
For nearly 17 years David Cope has worked as one of the Tower of London's yeoman warders(伦敦塔看守), _ better(更…) known to tourists as beefeaters. David, , lives in a three-bedroomed flat right at the top(顶部) of the Byward Tower, one of the gatehouses. " From(从) our bedroom we have a marvelous(a.奇妙的,不可思议的) view of Tower Bridge and the Thames, " says David.
The Tower of London is famous for(以..而著名) its ravens(n.乌鸦,黑色的鸟), the large black birds which have lived there for over three centuries. David was immediately fascinated(着迷,吸引) by the birds and when he was _ offered(提供)__ the post of Raven Master eight years ago he had no _ hesitation(犹豫)_ in accepting it. "The birds have now become my life and I'm always _ aware(意识到) of the fact that I am _ maintaining (保持)_ a tradition. The legend(传奇,传说) says that if the ravens leave the Tower, England will fall to enemies, and it's my job to _ make(确保) sure this doesn't happen!"
David devotes(献身于) about four hours a day to the care of the ravens. He has grown to love them and the _ fact(事实) that he lives right next to them is ideal. "I can keep(关注) a close eye on them all the time, and not just when I'm working." At first(起初), David's wife Mo was not _keen(对..感兴趣) on the idea of life in the Tower, but she too will be sad to leave when he retires next year. "When we look out of our windows, we see history all(所有) around us, and we are taking it in and storing it up for our future memories."
A Lucky Break
Actor Antonio Banderas is used to breaking bones, and it always seems to happen when he's doing(做) sport. In the film Play It to the Bone he plays(扮演一个…) the part of a middleweight(n.中量级拳击手) boxer alongside Woody Harrelson. During(过程中) the making of the film Harrelson kept(连续) complaining that the fight scenes(场面) weren't very convincing(a.有说服力的,令人信服的), so one day he suggested that he and Banderas should have a fight for real. The Spanish actor wasn't keen(对…热衷) on the idea at first, but he was eventually(最终) persuaded by his co-star to put on his gloves and climb into the boxing ring(拳赛场地). However, when he realized how seriously(认真地) his opponent(对手) was taking it all, he began to regret his decision to fight. And then in the third round, Harrelson hit Banderas so(太…以至于..)
hard in the face that he actually broke his nose. His wife, actress Melanie Griffith, was furious(a.暴怒的,强烈的) that he had been playing "silly macho(a.雄壮的,男子气概的) games". "She was right," confesses(v.承认,坦白) Banderas, "and I was a fool to take(冒险) a risk like that in the middle of a movie."
He was reminded(提醒) of the time he broke his leg during a football match in his native Malaga. He had always dreamed(梦想) of becoming a soccer star, of performing in front of a big crowd, but doctors told him his playing days were probably over. "That's when I decided to take up(开始) acting; I saw it as another(另外) way of performing, and achieving recognition. What happened to me on that football pitch(场) was, you might say, my first lucky break."
A Success Story
At 19, Ben Way is already a millionaire, and one of a growing number of teenagers who have made(制造) their fortune(财富) through the Internet. What(这) makes Ben's story all the more remarkable(a.卓越的,值得注意的) is that he is dyslexic(a.诵读困难的n.诵读困难者), and was told(告知) by teachers at his junior school that he would never be able to read or write properly(正确地) . "I wanted to prove them wrong(错了) ", says Ben, creator and director of Waysearch, a net search engine which can be used to find goods in online shopping malls.
When he was eight, his local authorities(n.权威,权力,当权) provided(提供) him with a PC to help with school work. Although he was unable(不能) to read the manuals, he had a natural ability with the computer, and encouraged(鼓励) by his father, he soon began charging(收费) people $l0 an hour for his knowledge and skills. At the age of 15 he set(创建) up his own computer consultancy(n.咨询公司,顾问工作), Quad Computer, which he ran from his bedroom, and two years later he left school to devote(精力) all his time to business.
