New Horizon College English Book 4
新视野大学英语4
School of Foreign Studies
外国语学院
Unit 3
Unit Three Section A
Longing for a New Welfare System
Background Information
Social Welfare (1)
Public assistance programs, commonly called
“welfare”, provide cash or in-kind benefits for
particular categories of the financially needy. The
US welfare system operates on both the federal
and state levels. The federal welfare program is
known as Social Security, which provides benefits
or assistance for childcare, disability, food stamp
and medical assistance.
Background Information
What does the state welfare take charge of (2)
The state welfare programs, on the other hand,
provide assistance to both individuals and local
communities with state schooling and social
insurance. US welfare programs grew significantly
in the decades following World War II, but
increases in welfare costs during the 1960s and
1970s brought into question the extent and quality
of public assistance.
Lead-in
Welfare in the US refers to money that is paid by
the government to people who are poor or
unemployed. Now that the welfare serves to offer
assistance to those in need, why does the writer
long for a new welfare system? Now let’s try to
find out what’s wrong with the present welfare
system through learning this passage:
Lead in
Q: What’s wrong with the present welfare system?
1)There’re big cuts in the federal welfare.
2) Such cuts led to suffering for clients
3) Clients bleed the system for money
4)The caseworkers suspect every client of
cheating the system
Watch and Discuss
Directions: Watch the video and then discuss the
topics as follows:
1. What can you learn from the video?
2. What causes one’s self-downing and
what can be done about it?
1. What can you learn from the video?
As shown in the video, the dung weeps bitter
tears because he has no idea about what he
comes into the world for. As he says, “I don’t
know why the Gods created me. ” When he
realizes he can melt himself into the dandelion
（蒲公英） in order to make her into a flower
as beautiful as the stars in the sky, however, he
sheds happy tears as he realizes his self-worth.
2. What causes one’s self-downing and what can be
done about it?
From the above, we can conclude that once
one is aware of what worth he can prove to
society and appreciate his whole value, he has
seized the essence of self-worth. Sad to say, we
usually feel down on ourselves. The problem
with such self-downing is not the person, but the
improper yardstick he uses for measuring.
2. What causes one’s self-downing and what can be
done about it?
In addition, it is wise of us to choose a small
goal and achieve it. After that, we will develop a
better opinion of our self-worth. It is also
necessary to cling to the belief that large
achievements are composed of small ones. And
most of all, it is a great relief to accept the fruits
of our efforts as well as our urge to build up selfworth with more efforts.
Contents
• New Words
• Structure and writing device
• Passage Reading
• Summary
• Activity & Assignment
Main idea of the passage
The passage explores the problems of
the present welfare system and expresses
the writer’s thirst for a new system. The
pattern of writing adopted for this topic is
as follows:
Interactive Analysis of Text
Phenomena (Para. 1-3)
Problems behind them
(Para.4-14)
Suggestion (Para. 15-17)
Longing for a
New Welfare
System
Contents
• New Words
• Structure and writing device
• Passage Reading
• Summary
• Assignment
Longing for a New Welfare System
Para. 1 A welfare client is supposed to cheat.
Everybody expects it. Faced with sharing a
dinner of raw pet food with the cat, many people
in wheelchairs I know bleed the system for a few
extra dollars. They tell the government that they
are getting two hundred dollars less than their
real pension so they can get a little extra welfare
money. Or, they tell the caseworker that the
landlord raised the rent by a hundred dollars.
be supposed to do something
1. be generally believed or expected to be or doing something
2. be expected or required to do something
1)我没有看过这部影片，不过据说它挺不错的。
Ｉhaven’t seen it before, but it’s supposed
to be a great movie.
2) 如果要离开教室，得告诉老师。
You’re supposed to ask the teacher if you want to leave
the room.
raw: not processed or cooked
这鱼经常是生吃的。
These fish are often eaten raw.
她童年经历为她的第一本小说提供了原始素材。
Her childhood provided the raw material to her first novel.
Bleed:
make sb. pay an unreasonable amount of money
我的前妻要榨干我身上每一分钱。
My ex-wife is bleeding me for every penny I have.
Para. 2 I have opted to live a life of complete honesty.
So instead, I go out and drum up some business and
draw cartoons. I even tell welfare how much I make!
a difficult
Oh, I’m tempted to get paid under the table. But even
situation
if I yielded to that temptation, big magazines are not
going to get involved in some sticky situation. They
keep my records, and that information goes right into
the government’s computer. Very high-profile.
attract a lot of attention
opt: vi. make a choice.
