Lesson One Another School Year—What For?
Warm up
I. Questions and Answers
Questions:
1. What can college do for me?
Studies indicate that college graduates enjoy significantly higher earnings over their
lifetimes than do non-graduates.
• An associate degree can mean 35 percent more income than just a high school
diploma.
• A bachelor's degree can mean 74 percent more income than just a high school
diploma.
• A master's degree can mean 115 percent more income than just a high school
diploma.
2. What if I am not sure I can afford it?
College is an investment in your future. True, the up-front costs are considerable, and
in most cases, it is difficult for a family to pay the entire cost of college. That is why
there are many different options for financing your education, such as scholarships,
grants, and loans.
3. What can I expect of a college?
Attending university or college lets you experience a rich cultural and social scene
and meet a variety of people, while studying something you love.
4. What does a college or university mean to me?
• a better paid job
• a greater choice of job
• higher future earning
5. What can I study there?
Higher education courses range from familiar academic subjects such as English
or History, to less familiar ones such as Philosophy, and a host of work-related
(vocational) courses such as accountancy.
II. College Humor
 Tower of Babel blamed for foreign language requirements.
 Doing laundry at 3:00 AM on a Tuesday is a common occurrence.
 College would be really cool if it weren’t for the classes.
 There are two types of clothes. Dirty and funky. Dirty can be worn, funky
should be washed.
 You will learn to hope for a professor whose accent you can understand.
 Every so often, freeze in mid sentence and stare off into space for several
minutes. After a long, awkward silence, resume your sentence and proceed
normally.
 After confirming everyone’s names on the roll, thank the class for attending
“Advanced Astrodynamics 690” and mention that yesterday was the last day
to drop.
Background information
I. Author
John Ciardi
American poet, editor, critic, author of books for children, nonfiction writer, and
translator (of Dante’s The Divine Comedy: “The Inferno”, “The Purgatorio”, and “The
Paradiso”).
 “The day will happen whether or not you get up.”
 “You do not have to suffer to be a poet. Adolescence is enough suffering for
anyone.”
 “A university is what a college becomes when the faculty loses interest in
students.”
II. Aristotle, Chaucer, Bach
Aristotle
One of the greatest thinkers of all time, an ancient Greek philosopher. His work in the
natural and social sciences greatly influenced virtually every area of modern thinking.
Aristotle threw himself wholeheartedly into Plato’s pursuit of truth and goodness.
Plato was soon calling him the “mind of the school”. In later years he renounced some
of Plato’s theories and went far beyond him in breadth of knowledge.
In the early Middle Ages the only works of his known in Western Europe were
parts of his writings on logic. They became the basis of one of the three subjects of
the medieval trivium (三学科)—logic, grammar, and rhetoric. Early in the 13th
century other books reached the West. Some came from Constantinople; others were
brought by the Arabs to Spain. Medieval scholars translated them into Latin.
The best known of Aristotle’s writings that have been preserved are Organon (工具论)
(treatises on logic), Rhetoric, Poetics, History of Animals, Metaphysics (玄学), De
Anima (on psychology), Nicomachean Ethics, Politics and Constitution of Athens.
Chaucer
The Father of the English Language as well as the Morning Star of Song, one of the
three or four greatest English poets.
•
•
Playfulness of mood and simplicity of expression.
Most famous work was the Canterbury Tales.
Bach
Bach is considered by many to have been the greatest composer in the history of
western music.
Bach's main achievement lies in his synthesis and advanced development of the
primary contrapuntal idiom of the late Baroque, and in the basic tunefullness of his
thematic material.
Bach is also known for the numerical symbolism and mathematical exactitude which
many people have found in his music—for this, he is often regarded as one of the
pinnacle geniuses of western civilization.
III. Dante, Homer, La Rochefoucauld
Dante
One of the greatest poets in the history of world literature, Italian writer Alighieri
Dante composed poetry influenced by classical and Christian tradition.
Dante’s greatest work—epic poem: The Divine Comedy, 1802. It includes three
sections:
• the “Inferno” (Hell), in which the great classical poet Virgil leads Dante on a
trip through hell;
• the “Purgatorio” (Purgatory), in which Virgil leads Dante up the mountain of
purification; and
• the “Paradiso” (Paradise), in which Dante travels through heaven.
Homer
Homer, name traditionally assigned to the author of The Iliad and The Odyssey, the
two major epics of Greek antiquity.
La Rochefoucauld
The literary reputation of La Rochefoucauld rests on one book: Maxims, published in
1665. These moral reflections and maxims are a collection of cynical epigrams, or
short sayings, about human nature—a nature that the author felt is dominated by
self-interest.
 “We seldom find such sensible men as those who agree with us.”
 “Virtues are lost in self-interest as rivers are lost in the sea.”
 “The surest way to be deceived is to think oneself cleverer than
the others.”
 “We always like those who admire us; we do not always like
those whom we admire.”
IV.
Virgil, Shakespeare
Virgil
The greatest of the ancient Roman poets
His works:
• “Eclogues” (牧歌)—pastoral poems
• the “Georgics” (田园诗)—a more serious work on the art of farming
and the charms of country life (This established his fame as the
foremost poet of his age.)
• his great epic, the “Aeneid” (叙事诗), which exercised a tremendous
influence upon Latin and later Christian literature
Shakespeare
English playwright and poet whose body of works is considered the greatest in
English literature. His plays, many of which were performed at the Globe Theatre in
London, include historical works, such as Richard II, comedies, including Much
Ado About Nothing (庸人自扰), The Merchant of Venice, Twelfth Night, and As You
Like It, and tragedies, such as Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Othello, and King Lear. He
also composed 154 sonnets.
V. Neanderthal
The Neanderthal was a species of genus Homo that inhabited Europe and parts of
western Asia from about 230,000 to 29,000 years ago (the Middle Paleolithic and
Lower Paleolithic, in the Pleistocene epoch).
Neanderthals were adapted to cold, as shown by their larger brains, short but robust
builds and large nose. These traits are promoted by natural selection in cold climates,
and are also observed in modern sub-arctic populations. Their brains were roughly 10
percent larger than those of modern humans. On average, Neanderthals stood about
1.65m tall and were very muscular, comparable to modern weight-lifters.
Text Appreciation
I. Text Analysis
1. Theme
The author tries to clarify the purpose of a university: to put the students in touch with
the best civilization that human race has created.
2. Structure
Part 1 (Paras. 1— 8 ): The writer describes his encounter with one of his students.
Part 2 (Paras. 9---14 ): The author restates what he still believes to be the purpose of
a university: putting its students in touch with the best civilizations the human race
has created.
3. Discussion
As a college student, what do you think of the question put forward by the
author? Give your own answer to the question, and compare it with the
author’s.
After finishing reading the whole text, how do you evaluate the author’s
answer?
4. How does the writer present his argument?
Introduction
He introduces the topic with his encounter with a student and with two questions:
Why should we go to university? Why should we learn literature, arts, philosophy,
politics, etc.?
Then he proceeds to give evidence to support his view:
Evidence A: distinction between technical training and university
Evidence B: How to spend the 8 hours of leisure time
will decide whether you are capable of penetrating insight, whether you can be
democratic, tasteful and above all, whether you can raise a civilized family.
Answer/topic sentence: … the business of the college is to put you in touch with
what the best human minds have thought.
Evidence C: Nobody gets to be a human being unaided, and books can aid us in
becoming a civilized human, both in terms of techniques of mankind, and in terms of
spiritual resources.
Conclusion
Reiteration and summary: the function of university and its faculty.
II. Writing Devices
1. Language Style & Tone
Style:
Colloquial, familiar style
(By way of using direct speech)
Tone:
Humorous and mildly sarcastic
(By way of using metaphors)
2. Metaphor
Metaphor: A figure of speech in which a word or phrase that ordinarily designates
one thing is used to designate another, thus making an implicit comparison.
Part of the student body was a beanpole with hair on top who came into my class, sat
down… (Para. 1)
New as I was to the faculty, I could have told this specimen a number of things. (Para.
2)
That is about what I said, but this particular pest was not interested. (Para. 7)
Language Study
I. Word Study
1. accomplishment
n. sth. completed successfully; an achievement
Examples:
a girl of many accomplishments 多才多艺的姑娘
Among her accomplishments were sewing, cooking, playing the piano and
dancing.
accomplish
v. to succeed in doing; to reach the end of
Examples:
accomplish one’s object 达到目的
accomplish one’s mission 完成使命
He can accomplish more in a day than any other boy in his class.
2. assume
v. a. to take for granted; to suppose
b. to take upon oneself
Examples:
They had assumed that prices would rise these days, but in fact they were
wrong.
assume responsibilities
assume another’s debts
Word formation
n. assumption
a. assumptive
3. certify
v. to confirm formally as true, accurate, or genuine
Examples:
The accounts were certified (as) correct.
He was certified (as) insane.
certified accountant 注册会计师
Word formation
n. certification
a. certified 有书面证明的，已证实的
4. expose
v. a. to subject or allow to be subjected to an action or an influence 使受影响
b. to subject (a photographic film, for example) to the action of light 使曝光
c. to make known (sth. discreditable); to reveal (the guilt or wrongdoing of)
揭发（有损信誉的事）；揭露（罪恶或错误的行为）
Examples:
The parents exposed their children to classical music at home.
This film has been exposed.
The crime of the corrupt officials must be exposed without any reserve.
5. faculty
n. a. any of the powers of the body or mind
b. department or group of related departments in a university
c. the whole teaching staff in one of the departments or in the whole university
Examples:
the faculty of the sight; mental faculties
the Faculty of Law
The entire faculty of the university will attend the meeting.
cf.
staff n.
a. group of assistants working together in a business, etc. responsible to a manager or
a
person in authority
b. those people doing administrative work
Examples:
the hotel staff, the shop staff
We need more staff in the office.
I have a staff of ten.
a head teacher and her staff 校长及全体教工
The school staff are expected to supervise school meals.
6. generate
v. to produce as a result of a chemical or physical process
Examples:
a generating station 发电厂，发电站
When coal burns, it generates heat.
generative reproduction 有性繁殖
Word formation
n. generation
n. generator
a. generative
7. nevertheless
adv. in spite of that, however
Examples:
She was very tired, nevertheless she kept on working.
We are going nevertheless we shall return.
8. rear
v. a. to care for (children or a child) during the early stages of life; to bring up
b. to tend (growing plants or animals)
c. to rise high in the air; to tower
n. a hind part 后面，后边；后边的部分
Examples:
to rear a child
to rear poultry
to rear a monument to a person’s memory 为纪念某人而建立纪念碑
the rear of the hall
9. species
n. a fundamental category of taxonomic classification, ranking below a genus or
subgenus and consisting of related organisms capable of interbreeding
Examples:
Some species of animals have become extinct because they could not adapt to
a changing environment.
The Origin of Species《物种起源》
10. suffice
v. to meet present needs or requirements
Examples:
These rations will suffice until next week.
Fifty dollars will suffice me.
Fifty dollars will suffice for my needs.
Word formation
a. sufficient
n. sufficiency
II. Phrases and Expressions
1. enroll in
to place one’s name on a roll or register; to sign up 注册登记，注册、记录某人名
字在花名册上；登记
Example:
We enrolled in the army.
Word formation
n. enrollment
2. specialize in
to concentrate on a particular activity or product 从事专门活动或销售专业
产品
Example:
The shop specializes in mountain-climbing gear.
3. put it…
to express; to state 表达；陈述
Examples:
to put it another way 换句话说
to put it mildly 说得婉转些
to put it strong 说得刻薄
4. go through
a. to examine carefully 仔细检查
b. to experience
Examples:
John went through the students’ papers.
We went through hell while working on this project.
5. see to it that
to try to make sure that
Example:
The parents asked the girl to see to it that her younger brothers behave well at
the table.
6. preside over
to be in charge of
Examples:
preside over a meeting 主持会议
preside at tea 招待客人吃茶点
The manager presides over the business of this store. 主持管理业务
7. be out to do sth.
to try to do sth.
Example:
You professor raise your kids your way; I’ll take care of my own. Me, I’m out
to make money.
8. be on one’s/the way to
to be in the process of coming, going, or traveling
Examples:
She is on her way out the door.
Winter is on the way.
You are on your way to being that new speciesof mechanized savage, the
push-button Neanderthal.
9. The chances are that…
It is possible that…
Examples:
The chances are ten to one that the guest team will win.
If you have some one on your mind, let her know. Chances are you are on hers
as well.
cf.
There is a chance that I will see him these days.
Is there any chance of rain?
chance
vi. to come about by chance; occur 偶然发生，出现
vt. to take the risk or hazard of 冒······的危险
Examples:
It chanced that the train was late that day.
Although there is still hope, he is not not willing to chance it.
10. in essence
by nature; essentially 本质上；实质的
Example:
In essence, leadership involves accomplishing goals with and through people.
11. make… available
to do sth. so that one thing can be used or can easily be bought or found
Examples:
Dental clinics shall be made available within ten miles of each community.
Parking facilities were made available for the disabled.
III. Word Building
1. Suffix –ize
capitalize
e.g.
a. to cause to be or to become 使成为
dramatize 戏剧化
b. to cause to conform to or resemble
Hellenize 使希腊化
使······一致，使······相像
c. to treat as 当作······对待
idolize 偶像崇拜
d. to treat or affect with 对待或影响
anesthetize 施以麻醉
e. to subject to 使服从
tyrannize 压制
f. to treat according to or practice the method of pasteurize 施行巴氏消毒
根据······对待或实施办法
g. to become; become like
materialize 具体化
成为；变得像
h. to perform, engage in, or produce
botanize 采集植物
完成，从事于，生产
suffix— -ize
capital (a.)
central (a.)
final (a.)
hospital (n.)
ideal (a.)
natural (a.)
capitalize
centralize
finalize
hospitalize
idealize
naturalize
social (a.)
socialize
apologetic (a.)
civil (a.)
fertile (a.)
industrial (a.)
real (a.)
special (a.)
western (a.)
apologize
civilize
fertilize
industrialize
realize
specialize
westernize
2. Suffix –fy
clarify
-fy—to cause to become; to make
base (n.)
basify 碱化
clear (a.)
clarify 澄清
class (n.)
classify 分类
intense (a.)
intensify 加强
just (a.)
justify 使正当
note (n.)
notify 通知
pure (a.)
purify 净化
quality (n.) qualify 使具有资格
simple (a.) simplify 简化
unity (n.)
unify 统一
terror (n.)
terrify 使恐惧
IV. Grammar
I. Observe the following sentences and study the related grammar.
New as I was to the faculty, I could have told this specimen a number of
things.
There is not time enough in a single lifetime to invent for oneself everything
one needs to know in order to be a civilized man.
As this is true of the techniques of mankind, so it is true of mankind’s spiritual
resources.
II. Grammar 1: concessive clause
New as I was to the faculty, I could have told this specimen a number of
things.
Concessive clause, inverted sentence, meaning “though…”
More examples:
Great as the author was, he proved a bad model. Ridiculous as it seems, the tale is
true.
II. Grammar 2: infinitive
There is not time enough in a single lifetime to invent for oneself everything
one needs to know in order to be a civilized man.
Infinitive, functioning as modifier of “time”
More examples:
a lot of things to do
last one to leave
a man to rely on
II. Grammar 3: as… so structure
As this is true of the techniques of mankind, so it is true of mankind’s spiritual
resources.
as… so 结构，so 作为关联副词(conjunctive adverbs)
More example:
Just as the French love their wine, so the English love their beer.
Lesson Two Maheegun My Brother
Warm-up
I. Easter Day
1. Origin of Easter Day
Easter is a religious festival celebrating the resurrection (复活) of Christ observed on the first
Sunday after the Spring Equinox (春分).
2. Some Symbols of Easter Day
1) Easter Bunny
• The Easter bunnies have become the most favorite Easter symbol. It's universal in its
appeal. And, most important of all, it relates to Easter historically.
• Also the hare and eggs have something to do with the Anglo-Saxon spring goddess Eostre.
Possibly, this is because both of them were regarded to be emblems of fertility.
2) Easter Egg
• As with the Easter bunny and the holiday itself, the Easter egg predates (先于) the
Christian holiday of Easter. The exchange of eggs in the springtime is a custom that was
centuries old when Easter was first celebrated by Christians.
•
From the earliest times, the egg was a symbol of rebirth in most cultures. Eggs were often
wrapped in gold leaf or, if you were a peasant, colored brightly by boiling them with the
leaves or petals of certain flowers.
• As with today, children hunt colored eggs and place them in Easter baskets along with the
modern version of real Easter eggs—those made of plastic or chocolate candy.
• The Armenians would decorate hollow eggs with pictures of Christ, the Virgin Mary, and
other religious designs.
3) Easter Egg Games
On Easter morning the children of the house join in a search to locate the eggs that the Easter
bunny has hidden while they were asleep. The searching might continue throughout the house
with the older children helping the youngest. Sometimes prizes of candy are awaiting the child
finding the most eggs.
Easter egg hunts can be part of a community's celebration of the holiday. The eggs are hidden in
public places and the children of the community are invited to find the eggs.
The rules of an Easter egg roll are to see who can roll an egg the greatest distance or can make the
roll without breaking it, usually down a grassy hillside or slope.
(Maybe the most famous egg rolling takes place on the White House Lawn. Hundreds of children
come with baskets filled with brightly decorated eggs and roll them down the famous lawn,
hoping the President of the United States is watching the fun.)
4) Easter & Lily
• The lovely white trumpet lily, main flower of the Easter floral arrangements, has been
enjoying a great favor in being included as a principal item for church decoration for
quite some time. It is a perfect gift of nature to beautify our Easter.
•
But its acceptance in America, as such, dates back around the 1800s. It came in with the
rise in the Easter observances by the Protestants in America. And, strange, it took some
more time to find a widespread acceptance.
(A member of a Western Christian church whose faith and practice are founded on the
principles of the Protestant Reformation, especially in the acceptance of the Bible as the sole
source of revelation, in justification by faith alone, and in the universal priesthood of all the
believers.
新教徒：西方基督教会的一个成员，其信仰和实践建立在新教改革运动中提出的原则之
上，并把圣经作为上帝启示的唯一来源，只承认因信称义，并认为所有的信徒都有作教
士的资格)
II. Wolf IQ Test
1. Generally, how old are wolf pups before they can walk? ____.
A. Three hours
B. Three days
C. Three weeks
2. Wolves use _____ for individual as well as pack development.
A. sleep
B. play
C. aggression
3. How successful are wolves when hunting their prey? _____.
A. Not very successful
B. Mostly successful
C. Always successful
4. To signal alarm, a wolf will ____.
A. howl
B. growl
C. bark
