2023年英语专业四级短文朗读

短文朗读及概括大意Passaｇe1ＡsimpｌｅpiecｅofropehaｎｇsbetweensomeenvirｏnｍentaｌlyfriｅnｄlyAｍｅｒｉｃansanｄtheirｎeｉghboｒs.Onｏnｅsｉｄestandthosｅwhｏｈaveｂeguntosｅeclｏｔhesdrｙersaswastｅｆulcoｎｓumｅrsoｆenergy(uｐｔｏ6％oftｏｔalelectricitｙ)anｄpowerfuleｍitterｓoｆｃarbｏndioxiｄe(uptoatoｎofCO2perhouseholdeveryyｅaｒ)．Asanａlｔeｒｎaｔive,ｔheyaｒeｔuｒniｎgｔoclｏｔheｓlinesaｓpartofwhａｔAleｘanderLee,anenvirｏnｍｅntaｌｉｓt,calls"ｗhａｔ－I-cａn-doｅnvirｏｎmeｎtalisｍ."Butontheoｔheｒｓiｄeａｒepeoplewhoｏpposeａiｒ-drｙiｎｇlauｎｄｒyoutsideonaesｔhetiｃgrounds.Inｃreasｉｎglｙ,ｔheyhａvｅpeｒｓuａdedcｏmmuｎityandｈoｍeownｅｒsaｓsociａtions（ＨOAs）acｒoｓstheＵ.Ｓ．tobaｎoｕｔdoorcloｔhesｌines,whichthｅyｓaｙnotｏnlylｏokunsｉghtlybutalsｏｌｏwｅrsurrｏuｎdｉｎgpｒopｅrtyｖaluｅs.Thoseactions，intuｒn，havesparkedａright-ｔo-drymovementｔhatｉsprｅsｓingfｏrｌegｉslatｉｏntopｒｏｔeｃttｈechｏicｅtｏusｅclｏtheslinｅs．Onlｙthreestatｅs--Floridａ，HａｗaiiandUtah-－ｈaｖeｌawswritｔenbrｏadlｙｅnougｈtectcloｔhesｌｉnes.Rｉghｔ－to-dryadvｏcaｔｅsａｒguethatthｅreshoｕｌdbemorｅ.ＭattＲecｋisｔhekinｄoｆeｃo-cｏnsciousｇuｙｗｈofｅedｓhistｒeeswitｈbatｈｗaterandｒecycleｓcoｎdenｓaｔｉoｎdropsfromhisaｉｒcoｎditionersｔowatｅｒplants．Hｉsfamiｌyａlsousesaclｏthｅsｌiｎｅ.ＢutＯtｔoHagｅn,prｅsiｄeｎtoｆReck＇sHＯAiｎWakeＦoreｓt,N．C.,noｔiｆiedhiｍｔhatａneighborh,plainｅdaboｕthｉsｌｉne.TｈeＲecksignoｒedtｈewａrnｉngaｎｄstillｄrｙthｅirclothesonaroｐeintｈeyaｒd."Manypeoｐleclaiｍtobeｅnvｉronmeｎtallｙfｒｉendlyｂutdon'ｔtaｋeｍotheirownｈands,"sayｓRｅｃk.ＨOAsHａgenhasdｅcｉｄedtohoｌdofftａkｉnｇａctiｏn."I'mｎｏtgoiｎgｔoｇocrａzy,"ｈｅsayｓ."BuｔｉｆMattkeepｓhislineａndmoreneｉghboｒｓcomｐlａｉn,I＇ｌlhaveｔoadｄressitａgain."NorthCarolinalａｗmakerstriedaｎdｆailedearlierthiｓyeartoｉnsertlanguageinｔoanenergybiｌlthatwoｕlｄｅxprｅssｌyｐｒevｅntHＯＡsｆromregulatingcｌｏtｈesliｎｅs.ButthｅｉsｓuereｍainsatouchｙｏnewithHOAｓaｎdrealestatｅａgents."Mostaestｈｅtiｃrｅｓtriｃtiｏnsarｅrooted，toadegreｅ，intｈebｅｌieｆthathｏmｏgenous(统一协调的）ｅxtｅｒiorsaresuppｏrtivｅｏfｐropertyvａlｕｅ,"saｙｓSarａStubbｉｎｓ,ｅxecｕｔｉｖｅdirectｏroftheCｏmmｕnitｙAssociａtionIｎsｔitute'sNorthＣａrolｉnacｈaptｅｒ．Inotherwｏrｄs,assocｉationｓwoｒrythａtｈousｉｎgｐriceswillfａllｉｆｐrｏspectivebuyersthinkｔheｉｒwoulｄ－bｅnｅiｇｈbｏrsaｒｅtoopoｏｒtoaffoｒddryｅrs.AｌexａｎderＬｅediｓmisseｓtheｎoｔｉｏnthatｃｌothｅｓlinesdevaluepｒoｐertｙassｅts,advoｃａtingthａtthｅidea"neｅdstｏchanｇeinlightｏｆgloｂａlwarmiｎg.＂"Wealｌhａvetodoatleastsomeｔｈｉｎgtodecreaseourcarbonfoｏtprint,"AｌexａnderLeｅsayｓ.Paｓsage２Witｈｉnthatexcｌuｓivｅgrｏｕｐoｆlｉｔerarycharaｃterswhohavesurviveｄtｈrｏughtｈeｃenｔuｒiｅs--ｆrｏｍＨａmleｔtoHｕckleｂerｒｙFinn-－fｅwcaｎrivaｌｔhｅcｕlｔuraｌiｍpactofSheｒlｏｃkHolmes．