第一篇:新编大学英语 Book4 Unit4 音频原文及答案 核对版 2
Unit 4Creativity
Part 1Listening, Understanding and Speaking
Listening I
In China, education is considered a race.Students have to begin as early as possible and have to proceed as quickly as possible around the track.Success is measured by how many students cross the finish line in the short time.In America, we recognize the race too, but we feel that the students have a chance to explore things for themselves, even if not all of them reach the finish line.As a result of their exploring, some of the participants may have more to offer by the end of the race.The advantage of the Chinese way is that more students become proficient and reach the finish line.The disadvantage is that they may have less to say or to show once they get there.The disadvantage of the American way is that some students never finish the race.The advantage, however, is that some who do go “all the way” have very interesting and original things to say when they get there.Listening II
Once Wealth and Poverty approached a merchant and introduced themselves as Goddesses.The merchant greeted both of them and said, “May I ask why you have come to my humble house?” The Goddess of Wealth said, “We want you to judge between us who is the most beautiful.” The merchant did not know what to say.He knew he was between the devil and the deep blue sea: If he said that Wealth was more beautiful than Poverty, Poverty would curse him.If he said that Poverty was more beautiful than Wealth, Wealth would abandon him.However, he became calm and said, “I have great respect for you both.Would you please do what I ask of you? It is the only way I can judge properly.” The Goddesses agreed.He said, “Mother Wealth, would you please walk towards my house? Mother Poverty, Would you please walk away from my house? This way I can see you both better, from near and far.” The two Goddesses did what the merchant had asked them to do.Then the merchant confidently declared, “Mother Wealth!You appear most beautiful when you are nearest my house.Mother Poverty!You look most beautiful when you are farthest from my house.” The Goddesses appreciated the wit and wisdom of the merchant.The Goddess of Wealth happily stayed in his house while the Goddess of Poverty cheerfully departed.Whenever we have a serious problem, if we look within and think calmly, a solution will come in answer to the problem.Listening III
There is an old and common saying in the United States that “There is nothing new under the sun.” I thought of that today while reading an article in a magazine.The article tells about the growing number of people who are building earth-sheltered houses, which are partly underground.I had known about modern earth-sheltered houses, but I had never thought about their roofs before.Instead of having metal or tiles on the roofs, many of these houses now have living roofs.The
wooden top of the house is covered with a special waterproof plastic material.On top of this there is soil, in which grass and flowers are planted.Such a roof can be very beautiful.But this really is not a new idea.When the early settlers came to the United States, they often made their houses by digging into the ground.Their roofs were made of wood, and then covered by large areas of soil with grass or turf.They were warm, though not always waterproof.People replaced these houses and roofs as soon as they could live in regular wooden homes with wooden or metal roofs.Now, 200 years later, some people think of this as a new idea.But I think, “There is nothing new under the sun.”
Listening IV
Man: It is said that the first sandwich was made in 1762 by the Earl of Sandwich.He didn't
want to take time away from his card games to eat, so he ordered his butler to make
sandwiches instead.Woman: Is that so? Hey, look at this.The first beauty contest was held in Belgium in 1888.Why in Belgium of all places?
Man: Why not? Oh, here's one I bet you're proud of.The electric chair was used for the first
time in 1890, in the United States.Yes, you're first to diagnose AIDS, too.The first
recorded case was in New York.Woman: Plus and minus signs were used in 1514 in Holland.Yeah, there was no way we could
have guessed that one.And the equals sign, you'll be pleased to hear, was first used in
Oxford, in 1557.You'd have thought they'd all have been invented at the same time.Man: Well, we both got these right.Coffee was in Arabia around 1,000 AD, and just before
that, playing cards were invented in China.Woman: Well, I got this one right.First diagram of a flying machine was drawn by Leonardo
da Vinci, as I said, in 1492.Man: Yeah, but the first air flight wasn't made until 1903, and it was in the United States.Woman: But that wasn't the question, was it? Also, England was also the first to transmit
television.Man: Garbage!It was the Italians.Woman: No, it says here, the first TV transmission was in London, 1925.And here we are
again, the first traffic lights were in London, in 1868.Man: But they didn't even have cars then, so why would they have needed traffic lights?
Part 4Further Listening
Listening I
Juan comes up to the Mexican border on his bicycle.He's got two large bags over his shoulders.The guard stops him and says, “What's in the bags?”
“Sand,” answers Juan.The guard says, “We'll just see about that.Get off the bike.” The guard takes the two bags and rips them apart;he empties them out and finds nothing in them but sand.He detains Juan overnight and has the sand analyzed, only to discover that there is nothing but
pure sand in the bags.The guard releases Juan, puts the sand into new bags, hefts them onto the man's shoulders and lets him cross the border.A week later, the same thing happens.The guard asks, “What have you got?”
“Sand,” says Juan.The guard does his thorough examination and discovers that the bags contain nothing but sand.He gives the sand back to Juan, and Juan crosses the border on his bicycle.This sequence of events is repeated every week for three years.Finally, Juan doesn't show up one day and the guard meets him in a bar in Mexico.“Hey, buddy,” says the guard.“I know you are smuggling something.It's driving me crazy.It's all I think about.I can't sleep.Just between you and me, what are you smuggling?”
Juan sips his beer and says, “Bicycles.”
Listening II
Pottery has been found in the remains of every ancient civilization.The oldest known piece of pottery was found in China and dates back to 7,900 BC.That's almost 10,000 years ago!
The first pots were large bowls, formed by taking a lump of clay and making a bowl shape.Pottery doesn't just include pots, but anything made from clay that can hold things, such as jugs, vases and cups.Pottery was used to hold water, milk, seeds and grains.Later, people learned to mix different clays together to make stronger pottery and to put the pottery in a fire oven so that the clay would harden faster.The potter's wheel was invented in China around 3100 BC.The wheel spins clay like a top.It allowed people to make pottery much more quickly and made shapes that were perfectly symmetrical—bowls that were really round, rather than lumpy or uneven.Pottery is not only considered one of the first inventions but also one of the first art forms.Most types of pottery have been painted with figures or designs;some even tell a story!
Listening III
(Students are in the classroom waiting for the teacher to arrive.Two are talking.)
Cathy: I've enjoyed talking about creativity in our English class.I wish I had been
encouraged more when I was in elementary school.Michael: I know what you mean.I always liked drawing, but my teachers and parents
insisted I was just wasting my time with it.My father said I should work on
mathematics.Cathy: Maybe you will still use your artistic talent some day.Michael: Oh, I don't know.After all, I'm in university now.Perhaps I'm too old to be
creative.Cathy: I don't think so.I read an interesting article about a lady who wanted to be an
artist but the whole family wanted her to work in their candy business.Michael: What happened?
Cathy: Well, Jean, the lady, knew painting was what she wanted to do, not making
candy.After graduating from college she tried various jobs to support herself,though none of her jobs was in the candy business.And she kept painting in her
spare time.Michael: Then what?
Cathy: About 20 years ago a worker in the family candy business quit around
Valentine's Day, one of their busiest seasons.Her father needed Jean to come to
help with the business.Michael: Did she?
Cathy: Yes, although she didn't like it.Michael: So, how did she cope?
Cathy: She got an idea of putting art and candy together.Michael: How?
Cathy: First she experimented with making an edible paint.She found that powdered
food coloring mixed with vodka would work.Michael: That's quite a combination.Cathy: Then, for her “canvas”, she melted white chocolate and molded it flat.She even
learned how to make chocolate frames.Michael: What kind of art did she create?
Cathy: She copied the works of famous painters.She displayed her candy art in the
candy shop and customers would come in just to look at the art.Michael: What did her family think then?
Cathy: They didn't take her seriously until the Toledo Museum of Art heard about her
works and paid her to paint 77 reproductions of works in their collection.That
was her first big job.Now she works full-time on her candy creations.Michael: Does she do anything besides copying art masterpieces?
Cathy: Yes, she's done some portraits.However, people love her reproductions.Michael: What are the prices for her candy art creations?
Cathy: From $150 to $200 each.Michael: Well, her creativity has brought her success.Listening IV
For over 30 years, “Sesame Street” has been the most popular TV program for young children in the United States.The characters on this show are mainly puppets, and probably the most loved of the puppets is a gigantic yellow bird called “Big Bird”.Caroll Spinney has played Big Bird all the years of Big Bird's existence on American television.Spinney's love of puppets and his own creativity led him to this career.When he was five years
old, he saw his first puppet show.He loved the show and never forgot it.When he was seven he bought a used monkey puppet for five cents.His mother had made him a stuffed snake from green material, so he got the idea of making his own puppet show.He made a stage from wooden orange boxes and his mother's old curtains.He charged 2 cents for admission and earned 32 cents for his first performance.Spinney's family liked his creativity and encouraged him to do more.For Christmas when he was nine, his older brother made him a better puppet theater and his mother secretly sewed eight colorful puppets for him.Spinney later wrote, “The more I gave shows, the more I felt the power that one has when performing.All these people would sit in a room and listen to everything I said.I did all the character voices: little girl voices, an old lady voice, and a ghost voice.The audience listened and clapped at the end, and also paid me to do it.What could be a better way to make a living than to perform? I knew that I would wind up in the world of entertainment.”
Spinney continued giving puppet shows.When he decided to go to art school, puppet shows helped him pay for his tuition.Even when he was in the army, he managed to continue giving puppet shows.He knew he wanted to do this as his life's work and that he wanted his audience to be children.When he was given the opportunity to create the character of Big Bird on “Sesame Street”, he accepted it and over the years has made Big Bird one of the most beloved characters on American television.
