Unit 1 | Reading and Thinking
WHY DO WE CELEBRATE FESTIVALS
我们为什么庆祝节日？
Festivals are celebrated all around the world. They have a wide range of origins，such as the seasons of the year，religions，famous figures，and important events. Every festival has its different customs and unique charms. However，no matter how different they may seem，all over the world，the spirit of sharing joy，gratitude，love，or peace is common in all festivals.
世界各地都庆祝各种节日。节日的由来五花八门，比如时节、宗教、著名人物及重要事件。每个节日都有其不同的习俗和独特的魅力。然而，无论它们多么迥异，在世界各地，分享快乐、感恩、友爱或和平的精神存在于所有节日之中。
Of all the traditional festivals，the harvest festival can be found in almost every culture. This important agricultural festival takes place after all the crops have been gathered in. People celebrate to show that they are grateful for the year’s supply of food. In ancient Egypt，the harvest festival was celebrated during the springtime—the Egyptian harvest season. It featured a parade and a great feast with music，dancing，and sports. Today，in some European countries，people decorate churches and town halls with flowers and fruit，and get together to celebrate over a meal. During the Mid-Autumn Festival in China，families gather to admire the shining moon and enjoy delicious mooncakes.
在所有的传统节日中，丰收节几乎可见于每一种文化之中。这一重大的农业节日在所有农作物收成后来临。人们举行庆祝活动，对这一年收获的食物表达感恩。在古埃及，人们于春季庆祝丰收节——即埃及的丰收季。庆祝活动主要是游行和丰盛的筵席，载歌载舞，并伴有体育活动。如今，在一些欧洲国家，人们用鲜花和水果来装饰教堂和市政厅，聚在一起共享大餐，以示庆祝。在中国的中秋节，家家户户欢聚一堂，观赏明月，品尝美味的月饼。
Customs play a significant role in festivals，but sometimes they can change over time. With the development of modern society and the spread of new ideas，some traditions may fade away and others may be established. One example is the typical Chinese Spring Festival custom of lighting firecrackers to drive away the evil spirits and celebrate the new year. Nowadays，many big cities have given up this custom in order to avoid air pollution. Another example is Halloween，which slowly became an exciting festival for children，in spite of its religious origins.
风俗在节日中扮演重要角色，但有时也随时间而变化。随着现代社会的发展和新思想的传播，有些传统会渐渐消失，而另一些传统则得以建立。中国春节燃放鞭炮以驱鬼神、贺新年这一典型风俗就是一个例子。如今，为了避免空气污染，许多大城市已经摒弃了这一风俗。另一个例子是万圣节，虽然起源于宗教，万圣节渐渐成了孩子们纵情玩乐的一个节日。
Festivals are becoming more and more commercial，with business taking advantage of the celebrations Online shopping websites and social media apps have made it much easier for the public to spend more on gifts for their loved ones. Although some believe festivals should not be commercialised，others believe the increase in spending is good for the economy and public happiness.
节日正变得越来越商业化，商家会利用这些庆祝活动(进行促销)。购物网站和社交媒体应用程序极大地方便了人们为至亲至爱花更多钱购买礼物。尽管有人认为节日不应该被商业化，但是也有人认为消费增长有利于(提高)经济和公众幸福感。
Festivals are an important part of society. They reflect people’s wishes，beliefs，faiths，and attitudes towards life. They are occasions that allow us to relax and enjoy life，and forget about our work for a little while. They help us understand where we came from，who we are，and what to appreciate. And if you study festivals carefully，you may be surprised to find that different cultures actually have a lot in common after all.
节日是社会的一个重要组成部分。节日反映了人类的愿望、信仰、信念以及对生活的态度。节日是让我们放松心情、享受生活、暂时忘却工作的时刻。节日让我们了解我们来自何方、我们是谁、我们应该感恩什么。此外，如果你仔细研究各种节日，你会惊奇地发现不同的文化实际上有很多共同之处。
Unit 1 | Reading for Writing
MY AMAZING NAADAM EXPERIENCE
我的那达慕大会奇妙经历
I experienced the Naadam Festival in China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region for the first time this year. The festival falls on the fourth day of the six month of the lunar calendar，usually lasting for three days. Naadam means “games”in Mongolian，and it is represented by three events: horse racing，wresting，and archery，which are all so exciting to watch!
今年，我第一次体验了中国内蒙古自治区的那达慕大会。该节日于每年农历六月初四开始的，通常为期3天。“那达慕”在蒙古语中的意思是“游戏”，主要表现为三大赛事：赛马、摔跤和射箭，每项运动都动人心魄！
On the first day，I set off to the games early with my friend Burin. I saw a lot of people wearing fancy Mongolian robes. Some others were chatting or taking photographs. Burin told me that Mongolians travel every year from near and far to attend the festival，just as their ancestors had done for centuries.
(那达慕大会的)第一天，我和好友布林早早出发来到了会场。我看到很多人穿着华丽的蒙古袍。有的在喂马，有的在练习射箭，其他人则在聊天或拍照。布林告诉我说，与他们数百年前的祖先一样，蒙古人每年都会从四面八方赶来参加这一节日。
After the opening ceremony and some amazing performances，the wrestling competition began. Mongolian wrestling is different from the wrestling in the Olympic Games. There are no rounds，and wrestlers are not separated by weight. The wrestlers loses if any part of his body above his knee touches the ground. After singing some songs，the competitors danced onto the green field，waving their arms in the air as if they were eagles. I was quite moved by their show of strength and grace.