高中毕业后，他选择上大学读学位，而不是直接工作。
After graduation from high school, he opted to
go to college and study for a degree, rather than
getting a job straight away.
drum up
大力招揽；竭力争取:
作为一种流行时尚，大公
司争相聘请明星为其产品
招揽生意。
As a popular hit, big companies rival each other
in inviting pop stars to drum up their products.
under the table
私下地；暗地里:
一些官员常绞尽脑汁，为的
是干一些见不得人的勾当。
Some officials often rack their brains so hard as to do
some business under the table.
yield to :
1) Stop resisting something
2) Be replaced by something
The government refused to yield to the hostage takers’ demand.
政府拒绝答应人质挟持者的要求.
老式的方法被新技术取代。
Old-fashioned methods yielded to new technology.
Para. 3 As a welfare client I’m expected to bow
before the caseworker. Deep down, caseworkers
know that they are being made fools of by many
of their clients, and they feel they are entitled to
have clients bow to them as compensation.
I’m not being bitter. Most caseworkers begin as
college-educated liberals with high ideals. But
after a few years in a system that practically
requires people to lie, they become like the one I
shall call “Suzanne”, a detective in shorts.
deep down
from the bottom of one’s heart
他心里清楚考场作弊不道德，
但又觉得别无他法。
Deep down, he knows it is far from ethical to cheat
in exams, but he feels there is no other way open to
him.
make a fool of sb
trick someone or make them appear stupid in some way
简老是作弄她弟弟。
Jane always makes a fool of her younger brother.
Compare: he was drinking and making a fool of
himself.
他喝醉了酒，出尽了洋相。
Para. 4 Not long after Christmas last year, Suzanne
came to inspect my apartment and saw some new
posters pasted on the wall. “Where’d you get the
money for those?” she wanted to know.
Para. 5 “Friends and family.”
Para. 6 “Well, you’d better have a receipt for it, by
God. You have to report any donations or gifts.”
Para. 7 This was my cue to beg. Instead, I talked
back. “I got a cigarette from somebody on the street
the other day. Do I have to report that?”
to be the cue to do sth.
是做某事的暗示：
官员的话暗示商家要给好处费
以作为对她权威的认可。
What the official said was businessmen’s cue to
give her kickbacks as an acknowledgement of
her influence.
Para. 8 “Well, I’m sorry, but I don’t make the
rules, Mr. Callahan.”
Para. 9 Suzanne tries to lecture me about repairs
to my wheelchair, which is always breaking down
because welfare won’t spend money maintaining it
properly. “You know, Mr. Callahan, I’ve heard
that you put a lot more miles on that wheelchair
than average.”
to lecture sb. about sth.
就某事训斥某人:
他凡事总爱训斥人，这反过来
说明了他无能。
He is apt to lecture others about whatever it is,
which in turn points to his incompetence.
to put more miles on the wheelchair
轮椅用的多
一般来说，上司爱多用自己
最信赖的下级。
In general, the superior tends to put more work
on the subordinates in whom he has most trust.
Move，travel around
Para. 10 Of course I do. I’m an
active worker, not a vegetable. I
live near downtown, so I can get
around in a wheelchair. I
wonder what she’d think if she
suddenly broke her hip and had
to crawl to work.
我真想知道，如果一些大学生
发现将来他们的孩子和他们现
在一样痴迷网络游戏时，是何
感受。
I wonder what some students would think if
they were to find their future children as
addicted to online games as they are now.
Para. 11 Government cuts in welfare have
resulted in hunger and suffering for a lot of
people, not just me. But people with spinal cord
injuries felt the cuts in a unique way: The
government stopped taking care of our chairs.
Each time mine broke down, lost a screw, needed
a new roller bearing, the brake wouldn’t work,
etc., and I called Suzanne, I had to endure a little
lecture. Finally, she’d say, “Well, if I can find
time today, I’ll call the medical worker.”
Para. 12 She was supposed to notify the medical
worker, who would certify that there was a
problem. Then the medical worker called the
wheelchair repair companies to get the cheapest
bid. Then the medical worker alerted the main
welfare office at最低的报价
the state capital. They
considered the matter for days while I lay in bed,
unable to move. Finally, if I was lucky, they
called back and approved the repair.
notify: vt. Tell sb. Officially about sth.
请通知全体员工，视察人员星期一将来到这里。
Please notify all staff that the inspectors will be
here on Monday.
certify: vt. State that sth. is true or
correct
The doctor certified me unfit to go to work for the
next month。
医生给我开具证明，说我身体欠佳，下个月不宜上班.
alert:
1. vt. Make sb. Notice sth. Important or
dangerous提醒 alert sb. to sth.
They have been alerted to the possibility of further
price rises。
有人已经提醒过他们注意物价可能会再涨.
alert: 2. adj.
1)paying attention to what is happening and
ready to react if necessary警觉的
2) able to think quickly and clearly 机敏的
Passengers should try to stay alert at all times and
report any suspicious packages to the police
immediately.
经常锻炼有助于你思维更加敏捷.