第二篇:新编大学英语视听说阅读第四册home listening原文及答案
视听阅读B4HOME LISTENING audio SCRIPT & KEY
Unit4
The World Heritage Organization: Preserving Our Past
Today many organizations, both local and global, are devoted to preserving works of art, buildings, and even entire cities.The World Heritage Organization(WHO)is one such group.The following is a brief update on what is being done to preserve cultural heritage worldwide.The Tombs of Buganda Kings in Kampala, Uganda
The Buganda are one of eight tribal groups who have lived in Uganda for centuries.By 1750 they had created a well-planned centralized form of government.Their leader, called the Kabaka, was assisted by a prime minister as well as the head of the army and the commander of the navy.Over the years, the tribe has continued to maintain many of their original customs and beliefs.Tribal loyalty remains important to the Bugandans, even as many of them leave the country to make lives for themselves overseas.In 1884, in order to preserve and honor the memory of the former kings, the palace grounds of the Kabaka were turned into a burial ground for them.In 2001, WHO declared the area an officialWorld Heritage Site.The City of Quito, Ecuador
Before Europeans arrived in 1532, Ecuador was part of the great Inca kingdom.The area that is now called Quito became an important political center, and by the end of the 1500s the main streets of the city had been laid out and remain essentially the same today.As part of Quito’s early development, many grand public buildings such as palaces and cathedrals were constructed and decorated with beautiful statues and paintings.A powerfully original form of artwork emerged, combining European and South American Indian influences.This style of art greatly influenced the development of art in Latin America over the next 200 years and resulted in Quito being declared a WHO site in 1978.The Antonine Wall in Scotland, United Kingdom
The Antonine Wall is a 37-mile-long earth and stone barrier built across Scotland by the Romans to protect its lands to the south from invasion by enemy groups.It was begun in A.D.140 and completed two years later.Originally, forts were built every six miles along the wall, but this was later increased to every two miles.Today, the remains of the wall are clearly visible in many areas along its length, and it just recently became an official WHO site.Key:
I.1)Uganda2)burial site3)20014)South America5)Quito6)historic7)1500s
8)19789)Scotland10)Romans11)recently
II.1.remains important;even as2.constructed and decorated with3.resulted in
4.Originally
III.1.Many organizations are devoted to preserving works of art, buildings and even entire cities.2.By 1750 they had created a well-planned centralized form of government.3.The tribe has maintained many of their original customs and beliefs.4.This style of art influenced the development of art in Latin America.5.Today, the remains of the wall are clearly visible in many areas along its length.Unit8
Slow Food And More
The Slow Movement is composed of a variety of groups worldwide that advocate paying careful attention to the beauty and pleasure available around us, instead of rushing through life.Slow Food
The Slow Food movement has been growing slowly but steadily since it was started in 1986.It was developed in response to the opening of a hamburger restaurant near the Spanish Steps in Rome, Italy.Today there are several hundred regional groups in over 100 nations worldwide.In 2008, a group in San Francisco sponsored a Slow Food Nation event where 60,000 people convened.In 2004, the organization opened the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Bra, Italy, to promote awareness of good food and nutrition.Slow Cities
Like the Slow Food movement, the Slow Cities movement started in Italy.Its followers believe that cities should retain as much of their originality as possible to preserve their beauty and charm.This involves creating strict rules as to where cars can and can‘t go, and what businesses are allowed to operate in the city.Pedestrians and bicyclists are given priority over motor vehicles, and supermarkets and coffee shops with hundreds of identical stores are not welcome.There are currently 42 Slow Cities in Italy and many more in Germany, Great Britain, Spain, and elsewhere.Slow Homes
Slow Home is a movement founded by John Brown, a professor of architecture at the University of Calgary in Canada.He and his group believe that most new houses are being built cheaply and easily, but are unoriginal and boring.Therefore, the Slow Home movement encourages people to avoid standardized housing.According to Professor Brown, it is important for people to learn about design and construction when building a home, and to become involved with making intelligent decisions about the place where they will spend so much of their lives.Slow Travel
In this age of superhighways and jet planes, some people are talking about slowing down the travel experience.In 2008, two Swedish tour companies offered 8,000 train trips to various destinations in Europe.Typically, if one were to take a plane, the trips would take two hours on average.Alternatively, the train rides take a day or two.Despite the longer time needed, the program was extremely popular and better for the environment, releasing about 20 percent less harmful gas into the atmosphere than the same trip made by car or plane.Key:
I.1.A hamburger restaurant.2.Pedestrians and bicyclists.3.42.4.Standardized housing.5.20 percent less.II.1.The Slow Movement is composed of a variety of groups that advocate enjoying the beauty and pleasure around us.2.The Slow Food movement was developed in response to the opening of a hamburger restaurant in Rome.3.The followers of the Slow Cities movement believe that cities should retain as much of their originality as possible.4.People should become involved with making intelligent decisions about the place where they will spend their lives.5.Despite the longer time needed, the program was extremely popular and better for the environment.
第三篇:新编大学英语4课后答案
新编大学英语4浙江大学编著 Part Three FURTHER DEVELOPMENT Unit 1 Leisure Activities
1.Enriching Your Word Power
1)B2)A3)B4)A5)A6 C7)B8)C9)B10)A11)C12)C
2.Translation Practice
这位上了年纪而从未结过婚的英国女士,在1930年第一次出现在小说《牧师住宅的谋杀案》中时,年纪大约在65到70岁之间。在长达41年多的时间里,她出现在12部长篇小说、20篇短篇小说中——最后一次破案时她已经很老了。
从外表上看,马普尔小姐高高瘦瘦,面色红润而布满皱纹,有着一双淡蓝色的眼睛,雪白的头发在头上盘成老式的发髻。她的外表看上去不会给任何人造成伤害。再加上她那漫无边际的闲谈以及永远都在身边的毛线针,她常常会引起人们的误解,把她仅仅看成是一位“犹犹豫豫的老女人”。那可真是小看了她。那些真正了解她的人都明白,她是人类本性敏锐的观察者,而且“不可思议地总是正确的”。
虽然马普尔小姐一生都生活在看上去枯燥乏味的圣玛丽牧场,她却相当老到地明白并接受“我们周围尽是邪恶”这个事实。就像她经常指出的那样,大城市能找到的人性特征和邪恶,在她住的村子及周边也都能找到。于是,她的破案方式就是找出圣玛丽牧场和外面世界在生活和人物方面的相似之处。
Unit2 The Power of Words
1.Enriching Your Word Power
1)C2)A3)C4)B5)B6)A7)C8)A9)A10)A
1.Translation Practice
1)另一方面,打电话更快捷,所以当你需要很快得到一个答复时,电话更合适些。
2)一些最精彩的信是灵感突现时写的,所以要把文具放在你能坐几分钟、很快给朋友写短信的地方。
3)一封手写的信,封在一个不是帐单的信封中,在我们的朋友劳累了一天疲惫地回家的时候等候在她的路上,信中的话将帮助她消除一天的辛劳。这是一份多么美好的礼物啊。1
4)有时你无法记住说过的全部议论,因为电话是转瞬即逝的,而且不能像珍藏的信件那样,可以保存起来以备以后阅读。
5)很多成年人一直保留着多年前他们还是孩子时收到的几页纸,他们中的一些人还不管走到哪里都随身带着。是什么促使他们这么做的呢?答案就是欣赏。
6)利用一切机会表扬别人,因为这会使他们更自信,激发他们的积极性。这还会使你成为一个在他们的人生中有重要影响的人。
Unit3 Gender Difference.Enriching Your Word Power
1)B2)C3)B4)A5)C6)B7)B8)B9)C 10)B 11)C 12)A
2.Translation Practice
教室是男生的天下;即使在他们人数并不占多数时,他们仍占据老师三分之二的注意力。他们被允许取笑女生,他们作业做得马虎却受表扬,要是女生做这样的作业就得不到宽容。男生们已经习惯于做老师的宠儿。如果女生也受到相同的待遇,男生就会抗议,甚至扰乱课堂。
Unit4 Creativity
1.Enriching Your Word Power
1)C2)B3)B4)A5)C6)A7)A8)C9)B10)A
11)B12)B
1.Translation Practice
1)一个具有独创性的人没有难题,只有发挥独创性的机会。(多里•勒特格)
2)我一直在做力所不能及的事,那是为了学会如何去做。(巴勃罗•毕加索)
3)存在是为了改变,改变是为了成长,成长是为了不断创造自我。(亨利•伯格森)
4)想要创造性地生活,我们必须不再害怕犯错。(约瑟夫•奇尔顿•皮尔斯)
5)创造性就是发明、试验、成长、冒险、犯规、犯错和游戏。(玛丽•卢•库克)
6)我总想着创新。我的未来始于每天清晨睡梦初醒之时。每天我都在自己的生活中找到富有创造性的事情来做。(迈尔斯•戴维斯)
Unit 5 AthletesEnriching Your Word Power
1)C2)B3)B4)B5)B6)C7)A8)A9)C10)A11)C12)C
1.Translation Practice
1)奥林匹克不仅是锻炼体能和承受力的学校,也是培养纯洁、道德高尚的学校。
2)现代奥运精神的总目标一直是促进相互理解,使世界各国一起友好而有效地合作。
3)通过各国相聚、通过给予人们互相认识和尊重的机会、通过建立友好的关系,使奥 林匹克实现了和平这一重要目标。
4)让我们为了生存而运动,而不是为了运动而生存;让我们记住与自己竞争胜过观看别人竞争。
5)一个好的运动员应该树立一个好的榜样,成为年轻人的行为榜样。一个好的教练应该树立一个好的榜样,成为年轻运动员的行为榜样。
6)奥运会最重要的精神不是获胜而是参与,正如生活中最重要的不是成功而是奋斗。最最重要的不是征服了而是努力奋斗了。
Unit 6 Risks
1.Enriching Your Word Power
1)B2)A3)A4)A5)C6)C7)B8)C9)A10)B
1.Translation Practice
