Notes on the text課文注釋
1 they are more likely to be ours than theirs，這些錯誤往往是我們而不是鐵路*造成的。
they 指mistakes; ours, theirs此處用斜體字表示強調(diào)，應(yīng)該重讀。
2 I could not help noticing that…，我不禁注意到……，can't help doing是“禁不住……”的意思。
3 strike me as odd，使我感到奇怪。
4 take advantage of，利用。
5 Neither was I surprised，這是以neither開頭的句子，要用倒裝語序。
6 It suddenly dawned on me…，我突然明白了，……。
7 a note of triumph，勝利者的調(diào)子。
8 in black and white，白紙黑字。
參考譯文
我們已經(jīng)習(xí)慣于相信火車總是準(zhǔn)點的。經(jīng)過多年的適應(yīng)，大多數(shù)人對火車時刻表產(chǎn)生了一種不可動搖的信念。輪船船期可能因風(fēng)暴而推延，飛機航班可能因惡劣天氣而取消，唯有火車必然是準(zhǔn)點的。只有非同尋常的大雪才可能暫時打亂鐵路運行。因此，一旦鐵路上真出了問題，人們便不加思索地責(zé)備鐵路*。事實上，差錯很可能是我們自己，而不是鐵路*的。
我查看了列車時刻表，滿意地了解到有一趟去威斯特海溫的快車。這是趟直達車，旅途總共才需1小時17分鐘。上車后，我不禁注意到許多當(dāng)?shù)厝艘采狭塑?。一開始，我并不感到奇怪，我想除我之外，想利用快車之便的也一定大有人在?；疖囬_出幾英里即在一個小站威德里停了下來。對此，我不覺得奇怪，因為即便是特別快車也可能被信號攔住。但是，當(dāng)火車一站接著一站往前蠕動時，我便產(chǎn)生了懷疑。我突然感到這趟快車并沒以時速90英里的速度呼嘯前進，而是卟哧卟哧地向前爬行，時速僅30英里。1小時17分過去了，走了還不到一半路程。我問一位乘客，這是不是開往威斯特海溫的那趟快車，他說從未聽說過有這么一趟快車。我決定一到目的地就給鐵路部門提意見。兩小時后，我氣呼呼地同威斯特海溫站站長說起此事。他說根本沒有這趟車。于是我借了他本人的列車時刻表，我?guī)е环N勝利者的調(diào)子告訴他那趟車白紙黑字、明明白白印在時刻表上。他迅速地掃視了一眼，讓我再看一遍。一個小小的星形符號把我的目光引到了那頁底部的一個說明上。上面寫著：“此趟列車暫停運行?！?BR> Multiple choice questions多項選擇題
Choose the correct answers to the following questions.
Comprehension理解
1 When the writer consulted his railway timetable ______ .
a．he wanted to find out how long the express train to Westhaven took
b．he wanted to know the quickest way of getting to Westhaven by rail
c．he did not notice how many stations there were on the way to Westhaven
d．he misread the information concerning the time the journey took
2 At what point did the writer realize that the train was not travelling at the speed of an express train?
a．When the train had reached the station after Widley.
b．When the train had been held up by signals.
c．After the train had stopped at several small stations.
d．After the train had covered a distance of thirty miles.
3 When the writer went to the station master, he complained about ______ .
a．the train scheduled as an express train having in fact been a slow one
b．the lack of colour in the timetable
c．the lack of any express trains from his local station to Westhaven
d．the fact that the Westhaven express had been suspended from service Structure結(jié)構(gòu)
4 We have learnt to expect ______ punctual. (1. 1)
a．trains being
b．trains to be
c．of trains being
d．trains are going to be
5 ______ exceptionally heavily might railway services be temporarily dislocated. (11. 5-6)
a．If only it snowed
b．Only in case it snows
c．Only were it to snow
d．Only when snow
6 The express train went direct from my local station to Westhaven ______ a mere hour and seventeen minutes. (1. 10)
a．in
b．lasting
c．a(chǎn) journey which lasted
d．a(chǎn) journey of
7 One hour and seventeen minutes passed ______ still to cover half the distance. (11. 16-17)
a．before we had
b．before having
c．when we had
d．a(chǎn)nd we had
8 When he denied the train's existence, I asked if I ______ borrow his copy. (11. 19-20)
a．can
b．may
c．might
d．was able to
Vocabulary詞匯
9 Even a mighty express train can be ______ by signals. (1. 14)
a．halted
b．retarded
c．slowed up
d．delayed
10 I determined to lodge a complaint ______ on arrival. (1. 18)
a．firstly
b．punctually
c．straight
d．immediately
11 ______ , I told him that it was there in black and white. (11. 20-21)
a．Noting my triumph
b．Sounding triumphant
c．On a triumphant note
d．In my triumphant voice
12 Glancing at it briefly, he told me I should ______ . (1. 21)
a．take another look
b．review it
c．overlook it
