經(jīng)典對話
A:I think speed cameras should be used to catch speeding motorists. As we all know, speeding causes accidents. Speed cameras reduce the number of road accidents by penalizing drivers who drive dangerously. I believe it is very effective.
A：我認(rèn)為應(yīng)該使用超速攝影機來對付那些超速行駛的駕駛員。眾所周知，超速會引發(fā)交通事故。超速攝影機的使用可以懲罰那些危險行車的駕駛員以減少道路交通事故的數(shù)量。在我看來，這種方法行之有效。
B:But I don't think so. Speed is very rarely the cause of accidents; other factors such as drunk driving, bad road conditions, and poor driving skills all play a part. Tackling these other factors would therefore do more to reduce accidents than speed cameras.
B：但我并不這樣認(rèn)為。超速并不常是引發(fā)事故的原因；其他因素，例如酒后駕駛.路況惡劣，以及拙劣的駕駛技術(shù)都會？I發(fā)交通事故。解決這些問題要比安裝超速攝影機更有助于減少交通事故發(fā)生的可能性。
A:I agree with you to some extent. Speed may not be the only factor in causing road accidents, but it is a critical factor in how bad accidents are. Even small changes in speed can be effective in preventing deaths and reducing injuries.
A：我在一定程度上同意你的說法。超速可能不是引發(fā)交通事故的惟一因素.但在事故本身的嚴(yán)重程度上。它卻是一個關(guān)鍵因素。即使是速度上的一點點變化在避免死亡的發(fā)生和減輕事故傷害方面都起了很大的作用。
B:This might be true of suburban streets where the difference between 20 mph and 40 mph makes a huge difference, but it is not true of the faster main roads where almost all speed cameras are positioned. On these roads, the speed limits are already high enough to make accidents deadly.
B：也許對于位于郊區(qū)的街道來說你所說的情形是正確的，在那里，時速20英里和時速40英里確實有著很大的不同。但對于那些時速更高的干線來說就不是這樣了，而正是在這些地方到處都安裝著超速攝影機。在這樣的道路上，限速已經(jīng)足以使引發(fā)的交通事故帶來傷亡。
A:I can't agree with you. The speed limit is a law and the law should be obeyed. You may believe you can drive safely above the speed limit, but there are other road users too.
A：我并不同意你的觀點。速度極限是一項法律，而人們應(yīng)該遵守法律。你可能認(rèn)為你在超速的情形下可以安全行車，但我們還應(yīng)該考慮其他人啊。
B:But we have to admit that cameras are not always sensitive to context. The speed limit is a guide to drivers of the maximum safe speed, but circumstances vary. Promoting and enforcing one set speed in all circxmstances is irresponsible. Furtherrnxe, speed cameras are sometimes inaccurate and prone to errors,often catching drivers who have been observing the speed limit.
B：但我們不得不承認(rèn)攝像機對環(huán)境的敏感度并不總是很高。速度極限提供給駕駛員一個的安全時速，但環(huán)境是不斷變化的。在所有的環(huán)境和情形下都強制執(zhí)行同一個速度標(biāo)準(zhǔn)，這種做法是缺乏責(zé)任感的。而且，有時超速攝影機的記錄并不準(zhǔn)確.并容易犯錯，常常會把按規(guī)定駕駛的駕駛員記錄在案。
A:Although speed cameras may occasionally suffer technical problems,the technology is thoroughly tested and reliable. And this is not an argument for scrapping cameras.
A：盡管超速攝影機有時可能遇到一些技術(shù)問題.但這項技術(shù)本身已完全通過測試，是可靠的。而且并不能因此就放棄使用超速攝影機。
B:But don't you think speed cameras would create dangerous driving as drivers often brake suddenly when they see a camera, and then speed up again once they are past it? This makes accidents more likely, not less.