"By this time the company had grown and I needed to take on a couple(一些) of employees to help me", says Ben. "That enabled me to start doing(做) business with bigger companies.” It was his ability to consistently(始终如一的) overcome(克服) difficult challenges that led him to win the Young Entrepreneur(n.企业家,主办者) of the Year award in the same year that he formed Waysearch, and he has recently signed a deal worth(价值) $25 million with a private investment(n.投资,投入) company, which will finance(为…供给资金) his search engine.
A Powerful Influence
There can be no doubt at all(根本) that the Internet has made a huge difference to our lives. Parents are worried that children spend too much time playing on the Internet, hardly ever(几乎不) doing anything else in their spare time. Naturally, parents are curious(对…好奇) to find out why the Internet is so attractive, and they want to know if it can be harmful(伤害) to their children. Should parents worry if their children are spending that much time staring at (盯着看成) their computers?
Obviously, if children are bent over their computers for hours, absorbed(沉迷) in some game, instead of doing their homework, then something is wrong. Parents and children could decide how much use the child should make(利用) of the Internet, and the child should give his or her word(诺言) that it won’t interfere(妨碍) with
homework. If the child is not holding(坚持) to this arrangement(安排), the parent can take more drastic(严厉的,极端的) steps(采取措施) dealing with a child's use of the Internet is not much different from negotiating(协商)_ any other sort of bargain about(就(某物)讨价还价) behaviour.
Any parent who is seriously(严重) alarmed about a child's behaviour should make an appointment(约定) to discuss(讨论) the matter with a teacher. Spending time in front of the screen does not necessarily(必定) affect a child's performance at school. Even if a child is absolutely(完全地) crazy about using the Internet,he or she is probably just going(度过) through a phase(阶段,时期), and in a few months there will be something else to worry about!
Family History
In an age when technology is developing faster than ever before, many people are being attracted(吸引) to the idea of looking back into the past. One way they can do this is by investigating(调查,研究) their own family history. They can try to find(找出) out more about where their families came from and what they did, This is now a fast-growing hobby, especially in countries with a fairly(相当) short history, like Australia and the United States.
It is one(一方面) thing to spend some time going(探究) through a book on family history and to take the decision(决心) to investigate your own family's past. It is quite(的确) another to carry out(完成) the research work successfully. It is easy to set about(开始做(某事)) it in a disorganized(扰乱,瓦解) way and cause(引起) yourself many problems which could have been avoided(避免) with a little forward planning.
If your own family stories tell you that you are connected(有关系) with a famous character, whether hero or criminal(罪犯), do not let this idea take over(接管) your research. Just treat(当作) it as an interesting possibility(可能的事). A simple system for(用 collecting and storing your information will be adequate(充足的,适当的) to start with; a more complex(错综复杂的) one may only get in your way(道路). The most important thing, though, is to get(被) started. Who knows what you might(可能) find ?
Helen and Martin
With a thoughtful sigh(长叹一声), Helen turned away from the window and walked back to her favourite armchair(扶手椅). Would(将要) her brother never arrive? For a brief moment, she wondered if she really cared that much.
Over the years Helen had given up (放弃)_ waiting for Martin to take an interest in her. Her feelings for him had gradually weakened(变淡)_ until now, as she sat waiting for him, she experienced no more than a sister's. curiosity(好奇心) to see what had become(发生…事) of her brother.
Almost without warning(预兆) , Martin had lost his job with a busy publishing company after spending the last eight years in New York as a key f
igure in the US office. Somehow the two of them hadn't bothered(烦扰) to keep in touch and, left alone, Helen had slowly found her confidence(对…有信心) in her own
judgment growing. Ignoring(不顾) the wishes of her parents, she had left university halfway through(过程中) her course and now, to the astonishment(惊讶;令人惊讶的事物) of the whole family, she was gaining(获得) a fast-growing reputation(名声,名誉;声望) in the pages of respected art magazines and was actually earning enough to live on(靠) from her paintings.
Of course, she took(对) no pleasure in Martin's sudden misfortune(不幸;灾祸,灾难), but she couldn't help(忍不住) looking forward to her brother's arrival with quiet(暗暗地) satisfaction(满意,满足) at what she had achieved.
