People travelling long distances frequently have to decide whether they would prefer to go by land, sea, or air. Hardly anyone can positively enjoy sitting in a train for more than a few hours.
人们长时间旅行时，总是不得不决定走陆路、水路、空路哪个更好。没几个人喜欢主动在火车里边坐几个小时的。
PS: prefer to, 更喜欢，偏爱…
Train compartments soon get cramped and stuffy. It is almost impossible to take your mind off the journey. Reading is only a partial solution, for the monotonous rhythm of the wheels clicking on the rails soon lulls you to sleep.
火车包间立马会变得局促和闷热。将注意力集中在旅行之外几乎是不可能的。阅读只是其中一种办法，因为列车在铁轨上疾驰的声音很单调，会让你昏昏入睡。
PS: take your mind off, 将注意力集中在…之外
PS++: monotorous rhythm, 单调的节奏
During the day, sleep comes in snatches. At night, when you really wish to go to sleep, you rarely manage to do so. If you are lucky enough to get a sleeper, you spend half the night staring at the small blue light in theeiling, or fumbling to find your ticket for inspection. Inevitably you arrive at your destination almost exhausted.
白天就昏昏欲睡了，到了晚上当你真正想睡的时候，却怎么也睡不着了。如果你走运得到一个卧铺，你也得花半宿时间盯着车顶那盏小灯，或者得为查票摸索你的车票。这么一折腾，当你到站后，你就筋疲力尽了。
PS: almost exhausted, 筋疲力尽，做destination的宾语补足语，表状态。
Long car journeys are even less pleasant, for it is quite impossible even to read. On motorways you can, at least, travel fairly safely at high speeds, but more often than not, the greater part of the journey is spent on the roads with few service stations and too much traffic.
坐汽车长途旅行就更不爽了，因为连阅读都几乎不可能。在公路上还好，至少跑得又快又稳，但是更多的情况恰恰相反，旅途中的大部分路程，服务站很少，堵车很多。
By comparasion, ferry trips or cruises offer a great variety of civilized comforts. You can stretch your legs on the spacious decks, play games, meet interesting people and enjoy good food — always assuming, of course, that the sea is calm.
对比之下，坐船旅行或者环游给了我们各种文明世界的享受。你可以在甲板上舒展四肢、玩游戏、见其他有趣的人、吃美味的食物 — 当然了，这一切都是在风平浪静的情况下才有可能。
PS: by comparasion, 对比之下
If it is not, and you are likely to get seasick, no form of transport could be worse. Even if you travel in ideal weather, sea journeys take a long time. Relatively few people are prepared to the sacrifice holiday time for the pleasure of travelling by sea.
如果不是的话，你可能得晕船，没有比这更糟糕的旅行了。即使你在好天气出行，坐船旅行也需要很长时间。几乎没有人会在牺牲假期的情况下喜欢坐船出行。
Aeroplanes have the reputation of being dangerous and even hardened travellers are intimidated by them. They also have the disadvantage of being an expensive form of transport. But nothing can match them for speed and comfort. Travelling at a height of 30000 feet, far above the clouds, and at over miles an hour is an exhilarating experience.
飞机以危险而著称，即使是顽固的旅行者也会被它吓到。同时飞机的价格相比其他比较贵也是缺点之一。但同时飞机也是最快最舒适得了。但在30000英尺的高空中飞行，远高于云层，每小时几英里的速度是一种令人振奋的体验。
PS: have the reputation of, 以…而闻名
PS++: far above the clouds, 云端之上
You do not have to devise ways of taking your mind off the journey, for an aeroplane gets you to your destination rapidly. For a few hours, you settle back in a deep armchair to enjoy the flight. The real escapist can watch a film and sip champagne on some services. But even when such refinements are not available, there is plenty to keep you occupied.
你不需要思考你旅途的路程，因为飞机会迅速地带你到目的地。几个小时中，你坐在深深的扶手椅中享受飞行。最爽的体验是看场电影或者开瓶香槟。即使这些享受都不可用，你也有很多事情做的。
And aeroplane offers you an unusual and breathtaking view of the world. You soar effortlessly over high mountains and deep valleys. You really see the shape of the land. If the landscape is hidden from view, you can enjoy the extraordinary sight of unbroken cloud plains that stretch out the miles before you, while the sun shines brilliantly in a clear sky.
飞机给你提供了一种不寻常的、令人窒息的世界。你毫不费力地飞跃在高山和深谷。你能真切地看到地形地貌。如果被景色挡住了，你可以观赏一下这不寻常的、一望数英里的、一望无际的、被阳光晕红的、澄亮的云海。
这段写得很好，建议背诵啊。
The journey is so smooth that there is nothing to prevent you from reading and sleeping. However you decide to spend your time, one thing is certain: you will arrive at yout destination fresh and uncrumpled. You will not have to spend the next few days recovering from a long and arduous journey.
旅行如此顺利，丝毫不妨碍你阅读或睡眠。然而当你打算消磨时间时，有一件事是肯定的：你会神清气爽地到达目的地，毫无倦意。你也不需要在接下来几天时间靡废的旅途当中恢复精神 :-)
PS: recover from …, 从…中恢复
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