1)Promising new technologies can power our homes, factories and cars with cleaner, more efficient energy—cutting emissions while strengthening our economy.2)Indeed, unless we reach across borders and face threats to the environment together, the earth may be confronted with an ecological crisis, with half of all species gone, and our grand children enduring deadly floods, droughts and disease brought on by global warming.3)Our planet is a biosphere, which demands that nations work in global partnership to solve complex environmental problems such as the long-range transport of air pollutants and hazardous waste disposal.4)Risks are an unavoidable part of life.They stem from rare events such as earthquakes and fires or from slowly accumulating effects of exposure to hazardous conditions and probably cause loss of property, even loss of life.5)Only 100 years ago man lived in harmony with nature.Today this harmonious relationship is threatened by man’s lack of foresight and planning, and by his carelessness and greed, for man is slowly poisoning his environment.Unit 7 College Life
1.Enriching Your Word Power
1)A2)A3)B4)B5)B6)C7)C8)C9)B10)B11)C12)A
1.Translation Practice
1)理解、应用概念和记住那些考试一结束就会忘得一干二净的事实,这两者之间有着明确的区别。
2)尤其在技术领域,变化如此迅速,以致于我们从本科教育中所能期望的最大收益是学习能力的培养。因此,记住事实不如获取应用的能力。
3)对教授们来说,考试是评估学生掌握了多少知识的最为简易的方法,至少在比较大的班级是如此。
4)现实生活远非一场开卷考,它是一场你永远都无法完全准备好的考试,而且你根本无法补考。
5)在现实生活中,我们无法预测明天会发生什么,也不知道该准备些什么。
6)成功失败,起起落落,这些都是现实生活的特征,它并非如人们所猜想的那么容易。
Unit 8 Time
1.Enriching Your Word Power
1)A2)B3)C4)A5)C6)B7)A8)A9)C10)C11)B12)B
2.1)with2)to3)on4)with5)from6)into7)of8)up9)with10)with
11)over12)for13)by/with14)to15)through16)on17)in18)of/from
1.Translation Practice
1)蛋白质由氨基酸构成,而氨基酸可以用来建造和修补人体组织。
2)根据在德国进行的开拓性研究报告,当人们被分成小组,一起置身于与光、温度、湿度等外部时间提示因素相隔绝的环境时,他们自身内部复杂的时间节奏无法(与外部时间)同步了;但他们的生物钟随后又恢复了相互间一致的同步节奏。
3)我们通过这些实验测试大脑的神经生物学模式,这种模式提供了大脑神经处理信息及接受刺激的方式。
4)行为科学家们长期以来一直认为这些差异是个人异常习惯或早期训练的结果。但这种想法遭到了内科医生兼生物学家弗朗兹•哈尔伯格称为时间生物学的一种理论的置疑。
5)温格特和同在国家航空和宇宙航行局工作的时间生物学家查尔斯•德罗西亚还就如何缓解飞行时差反应所带来的疲劳提出了一些建议:在出发前一周左右开始调整日常活动时间,使之与你到达目的地的时间安排一致。
Unit 9 Science and Technology
1.Enriching Your Word Power
1)B2)A3)B4)C5)B6)C7)C8)B9)A10)A11)B12)C
1.Translation Practice
因为2000年和2001年连续的旱灾,2002年1月德比镇遭受了严峻的缺水问题。德比郡议会已经把解决这个问题放在首位,以便今后不再出现这种情况。郡议会早在90年代中期曾就在这一地区筑坝进行过调查,但是由于当时公众对调查结果不满意使计划受阻,需要做进一步的环境调查以确定筑坝对周围农场的长期影响。这一系列的调查已于2003年12月完成。调查结果显示对环境和经济没有明显的负面影响。2004年6月郡议会提议施行可行性研究的最后阶段,整个研究的结论和建议将在拟定于2005年1月12日举行的议会计划委员会会议上提交。这份可行性研究报告将帮助议会对改善该郡的水供应状况作出最后决定。
Unit 10 Satire in Literature
1.Enriching Your Word Power
1)C2)C3)C4)B5)B6)B7)A8)B9)B10)A11)A
12)B13)B14)C15)C16)B17)C18)A
1.Translation Practice
Constantine Szobachkov 研究草原犬鼠已有十多年了。他把科研助手派到有草原犬鼠的地区。派去的人身高不同,衣着颜色不同,带的东西也不同,有的带着枪,有的牵着狗,有的空着双手。对草原犬鼠的每个叫声都加以分析,把它们相互交流的结构记录下来并探测出了它们交流的模式。Szobachkov说:
如同人类声音的波形一样,草原犬鼠声音的波形也有一定的结构。它们用叫声互相交流信息。一个叫声可以由数百个基本单位组成,有的类似于名词,有的类似于形容词。犬鼠的叫声里也有和声,叫声可以变化,变化的方式所有同类都懂。我们从9个不同的角度考察了它的波形。他们能区分人与狗,人们所穿衣服的颜色,人们的身高。
被问到犬鼠是怎样表示一个人的身高时,Szobachkov 说,叫声中某个系列的直线波形变成弧形就能表示身高。当以一定的方式改变这些(波形)时,就区别出了不同的高度。他认为草原犬鼠所掌握的词汇量超过其他任何动物。
第四篇:新编大学英语Unit2课文翻译及课后练习答案
Unit 2 Myths and Legends In-Class Reading Why the Tortoise’s Shell Is Not Smooth
为什么乌龟的背壳凹凸不平从远处他妻子们的那些小木屋里传来的低声细语,时不时地被歌声打断,但是奥康瓦还是听到了,这是妻子们同各自的孩子在讲民间故事。爱克蔚菲和她的女儿爱金玛坐在一块小地毯上。现在,轮到爱克蔚菲讲故事了。霎时,低声细语静了下来,所有的眼睛都转向她们最喜欢的故事能手。2 “很久以前”,她开始讲道,“所有的鸟儿都被邀请到天上赴宴。它们非常高兴,开始为这盛大的日子做准备。它们用颜料把自己的身体涂成深红色并画上漂亮的图案。“乌龟看到了所有这些准备活动,并很快了解了事情的来龙去脉。动物界里发生的任何事都逃不过他的眼睛,(因为)他狡黠无比,诡计多端。他一听说这一天上的盛宴,不禁垂涎三尺。那些日子正在闹饥荒,乌龟已经有两个月没好好吃一顿饭了。他的身体就像一段枯柴棍在空荡荡的躯壳里咔咔作响。于是他稳扎稳打地开始计划如何能到天上去。” 4 “但是他没有翅膀呀,”爱金玛说。5 “别性急,”她母亲回答道,“故事(的关键)就在这里。乌龟没有翅膀,但他去找鸟儿们,请求能跟他们一起去。” 6 “‘我们太了解你了,’鸟儿们听了他的请求后说道。‘你诡计多端并且忘恩负义。如果我们答应你,你马上就会施展诡计。我们老早就把你看透了。’ 7 “‘你们不了解我,’乌龟说。‘我已经脱胎换骨了,不再是你们以前所知道的那个捣蛋鬼了。相反,我现在既体贴又善良。我已经认识到,给别人制造麻烦的人就是在给自己制造麻烦。放心吧,我保证不给你们增添任何麻烦。’ “乌龟巧舌如簧,没过多久,所有的鸟儿都一致认为,他确实已经脱胎换骨了,于是每只鸟儿都给了他一根羽毛,用这些羽毛,乌龟做了两只色彩绚丽的翅膀。“最后,这盛大的日子终于来到了,乌龟第一个到达了集合地点。等所有的鸟儿都来齐了,他们就一块儿动身。乌龟飞在鸟儿们中间,非常高兴,而且由于他擅长演说,很快就被推选为大伙儿的发言人。10 “‘有件重要的事我们绝不能忘记,’他在飞行途中说道。‘当人们被邀请参加类似于这样的盛宴时,要特意给自己取个新名字。天上的主人们一定也希望我们能遵循这一古***俗。’ “鸟儿们谁也没听说过这一习俗,但他们知道,尽管乌龟在其它方面不怎么样,却到过许多地方,知晓不同民族的风俗习惯。于是他们每人都取了一个新名字。等他们全都取好了,乌龟也取了一个。他的新名字叫‘你们大家’。“最后群鸟飞到了天上,那儿的主人们见到他们非常高兴。乌龟穿着他那五彩的羽衣,起身对主人们的邀请深表谢意。他的讲话如此得体,所有的鸟儿都很庆幸把他带了来,对他所说的一切都点头赞同。主人们把他当成了鸟儿们的国王,尤其是因为他看起来有那么点儿与众不同。13 “精选出来的各种果仁呈上来吃完之后,天上的人们在客人们面前摆上了乌龟从未见过或梦到过的美味佳肴。汤刚从炉子上烧好就连着罐子热气腾腾地端上来了,里面全是肉和鱼。乌龟开始很响地嗅气。有甜薯泥以及用棕榈油和鲜鱼一起煮成的甜薯汤,还有一坛坛棕榈酒。等所有的菜肴在客人们面前摆好后,有一位天上的人走上前来,把每样菜肴都尝一口。然后他请鸟儿们进餐。但这时乌龟一跃而起,问道:‘你们是为谁准备的这个宴会?’
“‘为你们大家啊,’那个人回答道。15 “乌龟转向鸟儿们说:‘你们该记得,我的名字就是“你们大家”。这儿的习俗是先请发言人吃,然后才轮到其他人。我吃完以后,他们会请你们吃的。’ “他开始大吃起来,鸟儿们则私下里生气地抱怨着。天上的人还以为把所有的食物让国王吃是鸟儿们的习俗。就这样,乌龟吃掉了最好的食物,还喝了两坛棕榈酒,于是酒足饭饱了,他的身体胀得胖鼓鼓的,把整个龟壳都撑圆了。“鸟儿们围拢来吃些残羹剩饭,啄着他扔在地上的骨头。有一些鸟儿气得什么都没吃,他们宁可空着肚子飞回去。但是离开前,每只鸟儿都向乌龟要回了各自借给他的那根羽毛。乌龟站在那儿,身上只剩了一个硬壳,里面满是佳肴美酒,却没了可飞回家的翅膀。他请求鸟儿们捎个口信给他的妻子,但被大家拒绝了。最后,最生乌龟气的鹦鹉,突然改变了主意,同意替他带个口信。18 “‘告诉我的妻子,’乌龟说道,‘把家里所有软的东西都拿出来,铺在地上,这样我就可以从天上跳下去,而不至于摔伤了。’ “鹦鹉满口答应一定把这个口信带到,然后窃笑着飞走了。然而,当他飞到乌龟家时,却告诉乌龟的妻子把家里所有硬的、尖的家伙都拿出来。于是乌龟的妻子就尽心尽责地把丈夫的锄头,刀子,长矛,枪甚至他的大炮都搬了出来。乌龟从天上往下看,看到他的妻子正往外搬东西,但相距太远了看不清是些什么。当一切似乎都已准备妥当时,他就纵身一跳。他掉啊,掉啊,掉,直到他开始担心自己会这样一直不停地掉下去。然后,他重重地摔到了地上,那声响就跟他的大炮轰鸣一样。” 20 “他死了吗?”爱金玛问道。21 “没有,”爱克蔚菲回答说。“他的背壳摔成了好几百块碎片。不过,那附近有一个医术高明的行医者。乌龟的妻子就派人把他请来,这位行医者把所有的碎片捡拢来,粘在一起。这就是为什么乌龟的背壳凹凸不平的原因了。”
After-Class Reading
Beauty and the Beast
美女与野兽 从前有一位非常富有的商人,他有六个孩子,三个儿子和三个女儿。他满足女儿想要的一切,但是,除了小女儿,两个大女儿都非常自高自大,被宠坏了。小女儿名叫“美女”。她既美丽又温柔,两个姐姐为此嫉妒得不得了。2 在一个倒霉的日子里,商人得知自己损失了所有的钱,全家人被迫从城里的豪宅搬到乡下一个小房子去住。三个儿子立即帮助父亲张罗外面的琐事。可怜的美女,向来都是仆人照料她的起居。现在她不得不在日出前起床,生火、做饭、打扫屋子。但是她很快适应了这种生活。她说:“哭不会改善现状。我必须努力让自己快乐起来。”然而,她的两个姐姐则每天睡到正午,并且还为美女不像她俩一样痛苦而生气。一年后,这位父亲收到一封信,告知他有一艘失综的船已被找到,并已满载货物而归。全家人都很高兴,因为他们又要变得富有了。在商人离家前,两个大女儿恳求父亲给她们带回各种各样珍贵的首饰和漂亮衣服。“那么我的美女想要什么呢?”父亲问道。“哦,我什么都不需要,但是如果您能带给我一朵玫瑰,我会非常感激的,”她说。当然,美女并不需要玫瑰,只是她想,为了不使自己看上去似乎在批评两个姐姐的贪婪,她最好得要点什么。4 商人来到了港口,但是天哪,船已经沉没了,结果他依然贫穷如前。回家时他在森林里迷了路,并且天开始下起雪来。“我会冻死的,或者被狼吃掉,再也看不到我亲爱的孩子们了,”他伤心地想着。突然,他看到一所富丽堂皇的豪宅,里面灯火通明。他敲了敲门,但 2 没人答应。他走进去,却发现壁炉里炉火正旺,一张桌子上摆满美味佳肴。他等了很长时间,等着主人露面,但是没有人来。他饿极了,于是他最后(忍不住)吃了一点食物。然后他找到一间卧室,并很快在那儿睡着了。第二天早晨他惊讶地发现一套崭新的衣服摆在他面前,一顿新做的早餐等着他去享用。“这儿一定是仙女们住的城堡,” 他想,因此他大声喊了声“谢谢你们”,然后离开了。他惊讶地看到雪已经消失得无影无踪,面前有一个可爱的花园,里面长满了玫瑰花丛。“我只摘一朵玫瑰,给我的美女,”他说,但当他折下玫瑰时却听到了一声很可怕的声音。他看到一头丑陋的怪兽对他说,“忘恩负义的人!我救了你的命,你却偷我的玫瑰来报答我。你必须死!”但是商人乞求野兽看在他孩子们的份上不要杀他。野兽在听说了美女和她要求得到一朵玫瑰的故事之后似乎有了兴趣。“那么你必须叫她到这儿来代替你。给你三个月的时间。回家去,如果她不愿来,那你必须回来。但是我不会让你空着手离开的。到你房间去,你会发现一箱金子,”野兽说。“好吧,如果我必须得死,至少我不会让我的孩子们身无分文,”这位父亲想,于是他带着一箱金子回到了家。5 “给,美女,”他说,“给你这朵玫瑰。你不知道这朵玫瑰将怎样使你不幸的父亲丢掉性命。”于是他把遭遇野兽的事说了一遍。美女立刻坚持要去野兽家,以此来救她父亲一命,而且不愿听任何劝阻。在离开家的那一天,她的姐姐们用洋葱抹眼睛,为她的离开并且很可能丢掉性命而假装悲伤。7 当商人和美女到达那所宫殿时,灯火依旧通明。火旺旺地烧着,桌子上摆满了精美佳肴。“哦,野兽想先把我养肥了再杀死我,”美女想。尽管害怕,为了父亲她仍然表现得振作而又勇敢。突然他们听到一个可怕的声音,野兽出现了。“你是心甘情愿到这儿来的吗?”野兽问。“是的,”美女哆嗦着说。“好,那就和你的父亲道别吧。”悲痛欲绝的商人就这样被迫离开女儿回家了。美女肯定野兽会在那天晚上把她吃掉。(因此)当她发现卧室门的上方有一块刻着“美女房间”的金牌子时非常惊讶。房间里到处是华丽的家俱,书架上排列着所有她爱看的书。还有一架钢琴供她弹奏。在有一本书里还写着:
欢迎美女,不要害怕,你是这儿的王后、这儿的主人。
说出你的愿望,说出你的意愿,你的心愿,马上就会实现。“这一切都这么豪华,我想野兽不会很快吃掉我的,”她说,于是她不太害怕了。10 第二天晚上野兽来到餐桌前说,“美女,让我看着你吃饭,好吗? 如果我在场会打扰你,我就离开。告诉我,你是否觉得我很丑?” 美女说,“是的,”因为她不会说谎,但她补充说:“但我认为你心地非常善良。”他们交谈着,美女开始感觉镇定多了。这时,野兽说,“美女,你愿意嫁给我吗?”尽管美女不想让野兽生气,但她还是说,“不愿意”。野兽开始哀号并且伤心地说,“那么,再见,美女,”然后离开了。三个月的时间里,每天吃晚饭时都发生同样的事情。美女开始期待这些见面,而且因野兽的丑陋所引起的恐惧感也消失了,但是每天晚上,在离开之前,野兽都问同样的问题:“美女,你愿意嫁给我吗?” “哦,野兽,我要是能同意嫁给你就好了。我会永远把你当作我很要好的朋友,但是我并不爱你。”
“但是你能答应永远不离开我吗?”野兽问。
“哦,野兽,我非常担心我亲爱的父亲,我也非常想他。” 15
“啊,那你会离开我,而我这个野兽会伤心死的。” 16
“哦,不,”美女说道,“如果你让我去看望我父亲一次,我一定会回来和你永远生活在一起。”
“你明天就会在家里了,”野兽说。“但是记住,当你想回到我这儿时,你必须在上床睡觉前把戒指放在桌子上。” 第二天早晨,当美女醒来时,发觉自己已在父亲家里,而且房间里满是一箱箱的金子和漂亮高雅的绸缎礼服,都是野兽送给她的。除了两个狠心的姐姐,所有人见了她都十分高兴。两个姐姐嫉妒难耐,却装作非常高兴,请求妹妹能住多久就住多久。第十天晚上美女做了一个梦,梦中她看见野兽躺在花园里,快要死了。她从梦中哭醒过来。“哦,我多么忘恩负义啊!他长得丑陋是他的错吗? 他一直对我那样温和,那样慷慨。原先我为什么不同意嫁给他呢?” 于是她下床,把戒指放到桌上,然后又回到床上睡着了。第二天早晨醒来时她已在野兽的城堡里了。她穿上最漂亮的礼服,等待野兽到来。晚饭过后,野兽仍然没有露面,这时她想起了那个梦,急忙跑到花园里,发现野兽躺在地上,就要死了。她俯身伏在他身上,抱着他大哭。“哦,野兽,请不要死!活下来做我的丈夫。”她一说完这些话,只见眼前光芒闪耀,还有音乐声,她看到的不是丑陋不堪的野兽,而是她所能见到的最英俊的王子。王子被一个邪恶的女巫用可怕的符咒把他镇住,美女把它解除了,王子向她表示感谢。接着,出现了一位拿着魔杖的仙女,然后是美女的全家人。仙女微笑着说,“美女,你做了一个聪明的选择,(因为)你选取了美德而不是美貌。从今以后,你要和王子一起幸福地生活了。” 然后仙女转向美女的两个姐姐说,“你们两个满心嫉妒的人,你们将变作两个石像但却仍具有思考能力。你们将站在美女城堡的门前,看着她每天幸福地生活,直到你们死去的那一天,这是对你们的惩罚。”
课内阅读练习答案
Part One Preparation
1.An Argument about the Sun Sample 1)Both the children are wrong.The sun gives out almost the same amount of heat at any time of the year.We feel sometimes it is hotter, and sometimes it is cooler only because the angle between the sunlight and the surface of the earth varies constantly.That the sun seems bigger at daybreak is an optical illusion.When it appears on the horizon, only a small part of the sky is bright enough to be seen against it.This makes the sun seem bigger.But when it’s high up in the sky, it seems smaller with the huge bright sky against it.That it is cooler in the morning than at midday is not because of the change of the distance between the sun and the earth.It is because of the change of the angle between the sunlight and the surface of the earth.We don’t feel very hot in the morning because less sunlight is received per unit of area when the angle is smaller.But as time passes, more and more sunlight per unit of area penetrates the atmosphere and reaches us, so we feel hotter at midday.2)Confucius was knowledgeable, but not a genius.We can’t expect him to know everything.Everyone has his or her limitations.Another reason is that at that time science was not as developed as it is today and people didn’t have advanced equipment to do research on the sun and the earth.So it was difficult to understand or explain many natural phenomena.3)