在开幕式和几项精彩的表演之后，摔跤比赛开始了。蒙古式摔跤与奥运会的摔跤比赛有所不同：比赛不分回合，摔跤手不分体重。如果摔跤手膝盖以上任何部位着地即被判输。几首歌唱毕，选手们开始在草地上翩翩起舞，他们]挥动着双臂，宛如雄鹰。这刚与柔的展示深深地打动了我。
I absolutely enjoyed the archery，too，but the horse races were my favourite part. However，I was surprised to see that the riders were boys and girls! I heard it is because children are lighter and the horses can run faster and farther. At first，I was a little worried about the children’s safety，but Burin said，“Don’t worry. They’ve been riding horses all their lives. They’ll be just fine.”That was the moment I started to understand why people say “Horses are at the heart ofMongolian culture”. ...
射箭同样令我叹为观止，但赛马才是我最喜爱的部分。然而，看到赛马选手们都是男孩和女孩，我十分惊讶！听说这是因为儿童体重更轻，马儿才能跑得更快、更远。刚开始的时候，我有点担心这些孩子的安全，但布林却说：“别担心，他们是在马背上长大的，不会有事的。”我顿时明白了为什么人们说“马是蒙古文化的核心”了。……
I’m finally back home now，feeling really tired，but celebrating Naadam with my friend was totally worth it. He invited me back for the winter to stay in a traditional Mongolian tent and eat hot pot. I can’t wait!
我现在已经回到家了，感到十分疲倦，但能和我的朋友一起庆祝那达慕，再累也是值得的。他邀请我冬天时再去住传统的蒙古包，吃火锅。我已经迫不及待了！
Unit 2 | Reading and Thinking
MOTHER OF TEN THOUSAND BABIES
万婴之母
“Life is precious. ... To a person nothing is more precious than their life，and if they entrust me with that life，how could I refuse that trust，saying I’m cold，hungry，or tired?”These words of Dr Lin Qiaozhi give us a look into the heart of this amazing woman，and what carried her through a life of hard choices.
“生命诚可贵。……对一个人来说，生命是最宝贵的，而现在这个人对你说，我把生命交给你，那么你还说什么呢？你冷？你饿？你困？”从林巧稚医生的这番话，我们可以看到这位伟大女性的内心世界，以及到底是什么支撑着她走过充满艰难抉择的一生。
As a five-year-old girl，Lin Qiaozhi was deeply affected by her mother’s death. At age 18，instead of following the traditional path of marriage like the majority of girls，she chose to study medidne. “Why should girls learn so much? Finding a good husband should be their final goal!”her brother complained，thinking of the high tuition fees. She responded，“I’d rather stay single to study all my life!”
林巧稚五岁时母亲病故，这对她影响极大。十八岁时，她没有像大多数的女孩那样走上婚姻这一传统道路，而是选择了学医。“女孩子读那么多书干嘛？找个好丈夫才是她们的归宿!”她的兄弟一想到高昂的学费就这么抱怨。她回答：“我宁愿一辈子不嫁人，也要学医！”
Eight years later，Lin graduated from Peking Union Medical College (PUMC) with the Wehai Scholarship，the highest prize given to graduates. She immediately became the first woman ever to be hired as a resident physician in the OB-GYN department of the PUMC Hospital. Within six months，she was named a chief resident physician，a position that usually took four years to achieve. After working for a few years，she was sent to study in Europe and then，in 1939，in the US. She greatly impressed her American colleagues，who invited her to stay. Dr Lin，however，rejected the offer. She wanted to serve the women and children at home.
八年后，林巧稚毕业于北京协和医学院，并获得了该校毕业生的最高荣誉奖——“文海”奖学金。她随即成为北京协和医学院妇产科有史以来第一位被聘为住院医师的女性。不到六个月，她就成了住院主任医师，而升任这一职位通常需要四年时间。工作了几年之后，她被派往欧洲学习，之后于1939年又赴美学习。美国同行对她印象极佳，邀请她留下。但是，林医生谢绝了邀请。她希望服务祖国的妇女和儿童。
In 1941，Dr Lin became the first Chinese woman ever to be appointed director of the OB-GYN department of the PUMC Hospital，but just a few months later，the department was closed because of the war. Thinking of all the people still in need of help，Dr Lin opened a private clinic. She charged very low fees to treat patients and often reduced costs for poor patients. At times she was even seen riding a donkey to faraway villages to provide medical care.
1941年，林医生成为北京协和医院妇产科的首位中国籍女主任，但是仅仅数月之后，妇产科就因为战争而关闭。想到还有那么多人需要帮助，林医生开办了一间私人诊所。她向病人收取的治疗费用极低，而且经常为穷苦病人减免费用。有时，人们甚至会看到她骑着毛驴去偏远的乡村给人看病。
The new People’s Republic of China saw Dr Lin Qiaozhi playing a key role. In 1954，she was elected to the first National People’s Congress and，over the next several decades，she held many important positions. Her heart，however，was elsewhere. She was more interested in tending patients，publishing medical research on care for women and children，and training the next generation of doctors. “The OB-GYN department cares for two lives，”She told new staff in her department. “As doctors，we should be responsible for the patients and treat them as our sisters.”
