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新概念英语第三册1Lesson40Who’swhoIthasneverbeenexplainedwhyuniversitystudentsseemtoenjoypracticaljokesmorethananyoneelse.Studentsspecializeinaparticulartypeofpracticaljoke:thehoax.Invitingthefire-brigadetoputoutanon-existentfireisacrudeformofdeceptionwhichnoself-respectingstudentwouldeverindulgein,Studentsoftencreateamusingsituationswhicharefunnytoeveryoneexceptthevictims.Whenastudentrecentlysawtwoworkmenusingapneumaticdrilloutsidehisuniversity,heimmediatelytelephonedthepoliceandinformedthemthattwostudentsdressedupasworkmenweretearinguptheroadwithapneumaticdrill.Assoonashehadhungup,hewentovertotheworkmenandtoldthemthatifapolicemanorderedthemtogoaway,theywerenottotakehimseriously.Headdedthatastudenthaddressedupasapolicemanandwasplayingallsortsofsillyjokesonpeople.Boththepoliceandtheworkmenweregratefultothestudentforthispieceofadvanceinformation.Thestudenthidinanarchwaynearbywherehecouldwatchandheareverythingthatwenton.Sureenough,apolicemanarrivedonthesceneandpolitelyaskedtheworkmentogoaway.Whenhereceivedaveryrudereplyfromoneoftheworkmen,hethreatenedtoremovethembyforce.Theworkmentoldhimtodoashepleasedandthepolicemantelephonedforhelp.Shortlyafterwards,fourmorepolicemenarrivedandremonstratedwiththeworkmen.Asthemenrefusedtostopworking,thepoliceattemptedtoseizethepneumaticdrill.Theworkmenstruggledfiercelyandoneofthemlosthistemper.Hethreatenedtocallthepolice.Atthis,thepolicepointedoutironicallythatthiswouldhardlybenecessaryasthemenwerealreadyunderarrest.Pretendingtospeakseriously,oneoftheworkmenaskedifhemightmakeatelephonecallbeforebeingtakentothestation.Permissionwasgrantedandapolicemanaccompaniedhimtoacall-box.Onlywhenhesawthatthemanwasactuallytelephoningthepolicedidherealizethattheyhadallbeenthevictimsofahoax.谁也弄不清为什么大学生好像比任何人都更喜欢恶作剧。大学生擅长一种特殊的恶作剧——戏弄人。请消防队来扑灭一场根本没有的大火是一种低级骗局，有自尊心的大学生决不会去做。大学生们常常做的是制造一种可笑的局面，使大家笑上一场，当然受害者是笑不出来的。最近有个学生看见两个工人在学校门外用风钻干活，马上打电话报告警察，说有两个学生装扮成工人，正在用风钻破坏路面。挂上电话后，他又马上来到工人那儿，告诉他们若有个警察来让他们走开，不要把他当回事，还对工人说，有个学生常装扮成警察无聊地同别人开玩笑。警察与工人都对那个学生事先通报情况表示感谢。那个学生躲在附近一拱形的门廊里，在那儿可以看见、听到现场发生的一切。果然，警察来了，不礼貌地请工人离开此地；但其中一个工人粗鲁地回了几句。于是警察威胁要强行使他们离开。工人说，悉听尊便。警察去打电话叫人。一会儿工夫，又来了4个警察，规劝工人离开。由于工人拒绝停下手中的活，警察想夺风钻。两个工人奋力抗争，其中一个发了火，威胁说要去叫警察。警察听后讥讽地说，这大可不必，因为他俩已被逮捕了。其中一个工人装模作样地问道，在被带往警察局之前，是否可以打一个电话。警察同意了，陪他来到一个投币地电话前，当他看到那个工人真的是给警察挂电话，才恍然大悟，原来他们都成一场骗局的受害者。新概念英语第三册2Lesson41IllusionsofPastoralpeaceThequietlifeofthecountryhasneverappealedtome.Citybornandcitybred,Ihavealwaysregardedthecountryassomethingyoulookatthroughatrainwindow,orsomethingyouoccasionallyvisitduringtheweek-end.Mostofmyfriendsliveinthecity,yettheyalwaysgointorapturesatthemerementionofthecountry.Thoughtheyextolthevirtuesofthepeacefullife,onlyoneofthemhasevergonetoliveinthecountryandhewasbackintownwithinsixmonths.Evenhestilllivesundertheillusionthatcountrylifeissomehowsuperiortotownlife.Heisforevertalkingaboutthefriendlypeople,thecleanatmosphere,theclosenesstonatureandthegentlepaceofliving.Nothingcanbecompared,hemaintains,withthefirstcockcrow,thetwitteringofbirdsatdawn,thesightoftherisingsunglintingonthetreesandpastures.Thisidyllicpastoralsceneisonlypartofthepicture.Myfriendfailstomentionthelongandfriendlesswintereveningswhichareinterruptedonlybyanoccasionalvisittothelocalcinema-virtuallytheonlyformofentertainment.Hesaysnothingaboutthepoorselectionofgoodsintheshops,oraboutthoseunfortunatepeoplewhohavetotravelfromthecountrytothecityeverydaytogettowork.Whypeoplearepreparedtotolerateafourhourjourneyeachdayforthedubiousprivilegeoflivinginthecountryisbeyondmyken.Theycouldbesavedsomuchmiseryandexpenseiftheychosetoliveinthecitywheretheyrightlybelong.Ifyoucandowithoutthefewpastoralpleasuresofthecountry,youwillfindthecitycanprovideyouwiththebestthatlifecanoffer.Youneverhavetotravelmilestoseeyourfriends.Theyinvariablylivenearbyandarealwaysavailableforaninformalchatoranevening'sentertainment.Someofmyacquaintancesinthecountrycomeuptotownonceortwiceayeartovisitthetheatreasaspecialtreat.Forthemthisisamajoroperationwhichinvolvesconsiderableplanning.Astheplaydrawstoitsclose,theywonderwhethertheywillevercatchthatlasttrainhome.Thecitydwellerneverexperiencesanxietiesofthissort.Thelatestexhibitions,films,orplaysareonlyashortbusrideaway.Shopping,too,isalwaysapleasure.Thereissomuchvarietythatyouneverhavetomakedowithsecondbest.Countrypeoplerunwildwhentheygoshoppinginthecityandstaggerhomeloadedwithasmanyofthenecessitiesoflifeastheycancarry.Noristhecitywithoutitsmomentsofbeauty.Thereissomethingcomfortingaboutthewarmglowshedbyadvertisementsoncoldwetwinternights.Fewthingscouldbemoreimpressivethanthepeacethatdescendsondesertedcitystreetsatweek-endswhenthethousandsthattraveltoworkeverydayaretuckedawayintheirhomesinthecountry.Ithasalwaysbeenamysterytomewhycitydwellers,whoappreciateallthesethings,obstinatelypretendthattheywouldprefertoliveinthecountry.新概念英语第三册3宁静的乡村生活从来没有吸引过我。我生在城市，长在城市，总认为乡村是透过火车车窗看到的那个样了，或偶尔周末去游玩一下景象。我的许多朋友都住在城市，但他们只要一提起乡村，马上就会变得欣喜若狂。尽管他们都交口称赞宁静的乡村生活的种种优点，但其中只有一个人真去农村住过，而且不足6个月就回来了。即使他也仍存有幻觉，好像乡村生活就是比城市生活优越。他滔滔不绝地大谈友好的农民，洁净的空气，贴近大自然的环境和悠闲的生活节奏。他坚持认为，凌晨雄鸡第一声啼叫，黎明时分小鸟吱喳欢叫，冉冉升起