2014年考研英语新概念必背作文精选： 现代城市

Lesson 16 The modern city 现代城市

In the organization of industrial life the influence of the factoryupon the physiological and mental state of the workers has been completelyneglected.Modern industry is based on the conception of the maximum productionat lowest cost, in order that an individual or a group of individuals may earnas much money as possible.It has expanded without any idea of the true natureof the human beings who run the machines, and without giving any considerationto the effects produced on the individuals and on their descendants by theartificial mode of existence imposed by the factory.The great cities have beenbuilt with no regard for us.||The shape and dimensions of the skyscrapersdepend entirely on the necessity of obtaining the maximum income per squarefoot of ground, and of offering to the tenants offices and apartments thatplease them.This caused the construction of gigantic buildings where too largemasses of human beings are crowded together.Civilized men like such a way ofliving.While they enjoy the comfort and banal luxury of their dwelling, they donot realize that they are deprived of the necessities of life.The modern cityconsists of monstrous edifices and of dark, narrow streets full of petrol fumesand toxic gases, torn by the noise of the taxi-cabs, lorries and buses, andthronged ceaselessly by great crowds.||Obviously, it has not been planned forthe good of its inhabitants.

　　在工业生活的组织中，工厂对工人的生理和精神状态的影响完全被忽视了。现代工业的基本概念是：以最低成本获取最多产品，为的是让某个个人或某一部分人尽可能多地赚钱。现代工业发展起来了，却根本没想到操作机器的人的本质。工厂把一种人为的生存方式强加给工人，却不顾及这种生存方式给工人及其后代带来的影响。大城市的建设毫不关心我们。摩天大楼完全是按这样的需要修建的：每平方英尺地皮取得最大收入和向租房人提供使他满意的办公室和住房。这样就导致了许多摩天大厦拔地而起，大厦内众多的人挤在一起。文明人喜欢这样一种生活方式。在享受自己住宅的舒适和庸俗的豪华时，却没有意识到被剥夺了生活所必需的东西。大得吓人的高楼和阴暗狭窄的街道组成了今日现代化的城市。街道上充斥着汽油味和有毒气体，出租汽车、卡车、公共汽车的噪音刺耳难忍，络绎不绝的人群挤来挤去。显然，现代化的城市不是为居民的利益而规划的。

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