Growl: The low, guttural, menacing sound made by an animal
低吼：动物从喉头发出的低沉，具有威胁性的声音
Howl: To utter or emit a long, mournful, plaintive sound.
嚎叫，咆哮：发出悲伤，哀怨的长音
Bark: The harsh, abrupt sound uttered by a dog.
吠声：刺耳的短促的狗叫声
5. A high, curled tail on a wolf is generally a sign of____.
A. dominance
B. fear
C. submission
6. The survival and the future of wolves will depend on ____.
A. sending wolves to Canada
B. making wolves pets
C. increased education
Background information
I. Wolf and Man
In the beginning, the wolf shared a close bond with Man. The forerunner of today’s
dogs, the wolf sometimes shared the fire of Man, helping him to hunt, and in turn
being kept safe and fed a portion of the kill.
Many ancient cultures held the wolf in high regard.
In Egypt, the wolf was worshipped at Lycopolis—“the City of the Wolves”.
In Greece, the god Apollo was a wolf-god. A bronze wolf guarded his altar in
the temple of Delphi.
Mars/Ares (希腊战神) had a wolf for his emblem and was sometimes known
to change into a wolf by donning a wolf-skin.
The Norse god Odin was also a wolf-god. He also resided over eagles and
bears. Also in Norse myth, the great wolf, Fenrir, was a giant who took upon
the permanent shape of a wolf soon after birth.
Many Christian saints were associated with wolves. The Slavs called St. Peter
“the wolves shepherd”.
In the traditions of Eastern Europe, St. George was accompanied by wolves
wherever he went.
St. Francis of Assisi made a pact with the fearsome wolf of Gubbio, and the
townspeople observed this agreement by feeding the wolf for the rest of his
life.
In Roman mythology, the god Mars considered the wolf a sacred animal, and
the founders of Rome were raised by a wolf.
Eastern Europeans often viewed wolves as protectors of the harvest.
Native Americans also held the wolf in high regard and believed that wolves
carry some characteristics that humans should also find important, such as
strong family structure and teaching the young.
Things changed however, and the wolf became a devourer of livestock and
supposedly also a devourer of people, especially children.
So the wolf was hunted, and in Western Europe, the Emperor Charlemagne
established the Louveterie or wolf-hunt. On the 9th August 1787, Louis XVI
abolished the Louveterie due to poor economy, but it was re-established by Napoleon
I. It was not until 1971 that the Louveterie was finally ended.
The wolf is now extinct in Ireland, the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, the
Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Hungary.
It is endangered in Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Italy, Poland, Portugal and Spain.
Only in Alaska, Canada and Russia, has the wolf found its last stronghold.
Thus the tale of the wolf is indeed tinged with blood—but it is less the blood of Man
than of the wolf itself.
The wolf is now extinct in Ireland, the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, the
Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Hungary.
It is endangered in Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Italy, Poland, Portugal and Spain.
Only in Alaska, Canada and Russia, has the wolf found its last stronghold.
Thus the tale of the wolf is indeed tinged with blood—but it is less the blood of Man
than of the wolf itself.
How are wolves viewed nowadays?
a more realistic view of the wolf: a vital part of a balanced ecosystem
II. Wolf Phrases
Guess the Chinese translation of following wolf phrases:
cry wolf
喊叫“狼来了”，发假警报
a lone wolf 独居单干的人
wolf in sheep's clothing
披着羊皮的狼
have/hold a wolf by the ears
骑虎难下，进退两难
have a wolf in the stomach
饿到极点
keep the wolf from the door 免于饥饿，勉强度日
see a wolf 说不出话来，目瞪口呆
ugly enough to tree a wolf 丑陋已极，不中用到极点
wake a sleeping wolf 自找麻烦
set the wolf to keep the sheep 引狼入室
Text Appreciation
I. Text Analysis
1. Theme of the Story
The story depicts the ideal relationship between humans and wild animals—they are
fellow creatures on earth, and therefore should treat each other like brothers.
2. Structure of the Text
Part 1 (Paras. 1-3 ) : The introduction.
Part 2 (Paras. 4-17 ) : The happy days the boy and Maheegun had together in the
short period of less than a year, and how Maheegun returned to the wild where he
belonged.
Part 3 (Paras. 18-40 ) : The reunion of the two when the boy’s life was endangered
by two hungry wolves.
Part 4 (Paras. 41-44 ) : The brothers returned to the place where they each
belonged—the boy to his warm home, the wolf to his kind in the wild.
3. Further Discussion
1. How do you think Maheegun came to be abandoned?
2. Why did the boy say that the year he was 14, he was the happiest boy on earth?
What did they do together?
3. What happened one day that convinced the boy’s grandpa that the time had
come to say goodbye to Maheegun?
4. How did Maheegun return to his kind?
Describe the snow storm that got the boy lost in the forest, using the following key
words and expressions:
snowshoes/to dim/flakes of snow/to drift/to thicken/to stumble into/to move in a
circle/to be filled (covered/smother) with snow/to make a blanket of/white
stillness/fierce whiteness/to storm for days/biting cold (bitterly cold/freezing)
II. Writing Devices
Language Style
Inversion
Gone was the puppy-wool coat. In its place was a handsome black
mantle. (Para. 6)
In sailed Mrs. Yesno, wild anger, who demanded... (Para. 8)
On the top was the clear outline of a great wolf sitting still. (Para. 11)
There, about 50 feet away, crouched my two attackers… (Para. 33)
There stood a giant black wolf. (Para. 33)
Simile, Metaphor & Personification
We hunted the grasshoppers that leaped
about like little rockets.
For the next two years I was as busy as a
squirrel storing nuts for the winter.
Gone was the puppy-wool coat. In its place
was a handsome black mantle.
The whole world thrilled to that wild cry.
III. Sentence Paraphrase
Language Study
I. Word Study
1. alert
v. to notify of approaching danger or action;
to warn
a. vigilantly attentive; watchful
n. a signal that warns of attack or danger
Examples:
The doctor alerted me to the dangers of smoking.
The radio alerted the citizens to prepare for the hurricane.
an alert bank guard
One should not run about aimlessly during an alert.
2. chase
v. a. to put to flight; to drive away
b. to follow rapidly in order to catch or overtake; to pursue
c. to seek the favor or company of persistently
Examples:
to chase the dogs away
to chase the thief
to chase girls
Word formation
n. chase
3. crouch
v. to stoop, especially with the knees bent
Examples:
They crouched over the grate with a flashlight, searching for the lost gem.
She crouched by the fire to get warm.
Word formation
n. crouch
4. detain
v.
a. to keep from proceeding; to delay or retard
b. to keep in custody or temporary confinement
Examples:
I was detained by an unexpected caller that morning.
The disruptive students were detained after school until their parents had been
notified.
Word formation
n. detainer
n. detainee
n. detainment
5. pace
n. a. a step made in walking; a stride
b. the rate of speed at which a person, an animal, or a group walks or runs
V. a. to walk or stride back and forth across
b. to measure by counting the number of steps needed to cover a distance
Examples:
The fence is only ten paces from the house.
The work progressed at a slow pace.
He paced the room.
to pace out a distance of 100 yards
6. poke
v. to push; to thrust
Example:
A seal poked its head out of the water.
Phrase
poke fun at… 取笑
7. smother
v. a. to suffocate (another)
b. to conceal, suppress, or hide
c. to lavish a surfeit of a given emotion on (someone)
Examples:
The killer smothered the victim with a pillow.
We tried to smother our laughter.
Grandparents tend to smother grand-children with affection.
8. thrill
v. to cause to feel a sudden intense sensation; to excite greatly
n. a quivering or trembling caused by sudden excitement or emotion
Examples:
Stories of adventure thrilled him.
It gave me a thrill to know I had passed the examination.
Word formation
a. thrilling
9. toll
v. a. to charge a fee for using (a structure, such as a bridge)
b. to sound (a large bell) slowly at regular intervals
n. a. the act of tolling
b. a fixed charge or tax for a privilege, especially for passage across a bridge
or along a road
c. a charge for a service, such as a long- distance telephone call
Examples:
They were tolled more than necessary.
The church bell tolled the hour.
The cold and loss of blood were taking their toll.
10. whimper
v. to cry or sob with soft intermittent sounds; to whine
Example:
The little dog whimpered when I tried to bath it.
howl 狼、狗、狐狸的嚎叫，常指夜间嗥叫
rumble 隆隆的响声
snarl 露齿而吠，嗥叫
whimper 动物的悲嗥声，唔咽
11. start
v. to move suddenly or involuntarily
n. a startled reaction or movement
Examples:
The child started at the loud noise.
to start at the mere rustle of leaves in the wind
He sat up with a start.
12. sail
v. a. (of a woman) to walk elegantly and gracefully
b. to move swiftly, smoothly, or effortlessly
Examples:
The duchess sailed into the room.
He sailed through the examination.
13. serve
v. a. to prepare and offer (food)
b. to spend or complete (time)
c. to fight or undergo military service for
d. to be of service or use; to function
Examples:
to serve tea
He has served four terms in Congress.
The woman served her country for five years in the navy.
Now the examination score serves as the only criterion for a student’s
academic performance.
14. see
v. to be the time when/the place where an event happens; to witness
Examples:
The light of another day still saw no end to the storm.
The 20th century saw many changes.
The house saw many important meetings in the country’s history.
II. Phrases and Expressions
1. with a start
一惊地
to move one’s body quickly and suddenly because one is surprised, afraid, etc.
Example:
But something caused me to wake up with a start.
2. for the best 长远看是有好处的
best for the long run though sth. appears bad or unpleasant
Examples:
His parents didn’t want him to work in London, but they knew it was perhaps
for the best.
They had to sell their car, but since they are both without a job, it’s probably
for the best.
3. only to…结果只是
used to mention sth. that happens immediately afterwards, esp. sth. that causes
surprise, disappointment, etc.
Examples:
He went to see her only to find the door was locked.
He returned after the war, only to be told that his wife had left him.
I tried to travel west but only to hit the creek again.
cf. only too: very
… but I knew only too well there should have been no creek there.
I shall be only too pleased to do my best in that line of work.
4. blow itself out 消退
(of a storm) to lose force or cease entirely
Example:
The weather forecast says that the storm will soon blow itself out and
move out to sea.
5. work one’s way 艰难行走
to move with great difficulty
edge one’s way
挤过去
elbow one’s way
挤着向前走
feel one’s way
摸索着向前走
fight one’s way
奋斗着前进, 打开一条出路
find one’s way
设法到达
shoulder one’s way
挤(出去), 冲(出去)
squeeze one’s way
挤(出去), 冲(出去)
plough one’s way
艰难费力地前进, 开拓前进
work one’s way
挤 出 一 条 路 ; 排 除 困 难 , 艰
辛前进
worm one’s way (through)
慢慢前进
6. take one’s toll on…夺去,使遭受打击
to have a bad effect on sb./sth.
Examples:
Years of hard work and anxiety have taken their toll on his health.
The destruction of the World Trade Center in New York is taking its toll on US
airlines.
7. come into focus 轮廓清晰
If your eyes, a camera, a telescope or
other instruments come or comes into
focus, the edges of what you see are
clear and sharp.
Example:
Before you shoot a photograph, you should adjust the camera so that it comes
into focus.
III. Word Building
1. Compound adjectives: n.+ -ed
moon-flooded cabin 撒满月色的小屋
snow-filled creek bed 被白雪覆盖的河床
blood-soaked bandage 浸透血的绷带
thunder-struck crowd
惊愕的群众
sun-tanned arms 被太阳晒黑的胳膊
wind-driven generator 风力发电机
cloud-capped tower 高耸入云的塔
2. Words used both as verbs and nouns
Night fell quickly.
a bar serving whiskey that had been watered
You should not have risked the confrontation with the government.
The storm hit without warning.
The surgeon bandaged up his injured head.
Waste of food is wicked.
All his efforts were wasted.
I wanted to raise a question to the chairman but in a moment I lost my nerve.
The boss gave him a raise.
“The town’s big shots were… wolfing down the buffet.”
IV. Grammar
Infinitive
Grammatical function:
subject
object
attributive modifier
adverbial of purpose
adverbial of result
I tried to tell myself it was all for the best, but it was hard to lose my brother.
Infinitive as subject
My grandfather finally agreed to let me keep him.
Infinitive as object
Ah, that was the true joy of life, the ability to love!
Infinitive as attributive modifier
They lifted a rock only to drop it on their own feet.
Infinitive as adverbial of result
He put the covers over his head to silence his quick breathing.
Infinitive as adverbial of purpose
Lesson Three
More Crime and Less Punishment
Warm-up
I. Warming-up Questions
 Do you think that punishment can deter crimes? Read the whole text and sum
up
the author’s conclusion.
 What are the things like in China? Do you think that the writer’s conclusion
also
applies here?
 Do you think capital punishment should be abolished or not?
II. Expressions Related to Crime, Law and Court
parole
to imprison/jail sb.
crime rate
to execute a murderer
arrest record
to supervise a criminal
property crime
to prosecute sb.
criminal
III. Capital Punishment
Where did the idea of capital punishment come from?
The idea of capital punishment was first instigated by God in the Old Testament
in the Bible.
Genesis 9: 5-6: “And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of
every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man’s
brother will I require the life of man. Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his
blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.”
Leviticus 24: 17-22:
“And he that killeth any man shall surely be put to death. And he that killeth a beast
shall make it good; beast for beast. And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbour; as
he hath done, so shall it be done to him; Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth:
as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again. And he that
killeth a beast, he shall restore it; and he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death. Ye
shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one of your own country:
for I am the LORD your God.”
IV. Methods of Execution
Guillotine
Hanging
Firing Squad
The Electric Chair
Lethal Injection
How do you understand that execution is “A moral question transformed into an
aesthetic question”?
Discussion
 What is the symbolic importance of executions?
 Should executions be televised?
Background Information
I. Author
Richard Moran
Richard Moran is a criminologist and a leading expert on the insanity defense, capital
punishment, and the history of the electric chair. His book The Executioner’s Current
(Knopf, 2002) is the story of how the electric chair developed out of an effort by one
nineteenth-century electric company to discredit the other.
II. Alcatraz Island
Alcatraz Island is one of Golden Gate National Recreation Area’s most popular
destinations, offering a close-up look at a historic and infamous federal prison.
Visitors to the island cannot only explore the remnants of the prison, but can also
learn about the Indian occupation of 1969-1971, early military fortifications (the first
U.S. fort on the coast), and the West Coast’s first (and oldest operating) lighthouse.
These structures and the island’s many natural features are being preserved by the
National Park Service.
III. Parole (假释)
Parole, in criminal law, means release from prison of a convict before the
expiration of his term on condition that his activities be restricted and that he report
regularly to an officer. The convict generally remains under sentence, and the
restrictions (as of residence, occupation, type of associates) and the supervision are
intended to prevent a relapse into crime. Any violation of parole may result in return
to imprisonment. The procedure of parole is regulated by statute in the jurisdictions of
the United States.
It is less often administered directly by the executive than it is by a board or
officer with the power to release a convict after he has served the minimum of an
indeterminate sentence. Parole is designed to give the prisoner a chance to readjust
and to expedite the process of rehabilitation.
IV. Hierarchy of American Laws
U.S. Constitution and Its Amendments (“Bill of Rights”)
Federal Laws
—include bills signed into law by the President, statutes of federal agencies and
executive orders issued by the President, plus Supreme Court and federal court
decisions. Federal laws can be disputed in federal courts.
State Laws
—mostly court decisions based on common law
Local (Municipal) Laws
—local statutes, codes and court decisions
V. Quiz on American Crime and Prison
1) Over the past 25 years (1970-1995), violent crime in the U.S. has ______.
a. increased by 15%
b. increased by almost half
c. more than doubled
d. remained about the same
2) During the past 25 years, the rate at which people have been incarcerated in the U.S.
has ______.
a. slightly increased
b. slightly decreased
c. almost doubled
d. almost quadrupled
e. remained approximately the
same
3) Studies have shown that higher imprisonment rates will lower the crime rate.
a. true
b. false
4) The incarceration rate for black people in the U.S. is approximately ____ that of
white people.
a. the same as
b. 8 times
c. 4 times
d. 5 times
5) Black people are 4 times as likely to be arrested on drug charges as white people,
even though the two groups use drugs at almost the same rate.
a. true
b. false
6) Although the incarceration rate for black people in the U.S. is high, it is
significantly less than the incarceration rate for black people in South Africa.
a. true
b. false
7) There are more black men in prison today than are attending college.
a. true
b. false
8) It costs more to send a person to prison for a year than to Harvard for a year.
a. true
b. false
9) U.S. prisoners are serving shorter prison terms today than in the past.
a. true
b. false
10) Approximately _______ percent of prisoners in prison today have been convicted
of a violent crime.
a. 50
b. 72
c. 25
d. 36
11) Politicians have proposed tough crime legislation because the public almost
uniformly favors "lock-them-up" solutions to crime.
a. true
b. false
12) International human rights organizations have cited prisons in the U.S. for
practising psychological torture.
a. true
b. false
13) By the late 1980's, the U.S., far and away, led the world in the rate of
incarceration of its own citizens.
a. true
b. false
ddbba baabc baa
Text Appreciation
I. General Introduction
Purpose of the text
The essay does not attempt to deal with all the various aspects of the crime problem.
Rather, it aims to persuade the readers that punishment does not deter crime, probably
in reply to observations that harsh punishments should be enforced to reduce crime.
Structure of the text
Part 1 (Paras. 1-3 ): Introduction of the central idea: punishment does not reduce
crime.
Part 2 (Paras. 4-9 ): Why punishment does not deter crime.
Part 3 (Para. 10 ): Conclusion: getting tough with criminals is not the answer to the
crime problem.
II. Text Analysis
How did the author argue for his point of view?
Topic sentence: More crime, less punishment.
(a related topic: Should the criminals be locked up for long? /Longer prison sentences
or not?)
Subtopic 1 (正面论证): We cannot lock up those
criminals long in prison. (Paras. 4, 5, 6)
Para. 4: The gradual increase in the criminal population has made it more difficult
to get into prison.
Para. 5: The criminal justice system is powerless for it is faced with too many
crimes.
Para. 6: Statistical fact: Most criminals are only imprisoned for a short period.
Subtopic 2 (反面论证): It would be unfeasible and costly to lock them up for
longer periods of time. (Paras. 7, 8, 9)
Para. 7: If we locked them up for longer periods of time, it would not be worth
the cost. Besides, the public is unwilling to pay for prison construction.
Para. 8: Even if the public were willing to pay, long prison sentences may not
be effective in reducing crime.
Para. 9: More time spent in prison is also more expensive.
III. Writing Devices
Analogy
It is the comparison of two unlike things for the purpose of illustration. The
comparison is possible because the two things have something in common.

