21世纪大学英语读写教程

Text A

Pre-reading Activities

1. How many of these idioms do you know? If any of them are unfamiliar to you, hypothesize about what they might mean. Then as you listen to the passage,

a) circle the idioms you hear in the dialogue, and

b) check to make sure your hypotheses are correct.

love at first sight

fall in love [with sb.]

make a pass at sb.

puppy love

have a crush on sb.

flirt with sb.

lovebirds

be head over heels in love

sweep sb. off his/her feet

2. Do you remember the first time you fell in love? Did you let the person know how you felt? Did you learn anything from the experience, or was it just a silly incident?

How I Got Smart Steve Brody

A common misconception among youngsters attending school is that their teachers were child prodigies. Who else but a bookworm, with none of the normal kid's tendency to play rather than study, would grow up to be a teacher anyway?

I've tried desperately to explain to my students that the image they have of me as an enthusiastic devotee of books and homework during my adolescence was a bit out of focus. On the contrary, I hated compulsory education with a passion. I could never quite accept the notion of having to go to school while the fish were biting.

But in my sophomore year, something beautiful and exciting happened. Cupid aimed his arrow and struck me right in the heart. All at once, I enjoyed going to school, if only to gaze at the lovely face in English II.

My princess sat near the pencil sharpener, and that year I ground up enough pencils to fuel a campfire. Alas, Debbie was far beyond my wildest dreams. We were separated not only by five rows of desks, but by about 50 I.Q. points. She was the top student in English II, the apple of Mrs. Larrivee's eye.

Occasionally, Debbie would catch me staring at her, and she would flash a smile that radiated intelligence and quickened my heartbeat. It was a smile that signaled hope and made me temporarily forget the intellectual gulf that separated us.

I schemed desperately to bridge that gulf. And one day, as I was passing the supermarket, an idea came to me. A sign in the window announced that the store was offering the first volume of a set of encyclopedias at the special price of 29 cents. The remaining volumes would cost $2.49 each.

I purchased Volume I — Aardvark to Asteroid — and began my venture into the world of knowledge. I would henceforth become a seeker of facts. I would become Chief Brain in English II and sweep my princess off her feet with a surge of erudition. I had it all planned.

My first opportunity came one day in the cafeteria line. I looked behind me and there she was.

"Hi," she said.

After a pause, I wet my lips and said, "Know where anchovies come from?"

She seemed surprised. "No, I don't."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "The anchovy lives in salt water and is rarely found in fresh water." I had to talk fast, so that I could get all the facts in before we reached the cash register.

"Fishermen catch anchovies in the Mediterranean Sea and along the Atlantic coast near Spain and Portugal."

"How fascinating," said Debbie, shaking her head in disbelief. It was obvious that I had made quite an impression.

A few days later, during a fire drill, I casually went up to her and asked, "Ever been to the Aleutian Islands?"

"Never have," she replied.

"Might be a nice place to visit, but I certainly wouldn't want to live there," I said.

"Why not?" said Debbie, playing right into my hands.

"Well, the climate is forbidding. There are no trees on any of the 100 or more islands in the group. The ground is rocky and very little plant life can grow on it."

"I don't think I'd even care to visit," she said.

The fire drill was over and we began to file into the building, so I had to step it up to get the natives in. "The Aleuts are short and sturdy and have dark skin and black hair. They live on fish, and they trap blue foxes and seals for their valuable fur."

Debbie's eyes widened in amazement.

One day I was browsing through the library. I spotted Debbie sitting at a table, absorbed in a crossword puzzle. She was frowning, apparently stumped on a word. I leaned over and asked if I could help.

"Four-letter word for Oriental female servant," Debbie said.

"Try amah," I said, quick as a flash.

Debbie filled in the blanks, then turned to stare at me in amazement. "I don't believe it," she said. "I just don't believe it."

And so it went, that glorious, joyous, romantic sophomore year. Debbie seemed to relish our little conversations and hung on my every word. Naturally, the more I read, the more my confidence grew.

In the classroom, too, I was gradually making my presence felt. One day, during a discussion of Coleridge's "The Ancient Mariner

the neighborhood and transferred to another school. Soon she became no more than a memory.

Although the original incentive was gone, I continued poring over the encyclopedias, as well as an increasing number of other books. Having tasted of the wine of knowledge, I could not now alter my course. For:

"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing:

Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring."

So wrote Alexander Pope, Volume XIV — Paprika to Pterodactyl.

(1,034 words)

New Words

prodigy

n. a person who has unusual and very noticeable abilities, usually at an early age 奇才；天才

child prodigy

an unusually clever child 神童

bookworm

n. a person devoted to reading 极爱读书者；书呆子

devotee

n. a person strongly devoted to sth. or sb. 热爱…者；献身于…的人

adolescence

n. 青春期

* compulsory

a. required by law or a rule 义务的；强制的

compel

vt. oblige or force (sb.) to do sth. 强迫；强求

passion

n. a strong, deep, often uncontrollable feeling 热情；激情

gaze

vi. look fixedly 注视；凝视

princess

n. 1. 理想中的女友；心目中追求的女友

2. (oft, cap.) a female member of the royal family, usually the daughter of a king or queen or the wife of a prince ［常大写］公主；王妃

prince

n. 1. 少女理想中的未婚者，白马王子

2. a male member of the royal family, especially the son of a king or queen 王子；亲王

3. (usu. sing.) (among, of) a very great, successful or powerful man of some stated kind ［常单数］（喻）大王；巨头；名家

sharpener

n. 卷笔刀；卷笔器

campfire

n. a wood fire made in the open air by campers 营火，?诨

quicken

v. (cause to) speed up 加快

scheme

v. make plans (for); plan in a deceitful way 计划；谋划

n. 1. a formal, official or business plan 计划；规划

2. a clever, dishonest plan 阴谋，诡计

volume

n. 1. one of a set of books of the same kind （一套书的）一册；一卷

2. (of) 体积；容积

encyclop(a)edia

n. a book or set of books dealing with a wide range of information presented in alphabetical order 百科全书

aardvark

n. 土豚，非洲食蚁兽

asteroid

n. 小行星；海星

* henceforth

ad. from this time onwards 自此以后

hence

ad. 1. for this reason, therefore 因此，所以

2. from this time on 今后，从此

erudition

n. learning acquired by reading and study 博学；学问

* cafeteria

n. a self-service restaurant 自助餐厅

anchovy

n. 凤尾鱼

sigh

n. the act or sound of sighing 叹息（声）；叹气（声）

reliefn. feeling of comfort at the end of anxiety, fear, or pain （焦虑等的）解除；宽慰

casually

ad. in a relaxed way 随便地；漫不经心地

casual

a. relaxed; not formal 随便的；漫不经心的；非正式的

* sturdy

a. physically strong 强壮的

seal

n. 1. 海豹

2. 印记，印章

vt. 1. 盖章于

2. 封，密封

widen

v. make or become wider 加宽；变宽

* browse

v. casually look or search, e.g. in a shop, in a library, at a book, etc., with no specific aim or object in mind 浏览

crossword

n. (= crossword puzzle) 纵横字谜，纵横填字游戏

frown

vi. contract the brows, as in displeasure or deep thought 皱眉头

* stump

vt. put an unanswerable question to; puzzle 把…难住；使为难

* oriental

a. of, from or concerning Asia 东方的

amah

n. 阿妈（印度等一些东方国家的奶妈、女佣或保姆）

glorious

a. having or deserving glory; very delightful and enjoyable 荣耀的；令人愉快的

joyous

a. full of or causing joy 充满欢乐的；令人高兴的

romantic

a. 1. (of sth.) beautiful in a way that strongly affects one's feelings 有浪漫色彩的

2. (of sb.) showing strong feelings of love 多情的；浪漫的

3. being unrealistic or unpractical 不切实际的

* relish

vt. get pleasure out of; enjoy greatly 从…获得乐趣；很喜爱

confidence

n. belief in one's own or another's ability 信心

mariner

n. (obsolete) a sailor 〈废〉水手

marine

a. 1. of ships and their goods and trade at sea 航海的；海事的

2. of, near, living in, or obtained from the sea 海洋的；海生的；海产的

n. 水兵

albatross

n. 信天翁

wingspread

n. the distance between the tips of a pair of fully spread wings 翼幅

shellfish

n. 贝壳类动物

shell

n. 1. the hard covering of a sea creature, egg, fruit, seed, etc. 动物的壳（如贝壳、蛹壳等），蛋壳；果壳；荚

