Preparation
Reading Through
Summary & Exercises
Merry Learning
Preparation
Activity I
Spot Dictation
Activity II
Watch and Discuss
Spot Dictation
The following paragraph is taken from Text A. Listen
carefully and fill in the blanks without referring to the
original text.
A team of ___________
researchers discovered that there are
strong __________
differences between how boys and girls are
________:
while daughters in their study were often
raised
kept close to their parents, sons were ___________
encouraged to
on their own and to develop ______________.
independence
move _____________
Watch and Discuss
Watch the video and discuss the
following topics.
1. What do you think of “Boys
will be boys”? What does it
imply?
2. Where is the woman’s place?
1. What do you think of “Boys will be boys”? What
does it imply?
“Boys will be boys, and girls will be girls” is a
deeply rooted conviction held by people in ancient
China. In the old days, women are supposed to do
things women must do, like doing the laundry and
cooking, caring for the children and taking care of their
husband, spinning and weaving, etc. Lucky as Mu Lan
to be good at many things, such as fighting, running,
shooting, riding, and even reading and writing, which
are only supposed to be what boys do, still her place is
“in the home”. Mu Lan is sixteen now and “old enough
to marry a good husband” according to her mother.
2. Where is the woman’s place?
It is traditionally believed that a woman’s place is in the
home. There are many tasks for a woman to do, such as
caring for the children, cooking, cleaning, mending and
sewing, and even looking after her husband.
Modern society, however, makes it possible for a woman
to go out of the home. Families today tend to be small with
only one child. Thus a woman’s whole period of child-care
may occur within at most five years. As for housework,
washing machines can wash a large quantity of clothes in a
few minutes. Refrigerators have made it possible to store
food for long periods. The wife never has to do sewing and
mending since good ready-made clothes are cheap and
plentiful.
Moreover, women are required to make contributions
to modern society. For example, there is a serious shortage
of nurses and teachers, and women generally can be
qualified in the two occupations. Of course, women’s service
is more widely useful. Almost all units and departments are
staffed by women, many of whom have made outstanding
contribution.
Reading
Through
New Words
vocabulary
article
finding
average
score
mechanical
solve
memory
scientist
physical
nerve
brain
advantage
forceful
independent
produce
force
assume
chemistry
factor
difference
independence
perform
task >>>more
require
obey
limit
fear
Solution
Phrases and Expressions
on (the/ an) average
on the one hand… and
on the other (hand)
by the time
(all) on one’s own
be limited to
Proper Names
“Current Science”
Main Idea
There are stereotyped ideas about gender
differences. This section deals with the problem by
comparing the ways of learning between boys and girls
and exploring the factors that cause the differences.
In the first paragraph, the writer raises the
problem: boys do well in science while girls do well in
vocabulary. In order to support this viewpoint, three
findings are cited in the next three paragraphs. From
Paragraphs 5 to 9, an analysis about the forcefulness of
boys and the obedience of girls in their studies is made.
In response to the introductory paragraph, the
author offered a “solution” to the problem of gender
difference in the last paragraph.
Structure
Part I: Para. 1
Part II: Para. 2-9
Part III: Para. 10
Main Idea:
The two rhetorical
questions
introduce to us the
problem: whether
there are gender
differences
between boys and
girls or not.
Main Idea: Many
views are displayed
to prove that boys
and girls do learn
differently. The
forcefulness of boys
and the obedience of
girls are found even
before their school
years.
Main Idea: The
gender differences
are frowned upon
by some people.
And the solution to
the problem is to
encourage boys
and girls to solve
the problems in the
same ways.
Intensive Reading
Para. 1-2
Do you believe that only boys do well in science?
Does it seem to you that girls have better vocabularies
than boys? If your answers are “yes”, you may be right,
according to an article in Current Science. While it is
important to read things with an open mind, here are
some of the article’s findings.
On average, males score higher on tests that
measure mathematical reasoning, mechanical ability,
and problem-solving skills. Females, on the other hand,
do better on tests measuring vocabulary, spelling, and
memory.
Chinese
Para. 3-4
Usually, too, baby girls talk at an earlier age than
boys do. Scientists think there is a physical reason for
this. They believe that nerves in the left side of the
brain develop faster in girls than in boys. It is this side
of the brain that strongly influences a person’s ability to
use words, to spell, and to remember.
