新概念英語第三冊課文翻譯及學習筆記：Lesson46

新概念英語第三冊課文翻譯及學習筆記：Lesson46【課文】Sogreatisourpassionfordoingthingsforourselves,thatwearebecomingincreasingIylessdependentonspecializedlabour.Noonecanpleadignoranceofasubjectanylonger,fortherearecountlessdo-it-yourselfpublications.Armedwiththerighttoolsandmaterials,newlywedsgailyembarkonthetaskofdecoratingtheirownhomes.Men,particularly,spendhoursoftheirleisuretimeinstallingtheirownfireplaces,layingouttheirowngardens;buildinggaragesandmakingfurniture.Somereallykeenenthusiastsgosofarastobuildtheirowncomputers.Shopscaterforthedo-it-yourselfcrazenotonlybyrunningspecialadvisoryservicesfornovices,butbyofferingconsumersbitsandpieceswhichtheycanassembleathome.Suchthingsprovideanexcellentoutletforpentupcreativeenergy,butunfortunatelynotallofusarebornhandymen.Somewivestendtobelievethattheirhusbandsareinfinitelyresourcefulandcanfixanything.Evenmenwhocanhardlydriveanailinstraightaresupposedtobebornelectricians,carpenters,plumbersandmechanics.Whenlightsfuse,furnituregetsrickety,pipesgetclogged,orvacuumcleanersfailtooperate,somewomenassumethattheirhusbandswillsomehowputthingsright.Theworstthingaboutthedo-it-yourselfgameisthatsometimesevenmenliveunderthedelusionthattheycandoanything,evenwhentheyhaverepeatedlybeenprovedwrong.Itisaquestionofprideasmuchasanythingelse.LastspringmywifesuggestedthatIcallinamantolookatourlawnmower.Ithadbrokendowntheprevioussummer,andthoughIpromisedtorepairit,Ihadnevergotroundtoit.IwouldnothearofthesuggestionandsaidthatIwouldfixitmyself.OneSaturdayafternoon,Ihauledthemachineintothegardenandhadacloselookatit.AsfarasIcouldsee,itonlyneededaminoradjustment：aturnofascrewhere,alittletighteningupthere,adropofoilanditwouldbeasgoodasnew.Inevitablytherepairjobwasnotquitesosimple.Themowerfirmlyrefusedtomow,soIdecidedtodismantleit.Thegardenwassoonlitteredwithchunksofmetalwhichhadoncemadeupalawnmower.ButIwasextremelypleasedwithmyself.Ihadtracedthecauseofthetrouble.Oneofthelinksinthechainthatdrivesthewheelshadsnapped.AfterbuyinganewchainIwasfacedwiththeinsurmountabletaskofputtingtheconfusingjigsawpuzzletogetheragain.IwasnotsurprisedtofindthatthemachinestillrefusedtoworkafterIhadreassembledit,forthesimplereasonthatIwasleftwithseveralcuriouslyshapedbitsofmetalwhichdidnotseemtofitanywhere.Igaveupindespair.Theweekspassedandthegrassgrew.Whenmywifenaggedmetodosomethingaboutit,ItoldherthateitherIwouldhavetobuyanewmowerorletthegrassgrow.Needlesstosayourhouseisnowsurroundedbyajungle.Buriedsomewhereindeepgrassthereisarustinglawn-mowerwhichIhavepromisedtorepaironeday.