Unit 21 Transportation Problems and Complaints
交 通 问 题 及 抱 怨
Part One: Expressions
1. There’s another traffic jam on the highway.
公路上又堵车了。
2. I wonder if there was an accident.
我想是否又出事故了。
3. Let’s put on some music.
我来放点音乐。
4. Should we get out and help?
我们要出去帮帮忙吗？
5. It’s pretty bad.
真糟糕。
6. It looks like we’re in for a long drive.
看来我们驾车时间是不会短的了。
7. That sunset is beautiful.
日落真漂亮。
8. I never knew that.
我可从不知道。
9. It’s your turn to drive next week.
下个星期轮到你开车了。
10. Give me a call if you can’t make it for some reason.
如果有什么原因不能来就给我打个电话。

Part Two: Dialogues
1. Traffic Jam交通堵塞
A: Oh, damn. There’s another traffic jam on the highway.
B: How can there be a traffic jam on a 16-lane highway every day?
A: There are just too many people, and too many cars.
B: I wonder if there was an accident.
A: No, they just said it too many people were trying to get off at the Capitol exits.
B: Well, let’s put on some music. We’re going to be stuck in this for a while.
A: All right, what do you want to listen to?
B: How about some Beatles?
A: Yeah, all right.
A: 哦，真糟糕。路上又堵车了。
B: 16车道的主干道上怎么可能堵车？
A: 因为人太多，车太多。
B: 我想是否又出车祸了。
A: 不是，据说只是太多人转车到去国会大厦的出口。
B:哦。我们放点音乐吧。可能要困在这里一会儿。
A: 好吧。想听点什么？
B: 披头士的怎么样？
A: 好的，挺好。

2. Car Crash车祸
A: That looks like a bad accident.
B: Yeah, should we get out and help?
A: No, there’s a police car behind us. He’ll stop.
B: Looks like the one guy lost control in all this rain, and the other one hit him.
A: Yeah. It’s pretty bad, that car looks like a coke can.
B: These accidents always cause traffic jams on rainy days.
A: Yeah, it looks like we’re in for a long drive.
B: Ah, well. Put on the news. I got up late and missed it.
A: All right.
A: 好像又出了严重的车祸了。
B: 是呀。我们要下车帮帮忙吗？
A: 不用了，后面有一辆警车。他会停的。
B: 好像是有人的车在这样的下雨天车失控了，另一辆撞上了这辆。
A: 是。真是糟糕。那辆车撞得象个汽水罐一样。
B: 下雨天出车祸往往引起堵车。
A: 对。看起来我们的驾车时间不会短了。
B: 哦，那么，听点新闻吧。我起得晚，没听到新闻。
A: 好的。

3. Pollution污染
A: Man, that sunset is beautiful. I’ve never seen one so red.
B: Yeah, it’s pretty nice, but its so red because of air pollution.
A: Really?
B: Yeah, the smog from all these cars gets into the air and turns the sunlight red.
A: I never knew that.
B: Yeah, more people need to take public transportation or carpool.
A: Well, we’ve already done our part.
B: Yeah, it’s your turn to drive next week. Don’t be late picking me up.
A: Don’t worry. I’m getting more sleep these days. The baby’s finally growing up a little more.
B: Well, give me a call if you can’t make it for some reason.
A: 瞧，日落真漂亮。我从未见过这么火红的日落。
B: 对，很漂亮。可是颜色之所以这么红是因为空气污染。
A: 真的吗？
B: 是的，汽车产出的烟雾进入空气中，日光便显出这种红色。
A: 我可不知道这个。
B: 是呀，应该有更多的人搭乘公交车或合伙使用小汽车。
A: 噢，我们自己已经尽力了。
B: 是呀，下个星期轮到你开车了。接我可别迟到了。
A: 不用着急。我近来睡眠时间更充足了。小孩子终于长大了一些了。
B: 哦，如果因为什么原因你不能来的话给我一个电话。

Part Three: Substitution Drills
1. A: There’s another (traffic jam/ back-up/ accident) on the highway.
B: How can there be?
公路上有（堵车/塞车/出车祸了）。
怎么可能？

2. A: (I wonder if/ Maybe/ Perhaps) there was an accident.
B: No.
我想（是否/可能/也许）又是出车祸了。
不是。

3. A: Let’s put on (some music/ the news/ a traffic report).
B: O.K.
我们放点（音乐/新闻/交通报道）来听。
好的。

4. A: Should we get out and (help/ offer assistance/ help them out)?
B: No. There’s a police car behind us.
我们要出去（帮忙/帮手/帮助）他们解决困难吗？
不用了。我们后面有一辆警车。

5. A: It’s (pretty bad/ awful/ horrible).
B: Yeah.
真（倒霉/糟糕/不可思议）。
是呀。

6. A: It looks like we’re in for a long (drive/ trip/ journey).
B: Ah, well, put on the news.
看上去我们（驾车时间/旅途/旅程）不会短的了。
啊，那么，来点新闻听吧。

7. A: That sunset is (beautiful/ delightful/ gorgeous).
B: Yeah, it’s pretty nice.
日落真（漂亮/好看/迷人）。
是呀，真是好看。

8. A: I (never knew/ didn’t know/ would have never guessed) that.
B: Yeah, well it’s true.
我（从不知道/从未知晓/从未知道）这个。
是呀，可是是真的。

9. A: It’s your turn to (drive/ pick me up/ take me to work) next week.
B: I know.
下个星期轮到你（驾车/接我/搭我去上班）。
我知道。

10. A: Give me a call if (you can’t make it/ you’re going to be late) for some reason.
B: I will.
如果因为什么原因（你不能来/你要迟些时候到）给我打个电话。
我会的。

Part Four: Monologue
Modern transportation revolves around cars. Americans drive everywhere, to the store, to work, to school. Everybody wants they’re own car. This creates a tremendous amount of traffic, which leads to many traffic accidents. In addition, all those cars release pollution into the air. Efforts have been made to get people to use public transportation and to carpool, which means sharing rides with other people. Many people believe what we really need is a cleaner car. Companies are trying currently working on designs that would run on water and electricity. People seem likely to buy these cars because of the money they would save on gasoline. They would help the environment a great deal, because they only release water into the air. The first sales of these cars are expected in California around 2005.
现代交通离不开小汽车。美国人去什么地方都开着车，去商店购物，去上班，去学校。人人都想拥有自己的车。这就使得交通负荷增加，导致不少的交通事故。而且，小汽车也在空气中释放污染。在要求人们使用公共交通系统或合伙使用汽车（即和其他人共用汽车）方面，社会已经做过这种努力。很多人认为我们真正需要的是更为环保的车型。汽车公司目前也在试图设计只靠水和电两种能源驱动的汽车。人们也可能购买这种车因为这样可以节省买汽油的费用。因为释放到空气中的只是水份，这样也可以为环保做出很大贡献。这种款式的车有望2005年在加州首次出售。

Part Five: Vocabulary and Phrases
--traffic jam交通拥挤
--highway 公路；干道
--accident 事故；灾祸
--stuck stick的过去时和过去分词
--get out 动身，下车（飞机）
--lose control失控
--sunset 日落,，日落的景象
--pollution 污染
--smog 烟雾
--carpool合伙使用汽车