According to the article, by the time they start school,
little girls have an advantage that boys do not have:
girls are physically more ready to remember facts, to
spell, and to read. These, of course, are skills that are
very important as children first begin school.
Chinese
Para. 5-6
What, then, is happening with boys during their
years before starting school? Some people say that
society is teaching them to be more forceful than girls. A
forceful person is said to be unafraid of questioning
others, and to be an independent thinker.
What produces such force in little boys? It has long
been assumed that it is the result of chemistry in the
male body. Scientists today, however, believe that there
are other, outside, factors too. They say such force is
learned from parents.
Chinese
Para. 7-8
A team of researchers discovered that there are
strong differences between how boys and girls are
raised: while daughters in their study were often kept
close to their parents, sons were encouraged to move on
their own and to develop independence.
As a result, it is easy to understand why little girls
often perform school tasks better than boys, especially
if the task requires sitting still, obeying orders, and
accepting the teacher’s ideas. A girl may do very well in
school, while a boy the same age may bring home lower
marks. Why, then, do so few girls become great
scientists?
Chinese
Para. 9-10
While boys are taught in society to be more
forceful, and to solve problems themselves, girls, on the
other hand, are not encouraged to be this way. Girls,
therefore, are often limited to getting high marks in
school for remembering what the teacher has told them,
instead of being allowed to question without fear like
boys.
In today’s world, most people believe that this
situation is wrong, and that there is a solution: if men
and women were both encouraged to learn and to solve
problems in the same ways, more room would be
available in society for new ideas from everyone.
Chinese
do well/ badly in 在······方面干得很好/糟糕
e.g. Do you believe that only boys do well in science?
你认为只有男孩在理科方面学得好吗？
1. 我希望你将来会干得好些。
I hope you’ll do better in the future.
2. 每年这个时候,公司生意总是不景气。
The company always does badly at
this time of year.
with/ keeping an open mind 不带偏见
e.g. While it is important to read things with an open
mind, here are some of the article’s findings.
读书不存先入为主之见固然重要，然而，这儿还是介
绍一些这篇文章的研究结果。
1. 对其他文化的价值观念和风俗习惯，我们应该不带偏见。
We should keep an open mind on values and customs
from other cultures.
2. 开放的思想加上努力的工作使他很快就适应了新环境。
An open mind in combination with hard work made him
quickly adjusted to the new environment.
on average 一般而言，平均
e.g. On average, males score higher on such tests.
一般而言，男性在这样的考试中得分较高。
1. 日本人的平均年龄比欧洲人要高得多。
Japanese on average live much longer than the
Europeans.
2. 人们平均每十年换一个职业, 而不是一辈子干一种工作。
People are changing careers on average every ten
years now instead of staying in a job for life.
on (the) one hand, …, and on the other (hand) 一方
面······，另一方面
e.g. Females, on the other hand, do better on tests
measuring vocabulary, spelling, and memory.
而在词汇、拼写和记忆方面的测试中，女性则表现较好。
一方面，她不得不照顾生病的儿子；另
一方面，她又努力成为优秀的记者。
On the one hand, she had to look
after her sick son; on the other, she
tried her best to be a good news
writer.
nerve 神经；勇气；意志力
e.g. They believe that nerves in the left side of the brain
develop faster in girls than in boys.
他们认为，女孩大脑左半部的神经比男孩的发育得快。
1. 咖啡因(Caffeine)这种物质能刺激(stimulate)身体神经。
Caffeine is a substance that stimulates the nerves of
the body.
2. 他敢于指出老师解释课文时犯的一处错误。
He had the nerve to point out the mistake that his
teacher had made in explaining the text.
by the time 到······的时候；在······之前
e.g. By the time they start school, little girls have an
advantage that boys do not have.
到开始上学的时候，小女孩就具备了小男孩所没有的优势。
1. 当她来到时，已经下课了。
By the time she came, the
class was over.
2. 当他到达那里时，她已经走了。
By the time he got there, she
had already left.
be ready to do 准备好 ，情愿做某事
e.g. Girls are physically more ready to remember facts,
to spell, and to read.
