第四类读物是议论性的文章。议论性的文章说理性很强，语言逻辑严密，可以说是阅读材料中最难的一类。由于篇幅关系，我们只选择了很少几篇典型的材料，理解归纳出主要论点即可。
1.Traffic Laws and Accidents
生命诚可贵，事业价更高
From the health point of view we are living in a marvelous age。 We are immunized from birth against many of the most dangerous diseases。A large number of once fatal illnesses can now be cured by modern drugs and surgery。It is almost certain that one day remedies will be found for the most stubborn remaining diseases。The expectation of life has increased enormously。But though the possibility of living a long and happy life is greater than ever before，every day we witness the incredible slaughter of men，women on the roads。Man versus the motor-car！It is a never-ending battle which man is losing。Thousands of people the world over are killed or horribly mutilated each year and we are quietly sitting back and letting it happen。
It has been rightly said that when a man is sitting behind a steering wheel，his car becomes the extension of his personality。 There is no doubt that the motorcar often brings out a man's very worst qualities。People who are normally quiet and pleasant may become unrecognizable when they are behinda steering-wheel。They swear，they are ill-mannered and aggressive，willful as two-year-olds and utterly selfish。All their hidden frustrations，disappointments and jealousies seem to be brought to the surface by the act of driving。
The surprising thing is that society smiles so benignly on the motorist and seems to condone his behavior。 Everything is done for his convenience。Cities are allowed to become almost uninhabitable because of heavy traffic；towns are made ugly by huge car parks；the countryside is desecrated by road networks；and the mass annual slaughter becomes nothing more than a statistic，to be conveniently forgotten。
It is high time a world code were created to reduce this senseless waste of human life。 With regard to driving，the laws of some countries are notoriously lax and even the strictest are not strict enough。A code which was universally accepted could only have a dramatically beneficial effect on the accident rate。Here are a few examples of some of the things that might be done。The driving test should be standardized and made far more difficult than it is；all drivers should be made to take a test every three years or so；the age at which young people are allowed to drive any vehicle should be raised to at least 21；all vehicles should be put through stringent annual tests for safety。Even the smallest amount of alcohol in the blood can impair a person's driving ability。Present drinking and driving laws（where they exist）should be made much stricter。Maximum and minimum speed limits should be imposed on all roads。Governments should lay down safety specifications for manufacturers，as has been done in the USA。All advertising stressing power and performance should be banned。These measures may sound inordinately harsh，but surely nothing should be considered as too severe if it results in reducing the annual toll of human life。After all，the world is for human beings，not motorcars。
提示：现代生活给人们带来很多便利，住有居，行有车，医学进步使人延年益寿。然而，人类最大的克星还是人类自己的发明。自从汽车代替马车以来，有多少人的锦绣前程断送在车轮之下？也许没有人能说得清。许多名人和杰出的科学家的事业被冒失鬼的车轮划上了句号，留给世人的是无尽的遗憾。有多少人由于醉鬼驾车的一时开心而不得不在轮椅上度过后半生，不得不因此放弃自己钟爱的事业？又有多少一时心血来潮的好汉因此自毁前程？仅仅我们身边的例子就够触目惊心的了。交通法规不是儿戏，生命更不是儿戏。扩大立法范围加大执法力度当然是必要的。抱侥幸心理以身试法还是切实遵守交通法规？这个问题的答案是显而易见的。
2.Grow Fat and Be Happy
情人眼里出西施？
Here's a familiar version of the boy-meets-girl situation。 A young man has at last plucked up courage to invite a dazzling young lady out to dinner。She has accepted his invitation and he is overjoyed。He is determined to take her to the best restaurant in town，even if it means that he will have to live on memories and hopes during the month to come。When they get to the restaurant，he discovers that this creature is on a diet。She mustn't eat this and she mustn't drink that。Oh，but of course，she doesn't want to spoil his enjoyment。Let him by all means eat as much fattening food as he wants：it's the surest way to an early grave。They spend a truly to memorable evening together and never see each other again。
What a miserable lot dieters are！You can always recognize them from the sour expression on their faces。 They spend most of their time turning their noses up at food。They are forever consulting calorie charts；gazing at themselves in mirrors；and leaping on to weighing-machines in the bathroom。Theyspend a lifetime fighting a losing battle against spreading hips，protruding tummies and double chins。Some wage all-out war on FAT。Mere dieting is not enough。They exhaust themselves doing exercises，sweating in sauna baths，being pummeled and massaged by weird machines。The really wealthy diet-mongers pay vast sums for“health cures”。For two weeks they can enter a“nature clinic”and be starved to death for a hundred guineas a week。Don't think it's only the middle-aged who go in for these fads either。Many of these bright young things you see are suffering from chronic malnutrition：they are living on nothing but air，water and the goodwill of God。
