New Words 生词
1） Wheels: slang meaning 'car'
汽车：“Wheels”是“car”的俚语
When I was at McDonalds last night, someone stole my wheels
and I had to walk home!
昨晚在麦当劳的时候我的车子被人偷了，我不得不走着回家！
2） Donk: a car's engine
发动机：汽车的发动机
The bigger a car's donk, the faster it will go - but remember
the faster you go, the longer it takes to stop.
汽车的发动机越大，它跑得就越快－不过记住你开得越快，停下来需要的时间也就越长。
3） Hoon: someone who drives too fast and
carelessly
玩命开车的人：开车开得很快、粗心大意的人
My mother was such a hoon that my dad hid the car keys
and would not let her drive.
我妈妈开车很玩命，所以我爸爸把车钥匙藏了起来，不让她开。
Lesson: 课文
Safe Driving Tips 安全驾驶指南
Driving "defensively" just doesn't
seem enough. But there are some measures you can take
to ensure your safety. There's a lot to avoid out there,
but you can steer clear of trouble by just relaxing and
taking things easy.
“防御性”驾驶看来还不够。不过你可以采取一些措施来保证你的安全。在路上你需要躲避的东西很多，但是只要放松神经，别太紧张，你就可以远离麻烦。
This is especially important for freeway
gridlock, the most challenging and frustrating form of
traffic. What you'll find is that the majority of other
drivers out there are "brakers" - people who
speed up to slowing traffic and have to hit their brakes.
高速公路塞车时这一点尤其重要。高速公路上的塞车是最具有挑战性和最令人心烦的交通形式。在那里你会发现大多数的其他司机是“刹车手”
－在缓慢车流中开快车的人不得不踩刹车。
A good way to ease traffic, both for yourself
and other drivers, is to put a large gap in between your
car and the one in front of you. It's a pretty basic rule
of driving, but it's often forgotten among all of our
high performance vehicles, cell phones, SUVs and hectic
lifestyle. However, it's the one thing that can prevent
an accident as effectively as anything else.
对你和其他司机来说，缓解交通的一种好办法就是在你的车和你前面的车之间保留一个很大的车距。这是驾驶的一个很简单的规则。不过在我们那些高性能的交通工具、手机、SUV（多功能运动车）和繁忙的生活方式当中这一点常常被忽略。不管怎样，这是和任何其他东西一样能有效地避免发生事故的一种办法。
The recommended space might be one car
length per 10 miles-an-hour. It's better to have at least
double that, especially if you're traveling at 60 mph
or faster. Just imagine the car in front of you stopping
instantly, as if it hit a brick wall. Would you collide
into it, or would you be able to stop in time?
建议的距离可能是每10英里／小时为一个车身距离。最好至少两倍，尤其是如果你的车速为60英里／小时或更快。试想如果你前面的车马上停了下来，就像它撞到了墙上。你会撞到它上面吗，或者你能否及时停下来？
The biggest problem that arises from leaving
a good-sized gap is other drivers riding too close behind
you. Don't worry about them. Try to be courteous and get
out of the fast lane if you're not keeping up. If you
are and you simply have a long gap in front of you, let
the other driver stress out. It's just another braker
wanting to hurry up and wait.
保留好车距出现的最大问题是其他司机开车开得离你太近了。不要担心他们，要有礼貌，如果你不想这么维持下去就离开快车道。如果你想，就在你的前面保留一个长距离，让其他的司机一边焦急去吧。这只不过又是一个想开快车和等待的“刹车手”罢了。
This brings up another point of good driving.
If ever there is a conflict developing with another driver,
let it go. Don't gesture back. Don't race or swerve or
suddenly hit your brakes. It's not worth risking lives
over a little road rage.
这就引出了好好驾驶的又一个问题。如果和另一个司机发生了冲突，不要去管它。不要回过头去打手势。不要赛车或者忽然转向或者忽然刹车。一点公路情绪不值得去冒生命危险。
You'll find if you relax and leave a big
gap in front of your car, you'll enjoy the smooth ride.
You can often find "cushion zones" in the herds
of cars flying down the freeway. If you keep your speed
right -- not too slow and not too fast -- you can ride
in these zones and have all three, four or six lanes to
yourself. This is especially true for long road trips
on the interstate.
你会发现如果你放松，并和你前面的车保持一个大车距，你会享受到平稳流畅的旅程。你会经常发现在车水马龙中“车距”在高速公路上飞速前进。如果你保持适当的速度－不太慢也不太快－你可以在这些“车距”中行驶，所有三、四甚至六条车道都是你的。在州际公路上的长途旅程中更为如此。
When traffic is stop and go, try to get
a large gap in front again and go slowly. This way, you
can roll through the stop-an-go pattern by just going
slow. It can be much less aggravating. It also helps ease
traffic as the cars behind you are not seeing brake lights
or hitting their brakes as much.
当车流停了下来，然后开始前进，设法在你的前面再次保留大车距并慢慢地开。这样，慢慢驾驶你就可以在停停走走中前进。不会让人那么心烦，还有助于缓解交通，因为你后面的车就不会看到那么多次刹车灯亮，或者不用踩那么多次刹车。
Just remember that there are real people in the other
cars, even though they might just seem like obstacles.
By relaxing and respecting the rules of the road and not
rushing yourself, the ride is much more enjoyable, no
matter where you're going.
记住，虽然其它的车可能看起来只像些障碍物，但是车里也有真人在里面。放松神经，遵守道路规则，而且不要焦急，这样不管你要去哪里，旅途就会更愉快。
Dialogue
Jeff: I love driving in my car.
Joan: What is the main thing you like about cruising around?
Jeff: The feeling of personal freedom. I like to have
the windows down and feel the wind in my hair.
Joan: Oh, I hate that feeling.
Jeff: How could you possibly hate such a wonderful experience?
Joan: If I have the window down, when I stop, my hair
will be all messed up!
Jeff: If you were a supermodel, I can see why that would
be important.
Joan: You don't think I am beautiful?
Jeff: I think you are, but you are still not a supermodel!
杰夫：我喜欢开我的车。
琼：开车四处转转你主要喜欢什么？
杰夫：个人自由的感觉。我喜欢把窗户放下来，感觉风吹拂我的头发。
琼：噢，我讨厌那种感觉。
杰夫：这么美妙的经历，你怎么可能讨厌呢？
琼：如果我把窗户放下来，当我停下来的时候我的头发就会全乱了！
杰夫：如果你是一个超级名模我就明白为什么这很重要。
琼：你不觉得我漂亮吗？
杰夫：我觉得你漂亮，不过你还不是一个超级名模！
