【课文】　　People travelling long distances frequently have to decide whether they would prefer to go by land, sea, or air. Hardly anyone can positively enjoy sitting in a train for more than a few hours. Train compartments soon get cramped and stuffy. It is almost impossible to take your mind off the journey. Reading is only a partial solution, for the monotonous rhythm of the wheels clicking on the rails soon lulls you to sleep. During the day, sleep comes in snatches. At night, when you really wish to go to sleep, you rarely manage to do so. If you are lucky enough to get a sleeper, you spend half the night staring at the small blue light in the ceiling, or fumbling to find your ticket for inspection. Inevitably you arrive at your destination almost exhausted. Long car journeys are even less pleasant, for it is quite impossible even to read. On motorways you can, at least, travel fairly safely at high speeds, but more often than not, the greater part of the journey is spent on roads with few service stations and too much traffic. By comparison, ferry trips or cruises offer a great variety of civilized comforts. You can stretch your legs on the spacious decks, play games, meet interesting people and enjoy good food--always assuming, of course, that the sea is calm. If it is not, and you are likely to get seasick, no form of transport could be worse. Even if you travel in ideal weather, sea journeys take a long time. Relatively few people are prepared to sacrifice up to a third of their holidays for the pleasure of travelling by sea.　　Aeroplanes have the reputation of being dangerous and even hardened travellers are intimidated by them. They also have the disadvantage of being the most expensive form of transport. But nothing can match them for speed and comfort. Travelling at a height of 30,000 feet, far above the clouds, and at over 500 miles an hour is an exhilarating experience. You do not have to devise ways of taking your mind off the journey, for an aeroplane gets you to your destination rapidly. For a few hours, you settle back in a deep armchair to enjoy the flight. The real escapist can watch a free film show and sip champagne on some services. But even when such refinements are not available, there is plenty to keep you occupied. An aeroplane offers you an unusual and breathtaking view of the world. You soar effortlessly over high mountains and deep valleys. You really see the shape of the land. If the landscape is hidden from view, you can enjoy the extraordinary sight of unbroken cloud plains that stretch out for miles before you, while the sun shines brilliantly in a clear sky. The journey is so smooth that there is nothing to prevent you from reading or sleeping. However you decide to spend your time, one thing is certain: you will arrive at your destination fresh and uncrumpled. You will not have to spend the next few days recovering from a long and arduous journey.　　【课文翻译】　　出远门的人常常需要决定是走旱路、水路，还是坐飞机。很少有人能够真正喜欢坐几个小时以上的火车。