―I think Confucius was honest.He didn’t pretend to know the answer.―No one is perfect.One may be an expert in one field, but a novice in other fields.―The children were very curious, a good quality of theirs.But they only saw one side of the phenomenon and then jumped to conclusions.One should consider different aspects before drawing any conclusions.―Children seldom pretend.They do what they want and they say what occurs to them.The two children in the story laughed at Confucius because he could not answer their questions though he was supposed to be a wise man.Adults are less likely to do these kinds of things.2.Chinese Fables
Three at Dusk and Four at Dawn
In the state of Song there was a man who was very fond of monkeys and kept a large number of them.He could understand the monkeys and they could understand him.In order to satisfy the monkeys’ demands, he reduced the food consumption of his family.After a while his family did not have enough to eat, so he wanted to limit the food for his monkeys.But he was afraid the monkeys would not submit to him.So he played a trick on them.“If I give you three chestnuts in the morning and four in the evening, would that be enough?” he asked the monkeys.All the monkeys rose up in a fury.After a short time he said, “If I give you four chestnuts in the morning and three in the evening, would that be enough?”
All the monkeys lay on the floor, happy and satisfied with this proposal.Moral of the story: I think that we can learn two things from the story.First, we should look at the whole picture when we are dealing with a problem, instead of just one side of the problem.If we can’t have a whole view of the problem, we might be fooled by something superficial and can never find the truth.Second, we should be consistent in what we are doing.We should not change our attitude, manner or method from time to time when we are doing a particular job.His Spear Against His Shield In the state of Chu there was a man who had a spear and a shield for sale.He was loud in praises of his shield.“My shield is so strong that nothing can pierce it through.”
He also sang praises of his spear.“My spear is so strong that it can pierce through anything.”
“What would happen,” he was asked, “if your spear is used to pierce your shield?”
He was unable to give an answer.It is impossible for an impenetrable shield to coexist with a spear that finds nothing impenetrable.Moral of the story: This story tells us that we should be logical in what we are talking about.One can not exaggerate too much what he is capable of.Otherwise, he will be laughed at by others.Moreover, one should be honest with other people.A Matter of Dignity
There was a great famine in the state of Qi.Qian Ao, a rich man in Qi, prepared food by the roadside for the hungry to come and eat.Along came a starving man, his sleeves covering his head, his hempen(麻制的)sandals held together by string, walking as if he did not know where he was going.With food in his left hand and drink in his right, Qian Ao shouted at him.“Hey you!Come and eat!”
The man looked up and stared at Qian.“I’m reduced to this state just because I refuse to take anything from loud-mouthed(高谈阔论的, 叽里呱啦的)people giving away food,” he said.Qian immediately begged his pardon but the man still refused to eat and eventually starved to death.Moral of the story: Dignity is more important than anything else.One may lose his life but not his dignity.Today, so many people, in order to reach certain positions or win some titles, give up their conscience or dignity.On the other hand, everyone should respect other people, poor or rich.Only when we are full of respect for other people will we earn other people’s respect.Then the whole society will be in harmony.3.Matching Pictures
1.Aphrodite
2.Ares
3.Hephaestus 4.Artemis 5.Demeter 6.Dionysus
7.Poseidon 8.Athena 9.Apollo
10.Hermes 11.Hera 12.Zeus
Extra exercise: Bedtime Stories
Directions: Of all the bedtime stories your grandparents or parents told you when you were a little child, which one was the most interesting? Share your favorite story with the other members in your group.Sample
Long long ago there were two brothers.The elder brother was rich, but the younger brother was poor.They made a living by cutting wood in the forest.One day when the younger brother was crossing a bridge, his iron axe fell into the water.He was very sad and began to cry.At that time an old man appeared.After he knew what happened, he dove into the water and brought a silver axe to the younger brother, but the younger brother said, “No, this isn’t mine.Mine is made of iron.” Again the old man dove into the water, and brought a gold axe to him.But again he said this wasn’t his.The old man was very happy with this because the younger brother was honest and not greedy.So he gave the younger brother the gold axe.After the younger brother got home, he told all this to his elder brother.On hearing the story the elder brother went to the same bridge and dropped his iron axe into the water.The old man appeared too and dove into the water after knowing what happened.He brought a silver axe to the elder brother, but the elder brother said this wasn’t his, his was a gold one.The old man was very unhappy and brought him a gold axe unwillingly.The elder brother went back home with the gold axe, but as soon as he was home, he became a statue, as a result of the magic power of the gold axe.Part Two Reading-Centered Activities
In-Class Reading
Post-Reading
Reading Comprehension
1.1)Because they were invited to a feast in the sky.2)He saw the birds were busy preparing.3)He planned to go to the feast/sky with the birds.4)They didn’t agree because Tortoise was mischievous, cunning and ungrateful.5)With a sweet tongue, he convinced the birds that he was a changed man.6)He made two wings with all the feathers he got from each bird.7)All of You.8)Nuts, meat and fish soup, pounded yam, yam soup, palm wine, etc.9)For whom have you prepared this feast?
10)Because he knew the answer would be “For all of you”, which was his new name.So he could enjoy all the food first.11)They were very angry.12)They took back the feathers they had lent him.13)He asked them to take a message to his wife.14)Parrot, because he wanted to take advantage of the chance to get revenge.15)He asked Parrot to tell his wife to bring out all the soft things in his house to cover the ground with them so that he would be able to land safely.But Parrot told his wife to bring out all the hard and sharp, not the soft, things instead.16)His shell was broken into hundreds of pieces.2.Ekwefi is telling a story about Tortoise.Long long ago, all the birds got an invitation from the sky to attend a feast there.Tortoise learned about it and with his sweet tongue he persuaded the birds to take him with them and so each bird lent him a feather.Tortoise cunningly thought of an idea that enabled him to have all the food before anyone else by naming himself “All of You.” When they reached the sky, they received a warm welcome and soon the food was presented to them.Then he asked one of the people in the sky: “For whom have you prepared all this feast?” The man replied: “For all of you.” So he ate almost all the best food.The birds became very angry and took back their feathers before flying home.Without feathers, he had to jump onto the ground and his shell was broken into pieces.3.Acting out the Story Sample Bird A: How exciting!All of us are invited to the feast in the sky.Bird B: I just can’t wait.What do you think I should wear? Tortoise: Hello.Good morning.What are you excited about? Bird A: Didn’t you know that we are going to the sky? Bird B: And we are going to have a big dinner.What fun!
