語篇導讀

在世界上大多數(shù)國家，人們都是在公路的右側(cè)邊駕車，唯獨在英國和它的殖民地，人們是在左側(cè)邊駕車。他們這樣做究竟是為什么呢？一直以來，有沒有什么力量在影響著甚至是在迫使著他們?nèi)プ龀龈淖兡?？在公路左?cè)駕車是不是有什么優(yōu)勢呢？

As a visitor， when I cross the street in the UK， I often lose my sense of direction. While traffic in almost all of the world passes on the right side， cars in Britain drive on the left. Just why do Brits drive on the opposite side of the road from most other countries？

In fact， the practice goes back to the Middle Ages. In the old days， when traveling down a highway put you at risk of being attacked or robbed， traveling on the left was a matter of safety. Since most people were （and still are） right？ handed， passing on the left meant leaving your sword？ hand free to take on any challengers. Whether on foot， horseback， or in a carriage， you needed to be able to take out your sword， pitchfork， or staff in response to a threat—and quickly.

According to the BBC， this practice was widespread outside of Britain， too， dating back as far as ancient Greece and Rome. The UK wasn？ t the only place with dangerous roads， after all. But in the end different pressures made travelers change to the right.

Especially， Napoleon（拿破侖） was a fan of right？ side driving， and brought the practice to places he controlled by force. That included Germany， and Hitler （希特勒） continued to spread the tradition across Europe as he took power， forcing Austria to change to right？ side driving.

America has been driving on the right side of the road， probably because it made it easier to control a wagon. Drivers either sat on the left of their wagon or led their horses on foot on the left？ hand side， so it was much easier to see oncoming traffic by traveling on the right side of the road.

Britain has considered changing over to right？ side driving， but the idea isn？ t possible to take hold anytime soon.

詞塊收藏

lose one？蒺s sense of direction 某人失去方向感

on the opposite side of the road 在路的對面

the practice goes back to 這種做法（慣例）可以追溯到

put sb. at risk of being done 使某人面臨被……的危險

take on any challengers 與任何挑戰(zhàn)者較量

in response to a threat 以應(yīng)對威脅

take power 掌權(quán)；奪取權(quán)力

take hold anytime 隨時接受；隨時待命

典句賞析

1.Whether on foot， horseback， or in a carriage， you needed to be able to take out your sword， pitchfork， or staff in response to a threat—and quickly. 無論是步行、騎馬、還是坐馬車，你都需要能夠迅速地拿出你的劍、杈子或拐杖來應(yīng)對威脅。

選擇連詞whether... or...連接三種交通方式，作方式狀語；on foot（步行）、on horseback（騎馬）為固定詞組，名詞前不用冠詞；in a carriage意為“坐馬車”， carriage意為“（舊時載客的）四輪馬車；（火車的）客車廂”。

2.America has been driving on the right side of the road， probably because it made it easier to control a wagon. 美國一直在道路右側(cè)行駛，可能是因為這樣更容易控制馬車。

has been driving是現(xiàn)在完成進行時，表示動作從過去某一時間開始一直持續(xù)到現(xiàn)在，或者剛剛結(jié)束，或者可能還要繼續(xù)下去。該時態(tài)的結(jié)構(gòu)為“have / has + been + doing”；句中的“it made it easier to control a wagon”使用的是句型“It makes it +adj. + to do sth.”， 第一個it代表上文的“driving on the right side of the road”，第二個it是形式主語。

理解自測

根據(jù)短文內(nèi)容，從A、B、C、D四個選項中選擇最佳答案。

1.The writer makes a mistake in direction crossing the street in the UK because .

A.she never has a good sense of direction

B.driving on the left makes her lose her sense of direction

C.there is always too much traffic in the street there

D.the streets in the UK look the same here and there

2.What was the possible reason for driving on the left side in the beginning？

A.Just a practice in the UK.

B.The order from the kings.

C.Left hand people s hobby.

D.A matter of safety.

3.What does the underlined word pressures probably mean in the 3rd paragraph？

A.Rules. B.Influences.

C.Orders. D.Dreams.

詞句微練

根據(jù)所給漢語句子，完成下列英語句子。每空一詞。

1.她說話有幽默感。

She speaks

.

2.我住在學校對面，我每天步行上學。

I live in our school. I go to school every day.

3.無論你在學校還是在家里，你都要努力學習。

you are at school at home， you should study hard.

4.這個風俗要追溯到約100年前的那次災(zāi)難。

This custom the disaster about 100 years ago.

5.這些天一直在下雨，使得我們無法去遠足了。

It these days， which for us to go hiking.

（答案見第63頁）