第一篇:工程硕士研究生实用英语教程 读写译课文翻译
Unit OneGraduate EducationChinese Translation
反思:读研的挑战与成功策略
琳达·威斯顿·克莱默
(1)继续读研的决定不应太草率,必须先慎重考虑个人及职业发展目标。为了获得硕士学位,你必须评估学校提供的研究生教育的多样性,不管它是传统的校园教学还是网络课堂;你还必须评估继续接受教育的费用,是否可以获得经济资助,能否兼职,完成学业的时间分配,个人计算机能力,学校计算机及图书馆资源等各类因素。研究生教育应该帮助学生获得三种核心能力。
(2)迈克尔·沃尔考克是曼彻斯特大学社会科学和发展政策学教授以及布鲁克斯世界贫困问题研究所的项目主任。他将这三种能力列为:侦探能力(数据收集、分析、诠释),翻译能力(将已有观点阐述给不同的群体),外交能力(谈判、斡旋、取得共识)。硕士学位带来的好处包括智力的提升、个人的成长、口语/写作技巧的增强、职业的发展以及人脉关系的建立。根据梁伟澄先生的观点,在原创性、知识应用、洞察关键问题的能力方面,硕士生需表现出比本科生更高的水准。梁先生是英国纽卡斯尔市健康信托机构公共健康医药部门的资深医师,同时也是一位多产作家。
(3)你首先面临的挑战是了解哪一类的研究生培养计划能满足个人基本需求并为其做好准备。另外一个挑战是时间限制,因为与教授、在读研究生及顾问们的交流是做出这个最初决定的必要过程。读网络学位可以有弹性学习时间,学生可以制定自己的学习进度,无需花时间往返校园,并且可以每天24小时进行网络交流。但是,在尽力满足日常生活要求的同时,学生们仍然要完成各类作业及面对各种截止期限。接受远程教育的学生还常常觉得与老师和其他同学隔绝开了。准备读研的学生必须评估各类研究生教育的相似与不同。学生们必须在工作、家庭和学校要求之间找到平衡,而这三点常常使学生们有逼迫感与疲惫感。通常的情况是,生活中的其它事情都比学业重要。所以不能完成学业或获得学位的原因经常是来自社会与家庭,而不是学术。
(4)获得成功有几种方法。成功的第一条策略是选对学校。第二条策略是管理好时间。用笔记本草草记下以后要用到的想法、观点和观察,将待办的事情列成清单,每完成一件就将其从清单中划掉。来自新墨西哥州霍布斯里亚区域医疗中心的一名家庭护士,拉梅什.纳乌卢瑞,将治疗肺炎的设备PQRSTU一词用于比较时间管理的基本概念和我们心脏的节奏。P是Prioritizing,确定被他人及你自己掌控的那些事情的优先处理次序。Q是Question,质疑任务的有效性、效果及效率。这点涉及到要知道“何以”来确保任务的完成。R是Recheck,尽快重新核查你的待办清单,哪些任务或事情已经完成,哪些尚未完成。S是Self-reliance,自信,知道自己能做什么与不能做什么,能控制什么与不能控制什么。这里的关键是要务实、变通、创造与坚持。T是Treating yourself,善待自己。休息一下以保持头脑清醒,感觉到准备好、精力充沛了再重新开始工作。最后,U是You can do it,你能做到。这句话总使我想起“周六夜现场”中的鲍勃.施耐德!然而不管你是通过自己还是与他人进行团队合作,确定自己能够做到是非常励志的。成功的第三条也是最后一条策略,是处理好压力。减压的方法有很多,但必须是令人愉快及有意义的。体育活动、唱歌、手工、音乐、冥想、旅游以及按摩等都是舒缓压力的多种渠道。
(5)读研非常有挑战性,同时也令你获益匪浅。研究显示,读研期间的研究生会订阅与职业相关的杂志,加入全国性的组织,并阅读专业期刊。一旦你做出继续深造的决定,我的ABC方法可以供你参考。A是Assess,评估你自己的个人和职业目标。现在许多工作都要求你拥有硕士学位。B是Buy into,相信你的决定!但是在做出决定之前,务必权衡所有的利弊。C是Charge ahead,勇往直前,朝着目标努力!
Unit TwoLifestyle and Health
职场沙发土豆:如何克服久坐不动的习惯
贾斯廷∙沃尔夫
(1)现如今,人们越来越青睐久坐不动的生活方式。他们坐着吃饭,坐着玩游戏看电视,坐着旅行,甚至坐着工作。学生们被迫久坐不动,其结果是注意力下降。很多成人去上班,连续几小时坐在办公桌旁。下班他们坐车回家,吃饭,做账,写作业,之后花数小时看电视,打游戏直到就寝。显然,现在的男女老少都缺乏运动,其中一些人还面临肥胖症、心脏病一类的健康问题。这些疾病反过来又引起诸如抑郁或焦虑的心理问题。因此,要恢复人们的身心健康,这些人必须参加运动。
(2)北美肥胖症研究协会进行的一项研究表明,一个人的活动量和某些健康问题的有无存在着相关关系。首先,他们在加拿大的爱德华王子岛选了5个相当缺乏体力活动的工作场所,从中挑选了约100名员工着手研究,接着要求每位员工佩带记步器-一种能计算一个人每天所行步数的装置,以期获得他们的体力活动情况。
(3)他们的研究数据说明人的体力活动和健康之间存在着高度相关。走路最少的人体质指数最大,舒张血压最糟糕,腰围也最大,这些都是肥胖症的指标。研究还发现,从事办公室工作的每5个人中就有4个体质肥胖。
(4)该研究还发现,那些曾诊断出代谢综合症的受试者比健康的受试者每天的步行量要小,这些代谢综合症包括高血压,血胆脂醇过多,心脏病,或Ⅱ型糖尿病。因此可以说,久坐不动的生活方式所引起的缺乏运动很可能导致代谢综合症的出现。总之,活动量太小很有害健康。
(5)该研究针对的是活动量小的职业场所,但久坐不动的生活方式已延伸至家庭生活。节省劳力的现代技术(像洗碗机、吸尘器、洗衣机)使人们无需多少劳作就能打理好家务。学校甚至也保持久坐不动的模式。不到36%的学校开设体育课。学生没有体育活动,其结果是注意力下降。要培养出更好的学生,学校必须想办法让学生参加更多的体育活动。
(6)牛津布鲁克斯大学琼∙甘地博士的一项研究表明,一般男士每天消耗的卡路里比正常值要少180,一般女士则少142。由此可以推断: 为了消遣,人们一般玩电子游戏、看电视,而这类娱乐性设施使得人们只对坐在那里享受刺激感兴趣。所以说,技术使人们生活中的体力活动减少,人们也就渐渐习惯了坐多动少的生活方式。
(7)体力活动不够还会影响人的心理健康。许多研究表明,身心两方面的健康有很多相似之处。运动释放出内啡肽(体内产生的一种起镇痛作用的荷尔蒙),这种化学物质进入血液,到达脑部,使人产生兴奋感。此外,运动可以降低血压,增强人的抗压能力。数以百计的研究和对30例口头报告的研究也表明,运动能治愈临床及亚临床抑郁症和焦虑症。因此,运动是改善心理健康的有效手段,它帮助人们在面对学业和工作负担时镇定情绪。
(8)两种方法可以消除久坐不动的习惯对健康的不良影响。首先,个人要做主观努力。可以去慢跑、散步、参加健身俱乐部, 或者(对学生来说)参加一个运动队。其次,雇主和学校要想办法让员工和学生健身。学校要给学生更多休息时间,课间休息可以再长点,并开设体育课。雇主可以让员工每隔一小时围着办公楼走一圈,提出员工健康要求,或者让他们做一些富有创造性的劳动,例如做一个椅子/自行车,在午餐之前骑半个小时的自行车等。总之,人们需要运动,不管何种方式都行。
Unit ThreeFood Crisis
行动起来,抵御全球粮食危机
杰弗瑞·德·萨克斯
通过许多自然和社会现象我们知道将会爆发全球粮食危机,但是人类没有未雨绸缪。当全球食品匮乏逐渐演变成粮食危机.我们就要认真考虑如何应对。
(1)全球经济遇到了难以逾越的障碍。尽管近年来无数迹象向人们发出警告,贫穷国家的饥荒和全世界范围内的能源危机已经逼近。但是各国领导人未能未雨绸缪:其后果是全球性的粮食危机。在过去的两年里,小麦、玉米和大米的价格已经翻了一番多。自从2004年初以来.石油的价格是原来的三倍多。食品价格上涨和能源价格猛增即使不会使世界上很
多地方的经济发展停止,也会放慢它们的速度,甚至会带来政治上的不稳定。发生在诲地、盂加拉国以及西非国家布基纳法索的抗议和**已经证实了这一点。解决这些日益严重的灾难不是没有实际的方法,但是需要我们人类提前准备,并一同行动起来:
(2)这种全球性的危机源于以下四个相互联系的方面、第一,在最贫穷落后的国家,农民的生产力长时期以来都很低,这主要是因为他们贫困没有钱买种子、肥料和灌溉土地。第二,美国和欧洲国家的误导政策。这政策在经济上支持一些企业把粮食加工成生物燃料,比如把玉米加工成乙醇。第三,气候变化。在澳大利亚和欧洲出现的旱灾,使得2005和2006年全球的粮食产量减少。第四,世界上越来越多的人口对粮食的需求在逐渐增长。总之,对粮食的需求量越来越高,但是产量是有限的,其结果是贫困的人遭受的打击最大。
(3)在这种危机面前,我们应该怎么办呢,要缓解目前的危机,并避免潜在的全球灾难,可以从以下三个方面采取措施:首先.号召全球贫困地区仿效马拉维(南非国家)的成功举措-马拉维是个易闹饥荒的国家。在三年前,这个国家采取了一项特别资助政策。在经济上帮助农民买肥料和高产值的种子。政策出台一年,马拉维的粮食产量就翻了一番。依据马拉维资助农民的模式建立起来的国际资助项目,只要世界上富裕地区每人每年拿出10美元,就是100亿美元。这个基金能有效地预防饥饿,就如防治艾滋病、肺结核和疟疾病的全球基金一样有效。
(4)其次.美国和欧洲国家应该废除资助企业把粮食加工成生物燃料的政策。美国政府应停止把玉米加工成乙醚、每加仑乙醚补贴给农民51美分的纳税人资助的做法。可能有些土地不适宜种粮食,但可以用来种植能加工成生物燃料的树木——树木产品(如棕榈油)、草地和木材制品.但是不应该拿出钱来鼓励把餐桌上的食品转换成油箱里的汽油。
(5)再次.我们要尽可能有效地人工干预坏天气,保护农作物。对一个贫穷的农民来说,一个雨季时蓄水和干旱时灌溉农田的小池塘,就可以给农民带来不小的收获,甚至是粮食丰收和歉收的区别。世界组织承诺要建立一个气候基金组织,帮助贫困地区抵御恶劣气候给经济发展带来的破坏,在粮食生产和健康保障等方面为贫用地区农民提供资助.但是至今还没有付诸行动。
(6)解决粮食危机的办法也能用来解决能源危机、水资源危机和其他稀缺资源危机-只要我们能快速行动起来,我们就能战胜这些危机。太阳热能和采用复合燃料的汽车技术几年内将被研发出来并普及起来:保护环境的捕鱼方式可以缓解悔洋的压力:粮食危机不仅给我们敲响了警钟,也给我们带来丁机遇。为了在真正意义上取得全球的和平稳定、经济良性发展.我们应该在可持续发展方面加大投资力度。
旅游贴士:运用项目管理技巧,获取更多商旅利益
卡尔·赛林格尔
(1)出差旅行太多就会心生厌烦;过少就会期盼旅行。但我们都应设法从旅行中获益,最好的方式是在你的行程上多花心思,就像你致力于解决一个技术难题一样。
(2)如果你想多出差---争取业务,和你行业团体建立联系,或只是看看外面的世界----你应设法获得去参加行业会议的机会;另一种方法是应要求写会议论文摘要,你单位将乐意派你去参会。
(3)你也可针对那些能扩大业务量的地方进行活动,我职业生涯中一次成功的商旅活动就是用的这种方式。在番安姆航空公司1991年破产以后,我把它属下的肯尼迪机场维修设施在纽约市场进行销售。我当时注意到在德国有一个有关飞机维修的会议,同时还有巴黎国际航空展,我写了与会申请,出乎我意料的是,我获准成行。我争取到了许多商务合同,使得我的业务一直处于领先地位。
(4)获准成行是一码事,商旅成功是另一码事,以下是一些建议:
(5)规划整个行程:一开始就要定下回程日期,大概的行程安排,主要会议以及预定机票、酒店及租车。所有这一切,我都是在微软日历视窗软件上完成的,使得旅行就像周期性出现的约定,我把行程安排在“笔记区”输入。这些都能在我的个人掌上数字助理上同步呈现,即使是这样,我还打印了一份,以便我能在上面记录开支情况,我也在手机的联系人一栏输入重要的联系电话。
(6)甚至在你旅行获批之前就要预定酒店,以便能得到会议住宿折扣优惠。设定日程安排程序,万一你最后不能成行,程序也会在24小时内提醒你取消约定。
(7)在商旅活动前后,要准备加班加点工作。在日历上做出标记以免和人会面,这样才能完成你在外出差时落下的大量工作。然而更好的做法是,你出差返回的确切日期不能泄露。
(8)轻装简从,因为你总是能买到必需的个人用品。随身行李里什么能携带,什么不能携带,要了解最新的安全规定。
(9)避开旅行高峰期,比如明智的旅行者会选择合适的时间到达芝加哥繁忙的奥黑尔国际机场,在夏季,早点到达机场能避开下午的雷暴,在冬季,晚点到达机场,以便先天晚上的积雪能有时间融化。
(10)保持平和的心态。事情不顺利的时候,尽量不要生气,因为这是经常出现的。我曾经有次在休斯敦丛林国际机场的候机大厅滞留了一整天,但是我有事干,尽管没有乐趣可言,然而也不会担忧。
(11)规划回程,问清楚机场快巴的班次,应该到达机场的时间,然后和 航空公司确认登机时间。尽管酒店和出租车司机都说有我充足的赶机时间,但是有次我还是没赶上从德国汉堡起飞的返程航班,原因是那架飞机为了确保在伦敦希思罗机场能有停机位而将登机时间提前了。这是谁的错误?当然是我自己的,因为我没和航空公司确认。
(12)除了学会忍耐和灵活处事之外,旅行能教你办公室学不到的知识。当然商务旅行最重要的是商业活动,但也不能忘了享受旅游的过程。祝旅途愉快!
抗衰老基因的秘决
艾米莉·辛格
(1)一项雄心勃勃的计划将对1000名健康老人的100个基因进行测序, 这一计划有可能为找到使某些人免患因衰老带来的包括心脏病、癌症和糖尿病等疾病,使他们能够健康地生活到80岁甚至更久的基因变异提供线索。与其研究增加疾病危险的基因变异, 科学家们计划将重点放在之前已经证明与健康和长寿相关的基因上。
(2)近年来, 基因筛选技术的发展使科学家开始在基因组中寻找健康衰老和长寿的线索。这项研究表明健康老年人的基因组并不是没有缺陷的。“这些人对许多严重疾病在遗传基因上都存在患病的风险,其中包括心血管疾病、中风和糖尿病,但他们却并没患有这些疾病, ”,心脏病学家Eric Topol说。他是位于加利福利亚州La Jolla的Scripps Translational科学研究中心的基因药物项目组的主任和项目负责人。“怎样解释这一现象?是什么原因使他们免患这些疾病?”
(3)为了回答这些问题,研究者正在采集1000名80岁或以上的从未得过任何严重的疾病,也没有进行过任何药物治疗的老年人的血样。他们计划对100组从动物研究和其他研究中发现的影响健康和衰老的基因组进行测序。Topal说:“我们特别感兴趣于主要的掌控基因比如说(那些参与)DNA修复或者胰岛素生长因素-1”,一种参与细胞生长的蛋白质荷尔蒙。在关于长寿的研究中,参与DNA修复的酶引起了关注,因为随着年龄的增长,细胞常常会积累DNA序列错误,而且某些老鼠和人类DNA修复基因的缺陷会触发某些早衰的现象。胰岛素生长因素-1(IGF1)的受体已通过实验证明对老鼠,线虫和苍蝇的衰老有影响。
(4)大多数之前的研究只对少量的基因进行测序或者使用基因芯片,这样能够快速检测整个基因组中常见的基因变异.但是最近的研究表明一些在不同基因中发生的罕见的变异在健康和疾病中发挥作用。基因测序使研究人员能够确定健康的老年人是否更有可能携带能使防护性因素功能更加有效的运作或者能阻碍有害因素活动的基因变异。
(5)Topol和他的合作者将对健康志愿者的基因序列与在80岁以前就死于与衰老相关疾病的人身上收集的DNA样本进行比较。科学家们发现健康人群携带与疾病相关的基因变异的几率只是稍微低一点。这一发现证实了防御性基因在人们成功(健康)衰老中扮演着重要角色的论点。
(6)科学家们希望找到这种具有保护效果的分子成分,从而进行药物仿制。“我们相信长寿基因在保护着几种而不是一种与衰老相关的疾病”,纽约爱因斯坦医学院长寿基因项目负责人Nir Barzilai说。他没有参与Scripps项目的研究。他还说 “从制药的角度来看,针对上述途径会更符合成本效益,因为它会效仿长寿而不只是治疗疾病本身。”
(7)Barzilai已经确定了两组长寿基因的候选人。在一项正在进行的关于95岁或以上德裔犹太人后裔的研究中,Barzilai和他的同事发现老年组更有可能携带改变人体处理胆固醇方式的基因变异。最近科学家对IGF1基因及其受体进行了排序,并且找到了女性百岁老人所特有的变异。
(8)在以不同的途径,即通过基因芯片,进行基因搜寻时,Barzila指出:各个研究小组都期待了解别人的研究发现。有两项同时进行的关于健康衰老基因的大型研究将使每个研究组能证实对另一人群的研究结果--这是一项对大型基因研究有效性的关键测试。
Unit SixHappiness富裕生活的秘诀保罗·麦肯锡
在过去的33年中,我每天早晨都会对着镜子问自己:“如果今天是生命中的最后一天,你还会去做你今天要去做的事情吗?”当连续几天我得到的答案都是否定的时候,我知道该对自己生活做些改变了。
史蒂夫·乔布斯——亿万富翁,苹果电脑公司的创建者
(1)伦敦大学进行了一项非常有趣的研究。此项研究的课题组研发了一个幸福度量表。这个幸福度量表的目的是为了测量人们每时每刻相对的幸福感。之后,他们又设计出了一个公式,用来计算一般人每年要多赚多少钱才能获得从富有生活中所获得的幸福感。
(2)例如,从丰富的社会生活所获得的满足感与每年增加63844英镑的收入所带来的满足感相同,与心爱的人生活在一起所获得的幸福感与年薪增加82500英镑带来的幸福感相同。而良好的健康状况则是幸福感中最有价值的,拥有一个“健康证明书”相当于年薪增加304000英镑的满足度。
(3)尽管如此,金钱还是买不到幸福。比起以前,我们收入更高、吃的更好、受到更好的教育、有更好的住房,但是自二十世纪五十年代起我们却越来越不如以前幸福了。据统计,世界上从未像现在这样有这么多的抑郁症患者。
(4)造成这种状况的原因会让你非常诧异——财富畸形症:
多年来,我一直致力于调查那些身体畸形患者。身体畸形症是一种病症,即扭曲对自己身体缺陷的看法,这种扭曲达到了无法忍受照镜子的程度。他们认为自己的身体的某部分极其丑陋,丑陋得不敢自视。
(5)其实,这与他们的身体外观并没有任何关系。而是因为他们身体内部好像有一个过滤器,过滤掉一切好的方面,却保留了不好的方面。因此,这些人会把注意力集中在外表上他们自己不喜欢的微小的缺陷。比如说,总是关注自己脸上的皱纹或皮肤上褶皱,却忽视自身其他优点。
(6)有趣的是,很多人对待财富采取同样的态度--—他们忽略掉所有他们已经很富有的生活方面,却把精力集中在他们生活中缺失的方面。
(7)我经常与我的客户做一个练习,要求他们想象不管是由于什么原因,在他们的生活中,钱对他们来说已不再是一个问题。在他们身体状况允许的情况下,他们可以自由地追求任何他们想要的,去做他们想做的任何事情,拥有他们想拥有的任何事物。
(8)然后,我要求他们列两份清单。第一份清单:列出他们有了钱以后将会改变的所有事物。第二份清单:列出他们有了钱以后仍会保持不变的事情。结果令人惊讶,没有多少人在有了更多的钱以后,会去改变他们原有的生活。
(9)当然,他们可能会换个工作,有更多的假期,买更好的车或住更大的房子,但他们不会抛弃他们的朋友,他们还会去他们最喜欢的餐厅吃饭。他们不会去看原来就不喜欢看的电影,不会对原来就不感到可笑事物发笑。
(10)调查的结果如下:
当你有了更多的钱却不去改变你生活中的方方面面,就说明你已经生活得很富足了。
(11)真正、持久的幸福绝不会依存于你的银行存款数目。真正的幸福应该是过一种有价值、有意义、有目的的生活。所以,富有的生活其实是一种体验,无论你赚的钱是多还是少,你都可以在任何时候开始追求这种体验。
(12)你越是把注意力集中在那些让你已感到富足的方面,你就越会意识到你现在其实已经很富有。
事实上,在很多方面你已经跟我们这个星球上最富有的亿万富翁有同样的财富。
例如:
●每当你睡了一个好觉,你拥有睡眠财富。一个亿万富翁可以购买更昂贵的床垫,但他们买不来一个更恬静的睡眠。●每当你走进餐厅,点菜用餐时,你有可能和最富有的男人或女人拥有完全一样的经历。
●每当你走在海滩上或看夕阳,你将和经济上富裕的人欣赏着同样的美丽的景色。
(13)戴安肯尼迪和芬克尔在他们的著作《毛利岛百万富翁》中,很直截了当且令人震惊地指出:
“有些人认为一切都有价格。好吧,如果这是真的,要多少钱你会出卖你的视力?你会接受100万美元出卖你视力
吗?10亿美元怎么样呢?那你过去的记忆值多少钱呢?你会为了什么而出卖你所有的记忆?你是否愿意交易你所有的回忆,不管是好的还是坏的,100万美元能否剥夺你所有的过去?”
