写在前面
Hi，我是新海，一个正在备战的考研人。
最近需要进行大量的考研专项阅读，于是萌生了一个翻译计划，准备翻译1986——2018年所有阅读，通过大量的阅读训练来熟悉考研单词，短语以及语法，更深刻理解考研阅读。
下面是我的第7篇，所有中文释义，均是由本人整理翻译，当然也有不够完善的地方，欢迎大家评论补充。
Have there always been cities? Life without large urban areas may seem inconceivable to us, but actually cities are relatively recent development. Groups with primitive economics still manage without them. The trend, however, is for such groups to disappear, while cities are increasingly becoming the dominant mode of man’s social existence.
城市一直存在吗？没有大城市的生活对我们来说似乎是不可思议的，但实际上城市是最近发展起来的。没有原始经济的群体仍然没有它们。然而，这种趋势正在消失，而城市正日益成为人类社会存在的主导模式。
- urban areas城市地区
- inconceivable不能想像的，不可思议的，难以置信的; 〈口〉难于相信的，惊人的
- relatively相对地; 关系上地; 比较地; 较比
- recent development最近发展
- primitive原始的; 发展水平低的; 落后的; 原生的; 原始人; 早期的艺术家; 单纯的人：不世故的人; 自学的艺术家
- manage without在没有的情况下继续
- disappear不见，消失; 不复存在，灭绝
- increasingly越来越多地; 日益，格外; 越来越…; 愈
- dominant mode主模; 振荡; 振荡基型; 波基型
- social existence社会存在
Historically, city life has always been among the elements which form a civilization. Any high degree of human endeavor and achievement has been closely linked to life in an urban environment.
历史上，城市生活一直是构成文明的要素之一。任何高度的人类努力和成就都与城市环境中的生活息息相关。
- Historically在历史上; 从历史角度; 以历史观点; 根据历史事实
- city life城市生活
- closely linked to同。。。密切联系
- urban environment城市环境
It is virtually impossible to imagine that universities, hospitals, large businesses or even science and technology could have come into being without cities to support them. To most people, cities have traditionally been the areas where there was a concentration of culture as well as of opportunity.
几乎无法想象没有城市来支持大学、医院、大型企业甚至科学技术。对大多数人来说，城市历来是文化和机会集中的地区。
- virtually无形; 无形中; 实际上，实质上，事实上，几乎
- universities大学( university的名词复数 )
- hospitals医院( hospital的名词复数 )
- or even乃至，以至
- science and technology科技; 科学技术
- could have本能够; 本来也可以
- come into being产生; 诞生; 开始存在; 长
- traditionally传统上，传说上
- concentration浓度; 集中; 专心; 关注
- as well as也，又; 既…又…; 除…之外; 此外
In recent years, however, people have begun to become aware that cities are also areas where there is a concentration of problems. What has happened to the modern American city? Actually, the problem is not such a new one. Long before this century started, there had begun a trend toward the concentration of the poor of the American society into the cities.
然而，近年来，人们开始意识到城市也是问题集中的地区。现代美国城市发生了什么？事实上，问题并不是一个新问题。早在本世纪开始之前，美国社会就开始出现穷人集中到城市中的趋势。
- In recent years近几年; 最近几年中; 晚近
- begun着手; 开始( begin的过去分词 ); 创始; 创办
- become aware觉
- there is那儿有; 有着
- concentration浓度; 集中; 专心; 关注
- happened出现; 碰巧; 发生（ happen的过去式和过去分词 ）
- a new one全新的东西：
- Long before很久以前
- toward向; 对于; 为了; 接近; 即将来到的; 进行中的
- the American美国公民; 他来自美国
Each great wave of immigration from abroad and from the rural areas made the problem worse. During this century, there has also been the development of large suburban areas surrounding the cities, for the rich prefer to live in these areas. Within the cities, sections may be sharply divided into high and low rent districts, the “right side of town” and the slums.
来自国外和农村地区的每一轮移民浪潮都使问题更加严重。本世纪以来，城市周边也出现了大型郊区的发展，因为富人更喜欢住在这些地区。在城市内部，各部门可能会分为高租金区和低租金区、“城镇右侧”和贫民窟。
- great wave巨浪
- from abroad从国外，从海外
- rural areas农村地区
- prefer to较喜欢，宁愿; 提升某人为
- live in住在学习[工作]的地方; 住在; 存在于…; 为…而生存
- may be也许，可能
- sharply divided森严壁垒
- high and low到处; 贵贱上下; 上下
- right side右侧; 正面
- slums贫民窟，贫民区( slum的名词复数 )
Of course, everyone wants to do something about this unhappy situation. But there is no agreement as to goals. Neither is there any systematic approach or integrated program. Opinions are as diverse as the people who give them.
