...word可编辑Unit3OutofStepBillBryson1AfterlivinginEnglandfor20years,mywifeandIdecidedtomovebacktotheUnitedStates.Wewantedtoliveinatownsmallenoughthatwecouldwalktothebusinessdistrict,andsettledonHanover,N.H.,atypicalNewEnglandtown—pleasant,sedateandcompact.IthasabroadcentralgreensurroundedbythevenerablebuildingsofDartmouthCollege,anold-fashionedMainStreetandleafyresidentialneighborhoods.2Itis,inshort,anagreeable,easyplacetogoaboutone’sbusinessonfoot,andyetasfarasIcantell,virtuallynoonedoes.3Nearlyeveryday,Iwalktothepostofficeorlibraryorbookstore,andsometimes,ifIamfeelingparticularlydebonair,IstopatRoseyJekesCaféforacappuccino.Occasionally,intheevenings,mywifeandIstrolluptotheNuggetTheatreforamovieortoMurphy’sontheGreenforabeer,Iwouldn’tdreamofgoingtoanyoftheseplacesbycar.Peoplehavegottenusedtomyeccentricbehavior,butintheearlydaysacquaintanceswouldoftenpulluptothecurbandaskifIwantedaride.4“I’mgoingyourway,”theywouldinsistwhenIpolitelydeclined.“Really,it’snobother.”...word可编辑5“Honestly,Ienjoywalking.”6“Well,ifyou’resure,”theywouldsayanddepartreluctantly,evenguiltily,asifleavingthesceneofanaccidentwithoutgivingtheirname.7IntheUnitedStateswehavebecomesohabituatedtousingthecarforeverythingthatitdoesn’toccurtoustounfurlourlegsandseewhatthoselowerlimbscando.Wehavereachedanagewherecollegestudentsexpecttodrivebetweenclasses,whereparentswilldrivethreeblockstopickuptheirchildrenfromafriend’shouse,wherethelettercarriertakeshisvanupanddowneverydrivewayonastreet.8Wewillgothroughthemostextraordinarycontortionstosaveourselvesfromwalking.Sometimesit’salmostludicrous.TheotherdayIwaswaitingtobringhomeoneofmychildrenfromapianolessonwhenacarstoppedoutsideapostoffice,andamanaboutmyagepoppedoutanddashedinside.Hewasinthepostofficeforaboutthreeorfourminutes,andthencameout,gotinthecaranddroveexactly16feet(Ihadnothingbettertodo,soIpaceditoff)tothegeneralstore6nextdoor.9Andthethingis,thismanlookedreallyfit.I’msurehejogsextravagantdistancesandplayssquashanddoesallkindsofhealthfulthings,butIamjustassurethathedrivestoeachoftheseundertakings....word可编辑10Anacquaintanceofourswascomplainingtheotherdayaboutthedifficultyoffindingaplacetoparkoutsidethelocalgymnasium.Shegoesthereseveraltimesaweektowalkonatreadmill.Thegymnasiumis,atmost,asix-minutewalkfromherfrontdoor.11Iaskedherwhyshedidn’twalktothegymanddosixminuteslessonthetreadmill.12ShelookedatmeasifIweretragicallysimple-mindedandsaid,“ButIhaveaprogramforthetreadmill.Itrecordsmydistanceandspeedandcalorieburnrate,andIcanadjustitfordegreeofdifficulty.”13Iconfessithadnotoccurredtomehowthoughtlesslydeficientnatureisinthisregard.14Accordingtoaconcernedandfaintlyhorrified1997editorialintheBostonGlobe,theUnitedStatesspentlessthanonepercentofitstransportationbudgetonfacilitiesforpedestrians.Actually,I’msurpriseditwasthatmuch.Gotoalmostanysuburbdevelopedinthelast30years,andyouwillnotfindasidewalkanywhere.Oftenyouwon’tfindasinglepedestriancrossing.15IhadthisbroughthometomeonesummerwhenweweredrivingacrossMaineandstoppedforcoffeeinoneofthoseendlesszonesofshoppingmalls,motels,gasstationsandfast-foodplaces.Inoticedtherewasabookstoreacrossthestreet,soIdecidedtoskipcoffeeandheadover....word可编辑16Althoughthebookshopwasnomorethan70or80feetaway,Idiscoveredthattherewasnowaytocrossonfootwithoutdodgingoversixlanesofswiftlymovingtraffic.Intheen...