(14)用这样的计算方法来计算的话,在现实中你有多少财富呢?在一个由一至十的度量表上,当你审视你的整个生活的时候,你会认为你有多少财富呢?
(15)虽然这可能是一个让一些人感到不舒服的练习。有一点是明确的,那就是,那些我们认为在我们的生活中理所当然的东西永远是无价的。在这个意义上说,之所以如此多的人感到贫穷,是因为他们已经那么富有了。他们不再关注那些在他们生活中一直不变的、好的东西,只意识到了那些发生了意想不到的问题的方面。
(16)那么,为什么人们通常不珍惜我们已经拥有的东西呢?令人惊讶的是,其答案不在于我们的价值观,甚至不在于我们的社会,问题出在我们根深蒂固思维模式。
第二篇:研究生英语读写译教程 课文小结
小结 Unit One
“The End of Something", by Ernest Hemingway, is a short story about two young people who witness how time can change the world and the people in it.The broken mill represents Nick and Marjorie's broken relationship.Once, the mill was the center of the town.The town was a place full of activity.In the present of the story, as the time passed by ,the mill lies deserted, as does the relationship between Nick and Marjorie.we can clearly see that time can change everything , when they cannot stay young forever,so the weak foundation of their relationship is torn down and left in pieces.Eventhough they will meet one day ,the love is not there,because the two lovers have their own understanding of love.Just as the story says“ the fish will not strike anymore, and love is not fun anymore.” The good old past feeling isn't good enough anymore, even one of the lovers does not want give up on catching the love,and still clings to what is left and still hopes for the best.The past has become past, only can we cherish the good memory.what one must focus on is what is, now, and what is to come, tomorrow.One must look beyond what was and look for the love belong to themselves.Unit Two
Ignorance is a condition or state where a person ignores, disregards, or overlooks knowledge about something.It is when the person is uninformed, is uneducated about something.However, only an person is full of knowledge,can he has courage to admit his ignorance.The author began the essay by telling the experience of waking in the morning and finding him practically ignorant of anything.The author felt sad about his current store of knowledge after many years of costly education.He has a limited range of knowledge and the inadequate understanding of the major phenomena of the world.However, it suddenly occurred to him when he has gone his way serene and happy, he may be the only one who is ignorant, for anyone will not admit that he is a ignorant person.So someone may have the psychology of remaining to be a happy ignorant person, so he or she would not be able to know more knowledge.And he or she is not vulnerable to ignorance.Unit Three
“A sound mind in a sound body is a short, but a full description of a happy state in this world.” Nowadays research suggests that we should think there is deep link between body and mind health in order to achieve happy state of mind.In this way, exercise is a state of mind.Michael Craig Miller uses scientists’ experiments as evidence to show that exercise has exerted great effects on people’s mind health.Regular exercise can improve your mood, decrease anxiety, and raises self-esteem through inducing biological changes.Exercise is also a pretty good antidepressant which can relieves and prevents depression through regulating mood and storing memories.On the other hand, exercise is under genetic control.Genes can influence both people’s physiological responses to exercise and people’s subjective experience of exercise.In the end, the author advices that we form the habit of exercise.You needn’t spend too much and the type of exercise doesn’t matter.Continuing exercise and motivation to exercise are good to your body and mind health.Unit Four
“Opportunity is the crux of the American ideal.” People in the American society used to think that with hardwork and self-determination, they are sure to succeed and realize their dreams.But in recent years the traditional doctrine of “American dream” is seriously challenged, esp.with regard to the economic development.Clive Crook holds that in spite of new immigrants, America is already a middle-aged country, and pessimistic spirit has come to dominate the national consciousness.Most important of all, the economic mobility in America is getting lower and lower as compared to any other western country.The idea of the “American Dream” is starting to fade since rich children stay rich whereas poor children still stay poor.And the real focus of any effort to restore economic opportunity is to get out of poverty, and to this end one effective way may be to improve education, which will definitely have a great effect on economic mobility across generations.Unit Five
It is probably safe to say that every language has a pair of words expressing good and evil, for it is generally believed that a sense of moral judgment and a distinction between good and evil or right and wrong are cultural universals.But what really is good, and what really is evil? Moral relativists would argue that the standards of good and evil are only products of local culture, custom, or prejudice.Moreover, believers in the duality of “good versus evil” would say evil cannot exist without good, nor good without evil, as they are both objective states and opposite ends of the same scale.As boys and girls, we were taught to do good, not evil.(Remember that good will be rewarded with good, and evil with evil?)Yet as Plato observed, there are relatively few ways to do good, but there are countless ways to do evil, which can therefore have a much greater impact on our lives, and the lives of other beings capable of suffering.For this reason, some philosophers(e.g.Bernard Gert)maintain that preventing evil is more important than promoting good in formulating moral rules and in conduct.To prevent evil, the author of this article argues, we must first know what is truly “evil”, for there can be no genuine understanding of goodness in human behavior unless we also understand evil.Beginning with the recognition that neither good nor evil exist outside the human personality, the author distinguishes creative and destructive potentials, and then finds social forces that may activate destructive potentials.With such whats about evil, the author concludes the text by offering some hows as to teaching our children.
第三篇:研究生英语读写译教程 课文小结
小结
Unit One
“The End of Something", by Ernest Hemingway, is a short story about two young people who witness how time can change the world and the people in it.The broken mill represents Nick and Marjorie's broken relationship.Once, the mill was the center of the town.The town was a place full of activity.In the present of the story, as the time passed by ,the mill lies deserted, as does the relationship between Nick and Marjorie.we can clearly see that time can change everything , when they cannot stay young forever,so the weak foundation of their relationship is torn down and left in pieces.Eventhough they will meet one day ,the love is not there,because the two lovers have their own understanding of love.Just as the story says“ the fish will not strike anymore, and love is not fun anymore.” The good old past feeling isn't good enough anymore, even one of the lovers does not want give up on catching the love,and still clings to what is left and still hopes for the best.The past has become past, only can we cherish the good memory.what one must focus on is what is, now, and what is to come, tomorrow.One must look beyond what was and look for the love belong to themselves.Unit Two
Ignorance is a condition or state where a person ignores, disregards, or overlooks knowledge about something.It is when the person is uninformed, is uneducated about something.However, only an person is full of knowledge,can he has courage to admit his ignorance.The author began the essay by telling the experience of waking in the morning and finding him practically ignorant of anything.The author felt sad about his current store of knowledge after many years of costly education.He has a limited range of knowledge and the inadequate understanding of the major phenomena of the world.However, it suddenly occurred to him when he has gone his way serene and happy, he may be the only one who is ignorant, for anyone will not admit that he is a ignorant person.So someone may have the psychology of remaining to be a happy ignorant person, so he or she would not be able to know more knowledge.And he or she is not vulnerable to ignorance.Unit Three
“A sound mind in a sound body is a short, but a full description of a happy state in this world.” Nowadays research suggests that we should think there is deep link between body and mind health in order to achieve happy state of mind.In this way, exercise is a state of mind.Michael
Craig Miller uses scientists’ experiments as evidence to show that exercise has exerted great effects on people’s mind health.Regular exercise can improve your mood, decrease anxiety, and raises self-esteem through inducing biological changes.Exercise is also a pretty good antidepressant which can relieves and prevents depression through regulating mood and storing memories.On the other hand, exercise is under genetic control.Genes can influence both people’s physiological responses to exercise and people’s subjective experience of exercise.In the end, the author advices that we form the habit of exercise.You needn’t spend too much and the type of exercise doesn’t matter.Continuing exercise and motivation to exercise are good to your body and mind health.Unit Four
“Opportunity is the crux of the American ideal.” People in the American society used to think that with hardwork and self-determination, they are sure to succeed and realize their dreams.But in recent years the traditional doctrine of “American dream” is seriously challenged, esp.with regard to the economic development.Clive Crook holds that in spite of new immigrants, America is already a middle-aged country, and pessimistic spirit has come to dominate the national consciousness.Most
important of all, the economic mobility in America is getting lower and lower as compared to any other western country.The idea of the “American Dream” is starting to fade since rich children stay rich whereas poor children still stay poor.And the real focus of any effort to restore economic opportunity is to get out of poverty, and to this end one effective way may be to improve education, which will definitely have a great effect on economic mobility across generations.Unit Five
It is probably safe to say that every language has a pair of words expressing good and evil, for it is generally believed that a sense of moral judgment and a distinction between good and evil or right and wrong are cultural universals.But what really is good, and what really is evil? Moralrelativists would argue that the standards of good and evil are only products of local culture, custom, or prejudice.Moreover, believers in the duality of “good versus evil” would say evil cannot exist without good, nor good without evil, as they are both objective states and opposite ends of the same scale.As boys and girls, we were taught to do good, not evil.(Remember that good will be rewarded with good, and evil with evil?)Yet as Plato observed, there are relatively few ways to do good, but there are countless ways to do evil, which can therefore have a much greater
impact on our lives, and the lives of other beings capable of suffering.For this reason, some philosophers(e.g.Bernard Gert)maintain that preventing evil is more important than promoting good in formulating moral rules and in conduct.To prevent evil, the author of this article argues, we must first know what is truly “evil”, for there can be no genuine understanding of goodness in human behavior unless we also understand evil.Beginning with the recognition that neither good nor evil exist outside the human personality, the author distinguishes creative and destructive potentials, and then finds social forces that may activate destructive potentials.With such whats about evil, the author concludes the text by offering some hows as to teaching our children.
第四篇:当代研究生英语读写教程课文翻译