Sincehisfｉrstpｕblｉcaｐpｅaraｎｃe２0ｙearsａgo,thｅgenｔｌemaｎｗｉthｔheｃuｒvedpipeandａtａｓtefoｒcocaine，themaｓteｒｏfdeｄuctivereasonｉngandｅｌaｂｏｒatｅｄisｇuisｅ,hasｌeｆthiｓmarｋeverｙwheｒe--iｎｃrimelitｅrature,filmanｄtｅleｖisioｎ,caｒtoｏnsａｎdcomiｃbooks.ＡｔHolmes'siｄe,ofｃourse,wａshiｓtrustedｆriendDr．Watsoｎ.Loomｉnｇevenｌarger，however，ｗasanoｔｈeｒｄｏctor,onｅwhoseｍeｄｉcａlprａcticewassosｌｏwｉtalloｗedhimｐlenｔyoftimeｔｏpursuehisliｔerａrｙａmｂitioｎ.Ｈisnａｍｅ:ArthｕrＣｏnａnＤoyｌe.Astｈecrｅatｏｒofｔhesefictｉｏnalicoｎs,CｏnaｎDoyleｈａshimsｅlfｂecomesomethｉnｇｏfacultfｉgｕｒe，theｏbjeｃtoｆcounｔlｅsscｒiticaｌstudies,bｉographｉesandfaｎｃluｂs.ConanDoylewasborninEｄinbuｒghiｎ１859，ｉnaｒｅspectａｂlemiｄdlｅ－cｌassＣatholｉcfamilｙ.Stｉlｌ，itｗaｓfarfromaｎeasｙｌife.Therewａsｎeｖerenoｕｇhmoｎeｙ;thｅymｏvｅdfreｑｕeｎｔlyinsearcｈｏｆｌowerｒｅnts；andhiｓfaｔher,aｃivｉlservaｎtａndｉllusｔrａtoｒwasanalｃoholｉｃwhｏhａdtobeiｎstitｕtｉｏｎaliｚed.Yeｔtheearlyｌettershｅｗrｏtｅtoｈisｍoｔherarｅsurpｒiｓingｌｙｏpｔimisｔic,concerｎeｄmaｉnlywiｔhfｏod，clotｈes,aｌｌowanｃｅsaｎdschoolｗork．Ａｔ１４ｃamehisｆｉrstunｆｏrgettableviｓiｔtoLoｎdon,iｎcludingMadameTusｓauｄ＇s,ｗherehewａｓ＂ｄeｌighｔedwithtｈｅroomofHorrorｓ，anｄｔhｅimaｇesｏｆthemuｒdｅｒｅrs."Asuｐeｒbsｔudent,ConaｎＤｏylｅwentontomeｄicａｌsｃhoｏl,wheｒehewaｓattrａctｅdbyDｒ.ＪoseｐhBeｌl,aprofesｓｏrwiｔｈanunｃａｎnyabｉliｔytodiaｇnosepatieｎtseveｎbeｆoreｔheyoｐeneｄtheｉrmoutｈs.ForatｉmehewｏrkｅdaｓBｅll'soutｐａtientcleｒｋandｗoｕldｗatch,ａｍazed,athoｗtｈeloｃatioｎofacaｌluscoulｄreveaｌａmａｎ'sprofessｉｏn,ｏrhｏwaｑｕicklooｋataskinraｓhtoldBelｌthatｔhepatienthａdonｃelivediｎBermudａ．Iｎ１886,ＣonanＤoyleoutlｉnｅdhｉsfirsｔnoveｌ,AＳtudｙinScaｒｌet,whichhedescrｉbedas＂asimpletaｌeoｆmysteｒytomakealｉttｌeexｔrａmoney．"Itsｍaｉnchａracｔer,iｎitiaｌlｙcalledShｅｒringfordHopeandlａtｅｒcalledSｈerｌoｃkＨoｌｍeｓ,wａsbasedlaｒgelｙonＢｅll．ＢutHolmeｓ'firstａpｐearancewentａlmｏstunｎotｉced,ａndｔhｅｓｔｒuｇｇlｉｎgｄｏcｔordevoｔｅｄnｅarlyａllｏfhissparetimeｔｏwritｉnglonghiｓtｏｒiｃａｌｎovelsinthestyleofSｉrWalterSｃｏtt—ｎｏｖｅlstｈaｔｈewasconvｉncedwouｌdmakehisｒeｐutaｔｉon．Ｉｔwasn'ttｏbｅ.In1888,HｏlｍeｓｒｅappearediｎＡScａndａliｎBｏｈｅmia,ａshorｔｓtoryinStranｄMagazｉnｅ．Aｎｄｔｈiｓｔime,itsherotookanimｍｅdiateｈitａｎｄConanＤoylｅ＇slｉfewoｕｌｄnｅverｂｅthesａme.Passage3TheInteｒnet,E－commerceａndglｏbalizatiｏnarｅmakingａnｅｗeｃｏｎomicｅrapossiblｅ.Inthefuturｅ,cａｐitａlistｍarketswilllaｒｇｅlybereplaceｄbyanewkｉndofecoｎoｍicsystｅmbasｅdoｎnetwｏrkedｒelationshｉps，ｃontｒａctuaｌａｒrangeｍｅnｔｓaｎdaｃcｅsｓrighｔｓ.Hasthｅqualityoｆourｌiveｓatworｋ,aｔhｏmｅandinｏuｒｃｏmmunitiesincreaｓedｉndiｒeｃtpｒｏportｉoｎtoalｌthｅnｅwInteｒnetandbuｓiness-tｏ-busｉneｓsIntｅrｎetｓｅrvｉcesｂeiｎrodｕoｏuｒｌｉveｓ?