Lesson 47 The great escape
What is one of the features of modern camping where nationality is concerned?
Economy is one powerful motive for camping, since after the initial outlay upon equipment, or through hiring it, the total expense can be far less than the cost of hotels. But, contrary to a popular assumption, it is far from being the only one, or even the greatest. The man who manoeuvres carelessly into his twenty pounds’ worth of space at one of Europe’s myriad permanent sites may find himself bumping a Bentley. More likely, Ford Escort will be hub to hub with Renault or Mercedes, but rarely with bicycles made for two.
That the equipment of modern camping becomes yearly more sophisticated is an entertaining paradox for the cynic, a brighter promise for the hopeful traveler who has sworn to get away from it all. It also provides—and some student sociologist might care to base his thesis upon the phenomenon—an escape of another kind. The modern traveller is often a man who dislikes the Splendide and the Bellavista, not because he cannot afford, or shuns their material comforts, but because he is afraid of them. Affluent he may be, but he is by no means sure what to tip the doorman or the chambermaid. Master in his own house, he has little idea of when to say boo to a maitre d’hotel.
From all such fears camping releases him. Granted, a snobbery of camping itself, based upon equipment and techniques, already exists; but it is of a kind that, if he meets it, he can readily understand and deal with. There is no superior ‘they’ in the shape of managements and hotel hierarchies to darken his holiday days.
To such motives, yet another must be added. The contemporary phenomenon of car worship is to be explained not least by the sense of independence and freedom that ownership entails. To this pleasure camping gives an exquisite refinement.
From one’s own front door to home or foreign hills or sands and back again, everything is to hand. Not only are the means of arriving at the holiday paradise entirely within one’s own command and keeping, but the means of escape from holiday hell (if the beach proves too crowded, the local weather too inclement) are there, outside—or, as likely, part of—the tent.
Idealists have objected to the practice of camping, as to the package tour, that the traveller abroad thereby denies himself the opportunity of getting to know the people of the country visited. Insularity and self-containment, it is argued, go hand in hand. The opinion does not survive experience of a popular Continental camping place. Holiday hotels tend to cater for one nationality of visitors especially, sometimes exclusively. Camping sites, by contrast, are highly cosmopolitan. Granted, a preponderance of Germans is a characteristic that seems common to most Mediterranean sites; but as yet there is no overwhelmingly specialized patronage. Notices forbidding the open-air drying of clothes, or the use of water points for car washing, or those inviting “our camping friends” to a dance or a boat trip are printed not only in French or Italian or Spanish, but also in English, German and Dutch. At meal times the odour of sauerkraut vies with that of garlic. The Frenchman’s breakfast coffee competes with the Englishman’s bacon and eggs.
Whether the remarkable growth of organized camping means the eventual death of the more independent kind is hard to say. Municipalities naturally want to secure the campers’ site fees and other custom. Police are wary of itinerants who cannot be traced to a recognized camp boundary or to four walls. But most probably it will all depend upon campers themselves: how many heath fires they cause; how much litter they leave; in short, whether or not they wholly alienate landowners and those who live in the countryside. Only good scouting is likely to preserve the freedoms so dear to the heart of the eternal Boy Scout.