Unit One 信息空间:出入随愿 美国人的内心深处具有一种酷爱探索新领域的气质。我们渴求宽敞的场地,我们喜欢探 索,喜欢制定规章制度,却不愿去遵守。在当今时代,却很难找到一块空间,可以供你任意驰骋,又不必担心影响 你的邻居。确实有这样一个空间,那就是信息空间。这里原本是计算机迷的游戏天地,但如今只要想像得到的各类人群应 有尽有,包括少年儿童、轻佻的单身汉、美籍匈牙利人、会计等。问题是他们都能和睦相处吗?人们是否会因为害怕 孩子们躲在卧室里看网上的淫秽图片而将它封杀? 首先要解决的问题是,什么是信息空间。我们可以抛开高速公路、前沿新领域等比喻,把信息空间看作一个巨 大的庄园。请记住,庄园是人们智慧的结晶,是合法的、人工营造的氛围,它建立在土地之上。在庄园里,公园和 商业中心、红灯区与学校、教堂与杂货店都能区分开来。你可以用同样的方法把信息空间想像为一个巨大的、无边无际的虚拟庄园。其中有些房产为私人拥有并已租出,有些是公共场所;有的场所适合儿童出入,而有些地方人们最好避开。不幸的是,正是这些应该避开的地方使得人 们心向神往。这些地方教唆你如何制造炸弹、为你提供淫秽材料、告诉你如何窃取信用卡。所有这些使信息空间听 起来像是一个十分肮脏的地方。正直的公民纷纷作出这样的结论:最好对它严加管理。但是,在利用规章制度来反击下流之举之前,关键是从根本上理解信息空间的性质。恶棍并不能在信息空间抢 走毫无提防之心的儿童;信息空间也不像一台巨大的电视机,向不情愿的观众播放令人作呕的节目。在信息空间这 座庄园里,用户对他们所去之处、所见所闻、所做所为都要作出选择,一切都出于自愿。换句话说,信息空间是个 出入自便的地方,实际上,信息空间里有很多可去之处。人们不能盲目上网,必须带着具体的目标上网。这意味着 人们可以选择去哪个网址、看什么内容。不错,规章制度应该在群体内得以实施,但这些规章制度必须由信息空间 内各个群体自己来制定,而不是由法庭或华盛顿的政客们来制定。信息空间之所以具有如此大的诱惑力,正是因为它不同于商场、电视、公路或地球上的其他地方。那么,让我们 来描述一下这个空间。首先,信息空间里人与人之间可以进行电子邮件交流。这种交流类似于电话交谈,都是私 人之间的、两相情愿的谈话,不需要任何规章制度加以限制。其次,信息空间提供信息与娱乐服务。人们可以从中下载各种信息,从法律文件、“大型新饭店”名单,到游戏软 件、下流图片,无奇不有。这里如同书店、商场和电影院,属购物区域。顾客必须通过索求或者登记来购物,物品(特 别是淫秽之物)不会发送给那些没有索取的人。有些服务可以免费,或作为总服务费用的一部分计算,如“计算机服 务”和“美国在线”就是如此。而有些服务要向顾客收费,而且可能会让顾客直接支付账单。第三,信息空间里还有真正意义上的群体,那就是在内部互相交流思想的人群。从庄园的 角度来看,这些群体就像酒吧、饭店或公共浴室。每个活跃的人都积极参与谈话,谈话一般通过邮件方式进行;而 有的人也许只充当旁观者或旁听者。有些活动由专人监督,有些则像公告牌,任何人可以任意在上面张贴。很多活 动起初都无人监督,但现在实行强制管理,用规章制度来扫除那些不受欢迎的广告、不相干的讨论或日渐粗鲁的成 员。信息空间里群体的演变过程正如陆地社会团体的演变过程,即情趣相投的人们聚在一起。信息空间里每一个团体都各具特色。总的来说,“计算机服务”上的团体一般由专业技术人员组成; “美国在线”上 的团体一般为富有的独身者; “奇才”主要面向家庭。另外还有一些具有独到见解的服务机构,“共鸣”为其中之一,是纽约市中心一家时髦的服务机构。再如“妇女专线”,是专为女性开辟的,她们希望逃避网上其他地方盛行的男性 文化。就因特网本身也有大量情绪激昂的讨论小组,都属非商业性质,讨论话题广泛,从匈牙利政治(匈牙利在线)到版权法,无所不及。信息空间的独特之处在于允许任何规模、任何种类的团体发展繁荣。在信息空间,用户自 愿参加任何团体,而不是因为地理位置的巧合而被迫参加某个团体。这种自由赋予主宰信息空间的准则一种道义上 的权威,这种权威是地球空间里的准则所没有的。多数人呆在自己出生的国土上动弹不得,而在信息空间,假若你 不喜欢某一群体的准则,脱离这个群体即可。出入自由。同样,如果做父母的不喜欢某一群体的准则,便可以限制 孩子,不让他们参与。在信息空间,可能会发生的情况是形成新的群体,新群体的形成不像在地球上那样受到限制,产生冲突。我们不是要建立一个梦寐以求、而又难以管理的全球村,而是要建立一个由各种独立的、不受外界 影响的群体组成的世界,这些群体将投其成员所好,而又不干涉他人。一种真正的市场型管理模式很快成为可能。在信息空间,我们将能够检验并完善所需要的管理制度??知识产权制度、服务内容与使用权的控制制度、个人隐 私权与自由言论制度等。有些群体允许任何人加入,而有些则只允许符合这样或那样条件的人加入。能够自持的群 体会兴旺发展(或许也会因为志趣与身份日趋特殊,而发展成为几个分支)。有些群体或因为成员失去兴趣,或因为成 员被吓跑而不能幸存下来,它们将渐渐萎缩消亡。在不远的将来,信息空间的探索者应该更善于解释和辨别各群体的性质。除了现实中的政府之外,他们将有必 要安置并接受自己的地方政府,就如同豪华庄园的业主一样,尽管可以叫警察来驱逐不受欢迎的顾客,但还是宁愿 雇佣自己的保安。那么,该如何处置信息空间不受欢迎的材料呢?例如,淫秽材料该怎么办?答案除了禁止 以外,就是在有问题的材料上贴上标签。信息空间的成员对有问题的内容应该达成共识,拿出一个解决方案来,使 人们或自动过滤系统避开这些内容,这样可能会有助于解决问题。软件制造商很容易建立一套自动过滤系统,使你 和孩子们在菜单上见不到不想见到的内容。(就好像所有的内容都被包装了起来,并在包装纸上贴有标签。)如果有 人在色情材料上贴上“童趣”的标签,便可能会因错贴标签而被起诉。一些私人组织和地方团体已经在不声不响地建立各种标签服务系统,并建立了适合儿童的网站,“儿童连接” 如、“儿童空间”等。具有不同品味和抱有不同价值观念的人如同挑选书刊、杂志一样,可以从网上挑选出适合自己的 服务机构。如果愿意,他们还可以在网上无拘无束地逍遥漫游,完成自己的旅程。总之,我们的社会需要发展,要发展就意味着我们必须明白,世上没有完美无缺的答案,没有能够解决各种问题 的妙方,没有政府认可的安全避难所。我们不能在地球上建立一个十全十美的社会,同样也不能在信息空间营造一 个这样的社会。但是至少我们可以有个人的选择??也有个人的责任。
Unit Two 男女交谈为何如此困难 弗吉尼亚郊区一个住所的客厅里,我正在一次小型聚会上发言??这是一次女性的聚会, 但也邀请了男性参加。整晚,一位男士表现得极为健谈,他不断地发表自己的看法,讲述奇闻轶事.而他的妻子却安静地坐在他身旁的沙 发上。聚会接近尾声时,我说,一些妻子经常抱怨丈夫不与她们交谈,这位男士立刻表示同意。他指着妻子说: “在 家里爱说话的是她。”于是满屋子哄堂大笑,这位男士一脸茫然和委屈。“这是真的,”他解释说,“我下班回家后总 是无话可说, 如果她不说话,我们会整晚沉默。” 这段小插曲反映了一种具有讽刺意味的现象,即美国的男性尽管在公共场合比女性健谈,在家里却比女性说话 少。而正是这一现象使婚姻受到严重威胁。社会学家凯瑟琳?凯尔?里兹曼在她的新作 《离婚谈》 中说,她采访过的大多数女性将离婚的原因归咎于缺乏交谈,但只有少数男性将此当作离婚的理由。在我本人的研究中,女性对丈夫的抱怨大多不是集中在一些实际的不平等现象,例如为了跟随丈夫的事业而放弃了 发展自己事业的机会,或者她们所承担的日常生活琐事远远超过她们份内的部分.她们的抱怨总是集中在交流问题 上, 如 “ 他不听我说话”, “他不和我说话”.我发现多数做妻子的都期望丈夫首先是自己的交谈伙伴。但是很少有丈 夫对妻子抱有同样的期望。简言之,最能体现目前这种危机的是一个老套的卡通画面:一个男人坐在早餐桌旁,手中拿着一张报纸看着,而 他的妻子愤怒地盯着报纸背面,渴望与他交谈。两性间的唇枪舌剑 在婚姻中的交流问题上,为何男女会持有如此不同的观点?为什么男女的兴趣和期望普遍 不一致? 斯坦福大学的埃莉诺?麦科比在 1990 年 4 月《美国心理学家》刊物上发表了她自己和他人研究的结果。研究结 果表明,儿童的发展主要受同龄伙伴交往过程中社交结构的影响。无论男孩女孩都喜欢与同性伙伴玩耍。不同性别 的儿童小群体有不同的组织结构和交际准则。
我相信,儿童时代社交过程中的不同规则,导致了两性间的交谈如同跨文化交流一样难。我本人通过对男女对话的研究发现,成年男女对话的模式类似于儿童群体交流过程中的模式。成年女性同女孩一样,彼此亲密是她们感情关系的纽带。而交谈是编织这种纽带的线。小女孩通过相互交换秘密 来建立和维持友谊。同样,成年女性也把交谈看作友谊的基础。因此,女性期望丈夫成为自己新的、更好的知心朋 友。对她们来说重要的不是某个具体的讨论话题,而是在说出自己的想法、感受和印象时所表现出来的那种亲密的、分享生活的感觉。男孩间的关系和女孩一样紧密。但男孩间的关系与其说建立在交谈基础上,不如说建立在共同动手基础上。既然 他们不认为交谈能够巩固感情关系,他们不知道女人需要何种交谈,也不会因为没有交谈而感到遗憾。男孩的群体比女孩的要大,所包括的人更广泛,也更具有等级特色。因此,男孩们势必要努力争取不在群体中处 于从属地位。这也许是为什么女人抱怨男人不听她们说话的根源之一。当女的对男的说“你没有在听”,而男的反对说“我在听”时,常常男的是对的。这种给人没有在听的印象是由 于男女对话方式的不同而引起的。这种不同在男女各自就位时就已表现出来了。我对心理学家布鲁斯?多维尔录制 的关于儿童与成人分别与他们的同性好友交谈时的录像带进行了研究。研究发现,无论多大年龄的女孩和成年女性,都采取面对面的姿势,眼睛看着对方的脸。而各种年龄的男孩和成年男子就座时,相互位置都成一定的角度,眼睛 看着屋子别的地方只有时不时瞥对方一眼。男性这种看着别处的习惯,可能给女性一种印象,那就是他们没有在听,即使他们在听也会给人以没有在听的印象。一个年轻的女大学生感到很失望,因为每当她告诉男朋友她想跟他谈谈 时,他总是躺在地上,闭上眼睛,并用手臂挡住脸。她对此的理解是,“他想睡一会儿”。而他则坚持说他在非常认 真地倾听。在一般情况下,他会环顾屋子四周,所以容易分心。而躺在地上,蒙住眼睛会使他专心致志听女友说话。转移话题是男人的另一种习惯,这种习惯也给女人一个印象:他们没有在听。特别是当他们把话题转移到自己身 上时更是如此。在我的研究中,女孩往往就一个话题谈得很详细,而男孩倾向于不断改变话题。我对 10 年级的孩子所进行的研究发现,当女孩对朋友倾诉烦恼时,对方总是刨根问底,并且表示不同意和理解。男孩却不把对方的问题看得那么严重。例如,托德安慰理查德说他饮酒 “不是什么大问题” 当托德说他遭受冷落时。理查德回答说: “你怎么会这么想?你认识的人比我还多。” 女性把这种回答看作是轻视她们的问题和不支持她们。但男性似乎对这种回答很满意。女性的回答暗示: “你不应该感到难过,因为我也有过类似的经历,”从而彼此安慰。而男性通过暗示“你不应该感到 难过,因为你的问题并不那么糟糕”来彼此安慰。还有更简单的原因来解释为什么女人总觉得男人没有在听。语言学家莱内特?赫希曼发 现,女性比男性发出更多的倾听者的声音,如“对”“嗯嗯”“是”等来表示“我理解”。她发现,男人通常是静静 地倾听。而女人期待听到一连串倾听者的声音,她们把静静地听理解为根本没有注意听.男性的对话习惯使女性感到失望, 同样, 女性的对话习惯也使男性感到失望.男性期望的是静静地注意听, 他们 将一连串倾听者的声音理解为过头的反应或是不耐烦.此外, 当女性在一个亲密, 舒适的环境里交谈时, 常常互相搭 话,说完对方未说完的句子, 并且能够预料到对方要说什么.我把这种做法叫做 “参与式倾听”, 男性往往将此理解为 干扰, 冒犯和缺乏注意力.同样, 男女之间的差别也使丈夫抱怨妻子, “她只想表达她的观点.如果我向她表达另一种不同的观点, 她就对 我生气.” 多数妇女在交谈时, 认为谈话伙伴要做的事就是表示赞同和支持.而很多男人则认为, 谈话时指出问题的 另一面才是他们的责任.在女性看来, 这样做是一种不真诚的表现, 是拒绝给予必要的支持.这不是因为女性不想听 到别的观点, 而是因为女性更喜欢将这些观点以建议或询问的言词表达出来, 而不是以直截了当的挑战形式表达出 来.沉默的声音 上述这些区别可以解释为什么在婚姻内的交流问题上,男女抱有如此不同的期望。对女性来说,交谈可以使关 系亲密。婚姻关系是一种无比密切的关系:你可以说出你的感受和想法,对方会依然爱着你。女性最大的恐惧是被 排斥。但是,男人生活在一种等级分明的世界里,谈话的目的是保持自己的独立性与地位。他们必须时刻警惕,保 护自己,以免受人压制或受人摆布。这一点也解释了那个健谈的男人说他那沉默的妻子“她才能说呢”这种矛盾局面。在公共场合,他觉得迫不得 已要表现自己的聪颖、展示自己的理解力。但在家里,他不需要证明什么,也.不需要提防任何人,所以他不想说话就不说话。对他的妻子来说,在家意味着不必担心自己说的话会得罪别人,或者引发矛盾,或者显得炫耀自己。在家里,她可以想说什么就说什么。交流问题威胁着婚姻,但不能通过机械的手段来修补。这些问题要求我们用一种新观念来看待谈话在人际关系中 所起的作用。从心理学的角度所作的许多解释都无济于事,因为这些解释往往责怪女性(不够自信),或者责怪男性(不 关心她们的感情)。如果从社会语言学的角度,将男女对话看作跨文化交流,我们便会理解这个问题,找到问题的答 案,而又不责怪任何一方。一旦问题得到理解,情况自然有所改善。那些通常因丈夫不倾听或不谈论每天发生的事情而感到被遗弃、感到 丧失生活乐趣的女性会高兴地发现,她们的丈夫一旦知道了不起眼的谈话在女性关系中的地位后,正努力地在适应。如果丈夫不适应,妻子仍然能够得到安慰,因为她知道,对男人来说,这不是不亲密的表现。当妻子接受了男女存 在区别这一事实后,便会去找自己的朋友或家人说一说话。那些不能够给予妻子谈话快乐的丈夫,也不应该觉得妻 子提出了无理要求。仍然会有一些夫妻决定离婚,但起码他们的决定是建立在比较现实的期望基础上的。
Unit Three 状告人类 第一个错误是把人看作是某种独立的事物。其实并不是。人是复杂的生命网络系统中的 一部分。我们甚至不能将生命本身视为某种独立的事物。它确实不是。生命是一颗沐浴着太阳能的行星上的复杂结 构的一部分。地球自从呈目前的形状近50 亿年以来,已经历了一场巨大的演变。在形成的初期,地球上很可能没有我们今天 称之为海洋和大气层之类的东西。当地球的内部固体紧压在一起时,物质的逐渐向外运动就形成了海洋和大气层。地球形成之后,海洋、大气层以及坚固的地壳之间也并非相互独立。它们之间总有相互作用:蒸发,凝结,溶 解,风化,等等。在坚固的地壳内很深之处也有不断的缓慢变化,其中温泉、火山、以及地震是在地球表面上较为 引人注目的地质运动。. 在 20 亿到 30 亿年前期间,一部分地球表面的水在太阳能的作用下,形成了结构复杂的化合物,这些化合物灵 活多变,足以形成我们称之为“生命”的东西。生命形式从那时起就变得更为复杂,更为丰富多彩。但是生命形式和地球上许多无生命的部分一样,是地球结构中的一部分。它是整个地球体系中不可分割的一部 分。如果把任何动物与其他的生物形式完全隔离开,那么该动物肯定要饿死。要是没有水,由于脱水很快就会死亡。要是没有空气,不论是充分的空气还是溶于水的空气。动物会因窒息死得更快。要是没有太阳,动物可能会存活一 段时间,但是植物会枯死,如果所有植物枯死,那么所有的动物将会饿死。反过来情况也一样。地球的无机世界是由生命造就成形的。大气层的性质已经被植物活 动所改变(植物活动给空气增添了大量的游离氧气,而这是通过其他方式所不能获取的)。蚯蚓翻松土壤,珊瑚形成一 个个巨大的海礁。整个地球,加上太阳能,形成了一个错综复杂、相互联系的巨大系统。整个星球是一种由无机部分和各种各样 的有机生命构成的生命形式(正如我们自己身体那样,既是由各种各样的有机邵分构成,又是由骨骼中的无机晶体和 血液中的无机水分所构成)。事实上,我们可以将上述类推继续进行下去。人是由各种类型的细胞构成的,这些细胞多达 50 万亿,它们之间相互 联系,相互依赖。如果丧失某些细胞,比如说失去构成整条腿的那些细胞,将会严重影响有机体的其余部分;如果 某一器官(如心脏或肾)中较少的细胞受到严重损害,可能会最终导致所有 50 万亿细胞的死亡。同样,从全地球的规模考虑,砍掉一整片森林不会在总体上对地球生命构成威胁,但是这样做会对该地区的生 态形式造成严重的影响,甚至会造成水的流失,因此引起地质结构的细微变化。蜜蜂数量的大量减少将影响依赖蜜 蜂授粉的那些植物的数量,然后又影响到靠蜜蜂授粉的植物生存的动物的数量,依此类推。还可以以细胞的生长为例。不断受到磨损的器官的细胞(如皮肤、肠内壁)自始至终都在不断发育、增长。另外一 些较为隐蔽的细胞,如神经细胞、肌肉细胞,在成年之后再也不会增长。还有一些器官,通常为肝脏和骨骼之类的 静止器官,在需要替换受损部位的时候随时可以生长。当完成适当的修复任务以后,便停止生长。同样,“行星有机体”(这正是我们在生态学中研究的)也是如此,只不过是按照一种较为松散、更加灵活的方式 运行罢了。如果美洲狮的数量太多,它们赖以生存的鹿就会被过度捕杀,一些美洲狮就会饿死。这样一来,美洲狮 就恢复到一个 “适当的数量” 如果美洲狮死得过多,那么鹿的数量就会迅速得到增长,美洲狮反过来就会迅速繁衍。直到新增加的美洲狮将鹿的数量再一次减少。如果排除外界的干扰,食肉动物和被吃动物都保持一个适当的数量,这样对双方都有好处。(如果美洲狮被斩尽杀绝,鹿肯定会大量繁衍,直到吃光它们赖以生存的植物。这样,更多的 鹿会饿死,而不是葬身狮腹。)某些有机组织(比如人)内的净增长有时候会受到干扰,有机体中的部分细胞开始无限制地增长??这究竟是因为 什么原因,我们尚不得而知。这就是令人生畏的癌症。除非以某种方式阻止癌细胞日益增长,否则疯长的癌细胞将 会扰乱整个身体的结构,最终导致有机体本身的死亡。在生态学领域,如果出于某种原因,一种有机体开始无限度地不断繁衍,消灭竞争对手,以毁掉其他物类的食 物为代价来增加自己的食物,那么将会发生同样的情况。这也可能会导致更大的生物体系的毁灭??绝大部分或所 有生命,甚至无生命环境中的某些方面。这就是此时此刻正在发生的事。数千年来,人类这惟一的种群在数量上一直不断上升。我们大家都属于这一种 群,这可说不上是什么光彩的事。在过去几世纪,人口增长率一直呈爆炸趋势。在凯撒时代,世界人口估计为 1.5 亿。如果按当时那样的速度平稳地增长,世界人口再 1,000 年增加一倍。今天,世界人口大约为 40 亿(是凯撒时代的 26 倍),如果目前的增长率稳定不变,那么世界人口 将在 35 年之后翻倍。目前世界人口的急剧增长率使人类可以被称为生态恶性肿瘤。这种恶性肿瘤肯定会摧毁 生态环静正如普通的癌细胞会摧毁人的肌体一样。有什么治疗方法吗?正如任何癌症的治疗方法一样,必须以某种方式使癌细胞停止增长。当然,它会停止增长的。如果我们不采取任何措施,这种增长终将停止,就像人体中癌细胞的增长一样,不加 治疗,人死了,癌细胞也随之死亡。与此类似,生态也会毁灭,人类也会随之灭亡。那么怎样才能制止人口爆炸?要么提高死亡率,要么降低出生率。除此之外,再没有别的选择了。如果我们不采 取任何措施,在未来几十年中死亡率将会自动上升,而且最终将极具灾难性。不管怎样(事实上,几乎可以说无论如 何),使出生率下降肯定更为可取,因此这是人类今天应着手解决的头等大事。如果人类处理不好这一问题,那就会作为大规模杀害生灵(包括杀害自身)的凶手,作为大规模破坏地球错综复杂的进 化发展(是这种进化发展最初形成了目前生命的繁荣景象)的罪魁祸首而受到抽象正义法庭的审判??因为到那时可 能已没有子孙后代来审判他了。Unit Four 英语的未来 在 16 世纪中叶,有四五百万人说英语,说英语的人数在欧洲的语言中名列第五。前四 位依次是法语、德语、意大利语和西班牙语。俄语排在英语之后。两百年以后,意大利语排 名落后,而俄语的排名靠前了,英语依然处于第五位。到了 18 世纪末,英语的地位开始上 升。到 19 世纪中叶,英语已经跻身于第一位了。今天,英语的地位遥遥领先,说英语的人 数可能达到说后两种语言,即俄语和德语人数的总和。今天到底有多少人说英语?这个问题难以回答。除了把英语作为母语的人以外,还有一 些人虽然出生在说其他语言的地方,但现在生活在说英语的社会,这些人在日常工作中说的 是英语。更重要的是,英语目前在世界范围里作为外语广泛使用??当然,在这些地方英语 往往说得蹩脚,但是也可以让人理解。你几乎可以去世界的任何一个地方,不会任何别的语 言,也能像在纽约一样过得顺利,这已成为司空见惯的事情。当然,英语得到普及,部分原因是说英语的人分布极广。他们是现代最热衷旅行的人、最敢冒险的商人、最执着的殖民主义者。除此以外,他们总体上学语言的能力很差,所以,他们走到哪里,便把自己的语言带到哪里,并将之强加于人。但是,问题远不止如此。英语在与其劲敌的竞争中取胜,往往不是因为数量原因,而完 全是因为其优点。“在丰富性、所包含的智慧、以及严谨的精炼程度方面,著名的雅各布? ” 格 利姆在一个世纪之前说,“没有一种现存的语言能与英语媲美。”而著名的奥托?耶斯佩森就 在前几天对此加以补充说:英语简单,发音清晰,词与词之间的结构紧密,词的安排组织有 逻辑性,而且英语中没有迂腐的废话。当美国的教育工作者谈及英语的优点时,几乎总是一开始就赞美其词汇量之庞大。英语 的词汇比任何其他语言的词汇至少多一倍。然而,吸引外国人的并不是词汇量大,相反,浩 瀚的词汇很容易令外国人担忧。真正赢得外国人的是英语简练和纯朴的特征。尽管英语中有 大量的源于拉丁文的多音节词,但我们却更多地使用短词,少用长词。而且,我们总是努力 把长词缩短。以前使用的 puniligrion 现在缩短成了 pun; 昨天还是 gasoline,今天已成为 gas。欧洲没有任何一种其他语言有这么多由三个字母构成的单词,也没有如此多由四个单词构成 的格言。“First come, first served”(先到先供应)便是典型的英语,因为它一目了然、朴实无 华、短小精悍。英国心理学家奥格登博士认为,在一般的交流中,850 个词就足够了。他把英语改编成 简单的形式,将这种形式叫做基础英语。基础英语中的词汇不超过 850 个。在这 850 个词中,有至少 600 个词表示事物的名称,剩下的 250 个词包括说明事物的特征和动作行为的词、以 及将句子连接在一起的语法词和小品词。这些词的数量是不是显得太少了?只有那些忘记了下面这一英语基本特征的人才会这么 认为:英语中同一个词与不同的小修饰词结合,便可以产生无数多的意思。例如,我们可以 想一想动词 get 在下列组合中的不同意思:to get going,to get by,to get onto,to get wise,to get off,to get ahead,to get over 等。奥格登博士建议去掉英语中的大量动词??其中一些 是不规则动词,因而难以掌握,这些动词可以用上述短语动词来取代。例如,为什么要教外 国人说他已从船上 “上岸”(disembark)? 难道说他已 “下船”(get off)不能表达同样的意思吗? 为什么要教他说从流感中“复原”(recover)、“逃避”(escape)了警察,“获得”(obtain)了工 作? 难道说“流感好了”(get over the flu)、“甩开警察”(get away from the police),或者简单
地说“找到工作”(get a job)不足以表达同样的意思吗? 但是随着英语的广泛传播,它是否能够保持现在的形式?也许不能。但为什么要保持现 在的形式呢? 每次使英语规范化的所谓成功的努力其实很少成功。自从大革命以来,学校女 教师一直努力使美式英语遵守语法规则,但是,美式英语依然在不断发展,最终必将征服英 国英语。这种结局很容易猜出,甚至是可以肯定的。在过去的.SO 年里,英语一直屈从于美语。自世纪之交以来,英语屈从美语的速度不断加快。新词汇、新习语、甚至新发音都以无法抗 拒的势力源源不断传入东方。从前我们常常借用很多英语词或短语,但现在很少这样做。但 英语却吸纳我们创造的词,我们创造有多快,其吸纳的速度几乎就有多快。我认为,美国电 影固然对这一变化起了很大作用,但毫无疑问,还有更深刻的原因。英语依然有点太严格、有点僵硬,且过于矫揉造作。而美语的发展却像伊丽莎白时代一样繁荣。所有那些在英国莎 士比亚时代应用的构词方法,现在依然在美国应用着,新词源源不断地产生。如果莎翁健在,这些新词一定会使他欣喜若狂,就像他所生活的时代产生的新词曾使他欣喜若狂一样。自安妮时代以来,英国人就以一种带有爱国者的警惕和义愤的复杂心情,来拒绝美语的 进入,尽管效果在日渐下降。1800 年以后开始蜂涌来到美国的英国游客也甘情愿支持这一有益的工作。他们当中很 少有人不对碰到的美国新词和陌生的美国发音感到惊恐。当海军上校巴赛尔?霍尔 1827 年和 1828 年来到这里时,甚至打电话向 70 多岁的诺亚?韦伯斯特提出抗议。“毫无疑问,”他说,“这种发明创造应该受到蔑视。” “我不这么认为,”韦伯斯特坚决地回答,“如果一个词在美国普遍流行开来,为什么不 应该收人语言中呢?” 霍尔只好以英国人典型的自满态度回答说: “因为现有的词汇已经足够了。” 这种敌对情绪一直持续到今天。每隔一段时间,伦敦的日报和周报便对美语侵入提出大 声抗议。就连相对谨慎而又绝对实用的美式简单拼写(如以 or 结尾的词)有时也遭到极其强烈 的指责.但是,英国人现在来维护其本族语的纯洁性实在为时太晚了,因为已经有太多的美 式用语进入英语,英语至少在某种程度上已成为一种美式方言。在英国,数以百计的美语应 用于日常生活中,许多英国人对这些用语极其熟悉,因此在使用时,如果有人质问他为什么 用美语,他往往会辩解道,这些用语其实是英国英语。有些英国人认为,现在已是向美语妥协的时候了,甚至应该欢迎美语了。美语支持者的 鼻祖好像是已故的威廉?阿切尔。他早在 1899 年就说过,美国用语大大丰富了英语语言,不仅为英语增加了新词,而且增加了一些恰如其分、通俗易懂、带有口语特色的比喻用法。已故的罗伯特?布里奇博士,从 1913 年到 1930 年去世为止,享有英国桂冠诗人的称号,他 也与阿切尔持同样观点。我看了看奥格登博士的基础英语里列出的 50 个 “国际性” 名词表,发现至少 9 个是美语,而不是英语。我再看了看市川教授列出的已纳入日语的英语单词表,只见每一页都有美语。显而易见,如果有朝一日英语征服世界真的成为现实,征服世界的必将是美式英语。Unit Six 洛城邂逅
混凝土、烟雾及晨色将好莱坞高速公路立交桥下的奥尔瓦多街笼罩在特有的灰色之中,车辆 堵塞在路上,几乎一动不动。杰克无精打采地坐在车里,对此并不真的在乎,因为他知道,如果试图往左转,开到高速路入口,情况可能会糟糕得多。好在他不用每天这样,如果有人 问他,他会肯定地说,以后也决不这样。稳定的工作有其优点,他不否认考虑过这件事。他 需要一台调频收音机,安装在一辆比他现在开的这辆 58 款别克更好的车上。好一点的车有 天鹅绒内饰,有为洛城的夏天而设计的电控装置,为冬天开往海滩而设计的精美电热器和除 霜器,还有为长途旅行设计的导航控制器,当然车的前后都有声音优美的喇叭,窗户一摁就 能关好,将外面高速公路上恼人的噪音隔绝。实际上,他可能不得不改变整个生活方式。富 有异国情调的古龙香水、长毛绒服装、光线暗淡的夜总会、代基里酒、身穿丝绸长礼服、佩 戴项链的女子,她们如同特奎拉酒广告里的女子一样,朦朦胧胧而又富有魅力。只要让他的 想像驰骋,杰克会想像出许多可能的东西。杰克正想入非非时,瞥见绿灯亮了,他只顾开动汽车,盯了一眼那些有固定工作的人,以示再见。当他扭过头来,面对前方时,已经晚了一秒钟。他猛地一下踩住刹车,调转方向,以避免撞上前面那辆车上小小的刹车红灯,但还是砰然一声撞上了。如果他动作再快一秒钟,也许只会离这辆车很近,不会撞上。而如果再晚一秒钟,他的车就会爬上这辆丰田车的行李 箱。实际上,他好像没有把前面的车撞坏,而后面的车撞上了他车后部的保险杠,那一撞却 严重多了。杰克想开过这辆丰田车,但又怕前面的车挡路。当他在几辆车前的路边停下来时,又突 然觉得这些车反而有助于他逃走。他使劲关了两次车门,一方面是为了将车门关紧,同时也 再给自己一秒钟时间盘算。然后,他走到别克车的前面,又走到车后面,看看保险杠及其周 围是否碰坏。然而,镀?层上连明显的划痕都没有。于是他精神振作起来了。虽然比起启动 性能和行驶性能来,车的外表之美是次要的,但他这些年取得的少数显著成就之一便是:他 的汽车车身和喷漆上除了几处小小的刮痕以外还完好无损。杰克没有先去跟丰田汽车司机说话,因为从她的表情可以看出,她可能会给他增添更多 的麻烦,所以,他先是向撞了他的车的司机打了个手势。这时那个司机还坐在车里,但已将 车停在了丰田车的后面。杰克向他挥挥手,摇摇头,让他知道什么问题也没有。这位司机也 向杰克挥了挥手,便开动汽车走了。“连漆都没擦伤,”杰克用他特有的口气对她说,“你怎么样?车碰坏了吗?我倒是有点希 望如此,这样,我们便可以多停留一会儿,聊一聊什么的。要不,你现在把电话号码给我,免得我以后还得跟你贫嘴,问你再要。” 杰克把她的微笑当作一个好兆头,便松了一口气。他吸人的是她身上散发的香味儿,就 好像是清新的空气。他拽了一下自己身上穿着的不算很新但还不算过时的衣服。“你的牌照是佛罗里达州的。但看上去你肯定是古巴人。” “我父母是委内瑞拉人。” “我叫杰克。”他伸出手来。“我叫玛丽安娜。” 他们握了握手,她好像有生以来从未与人握过手似的。“把你的车撞成那样了,我真的很抱歉。”他的话听起来很真诚。他抚弄着撞碎了的尾