Dieters undertake to starve themselves of their own free will so why are they so miserable？Well，for one thing，they're always hungry。 You can't be hungry and happy at the same time。All the horrible concoctions they eat instead of food leave them permanently dissatisfied。“Wonder food is a complete food，”the advertisement says。“Just dissolve a teaspoonful in water……”A complete food it may be，but not quite as complete as a juicy steak。And of course，they're always miserable because they feel so guilty。Hunger just proves too much for them and in the end they lash out and devour five huge guilt-inducing cream cakes at a sitting。And who can blame them？At least three times a day they are exposed to temptation。What utter torture it is always watching others tucking into piles of mouth-watering food while you munch a water biscuit and sip unsweetened lemon juice！
What's all this self-inflicted torture for？Saintly people deprive themselves of food to attain a state of grace。 Unsaintly people do so to attain a state of misery。It will be a great day when all the dieters in the world abandon their slimming courses；when they hold out their plates and demand second helpings。
提示：要苗条的身材还是要健康的身体？为自己活着还是为别人活着？生活应该是轻松愉快呢还是自我折磨？忍无可忍之时先放开肚皮享受一番，紧接着后悔不迭地下决心节食锻炼饮减肥茶做健美操合算呢，还是顺其自然该吃什么就吃什么该喝什么就喝什么呢？岁月难留，青春易逝，爱美之心人皆有之，然而鱼和熊掌不可兼得。心宽体胖养成的大腹便便虽“丑”却不见得不是幸福，忧心忡忡保持的弱不禁风虽“美”却是真正的痛苦。
3.Pop Stars Earn Their Money
台上一分钟，台下十年功
Pop stars today enjoy a style of living which was once the prerogative only of Royalty。 Wherever they go，people turn out in their thousands to greet them。The crowds go wild trying to catch a brief glimpse of their smiling，colorfully-dressed idols。The stars are transported in their chauffeur-driven Rolls-Royces，private helicopters or executive airplanes。They are surrounded by a permanent entourage of managers，press-agents and bodyguards。Photographs of them appear regularly in the press and all their comings and goings are reported，for，like Royalty，pop stars are news。If they enjoy many of the privileges of Royalty，they certainly share many of the inconveniences as well。It is dangerous for them to make unscheduled appearances in public。They must be constantly shielded from the adoring crowds which idolize them。They are no longer private individuals，but public property。The financial rewards they receive for this sacrifice cannot be calculated，for their rates of pay are astronomical。
And why not？Society has always rewarded its top entertainers lavishly。 The great days of Hollywood have become legendary：famous stars enjoyed fame，wealth and adulation on an unprecedented scale。By today's standards，the excesses of Hollywood do not seem quite so spectacular。A single gramophone record nowadays may earn much more in royalties than the films of the past everdid。The competition for the title“Top of the Pops”is fierce，but the rewards are truly colossal。
It is only right that the stars should be paid in this way。 Don't the top men in industry earn enormous salaries for the services they perform to their companies and their countries？Pop stars cam vast sums in foreign currency-often more than large industrial concerns and the taxman can only be grateful for their massive annual contributions to the exchequer。So who would begrudge them their rewards？
It's all very well for people in humdrum jobs to moan about the successes and rewards of others。 People who make envious remarks should remember that the most famous stars represent only the tip of the iceberg。For every famous star，there are hundreds of others struggling to earn a living。A man working in a steady job and looking forward to a pension at the end of it has no right to expect very high rewards。He has chosen security and peace of mind，so there will always be a limit to what he can earn。But a man who attempts to become a star is taking enormous risks。He knows at the outset that only a handful of competitors ever get to the very top。He knows that years of concentrated effort may be rewarded with complete failure。But he knows，too，that the rewards for success are very high indeed：they are the recompense for the huge risks involved and if he achieves them，he has certainly earned them。That's the essence of private enterprise。
提示：明星大腕们赚大钱，享特权，乘名车，入名门，当嘉宾，上媒体，新闻记者围，追星族拥，浩浩荡荡。这一切，使不少人嫉妒得眼睛发红（英语中把嫉妒叫眼睛“发绿”）。可是，倘若没有这些俊男倩女或俊女倩男或既不俊又不倩的男男女女，那么，少男少女们将用什么来寄托自己的痴情？人们的生活又是多么单调？明星自有明星的苦衷。有谁知道，他们与别人相比，青春显得多么短暂？他们承受的压力有多么巨大？他们时刻受媒体追逐的毫无个人隐私的生活有多么不自由？社会上偷漏税款的人不在少数，为什么偏偏明星大腕们偶尔偷漏个百八十万的就给曝了光？又有多少人梦寐以求成为明星，苦苦奋斗多年后竟是竹篮打水一场空？挤在这条羊肠小道上的他们所付出的艰辛，在局外人的眼里是否值得？最终出人头地的明星大腕是否应该大把大把地捞钱？对人们知道的和不知道的这些问题，你似乎全可以通过作者全面的分析得到答案。你读完后是否觉得作者的看法客观公正？读完后你也许能马上写出一篇文章谈谈自己的高见。我们应该怎样看待明星大腕？每个人的成功，都离不开辛勤的汗水。No pains，no gains！
Rolls-Royces：劳斯莱斯豪华轿车；the tip of the iceberg：冰山的一角。露出海面的部分才是冰山的八分之一，以此来比喻表面现象与本质的关系。
4.The Development of Transportation
嫦娥相见不相识，笑问客从何处来
The four earliest civilizations of the world，the civilizations of Egypt，Mesopotamia，India，and China，were all located on or near great rivers。 Boats were developed very early as a means of transportation along the rivers。As man was able to build bigger and better boats，he was able to move across the seas and oceans of the world。Most of the important nations in history have been nations with large numbers of boats and ships。
