37_The_Westhaven_Express

37 The Westhaven Express¶

We have learnt to expect that trains will be punctual. After years of conditioning, most of us have developed an unshakable faith in railway timetables. Ships may be delayed by storms; flights may be cancelled because of bad weather; but trains must be on time. Only an exceptionally heavy snow fall might temporarily dislocate railway services. It is all too easy to blame the railway authorities when something does go wrong. The truth is that when mistakes occur, they are more likely to be ours than theirs.

After consulting my railway timetable, I noted with satisfaction that there was an express train to Westhaven. It went direct from my local station and the journey lasted a mere hour and seventeen minutes. When I boarded the train, I could not help noticing that a great many local people got on as well. At the time, this did not strike me as odd. I reflected that there must be a great many people besides myself who wished to take advantage of this excellent service. Neither was I surprised when the train stopped at Widley, a tiny station a few miles along the line. Even a mighty express train can be held up by signals. But when the train dawdled at station after station, I began to wonder. It suddenly dawned on me that this express was not roaring down the line at ninety miles an hour, but barely chugging along at thirty. One hour and seventeen minutes passed and we had not even covered half the distance. I asked a passenger if this was the Westhaven Express, but he had not even heard of it. I determined to lodge a complaint as soon as we arrived. Two hours later, I was talking angrily to the station master at Westhaven. When he denied the train's existence, I borrowed his copy of the timetable. There was a note of triumph in my voice when I told him that it was there in black and white. Glancing at it briefly, he told me to look again. A tiny asterisk conducted me to a footnote at the bottom of the page. It said: 'This service has been suspended.'

Words¶

punctual /ˈpʌŋktʃuəl/ 准时的
conditioning /kənˈdɪʃənɪŋ/ 习惯于
unshakable /ənˈʃekəbəl/ 不可动摇的
faith /feθ/ 信任
exceptionally /ɪkˈsɛpʃənəli/ 例外地
dislocate /ˈdɪsloket/ 打乱
consulting /kənˈsʌltɪŋ/ 查阅
reflected /rɪˈflɛktɪd/ 细想
mighty /ˈmaɪti/ 强大地
dawdled /ˈdɔdəld/ 慢吞吞地做
chugging /ˈtʃʌɡɪŋ/ 咔擦咔擦地响
lodge /lɑdʒ/ 提出
triumph /ˈtraɪəmf/ 胜利
asterisk /ˈæstɚɪsk/ 星号

Expressions¶

be punctual for 准时
condition sb. to (do) sth. 使某人习惯于（做）某事
sb. be conditioned to do sth. 某人习惯于做某事
develop an unshakable belief/faith in 对……产生不可动摇的信念
have/lose faith in sb. /sth. 对某人/某物有/失去信心
blame sb./sth. for 因……责备某人/某物
blame sth. on sb. 把某事归咎于某人
consult the map/manual/dictionary 查阅地图/手册/词典
go/fly direct 直达
It is/seems odd that… ……很奇怪
reflect that…. 思考；认为……
reflect on sth. 反思某事
lodge a complaint 提出投诉
have/make/receive/lodge a complaint 提出/接到投诉
a note of triumph 胜利的语气
conduct sb. to 引领某人去
It is all too easy to do sth. 做某事太容易了
sb. noted with satisfaction that... 某人满意地注意到……
can’t help doing… 忍不住做……
strike sb as… 给某人……的印象
take advantage of 利用
wish to do 希望做
hold up 耽搁；举着
It dawned on me that … 我渐渐明白……
roar down 呼啸而过
not... but 不是……而是……
hear of 听说
copy of… ⼀份，⼀册，⼀张
in black and white 白纸黑字; 以书面形式 in writing or in print
at the bottom of 在……底部