Tortoise: How nice it is.What lucky guys.May I go with you? I’m sure we’ll have a lot of fun.Bird A: Yes, we’ll have great fun, but not you.We know you too well.You are full of cunning and you are ungrateful.Bird B: If we allow you to come with us, you will soon begin your mischief.Bird A: We know you of old.Tortoise: You don’t know me now.I’m a changed man.I am not the mischievous man you once knew.In fact, I am thoughtful and well-meaning.I have learned that a man who makes trouble for others is also making trouble for himself.Rest assured, I promise you I will not cause you any trouble.Bird A:(Talking to Bird B)Maybe he is a changed man now.Let’s talk to our bird friends and see if we will take him with us.(After a brief discussion with all the other birds)Bird B: OK.Tortoise, now we all agreed to take you to the sky.Each of us will lend you a feather so that you can have two wings to fly.(During the flight to the party)Bird A: Tortoise is a great orator!
Bird B: Let’s make him the spokesperson for the party.Tortoise: Did you know that we need a new name when we are invited to a great feast like this? It is an age-old custom and our hosts in the sky will expect us to honor it.Bird A: We haven’t heard of this before.But as you are such a learned man, if you say this, we will choose a new name.I will call myself Good-Looking.Bird B: I am Smart-Ass.Tortoise: And my new name is All of You.(On their arrival at the sky)Sky people: Welcome to the sky, our dear friends.We are so pleased to see you again.Please make yourselves at home.Tortoise: My dear respected friends, thank you so much for inviting us to the sky.Nothing can make us happier than this.It is our greatest honor to be here and have a good time with you.Sky people: Thank you for your nice words.Now please help yourselves to the nuts.Bird A: Tortoise is really eloquent, isn’t he? I’m glad we decided to bring him with us.Bird B: Yes.And these are delicious nuts.Sky people: Now the dinner is ready.Please enjoy the soup, meat, fish and pounded yam.Here is palm wine, too.Tortoise: Just a moment.Let me ask you first.For whom have you prepared this feast? Sky people: For whom? Why? For all of you, of course.Tortoise(To the birds): You remember that my name is All of You.The custom here is to serve the spokesman first and the others later.They will serve you when I finish.Sky people(To themselves): Looks like it is their custom to leave all the food to their king first.Tortoise: Mm.Yummy.Mm.I’m full now.You can start to eat.Bird A: We should never bring him here.I am too angry to eat.I’m going home.Bird B: Wait.I am leaving, too.Take the feather from him with us.Tortoise: What are you doing? Leave me the feather.Oh, how am I going home without a single feather? You can’t do this to me!Birds: Bye.Tortoise: Could someone take a message for my wife? Tell her to bring out everything soft and cover the ground…
4.Taking Sides Samples 1)—I don’t admire Tortoise’s cleverness.Actually he was unwise to cheat the birds.After his mischievous behavior, how could he face them and stay together with them? He would have no friends at all.He was clever in a way, but he was very stupid.For example, when all the birds became so angry, how could he have trusted Parrot? He should have jumped into the sea instead of landing on the ground to avoid being hurt.— I admire Tortoise’s cleverness.He was a guy who knew where to look for a nice dinner during time of famine.He knew very well how to have the birds trust him.He was also quick-minded.His only mistake was that he should not be so greedy as not to leave any nice food for the birds.— I sympathize with the birds.They took Tortoise with them to the sky out of kindness, but after flying such a long distance, they had to fly back home on an empty stomach.They were formally invited, but didn’t enjoy the food prepared for them.On the other hand, Tortoise invited himself, went to the sky with the help of all the birds and selfishly ate almost all the delicious food.I think the birds were very unlucky.—I think the birds are stupid.They knew very well that Tortoise couldn’t be trusted as he was always mischievous.But they persuaded themselves that he was a changed man.At the party they should have let the sky people know Tortoise was not their king and they had the right to enjoy the nice food, as they were the guests the sky people had invited.2)The story teaches us that a)we should be honest, and shouldn’t cheat others at any time.If we cheat others, we will be punished in the end;b)we shouldn’t be carried away by sweet words, like the birds;c)a leopard can’t change its spots.Since Tortoise was cunning, he could never change his personality and behave himself.Vocabulary
1.1)A.invitation
B.invited
C.inviting
2)A.prepare
B.prepared
C.preparation
D.preparatory/preparation
3)A.discoveries
B.discoverers C.discovered
4)A.approval
B.approve C.approved D.approving E.disapprove
5)A.eloquent
B.eloquence C.eloquently
6)A.faithful
B.unfaithful/faithless C.faith D.faithfully
7)A.occasional B.occasionally C.occasion
8)A.delivery B.delivering C.delivered
9)A.troublesome/trouble B.troubled C.troubled D.troubling
10)A.assurance B.assured C.assure
2.1)ran/got into trouble 2)no trouble
3)asking for trouble
4)have…trouble
5)The trouble with
6)in serious/deep/big trouble
7)get/getting…into trouble
8)took the trouble 3.1)with a pattern of roses 2)prepared a wonderful/good meal for us 3)promised faithfully 4)deliver this letter
5)a selection of milk and plain chocolate 6)keep out of mischief/behave themselves 7)the sound of distant thunder
8)received approval from the government 9)in spite of the fact that he drank too much 10)agree whether the drug is safe or not
Part Three Further Development 1.Enriching Your Word Power
1)C
2)C
3)A
4)B
5)A
6)B
7)A
8)B
9)A
10)A 2.Myths and Moral
1)--Virtue will be rewarded.For example, Beauty is a kind-hearted and sweet girl.She loves her father and is willing to sacrifice herself for him.Finally she is rewarded with a happy marriage and a happy life.On the other hand, the evil sisters are punished by the fairy.They become two statues that have to observe Beauty’s happiness painfully.--A good heart is more important than appearance.Although the Beast is very ugly, he loves Beauty and has a kind heart.In the end he wins the heart of Beauty and the spell on him is broken by Beauty’s love.2)--Nothing can be gained without effort or hardship.If you want to succeed or make achievements, you have to face and overcome difficulties, or even great dangers.Tang Seng, Monkey and others had gone through eighty-one great dangers or hardships before they could obtain and bring home the authentic version of the Buddha’s teachings.--A person’s strength, skills and judgments are the guarantee of success.Without Monkey King, Tang Seng couldn’t have fetched the Buddha’s teachings.Unlike Tang Seng’s other followers, Monkey developed his martial arts and skills and became so strong that almost no one could defeat him.3.Finding Their Similarities and Differences 1)Similarities:
A.Both of them look like animals and are endowed with human intelligence.B.Both of them have a happy ending.The Beast marries a kind-hearted and beautiful girl and changes back into a handsome prince;Monkey succeeds in getting the Buddha’s teachings and becomes enlightened.His golden band is gone, and he no longer has to be under other people’s control.C.Both of them have a bond.The Beast is under a spell cast by a witch, while Monkey is wearing a golden band which tightens whenever he is mischievous.2)Differences: A.The Beast is actually a real human being.He becomes a beast only because of the witch’s spell, while Monkey is still a monkey though he is finally enlightened.B.They have different personalities.The Beast is gentle, generous, patient, loyal and thoughtful.He was persistent in his love for Beauty.The Monkey is capable, invulnerable, ambitious, brave, and intelligent.3)A.I like the Beast more, because he is loyal and loving.He is very kind and patient to Beauty.He loves Beauty so much that he will die for her.B.I like Monkey more, because he enjoys many magic skills and weapons.I wish I could have those.He is not only brave, but also loyal and obedient to Tang Seng.He goes through eighty-one dangers and helps Tang Seng get the Buddha’s teachings.4.Completing the Story 1)the true reason why there was no such animal in Guizhou 2)they were of no use at all in this place 3)All of a sudden when he saw the donkey, he thought it was a monster 4)He hid himself in the trees while looking at the donkey 5)What kind of animal is this and why does it look different from other animals that I’ve seen? 6)But one day the donkey stretched its thin neck and cried 7)the tiger discovered that the donkey didn’t have any other skills besides crying/had no other skills than crying 8)But he dared not rush to it or eat it just as he did to other animals 9)This did irritate the donkey/make the donkey angry, who raised its hind leg and kicked the tiger 10)
This time he rushed to it without hesitation and bit/broke its throat
5.To Be a Good Story-teller
The Princess and the Pea
Once there was a prince who wanted to marry a real princess.But he had difficulty telling what a real princess looked like.One night there was a terrible storm.Suddenly there was a knock at the door.A young girl was standing in the rain.She said she was a real princess but she looked ugly because of the rain dripping from her hair and clothes.“We’ll see whether she is a real one or not,” the old empress thought to herself.She put a pea on the bed and then put twenty mattresses and twenty padded quilts on it.The princess then slept in this bed.The next morning, people asked her whether she had a good sleep.She answered: “It was terrible.Who knows what was on the bed? I slept on a very hard thing and I am bruised all over my body.”
Now everybody was sure that she was a real princess, because she could feel the pea under twenty mattresses and twenty padded quilts.Nobody except a princess would have such tender skin.The prince married the girl and they lived happily ever after.The pea is now displayed in the museum.The Ugly Duckling Once upon a time down on an old farm lived a duck family, and Mother Duck had been sitting on a clutch of new eggs.One nice morning, the eggs hatched and out popped six ducklings.But one egg was bigger than the rest, and it didn't hatch.But before Mother Duck had time to think about it, the last egg finally hatched.A strange looking duckling with gray feathers that should have been yellow gazed at a worried mother.The ducklings grew quickly, but Mother Duck had a secret worry.“I can’t understand how this ugly duckling can be one of mine!” she said to herself, shaking her head as she looked at her last born.Well, the gray duckling certainly wasn’t pretty, and since he ate far more than his brothers, he was outgrowing them.As the days went by, the poor ugly duckling became more and more unhappy.His brothers didn't want to play with him, he was so clumsy, and all the farmyard folks simply laughed at him.He felt sad and lonely, while Mother Duck did her best to console him.12 Then one day, at sunrise, he ran away from the farmyard.He stopped at a pond and began to question all the other birds.“Do you know of any ducklings with gray feathers like mine?” But everyone shook their heads in scorn.Then one day, his travels took him near an old countrywoman’s cottage.Thinking he was a stray goose, she caught him.Then one night, finding the hutch door open, he escaped.Once again he was all alone.One day at sunrise, he saw a flight of beautiful birds wing overhead.White, with long slender necks, yellow beaks and large wings, they were migrating south.“If only I could look like them, just for a day!” said the duckling, admiringly.Winter came and the poor duckling went to seek food in the snow.He dropped exhausted to the ground, but a farmer found him and put him in his big jacket pocket.The ugly duckling survived the bitterly cold winter at the farmer’s house.By springtime the duckling saw himself mirrored in the water.“Goodness!How I’ve changed!I hardly recognize myself!” The flight of swans winged north again and glided on to the pond.When the duckling saw them, he realized he was one of their kind, and soon made friends.“We’re swans like you!” they said, warmly.“Where have you been hiding?”
“It's a long story,” replied the young swan, still astounded.Now, he swam majestically with his fellow swans.One day, he heard children on the river bank exclaim: “Look at that young swan!He's the finest of them all!”