当然，每个人都想对这种不愉快的情况有所帮助。但对于目标没有达成一致意见。既没有系统的方法，也没有集成的程序。意见和给予他们的人一样多。
- systematic approach系统研究法
- integrated完整的; 整体的; 结合的; 和谐的; 使一体化( integrate的过去式和过去分词 ); 使整合; 使完整; 使结合成为整体
- Opinions舆论; 意见( opinion的名词复数 ); 评价; 专门意见
- as diverse as包括，例如
But one basic difference of opinion concerns the question of whether or not the city as such is to be preserved. Perhaps transportation and the means of communication have really made it possible for there to be an end to the big cities. Of course, there is the problem of persuading people to move out of them of their own free will.
但是，一个基本的意见分歧是关于这样的城市是否会被保留的问题。也许交通和通讯手段真的有可能结束大城市。当然，还有一个问题，就是说服人们摆脱他们的自由意志。
- But one第二
- basic difference根本区别
- whether or not是否; 无论
- as such依其身份、资格或名义等， 本身
- means of communication通讯工具[手段]
- Of course当然，自然; 敢情; 自是; 理当
- there is那儿有; 有着
- persuading说服( persuade的现在分词 ); 劝告; 使信服; 使相信
- move out of搬出；脱离；摆脱
- free will自愿，自由意志
And there is also the objection that the city has always been the core from which cultural advancement has radiated. Is this, however, still the case today in the presence of easy transportation and communication? Does culture arise as a result of people living together communally, or is it too the result of decisions made at the level of government and the communications industry?
也有人反对说，城市一直是文化进步的核心。然而，今天，在交通便利和交通便利的情况下，这种情况仍然存在吗？文化产生是因为人们共同生活在一起，还是也是政府和通信行业决策的结果？
- objection反对; 反对的话，异议; 反对的理由
- the core地心末日
- advancement前进，进步; 提升，升级; 预付
- radiated有辐射棱线的，辐射的; 发射出( radiate的过去式和过去分词 ); 显出，流露; 射出，向四周伸出
- in the presence of在面前
- transportation and communication交通运输车辆
- as a result of因; 由于…的结果; 起因; 经
- communally公有地，社区地
- communications industry通信行业
It is probably true to say that most people prefer to preserve the cities. Some think that the cities could be cleaned up or totally rebuilt. This is easy to say; it would not be so easy to do. To be sure, a great rebuilding project would give jobs to many of those people who need them. Living conditions could not help but improve, at least for a while. But would the problems return after the rebuilding was completed?
大多数人喜欢保护城市，这可能是真的。一些人认为城市可以被清理或完全重建。这很容易说出来，做起来并不容易。可以肯定的是，一个伟大的重建工程会给那些需要他们的人提供就业机会。生活条件不可能改善，至少有一段时间。但重建工程完成后，问题会不会回来？
- true to忠于
- prefer to较喜欢，宁愿; 提升某人为
- rebuilt重建; 重建( rebuild的过去式和过去分词 ); 重新组装; 再形成某事物; 恢复
- easy to便于
- would not不肯
- so easy搜衣廊；如此轻而易举
- be sure确信; 诚然; 有谱儿
- Living conditions生活条件[状况]
- at least至少; 无论如何，反正
- for a while暂时; 小
Nevertheless, with the majority of the people living in urban areas, the problem of the cities must be solved. From agreement on this general goal, we have, unfortunately, in the past proceeded to disagreement on specific goals, and from there to total inaction. At the basis of much of this inaction is an old-fashioned concept -- the idea human conditions will naturally tend to regulate themselves for the general goal.
然而，随着大多数人生活在城市，城市的问题必须解决。不幸的是，从就这一总目标达成协议以来，我们过去在具体目标上出现了分歧，并从此完全无所作为。在很多这种无所作为的基础上，是一个过时的概念——人类的条件会自然地趋向于为了总体目标而调节自己。
- on this这时候
- general goal大处
- in the past在过去; 以往; 平昔; 往昔
- from there从那里
- inaction不活动; 不活跃; 迟钝; 懒散
- much of大量，许多的
- old-fashioned陈旧; 老式的，过时的; 老派的，守旧的; 村女蛾眉
- tend to趋向; 朝某方向; 偏重
写在最后
如果大家觉得对你有些帮助，欢迎给与打赏或点赞关注，以及订阅我的每日阅读 专栏，后面我将持续阅读，持续输出。
作者：新海
11月15日晨