I have learnt of a plan to build three hundred houses on the land called Parson's Place by thefootball ground. Few people know about this new plan to increase the size of our town. For me,Parson's Place is special because it is a beautiful natural area where local people can relax - thesmall wood has many unusual trees and the stream is popular with fishermen and bird-watchers.1It's very quiet because there are few houses or roads nearby.I think that losing this area will beterrible because we have no other similar facilities in the neighbourhood.
I am also against this plan because it will cause traffic problems. How will the people from thenew houses travel to work7 The motorway and the railway station are on the other side of town.
Therefore, these people will have to drive through the town centre every time they go anywhere.
The roads will always be full of traffic, there will be nowhere to park and the tourists who come tosee our lovely old buildings will leave.2 Shops and hotels will lose business. If the town reallyneeds more homes, the empty ground beside the railway station is a more suitable place.
No doubt the builders will make a lot of money by selling these houses. But, in my opinion,the average person will quickly be made poorer by this plan. As well as this, we will lose a veryspecial place and our town will be much less pleasant.3I am going to the local govemment offices on Monday morning to protest about this plan and Ihope that your readers will join me there. We must make them stop this plan before it is too late.
注釋：
1. For me, Parson's Place is special because it is a beautiful natural area where local people canrelax - the small wood has many unusual trees and the stream is popular with fishermen andbird-watchers.對我來說，帕森場是非常特別的，因為它是一個美麗的天然場地并且當(dāng)?shù)厝丝梢栽诖朔潘尚菹ⅰ＿@片小樹林里有許多獨特的樹木并且這里的小溪受到了漁夫和野鳥觀察者的歡迎。
2. The roads will always be full of traffic, there will be nowhere to park and the tourists who cometo see our lovely old buildings will leave.公路上將總是有很多車輛，卻沒有地方停車，并且來參觀我們這兒可愛的老式建筑物的觀光者將會離開這里。
3. As well as this, we will lose a very special place and our town will be much less pleasant.不但如此，我們將失去一個非常特別的地方并且我們的城鎮(zhèn)將會失去很多快樂。
練習(xí)：
1. Why has Alan written this letter?
A) To persuade the -government to build new houses.
B) To protest about a new mlotorway near the town.
C) To encourage more people in the town to use Parson's Place.
D) To inform other people about the builders' plans.
2. Why is Parson's Place particularly important, in Alan's opinion?
A) Because it is near the football ground.
B) Because lots of people live near it.
C) Because it is a place near the town where people can enjoy nature.
D) Because local people can get there easily by car from the town.
3. What will cause traffic jams?
A)A building on Parson's Place.
B) Building near the railway station.
C) Tourists in the narrow streets.
D) People going to the shops and hotels.
4. Alan says that ordinary people who live in the town will probably soon____.
A) open new shops and hotels
B) choose to live near the station .
C) be able to buy new homes
D) have less money
5. Which of these posters has Alan made?
A) SAVE OUR SPORTS GROUND
B) SAY NO TO HOUSES ON PARSON'S PLACE
C) WE NEED HOMES NOT HOTELS
D) USE THE TRAIN NOT THE ROAD
答案與題解：
1.D本題問的是：為什么Alan寫這封信?A\B.C選項在文中沒有提到，D選項的意思是讓其他人了解建筑商的計劃，因此D是正確答案。
2.C本題問的是：在Alan看來，為什么帕森場非常重要?第一段中提到“因為它是一個美麗的天然場地并且當(dāng)?shù)厝丝梢栽诖朔潘尚菹ⅰ�。因此C是正確答案。
3.A本題問的是：什么將會引起交通堵塞?第二段提到了，如果按照建筑商的計劃，那么“公路上將總是有很多車輛，卻沒有地方來停車”。因此選擇A。
4.D本題問的是：Alan說住在城鎮(zhèn)的人們將來可能會，本文第三段提到“每個人將會因這個計劃的實施而快速地變窮”。因此選擇D。
5.B本題問的是：以下哪個是Alan制作的海報?Alan在本文中一直在說抵制建筑商在帕森場上建造房屋的計劃，因此選擇B，對帕森場上的房屋說不。
譯文
第十篇 艾倫的來信
我聽說了一個要在叫Parson公園上建造三百所房子的計劃。沒有幾個人知道這個打算將我們的城鎮(zhèn)擴大的計劃。對我來說，Parson公園是非常特別的，因為它是一個美麗的天然公園，當(dāng)?shù)厝丝梢栽诖朔潘尚菹ⅰ＿@片小樹林里有許多獨特的樹木并且這里的小溪受到了漁夫和野鳥觀察者的歡迎。這里很安靜因為附近只有幾所房子和幾條公路。我認為失去這片公園會很糟糕，因為在這附近我們沒有其他與其相似的公園了。
我反對這項計劃也是因為它將會引起交通問題。住在新房子的人們將如何去工作呢?高速公路和地鐵站在城鎮(zhèn)的另一端。因此，這些人每次出行的時候?qū)⒉坏貌或?qū)車穿越城鎮(zhèn)中心。
公路上將總是有很多車輛，沒有地方停車，并且來參觀我們這兒可愛的老式建筑物的觀光者將會離開這里。商店和旅館將賠錢。如果這個城鎮(zhèn)真的需要更多的房子，那片在地鐵站附近的空地是一個更合適的地方。
毫無疑問，通過出售這些房子建筑商們會賺很多錢。但是，在我看來，每個人將會因這個計劃的實施而快速地變窮。不但如此，我們將失去一個非常特別的地方，并且我們的城鎮(zhèn)將會失去很多快樂。
我將在周一早上到當(dāng)?shù)卣k公室*這項計劃，并且我希望你們這些讀者將會和我一起去那里。我們必須讓他們停止這項計劃，否則就來不及了。