Just as the decline in the number of high-school graduates has made it
easier to gain admission to the college of one’s choice, the gradual increase
in the criminal population has made it more difficult to get into prison.
(Para. 4)

Judicious praise is to children what the sun is to flowers.

While elite colleges and universities still have high standards of
admissions, some of the most “exclusive” prisons now require about five
prior serious crimes before an inmate is accepted into their correctional
program. (Para. 4)
Rhetorical Questions
These are questions that do not expect an answer but express a strong feeling,
opinion or impression.
 But can we afford to cut off the hands of those who committed more than 35
million property crimes each year? Can we send them to prison? Can we
execute more than 22,000 murderers? (Para. 2)
More examples:

Who was he to take stand against a custom?

Do you see anything green in my eyes?
Statistical Information
In an argumentative piece of writing, statistical evidence is convincing.
 Of every 100 serious crimes committed in America, only 33 are actually
reported to the police. Of the 33 reported, about six lead to arrest. Of the six
arrested, only three are prosecuted and convicted. The others are rejected or
dismissed due to evidence or witness problems or are sent elsewhere for
medical treatment instead of punishment. Of the three convicted, only one is
sent to prison. (Para. 6)
Repetition
Repetition is used for emphasis and expression of a strong feeling.



Alone, alone, all, all alone.
He is as vulgar as a hog, as awkward as an elephant, and as ugly as an ape.
Of every 100 serious crimes committed in America, only 33 are actually
reported to the police. Of the 33 reported, about six lead to arrest. Of the six
arrested, only three are prosecuted and convicted. The others are rejected or
dismissed due to evidence or witness problems or are sent elsewhere for
medical treatment instead of punishment. Of the three convicted, only one is
sent to prison. (Para. 6)
IV. Language Style
 Slightly formal
 Long sentences with complicated structure
 Few contractions
V. Sentence Paraphrase
Language Study
I. Word Study
1. approval
n. the act of approving; an official approbation; sanction
for sb.’s approval 求某人指正
give one’s approval to 批准
present sth. to sb. for approval 把某事提交某人批准
submit sth. to sb. for approval 把某事提交某人批准
with/without approval of 经/未经······的批准
v. approve
Examples:
Her father will never approve of her marriage to you.
Congress approved the budget.
The mayoress approved the new building plans.
Word formation
v. approve
v. disapprove
2. commit
v. a. to do, perform, or perpetrate
b. to make known the views of (oneself) on an issue
c. to consign for future use or reference or for preservation
Examples:
to commit a crime/an error
Chairman refused to commit himself on the controversial subject before
making due investigations.
I committed the sonata to memory.
Word formation
a. committed
尽职的,尽忠的
n. commitment
3. convict
v. to find or prove (someone) guilty of an offense or crime, especially by the verdict
of a court
Examples:
The jury convicted the defendant of manslaughter.
He was convicted of murder.
Word formation
n. conviction
4. deter
v. to prevent or discourage from acting, as by means of fear or doubt
Examples:
Does negotiated disarmament deter war?
Failure did not deter us from trying it again.
Word formation
n. a. deterrent
deterrent policy
deterrent power
a nuclear deterrent
5. dismiss
v. a. to end the employment or service of; to discharge
b. to direct or allow to leave
Examples:
The boss threatened to dismiss all the employees who had expressed their
sympathy for the strike, but it’s all bluff.
The General dismissed troops after the inspection.
Word formation
n. dismissal
6. illustrate
v. a. to clarify, as by use of examples or comparisons
b. to provide (a publication) with explanatory or decorative features
Examples:
His story illustrates her true generosity very clearly.
The book was illustrated with color photographs.
Word formation
n. illustration
a. illustrative
7. prior
a. a. preceding in time or order
b. preceding in importance or value
Examples:
I have a prior engagement and so can’t go with you.
This task is prior to all others.
a prior consideration 优先考虑
You must give this matter priority.
Word formation
n. priority
according to priority
give (first) priority to
8. reject
v. to refuse to accept, submit to, believe, or make use of
Examples:
He rejected their invitation point-blank.
reject an offer of help 拒绝别人提供的帮助
reject an appeal 驳回上诉
a reject from the varsity team 被大学代表队拒绝的人
Word formation
n. rejection
n. reject 被拒之人, 被弃之物
9. severity
v. a. the state or quality of being severe
b. the act or an instance of severe behavior, especially punishment
Examples:
the severity of winter 冬天的酷寒
punish sb. with severity 严厉地惩罚某人
Word formation
a. severe
10. witness
v. to be present at or have personal knowledge of
Examples:
He witnessed the accident.
We witnessed tremendous changes in the city.
a witness of the accident
These facts are a witness to his carelessness.
Word formation
n. witness
11. household
a. a. connected with looking after a house and the people in it
b. commonly known; familiar
Examples:
household appliances 家用电器
Koda has become a household name.
n. household
average household 中等家庭
multiperson household 多人口家庭
peasant household 农户
12. decline
v. a. to refuse politely
b. to draw to a gradual close; to wane
Examples:
I declined their offer of help.
an empire that has declined 业已衰落的帝国
sink into a decline 开始衰落, 衰弱下去; 体力衰退 (尤指因患肺病而衰弱)
on the decline 走下坡路, 在衰退中
the decline of life 晚年, 暮年
Word formation
n. decline
cf. decline, refuse, reject
decline 较正式地、有礼貌地谢绝
He declined the nomination.
refuse 是普通用语: 坚决、果断或坦率地拒绝
He refused to take the money.
reject 以否定、敌对的态度当面拒绝
They rejected damaged goods.
13. given
a. a. specified; fixed
b. granted as a supposition; acknowledged or assumed
Examples:
We will meet at a given time and location.
Given the condition of the engine, it is a wonder that it even starts.
II. Phrases and Expressions
1. get tough with 对······态度强硬
to become strong-minded or resolute
Example:
If you are looking for an explanation of why we don’t get tough with criminals,
you need only look at the numbers.
2. amount to 共计,等同于
to add up to, total, be equal to, in quantity or in meaning
Examples:
His debts amount to five thousand dollars.
The seemingly polite letter amounts to a refusal.
3. give out 分发
to give sth. to each person in a group
Example:
Students were giving out leaflets to everyone on the street.
4. the other way round 相反的情形
the opposite situation
Examples:
We think that punishment deters crime, but it just might be the other way
round.
He didn’t divorce his wife. It was the other way round.
To our surprise, the tiger didn’t kill the man. It was the other way round—the
man killed the tiger.
5. be soft on/be easy on 对······心慈手软
to be not stern; to be lenient; to be treating sb. in a soft manner; to be gently
Example:
… it makes little sense to blame the police, judges or correctional personnel
for being soft on criminals.
6. work out 结果是，共计
to have a specified result; to make a total amount of sth.; to add up to
Examples:
It worked out that everyone left on the same train.
The ratio works out to an odd number.
The total cost of the project worked out to 10 million.
7. measured against…和······比较
compared with…
Examples:
Yet when measured against the lower crime rates…, longer prison sentences
are not worth the cost to local governments.
The country’s economic growth last year is impressive when measured against
those of other Asian countries.
III. Word Building
1. prefix – nonnoncombatant (prefix)
non-: not
nonabrasive 不可研磨的
nonacid 非酸性的
nonadjustable 不可调的
nonautomatic 非自动的
nongovernmental 非政府性的
2. suffix – -al
arrival
(suffix)
renew
deny
dismiss
refuse
survive
disapprove
propose
withdraw
-al: action; process
renewal
denial
dismissal
refusal
survival
disapproval
proposal
withdrawal
IV. Grammar
Ways of expressing result
1. so much/many + noun + that
… that there is so much crime that it simply cannot be punished.
2. so + adj. + as + to + infinitive
I will not be so foolish as to suggest a solution to the crime problem.
3. and + a clause
… I cut my hand and blood spurted freely from my wound.
4. so + a clause
After some time, my fingers grew cold and numb, so I took the bandage off and
threw it away.
5. do sth. + and + a clause (indicating a future result)
Read Homer and your mind includes a piece of Homer’s mind.
6. so + adj./adv.+ that + a clause
I was so astonished at this that I must have looked rather foolish and everyone
laughed.
7. and so + a clause
But the disease has not touched his mind, and so it has not affected his work.
8. (only) to + infinitive of result
I tried to travel west but only to hit the creek again.
Ways of comparing things
1. more + noun + than + clause of comparison
This amounts to more than 41 million crimes, many more (crimes) than we are able to
punish.
2. the more… the more
The more angry he became, the more she laughed at him.
3. more + adj. + noun + than + clause
Our current crop of prisoners is an elite group, on the whole much more serious
offenders than those who were once imprisoned in Alcatraz.
4. as + adj. + as + clause
The criminal justice system must then become as powerless as a parent…
5. more than + clause
Yet any of you… knows more about physics than did many of those great scholars of
the past.
6. as + adj. + as anything
Sky’s just as blue as anything.
7. as +adv. + as+ clause
And now, just as suddenly as the engine started, it stops.
8. as much + noun + as possible
One can feel fulfilled… by organizing one’s cell to save as much space as possible.
9. as + adv. + as if + clause
Harry died abroad, in a third-rate hotel, with Bess weeping as hard as if he had left
her a fortune.
10. (as) + adj. + as + noun
On EL Camino the traffic was steady and light, peaceful as a river.
Lesson Four
The Nightingale and the Rose
Warm-up
Take a Love Quiz
1. You are walking to your love's house.
There are two roads to get there.
One is a straight path which takes you there quickly, but is very plain and boring. The
other is curvy & full of wonderful sights on the way, but takes quite a while to reach
your love's house.
WHICH PATH DO YOU CHOOSE? Short or Long?
Now analyze your answer:
The road represents your attitude towards falling in love. If you chose the short one,
you fall in love quickly and easily. If you chose the long one, you take your time and
do not fall in love that easily.
2. On the way, you see two rose bushes. One is full of white roses; the other is full of
red roses. You decide to pick twenty roses for your love.
(You could pick all of the same color or half & half or
whatever combination that suits your taste.)
WHAT COLOR COMBO DO YOU CHOOSE?
Now analyze your answer:
The number of red roses represents how much you expect to give in a relationship.
The number of white roses represents how much you expect in a relationship.
So, if a person chose all red with one white rose, he/she gives 90% in the relationship,
but expects to receive only 10% back.
3. You finally get to your love's house. You ring the bell and a family member answers
the door. You can ask the family member to get your love, or
you may get him/her yourself.
WHAT DO YOU DO? Ask or Get Yourself?
Now analyze your answer:
This question shows your attitude in handling relationship problems. If you asked the
family
member to get your love, then you are the type who wants to avoid
problems. If you went to
get your love yourself, then you are pretty direct and
solve the problem right away.
4. Now, You go up to your love's room.
No one is there. You could leave the roses
by the windowsill or on the bed.
WHERE DO YOU PUT THE ROSES? Window or Bed?
Now analyze your answer :
The placement of the roses indicates how often you would like to see your love.
Putting the roses on the bed means, you want to see them a lot. If you placed the roses
by the window this means you don't mind seeing each other once in a while.
5. Later it's time for bed. You and your love go to sleep
in separate rooms (we're very politically correct, here).
You wake up in the morning and go to
your love's room to check up on him/her.
You enter the room:
IS HE/SHE AWAKE OR SLEEPING?
Now analyze your answer :
Finding your love asleep: You accept your love the way they are.
Finding them awake means you expect them to change for you.
6. It's time to go home now and you start to head back.
You can take either road home now. The plain and boring
one that gets you home faster or the curvy and sight-filled
road that you can just take your time with.
WHICH ROAD DO YOU CHOOSE? Short or Long?
Now analyze your answer :
The short and long roads now represent how long you could stay in love. If you chose
the short one, you fall out of love easily. If you chose the long one, you tend to stay in
love for a long, long time.
Oscar Wilde
I was a man who stood in symbolic relations to the art and culture of my age... The
gods had given me almost everything. I had genius, a distinguished name, high social
position, brilliancy, intellectual daring; I made art a philosophy, and philosophy an art:
I altered the minds of men and the colour of things: there was nothing I said or did
that did not make people wonder...
I treated Art as the supreme reality, and life as a mere mode of fiction: I awoke the
imagination of my century so that it created myth and legend around me: I summed
up all systems in a phrase, and all existence in an epigram.
The poet’s height is several inches over six feet. His hair is of dark brown color, and
falls down upon his shoulders. When he laughs his lips part widely and show a
shining row of upper teeth, which are superlatively white.
The complexion, is so utterly devoid of color that it can only be described as
resembling putty. His eyes are blue, or a light gray, and they are bright and quick…
his fingers are long... One of the peculiarities of his speech is that he accents almost at
regular intervals without regard to the sense, perhaps as a result of an effort to be
rhythmic in conversation as well as in verse.
Do You Know?
What comes to your mind when you first read the title?
Did you enjoy fairy tales as a child? Why or why not?
What characteristics of fairy tales did you find appealing?
Do you believe in perfect love? Why or why not?
Suggested answers
Fairy Tales
—fairies play a part
—supernatural or magical elements
—children’s stories
—veiled comments on life
Characteristics:
1) personification of birds, insects, animals and trees
2)
vivid, simple narration—typical of the oral tradition of fairy tales
3) repetitive pattern
Background Information
Ⅰ.
Author
Oscar Wilde, the son of the late Sir William Wilde, an eminent Irish surgeon. His
mother was a graceful writer, both in prose and verse. He had a brilliant career at
Oxford, where he won the Newdigate Prize for English verse for a poem on Ravenna.
Even before he left the University in 1878 Wilde had become known as one of the
most affected of the professors of the aesthetic craze, and for several years it was as
the typical aesthete that he kept himself before the notice of the public.
Oscar Wilde’s works
On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction (now in its 25th
anniversary edition), as well as Writing to Learn, How to Write a Memoir,
Speaking of Journalism, Writing About Your Life: A Journey to the Past and
Inventing the Truth: The Art and Craft of Memoir.
A novel of his, “The Picture of Dorian Gray”, attracted much attention, and his
sayings passed from mouth to mouth as those of one of the professed wits of
the age. When he became a dramatist his plays had all the characteristics of his
conversations. His first piece, Lady Windermere's Fan, was produced in 1892.
A Woman of No Importance followed in 1893. An Ideal Husband and The
Importance of Being Earnest were both running at the time of his
disappearance from English life. The revelations of the criminal trial in 1895
naturally made them impossible for some years. Recently, however, one of
them was revived, though not at a West End theater.
Criticism
a man of far greater originality and power of mind than many of the apostles of
aestheticism
undoubted talents in many directions
as a typical aesthete that he kept himself before the notice of the public
a poet of graceful diction
a playwright of skill and subtle humor
a dramatist whose plays had all the characteristics of his conversations
After his release in 1897, Wilde published “The Ballad of Reading Gaol”, a
poem of considerable but unequal power. He also appeared in print as a critic
of our prison system, against the results of which he entered a passionate
protest. For the last three years he has lived abroad. It is stated on the authority
of the Dublin Evening Mail that he was recently received into the Roman
Catholic Church.
In the summer of 1891, Oscar met Lord Alfred “Bosie” Douglas, the third son
of the Marquis of Queensberry. Bosie was well acquainted with Oscar's novel,
Dorian Gray and was an undergraduate at Oxford. They soon became lovers
and were inseparable until Wilde's arrest three years later. In April 1895, Oscar
sued Bosie's father for libel on the charge of homosexuality. Oscar withdrew
his case but was himself arrested and convicted of gross indecency and
sentenced to two years of hard labor.
January
Babbacombe Cliff
My Own Boy,
1893,
Your sonnet is quite lovely, and it is a marvel that those red-roseleaf lips of yours
should be made no less for the madness of music and song than for the madness of
kissing. Your slim gilt soul walks between passion and poetry. I know Hyacinthus,
whom Apollo loved so madly, was you in Greek days. Why are you alone in London,
and when do you go to Salisbury? Do go there to cool your hands in the grey twilight
of Gothic things, and come here whenever you like. It is a lovely place and lacks only
you; but go to Salisbury first.
Always, with undying
love,
Yours, OSCAR
Savoy
Hotel, London
Dearest of all Boys,
Your letter was delightful, red and yellow wine to me; but I am sad and out of
sorts. Bosie, you must not make scenes with me. They kill me, they wreck the
loveliness of life. I cannot see you, so Greek and gracious, distorted with passion. I
cannot listen to your curved lips saying hideous things to me. I would sooner be
blackmailed by every rent-boy in London than to have you bitter, unjust, hating.
You are the divine thing I want, the thing of grace and beauty; but I don't know
how to do it.
Shall I come to Salisbury? My bill here is 49 pounds for a week. I have also got a
new sitting-room over the Thames. Why are you not here, my dear, my wonderful boy?
I fear I must leave; no money, no credit, and a heart of lead.
Your own,
OSCAR
Bobby,
Bosie has insisted on dropping here for sandwiches. He is quite like a narcissus—so
white and gold. I will either come Wednesday or Thursday night to your rooms. Send
me a line. Bosie is so tired; he lies like a hyacinth on the sofa, and I worship him.
Yours, OSCAR
The Wilde case is over, and at last the curtain has fallen on the most horrible scandal
which has disturbed social life in London for many years. The cries of "Shame!" with
which the sentence pronounced by Mr. Justice Wills was received, indicate that a
certain section of the public in court regarded the verdict with disfavour, and that
feeling will very possibly be shared by a section of the public outside. But it is well to
remember, that the jury are in a position to form the best and honest opinion. They
have heard all the evidence and seen the witness in the box, while outsiders have only
newspaper reports—necessarily containing the barest suggestion of the gruesome
facts—to guide them.
Yet even those who have read the reports and have taken the trouble to understand
what lies between the lines, cannot help but feel that Wilde and his associate... have
got off lightly. Society is well rid of these ghouls and their hideous practices. Wilde
practically confessed his guilt at the outset, and the unclean creatures with whom he
chose to herd specifically owned that the charges were true. It is at a terrible cost that
society has purged itself of these loathsome importers of exotic vice, but the gain is
worth the price, and it is refreshing to feel that for once, at least, justice has been
done.
A Reuter telegram from Paris states that OSCAR WILDE died there yesterday
afternoon from meningitis. The melancholy end to a career which one promised so
well is stated to have come in an obscure hotel in the Latin quarter. Here the once
brilliant man of letters was living, exiled from his country and from the society of his
countrymen. The verdict that a jury passed upon his conduct at the Old Bailey in May,
1895, destroyed for ever his reputation and condemned him to ignoble obscurity for
the end of his days. When he had served his sentence of two year’s imprisonment, he
was broken in health as well as bankrupt in fame and fortune. Death has soon ended
what must have been a life of wretchedness and unavailing regret.
Wilde’s obituary (卟告) in the Times, 1 December, 1900
Ⅱ. Art for Art’s Sake
associated with the aesthetic doctrine that art is self-sufficient and need serve no
moral or political purpose
The only purpose of the artist is art, not religion, or science, or interest. He who
paints or writes only for financial return or to propagandize political and economic
interests can only arouse feeling of disgust.
Text Appreciation
Ⅰ. Text Analysis
Theme
The nightingale is the true lover, if there is one. She, at least, is Romance, and the
student and the girl are, like most of us, unworthy of Romance. Nightingale sacrifices
its own life for pure love’s sake. A true love needs wholehearted devotion and passion.
Structure
Part 1 (Paras. 1-12): Nightingale struck by “the mystery of love”
Part 2 (Paras. 13-34): Nightingale looking for a red rose to facilitate the love
Part 3 (Paras. 35-45): Nightingale sacrificing her life for a red rose
Part 4 (Paras. 46-54): Student discarding the red rose
1. Question: What genre can this story be categorized into?
Fairy tale
comparison
Optimism
Fairy tales conclude with the cliché typical of most fairy tales, ‘They all lived
happily ever after,’ implying better living circumstances for all.
Pessimism
Wilde’s fairy tales have no happy endings. His tales end mostly in unresolved tensions,
provoking readers to consider necessary improvements which need to be made within
the social order. Even in his most popular tales, the protagonists die.
2. Question: What are the symbolic meanings of “Red rose”, “Lizard”,
“Butterfly” and
“Nightingale”?
red rose—true love, which needs constant nourishment of
passions of the
lovers. It can be divided into three stages: love in the heart of a boy and a girl; love in
the soul of a man and a maid; and love that is perfected by Death, that does not die in
the tomb.
Lizard—cynic, a person who sees little or no good in anything and who has no
belief in human progress; person who shows this by sneering and being contemptuous
Nightingale—a truthful, devoted pursuer of love, who dares to sacrifice his own
precious life
For reference:
The Nightingale is a small brown bird famous for its beautiful sad song.
Throughout literary history there are many poems and stories dedicated to the
nightingale, including John Keats’ poem Ode to a Nightingale and Oscar Wilde’s
children’s story, The Nightingale and the Rose.
3. Question: What’s Oscar Wilde’s belief on love and art?
Self-comment on his own life
“Some said my life was a lie but I always knew it to be the truth; for like the truth
was rarely pure and never simple.” (a figure of paradox and contradiction)
Paradoxical, contradictory, well-turned phrase
Wildean dichotomy
Duality in all aspects fascinates and confuses: the Anglo-Irishman with nationalist
sympathies; the protestant with life-long Catholic leanings; the married homosexual;
the musician of words and painter of language who confessed that writing bored
him…
“I had genius, a distinguished name, high social position, brilliancy, intellectual
daring; I made art a philosophy, and philosophy an art: I altered the minds of men and
the colour of things: there was nothing I said or did that did not make people wonder...
I treated Art as the supreme reality, and life as a mere mode of fiction: I awoke the
imagination of my century so that it created myth and legend around me: I summed
up all systems in a phrase, and all existence in an epigram.”(a figure of paradox and
contradiction)
Comparative Study of Quotes on Love
Optimism
"Better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all."
Augustine
"There
is
no
remedy
for
love
but
to
—St.
love
more."
—Thoreau
"To love and win is the best thing. To love and lose, the next best."
—William M.
Thackeray
"As the ocean is never full of water, so is the heart never full of love."
—Anonymous
Pessimism
One should always be in love. That is the reason one should never marry.
—Oscar Wilde
To love oneself is the beginning of a life-long romance.
—Oscar Wilde
A man can be happy with any woman as long as he does not love her.
—Oscar
Wilde
Young men want to be faithful and are not; old men want to be faithless and cannot.
—Oscar Wilde
Pessimism About the Future
“Yes: I am a dreamer. For a dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight,
and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world.”
4. Question: What do you think is the Wildean attitude toward love, romance, art
and philosophy?