Global Warming
Few people now question the reality of global warming and its effects on the world's climate(n.气候,风气). Many scientists put(把…归咎于) the blame for recent natural disasters on the increase in(在) the world's temperatures and are convinced that, more than ever(任何时候) before, the Earth is at risk(危险) from the forces(暴力) of the wind, rain and sun. According(据说) to them, global warming is making extreme(极端的) weather events, such(例如) as hurricanes(n. 飓风,暴风) and droughts(n.干旱,早灾), even more severe(严重) and causing sea levels all around the world to rise(上升) .
Environmental groups are putting pressure(压力) on governments to take action
to reduce the amount(数量) of carbon dioxide(n.二氧化碳) which is given off(排放) by factories and power plants, thus attacking(攻击) the problem at its source. They are in favour(赞成) of more money being spent on research into solar(a.太阳的n.太阳能), wind and wave energy devices, which could then replace existing power stations(装置) .
Some scientists, however(然而) believe that even if we stopped releasing carbon dioxide and other gases into the atmosphere(n.大气) tomorrow, we would have to wait several(几) hundred years to notice the results. Global warming, it seems, is here to stay(停留).
Look on The Bright Side
Do you ever wish you were more optimistic(adj.乐观的,乐观主义的), someone who always expected(期望) to be successful? Having someone around who always fears(恐惧) the worst isn’t really a lot of fun(乐趣). We all know someone who sees a single cloud on a sunny day and says, "It looks like(像) rain. " But if you catch yourself thinking such things,it's important to do something about(对此) it(代前面整句话,指这个状况、情况、事实).
You can change your view of life, according(根据) to psychologists(心理学家). It only takes a little effort, and you'll find
life more rewarding(adj.有益的,值得的,有报酬的) as a result(结果). Optimism,they say,is partly about self-respect and confidence but it's also a more positive way of looking at life and all it has to offer(提供). Optimists are more likely(很有可能) to start new projects and are generally more prepared to take risks.
Upbringing(教养,养育,抚育) is obviously(adv.明显地,显然地) very important in forming your attitude(态度) to the world. Some people are brought up to depend(依赖于) too much on others and grow up(成长) forever blaming(v.责备,归咎于) other people when anything goes(发生) wrong. Most optimists,on the _other(另一方面) hand, have been brought up not to regard(把..看作) failure as the end of the world—they just get on(继续) with their lives.
School Lunch
Research has shown that over half the children in Britain who take their own lunches to school do not eat properly(正常地) in the middle of the day. In Britain schools have to provide(提供) meals at lunchtime. Children can choose(选择) to bring their own food or have lunch at the school canteen(食堂小卖部)
One shocking finding(发现) of this research is that school meals are much healthier than lunches prepared by parents. There are strict standards(标准) for the preparation of school meals, which have to include one portion(比例) of fruit and one of vegetables, as well as meat, a dairy(乳制品的) item and starchy((食物)含有大量淀粉的) food like bread or pasta(意大利面食). Lunchboxes examined(检查) by researchers contained sweet drinks, crisps(炸马铃薯片) and chocolate bars. Children consume(摄取) twice as much sugar(糖) as they should at lunchtime.
The research will provide a better understanding (解释) of why the percentage of overweight students in Britain has increased(增长) in the last decade. Unfortunately, the government cannot criticise(批评) parents, but it can remind them of the nutritional(营养的) value of milk, fruit and vegetables. Small changes in their children's diet can affect(影响) their future health. Children can easily develop bad eating habits(习惯) at this age, and parents are the only ones who can prevent(阻止) it.
Traffic in Our Cities
The volume of traffic in many cities in the world today continues to expand. This causes many problems, including serious air pollution, lengthy(a.漫长的,冗长的) delays, and the greater risk of(..的风险) accidents. Clearly, something must be done, but it is often difficult to persuade(说服) people to change their habits and leave their cars at home.