2. the outside frame of a building （房屋的）框架；骨架

appetite

n. 1. one's desire to eat and one's feeling about how much to eat 食欲，胃口

2. (for) a strong desire 欲望；爱好

beam

vi. shine brightly; smile warmly 照耀；（面）露喜色；满脸堆笑

n. 1. 微笑；喜色

2. 光束

perceive

vt. notice; be conscious of 注意到；感觉；察觉

* revelation

n. the act of revealing sth., usually of great significance 揭示；暴露

asthma

n. 气喘，哮喘

bullfinch

n. 红腹灰雀

invest

vi. put money into sth. with the expectation of profit or other advantage 投资

investment

n. 1. 投资；投资额

2. the spending of (time, energy, etc.) to make sth. successful （时间、精力等的）投入

* betray

vt. be disloyal or unfaithful to 出卖，背叛

* drastic

a. strong, violent or severe 激烈的；迅猛的

consequence

n. (usu. pi.) the result or effect of an action or condition ［常复数］结果；后果

* incentive

n. encouragement to greater activity; motivating factor; stimulus 鼓励；刺激

paprika

n. 红灯笼辣椒

pterodactyl

n. 翼手龙

Phrases and Expressions

out of focus

not sharply defined 焦点没对准；模糊的

beyond one's wildest dreams

(in a way that is) better than what one expected or hoped for 超过某人所期望的（地）；

出乎某人意料的（地）

the apple of sb.'s eye

a person or thing that is the main object of sb.'s love and attention 某人的掌上明珠；宝贝

sweep sb. off his/her feet

make sb. feel suddenly and strongly attracted to you in a romantic way 使某人倾心

get sth. in

manage to say sth. about a subject 设法说完

play into sb.'s hands

do something which gives sb. an advantage 干对某人有利的事

file into

enter in a single line 鱼贯进入

step up

(infml) increase the size or speed of 〈口〉加快；增加

hang on sb.'s words

listen very carefully to 倾听；注意地听

feed on

eat habitually 以…为食物；靠…为生

go steady with

date sb. regularly and exclusively 仅与（同一异性）经常约会

invest in

1. buy (sth.) with the expectation of profit or some other kind of advantage 投资于

2. (infml) 〈口〉买

in time

1. eventually 经过一段时间后；最终

2. at or before the right or necessary time 及时

pore over

study or give close attention to 钻研；专心阅读

Proper Names

Steve Brody

史蒂文•布罗迪（男子名）

Cupid

丘比特（罗马神话中的爱神）

Debbie

黛比（女子名）

Larrivee

拉里维（姓氏）

Spain

西班牙（欧洲西南部国家）

Portugal

葡萄牙（欧洲西南部国家）

Aleutian Islands

阿留申群岛（美国阿拉斯加州西南部）

Aleut

阿留申人

Coleridge

柯尔律治（1772—1834，英国诗人，评论家）

"The [Rhyme of the] Ancient Mariner"

《古舟子咏》（柯尔律治的著名诗作）

Agamemnon

阿伽门农（希腊神话中迈锡尼的国王，特洛伊战争中希腊联军统帅，战后回国被妻子及其情夫谋杀）

Pierian spring

比埃里亚圣泉；知识的源泉

Unit 2

Text A

Pre-reading Activities

1. There are many traditional forms of courtesy toward women — gestures like lighting their cigarettes for them or standing up when they enter a room. What others can you think of?

2. As you listen to the passage the first time, see if it mentions any of the polite gestures that you thought of. Then listen again for the answers to the following questions:

a) Where do you imagine the incident the woman describes took place?

b) What courtesy did she expect?

c) What, in the man's view, is the basis of a lot of common courtesy?

3. What do you think of the woman's argument about everyday reality? What about the man's view of common courtesy?

The Titanic Puzzle Should a good feminist accept

priority seating on a lifeboat?

Charles Krauthammer

You're on the Titanic II. It has just hit an iceberg and is sinking. And, as last time, there are not enough lifeboats. The captain shouts, "Women and children first!" But this time, another voice is heard: "Why women?"

Why, indeed? Part of the charm of the successful movie Titanic are the period costumes, the period extravagance, and the period prejudic

es. An audience can enjoy these at a distance. Oddly, however, of all the period attitudes in the film, the old maritime tradition of "women and children first" enjoys total acceptance by modern audiences. Listen to the audience boo at the bad guys who try to sneak on the lifeboats with — or ahead of — the ladies.

But is not grouping women with children a raging anachronism? Should not any self-respecting modern person, let alone feminist, object to it as insulting to women?

Yet its usage is as common today as it was in 1912. Consider these examples taken almost at random from recent newspapers:

"The invaders gunned down the Indians, most of them women and children..."

"As many as 200 civilians, most of them women and children, were killed..."

"At the massacre in Ahmici 103 Muslims, including 33 women and children, were killed..."

At a time when women fly combat aircraft and run multi-national corporations, how can one not wince when adult women are routinely classed with children? In Ahmici, it seems, 70 adult men were killed. And how many adult women? Not clear. When things get serious, when blood starts to flow or ships start to sink, you'll find them with the children.

Children are entitled to special consideration for two reasons: helplessness and innocence. They have not yet acquired either the faculty of reason or the wisdom of experience. Consequently, they are defenseless (incapable of fending for themselves) and blameless (incapable of real sin). That's why we grant them special protection. In an emergency, it is our duty to save them first because they, helpless, have put their lives in our hands. And in wartime, they are supposed to be protected by special immunity because they can have threatened or offended no one.

The phrase "women and children" attributes to women the same dependence and moral simplicity we find in five-year-olds. Such an attitude perhaps made sense in an era dominated by male privilege. Given the disabilities attached to womanhood in 1912, it was only fair that a new standard of gender equality not suddenly be proclaimed just as lifeboat seats were being handed out. That deference — a somewhat more urgent variation on giving up your seat on the bus to a woman — complemented and perhaps to some extent compensated for the legal and social constraints placed on women at the time.

But in our era of extensive social restructuring to grant women equality in education, in employment, in government, in athletics, what entitles women to the privileges — and reduces them to the status — of children?

Evolutionary psychologists might say that ladies-to-the-lifeboats is an instinct that developed to perpetuate the species: Women are indispensable child-bearers. You can repopulate a village if the women survive and only a few of the men, but not if the men survive and only a few of the women. Women being more precious, biologically speaking, than men, evolution has conditioned us to give them the kind of

life-protecting deference we give to that other seed of the future: kids.

The problem with this kind of logic, however, is its depressing reductionism. It's like a serious version of the geneticist's old joke that a chicken is just an egg's way of making another egg. But humans are more than just egg-layers. And traditional courtesies are more than just disguised survival strategies. So why do we say "women and children"?

Perhaps it's really "women for children." The most basic parental bond is maternal. Equal parenting is great, but women, from breast to cradle to reassuring hug, can nurture in ways that men cannot. And thus, because we value children, women should go second. The children need them.

But kiddie-centrism gets you only so far. What if there are no children on board? You are on the Titanic III, and this time it's a singles cruise. No kids, no parents. Now: Iceberg! Lifeboats! Action!

Here's my scenario. The men, out of sheer irrational heroism, should let the women go first. And the women, out of sheer feminist self-respect, should refuse.

Result? Stalemate. How does this movie end? How should it end? Hurry, the ship's going down.