中华人民共和国成立后，林巧稚医生发挥了更大的作用。1954年，她当选第一届全国人大代表；在随后的几十年间，她担任许多重要职位。然而，她的心却在别处。她更感兴趣的是治病救人、发表妇幼护理医学研究成果、培养下一代的医生。“妇产科救治的是母婴两条生命，”她对科室的新入职的医务人员说道，“作为医生，我们必须对患者负责，视她们如姐妹。”
Though Lin Qiaozhi never married，she was known as the “mother of ten thousand babies”，having delivered over 50，000 babies in her lifetime. Dr Lin did not retire until the day she died，22 April 1983. Since she had no children of her own，she left her savings to a kindergarten and a fund for new doctors. And even as she lay dying，her final thoughts were for others: “I’m ready to go，”she said. “Don’t try to rescue me any more. Don’t waste the medicine any more.”
虽然林巧稚终身未婚，但是她被称为“万婴之母”，她一生中亲手接生的婴儿有五万多名。林医生坚守在岗位上，直到1983年4月22日她去世的那一天。由于自己没有孩子，她把积蓄捐给了一家幼儿园和一项新医生基金。临终时，她仍在为别人着想。“我要走了，”她说，“不要再抢救了，不要再浪费药品了。”
Unit 2 | Reading for Writing
THE STONE IN THE ROAD
挡道的石头
Once upon a time there was a king who often thought，“Nothing good can come to a nation whose people only complain and expect others to solve their problems.”One day，he had an idea.
从前有个国王，他经常思考：“如果一个国家的人民只会抱怨，而且总是期待别人来解决他们的问题，那么这个国家就不会有什么好事。”有一天，他想到一个办法。
Early one morning，the king disguised himself and went to a local village. He placed a large stone in the middle of the main street and hid gold coins under the stone. Then he hid behind a huge maple tree and watched.
一天清晨，国王乔装打扮一番后，来到了当地的一座村庄。他在主路中间放了一块大石头，并且在石头下面藏了几枚金币。然后，他就躲在一棵大枫树后观察。
The first person down the street was a milkman with his cart. He crashed into the stone，pilling the milk everywhere，“What fool put this stone here?”he shouted. He picked himself up and angrily went away.
路上走来的第一个人是推着车子的送奶工。他撞到石头上，把牛奶泼得到处都是，他大喊：“哪个傻瓜把石头放在这儿了？”他从地上爬起来，气呼呼地走了
After a while，a group of women came along，each balancing a pot of water on her head. One woman tripped over the stone and her water pot went crashing to the ground. She picked herself up and limped away in tears. Neither she nor her friends thought about moving the stone out of the road.
过了一会儿，一群妇女走了过来，她们每个人头上都顶着一罐水。其中一个女人被石头绊倒了，水罐也摔到地上。她从地上爬起来，噙着泪一瘸一拐地走了。无论是她自己，还是她的同伴，都没有想到把石头从路中间挪开。
The king watched all day as many people complained about the stone，but he found nobody making an attempt to move it. The king was in despair. “Is there no one in this village who feels any responsibility to keep their neighbours from harm?”
国王观察了一整天，看到许多人都在埋怨这块石头，却没人试着把它挪开。国王绝望了。“难道整个村子都没有一个人觉得有责任让邻居免遭不测吗？”
Just then，the king saw a young girl coming along. She was the daughter of a local farmer. She had been working all day and was very tired. But when she saw the stone，she said to herself，“This stone is a danger to anyone who comes down the street after dark. I’ll move it out of the way.”
就在这时，国王看见一个年轻的姑娘迎面走来。小姑娘是当地一位农民的女儿。忙活了一天，她疲惫不堪。然而，当她看到那块石头，她自言自语道：“对于天黑以后走在这条路上的人来说，这块石头很危险，我得把它从这条路上挪开。”
The girl pushed the stone with all her might. After a great deal of effort，she finally succeeded in moving it to the side of the street. Imagine her surprise when she saw the gold coins where the stone had been!
女孩使出了全身力气去推石头。费了好大一番工夫，她终于成功地把石头推到了路边。想象一下，当她看到原先石头所在之处的金币时有多么惊讶！
Just then，the king stepped out from behind the tree. “Oh sir，”the girl said，“does this gold belong to you? If not，we surely must find the owner，for he will certainly miss it.”
此时，国王从树后走了出来。“哦，先生，”女孩说道，“这些金币是您的吗？如果不是的话，我们得找到失主，他一定十分着急。”
The king said，“My dear，the gold is mine. I put it in the road and moved the stone over it. Now the gold is yours，because you are the only person who has learnt the lesson I wanted to teach my people.”
国王答道：“亲爱的，金币是我的，是我把它放在了路上，然后把石头压在上面。现在，金币归你了，因为我想教给我的子民的道理，只有你一人学会了。”
Unit 3 | Reading and Thinking
Scan Li Lan’s travel journal and find out the place
Wednesday，21 June
6月21日，星期三
Today was my first day back in San Francisco after camping in the Redwood Forest and visiting the wine country of Napa Valley. I have to admit that it definitely feels good to be back in the city again. And what a city—a city that was able to rebuild itself after the earthquake that occurred in 1906. There are so many beautiful old buildings—many siting on top of big hills，offering great views of the city，the ocean，and the Golden Gate Bridge.
