狂。尽管他们都交口称赞宁静乡村生活的种种优点，但其中只有一个人真去农村住过，而且不足6个月就回来了。就连他也仍抱有一种错觉，好像乡村生活就是比城市生活优越。他滔滔不绝地大谈友好的乡下人，洁净的空气，贴近大自然的环境和悠闲的生活节奏。他坚持认为，凌晨雄鸡第一声啼叫，黎明时分小鸟吱喳欢叫，初升的阳光在树木和牧场上闪耀，此番美景无与伦比。但这种田园诗般的乡村风光仅仅是一个侧面。我的朋友没有提到在电视机前度过的漫长寂寞的冬夜—— 电视几乎是唯一的娱乐方式。他也不说商店货物品种单调，以及那些每天不得不从乡下赶到城里工作的不幸的人们。人们为什么情愿忍受每天在路上奔波4个小时去换取值得怀疑的乡间的优点，我是无法理解的。要是他们愿意住在本来属于他们的城市，则可以让他们省去诸多不便与节约大量开支。

* **look at**：期待 / 照顾 / 寻找 / 看；介词一变意思就变；look forward to 的 to 后接名词或 -ing。

#### 这一段的读法与用法

注释：①extol the virtues = praise the good things。②illusion = false idea。③superior to = much better than。④maintains = says, argues。⑤glinting = shining in small flashes。 ⑥tolerate = bear, stand, put up with。⑦beyond me = beyond my understanding

### 第2段

If you can do without the few pastoral pleasures of the country, you will find the city can provide you with the best that life can offer. You never have to travel miles to see your friends. They invariably live nearby and are always available for an informal chat or an evening's entertainment. Some of my acquaintances in the country come up to town once or twice a year to visit the theatre as a special treat. For them this is a major operation which involves considerable planning. As the play draws to its close, they wonder whether they will ever catch that last train home. The city dweller never experiences anxieties of this sort. The latest exhibitions, films, or plays are only a short bus ride away. Shopping, too, is always a pleasure. There is so much variety that you never have to make do with second best. Country people run wild when they go shopping in the city and stagger home loaded with as many of the exotic items as they can carry. Nor is the city without its moments of beauty. There is something comforting about the warm glow shed by advertisements on cold wet winter nights. Few things could be more impressive than the peace that descends on deserted city streets at weekends when the thousands that travel to work every day are tucked away in their homes in the country. It has always been a mystery to me why city dwellers, who appreciate all these things, obstinately pretend that they would prefer to live in the country.

中文理解：如果你愿舍弃乡下生活那一点点乐趣的话，那么你会发现城市可以为你提供生活最美好的东西。你去看朋友根本不用跋涉好几英里。他们都住在附近，你随时可以同他们聊天或在晚上一起娱乐。我在乡村有一些熟人，他们每年进城看一两次戏，并把此看作一种特殊的享受。看戏对他们是件大事，需要精心计划。当戏快演完时，他们又为是否能赶上末班火车回家而犯愁。这种焦虑，城里人是从未体验过的。坐公共汽车几站路，就可看到最新的展览、电影、戏剧。买东西也是一种乐趣。物品种类繁多，从来不必用二等品来凑合。乡里人进城采购欣喜若狂，每次回家时都买足了外来商品，直到拿不动方才罢休，连走路都摇摇晃晃的。城市也并非没有良辰美景。寒冷潮湿的冬夜里，广告灯箱发出的暖光，会给人某种安慰。周末，当成千上万进城上班的人回到他们的乡间寓所之后，空旷的街市笼罩着一种宁静气氛，没有什么能比此时的宁静更令人难忘了。城里人对这一切心里很明白，却偏要执拗地装出他们喜欢住在乡村的样子，这对我来说一直是个谜。

* **whether**：不仅 / 两者都不 / 是否；找齐成对结构的两端；不是看见 not only 就一律倒装。

#### 这一段的读法与用法

注释：①双重否定结构(nor 和without 表否定)表肯定。②why 引导的主语从句中有一个who 引导的定语从句修饰dwellers，还有一个that 引导的宾语从句作pretend 的宾语。③obstinately = stubbornly。

\[语法符号讲解] \[1]本句with 所引导的状语中额外包含了一个that 引导的定语从句，我们予以细分，故状语的中括号在句号左边结束，但表示定语从句的右括号包括了点句号，且这里还是宾语从句的结束，故“er].)”。

#### Summary 摘要

You never have to travel miles to see friends because they live nearby. Nor do you have to worry about catching the last train home after the theatre. The latest exhibitions, films and plays are all a bus ride away. Shopping is a pleasure, too. There is so much variety that you never have to make do with second best. The city can be beautiful and peaceful, too— beautiful with the glow of neon advertisements, and peaceful at weekends. (79 words)

#### Composition 作文

\[1]I have never understood city-lovers. For me a city is a place to visit for a few hours, to go shopping, to see special exhibitions, shows, plays and films. But it's not a place to live in, even though thousands do. Usually they are tied to the city by their jobs or perhaps even by family.

\[2]There are so many advantages to living in the country. It is quiet and more healthy. There is far less traffic on the roads and the air is so much fresher. Instead of buying everything in packets from a supermarket, in the country we can always buy fresh food from farms or village shops every day—milk, fruit, fresh eggs, vegetables and meat. And we don't have to look at "Use by…" labels to see when we must use something by: we know that everything is fresh. And the people in the country are always so polite and friendly too—as long as you obey the unwritten rules of the countryside, that is.

\[3]On the other hand, there are so many advantages to living in a town or city. The first thing most country people notice is the noise and dirt. It must be the traffic, but many country people find it difficult to breathe in the city. And it is stressful, too: people always seem to be in a rush, and they are so often rude and unfriendly.

\[4]There are so many advantages to living in the country that it is a mystery to me why some country people say they would like to live in the city. In fact, I just cannot understand how anyone can even consider living in the city. (282 words)

### 第3段 · 原稿补充

I am not interested in the past. I am interested in the future, for that is where I expect to spend the rest of my life.

中文理解：我对过去不感兴趣。我对未来才感兴趣，因为那才是我将度过余生之所。

## 学完这一课

保留原段的推进关系，换成自己的经历，写或说一段四五句的话。

[Nce · 本册复习台](/new-concept/book-3/review) · [三册选择地图](/new-concept/)

*译文与解析据吴应时、何景霖整理资料及本站首轮审校稿；词伙与练习提示为本站学习设计。原PDF第139—142页，2022年2月第3版。*