87． While in America the trend started as a reaction to the economic decline-after the mass redundancies caused by downsizing in the late ' 80s-and is still linked to the politics of thrift, in Britain, at least among the middle-class down shifters of my acquaintance, we have different reasons for seeking to simplify our lives.

　　[参考译文]在美国，这一返朴趋势是以经济衰落的反应为开始的--那是在80年代末期裁员而引起大量的失业之后一一现在依然与提倡节俭的政纲相关;而在英国，最起码在我所熟识的中产阶级返朴归隐者中，追求简约;生活的原因就多种多样了。

　　88．For the women of my generation who were urged to keep juggling through the' 80s, down-shifting in the mid' 90s is not so much a search for the mythical good lift-growing your own organic vegetables, and risking turning into one-as a personal recognition of your limitations.

　　[参考译文]对于我这一代曾在整个80年代为生活奔波的女人来说，90年代中期出现的归隐恬退与其说是我们寻求一种神话般的美好生活--用有机肥种植蔬菜，并且自己放弃一切的风险--不如说是我们清醒地认识到自身;能力是有限的这一事实。

　　89．If you are part of the group which you are addressing, you will be in a position to know the experiences and problems which are common to all of you and it'11 be appropriate for you to make a passing remark about the inedible canteen food or the chairman' s notorious bad taste in ties.

　　[参考译文]如果你是你讲话对象中的一员，那么你就身处一种(有利)位置来了解对你们来说都很普遍的经历和问题，而且你对餐厅中难以下咽的食物或老总臭名昭彰的领带品位进行随意评判也是合适的。

　　90．There are already robot systems that can perform some kinds of brain and bone surgery with submillimeter accuracy far greater precision than highly skilled physicians can achieve with their hands alone.

　　[参考译文]现在已有一些机器人系统能够进行精确到毫米以下的脑部和骨骼手术这要比极具技巧的医生单单用手精确得多。