The land of the lock

Years ago in America, it was customary for families to leave their doors unlocked, day and night. In this essay, Greene regrets that people can no longer trust each other and have to resort to elaborate security systems to protect themselves and their possessions.许多年前，在美国，家家户户白天黑夜不锁门是司空见惯的。

在本文中，格林叹惜人们不再相互信任，不得不凭借精密的安全设备来保护自己和财产。

The Land of the LockBob Greene1 In the house where I grew up, it was our custom to leave the front door on the latch at night. I don't know if that was a local term or if it is universal; "on the latch" meant the door was closed but not locked. None of us carried keys; the last one in for the evening would close up, and that was it.锁之国鲍伯·格林小时候在家里，我们的前门总是夜不落锁。

我不知道这是当地的一种说法还是大家都这么说；"不落锁"的意思是掩上门，但不锁住。

我们谁都不带钥匙；晚上最后一个回家的人把门关上，这就行了。

2 Those days are over. In rural areas as well as in cities, doors do not stay unlocked, even for part of an evening.那样的日子已经一去不复返了。

u n i t3T h e L a n d o f t h e L o c k课文译文许多年前，在美国，家家户户白天黑夜不锁门是司空见惯的。

在本文中，格林叹惜人们不再相互信任，不得不凭借精密的安全设备来保护自己和财产。

锁之国鲍伯·格林1 小时候在家里，我们的前门总是夜不落锁。

我不知道这是当地的一种说法还是大家都这么说；"不落锁"的意思是掩上门，但不锁住。

我们谁都不带钥匙；晚上最后一个回家的人把门关上，这就行了。

2 那样的日子已经一去不复返了。

在乡下，在城里，门不再关着不锁上，哪怕是傍晚一段时间也不例外。

3 在许多方面，郊区和农村甚至比巡查严密的城市街道更易受到攻击。

统计显示，那些据称是安宁的地区的犯罪率上升得比城镇更为显著。

不管怎么说，前门虚掩不落锁的时代是一去不复返了。

4 取而代之的是防盗锁、防护链、电子报警系统，以及连接警署或私人保安公司的报警装置。

郊区的许多人家在露台上安装了玻璃滑门，内侧有装得很讲究的钢条，这样就没人能把门撬开。

5 在最温馨的居家，也常常看得到窗上贴着小小的告示，称本宅由某家安全机构或某个保安公司负责监管。

6 锁成了美国的新的象征。

的确，一家大保险公司最近的一则公益广告没有用图表表明我们所处的危险有多大，而是用了一幅童车的图片，车身上悬着如今无所不在的挂锁。

7 广告指出，没错，确是保险公司理赔失窃物品，但谁来赔偿互不信任、担心害怕这种新氛围对我们的生活方式所造成的影响呢？谁来对美国从自由之国到锁之国这一蜕变作出精神赔偿呢？8 因为那就是现状。

我们已经变得如此习惯于保护自己不受美国生活新氛围的影响，如此习惯于设置障碍，因而无暇考虑这一切意味着什么。

9 出于某种原因，当我们觉得防范周密时就感到心满意足；我们没有问过自己：为什么会出现这种情况？为什么非得把自己与邻居和同住一城的居民相隔绝，这一切究竟是从什么时候开始主宰我们生活的？10 这一切确是主宰了我们的生活。

Years ago in America, it was customary for families to leave their doors unlocked, day and night. In this essay, Greene regrets that people can no longer trust each other and have to resort to elaborate security systems to protect themselves and their possessions.许多年前，在美国，家家户户白天黑夜不锁门是司空见惯的。

在本文中，格林叹惜人们不再相互信任，不得不凭借精密的安全设备来保护自己和财产。

The Land of the LockBob Greene1 In the house where I grew up, it was our custom to leave the front door on the latch at night. I don't know if that was a local term or if it is universal; "on the latch" meant the door was closed but not locked. None of us carried keys; the last one in for the evening would close up, and that was it.锁之国鲍伯·格林小时候在家里，我们的前门总是夜不落锁。

我不知道这是当地的一种说法还是大家都这么说；"不落锁"的意思是掩上门，但不锁住。

我们谁都不带钥匙；晚上最后一个回家的人把门关上，这就行了。

2 Those days are over. In rural areas as well as in cities, doors do not stay unlocked, even for part of an evening.那样的日子已经一去不复返了。

Unit 3 The Land of The Lock1> on the latch: (L2) closed but not locked拴着门闩（并未锁着）e.g. Let yourself in; the door is on the latch.自己进来吧，门上了闩，但没锁。

Don’t forget to leave the front door on the latch if you go to bed before I come back.要是我回来之前你就睡了，请别把前门锁死。

【扩展】off the latch 虚掩的，半闩的2>rural(Line 6), urban(Line 9) & suburban(Line 14)Collocation:urban districts 市区/ urban areas 市区/ the urban population 城市人【辨析】urban & municipal都有“都市的、城市的”之意urban指以都市中心为主的行政区municipal指与城市、市镇或其政府相关的部门、服务机构，尤指市政府机构管辖下属于公共的、为公众服务的设施、事业等Nowadays, as the population and vehicles increase, urban districts seem to be more crowded.a municipal council 市议会the municipal government 市政府a municipal university 市立大学3> tranquil (L10) a. calm, quite and undisturbede.g. He has long been fascinated by the idea of a tranquil rural life after his retirement.他很久就憧憬着退休后能过上宁静的乡村生活e.g. Visitors like to stay in this hotel because it is beautiful and located in a tranquil lake area. tranquility: n. state of being tranquile.g. 尖厉的惊叫声打破了夜晚的宁静。