灯旁的大坑。“这么容易就在新车上留下个坑,真是太令人吃惊了。这些车这么柔软,可能 很快就会取代充水床垫。”说到这里,杰克不知道接着该说什么好。这么多看似不可能发生 的事都发生了。什么事都是可能的。“也许我们应该一起出去到什么地方吃早饭,同时好好 谈谈这件事。” “我不吃早饭。” “那就喝点咖啡吧。” “谢谢你,但我真的不能去。” “你还没有结婚,是吧?这并不是说我会很在乎你结没结婚。我是个开朗型的人。” 她笑了笑说: “我得上班了。” “上班真无聊。” “你最好把驾照给我。”她说。杰克点了点头,感到很失望。“有点小问题,”他说。“我没带驾照。今天早晨忘了。我是 搞音乐的,他夸张地说,” “而且,嗯,我也不知道,我的钱包放在了昨天晚上穿的那条裤 子里。如果你有笔和纸,我把地址和所有这些都给你写上。” 他跟着她走到贮物箱那边。“我们可不可以不向保险公司报告?我找人给你把车修好就是了。” “我想,我爸爸不会让的。” “你爸爸?这不是你的车吗?” “是他给我买的。我住在家里。” “是啊。”她想要摆脱他。他走回到她的新丰田后面,再次查看了一下车的损坏状况。行 李箱盖、保险杠、后挡板、尾灯都坏了。“你真的上保险了吗?”她走到车后面,怀疑地问。“上了。”他撒了个谎。“我想,你最好把保险公司的名字也写上。” 他编造了一个姓和地址,并写下了他过去的女朋友曾经所在的保险公司的名字。他想把 真实的电话号码给她,但又打消了这一念头,编造了一个电话号码。“我还是个演员,”他撒了个谎,以便进一步加强效果,“演过两三部电影。”她笑了笑,像是个 影迷似的。“那你的电话号码呢?”他老练地反问道。于是,她把电话号码也给了他。“玛丽安娜,你真美,”他用最真诚的声音说。“给我打电话吧,”她羞怯地说。杰克微笑着。“我们会见面的,玛丽安娜,”他伸出手说。她的手那么温暖轻柔,他感觉 好像被亲吻了一样。回到车里,杰克为自己的表演一时感到既自豪,又悲伤。接着,他从后视镜里看到玛 丽安娜将车停在了他后面,她正在记录他的别克车后面的牌照号码。这号码是他从一辆废车 上取下来装上去的,因为他自己车的牌照号早就过期了。他转动了点火钥匙,启动了庞大的 发动机,喀嚓一声开动了车。当他开到畅通无阻的街道上时,自由的感觉油然而生。他情不 白禁又去想像那调频立体声收音机、天鹅绒内饰、以及新车的味道,这将使一切变得更加美 好。
Unit Seven 熵 事情发生在大约两个月以前。有一天我突然意识到在我日常生活中熵逐渐占了上风。就在这同一天,我的车又 坏了,电冰箱不制冷了;而且我还得知我的右后臼齿牙根管需要镶补。每逢下雨,卧室的窗户仍旧漏水;每当我急 需照看孩子的保姆时,保姆仍旧没有露面。我的头发开始花白了,我的打字机也磨损坏了。房子需要刷油漆,我也 需要一副老花眼镜了。儿子的运动鞋磨破了几个窟窿,而我越来越感到自己没出息了。如果新换的衣服下星期五又穿脏了,那么我星期六花上整整半天的功夫泡在洗衣房还有什么意义呢? 唉,混乱是宇宙万物的自然规律。甚至还有一个叫做“熵”的测量混乱度的精确单位。熵不同于任何其他物理 眭质(如运动、引力、能),它不会双向运转,且只增不减,一旦形成,就决不会毁掉。通往混乱的路是一条单行道。由于熵有令人气馁的不可逆性,因此它被称为时间之箭。我们都本能地理解这一点。孩子们的房间,如果不去 收拾,那么只会越来越乱,而不会越来越整齐。木头会腐烂,金属会生锈,人会长皱纹,花要凋谢。甚至山头也会 消蚀,原子核也会衰变。在城市里破旧的地铁中、在坑凹不平的人行道上、在被拆毁的楼房中、在我们 El 常生活越 来越多的混乱中,我们都能看到熵在起作用。我们不用问也知道什么是衰老。如果我们突然看到油漆又跃回旧楼房 的墙面,我们准会感到有问题。如果我们看到一个鸡蛋自己拼凑在一起又跳回蛋壳,我们准会开怀大笑,就像看一 组倒放的电影镜头那样。然而,熵并不是开玩笑的事,因为每增加一分熵,就意味着能量的浪费和机会的丧失。从山上流下的水可使其 在流动过程中做功。但是,一旦所有的水都处在同一个水平高度,就不能再做功了。这就是熵。我的电冰箱启动时,它使所有冷空气有序地聚在厨房的一角,而使热空气呆在另一角。一旦冰箱出了故障,冷热空气就混合成了不冷不 热的一团,使得冰箱里的黄油溶化、牛奶变质,冷冻的蔬菜腐烂。当然,能量并没有真正丧失,但是它已失去效用而消散为乱七八糟一锅粥,对我们没有任何用处。熵是混乱无 序,是目的的丧失。人们常常因在自己的生活中似乎看到熵而感到焦虑不安。人们就像温热的厨房里的大量分子一样被推来攘去,他们感到自己失去了方向感,感到无时无处不在浪费青春和机遇。婚姻中很容易出现熵,当伴侣们过于忙于自己的 事而忽视了弥补小小裂痕时,几乎可以肯定他们的婚姻要破裂。在我们国家目前的状况中,在国与国之间的关系中 都存在着大量的熵??各种混乱随时会雪崩般把我们全部吞噬,而我们却丧失了阻止它们发生的种种机会。然而,熵并非在哪里都不可避免。晶体、雪花和星系是在杂乱无序的海洋中令人难以置信的美丽而井然有序的 孤岛。如果不是因为有了熵的例外,天空就会是一片黑暗,我们就能看到星星在何处度过它们的白昼。正是因为空 气分子在大气中井然有序地聚集组合,天空才会是蓝色的。对于熵来说,最深邃莫测的例外莫过于生命的创造了。一粒种子吸取了一些土壤的养料,一些碳、一些阳光和 水分,就长成了一株玫瑰。母腹中的受精卵吸收一些氧气、比萨饼和牛奶就发育成了婴儿。引人深思的是需要大量的能量才能形成一个婴儿。种子长成大树也需要能量。通向混乱之路犹如走下坡道那样 轻松,而通向创造之路却要付出劳动。虽然我们可能与熵抗争,但却要付出代价。这就是为什么我们要振作起来似 乎非常困难,而放任自流却那么轻而易举。
而更糟糕的是,我们在宇宙的一个角落里建立秩序的同时,总是在另一个地方造成了更多的混乱。我们从石油 和煤中创造了有序的能量,付出的代价是烟雾的熵。在暂停了几个月之后,我最近又开始吹长笛了。刺耳的笛声回荡在整个房间,我的儿子不由得捂着耳朵问道: “妈,您的长笛怎么啦?”我的长笛自然没出任何问题,问题是我的吹奏技巧却大不如以前,或者说熵化了,就那么 回事。制止这一过程的惟一方法是天天练习。果然,我吹出的音调比以前好多了,尽管我为此付出的代价只是坚持 练习。我们的能力如同其他任何事情一样,如不花费精力加以运用,能力就会退化。这就是熵使人沮丧的原因。看起来即使要和熵打个平手也是一场艰难的战斗。我们这样说是有充分理由的。熵 的形成有很大的偶然性。以任何一个在我的厨房里转来转去的冰冷的空气分子为例。这个分子在任何一点上朝冰箱 方向运动的概率都正好是50%;它朝背离冰箱方向运动的概率也是50%。但是如果数十亿个冷热空气分子混合在一 起,那么所有冷空气分子朝冰箱方向运动,同时所有热空气分子背离冰箱运动的概率实际上是零。熵总是占上风,这并不是因为有序是不可能的,而是因为通往熵的道路比通往有多得多。把一件事情办糟的方 法要比把它办好的方法多;把一件事搞得乱七八糟的办法比把它搞得井井有条的办法更多。我们生活中的障碍和意 外事故几乎总使我们不断碰撞,偏离既定的路线,使我们步人歧途。通往无序之路是阻力最小的路,是一条轻松但 并非必然的路。和许多人一样,我因今天所见到的自己周围的熵而感到苦恼。我担心难以预测的国际局势;担心这个世界缺乏 共同的目标;对由此可能会导致核战争这一终极熵而提心吊胆。我为自己不能把孩子送去上我所在这个城市的公立 学校而感到苦恼;我为人们失业以及通货膨胀失控而苦恼;我为性别和种族之间的紧张关系似乎再度加剧而感到苦 恼,为人与人之间处处显示出的分崩离析的关系而感到苦恼。社会制度如同原子和恒星一样,如果不添加能量保持其有序状况也会衰变。友谊、家庭和经济关系亦是如此,除非我们不断努力对其加以保持和维护,否则也都会瓦解。而据我看来,愿意为此而不断努力的人实在是太少了。当然,事物越复杂,维持有序就越困难。如果在厨房里只有十几个的空气分子,那么我等上一年左右,或许在某个 时刻 6 个最冷的分子会聚集在冰箱里。但是,这一等式中的变量越多、参加这一游戏的角色越多,那么他们的路径 井然有序地相互吻合的可能性就越小。组成拼图的木块越多,打乱次序之后,就越难将图重新拼好。一位物理学家 说过: “不可逆性是我们为复杂所付出的代价。” Unit Nine 他们输给了可卡因
梦想破灭 斯坦?贝林出生在 20 世纪 30 年代一个陷入经济大萧条困境之中的城市家庭。这是一个破裂的家庭,父母争吵频 繁。“我感到世界末日即将来临,”他说。这种恐惧感驱使他成为一个模范孩子。斯坦清楚地记得自己在孩提时代,曾有一次倚在一座桥的栏杆上,凝视着一条造型美观的游船,载着一群兴高采 烈的人从桥下驶过。他看得出,甲板上的人们出来玩得非常开心。这种舒适与奢侈的情景是他无法想像的。这一情 景铭刻在他的脑海里,影响着他的成功观。于是他的奋斗目标就是金钱、权势和威望。在学校,斯坦的功课很好。他发现自己学得最好的科目是理科。但是他没有信心从事医 学,所以便选择了牙医,作为一条实现自己人生目标的捷径。他娶了一位中学时代就认识的女子为妻。20 多年来,他和妻子简过着让很多人羡慕的生活。他的名气越来越大,财源滚滚,还被州政府任命要职。同时他还有两个健康的孩子。他拥有华丽的住宅和昂贵的汽车,并常常出国度假。斯坦感触最深的时刻是他买了一条豪华游艇,驶到那座小桥下。在孩提时代,他曾在那里第一次看到了他所希 望的未来生活。“我把那次经历告诉了简,”他说。“说话时,我忽然意识到情况很不对劲。我已拥有曾经梦寐以求的 一切,但却感到悲伤无望。更糟糕的是,我知道这种状况将永远不会改变。” 到了 80 年代初,有一位当医生的朋友请他吃饭。这位朋友说他一直用可卡因来消除抑郁。他说这种药很神奇,不会使人上瘾。于是,斯坦肯定,这种药可能正好适合他自己的抑郁。“我吸入第一口可卡因的那一瞬间就上瘾了。”斯坦这样说。“它能使我镇静、自信、快乐??这都是我原来认 为金钱能够买到的感觉。可卡因使我感到自己变成了一个更出色、更健谈的人和一个更优秀的牙医。” 起初,斯坦不觉得自己做错了什么。“我以为终于找到了一种抗抑郁药品,把我从痛苦中解脱了出来。我感到愤慨,这么好的药竟然始终被法律禁止。” 斯坦使用可卡因两年之后,那位当医生的朋友遭到谋杀。于是,他再也不能与街上吸毒者的世界绝缘了。一周 之后,斯坦离开了牙科办公室,从此再也没有回来。“当时,我以为这是因为自己不能应付工作的压力,但这不是真 正的原因。真正的原因是,我需要更多的时间吸毒。” 他的生活漫无目标??陪妻子购物,到处求医,寻找能够使他摆脱抑郁的办法,同时还一直吸着毒。他做一些 低贱的工作,还经常想自杀。到了斯坦吸毒的第三年,可卡因的效果越来越短。快乐的感觉只能持续几秒钟,然后又马上陷入深深的抑郁中。“最后,我甚至发展到站着大哭的程度,斯坦说。” 简知道丈夫已到了绝望的境地,于是规劝他去戒毒中心治疗。斯坦报名来到一家著名的戒毒所,但是他的衣服里藏着半盎司可卡因。“在吸完这些可卡因之前,我合作了几天,” 斯坦说。然后他就溜走了??以前当妻子说服他寻求帮助时,他也是这样。斯坦曾一时以为最终战胜了毒瘾,可他在洗车时,看见过去剩下的一小瓶可卡因从地毯下滚了出来。“一看见它就使 我兴奋,”他回忆说。“我把它装到口袋里。我想,留着它并抗拒其诱惑会使我意志更坚强。但是我的心里时刻都想 着这个小瓶子。” 这一小瓶可卡因就像一条盘绕着的毒蛇,静静地躺在斯坦的口袋里。斯坦的心里展开了激烈的斗争。突然这条 蛇向他发起猛烈攻击,其凶猛的程度只有那些在毒瘾面前意志薄弱的人才知道。现在,斯坦已完成了一个全面的戒毒疗程,并在一项戒毒计划中担任顾问。他的工资只有当牙医时的七分之一,房子和船都没有了。只有时间能说明他是否最终战胜了毒瘾。斯坦现在已筹划创建新的生活,他决定再也不让那条毒蛇近身了。
死亡之舞 帕特里克?比斯尔 21 岁时,便作为美国芭蕾舞剧院的主要演员,在纽约崭露头角。这么年轻的人很少能够在竞 争激烈的芭蕾舞界如此风靡。他受到赞美,用麦克尔?巴利史尼科夫的话说,他是“整个芭蕾舞界最亮的明灯之一”。帕特里克.比斯尔的成功结束了那个只有女人气的男人才能进入芭蕾舞界的美国神话。帕特里克是来自得克萨斯州的少年,他身高六尺二,粗犷、嗜酒,酷爱摩托车、牛仔靴和女人。他强壮有力,可以 托起女演员在空中旋转,使她们如同蝴蝶一样优美动人。据比斯尔的母亲说,1957 年出生后七个月时,小比斯尔简直就不是走,而是在跑了。帕特里克 10 岁时,姐姐 用自己的零花钱贿赂他,让他去她的舞蹈班,因为她需要舞伴。他的协调感和耐力是他与生俱来的天赋,无不使人 叹服。从那时起,他的命运就注定是跳舞了。芭蕾舞界对演员身体和情感素质的要求之残酷是众所周知的。其根本目标就是绝对完美。很多人相信,比斯尔 完全可能成为一个职业运动员,但芭蕾舞明星与职业运动员不同的是,他永远也不会因为知道了自己的最终得分或 者比赛获胜而感到满足。他的竞争对手是自己。对一个完美主义者来说,这也许是最为残酷的竞争。比斯尔的母亲认为,年轻的比斯尔踏上人生道路时,身上就带着导致他毁灭的种子。帕特里克是帕特丽夏.比 斯尔和唐纳德?比斯尔 6 年之内生下的 5 个孩子之一。比斯尔夫妇雄心勃勃,到帕特里克 12 岁时,就已搬过 6 次家。在那些年里,帕特丽夏?比斯尔自己受到严重挫折。她深信自己对儿子在身心方面的屡次打击使他的自尊心受 到了严重的损伤,所以在他还是个孩子的时候,便对自己怀有一种根深蒂固的仇恨。无论事实是否如此,帕特里克? 比 斯尔自很年轻之时起,生活就好像受到痛苦的折磨。各种迹象表明,比斯尔在舞蹈生涯的早期就已经对可卡因、烈酒和其他毒品上瘾。但他力量巨大、技艺高超,能够完成难度最高的动作,因此他的经纪人始终不知道真相。芭蕾舞女演员盖尔赛?柯克兰在自传《坟墓上的舞蹈》中说,比斯尔在纽约城取得成功后不久,就引诱她吸食 可卡因。从此便开始了他们那种与性和毒品有关的秘密关系,这种关系持续了很长一段时间。她观察到,比斯尔的 妄想症发展到了睡觉时在床下放斧子、在枕头下放刀子的地步。他会站在公寓门口达数小时,拿着一瓶梅斯催泪喷 射剂,来抵御想像中的侵犯者。1981 年 6 月,他的芭蕾舞生涯只有三年,比斯尔便割断了自己的手腕。当医务护理人员赶来时,比斯尔把瓶子 打碎作为武器,把他们赶走。第二天,他缠着绷带,重返舞台。显然,到这时为止,他与柯克兰都已失控。他们连续数周无节制地吸食可卡因。渐渐地,他们不去排练,演出迟到。他们双双被解雇,重新被雇佣,然后又被解雇。最后,盖尔赛?柯克兰去寻求帮助。帕特里克?比斯尔却没有。1987 年秋天,芭蕾舞公司将比斯尔送往加利福尼亚贝蒂福特中心去治疗。他对朋友们说,他准备重新生活,他 希望有一个崭新的开端。他提前一星期从中心出来,回到了纽约。12 月间,与比斯尔订了婚的芭蕾舞女演员埃米?罗斯去了加州,准备 过完节后回纽约。比斯尔独自一人在家,买了一棵圣诞树,并装饰了一下,放在他们的公寓里。12 月 23 日,他与父母通了一次长长的电话。母亲求他回家团圆。他谢绝了母亲,解释说圣诞节独自一人,可 以给他一个机会来证明没有可卡因他也能够坚强地生活。圣诞节后的第四天,埃米?罗斯走进公寓。她在起居室的沙发上发现了帕特里克的尸体。帕特里克?比斯尔死于超剂量服用可卡因和其他毒品。当时他刚刚 30 岁。帕特丽夏?比斯尔说起纽约时报上她儿子的死讯时泣不成声。比斯尔的名字下,只有简单的几个字: “晚安,甜 蜜的王子。” 在帕特里克?比斯尔开始了漫长的死亡之舞后,我们很难说有什么可以拯救他。当他母亲认识到自己的看法与 有些专家的看法不同时,提出了以下有力的见解: “我们很容易把这样的悲剧归罪于他人??同行的竞争压力、紧张 的职业、毒贩子,以及除了我们自己以外的所有其他人。但是,这类问题多数起源于家里,也就是在我们把孩子抚 养成人的时候。承认这一点对我来说很不容易,我没有能够在帕特里克身上培养面对生活所需要的自尊。无论他做 得多么好,他都觉得自己失败了。他吸毒,是因为毒品能使他摆脱这种失败感。当我们明白并且接受这一原因时,也许我们会为解决这个问题做点什么。”
第五篇:安徽大学 研究生读写译教程课文总结翻译答案上册(全)
Unit One
Text A How to Read A Book
Introductory Remarks ―Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested.‖ Francis Bacon warned readers several hundred years ago.However, what are the criteria for those books to be ―chewed and digested?‖ How to tell good literature from bad literature? On these issues, people don‘t seem to have reached an agreement.In the article, Nobel laureate Joseph Brodsky first states that people‘s life is generally much shorter than books, and that it is important for people to select good books to read.Yet, the author further argues that selecting good books from the ocean of literary works is no easy job;even book reviewers can‘t help much.In the end, the author suggests that reading poetry is the way to develop good taste in literature, because it is the supreme form of human locution, the most concise way of conveying the human experience, and offers the highest possible standards for any linguistic operation.Text-related Information
1.The Last Judgment The last judgment(sometime referred to as universal judgment)is a firmly held belief of Roman Catholicism.Immediately upon death each soul undergoes a particular judgment, and, depending upon the state of that person's soul, goes to heaven, purgatory, or hell.The last judgment will occur after the resurrection of the dead and the reuniting of a person's soul with his or her own physical body.At the time of the last judgment Christ will come in his glory, and all the angels with him, and in his presence the truth of each man's relationship with God will be laid bare, and each person who has ever lived will be judged with perfect justice.Those already in heaven will remain in heaven;those already in hell will remain in hell;and those in purgatory will be released into heaven.The Roman Catholic Church holds no doctrinal position on the fate of those in Limbo.Following the last judgment, the bliss of heaven and the pains of hell will be perfected in that those present will also be capable of physical bliss/pain.After the last judgment the universe itself will be renewed with a new heaven and a new earth.2.The rhetoric “anticlimax”
In rhetoric, climax is a figure of speech, in which words, phrases, or clauses are arranged in order of increasing importance.Climax comes from the Greek word for “ladder”.Examples:
There are three things that will endure: faith, hope, and love.But the greatest of these is love.“I think we've reached a point of great decision, not just for our nation, not only for all humanity, but for life upon the earth.” George Wald A Generation in Search of a Future, March 4, 1969.“...Lost, vaded, broken, dead within an hour.William Shakespeare, The Passionate Pilgrim, XIII.”...the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.“ Martin Luther King, I Have a Dream.Similarly an anticlimax is an abrupt declension(either deliberate or unintended)on the part of a speaker or writer from the dignity of the idea which he appeared to be aiming at;as in the following well-known distich:---
”The great Dalhousie, he, the god of war, Lieutenant-colonel to the earl of Mar.“
An anticlimax can be intentionally employed only for a jocular or satiric purpose.It frequently partakes of the nature of antithesis, as in,”Die and endow a college or a cat.“
3.Belles lettres
Belles letters(from the French for literature, literally ”fine letters“)refers to literature that is appreciated for the beauty, artistry, and originality of its style and tone rather than for its ideas and informational content.Earlier the term was synonymous with literature, referring particularly to fiction, poetry, drama, criticism, and essays.However, belletristic literature has come to mean light, artificial writing and essays extolling the beauties of literature.Language Points
1.On the whole, books are less limited than ourselves.Often they sit on the shelves absorbing dust long after the writer has turned into a handful of dust---and it is precisely the appetite for this posthumous dimension that sets one‟s pen in motion.On the whole, books have longer lives than the writers who write them.Long after the writer has died, his or her books may remain on bookshelves absorbing dust.It is due to the desire to be remembered after death that motivates the author to write continuously.2.So as we toss and turn these rectangular objects in our hands we won‟t be terribly amiss if we surmise that we fondle, as it were, the urns with our returning ashes.Therefore, when we take a book in our hands, it is not totally wrong for us to think that we are, actually, handling the urn containing our own ashes.amiss adj.: not functioning properly;e.g.A few words of introduction may not come amiss.Is there anything amiss?