📝 文章大意
省钱是人们露营的重要动机，但远不是唯一的、甚至不是最主要的动机：如今露营地上停的常常是名车。露营装备越来越讲究，这在愤世嫉俗者看来是个有趣的悖论。露营还提供了另一种逃避：很多现代旅行者不住豪华旅馆，不是因为住不起，而是因为怕——他们不知道该给门童和女服务员多少小费，也不知道怎么应付领班。露营让他们摆脱了这些顾虑，营地里没有高高在上的管理层。露营还让汽车带来的独立和自由感更加完美：从家门口到度假地，一切都在自己掌控之中，海滩太挤或天气太坏，随时可以离开。理想主义者批评露营让人无法了解当地人，但事实并非如此：度假旅馆往往只接待某一国的游客，露营地却是国际化的，告示用多种语言印刷，饭时德国泡菜的味道和大蒜味争相飘散。有组织的露营会不会让独立露营消亡还难说，这主要取决于露营者自己是否爱护乡村、不惹怒当地人。
标题问题的答案：就国籍而言，现代露营的一个特点是露营地高度国际化，各国游客汇聚一处。
📚 核心单词
| 单词 | 音标 | 词性 | 含义 | 文中用法 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| outlay | /ˈaʊtleɪ/ | n. | 开支，费用 | the initial outlay upon equipment |
| hire | /ˈhaɪə(r)/ | v. | 租用 | through hiring it |
| manoeuvre | /məˈnuːvə(r)/ | v. | （巧妙地）移动 | manoeuvres carelessly into |
| myriad | /ˈmɪriəd/ | adj. | 无数的 | Europe’s myriad permanent sites |
| sophisticated | /səˈfɪstɪkeɪtɪd/ | adj. | 复杂精密的 | yearly more sophisticated |
| paradox | /ˈpærədɒks/ | n. | 悖论，自相矛盾的事 | an entertaining paradox |
| cynic | /ˈsɪnɪk/ | n. | 愤世嫉俗者 | for the cynic |
| sociologist | /ˌsəʊsiˈɒlədʒɪst/ | n. | 社会学家 | some student sociologist |
| thesis | /ˈθiːsɪs/ | n. | 论文 | base his thesis upon |
| shun | /ʃʌn/ | v. | 避开 | shuns their material comforts |
| affluent | /ˈæfluənt/ | adj. | 富裕的 | Affluent he may be |
| chambermaid | /ˈtʃeɪmbəmeɪd/ | n. | （旅馆的）女服务员 | the doorman or the chambermaid |
| granted | /ˈɡrɑːntɪd/ | adv. | 诚然，的确 | Granted, a snobbery … exists |
| snobbery | /ˈsnɒbəri/ | n. | 势利 | a snobbery of camping |
| hierarchy | /ˈhaɪərɑːki/ | n. | 等级制度；领导层 | hotel hierarchies |
| contemporary | /kənˈtemprəri/ | adj. | 当代的 | the contemporary phenomenon |
| entail | /ɪnˈteɪl/ | v. | 使必然产生 | that ownership entails |
| exquisite | /ɪkˈskwɪzɪt/ | adj. | 精致的，完美的 | an exquisite refinement |
| refinement | /rɪˈfaɪnmənt/ | n. | 完善，改进 | an exquisite refinement |
| inclement | /ɪnˈklemənt/ | adj. | （天气）恶劣的 | the local weather too inclement |
| insularity | /ˌɪnsjuˈlærəti/ | n. | 心胸狭窄，与世隔绝 | Insularity and self-containment |
| cater | /ˈkeɪtə(r)/ | v. | 迎合，满足需要 | cater for one nationality |
| cosmopolitan | /ˌkɒzməˈpɒlɪtən/ | adj. | 国际性的 | highly cosmopolitan |
| preponderance | /prɪˈpɒndərəns/ | n. | 数量上的优势 | a preponderance of Germans |
| patronage | /ˈpætrənɪdʒ/ | n. | 惠顾，光顾 | specialized patronage |
| vie | /vaɪ/ | v. | 竞争 | vies with that of garlic |
| municipality | /mjuːˌnɪsɪˈpæləti/ | n. | 市政当局 | Municipalities naturally want |
| wary | /ˈweəri/ | adj. | 谨慎提防的 | wary of itinerants |
| itinerant | /aɪˈtɪnərənt/ | n. | 流动者 | itinerants who cannot be traced |
| alienate | /ˈeɪliəneɪt/ | v. | 疏远，使不友好 | alienate landowners |
📖 难句解析
1. Economy is one powerful motive for camping, since after the initial outlay upon equipment, or through hiring it, the total expense can be far less than the cost of hotels.