(759 words)

New Words

feminist

n. a person who believes that women should have the same rights and opportunities as men 女权主义者

* feminine

a. of or having the qualities suitable for a woman 女性的；女子气的

charm

n. a pleasing or attractive feature or quality 魅力

* costume

n. clothes, esp. clothes from a particular place or during a particular historical period; clothes worn by actors during a film or play （一个地区、一个时期流行的）服装；戏装

extravagance

n. the use of more (of sth.) than is necessary 挥霍，奢侈

* extravagant

a. 1. wasteful of money; too costly 奢侈的；浪费的

2. (of ideas, behaviour, etc.) uncontrolled; beyond what is reasonable 过度的；越轨的

boo

v. show disapproval or contempt for sb./sth. by shouting "boo" （对…）发出“呸”的声音（表示嫌恶或强烈的不满）

anachronism

n. sth. outdated or obsolete; sth. from one historical period incorrectly associated with another 过时现象；时代错误

usage

n. the way sth. is used; the way words are used in a language 用法；使用；（词的）惯用法

* random

a. done, chosen, etc. without conscious choice 胡乱的；任意的

* massacre

n. the killing of a large number of people or animals

combat

n. a fight or fighting between two armies, etc. 战斗

aircraft

n. (pl. unchanged) a plane or other vehicle that can fly in the air 航空器，飞机

wince

vi. suddenly and briefly show pain in one's facial expression 脸部肌肉抽搐，皱眉蹙眼

entitle

vt. 1. (to) give (sb.) a right (to have or do sth.) 给…权利；给…资格

2. give a title (to a book, etc.) 给（书等）题名

consideration

n. 1. careful thought and attention 考虑

2. (for) thoughtful attention to the

he wishes and feelings of others 体贴；关心

faculty

n. 1. any of the powers of the body or mind; a particular ability for doing sth. 才能；能力；天赋

2. all the teachers and workers of a university or college （高等院校的）全体教师及职工

fend

v. (for) look after 照料

protection

n. the action of protecting or the condition of being protected 保护，防护

protective

a. 1. that protects sb. or sth. from harm 保护的，防护的

2. (towards) having or showing a strong desire to protect （对人）关切保护的

helpless

a. unable to act without help; needing the help of others; unable to defend oneself 无助的；无依无靠的；不能自立的

immunity

n. 1. protection or freedom (from sth.) 受保护；豁免（权）

2. ability to resist infection, disease, etc. 免疫力

threaten

vt. 1. make a threat against (sb.) 威胁，恐吓

2. give a warning (of sth. bad) 预示

male

a. & n.男子（的）；雄性（的）

privilege

n. a special right or advantage available only to a particular person or group of people ；优惠

given

prep.考虑到

a. 1. 规定的；特定的

2. 假设的；已知的

* attach

vt. (to) 1. consider that sb. has (a certain quality) 认为有；使与…相关联

2. fasten or join 系；贴；连接

womanhood

n. women in general; the state of being a woman （总称）妇女；女子的身份或状态

* gender

n. 1. （生理上的）性

2. （名词、代词等的）性

equality

n. the state of being equal, esp. in status, rights, etc. 平等

deference

n. respect 尊敬，敬重

urgent

a. requiring immediate attention or action 紧迫的，紧要的

* complement

vt. add new or contrasting features which show the best qualities of (sth.) or which improve (it) 补充，补足

* constraint

n. limitation or restriction 约束，

* constrain

vt. 1. force (sb.) to act in a particular way 强迫

2. prevent (sth.) from developing freely ，束缚

restructure

vt. arrange (a system or organisation) in a new way to make it work more effectively 重建；改组；调整

evolutionary

a. of or resulting from evolution; developing gradually 进化论的；演变的

instinct

n. behavior or knowledge that one has without being taught 本能

perpetuate

a. make (sth.) continue for a long time; carry (sth.) on 使永久；保持

* perpetual

a. lasting forever or for a long time 永久性的；长期的

indispensable

a. essential 必不可少的

repopulate

vt. 重新构成…的人口；重新居住于

biologically

ad. 从生物学的角度

logic

n. a way of reasoning 推理（法）

depress

vt. 1. sadden and discourage 使抑郁，使沮丧

2. cause to sink to a lower level of position 使不景气，使萧条

reductionism

n. the practice of showing prejudice because of the tendency to reduce women to a lower status 视妇女低人一等的歧视性做法

r

eduction

n. making or becoming smaller; the amount taken off in making sth. smaller 减少（量）；削减（数）

version

n. 1. one person's account of an event, as compared with that of another person 描述，说法

2. 版本；改写本

geneticist

n. 遗传学家

egg-layer

n. 生育机器

* courtesy

n. 1. polite behavior; good manners 谦恭有礼；有礼的举止

2. a polite or kind action or expression 好意；恩惠

survival

n. continuing to live or exist, often in spite of difficulty or danger 生存；幸存

strategy

n. a plan, often for business or military aims 策略，计谋

strategic

a. 战略（上）的；战略上重要的

parental

a. 父母（似）的

maternal

a. of or like a mother 母亲（般）的

breast

n. 乳房；胸部；胸膛

* cradle

n. a small bed for a baby, usu. shaped like an open box, that rocks from side to side 摇篮

v. 轻轻地抱，拥抱

kiddie-centrism

n. the notion that children are most important 小孩中心论

cruise

n. a sea voyage for pleasure 海上航游

vt. sail or move at a constant speed that is unhurried and comfortable 航游；巡航；缓慢巡行

scenario

n. a written outline of a film, play, etc. 电影剧本；剧本提纲

* sheer

a. 1. pure; nothing other than (often used in descriptions of sth. surprising, outrageous, inexplicable, etc.) 完全的，十足的

2. (of fabric) very thin, light and almost transparent （织物）极簿的；透明的

3. very steep 陡峭的；垂直的

stalemate

n. a stage of a dispute, contest, etc. at which further progress is impossible for both sides 僵局；僵持阶段

Phrases and Expressions

priority seating

(the practice of) certain people being given a place to sit before other people 优先安排座位

at/from a distance

from a place that is not very close; a long time after sth. happened 隔开一段距离（或时间）；从远处

object to

oppose; be against 反对，不赞成

at random

without conscious choice 胡乱地，随便地，任意地

gun down

shoot, causing to fall to the ground dead or wounded 杀；开打伤

be entitled to

be given the right to have or do (sth.) 有权，有资格

fend for oneself

look after oneself 照料自己

attach sth. to sth.

connect sth. to/with sth. else; associate sth. with sth. else; fasten sth. to sth. else 使相关联；使连接在一起

hand out

distribute 分发，散发

go down

sink （船等）下沉

Proper Names

Titanic

“泰坦尼克”号（英国豪华游轮）

Charles Krauthammer

查尔斯•克劳瑟莫（男子名）

Ahmici

阿米奇（克罗地亚地名）

Muslim

穆斯林；教徒

Unit 3

Text A

Pre-reading Activities

1. Before you listen to the passage, predict the words that are missing in the printed version of the passage. Then when you hear the passage, mark where you hear differences between your predictions and what's

actually on the tape. Don't worry about writing down exactly what you hear — just note where you hear differences.

The sense of _____ dominates every modern culture to such an extent that most people never _____. Relying mainly on _____ seems so natural — how could a culture favor _____ instead? What would such a culture be like? It's almost impossible to imagine. But _____ is in fact not as "natural" as we normally think. Although most humans are born with _____, no one is born knowing how to _____. We must learn _____, and many of the rules we learn vary _____. _____ is an excellent example: Before artists invented formal rules for portraying three dimensions, no one thought of distant objects as looking _____. If you doubt this, try explaining _____ to a young child.

2. If you had to lose one of your senses, which one would you choose to give up? And having lost it, what do you think you'd miss the most?

3. It's common to speak of "the five senses" — but are there only five? Some researcher say that we all have and use other senses as well. What others can you think of?