ＩhavｅasｋedthisqｕｅstｉonoｆｈundｒedsofCＥOSandｃｏrporatｅeｘｅcutiｖeｓinEuroｐｅａｎdthｅＵｎitedStatｅs.Surｐriｓinｇly,virtualｌyeveryoｎｅhａssaｉd,"No,qｕiｔecontrary.＂Theverypeｏｐlerespｏnsiblefoｒusheｒinｇinwhatsomｅhａvecalｌedａ"technologicａlreｎaissancｅ"sａyｔhｅyaｒeｗorkinglongerhourｓ,ｆｅelmorｅstｒessｅd,aremoreimｐatient，ａndareeｖenlesscｉｖilintheiｒdｅaliｎgswithcolleagｕｅsａndfriendｓ－-nottomenｔｉoｎstrangeｒs.Ａｎdwｈat'smorerevｅaliｎg，theypｌａcemuchｏftｈｅｂｌameontheverysaｍetechnolｏｇｉｅsｔheyaresoagｇｒessｉveｌycｈampioninｇ.Thetecｈｎｏgurｕs(领袖)ｐrｏmisedustｈａｔaccessｗoｕldｍakelifemｏreｃｏｎｖenientandgiveusmｏｒｅtiｍｅ.Instｅad，theverytechnoloｇiｃalwonｄeｒsthａtwerｅsｕpposedｔｏｌｉｂeraｔeushavebeguntoｅnslaveｕsinａweboｆｃｏnnecｔiｏｎsfroｍwhiｃhthｅreｓｅｅmsｔｏbenｏeasyescapｅ.Iｆanｅarlｉeｒｇeｎerationｗaspreｏccuｐieｄｗｉｔhtｈequｅsttoenｃloseavastgeoｇraphiｃfroｎtier，thｅ．ｃｏｍgｅｎerａｔion,ｉtｓeems,ｉsmｏrecaugｈｔupinthｅcolｏnｉzａtｉonoftｉme.Everｙｓparｅmomｅntofouｒｔimｅiｓbeｉnｇfilledｗｉthsomeformoｆcommeｒcｉａｌconnection，maｋingｔimeｉtｓeｌftｈｅmoｓtsｃaｒceofａlｌrｅｓｏurcｅs.Oure-mail,ｖoiｃemａilａndcellphones,ouｒ24-hoｕrInteractnｅｗsandenｔeｒｔainmｅntallｓeｉｚefoｒouｒaｔtention.Aｎdwhilewｅhａｖecreａｔedｅveｒykinｄofｌabｏr-andtime-ｓavingdeｖiceｔｏserviceｏurneｅds,weａreｂeｇiｎｎingｔoｆeｅｌliｋｅwehａvelｅsstimeａvailaｂletoｕsthananyoｔｈerhumanｓiｎhistｏry.Thａｔisｂecaｕsetｈeｇｒeatproliｆeratiｏnoflabor-aｎd-timｅ-sａｖｉngsｅrｖicｅsonｌｙｉｎcreaseｓthediversity,pacｅandflｏwofcommｏdｉｆiedaｃtivityaroｕndus.Fｏrexaｍplｅ,e-ｍａilisagreaｔcoｎvｅnience.Howｅｖer，ｗenoｗfｉndｏｕrｓｅｌvesｓpendｉnｇｍuchofourdａｙfranｔicaｌｌyrespｏndinｇtoeaｃｈotheｒ'ｓelｅctｒｏniｃmesｓaｇeｓ.Thecｅllpｈoｎeisagreattime-saver,ｅxcepｔnowweaｒealwayspｏtentiａｌlyｉnreaｃhofsoｍeoｎeelｓｅwhowantsｏｕraｔteｎtｉｏn.Sｏｃｉalcｏnseｒvaｔivｅstaｌkabｏuttｈeｄｅclineinｃｉviｌityandblamｅitontｈeｌossofamorａlcomｐａssaｎdreｌｉgiousvaｌues．Ｈasａnyoｎebotｈｅｒedｔoaskwｈetｈerｔhｅhypｅrsｐeedｃｕlturｅismａｋingalｌoｆｕslｅsspａｔiｅntandlesswillinｇtｏlｉstenａndｄefer,ｃonsｉderandrｅｆlｅct?Maybｅweneedtｏaskwhatkinｄｓoｆconｎectionsｒeallyｃountaｎｄｗｈatｔypesofａccｅsｓｒｅallｙmａｔteｒinｔhee-econoｍyera.Tｈiｓnewtecｈnologｙrevolutioｎｉsoｎlｙabｏutｈypeｒeffiｃiencｙ,ｔhｅnｗｅｒiskｌoｓｉngsometｈiｎgevｅnpreｃiouｓｔhaｎtime－-ｏursenseofｗhａtitmeanstoｂeacａrｉnghumａnbeｉng．Passagｅ4Atｔｈeagｅｏftwｅlveｙears,theｈumanbｏｄyisatitｓmｏstvigorous.Itｈaｓyetｔｏreａｃhiｔsｆｕlｌsiｚeandｓtｒeｎｇtｈ,anｄitsｏwnerhｉsoｒherｆelligeｎcｅ；bｕtａtthisagｅthｅｌiｋeｌihoodｏfdｅａthisleast.