女孩在生理上为记忆、拼写和阅读作了更好的准备.
1. 必要时，他们愿意为国捐躯。
They were ready to die, if
necessary, for their country.
2. 不要过于喜欢吹毛求疵。
Don’t be so ready to find fault.
forceful 坚强的；有说服力的
e.g. Some people say that society is teaching them to be
more forceful than girls.
有人说，社会教育他们要比女孩坚强。
1. 她发表的讲话很有说服力。
She made a forceful speech.
2. 在对这场灾难的处理中，他证明
了自己是一位有魄力的领导人。
He has proved himself to be a
forceful leader in dealing with
the disaster.
be unafraid of 不畏惧；不害怕
e.g. A forceful person is said to be unafraid of questioning
others, and to be an independent thinker.
据说一个坚强的人不畏惧向别人置疑，而且能够独立思考。
Note that the word “unafraid” is formed with the prefix（前
缀 ) “un-”, which has a negative meaning.
More examples:
unknown
不为人知的
unpleasant
不愉快的
unmarried
未婚的
unrest
不安
unnatural
不自然的
untie
解开
unofficial
非官方的
unfold
展开
it充当形式主语或形式宾语，后面的真正主语或宾语通常是
不定式、动名词短语或名词性从句。
e.g. It’s illegal to drive without a license.
It was pleasant meeting you in London that day.
He made it clear that he didn’t want to speak to me.
It was unknown whether there was gold left in the mine.
在上述诸例中，真正主语也可以放句首，而不用先行it。
(但远不如先行it结构普遍。)
- To drive without a license is illegal.
- Meeting you in London that day was pleasant.
- Whether there was gold left in the mine was not known.
difference 不同之处；差别；差异
e.g. A team of researchers discovered that there are strong
differences between how boys and girls are raised.
一组研究人员发现，男孩和女孩的养育方式截然不同。
1. 观看足球赛和踢足球有许多不同之处。
There are many differences between watching a
football game and playing football.
2. 懂一种语言和能讲这种语言有很大的差别。
There is a big difference between understanding a
language and being able to speak it.
(all) on one’s own 单独地；独自地
e.g. While daughters in their study were often kept close to
their parents, sons were encouraged to move on their
own and to develop independence.
当女儿学习时，父母常常伴随其左右，而对儿子则鼓
励其自由活动，培养其自主能力。
1. 约翰独自一人住。
John lives all on his own.
2. 我无法一个人把车修好。
I was unable to repair the
car all on my own.
perform 履行；完成；表演；演奏
e.g. Why do little girls often perform school tasks better
than boys?
为什么小女孩往往比小男孩更好地完成学校的功课?
1. 今晚上演哪个剧目？
What play will be performed tonight?
2. 他将演奏钢琴。
He will be performing on the piano.
require 需要，要求
e.g. Especially, the task requires sitting still.
尤其是这项工作要求端坐正。
1. 即使伟大的音乐家也需要不断
地练习。
Even great musicians
require continual practice.
2. 他命令他们整夜工作。
He requires that they should
work all night.
obey 服从；遵守
e.g. Like fighters, policemen are expected to obey orders.
像战士那样，警察应该服从命令。
1. 遵守法律，否则你将受到惩罚。
Obey the law or you will be
punished.
2. 士兵必须服从命令。
Soldiers are expected to obey
orders.
be limited to + n./ doing 限于······
e.g. Girls, therefore, are often limited to getting high
marks at school for remembering what the teacher
has told them.
所以，女孩常常是因为记住了老师传授的东西而取得
高分。
1. 每位的演讲时间都应该限定在十分钟内。
Every speech should be limited to 10 minutes.
2. 她的旅行仅限于法国的几处名胜。
Her travel has been limited to a few French resorts.
fear n.; vt. 恐惧；害怕
e.g. Boys often question others without fear.
男孩经常毫无畏惧地置疑他人。
1. 村民们毫无畏惧地帮着灭火。
The villagers helped put out
the fire without fear.
2. 那时，妇女都怕夜里出门。
At that time, women feared
going out at night.
solution 解决（办法）；解答
e.g. In today’s world, most people believe that this
situation is wrong, and that there is a solution.