The Sense of Wonder

Rachel Carson

A child's world is fresh and new and beautiful, full of wonder and excitement. It is our misfortune that, for most of us, that clear-eyed vision — that true instinct for what is beautiful and awe-inspiring — is dimmed and even lost before we reach adulthood. If I had influence with the angels who are supposed to preside over all children, I would ask that their gift to each child in the world be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life.

If children are to keep alive their natural sense of wonder without any such gift from the angels, they need the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with the child the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in. Parents often feel inadequate when confronted on the one hand with the eager, sensitive mind of a child and on the other with a world of complex physical nature. In a mood of self-defeat, they exclaim, "How can I possibly teach my child about nature — why, I don't even know one bird from another!"

I sincerely believe that for children, and for parents seeking to guide them, it is not half so important to know as it is to feel. If facts are the seeds that later produce knowledge and wisdom, then the emotions and the impressions of the senses are the fertile soil in which the seeds must grow. The years of early childhood are the time to prepare the soil. Once the emotions have been aroused — a sense of the beautiful, the excitement of the new and the unknown, a feeling of sympathy, pity, admiration or love — then we wish for knowledge about the object of our emotional response. Once found, such knowledge has far more lasting meaning than mere information. It is more important to pave the way for children's desire to know than to put them on a diet of facts they are not ready to assimilate.

Even if y

ou feel you have little knowledge of nature at your disposal, there is still much you can do for your child. Wherever you are and whatever your resources, you can still look up at the sky — its dawn and evening beauties, its moving clouds, its stars by night. You can listen to the wind, whether it blows with majestic voice through a forest or sings a many-voiced chorus around the corners of your apartment building, and in the listening, you can gain magical release for your thoughts. You can still feel the rain on your face and think of its long journey from sea to air to earth, and wonder at the mysteries of natural selection embodied in the perfume and flavour of a fruit. Even if you are a city dweller, you can find some place, perhaps a park or a golf course, where you can observe the mysterious migrations of the birds and the changing seasons. And with your child you can ponder the mystery of a growing seed, even if it's just one planted in a pot of earth in the kitchen window.

Exploring nature with your child is largely a matter of being open to what lies all around you. It is learning again to use your eyes, ears, nose and fingertips, opening up the disused channels of your senses. For most of us, knowledge of our world comes largely through sight, yet we look about with such unseeing eyes that we are partially blind. One way to open your eyes to unnoticed beauty is to ask yourself, "What if I had never seen this before? What if I knew I would never see it again?"

What is the value of preserving and strengthening this sense of awe and wonder, this recognition of something beyond the boundaries of human existence? Is the exploration of the natural world just a pleasant way to pass the golden hours of childhood or is there something deeper?

I am sure there is something much deeper, something lasting and significant. Those who dwell, as scientists or laypeople, among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life. Whatever the problems or concerns of their personal lives, their thoughts can find paths that lead to inner satisfaction and to renewed excitement in living. Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is symbolic as well as actual beauty in the migration of the birds, the ebb and flow of the tides, the folded bud ready for the spring. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature — the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after the winter.

I like to remember the distinguished Swedish oceanographer, Otto Pettersson, who died a few years ago at the age of ninety-three, in full possession of his keen mental powers. His son has related in a recent book how intensely his father enjoyed every new experience, every new discovery concerning the world about him.

"He was an incurable romantic," the son wrote, "intensely in love with life and with the mysteries of the universe." When he realized h

e had not much longer to enjoy the earthly scene, Otto Pettersson said to his son: "What will sustain me in my last moments is an infinite curiosity as to what is to follow."

(883 words)

New Words

misfortune

n. bad luck 不幸；灾祸

clear-eyed

a. 视力好的；目光炯炯的

awe-inspiring

a. 令人敬畏；令人惊叹的

dim

vt. make less bright or unable to see clearly 使…暗淡；使…看不清

a. (of a light) not bright; not easy to see 昏暗的；模糊的

* angel

n. 天使

* preside

vi. have authority or control; direct 负责；主持

inadequate

a. not good enough in quality, ability, size, etc. 不够格的；不能胜任的；不充分的

confront

vt. stand or meet face to face; bring face to face 面对；遭遇

mood

n. state of mind or feelings 心境，心情；情绪

sincerely

ad. 真诚地；忠实地

sincere

a. free from falseness; true and honest 忠实的；真诚的

arouse

vt. cause to become active; excite 唤醒；激发

rouse

vt. 1. cause to become active; excite (=arouse) 唤醒；激发

2. wake (sb.) up 唤醒，使醒来

mere

a. nothing more than 只不过的，仅仅的

* assimilate

vt. take in and make a part of oneself; absorb 使同化；吸收

disposal

n. the act of getting rid of sth.; the power or right to use sth. freely 处理；支配

dispose

vt. 1. put in place; set in readiness 布置；配置

2. cause to have a tendency (to do sth.) 使有倾向；使愿意

majestic

a. showing power and greatness; dignified and impressive 雄伟的，威严的

* majesty

n. 1. greatness; a show of power as of a king or queen 雄伟；庄重；君王尊严

2. [M-] 陛下（对帝王、王后等的尊称）

* chorus

n. 1. a song sung by many singers together 合唱曲

2. a group of singers singing together 合唱队

selection

n. the act of selecting; sb. or sth. that is selected 选择；被选出的人（或物）

* embody

vt. 1. represent (a quality, idea, etc.) in a physical form 体现；使具体化

2. contain, include 包含

* perfume

n. 1. a sweet or pleasant smell 芳香，香气

2. 香水

flavo(u)r

n. a taste; a special quality 味道；风味；特色

vt. give a particular taste to 给…调味

migration

n. the movement of a group (often of animals, birds, etc.) from one area to another 迁移；移居；（鸟类等的）迁徒

* migrate

vi. 1. (of animals) travel regularly to a different area according to the seasons of the year （动物的）迁徒

2. change one's place of living; move from one place to another, especially to find work 迁移；（农业季节工人等）外出找工作

* migrant

n. 迁移动物；移居者；农业季节工人

* ponder

vt. think about carefully; consider 沉思；考虑

strengthen

vt. make stronger 加强，强化

awe

n. a feeling of respect mixed with fear and wonder 敬畏；惊叹

recognition

n. the act of recognizing; the state of be

g recognized 认同；认出；承认

* weary

a. very tired; bored 疲倦的；厌倦的

reserve

n. anything kept for later use 储备物

vt. 1. keep for a special purpose 保留；储备

2. (AmE) book （美）预订

* reservation

n. 1. doubt or uncertainty, esp. when one's agreement with sth. is in some way limited 保留；保留意见

2. (AmE) booking; reserved seat or accommodation 预定；预定的座席（或住处等）

symbolic(al)

a. 象征性的

symbol

n. (of) a sign, shape or object which represents a person, idea or an item 象征；标志；符号

ebb

n. a flowing of the tide away from the shore 退潮，落潮

tide

n. the regular rise and fall of the ocean, caused by the attraction of the Moon 潮汐

* bud

n. a small swelling on a plant that will grow into a flower, leaf, or branch 牙；花蕾