Content (Three stages of love)
Form (The beauty of language)
For reference:
A. Form ----------------Content
The nightingale is the true lover, if there is one. She, at least, is Romance, and the
Student and the girl are, like most of us, unworthy of Romance. So, at least, it seems
to me, but I like to fancy that there may be many meanings in the tale, for in writing it
I did not start with an idea and clothe it in form, but began with a form and strove to
make it beautiful enough to have many secrets and many answers. (Wilde’s comments
in a letter to one of his friends)
For reference:
B. His fairy tales have been described as “poems in prose”.
a. an appreciation of beautiful things
And the marvelous rose became crimson, like the rose of the eastern sky. Crimson
was the girdle of its petals, and crimson as a ruby was the heart… then she gave one
last burst of music. The white moon heard it, and she forgot the dawn, and lingered
on in the sky. The red rose heard it and trembled all over with ecstasy, and opened its
petals to the cold morning air.
b. “Death is a great price to pay for a red rose…”
Assonance: the resemblance of sound between syllables in nearby words, arising
from the rhyming of two or more stressed vowels, but not the consonants
Alliteration: the use of identical consonant with different vowels
“It is more precious than emeralds, and dearer than fine opals. Pearls and
pomegranates cannot buy it, nor is it set forth in the market-place. It may not be
purchased of the merchants, …”
assonance
alliteration
C. head vs. heart
The Student’s one-sided preference for word knowledge over emotions is clear from
the moment he first sees the rose. “It is so beautiful,” he says, “that I am sure it has a
long Latin name.”
The Student, the young woman, and their society are all one-sided psychically. They
have devalued the “capacity to love”, here symbolized by both the Nightingale and
the rose.
5. Question: What are the types of sentences mainly found in this story?
 simple
 short
 long
 complex
For reference:
head vs. heart
The relationship of head and heart is a central concern of Wilde's fairy
tales. Promising to provide the red rose "out of music by moonlight" and to "stain it
with my own heart’s blood," the Nightingale asks of the Student only that he "will be
a true lover, for Love is wiser than Philosophy, though she is wise, and mightier than
Power, though he is mighty." But the Student cannot understand what the Nightingale
says, "for he only knew the things that are written down in books.” He has too much
"head" knowledge and almost no "heart" knowledge.
6. Question: The story is written in
 concrete style (mostly nouns and few adjectives)
 flowery style (very descriptive with adjectives)
Further Discussion About the Text
Why is it so important for the student to have a red rose?
Why is the Nightingale so determined to get the student a red rose?
Why is a rose so hard to get?
Why is the Nightingale so persistent in shedding its blood for the student?
Is love better than life as is believed by the Nightingale?
Do you believe in true love? Why or why not?
Comment on Wilde’s attitude to Love, Romance.
Ⅱ. Writing Devices
Genre and Symbols
Fairy tales are full of imagery and symbols. Find imagery and symbols in this text.
jewels (gems, precious stones): emeralds, opal, ruby, sapphire, diamond, jade
plants: daisy, rose, oak-tree, daffodil
animals: nightingale, lizard, butterfly
subjects: philosophy, metaphysics, logic
stringed instruments: harp, violin
Personification
“She has form, that cannot be denied but has she got feeling? I am afraid not. In fact,
she is like most artists; she is all style without any sincerity. She would not sacrifice
herself for others.” he said to himself, as he walked away through the grove. (Para. 34)
(What effect do you think it has here?)
Personification:
give human forms or feelings to animals, or life and personal attributes to inanimate
objects, or to ideas and abstractions
Simile & Metaphor
Simile:
… her voice was like water bubbling from a silver jar.
… as white as the foam of the sea…
Metaphor:
… and redder than the fans of coral
… and the cold crystal moon
Climax & Anticlimax
Climax: derived from the Greek word “ladder”, implying the progression of
thought at a uniform or almost uniform rate of significance or intensity
So the Nightingale pressed closer against the thorn, and the thorn touched her heart,
and a fierce pang of pain shot through her. Bitter, bitter was the pain, and wilder and
wilder grew her song, for she sung of the Love that is perfected by Death, of the Love
that dies not in the tomb.
Anticlimax: stating one’s thoughts in a descending order of significance or intensity,
often used to ridicule or satire
And the marvelous rose became crimson. Crimson was the girdle of pedals, and
crimson as ruby was the heart. But the Nightingale’s voice grew fainter and a film
came over her eyes. Fainter and fainter grew her song, and she felt choking in her
throat.
And at noon the Student opened his window and looked out. … “What a wonderful
piece of luck!” he cried… he leaned down and plucked it.
Syntactic Devices
Style or manner of expression
choice of words
grammatical structures
length of sentences
Diction
Then she gave one last burst of music. The Moon heard it, and she forgot the dawn,
and lingered on in the sky. The Red Rose heard it, and trembled all over with ecstasy,
and opened its petals in the cold morning air.
So she spread her brown wings for flight, and soared (high) into the air. She swept
(swiftly & smoothly) over the garden like a shadow, and like a shadow she sailed (In a
stately & confident manner) through the grove.
Descriptive adjectives
So the Nightingale pressed closer against the thorn, and the thorn touched her heart,
and a fierce pang of pain shot through her. Bitter, bitter was the pain, and wilder and
wilder grew her song, for she sung of the Love that is perfected by Death, of the Love
that dies not in the tomb.
And the marvelous rose became crimson. Crimson was the girdle of pedals, and
crimson as ruby was the heart. But the Nightingale’s voice grew fainter and a film
came over her eyes. Fainter and fainter grew her song, and she felt choking in her
throat.
Syntactical Structures
Inversion
… and louder and louder grew her song…
Rhetorical Question
What is a heart of a bird compared to the heart of a man?
Repetition
And a delicate flush of pink came into leaves of the rose, like the flush in the face of
the bridegroom where he kisses the lips of the bride.
She swept over the garden like a shadow, and like a shadow she sailed through the
grove.
Bitter, bitter was the pain, and wilder and wilder grew her song.
And the marvelous rose became crimson. Crimson was the girdle of pedals, and
crimson as ruby was the heart.
But the Nightingale’s voice grew fainter… Fainter and fainter grew her song…
III. Sentence Paraphrase
Language Study
Ⅰ.Word Study
1. fling
v. a. to throw violently, with force
b. to move violently or quickly
c. to devote to
Examples:
Don’t fling your clothes on the floor.
She flung herself down on the sofa.
He flung himself into the task.
2. bloom
vi. to produce flowers; to yield flowers; to come into flower or be in flower
blossom
vi. a. (of a seed, plant, esp. a tree or plant) to produce or yield flowers; to
bloom
b. to develop
Examples:
The roses are blooming.
The apple trees are blossoming.
Their friendship blossomed when they found out how many interests they
shared.
3. ebb
vi.
a. to fall back from the flood stage
b. to fall away or back; to decline or recede
Examples:
The tide will begin to ebb at 4 o’clock.
The danger of conflict is not ebbing there.
The tide is on the ebb.
The financial resources have reached its lowest ebb.
4. linger
v. a. to be slow in leaving, esp. out of reluctance
b. to proceed slowly
c. to persist
d. to pass (time) in a leisurely or aimless manner
Examples:
The children lingered at the zoo until closing time.
linger over one’s work (磨洋工)
Winter lingers.
We lingered away the whole summer at the beach.
5. pluck
v. to remove or detach by grasping and
pulling abruptly with the fingers; to pick
Examples:
pluck a flower
pluck feathers from a chicken
pluck a rabbit from the hat
6. frown
v. a. to wrinkle the brows to show you are annoyed or worried
b. to regard sth. with disapproval or distaste
Examples:
The teacher frowned at the class of noisy children but it had no effect.
frown on the use of so much salt in the food
7. ungrateful
a. a. not feeling or exhibiting gratitude, thanks, or appreciation
b. not agreeable or pleasant
Examples:
“I will not perform the ungrateful task of comparing cases of failure.”
an ungrateful son
Ⅱ.Phrases and Expressions
1. something of a(n)
to some extent
Example:
Our professor is something of an eccentric.
Compare:
something like: similar to but not exactly like
He sounds something like his father when he speaks on the phone.
2. see phrases
see about doing
to attend to; make arrangements for; to deal with
see sth. out
to last until the end of
Examples:
It is time for me to see about cooking the dinner.
Will our supplies see the winter out?
It was such a bad play we couldn’t see out the performance and we left early.
see through sb./sth.
a. to understand the true character or nature of
b. to provide unstinting support, cooperation, or management in good times and
bad
Examples:
We saw through his superficial charm.
We'll see you through until you finish your college education. I saw the
project through and then resigned.
see to sth.
to attend to; to take care of
Example:
If I see to getting the car out, will you see to closing the windows?
3. go phrases
go about sth.: to perform to do
go about one’s business
Don’t go about the job that way.
go by sth.: to use the information or advice you get from a person, a book, a set of
rules, etc.
go by the rules
go into: to enter a profession or state of life
go into business
go through sth.: a. to examine carefully
b. to experience
go through the students' papers
The country has gone through too many wars.
Ⅲ. Word Building
课件 language study 18-27
Lesson Five
Say Yes
Warm-up
I.
Questions
1. Are you a frequent theatre-goer or movie-goer? Why?
2. What should we classify this play as a comedy or a tragedy?
3. Can you give a brief introduction to all the characters? And which character(s)
impress(es) you most? Why?
4. How did Douglas Beechey come to be invited to the Parks’ Spanish holiday villa?
5. Suppose you were Douglas, would you accept or decline the invitation? Why?
6. Can you describe the occasion of their first encounter, Vic and Douglas? What
exactly happened that day?
7. Do you think it was wise for Douglas to tackle an armed robber bare-handed? Why
did he do then?
8. What has happened to Vic Parks and Douglas in the past 17 years? Do you have
any idea how the former has become such a famous TV personality?
9. Who is Sharon? Is she working for Vic for financial reasons or for sth. else?
10. Why do you think the Parks decide to invite Douglas as a guest after 17 years?
To show off their wealth and success? Or to express their deep apology to him? Or to
humiliate him?
II. Alan Ayckbourn on Man of the Moment
1. “After years of trying, I think I got as near as I’ve ever got in striking the balance
between a play being entertaining whilst having something to say. More water on
stage and only the tiniest of leaks. And it gave me great satisfaction to have a
character enter swimming.”
—“Ayckbourn at 50” souvenir
programme
2. “Man Of The Moment is quite a bleak play, about unpleasant things… I think the
moral climate at the moment is not what it should be.”
—Interview, 1988
3. “Man of the Moment depicts a direct confrontation between good and evil. It posed
a tremendous challenge for me as a dramatist because I knew I could write Vic Parks
and make him very entertaining because there’s something fascinatingly awful about
this snake-like man… I also wanted to write a good man in Douglas and found it very
hard because good is often seen as rather dull and worthy.”
— “Six Contemporary
Dramatists”
4. “I suppose I am moving into the social play because there are a limited number of
things you can say about man-woman politics and because I feel disturbed at the kind
of world we inhabit, a murky twilight zone where good and bad are less clearly
defined.”
—“The Guardian”
5. “It seemed to me that in general we have a tendency to rush at the wrong people, to
follow people with a charismatic tendency and not necessarily people with the right
ideas who don’t have that personality; and television does nothing but amplify that.
So it’s the story of a bank clerk, with very little personality… up against, I think, a
very dangerous and evil man, who at the same time has a sort of certain charm, but in
the end is a violent and unpredictable, increasingly drunken man, who, however,
through the medium of television, his own personality, and the notoriety achieved by
being involved in a bank robbery and a certain articulateness—which is also
important—has become a media star and someone of great importance.”
—“ A Guided Tour Through
Ayckbourn Country”
Background Information
Ⅰ. Author
Tobias Wolff (1945—) was born in Alabama in 1945. His parents divorced when
he was a boy. Wolff’s mother retained custody of him. As a child, Wolff traveled with
his mother, Rosemary, to the Pacific Northwest, where she remarried. Growing up in
the Pacific Northwest, young Tobias soon was forced to endure life under his strict
and cruel stepfather. His efforts to get away from his stepfather led to his
self-transformation.
That period of Wolff’s life is recounted in This Boy’s Life: A Memoir, which was
later made into a film.
He lives with his family in upstate New York and teaches writing at Syracuse
University.
From 1964 through 1968, Wolff served as a lieutenant with the U.S. Army Special
Forces (Green Berets) in Vietnam. He later recounted his wartime experiences in the
memoir In the Pharaoh’s Army: Memoirs of the Lost War.
In 1972 Wolff earned his B.A. and then his M.A. from Oxford University with
First Class Honors in English three years later.
He is the author of the short novel The Barracks Thief, which won the 1985
PEN/Faulkner Award; two collections of short stories, Back in the World (collecting
“Say Yes”) and In the Garden of the North American Martyrs, which received the
Saint Lawrence Award for fiction in 1982.
Ⅱ. Racism
Racism: the belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and
that a particular race is superior to others.
III.
Ku Klux Klan
Koo Klucks Klan also known as KKK: a secret white supremacist organization at
various
times in American history terrorized blacks and white sympathizers
with violent acts of
lynching, shootings and whippings.
Founded: 1866
Founder: Confederate Civil War veterans
Headquarters: Powderly, Kentucky; Butler, Indiana; Jasper, Texas
Background: The Klan has fragmented into scores of competing factions. Most of
these are nominally independent.
Estimated size: no more than a few thousand, organized into slightly more than 100
units
Media: mass mailings, leafletting and the Internet
Strategy: public rallies and protests
Ideology: some Christian fundamentalist beliefs, Christian Identity, white supremacy
Financial support: little
Birth: Six college students founded the Ku Klux Klan between December 1865
Tennessee. The six young men organized as a social club or fraternity and spent their
time in horseplay of various types, including wearing disguises and galloping about
town after dark. They were surprised to learn that their nightly appearances were
causing fear, particularly among farmer slaves in the area. They quickly took
advantage of this effect and the group began a rapid expansion. Various factions
formed in different towns, which led to a meeting in April 1867 to codify rules and
organizational structure.
Targeting those set free after the American Civil War—the African Americans, KKK
designed to spread fear throughout the Black population that still lived in the southern
states. The most hatred was directed against the poor black families in the south who
were very vulnerable to attack.
Reconstruction: In 1867, General Nathan Bedford Forrest, converted the Klan into a
paramilitary force that served to directly oppose the formation of Republican
governments. Klansmen dressed in white robes and covered hoods, rode on horses,
and dragged black people and some white republicans from their homes, assaulting
them by whipping or lynching them. Such assaults were successful in keeping black
men from the polls, and thus altering election results.
With the enactment of Congressional legislation and enforcement of the law by the
federal government, the Klan was extinguished in 1871—1872.
By the 1960s, as the Civil Rights Movement was emerging, the Klan’s membership
reached almost twenty thousand. Like the former Klan organization, there was not a
central leadership.
While the Klan still exists today, its membership is in the low thousands. The Klan
has ties to other white supremacist organizations such as the Aryan Nations and the
Skinheads.
IV. Jim Crow Laws
Jim Crow Laws
Racial segregation, called “Jim Crow”, excluded blacks from public transport and
facilities, jobs, juries, and neighborhoods. Blacks had separate hospitals, prisons,
orphanages, parks and pools. The 19th century ended with the races firmly
segregated—culturally and legally.
Text Appreciation
Ⅰ. Text Analysis
Theme of the Text
The idea of racism is a theme in the story, for the implication of the husband’s racism is what
causes the couple to quarrel. The wife dislikes her husband’s beliefs that African Americans are
different from whites. He maintains that it is not that he is prejudiced against African Americans,
but that they come from a different culture and they even have their own language. The husband’s
negative response to Ann’s question of whether he would marry her were she African American
indicates the pervasive and destructive nature of his racism.
Structure of the Text
Part 1 (Para. 1 ): The husband and wife maintain a harmonious relationship with each other.
Part 2 (Paras. 2—51): The husband is questioned by his wife about his view on a white person’s
marrying a black person.
Part 3 (Para. 52 ): He has a strange feeling of uneasiness in the dark.
1. Question: Is the quarrel between the husband and wife an ordinary quarrel? What does
the talk touch upon? Who do you think is responsible for the quarrel?
It touches upon the issue of racism.
2. Question: Is the husband a considerate and honest man? What kind of man is he?
He was a hypocrite and a terrible racist.
3. Question: Does the man oppose marriage between a black and a white? What are his
arguments?
He opposes the marriage between a black and a white.
His basic arguments are that blacks and whites have different cultures. They cannot know
each other.
4. Question: What kind of woman is the wife? Is she too critical? What does she think the
marriage between blacks and whites?
She is honest and square. She thinks the marriage between a black and a white is perfectly
natural, if they love each other.
5. Question: Why does the woman corner her husband by keeping asking him whether he
would marry her if she were black?
She seems to have found that her husband has subtle racist nature.
6. Question: Do you think the husband knows his wife very well?
He seems to understand her wife well and is confident of manipulating any awkward
situation. But actually, to him his wife is a stranger.
Further Discussion About the Text
When the husband got the look where the wife pinched her brows together and bit her lip,
he knew he should keep his mouth shut. But he never did. Instead, it made him talk more.
What can you infer from the above description?
“Listen, I went to school with blacks, and I’ve worked with blacks and we’ve got along
just fine. I don’t need you coming along now and implying that I’m a racist.” What can
we conclude about the husband?
When he said “They even have their own language”, what did the husband imply?
When the wife said “but if they love each other?”, the husband thought “Oh, boy”. What
was he actually thinking?
He was angry with her for resorting to the trick of repeating his words so that they
sounded hypocritical. Do his words sound hypocritical or is he hypocritical?
II. Writing Devices
课件 text appreciation 13-14
Ⅲ. Sentence Paraphrase 1
Language Study
Ⅰ. Word Study
1. somehow
adv. in a way not specified, understood, or known
I know what we are doing is legal, but somehow it doesn’t feel right.
Compare: anyhow, anyway
anyhow: in whatever way or manner; however; nevertheless
They came anyhow they could—by boat, train, or plane.
It sounds crazy, but I believe it anyhow.
anyway: in any way or manner; whatever; nevertheless; regardless
Get the job done anyway you can.
It was raining but they played the game anyway.
2. consider
v. 1. to think carefully about
All things considered, the reform is a success.
2. to think or deem to be; to regard
She considers waste to be criminal.
3. to take into account; to bear in mind
Her success is not surprising if you consider her excellent training.
4. to show consideration for
She failed to consider the feelings of others.
Synonyms
deem
regard
account
reckon
1. consider suggests objective reflection and reasoning
2. deem is more subjective through its emphasis on judgment as distinguished from
contemplation
The faculty deems the essay to be by far the best one submitted.
3. regard often implies a personal attitude
I regard your apology as the end of the matter.
4. account and reckon in this sense are rather literary in flavor and imply calculated
judgment
I account no man to be a philosopher who attempts to do more.
I cannot reckon you as an admirer.
cf.
considerate
considerable
considering
consideration
1. considerate: adj. showing kind regard for the feelings; thoughtful; careful not to hurt or cause
inconvenience to others
It is considerate of you not to play the piano while I was having a sleep.
2. considerable: adj. rather large or great, as in size, distance, or extent
He bought a house at a considerable expense.
3. considering: prep. in view of; having regard to
She’s very active, considering her age.
4. consideration: n. careful thought; deliberation; factor to be considered in forming a judgment or
decision
We will give your proposal consideration.
Safety is the most important consideration in choosing a car.
3. pinch
v. 1. to squeeze or bind (a part of the body) in such a way as to cause discomfort or pain
These shoes pinch my toes.
2. to nip; to wither
buds that were pinched by the frost
a face that was pinched with grief
4. snap
v. 1. to take photograph
The reporter snapped the governor as she was getting into her car.
2. to speak abruptly or sharply
He snapped at the child.
5. rummage
1. v. to make an energetic, usually hasty search
He rummaged in/through all the drawers, looking for a pen.
2. n. a thorough search among a number of things or a confusion of miscellaneous articles
I had a rummage about/around the house, but I couldn’t find my certificate anywhere.
Synonyms
ransack
search
6. spray
1. v. to disperse (a liquid) in a mass or jet of droplets
The pipe burst and the water was spraying everywhere.
2. n. water or other liquid moving in a mass of dispersed droplets, as from a wave
Can you feel the spray from the waterfall?
Synonyms
1. splash: to propel or scatter (a fluid) about in flying masses
The kids were splashing about in the shallow at the swimming pool.
2. sprinkle: to scatter in drops or particles
The priest sprinkled water on the baby’s head.
7. ashamed
adj. feeling shame 感到羞愧的，惭愧的
You should feel ashamed of what you have
done.
shameful: adj. causing shame; disgraceful
导致羞愧的；可耻的
shameless: adj. without shame; feeling no shame
厚颜无耻的
shameful conduct
shameless exploiter
cf.
shameful
shameless
8. attach
v. 1. to fasten, secure, or join, connect
2. to bind by emotional ties, as of affection or
loyalty
They attach great importance to the threat.
The girl is very much attached to her
grandparents.
She attached great value to being financially
independent.
He is thirty two, he is gorgeous, he’s got his
own house, and what’s more, he is unattached.
Word Formation
attached
unattached
attachment
antonym
Antonym
detach
9. demonstrate
v. 1. to present by experiments, examples, or
practical application; to explain and illustrate
2. to show clearly and deliberately; to manifest
3. to participate in a public display of opinion
He demonstrated the laws of physics with
laboratory equipment.
He demonstrated affection by hugging.
People went on the street to demonstrate
against the tax hikes.
Word Formation
demonstration
demonstrative
10. tone
n. 1. a sound of distinct pitch, quality, and
duration; a note
2. manner of expression in speech or writing
Don’t ask me to sing—I’m tone-deaf.
He was in a very bad moon when he arrived,
and that set the tone for the meeting.
tune: n. a melody
in tune/out of tune with the piano
11. clear
adj. 1. free from clouds, mist, or haze
2. free from what dims, obscures, or darkens
3. free from flaw, blemish, or impurity
4. free from impediment, obstruction, or
5. plain or evident to the mind; unmistakable
a clear day 一个晴天
clear water 清澈的水
a clear, perfect diamond 完美无瑕的钻石
a clear record with the police 没有前科
a clear path to victory 通往胜利坦途
a clear case of cheating 一桩明显的诈骗案
cf.
clean
Word Formation
clearness
clarify
clarity
clarification
Ⅱ. Phrases and Expressions
hindrance
1. pitch in
to set to work vigorously; to join forces with others; to help or cooperate

