新概念3-第10部分
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r…ways。 The most frightening thing of all was that not a sound could be heard。 There was no doubt that we were unwelcome visitors。 We needed no further warning。 Turning back down the main street； we quickened our pace and made our way rapidly towards the stream where we hoped the boatman was waiting。
Lesson49 The Ideal Servant
It is a good thing my aunt Harriet died years ago。 If she were alive today she would not be able to air her views on her favourite topic of conversation： domestic servants。 Aunt Harriet lived in that
leisurely age when servants were employed to do housework。 She had a huge； rambling country house called 'The Gables'。 She was sentimentally attached to this house； for even though it was far
too big for her needs； she persisted in living there long after her husband's death。 Before she grew old； aunt Harriet used to entertain lavishly。 I often visited The Gables when I was a boy。 No matter
how many guests were present； the great house was always immaculate。 The parquet floors shone like mirrors； highly polished silver was displayed in gleaming glass cabinets； even my uncle's huge collection of books was kept miraculously free from dust。 Aunt Harriet presided over an invisible army of servants that continuously scrubbed； cleaned； and polished。 She always referred to them as' the shifting population'； for they came and went with such frequency that I never even got a chance to learn their names； Though my aunt pursued what was； in those days； an enlightened policy in that she never allowed her domestic staff to work more than eight hours a day； she was extremely difficult to please。 While she always decried the fickleness of human nature； she carried on an unrelenting search for the ideal servant to the end of her days； even after she had been sadly disillusioned by Bessie。 Bessie worked for aunt Harriet for three years。 During that time she so gained my aunt's confidence； that she was put in charge of the domestic staff。
Aunt Hariet could not find words to praise Bessie's industry and efficiency。 In addition to all her other qualifications； Bessie was an expert cook。 She acted the role of the perfect servant for three years before aunt Harriet discovered her 'little weakness'。 After being absent from The Gables for a week； my aunt unexpectedly returned one afternoon with a party of guests and instructed Bessie to prepare dinner。 Not only was the meal well below the usual standard； but Bessie seemed unable to walk steadily。 She bumped into the furniture and kept mumbling about the guests。 When she came in with the last course鈥攁 huge pudding…she tripped on the carpet and the pudding went flying through the air； narrowly missed my aunt； and crashed on the dining table with considerable force。 Though this occasioned great mirth among the guests； aunt Harriet was horrified。 She reluctantly came to the conclusion that Bessie was drunk。 The guests had； of course； realized this from the moment Bessie opened the door for them and； long before the final catastrophe； had had a difficult time trying to conceal their amusement。 The poor girl was dismissed instantly。 After her departure； aunt Harriet discovered that there were piles of empty wine bottles of all shapes and sizes neatly stacked in what had once been Bessie's wardrobe。 They had mysteriously found their way there from the wine…cellar！
Lesson50 New Year Resolutions
The New Year is a time for resolutions。 Mentally； at least； most of us could compile formidable lists of ' do's' and' don'ts '。 The same old favourites recur year in year out with monotonous regularity。 We resolve to get up earlier each morning； eat less； find more time to play with the children； do a thousand and one jobs about the house； be nice to people we don't like； drive carefully； and take the dog for a walk every day。 Past experience has taught us that certain accomplishments are beyond attainment。 If we remain inveterate smokers； it is only because we have so often experienced the frustration that results from failure。 Most of us fail in our efforts at self…improvement because our schemes are too ambitious and we never have time to carry them out。 We also make the fundamental error of announcing our resolutions to everybody so that we look even more foolish when we slip back into our bad old ways。 Aware of these pitfalls； this year I attempted to keep my resolutions to myself。 I limited myself to two modest ambitions： to do physical exercises every morning and to read more of an evening。 An all…night party on New Year's Eve； provided me with a good excuse for not carrying out either of these new resolutions on the first day of the year； but on the second； I applied myself assiduously to the task。 The daily exercises lasted only eleven minutes and I proposed to do them early in the morning before anyone had got up。 The self…discipline required to drag myself out of bed eleven minutes earlier than usual was considerable。 Nevertheless； I managed to creep down into the living…room for two days before anyone found me out。 