* heal

v. (cause to) become sound or healthy again 治愈；痊愈

infinitely

ad. 无穷地，无限地

* finite

a. having an end or a limit 有限的

* refrain

n. a part of a song that is repeated, esp. at the end of each verse （歌曲中的）叠歌，副歌

vi. (from) hold oneself back (from) 忍住；克制

oceanographer

n. 海洋学家

possession

n. 1. the act or state of possessing or being possessed 拥有；具有

2. (often pl.) personal property ［常复数］所有物；

keen

a. 1. good, strong, quick at understanding 敏锐的

2. (on, to) eager or anxious to do sth. 热切的

intensely

ad. greatly or extremely; strongly 极度地；强烈地

intense

a. great or extreme; strong 极度的；强烈的

intensity

n. 1. 强烈，剧烈

2. 强度，烈度

concerning

prep.(fml) about; with regard to; in connection with 关于

earthly

a. of this world as opposed to heaven; material rather than spiritual 尘世的，世俗的

Phrases and Expressions

preside over

direct (a committee or other formal group of people); have or exercise control or authority over (sth.) 主持（委员会等）；掌管（某事）

wish for

have a desire for; long for 想要；希望得到

pave the way (for)

make smooth or easy (for); be a preparation (for) 为…铺平道路；为…作准备

at sb.'s disposal

available for one to use as one wishes 由某人支配或使用

wonder at

be surprised by or curious about 对…感到惊讶

natural selection

the theory developed by Charles Darwin that plants and animals best suited to the conditions around them survive while those not suited to the conditions die out 自然选择（指生物界适者生存不适者被淘汰的现象）

a matter of sth./doing sth.

a question of; an instance or a case of 一个…的问题；一件…的事

open up

make or become open or accessible 打开；开放

be weary of

be tired of; be bored with 对…感到厌倦

look about

look around; examine the place or state of affairs 扫视四周；观察（事态）

be in possession of

have in one's pos

ossession; maintain control over 拥有；控制

as to

about; concerning 关于；有关

Proper Names

Rachel Carson

雷切尔•卡森（女子名）

Otto Pettersson

奥托•彼得森（男子名）

Unit 4

Text A

Pre-reading Activities

1. As you listen to the passage, fill in as much information as you can about Annette's plans.

Friday evening:

During the coming month:

Next term:

In the fall:

Next spring:

2. How did you feel while you were listening to Annette? What was it like trying to keep up with her? How do students like Annette make you feel?

College Pressures

William Zinsser

I am master of Branford College at Yale. I live on the campus and know the students well. (We have 485 of them.) I listen to their hopes and fears — and also to their stereo music and their piercing cries in the dead of night ("Does anybody care?"). They come to me to ask how to get through the rest of their lives.

Mainly I try to remind them that the road ahead is a long one and that it will have more unexpected turns than they think. There will be plenty of time to change jobs, change careers, change whole attitudes and approaches. They don't want to hear such news. They want a map — right now — that they can follow directly to career security, financial security, social security and, presumably, a prepaid grave.

What I wish for all students is some release from the grim grip of the future. I wish them a chance to enjoy each segment of their education as an experience in itself and not as a tiresome requirement in preparation for the next step. I wish them the right to experiment, to trip and fall, to learn that defeat is as educational as victory and is not the end of the world.

My wish, of course, is naive. One of the few rights that America does not proclaim is the right to fail. Achievement is the national god, worshipped in our media — the million-dollar athlete, the wealthy executive — and glorified in our praise of possessions. In the presence of such a potent state religion, the young are growing up old.

I see four kinds of pressure working on college students today: economic pressure, parental pressure, peer pressure, and self-induced pressure. It's easy to look around for bad guys — to blame the colleges for charging too much money, the professors for assigning too much work, the parents for pushing their children too far, the students for driving themselves too hard. But there are no bad guys, only victims.

Today it is not unusual for a student, even one who works part time at college and full time during the summer, to have accumulated $5,000 in loans after four years — loans that the student must start to repay within one year after graduation (and incidentally, not all these loans are low-interest, as many non-students believe). Encouraged at the commencement ceremony to go forth into the world, students are already behind as they go forth. How can they not feel under pressure throughout coll

ege to prepare for this day of reckoning? Women at Yale are under even more pressure than men to justify their expensive education to themselves, their parents, and society. For although they leave college superbly equipped to bring fresh leadership to traditionally male jobs, society hasn't yet caught up with this fact.

Along with economic pressure goes parental pressure. Inevitably, the two are deeply intertwined. I see students taking premedical courses with joyless determination. They go off to their labs as if they were going to the dentist. It saddens me because I know them in other corners of their life as cheerful people.

"Do you want to go to medical school?" I ask them.

"I guess so," they say, without conviction, or, "Not really."

"Then why are you going?"

"My parents want me to be a doctor. They're paying all this money and..."

Peer pressure and self-induced pressure are also intertwined, and they begin from the very start of freshman year. "I had a freshman student I'll call Linda," one instructor told me, "who came in and said she was under terrible pressure because her roommate, Barbara, was much brighter and studied all the time. I couldn't tell her that Barbara had come in two hours earlier to say the same thing about Linda."

The story is almost funny — except that it's not. It's a symptom of all the pressures put together. When every student thinks every other student is working harder and doing better, the only solution is to study harder still. I see students going off to the library every night after dinner and coming back when it closes at midnight. I wish they could sometimes forget about their peers and go to a movie. I hear the rattling of typewriters in the hours before dawn. I see the tension in their eyes when exams are approaching and papers are due: "Will I get everything done?"

Probably they won't. They will get sick. They will sleep. They will oversleep. They will bug out.

I've painted too grim a portrait of today's students, making them seem too solemn. That's only half of their story; the other half is that these students are nice people, and easy to like. They're quick to laugh and to offer friendship. They're more considerate of one another than any student generation I've ever known. If I've described them primarily as driven creatures who largely ignore the joyful side of life, it's because that's where the problem is — not only at Yale but throughout American education. It's why I think we should all be worried about the values that are nurturing a generation so fearful of risk and so goal-obsessed at such an early age.

I tell students that there is no one "right" way to get ahead — that each of them is a different person, starting from a different point and bound for a different destination. I tell them that change is healthy and that people don't have to fit into pre-arranged slots. One of my ways of telling them is to invite men and women who have achieved success outside the academic world

to come and talk informally with my students during the year. I invite heads of companies, editors of magazines, politicians, Broadway producers, artists, writers, economists, photographers, scientists, historians — a mixed bag of achievers.

I ask them to say a few words about how they got started. The students always assume that they started in their present profession and knew all along that it was what they wanted to do. But in fact, most of them got where they are by a circuitous route, after many side trips. The students are startled. They can hardly conceive of a career that was not preplanned. They can hardly imagine allowing the hand of God or chance to lead them down some unforeseen trail.

(1069 words)

New Words

campus

n. the grounds of a university, college or school; a university 大学校园，学校校园；大学

piercing

a. (of voices, sounds, etc.) very sharp, esp. in an unpleasant way （声音等）尖厉的，刺耳的

pierce

vi. make a hole in or through (sth.) with a sharp point 刺穿，戳穿

presumably

ad. it may be supposed; probably 假定；可能

* presume

v. believe sth. to be true without direct proof but with some feeling of being certain; suppose （没有根据地）相信；推测

grave

n. the place where a dead person is buried 坟墓

a. serious or solemn in manner; (of a situation) serious and worrying 严肃的，庄严的；（形势）严重的

gravity

n. 1. 严肃，庄严；严重

2. 重力；地心引力

grip

n. a firm hold; control 紧握；控制

vt. 1. take a very tight hold (of) 握紧，紧握

2. take hold of the attention or feelings of 吸引；引起

* segment

n. a part of sth. 部分

preparation

n. arrangement for a future event 准备

wealthy

a. rich 富有的

glorify

vt. praise highly 颂扬，赞颂

glory

n. great fame, honor, and admiration 光荣；荣誉

potent

a. powerful, strong, forceful or effective 强有力的；有权势的；有效力的

self-induced

caused or brought about by oneself 自己导致的

* induce

vt. lead or cause (sb.) to do sth.; persuade or influence (sb.) to do sth. 导致；劝使，诱导

* incidentally

ad. by the way 顺便说一句

commencement

n. 1. (AmE) a ceremony at which university or college students are given their degrees or diplomas （美）毕业典礼；学位授予典礼

2. beginning of sth. 开始

commence

v. begin; start 开始；着手

ceremony

n. 典礼，仪式

commencement ceremony

(AmE) a college or university graduation ceremony （美）毕业典礼

reckoning

n. settlement of an account or a bill; (fig.) punishment 结帐；（喻）算帐，惩罚

reckon

vt. 1. calculate; add up (an amount, cost, etc.) 计算；算出（数量、费用等）

2. consider, regard 认为，把…看作

day of reckoning

(a Biblical reference) the time when one must eventually be punished for what one has done wrong （源自《圣经》）清算日，