surmise v: infer from incomplete evidence;
e.g.We surmised that he must have had an accident.There‘s so little to go on, we can only surmise what happened.n.: a message expressing an opinion based on incomplete evidence e.g.His surmise proved correct.Your first surmise was right.3.Whoever said that to philosophize is an exercise in dying was right in more ways than one, for by writing a book nobody gets younger.Some people say that to think philosophically is to experience the process of death.That is right in many aspects, as in the process of writing a book, the author only gets older and older.philosophize v.: conduct philosophical thinking;reason philosophically e.g., They spend their time philosophizing about the mysteries of life.a tendency to philosophize about racial harmony
4.The paradox, however, lies in the fact that in literature “good” is defined by its distinction from “bad”.But, what seems contradictory is that in literature good works are identified by its distinction from bad works, i.e., a piece of work is good because it is not bad.5.That‟s what may constitute bad literature‟s best defense at the Last Judgment.That may be the reason why there exist so many pieces of bad literature.6.Of course, there is no denying the pleasure of holding up with a fat, slow-moving, mediocre novel;but in the end, we read not for reading‟s sake but to learn.Of course, there is pleasure of some kind in reading a thick, lengthy and ordinary novel;but in the end, we do not read just for the sake of reading but read for learning something.there is no denying: it cannot be denied;one cannot deny the fact that e.g.There is no denying the enjoyment of a vacation after long period of hard work..There is no denying the fact that he is a faithful husband.7.Hence the need for the works that bring the human predicament into its sharpest possible focus.Hence, too, the need for some compass in the ocean of available printed matter.Therefore, we need to read works that reflect the puzzle of human beings.We also need some guidance in search of good works among all the books ever printed.bring … into focus: make something sharply visible;make something clear and understandable e.g.I adjusted the binoculars until I brought the bird sharply into focus.Please try to bring your major point into focus earlier in the essay.8.…he can have strong predilections for a certain kind of writing or simply be on the take with the publishing industry …he may have his own preference for a certain kind of writing or he may gain some profit from the publishing houses(by recommending books published by those publishing houses).on the take: taking or seeking to take bribes or illegal income;e.g.There were policemen on the take.The mayor is reported to have been on the take with the real estate enterprise.9.The alternative, therefore, would be to develop your own taste, to build your own compass, to familiarize yourself, as it were, with particular stars and constellations---dim or bright but always remote.Therefore, what you can do is develop your own judgment, establish your own criteria for guidance, familiarize yourself with particular authors or writers who may serve as guiders.These artists may be well or little known, but regardless they are always set apart.10.This, however, takes a hell of a lot of time and you may easily find yourself old and grey, heading for the exit with a lousy volume under your arm.However, this will take you a lot of time, so much so that when you are old and coming to the end of your life, you still cannot find the guidance for selecting good books and end up reading the ordinary ones.heading for the exit: coming to the end of one‘s life
lousy adj.: very bad;mean;contemptible;e.g.The food was lousy and there was not enough of it.He wrote only lousy poems.11.The source of the suggestion to come belongs to the category of people for whom literature has always been a matter of some hundred names;to the people who feel awkward at large gatherings, do not dance at parties, tend to find metaphysical excuses for adultery, and are finicky about discussing politics;the people who dislike themselves far more than their detractors do;who still prefer alcohol and tobacco to heroin or marijuana.The source of the following suggestion belongs to those people for whom literature has always been just a list of some hundred authors;to those people who feel ill at ease at large gatherings, do not dance at parties, tend to find philosophical excuses for adultery, and are fussy about discussing politics;to those people who dislike themselves even more than those who belittle them do;to those people who still prefer alcohol and tobacco to drugs.12.“one will not find on the barricades and who never shoot themselves or their lover”.―those who won‘t be found to participate in street demonstrations and who never kill themselves or their lovers‖.13.If such people occasionally find themselves swimming in their blood on the floor of prison cells or speaking from a platform, it is because they object not to some particular injustice but the order of the whole world as a whole.If those people are found to be killed in a prison or are making a public speech on a platform, that‘s not because they object to any specific injustice but because they are against the general order of the whole world.14.They have no illusions about the objectivity of their views;on the contrary, they insist on their unpardonable subjectivity.They are very clear that their views are not objective, and they stick to their subjective views even though it is inexcusable to do so.15.… they consider vulnerability the primary trait of living matter.… they think that susceptibility to injury or attack is the attribute of all living things.16.This has less to do with masochistic tendencies than with their instinctive knowledge that extreme subjectivity, prejudice, and indeed idiosyncrasy are what help art to avoid cliché.This is not because they have the tendency to derive pleasure from being abused, but because they instinctively believe that extreme subjectivity, prejudice and idiosyncrasy are the best ways for art to avoid being ordinary.17.I am no union man.I do not belong to any literary association.18.The point is that being the supreme form of human locution, poetry is not only the most concise way of conveying the human experience;it also offers the highest possible standards for any linguistic operation---especially one on paper.The point is that, as the most advanced form of human language, poetry is not only the most concise way of expressing the human experience, but it also sets up the highest standards for all other language forms, especially for the written language.19.A child of epitaph and epigram, poetry is a great disciplinarian to prose.Derived from epitaph and epigram, poetry sets the standards for prose.20.It teaches the latter not only the value of each word but also the mercurial mental patterns of the species, alternatives to linear composition, the knack of omitting the self-evident, emphasis on detail, the technique of anticlimax.It teaches prose not only the value of each word but also thinking patterns outside the linear composition, techniques of omitting self-evident parts, of emphasizing the details, and of the use of anticlimax.mercurial adj.: changeable;varying e.g.a mercurial nature
She has a mercurial turn of conversation.In Roman mythology, Mercury was a messenger, and a god of trade, profit and commerce.Mercury has influenced the name of a number of things in a variety of scientific fields, such as the planet Mercury, and the element mercury.The word mercurial is commonly used to refer to something or someone erratic, volatile or unstable, derived from Mercury's swift flights from place to place.knack n.: a special skill, talent, or ability;e.g.a knack for making clothes
He‘s got the knack of getting people to listen.anticlimax n: a disappointing decline after a previous rise e.g.It was sad that his international career should end so anticlimactically.21.Above all, poetry develops in prose that appetite for metaphysics which distinguishes a work of art from mere belles letters.Most important of all, poetry directs prose toward the metaphysical forms, and it is in this pursuit that good literature becomes distinguished from bad literature.22.All I am trying to do is to be practical and spare your eyesight and brain cells a lot of useless printed matter.All I am trying to do is to be of some practical use to you and help you avoid those useless books.spare v.: refrain from harming;save or relieve from an experience or action e.g.I can't spare him today we need everybody here.The hotel staff spared no pains to ensure that our stay was as enjoyable as possible.It was a horrible accident---I'll spare you the details.23.All you have to do is to arm yourselves with the works of poets in your mother tongue, preferably from the first half of this century, and you will be in great shape.All you have to do is to read the works of poets in your mother tongue, especially the poets from the first half of this century, and you will gain the most from reading.be in shape: be in good health;strong and healthy;fit.e.g.Bob exercises frequently, so he's in good condition.If I were in shape, I could run faster and farther.I'm really overweight.I have to try to get into shape.24.If, after going through the works of any of these, you drop a book of prose picked from the shelf, it won‟t be your fault.After you have read the works of any of these poets, if you cannot keep on reading a book of prose taken randomly from the bookshelf, it won‘t be your fault.(Here, the author implies that
the prose does not measure up to the standards of the works of those poets.)
25.If you continue to read it, that will be to the author‟s credit: that will mean that this author has something to add to the truth about our existence.If you can go on with the reading, the author, then, is worth reading, and it also means that this author has provided us with some truth about our lives.to sb.‟s credit: worthy of praise;in one‘s name
e.g.It is greatly to your credit that you gave back the money you found;your honesty does you credit.It is to my credit to help those in want.Key to Exercises I.Comprehension 1.Often books sit on the shelves absorbing dust long after the writer has turned into a handful of dust./ Books remain on the shelves absorbing dust long after the writer has died.2.Because, according to the author, good literature is defined by its distinction from bad literature.That is to say, good literature is good because it is not bad, and bad literature is bad because it is not good.This is rather paradoxical.3.Since we are all moribund, and since reading books is time-consuming, we need a compass in the ocean of books.If we do not have such a compass, it is difficult for us to find the right books to read.4.a.he can be a hack, as ignorant as ourselves;
b.he can have strong preference for a certain kind of writing or simply take bribery from the publishing house;
c.he might turn his review writing into an independent art form.5.If he had been a publisher, he would be putting on the books‘ covers not only their authors‘ names but also the exact age at which they composed this or that work.By so doing, he would enable readers to decide whether they care to consider the views of a book written by a person so much younger or so much older than themselves.6.This group of people are special because literature has always been a matter of some hundred names to them, because they feel awkward at large gatherings, do not dance at parties, tend to find metaphysical excuses for adultery, and are finicky about discussing politics;because they dislike themselves far more than their detractors do;because they still prefer alcohol and tobacco to drugs.These people won‘t participate in demonstrations, and they won‘t shoot themselves or their lovers.7.These people are unpardonably subjective in their views.8.The author suggests that the best way to develop good taste in literature is to read poetry.In the authors point of view, poetry is a great disciplinarian to prose and teaches the latter not only the value of each word but also the mercurial mental patterns of the species, alternatives to linear composition, the knack of omitting the self-evident, emphasis on detail, and the technique of anticlimax.9.If you believe in what the author says, all you have to do is to read the works of poets in your mother tongue, preferably from the first half of this century.10.It means that the book, which has added something to the truth about our existence, is worth reading.It would also mean, at the same time, that you have developed an incurable addiction to reading which is good for your life.II.Vocabulary 1.dimension 2.idiosyncratic 3.reckon 4.stance 5.lousy 6.paradox 7.debunk 8.disciplinary 9.semblance 10.vulnerable
III.Phrases 1.on the take 2.headed for 3.to his credit 4.putting…on;putting on 5.might as well 6.armed with 7.in more ways than one 8.act in IV.Error detection and correction 1.the greatest problems 2.in which 改成 which 3.credited 改成 credited with 4.Greatly high 改成 High 5.stood改成 standing 6.any other student 7.as much 改成as many 8.Though remembered 9.considering 改成 to consider 10.that they got 改成did they get
V.Cloze 1.shaped 2.desperate 3.objectivity 4.hierarchies 5.expected 6.chiefly 7.driven 8.unimpeachable 9.evaluate 10.perspective 11.industrial 12.affiliation 13.sponsors 14.support 15.acknowledgement
Text A 的参考译文
论读书
(赵亚莉 译)
总的来说,书本的寿命要比我们自己长。常常是写书的人早已化为了一堆黄土而其著作却依旧立在书架上积聚尘土,但恰恰是死后占有这一席之地的欲望促使人们笔耕不坠。
所以,当我们手中摆弄和翻动这些方块形物体的时候,设想我们手里抚弄的不是具体的书本,而是盛着我们自己回归大地的骨灰的瓮,那也没什么不对。毕竟,写一本书投入进去的,说到底是一个人只有一次的生命。有人说过进行哲学思考就是一步步趋向死亡。不管是谁说的,这种说法从几种意义来说都是有道理的,因为一个人绝不会因为写一本书而变年轻。
同样读一本书也不会使人更年轻。既然如此,我们自然倾向于读好书。然而,困难在于文学中的―好‖是通过区别―坏‖来鉴定的。此外,要写出一本好书,一个作家必须阅读大量平庸读物,否则他是没法找到必要的写作标准的。这可能就会为坏文学作品在最后审判日为自己辩护的最佳理由。
既然我们精力不济,既然读书很耗费时间,我们就必须找出一个能让我们至少表面上省时省力的方法来。当然不可否认长时间读一本厚厚的、情节发展缓慢的平庸小说所带来的乐趣,但我们最终目的毕竟不是为读书而读书,而是为了学到点什么。因此,我们需要一些最大限度地浓缩人生矛盾困境的作品,需要一些在浩如烟海的书籍中类似指南针一样的作品。
当然,这个指南针的职责是由文学评论及评论家们来担当的。不幸的是,指南针的针摆动得太没谱了。对某些人来说它指北,而对另一些人来说却是指南。评论家的问题有三:第一,他可能是个作品低劣的平庸文人,而且就和我们自己一样无知;第二,他可能对某一类作品特别偏爱或者干脆从出版社得到好处;第三,如果他是一个有才华的作家的话,他会将他的评论写成一篇独立于原作的文 学作品,在这一点上乔治·路易斯·博尔赫斯就是一个典型例子。结果,你可能会只读他的评论而不去管他评论的那本书了。
无论何种情况,你都会发现自己漂流在海洋中,紧紧抓住一只你不知道它能漂浮多久的木筏。因此,你如另谋他途就只好培养你自己的品味,制造自己的指南针,亲自去熟悉那些特殊的星星及星座,无论它们是暗淡的还是明亮的,但总是那么遥远的。不过,这样做要耗费大量的时间,以至于你很快就发现自己老了,头发白了,胳肢窝里夹着一本一无是处的书,正在走向人生的终点。
那么这样漂浮究竟在哪儿着陆呢,哪怕仅仅只是一个荒无人烟的小岛也好?我们的那个好人―星期五‖又在哪儿呢?在我提出我的建议之前,我想先就这一解决方法的提出者也就是鄙人说几句,这不是出自我的个人虚荣,而是因为我相信一种意见的价值是与它提出的背景密切相关的。确实,如果我是个出版商的话,我必将在每本书的封面上不仅印上作者名字,还要把他们创作这部或那部作品的确切年龄都印上,让读者自己决定是否愿意考虑这个比他们年轻得多或者老得多的作者作品里的观点。
这个即将提出的建议出自这样一类人,在他们看来,文学只不过是几百个人的名字而已;他们在大型聚会上感到别扭,在晚会上不跳舞,喜欢为通奸找玄学上的借口,谈论政治小题大作吹毛求疵;这类人比诽谤者更不喜欢他们自己;喜爱喝酒抽雪茄胜于吸海洛因或大麻――用WH奥登的话说,就是那种―你在街垒旁看不到,也绝不会朝自己或情人开枪的人。‖如果这样的人偶尔发现自己满身是血倒在监牢地板上,或是在讲坛上发表演讲的话,这是因为他们反对的不是某种特殊的非正义行为而是反对整个世界秩序。
他们对于自己观点的客观性不抱任何幻想;相反,他们坚持认为自己有不可宽恕的主观性。然而,他们这么做并非是为了掩护自己免受可能的攻击。他们采取与达尔文相反的态度,认为脆弱是一切生物的主要特征。这与其说是对自己不利处境感到满足,不如说他们本能地认识到极端的主观性、偏见,而且还有个人古怪行为可以帮助艺术避免成为陈腐的东西。而对陈腐的抵制恰好是使艺术有别于生活的地方。
现在你们知道了我要说的话的背景,我还是直说了好:培养良好文学情趣的方法就是读诗。如果你认为我这么说是因为我自己干的这一行而有偏爱,你就错了。因为我不属于任何一个行业组织。我想说的是,诗是人类语言的最高形式,不仅用最简洁的方式表述人类经验,而且还为任何语言活动尤其是书面语言提供最高的标准。
一个人诗读得越多,就越不能容忍任何形式得赘述和罗嗦。诗是从墓志铭及格言警句脱胎而出的,它对散文起很大的规范作用。它不仅教会后者每个词的价值而且教给它此种文体各种变换的思维模式,线性写作之外的多种选择,省略不言自明的东西的诀窍,强调细节以及运用突降法的技巧。最重要的是,诗在散文中培养起那种对形而上学的追求――那种把一部艺术作品与只具文学形式的作品区别开来的追求。
请不要误解我:我并不是要贬低散文。真实情况是文学开始于诗歌,游牧民族的歌要早于定居者写下来的东西。我要做的就是务实,避免使你的视力及脑细胞浪费在毫无用处的文字材料上。可以说,诗歌就是为这个目的而发明出来的。
你须做的是:读用你母语写的诗,以此来武装自己,最好是从本世纪前半叶的诗读起,那么你的状况会非常好。
如果你的母语是英语,我可以推荐你读下列诗人的作品:罗伯特弗罗斯特,托马斯哈代,叶芝,艾略特,奥登,玛丽安莫尔以及伊丽莎白毕晓普。
如果在读完了上面提到的任何一个诗人的作品后,你把从书架上拿的一本散文书弃之一旁,这不能怪你,要是你能继续往下读这本散文,这个作者就值得称赞;它意味着这个作者为我们生活的真理增添了某种有价值的东西。如果不是这样,那可能意味着阅读让你上了瘾,欲罢不能无法可想,单就这种隐而言,它并不是最坏的。
Text B Critical Reading toward Critical Writing
Key to Exercise 1.In order to write your own analysis of the subject, you will need to do careful critical reading of sources and to use them critically to make your own argument.2.Critical reading is one in which you make judgments about how a text is argued.It is a highly reflective skill requiring you to ―stand back‖ and gain some distance from the text you are reading.3.You need to avoid extracting and compiling lists of evidence, lists of facts and examples.4.The five techniques the author mentions are: a.First determine the central claims of purpose of the text(its thesis);b.Begin to make some judgments about context;c.Distinguish the kinds of reasoning the text employs;d.Examine the evidence(the supporting facts, examples, etc.)the text employs;e.Critical reading may involve evaluation.5.When you highlight argument, you need to pay attention to those areas in a text where an author explains her analytical moves, the concepts she uses, how she uses them, how she arrives at conclusions.6.It means that you should not substitute the quotation for your own articulation of a point.参考译文
批评性阅读与批评性写作 德保拉-诺特
多伦多大学
(李峤
译)
批评性写作必须以批评性阅读为基础。我们写的大多数文章都涉及对已有文章的研究与反思,因为这些文章对你的研究课题已经做出种种思考与探索。要对自己的研究课题进行深入的分析,必须对已有材料进行批评性研读与甄别,并在此基础上提出严谨的论点。你对已读材料的评判与解读是迈向明确阐述自己研究方法的第一步。
批评性阅读究竟是指什么呢?它是指对一篇文章的立论做出评价和判断。这是一个需要思考的高难度的技能。你必须―退一步‖,从远距离看这篇文章。(也许在深入细致地批评性研读之前你得浏览全文。)
关键是:不要只为或主要为获取信息而阅读。阅读时留心寻找研究本课题的思考方式。阅读或做重点标识以及做笔记时,避免对文中的例证事实做摘录或编排。阅读时不要问:―我能从文章中获取什么样的信息?‖而要问:―本文的论述如何?它又是如何展开论述的?其中的证据(事实,例子等)是如何安排和解释的?最终的结论又是如何得出的?‖ 怎样在阅读中寻找研究的思考方式呢? 1.首先要找准文章的主旨(即主题)。批评性阅读就是要辩析并评论文中的主要论点是如何一步步被推导论证的。
2.对文章的写作背景做出评判。如文章的目标读者是谁?它在与谁进行对话式 讨论?(比如对方很可能是持相反观点的学者或作者。)文章是什么样的历史背景下完成的?所有这些背景因素都会对评判全文有很大帮助。
3.对文章运用的推理方式进行判别。文章给哪些概念下了定义,又使用了哪些概念?本文是否支持一种或几种理论?是否展示了某种特定的方法论?如果本文显示了对某一特定概念,理论或方法的偏爱,那么这种概念,理论或方法又是如何被用来归纳解释数据的呢?你也可以考察一下文章的布局结构。作者如何分析(或驳斥)这些材料的?注意不同学科(如历史学,社会学,哲学,生物学)会运用不同的论证方法。
4.对文中运用的证据(如支持论点的事实,例子等)进行检验。支持性的论据对论点是至关重要的。经过前三个步骤,你现在的任务就是要抓住这些论据是如何被运用来推动支持论点以及其它主要观点理念的。前三个步骤是让你在上下文大背景下看这些论据。接下来请仔细考虑本文运用了哪些类型的论据。在此论点中本论据的重要性是什么?该论据是数据性的,文学性的,还是历史性的?诸如此类的问题。还有论据源于何处?这些出处是原始一手的还是间接二手的?
