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Lesson 16 The modern city
第16課 現代城市
First listen and then answer the following question.
聽錄音，然后回答以下問題。
What is the author's main argument about the modern city?
什么是作者主要論點中的現代城市？
In the organization of industrial life the influence of the factory upon the physiological and mental state of the workers has been completely neglected.
在工業生活的組織中，工廠對工人的生理和精神狀態的影響完全被忽視了。
Modern industry is based on the conception of the maximum production at lowest cost,
現代工業的基本概念是：以最低成本獲取最多產品，
in order that an individual or a group of individuals may earn as much money as possible.
為的是讓某個個人或某一部分人盡可能多地賺錢。
It has expanded without any idea of the true nature of the human beings who run the machines,
現代工業發展起來了，卻根本沒想到操作機器的人的本質。工廠把一種人為的生存方式強加給工人，
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.
卻不顧及這種生存方式給工人及其后代帶來的影響。
The great cities have been built with no regard for us.
大城市的建設毫不關心我們。
The shape and dimensions of the skyscrapers depend entirely on the necessity of obtaining the maximum income per square foot of ground,
摩天大樓外形和面積完全是按這樣的需要修建的：每平方英尺地皮取得最大收入
and of offering to the tenants offices and apartments that please them.
和向租房人提供使他滿意的辦公室和住房。
This caused the construction of gigantic buildings where too large masses of human beings are crowded together.
這樣就導致了許多摩天大廈拔地而起，大廈內眾多的人擠地一起。
Civilized men like such a way of living.
文明人喜歡這樣一種生活方式。
While they enjoy the comfort and banal luxury of their dwelling, they do not realize that they are deprived of the necessities of life.
在享受自己住宅的舒適和庸俗的豪華時，卻沒有意識到被剝奪了生活所必需的東西。
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,
大得嚇人的高樓和陰暗狹窄的街道組成了今日現代化的城市。街道上充斥著汽油味和有毒氣體，出租汽車
lorries and buses, and thronged ceaselessly by great crowds.
卡車、公共汽車的噪音刺耳難忍，絡繹不絕的人群擠來擠去。
Obviously, it has not been planned for the good of its inhabitants.
顯然，現代化的城市不是這居民的利益而規劃的。