最后审判日

equip

vt. prepare (sb.) for dealing with a particular situation by providing necessary tools, education, etc.; suply (sb./ sth. with what is needed for a particular purpose) （智力、体力上）使有准备；配备，装备

inevitably

ad. 不可必免地；必然发生地

inevitable

a. which cannot be avoided or prevented from happening; certain to happen 不可避免的；必然发生的

intertwined

a. joined tightly together; very closely connected 互相缠结的，缠绕在一起的

premedical

a. preparing for the study of medicine 医学预科的

* dentist

n. a doctor trained to take care of people's teeth 牙医

cheerful

a. in good spirit; causing a happy feeling 兴高采烈的；使人愉快的

conviction

n. a firm opinion or belief 深信，确信；把握

roommate

n. 住在同室的人，室友

typewriter

n. 打字机

* bug

vt. 1. (AmE) (infml) trouble (sb.) continually （美俚）烦扰，纠缠

2. (infml) fit with a secret listening apparatus （口）在…装

n. (AmE) a tiny insect, esp. one that causes damage; (infml) a fault or difficulty （美）虫子；（口）故障；毛病

considerate

a. careful not to hurt or trouble others; thoughtful 考虑周到的；替人着想的

fearful

a. afraid, anxious 惧怕的，忧虑的

goal-obsessed

a. extremely eager to realize one's goals 一心要实现目标的

pre-arranged

a. planned or prepared in advance 预先准备好的

arrange

vt. 1. plan in advance; prepare 安排，准备

2. set in good or pleasing order 整理；排列

* slot

n. 1. a place or position in a schedule, list or series （口）（在机构、名单、程序等中的）位置，职位

2. a narrow opening in a tool or machine 狭长孔；狭槽

informally

ad. 非正式地；不拘礼节地

economist

n. an expert in economics 经济学家

a mixed bag

a group of people or things of different kinds and different qualities （人或物的）混合体；大杂烩

circuitous

a. indirect 迂回的，绕行的

circuit

n. 1. 环行；环行道

2. 电路；线路

circular

a. 1. 环行的，圆形的

2. 循环的

trail

n. a path, often through a forest or across rough ground （荒野中的）小径，小道

Phrases and Expressions

in the dead of night

in the quietest part of the night 夜深人静之时

get through

complete successfully; manage to live through (a difficult experience or period of time) 完成；消磨，度过（时间）

right now

immediately; at this moment 立刻，马上

in itself

considered as a complete thing or experience, without thinking of effects, consequences, etc. 本身，实质上

in the presence of sb.

in the place where sb. is; with sb. there 在某人面前，当着某人的面

work on

affect; influence 对…起作用；影响

go forth (into)

set out 出发

under pressure

influenced by need or necessity; suffering stress 被

催逼；在压力下

put together

(used after a noun or nouns referring to a group of people or things) combined; in total 合在一起

bug out

(AmE sl.) become mentally unbalanced （美俚）烦恼，困惑

be considerate of/to/toward sb.

pay attention to sb. 's needs, wishes, or feelings 替某人着想，体贴某人

be fearful of

be afraid of 惧怕

be bound for

intending to go to; going to 准备到…去；开往

fit into

be the right size or shape for; be suitable for 与…相符，与…相适应

all along

all the time; from the beginning 一直，始终；从一开始就

conceive of

think of 构想出；设想

Proper Names

William Zinsser

威廉•津瑟（男子名）

Branford College

布兰福德学院（美国耶鲁大学寄宿制学院之一）

Yale

（美国）耶鲁大学

Linda

琳达（女子名）

Barbara

巴巴拉（女子名）

Broadway

百老汇大街（美国纽约市的一条大街，为戏院、夜总会等娱乐场所的集中地）

Unit 5

Text A

Pre-reading Activities

1. As you listen to the passage, write down the idioms and expressions that match each definition below. Warning: One of the definitions fits two expressions that you'll hear.

______ a) a child who learns to survive by observing life on city streets

______ b) competitive strategies used in business

______ c) 100% American

______ d) unhealthy food

______ e) a popular American dessert

______ f) an activity, decision, problem, etc., that concerns only family members

2. How would you answer Li's last question?

The ABCs of the U.S.A.: America Seen with European Eyes

Michael Dobbs

America can be a strange experience for a foreigner. My wife and I arrived in the United States in January after seven years overseas — four in France, three in Poland. From the jumble of first impressions, we compiled an A-to-Z explanation of why America can be such a foreign country to those who arrive here from Europe.

I should explain at the outset that I am from Britain, but my Florida-born wife Lisa is as American as apple pie. In our list, however, A doesn't stand for apple pie. It stands for:

Ambition. In the Old World, people are taught to hide it. Here it's quite proper to announce that you're after the boss's job or want to make a million dollars by the age of 30.

Breakfast. The American habit of conducting business at breakfast has reached Europe, but I doubt it will ever really catch on. In France and Britain, breakfast is a family affair. Here, it's become part of the power game.

Credit Cards. You really can't leave home without them. It's interesting, and somewhat frustrating, to discover that bad credit is better than no credit at all: I was refused a VISA card on the grounds that I didn't have a credit profile.

Dreams. The American Dream is still very much alive. Dreaming great dreams is what keeps American society going — from the waitress who wants to become a car dealer to

he street kid who wants to become a basketball star. Europeans dream dreams too, but don't seem to believe in them so much.

Exercise. A couple of years ago I came to Washington with some French journalists. As our bus passed a health club on the way to the hotel, the French visitors cheered at the sight of body-conscious Americans bending, stretching and leaping around. America's obsession with physical fitness really amuses — and puzzles — Europeans.

First names. In Europe, people progress in a natural and orderly way from the use of last names to the use of first names. Here, it's first names at first sight. This can cause confusion for Europeans. With everyone on a first-name basis, how can you tell your acquaintances from your friends?

Gadgets. These can be addictive. It's difficult to imagine now how we survived for so long without automatic ice machines and microwave ovens.

Hardware Stores. If I were in charge of arranging the programs of visiting delegations from lessdeveloped countries, I'd include a compulsory visit to a hardware store. These temples of American capitalism reveal a whole range of American values, from the do-it-yourself pioneer spirit through a love of comfort that absolutely astonishes most foreigners.

Insurance. Americans have policies to cover every possible risk, no matter how remote. So far, we've refused supplementary insurance for our car radio, death insurance for our mortgage and accident insurance for our cat. It gives us a feeling of living dangerously.

Junk food. Anyone who wants to understand why Americans suffer from higher rates of cancer and heart disease only has to look at what they eat.

Ketchup. I had to come to America to discover that it can be eaten with anything — from French fries to French cheese.

Lines. American lines — beginning with the yellow line at immigration control — are the most orderly in the world. The British queue, once internationally renowned, has begun to decay in recent years. The French queue was never very impressive, and the Italian line is simply a mob.

Money. In Europe, everybody likes money, but no one shows it off. Unless it's been in the family for several generations, there's often an assumption that it was acquired dishonestly. In America, no one cares how you got it.

No smoking. No longer just a polite request in America, this phrase has become the law. Nobody would dare ask a Frenchman to put out his Galoise in a restaurant.

Oliver North. What other major Western democracy lets army officers take over foreign policy? A hero for some, a traitor for others, Ollie (see First Names) is an example of an American recklessness that awes and alarms Europeans.

Patriots. They exist everywhere, of course, but the American version is louder and more self-conscious than the European. In Britain, it's taken for granted that politicians love their country. Here, they're expected to prove it.

Quiet. American cities are quieter than European cities — thanks t

to noise controls on automobiles and to recent environmental legislation. This was a major surprise for someone brought up to assume that America was a noisy place.