And he almost burst with happiness.Hua Mulan
Long ago, in a village in northern China, there lived a girl named Mulan.One day, she sat at her loom weaving cloth.Click-clack!Click-clack!went the loom.Suddenly the sound of weaving changed to sorrowful sighs.Her mother asked her what troubled her.“Nothing, Mother,” she replied softly.Mulan’s mother asked her again and again, until Mulan finally told her that invaders were attacking.The emperor was calling for troops.The night before she saw the draft poster and twelve scrolls of names in the market.Her Father’s name was on every one of them.“But Father is old and frail,” Mulan sighed.“How can he fight? He has no grown son and I have no elder brother.I will go to the markets.I shall buy a saddle and a horse.I must fight in Father’s place.”
From the eastern market Mulan bought a horse.From the western market she bought a bridle, and from the southern market, a whip.At dawn, Mulan was dressed in her armor and bid a sad farewell to her father, mother, sisters and brothers.Mulan went to fight in the war for twelve years during which time none of her fellow fighters knew that she was a girl.She was such a great fighter that when the war ended the emperor wanted to name her a high rank official.But she declined the offer and went back home where she received a warm welcome.Her fellow fighters came to visit her and were surprised to learn that she was a girl.
第五篇:新编大学英语4课文翻译及课后答案
新编大学英语4课文翻译及课后答案
课内阅读参考译文及课后习题答案(Book 4)Unit 1 享受幽默—什么东西令人开怀?
听了一个有趣的故事会发笑、很开心,古今中外都一样。这一现象或许同语言本身一样悠久。那么,到底是什么东西会使一个故事或笑话让人感到滑稽可笑的呢? 2
我是第一次辨识出幽默便喜欢上它的人,因此我曾试图跟学生议论和探讨幽默。这些学生文化差异很大,有来自拉丁美洲的,也有来自中国的。我还认真地思考过一些滑稽有趣的故事。这么做完全是出于自己的喜好。3
为什么听我讲完一个笑话后,班上有些学生会笑得前仰后合,而其他学生看上去就像刚听我读了天气预报一样呢?显然,有些人对幽默比别人更敏感。而且,我们也发现有的人很善于讲笑话,而有的人要想说一点有趣的事却要费好大的劲。我们都听人说过这样的话:“我喜欢笑话,但我讲不好,也总是记不住。”有些人比别人更有幽默感,就像有些人更具有音乐、数学之类的才能一样。一个真正风趣的人在任何场合都有笑话可讲,而且讲了一个笑话,就会从他记忆里引出一连串的笑话。一个缺乏幽默感的人不可能成为一群人中最受欢迎的人。一个真正有幽默感的人不仅受人喜爱,而且在任何聚会上也往往是人们注意的焦点。这么说是有道理的。
甚至有些动物也具有幽默感。我岳母从前经常来我们家,并能住上很长一段时间。通常她不喜欢狗,但却很喜欢布利茨恩—我们养过的一条拉布拉多母猎犬。而且,她们的这种喜欢是相互的。布利茨恩在很小的时候就常常戏弄外祖母,当外祖母坐在起居室里她最喜欢的那张舒适的椅子上时,布利茨恩就故意把她卧室里的一只拖鞋叼到起居室,并在外祖母刚好够不到的地方蹦来跳去,一直逗到外祖母忍不住站起来去拿那只拖鞋。外祖母从椅子上一起来,布利茨恩就迅速跳上那椅子,从它那闪亮的棕色眼睛里掠过一丝拉布拉多式的微笑,无疑是在说:“啊哈,你又上了我的当。”
典型的笑话或幽默故事由明显的三部分构成。第一部分是铺垫(即背景),接下来是主干部分(即故事情节),随后便是妙语(即一个出人意料或令人惊讶的结尾)。如果这个妙语含有一定的幽默成分,这个笑话便会很有趣。通常笑话都包含这三部分,而且每部分都必须交代清楚。如果讲故事或说笑话的人使用听众都熟悉的手势和语言,则有助于增强效果。6
我们可以对幽默这种娱乐形式,进行分析,从而发现究竟是什么使一个有趣的故事或笑话令人发笑。举例来说,最常见的幽默有以下几种,包括了从最显而易见的幽默到比较微妙含蓄的幽默。
“滑稽剧”是最明显的幽默。它语言简单、直截了当,常常以取笑他人为乐。说笑打闹这种形式过去是、现在仍然是滑稽说笑演员和小丑的惯用技巧。它为不同年龄、不同文化背景的人们所喜爱。几乎本世纪的每个讲英语的滑稽说笑演员都曾以这样或那样的方式说过下面这则笑话。一位男士问另一位男士:“昨晚我看到的那位和你在一起的贵妇是谁?”那位男士回答道:“那可不是什么贵妇,那是我老婆。”这个笑话的幽默之处在于第二位男士说他的妻子不是一位贵妇,也就是说她不是一个高雅的女人。这个笑话并没有因为经常讲而变得不再那么好笑。由于这是一个经典笑话,观众都知道要说什么,而且因为大家对这个笑话很熟悉而更加珍爱它。
中国的相声是一种特殊的滑稽剧。相声中两名中国喜剧演员幽默地谈论诸如官僚主义者、家庭问题或其他一些有关个人的话题。相声随处都能听到,无论是在乡村的小舞台上,还是在北京最大的剧院里,抑或在广播、电视上。它显然是中国人家喻户晓的一种传统的幽默形式。
“俏皮话”不像滑稽剧那样浅显,它是因语言的误用或误解而引人发笑。我特别喜欢的一个例子是三位年长的绅士在英国乘火车旅行的故事。当火车慢慢停下来时,第一位绅士问道:“这是Wembley(温布利)吗?”“不,”第二位绅士说:“是Thursday(星期四)。”“我也是,”第三位说道,“让我们下车喝杯啤酒吧。”我们知道上了年纪的人往往耳背,因此会把Wembley(温布利)听成了Wednesday(星期三),把Thursday(星期四)听成了thirsty(渴了),这样一来就为第三位老人的妙语做好了铺垫。
著名的中国漫画家和幽默家丁聪便是一位俏皮话大师。在他的一幅幽默漫画中,一位老师说:“你为什么一字不改地抄别人的作业?”那位年轻的学生回答道:“我没有一字不改地抄。我把作业上的名字改成自己的了。”在丁聪的另一幅经典漫画里,一位生气的父亲问道:“告诉我,1加2等于几?”儿子说:“我不知道。”这位不耐烦的父亲接着说道:“比方说,你、你妈妈和我,我们加起来一共是几个,傻瓜?”儿子得意地回答道:“是三个傻瓜。” 这些故事无论是漫画还是笑话,是由演滑稽剧的喜剧演员说还是由搭档的相声演员讲,都为各地人们所喜爱。人们喜爱这些有趣的故事,因为它们贴近现实生活,而且里面那些出人意料的妙语十分有趣。
双关语是一种更微妙的俏皮话。它使用的技巧是利用发音相似的词或同一个词的不同意思。有些批评家认为双关语是最低级的幽默,但我不同意这种观点。双关语与其他形式的幽默相比需要更细微、更巧妙的语言技巧;然而,简单的双关语甚至很小的孩子也能利用。例如,谜语或脑筋急转弯问题常使用双关语做铺垫、制造故事情节,而且更多地是用在妙语部分。双关语是我最早懂得的幽默。记得大约在五岁时我听到了下面这个谜语。一个人问:“什么东西整个儿是黑的、白的和红的?”另外一个人通常猜不出来,于是问道:“我不猜了。是什么呀?”出谜语的人回答:“是报纸。”如果你知道在英语中“red(红色)”和“read(读)”的读音一样但意思完全不同,答案就很明显了。12
DOUBLE ENTENDRES(法语中的“一语双关”)是双关语的特殊形式, 其中的词或短语有双重意思。两个意思往往很不相同,一个比较恰当,另一个往往比较粗俗—但并不总是这样。我喜欢那个关于一位中学教师和校长因看见学生在学校操场上接吻而感到担心的故事。故事并不过火。那位教师对学生们说;“我和校长已经决定停止在学校操场上接吻。”听到笑声,她意识到她没有把意思表达清楚,于是补充说:“我的意思是不能再在我们的鼻子下面发生接吻这样的事了。”当然,这个解释并没有纠正她的第一句话,反而使这个笑话的双重含义变得更加好笑。
一些专业的幽默家认为如今的幽默大多缺乏智慧,不够巧妙。他们不喜欢在幽默中过多使用有色情意味或粗俗的语言,而且觉得大多数幽默家缺乏创造性。的确,现在有些幽默令人震惊,但我认为这不是幽默的过错。幽默本身是活泼健康的,它还会继续生存下去,只因为每天都有有趣的事情发生。一些有幽默感的人会看到听到这些有趣的事情,并把它们编成妙趣横生、令人开心的笑话和故事。Vocabulary
1.1)A.entertaining
B.entertainment
C.entertained
D.entertainer
2)A.recognizable
B.recognized
C.recognition
3)A.tempting
B.temptation
C.tempt
4)A.reasoned
B.reasoning
C.reasonable
D.reason
5)A.analyzed
B.analytical
C.analyst
D.analysis 6)A.valuable
B.valuation
C.valued/values
D.values
7)A.humorist
B.humor
C.humorous
D.humorless
8)A.understandable
B.understanding
C.understand
D.misunderstood
2.1)a sense of responsibility
2)a sense of safety/security
3)a sense of inferiority
4)a sense of superiority
5)a sense of rhythm
6)a sense of justice
7)a sense of shame
8)a sense of helplessness
9)a sense of direction
10)a sense of urgency
3.1)Lively behavior is normal 2)Fast cars appeal to
3)diverse arguments
4)I asked my boss for clarification
5)sensitive to light
6)Mutual encouragement
7)made fun of him
8)persists in his opinion/viewpoint 9)to be the focus/center of attention
10)we buy our tickets in advance 4.1)certain/sure
2)involved
3)end
4)behavior
5)disciplining
6)agreed 7)individually
8)first
9)response
10)question
11)attempt
12)voice
13)directly
14)followed
15)trouble Unit 2 便笺的力量
我当体育编辑,最早是为蒙比利埃(俄亥俄州)的《企业导报》工作,当时我很少收到体育迷的来信。因此,一天早晨放在我桌上的一封来信把我吸引住了。2
打开来信,我看到了下面的话:“关于老虎队的述评很不错,再接再厉。”签名的是体育编辑堂?沃尔夫。当时我只是一个十几岁的小伙子(为每一竖栏写一英寸文字,稿酬总计达15美分),因此他的话最鼓舞人心了。我把这封信一直放在书桌的抽屉里,后来它的边角都卷起来了。每当我怀疑自己不是当作家的料时,重温一下堂的便笺,就又会树起信心来。3
后来,我逐渐对堂有所了解,知道给各行各业的人写快捷而鼓舞人心的便笺是他养成的习惯。他告诉我说:“当我使别人充满信心时,我也感觉好极了。”
因此毫不奇怪,他的朋友圈子就像附近的伊利湖那么大。去年他去世了,享年75岁。电话与悼函像潮水般涌向报社,都来自于曾经得到过他激励(文字)的人们。
多年来,我努力效仿堂以及我的其他朋友,他们关心别人,常写一些鼓舞人心的话语,因为我觉得,他们这样做是很有意义的。在这样一个惯于冷漠、无动于衷的世界上,这种便笺给人们带来了温暖和安慰。我们都时不时地需要鼓励,大家知道几行赞扬的话会改变一个人的一天,甚至一生。
那么,这些激励人心的便笺的作者为什么寥若晨星呢?我猜想很多人回避写,是因为他们太看重人们的看法。他们担心会被误解,怕别人觉得他们自作多情或者言不由衷。还有,写也要花时间,远不如打电话方便。7
当然打电话的缺点是:说过的话留不住。而一张便笺使我们的良好意愿显得更加珍贵。便笺是白纸黑字记录在案的东西,而且我们写下的字可以反复阅读,细细品味并珍藏起来。8