Ｅａrlｉｅr,weｗerｅｉnfaｎtsａndyoungchildｒeｎ，anｄcoｎseqｕentlｙmｏreｖｕｌnｅraｂlｅ;later,weshallｕｎdergoaproｇrｅｓsｉvｅlossｏfouｒｖiｇｏrａndresｉstａnｃewhich，thoｕghimperceｐtｉbｌeatfiｒst,wiｌlfinallｙｂecomesosｔeｅpｔhatwecanlivenolonｇer,howeverwelｌｗeloｏkafterｏurselvｅs，aｎdhoweｖeｒwelｌｓｏｃｉeｔy,anｄourdocｔors,ｌookafteruｓ．Thiｓdｅclineｉｎvigorｗｉththepａsｓｉngofｔimｅiscaｌledagｅing.Ｉｔiｓoｎeoｆthemosｔｕnpｌｅasanｔdiscovｅrieswhicｈweａlｌｍakeｔｈaｔｗeｍustｄeclｉneiｎtｈisway，tｈaｔifweescａｐｅwars,accidenｔsａnddiseaｓeｗeｓhallｅventｕallｙ"dieｏfoldaｇe",ａndtｈaｔthishappeｎsatarａtewｈichdifｆerslittlefroｍｐerｓonｔoｐerson，sothａtｔherｅａreheavｙoddｓinfavｏroｆｏurdｙｉnｇbetweenｔheａgｅsofsixty-fiｖeaｎｄeｉghtｙ.Soｍeofuswiｌldｉesooner,aｆewwilllivｅlonger—onｉｎｔoａninｔhｏrｔenthdｅcade.Buｔthｅcｈaｎｃesａreagaｉｎstit，ａndthｅｒeｉｓavirtuａllimｉｔｏｎhｏwlongweｃａnhopetoｒｅmainalｉve,ｈowｅverluｃkyandｒｏbｕstweare.Normalpeopleｔenｄtoforgｅｔthｉｓprocｅssｕnｌｅssaｎdｕntiｌtheyａｒerｅｍindeｄoｆit．Wearesｏfaｍiliarｗｉｔｈtｈeｆａｃtｔhaｔmanageｓ,ｔhaｔpeopｌｅｈavefｏryeａrsａssuｍｅｄthattｈeｐrｏcｅsｓｏfｌosingvigoｒwithｔime，ofbecoｍｉngｍoｒeliｋｅlｙｔｏdiｅｔheolderweｇet,wassomｅthingｓelｆ－evidｅnt，ｌｉkｅtｈｅcooliｎｇofahoｔkettleoｒｔheweaｒｉnｇ-ouｔofａｐairofｓhｏes.Tｈeyｈaveａlsoassumeｄｔｈataｌlaｎimals,ａndpｒobａblyｏｔｈerｏrgａnismssｕchastrees，oｒeventｈeｕniverseitself,mustinthenatureoftｈinｇｓ＂wearoｕt＂．Mostanimalsｗecoｍmonlyｏbserｖｅdoｉnfactａgeaｓweｄo,ifgiｖentheｃhａncetolivelongenoｕgｈ；anｄmｅcｈanicalｓystemsｌｉｋeawoundｗaｔch,orthesun,dｏinfactaｎoutofenergyinaｃcｏrdancewiｔhtheseｃoｎｄlawofthermodynaｍics(热力学)（ｗheｔｈeｒthewholeuniｖersedoessoiｓａmｏoｔpointatpreseｎｔ)．Buttｈesｅaｒｅnｏtanalｏgｏustowｈathappenswｈｅnmanaｇes.Ａrｕｎ-downwatcｈiｓstｉllawaｔｃhandｃanbｅrewound．Ａnolｄwatch,bｙcontrast，ｂecoｍeｓsowornandunｒeliａblethａtiｔeｖentuallyisｎotｗoｒｔｈmendiｎｇ.Butaｗａtchcouldneveｒrｅｐａiritseｌf—itｄｏesｎotconsistoflivｉngｐａrts,oｎlyｏfmetａl,whichｗeａrsａｗayｂｙｆrｉｃtion.Weｃoｕlｄ，atonetime,repairoｕrsｅlves—welｌenough，ａtleaｓｔ,tｏoｖeｒcomealｌｂｕtthemostinstaｎｔlyｆatalｉｌｌｎesseｓandaｃciｄｅntｓ.Betweentwelveanｄｅｉghtyyearsｗegraduａlｌyｌosｅthiｓｐｏｗer;ａniｌlneｓswhicｈatｔwｅlvｅwoｕldknockｕsoveｒ,ａteｉgｈｔｙｃanknockuｓout,aｎdiｎｔoｏurｇravｅ.Ｉfweｃｏｕlｄｓtayaｓvigorｏusａsｗeａreaｔtｗｅlve,itwoulｄtakeabout70０yeａrsforhaｌfofustｏｄie,ａndanｏtｈeｒ70０fortｈeｓurvｉvorstｏｂerｅduｃedbyhalfagａin．Paｓsaｇe5Tｈiｓyear,likeｌoｔsoｆotherｐeoｐlｅ，I＇ｍgoinｇtｏtｒｙtoｍakemｙownChristmaspreｓenｔs.It'snotｔhｅfirsｔtiｍeｔｈatI'vepromisedmｙselfthis.Ｂeingamillｉｎer,andanalｌ-roｕｎｄcrafｔyｔｙpe,I＇veｏftentｈouｇhtＩsｈoulｄｐuｔmｙmonｅywheremｙｍoｕthiｓ.ＢｕtthｉsyｅarI'mｒeallygoiｎgtosｔicktoiｔ.It'sｐａrtlｙthａtI'ｍｓhｏrtofｃaｓｈ，butalsｏthａｔI'ｖeｒecenｔlyreｔuｒｎedfroｍaninspiｒingｔrｉｐａroundBriｔain,lookiｎｇintｏ"ｍakedoaｎdmenｄ"fｏrＢＢＣ２＇sNｅｗｓnight．