在红杉林露营并参观了纳帕谷酒乡后，今天是我回到旧金山的第一天。我得承认，再次回到城里的感觉实在是太棒了。多么神奇的一座城市啊——一座1906年大地震后重建的城市。这里有众多美丽的古建筑——不少坐落于大山之巅，城市、大海和金门大桥美景尽收眼底。
分析如下：百万英镑课文翻译 讲述人：那是1903年的夏天。一对年老而富有的兄弟，罗德里克和奥利弗，打了一个赌。奥利弗相信一个有一百万英镑的人能够在伦敦生活一个月。他的哥哥罗德里克怀疑这一点。就在这个时候，他们看了。
My hotel is near downtown，in the Mission District，one of the oldest parts of the city. Many of the people living here are from Mexico or Central America. This district used to be a poor area of town，but is now a centre for art，music，and food. In fact，an art movement called the “Mission School”started here. It’s influenced by graffiti art and comic art. I walked around looking at the street art for a few hours. It was quite modern and lively. Afterwards，I ate some delicious Mexican-Chinese noodles from a food truck. A real mix of cultures here!
我住的旅馆靠近市中心，位于教会区，这是旧金山最古老的街区之一。这里的许多居民来自墨西哥或中美洲。这个区过去是城里的一个贫困区域，而现在是艺术、音乐和美食中心。事实上，一场名为“教会派”的艺术运动就发源于此。这一运动深受涂鸦艺术和漫画艺术的影响。一连好几个小时，我四处走着，欣赏街头艺术。这些艺术十分现代，也很生动。随后，我吃了一份快餐车售卖的美味的墨西哥式中国面。这真是文化的交融啊!
In the afternoon，I headed to a local museum that showed the historical changes in California.I learnt that America got California from Mexico in 1848. In the same year，gold was discovered near San Francisco，which started a gold rush. Over 300，000 people came from all over the world to seek their fortune，and San Francisco quickly became a big city. Many Chinese arrived during this period. To earn a living，some opened up shops and restaurants in Chinatown. Many others found jobs on farms，joined the gold rush，or went to build the railway that joined California to the eastern region of the country. The museum did a really good job of showing how America was built by immigrants from different countries and cultures. When these immigrants left their countries，they carried a bit of home in their hearts，and built a new home here.
下午，我前往当地一家博物馆参观，博物馆展示了加利福尼亚的历史变迁。我了解到，1948年美国从墨西哥手中得到加利福尼亚。同年，旧金山附近发现黄金，引发了淘金热。世界各地30多万人蜂拥而至，在这里谋出路，旧金山迅速成为一座大都市。很多中国人也在这个时期来到此地。为了谋生，有些人在唐人街开商店、开餐馆。更多的人则在农场打工、加入淘金大军，或者参与修建加州通往美国东部的铁路。这家博物馆完美地展示了美国是如何由不同国家和文化的移民建设起来的。这些移民离开他们的祖国时，心中装着一片故土，最终在这里建立了新家园。
This evening，I went to Chinatown. There were so many cafés and restaurants to choose from. I selected a Cantonese restaurant that served its food on beautiful china plates. What great food!
今晚，我去了唐人街。这里有很多不错的咖啡馆和餐馆可供选择。我挑了一家粤菜馆，他们端出来的菜肴是放在精美的瓷盘子上的。太好吃了！
That’s enough for today. Tomorrow evening，I’m going to a jazz bar in the Richmond Distinct. Can’t wait!
今天就写到这里吧。明天晚上，我要去里上满区的一家爵士酒吧。我已经迫不及待了!
Unit 3 | Reading for Writing
WELCOME TO CHINATOWN!
唐人街欢迎您！
The Chinatown in San Francisco is the biggest in America，and also the oldest. It is a very popular tourist draw that receives more visitors each year than even the Golden Gate Bridge. The climate is mild all year round，meaning it is always a good time to visit.
旧金山的唐人街在全美规模最大、历史最为悠久，是一个非常受欢迎的旅游景点，每年接待的游客甚至比金门大桥还多。这里一年四季气候温和，这意味着任何时候都适宜来游览。
Historically，Chinese immigrants settled in the area during the railroad construction and gold rush period. What started as a residential area for Chinese immigrants then turned into a centre tor Chinese culture. The majority of residents in Chinatown are still ethnic Chinese，many of whom do not speak English fluently. This allows visitors to experience a real taste of China.
历史上，，在修筑铁路和淘金热时期，来自中国的移民定居于此。这里原本是中国移民的居住地，后来变成一个中国文化中心。如今唐人街的绝大多数居民依旧是华人，他们中很多人英语说得并不流利，这能让游客体验到正宗的中国味。
Most of Chinatown was destroyed in the 1906 earthquake，but the city and residents rebuilt it，taking care to include lots of Chinese architecture. Traditionally，visitors enter Chinatown through the legendary Dragon Gate，which was built using materials donated from China. Other famous sites include the Tin How Temple and Bank of Canton，to name but a few. Visitors can also spend hours just exploring the interesting sights，smells，and sounds of China. Portsmouth Square is also a key site，being the centre of Chinatown. It has a long and famous history，with the author Robert Louis Stevenson having spent much time writing there. These days，the square is a great place to see traditional Chinese culture in real life，such as games of Chinese chess，and people practising tai chi.