After jumping about on the carpet and twisting the human frame into uncomfortable positions； I sat down at the breakfast table in an exhausted condition。 It was this that betrayed me。 The next morning the whole family trooped in to watch the performance。 That was really unsettling but I fended off the taunts and jibes of the family good…humouredly and soon everybody got used to the idea。 However； my enthusiasm waned。 The time I spent at exercises gradually diminished。 Little by little the eleven minutes fell to zero。 By January 10th； I was back to where I had started from。 I argued that if I spent less time exhausting myself at exercises in the morning I would keep my mind fresh for reading when I got home from work。 Resisting the hypnotizing effect of television； I sat in my room for a few evenings with my eyes glued to a book； one night； however； feeling cold and lonely； I went downstairs and sat in front of the television pretending to read。 That proved to be my undoing； for I soon got back to my old bad habit of dozing off in front of the screen。 I still haven't given up my resolution to do more reading。 In fact； I have just bought a book entitled 'How to Read a Thousand Words a Minute'。 Perhaps it will solve my problem； but I just haven't had time to read it！
Lesson51 Automation
One of the greatest advances in modern technology has been the invention of computers。 They are already widely used in industry and in universities and the time may come when it will be possible
for ordinary people to use them as well。 Computers are capable of doing extremely complicated work in all branches of learning。 They can solve the most complex mathematical problems or put
thousands of unrelated facts in order。 These machines can be put to varied uses。 For instance； they can provide information on the best way to prevent traffic accidents； or they can count the number
of times the word 'and' has been used in the Bible。 Because they work accurately and at high speeds； they save research workers years of hard work。 This whole process by which machines can be used to work for us has been called automation。 In the future； automation may enable human beings to enjoy far more leisure than they do today。 The coming of automation is bound to have important social consequences。
Some time ago an expert； on automation； Sir Leon Bagrit； pointed out that it was a mistake to believe that these machines could 'think'。 There is no possibility that human beings will be 'controlled by machines'。 Though computers are capable of learning from their mistakes and improving on their performance they need detailed instructions from human beings in order to be able to operate。 They can never； as it were； lead independent lives； or 'rule the world' by making decisions of their own。
Sir Leon said that in the future； computers would be developed which would be small enough to carry in the pocket。 Ordinary people would then be able to use them to obtain valuable information。 Computers could be plugged into a national network and be used like radios。 For instance； people going on holiday could be informed about weather conditions； car drivers could be given alternative routes when there are traffic jams。 It will also be possible to make tiny translating machines。 This will enable people who do not share a common language to talk to each other without any difficulty or to read foreign publications。 It is impossible to assess the importance of a machine of this sort； for many international misunderstandings are caused simply through our failure to understand each other。 Computers will also be used in hospitals。 By providing a machine with a patient's symptoms； a doctor will be able to diagnose the nature of his illness。 Similarly； machines could be used to keep a check on a patient's health record and bring it up to date。 Doctors will therefore have immediate access to a great many facts which will help them in their work。 Book…keepers and accountants； too； could be relieved of dull clerical work； for
the tedious task of compiling and checking lists of figures could be done entirely by machines。 Computers are the most efficient servants man has ever had and there is no limit to the way they can be used to improve our lives。
Lesson52 Mud is mud
My cousin； Harry； keeps a large curiously shaped bottle on permanent display in his study。 Despite the fact that the bottle is tinted a delicate shade of green； an observant visitor would soon notice that it is filled with what looks like a thick greyish substance。 If you were to ask Harry what was in the bottle； he would tell you that it contained perfumed mud。 If you expressed doubt or surprise； he would immediately invite you to smell it and then to rub some into your skin。 This brief experiment would dispel any further doubts you might entertain。 The bottle really does contain perfumed mud。 How Harry came into the possession of this outlandish stuff makes an interesting story which he is fond of relating。 Further… more； the acquisition of this bottle cured him of a bad habit he had been developing for years。
Harry used to consider it a great joke to go into expensive cosmetic shops and make outrageous requests for goods that do not exist。 He would invent fa