Religion. The idea of putting preachers on TV is alarming to Europeans. It's even more alarming to see them in action.

Sales. Ever since arriving in Washington, we've been hurrying to take advantage of this week's unrepeatable offer, only to discover that it's usually repeated next week. We're just catching on that there's always an excuse for a sale.

Television. That grown-ups can watch game shows and sitcoms at 11 AM amazes me — but the national habit, day or night, is contagious. I recently found myself nodding in agreement with a professor who was saying that American kids watch too much television. Then I realized that I was watching him say this on television.

Ulcers. See Work.

Visas. Americans don't need visas to visit Britain (or most European countries, for that matter). To enter the United States, I had to sign a document promising that I would not overthrow the government by force and had no criminal record. One wonders if many terrorists and criminals answer "yes" on these questionnaires.

Work. People in less developed countries often imagine that they can become rich simply by emigrating to America. But America became a wealthy society through work, work and more work. It's still true.

X-rated movies. We have them in Europe too, but not on motel-room TVs.

Yuppies. The European counterpart remains a pale shadow of the all-American original. The animal seems more ambitious, and more common, on this side of the Atlantic.

Zillion. What other nation would invent a number that's infinitely more than a billion? America may not always be the best, but it certainly thinks big.

(1,030 words)

New Words

jumble

n. a confused or untidy group of things 杂乱的一堆

* compile

vt. produce by putting together many pieces (e.g., of information) 汇编；编制

outset

n. beginning 开始；起始

ambition

n. strong desire for success, power, money, etc. 对（成功、权力、金钱等的）强烈欲望，野心；雄心

profile

n. 1. a short article or programme which describes a person's life and character 传略，人物简介

2. a side view, esp. of sb.'s head; a shape of sth. seen against a background 侧面，侧影；轮廓

vt. 1. 写…的传略

2. 给…画侧面像；描…的轮廓

* dealer

n. a person whose business involves buying and selling 商人；证券经纪人

journalist

n. a person who works on a newspaper or magazine and writes articles for it 新闻记者；报纸撰稿人

journal

n. 1. a magazine for people with a particular interest 杂志，期刊

2. an account which one writes of one's daily activities 日志；日记

leap (leapt or leaped)

vi. jump high in the air or jump a long distance 跳跃

n. a sudden jump or movement; a sudden increase in number, amount, etc. 跳跃；激增

* obsession

n. a fi

xed idea from which the mind cannot be freed 着迷；困扰

physical fitness

healthy body conditions 身体健康

amuse

vt. make (sb.) laugh; cause to spend time in a pleasant way 逗乐；给…提供娱乐或消遣

amusing

a. (of sth.) that makes people laugh 有趣的；逗笑的

orderly

a. well arranged or organized 有条理的；整齐的

confusion

n. 1. the state of being mixed up, more difficult to understand 辨别不清；混淆

2. disorder ；混乱

confuse

vt. make more difficult to understand; cause to be mistaken; mix up 使模糊不清；混淆；使混乱

acquaintance

n. 1. a person you know, but who is not a close friend 相识的人；熟人

2. knowledge of or familiarity with sb./sth. 了解；认识

gadget

n. (infml) a small machine or device 小巧的机械；精巧的装置

addictive

a. （使人）入迷的；（使人）上瘾的

microwave

n. 微波；微波炉

oven

n. 烤炉，烤箱

microwave oven

n. 微波炉

delegation

n. 代表团

delegate

n. 代表；会议代表

vt. 1. appoint as one's representative 委派…为代表

2. entrust (duties, rights, etc. to sb.) 授权；把…委托给（某人）

* capitalism

n. 资本主义（制度）

do-it-yourself

n. & a. (the activity of) making or repairing things oneself 自己动手（的），自行维修（的）

* supplementary

a. additional 补充的，增补的

* mortgage

n. 抵押；抵押贷款

vt. use (one's land or house) as a guarantee to the lending institution in order to borrow money from it 抵押

ketchup

n. (= catchup) 调味番茄酱

fry

n. (see French fry)

v. cook (food) in hot fat or oil 油煎，油炸

French fries

（美）法式炸薯条

immigration

n. the coming of people into a country in order to work or settle there 移居；移民

queue

n. a line of people waiting (for a bus, to be served, to enter a place, etc.) （排队等候的）一队人

vi. form or join a line 排队（等候）

* renowned

a. famous; well-known 有名的；享有声誉的

impressive

a. 给人以深刻印象的；感人的

* mob

n. (often derog.) a large, disorganized and often violent crowd of people ［贬］人群；乌合之众

assumption

n. 1. sth. that is taken as true without proof 假定；臆断

2. the taking (of power or responsibility) 夺取；篡夺

democracy

n. a country or a system of government in which the people choose their government or make important decisions by voting 民主；民主国家；民主政治

traitor

n. a person who is disloyal, esp. to his country 卖，叛徒

recklessness

n. 不顾后果，鲁莽

* reckless

a. (of a person or one's behaviour) not caring about danger or the result of one's actions 不顾后果的，鲁莽的

* patriot

n. a person who shows love for and loyalty to his or her country 爱国者

patriotic

a. having or expressing the quality of a patriot 爱国的；有爱国心

的

legislation

n. l. laws 法律，法规

2. the act of making laws 立法，法律的制定

preacher

n. 传道士，牧师

* preach

v. 1. make known (a particular religion) by speaking in public 布道

2. advise or urge others to accept (a thing or course of behaviour) 竭力劝说；说教

grown-up

n. 成年人

sitcom

n. (infml) situation comedy 情景喜剧

contagious

a. 1. (of a feeling or attitude) spreading quickly from person to person （情绪等）感染性的

2. (of a disease) that can spread from person to person （疾病）传染的

ulcer

n. 溃疡

* visa

n. 签证

document

n. a paper that gives information, proof or support of sth. 文件

vt. 1. 为…提供文件（或证据等）

2. （在影片、小说中）纪实性地描述

* overthrow

vt. defeat; remove from official power 推翻；

criminal

a. of or related to crime 犯罪的；犯法的

n. a person who is guilty of a crime 罪犯

* questionnaire

n. a written list of questions to be answered by a number of people in order to get information for a survey, etc. 调查表，问题单

* emigrate

vi. leave one's own country to live in another one 移居国外

X-rated

a. （电影等）Ｘ级的，禁止（十六岁以下）儿童观看的

* motel

n. hotel specially built for people traveling by car 汽车旅馆

yuppie

n. 雅皮士（Young Urban Professional的缩写，即城市职业阶层中的年轻人士）

* ambitious

a. having a strong desire for success, power, riches, etc. 有野心的，有抱负的

zillion

n. (sl.) 无限大的数目，无法计算的大数目

Phrases and Expressions

the ABCs

the most basic facts about a subject （学科等的）基本知识；入门

at the outset

at the beginning 首先，一开始

stand for

represent; mean 代表；意味着

be after sth.

in search of sth.; with a desire for sth. 追求

catch on

1. become popular 流行起来

2. understand 懂得，理解

on (the) ground(s) that

because 根据，以…为理由

at the sight of

as soon as seeing (sth. or sb.) 一见之下；立即

leap around

jump about 跳来跳去

at first sight

when seen or examined for the first time 乍一看，一见之下

be on a first-name basis [with sb.]

call (sb.) by his or her first name （因关系亲密而）相互直呼其名

tell A from B

distinguish A from B 辨别，分辨

be in charge of sth.

be responsible for 管理，负责

so far

up to the present 迄今为止

put out

cause (sth.) to stop burning 熄灭

bring up

nurture and educate (a child) 养育；教育

take advantage of

make use of; profit from 利用

in agreement with

赞同，同意

by force

by fierce or violent means 用武力或强迫手段

think big

have ambitious ideas 野心勃勃，好高骛远

Proper Names

Michael Dobbs

迈克尔•多布斯（男子名）

Poland

波兰（欧洲中部国家）

Lisa

莉萨

（女子名）

VISA

威世信用卡（美国的一种购物信用卡）

Galoise

高卢牌香烟

Oliver North

奥利弗•诺斯（男子名）

Ollie

奥利（奥利弗的昵称）

Unit 6

Text A

Pre-reading Activities

1. You're going to hear a radio news report about the death of a student. As you listen to it, you'll be expected to fill in the missing information from the chart below. Before you listen, use your imagination to predict what the missing information might be.