Regular exercise could help you to be more alert.
Para. 13 When welfare learned I was making
money on my cartoons, Suzanne started
“visiting” every fortnight instead of every two
months. She looked into every corner in search
of unreported appliances, or maids, or a roast
pig in the oven, or a new helicopter parked out
back. She never found anything, but there was
always a thick pile of forms to fill out at the end
of each visit, accounting for every penny.
Para. 14 There is no provision in the law for a
gradual shift away from welfare. I am an
independent businessman, slowly building up
my market. It’s impossible to jump off welfare
and suddenly be making two thousand dollars a
month. But I would love to be able to pay for
some of my living and not have to go through an
embarrassing situation every time I need a spare
part for my wheelchair.
There is no provision in the law for a gradual
shift away from welfare.
Meaning : There is no statement in the law that
welfare clients will be gradually
independent of welfare system.
build up: make sth. develop or form
She built the business up from nothing.
她白手起家，生意日渐兴隆。
Para. 15 There needs to be a lawyer who can act
as a champion for the rights of welfare clients,
because the system so easily lends itself to abuse
by the welfare givers as well as by the clients.
Welfare sent
Suzanne to look around in my
捍卫者，拥护者
apartment the other day because the chemist said
I was using a larger than usual amount of
medical supplies. I was, indeed: The hole that
has been surgically cut to drain urine had
changed size and the connection to my urine bag
was leaking.
to lend oneself to: be suitable for being used in a particular way
or result in sth. bad easily
适用于／易导致（不好结果）
她的嗓音不太适合唱歌。
Her voice doesn’t really lend itself well to singing.
Any system of government by free election naturally lends
itself to misuse.
任何自由选举政府的制度都自然而然地可能遭到滥
用。
Para. 16 While she was taking notes, my
phone rang and Suzanne answered it. The
caller was a state senator, which scared
Suzanne
a little.
gradually,
step byWould I sit on the governor’s
committeestep
and try to do something about the
thousands of welfare clients who, like me,
could earn part or all of their own livings if
they were allowed to do so, one step at a time?
sit on: be an official member of a group of people that
represents or controls an organization
She sat on the company’s board for five years.
她在公司的董事会当了五年董事。
He sits on several committees.
他是好几个委员会的委员。
Para. 17 Hell, yes, I would! Someday people like
me will thrive under a new system that will
encourage them, not seek to convict them of
cheating. They will be free to develop their
talents without guilt or fear—or just hold a good,
steady job.
thrive: vi. Become very successful or very strong and
healthy
由于工作压力，已有三位经理离职，
但辛普森却在压力面前越做越好。
Three managers have left because of the
pressure of work, but Simpson seems to thrive
on stress.
to convict sb. of sth
证明某人有······罪
他被判犯有谋杀罪，判处终生
监禁。
He was convicted of murder and sentenced to
life imprisonment.
English Equivalents of Chinese
渴望新生活
骗取别人的钱
愿过诚实生活
抵挡不住诱惑
惹麻烦
被愚弄
有理想的人
有意刻薄
削减福利开支
对事感受特别
to long for a new life
to bleed sb. for money
to opt to live a life of honesty
to yield to temptation
to get involved in a sticky situation
to be made fools of
a man with high ideals
to be being bitter
cuts in welfare
to feel sth. in a unique way
English Equivalents of Chinese
挨训
获得最低报价
一厚叠表格
逐渐脱离福利的照顾
负担一部分生活费
to endure a lecture
to get the cheapest bid
a thick pile of forms
a gradual shift away from welfare
to earn part for one’s own livings
Creative Application of Typical
Expressions
大力招揽；竭力争取:
to drum up
私下地；暗地里:
under the table
就某事训斥某人:
to lecture sb. about sth.
用轮椅用得多:
to put more miles on the
wheelchair
适用于／使自己参与:
to lend oneself to
Pattern of Writing
Phenomena
Problems
behind them
Suggestion
Such
writing
approaches
topic
As a conclusion,
the
writing
comes
This
part,
as the
main
bodythe
of
from
a brief
description
of deepup with
some
constructive
writing,
serves
to probe into
suggestion
astypical
to what
beissue
donein
seated
problems
behind
the
phenomena
ofcan
the
about the very
issue.
phenomena
as mentioned
above.
question.
For more
Writing Practice
Assignments
Topic: Longing
for
Quality-Oriented
Directions:
Write
a acomposition
of no less than
Education
System with the “phenomena120 words
in accordance
problems
Outlines: behind them-suggestion” structure on
the
topic. You can follow the detailed
1. following
应试教育制度下的不良现象；
outlines
given as follows.