Economy在这里是”节约”，不是”经济”since引导原因状语从句after the initial outlay upon equipment, or through hiring it是两个并列的状语：要么先花钱买装备，要么租装备- 译: 节约是人们露营的一个重要动机，因为买了装备或租用装备以后，露营的总花费比住旅馆要少得多。
2. But, contrary to a popular assumption, it is far from being the only one, or even the greatest.
contrary to= 与……相反far from= 远非，完全不；后接动名词 beingone指 motive- 译: 但是，与人们通常的看法相反，节约远不是露营的唯一动机，甚至也不是最重要的动机。
3. The man who manoeuvres carelessly into his twenty pounds’ worth of space at one of Europe’s myriad permanent sites may find himself bumping a Bentley.
- 主干：
The man ... may find himself bumping a Bentley manoeuvre into= 把车开进……twenty pounds' worth of space= 价值 20 英镑的地方，即付了 20 英镑的营位find oneself doing= 发现自己（不知不觉地）在做；Bentley 是宾利豪车，说明露营者并不都是为了省钱- 译: 在欧洲众多的固定露营地中，如果你随意把车开进花了 20 英镑租下的营位，你可能会发现自己撞上的是一辆宾利。
4. More likely, Ford Escort will be hub to hub with Renault or Mercedes, but rarely with bicycles made for two.
hub to hub= 轮毂挨着轮毂，形容车停得很挤but rarely with ...省略了 will Ford Escort be hub to hubbicycles made for two= 双人自行车，代表穷游者- 译: 更可能的是福特护卫者车和雷诺或奔驰车挨着停放，而很少会和双人自行车停在一起。
5. That the equipment of modern camping becomes yearly more sophisticated is an entertaining paradox for the cynic, a brighter promise for the hopeful traveler who has sworn to get away from it all.
That ...引导主语从句，作整个句子的主语- 表语是两个并列名词短语：
an entertaining paradox for ...和a brighter promise for ... paradox：露营本是为了回归简朴，装备却越来越复杂get away from it all= 摆脱一切（日常的烦恼）- 译: 现代露营装备一年比一年复杂，对愤世嫉俗的人来说是一个有趣的悖论，而对那些发誓要摆脱一切的满怀希望的旅行者来说，则是一个更美好的前景。
6. It also provides—and some student sociologist might care to base his thesis upon the phenomenon—an escape of another kind.
- 主干：
It also provides an escape of another kind；破折号之间是插入语 might care to do= 也许愿意做base sth upon sth= 以……为根据- 译: 它还提供了另外一种逃避——研究社会学的学生也许愿意把这一现象作为他论文的基础。
7. The modern traveller is often a man who dislikes the Splendide and the Bellavista, not because he cannot afford, or shuns their material comforts, but because he is afraid of them.
the Splendide and the Bellavista是两家旅馆的名字，代指豪华旅馆not because ..., but because ...= 不是因为……，而是因为……cannot afford后面省略了 them- 译: 现代旅行者往往不喜欢住”辉煌”和”美景”这类旅馆，不是因为住不起，也不是要避开那里的物质享受，而是因为怕住这样的旅馆。
8. Affluent he may be, but he is by no means sure what to tip the doorman or the chambermaid.
Affluent he may be是倒装，表语提前表示让步，= Although he may be affluentby no means= 决不what to tip是”疑问词 + 不定式”结构；tip 带双宾语- 译: 他可能很有钱，但他根本不知道该给门童或女服务员多少小费。
9. Master in his own house, he has little idea of when to say boo to a maitre d’hotel.
Master in his own house是名词短语作状语，表示让步：虽然在家里是主人have little idea of= 几乎不知道say boo to= 对……说”不”，表示不满或反对；maitre d'hotel是法语，指餐厅领班或旅馆总管- 译: 他在自己家里是主人，却不知道什么时候该对旅馆的总管说个”不”字。
10. Granted, a snobbery of camping itself, based upon equipment and techniques, already exists; but it is of a kind that, if he meets it, he can readily understand and deal with.
