白领英语晨读-109 The Four Ages 四个时代

The Four Ages

There had been four ages since the human world first cameinto being ．They are the Golden Age，the Silver Age，the Age of Bronze and the Age of Iron．The Golden Agewas the best of all．．There wereno extremes of cold and heat．Men lived a happy life．They were forever young．They were always eating richly and knew neither hard labour nor sorrow．When death came it came like apeaceful sleep．And they became good spirits in heaven ．

The Silver Age was of helpless be ginning．It lasted a hundred years．And it was the time of manhood，short and troubled．Men spent in ignorance and evil．They no longer admired the gods and offered no sacrifices．However，as the race of the Silver Age was not entirely¹ lack of goodness，they had some honour and lived on as spirits under the earth．

During the age of Bronze men became further degenerated² ．Dressed in bronze and armed with weapons of bronze，they live din³ the houses of bronze．Cruel and heartless，they delighted inwar and died in endless struggle．When they passed away，they came into the darkness of the lower world．

The last age，that of Iron，was one of continual care and grief．There was no family love，no sense of respectful duty，no friend ship ．Nor was there any faith，truth and justice．Evil was widespread，might was right，and the flames of war burnt the surface of the earth．

1 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

2 degenerated   

衰退，堕落，退化( degenerate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The march degenerated into a riot. 示威游行变成了暴动。
• The wide paved road degenerated into a narrow bumpy track. 铺好的宽阔道路渐渐变窄，成了一条崎岖不平的小径。

3 din   

n.喧闹声，嘈杂声

参考例句：

• The bustle and din gradually faded to silence as night advanced.随着夜越来越深，喧闹声逐渐沉寂。
• They tried to make themselves heard over the din of the crowd.他们力图让自己的声音盖过人群的喧闹声。