新版《大学英语B》阅读理解参考译文

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新版《大学英语B》阅读理解参考译文
　　TEST 1
Passage 1
The French Revolution broke out in 1789. At the time France was in a crisis. The government was badly run and people’s lives were miserable. King Louis XIV tried to control the national parliament and raise more taxes. But his effort failed. He ordered his troops to Versailles. The people thought that Louis intended to put down the Revolution by force. On July 14,1789, they stormed and took the Bastille, where political prisoners were kept. Ever since that day, July 14 has been the French National Day. Louis tried to flee the country in 1792 to get support from Austria and Prussia. However, he was caught and put in prison. In September 1792, the monarchy was abolished. In the same year, Louis was executed. A few months later his wife, Marie also had her head cut off. The Revolution of France had frightened the other kings of Europe. Armies from Austria and Prussia began to march against France. The French raised republican armies to defend the nation. The Revolution went through a period of terror. Thousands of people lost their lives. In the end, power passed to Napoleon Bonaparte. (190 words)

法国大革命爆发于1789年，当时法国处于一片危机之中，政府腐败，民不聊生。国王路易十四试图控制国会从而提高苛税，但是没有成功，他就命令军队开进凡尔赛宫。人们认为路易十四准备用武力镇压革命，于是在1789年7月14日，愤怒的人们群起而攻占了当时关押政治犯的巴士底狱（Bastille）。从那以后，每年的7月14日就成为法国的国庆日。1792年，路易十四想逃到奥地利和普鲁士寻求庇护，不过他还是被抓住送进监狱。1792年9月，法国的君主制废除。同年，路易十四被处死。几个月之后，他的妻子也被处死。法国的大革命使欧洲其它国家感到不安，奥地利和普鲁士的军队开向法国。法国人民组织共和军保卫国家，大革命经历了最困难的时期，成千上万人浴血奋战失去生命。最后，政权几经更迭到了拿破仑手里。
Passage 2

In the United States, it is not customary to telephone someone very early in the morning. If you telephone him early in the day, while he is shaving or having breakfast, the time of the call shows that the matter is very important and requires immediate attention. The same meaning is attached to telephone calls made after 11:00 p.m. If someone receives a call during sleeping hours, he assumes it’s a matter of life or death. The time chosen for the call communicates its importance. In social life, time plays a very important part. In the U.S.A. guests tend to feel they are not highly regarded if the invitation to a dinner party is extended only three or four days before the party date. But it is not true in all countries. In other areas of the world, it may be considered foolish to make an appointment too far in advance because plans which are made for a date more than a week away tend to be forgotten. The meaning of time differs in different parts of the world. Thus, misunderstandings arise between people from different cultures that treat time differently. Promptness is valued highly in American life, for example. If people are not prompt, they may be regarded as impolite or not fully responsible. In the U.S. no one would think of keeping a business associate waiting for an hour, it would be too impolite. A person who is 5 minutes late, will say a few words of explanation, though perhaps he will not complete the sentence. (260 words)

Passage 2在美国，人们通常不会在上午太早的时候给人打电话。如果太早打电话，碰上这个时候对方正好在刮胡子或早餐，此时的电话往往意味着事情非常紧急需要马上处理。同样道理，晚上11点以后也不宜给人打电话。如果有人在睡觉时间接到电话，他会认为有性命悠关的大事！打电话的时间和电话本身的重要性是紧密关联的。在社交中，时间扮演着很重要的角色。在美国，离宴会只有3、4天才接到请柬的客人们会觉得他们不够受重视。但这样的习俗并非全世界都一样。在世界上有些地方，预约时间太早被认为很愚蠢，因为如果太早，比如1周以上，这样的约定很容易被忘掉。所以不同地方的人时间观念不同。时间观念的不同导致了不同文化人们之间会产生误解。在美国，守时是一种美德。一个不遵守时间的人被认为是不礼貌、不负责的。没有人会让商业伙伴等上一个小时，那样就太不礼貌了。就算迟到5分种，也要花口舌解释一番，尽管有时对方比较大度让他不必解释。
Passage 3

A foreigner’s first impression of the U.S. is likely to be that everyone is in a rush-often under pressure. City people appear always to be hurrying to get where they are going restlessly, seeking attention in a store, and elbowing others as they try to complete their errands（任务）. Racing through daytime meals is part of the pace of life in this country.
Working time is considered precious. Others in public eating places are waiting for you to finish so that they too can be served and get back to work within the time allowed. Each person hurries to make room for the next person. If you don’t, waiters will hurry you.
You also find drivers will be abrupt and that people will push past you. You will miss smiles, brief conversations, and small courtesies with strangers. Don’t take it personally. This is because people value time highly, and they resent someone else “wasting” it beyond a certain courtesy point.

The view of time affects the importance we attach to patience. In the American system of values, patience is not a high priority. Many of us have what might be called “a short fuse.” We begin to move restlessly about if we feel time is slipping away without some returnbe this in terms of pleasure, work value, or rest. Those coming from lands where time is looked upon differently may find this matter of pace to be one of their most difficult adjustments in both business and daily life.
Many newcomers to the States will miss the opening courtesy of a business call, for example, they will miss the ritual socializing that goes with a welcoming cup of tea or coffee they may be traditional in their own country. They may miss leisurely business chats in a café or coffeehouse. Normally, Americans do not assess their visitors in such relaxed surroundings over prolonged small talks. We seek out evidence of past performance rather than evaluate a business colleague through social courtesies. Since we generally assess and probe professionally rather than socially, we start talking business very quickly. (348 words)
Passage 3 一个外国人对美国的第一印象很可能是：美国人压力太大、太忙了。城市里的每个人似乎总在急匆匆地赶往他们要去的地方；在商场急切地寻找目标；工作时总在催促同伴。甚至连白天吃饭也是急匆匆的。
工作时间是宝贵的。你在公共场所吃饭时旁边有很多人等着你的位子，他们要在有限的时间里吃完急着赶回去继续工作。每个人吃饭都是急匆匆的，以便给别人让座位。要是你慢吞吞的，服务员就会催你。
你会发现美国的驾车人态度也不好，因为后面总有人催着。你甚至看不到人们脸上的有微笑（因为大家赶时间没空微笑），也看不到人们简短交谈，看不到人们与陌生人打招呼。看到这一切时请不要太在意，这不是美国人冷漠，而是他们太珍惜时间了，他们最恨有人打着礼仪的旗号浪费时间。
时间观念影响着美国人的耐心程度。在美国人的价值观中，耐心不是最重要的。我们很多人都容易发脾气。看到时间白白浪费时我们会感到焦虑不安。无论在商业上还是日常生活中，从其它国家来的人往往感到要跟上美国人的这种节奏很困难。