Dickens' London
Dickens' cast① of characters lived in London, the largest and richest city in the world. But its wealth was distributed② unfairly③ among the population. Every chapter④ of his novels describes the sights, sounds, and smells of the city, and provides a social commentary of London life.
In the middle of the 19th century, London was a filthy⑤ city for rich and poor people alike⑥. Although on clear days the air was filled with⑦ sparrows⑧ and seagulls⑨ flying high above⑩， more often the smoking chimney pipes? created smog? which was so strong that it choked? the inhabitants?. The River Thames was polluted, causing disease and death everywhere?， and if you fell in, it was dangerous to swallow? the water.
①cast/kɑ?st/n.演员阵容，全体演员
②distribute/dI'strIbju?t/v.分发，分配，分送
distribute ...among/between在……之间分配，给某人发某物
③unfairly adv.不公平地 ④chapter/'t?æpt?/n.章节
⑤filthy/'fIlθi/adj.十分肮脏的，污秽的 ⑥alike adv.同样地
⑦be filled with (＝ be full of)充满
⑧sparrow/'spær??/n.麻雀 ⑨seagull/'si??ɡ?l/n.海鸥
⑩flying high above作后置定语，修饰“麻雀”和“海鸥”。
?pipe/paIp/n.(通常埋在地下的)管，管子，管道
chimney pipes烟囱
?smog/sm?ɡ/n.烟雾
?choke/t???k/v.(使)窒息，(使)噎住，(使)呼吸困难
?which was so strong that it ...是定语从句，修饰smog。该从句中含有so ...that ...“如此……以致……”句式，that引导结果状语从句。
?causing disease and death everywhere作结果状语，表示自然的结果。
?swallow/'sw?l??/v.吞下，咽下(食物或饮料)
狄更斯时代的伦敦
[第1～2段译文]
狄更斯笔下的人物住在伦敦，这是世界上最大最富有的城市，但它的财富分配不公。他的小说的每个章节都描述了这个城市的景象、声音和气息，并对伦敦的生活做出了社会评价。
在19世纪中叶，伦敦对富人和穷人来说都是个同样脏乱的城市。尽管在晴朗的天气里会有麻雀和海鸥在高高在天空翱翔，但更多的是烟囱里冒出的浓烟使居民们感到窒息。泰晤士河受到污染，引发各地的疾病和死亡，如果你掉进河里，吞了河水的话是很危险的。
The East End was London's poorest district, where children wore rags? for clothes and the women searched in dustbins? for? food?. Few people could ever hope to attain an acceptable standard of living. Many people suffered from the effects of poor nutrition and even starvation because of a lack of food, yet their welfare was of no concern to the taxpayers of London. Ships from all points of the compass would drop anchor here at the main port of London. South of the river lies Southwark, another poor district. The George Inn was a busy coaching stop with food and accommodation for travellers leaving London, and for carriers taking goods into the city .
But some Londoners had accumulated enormous wealth through trade. In the old City of London are housed the many banks and corporations which Dickens mentions. Further west and opposite Southwark stands Somerset House， where Dickens' father worked for the navy. Close by are the Law Courts, where lawyers and their clerks, carrying piles of paperwork， would hurry to the trials. There were many squares and gardens with water pumps and fountains， as well as smart restaurants and pubs.