当今世界，大多数人都认为这种状况不对，并相信有
办法解决。
1. 要找到解决这个问题的办法很难。
It’s difficult to find a solution to
this problem.
2. 他终于找到了解决办法。
He finally came up with a solution.
room [U] 空间；地方；机会
e.g. More room would be available in society for new
ideas from everyone.
社会会有更大空间来容纳每个人的新思想。
1. 他的作品还有许多地方需要改进。
There is plenty of room for
improvement in his work.
2. 孩子们需要机会来开发其创造力。
Children need to have room to
develop their natural creativity.
available 可得到/ 用到的；近便的
e.g. The book that you need for your term paper is now
available in our university library.
你撰写学期论文要用的那本书，现在可以在我们学校图
书馆借到。
1. 他们曾经试用所有可用的方法来开这扇门。
They have tried all available means to open the door.
2. 当我要送信时，没有一个佣人可供差遣。
None of the servants were available when I wanted
to send a message.
Para. 1-2
你相信只有男孩才学好理科吗？在你看来，女孩比男
孩更善言辞？如果你回答“是”，根据《当代科学》杂志的一
篇文章，你也许是对的。读书不存先入为主之见固然重要，
然而，这儿还是介绍一些这篇文章的研究结果。
一般而言，在测验数学推理、机械能力和解决问题技
能的考试中，男性得分较高，而在词汇、拼写和记忆力方
面的测试中，女性则表现较好。
Para. 3-4
女婴通常比男婴早些学会说话。科学家认为这有其生
理原因。他们认为，女孩大脑左半部的神经比男孩的发育
快，而对一个人用词、拼写和记忆能力有重大影响的，正
是左半脑。
根据这篇文章所说，到开始上学时，小女孩就具备了
小男孩所没有的优势。在生理上，女孩为记忆、拼写和阅
读作了较好的准备，而在孩子上学之初，这些技能当然非
常重要。
Para. 5-6
那么，在开始上学的前几年，男孩的状况又是怎样的呢？
有人说，社会教育他们要比女孩坚强。据说一个坚强的人不畏
惧向别人质疑，而且能够独立思考。
男孩子身上的这股力量是怎么产生的呢？长期以来，人们
认为这是男性体内的化学组织造成的。然而，当今科学家认为
还有其他外部因素。他们说，这种力量是从父母那里学来的。
Para. 7-8
一组研究人员发现，男孩和女孩的养育方式截然不同：
当女儿学习时，父母常常伴随其左右，而对儿子他们则鼓
励其自由活动，培养其自主能力。
结果，为什么小女孩往往比小男孩更好地完成学校的
功课就容易理解了，尤其是如果这些功课要求坐得端正、
听从命令和接受老师的意见。女孩可能在学校里学得很好，
而同龄的男孩却可能拿着较低的分数回家。可为什么女孩
子能成为大科学家的，又如此凤毛麟角呢？
Para. 9-10
社会教育男孩要更坚强、要独立解决问题，而不鼓励
女孩这样做。所以，女孩常常是因为记住了老师传授的东
西而取得高分，而不是像男孩那样受到鼓励去大胆提问。
当今世界，大多数人都认为这种状况有问题，并且相
信有办法解决：如果鼓励男女都以同样的方式去学习和解
决问题的话，我们的社会就可能有更大的空间来容纳每个
人的新思想。
Summary
According to an article in Current Science, boys score
higher on tests that measure mathematical reasoning,
mechanical ability, and problem-solving skills. Girls, on the
other hand, do better on tests measuring vocabulary,
spelling, and memory. It has long been assumed that it is the
result of chemistry in the body. Scientists today, however,
believe that there are other, outside, factors too. They
discovered that boys and girls are raised differently: boys
are taught in society to be more forceful, while girls, on the
other hand, are not encouraged to be this way.
Exercises
Using the Right Word
Working with Expressions
Focusing on Sentence Structure
Translating
Using Topic-related Terms
Basic Writing Skills
Using the Right Word
Complete each of the following sentences by deciding on the
most appropriate word from the 4 choices marked A, B, C and
D.
A thinkers.