Iｄreaｍeｄupｔｈetｒipafｅwmｏnthsagｏ.Thｅｔhoughtoftｒaｖeｌｉngtｈecｏuntrｙ--makｉngtｈingｓasIweｎt,meetingaｒtistsａndｃｒafｔspeoplｅ-－ｓoundｅdｌikethepeｒfｅctwayｔoｓpendｔｈｅｓummer.Ｉ'dpａckatenｔandasｅｗｉnｇmａchｉｎeaｎdoffＩ'dgo．ButbｙthetimeＩfiｎalｉｚedｍyplａｎsａnｄhｉｔtｈeｒｏad,leａｖeswerealｒeａｄycrunchingunｄerfoｏt.Ｉtseeｍedcraｚytｏcampｗitｈｗｉnｔｅronthewａy；iｎsteａｄ，Newsnｉghtｖiewerｓoｆfereｄmeｂoardａndｌoｄｇingiｎrｅturnforhｅlpwiｔhaｃrafｔtasｋ．Therewasanｏｖｅrwhelｍiｎgｒeｓponse．Myｔasksraｎgedfroｍdarning(缝补)amoｔh-eatｅnmonk'ｓjumpｅrtomakiｎgtrouseｒｓforａstｉｌtwａlker.TｅｘtilestudeｎtｓinHａｒpeｎｄenoffereｄtoｐayformypetrolｉnｒetuｒnfｏratalkａbouthats.InDｅrbｙ,Aｍyneｅdedheｌpｔｏｔransfoｒmanoldpaiｒｏfcｕrtains.Ｉwasｒeａllｙｓtｒuckbyｐeople'ｓｇrowｉngenthuｓｉasｍformakingtｈｉngs.IasｋedａWIgｒｏupinＳhｅffielｄhoｗmａnｙｃouｌdsew，andｏnlyａｆewｐuｔuptheirhands.ButwhｅｎIaskeｄwｈｏwａnｔedtoleaｒｎ,neａrlyeveryoｎｅresｐoｎdeｄposｉｔｉvｅly.ＡｔtheＴexｔiｌｅWoｒｋｓhopｉnNottinghaｍ,thenumｂerofclassｅsoｎoｆferhasdouｂledinayear，andakｎｉtｔingclubinLeedｓisgrowｉngｂyｔｈeweｅｋ．Craftisｄｅfｉniｔｅlｙfasｈionableattｈemoment.Buｔoveｒaｎｄａｂovefashiｏｎ，we'relｅarninｇｔoappreｃiateeｆｆortaｎｄｑualityａgaｉn.Ｐeｒhａpｓoncepeopleｒediscovertheｐｌeasuｒeｔobeｇａｉnedfｒoｍｍakinｇｓometｈｉnguniｑue,itmａyｓtick.ＳｕｅPiｌcharｄiscurator(管理者)ｏfｑｕｉltsaｔtｈeＶ&A,ｗｈereｎeｘtspringshe'llｂeputtｉngｏｎｔhemusｅｕm＇ｓfirstmajorqｕiltingｅxhｉbｉtｉon.Suｅbelｉｅvesthｅｒetuｒntocraftinｇiswｒaｐｐedupiｎhoｗwｅａｒeｒｅdｅfiｎingourｓｅｌvｅｓ."Therｅ'scerｔaｉnlyａｍｏvement..,towardsａnｅwdｏmestiｃｉty．People,esｐｅｃialｌｙwｏｍen,ａrestａrtingtothinkaboｕｔthｅwａytheｙｌｉｖetheirliｖes.It＇s40yeaｒsｓincethefｉrstwｏman'sｌiberaｔionconｆereｎcｅｗashｅldinＯxfｏｒd.Sinｃetｈatｔiｍewe'vｅbｅenintｈｅwoｒkplace,anｄwe'vehadｔheoppｏrｔuｎityofchoice.Nowwe＇redｅｌibeｒateｌychoosingｔoｇｏｂackiｎtｏthｅhoｍe."Whｅtｈeｒyouagreｅwithｔhatornot,ｔheｒe'ｓsomeｔｈingaboｕtCｈrｉstmasthaｔbrinｇｓｏutｔhｅartiｓtiｃstreａkinｅveｒyoｎe.Wheｔｈｅｒit'sｂａkｉｎgmｉncepiesordｅcｋingthehaｌls,we'reallｐrｅpａｒeｄｔoｈaveago.Ｓoifｙoｕｆａncypｕshingｔheboatoutanｄｍakingafｅｗｐresents,trｙtｈeｓｅrｅalｌysiｍpleｉdｅas,ｅａchiｎｓｐｉredbymyreｃeｎtjourney．Theyｍakeiｄeａlsｔoｃkingfillerｓorsmallgifts，ａndｔａkenolongerthan30minutｅseach．Playsomecaroｌs,ｓｅttledowｎwithａｓteamingｃuｐｏfcｏcｏａ，aｎdfｏrgeｔthecｏld.Yｏｕ'ｌlsaveyｏurselfａbｉｔｏfmoneyａndspｒｅａdalitｔlebｉｔofloｖeｔoｏ！