唐人街的大部分建筑毁于1906年的大地震，但是市政府和居民将它重建，并且特地融人诸多中国建筑元素。传统上，游客从具有传奇色彩的龙门走入唐人街，龙门的建筑材料是由中国捐赠的。其他的著名景点还有天后古庙、广东银行等，不胜枚举。游客亦可花上数小时，一探此地的中国味道与美景声色。作为唐人街的中心，花园角广场也是一个重要景点。广场历史悠久，声名远扬，作家罗伯特·路易斯·史蒂文森曾长居于此进行创作。如今，花园角广场已经成为游客的一个好去处，可以欣赏现实生活里的中国传统文化，如中国象棋和打太极拳。
The stores in the Chinatown offer a unique range of souvenirs，goods，and clothing. All kinds of traditional Chinese herbal medicine can be found，too，and there are Chinese tea stores，where visitors can taste and buy varieties of Chinese tea.
唐人街的商店出售各式特色纪念品、货物和衣服。此外，各种各样的中草药也随处可见，还有中国茶叶商店，游客可以品尝和购买各种中国茶叶。
But perhaps what many tourists and San Franciscans treasure most about Chinatown is its food. There is Chinese food to suit everyone’s taste，with traditional dishes from all over China.
然而，很多游客和旧金山人最钟爱的或许是唐人街的美食。这里有着来自中国各地的传统菜肴，各种口味，应有尽有。
Chinatowns are an important part of the diverse culture of the USA. They allow visitors who have never been to China to experience traditional Chinese culture first hand.
唐人街是美国多元文化的一个重要组成部分，未曾踏足中国的游客可以在唐人街近距离感受中国传统文化。
Unit 4 | Reading and Thinking
SPACE: THE FINAL FRONTIER
太空：最后的边境
“Are we alone? What’s out there?”Looking up at the stars，people have always wanted to learn more about space，and scientists work hard to find answers. They make vehicles to carry brave people into space to find out the secrets of the universe. They also really wish to discover other planets that are suitable enough to support life.
“我们是否孤独？太空以外是什么？”仰望星空，人们一直想更多地了解太空，科学家们也在努力寻找答案。他们制造运载勇敢的人儿进入太空的交通工具来探索宇宙的秘密。他们也非常希望发现其他适合生命存在的行星。
Before the mid-20th century，most people felt travelling into space was an impossible dream. However，some scientists were determined to help humans realise their dream to explore space. After many experiments，they succeeded in making rockets that could escape Earth’s gravity. On 4 October 1957，the Sputnik 1 satellite was lunched by the USSR and successfully orbited around Earth. Afterwards，the USSR focused on sending people into space，and on 12 April 1961，Yuri Gagarin became the first person in the world to go into space. Over eight years later，on 20 July 1969，American astronaut Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon，famously saying，“That’s one small step for [a] man，one giant leap for mankind.”Following this，many more goals were achieved. For example，America’s NASA space agency launched Voyager 1 on 5 September 1977 to study deep space，and it still transmits data today.
在20世纪中叶之前，大多数人都认为进入太空是不可能实现的梦想。然而，一些科学家决意要帮助人类实现探索太空的梦想。经过多次实验，他们成功制造出能逃脱地球引力的火箭。1957年10月4日，苏联发射了人造卫星“旅伴一号”，并成功环绕地球运行。此后，苏联将重点放在将人类送入太空，1961年4月12日，尤里·加加林成为世界上第一个进入太空的人。八年后的1969年7月20日，美国宇航员尼尔·阿姆斯特朗登上月球，他说过一句名言：“对一个人来说，这是一小步；对于人类来说，这是一次巨大飞跃。”在此之后，又实现了更多的目标。例如，国家航空与航天局于1977年9月5日发射了“旅行者一号”，用于研究外太空，如今它仍在传输数据。
Although scientists try to make sure nothing goes wrong，accidents can still happen. All the astronauts on the USSR’s Soyuz 11 and America’s Challenger died during their missions. These disasters made everyone sad and disappointed ，but the desire to explore the universe never died. This is because people believe in the importance of carrying on space exploration despite the huge risks. An example of this ongoing work is the International Space Station. It orbits Earth and has astronauts from different countries on board，providing a continuous human presence in space.
尽管科学家努力确保万无一失，但是意外还是可能发生。苏联“联盟11号”和美国“挑战者”号航天飞机上的所有宇航员都在执行任务时死亡。这些灾难让每个人都感到悲伤和失望，但是探索宇宙的渴望却从未停止过。是因为人们坚信太空探索的重要性，哪怕面临巨大的风险。仍在工作的一个例子是国际空间站。它绕地球运转，并有来自不同国家的宇航员在宇宙飞船上，为太空提供了持续的人类存在。
China’s space programme started later than those of Russia and the US，but it has made great progress in a short time. China became the third country in the world to independently send humans into space in 2003，when Yang Liwei successfully orbited Earth in the Shenzhou 5 spacecraft. Then Shenzhou 6 and 7 completed a second manned orbit and the first Chinese spacewalk，followed by the vehicle Jade Rabbit being sent to the moon to study its surface. After that，China launched the Tiangong 2 space lab into space and Tianzhou1 to dock with it. This signalled one step further in China’s plan to establish a space station in the future. More recently，China has sent Chang’e 4 to explore the surface of the far side of the moon to make measurements and observations.