d．have second sight
1 they are more likely to be ours than theirs，這些錯誤往往是我們而不是鐵路*造成的。
they 指mistakes; ours, theirs此處用斜體字表示強調(diào)，應(yīng)該重讀。
2 I could not help noticing that…，我不禁注意到……，can't help doing是“禁不住……”的意思。
3 strike me as odd，使我感到奇怪。
4 take advantage of，利用。
5 Neither was I surprised，這是以neither開頭的句子，要用倒裝語序。
6 It suddenly dawned on me…，我突然明白了，……。
7 a note of triumph，勝利者的調(diào)子。
8 in black and white，白紙黑字。
參考譯文
我們已經(jīng)習(xí)慣于相信火車總是準(zhǔn)點的。經(jīng)過多年的適應(yīng)，大多數(shù)人對火車時刻表產(chǎn)生了一種不可動搖的信念。輪船船期可能因風(fēng)暴而推延，飛機航班可能因惡劣天氣而取消，唯有火車必然是準(zhǔn)點的。只有非同尋常的大雪才可能暫時打亂鐵路運行。因此，一旦鐵路上真出了問題，人們便不加思索地責(zé)備鐵路*。事實上，差錯很可能是我們自己，而不是鐵路*的。
我查看了列車時刻表，滿意地了解到有一趟去威斯特海溫的快車。這是趟直達車，旅途總共才需1小時17分鐘。上車后，我不禁注意到許多當(dāng)?shù)厝艘采狭塑?。一開始，我并不感到奇怪，我想除我之外，想利用快車之便的也一定大有人在?；疖囬_出幾英里即在一個小站威德里停了下來。對此，我不覺得奇怪，因為即便是特別快車也可能被信號攔住。但是，當(dāng)火車一站接著一站往前蠕動時，我便產(chǎn)生了懷疑。我突然感到這趟快車并沒以時速90英里的速度呼嘯前進，而是卟哧卟哧地向前爬行，時速僅30英里。1小時17分過去了，走了還不到一半路程。我問一位乘客，這是不是開往威斯特海溫的那趟快車，他說從未聽說過有這么一趟快車。我決定一到目的地就給鐵路部門提意見。兩小時后，我氣呼呼地同威斯特海溫站站長說起此事。他說根本沒有這趟車。于是我借了他本人的列車時刻表，我?guī)е环N勝利者的調(diào)子告訴他那趟車白紙黑字、明明白白印在時刻表上。他迅速地掃視了一眼，讓我再看一遍。一個小小的星形符號把我的目光引到了那頁底部的一個說明上。上面寫著：“此趟列車暫停運行?！?BR> Multiple choice questions多項選擇題
Choose the correct answers to the following questions.
Comprehension理解
1 When the writer consulted his railway timetable ______ .
a．he wanted to find out how long the express train to Westhaven took
b．he wanted to know the quickest way of getting to Westhaven by rail
c．he did not notice how many stations there were on the way to Westhaven
d．he misread the information concerning the time the journey took
2 At what point did the writer realize that the train was not travelling at the speed of an express train?
a．When the train had reached the station after Widley.
b．When the train had been held up by signals.
c．After the train had stopped at several small stations.
d．After the train had covered a distance of thirty miles.
3 When the writer went to the station master, he complained about ______ .
a．the train scheduled as an express train having in fact been a slow one
b．the lack of colour in the timetable
c．the lack of any express trains from his local station to Westhaven
d．the fact that the Westhaven express had been suspended from service Structure結(jié)構(gòu)
4 We have learnt to expect ______ punctual. (1. 1)
a．trains being
b．trains to be
c．of trains being
d．trains are going to be
5 ______ exceptionally heavily might railway services be temporarily dislocated. (11. 5-6)
a．If only it snowed
b．Only in case it snows
c．Only were it to snow
d．Only when snow
6 The express train went direct from my local station to Westhaven ______ a mere hour and seventeen minutes. (1. 10)
a．in
b．lasting
c．a(chǎn) journey which lasted
d．a(chǎn) journey of
7 One hour and seventeen minutes passed ______ still to cover half the distance. (11. 16-17)
a．before we had
b．before having
c．when we had
d．a(chǎn)nd we had
8 When he denied the train's existence, I asked if I ______ borrow his copy. (11. 19-20)
a．can
b．may
c．might
d．was able to
Vocabulary詞匯
9 Even a mighty express train can be ______ by signals. (1. 14)
a．halted
b．retarded
c．slowed up
d．delayed
10 I determined to lodge a complaint ______ on arrival. (1. 18)
a．firstly
b．punctually
c．straight
d．immediately
11 ______ , I told him that it was there in black and white. (11. 20-21)
a．Noting my triumph
b．Sounding triumphant
c．On a triumphant note
d．In my triumphant voice
12 Glancing at it briefly, he told me I should ______ . (1. 21)
a．take another look
b．review it
c．overlook it
d．have second sight