Ｐassage６Rａｃkeｔ,dinclａmoｒ,noｉsｅ,whateｖｅryｏuwanttocａllit，unwanｔedsｏｕndiｓAmｅrica'ｓmｏstｗidesprｅadｎuｉsanｃe.Bｕtｎｏiseismoreｔｈanjustaｎuｉｓance.Itcｏｎｓtitｕtesarealaｎdpreｓｅnｔdａngｅｒtopeople'shealth.Dayanｄｎｉght,aｔhｏｍe，aｔwork,andａtpｌａy，noiｓeｃaｎproduceseｒiｏusｐhyｓiｃalandpsychｏlogiｃaｌstress.Nｏoneisimmunｅtothiｓstress.Thoｕghwesｅeｍｔｏadjusttoｎoisebｙｉｇｎoringit,theｅar,infａct,ｎeverｃlosｅsaｎdthebodystillresponds—sometimeswｉtｈexｔrｅmeｔｅnｓion，aｓtoａsｔｒａnｇｅsｏundintｈenｉgｈｔ.Theannｏyaｎcｅweｆeelwｈenｆaceｄwitｈnoiseistheｍｏstｃomｍoｎoutｗａrdｓｙmptomofthestreｓsbｕｉｌdiｎguｐｉnsiｄeus.Indeed，bｅcaｕsｅｉrritabｉlｉｔyissoapparｅｎt,ｌeｇislａtｏrｓhaｖｅmaｄeｐublicａnnｏｙancethebａｓisofｍａnynoｉseabatemenｔpｒｏgrams.Theｍｏｒｅsｕbtleandmorｅserｉｏｕshealthhａzａrｄｓassocｉatedwiｔｈstressｃausedbynoisetraditｉonａｌｌyhavｅbeengivenｍuｃhleｓsattenｔｉoｎ.Neveｒtheｌess，ｗhｅｎweａreannoyedｏrmadｅirriｔａbｌｅbynｏise,ｗeshoulｄconｓiderｔhesｅsymptomsfaｉrwａｒningｔｈatｏtherthingmaybehａppeｎｉｎgtous，ｓoｍeoｆwhichmaybｅdａmaｇｉnｇtooｕrhealth.Ofmaｎyｈealｔhhａｚardstonoise，hｅaｒinglｏｓsiｓthemｏｓｔclｅarlyｏbservablｅandmeaｓｕraｂleｂyｈealｔhprofessｉonａls.Ｔheothｅrhazａrdsａrehardｅrtopindown.Fｏｒmａｎyｏfus，theｒｅmaybearisｋthatexposuretotheｓtｒeｓsｏｆｎｏisｅinｃreａｓｅssusceptibｉｌｉtｙtoｄiseａseandｉnfeｃtion．Themorｅsuscｅpｔibleａmonguｓmａｙeｘpeｒienceｎoiseasacｏmplicatingfａctorinｈｅartprｏblemsaｎdoｔｈerdiｓｅａses.Ｎoiseｔhａtcausｅｓanｎoyanceａndｉrｒitabｉlityiｎｈeａlthpersonsmayｈaveｓeriｏｕsｃｏｎsｅquencｅsｆortｈesｅalreａｄyiｌliｎmindｏrｂody．Nｏiｓeａffeｃｔsｕｓtｈroｕgｈouｔｏｕrlｉveｓ．Forexample,thereareiｎｄicatｉoｎsoｆｅffｅｃtｓonthｅuｎbｏrnｃhildｗhｅnmothersareeｘposeｄtoindustrｉalａndenvironｍentalｎoise.Durｉnｇｉnｆancyａndcｈilｄhood,yｏｕnｇsteｒｓｅxｐoｓeｄｔohighnｏｉseleveｌsmayhavetrｏublｅfａlｌiｎgasｌｅeｐandｏbｔａinｉnｇｎｅｃessaryaｍｏｕｎtｓｏfreｓt．Wｈy，ｔhｅn,iｓｔherｅnｏtgｒｅateｒalarmａbouｔｔhesedaｎｇers?Pｅｒhapｓitisbｅcausetheｌinkbetweeｎｎoiseaｎdｍanｙdisabilitieｓorｄisｅaseshasｎｏｔｙｅtｂeenconclｕsivelyｄｅmonｓｔrａｔｅd．Ｐeｒhapｓitｉsbｅcａusｅwｅtenｄtoｄismiｓｓannｏｙanｃeａｓapricetoｐａyｆorlｉvingｉntheｍoｄeｒnworｌd．Iｔｍayalsobebecausｅwestillthｉnkofｈｅａrｉngｌｏssasonｌyaｎoccupaｔiｏnaｌhａzard.Pasｓage7Peopleｈａvebｅenｐａinｔｉngpictuｒesforatｌeａsｔ30，0０0ｙeａrｓ.Theearliestpictuｒeswereｐａintｅdbｙpeopｌewhohuｎｔeｄanimalｓ.Ｔheyusedtopａｉntｐｉctureｓoftheaniｍalsｔhｅywaｎtｅdtocａtchanｄkiｌｌ．PｉctuｒesoｆthiskｉｎdhａvebｅenfoｕndontheｗallｓofｃaｖeｓｉｎFrａncｅaｎｄSpain.Ｎoｏneｋnowswｈｙthｅyｗereｐainteｄtｈerｅ.Pｅrhapsthｅpainｔersthoughtthaｔtheirpictureｓwoｕldheｌpｔhemtoｃatｃhtheseａｎｉmalｓ．Ｏrperｈａpshｕmａnbeingshaｖealwayｓwanteｄtotellstoriｅsｉｎpiｃｔurｅｓ.Ａbout5,０0０ｙeａｒｓago,theEgyｐtiansａndoｔherｐeopleｉntheNearEａstbegａｎtousepicｔuｒｅsasｋinｄoｆwriting．Ｔheydrewsiｍplepｉcturesｏrsignsｔorｅpｒeｓentthinｇｓａｎdideａs,ａndａlsotorepreseｎtｔhesoｕｎdsofｔｈｅｉｒlaｎｇｕage．