中国的太空计划起步晚于俄罗斯和美国，但中国在短时间内取得了巨大进展。2003年，杨利伟乘坐神舟五号成功绕地球飞行，中国成为世界上第三个实现载人航天的国家。此后，神舟六号和七号分别完成了第二次载人飞行以及中国人的第一次太空行走，随后，“玉兔”月球车被送上月球研究其表面。之后，中国将天宫二号空间实验室送入太空，天舟一号与其交会对接。这标志着中国在未来建立空间站的计划又向前迈进了一步。最近，中国发射嫦娥四号探测月球背面，以进行测量和观察。
The future of space exploration remains bright. Europe，the US，and China all have plans to further study and explore planets like Mars and Jupiter. Despite the difficulties，scientists hope future discoveries will not only enable us to understand how the universe began，but also help us survive well into the future.
太空探索的未来依然光明。欧洲、美国和中国都计划进一步研究和探索火星和木星等行星。尽管困难重重，科学家们希望未来的发现不仅能让我们了解宇宙的起源，而且还能帮助我们更好地在未来生存。
Unit 4 | Reading for Writing
IS EXPLORING SPACE A WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY?
探索空间是否浪费时间和金钱？
Countries around the globe are spending billions of dollars and lots of time on various space missions，whether to Mars or other planets much further away. Some people argue that we should stop wasting time and money exploring space. Instead，we should feed the world’s poor and find immediate solutions to other problems，such as pollution and fatal diseases. However，others feel this is a shallow view which fails to realise how exploring space helps us.
无论是去火星还是其他更遥远的星球，世界各国都在花费数十亿美元和大量时间在各种太空使命上。有人认为我们应该停止浪费时间和金钱来探索太空。相反，我们应该为世界上的穷人提供食物，并立即解决其他问题，例如污染和致命疾病。然而，其他人则认为这是一个肤浅的观点，没有意识到探索太空对我们的帮助。
Firstly，exploring space has already made a difference in the fight against world hunger. It has
directly resulted in the many satellites that now orbit Earth. A number of the satellites record data on land and weather patterns. Then the data is transmitted to scientists on Earth. After careful analysis，the scientists can provide useful recommendations and advice for farmers. As a result，space-based science has helped farming in its efforts to grow enough food to feed Earth’s increasing population.
首先，探索空间在在消除世界饥饿的斗争中发挥了作用。它直接影响现在绕地球飞行的许多卫星。许多卫星记录着陆地和天气模式的数据。然后，这些数据被传送到地球上的科学家。经过仔细分析，科学家们可以为农民提供有用的建议。因此，太空技术帮助农业努力种植足够的食物来养活地球上不断增长的人口。
Secondly，space exploration has already promoted technological improvements that benefit us all. High-end products around the world are made to a higher standard now because of advanced technology which was first created to meet the requirements for space exploration. For example，space technologies have helped the research and development of different types of new material. They have also helped companies make better heart monitors and other machines that doctors regularly use. Today，space technologies are widely used in all kinds of industries，and everyday products such as GPS，memory foam pillows，and smartphone cameras are changing our lives.
其次，太空探索促进了造福于我们所有人的技术进步。由于先进的技术首次被提出以满足太空探索的需求，因此现在世界各地的高端产品都达到了更高的标准。例如，空间技术有助于研究和开发不同类型的新材料。它们还帮助公司制造了更好的心脏检测仪和医生经常使用的其他仪器。如今，太空技术已广泛应用于各个行业，并且诸如全球定位系统、记忆泡沫枕头和智能手机相机之类的日常用品正在改变我们的生活。
Finally，sending astronauts into space has helped people to think about the world’s problems and even to find ways to solve them. Seeing pictures of our planet as an island in a black sea made people realise that our planet’s resources are limited. In order to provide for such a rapidly increasing population，scientists are trying to find other planets that could one day be our new home. The greatest attention at present is on Mars because it is closer to Earth. In the future，humans may live on both planets.
最后，将宇航员送入太空帮助人们思考世界上的问题，甚至找到了解决问题的方法。看到我们的星球在黑海中作为一个岛屿的照片让人们意识到我们星球的资源是有限的。为了满足如此迅速增长的人口，科学家们正在努力寻找其他行星，这些星球将来可能成为我们的新家。目前最受关注的是火星，因为它离地球更近。在未来，人类可能生活在两个星球上。
In closing，exploring space provides the world with many different benefits. Therefore，it should continue so as to provide new and better solutions to people’s short-term and long-term problems.
最后，探索太空为世界带来许多不同的好处。因此，它应该继续下去，以便为人们的短期和长期问题提供新的和更好的解决方案。
Unit 5 | Reading and Thinking
THE MILLION POUND BANK NOTE
百万英镑
ACT 1，SCENE 3
第一幕，第3场
Narrator: Two rich brothers，Roderick and Oliver，have made a bet. Oliver believes that with a million-pound bank note a man could live a month in London. His brother Roderick doubts it. They see a poor young man walking outside their house. It is Henry Adams.
旁白：1903年的夏天。一对富有的兄弟，罗德里克和奥利弗，打了一个赌。奥利弗认为，一个人靠一张百万英镑的钞票在伦敦能活一个月。他的兄弟罗德里克对此表示怀疑。他们看见一个贫穷的年轻人在房子的外面游荡。他叫亨利·亚当斯。
Roderick: Young man，would you step inside a moment，please?