?rag/ræɡ/n.(一小块)旧布；抹布
?dustbin/'d?stbIn/n.垃圾箱，垃圾桶 ?search for寻找
?where children ...for food是非限制性定语从句，修饰district。
attain/?'teIn/v.获得，达到 acceptable adj.可接受的
standard of living生活标准 suffer from遭受
nutrition/nju?'trI?n/n营养(作用)；滋养
starvation/stɑ?'veI?n/n.挨饿，饿死 a lack of缺乏
welfare/'welfe?/n.幸福，福祉；健康
“be of＋某些抽象名词”表示“具有……特征，特点”。
be of importance ＝ be important重要的
be of significance ＝ be significant重要的
concern/k?n's??n/n.关心，担心
taxpayer/'tæks?peI?/n.纳税人
compass/'k?mp?s/n.指南针，罗盘
all points of the compass指“世界各地”。
anchor/'æ?k?/n.锚
another poor district作Southwark的同位语。
inn/In/n.小旅馆 carrier/'kæri?/n.运输工具
leaving London和taking goods into the city均是现在分词短语作后置定语。
accumulate/?'kju?mj??leIt/v.积累 house v．收藏，安置
corporation/?k??p?'reI?n/n.公司，企业
which Dickens mentions是限制性定语从句。
opposite prep.在……对面，句中用了完全倒装。
where Dickens' father worked for the navy是非限制性定语从句，修饰Somerset House。
navy/'neIvi/n.海军 pile/paIl/n.堆，叠，摞
paperwork/'peIp??w??k/n.资料，文件
where lawyers and their clerks ...是非限制性定语从句。
trial/'traI?l/n.审判，审理 pump/p?mp/n.泵；抽水机
fountain/'fa?ntIn/n.喷泉；喷水池
as well as以及，相当于and, in addition to。
pub/p?b/n.酒馆，酒吧
[第3～4段译文]
东区是伦敦最贫困的地区，那里的孩子们衣衫褴褛，妇女们在垃圾桶里寻找食物。很少有人会期望达到可以接受的生活标准。由于缺少食物，许多人都受到营养不良的影响甚至饿死，然而伦敦的纳税人却对他们的健康漠不关心。来自世界各地的船只都会在伦敦的主要港口停泊。南华克位于泰晤士河南，是另一个贫民区。乔治旅馆是一个繁忙的客车停靠点，为离开伦敦的游客和运货物到城里的人提供膳宿。
但是有些伦敦人却通过贸易积累了大量的财富。在伦敦的老城里聚集着许多狄更斯提到的银行和公司。再往西，南华克的对面是萨默塞特宫，狄更斯的父亲曾在那里为海军工作。旁边是法院，在那里律师和职员们抱着成堆的文件匆匆赶去审理案件。那里有许多广场和花园，有浇水的管子和喷泉，还有精致的餐馆和酒吧。
Servants would buy fruit and vegetables at Covent Garden market for their rich families, and maids would buy bunches of flowers to decorate their mistresses' rooms.
The West End is the theatre district where Dickens felt at homebecause, surprisingly， he thought he would accomplish more with his drama than with his novels. It is also the London of government, where politicians, ministers, ambassadors as well as more humble pedestrians walked home at night through streets lit with gas lanterns.
London is very different today, and few people mourn the passing of the old city. But you can still see many of the sights which Dickens saw and wrote about in his novels.
maid/meId/n.女仆
bunch/b?nt?/n.一束，一串
a bunch of一束/串…… bunches of成束的，成串的
mistress/'mIstr?s/n.女主人
where引导定语从句，修饰the theatre district。
feel at home感觉自在
surprisingly adv.令人吃惊地，作状语。
accomplish/?'k?mplI?/v.完成(任务等)，取得(成功)
ambassador/æm'bæs?d?/n.大使
humble/'h?mbl/adj.(身份、地位等)低下的，卑微的
pedestrian/p?'destri?n/n.行人
where politicians ...walked home ...是定语从句，修饰the London of government。
lit with gas lanterns为过去分词短语作后置定语。
lantern/'lænt?n/n.灯笼，提灯
mourn/m??n/v.悼念，哀悼，为……哀痛
passing n．流逝，过去
which引导的定语从句修饰the sights。
[第5～7段译文]
仆人们会在柯芬园市场为他们富有的主人买水果和蔬菜，女仆人们会买来一束束的花来装饰女主人的房间。
西区是剧院区，在那里狄更斯感到自己像在家里一样自在，因为令人吃惊的是，他认为他完成的剧本会多于小说。这里也是伦敦政府的所在地，到了晚上，政治家、部长、大使还有更多的身份地位低下的行人从点着煤油灯的街上走回家去。
现在的伦敦已经大不相同的，很少有人会为这座古城的流逝而悲伤。但是你仍然能看到许多狄更斯看到的以及他在小说中描绘的情景。
Step 1 Write down T (for true) or F (for false) according to the text. (Passage on P39)
1．London is still the largest and richest city in the world now.
2．In the middle of the 19th century, the River Thames was polluted, causing disease and death everywhere.
3．Then the West End was London's poorest district.
4．Dickens' father worked as a lawyer.
答案：1.F 2.T 3.F 4.F
Step 2 Choose the best answers according to the passage. (Passage on P41)
1．Why was his father put in prison?
A．Because of murder. B．Because of debts.
C．Because of stealing. D．For some other reasons.
2．Where was Charles Dickens born?
A．New York. B．Mississippi.
C．London. D．Paris.
3．Which of the following sentences is WRONG according to the text?
A．Dickens started writing novels in his early thirties.
B．Dickens often wrote about the problems of poor people.
C．David Copperfield is one of his famous novels.
D．Dickens' books were only popular in England.
4．We can infer from the text that Charles Dickens .
A．wrote about the problems of poor people
B．helped improve the lives of the poor people
C．used his experiences in his writing
D．was very satisfied with his novel Oliver Twist, especially the final part
答案：1～4 BCDD