Years ago in America, it was customary for families to leave their doors unlocked, day and night. In this essay, Greene regrets that people can no longer trust each other and have to resort to elaborate security systems to protect themselves and their possessions.许多年前，在美国，家家户户白天黑夜不锁门是司空见惯的。

在本文中，格林叹惜人们不再相互信任，不得不凭借精密的安全设备来保护自己和财产。

The Land of the LockBob Greene1 In the house where I grew up, it was our custom to leave the front door on the latch at night. I don't know if that was a local term or if it is universal; "on the latch" meant the door was closed but not locked. None of us carried keys; the last one in for the evening would close up, and that was it.锁之国鲍伯·格林小时候在家里，我们的前门总是夜不落锁。

我不知道这是当地的一种说法还是大家都这么说；"不落锁"的意思是掩上门，但不锁住。

我们谁都不带钥匙；晚上最后一个回家的人把门关上，这就行了。

2 Those days are over. In rural areas as well as in cities, doors do not stay unlocked, even for part of an evening.那样的日子已经一去不复返了。

For personal use only in study and research; not for commercial use许多年前，在美国，家家户户白天黑夜不锁门是司空见惯的。

在本文中，格林叹惜人们不再相互信任，不得不凭借精密的安全设备来保护自己和财产。

锁之国鲍伯·格林1 小时候在家里，我们的前门总是夜不落锁。

我不知道这是当地的一种说法还是大家都这么说；"不落锁"的意思是掩上门，但不锁住。

我们谁都不带钥匙；晚上最后一个回家的人把门关上，这就行了。

2 那样的日子已经一去不复返了。

在乡下，在城里，门不再关着不锁上，哪怕是傍晚一段时间也不例外。

3 在许多方面，郊区和农村甚至比巡查严密的城市街道更易受到攻击。

统计显示，那些据称是安宁的地区的犯罪率上升得比城镇更为显着。

不管怎么说，前门虚掩不落锁的时代是一去不复返了。

4 取而代之的是防盗锁、防护链、电子报警系统，以及连接警署或私人保安公司的报警装置。

郊区的许多人家在露台上安装了玻璃滑门，内侧有装得很讲究的钢条，这样就没人能把门撬开。

5 在最温馨的居家，也常常看得到窗上贴着小小的告示，称本宅由某家安全机构或某个保安公司负责监管。

6 锁成了美国的新的象征。

的确，一家大保险公司最近的一则公益广告没有用图表表明我们所处的危险有多大，而是用了一幅童车的图片，车身上悬着如今无所不在的挂锁。

7 广告指出，没错，确是保险公司理赔失窃物品，但谁来赔偿互不信任、担心害怕这种新氛围对我们的生活方式所造成的影响呢？谁来对美国从自由之国到锁之国这一蜕变作出精神赔偿呢？8 因为那就是现状。

我们已经变得如此习惯于保护自己不受美国生活新氛围的影响，如此习惯于设置障碍，因而无暇考虑这一切意味着什么。

9 出于某种原因，当我们觉得防范周密时就感到心满意足；我们没有问过自己：为什么会出现这种情况？为什么非得把自己与邻居和同住一城的居民相隔绝，这一切究竟是从什么时候开始主宰我们生活的？10 这一切确是主宰了我们的生活。

Text AYears ago in America, it was customary for families to leave their doors unlocked, day and night. In this essay, Greene regrets that people can no longer trust each other and have to resort to elaborate security systems to protect themselves and their possessions.许多年前，在美国，家家户户白天黑夜不锁门是司空见惯的。

在本文中，格林叹惜人们不再相互信任，不得不凭借设计精密的安全设备来保护自己和财产。

The Land of the LockBob Greene锁之国1 In the house where I grew up, it was our custom to leave the front door on the latch at night. I don't know if that was a local term or if it is universal; "on the latch" meant the door was closed but not locked. None of us carried keys; the last one in for the evening would close up, and that was it.小时候在家里，我们的前门总是夜不落锁。

我不知道这是当地的一种说法还是大家都这么说；"不落锁"的意思是掩上门，但不锁住。

我们谁都不带钥匙；晚上最后一个回家的人把门关上，这就行了。

2 Those days are over. In rural areas as well as in cities, doors do not stay unlocked, even for part of an evening.那样的日子已经一去不复返了。

Unit 3 SecurityText AYears ago in America, it was customary for families to leave their doors unlocked, day and night. In this essay, Greene regrets that people can no longer trust each other and have to resort to elaborate security systems to protect themselves and their possessions.许多年前，在美国，家家户户白天黑夜不锁门是司空见惯的。

在本文中，格林叹惜人们不再相互信任，不得不凭借设计精密的安全设备来保护自己和财产。

The Land of the LockBob Greene锁之国1 In the house where I grew up, it was our custom to leave the front door on the latch at night. I don't know if that was a local term or if it is universal; "on the latch" meant the door was closed but not locked. None of us carried keys; the last one in for the evening would close up, and that was it.小时候在家里，我们的前门总是夜不落锁。

我不知道这是当地的一种说法还是大家都这么说；"不落锁"的意思是掩上门，但不锁住。

我们谁都不带钥匙；晚上最后一个回家的人把门关上，这就行了。

2 Those days are over. In rural areas as well as in cities, doors do not stay unlocked, even for part of an evening.那样的日子已经一去不复返了。