练习材料：
Illusions of Pastoral peace Part-2
ɪˈluːʒənz ɒv ˈpɑːstərəl piːs pɑːt-2
宁静田园生活的遐想
My friend fails to mention the long and friendless winter evenings in front of the TV -- virtually the only form of entertainment. He says nothing about the poor selection of goods in the shops, or about those unfortunate people who have to travel from the country to the city every day to get to work. Why people are prepared to tolerate a four-hour journey each day for the dubious privilege of living in the country is beyond me. They could be saved so much misery and expense if they chose to live in the city where they rightly belong.
If you can do without the few pastoral pleasures of the country, you will find the city can provide you with the best that life can offer. You never have to travel miles to see your friends. They invariably live nearby and are always available for an informal chat or an evening's entertainment. Some of my acquaintances in the country come up to town once or twice a year to visit the theatre as a special treat.
maɪ frɛnd feɪlz tuː ˈmɛnʃən ðə lɒŋ ænd ˈfrɛndlɪs ˈwɪntər ˈiːvnɪŋz ɪn frʌnt ɒv ðə ˌtiːˈviː -- ˈvɜːtjʊəli ði ˈəʊnli fɔːm ɒv ˌɛntəˈteɪnmənt. hiː sɛz ˈnʌθɪŋ əˈbaʊt ðə pʊə sɪˈlɛkʃən ɒv gʊdz ɪn ðə ʃɒps, ɔːr əˈbaʊt ðəʊz ʌnˈfɔːʧnɪt ˈpiːpl huː hæv tuː ˈtrævl frɒm ðə ˈkʌntri tuː ðə ˈsɪti ˈɛvri deɪ tuː gɛt tuː wɜːk. waɪ ˈpiːpl ɑː prɪˈpeəd tuː ˈtɒləreɪt ə fɔːr-ˈaʊə ˈʤɜːni iːʧ deɪ fɔː ðə ˈdjuːbiəs ˈprɪvɪlɪʤ ɒv ˈlɪvɪŋ ɪn ðə ˈkʌntri ɪz bɪˈjɒnd miː. ðeɪ kʊd biː seɪvd səʊ mʌʧ ˈmɪzəri ænd ɪksˈpɛns ɪf ðeɪ ʧəʊz tuː lɪv ɪn ðə ˈsɪti weə ðeɪ ˈraɪtli bɪˈlɒŋ.
ɪf juː kæn duː wɪˈðaʊt ðə fjuː ˈpɑːstərəl ˈplɛʒəz ɒv ðə ˈkʌntri, juː wɪl faɪnd ðə ˈsɪti kæn prəˈvaɪd juː wɪð ðə bɛst ðæt laɪf kæn ˈɒfə. juː ˈnɛvə hæv tuː ˈtrævl maɪlz tuː siː jɔː frɛndz. ðeɪ ɪnˈveərɪəbli laɪ ˈnɪəbaɪ ænd ɑːr ˈɔːlweɪz əˈveɪləbl fɔːr ən ɪnˈfɔːml ʧæt ɔːr ən ˈiːvnɪŋz ˌɛntəˈteɪnmənt. sʌm ɒv maɪ əˈkweɪntənsɪz ɪn ðə ˈkʌntri kʌm ʌp tuː taʊn wʌns ɔː twaɪs ə jɪə tuː ˈvɪzɪt ðə ˈθɪətər æz ə ˈspɛʃəl triːt.
我的朋友没有提到在电视机前度过的漫长寂寞的冬夜——电视是唯一的娱乐形式。他也不说商店货物品种单调，以及那些每天不得不从乡下赶到城里工作的不幸的人们。人们为什么情愿每天在路上奔波4个小时去换取值得怀疑的乡间的优点，我是无法理解的。要是他们愿意住在本来属于他们的城市，则可以让他们省去诸多不便与节约大量开支。
如果你愿舍弃乡下生活那一点点乐趣的话，那么你会发出城市可以为你提供生活最美好的东西。你去看朋友根本不用跋涉好几英里，因为他们都住在附近，你随时可以同他们聊天或在晚上一起娱乐。我在乡村有一些熟人，他们每年进城来看一回或几回戏，并把此看作一种特殊的享受。
任务配置：L0、L3、L4
知识笔记：
单词与短语
fail to mention sth/Say nothing about没有说...
travel/ ˈtrævl/Go from one place to another, typically over a distance of some length.
be prepared to do sth情愿做某事
why people are... is beyond me人们为什么...,我是无法理解的
the dubious privilege of值得怀疑的...的优点
invariably/ɪnˈveərɪəbli/In every case or on every occasion; always.
be available for 随时可以做某事
练习感悟：查单词很有必要，会纠正一些错误的认识，比如我一直觉得travel是旅行的意思，但其实它是从一个地方到另一个地方，一般两地有一定距离，可以出于任何目的。