Unit 8 - Unwritten Rules（不成文的規矩）

Unwritten Rules

Bob Greene

The restaurant was almost full. A steady hum of conversation hung over the room; people spoke with each other and worked on their meals.

Suddenly, from a table near the center of the room, came a screaming voice: "Damn it, Sylvia...."

The man was shouting at the top of his voice. His face was red, and he yelled at the woman sitting opposite him for about fifteen seconds. In the crowded restaurant, it seemed like an hour. All other conversations in the room stopped, and everyone looked at the man. He must have realized this, because just as suddenly as he had started, he lowered his voice and finished whatever it was he had to say in a tone the rest of us could not hear.

It was startling precisely because it almost never happens; there are no laws against such explosions, and with the pressures of our modern world you would almost expect to run into such things on a regular basis. But you don't; as a matter of fact, when I thought it over I realized that it was the first time in my life I had witnessed such a demonstration. During all the meals I've had in restaurants, I had never seen a person start screaming at the top of his lungs.

When you're eating among other people, you don't raise your voice; it's just one example of the unwritten rules we live by. When you consider it, you recognize that those rules probably govern our lives on a more absolute basis than the ones you could find if you looked in the law books. The customs that govern us are what make a civilization. There would be chaos without them, and yet it's not at all clear why — even in our disintegrating society — we obey them.

How many times have you stopped at a red light late at night? You can see in all directions; there's no one else around — no headlights, no police cruiser idling behind you. You're tired and in a hurry. But you wait for the light to change. Is it for safety's sake? No; you can see that there would be no accident if you drove on. Is it to avoid getting arrested? No; you are alone; there's no one to catch you. Still, you sit and wait.

At major athletic events, it is not uncommon to find 90,000 or 100,000 people sitting in the stands. On the playing field are two dozen athletes —maybe fewer. There aren't enough security guards on hand to keep all the spectators from getting out of their seats and walking onto the field. But it never happens. Regardless of the emotion of the contest, the spectators stay in their places, and the athletes are safe in their part of the arena. The invisible barrier always holds.

In restaurants and coffee shops, people pay their bills. It's a simple enough concept. Yet it would be remarkably easy to wander away from a meal without paying at the end. Especially in these difficult economic times, wouldn't you expect this to become a common form of cheating? Why doesn't it happen more often? It's just another unwritten rule of human conduct that people automatically make good on their debts. They would no sooner walk out on a bill than start screaming.

I know a man who, when he parks his car at a parking meter, always puts change in the meter even if there's time left on it. He regards it as the right thing to do. He says he isn't doing it just to extend the time remaining—even if there's sufficient time on the meter to cover whatever task he has to perform at the location, he pays his own way. He believes that you're supposed to purchase your own time; the fellow before you purchased only his.

There are so many rules like these—rules that we all obey—that we think about them only when that rare person violates them. In the restaurant, after the man had yelled "Damn it, Sylvia" there was a tentative atmosphere among the other diners for half an hour after it happened. They weren't sure what disturbed them about what they had witnessed; they knew, though, that it had violated something very basic about the way we're supposed to behave. And it bothered them—which in itself is a hopeful sign that, more often than not, all is well.

New Words

hum

n. a low steady continuous sound 連續低沉的聲音

screaming

a. 尖聲的，發出尖叫聲的

scream

v. say (sth.) loudly and usually on a high note, esp. because of anger, fear, pain, etc. （因恐懼、痛苦等而）尖聲喊叫，驚呼

damn

v. 1. declare to be very wrong or bad 指責，貶斥

2. (esp. of God) send (sb.) to punishment without end after death （尤指上帝）罰（某人）入地獄受罪

3. curse at 詛咒；咒罵

int. 該死，他媽的，討厭（表示憤怒、厭煩、輕蔑、失望等）

yell

vi. (at) speak or say sth. in a very loud voice 叫喊，叫嚷

precisely

ad. 1. exactly; just 恰好；正好

2. in an exact manner; carefully 精確地；細致地

precision

n. exactness 精確，準確

a. made or done with exactness 精密的，確切的

explosion

n. 1. a sudden bursting out of strong emotion （感情等的）爆發，迸發

2. (a loud noise caused by) a sudden, violent burst of energy 爆炸（聲），炸裂（聲）

3. a large and rapid increase 大規模的擴大；激增

explode

vi. 1. blow up or burst 爆炸；爆破

2. (in, with) show sudden violent emotion 爆發，迸發

vt. 1. cause (a bomb, etc.) to blow up or burst 使爆炸；使突發

2. (often pass.) destroy (a belief) [常被動] 破除，戳穿

explosive

a. that can explode 會爆炸的

basis

n. 基礎；根據；基本原則，準則

basically

ad. with regard to what is most important and basic; in reality 基本上；實際上；主要地

witness

vt. see (sth.) happen 目擊

n. a person who sees an event take place and is therefore able to describe it to others 目擊者，見證人