【課文翻譯】現(xiàn)在我們自己動手做事的熱情很高，結(jié)果對于專業(yè)工人的依賴越來越少了。因為出版了不計其數(shù)的教人自己動手做事的書報雜志，沒有人再能說對某事一無所知。新婚夫婦找來合適的工具和材料，喜氣洋洋地開始布置新房。特別是男人，常利用空閑時間安裝壁爐、布置花園、建造車庫、制作家具。有些熱衷于自己動手的人甚至自己組裝電腦。為了滿足自己動手熱的需要，商店不但為初學者提供專門的咨詢服務，而且為顧客準備了各種零件，供他們買回家去安裝。這些東西為人們潛在的創(chuàng)造力提供了一個絕妙的用武之地。但不幸的是，我們并非人人都是能工巧匠。妻子常常認為她們的丈夫無比聰明能干。甚至那些連一枚釘子都釘不直的男人都被認為是天生的電工、木匠、水管工和機械師。每當電燈保險絲燒斷、家具榫頭松動、管道堵塞、吸塵器不動時，有些妻子認為丈夫總有辦法。自己動手的例子中最糟糕的是，有時甚至是男人即使接連失敗卻還誤以為自己什么都行，原因就是要面子。今年春天，妻子讓我請人檢查一下我家的割草機。那臺割草機去年夏天就壞了，即使我答應修，但一直沒抽出時間，我不愿聽妻子的建議，說我自己會修。一個星期六的下午，我把割草機拉到了花園里，仔細檢查了一番。在我看來，只需稍加調(diào)整即可。這兒緊緊螺絲，那兒固定一下，再加幾滴油，就會像新的一樣了。事實上，修理工作遠不是那么簡單。修完后割草機還是紋絲不動。于是，我決定把它拆開。一會兒工夫，割草機便被拆成一個個金屬零件，亂七八糟地堆在花園里。但我卻非常高興，因為我找到了毛病所在。驅(qū)動輪子的鏈條斷了一節(jié)。我買來一根新鏈條后，面臨的就是如何把這些令人眼花繚亂的拼板重新組裝起來。等我裝完后，那臺割草機仍然一動不動，對此我倒并不感到吃驚。原因很簡單，因為還剩下幾個形狀奇特的零件似乎哪里也裝不上去。我無可奈何，只好罷休。幾個星期過去了，草長了起來。妻子喋喋不休讓我想點辦法。我告訴她，要么買一臺新割草機，要么讓草長下去。不用說，我家現(xiàn)在已被叢林包圍。深草叢中的某個地方有一臺正在生銹的割草機，那就是我曾答應某日要修理的割草機。【詞匯】pleadv.找(借口)，辯解ignorancen.無知，不懂publicationn.出版物newlywedsn.新婚夫婦gailyadv.愉快地，高興地leisuren.空閑keenadj.熱心的，渴望的advisoryadj.咨詢的novicen.新手consumern.消費者，顧客assemblev.裝配，組裝outletn.出路creativeadj.創(chuàng)造性的handymann.手巧的人，能工巧匠resourcefuladj.足智多謀的fusev.因為燒斷保險絲而短路ricketyadj.要散架的，晃動的clogv.堵塞delusionn.錯覺adjustmentn.調(diào)整screwn.螺絲釘dismantlev.拆卸chunkn.(厚)塊snapv.繃斷insurmountableadj.不能克服的，難以對付的jigsawn.線鋸nagv.嘮叨不休rustv.生銹【重點詞匯講解】【plead】英英：offerasanexcuseorplea例句：1.Thatnurseshouldnotpleadinexperienceinexcuseofhermistake.那個護士不應該借口缺乏經(jīng)驗來為她的錯誤辯解。2.I'msorryIdidn'tansweryourletter-Icanonlypleadforgetfulness.對不起沒有給你回信，對此我只能以忘記作為托詞。3.Hewasaskedtopleadfortheaccused.他被要求為被告辯護。【ignorance】例句：1.Knowledgemakeshumble;ignorancemakesproud.知識使人謙遜，無知使人自大。2.Hewasinentireignoranceofwhatwasbeingdone.他完全不知道正在實行中的事。【gaily】例句：1.Gailyandhappilytheprincedanced.王子幸?？旎畹靥?。2.Thelittlegirlwaschatteringgailyalltheway.那小女孩一路上“興高采烈”地說個不停?！緆een】例句：1.Themanhadakeensenseofjusticeandfairplay.此人具有強烈的正義感，做事光明磊落。2.AtthisagethedesiretostaywithMomisverykeen.在這個年齡段他強烈的渴望能和母親呆在一起?！緊utlet】例句：1.Runningisagoodoutletforhisenergy.跑步是他發(fā)泄過剩精力的好方法。2.Theproblemistokeeptheseimpulses,withoutmakingwartheoutletforthem.問題是要控制這些沖動，不要使他們把戰(zhàn)爭做為他們的出路。【resourceful】例句：1