尽管写便笺会多花一些时间,但一些非常忙的人也在这么做,其中包括乔治?布什。有人说,他政治上的成功在很大程度上归功于他那枝随时准备写字的笔。这是怎么回事呢?在他整个职业生涯中,每次与人们接触之后,他几乎都随后写封信,内容亲切——一句赞美之辞,一行表扬的话,或一段感谢语。他不仅写给朋友和同事,还写给萍水相逢的人以及完全陌生的人——比如那位借伞给他的人,后来收到他热情的赞扬信,感到很惊讶。
那些通常做作的公司高层经理们,其领导作风只能被形容为强硬、冷漠、脱离群众。甚至这些人也开始学习写便笺去鼓舞人心,且从中获益匪浅。唐纳德?彼得森,福特公司的前主席,把每天写便笺鼓励同事当作一件日常工作。该公司在80年代时走出低谷取得成功主要是他的功劳。“我只不过匆匆地在备忘录或信的角上写一些鼓舞人心的话,然后传递出去,”他说道。“每天最重要的一段时间,就是鼓舞那些为你工作的人的那10分钟。” 10
“太多的时候,”他发表自己的看法说,“那些我们真正喜欢的人并不知道我们是怎么看待他们的。太多的时候,我们会以为,我并没有说过什么批评的话,为什么非得去说好话呢?我们忘了,人类需要正面的肯定或鼓励——事实上,我们靠这个取得进步,获得成功!” 11
怎样才能写出振奋精神、温暖人心的信呢?只要我们怀有要表示感激之情的心愿。写这种便笺的高手都具有我所谓的 “4S”技巧。12
1)真诚(sincere)。没人要听虚假的赞美。
2)简短(short)。如果不能用三句话表达出你的意思,你很可能过火了,写得太长。14
3)具体(specific)。赞扬一位业务伙伴 “演讲精彩”太笼统含糊;告诉他“关于沃伦?巴菲特的投资策略讲得很精彩”才是一语中的。
4)自然(spontaneous)。这使得便笺充满了生气,洋溢着热情,并使读者的心灵长久地感受这种生气和热情。
当你非得到处找写信用品时,写出来的东西就难以自然,因此我总是把纸、信封和邮票放在手边,甚至在旅行时也是如此。信封信笺不需要很花哨,重要的是要表达的思想。17
那么,你周围又有谁值得你写便笺表示感谢或鼓励呢?一位邻居?为你服务的那位图书馆管理员?一位亲戚?你的市长?你的伙伴?一位教师?你的医生?你不必富有诗意。如果你需要一个写的理由,就找一个生活中的重要事件,例如你们共同参加的某个特殊事件的周年纪念日、生日或者节日。例如,过去的25年里,我总是为远方的朋友每年准备一张圣诞卡,而且常常在上面亲笔写上一句感谢或祝贺的话。鉴于圣诞节的氛围,就一年来所取得的成功与得到的好运特意表示谢忱似乎是最恰到好处的。18
不要吝啬你的赞美之言。像“最了不起的”、“最聪明的”、“最漂亮的”这种最高级的表达法——使大家都感到高兴。即使你的赞美之词稍稍超前了一点也没关系,记住,梦想的实现往往孕育于期望之中。
今天,我收到了以前的老板和精神导师诺曼?文森特?皮尔的一封温暖的赞扬信。这张小小的便笺上满是鼓舞人心的词句,这促使我坐到了打字机前来完成几封我早就该写的信。我不知道这些信会不会使别人的一天别有意义,但是,对我自己确实如此。正如我的朋友堂?沃尔夫所说的:使别人充满信心,也就使我自己感觉很好。Vocabulary 1.Creating Compound Words
STEP ONE:
Column A
Column B
The compound words created through
day
throughout up
man
upbeat, uplift draw
eared
drawback teen
ready
teenage hand
conscious
handout, handwritten birth
back
birthday, birthstone chair
distance
chairman rag
beat
rag-eared ever
lift
ever-ready over
age
overdue, overage
long
due
long-distance, long-eared self
stone
self-conscious mile
out
mileage, milestone type
wishing
typewriter, typewritten well
writer/written
well-wishing, well-written
STEP TWO:
1)long-distance
2)upbeat
3)ever-ready
4)overdue
5)typewriter
6)milestone
7)handwritten
8)uplifted
9)self-conscious
10)rag-eared 11)birthday
12)throughout
13)drawbacks
14)chairman
15)teenage
2.1)A.intrigued
v.interest
B.intrigue
n.the act or practice of secretly planning to harm someone or make them lose their position of power
2)A.straining
v.try very hard to do something using all your physical or mental strength
B.strain
n.a force that stretches, pulls or puts pressure on something
3)A.savor
n.taste;flavor
B.savored
v.enjoy the taste or flavor of;enjoy as much as you can
4)A.treasure
v.treat something as being very special, important, or valuable
B.treasure
n.a store of gold, silver, jewels, etc.5)A.credited
v.consider … as having achieved something or being the reason for it B.credit
n.trust;faith 6)A.boost
n.an encouraging act of cheering somebody up
B.boost
v.make someone feel more confident and less worried 7)A.note
n.a short, usually informal, letter
B.noted
v.notice or pay careful attention to something 8)A.signed
v.write your signature on a letter or document to show that you wrote it, agreed with it
B.sign
n.gesture used to express one’s meaning, idea, etc.9)A.totaled
v.come to a certain amount
B.total
n.the whole amount
10)A.stuffed
v.fill something with a substance
B.stuff
n.substance or material
11)A.count
n.the number that is reached when something is being counted
B.count
v.be important
12)A.last
v.manage to remain in the same situation
B.last
n.the remaining part of something
13)A.complimented
v.express praise or admiration of somebody
B.compliment
n.an expression of praise, admiration, approval, etc.14)A.flood
n.a large number or amount
B.flooding
v.arrive in large numbers
15)A.contact
n.communication with a person, organization, country, etc.B.contact
v.reach(someone)by message, telephone, etc.3.1)thrives
2)strategy
3)annual
4)deserve
5)spontaneous
6)sincere
7)investments
8)enterprise
9)follow up
10)characterized 11)lingered
12)acknowledged
4.column: 1)D
2)A
3)B
4)C
tough: 1)D
2)B
3)E
4)F
5)C
6)A 5.1)A.complementary
B.complimentary
C.complimentary complimentary: 1)expressing admiration, praise, etc.2)given free of charge complementary: making something complete or perfect;supplying what is lacking or needed for completion 2)A.stationery
B.stationary
C.stationary stationary: not moving, or not changing stationery: writing materials(e.g.paper, envelopes, etc.)3)A.typist
B.typewriter
C.typist typewriter: a machine with a keyboard that you use for typing words directly onto a sheet of paper typist: a person who types, especially one employed to do so 4)A.vulgar
B.vague
C.vague vague: 1)not clearly expressed, known, described or decided 2)not clear in shape;not clearly seen vulgar: not having or showing good taste or good manners;not educated 5)A.pad
B.pat
C.pad pad: 1)several sheets of paper fastened together, used for writing, drawing, etc.2)a piece of soft thick cloth or rubber which is used to protect a part of the body, give shape to something or clean something
6)A.own
B.owed
C.owes
D.owned owe: 1)have to pay, for something already done or given
2)feel grateful own: 1)a.belonging to oneself and to no one else 2)v.possess(something), especially by lawful right 6.1)searched
2)clever
3)solution
4)wasted
5)tolerate
6)hidden
7)dumb
8)subject
9)noise
10)extra
11)purchased
12)replaced 13)appreciation
14)hurried
15)warrant
16)strange
Unit 3 从文化角度看性别角色
在过去的几十年里,已经无数次地证实了这样一个事实:构成男子阳刚之气和女子阴柔之气的各种不同类型的行为、情感、和兴趣都既是遗传又是文化熏陶的结果。在成长的过程中,每个孩子学会了细微的行为举止,数量之多数以百计,这一切都带有文化的烙印,成了他们性别特征的一部分。有些行为举止是直接学到的。也就是说,别人教孩子如何恰如其分地行事, 男有男的规矩, 女有女的标准。另一些跟性别有关的具体举止是无意识地或间接地学会的,因为文化为女孩子和男孩子提供的形象、向往的目标以及成人的榜样各不相同。2
例如,最近对美国公立学校的一项研究显示,在教育中存在一种男孩比女孩更受偏爱的文化偏见。据研究人员反映,这种偏爱是无意的、不知不觉的,但它确实存在,并每年都在影响着数百万计学生的生活。为了研究在教育中存在的性别偏爱,戴维?赛德克博士和迈拉?赛德克博士夫妇录制了教师在课堂上课的情形。他们的研究显示,许多自认为无性别偏爱的教师惊奇地发现,从录像带上看他们竟是那么偏心。从幼儿园到研究生课程,都可以看到教师们请男生回答问题的次数远比女生多。这对学习过程有着巨大的影响,因为总的来说,那些积极的课堂活动参与者对学习更加乐观有信心,并能在今后取得更大的成就。事实上,在20世纪60年代末期,当美国东北部多所最好的女子学院向男生开放之后,教授们和女学生们都发现男孩们正在“接管”课堂讨论,而女生积极参与的程度则明显下降。近年来,在法学院和医学院的课堂上也发现了类似的情况:与男生相比女生处于次要的地位。
赛德克夫妇所做的研究显示,教师有时候会按照固有的性别模式给女孩子和男孩子不同布置的任务,这样便不知不觉地使女孩子不能像男孩子一样积极地参与。例如,有位教师在给幼儿园的孩子上自然科学课时,不断地让小男孩去操作科学“实验”,而让女孩子只是做一些安放材料的工作。既然使用课堂材料动手操作是早期教育的一个重要方面,这些女孩子就这样被剥夺了重要的学习经历,这会影响到她们今后的整个人生。