demonstration

n. 1. the expression of a feeling （情緒的）顯示，表露

2. a public show of strong feeling or opinion, often with marching, big signs 示威游行

absolute

a. 1. not depending on or measured by comparison with other things 絕對的

2. complete: total 完全的；十足的

3. certain; definite; leaving no doubt 確實的；不容置疑的

custom

n. 1. (an) established socially accepted practice 習俗，風俗

2. the habitual practice of a person （個人）習慣

customary

a. established by custom; usual or habitual 習俗的；習慣的

disintegrate

v. 1. fall apart 瓦解；解體

2. (cause to) break into small parts or pieces （使）碎裂；（使）粉碎

headlight

n. 車前燈

cruiser

n. (AmE) a police car （美）警察巡邏車

sake

n. 目的；理由；緣故；利益

arrest

vt. take and keep (sb.) prisoner with the authority of the law 依法逮捕，拘捕

athletic

a. of or concerning athletes or athletics 運動員的；運動的

security

n. safety; sth. that provides or assures safety 安全；保衛措施，安全措施

spectator

n. a person who is watching an event or game （比賽等的）觀看者，觀眾

emotion

n. 1. any of the strong feelings of the human spirit 情感；激情；感情

2. strength of feelings; excited state of the feelings 激動

contest

n. an event in which people compete against each other; a competition 競賽；比賽

arena

n. a level area for sports, public entertainment, etc. （供競技、表演等用的）場地

remarkably

ad. unusually; noticeably 非凡地，異常地；值得注意地，引人注目地

parking meter

a device next to a parking space into which one has to put money for parking for a certain time 汽車停放計時器，汽車停放收費計

extend

vt. make (sth.) longer or larger 使延長，使延期；擴展，擴大

extension

n. 1. the act of extending or being extended 延伸；擴展

2. a part which is added to make sth. longer, wider, or larger 增加的部分

location

n. a place or position 地點；位置

violate

vt. break or be contrary to (a rule, principle, treaty, etc.) 違反，違背；違犯

tentative

a. 猶豫的，遲疑不決的

diner

n. a person eating dinner 就餐者

behave

v. 1. act; bear oneself 行為；舉止

2. (of things) act in a particular way （事物）作出反應；起作用

3. (of machines, etc.) work or function （機器等）運轉

hopeful

a. 1. (of things) causing hope; likely to be favourable or successful; promising （事物）有希望的，給人希望的；有前途的

2. having hope 抱有希望的；充滿希望的

Phrases and Expressions

hang over

remain, esp. as sth. unpleasant or threatening 籠罩；威脅

damn it

（俚）該死

raise/lower one's voice

speak more loudly/quietly 提高/壓低嗓門

at the top of one's voice/lungs

as loudly as possible 用盡量大的聲音，放聲（大叫）

on a regular /absolute basis

regularly /absolutely 定期地；絕對地

on a... basis

in a...way …地；在…基礎上

as a matter of fact

actually, in fact 實際上

live by

live according to (sth. such as a principle) 遵循（…的原則）

for sth.'s / sb.'s sake / for the sake of sth. / sb.

for the purpose of sth. / for the benefit of sb. 為了，為了…的利益

on hand

available; present (not absent) 現有，在手頭；在場

make good (on one's debt[s])

pay what one owes 償付，支付（債務）

no sooner... than

1. 同…一樣不

2. 一…就…

walk out on sth. / sb.

1. stop doing sth. one has agreed to do or that one is responsible for 不管，不顧；不履行；不支付

2. leave suddenly, esp. in a time of trouble; desert 拋棄，離開

in itself

considering only the thing specified; in its true nature 本身；實質上

more often than not

quite frequently 往往，多半

all is well

the situation is very satisfactory 一切順利

Proper Names

Bob Greene

鮑勃·格林

Sylvia

西爾維亞（女子名）

參考資料：

21世紀大學英語讀寫教程第二冊?Unit08_大學教材聽力 - 可可英語

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