车厢很快就变得拥挤、闷热，想摆脱开旅途的困扰是很难的。看书只能解决部分问题。车轮与铁轨间单调的嘎喳声很快就会送你进入梦乡。白天是忽睡忽醒，到了夜晚，你真想睡了，却很难入睡。即使你走运弄到一个卧铺，夜间有一半时间你会盯着车顶那盏小蓝灯而睡不着觉;要不然就为查票摸索你的车票。一旦抵达目的地，你总是疲惫不堪。乘汽车作长途旅行则更加不舒服，因为连看书都几乎不可能。在公路上还好，你至少能以相当快的速度安全地向前行。但旅行的大部分时间都花在路上，而且只有很少的服务设施，交通也很拥挤。相比之下，坐船旅行或环游可以得到文明世界的各种享受。你可以在甲板上伸展四肢、做游戏，还能也很见到各种有趣的人，能享用各种美味佳肴 ——当然，这一切只有在大海风平浪静的情况下才有可能。如果大海肆虐起来，你就可能晕船，那种难受劲儿是任何一种别的旅行的方式都不会带来的。即使风平浪静，坐船旅行也要占用很长时间。没有多少人会为享受坐船旅行的乐趣而牺牲假期的时间。　　飞机以危险而著称，连老资格的旅行者也怕飞机。飞机另一个缺点是昂贵。但就速度与舒适而言，飞机是无与伦比的。腾云驾雾，在30，000 英尺高空以500英里的时速旅行，这种经历令人心旷神怡。你不必想办法去摆脱旅途的困扰，因为飞机会迅速地把你送到目的地。几小时之内，你躺在扶手椅上，享受着旅途的欢乐。真正会享受的人还可以在某些航班上看一场电影和喝香槟。即使没有这些消遣条件，也总是有事可做。飞机上，你可以观察世界上非同寻常的奇妙的美景。你毫不费劲地飞越高山幽谷，你确能饱览大地的风貌。如果这种景色被遮住了，你可以观赏一下展现在你面前的、一望数英里的、连绵不断的云海，同时阳光灿烂，天空清澈明朗。旅途平稳，丝毫不妨碍你阅读或睡眠。不管你打算如何消磨时间，有件事是可以肯定的，即当你抵达目的地时，你感到精神焕发，毫无倦意，用不着因为漫长的旅途的辛苦而花几天时间休息来恢复精神。　　【词汇】　　positively adv. 绝对地，完全地　　compartment n. 列车客车厢内的分隔间(或单间)　　cramped adj. 窄小的　　stuffy adj. 憋气的，闷气的　　monotonous adj. 枯燥的，乏味的，单调的　　rhythm n. 有节奏的运动　　click v. 发出咔哒声　　lull v. 催人欲睡　　snatch n. 短时，片段　　sleeper n. 卧铺　　fumble v. 乱摸，摸索　　inspection n. 检查　　inevitably adv. 必然地，不可避免地　　destination n. 目的地　　exhaust v. 使精疲力尽　　motorway n. 快车道　　ferry n. 渡船　　cruise n. 巡游船　　civilized adj. 文明的　　spacious adj. 宽敞的　　seasick adj. 晕船的　　intimidate v. 恐吓，恫吓　　disadvantage n. 短处，缺点　　exhilarating adj. 使人高兴的，令人兴奋的　　scapist n. 逍遥者　　sip v. 呷，啜　　champagne n. 香槟酒　　refinement n. 精心的安排　　breathtaking adj. 激动人心的;不寻常的　　soar v. 高飞，翱翔　　effortlessly adv. 不费力地　　landscape n. 景色　　fresh adj. 精神饱满的　　uncrumpled adj. 没有跨下来　　【重点词汇讲解】　　【positively】　　例句：　　1. He stated positively that he had never see the man.　　他肯定地说他从未见过那个男子。　　2. Scientists didn"t think so, but weren"t positively sure.　　科学家们可不这样认为，但也没有全盘否认。　　3. When Dick returned to lunch, he found her cooking in the kitchen, looking positively ugly with anger.　　迪克回来吃午饭的时候，发现她在厨房里烧饭，脸色气得很难看。　　【monotonous】　　例句：　　1. Every newcomer must start from a monotonous routine work.　　每个新来的人都必须从枯燥的日常工作做起。　　2.To be idle sometimes is agreeable, but to be idle all the time might become monotonous .　　一段时间空闲是令人愉快的，整日无所事事可能就单调乏味了。　　【exhaust】　　英英：wear out completely　　例句：　　1. Do your best, but don"t make too many promises or you may exhaust yourself.　　尽你所能，但是不要做太多的承诺，否则你可能会使自己精疲力尽。　　2. The marathon talks exhausted him completely.　　马拉松式的谈判使他精疲力竭。　　3. Caring for young children can exhaust you physically and mentally.　　照顾小孩子会使你身心疲惫。　　【exhilarating】　　例句：　　1. I can"t really describe it, but it"s a very exhilarating tune!　　我没办法形容，但是这是个非常令人快活的曲调!　　2. There is no doubt that running away on a fresh blue morning can be exhilarating!　　毫无疑问，在清新蓝色的早晨逃离是最刺激的事情了。　　【refinement】　　例句：　　1. The new car has many added refinements such as air-conditioning and anti- blocking brakes.　　这辆新车有许多精巧的附加装置，如空调和防抱死装置。　　2. Her mother is a woman with great refinement.　　她母亲是一个非常文雅的女人。　　【breathtaking】　　例句：　　1. It was a breathtaking car race.　　那是一场惊险的汽车比赛。　　2. The flowers and hanging baskets were breathtaking.　　花朵和吊篮生机勃勃的长着。　　【常用表达】　　【take mind off】转移注意力　　【partial solution】权宜之策　　【in snatches】断断续续　　【more often than not】通常，多半