1. Students should be encouraged to be _____
A. independent
B. independence
C. advantage
D. average
B all his problems.
2. Charlie thinks money will _____
A. perform
B. solve
C. score
D. force
3. The doctor was _____
C an operation to save the
patient’s life.
A. acting
B. limiting
C. performing
D. assuming
D remarkable results in the
4. New medicines are _____
treatment of cancer.
A. finding
B. requiring
C. solving
D. producing
5. You should read more books to enlarge your _______.
A
A. vocabulary
B. memory
C. brain
D. score
6. The good weather could be an important _____
B in
tomorrow’s game.
A. fact
B. factor
C. force
D. activity
D a lot of water at all times.
7. This kind of plant _____
A. assumes
B. limits
C. produces
D. requires
A orders.
8. Soldiers are expected to _____
A. obey
B. ask
C. do
D. fear
Working with Expressions
Fill in each of the blanks in the following sentences with a
suitable preposition or adverb.
1. ______
By the time Brian arrives at the airport, Tony
has already been waiting there.
on
2. The Japanese, ________
average, live much longer
than the Europeans.
3. They believe that nerves _______
the left side of the
in
brain develop faster in girls than _______
boys.
in
4. The old lady has been living _____
on her own for ten years
now.
5. The boy has to finish his homework instead ______
of
going out.
6. All flights had to be cancelled ______
a result of the
as
pilots’ strike.
7. My mother limited us _______
one cake each for dinner.
to
8. ________
the one hand, I want to sell the house, but
On
________
the other, I can’t bear the thought of moving.
on
Focusing on Sentence Structure
A. Rewrite the following sentences after the models,
emphasizing the underlined part of a sentence with a cleft
sentence（部分强调句）.
Model 1:
This side of the brain strongly influences a person’s
ability to use words, to spell and to remember.
Key:
It is this side of the brain that/ which strongly
influences a person's ability to use words, to spell
and to remember.
Model 2:
She lost her key on the way to the station.
Key:
It was on the way to the station that she lost her key.
1. I did not get your letter until yesterday.
It was not until yesterday that I got your letter.
2. She has bought two tickets for the 7:30 show.
It is two tickets that she has bought for the 7:30
show.
3. Mary enjoys classical music.
It is Mary who/that enjoys classical music.
B. Combine the following pairs of sentences after the models,
using “it” for a subject clause.
Model 1: People have assumed this for a long time.
It is the result of chemistry in the male body.
Key: It has long been assumed that it is the result of
chemistry in the male body.
Model 2: People say this.
90 percent of the mystery shoppers are successful.
Key: It is said that 90 percent of the mystery shoppers
are successful.
1. People believe this.
Baby girls talk at an earlier age than boys do.
It is believed that baby girls talk…
2. There is a report about this.
By the time they start school, girls are physically more
ready to remember facts, to spell, and to read.
It is reported that by the time…
3. People believe this.
If men and women were both encouraged to learn and
to solve problems in the same ways, more room would
be available in society for new ideas from everyone.
It is believed that if men and women…
Translating
A. Translate the following into English.
1. 等他到机场时，飞机已经起飞了。( by the time)
By the time he arrived at the airport, the plane had
taken off.
2. 在校园里，车速被限制在每小时30英里。( be
limited to )
On campus, the car speed is limited to 30 miles per hour.
Continued
3. 这对双胞胎姐妹（twin sisters）之间的不同之处在
于：一个依赖父母，另一个却很自立。( one one’s
own )
The difference between the twin sisters is that one
is dependent on her parents, and the other is on
her own.
4. 一方面汽车有用，可另一方面，也造成污染。
（pollution）,
theare
one
hand...
hand)
On
the one hand,(on
cars
useful,
buton
on the
the other
other (hand),
they cause pollution.
B. Translate the following into Chinese.
1. On average, males score higher on tests that measure
mathematical reasoning, mechanical ability, and
problem-solving skills.
一般而言，在测试数学推理、机械能力和解决问题
技能的考试中，男性得分较高。
2. It is the left side of the brain that strongly influences
a person’s ability to use words, to spell, and to
remember.