B：但是，你不認(rèn)為超速攝影機反而會誘發(fā)危險駕駛嗎？因為駕駛員常常會在看到攝影機時突然剎車，等經(jīng)過之后又再次提速。這種做法不但沒有減少事故，反而更有可能增加了事故的發(fā)生。
A:Placing signs warning of speed cameras on a stretch of road, but hiding the actual cameras can avoid drivers' suddenly changing speed. Over time,as drivers become used to observing speed limits more carefully,this will be reflected in safer driving all the time, not just when cameras are present. Moreover, speed cameras are cost-effective as they take highly-paid police officers off traffic duty,allowing them to do more important things.
A：我們可以在一段公路上放置超速攝影機的標(biāo)牌，而將真正的攝影機隱藏起來，這樣就可以避免駕駛員突然改變速度了。時間久了，駕駛員會逐漸習(xí)慣于按照規(guī)定的速度駕車，這樣即使沒有攝影機的監(jiān)控，他們也會始終安全行車了。而且，從成本效益的角度來看，超速攝影機也是一個不錯的選擇，因為它們使那些受高薪聘用的警員可以離開交通崗位到更重要的崗位上去工作。
B:Removing police officers from traffic duty is bad, as skilled officers are much more able to detect and deal with dangerous driving than insensitive cameras,which will miss any driving offences committed below the speed limit. So I really believe speed cameras are a bad idea.
B：使警員離開交通崗位是不對的，因為有經(jīng)驗的警員要比那些敏感度極低的攝影機更有能力洞察和處理危險的駕駛行為，而攝影機對于在速度極限下出現(xiàn)的違規(guī)駕駛行為往往是視而不見的。所以我認(rèn)為超速攝影機并不足取。
王牌句型
1.Have you ever had a car accident?
你以前出過車禍嗎？
2.There is an accident at the cross roads.
十字路口發(fā)生了一起交通事故。
3.Look,the traffic cop's signaling.
瞧，交通警察在發(fā)信號呢。
4.I'll slow down now.
現(xiàn)在我要減速了。
A:I think speed cameras should be used to catch speeding motorists. As we all know, speeding causes accidents. Speed cameras reduce the number of road accidents by penalizing drivers who drive dangerously. I believe it is very effective.
A：我認(rèn)為應(yīng)該使用超速攝影機來對付那些超速行駛的駕駛員。眾所周知，超速會引發(fā)交通事故。超速攝影機的使用可以懲罰那些危險行車的駕駛員以減少道路交通事故的數(shù)量。在我看來，這種方法行之有效。
B:But I don't think so. Speed is very rarely the cause of accidents; other factors such as drunk driving, bad road conditions, and poor driving skills all play a part. Tackling these other factors would therefore do more to reduce accidents than speed cameras.
B：但我并不這樣認(rèn)為。超速并不常是引發(fā)事故的原因；其他因素，例如酒后駕駛.路況惡劣，以及拙劣的駕駛技術(shù)都會？I發(fā)交通事故。解決這些問題要比安裝超速攝影機更有助于減少交通事故發(fā)生的可能性。
A:I agree with you to some extent. Speed may not be the only factor in causing road accidents, but it is a critical factor in how bad accidents are. Even small changes in speed can be effective in preventing deaths and reducing injuries.
A：我在一定程度上同意你的說法。超速可能不是引發(fā)交通事故的惟一因素.但在事故本身的嚴(yán)重程度上。它卻是一個關(guān)鍵因素。即使是速度上的一點點變化在避免死亡的發(fā)生和減輕事故傷害方面都起了很大的作用。
B:This might be true of suburban streets where the difference between 20 mph and 40 mph makes a huge difference, but it is not true of the faster main roads where almost all speed cameras are positioned. On these roads, the speed limits are already high enough to make accidents deadly.