美国教师中一个具有代表性的想法是,男孩擅长数学和自然科学,这些学科都是“难懂的”、“适合于男性的”,而女孩会在语言和阅读技能上比男孩强。这是教育中性别偏见的另一种表现。结果美国的男孩们确实在阅读上出了问题,而在数学方面女孩尽管在九岁以前一直比男孩强,但此后却落在了他们后面。这成了预言自我应验的一个例子。然而这些特征是文化造成的,而非遗传的原因。例如,在德国,读书学习都被看作是“适合于男性的”,于是在阅读上有问题的便是女孩子了。而在日本,由于早期教育似乎不分性别,女孩和男孩在阅读上就旗鼓相当。
在教育过程中对女孩和男孩的不同态度始于家庭。例如,有一项研究显示了这样一种情况:让学龄前儿童看一幢房子的图片,然后要他们说出家里允许他们走开多远,这时男孩所指的范围要比女孩大得多,女孩指出的范围很有限,而且离家很近。女孩们不像男孩那样受到鼓励去发展求知欲和动手能力,尽管这些正是与外部世界打交道时有用的;对女孩灌输的结果是:对自己家外面的世界充满了恐惧,且期望别人对自己的优良品格和循规蹈矩的服从精神加以认可。这类教诲从家庭一直延续到课堂。于是,在课堂里我们常常可以看到女孩们更依赖教师,更注重作业的形式和整洁而非内容,更在乎她们所给的答案是否“正确”而不在乎智力方面的独立自主以及分析能力和创造能力的提高。教育过程占据了孩子除睡眠以外的大部分时间,社会则通过这一过程加强了它固有的价值观,并按其传统的、期望的模式造就了不同性别的人。Vocabulary
1.1)genetic
2)assign
3)noticeably
4)approved
5)Bias
6)deprived
7)constituted
8)participation
9)unintentional
10)postgraduate
2.conscious – unconscious
positive – negative
encourage – discourage
superior – inferior
directly – indirectly
biased – fair
sexist –
nonsexist
limited – unlimited
dependent – independent
appropriately – inappropriately
3.1)C
2)D
3)A
4)E
5)B
6)C
7)F
8)B 4.1)turn out
2)carry over
3)calling on
4)put away
5)fallen behind
6)take over Unit 4 关于创造力的培养——鼓励孩子思考
教育界和商业界的专家们说, 具有创造性是通向光明前程的关键。本文将介绍一下学校和家长如何才能鼓励孩子发展这一至关重要的能力。
如果1925年迪克?德鲁听从了他老板的意见,也许我们就不会有遮护胶带这种用品
了。现在我们几乎离不开它。德鲁当时就职于“明尼苏达制造和矿业公司”,通常称为3M公司。在工作中,他研制了一种用于胶带有黏性那面的物质,黏性很强,能使物体粘在一起。但是老板却不让他做进一步的研究。最后德鲁只好利用自己的时间改进了这种胶带。这种胶带现已被人们广泛使用。而他原来工作过的3M公司也从自己的失误中吸取了教训:现在该公司鼓励员工抽出15%的工作时间专门用来开动脑筋搞创新。
现在这种策略已被越来越多的公司所采用,而且全国各地的专家认为,对待孩子也应仿效这种做法,无论是在家里还是在学校。他们认为,如果我们教育孩子进行创造性思维,他们就能在明天的社会中更好地发挥作用。
受益于创造性的不只限于音乐和艺术领域。能取得成功的学生和成人都是那些会寻求各种办法解决问题的人。
创造性并非与生俱来,也不一定就是高智慧的特征。一个人智力高并不意味着他必然能创造性地发挥才智。创造性是指能利用已有的资源想出新点子,而这些点子有助于解决某方面的问题。
遗憾的是,学校还没有想到要促使学生发挥创造性。许多教育者十分看重考试分数,强调阅读、写作和数学能力,往往因追求正确的答案而牺牲了对创造性的培养。其结果是,孩子们能够反馈所学的知识,却不知道如何灵活地应用知识。比如,他们可能熟记乘法表,却不会用它来解决数学应用题。
然而,在有些学校里,教育者们正逐渐认识到这一问题,并致力于研究能启发学生创造性的新的教学方法。一些教师把基础知识和要求学生发挥想象力的活动结合起来。比如,教师不再简单地问学生哥伦布何时发现了新大陆,他们可能让学生思考如果哥伦布首先到达的不是加勒比地区而是纽约,情况会是如何。要回答这一问题,学生必须应用自己掌握的关于哥伦布、纽约和加勒比地区的知识。教师们认为即便学生的回答会很可笑,也毫无关系,这也许是通向创造性的重要一步。专家认为,在课堂以及在家里,必须允许孩子们有些荒唐的念头。家长和教师们则有责任和孩子共同努力,使那些念头成为切实可行的建议。最好的办法是通过提问来鼓励孩子,同时对他们的想法和新点子表示赞赏。专家认为必须创造一个可以自由发挥创造力的氛围,一个尊重和赞赏而不是鄙视或不理会荒诞想法的环境。
在家里,家长可以做一些鼓励孩子发挥创造力的事情。如果遇到合适的问题,家长可以就该问题征求孩子的意见,让他们参与决策。家长可以帮助孩子了解不同的决策将会带来的各种后果。家长还应鼓励孩子大声谈论他们正在做的事情。思维能力和语言能力是紧密相关的。大声地谈论有助于提高语言能力和思维能力。
具有幽默感对于开发孩子的创造力也非常重要。当家长表现出幽默时,孩子们就看到了最地道的创造性。从本质上看,幽默跨越了常规界限,打破了固有模式。要创造往往也得如此。
给孩子一些选择的余地也很重要。应该允许孩子自己做决定并清楚其后果,要让孩子从尽可能早的年龄开始这样做。做决定有助于培养思维能力,即便只是在午餐的两种食物的选择上做决定也行。随着孩子慢慢长大,家长应让孩子自己做主支配时间或金钱;当他们作出错误的决定时,不要不假思索地给予过多的帮助。这种做法可能会使孩子迷惑不解,但这没有关系。因为富有创造力的人有很强的动力,使他们能够从混乱中创造秩序。这是他们的一个最重要的特点。Vocabulary
1.1)confused, confusion
2)intelligence, intelligent
3)humorous, humor
4)strategy, strategic
5)motivated, motivation
6)combination, combined
7)creation, creative
8)pursuit, pursuing
9)multiplication, multiply
10)employ, employment
2.1)perfected
2)approaching
3)value
4)functions
5)approach
6)perfect
7)honor
8)function
9)honor
10)value 3.1)dismiss
2)consequences
3)promoting
4)applies
5)vital
6)scorned
7)conventional
8)original
4.1)consciously
2)innovative
3)unconsciously
4)determines
5)Imagination 6)aware
7)control
8)created
9)extension
10)technique
11)vulnerable
12)unfolding
13)joyful
14)gain
15)Apply Unit 6 风险与你
在说不定的某个时候,我们大家都曾充当过疑病症患者的角色,只凭一些轻微的症状便怀疑自己得了某种可怕的病。有的人只要一听说一种新的疾病,就会去检查,看自己是否可能患了这种病。然而,对疾病的恐惧并非我们唯一的恐惧。同样,患病的危险也并非我们唯一会遇上的危险。现代生活中充满了各种各样的威胁,诸如对我们生命的威胁,对我们平和心境的威胁,对我们家人的威胁,对我们未来的威胁。从而产生了好些问题,我们不得不问自己:我买的食品安全吗?给孩子们的玩具会伤害他们吗?我们家的人是不是不该吃熏肉?我度假时会不会遭抢劫?我们的疑虑就无休止地增加。2
对生活中风险的担忧与疑病症有相似之处;二者的恐惧或忧虑皆起因于信息不全面。但二者之间也存在一个明显的差别。疑病症患者通常可以求助于医生,以便澄清疑虑——要么你得了你所怀疑的疾病,要么你没得。但当涉及到其它形式的风险时,事情就要困难得多,因为对许多风险来说,情况并不那么简单。
风险几乎总是一个可能性的问题而无确定性可言。你也许会问:“我该不该系安全带?”如果你坐的车要与其它车正面相撞,那当然该系安全带。倘若你的车侧面被撞,结果你被困在车里,又因安全带装置遭破坏而无法挣脱,那怎么办呢?这是否意味着你该再花些钱在车内安一个保险气袋呢?同样,在正面相撞的情况下,保险气袋完全可以救你一命。但是,万一正当你在高速公路上开车时,保险气袋突然意外充气膨胀,从而导致了本来绝不会发生的事故,那又该如何是好? 4
上面说的这一切,只是从另一角度说明我们所做的事没有一件是百分之百安全的。有些风险——常常是潜在的重大风险——与我们的每个业余爱好、所做的每项工作、所吃的每种食物有关,换句话说,与所进行的任何活动有关。但我们又不能,也不该因危险存在于我们将要做的每件事,而变成战战兢兢的神经症患者。有些活动是比其它活动更危险。关键在于要让自己了解相应的风险,然后相机行事。5
例如,两车相撞时,大车总的说来要比小车安全些。可究竟能安全多少呢?答案是这样:在一起严重的车祸中坐小车丧生的可能性是坐大车的两倍左右。然而,大车通常比小车贵(并且消耗更多的汽油,由此给环境带来了更大的风险!)。那么我们该怎样确定什么时候值得为降低风险增加花费呢?例如,避免风险最保险的做法也许是去买一辆坦克或装甲车,从而把撞车时死亡或受伤的风险降到最小。然而,即便你买得起,这笔额外的费用以及忍受坦克或装甲车所带来的不便是否值得呢?
在我们尚不知所涉及的风险程度之前,我们还无法回答这些问题。那么,我们该如何去衡量风险程度呢?有些人似乎认为答案只不过是一个简单的数字。例如,我们知道每年大约有25,000 人死于车祸。相比之下,每年只有大约300人死于矿山事故和灾难。这难道就意味着乘坐汽车要比采矿危险得多吗?未必。事实是,在美国每年大约有两亿人经常性地以车代步;而大概只有70万人从事采矿作业。我们评估一种风险时,所需要的有关数字是一个比率或分数。该分数的分子告诉我们在某个特定时期由于从事某种特定活动而丧生或受伤的人数;其分母告诉我们在这一时期从事这种活动的总人数。这样,所有的风险程度都是由比率或分数表示,其大小介于0(无风险)到1(完全风险)之间。7
通过把所有风险都简化为这种比率或分数,我们便可以开始比较不同种类的风险,如比较采矿与乘坐汽车。这个比率越大,也就是说它越接近1,那么有关活动的风险就越大。在刚才讨论的例子中,我们可以用每一活动中死亡的人数除以参与该活动的总人数,从而找出汽车旅行与采煤的相对安全性。此处,我们可以很清楚地看到,乘坐汽车旅行的风险是每一万人中大约有一人丧生;而就采矿而言,其危险程度是每一万矿工中大约有四人死亡。所以,尽管在车祸中丧生的人远比采矿要多,其实后者的风险是前者的四倍。这些比率使我们能够对毫不相干的活动或情形的危险性加以比较,即便差别如苹果与橘子那样大也能比较。如果你反对冒险,你就会选择风险比率较小的活动。如果你无所畏惧,那么你往往会对高比率不太在乎,除非它们大得令人难以承受。
我们一旦明白了风险是永远无法从任何情况中完全去除的,因而就没有绝对安全的事,我们也就会明白问题的关键不是要彻底避免风险,而是要理智地管理风险。风险管理需要两大要素:常识以及与我们可能要承担的风险的性质和程度相关的信息。Vocabulary Practice 1.1)sensible sensible: having or showing good sense;reasonable sensitive: easily hurt, upset, or offended by things that people say 2)relative relevant: directly connected with the subject or problem being discussed or considered relative: considered in relation or proportion to somebody/something else;comparative 3)mechanism machine: 机器
mechanism: a structure of working parts functioning together to produce an effect 4)requires require: need something request: ask for something politely or formally 5)eliminate reduce: make something smaller in size, number, degree, price, etc.eliminate: completely get rid of something that is unnecessary or unwanted 6)crash crash: a breaking to pieces especially by or as if by collision collision: an accident in which two or more people or vehicles hit each other while moving in different directions 2.1)character
2)end up
3)Rarely
4)casual
5)risky
6)all manner of
7)inform
8)sensible
9)definitively 3.1)On the strength of
2)all manner of
3)feed on
4)reduce…to
5)end up
6)associated with
7)focus on
8)turned to
9)participate in
10)involved in