Unit 21 Transportation Problems and Complaints
交 通 問 題 及 抱 怨
Part One: Expressions
1. There’s another traffic jam on the highway.
公路上又堵車了。
2. I wonder if there was an accident.
我想是否又出事故了。
3. Let’s put on some music.
我來放點音樂。
4. Should we get out and help?
我們要出去幫幫忙嗎？
5. It’s pretty bad.
真糟糕。
6. It looks like we’re in for a long drive.
看來我們駕車時間是不會短的了。
7. That sunset is beautiful.
日落真漂亮。
8. I never knew that.
我可從不知道。
9. It’s your turn to drive next week.
下個星期輪到你開車了。
10. Give me a call if you can’t make it for some reason.
如果有什么原因不能來就給我打個電話。

Part Two: Dialogues
1. Traffic Jam交通堵塞
A: Oh, damn. There’s another traffic jam on the highway.
B: How can there be a traffic jam on a 16-lane highway every day?
A: There are just too many people, and too many cars.
B: I wonder if there was an accident.
A: No, they just said it too many people were trying to get off at the Capitol exits.
B: Well, let’s put on some music. We’re going to be stuck in this for a while.
A: All right, what do you want to listen to?
B: How about some Beatles?
A: Yeah, all right.
A: 哦，真糟糕。路上又堵車了。
B: 16車道的主干道上怎么可能堵車？
A: 因為人太多，車太多。
B: 我想是否又出車禍了。
A: 不是，據說只是太多人轉車到去國會大廈的出口。
B:哦。我們放點音樂吧。可能要困在這里一會兒。
A: 好吧。想聽點什么？
B: 披頭士的怎么樣？
A: 好的，挺好。

2. Car Crash車禍
A: That looks like a bad accident.
B: Yeah, should we get out and help?
A: No, there’s a police car behind us. He’ll stop.
B: Looks like the one guy lost control in all this rain, and the other one hit him.
A: Yeah. It’s pretty bad, that car looks like a coke can.
B: These accidents always cause traffic jams on rainy days.
A: Yeah, it looks like we’re in for a long drive.
B: Ah, well. Put on the news. I got up late and missed it.
A: All right.
A: 好像又出了嚴重的車禍了。
B: 是呀。我們要下車幫幫忙嗎？
A: 不用了，后面有一輛警車。他會停的。
B: 好像是有人的車在這樣的下雨天車失控了，另一輛撞上了這輛。
A: 是。真是糟糕。那輛車撞得象個汽水罐一樣。
B: 下雨天出車禍往往引起堵車。
A: 對。看起來我們的駕車時間不會短了。
B: 哦，那么，聽點新聞吧。我起得晚，沒聽到新聞。
A: 好的。

3. Pollution污染
A: Man, that sunset is beautiful. I’ve never seen one so red.
B: Yeah, it’s pretty nice, but its so red because of air pollution.
A: Really?
B: Yeah, the smog from all these cars gets into the air and turns the sunlight red.
A: I never knew that.
B: Yeah, more people need to take public transportation or carpool.
A: Well, we’ve already done our part.
B: Yeah, it’s your turn to drive next week. Don’t be late picking me up.
A: Don’t worry. I’m getting more sleep these days. The baby’s finally growing up a little more.
B: Well, give me a call if you can’t make it for some reason.
A: 瞧，日落真漂亮。我從未見過這么火紅的日落。
B: 對，很漂亮。可是顏色之所以這么紅是因為空氣污染。
A: 真的嗎？
B: 是的，汽車產出的煙霧進入空氣中，日光便顯出這種紅色。
A: 我可不知道這個。
B: 是呀，應該有更多的人搭乘公交車或合伙使用小汽車。
A: 噢，我們自己已經盡力了。
B: 是呀，下個星期輪到你開車了。接我可別遲到了。
A: 不用著急。我近來睡眠時間更充足了。小孩子終于長大了一些了。
B: 哦，如果因為什么原因你不能來的話給我一個電話。

Part Three: Substitution Drills
1. A: There’s another (traffic jam/ back-up/ accident) on the highway.
B: How can there be?
公路上有（堵車/塞車/出車禍了）。
怎么可能？

2. A: (I wonder if/ Maybe/ Perhaps) there was an accident.
B: No.
我想（是否/可能/也許）又是出車禍了。
不是。

3. A: Let’s put on (some music/ the news/ a traffic report).
B: O.K.
我們放點（音樂/新聞/交通報道）來聽。
好的。

4. A: Should we get out and (help/ offer assistance/ help them out)?
B: No. There’s a police car behind us.
我們要出去（幫忙/幫手/幫助）他們解決困難嗎？
不用了。我們后面有一輛警車。

5. A: It’s (pretty bad/ awful/ horrible).
B: Yeah.
真（倒霉/糟糕/不可思議）。
是呀。

6. A: It looks like we’re in for a long (drive/ trip/ journey).
B: Ah, well, put on the news.
看上去我們（駕車時間/旅途/旅程）不會短的了。
啊，那么，來點新聞聽吧。

7. A: That sunset is (beautiful/ delightful/ gorgeous).
B: Yeah, it’s pretty nice.
日落真（漂亮/好看/迷人）。
是呀，真是好看。

8. A: I (never knew/ didn’t know/ would have never guessed) that.
B: Yeah, well it’s true.
我（從不知道/從未知曉/從未知道）這個。
是呀，可是是真的。

9. A: It’s your turn to (drive/ pick me up/ take me to work) next week.
B: I know.
下個星期輪到你（駕車/接我/搭我去上班）。
我知道。

10. A: Give me a call if (you can’t make it/ you’re going to be late) for some reason.
B: I will.
如果因為什么原因（你不能來/你要遲些時候到）給我打個電話。
我會的。

Part Four: Monologue
Modern transportation revolves around cars. Americans drive everywhere, to the store, to work, to school. Everybody wants they’re own car. This creates a tremendous amount of traffic, which leads to many traffic accidents. In addition, all those cars release pollution into the air. Efforts have been made to get people to use public transportation and to carpool, which means sharing rides with other people. Many people believe what we really need is a cleaner car. Companies are trying currently working on designs that would run on water and electricity. People seem likely to buy these cars because of the money they would save on gasoline. They would help the environment a great deal, because they only release water into the air. The first sales of these cars are expected in California around 2005.
現代交通離不開小汽車。美國人去什么地方都開著車，去商店購物，去上班，去學校。人人都想擁有自己的車。這就使得交通負荷增加，導致不少的交通事故。而且，小汽車也在空氣中釋放污染。在要求人們使用公共交通系統或合伙使用汽車（即和其他人共用汽車）方面，社會已經做過這種努力。很多人認為我們真正需要的是更為環保的車型。汽車公司目前也在試圖設計只靠水和電兩種能源驅動的汽車。人們也可能購買這種車因為這樣可以節省買汽油的費用。因為釋放到空氣中的只是水份，這樣也可以為環保做出很大貢獻。這種款式的車有望2005年在加州首次出售。

Part Five: Vocabulary and Phrases
--traffic jam交通擁擠
--highway 公路；干道
--accident 事故；災禍
--stuck stick的過去時和過去分詞
--get out 動身，下車（飛機）
--lose control失控
--sunset 日落,，日落的景象
--pollution 污染
--smog 煙霧
--carpool合伙使用汽車