2. 应试教育制度的深层问题；
3. 你的建议。
Writing Practice
Dynamic Writing
An American educationist once said, “No
Topic: Longing
forwith
a Purer
Climate
of Doing
amount
of change
a cart
will produce
a
car.” The same is true for writing in English. If
Business
our focus is merely on the target words, it is like
Outlines:
taking
apart the car to find its parts for our old
cart.
There will be no way to write well in
1. 经商中的不良现象；
English. So our best course of action is to take
2. 商业领域的深层次问题；
their
pattern of writing as a model to follow.
That
is just where our dynamic writing enters.
3. 你的建议。
For More
Pattern of Writing
Longing for a Quality-Oriented Education System
Para. 1 Under the present exam-oriented system, a
student is supposed to cheat. Faced with the
worsening of competition, many students cheat the
system for higher scores. On the other hand,
teachers, due to being often made fools of, have
become detectives, suspicious of every student. For
the students like me who opt to be honest in college
life, however, it is extremely hard to accept the
reality.
Pattern of Writing
Para. 2 If taken seriously, the problems with the
present system can boil down to three. One comes
from little trust between teachers and students.
That is why I have a strong feeling of guilt
whenever the teacher approaches me in exams.
Another arises from the fact that the campus is
flooded with under-the-table businesses. Each time
I prepare for term-end exams, for example, I have
to go through a severe test for my balance of mind.
Pattern of Writing
During that period I could do nothing but endure
countless hours of hard work, but meanwhile I
find those who seldom study are busy with fishing
for exam questions or doing something under the
table. And worst of all, there is no provision in the
current education system for chances of exercising
our creativity. If we take part in exams, all we need
to do is to recall what the textbooks or notebooks
are about.
Pattern of Writing
Para. 3 In response to the problems above, there
needs to be a code of rules that can keep the
campus free from dishonesty because the system so
easily lends itself to abuse. Students like me should
also take every responsibility for our actions in
exams. And above all, I long for a new system, like
the quality-oriented education, that will encourage
students to tap into their own talents without any
guilt or fear of cheating.
Writing Practice
Dynamic Writing
An American educationist once said, “No
Topic: Longing
forwith
a Purer
Climate
of Doing
amount
of change
a cart
will produce
a
car.” The same is true for writing in English. If
Business
our focus is merely on the target words, it is like
Outlines:
taking
apart the car to find its parts for our old
cart.
There will be no way to write well in
1. 经商中的不良现象；
English. So our best course of action is to take
2. 商业领域的深层次问题；
their
pattern of writing as a model to follow.
That
is just where our dynamic writing enters.
3. 你的建议。
For More
Writing Practice
Longing for a Purer Climate of Doing Business
Para.
the current
climate
of business,
Para. 11 In
Under
the present
welfare
system, aa client
businessman
supposed
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many
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system
forthe
more
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for
more
money.
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the
other
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for
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money. On the other hand, caseworkers, due to
caseworkers,
due
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often
made
fools
customers, due
to to
being
often
made
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of,of,
have
being often made fools of, have become detectives,
have
become
detectives,
suspicious
of every client.
become
detectives,
suspicious
of every
suspicious
of every
client.
For
the
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likeofme
For
the
clients
like
me
who
opt
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live
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businessmen
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it
is
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to
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way,
however,
it ishard
live
life of honesty,
however,
it is
extremely
extremely
hard
to
accept
the
reality.
reality.
extremely
hard
to accept the reality.
to
accept the
reality.
Writing Practice
Para. 222 If
If taken
taken seriously,
seriously, the
the problems
problems with
with the
the
Para.
Para.
If
taken
seriously,
the
problems
with
the
present business
businesscan
canboil
boildown
downtoto
tothree.
three.One
Onecomes
comes
present
present
system
business
can
can
boil
boil
down
down
to
three.
three.
One
One
comes
comes
from little
little trust
trust between
between customers
customers and
and
from
from
little
trust
between
caseworkers
customers
and
and clients.
businessmen.
That is
isstrong
why III have
have
strong
feeling of
of
businessmen.
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businessmen.
is why I That
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have
ais
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why
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strong
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guilt whenever the customer questions the quality
guilt
whenever
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whenever
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customer
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field
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Pattern of Writing
During that period I could do nothing but endure
countless hours of hard work, but meanwhile I
find those who seldom study are busy with fishing
for exam questions or doing something under the
table. And worst of all, there is no provision in the
current education system for chances of exercising
our creativity. If we take part in exams, all we need
to do is to recall what the textbooks or notebooks
are about.
Pattern of Writing
Para. 3 In response to the problems above, there
needs to be a code of rules that can keep the
campus free from dishonesty because the system so
easily lends itself to abuse. Students like me should
also take every responsibility for our actions in
exams. And above all, I long for a new system, like
the quality-oriented education, that will encourage
students to tap into their own talents without any
guilt or fear of cheating.
Thanks for your attention