对一个人用词、拼写和记忆能力有重大影响的正是左半
脑。
3. As a result, it is easy to understand why little girls
often perform school tasks better than boys,
especially if the task requires sitting still, obeying
orders, and accepting the teacher’s ideas.
结果，为什么小女孩往往比小男孩较好地完成学校的功
课就很容易理解了，尤其是如果这些功课是要求坐得端
正、听从命令和接受老师意见。
4. Girls, therefore, are often limited to getting high
marks in school for remembering what the teacher
has told them, instead of being allowed to question
without fear like boys.
所以，女孩常常是因为记住了老师传授的东西而取得高
分，而不是像男孩那样准许大胆提问。
Using Topic-related Terms
Read the following underlined words and expressions related
to the differences between boys and girls, and then, complete
the passage with them. Remember to change the form where
necessary.
1. Researchers discovered that there are strong
differences between how boys and girls are raised.
2. A forceful person is said to be unafraid of
questioning others, and to be an independent thinker.
3. As a result, it is easy to understand why little girls
often perform school tasks better than boys, especially
if the task requires sitting still, obeying orders, and
accepting the teacher’s ideas.
4. Girls, therefore, are often limited to getting high
marks in school for remembering what the teacher has
told them, instead of being allowed to question without
fear like boys.
5. On average, males score higher on tests that measure
the mathematical reasoning, mechanical ability, and
problem-solving skills.
There are some great (1) __________
differences between boys
and girls. Boys are likely to be (2) independent
__________ , but they
perform school tasks as well as girls. Girls
do not (3)___________________
usually (4)_________
the orders of the teachers and get
obey
higher (5) __________
than boys, but girls are not good
marks
problem-solving since they are not used to
at (6) ______________
questioning without (7) ________
like boys.
fear
Basic Writing Skills: Revision
Rewrite the following passage, correcting all the
mistakes in punctuation and capitalization.
1. her name at birth was norma jean baker. her life as a
child was like a bad dream. she lived with a number of
different people and often was not treated well.
Her name at birth was Norma Jean Baker. Her life as a
child was like a bad dream. She lived with a number of
different people and often was not treated well .
2. at age sixteen norma jean married a sailor. but she
soon ended that marriage. she changed her hair color
from brown to shining gold. And she changed her
name to marilyn monroe.
At age sixteen, Norma Jean married a sailor. But she
soon ended that marriage. She changed her hair color
from brown to shining gold. And she changed her
name to Marilyn Monroe.
3. she wanted to be an actress. and she succeeded. she
appeared in a number of hollywood movies, millions
of people went to see them. by the time norma jean
had reached the age of twenty-six her beautiful face
and body had earned her a place as one of america’s
leading movie stars.
She wanted to be an actress. And she succeeded. She
appeared in a number of Hollywood movies. Millions
of people went to see them. By the time Norma Jean
had reached the age of twenty-six, her beautiful face
and body had earned her a place as one of America’s
leading movie stars.
4. but success and fame were not enough to make her
happy. the troubles of her childhood days stayed
with her. She drank too much alcohol, she took too
many drugs.
But success and fame were not enough to make her
happy. The troubles of her childhood days stayed
with her. She drank too much alcohol. She took too
many drugs.
5. at the age of thirty-six she took her own life.
At the age of thirty-six, she took her own life.
The Fall of the Tower of Babel
Once upon a time all the world spoke a single
language and used the same words. As men journeyed in
the east, they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and
settled there. They said to one another, “Come, let’s make
bricks and bake them hard”; they used bricks for stone and
bitumen (沥青) for mortar (灰沙浆). “Come,” they said,
“let’s build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the
heavens, and make a name for ourselves; or we shall be
dispersed all over the world.”
Then the Lord came down to see the city and tower,
which mortal men had built, and said, “Here they are, one
people with a single language, and now they have started to
do this; henceforward (从此以后) nothing
that they have a mind to do will be beyond
their reach. “Come, let’s go down there
and confuse their speech so that they will
not understand what they say to one
another.”
So the Lord dispersed them from
there all over the earth, and they left off
(stopped) building the city. That is why it
is called Babel, because the Lord there
made a babble (相互不懂；模糊不清) of
the language of all the world; from that
place the Lord scattered men all over the
face of the earth.