《大学英语读写》课程教学资源（A）Ⅱ_大学英语读写（A）Ⅱ_Book3.Unit8A.课文原文

Text万Urban myths or urban legends?iPOPPOP

Text万Urbanmythsorurbanlegends?1 LondonhasthemostextensivenetworkofundergroundtunnelsintheworldButforsomeinhabitants,thetunnelsaremorethanjustconvenient-theyliveinthem.TheLondonSubterraneansarearaceof peoplewholivebeneaththestreets.They'rehuman,buttheydon'tspeak English,andtheyhavetheirowncustoms.Occasionally,afewofthemcometothesurface.Theyonlyappearatnightthroughthe drains in a dark backstreet, and if they hear footsteps, they hide in a darkalleywayandonlycomeoutwhenit'squietagain.Andbeforesunrise,theygobackunderground.VeryfewLondonershaveseenthem,butthefriendofafriendhasseenthemseveraltimesTranslation

Text万2Truestory?Probablynot.It'sa classicexampleof what'scalled inmanylanguagesan“urbanmyth".Anurbanmyth isastoryyouhearbywordofmouth.Itusuallydescribessomethingwhichmighthavehappened,anapocryphal,second-handstorytoldas ifitweretrue,justaboutplausibleenoughtobecredible,aboutsomeeventwhichhassupposedlyhappenedtoarealperson.Factualornot,it'slikelytorelyonexpertstorytellingandonatrustworthysource,suchas"thappenedtomybrother'sfriend'smother"Transiation

Text万3However,someacademicsclaimthaturbanmythsarenotrealymyths.Accordingtothem,amythisastorywhichheld somereligiousorspiritual significanceforthosewhotolditorlistenedinthepasttoit,and whichcontributedtotheexpressionofsharedbeliefsandvalues.Howeverimprobableamythmightbe,it'salwaystrueforthosewhobelongtothatculturefromwhichthemythcomesTranslation

Text4Soshouldweusetheterm“urbanmvths?Let'slookatoneofthemostdurableoturbanmyths,TheVanishingHitchhiker.Thebasicstoryisthatofadriveraloneatnighton a dark,countryroad,who seesa young womanhitchhiking.Thedriverstopsandoffersheralift.Soonthedriverdropsthehitchhikeroffatherdestinationandtheysaygoodbye.Butit'sonlywhenthedriverstopslaterthatherealizestheyoungwomanhasleftbehindacoatwithherwallet,orsometimesanoldenvelopein the pocket.Hethengoes to the address to return thecoat.Iore...Translation

Text万Anoldwomanopensthedoorofthehouse,andthedriverexplainswhathashappened.Itturnsoutthatthecoatdoesbelongtotheoldwoman'sdaughter,butshewaskilledseveral yearsbeforeonthesamestretchofroadwherethedriverpickedherup.ThatdaywastheanniversaryoftheaccidentTranslation

Text5 Infact,likemanymyths,this storycanbetracedbackto sometimebefore the cars and roads of the 2Oth or 21st century,and to othercountries or regions such as Sweden or East Africa.It also has otherfeatures common to the myth in its traditional sense.As we havealready seen, it's a story for those people who want to believe init, and who share the same cultural values.It has been told andretold many times over the years,gathering embellishmentswhichare specific to the culture in which it's set.Finally,it's enjoyable,excitingandcaptivatingtothelistenersTranslation

Text万6 Another well-known urban mythis about thebabyalligatorswhichparents on their return from Florida bring home to their childrenin New York.As the alligators grow in size,theyare no longer cuteand the parents have to dispose of them down the toilet.But someof them survive,and as a result there are full-grown alligators livingunderthestreetsofManhattanTranslation

Text7Thisis alsoamythinthat it describessomethingof thegeographyofa city or a region,warning of possible dangers.In Greek mythologyOdysseus sails between Scylla and Charybdis,the narrow anddangerous channel between mainland Italy and the island of SicilyInthesameway,the storyof the alligators warnsNew Yorkers ofthe dangers which they may face when they use the subwayTranslation

Text万8Urbanmyths can alsobea morality or"cautionary"tale.One of thebest-known is the story of the man sitting in a hotel bar. Anotherperson offers to buy him a drink. The next thing the man knows isthat he's sitting in his hotel bath, with his body submerged in ice.On the wall is a note telling him not tomove,but to call 911.Theoperator, who is familiar with the situation, tells him to move veryslowly,and to feel his lower back.If there's a tube protrudingfromit, it means that the man's kidney has been removed and sold to betransplanted.The moral of the story is: Be careful of anyone whoofferstobuyyouadrink!Translation