55 An Electricity Failure
In November 1965, New York was blacked out by an electricity failure. In July 1977, there was a repeated performance which produced varying degrees of disorder throughout the city of eight million people．In 1965，the failure occur e d in the cool autumn and at a time of comparative prosperity．In 1977，the disaster was much more serious because it came when unemployment was high and the city was suffering from one of its worst heat waves．
In 1965，fewer than a hundred people were arrested．In 1977，hundreds of stores were broken into and robbed。Robbers smashed shop windows and helped themselves to jewelry，clothing or television sets，Nearly 4，000 people were arrested but far more disappeared into the darkness of the night．The number of policemen available using their guns against mobs．
The vast majority of New Yorkers，however, were not involved in robbing．They helped strangers hand out candles and batteries，and tried to survive in a night- mare world without traffic，lights，refrigerators，elevators，water or electrical power．For twenty一four hours，New York realized how helpless it was without electricity.
一次停电
1966年11月，纽约城因为一次停电而陷入了一片黑暗之中。1977年7月，又有类似的情况发生，此次停电给800万纽约市民造成了不同程度的混乱。1965年的那次停电发生在凉爽的秋天并且是在（经济）相对繁荣的时期。而在1977年，停电带给人们的灾难比1965年时的停电要更严重。因为当时的纽约有很多人失业，并且正在遭受着热浪的侵袭。
1965年，只有不到100人被逮捕。1977年，成百上千家商店被破门而入并遭到了抢劫。盗贼们打碎商店的窗户并肆意拿走了许多珠宝，服装和电视机。近4000人被捕，但更多的人都趁夜色逃跑了。许多警察动用枪支来抵御暴徒。
然而，绝大多数的纽约市民并为参与抢劫。他们向陌生人分发蜡烛和电池，并尽力在这个没有交通，没有灯光，没有冰箱，没有电梯，没有水和电的可怕世界中活下来。在长达24小时的时间中，纽约城意识到没有电它会变得多么不助。
参考译文
词汇：
Vary 使多样化 occur 发生
Comparative 相当的 prosperity 繁荣
Disaster 灾难 smash 打碎
Mob 暴徒 involve 包括
Battery 电池 survive 生存，幸存
I．听全文录音，判断正(T)误(F)
1 ．New York was blacked out by an electricity failure in July 1965．
2 ．In 1965，about three hundred people were arrested．
3 ．In 1977，nearly 4000 people were arrested．
4 ．In 1977，the electricity failure lasted about 24 hours．
II ． 听录合，补全下列段落
In 1 1965，New York was blacked out by an electricity failure In 2 1977，there was a 3 performance which produced varying degrees of 4 throughout the city of 5 million people．In 1965，the failure occur e d in the 6 autumn and at a time of 7 prosperity，In 1977，the disaster was much more 8 because it came when 9 was high and the city was suffering from one of its worst 10 waves．
答案:
I ．1 ．F 2．F 3．T 4. T
II．1. November 2. July 3．repeated 4. disorder 5．eight
6．cool 7 ．comparative 8．serious 9. unemployment 10.heat