For a long time，transportation on land was very simple。 At first，if man wanted to move something from one place to another，he carried it on his back。Later he was able to use animals for carrying heavier loads。Dogs，horses，donkeys，camels，and other animals were used for this purpose。Very early in his history man made the discovery of the wheel。The wheel is probably one of the most importantdiscoveries of history。Wagons and other vehicles，pulled by animals，were used for moving heavy loads and for traveling。Soon after the wheel began to be used，it was necessary to build better roads for travel。The Romans were probably the first people to realize how important roads were。The roads which were built by the Romans were better than anything built by other people up to comparatively modern times。
From the fall of the Roman Empire to the nineteenth century，for some fourteen hundred years，there was very little change in means of transportation。 Improvements were made，but the basic methods and ideas were the same。Land transportation was still dependent upon animals as the source of power。On the water，the large galleys powered by large numbers of cars，gave way to sailing ships。These sailing ships were faster，and because less room was needed for the crew，they could carry more cargo。The sailing ships made possible the great period of discovery and exploration in the fifteenth，sixteenth，and seventeenth centuries。
In the early nineteenth century，the steam engine was developed and put into use in both steamboats and steam-powered locomotives for railroads。 For many years，sailing ships continued to be used for ocean transportation。Eventually，steam replaced the sail completely。All during the nineteenth century，the steam-powered locomotive was used on the rapidly developing system of railroads。The improvements in transportation in the nineteenth century made possible the amazing growth of industry in that period。
Just as important as the growth of the railroads was the development of the automobile。 Because the automobile is a more private and individual means of transportation，it has had a great effect on the everyday life of millions of people。The first automobiles used steam，electricity，or gasoline as the source of power。Then，gasoline engines were made more powerful and efficient until they became the best kinds of engines for the automobile。Because of the methods of production introduced by Henry Ford，it became possible to make automobiles cheaply and in large numbers。
As we have seen，many exciting improvements were made in transportation during the nineteenth century。 However，transportation was still limited by the geography of the country。Boats and ships cannot go where there are no rivers or oceans，or where the rivers and oceans are not deep enough。Mountains and deep valleys often make the building of railroads and highways difficult and expensive。However，with the development of air transportation，man was at last able to move as freely as a bird。He could go anywhere he wanted。
For centuries man had been trying to develop some kind of machine that would carry him through the air。 In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries man made his first successful attempts at leaving the ground and moving through the air。All of these“flights”were made in balloons filled with some kind of gas which was lighter than air。These balloons were not completely satisfactory，however。There was no way to control the balloon，and。the passengers had to move in whatever direction the wind might carry them。
At the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth，the dirigible and zeppelin were developed。 These airships were powered by engines and could move faster than man had ever traveled before。One of them，the Graf Zeppelin，went around the world in 20 days and 4 hours。
The most important developments in air transportation have been with airplanes。 The first successful flights in an airplane were made by the brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright in 1903.They used a gasoline engine as the power for moving the plane。It was during World War I that air transportation first became really important。At the end of the war there were thousands of planes and thousands of young men who had been trained to fly them。
In the 1920's，commercial aviation developed rapidly。 Mail，freight，and passengers were carried inever-increasing volume。Constant improvements have made the airplane safer and faster than ever before。The newest planes，those with jet engines，can fly from New York to Paris in seven hours without stopping。Although air travel is still very expensive，its great speed makes it probably our most important means of transportation。
The development of rapid and efficient means of transportation has had important effects on peoples and nations。 Man is no longer isolated by geographical barriers。People，products，and ideas move freely from one part of the world to another。Nations are better able to develop their own resources and are also better able to use the resources of other countries。The world is a smaller place and people are having to learn to live peacefully with their new neighbors。
And in the twentieth century man has been preparing for the most exciting achievement of all。 Working constantly to develop and improve the newest rockets，human beings are already able to explore the solar system and to move out into space。
提示：科学技术是第一生产力。人类从刀耕火种到太空飞行，从肩扛挑运到驯化动物制造马车雪橇拉运，再到轮船汽车火车飞艇飞机以及宇宙飞船，一步步解放了自己，使世界变得越来越小。我们享受现代文明给我们创造的便利生活条件时，也许不需要记得瓦特、亨利·福特、莱特兄弟这些响亮的名字。可我们应该记得，包括中国在内的每个文明古国曾为整个人类文明的进步做出过巨大贡献。
Mesopotamia：美索不达米亚（位于小亚细亚的底格里斯河和幼发拉底河流域间的古王国，现今伊拉克所在地）。
