Unit Six
Manners Are Practically Non-Existent
　　Manners nowadyas in metropolitan cities like London are practically non-existent. It is nothing for a big, strong schoolboy to elbow an elderly woman aside in the dash for the last remaining seat on the tube or bus, much less stand up and offer his seat to her, as he ought. In fact, it is saddening to note that if a man does offer his seat to an older woman, it is nearly always a Continental man or one from the older generation.
　　This question of giving up seats in public transport is much argued about by young men, who say that, since women have claimed equality, they no longer deserve to be treated with courtesy and that those who go out to work should take their turn in the rat race like anyone else. Women have never claimed to be physically as strong as men. Even if it is not agreed, however, that young men should stand up for younger women, the fact remains that courtesy should be shown to the old, the sick and the burdened. Are we really so lost to all ideals of unselfishness that we can sit there indifferently reading the paper or a book, saying to ourselves "First come, first served," while a greyhaired woman, a mother with a young child or a cripple stands? Yet this is all too often seen.
　　Conditions in travel are really very hard on everyone, we know, but hardship is surely no excuse. Sometimes one wonders what would have been the behaviour of these stuot young men in a packed refugee train or a train on its way to a prison-camp during the War. Would they have considered it only right and their proper due to keep the best places for themselves then?
　　Older people, tired and irritable from a day's work, are not angels, either -- far from it. Many a brisk argument or an insulting quarrel breaks out as the weary queues push and shove each other to get on buses and tubes. One cannot commend this, of course, but one does feel there is just a little more excuse.
　　If cities are to remain pleasant places to live in at all, however, it seems imperative, not only that communications in transport should be improved, but also that communication between human beings should be kept smooth and polite. All over cities, it seems that people are too tired and too rushed to be polite. Shop assistants won't bother to assist, taxi-drivers growl at each other as they dash dangerously round corners, bus conductor pull the bell before their desperate passengers have had time to get on or offer the bus, and so on and so on. It seems to us that it is up to the young and strong to do their small part to stop such deterioration.
名人名言
You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don't try.
----Beverly Sills
metropolitan a.大城市的,大都會的
[聯想詞]
municipal a. 市的,市政的
courtesy n. 1.謙恭有禮 2.有禮貌的舉止(或言詞)
cripple n. 跛子,傷殘人 vt. 1.使跛,使受傷致殘 2.嚴重削弱,使陷于癱瘓
stout a. 1.發胖的,胖而大的 2.結實的,牢固的 3.勇敢的,大膽的,頑強的
[聯想詞]
sturdy a. 1.強壯的,結實的,堅固的 2.堅定的,堅強的
hardy a. 1.強壯的,堅強的,能吃苦耐勞的 2.耐寒的
robust a. 強壯的,健康的
muscular a. 肌肉發達的,強壯的
fragile a. 1.易碎的,脆的,易損壞的 2.虛弱的,脆弱的
irritate vt. 1.使惱怒,使煩躁 2.使(身體某部分)不適,使疼痛
irritable a. 1.易怒的,急躁的 2.(器官等)過敏的
[聯想詞]
aggravate vt. 1.加重,加劇,使惡化 2.激怒,使惱火
angel n. 1.天使 2.可愛的人
brisk a. 1.輕快的,生氣勃勃的 2.興隆的,繁忙活躍的 3.寒冷而清新的
[聯想詞]
energetic a. 精力充沛的,充滿活力的
slack a. 1.不活躍的,蕭條的,清淡的 2.懈怠的,馬虎的 3.松(馳)的
n. (繩索等)松弛部分 vi.懈怠,懶散
weary a. 1.疲勞的,疲倦的 2.使人疲勞的,使人厭倦的 vi.(of)厭煩,不耐煩
shove vt. 1.亂推,擠 2.亂塞,隨意做 vi. 用力推,擠 n.猛推
commend vt. 1.表揚,稱贊 2.推薦
imperative a. 1.必要的,緊急的,極重要的 2.命令的 n. 必要的事,必須完成的事
growl vi. 1.(動物)發狺狺聲 2.低志咆哮著說話
[聯想詞]
howl vi.嚎叫,吼叫,(風)呼嘯 n.嚎叫,吼叫,(風)呼嘯
yell vi. 號叫,叫喊 n.號叫,叫喊
mutter v. n.輕聲低語,小聲抱怨
mute a. 1.緘默的,無聲的 2.啞的,舉說話的 3.(字母)不發聲的 vt.消除(聲音),減輕聲音
murmur v. n. 小聲說話,小聲抱怨,咕噥
buzz n. 嗡嗡聲 vi.發出嗡嗡聲
deteriorate vi. 變壞,惡化
deterioration n. 變壞,惡化,墮落
[聯想詞]
crumble vt. 弄碎 vi. 崩潰,瓦解
perfection n. 完美,完善
[聯想詞]
intact a. 完整無缺的,未經觸動的,未受損傷的