One possible approach(方法) is to make it more expensive for people to use their cars by increasing(增加) charges for parking and bringing(收益) in tougher(严格的, 强硬的) fines for(因…而罚(款)) anyone who breaks(打破) the law. In addition, drivers could be required to pay for using particular routes at different times of the day. This
system, known(为所熟知) as "road pricing", is already being introduced in a number(一些) of cities, using a special electronic card fixed(固定在..上) to the windscreen(n.汽车挡风玻璃) of the car.
Another way of dealing(处理) with the problem is to provide cheap parking on the outskirts(效区) of the city, and strictly control the number of vehicles allowed into the centre. Drivers and their passengers then use a special bus service for the final(最后的) stage of their journey.
Of course, the most important thing(..的事) is to provide good public transport. However, to get people to give up(放弃) the comfort of their cars, public transport must be felt to be reliable(a.可靠的,可信赖的), convenient(方便的) and comfortable, with fares(票价) kept(保持) at an acceptable level.
Teaching and learning
Many teachers believe that the responsibilities(职责) for learning lie with(是…的责任) the student. If a long reading assignment(n.任务,作业) is given, instructors expect students to be familiar with the information(信息)__in the reading even if they do not discuss it in class or take an examination. The idea (理想)_ student is considered to be one who is motivated(v.刺激,激发……的积极性) to learn for the sake of(为了) learning(学习)_, not the one interested only in getting high grades. Sometimes homework is returned with(带…回来) brief written comments but without a grade. Even if a grade is not given, the student is responsible(对…负责) for learning the material assigned. When research is assigned (选定)_ , the professor expects the student to take it actively and to complete it with
minimum(最少的) guidance. It is the student's responsibility to find books, magazines, and articles in the library. Professors do not have the time to explain how(如何) a university library works; they expect students particularly (尤其) graduate students to exhaust(v.耗尽,使筋疲力尽;彻底讨论) the reference _ sources(资源) _ in the library. Professors will help students who need it, but prefer(更喜欢) that their students should not be too(太) dependent on them. In the United Stats professors have many other duties besides(除…之外) teaching, such as administrative(adj.管理的,行政的) or research work. Therefore, the time that a professor can spend with a student outside of class is limited(有限的) . If a student has problems with classroom work , the student should either _ approach(接近)_ a professor during office hours or make an appointment(n.约定,约会).
TheDiffeencebetweenManandComputer
What makes people different from computer programs? What is the missing element(n.元素,成分,要素) that our theories don’t yet account(解释)__ for? The answer is simple: People read newspaper stories for a reason: to learn more about _ what(那些) __ they are interested in. Computers, on the other hand, don't. In fact, computers don't even (甚至) have interests;there is nothing in particular(尤其, 特别) that they are trying to find out when they read. If a computer program(程序)_ is to be a model of story understanding, it should also read for a "purpose".
Of course, people have several goals that do not make sense(合理) to attribute to computers. One might read a restaurant guide in (为了) order to satisfy hunger or entertainment(n.娱乐,消遣) goals, or to find (寻找) a good place to go for a business lunch. Computers do not get hungry, and
computers do not have business lunches.
However, these physiological(adj.生理学的,生理的) and social goals give rise (导致) to several intellectual(adj.智力的,聪明的) or cognitive(adj.认知的,认识上的) goals. A goal to satisfy hunger gives rise to(引起, 导致) goals to find information(信息) about the name of a restaurant which serves(供应) the desired type of food, how expensive the restaurant is,the location of the restaurant, etc. These are goals to _ acquire(获取) information or knowledge, what we are calling learning(学习)_ goals. These goals can be held by computers too; a computer might(可能)_ "want" to find out the location of a restaurant, and read a guide in order to do so in(以…方式) the same way as a person might. While such a goal would not arise(起于) out of hunger in the case of the computer, it might well(很可能) arise out of the "goal" to learn more about restaurants.
