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Lesson13 Changes of Life Caused by Computers and Automobiles
計算機和汽車帶來的生活變化
The computer and the automobile, the mainstays of modern life, share similar pasts. The computer, which has only recently become a common feature of most people's homes and offices, had its beginnings in the 1830's. At that time, the British mathematician, Charles Babbage, developed the mechanical computer. In the same way, the first type of automobile was a steam-powered vehicle invented in 1769. The gas-powered car was not mass-produced until Henry Ford's Model T in 1915, and did not become a common possession for Americans until several decades later.
計算機和汽車，這兩個現代生活的支柱，有著相似的過去。計算機，近年來才成為多數人家和辦公室的普通用品，發端于1830年。當時，英國數學家查爾斯•巴布吉制造出了機械式計算機。同樣地，1769年發明的蒸汽驅動的汽車是最早的汽車。以汽油驅動的汽車直到1915年亨利•福特發明了T型車才開始大量生產，直到幾十年后才開始為美國人普遍擁有。
Although both the computer and the automobile took a long time to become integral parts of most people's lives, once they did, they revolutionized the whole world. Today most people would rather drive their car to the office in the city than take public transportation, even though the latter may be cheaper, more convenient and safer. The reason for this is the sense of freedom, independence and privacy afforded by car travel.
盡管計算機和汽車都花了很長時間才成為大多數人生活中的必備品，但一旦成功，它們就徹底改變了整個世界。今天人們大多駕車到城市里上班，而不是乘坐公眾交通工具，雖然后者可能更便宜、更便利、更安全。其原因是駕車出行能帶來自由感、獨立感和私密感。
In the same way, people will now spend a large amount of money to own a computer which allows them to communicate by e-mail instead of by post, and which allows them to obtain information from the Internet instead of the library.
同樣，今天的人們會花一大筆錢買一臺電腦，從而可以通過電子郵件而不是傳統郵件和他人聯系，從互聯網上而不是從圖書館里獲得信息。