5.批评性阅读涉及评价与判断。如果你在阅读一篇文章时对其立论做出阐释或一系列评判,你的阅读就是批评性的阅读。然而有的文章可能需要你对论点的优缺点分别做出评价。如果文章立论有力,是什么原因?如果以其它方法来论证,是否效果更好?文中立论是否有遗漏或不一致之处?分析方法是否值得推敲?文中列出的论据还有其它解释么?这些论据能确保必然得出这些结论吗?其对立的论点又可能是什么呢? 一些实用性建议:
1.批评性阅读常发生在阅读的预备阶段。开始阅读时要快速略读全文。尤其是引言和结论部分,以便找准需要细读的重要部分。
2.在标出文中内容或摘录笔记时,要学会突出文章的论点:诸如作者在何处解释阐明她的分析步骤,她所运用的概念,以及如何运用这些概念。最后她又是如何得出结论的?不管文中的事实多么有趣,千万不要过分突出或孤立看待它们。首先要找到那些赋予实例目的,使命和意义的大框架。而每段的开头句很可能对此有所帮助。
3.在你开始考虑如何把文中部分论点用在自己的论文中时,要充分了解此部分在原文论点中是如何与其上下文和谐统一的。充分注意上下文是至关重要的判断的步骤。
4.如果你的引用直接摘自原文,要谨慎运用此引言。也就是说你不能直接把引用部分当自己的话说出来。相反,在介绍引言时要说明你对它的评价以及选用它的原因。引言之后常付有进一步的分析说明。
5.批评性阅读技巧也是批评性地听取的技巧。在课堂上不仅要听取具体信息,也要注意其思考方式。老师往往对与某一学科相宜的思考方式予以详细的讲解和例示。
Key to translation exercises:
1.为什么有些人强词夺理,专横跋扈,而另一些人却羞羞答答,优柔寡断?…… 为什么有些人贪婪自私,玩世不恭,而另一些人却平易近人?
2.从发展中国家的观点来看,下一个十年应有一个大力加速科学技术合作的纲领,旨在广泛传播技术以满足人们诸如营养、住宅、交通、卫生保健之类的基本需要。
3.尽管律师的见解和反应可能会提升新闻报道的质量,但记者最好凭借自己对该新闻意义的理解做出自己的判断。
4.达尔文在自传中谦虚地指出,他经常很难清晰而简洁地表达自己的思想,但他认为可能正因为有了这个困难,他才不得不对自己要说的每一句话进行长时间的认真思考,从而发现自己在推理和观察中的错误,结果这反而成了他的优点。
5.Presently, an educational reform is under way that centers on curriculums and teaching materials.As our main goal, we will try to reform the educational system so that it focuses on the enhancement of the students‘ abilities instead of training them merely to pass exams.We used to have only one set of textbooks in line with a single syllabus for each course.With the reform deepening, we are beginning to have more than one series of textbooks under the same syllabus or, in some cases, even more than one syllabus for the same course.In order to enhance students‘ abilities and strengthen educational administration for the variety of syllabuses and teaching materials available, it is necessary for us to formulate teaching targets suited to China‘s situation and particular subjects.Formulation of such targets is a difficult scientific project that must be organized and coordinated by the appropriate state education authorities.Unit Two Text A Recession-proofing your career
By Barbara Moses
I.Introduction 1.Warm-up activities:
a.Are you employable? Why? b.Discuss the positives and negatives of earning a doctorate degree for your career‟s development.(Reference)A questionnaire about your potential employability: 1.How does the subject you choose to study relate to your interests, attibutes and abilities? 2.If you are working while you are studying, what skills and knowledge does this give you an opportunity to develop? 3.What extra-curricular activities are you participating in? How do these reflect your interests and abilities? 4.What are your achievements in life so far? What does they say about your strengths and weaknesses? 5.If you are living independently, how has this challenged you? What have you learned from the experience? 6.Describe your personality.Analyze what strengths it provides and what challenges it creates? 7.What five things do you want to achieve from your university career? 8.What are your life/career goals at this stage and explain how they are linked with what you know about yourself? 9.How should I present myself in an interview? What evidence should I give to back up my claims?
2.Introductory remarks
In the text, Dr.Barbara Moses describes a new career development paradigm for today‘s employees, that is, guaranteed jobs have already become history and it‘s high time to engage in a lifelong, self-monitored process which can help to promote and prepare oneself for a change, esp.during periods of recession.She then suggests some skills which are indispensable when responding to new work trends.She recommends discovering both your overt and covert talents, making sure a wide range of positions are available to you, and never committing to any ―hot job‖ which exceeds either your interest or talent.Moreover, being skilled or qualified is not the only criteria.You must be able to ―market‖ yourself, to convince the employer that you are the most suitable candidate for the job, for which purpose you have to establish a social network that can help you make your career decisions ―both inside and outside of your professions.‖ Always follow work trends.Finally, psychological elements are also important, so never let yourself down and find a balance between the ambitious Type A and more relaxed Type B.In a word, don't be under the misconception that your job is always secure and if you work hard you‘ll surely get a good job.You must be fully responsible for the future prospects of your chosen career.II.Additional Information for the Teachers‟ Reference
1.Dr.Barbara Moses:
Fast Company magazine called her a ―career guru.‖ Dr.Barbara Moses, president of BBM Human Resource Consultants, is an internationally best-selling author, a popular columnist, and a sought-after speaker.Through her career management tools, workshops, and speeches Barbara has counseled people in over 2000 organizations from all walks of life and of all ages throughout her career.She understands what people require for happiness and engagement, as well as the challenges they sometimes struggle with.Barbara is consistently praised for her practical insights into modern work and personal realities, her stimulating and compelling delivery, and her tell-it-like-it-is style.Barbara holds degrees in psychology from McGill University, The London School of Economics and the University of Toronto.2.Basics of career management
Career management is defined by Ball, B.in Career management competences – the individual perspective(1997)as:1.making career choices and decisions;2.managing the organizational career – concerns the career management tasks of individuals within the workplace;3.managing 'boundaryless' careers;4.taking control of one's personal development.Careers were traditionally viewed as upward, linear progressions between one or two firms or as stable employment within a profession.Now someone‘s career is more likely to be driven by the individual(not by the organization)and reinvented from time to time, as both the person and the environment changes.Yesterday, employees exchanged loyalty for job security, but today they exchange their labor for the training and learning and development that will allow them to be marketable.Some companies are well aware of the change and accordingly adjust their policies towards their employees.For example, in traditional HR training and development, companies only tended to provide opportunities for learning skills, information and attitudes related to a specific job, but now they also provide career path information, individual growth orientation and so on.3.business cycle: A predictable long-term pattern of alternating periods of economic growth(recovery)and decline(recession), characterized by changing employment, industrial productivity, and interest rates.It is also called economic cycle.It consists of four stages:
Stage One – Start-up/Creation: is the nascent phase of the business during which business plans and strategies are finally executed and the business organization comes into existence.Stage Two – Growth: In Stage two, or the growth phase, of the business cycle the business establishes its niche in the market.The growth phase is thus marked by increased sales, rise in profit margins and an establishment of the brand name in the market.Stage Three – Maturity: The brand identity and brand image of the business are well established at this stage.This is the stage where the profit margins are fairly stable.Stage Four – Recession/Decline: Every business at some point in time, undergoes a period where it experiences a decline in its‘ sales and an overall unfavorable atmosphere in the market, termed a recession.This is the phase where the company struggles to maintain its existence in the market and tries its best to equip itself for a quick recovery.4.Type A and Type B personality:
Type A individuals can be described as impatient, excessively time-conscious, insecure about their status, highly competitive, hostile and aggressive, and incapable of relaxation.They are often high achieving workaholics who multi-task, drive themselves with deadlines, and are unhappy about the smallest of delays.Because of these characteristics, Type A individuals are often described as ”stress junkies.“ Type B individuals, in contrast, are described as patient, relaxed, and easy-going.There is also a Type AB mixed profile for people who cannot be clearly categorized.III.Language Points 1.Is your career recession-proof? Is your career planned well enough so that you are insured against recession?
-proof(-proofs-proofing-proofed): that can resist sth.or protect against sth.specified
a.combines with nouns and verbs to form adjectives
e.g.In a large microwave-proof dish, melt butter for 20 seconds.b.combines with nouns to form verbs e.g.inflation-proofed pensions.c.See also bullet-proof, childproof, fireproof, fireproof, ovenproof, soundproof, waterproof.2.A future downturn in the business cycle will only accelerate the pace of change---and make careful career management more crucial.Years of prosperity will yield a future economic downturn, which will speed up changes, so it‘s high time to carefully plan our careers now.3.In this fast-shifting world, there can be no guarantee attached to any particular job The world is changing so fast that no jobs are secure.attach
v.a.join or fasten to something e.g.For further information, please contact us on the attached form.b.join and stay with sb, sometimes without being invited to do so e.g.I attached myself to a group of tourists entering the museum.c.connect sth with sth;attribute sth to sth e.g.The authorities attached much significance to his visit.There will be considerable prestige attached to his new position.d.bind by personal ties(as of affection or sympathy)
e.g.We've grown very attached to this house and would hate to move.4.To survive this scenario you must be able to evaluate the currency of your skills---not just by the standards set by your current employer, but by wider industry and professional standards.In case you lose your job in the future, you must be able to estimate how widely your current skills can be applied---not just to your current job, but to jobs in other, or wider, industries and professional fields.5.Begin to actively pursue learning and development opportunities, including ones that will stretch you.---Begin to actively pursue learning and development opportunities, including ones that will make you work hard and use all your energy and skills.6.Don‟t let yourself be held back by a lack of skill portability, or fear of change.Don‘t shrink because your current skills cannot be transferred and applied to other jobs, or by fear of change.hold back
a.hesitate before you do something because you are not sure whether it is the right thing to do.e.g.Melancholy and mistrust of men hold her back.b.prevent someone from doing something, or to prevent something from progressing e.g.Stagnation in home sales is holding back economic recovery c.not disclose information or make it public e.g.The government held back the findings of the report for fear of alienating voters d.keep sth.in reserve to use later.18 e.g.Farmers apparently hold back produce in the hope that prices will rise..e.not show emotions
e.g.I felt my lower lip quiver from the effort of trying to hold back the tears I felt threatening the inside corner of my right eye.7.I often meet people who have been good performers in their own organization but who have discovered that they are stuck.---I often meet people who have been performing well in their own organization but who have discovered that they are unable to change the present job or get away from it.8.Because they have become so closely identified with a particular company or industry, their skills are not perceived as being readily transferable to other settings.Because they have been so closely associated with a particular company and industry, they tend to think that their current skills cannot be easily transferred to other work environments.identify with:
a.regard oneself as sharing the characteristics or fortunes of sb;take sb as a model e.g.I know more that I am, and can identify with, all that is good, true, and beautiful.b.be closely associated or involved in some way;give support to sb./sth.e.g.The politician refuse to identify himself with the administration 's foreign policy.He tends to identify justice with legality.9.Don‟t put all your eggs in one basket.Don‘t stake everything on a single cast of the dice;Don‘t put everything at risk.10.In other words, redefine the way in which you work, and your relationship to potential purchasers of your skills and knowledge to ensure your employability.---In other words, consider from a new perspective the way you work, and your relationship to the people who may be so interested in your skills and knowledge as to employ you, in which case you will have better chances of being employed in the future.11.They think it means they are without substance, with no enduring value, programmed to self-destruct every few years.They think it means that they are without importance or enduring value and their previous skills will become so unimportant that they will have to start over every few years.12.They fear they will be required to reinvent themselves constantly.---They fear that they will be required to change the way they behave or the things that they are doing from time to time.13.Actually, most people will not be embarking on entirely new careers so much as reconfiguring existing skills and experience in new ways.Actually, most people will not start completely new careers, but rather readjust existing skills and experience in new ways.embark on:(embarks, embarking, embarked)a.start(esp.sth.new or difficult)e.g.He's embarking on a new career as a writer.Never embark on what comes after without having mastered what goes before.b.go on board before the start of a journey.e.g.As millions of air travelers embark on holiday flights this week, some of them will be flying on jetliners fresh off the assembly line.not so much…as: not one thing but rather sth.else
e.g.She's not so much poor as careless with money.The tragedy of life is not so much what men suffer as what they miss.14.Like a child‟s Lego pieces, these are the building blocks that you can continually reassemble, though in slightly new configurations, as you move through your career.---Like a child‘s Lego pieces, your core skills are the building blocks that you can bring together again and again, but as you change your jobs from time to time, the skills may be integrated in slightly different ways.15.Develop a work identity independent of your job, defining yourself by what you do rather than simply by your job title.---Don‘t limit your work identity within your present job, defining yourself by what you do rather than what your job is.16.In the new workplace, people must perform at an exceedingly high level now, while at the same time always marketing for the future---keeping one eye on the next work assignment and positioning themselves for it.In the new workplace, people must perform very well now, while at the same time continually advertising themselves to prepare for future job opportunities---paying attention to the next work assignment and readying themselves for getting the position.keep one eye on: watch carefully e.g.Jack is another of those greedy-guts who keep one eye on the bowl and the other on the pan
17.In today‟s hyperkinetic business environments, being able to give busy potential clients hard information that they can use may be much more desirable than just “schmoozing” them.---Today‘s business environments are overly stressed, so it is more desirable to offer busy potential clients substantial information that they can use than talk with them over nothing.18.Successful people reflect, in an honest way, on things that didn‟t go well, but they don‟t beat themselves up for it, endlessly revisiting the event.Successful people reflect honestly on the negative things, but when they recall the event from time to time, they don‘t always blame themselves for it.beat up: a.hit or kick the person many times e.g.The government supporters are beating up anyone they suspect of favouring the demonstrators.b.worry about sth.a lot or blame yourself for sth.(Informal)e.g.Tell them you don't want to do it any more.Don't beat yourself up about it.19.Given the complex economic, cultural and demographic global environment in which we operate, it is critical to stay tuned to larger cultural trends that affect the landscape and context of work.Given the complex economic, cultural and demographic global environment around us, it is necessary to keep up with larger cultural trends that affect the environment and background of work.20.While that certainly happens, I find that some of these individuals are not on top of key trends.While that certainly happens, I find that some of these individuals are not well informed about key trends.Key to Exercises I.Reading Comprehension 1.The business world today is a Tempworld where everything shifts rapidly and we are all temporary workers.2.Being an career activist means stepping back from the frenzy of daily business to reflect on what you are doing, why you are doing it, and whether it meets your short-and long-term needs.It means taking the long view of your career.3.―Employability‖ is a measure of your attractiveness, as a worker, to potential employers;―skill portability‖ refers to the transferability of a worker's skills when the worker changes jobs
4.Developing a work identity means being independent of your job, defining yourself by what you do rather than simply by your job title.5.No.Don‘t enter a field just because you think that‘s where the hot jobs are, because it may not end up matching well with particular skills and abilities.6.To establish knowledge networks is to cultivate long-term relationships with people who know how to get things done.7.Type A is the achievement-oriented behavior style;Type B is able to feel good about oneself both when one is producing or not.Type A can sustain the pressures of intense productivity pressures better than Type B, but thinking a Type B can help one face setbacks.8.Being in tune with pop culture can help you establish personal relationships and manage your career more effectively.II.vocabulary 1.conventional 2.intoxicated 3.imperative 4.frenzy 5.scenario 6.temporary
III.Phrases 1.in tune with 2.identified with 3.not so much/ as 4.attach to 5.hold back
IV.Error detection and correction 1.The new tenant in the apartment was obviously both suspicious of and interested in his neighbors.2.The changes that have taken place in air travel during the last sixty years would have seemed completely impossible to even the most brilliant scientists at the turn of the 19th century.3.A break in their employment,or a decision to work part time,will slow their raises and promotions.
4.The distinguished biographer John Forster tried to afford his readers a view into Dickens‘s tormented soul by recounting the novelist‘s marital problems.5.Around 40 percent of the 4,000 people questioned admitted that they had lied about reading certain books just so they could join in conversation.6.Human society has demonstrated a persistent/insistent/consistent need to record and 7.enroll
8.vulnerable 9.rigorous 10.embarked interpret the lives of real people: to celebrate their achievements, and also to explore their personalities 7.Dad never tried to be funny.He made you laugh because he tried so hard not to.8.Life here is not so much different from in the United States as it is slower-paced, lived with more style and more grace.9.Provence cannot be bottled or shipped home.It has to be lived, one day at a time, doing so little and enjoying it so much.10.Some years after marriage, a couple would rather maintain a minimum distance of three feet between themselves than occasionally hold hands as they did in their youth.V.Cloze
1.worshipping 2.friends 3.deferential 4.privilege 5.tolerance 6.narcissistic 7.personal 8.feet 9.on 10.demand
11.implications
12.than 13.closer 14.communicate 15.debt
参考译文:
如何使你的职业免受经济衰退的冲击
你的职业经受得住经济衰退的冲击吗?
事实上,我谈论的并不是你目前职业的稳定性,因为现在没有牢靠的职业。即使在经济繁荣的时候,企业为了提高效率和竞争力也经常重组和裁员。而经济循环的衰退前景只会加快变化的速度---因此,必须更加谨慎地规划自己的职业业。
如今,不管我们在职场从事的是什么工作,我们都只是临时工。不管我们是传统的专职工、还是零散工、合同工、或自由职业者,我们都生活和工作在一个―临时世界‖ 之内。在这个世界里,一切都转变的很快,没有永久不变的东西。无论是你的工作地点,你从事的工作还是你的技能以及你的工作伙伴,一切都在变化当中。
在这样飞速变化的世界里,任何工作都没有安全保障。但是你可以学习一些
(方芳 译)
技能来更有效地规划自己的事业,使自己免受变化和经济震荡的影响。也就是说,你需要成为一名职业积极行动者。
这意味着你要从纷繁的日常事务中抽身出来,认真反思你正在从事的工作,你做这件事的原因,以及它是否符合你的和长短期目标。也就是对你的事业作一个长远规划。
面对充满变数的临时世界,你需要对新的职业趋势采取针对性的应对策略,来保卫你的事业免受经济危机的影响。以下几条建议可以帮助职业积极行动者更好地应对未来的经济前景:
1.确保你适应雇佣的标准
如果某一天你失去了主要收入来源,那你能找到替代的收入渠道吗?要做到这一点,你必须估算一下你的技能的通用性(不仅要依据你当前雇主的标准,也要参照更广泛的产业和专业标准。)
首先描述一下你在过去六个月中所学到的某个重要技能,再预测一下未来六个月里你打算学习的技能。积极地学习,追寻发展机遇,包括那些你倾注全力才能得到的机会。你学的越多,你的选择就越多。
要保障自己当前和未来的事业,最重要的是确保自己有多种选择。不要因为缺乏某种技能(我在这家公司已经工作这么长时间了,我不可能会做别的工作),或是因害怕变化而退缩。
我经常遇到有些人在本公司工作的挺不错,但却缺乏应对变化的能力。因为他们已经认同了本公司或行业的经营方式,认为他们的技能很难适用于其它商业环境。要权衡你自己与社会标准和企业内部标准的差距。企业联合会和网络都会对你有所帮助。
2.给自己留一条退路
人力资源部经理卡罗尔·K为一家大型公共事业公司工作。预料到自己的工作会受到管理制度变化的影响,因此目前正在攻读另类纠纷调解方面的文凭。―我知道我的工作很不稳定,‖ 她说,―这么一来,就算情况再糟,我也能挂牌营业,当一名纠纷调解员。‖
别把蛋放在一个篮子里。如果你将自己的发展限制在某一特定领域或部门,那你也限制了自己的机会。当今社会重要的是要拥有多重选择、多重途径、多重角色。比如说,如果你只把自己看成是个员工,而不明白你的技能对于不同部门、不同行业的不同类型的雇佣关系有何作用,那你的职业选择就相当局限了。
给自己留一条退路意味着即使你宁愿当个专职雇员,你也不妨把自己当成个出售技能的合同工、自由职业咨询顾问,或者是个小业主。换句话说,重新定义你工作的方式,以及你与有可能购买你技能和知识的买主的关系,从而确保将来能达到被雇佣的标准。这意味着发展一种新的思维模式。
3.了解你的主要技能
我们都听说过,未来我们会同时从事五到七种职业。当我在工厂提到这个时,很多人觉得震惊。他们认为这意味着他们无足轻重,没有长远价值了,而且每隔几年就注定要自我淘汰一次。他们害怕会被不时要求重塑自我。
确实,与其说大部分人能从事完全不同的工作(建筑师变成农艺师),不如说,他们是以全新的方式重新规划现有的技能和经验(建筑师/园艺爱好者开始设计和建造温室,并投入商业用途)。
了解你的潜在或核心技能。这些技能就像孩子的积木一样,你在职业生涯中可以对之不断重新组合,其构成效果可能稍有不同。确定你的专长和主要技能需要严格的自我评估。问问自己有什么看家本领。
你的工作定位不应依托于你的工作,要看看你能做什么,而不仅仅根据你的职位定义你的工作性质。把自己看成是独家技能和能力的主人,而这些技能可以被应用于各种工作和项目。
4.为自己能胜任的领域作准备
在全球市场上,工作的转变就像股市变幻一样迅速。当前最热门的工作将来可能就过时。有些人听人鼓吹说目前严重缺乏信息技术人员,担心自己不合雇佣条件,也去报名参加信息技术课程。如果你热爱计算机,那这项工作选的不错,但不要仅仅因为你认为那是热门职业就去从事那份工作,即使你能得到相关工作,它也不一定适合你技能的发挥。先评估一下你自己的专长和爱好,然后再到就业市场上寻找最适合自己的位置。
不要为具体的工作作准备,而要确定你想从事的工作领域,像软件设计或市场分析类的技术部门还是像团队建设、领导脑力工作者或公关建设类的非技术领域。
5.推销!推销!推销!