罗德里克：年轻人，请你进来一会儿，好吗？
Henry: Who? Me，sir?
亨利：先生，你叫谁呀？是叫我吗？
Roderick: Yes，you.
罗德里克：是的，就是你。
Servant: (opening a door) Good morning，sir. Would you please come in?
仆人：(打开门)早上好，先生，请进。
(Henry enters the house)
(亨利走进房子)
Roderick: How do you do，Mr ... er ...?
罗德里克：你好，先生，你贵姓？
Henry: Adams. Henry Adams.
亨利：亚当斯，亨利·亚当斯。
Oliver: Come and sit down，Mr Adams.
奥利弗：来，请坐，亚当斯先生。
Henry: Thank you.
亨利：谢谢。
Roderick: You’re an American?
罗德里克：你是美国人？
Henry: That’s right，from San Francisco.
亨利：是的，从旧金山来。
Roderick: May we ask what you’re doing in this country and what your plans are?
罗德里克：可不可以问问，你在这个国家要干点儿什么？你的计划又是什么呢？
Henry: Well，I can’t say that I have any plans. As a matter of fact，I landed in Britain by accident. 亨利：嗯，谈不上有什么计划。事实上，我在英国上岸是偶然的。
Oliver: How is that possible?
奥利弗：这怎么可能呢？
Henry: Well，I had my own boat. About a month ago，I was sailing，and towards night I found myself carried out to sea by a strong wind. The next morning I was spotted by a ship.
亨利：嗯，我有自己的船。大约一个月前，我开着船，晚上的时候我发现我被一阵大风刮到海上去了。第二天早上，一艘船发现了我。
Oliver: And it was the ship that brought you to England.
罗德里克：正是那艘船把你带到了英国。
亨利：是的。我上美国大使馆求助，但是……不管怎样，我不敢再去尝试了。(兄弟俩相顾而笑)
Roderick: Well，you mustn’t worry about that. It’s an advantage.
罗德里克：嗯，这一点你倒不必担心，这还是优点呢。
Henry: I’m afraid I don’t quite follow you，sir.
亨利：对不起，先生，你的话我没有听懂。
Roderick: Tell us，what sort of work did you do in America?
奥利弗：请你告诉我们，你在美国是做什么工作的？
Henry: I worked for a mining company. Could you offer me work here?
亨利：我在一家矿业公司工作。你们能不能给我提供工作呢？
Roderick: Patience. If you don’t mind，may I ask you how much money you have?
罗德里克：耐心点儿。如果你不介意，我能不能问问，你手头儿有多少钱？
Henry: Well，to be honest，I have none.
亨利：嗯，老实说，我一分钱都没有了。
Oliver: (happily) What luck! Brother，what luck!
奥利弗：(高兴地)老兄，真走运！真有运气！
Henry: Well，it may seem lucky to you but not to me! If this is your idea of some kind of joke，I don’t think it’s very funny. Now if you’ll excuse me，I ought to be on my way.
亨利：嗯，这对你们来说可能是运气，但对我来说可不是。如果你们认为这是一个笑话。
我可不觉得很好笑。好了，请原谅，我想我该上路了。
Roderick: Please don’t go. You mustn’t think we don’t care about you. Oliver，give him the letter.
罗德里克：请别走。你千万不要以为我们不在意你的感受。奥利弗，把信给他。
Oliver: Yes，I was about to go get the letter. Wait! (getting it from a desk and giving it to Henry) The letter.
奥利弗：好的，我正想去拿信呢。稍等一下！(从桌上把信拿起来，递给亨利)给你信。
Henry: (taking it carefully) For me?
亨利：(小心翼翼地接过信)是给我的吗？
罗德里克：是给你的。(亨利要拆信)啊，别拆，你不要拆，到两点钟你才能打开。
Henry: Oh，this is silly.
亨利：噢，这真可笑。
Roderick: Not silly. There’s money in it.
罗德里克：这不可笑，这里边有钱呢。
Henry: Oh，no. I don’t want your charity. I just want a job that earns an honest income.
亨利：噢，不，我不需要你们的施舍，我只要一份老老实实的工作。
罗德里克：我们知道你工作是很卖力的，这正是我们给你这封信的原因。(对仆人说)请送亚当斯先生出去。
Oliver: Good luck，Mr Adams.
奥利弗：祝你好运，亚当斯先生。
Henry: Well，why don’t you explain what this is all about?
亨利：嗯，怎么不给我讲讲，这究竟是怎么回事呢？
HOW LIFE BEGAN ON THE EARTH No one knows exactly how the earth began,as it happened so long ago.However,according to a widely accepted theory,the universe began with a "Big Bang" that threw matter in al。
Roderick: You’ll soon know. In exactly an hour and a half.
罗德里克：你很快就会明白的。一个半小时以后。
Servant: This way，sir.
仆人：请这边走，先生。
Roderick: Not until 2 o’clock. Promise?
罗德里克：两点钟以前不要拆信，答应吗？
Henry: Promise. Goodbye.
亨利：答应。再见！
Unit 5 | Reading for Writing
THE MILLON POUND BANK NOTE
ACT 2，SCENE 1
第二幕，第1场
Narrator: Henry is walking along the street holding the bank note in his hand. His coat is worn in several places. He sees a sign for a tailor’s shop.
