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1、Unit3OutofStepBillBryson1AfterlivinginEnglandfor20years,mywifeandIdecidedtomovebacktotheUnitedStates.Wewantedtoliveinatownsmallenoughthatwecouldwalktothebusinessdistrict,andsettledonHanover,N.H.,atypicalNewEnglandtown—pleasant,sedateandcompact.Ithasabroadcentralgreensurroundedbythevenerablebuild
2、ingsofDartmouthCollege,anold-fashionedMainStreetandleafyresidentialneighborhoods.2Itis,inshort,anagreeable,easyplacetogoaboutone’sbusinessonfoot,andyetasfarasIcantell,virtuallynoonedoes.3Nearlyeveryday,Iwalktothepostofficeorlibraryorbookstore,andsometimes,ifIamfeelingparticularlydebonair,Istopat
3、RoseyJekesCaféforacappuccino.Occasionally,intheevenings,mywifeandIstrolluptotheNuggetTheatreforamovieortoMurphy’sontheGreenforabeer,Iwouldn’tdreamofgoingtoanyoftheseplacesbycar.Peoplehavegottenusedtomyeccentricbehavior,butintheearlydaysacquaintanceswouldoftenpulluptothecurbandaskifIwantedaride.4
4、“I’mgoingyourway,”theywouldinsistwhenIpolitelydeclined.“Really,it’snobother.”5“Honestly,Ienjoywalking.”6“Well,ifyou’resure,”theywouldsayanddepartreluctantly,evenguiltily,asifleavingthesceneofanaccidentwithoutgivingtheirname.7IntheUnitedStateswehavebecomesohabituatedtousingthecarforeverythingthat
5、itdoesn’toccurtoustounfurlourlegsandseewhatthoselowerlimbscando.Wehavereachedanagewherecollegestudentsexpecttodrivebetweenclasses,whereparentswilldrivethreeblockstopickuptheirchildrenfromafriend’shouse,wherethelettercarriertakeshisvanupanddowneverydrivewayonastreet.8Wewillgothroughthemostextraor
6、dinarycontortionstosaveourselvesfromwalking.Sometimesit’salmostludicrous.TheotherdayIwaswaitingtobringhomeoneofmychildrenfromapianolessonwhenacarstoppedoutsideapostoffice,andamanaboutmyagepoppedoutanddashedinside.Hewasinthepostofficeforaboutthreeorfourminutes,andthencameout,gotinthecaranddroveex
7、actly16feet(Ihadnothingbettertodo,soIpaceditoff)tothegeneralstore6nextdoor.9Andthethingis,thismanlookedreallyfit.I’msurehejogsextravagantdistancesandplayssquashanddoesallkindsofhealthfulthings,butIamjustassurethathedrivestoe