在新的工作岗位上,人们必须展示极高的技能水平,同时还要能推销自己,以备将来---密切注意下一个工作任务,并为此做好准备。
推销自己并不是没完没了地向全世界展示自己一连串的证书和成就,而是让 25 其他的关键人物了解你的主要技能及其价值。你应该让潜在客户了解你的主要成就以及你如何运用这些成就满足他们的要求。你应该在自己的行业内外建立和维持一个活跃的人际网络。
你要深思熟虑,不断构建你的网络,也就是要建立一个―信息网络,‖而不仅仅是在商业或社交会议上交换名片或电邮地址。好的人际网络是―联网的‖。它们的涵盖面广,远远超出自己的行业边界。会构建这些网络的人与会办事的人培养感情关系。他们知道找谁了解情况,找谁推荐,或找谁能得到美差。
如果不习惯面对面的网络交际,你可以用点别的办法。你可以给一些商业杂志写文章,在专业会议上发言,建立自己的网页,或主持一个专业会议,从而让人们知道你是某一领域的专家。当今的商业环境过度紧张,能给繁忙的潜在客户提供确实的信息,要比仅仅向他们―夸夸其谈‖好得多。
要和人们建立长期的关系。我们会在不同的雇主之间奔波,你们很可能发现自己转而又在为以前的雇主工作,所以要把每个共事者(无论是老板、同事、顾客,还是供应商)都当成潜在的客户。
6.像A型人那样行动,像B型人那样思考
A型人追求成就的行为模式,曾经是我们社会上成功的典范。在当今的经济环境中,人们仍然极其渴望像A型人一样具备高度的目标感、责任感、毅力和强烈的上进心。
无论工作有没有成效,无论成绩有没有得到认可,B型人总是自我感觉良好。也就是说,我们要培养一种不受制于成就和成绩的自我感觉。
沉迷于工作的A型人要比更为放松的B型人更能承受强烈的工作压力。所以,我们应像A型人那样行动。
但同时,我们的工作环境比以前的更加辛苦。我们得不到以前那样的回报、表扬和积极的反馈,因为每个人都很忙。另外,有的时候,我们可能会失业,这样就失去了自我表现的机会。这对A型人来说非常糟糕,因为他们的自我评价完全取决于他们的表现和成就。
所以,我们还得像B型人那样思考。7.培养情感上的调适能力
在―临时世界‖里,你必须经得住失望的折磨,尽力应付紧张的局面,沉着地应对压力。你要自我调节,既能面对成功,也能应对失败。不要因为失败而崩溃,你必须从挫折中学习经验以利将来。成功者诚实地看待失败,不断反思,但他们 26 从不沮丧。
8.跟上文化潮流
我常常感到吃惊的是,很多资深商务和专业人士在文化上却是目光短浅。面对复杂的经济、文化和人口的全球环境,关键是要跟得上那些影响我们工作环境和背景的文化大潮。
应该阅读专业范围以外的东西。这意味着,无论是书评、国际商务杂志,还是与社会总趋势有关的纪实文学,都要广泛阅读。要钻研兼收并蓄的期刊和报纸或参加网上讨论小组。关注流行文化,了解不同经济部门和人口群体的观点。世界大事和文化事件都会直接影响你的工作。
要尽力从上述渠道中搜集那些能够影响你的工作的重要动向、可能的技术应用新趋势、竞争对手以及大众的习惯走向。公众观点从来没有像现在这样在日常的政治和商务决策中起到如此重要的作用。
有时候,老年人告诉我们他们因为年龄受到歧视。这种情况确实存在,但我发现他们有些人确实跟不上时代潮流。与时代思潮保持一致有助于你建立人际关系和更有效地开展业务。
Text B The Roots of My Ambition
Key to Exercises Reading Comprehension 1.Be ambitious and never give up.2.Russell‘s mother quoted the example of Edwin to show how far a man could go without much talent.She said this to encourage her son.3.He was most interested in reading newspapers.4.When I was employed by the Baltimore Sun and complained about the wages, mum encouraged me by saying ―If you work hard at this job, maybe you can make something of it.Then they‘ll have to give you a raise.‖;When I was sent to cover the White House and puffed up, mum said, ―Well, Russ, if you work hard at this White House job, you might be able to make something of yourself.‖ She always tried to keep me motivated.5.The new age exalted love, self-gratification and passive Asian philosophies that aimed at helping people resign themselves to the status quo.Much of this seemed preposterous to me.6.She might have put too much emphasis on money and position.7.He didn‘t think much of their lifestyle but he gradually accepted it as a different path to success.8.(open)
参考译文
我的自强之源
我的母亲现已离开人世,但仍不时浮现在我心中。她有时天还未亮就把我叫醒,―如果有什么东西我不能容忍,那就是畏难而退的人。‖
我一生中不断听到她说这句话。现在,躺在床上,在黑暗中慢慢醒来,想重回梦乡而不愿面对崭新的一天,我感觉到了她正在怒气冲冲的与我体内那个没出息的懒汉作斗争。
我默默地抗议:我不再是个孩子了。我已经混出了点名堂,我完全可以睡会儿懒觉。
―罗素,你一点上进心都没有,简直像个呆头呆脑的傻瓜。‖ 自从我还是个穿短裤的孩子时,她就用这些话激励着我前进。―你要干出点名堂!‖ ―不要畏难而退!‖ ―要有点志气,孩子。‖
我心里的那个―文明人‖嘲笑实利主义和那些追求成功的人。―他‖读过哲学家和社会评论家的书,认为把一生花在追求金钱、权利和名声上是庸俗的、无价值的,就在这时母亲的话似乎又在耳边响起---―有时你的表现简直让人觉得连拿子弹把你枪毙掉都嫌浪费。‖
外祖父死后除了债务外什么也没留下,所以母亲的日子一直很艰难。家里的房子没有了,兄弟姐妹各奔东西,而外祖母又染上了致命的肺病,情绪沮丧,一心想要自杀,最后被送到了疯人院。母亲那时候刚上大学,却不得不辍学找工作。
结婚五年,生了三个小孩之后,丈夫于1930年死去,留下她一贫如洗,不得不把襁褓中的奥得丽送给别人收养。她做过的最勇敢的事可能就是把只有十个月大的奥得丽送给汤姆叔叔和戈尔迪婶婶。汤姆叔叔是我父亲的兄弟,在铁路上有份好工作,能使奥得丽过上舒适的日子。
母亲带着我和另一个妹妹到新泽西州投奔艾伦舅舅,成了靠别人救济的穷亲戚。最终,她在一家洗衣店找到了工作---补辍杂货店的工作服,一个星期十美元。
如果我长大之后成为总统或是富商,母亲可能会更喜欢。但是,虽然她很爱我,她也不会骗自己。我还在上小学的时候,她就看出我缺乏赚大钱和赢得众人拥戴的天赋。于是,她开始促使我对文字产生兴趣。
文字天赋在她家世代相传。从她的外祖父起,似乎就有一个文字基因代代传承。他是个中学教师,女儿露莉会写诗,儿子查理成为《巴尔的摩先驱报》驻纽约记者。那是正值新旧世纪之交,内战后的美国南方仍然贫困,文字工作倒是条出路。
最明显的例子就是母亲的大表兄埃德温,他是《纽约时报》的总编,并且曾去过欧洲各地,这足以证明文字的魅力。它可以将你从弗吉尼亚州的穷县僻壤送到那样遥远光辉的地方,让你的亲戚又惊又羡,目瞪口呆。因此,我母亲常以埃德温为例,说明一个人即使天分不高也可以前程远大。
―埃德温·詹姆士并不比别人聪明,可是你看看他如今的地位,‖母亲一而再,再而三的说。结果我长大之后,竟把埃德温看成个交了好运的呆子。或许,她真的是那么看的,但她的话其实另有深意。她是在告诉我:达到埃德温的地位,不必特别聪明,要想攀上顶峰,秘诀就是:努力,努力,努力!
当母亲看出我可能有文字天赋时,便开始着意栽培。尽管穷的要命,她仍给我订了一套《世界文学名著》,每本39美分,每月一本。
我尊敬那些伟大的作家,但更喜欢读报纸。我贪婪地读着报上每一个字---恐怖的犯罪行为、可怕的事故以及发生在遥远战场的野蛮屠杀。我对有关杀人犯死在电椅上的描述很感兴趣,甚至还十分留意死囚们点的快餐。
1947年,我从约翰·霍普金斯大学毕业,得知《巴尔的摩太阳报》需要一名采访警方新闻的记者。我有两三个大学同班同学也在申请这份工作,而为什么选中了我至今仍是个迷。这工作提供的薪水是每周30美元,我抱怨说这对大学毕业生来说简直是个侮辱,但我母亲丝毫不同情我。
―要是你努力做事,‖ 她说,―也许你能会干出点名堂,那时他们就会给你加薪。‖
七年后,《太阳报》派我报道白宫新闻。对于大多数记者而言,担当白宫记者不亚于一步登天。我才29岁,不由得沾沾自喜。我去跟母亲讲了这个事情,想看到她高兴的样子。其实,我早该明白我不该抱这样的期望。
―好啊,罗斯,‖她说,―要是你把报道白宫的事干好,或许你能弄出些名堂。‖
不断前进、不断向上就是她设定的道路。不应该凭借小小的成绩骄傲自满。停步不前、自我陶醉的人好景不常。即使攀上顶峰,你也最好不要松懈。―爬的越高,跌的越重‖是她最喜欢的格言之一。
刚投身报界的头几年,我怀有一个充满孩子气的荒诞想法,想给表叔埃德温来个―回敬‖。要是我成为个著名记者,连《纽约时报》都来聘请我,却不知道我和伟大的埃德温是亲戚,岂不乐哉?要是埃德温本人把我请进他的大办公室,说,―小伙子,谈谈你的个人情况,‖岂不妙哉?当我回答,―我就是你的穷表妹露西·伊丽莎白·罗宾逊的独生子,‖岂不快哉?
一天,事情的发展竟然完全超出我那孩子气的最荒唐的幻想。《纽约时报》 真的来叩门了,但当我去应聘时,表叔埃德温已经离开了报社。最后,报社请我在上面开辟一个专栏,这在美国新闻界乃是最引人注目的目标之一。
它不是一个传播新闻的专栏,而是作家用不同的文学形式(随笔、讽刺、打油诗,有时甚至是小说)评论时事的专栏。这证明了母亲早年对我文学天赋的判断和引导是十分正确的。
这个专栏获得了各种应得的奖励,包括1979年的普利策奖。但母亲永远都不会知道了,因为前一年,她的脑循环系统出了问题,住进了疗养院,从此和社会生活断了联系。
我只能猜测母亲得知我获得普利策奖的反应。她一定会说,―干的不错,孩子。说明你只要认真做事,努力加油,总有一天你会混出点名堂的。‖
终于,母亲一再灌输而我毕生身体力行的价值观受到了攻击。二十世纪六、七十年代,国内意见分化严重。那些承认想有所作为的人被看成是―功利主义者,‖ 因为他们把生命浪费在无休无止的疯狂竞争当中。―进取‖一词从语言中消失了。
一开始,我试图顺应新时代的潮流,决定不像母亲当年那样,用陈腐的要求来激励我的孩子们,要他们有所作为。
新时代强调爱、自足和消极的亚洲哲学。这种哲学致力于劝导人们听天由命、安于现状。可是其中大部分观点对我来说都是十分荒谬的,但我也承认母亲有可能会把我培养成一个粗俗的功利主义者(她的生活准则中,一个不足之处是强调金钱和地位),因此我就把这些非正统的疑问藏在心底。
可是后来,认识到我根本没有激起孩子的进取心,我终于爆发了。有一天吃晚饭的时候,我听见自己大声嚷嚷,―难道你们不想有所作为吗?‖
孩子们看上去莫名其妙。有所作为?多奇怪的话。我看的出来他们在想:爸爸不是真的生气,都是他饭前喝的那几杯马蒂尼酒在作怪。
我这样嚷嚷并不是因为酒,而是因为母亲。酒不过给了我勇气向他们宣布。是的,上帝作证,我一直相信成功,一直相信没有苦干和自律,一个人休想有何作为,因为他不配!
事态随后的发展表明:孩子们糟糕的成绩单并不预示着他们是失败者。他们只是不愿按照常人的做法亦步亦趋,我本应为此而高兴。现在,他们已经长大成人,有了自己的孩子,我们相亲相爱,相聚时非常愉快。
家庭都是这样:我们继承老一辈的传统,留给子女传之将来。这使得先人在去世之后人仍长久地活在我们心中。
―如果有什么东西我不能容忍,那就是畏难而退的人。‖ 上帝啊,我仍听见她在说话。
Key to translation exercise:
1.The ceaseless emergence and ceaseless resolution of contradictions constitute the dialectical law of the development of things.2.1967年联合国文件要求在以色列撤出所占领的土地以及阿拉伯承认以色列的生存权的基础上来解决中东冲突。
3.侵略有多种方式:单方面废除条约与国际义务,干涉别国内政,威胁弱小邻国,强迫实行不平等,公然入侵别国领土瓜分别国,征服殖民地民族,否认自决权以及基本人权。
4.海鸥善于飞行。它们可以连续飞很远。能从一个国家的一端飞到另一端,此间只需偶尔短暂休息一下。海鸥也善于滑翔。它们仿佛在高空中沿着无形的滑道轻松滑翔。海鸥还善于游泳。海鸥长着脚蹼一—脚爪间相连的小块皮肤一—游泳时就是小小的浆。海鸥还善于浮水,它们可以像木块那样浮在水上。这对海鸥非常有用,因为在漫长的越洋飞行中,它们可以落到水面上小憩一下。
5.For many people in small towns and villages, the death of someone known to them or the installation of traffic lights at a busy street corner nearby can sometimes attract their attention more than a disaster far away in another country.That‘s why British local newspapers almost have as large a circulation as its national counterparts.The local newspapers often make no comment on problems of national importance and editors rarely hold with sides on political affairs.But they can often be of service to the community in expressing the public‘s feeling on local issues.32
Unit Three Text A Lies
Introductory Remarks People usually have very negative views regarding lies.Liars are frequently criticized, even cursed.Yet this passage exemplifies a different perspective, one which cruelly reveals the fact that everyone tells lies and that lies are indispensable for happiness, perhaps even our very survival.According to the author, lies are consoling elements that can soothe dying patients and help consolidate the requirements of a society.Lies make us feel superior to other species and disguise our mortal doom.Religions abound with myths and tales, which are basically lies that provide human beings with a sense of safety.People need big lies, though they are occasionally taken advantage of, because lying disguises our mortality, our inadequacies, our fears and anxieties, our loneliness in the midst of the crowd.Text-related Information 1.Pablo Picasso:(October 25, 1881 – April 8, 1973)an Andalusian-Spanish painter, draughtsman, and sculptor.As one of the most recognized figures in twentieth-century art, he is best known for co-founding the Cubist movement and for the wide variety of styles embodied in his work.Among his most famous works are the proto-Cubist Les Demoiselles d'Avignon(1907)and his depiction of the German bombing of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War, Guernica(1937).2.Crucifixion: an ancient method of execution, whereby the condemned person is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross(of various shapes)and left to hang until death.3.Immaculate conception: according to Roman Catholic dogma, the conception of Mary, the mother of Jesus without any stain of original sin.The dogma thus says that, from the first moment of her existence, she was preserved by God from the lack of sanctifying grace that afflicts mankind, and that she was instead filled with
divine grace.It is further believed that she lived a life completely free from sin 4.the Flood: also known as the Deluge.The cause of this judgment was the corruption and violence that filled the earth in the ninth generation from Adam.God in righteous indignation determined to purge the earth of the ungodly.5.Resurrection: Christianity uses the term to refer to God's resurrection of Jesus.The resurrection of Jesus is the central doctrine in Christianity.The entire Christian faith hinges upon the centrality of the resurrection of Jesus on the third day, and the hope for a life after our own death.Christians annually celebrate the resurrection of Jesus at Easter time as well as weekly by holding services on Sunday(the day of the week of Jesus' resurrection)or Lord's Day.6.Reincarnation: literally ”to be made flesh again“, is a doctrine or metaphysical belief that some essential part of a living being(in some variations only human beings)survives death to be reborn in a new body.7.Andrew Greeley:(born February 5, 1928 in Oak Park, Illinois, to Andrew and Grace Greeley)is an Irish-American Roman Catholic priest, sociologist, journalist and best selling author.He has given numerous interviews on both radio and television.Greeley is also Professor of Sociology at the University of Arizona and is a Research Associate with the National Opinion Research Center(NORC)at the University of Chicago.He also writes a weekly column for the Chicago Sun-Times and contributes regularly to The New York Times, the National Catholic Reporter, America, and Commonweal.8.Adolf Hitler:(20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945)was an Austrian-born German politician who led the National Socialist German Workers Party, more commonly known as the Nazi Party.He was Chancellor of Germany(1933–1945)and Führer und Reichskanzler of Germany(1934–1945).Hitler was a decorated veteran of World War I who achieved leadership of the Nazi Party in Weimar Germany.Following his imprisonment after a failed coup, he gained support by promoting nationalism, antisemitism and anti-communism with charismatic oratory and
propaganda.The Nazis executed or assassinated many of their opponents, restructured the state economy, rearmed the armed forces and established a totalitarian and fascist dictatorship.Hitler pursued a foreign policy with the declared goal of seizing Lebensraum(”living space“).The German invasion of Poland in 1939 caused the British and French Empires to declare war on Germany, leading to the outbreak of World War II in Europe.The Axis Powers occupied most of continental Europe and parts of Asia and Africa.Eventually the Allies defeated the Wehrmacht and Schutzstaffel(SS).By 1945, Germany was in ruins.Hitler's bid for territorial conquest and racial subjugation caused the deaths of 43 million people, including the systematic genocide of an estimated six million Jews, not including various additional ”undesirable" populations, in what is known as the Holocaust.During the final days of the war in 1945, as Berlin was being invaded by the Red Army, Hitler married Eva Braun.Less than 24 hours later, the two committed suicide in the Führerbunker.9.Jews: A Jew is a member of the Jewish people, an ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East.The Jewish people and the religion of Judaism are strongly interrelated, and converts to Judaism have been absorbed into the Jewish community throughout the millennia.10.Gypsies: members of a wandering race(by themselves called Romany), of Hindu origin, which first appeared in England about the beginning of the 16th century and was then believed to have come from Egypt.11.Alchemy: a part of the Occult Tradition, is both a philosophy and a practice with an ultimately unknown aim, involving the improvement of the alchemist as well as the making of several substances described as possessing unusual properties.The practical aspect of alchemy generated the basics of inorganic chemistry, namely concerning procedures, equipment and the identification and use of many current substances.35
Language Points 1.You may not want to tell your very ill parent or relative or young child that he or she is terminally ill and will die a painful death.You will feel reluctant to tell someone, maybe your parent or relative or young child, the truth that they are suffering from a mortal disease and will die painfully.terminally: adv.A terminal illness or disease causes death, often slowly, and cannot be cured.e.g.He was eventually diagnosed as suffering from terminal cancer.2.Governments lie quite frequently to stay in power by persuading people that their needs and desires are being attended to and that they are safe.Governments often tell lies about how people‘s needs and requirements are fulfilled and how their lives are free from danger in order to maintain their dominance over the public.3.“Art is a lie that tells the truth”
A famous quote from Spanish painter Picasso, which implies that art itself is not real, but it discloses some truth about the world.4.Historians select the information that they can fit into their scheme of history.They never have the whole story so they construct one.Historians do not know every detail of historical events, so they make up some historical facts according to their own understanding and preferences.5.Do you want to know that there is no life after death? That this brief, often perplexing journey on earth is all there is? Do you want to know that death is the end of one‘s life? And that death will put an end to your short and often troublesome life once and for all(i.e.no Resurrection)?