If we all pitch in, it shouldn’t take too long.

After we had seen the video everyone started pitching in with comments on its fault.
pitch into: to attack with words or criticize
pitch up: to arrive in a place

He pitched into me as soon as he arrived, asking
where the report was.

He finally pitched up two hours late.
2. take one’s word for it = take sb. for his word
to believe what sb. says is true

If he says there’s $500 in the envelop then
I’ll take his word for it.

He said he would give me a job and I just
took him for his word.
3. resort to
to use sth. for help, because you cannot find any other way of acting
 I had to resort to violence to get my money.
4. come to one’s aid
to help or support

An anonymous millionnaire has come to the
company’s aid by lending it the money it
needs to keep it in business.

He gets about with the aid of a walking stick.

She went to the aid of a man trapped in his
car.

The concern was in aid of famine relief.
cf.
with the aid of
go to the aid of
in aid of
5. for one’s sake = for the sake of
1. because of

Let’s not disagree for the sake of a few pounds.
2. for the purpose of

Let’s say, just for the sake of argument/ for argument’s sake, that prices rise by 3%
this year.
3. used to emphasize requests or orders and when you are angry or have lost patience

For God’s/Christ’s sake, turn that music off.

For Goodness’s/Pete’s/heaven’s/pity’s sake don’t let her know what I told you.
6. feel cornered
to feel forced into a situation where it’s hard to escape

I felt cornered at the party when he bore me to death about his difficult childhood.
7. have no choice but to do
to the only choice we have is to
 We have no choice but to close the hospital.
8. make it up to sb.
1. make it up to: to give sb. sth. or do sth. for (esp. sb. for whom you have caused trouble)
e.g. I’m sorry we cannot take you with us but I promise I’ll make it up to you somehow.
2. make it up with sb.: to forgive and become friends again after argument

We often quarrel but we always make it up with each other soon after.
9. come up with
to bring forth or discover

He came up with a cure for the disease.
come up against: to encounter, esp. a difficulty or major problem
come down with: to become sick with (an illness)

He came up against great difficulties.

He came down with the flu.
10. on one’s part = on the part of
regarding or with respect to the one specified

Brilliant strategy on the part of Confederate forces ensured their victory at
Chancellorsville.
11. break up
1. to separate into pieces; to divide
2. to scatter; to disperse
3. to bring or come to an end

break up a chocolate bar

The crowd broke up after the game.

The marriage broke up.
a. break down: to collapse; to fail in machinery
usage; to suffer physical or mental weakening
b. break in(to): to enter a building by force

The elevator broke down.