旁白：亨利手持钞票在街上行走。他的外套有几个地方都破了。他看到一家裁缝店的招牌。
Henry: (entering the shop) I’d like to have a suit coat.
亨利：(走进商店)我想买一件西装外套。
1st Clerk: (in a rude manner) See him there. (pointing to another clerk)
店员1：(粗鲁地)你去找他。(指着另一个店员)
2nd Clerk: Ready-made suits? Downstairs.
店员2：成衣吗？在楼下。
Henry: (after going down some stairs) Can you show me a suit，please?
亨利：(下了楼梯后)你能给我拿一件成衣吗？
3rd Clerk: Yes，I can，sir. This way，please. Ah，here we are，the very thing you need.
店员3：好的，先生。这边请。啊，这件挺适合你。
1st Clerk: (pulling the 3rd clerk aside and whispering) Mr Reid says you’d better serve him quick and get him out quick!
店员1：(把店员3拉到一边低声说) 里德先生说，你最好快点招待他，然后快点把他打发走！
3rd Clerk: I know what I’m doing. I’ve got eyes，haven’t I?
店员3：我知道我该怎么做。我又不是没长眼睛。
Henry: It’s a little too bright，isn’t it?
亨利：有点太鲜艳了，不是吗？
3rd Clerk: (looking at him with a frown) It’s all we have in your size.
店员3：(皱着眉头看着他)这是所有适合你尺码的衣服了。
Henry: Well，I suppose it ought to do for now. I’ll take it.
亨利：好吧，我想现在应该可以了。就要这套。
3rd Clerk: Good. Shall I put it in a box?
店员3：好的。要把它放在盒子里吗？
Henry: No. I’ll wear it. Oh，I’d rather not pay you now. I’d like to pay in a month. You see，I don’t have any small change.
那天夜里她们睡着了,火车在黑夜里穿行,越过苏必利尔湖,穿过大森林,向着南部的多伦多飞驰.
亨利：不，我穿上。哦，我最好现在不付钱。我想在一个月后付款。我没带什么零钱。
3rd Clerk: (trying not to show he’s angry) I suppose a gentleman like you only carries very large bills.
店员3：(尽量不表现出他的愤怒)我想像您这样的绅士只会带巨额钞票。
Henry: Now，you shouldn’t judge people by their clothes. I just don’t want to cause you trouble with a large note.
亨利：你不应该以貌取人。我只是不想因为一张巨额钞票而给你添麻烦。
3rd Clerk: It’s no trouble at all.
店员3：一点也不麻烦。
Henry: In that case，there’s no problem. (He gives the clerk the bank note. The clerk drops Henry’s coat. Then he folds the bill and slowly unfolds it again，as if looking at something he can’t believe is there.)
亨利：如果是这样的话，那就太好啦。(他把钞票给了店员。店员放下亨利的外套。然后他把钞票折叠起来，再慢慢展开，好像在看他不敢相信的东西一样。)
Owner: Well，what seems to be the trouble?
店主：怎么了？有什么问题吗？
Henry: I’m just waiting for my change.
亨利：我只是在等他找零钱。
Owner: Give him his change，Todd. Get going. (after getting the bank note from Todd) Would it... could it be the one I saw in the papers last week? I remember thinking that never would I hold such a note as this... (to Henry) Oh，take off this coat，sir. (to Todd) Go get the others，Todd! (to Henry again) Allow me，sir! This way，sir.
店主：给他找零钱，特德。快点(从特德那里拿到钞票后)会不会是……是我上周在报纸上看到的那张百万英镑？记得当时我以为我(手里)永远不会握着这样一张钞票……(对亨利说) 哦，先生，脱下这件外套。(对特德说)特德，快去取别的衣服过来！(再次对亨利说) 先生，请让我来帮您！先生，这边请。
(in another part of the shop，where there is a wide range of options for Henry to choose from) (在商店的另一个地方，亨利可以有各种各样的选择)
Henry: This is nice，but I really don’t need it.
亨利：这很好，但是我真的不需要。
Owner: Never mind. (with a broad smile) Oh，it’s perfect! It was made for some king but he’ll just have to wait. You’ll need many suits for many occasions. Yes，indeed you will.
店主：没关系。(带着灿烂的笑容) 哦，太完美了！这是为某个国王订做的，但他得等一等。在不同场合您需要用到不同的西装。是的，您会用到的。
Henry: Wait a minute. I only came here to get a suit coat to wear today. I dare not buy all these things. You would have to wait a long time to get paid.
亨利：等一下。我今天只是来这里只想买一件西装外套。我可不敢买这么多东西。你得等很长时间才能拿到付款。
Owner: A long time，sir? Why，you don’t have to worry about that!
店主：很长时间，先生？为什么，您不必为此担心！
Henry: Well，all right. I’ll take the suit coat for now and get the others later.
亨利：好吧。我现在还是先把这件西装外套穿上，其他的等会再去拿。
Owner: Fine，fine. Your address，sir?
店主：好吧，好吧。先生，您的地址？
Henry: I don’t have one. Er... I’m moving.
A week later, Wang Peng' s restaurant was nearly full and he felt happier. Perhaps he would be able to earn his living after all and not have to close his restaurant. He did not look forward to being。
亨利：我没有地址。嗯……我要走了。
Owner: Of course you are! That’s very normal! A busy man，I’m sure.
店主：当然可以！那很正常！你肯定是个大忙人。