Granted= 诚然，先让步，后面用 but 转折based upon ...是过去分词短语，修饰 snobberyit is of a kind= 它属于那一种，of + 名词作表语that引导定语从句修饰 kind，中间插入了if he meets it；that 作 understand 和 deal with 的共同宾语- 译: 诚然，露营本身已经存在着一种以装备和技术为标准的势利现象，但即使碰到了，他也能很容易地理解和应付。
11. There is no superior ‘they’ in the shape of managements and hotel hierarchies to darken his holiday days.
'they'加引号表示”他们”这群高高在上的人in the shape of= 以……的形式，表现为to darken ...是不定式作定语，修饰 ‘they’- 译: 这里没有旅馆管理人员和等级森严的员工这类高人一等的”他们”来使他的假日蒙上阴影。
12. The contemporary phenomenon of car worship is to be explained not least by the sense of independence and freedom that ownership entails.
be to be explained= 可以被解释，be to do 表示可能not least= 尤其，特别that ownership entails是定语从句，修饰 the sense；entail = 使必然产生- 译: 当代人对汽车的崇拜，尤其可以用拥有汽车所带来的独立感和自由感来解释。
13. Not only are the means of arriving at the holiday paradise entirely within one’s own command and keeping, but the means of escape from holiday hell (if the beach proves too crowded, the local weather too inclement) are there, outside—or, as likely, part of—the tent.
Not only放在句首，前半句部分倒装：are the means ...within one's own command and keeping= 完全在自己的掌控之中- 括号里第二个分句省略了 proves：
the local weather (proves) too inclement outside—or, as likely, part of—the tent：outside 和 part of 共用宾语 the tent；as likely= 同样可能；指车就停在帐篷外，或者帐篷本身就是车的一部分- 译: 不仅去度假胜地的交通工具完全由自己掌控，而且逃离度假”地狱”的工具（如果海滩太挤或当地天气太坏）就在帐篷外面，或者同样可能就是帐篷的一部分。
14. Idealists have objected to the practice of camping, as to the package tour, that the traveller abroad thereby denies himself the opportunity of getting to know the people of the country visited.
object to sth that ...= 以……为理由反对……；that 从句说明反对的理由as to the package tour= as (they have objected) to the package tour，省略句thereby= 因此，由此；deny oneself sth= 放弃某物，不给自己某物the country visited= 所访问的国家，过去分词后置- 译: 理想主义者反对露营，正如反对包价旅游一样，理由是出国旅行的人因此失去了了解所访问国家人民的机会。
15. Insularity and self-containment, it is argued, go hand in hand.
it is argued是插入语 = 有人认为go hand in hand= 密切相关，同时存在- 译: 有人认为，与世隔绝和自我封闭是密切相关的。
16. Granted, a preponderance of Germans is a characteristic that seems common to most Mediterranean sites; but as yet there is no overwhelmingly specialized patronage.
a preponderance of= 占多数的……be common to= 为……所共有as yet= 到目前为止overwhelmingly specialized patronage= 绝大多数顾客来自某一特定国家的情况- 译: 诚然，德国人占多数似乎是地中海地区大部分露营地的共同特点，但至今还没有一个露营地是专门接待某一国游客的。
17. Whether the remarkable growth of organized camping means the eventual death of the more independent kind is hard to say.
Whether ...引导主语从句the more independent kind= the more independent kind of camping- 译: 有组织的露营的显著增长是否意味着较为独立的露营方式的最终消亡，现在还很难说。
18. But most probably it will all depend upon campers themselves: how many heath fires they cause; how much litter they leave; in short, whether or not they wholly alienate landowners and those who live in the countryside.
- 冒号后面三个并列的宾语从句，具体说明 depend upon 的内容
in short= 总之，引出最后一个概括性的从句alienate= 使疏远，使不友好- 译: 但最有可能的是，这一切将取决于露营者自己：他们会引起多少起荒野火灾，留下多少垃圾；总之，取决于他们是否会完全疏远土地所有者以及住在乡村的人。
19. Only good scouting is likely to preserve the freedoms so dear to the heart of the eternal Boy Scout.
scouting= 童子军活动；这里指露营者要守规矩、讲公德so dear to the heart of ...是形容词短语后置修饰 freedoms；be dear to one's heart= 为某人所珍爱the eternal Boy Scout= 永远的童子军，指心中始终保有童子军精神的露营者- 译: 只有良好的童子军作风才可能保住那些永远的童子军们所珍视的自由。