a prowler who was trying to break in
Ⅲ. Word Building
1. Derivation — prefix:
hypo- “below; under”
hypotension 血压过低
hypothermia 体温过低
hypocellular 细胞减少的
hypocrite 伪君子
hypogenesis[医] 发育不良
hypohemia 贫血
hypomania[医] 轻度躁狂
hypostatic 本质的，实体的，实在的
2. Derivation — prefix:
hyper- excessive 上面，超越，过于，极度
hypertension 血压过高
hypersensitive 非常敏感的
hyperphysical 超物质的，超自然的
hyperoxide 过氧化物
hypercritic 过于苛严，吹毛求疵的
hyperbole 夸张的
hyperacid 胃酸过多
3. Derivation — suffix:
v+ -ing adj.
tiring
alarming
amazing
relaxing
confusing
astonishing
challenging
refreshing
demanding
disturbing
annoying
surprising
terrifying
disgusting
bleeding
dying
Ⅳ. Grammar
1. wh-noun clause
I just don’t see what’s wrong with a white person marrying a black person, that’s all. (Para. 7)
He squeezed to see how deep the wound was. (Para. 18)
Well, that’s what you said, didn’t you? (Para. 23)
2. the way + clause
He knew that she was too angry to be actually reading it, but she didn’t snap through the pages the
way he would have done. (Para. 40)
When he was done the kitchen looked new, the way it looked when they were first shown in the
house. (Para. 42)
Lesson Six
Warm-up
1. What makes a hero?
The Man in the Water
2. Can you name some heroes? What do you think that makes them heroes?
3. Have you ever tried to find a hero in yourself?
4. Do you think every ordinary person can be a hero if he wants to?
Background Information
Ⅰ.
Author
Roger Rosenblatt is a journalist, author, playwright and professor. As an essayist
for Time magazine, he has won two George Polk Awards, and awards from the
Overseas Press Club and the American Bar Association.
Ⅱ.
The Air Crash
On Jan. 13, 1982 one of the worst snowstorms in the history of Washington, D.C.
hit the city. Just about everything closed down—the government, businesses,
schools, the airports. By about noon, the skies cleared and Washington’s National
Airport reopened for business. The crew of Air Florida Flight 90 began preparing
for a nonstop trip to sunny Fort Lauderdale, Florida. At 3:59 p.m., the twin-engine
Boeing 737 was cleared for takeoff and began rumbling down the runway on its final
flight.
Minutes later, the plane smashed into the 14th Street Bridge, only 1,200 yards
from the Pentagon, destroying four automobiles and killing five people. The jet then
fell into the ice-covered Potomac River, bringing all the passengers to their instant
death except five—four passengers and one flight attendant—from the tail section,
who found themselves gasping and struggling in the icy waters.
These five people however survived and they were able to survive because of four
heroes. The author wrote this essay in praise of these heroes, three of whom had
risked their lives to rescue the survivors and were able to live to tell the story, but the
man that really held the whole nation’s attention was the fourth one who had kept
pushing his lifeline and flotation rings to others until he went under.
Ⅲ. Washington, D.C.
IV.
Presidential Monument
In recognition of his leadership in the cause of American independence, Washington
earned the title “Father of His Country”. With this monument, the citizens of the
United States show their enduring gratitude and respect for the first President of the
United States.
Thomas Jefferson—political philosopher, architect, musician, book collector, scientist,
horticulturist (园艺学家), diplomat, inventor, and third President of the United States,
also author of the Declaration of American Independence, and Father of the
University of Virginia
The Lincoln Memorial is a tribute to President Abraham Lincoln and the nation he
fought to preserve during the Civil War (1861-1865). The Lincoln Memorial was built
to resemble a Greek temple. It has 36 Doric columns, one for each state at the time of
Lincoln’s death. A sculpture by Daniel Chester French of a seated Lincoln is in the
center of the memorial chamber.
V.
Potomac River
The Potomac River is often referred to as the “Nation’s River”, because it flows
through the nation’s capital, where the magnificent monuments of the Washington,
Jefferson, and Lincoln memorials are reflected in its waters. It is one of the most
beautiful and bountiful rivers on the East Coast and is known for its historic, scenic
and recreational significance. It begins as a small spring at the Fairfax Stone in West
Virginia, and winds its way through the mountains and valleys of Appalachia, past
battlefields and old manufacturing towns. The river flows more than 380 miles and
grows to more than 11 miles wide as it reaches the Chesapeake Bay at Point Lookout,
Maryland.
VI.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803—1882) is one of the most famous American
essayists, poets and philosophers. Known as a transcendentalist, his main themes are
individualism, independent thinking, self-reliance, idealism and the worship of nature.
His works include Nature, Self-reliance, American Scholar, Overload and many other
essays and poems.
Transcendentalism:
a philosophy/doctrine that knowledge may be obtained by a study of the mental
processes, apart from experience.
先验哲学： 认为不必依赖经验仅研究心智活动即可获得知识的学说。
Quotes from Emerson:
“The sum of wisdom is that time is never lost that is devoted to work.”
“Do your work, and you shall reinforce yourself.”
“Goodbye, proud world! I’m going home;
Thou art not my friend; I am not thine.”
“A man is a bundle of relations, a knot of roots, whose flower and fruitage is
the world.”
Quotes from Emerson:
“Discontent is the want of self-reliance: it is infirmity of will. ”
“Every sweet has its sour; every evil its good.”
“Everything in Nature contains all the powers of Nature. Everything is made of one
hidden stuff. ”
“The only reward of virtue is virtue; the only way to have a friend is to be one”
Text Appreciation
Ⅰ. Text Analysis
Theme
The man in the water did not have to give his rings to others; he did not even know
these people. He was extraordinary precisely because he was ordinary. He showed
what everyone of us could do at that critical moment. The display of his heroism was
a song to the beautiful human character.
Structure
Part 1 (Paras. 1—3): The terrible air crash in Washington, D.C. that brought people to
tears and to attention and the possible reasons for the national sensation.
Part 2 (Paras. 4—9): It’s the ordinary man in the water who performed the
extraordinary and stunning deeds that created the emotional impact and the enduring
wonder.
Further Discussion
1. Question: Who are the heroes in the story? （Mentioned in Paras. 3—4.）
Two police rescuers and, a young passerby and the man in the water.
2. Question: Who is the greatest hero? Why?
The man in the water.
Ordinary as he was, he could rise to challenge when the test came. He displayed
courage and noble character in human nature at its best.
3. Question: In the author’s view, do people feel proud or sad about the disaster?
Why?
They feel proud because man defeated the indifferent natural forces.
4. Question: What is referred to as one of man’s natural powers according to the
passage?
Sacrificing his life for the life of others’.
5. Question: The fight between the man in the water and the natural forces ended
up with the death of the man. Why does the author say he is not a loser?
He was the best we can do to fight against the indifferent natural forces. What’s more,
he never dies in people’s heart.
What was unusual about the air crash?
Why does the author refer to the aesthetic aspect of the clash?
What are the things the author mentions to be worth noticing?
What does the author mean when he says the human nature was groping and
struggling?
Why does the author say that the man went unidentified gave him a universal
character?
How could the man in the water give a lifeline to those who watched him?
What does the “lifeline” here symbolize?
What does the greatness of the anonymous man actually lie in?
What do you think are the strongest human powers endowed with by nature?
Ⅱ. Writing Device
Parallelism
parallelism: the use of identical or equivalent syntactic constructions in
corresponding clauses
There was the unusual element of the bridge…
Then, too there was the location of the event…
And there was the aesthetic crash as well…
Still, there was nothing very special, except death…
(Para. 1)
Language Study
Ⅰ. Word Study
1. represent
v. to stand for; to symbolize; to serve as an example of
Examples:
The bald eagle represents the United States.
The museum had several paintings representing the artist's early style.
Word formation
representation
representative
2. elements
n. the forces that constitute the weather, especially severe or inclement weather
Example:
The outside paint has been damaged by the elements.
3. grope
v. to reach or search about uncertainly; to feel one’s way
Examples:
groped for the telephone
grope for an answer
Synonym
Fumble
4. acknowledge
v. to admit the existence, reality, or truth of, recognize
Example:
He acknowledged that the purchase had been a mistake.
Word formation
Acknowledgement
5. cling
v.
a. to hold fast or adhere to sth., as by grasping, sticking, embracing
b. to remain close; to resist separation
c. to remain emotionally attached; to hold on
Examples:
He clung to the rope to keep from falling.
These fabrics cling to the body.
We clung together in the storm.
Clinging to outdated customs.
Synonyms
adhere
stick
hold
6. commitment
n. the state of being bound emotionally or intellectually to a course of action or to
another person or persons
Examples:
a deep commitment to liberal policies
a profound commitment to the family
Commit: v.
commit a crime
They were committed to follow orders.
He was too young to commit fully to marriage.
The patient was committed to the hospital.
Usage
commitment to
7. identify
v. to recognize or be able to name
Examples:
Even the small baby can identify her mother by her voice.
The police officer identified himself and asked for our help.
identical: a. exactly the same; very similar
identity: n. the qualities that make sth. or sb. different from others
The tests are identical to those carried out last year.
identity crisis
Word formation
identical
identification
identity
unidentified
8. harsh
a. a. disagreeable to the senses, especially to the sense of hearing
b. extremely, unnecessarily severe; unpleasant, unkind; stern
Examples:
“There is no alternative,” he said in a harsh voice.
The child has a harsh upbringing life.
The punishment is rather harsh for such a minor offence.
Synonyms
husky
coarse
bitter
cruel
severe
stern
strict
9. desperate
a. a. having lost all hope; despairing
b. suffering or driven by great need or distress
c. extremely intense
Examples:
They are living in desperate poverty.
desperate for recognition
He felt a desperate urge to tell the truth.
10. distinction
n. a. difference
b. an honour in recognition of excellence
Examples:
He said he would draw/make on distinction(s) between terrorism and murder.
She has the distinction of being one of the few people to have an honorary
degree conferred on by the university this year.
Word formation
distinct
distinctive
Indistinct
11. challenge
n. v. a. to question, to dispute
b. to call to engage in a contest, fight, or competition
c. to summon to action, effort, or use; to stimulate
Examples:
The book challenges established beliefs.
He challenged me to a game of chess.
The problem challenges the imagination.
Synonyms
confront
defy
dispute
doubt
question
12. standoff
n. a situation in which neither side can gain an advantage
a. (informal) disapproving slightly unfriendly
Example:
The State Department was warning that this could lead to another diplomatic
standoff.
Ⅱ. Phrases and Expressions
1. as sth. goes
compared with the average disasters of this type
Examples:
As disasters go, this one was horrible, but not unique, certainly not among the
worst U.S. air crashes on record.
As businessmen go, he is pretty honest.
2. to be sure
indeed, certainly
Example:
To be sure, most people are law abiding, but crime remains a problem.
必须承认，绝大部分的人是遵纪守法的，但违法活动依然是个问题。
3. bring… to tears
to make sb. cry
Example:
The happy news brought all of the people in the room to tears.
4. bring down
v. a. to cause to fall or collapse
b. to reduce the rate, level, or amount
Examples:
Strong wind brought down the power lines across the region.
Our principal responsibility is to bring down the level of unemployment.
cf.
Major spending is required to bring about substantial improvements in
housing. (to make sth. happen)
The various departments have not yet brought forward their spending plans.
(to present, produce)
If they can bring off he deal, they will be able to retire. (to succeed in doing
sth. difficult)
5. rise to the challenge
to deal successfully with a problem or a
situation that is especially difficult
Example:
It’s not an easy task, but I’m sure John will rise to the challenge.
6. in the line of duty
while working
Example:
The police officer was killed in the line of duty.
7. owe… to
to be indebted or obliged for
Example:
She owes her good health to diet and exercise.
8. on behalf of
as the agent of; on the part of
Examples:
A solicitor issued a statement on behalf of the family.
He intervened with the immigration service on his behalf.
9. let go of
to stop holding sb. or sth.
Example:
She refused to let go of her bag and kicked her attackers several times.
10. set oneself against
to cause people or groups to fight each other although they were in a friendly
relationship before
Example:
It is a bitter industrial dispute that had set workers against workers.
set sth. against sth.: to compare one thing with another
This season’s results have been disappointing set against last year’s.
Ⅲ. Word Building
survive (prefix)
sur-=super: over; above; upon; additional
表面
爬上，增长
额外费
投降，放弃
外号
饮食过度
附加税
surface
surmount
surcharge
surrender
surname
surfeit
surtax
survive (root)
vivid
vital
vitamin
vivisect
viable
revive
vivacity
vitalize
devitalize
revivify
vi: live, life
生动的
有生机的
维生素
活体解剖
能养活的
使苏醒
活泼
激发
使衰弱
使复活
Suffix— -ly
a. n.+-ly
Examples:
manly (= having the quality of a man)
nightly (= every night)
friend
home
cost
mother
scholar
week
year
month
day
hour
Ⅳ. Grammar
friendly
homely
costly
motherly
scholarly
weekly
yearly
monthly
daily
hourly
Appositive clause
A construction in which a noun clause is placed with another as an explanatory
equivalent, both having the same syntactic relation to the other elements in the
sentence
There was the unusual element of the bridge, of course, and the fact that the plane hit
it at a moment of high traffic. (Para. 1)
For a while he was Everyman, and thus proof that no man is ordinary. (Para. 4)
Since it was he who lost the fight we ought to come to again to the conclusion that
people are powerless in the world. (Para. 8)
Compare:
appositive clause and other relative clause
The fact that he went unidentified gave him a universal character. (Para. 4)
Skutnik added that “somebody had to go in the water”, delivering every hero’s line
that is no less admirable for being repeated.
(Find out the difference between an appositive clause and other relative clauses)
Extension
Group Discussion
Great strength has been a trait that has been identified with heroes in many
stories and legends. How do you understand the strength?
Some people say if you believe in something that is not a social norm then you
could be considered a hero. What’s your comment?
Topics for Debating:
1.Who are the real heroes in our time?
2.You do not need to be totally extraordinary to be a hero.
A hero is someone that helps others no matter what the situation. There are many
qualities that a hero must possess such as bravery, courage, strength, intelligence and
honor. These qualities alone are not enough to make a hero. They must also be pure at
heart, fight for the good of mankind and only fight when it is to protect the people and
not out of rage or revenge.
Heroes have not really evolved that much since the early days. They are still
basically the same strong men with unhumanlike powers that the normal mortal man
cannot even comprehend. Heroes come in many shapes and sizes. Contrary to
popular belief, heroes nowadays are just regular people with the same everyday
problems that we have to endure.
A hero should not have to prove to himself or to anyone else that he is brave,
fearless or courageous. If he is pure at heart and his intentions are good then he can be
considered a true hero.
A true hero isn’t perfect. A hero is what people see him as. The criteria for a hero
is debatable, but for the most part the characteristics are the same.
Lesson Seven The Great Invention
Warm-up
I. On Science
• What is science?
• What do you think is the greatest invention?
Quotes:
• Science is an imaginative adventure of the mind seeking truth in a world of
mystery.
—Sir Cyril Hinshelwood English chemist.
Nobel prize 1956
• Science is the desire to know causes.
—William Hazlitt English essayist
• Science is a great game. It is inspiring and refreshing. The playing field is the
universe itself.
—Isidor Isaac Rabi U.S. physicist
Nobel prize 1944
• What do you think is the image of a scientist? What is the driving force of the
scientists to do their research?
• Is science only for science itself?
• What does science benefit us?
• Will science do any harm to human being?
Quotes:
Science is a wonderful thing if one doesn’t have to earn one’s living at it.
—Albert Einstein
The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new
discoveries, is not “Eureka!” (“I found it!”) but rather, “hmm... that’s
funny…”
—Isaac Asimov
No science is immune to the infection of politics and the corruption of power.
—Jacob Bronowski
II. On Terrorism
Can you give some examples of terrorism?
Why did they take the terrorism?
How do we respond to the terrorism?
Quotes:
Terrorism has become the systematic weapon of a war that knows no borders
or seldom has a face.
—Jacques Chirac
We all have to be concerned about terrorism, but you will never end terrorism
by terrorizing others.
—Martin Luther King III
Everybody’s worried about stopping terrorism. Well, there’s a really easy way:
stop participating in it.
—Noam Chomsky
III. Enjoy a Modern Fable
Row, row, row your boat
A Japanese company and a California company decided to have a canoe race on
the Columbia River. Both teams practiced hard and long to reach their peak
performance before the race.
On the big day, the Japanese won by a mile.
Afterwards, the California team became very discouraged and depressed. The
management of the California company decided that the reason for the crushing defeat
had to be found. A “Measurement Team” made up of senior management was formed
to investigate and recommend appropriate action.
Their conclusion was that the Japanese had eight people rowing and one person
steering, while the Californians had one person rowing and eight people steering.
The management of the California company hired a consulting company and paid
them incredible amounts of money. They advised that too many people were steering
the boat and not enough people were rowing.
To prevent losing to the Japanese again next year, the rowing team’s
management structure was totally reorganized to four steering supervisors, three area
steering superintendents and one assistant superintendent steering manager. They also
implemented a new performance system that would give the one person rowing the
boat greater incentive to work harder. It was called the “Rowing Team Quality First
Program”, with meetings, dinners and free pens for the rower. “We must give the
rower empowerment and enrichment through this quality program.”
The next year the Japanese won by two miles. Humiliated, the management of
California company laid off the rower for poor performance, halted development of a
new canoe, sold the paddles, and canceled all capital investments for new equipment.
Then they used the money saved to give a High Performance Award to the steering
managers and distributed the rest of the money as bonuses to the senior executives.
Background Information
I. Author
Lord Dunsany (July 24, 1878—October 25, 1957) was an Irish writer and dramatist.
His full name was Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett, 18th Baron Dunsany.
 Lord Dunsany was educated at Eton College and Sandhurst. He served as an
officer during the Boer War and World War I. He was a keen huntsman, and
sportsman, and was at one time the chess and pistol champion of Ireland.
 His fame arose, however, from his prolific writings of short stories, novels,
plays and poetry, reportedly mostly written with a quill pen.
His writings:
The work of Lord Dunsany must be the foundation of any good library of fantasy and
science fiction. His most notable fantasy short stories include:The Gods of Pegana,
The Book of Wonder, The Man Who Ate the Phoenix etc.
His significance within the genre of fantasy writing is considerable.
Quote of the author:
Logic, like whiskey, loses its beneficial effect when taken in too large quantities.
Books of the author
The Fourth Book of Jorkens
The Book of Wonder
At the Edge of the World
II. Fantasy and Fable
Fantasy
 It is a situation imagined by an individual or group, which does not correspond
with reality but expresses certain desires or aims of its creator.
 Fantasies typically involve situations which are impossible (such as the
existence of magic powers) or highly unlikely (such as world peace).
 In literature fantasy is a form of fiction, usually novels or short stories.
 As a genre, fantasy is both associated and contrasted with science fiction and
horror fiction.
 “Fantasy” seems reserved for fiction that features magic, brave knights,
damsels in distress, mythical beasts, and quests.
Fable
 A fable is a short story or folk tale with a moral at the end. It often, but not
necessarily, makes metaphorical use of an animal as its central character. In
some cases usage of the term has been extended to include stories with
mythical or legendary elements. An author of fables is a fabulist.
Notable fabulists:
 Aesop
 Berechiah ha-Nakdan
 Jean de La Fontaine
 Ivan Krylov
 Marie de France
Notable fables:
 Stone Soup
 The Little Engine That Could
 Jonathan Livingston Seagull
 Watership Down
 The Lion King
Modern fable
Features:
 fabled characters of more modern archetypes
 using familiar characters in an unfamiliar setting
 introduce people’s characters in modern life
 updated message with contemporary circumstance and plot line
III. The Caribbean
The Caribbean or the West Indies is a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea. These