perplex: v.If something perplexes you, it confuses and worries you because you do not understand it or because it causes you difficulty.e.g.It perplexed him because he was tackling it the wrong way.6.…that there are no biological differences that point to the superiority(or inferiority)of any group of people anywhere and that we share 99% of the DNA of chimpanzees? No one group of people is superior or inferior to any other group biologically and human beings are similar to chimpanzees in terms of DNA.superiority: n.If one thing or person is superior to another, the first is better than the second.e.g.The technical superiority of laser discs over tape is well established.inferiority: n.Something that is inferior is not as good as something else.e.g.I found it difficult to shake off a sense of social inferiority.7.We know which lies and which “truths” to transmit in order to maintain the kind of society the people in power(and many of its citizens)want and need.We share only the kinds of lies and truths that socially beneficial, that is, necessary and desired by the ruling class and its citizens.transmit: v.convey.If you transmit an idea or feeling to someone else, you make them understand and share the idea or feeling.e.g.He transmitted his keen enjoyment of singing to the audience.8.Because we need our lies to mask our fear and anxiety about life and death… Because we deliberately use lies to conceal our fear and anxiety about life and death…
mask: v.If you mask your feelings, you deliberately do not show them in your behavior, so that people cannot know what you really feel.Conceal, hide.37 e.g.Dena lit a cigarette, trying to mask her agitation.9.We play the part(s)required by our institutions in order to maintain order, stability and predictability;we participate actively in our own deception!We act in accordance with the requirements of our society so as to keep it orderly, stable and under control.We are conscious of our lies when we use them for such purpose.predictability: noun form of predictable.If you say that an event is predictable, you mean that it is obvious in advance of its occurrence.e.g.This was a predictable reaction, given the bitter hostility between the two countries.10.Security is the result of a social order that has clearly defined rules and rituals and a corpus of necessary lies transmitted from generation to generation that maintain that society.Social safety is derived from the detailed principles, conventions and a collection of lies that are embraced by every generation.corpus: n.A corpus is a large collection of written or spoken texts, usually used for language research.pl.corpora or corpuses
11.It is the price we pay for our sanity and safety.We live in a world of lies in exchange for a sensible and safe life.sanity: n.If there is sanity in a situation or activity, there is a purpose and a regular pattern, rather than confusion, worry and chaos.e.g.Rafsanjani has been considering various ways of introducing some sanity into the currency market.12.Religion offers security in the form of a god or gods who created the world
and who guides and protects man if he does what he is told to do, if not, he will be punished by famine, flood, pestilence, failure in life, or an eternity in some kind of Hell.Religion employs a god or gods and assigns them the role of initiating the world.Further, these [deities] direct and protect obedient man.If man doesn‘t obey, he will suffer certain disasters.pestilence: n.Pestilence is any disease that spreads quickly and kills large numbers of people.eternity: n.Eternity is time without an end or a state of existence outside time, especially the state which some people believe they will pass into after they have died.e.g.I have always found the thought of eternity terrifying.13.Myths and tales abound in all religions that explain man, the world and god.Each religion contains many myths and tales that tell stories about man, the world and god.14.If you say the right prayers in the right way and at the right time and in the right place, you have a good chance of being protected by the omnipotent god or gods and of getting what it is you wish in life.If you pray appropriately, you will be protected by a powerful force and receive the very things you want.omnipotent: n.Someone or something that is omnipotent has complete power over things or people.All-powerful.e.g.Doug lived in the shadow of his seemingly omnipotent father.15.God was constructed out of mankind‟s need for hope, for purpose, for meaning: an invisible protector and conscientious father.Human beings need hope, purpose and meaning in life, so God was created to serve the role of a protector and father, who cannot be seen, yet is responsible.39
invisible: a.If you describe something as invisible, you mean that it cannot be seen, for example because it is transparent, hidden, or very small.e.g.The lines were so finely etched as to be invisible from a distance.16.But it is illusion, make believe;there are no gods, just man in nature.But it is just an illusion, a product of our imagination.The truth is that there are no gods, only human beings in the natural world.17.We cannot bear the truth that we are the progeny of thousands of generations of evolution-the result of the random distribution of genetic material that equips us to survive for a time.We will not accept the truth that we are randomly formed by the process of evolution.Confined by our biological nature, we only live temporarily.progeny: n.You can refer to a person's children or to an animal's young as their progeny.(FORMAL)e.g.Davis was never loquacious on the subject of his progeny.18.Such facts deprive us of the illusion of being special, the chosen rulers of the world so we replace them with encouraging lies.We employ encouraging lies to cover the fact that we are not superior to other species and that we are not the chosen citizens of God.19.But the story of evolution is not as dramatic as the intriguing myths about death and resurrection or reincarnation or wonderful visits to Heaven where one meets his God and lives a wonderful life, pain-free, worry-free forever.Compared to the theories of evolution, the stories of religions are more vivid and appealing.These stories elaborate how one dies and comes to life again, goes to heaven to meet God, and thereby lives a life free from pain and worry.40 intrigue: v.If something, especially something strange, intrigues you, it interests you and you want to know more about it.Fascinate.e.g.The novelty of the situation intrigued him.20.…that Catholics like their heritage because it “has great stories.” Stories embody psychological truths and wishes that reassure us…
The religion-believers like the religious stories because they seem to express the psychological truths and wishes that comfort us…
reassure: v.If you reassure someone, you say or do things to make them stop worrying about something.e.g.I tried to reassure her, `Don't worry about it.We won't let it happen again.'...She just reassured me that everything was fine.21.Most people want something more consoling than such facts.Mankind must have lies-the bigger the better.Most people prefer lies that soften cruel facts.This is why people need lies.The bigger the lie the larger its potential audience.console: v.If you console someone who is unhappy about something, you try to make them feel more cheerful.e.g.Often they cry, and I have to play the role of a mother, consoling them.22.Lying disguises our mortality, our inadequacies, our fears and anxieties, our loneliness in the midst of the crowd.We use lies to conceal such truths as our inevitable death, our shortcomings, our fears, anxieties, and feelings of loneliness,(though outwardly), we present a gregarious demeanor.disguise: v.To disguise something means to hide it or make it appear different so that people will not know about it or will not recognize it.e.g.He made no attempt to disguise his agitation.41 Key to exercises I.Reading Comprehension
1.All kinds of lies: little lies, big lies, necessary lies, in order to insure social and psychological peace and comfort.2.Human beings are biologically similar to chimpanzees.Therefore, we are not superior to other species.3.Lies comprise our ―reality‖.We consciously choose lies over reality in order to keep our worlds ordered.4.Religion offers human minds security in the form of god or gods, myths and tales.5.Because myths and tales are more vivid and appealing while the truth is cruel.6.Without religion, magic, and the arts man would be in constant fear and anxiety regarding the purpose of his existence and what will happen when he dies.7.Hitler and other tyrants told ―big lies‖ to create their own ―truths‖ about German Aryan supremacy over Jews, Gypsies and others.Bigger lies, sensational lies, are more difficult to doubt.8.Open.II.Vocabulary
1.mask 2.embodying 3.shield 4.agonizing 5.manipulating 6.disguise 7.perplexed 8.permeates 9.enchanted 10.consoled
III.Phrases 1.adjusting to 2.gained an advantage over 3.yearning for 4.abound in 5.deprived of 6.by chance 7.points to 8.attend to
IV.Error Correction 1.Considering the great need for improving many aspects of the global environment, one is surely justified in his concern for the money and resources that are poured into space exploration.2.Problem solving is a useful in obtaining happiness, but if you know that, given your inability to resolve a particular concern, you can still choose happiness for yourself, or at a minimum refuse to choose unhappiness, then you are intelligent.3.Knowledge of several languages is essential when studying other majors because without it one can only read books in translation.
4.There are good reasons to be troubled by the violence that spreads throughout the media.One might reasonably wonder what‘s wrong with a society that presents videos of domestic violence as entertainment.5.People with gray hair are often given discounts without even asking for them;yet,millions of Americans above age 60 are healthy and solvent.V.Cloze:(1)funerals(2)yielded to(3)condolence(4)deceased(5)insisted on(6)abrupt(7)turn out(8)tempting to(9)survivors 43(10)makes sense(11)lie in(12)omnipotence(13)wakes up(14)attend to(15)outgrow
参考译文
谎言
你也许觉得这个标题很怪,但我希望这篇文章能使你明白这个标题其实不怪。所有的人都时而说谎――小慌,大慌,善意的慌言,为确保社会安宁和心情舒畅非说不可的慌。你也许不愿对身患重病的父母、亲戚或小孩讲真话,告诉他(她)得了不治之症,会痛苦地死去。你也许为了顾全面子或者在交际中占上风,对朋友撒谎。商人在货物的价格和质量上说瞎话蒙骗顾客。推销员为了说服人们买下兴许不需要的东西而扯谎。政府为了维护统治,要使老百姓相信他们的需求正在得到关注、生活安定,而三天两头讲假话。艺术家们同意毕加索的说法:―艺术是揭示真理的谎言。‖历史学家挑选能编进符合他们历史观的资料,如果完整的资料无法弄到,便凭空编造。
你是否想知道自己的癌症正在迅速扩散,在剧痛折磨下最多只能再活半年?你如何改变这处境?你又能够做些什么呢?你是否想知道死后生命不复存在?想知道这往往繁复而短暂的世途便是人生的一切吗?你是否想知道科学与历史的事实常因某种意图而被篡改或无视吗?你是否真想知道没有任何生理差异能够表明什么地方的什么民族优于(劣于)其他民族吗?你是否真的想知道人类的DNA有99%和黑猩猩相同吗?你是否想知道政府和企业操纵经济以维持各阶层之间的不公平?
我们都十分明白应该传播哪些谎言和哪些―事实‖,以维持执政者(以及许多市民们)所企望和需求的社会。我们在自己的才智、外貌、做或不做某事的动机等等方面说谎。既然谎话、真话或事实都不是绝对的,所以很容易将它们加工,塑造成合乎我们对现实和真实看法的东西。
我们不说谎就无法生存。谎言指导我们的日常思想和行动,构成我们的―现实‖。那么,为什么我们就不能实话实说呢?这是因为我们需要用谎言掩饰我们对生死,对许许多多我们不能理解、不能控制事物的恐惧和焦虑。我们像是社会训练成的好演员,为了维持社会的秩序、稳定和前瞻性,扮演社会机构分配给我们的各种角色;我们是在积极地参与自我欺骗!
有谁能长久生活在一个动荡不定、难以预测的家庭或社会里?社会秩序,在它明确规定维持社会所必需的法制、礼节和代代相传的那一套谎言以后,会给人以安全感。我们有必要相信,我们能够信赖他人,我们能够相当准确地预料他人对我们的言行所作的反应。因此我们遵从我们所属群体的思想见解、价值观念和行为方式,接受这个群体的谎言和事实。这是我们为自己精神健全和安全康泰而付出的代价。我们不能接受这一无可争辩的事实:我们必将死亡,永远消失,生命是偶然机遇的产物而已。
宗教则采用一神或多神的形式给人以安全感。这一神或多神创造了世界,人若遵其意旨行事,便会得到指引和庇护。反之则会受到饥荒、洪水、瘟疫、挫折或在地狱中无尽期受苦等惩罚。解释人类、世界和神灵的神话故事充斥于每一种宗教。不管这个神被称为耶稣基督、佛陀、穆罕默德,还是毗瑟挐,内容总是如出一辙:你该这样做人,你该这样敬神,这样才能确保你在这个凶险的世界上安康幸福。如果你在适当的地方以适当的方式进行适当的祈祷,你就大有希望得到全能的神或诸神的保佑,满足生平的心愿。如若不然,就会……
每一种宗教都要求形式各异的捐献和供奉,以充实其财力,保持其势力。信徒们从出生时起就受到训导,对于父母、邻居、牧师或萨满教僧或拉比或毛拉要求他们相信的事物笃信并以其教授的方式笃信。比如基督降生和上十字架这样的神话,圣母无沾成胎的神话,世界各地的神创造天地万物的神话,洪水灭世的神话等,都对生命的起源与意义作了解释。然而,这些都是谎言!人类出于对希望、意义、价值的需要而造出了神:一位冥冥之中的保护者和有良心的养育者。但这是幻觉,是虚假的。自然界中没有神灵,只有人类。我们不能接受我们是经历千万代进化的生物的后代――使我们得以存活一时的遗传物质的偶然配合的产物。人类和黑猩猩的DNA99%以上相同!一切生命互相依存,相互联系。这种种事实使我们自以为特殊、是上帝选定的世界统治者的错误观念归于幻灭,因此我们 45 以谎言替代事实,给自己打气。
我们以为自己是唯一能够思维和交流的生物,但实际上并非如此。一切生物为了生存――结成配偶,保护自身,获取食物――都会交流思想。生存的基础是自然选择――生物适应或改变环境的能力,不能适应环境变化的生物就会灭亡,被能够适应环境变化的生物取而代之。这一过程根本不需要什么神灵。但是进化论的描述不如宗教神话那样激动人心。宗教神话令人神往地描述死亡复活、轮回转世、在天堂里奇妙的游历,和上帝会面,过上幸福生活,永无痛苦忧虑。这些故事富于感人的魅力。它们给人以希望,一条摆脱这个你争我夺,一片混乱的真实世界的出路。我们迷醉在神话、环境和戏剧性事件之中。著名神父安德鲁格里利说,天主教教徒喜欢天主教的精神遗产,因为其中―有好多美妙的故事‖。这些故事具体表达了心理真实和愿望,给我们安全感。而事实真相可能是令人心悸的。
然而,有这么一种对立的说法:假如没有宗教、巫术、法道,人类就会陷入无穷无尽的恐惧和焦虑之中:他为什么在这儿?死后会发生什么事情?宗教故事使人类不至于看到真相:他之所以在这儿完全是出于偶然,是数亿个精子中的一个进入卵子的偶发事件。为什么在此刻进入这个卵子的是这粒精子?纯属偶然。但大多数人希望能有比这些事实更令人欣慰的说法。人类就是要有谎言――越大越好。越大就越不容易遭到怀疑;谁会相信竟然会有制造这样弥天大谎的人吗?希特勒那帮专制暴君深明此理。他们撒下―弥天大谎‖,编造了所谓德国雅利安人比犹太人、吉普赛人以及其他民族优越的―事实‖。它一度奏效。人类一向相信各色各样的谎言和错误观念:巫术,飞碟,鬼魂,轮回转世,天堂地狱,种族优越性,炼金术,炼丹术,等等等等。
说谎掩盖了人的必死性,缺陷,恐惧,焦虑,以及在熙熙攘攘的人群中所感到的孤独。耳熟能详的谎言会创造一个较易应付的现实。人渴望从这些谎言中得到安慰。
(方媛媛译,参考原载The World of English译文)
Text B Cheating Key to Comprehension Questions 1.Academic cheating is epidemic in the country's high schools and colleges.2.Advances in technology have made cheating easier, but a more significant factor is the change in society‘s values, an increasing ambivalence towards cheating and other dishonest behaviors.3.People try to hide academic cheating by using different forms of technology.So technology helps encourage and mask the act of cheating.4.It's fast and quick and allows you to be in total denial about what you're doing.5.(open)6.Now parents are angry at institutions for doing something that might blot their kids' records.They do not care about cheating because they are practicing it themselves.7.Some schools have banned cell phones, cameras and other gadgets during school hours.Honor codes and honor councils have been reinvigorated.And teachers are using technology to turn the tables on cheaters.A number of institutions now rely on turnitin.com.8.To monitor and prevent the act of academic cheating in schools.Text B参考译文
作
弊
堪萨斯州立大学的三年级学生打算孤注一掷了。由于受到哮喘病的困扰,大二时他就是勉勉强强过关,被允许大三试读一年。而今年,他的政治科已经两次缺考,如果再得到一次F,就会挂掉此科,不得不停学。而这就意味着他一直期待得到的大学学位随之泡汤了。他决不能让这发生。他选择了另一条路。
出生并成长于美国中西部的他热爱阅读,并曾在高中的乐团担任司号。由于曾在学校的信息技术系兼职,他可以进入到教授的在线记分册。只敲击了几个键盘,他便将他自己并未参加过的考试加上了通过的成绩。然而,他还没有聪明到
可以消除一切作弊的踪迹。很快事情败露,他被停学,从此负疚不已。
在2005年这一事件发生后,他匿名写信给学校的诚信委员会,声明―对于我的行为我没有任何借口或理由‖。他作弊的原因是―我这样做完全是一时的惊恐造成的‖。
这个学生和他的教授们都认为这是一场源于一时判断力失误的意外,然而可悲的事实却是:这并不是一次偶然事件。很多证据表明学业欺骗在高中和高校十分盛行。看看以下几个例子:9个马里兰大学商学院学生在会计课考试的时候使用他们的手机接收答案被抓了现行。一个德克萨斯州十多岁的小孩被指控向同学出售偷来的考试答案,据称答案是通过链接到老师电脑上的解码工具获得的。7位堪萨斯州德学生被指抄袭因特网上的论文。
专家们指出了更多的信息,这些信息大多来自于学生自己。这些信息揭示了作弊的泛滥。去年六月热尔省大学教授 Donald McCabe 提交给学术诚信中心的报告中指出:60所大学70%的学生承认在前一年作弊过,四分之一的学生承认有过很严重的作弊行为,如抄袭别人的答案,使用小抄,或帮助别人作弊。McCabe所调查的高中同样形式严峻:在过去四年被调查的来自全国的18000学生中,70%的来自公立学校的学生承认有过至少一次严重的学术作弊行为。十分之六的人有过某种剽窃行为。而私立学校则有差不多一半的学生承认曾经作弊过。
盖洛普民意调查证实了这些结果。2003年和2004年对13至17岁学生连续两年的调查结果发现:65%的学生认为他们所在的学校存在―相当数量‖或者说―大规模‖的作弊。一半被调查学生承认他们曾经以某种形式在考试中作弊过。同样在2004年,位于洛杉矶的非营利性组织,致力于提升个人和组织道德水平的Josephson道德研究所发布了对24763名高中学生的问卷调查结果,结果显示62%的学生承认在考试中作弊。
作弊并不是什么新鲜事。自从人类有了规矩,就不断有人试图打破它们。然而,研究所的创始人Michael Josephson指出:目前作弊行为的泛滥和嚣张令人担忧。
Josephson说:―在过去,作弊的人只占少数,他们努力地掩盖自己的行为,即使是朋友间也不能说。而今天作弊的人占到了大多数,而且对此他们直言不讳。今天如果你问孩子们对作弊的看法,你会发现他们认为作弊代表了一种骑士精 48 神,比你的统计结果还要骇人。‖
堪萨斯州教授Phil Anderson同意这种看法:―我们很多学生持有这种态度:为了成功我要不惜一切代价。这个观点十分盛行。‖
为了成功不惜代价
Josephson,Anderson以及其他正与作弊行为作斗争的人士都认为道德的败坏有两个驱动力量:一个是科技的进步,特别是因特网和移动电子设备,使得作弊原来越容易。另外一个重要的因素就是充斥现代社会的反面例子:球手们服用兴奋剂,经理们篡改数据,新闻记者们捏造新闻,甚至连老师们都会伪造考试成绩好让学校看起来更体面。这种种现实都传递了一个信号:为了让成功不受威胁,什么都可以不受限制。
《作弊的文化》作者,David Callahan说:―作弊已经被正常化了。每个人都在这么做。如果你不做,你会觉得自己像笨蛋。‖
纽约私立学校朋友学院的毕业班学生Tomas Rua认为是想要成功的压力使得一些人从很早就开始作弊。
他说:―你所做的一切无非是为了最大限度地发掘你的潜能。很多人会使用一切可能的手段去实现目标。大学里疯狂的事太多了,而从中学开始你就会有所耳闻。‖
印地安那州埃文斯镇的北高中毕业班学生Emily Borerman同样认为:―每天都可以见到作弊。太多的成功都是不择手段的。‖
加利福尼亚州Central Valley的 Turlock高中学生Daniel的态度是:―如果我想要得到更高的成绩,我就会作弊。毫无疑问的。总之呢,真实的世界里为了得到更好地工作你就得竭尽所能。‖
Daniel说他和他的大多数朋友都会从互联网上下载材料,考试的时候用短信接收答案,或是在考试的时候使用流行多年了的小抄条。
他说:―我从七年级就开始作弊,我有进取心,所以常常寻找更好的作弊方法。‖
Turlock校长Dana Trevethan声称Daniel的话记载了一些学生毫无羞耻的态度。她说:―他是个好孩子,但是很有竞争精神。他的名字中间应该加个割喉者(指非常有竞争精神者)的称号。‖
数码作弊
在当今的作弊之风中,很难理解技术扮演的角色。学生涌向在线的论文制作工场,那里可以提供任何题目的文章,而且常常是格式正确,参考书目俱全。他们使用可拍照手机发送传输试卷的图片。他们的MP3可以保存电子版的笔记。他们的图表计算器可以储存解决数学难题的所需公式。
朋友学院的英语系主任Maria Fahey指出:―作弊与因特网及即时通讯的匿名性质有关。它们是快捷的,且能容你全盘否认自己所做的事情。‖
康涅狄格大学教育心理学副教授Jason Stevens将之与现今社会的―抓一把就走‖的文化联系起来:―下载音乐或是论文,或是剪切和粘贴句子和段落都和这个文化有关。‖
对一些人来说,对和错之间界限模糊不清了。Jonathan Cross, 维吉尼亚州Fairfax县Robinson 中学毕业班学生,也同意这个看法。过去人们要是作弊,一般都是两个邻座传递纸条,或是一个人偷看另外一人的试卷,这是非常明显的,是赤裸裸的明确的作弊行为。而今人们使用不同形式的技术努力隐藏这个错误的行为。
父母干嘛去了
技术的进步或许可以解释当今作弊―如何‖盛行的问题。那么―为什么‖的问题呢?
Stevens说:―教育已经变成了一个商品,能够帮助我们得到物质财富和地位,而这两样是我们文化中值得褒奖和炫耀的东西。传递给青少年的大量信息就是:经济上的富裕要比成为一个道德高尚的人更加重要和有价值。‖
Michael Josephson声称如果这个观点占了上风,结果就太过可怕了。他说:―我们正在将下一代训练成海盗。如果你觉得安然或是Worldcom公司发生的事情已经够糟糕了,那么你就等着瞧吧。我们缺少的是正直的愤慨,道德上的义愤,以及一点真实的害怕之情。‖
教育者们认为还缺少的是父母的声音。他们太喜欢为孩子们的家庭作业提供帮助,但是却不能清楚地教导孩子们遵守规则的重要性。
圣地亚哥大学教授Larry Hinman说:―过去20年发生的一个大的变化是在过去如果学生被抓到作弊,他们会觉得羞辱。他们的父母也会责备他们。而今天,50