B：也許對于位于郊區(qū)的街道來說你所說的情形是正確的，在那里，時速20英里和時速40英里確實有著很大的不同。但對于那些時速更高的干線來說就不是這樣了，而正是在這些地方到處都安裝著超速攝影機。在這樣的道路上，限速已經(jīng)足以使引發(fā)的交通事故帶來傷亡。
A:I can't agree with you. The speed limit is a law and the law should be obeyed. You may believe you can drive safely above the speed limit, but there are other road users too.
A：我并不同意你的觀點。速度極限是一項法律，而人們應(yīng)該遵守法律。你可能認(rèn)為你在超速的情形下可以安全行車，但我們還應(yīng)該考慮其他人啊。
B:But we have to admit that cameras are not always sensitive to context. The speed limit is a guide to drivers of the maximum safe speed, but circumstances vary. Promoting and enforcing one set speed in all circxmstances is irresponsible. Furtherrnxe, speed cameras are sometimes inaccurate and prone to errors,often catching drivers who have been observing the speed limit.
B：但我們不得不承認(rèn)攝像機對環(huán)境的敏感度并不總是很高。速度極限提供給駕駛員一個的安全時速，但環(huán)境是不斷變化的。在所有的環(huán)境和情形下都強制執(zhí)行同一個速度標(biāo)準(zhǔn)，這種做法是缺乏責(zé)任感的。而且，有時超速攝影機的記錄并不準(zhǔn)確.并容易犯錯，常常會把按規(guī)定駕駛的駕駛員記錄在案。
A:Although speed cameras may occasionally suffer technical problems,the technology is thoroughly tested and reliable. And this is not an argument for scrapping cameras.
A：盡管超速攝影機有時可能遇到一些技術(shù)問題.但這項技術(shù)本身已完全通過測試，是可靠的。而且并不能因此就放棄使用超速攝影機。
B:But don't you think speed cameras would create dangerous driving as drivers often brake suddenly when they see a camera, and then speed up again once they are past it? This makes accidents more likely, not less.
B：但是，你不認(rèn)為超速攝影機反而會誘發(fā)危險駕駛嗎？因為駕駛員常常會在看到攝影機時突然剎車，等經(jīng)過之后又再次提速。這種做法不但沒有減少事故，反而更有可能增加了事故的發(fā)生。
A:Placing signs warning of speed cameras on a stretch of road, but hiding the actual cameras can avoid drivers' suddenly changing speed. Over time,as drivers become used to observing speed limits more carefully,this will be reflected in safer driving all the time, not just when cameras are present. Moreover, speed cameras are cost-effective as they take highly-paid police officers off traffic duty,allowing them to do more important things.
A：我們可以在一段公路上放置超速攝影機的標(biāo)牌，而將真正的攝影機隱藏起來，這樣就可以避免駕駛員突然改變速度了。時間久了，駕駛員會逐漸習(xí)慣于按照規(guī)定的速度駕車，這樣即使沒有攝影機的監(jiān)控，他們也會始終安全行車了。而且，從成本效益的角度來看，超速攝影機也是一個不錯的選擇，因為它們使那些受高薪聘用的警員可以離開交通崗位到更重要的崗位上去工作。
B:Removing police officers from traffic duty is bad, as skilled officers are much more able to detect and deal with dangerous driving than insensitive cameras,which will miss any driving offences committed below the speed limit. So I really believe speed cameras are a bad idea.
B：使警員離開交通崗位是不對的，因為有經(jīng)驗的警員要比那些敏感度極低的攝影機更有能力洞察和處理危險的駕駛行為，而攝影機對于在速度極限下出現(xiàn)的違規(guī)駕駛行為往往是視而不見的。所以我認(rèn)為超速攝影機并不足取。
王牌句型
1.Have you ever had a car accident?
你以前出過車禍嗎？
2.There is an accident at the cross roads.
十字路口發(fā)生了一起交通事故。
3.Look,the traffic cop's signaling.
瞧，交通警察在發(fā)信號呢。
4.I'll slow down now.
現(xiàn)在我要減速了。