islands curve southward from the bottom tip of Florida to the Northwest of Venezuela
in South America. There are at least 7,000 islands, islets, reefs and caves in the region.
They are organized into twenty-five territories including sovereign states, overseas
departments and dependencies.
The name “West Indies” originates from Christopher Columbus’ idea that he had
landed in India when he had in fact reached the Americas. The Caribbean consists of
the Antilles and the Bahamas and is part of North America.
IV. Germ Warfare
 Germ is an informal term for a disease-causing organism, particularly bacteria.
 Biological warfare, also known as germ warfare, is the use of any organism
(bacteria, virus or other disease-causing organism) or toxin found in nature, as
a weapon of war. It is meant to incapacitate or kill an adversary. Biological
warfare is a cause for concern because a successful attack could conceivably
result in thousands, possibly even millions, of deaths and could cause severe
disruptions to societies and economies. However the consensus among
military analysts is that except in the context of bioterrorism, biological
warfare is militarily of little use.
Text Appreciation
I. Text Analysis
1. General Analysis
Genre: modern fable
Plot: the development of the conflict between a scientist
scientific curiosity and the government which wants to force
serve their political purpose
Setting: Caribbean area
Protagonists:
the
man
in
the
Ministry
and the scientist
Theme: Through the story, the author makes us think about
science and the driving force of scientific development.
2. Structure of the Text
Part 1 (Paras. 1—4 ): Why did Jorkens tell the story?
driven by his
the scientist to
of
Warfare
the purpose of
Part 2 (Paras. 5-44 ): the story itself
Part 3 (Para.45 ): the concluding paragraph
3. Further Discussion
“What do you think is going to happen, Jorkens?” (para. 1)
Question: “Happen” to what? What were people talking about? Who were
they?
They might be the members of the club. They were talking about the world affairs.
They were asking what was going to happen in the world.
“Now that a man can carry in a bag a bomb that is more powerful than several
battleships, it is hard to find out what any country can do or will do next.”(para.
4)
Question: How do you understand the sentence?
Nowadays, terrible weapons could be easily produced due to new technology, so
the threat to the safety of the people in the world is only too real. No one can
easily predicts what the other country will do and what will happen to their own
country.
“War is no long a matter of armies; it depends on the intelligence of
scientists.”(para. 6)
Question: How did the man understand “war”?
The man believed that modern wars didn’t depend on how big an army one
country had, but on high technology which needed the intelligence of scientists.
“… but I was in our Ministry of Warfare.”(para. 10)
Question: How do you understand “Ministry of Warfare”?
It is usually called “the Ministry of Defense”. The author coined this name to
show the country is a belligerent country.
“We relied, and rightly on that man’s wisdom; but we forgot his folly.”(para. 20)
Question: Why did the man say the scientist was foolish?
He cannot understand the scientist’s devotion to science. He thought that it was
foolish of the scientist to make some useless inventions.
“I tried everything: threats, appeals to him to think of our ancient glory, even
bribes.”(para. 23)
Question: Why did the scientist stop making the germ? Did he care about any
political purpose?
Another fancy came into the mind of the scientist. He wouldn’t turn himself from
his new fancy although he was appealed, bribed and threatened because he didn’t
care about any political interests.
“‘I do not work for use, but for wonder.’”(para. 38)
Question: How do you understand the sentence?
For the scientist, his purpose of research is for the science itself, not for any
political or economic purpose. He believed in pure science and the pure pleasure
that science brought to him.
Question: How do you describe the character of the man?
The minister is a warlike person who wants to dominate the Caribbean, even the
whole world. He would take any kind of means, even terrorism to gain his end.
Why did Jorkens tell the story?
Where did Jorkens meet the man with black mustache?
What did the man do?
What was their Minister’s concept of war? What did they have to do for the
new war policy?
How did the man understand modern warfare?
What did he mean by their “just aspirations”?
How did they intend to dominate the Caribbean?
Did the scientist agree to work for the government? Did he produce the deadly
germ?
What new project attracted the scientist’s attention?
How did the man do to change the mind of the scientist? Did the scientist give
up?
What happened in the end?
Language Study
I. Word Study
1. appeal
v. a. to make a serious request for help, money, information 恳求，呼吁
b. to be attractive or interesting 有吸引力
c. to make formal request to a court 上诉
Examples:
She appealed to the kidnappers to release her son.
Does the idea of working abroad appeal to you?
If you are not satisfied, you can appeal.
appeal n. 恳求，呼吁；吸引力；上诉， 申诉
Examples:
appeal for aid
an appeal to parents to supervise their children
The film has great appeal for young audience.
an appeal to the European court of Human Rights
2. aspiration
n. a strong desire to have or achieve sth.
Examples:
When I was 12 I had aspirations to play professional football.
He had no political aspirations.
v. aspire
3. bribe
v. to pay money to sb. to persuade him to help you by doing sth. dishonest
n. money or sth. valuable given to sb. to persuade him to do sth. dishonest
Examples:
The criminal bribed the policeman to let him go free.
They tried to bribe the official into silence.
The official took bribes from those who wanted favors.
4. brood
沉思；念念不忘，计较；思考
v. to keep thinking for a long time about sth. that makes you very angry or
worried
Examples:
She sat there brooding on whether life is worth living.
Don’t brood over lost opportunities.
Just as physicists worry about the nature of matter, historians brood about the
study of man’s past.
5. charge
v. a. to rush in or as if in an attack
b. to ask in payment
c. to declare officially and openly
d. to load
b. The hotel charged me $50 for a room for the night.
a. Suddenly the wild animal charged at us.
c. He was charged with murder and betrayal.
d. The soldiers charged their guns and prepared to fire.
6. fierce
a. very strong; done with very strong feelings and energy
fierce emotions 强烈的感情
fierce attack 猛烈的进攻
fierce competition 激烈的竞争
fierce anger 极度愤怒
fierce look 面目狰狞
fierce tempest 狂风暴雨
7. figure
n. a. shape b. person c. number d. character
e. an amount of money
a. You have to watch our diet if you want to keep your figure.
c. keeping unemployment figure down
b. both a political and a religious figure
d. to play the figure of a judge
e. an estimated figure of $200 million
8. glory
n. great honor; praise
Examples:
return with glory 凯旋
in one’s glory 得意之时
go to glory 死，升天
glory to do/in doing sth. 为做某事而自豪
glorify oneself 自夸
a glorious death 光荣的牺牲
Word formation
v. glorify
a. glorious
9. mastery
n. the status of master or ruler; control
Examples:
The enemy had complete mastery of the seas and no ships could get
through.
Everybody was impressed by her quick mastery of those complicated
theories.
Word formation
v. n. (to) master
10. plague
n. a. any disease causing death and spreading quickly to a large number
of people
b. sth. that annoys you
v. to cause trouble to sb.; to annoy sb.
Examples:
A great many people have been swept away by the plague.
That child is a plague of her life.
The little boy plagued his father by begging over and over to go to the zoo.
11. rival
n. a person, group or an organization that you compete with in sport,
business, a fight, etc.
v. to be as good or important as sb. or sth. else
Examples:
The two girls were rivals for Jack’s attention.
The college’s facilities rival those of Harvard and Yale.
12. soothe
v.
a. to make someone feel calmer and less anxious, upset or angry
b. to make a pain less severe
Examples:
She soothed the child who was afraid.
I bought some lozenges to soothe my throat.
Word formation
a. soothing
adv. soothingly
13. spur
v. a. to encourage a horse to go faster
b. to incite or stimulate
n. a fact or event that makes you try harder to do sth.
Examples:
The rider spurred on to his destination.
He was spurred on by poverty to commit a crime.
To him difficulties were simply spurs to endeavor.
Ambition is an excellent spur for the young.
II. Phrases and Expressions
1. adapt to 适应
to change your ideas or behavior so that you can deal with a new
situation
Examples:
Most students have little difficulty adapting to college life.
When he moved to Canada, the children adapted to the change very well.
adapt for 改装，改造
to change sth. so that it can be used in a different purpose
Examples:
The materials can be adapted for use with older children.
You can adapt this fabric for anything from driver’s suit to gloves.
2. be born to do/be sth.
to be very suitable for a particular job, activity, etc.
Examples:
She was born to be a dancer.
He is a person born to lead.
cf.
be born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth 生于富贵人家
be born under a lucky star 生来就幸运
born and bred 土生土长
I wasn’t born yesterday. 不要拿我当小孩。
There is one born every minute. 随时有人犯傻。
3. but for
without, if not for
Examples:
But for these interruptions the meeting would have finished half an hour ago.
But for my brother's help, I would not have finished.
4. drive away
to make someone stop wanting sth. or stop wanting to be with someone
Examples:
Increasing prices will only drive customers away.
Your possessiveness will drive Liz away if you’re not careful.
5. if only
used to express a strong wish
Examples:
If only I had a car, I could get out of this place.
“If only I could see for three days,” said the blind girl.
6. let loose
to let sb. or sth. go free
Examples:
You should not let loose your indignation in this way.
Don’t let your dog loose if there are any sheep around.
7. lose grip on
a. to lose the power and control over
b. to become less able to understand things or deal with them
Examples:
The policeman would not lose his grip on the thief.
Don’t lose your grip on the rope or you’ll fall.
Are you starting to lose your grip on reality?
be in the grip of sth. 处于不利局势之中
The forest is still in the grip of winter.
get a grip on oneself 控制自己的感情
Stop being hysterical and get a grip on yourself.
have a grip on sth.
对某事的控制
The church no longer has a strong grip on the population.
8. mark off
to make an area separate by drawing a line around it or putting a rope
around it
Examples:
We marked off the limits of our lots with stakes.
The place was marked off as a tennis court.
Her smiling eyes marks her off from other girls.
9. put into/in
a. to enter a port or harbor
b. to spend time or use energy working or practising sth.
c. to interrupt sb. in order to say sth.
Examples:
The ship put in a port.
You have to put in a lot of effort to learn a new language.
He put in a good word for me.
cf.
put across 表达清楚
put away 收拾起来； 存钱
put down 批评某人
put forward 提出
put off 延期
put through 为某人接通电话
10. what if
what would happen if
Examples:
What if we move the picture over here?
It sounds like a good offer, but what if it’s a trick?
11. within one’s grasp
to be able to achieve or attain sth.
Examples:
Success is within our grasp now.
She has an excellent position within her grasp.
cf.
beyond one’s grasp 力量达不到
have a good grasp of 深刻了解
in the grasp of 在······掌握中
keep a firm grasp on 抓紧
Grasp all, lose all. [谚]贪多必失。
III. Word Building
1. prefix – aashore (para. 5) (prefix)
a-: in a particular condition or way
Examples:
They were walking abreast.
He was standing a few steps apart from them.
She left the door ajar.
Many of those visitors came from afar.
2. prefix – ununcork (para. 5) (prefix)
un-: +v. to show an opposite
undress 脱衣服
unbutton 解开纽扣
uncover 揭开盖子，揭露
untie 解开
unwrap 打开包裹
unmask 脱去面具
unpack 解开包裹
IV. Grammar
1. usage of “as”
1) “As” is used as a preposition to introduce an object complement with
verbs such as regard, describe, introduce. It can be followed by a noun, an
adjective, a participle, etc.
Example:
And I had not thought it, for he was not at all what one would regard as the figure of a
soldier.
the object complement of “what”
2) “As” is used as a conjunction to introduce an adverbial of manner.
Example:
It is not to say that everyone would have acted as he did, or as Usher, Windsor
and Skutnik.
as a conjunction to introduce a clause of manner
3)“As” is used as a relative pronoun to function as subject, object or predictive
referring to what is stated in the main clause.
Example:
But warfare, as he explained to me, has altered.
relative pronoun as object of “explained”, refer to warfare
The two brothers were satisfied with this decision, as was agreed beforehand.
relative pronoun as subject
… he fell then to silent brooding, gazing, as it seemed, into the past…
relative pronoun as predicative
2. relative pronoun as the object of a preposition in relative clause
To learn the meaning of a word you’ve got to study the sentences in which it appears.
“which” as object of “in”
The man sat back, and the barber noticed strong, well-kept teeth, one of which was
filled with gold.
“which” as object of “of”
Extension
Report in Your Own Words
Retell the story from Jorkens’ point of view.
Retell the story from the man’s point of view.
Group Discussion
What is the purpose of science? There are people who want science to help
them make more profits. There are people who want it to enable them to
destroy. Is science a double-edged sword?
Do you think terrorism is justifiable for small nations or nationalities who
have “just aspirations” and yet do not have any other way to make their voice
heard or their demand taken seriously? How do you comment on the
September 11 attack to the U.S.?
Lesson Nine Quick Fix Society
Warm-up
I. What Is “Quick Fix Society”?
What is the meaning of “fix”?
How do you understand “quick fix”?
How is “quick fix society” reflected in the following aspects?
transportation and communication
eating habits and consumption habits
entertainment
reading habits, learning habits
working style
II. Faster or Slower?
What are the advantages of “quick fix society”?
What are the disadvantages of “quick fix society”?
Do you want a fast paced life or slow paced one?
Quotes
We live in a fast-paced society. Walking slows us down.
—Robert Sweetgal
Life is getting faster, no doubt about it. We rush everything: we eat fast food,
have quickie sex, drive like maniacs, and compete hard for fast-paced jobs. We
wish to slow down and slack off, but we're afraid we'll fail.
—Library Journal Review
Life is already too short to waste on speed.
— Edward Abbey
III. Enjoy a Poem
Drive Thru
I rose this morn with much to do—
Hopped in the car and off I flew.
No time for breakfast, that I knew—
Glad “Dunkin DoNuts” has Drive Thru.
In need of dollars, quite a few—
Went to the bank teller’s Drive Thru.
Then filled all my prescriptions too—
At “Pharmacy’s” brand new Drive Thru.
Some bills to mail in box of blue—
Off to the “Post Office” Drive Thru.
Picked up the laundry cleaned anew—
Just stopped at “Suds & Duds” Drive Thru.
With lunchtime near, my tummy's queue—
Got a “Big Mac” from the Drive Thru.
The car by then was low on fuel—
Full serve at “Shell”, just Drive on Thru.
And when they fill the tank for you—
Your car’s washed free—in their Drive Thru.
Library books were overdue—
The curbside slot is a Drive Thru.
Then videos must go back too—
“Blockbuster” has their own Drive Thru.
Drive Thru
In need of milk and bread, I knew—
I stopped at “Dairymaid’s” Drive Thru.
The family asked “Please, can we do—
The ‘Drive In’ show when dinner’s thru???”
by Nancy Ness
Background Information
I. Fast Roads in the U.S.
• Highways: connect cities
• Superhighways: a road with six or more lanes
• Interstate highways: connect cities in different states
• Freeways: roads within a city
• Expressways: fast roads in or near cities
• Turnpike: pay money before you use it
II. Pennsylvania Dutch Town
Location
The heart of the Pennsylvania Dutch Country is Lancaster County. It is located in
south central Pennsylvania, one and half hours west of Philadelphia. Most of the
Amish Country attractions are in Lancaster County, and almost all of the local Amish
people live here as well.
People
Amish
The Amish are a religious group who live in settlements in 22 states of the U.S. and
Ontario, Canada. The oldest group of Old Order Amish, about 16,000—18,000 people
live in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The Amish stress humility, family and
community, and separation from the world.
Amish’s beliefs
The Amish was part of the early Anabaptist movement in Europe, which took place at
the time of the Reformation. The Anabaptists believed that only adults who had
confessed their faith should be baptized, and that they should remain separate from
the larger society. They also believe in non-resistance and basic Bible doctrines.
Amish’s lifestyle
• These people as a whole are not as materialistic as modern society today. They
do not use electricity or modern conveniences.
• Amish men have beards, but not mustaches.
• Most Amish are trilingual: dialect of German, High German and English.
• Old Order children attend one-room schools
through the eighth grade.
• They are a private people who believe God has kept them together. They are a
strong example of a community that supports and cares for its members. They
are a people apart; they are also a people together.
Antique shopping (Para. 2)
Pennsylvania Dutch town is called “Sunday Antiques Capital of the United States”.
Over 3,000 antique dealers gather here to display and sell their merchandise.
Outlet shopping (Para. 2)
Here, you’ll find over 240 factory outlet stores featuring name brands and quality
merchandise prices at reduced prices.
Scenery
Amish oldest meeting house
Hand-made quilts
Covered bridge
They ride their horse and buggy and
have a slower-paced lifestyle.
III. Cliff’s Notes
• Cliff’s notes are a series of reference books written to help undergraduate
students to understand and appreciate important literary works.
• With such notes, students don’t have to read the work itself and be able to
write papers and take exams.
IV. Civil War
Civil War was the war from 1861 to 1865 fought between the northern and
southern states.
The Civil War battlefield mentioned in paragraph 2 is the battlefield of famous
Gettysburg battle in July, 1863. At Gettysburg, Union army defeated Confederate
army. This victory is the turning point of the Civil War. After the campaign, on
November 19, President Lincoln delivered the well-known Gettysburg Address.
V. Beethoven
Lugwig Van Beethoven is one of the greatest composers in the world.
His famous symphonies include:
No. 5 (Fate)
No. 6 (Pastoral)
No. 9 (Choral)
VI. USA Today
USA Today is one of the most popular daily national newspapers serving the interest
of a general public in the United States.
Text Appreciation
I. Text Analysis
Theme
Let’s slow down and enjoy what nature offers us and what mankind has left us and
rediscover life. (The theme is summed up at the very end.)
Structure
Part 1 (Paras. 1-3): Her ride on fast roads and her return trip of a country road
Part 2 (Paras. 4-6): Now instead of later
Faster instead of slower
Superficially instead of thoroughly
Part 3 (Paras. 7-8): Slow down and rediscover life
1. Question: What made the writer come to think about the lifestyle of American
people?
The writer took a week’s vacation in West Virginia. When she took the Turnpike
to get there, she found the trip fast but very dull. When she came back, she took
another way to slow down and enjoy the county life, which she found full of fun. The
contrast made the writer think about whether the fast lane life of modern American
people is the only lifestyle of people.
2. Question: How do you understand “deferred gratification”?
Once upon a time, Americans understood the principle of deferred
gratification.(para.4)
In the past, Americans were patient to have their desires satisfied. They knew that
it would take them some time to satisfy their needs. If they were patient enough, they
would have more pleasure when they finally got what they wanted.
3. Question: What does the writer intend to emphasize, using this rhetorical
question?
Symbolically, the American eagle now flies for Express Mail. How dare anyone keep
America waiting longer than overnight? (para. 5)
Eagle is the symbol of the U.S. When it is used as the logo of Express Mail, it has
the symbolic meaning that the whole nation desires to be fast. The writer intends to
emphasize that the Americans can no longer wait for anything. The slightest delay
would get them angry beyond measure.
4. Question: How can personal relationships be “compressed”? How do you
understand “quality time”?
Even our personal relationships have become compressed. Instead of devoting large
parts of our days to our loved ones, we replace them with something called “quality
time”.( Para. 6)
The time we spend with our loved ones is compressed, so our personal
relationships is no longer the same as before.
“Quality time” means you give full attention to someone in limited time. It is in
contrast with “quantity of time”. In America, people are too busy to spend time with
their loved ones, so they believe “quality time” is a solution. But actually, “quality
time” means less time.
5. Question: How do you understand “iceberg principle”?
… we do not realize that we are living our lives by the iceberg principle—paying
attention only to the top and ignoring the 8/9 that lies just below the surface.(para. 6)
Icebergs float with only about 10% of their bulk above the surface of the water,
therefore the much larger part is out of sight. Modern people are paying attention to
surface of everything, but ignoring the real content, which is usually the core of
everything.
6. Question: What suggestions did the writer give to the modern people?
The writer suggested that the modern people should slow down the fast pace, touching
and enjoying every details of life. Only in this way, can we rediscover life.
7. Question: What is the meaning of “quick fix”?
“Fix” means solution. “Quick fix” in this essay means quick. It refers to the lifestyle
