4-7 在英国路上开车（在线收听）

Driving on the Road in England

Almost everyone in England over the age of 17 either owns or has access¹ to a car and uses it frequently, especially for short journeys in suburban areas. This leads to enormous motorway² congestion³.The average speed in built up⁴ areas is now 11 miles an hour slower than driving a horse and carriage a hundred years ago.

Driving on the left is traditional and therefore, to the English, indisputably right. The custom dates back to the time when the horse was the main means of getting about, and you kept to the left so as to leave your sword arm free to defend yourself. Nowadays it is more usually extended through the open window to reinforce the helpful hints offered to other motorists.

The English are remarkably well behaved on the roads. They use their horns sparingly⁵ and often give way to each other at crossroads. Punctilious⁶ in their observation of traffic signs, they will wait at traffic-light-controlled pedestrian crossings even if there are no pedestrians in sight. If there are any, they screech to a halt⁷ and wait patiently for them to cross the road. This comes as a surprise to foreigners who are used to crossing themselves on the pavement before running like rabbits across the highway.

注释:

1.access [5Akses] n. 享用机会，享用权

2.motorway [5mEJtEweI] n. 〈英〉高速公路

3.congestion [kEn5dVestFEn] n. 拥塞，挤满

4.built up [bilt Qp] a. 建筑物多的，a～area 建筑物多的地方（或建成区）

5.sparingly [5spZEriNlI] ad. 有节制地，很少地

6.punctilious [pQNk5tiliEs] a. 小心谨慎的，审慎的

7.screech [skri:tF] vi. 尖叫，发出尖锐刺耳的声音，～to a halt 嘎然刹住

在英国路上开车

17岁以上的英国人几乎每个人都有一辆车或者能弄到一辆车，并且经常开车出门，尤其是在郊区作短途旅行。这种情况造成了高速公路的严重堵塞。在建筑物多的地方，现在的平均时速是11英里--比100年前马车的速度还慢。

靠左行驶是英国的传统，因此，对于英国人来说这是无可质疑的。这种习俗可以追溯到以马为主要交通工具的时代。那时，在路的左边骑马可以空出右手，以便持剑自卫。如今，更常见的情况是将右手伸出打开的车窗，更好地向别的开车人打手势示意。

英国人在路上表现得极有教养，很少按喇叭，在十字路口常常互相让路。他们严格遵守交通标志。在通过有红绿灯控制的人行横道时，即使没看见行人他们也会等。一旦有人他们会紧急刹车，然后耐心地等待别人过去。对那些习惯于先在人行道上在自己胸口上画十字然后像兔子一样跑着过马路的外国人来说，这可是一件令人吃惊的事。