Thｅsigｎsthesepeopleusｅｄbecameakindofalｐhaｂeｔ.TheEgyｐtiansｕseｄtoｒeｃoｒdiｎfｏrmａtiｏnaｎdtotelｌstoriｅsbypｕttingpｉｃturewritingaｎdpｉcｔurestogeｔｈｅｒ.Whenaniｍpoｒｔantｐｅrsｏndｉed,scenｅsandstorieｓfroｍhｉslifewｅrepaｉnｔedandcarveｄoｎtｈewallsoｆthepｌacewherｅｈｅｗasbuｒied.Someｏfthesepicｔｕrｅｓａｒelikemoｄｅrncomicstripｓtoｒｉeｓ.IthasbeensａidthatEgyptisthehｏmeoftｈecｏmicstrip.But,ｆoｒtｈeEgypｔiａnｓ,picturessｔillhaｄｍagiｃpoｗeｒ.Sotheydidnoｔtrｙtoｍaketｈｅirwayofwritingsｉｍple．Tｈｅorｄinarypeｏplecoulｄnotｕndｅｒｓtandｉｔ.Bｙｔｈeyeaｒ1,0０0BC,peoplewholiveｄinｔhｅareaarounｄtheMｅdｉterraneａnＳeａhａddeｖelｏｐeｄasｉmplerｓystｅｍofwｒｉting.Thesignstｈeyusｅdwereｖｅryeaｓytowrite,andtherｅwerｅfeweｒoｆthemthanｉnｔｈeＥｇyｐｔianｓｙｓｔｅm.Ｔｈisｗaｓbecausｅeａｃｈsign，ｏｒletｔer，ｒｅpresｅntedｏnlｙonesoundintheirlangｕaｇe.TｈeＧreｅksｄeveｌopedthissystemanｄfoｒmｅdｔｈeletteｒsofｔhｅGｒeekalphaｂet.ＴheＲomａｎscopieｄtｈeidea，andｔheRｏmaｎａlphａbｅtisnowuseｄａllｏverthewoｒｌd.Thｅseｄａys，wecanwritedownａstory，orrｅｃordinformation,ｗithoutｕsingｐicｔures.Bｕｔweｓtｉllnｅeｄpｉcturｅsofallｋｉnds:ｄrawiｎg,ｐhoｔoｇｒaphs，signsａnddiａgrams.Wefindthｅmeverｙｗheｒe：iｎbｏoｋsandneｗspapｅrs，intｈestreeｔ,aｎdoｎｔhewallsofｔhｅplacｅsｗhereweliｖeａnｄworｋ.Pｉｃturｅshｅlpuｓtoundｅrstaｎdａndremeｍｂertｈinｇsｍoｒeeasｉly,andtheycaｎｍakeasｔorｙmuchmｏrｅiｎtｅresting.Ｐaｓｓagｅ８Ahisｔoryoｆlonganｄefｆortlesｓsｕccesｓｃaｎbeadreａｄfｕlｈandiｃａp,ｂｕt，ifpropeｒｌyhandｌeｄ,iｔｍａybecomｅadｒivingforｃe.ＷhentｈeUnitedStatesentｅreｄｊｕsｔsｕchaｇlｏwingｐeｒioｄaｆterｔheeｎdoftheSｅcondWoｒldWar,ithａdamarkeｔeｉghｔtimeslaｒｇerthanaｎycoｍｐetitor,giｖｉｎgiｔsindustriesunparalleledeｃｏnｏmiesofscａｌe.Itsscientｉstsweretｈeｗoｒld'ｓｂeｓｔ,ｉtｓwｏrkｅrsｔhemostsｋillｅd．ＡmericaandAmｅricａnswerｅprosperousbｅyonｄｔｈｅdｒeamsoftheＥｕropｅａnsandAｓiansｗｈｏsｅecｏｎomｉｅstｈｅwａｒｈaｄdesｔroｙed.Iｔwaｓｉneｖiｔaｂlｅｔhａttｈiｓprimacｙshouldｈavenarrowedaｓoｔherｃouｎtrｉesgrewricher.Jusｔasinｅｖiｔａbly，therｅｔrｅatfｒompｒedominancｅprｏvｅｄpainful．Bythemid-１９８0sAｍeriｃaｎshａdfounｄthemｓｅlvｅsａtaｌossｏvｅrtｈeirfadiｎgiｎdｕsｔrialｃompetitｉｖeｎess.SomｅｈｕgeAmｅｒicaｎindusｔｒieｓ,sｕchaｓcｏnｓuｍｅrｅｌecｔronｉcs,hａdshrｕnkoｒｖaｎisheｄｉntheｆaceoｆforeigｎcompｅｔitioｎ．Ｂy1987ｔhｅｒｅwasｏｎｌyoｎeAmericanteleｖisｉonmaｋeｒｌefｔ,Zeｎith．(Nｏwｔhereisnone:ZｅnithｗasboｕghtbySｏｕｔhKoｒea＇sLGＥlｅctrｏnｉｃsｉnJuｌy。)Fｏreigｎ－madecarsandtextileswerｅswｅｅpｉngintｏtｈedomeｓｔｉｃｍaｒkeｔAｍeｒｉcａ'ｓｍacｈinｅ-tooliｎdｕｓtrywaｓｏntheropｅs.Ｆoraｗｈileitlｏoｋedastｈｏuｇhthemakiｎgoｆｓeｍicｏnduｃtoｒs,wｈiｃhAｍeriｃahadwhｉchsataｔｔheheａｒtofthｅneｗcｏmpuｔerage,ｗasｇoingtobｅthenｅxtcａｓuａlty。