High 3 · Reading series
Lesson 21 · A Model of an Invisible City
Audio track 21
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Our class built a transparent model of the pipes beneath our town. Blue lines showed water, and gray lines represented other services. Visitors could finally see a system that usually remained hidden. The model looked convincing until an engineer asked where the older pipes were.
We had used a recent plan because it was easy to read. Some records of earlier repairs were incomplete, and the model did not show those uncertain sections. We added dotted lines and a note explaining what had been estimated. We also removed a label that made a planned pipe look as if it already existed.
At the exhibition, people asked better questions. Which routes were known? Which were only proposed? What would workers need to check before digging? The corrected model was less tidy, but it was a more honest starting point for conversation.
A model makes part of the world visible by leaving other parts out. Its strength depends on whether we know what those choices are. Even a beautiful diagram should invite questions about the space beneath its lines.
Check your understanding
After reading, state the main idea in one sentence and find a line that supports it.
Chinese translation
我们班做了一个透明模型，展示镇上地下的管道。蓝线表示水管，灰线表示其他设施。参观者终于能看见平时隐藏的系统。模型看起来很可信，直到一位工程师问：旧管道在哪里？
我们用了容易看懂的近期规划图。早期维修记录有些不完整，模型没有显示那些无法确定的路段。于是，我们加上虚线和说明，标明哪些位置是估计的；还删掉一个会让人误以为计划中的管道已经建成的标记。
展览上，人们提出了更好的问题：哪些路线已经确认？哪些还只是提议？施工前工人需要核实什么？修正后的模型没有原来整齐，却更适合作为诚实讨论的起点。
模型靠省略一部分现实，让另一部分变得可见。它是否可靠，取决于我们是否清楚自己作了哪些取舍。即使图画得漂亮，也应该让人追问线条下方真实的空间。
Key words and expressions
Key terms have Chinese explanations. Hover over dotted words in the English passage for word help and pronunciation when available.
- transparent
- 透明的；地下模型可看见内部。
- represented
- 表示；线条代表不同设施。
- convincing
- 可信的；外观不等于资料齐全。
- engineer
- 工程师；指出旧管道缺失。
- incomplete
- 不完整的；旧维修记录有空缺。
- uncertain
- 不确定的；不能画成已确认。
- estimated
- 估计的；须加注说明。
- proposed
- 拟议的；尚未建成的路线。
- corrected
- 修正后的；模型变得更诚实。
- diagram
- 示意图；应说明取舍与局限。
Background notes (Chinese)
旧管线资料不全，学生用虚线区分估计路线，并纠正把拟建管道画成现有设施的标记。