The First Bicycle
The history of the bicycle goes back more than 200 years. In 1791, Count(伯爵) de Sivrac delighted(使...喜悦) onlookers(观众) in a park in Paris as he showed off(炫耀) his two-wheeled invention, a machine called the celeriferé. It was basically an enlarged(扩大) version of a children’s toy which had been in use(在使用中) for many years. Sivrac's "celeriferé" had a wooden frame, made in the shape(形状) of a horse,which was mounted on a wheel at either end.To ride it, you sat on a small seat, just like a modem bicycle,and pushed hard(努力) against the ground(地面) with your legs—there were no pedals(踏板,脚蹬子). It was impossible to steer(驾驶,操纵,控制) a celeriferé and it had no brakes(闸,刹车),but despite these problems the invention very much appealed(吸引) to the fashionable young men of Paris. Soon they were holding(举行) races up and down the streets.
Minor injuries(受伤) were common as riders attempted a final burst(爆发,突发,爆炸) of speed(速度) . Controlling the machine was difficult, as the only way to change direction(方向) was to pull up the front of the "celeriferé" and turn(掉转) it round while the front wheel was spinning(自旋) in the air. "Celeriferés" were not popular for long,however,as the combination(组合) of no springs(弹簧), no steering and rough roads(起伏路) made riding them very uncomfortable. Even so,the wooden celeriferé was the origin(始祖) of the modem bicycle.
The Old Gate
In the Middle Ages the vast majority of European cities had walls around them. This was partly for defensive reasons(原因) but another factor was the need to keep out anyone regarded as undesirable, like people with contagious(传染性的,会蔓延的) diseases(疾病). The Old City of London gates were all demolished(拆毁) by the end of the 18th century. The last of London's gates was removed a century ago, but by a stroke(打击) of luck, it was never destroyed.
This gate is, in actual(实际的) fact, not called a gate at all; its name is Temple Bar, and it marked the boundary(分界线) between the Old City of London and Westminster. In 1878 the Council of London took the Bar down, numbered the stones and
put the gate in storage(存储) because its design was unfashionable(老套) it was expensive to maintain(维修) and it was blocking the traffic.
The Temple Bar Trust was set out(建立) in the 1970's with the intention of returning the gate home. The aim of the Trust is the preservation(保存) of the nation's architectural heritage.Transporting the gate will mean physically pulling it down(推倒) , stone by stone, removing and rebuilding it near St Paul's Cathedral(总教堂, 大教堂). Most of the facade of the gate will probably be replaced(替换) , though there is a good chance(机会)_ that the basic structure will be sound. The hardest job(工作) of all, however, will be to recreate the statues(雕像) of the monarchs(君主) that once stood on top of the gate.
Working Mothers
Carefully conducted(v.实施,实行) researches that have followed the children of working mothers have not been able to show any long-term problems, compared with children whose mothers stayed at home. My personal view(观点) is that mothers should be allowed to work if they wish. Whether we like it or not, there are a number(很多) of mothers who just have to work. There are those who have invested(投资) such a big part of their lives in establishing(建立) a career that they cannot afford(负担) to see it lost. Then there are many who must work out of pure economic(经济上的) necessity(有必要) . Many mothers are not cut (适合于) out to be full-time parents. After a few months at home with a much loved infant(婴儿,幼儿), they feel trapped(v.使陷入困境,使受) and isolated(使隔离,使孤立).
There are a number of options(选项,选择) when it comes(涉及) to choosing childcare. These range from child minders(照顾者) and nannies(保姆) through to(直到) Granny(奶奶) or the kind(好心的) lady across(对面) the street. In reality(在现实状况下), however,many parents don't have any choice; they have to accept anything they can get. Be prepared! No matter (无论) how good the childcare may be,some children are going to protest() wildly(激烈的) if they are left. This is a perfectly(完全) normal stage of child development. Babies separate well in the first six months,but soon after that they start to get a crush(依恋, 压烂) on Mum and close family members(成员) . Make sure that in the first week you allow plenty of(大量) time to help your child settle in(安顿下来).
All children are different. Some are independent, while others are more attached(依恋于) to their mothers. Remember that if you want to do(做) the best for your children, it's not the quantity(数量) of time you spend with them,it's the quality(质量) that matters.
