The commercial life
"Well folks,commercefor the day hascommencedand I am sure we are in for a great day ofcommoditytrading. Othercommutersare lined incolumnsalong the highway, at the rail station, and on bus. It is a wonder that thecomedyof this life escapes us. But it would take acometstriking the earth to shake us from ourcomicand absurd ways."
As thecommentatorcontinued his runningcommentaryabout the day's events, Beth and Lisa simply frowned. "I hate that guy." Said Beth. "He's always so smug as hecommitsthoughts into our heads whether we like them or not. I have even heard that he gets a bigger commission whenever people complain. It's like there is thiscommitteeout there trying to remind us about thecombustibilityof ourcommerciallife style. I know it's not natural:living in steel buildings, wearing the same suits, driving the same cars day after day. But there is nocomparablealternative. I don't want to go back to living in some cave. You cancommemorateme at my grave if anyone ever forces me to do that!"
"Yeah, but hiscommitmentand telling the truth are honorable! And I like hiscommandof the English language: He speaks so well! I mean think of it! He's right; every thing we do is about surviving in the economic structure that has been forced on us. I bet if wecombinedall of the money traded here in one day we could cure cancer and do away with poverty!" Responded Lisa.
Lisa., I never knew you! Said Beth with a frown as she sat down in her cubicle that was identical to that of every other person in the office.

商業生活
“各位，今天的商業節目現在開始，我敢肯定今天是個商品交易的好日子。其他乘公交車輛上下班的人現在正在高速公路邊、火車站和汽車上排著長隊。真不敢相信，這種生活的喜劇居然沒有引起我們的注意，但是要想讓我們擺脫滑稽而荒唐的生活方式，那得要有彗星撞地球那樣的事情發生。”
在新聞評論員繼續滔滔不絕地對當天發生的事件進行評論的時候，貝思和麗莎只是皺著眉頭。“我討厭那個家伙。”貝思說，“不管我們喜歡不喜歡，他總是將他的觀點強加給我們，這時他還總是那么自鳴得意。我甚至聽說，只要有人投訴，他拿的傭金就更多。好像有那么個委員會在那兒試圖提醒我們商業生活方式的易激動性。我知道這種生活方式不自然：住在鋼鐵建筑中、穿同樣的衣服、日復一日開同樣的汽車。可是我們沒有類似的其他選擇。我可不想回去住在某個洞里!要是有人硬逼我這樣，你就到我的墳前紀念我吧。”
“你說得對，但是他的全心投入和實話實說是值得尊敬的!我喜歡他的英語運用能力：他說得真棒!我是說，想想吧!他是對的，我們做的每件事都是在強加給我們的經濟結構中求生存。我敢打賭，如果把這里一天的交易額合起來，我們就能治愈癌癥和消滅貧困。”麗莎回答說。
“麗莎，我太不了解你啦!”貝思皺著眉頭說，她在小隔間坐了下來，辦公室其他人的小隔間都跟她的一樣。

單詞詳解:

column n.1.(士兵、車輛、戰艦的)縱隊,縱陣;(人或物)的行列
2.欄,專欄(文章)
combine v.結合,聯合,混合,組合
combustibility n.易燃性,可燃性;易激動性的
comedy n.喜劇,喜劇性的,喜劇成分的
comet n.彗星
comic a.滑稽的
n.連環畫,連環漫畫冊;滑稽電影
command v.命令,指示;掌握,運用能力
commemorate v.紀念,慶祝;作為對...的能力
commentary n.評論;實況報道,解說報道,解說詞
commentator n.評論;實況報道,解說詞
commentator n.(電臺、電視臺登的)時事評論員,解說員
commerece n.商業,貿易
commercial a.1商業的,商務的2.商品化的;以獲利為目的的
commission n.1任務狀,任職令2委員會3傭金,回扣
v.1委任,委托;任命的
2委托制作
commit v.1犯(罪),做(錯事、傻事等)
2把...什么托負給,把...交給
3使做出保證
commitment n.1承諾,保證;承諾,許諾
2投入,奉獻
committee n.委員會
commodity n.商品,貨物;有用的東西,用品
commuter n.乘公交車輛上下班者
comparable a.1.可比較的(with);比得上的(to)2.類似的