A) Who was involved? Yohashi Yatsumoto, a student, aged _____ Hiro Takeda, _____, aged _____

B) What happened? _____ was killed when _____

C) Where and when? _____

d) Additional details:

_______________

2. What feelings do you think will be caused by the death reported in the passage — how must the family and friends of the dead student feel? What about the person responsible? What do you think the police should do?

Every 23 Minutes

Linda Weltner

My husband and I went to a funeral a few weeks ago. The man we honored had not been ill and will never grow old. He was killed in his car on a Sunday night, driving home along a divided highway.

It was an ordinary evening, no blacker than any other, when a car coming in the other direction went out of control, broke through the guard rail, and hit two other cars before smashing head on into his. According to the newspaper, the driver, who was returning from a wedding, seemed puzzled. "I only had two bottles of beer and a cocktail," she is reported to have said.

A wedding.

Followed by a funeral.

I wish she could have been there to see all the lives her act has changed forever, the wife, and four children, the extended family, the hundreds and hundreds of friends who sat in painful silence, listening to words which barely touched the depths of their grief.

Strange to think that, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, this happens in America every 23 minutes.

Somebody drinks.

Somebody drives.

Somebody dies.

And other lives are altered forever, though sometimes the changes may be invisible to a casual observer. By chance, the day before the funeral I ran into a longtime acquaintance while shopping. He commented on my crutches. I asked if he had ever broken his leg.

"Uh, I have a long rod in this thigh," he said, "from a car accident two weeks after I came back from Vietnam."

"That's ironic. To leave a war zone and then get injured," I teased him. "You're lucky it wasn't worse."

"Well, my wife was killed in the crash and so was the wife of the driver," he said uncomfortably. "We were hit by a drunk."

I've known this man for years, yet suddenly realized there was a whole chapter of his life he'd never mentioned. I asked and discovered he'd remained in the hospital seven weeks, and that all that time he'd known his wife was dead. It was hard to know where to go from there, for there are questions you can't put to someone in a casual conversation — questions

like, "How could you bear it?" or "What did you do about wanting revenge?"

I wish I knew the answers to those questions. I wish I could offer those answers to the woman who, overwhelmed by grief, could barely walk as she followed her husband's coffin from the church.

Every 23 minutes, who dies?

A mother who will never comfort the child who needs her. A woman who will never know how very much her friends depended on her. A man whose contributions to his community would have made a difference. A wife whose husband cannot picture the future without her.

Every 23 minutes, who dies?

A son who involuntarily abandons his parents in their old age. A father who can never acknowledge his children's accomplishments. A daughter who can never take back her angry words. A sister who will never be her sister's maid of honor.

Every 23 minutes, who dies?

A brother who will not be there to hold his newborn niece. A friend whose encouragement is gone forever. A bride-to-be who will never say her vows. An aunt whose family will fragment and fall apart.

Every 23 minutes, who dies?

A child who will never fulfill his early promise. An uncle who leaves his children without guidance and support. A grandmother whose husband must now grow old alone. A lover who never had a chance to say how much he cared.

Every 23 minutes.

A void opens.

Someone looks across the table at a vacant chair; climbs into an empty bed, feels the pain of no voice, no touch, no love. Where there was once intimacy and contact, now there is only absence and despair.

Every 23 minutes

A heart breaks.

Someone's pain shatters the confines of her body, leaking out in tears, exploding in cries, defying all efforts to soothe the despair. Sleep offers no escape from the nightmare of awakening. And morning brings only the irreversibility of loss.

Every 23 minutes.

A dream ends.

Someone's future blurs and goes blank as anticipation fades into nothingness. The phone will not ring, the car will not pull up to the house. The weight of tomorrow becomes unbearable in a world in which all promises have been broken by force.

Every 23 minutes.

Somebody wants to run. Somebody wants to hide.

Somebody is left with hate. Somebody wants to die.

And we permit this to go on.

Every 23 minutes.

(771 words)

New Words

funeral

n. a ceremony of burying or burning a dead person 葬礼

* cocktail

n. 鸡尾酒

painful

a. causing an upsetting or unpleasant feeling; causing a feeling of discomfort in a particular part of the body 令人痛苦的；疼痛的

crutch

n. T字形拐杖

rod

n. a long thin pole or bar 杆；棒条

* thigh

n. the top part of the human leg 大腿

zone

n. an area of particular qualities 地带，地区

injure

vt. hurt; offend 伤害，损害

injury

n. (to) harm, damage to a living thing （对生物的）伤害；损害

drunk

n. a person who habitually drinks too much alcohol 酗酒者，醉汉

a. overcome by drinking alcoholic liquor; (fig.) fi

ed with excitement and joy 醉酒的；（喻）陶醉的

* revenge

n. (for, on) punishment given to sb. in return for harm done to oneself 复仇；报复

vt. do sth. to get satisfaction for (an offence, etc.); avenge (sb.) 报…之仇；为…报仇

involuntarily

ad. not (done) from choice or intention 非自愿地；非出于本意地

maid

n. 1. a female servant 女仆，保姆

2. (obsolete usage): a girl or (young) woman who is not married 少女，年轻女子

niece

n. 侄女；甥女

vow

n. a solemn promise or declaration 誓言

vt. declare or swear solemnly 立誓

fragment

vi. break or separate into small pieces 破碎；碎裂

n. a small piece from a larger whole 碎片

guidance

n. guiding or being guided; direction 引导；指导

vacant

a. 1. (of a place or space) empty; not filled with anything 空的；未被占用的

2. (of a job) not at present filled 空缺的

intimacy

n. the state of being in a close relationship 亲密；密切

intimate

a. 1. (of people) close in relationship 亲密的；密切的

2. personal; private 个人的；私人的

despair

n. complete lack or loss of hope 绝望

vi. (of) have lost all hope 绝望；失去希望

* shatter

vt. break (sth.) suddenly into small pieces; smash (sth.) 粉碎；砸碎

confines

n. (fml) limits; borders; boundaries （正式）界限；边界；范围

leak

v. 1. （使）渗漏

2. make known （使）泄露出去

n. 漏隙；漏出物

* defy

vt. disobey; fight against; show no fear or respect for 违抗；蔑视

* defiance

n. behaviour showing one's disobedience to sb. or ignorance of sb. 违抗；蔑视

* soothe

vt. make less angry or upset; calm or comfort 抚慰；使平静

nightmare

n. an unpleasant and terrible dream 恶梦

irreversibility

n. a state of things which cannot be turned back, changed or improved 不可挽回；不可逆转

fade

vi. 1. (away) disappear or die gradually 逐渐消失

2. lose strength, colour, freshness, etc. 衰颓；褪色；凋谢

Phrases and Expressions

go out of control

be no longer under control 失去控制

smash into

hit forcefully against 猛地撞在…

head on

with the head or front parts meeting violently 迎面地，正面地

by chance

by accident; unintentionally 偶然地；意外地

comment on

make a remark or give an opinion on 评论；就…发表意见

make a difference

有影响；起作用

take back one's words

admit that one was wrong in what one has said 收回说过的话

maid of honor

首席女傧相

[n.]-to-be

未来的…

fade into

gradually disappear and become (sth. of no importance) 逐渐消失而变成（无足轻重的东西）

pull up [to/at/in front of a place]

(of vehicles) drive up to and stop at （车辆）到达，驶入

Proper Names

Linda Weltner

琳达•韦尔特纳（女子名）