Aｌｌoftｈiscauｓedacrisisofｃonfidence．Ameriｃanssｔoｐpｅdtaｋｉnｇｐrosｐeriｔｙｆoｒgrantｅd.Ｔｈeyｂegantoｂｅlieveｔhattｈｅirｗａyoｆdoiｎｇｂusｉnesswasfaiｌing，andthａtｔheirincomeswouldｔhereforｅsｈｏｒtｌyｂegintofallａswell.Thｅｍid-198０sbroｕｇhｔoneｉnquiｒyafｔeraｎotheｒｉntｏｔhｅｃaｕseｓofＡｍｅrica＇sindusｔｒialｄecline．Theirsomeｔimessｅｎsaｔｉonalfindingswerefilｌedwithｗarningsabouttｈｅgｒｏｗｐetitionfrｏmovｅｒseas．Howthｉｎgｓhaｖｅchaｎｇｅｄ！Iｎ1995thｅUnitedＳtatescａnlookbａcｋonｆiveyearsofｓolｉdｇroｗthwhｉlｅＪapａｎhasbeeｎstruggliｎｇ．FewAmerｉcansattributeｔhissolelyｔｏsuchobviouscausｅsasａdeｖａlueddｏｌlaｒorthetuｒｎingofｔｈebusｉｎeｓsｃｙcle．Ｓｅlf-ｄoubtｈａsyielｄedｔobliｎｄprｉｄe.“Ａmericａｎｉndｕstrｙｈaschangediｔsｓtructurｅ，ｈaｓgｏneｏｎadiｅt,haslearnttobemoreｑuicｋ-wiｔted,”accordingtｏRｉｃｈardＣａvanａｇh,eｘｅｃutｉvedeａnoｆHarvａrｄ'ｓKennedyＳchoolofＧoｖernmｅｎt,“ＩtmaｋeｓｍeprouｄtoｂeanＡmｅｒｉcａnjusｔtoseeｈowourｂusinｅｓsesareimpｒovingtheirpｒoductiｖity,”ｓayｓＳtephenMooreｏftheCatｏInｓtｉtuｔe,athink-tankｉnWashｉｎgton,DＣ．AnｄＷilｌiａmSaｈｌmanoftheHａrvaｒdBuｓiｎesｓSchoolｂｅlｉｅｖesthatpｅopleｗillｌｏokbackonthispeｒｉｏｄas“agoｌdeｎageofbｕsｉnessmanａｇemenｔｉnthｅUniｔedＳtateｓ.”Pａｓｓaｇe９Ｗhｅnａneｗmovｅmentｉnartatｔainsaｃertaiｎｆashiｏn,itisadvisａbｌetofindouｔwhatitsadvｏｃaｔesareaimingaｔ,ｆor，howeverfarfetchedanｄuｎreasｏｎａblｅtheｉrｐrｉｎcｉplｅｓmaｙsｅemtｏｄaｙ,itｉsｐossibｌeｔhａｔinyｅarstocoｍetheymaybeｒegardｅdasnorｍal.ＷiｔhｒeｇarｄｔoＦｕtuｒｉｓtpoetrｙ,hｏwevｅr,tｈｅcａsｅｉsrathｅrｄifficｕlt,fｏrwhatｅveｒFutｕristpｏetrymaybe―evｅnａdmiｔtingtｈaｔｔｈｅtｈｅoryonwhichitiｓbasｅdｍayberigｈt―itcａnhａｒdlybecｌassedasLｉterature.Ｔhis,inbrieｆ,iｓwｈattｈｅＦｕｔuristsayｓ：ｆorａcentｕｒy，pasｔconditｉonｓｏflifeｈavebeencｏｎｄitiｏnallyspeedｉngｕｐ,tillnoｗｗeliveinａworldofnoisｅａｎｄviolｅｎcｅandｓpｅed.Consequently，ｏuｒfeeｌings，thoughtｓａndemotiｏnｓｈａvｅuｎderｇoneａcorresｐｏndinｇｃｈange.Ｔhｉssｐeｅdｉnguｐofｌｉfe,ｓaysthｅＦuｔｕrist,ｒeｑuｉresanewｆorｍofeｘprｅssion.Wemustｓｐeeｄuｐｏurliｔｅraturｅtｏo,iｆwewanｔtoinｔｅｒpretmoderｎsｔrｅss.Wemuｓｔpourｏutａlarｇｅstｒeamofｅｓsentialwordｓ,unｈampｅredbｙstｏｐｓ，ｏｒｑuaｌifyiｎgaｄjectｉves,orfinｉｔevｅrbｓ.Iｎsｔｅadofdescribiｎｇｓounｄsｗeｍustｍakｅupwｏrｄsthａｔimｉｔａteｔhem;wｅｍｕstuseｍａnysiｚeｓoftｙpｅａnｄdiffｅｒｅntcoloredinksonthesamepage，andsｈｏrｔｅnorlenｇtｈenwordsatwｉll。Cｅrtａiｎｌytheirｄescriptionｓｏfbａttleｓareconfｕｓed.BｕtitｉｓaliｔtｌｅupｓｅttｉngtoreadintｈeexplanａｔoryｎｏtesｔhａtacｅrtａｉnliｎedescrｉbesafｉghtbｅtweｅｎaTurkisｈanｄａBuｌgａｒianoｆfiｃeroｎａbridgｅｏffwhｉｃhtheybothｆaｌlｉntoｔheriｖer—andthｅnｔｏfiｎdtｈaｔtｈelinｅconsｉstsofthenoｉseofthｅirfalｌｉｎgandｔheweiｇhtｓofｔｈeofficerｓ:“Plｕff!Pｌuff!Aｈundredａnｄei