of modern people who are impatient to get everything done and want to find the quick
solution to everything.
Further Discussion
Why did the writer take the turnpikes and interstates? Did they have any fun
on the way?
Why did the writer take another way back? How did she feel this time?
What is the attitude of modern people to do everything? How does it affect our
life?
Why did the author write this article? Was she suggesting we stop using all
time-saving techniques and products?
II. Writing Devices
Contrast
A contrast paragraph or essay discusses the differences between (at least) two things.
This essay mainly discusses the differences between the lifestyle of modern American
people and that of American people in the past.
In the first two paragraphs, the writer contrasts her featureless ride driving on fast
roads and the pleasure of the return trip of a different route.
Fast lane trip
Return trip
We drove slowly through
Pastoral scenery slid by
main streets…, slowing to
us at 55mph.
twenty miles an hour…
… the herds of cows—no
The herd of cows is
longer little dots this
reduced to a few dots…
time—lying in it.
… getting there wasn’t any … getting there had been the
fun at all.
fun.
Contrast in Para. 4
Once upon a time
Deferred satisfaction
Now
We aren’t so patient.
put a little of each take out loans
paycheck away “for a rainy relax now, pay later
day”
If we wanted to become try the latest miracle diet
thinner, we simply ate less.
Contrast in Para. 6
In the past
Now
linger over every word of a read the condensed version
classic novel
listen to the tape
listened to every note of enjoy 26 seconds of
Beethoven’s
famous theme
Fifth Symphony
that
devote large parts of our replace them with “quality
days to our loved ones
time”
Rhetorical Questions
A rhetorical question implies that the answer is obvious—the kind of question that
does not need actually to be answered. It is used for rhetorically persuading someone
of a truth without argument, or to give emphasis to a supposed truth by stating its
opposite.
Why is it that the featureless turnpikes and interstates are the routes of choice
for so many of us? Why doesn't everybody try slowing down and exploring the
countryside? (Para. 3)
How dare anyone keep America waiting longer than overnight? (Para. 5)
Why waste 45 minutes listening to the whole thing when someone else has
saved us the trouble of picking out the best parts? (Para. 6)
Why are we in such a hurry to save time? (Para. 7)
If winter comes, can spring be far behind?
—Percy Bysshe Shelley, Ode to the West Wind
Didn’t I tell you he would forget?
What difference does it make?
Repetition
Repetition is a major rhetorical strategy for producing emphasis, clarity,
amplification, or emotional effect.
If we wanted a new sofa or a week at a lakeside cabin, we saved up for it, …
If we lived in the right part of the country, we planted corn…
If we wanted to be thinner, we simply ate less of our favorite foods and waited
patiently for the scale to drop, a pound at a time. (Para. 4)
(repetition of sentence structure)
Then we take our fast money to a fast convenience store, … And if our fast meal
doesn't agree with us, we hurry to the medicine cabinet for—you guessed it—some
fast relief. (Para. 5)
(repetition of words)
III. Sentence Paraphrase
Language Study
I. Word Study
1. advocate
v. to publicly support an idea or a plan
n. someone who strongly and publicly supports someone or something
Examples:
He advocates building more schools.
There is no point advocating high salaries for teachers unless we can do it.
He is a tireless advocate of political reform.
2. antique
adj. being old and therefore valuable
n. an old object such as a piece of furniture or jewellery that is valuable because it
is rare, beautiful, or well made
Examples:
It is an antique rosewood desk.
The palace is full of priceless antiques.
3. compress
v. a. to press or squeeze something so that it fits into a smaller space
b. to write something in fewer words
c. to make a process last for a shorter time than usual
Examples:
The machine compresses old cars into blocks of scrap metal.
Try to compress your notes so that they are easier to learn.
You’d better compress two months’ work into one.
4. condense
v.
a. to cause (a gas or vapor) to change to a liquid
b. to remove water from (milk, for example)
c. to make a piece of writing shorter by removing some parts
Examples:
Steam condensed on the bathroom mirror.
condensed milk (炼乳)
condensed story (缩写本)
compress, condense, contract
The pupil of the eye dilates and contracts in response to light.
She sat on the lid of the suitcase to compress the clothes.
The chairman condensed all the suggestions put forward into a single plan of
action.
5. defer
v. to delay something until a later date
defer to sb./sth.
(formal) to agree to accept someone’s opinion or decision because you have
respect for that person
Examples:
Let’s defer the decision for a few weeks.
I will defer to Mr. Walter on this point.
defer, postpone, delay
Defer implies an intentional delaying.
Postpone implies an intentional deferring, commonly until a definite time.
Delay causes to be behind schedule.
I deferred paying the bills.
The bus was delayed by a cloudburst.
We would like to postpone your appointment until Saturday.
6. deposit
n. a. a first payment that you make when you agree to buy something
expensive such as a car or house
b. an amount of money you pay when you rent something that is returned to you
when you stop renting it
c. an amount of money that you pay into a bank account
d. a layer of metal that has formed in soil or rock
Examples:
We put down a deposit on a house last week. 付定金
You will have to pay one month’s rent in advance, plus a deposit of $500.
押金，抵押金
I’d like to make a deposit, please. 存款
Rich mineral deposits have been discovered in the area. 矿床
7. guarantee
v. a. to promise sth. will happen
b. to make sth. certain
n. a. an agreement that if sth. you buy does not work, it will be repaired or replaced
b. a formal and firm promise that sth. will be done or will happen
Examples:
The government guaranteed to free the captives.
The rain guarantees a good crop this year.
The new television had a guarantee with it.
Is there a guarantee of work after training?
8. outlet
n.
a. a shop or a place where a particular product is sold
b. a way of expressing strong feelings that you would normally not express
Examples:
Most of their sales are through traditional retail outlets.
He plays basketball as an outlet for stress.
9. refresh
v. to make someone feel less tired or less hot
refresh one’s memory
to make someone remember something
refresh someone’s drink
to add more of an alcoholic drink to someone’s glass
Examples:
A shower will refresh you.
I looked at the map to refresh my memory of the route.
Can I refresh your drink?
Word formation
adj. refreshed
adj. refreshing
n. refreshment
10. revitalize
v. to put new strength or power into sth.
Example:
They hope to revitalize the neighborhood by providing better housing.
Word formation
n. revival
v. revive
v. vitalize
n. vitalization
11. scale
large scale
evolutionary scale
the bathroom scales
the scale on a thermometer
Richter scale
a scale of 1∶250
scales of fish
大规模
进化等级
浴室磅秤
温度计上的刻度
里氏震级
1∶250 的比例尺
鱼鳞
12. skim
v. a. to remove floating fat or solids from the surface of a liquid
b. to read something quickly to find the main facts or ideas in it
c. to move along quickly, nearly touching a surface
Examples:
After simmering the meat and vegetables skim the fat off from the surface.
Just skim through the second section to save time.
The swallows were skimming over the water.
II. Phrases and Expressions
1. agree with sb.
If something agrees with you, it doesn’t make you feel ill.
Examples:
Stop taking the medicine if it doesn’t agree with you.
I find that country life really agrees with me.
2. as many
the same number as another particular number
Example:
Those coolies were great. I could eat as many again.
3. can’t wait to do sth.
= can hardly wait to do sth.
to be very excited about something or keen to do it
Example:
I can’t wait to go to school then: I will be a big kid, and I’ll make friends and
learn so much at school.
4. get sth. over with
把······做完了事
to do and finish something difficult that you have to do
Examples:
I’ll speak first if you like—I’d rather get it over with quickly.
He looked upon the marriage ceremony as a mere formality—something to be
got over with as quickly as possible.
5. help out 救助，协助（渡过难关）
to help somebody in a difficult situation
Examples:
Who is helping out in the garden this afternoon?
I’ve often helped Bob out when he has been a bit short of money.
6. linger over/on
to stay somewhere a little longer, especially because you do not want to leave
Examples:
They lingered over coffee and missed the last bus.
She let her eyes linger on him.
7. more often than not = as often as not
on most occasions
Examples:
Nancy comes over on Saturday more often than not.
More often than not, the argument could have been avoided.
all too often
used for saying that something makes you sad or upset because it happens more often
than you think it should
All too often, parents leave their children home alone.
every so often
sometimes, but not frequently
She still phones me every so often.
8. off the rack
off-the-rack (AmE)/ off-the-peg (BrE)
ready made
It was only a cheap suit, bought off the rack/off the peg.
on the rack
in a difficult situation that you cannot deal with
The interviewer’s questions put the President on the rack.
9. put away
Examples:
My grandfather had put away over $100,000. 存钱
Put away all your books on the desk. The guest might come any time. 收拾
Please put all negative thoughts away. 抛弃
The boy put away the dinner in just a few minutes. 吃掉
10. put brakes on
使停顿
put a brake on/ put the brakes on sth.
to stop sth. that is happening
Examples:
The high level of debt continued to put a brake on economic recovery.
The town government put the brakes on all these projects by giving them less
money.
11. save sb. the trouble of doing sth.
to make somebody able to avoid extra effort or work
Example:
Fast-food restaurants are popular because they save people the trouble of
cooking.
12. save up
to keep or store something so that you can use it in the future
Examples:
They are saving up for a new car.
She spent all the money I have saved up for our trip.
13. stuff with
a. to fill sb. with food until one is not hungry
b. to fill a container or space with sth., especially sth. soft
Examples:
They stuff the children with food.
The bed was stuffed with cotton so it was very soft.
Extension Report in Your Own Words
Give examples to support the idea “now instead of later”.
Give examples to support the idea “faster instead of slower”.
Give examples to support the idea “superficially instead of thoroughly”.
Group Discussion
If you agree that people are getting too impatient and too obsessed with the quick
fix for everything, what examples would you give to illustrate your point? (Base your
observations on your experience in China.) What has this “fast-fix” attitude done to
our daily life?
Debating
“Quick fix society” will bring us more benefits.
Lesson ten
The Richer，the Poorer
Part one
Warming –up
1. Money Can’t Buy Everything
Money Can't Buy Everything
by Dennis Justin Fontaine
Some people think
being rich can buy you happiness.
Sure, it can buy you some
But, the love I have brings me more happiness
than all the money in the world could
Some people think being rich makes you better than everyone.
They think they
have a place reserved in heaven.
But, that's not something I worry about
because,
with my love, I am already there.
In this world
money can get you things and it can make you happy,
but the love I share with my angel,
is more valuable than anything.
2. Money Idioms
1. Someone sold you some gold earrings under the counter. This means ____.
A. at a specially low price
B. on the black market
2. “I’m afraid we’ll all have to tighten our belts a bit.” This means ____.
A. spend less money
B. work harder to make more money
3. You’re finding it difficult to make ends meet. This means ____.
A. you can’t pay your debts
B. you’re always short of money
4. Which of these would you like to happen to you? Why? Why not the others?
____.
A. To find you are in the red
B. To get a sudden windfall
C. To pay through the nose for something
5. John smashed his new Porsche into a shop window. The damage came to
£10,000, and his father had to foot the bill.
Who paid for the damage, John or his father?
Part two
Background Information
1. The US Money
Cash: paper currency
The US government prints money in the following denominations: $10,000;
$5,000; $1,000; $500; $100; $50; $20; $10; $5 and $1.
You will never see most of these bills; twenties, tens, fives and ones are the most
commonly used. You will find a picture of George Washington on the $1 bill,
Abraham Lincoln on the $5, Alexander Hamilton on the $10 and Andrew Jackson on
the $20. There are also pictures on the back (the White House on the $20, the
Treasury Building on the $10, the Lincoln Memorial on the $5 and a big “ONE” and
the American insignia on the $1.
Money in general is referred to as: “cash”, “bucks”, “dough”, “bread”, “moolah”,
“greenbacks”, etc. A one-dollar bill is most often called “a dollar”, “a single”, “a
buck” or “a bill”; a five-dollar bill is “five dollars”, “a fiver”, “a five spot” or “five
bucks”. A ten-dollar bill might be “a ten”, “ten bucks” or a “ten spot”.
Cash: coins
Coins come in the following denominations: $.01 or 1¢ (a penny, a cent, one cent);
$.05 or 5¢ (a nickel, five cents); $.10 or 10¢ (a dime, ten cents); $.25 or 25¢ (a quarter,
two bits, twenty-five cents); and $.50 or 50¢ (a fifty-cent piece).
Coins are called “change”, “small change”, or “silver” (though they aren’t made
of silver anymore). Coins are generally recognized by their size, but somebody
“goofed” on the dime, which is smaller than either a nickel or a penny. All the others
are in size order.
2. Gypsies
Roma (people), commonly known as Gypsies, a traditionally nomadic people found
throughout the world. While the term gypsy is often attached to anyone leading a
nomadic life, the Roma share a common biological, cultural, and linguistic heritage
that sets them apart as a genuine ethnic group.
When they first arrived in Europe over 500 years ago, the Roma were called Gypsies
in the mistaken belief that they had come from Egypt. The true origins of the Roma
remained a mystery until the late 18th century, when European linguists discovered
connections between the Romani language and certain dialects spoken in
northwestern India. More recent linguistic and historical studies have confirmed that
the Roma originated in India.
The world population of Roma is difficult to establish with any certainty. Estimates
suggest that there are between approximately 15 and 30 million Roma worldwide.
Some 10 million Roma live in Europe, and they make up that continent’s largest
minority population. The largest concentrations of Roma are found in the Balkan
peninsula of southeastern Europe, in central Europe, and in Russia and the other
successor republics of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). Smaller
numbers are scattered throughout western Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and
the Americas.
The Roma are divided into groups sometimes referred to as nations or tribes. These
divisions generally reflect historical patterns of settlement in different geographic
areas. Although historically renowned as wanderers, the vast majority of modern
Roma live in settled communities.
3. Lifestyles in America
Lost Generation,
group of expatriate American writers residing primarily in Paris during the 1920s and
1930s. The group never formed a cohesive literary movement, but it consisted of
many influential American writers, including Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald,
William Carlos Williams, Thornton Wilder, Archibald MacLeish, and Hart Crane. The
group was given its name by the American writer Gertrude Stein to refer to expatriate
Americans bitter about their World War I experiences and disillusioned with American
society. Hemingway later used the phrase as an epigraph for his novel The Sun Also
Rises (1926).
The beat generation,
group of American writers of the 1950s whose writing expressed profound
dissatisfaction with contemporary American society and endorsed an alternative set of
values. Its best-known figures were writers Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac, who
met as students at Columbia University in the 1940s, and San Francisco-based poet
and publisher Lawrence Ferlinghetti. Ferlinghetti’s City Lights Bookstore, in the
North Beach section of San Francisco, became a center of Beat culture and remained
an enduring symbol of alternative literature into the 1990s. Another center of Beat
activity was New York City’s East Village, where Ginsberg made his home.
Hippie,
member of a youth movement of the late 1960s that was characterized by nonviolent
anarchy, concern for the environment, and rejection of Western materialism. Also
known as flower power, the hippie movement originated in San Francisco, California.
The hippies formed a politically outspoken, antiwar, artistically prolific counterculture
in North America and Europe. Their colorful psychedelic style was inspired by drugs
such as the hallucinogen Lysergic Acid Diethylamid (LSD). This style emerged in
fashion, graphic art, and music by bands such as Love, the Grateful Dead, Jefferson
Airplane, and Pink Floyd.
Yuppie,
a young upwardly mobile professional person. Yuppies tend to be 9-5 professional
workers. Yuppies tend to value material goods (especially trendy new things). In
particular this can apply to their stocks, imported automobiles, development houses,
and technological gadgets, particularly cell phones. Unfortunately, the fast paced
pursuit of these material goods has unintended consequences. Usually in a hurry, they
seek convenience goods and services. Being "time poor", their family relations can
become difficult to sustain. Maintaining their way of life is mentally exhausting.
Sometimes, they will move every few years to where their job goes, straining their
family. The fast-paced lifestyle has been termed a rat race.
4. Variety Store
It refers to a retail store that carries a large variety of usually inexpensive
merchandise.
Part three Text appreciation
Theme of the Text
By describing the differences of the two sisters’ different lifestyles and experiences
from childhood to old age, the author seems to suggest that an exciting life does not
necessarily come together with financial security. Instead it depends totally on one’s
attitude to life.
Structure of the Text
Part 1 (Para. 1): The two sisters’ contrasting financial conditions in old age.
Part 2 (Paras.2—19 ): Recall on every earlier crucial stage of their lives.
Part 3 (Paras. 20—34 ): Their reunion in old age and similar opinions they share on
life.
Text Analysis
1 Where does the climax of the story lie?
The reunion of the two sisters in their old age, when they, for the first time, seem to
share similar opinions on life.
2 From whose point of view is the story written, Lottie’s or Bess’s?
From Lottie’s. Much of the space is devoted to description of Lottie’s opinions, views
and reflections. The reader can enter her mind and learn what goes on there. Also
from this view, the reader can gain a clear clue about the differences of the two sisters’
lifestyles and experiences.
3 Both formal and informal expressions are used in the story. Can you tell the
differences between them?
In the first half of the story and much of the second when Lottie is working
wholeheartedly
to prepare for her old age, the writer uses more formal words and expressions. But
towards the end of the story when Lottie’s lifestyle of “all work and no play” begins
to change, she speaks in a very colloquial style. He speech at the end of the story is
also a good example.
4 Bess had a boy friend in the school band, who had no other ambition except to
play a horn.
There are also many descriptions of Harry from Para.10 to Para.19. Can you draw a
picture of Harry? Did Bess love him? What made it possible for him to be loved so
deep?
5 Can you make a list of words and expressions to describe the differences of the
two sisters?
Lottie
Bess
Money
never lean
…
Love
Family
Living standards
Job
Experiences
Others
6 For what purpose does the author shed a lot of ink describing how Lottie prepared
everything for the welcome of Bess’s return?
• Lottie was eager to show off herself and her life.
• During the process, Lottie became aware of the distance between her dream
and the actual situation.
• The detailed descriptions lead the reader to a well-prepared readiness to meet
the surprise to be displayed by Bess’s indifference.
7 …, a week of hard work and hard cash. (Para. 21)…, a place in her sister’s home
and heart.
(Para. 31)
What writing devices are used here in the two expressions? What effects do you think
they have?
Zeugma, alliteration, parallelism are used here to put an emphasis on the inseparable
two aspects of the same “week” and “place”.
Further Discussion About the Text
What made young Lottie desire money so much?
What was young Lottie’s life dream?
Did Lottie ever want to get married? How come she was never tempted to
settle down with a home and family?
How did Lottie come to be the owner of a house?
Is it possible for Lottie to transform into an lady over sixty to lead a life
similar to her sister? Why? or why not?
Part four Word study
1. ambition
n. a. strong desire, esp. over a long period, for success, power, wealth, etc.
b. sth. that is desired in this way
Examples:
She’s clever but she lacks ambition.
He has at last achieved his lifetime ambition of launching a newspaper.
ambitious a.
an ambitious politician
We cooked nothing more ambitious than boiled eggs.
2. conscience
n. person’s awareness of right and wrong with regard to his own thoughts and
action
Examples:
have a clear/guilty conscience
He has several murders on his conscience (受到良心的谴责).
You cannot in all conscience (的确，凭良心) regard that as fair pay.
cf.
a conscientious worker
a conscientious attitude
stream of consciousness
This essay is a most conscientious piece of work.
Are you conscious of how people will regard such behavior?
3. dump
v. a. to put (sth. unwanted) in a place and leave as rubbish
b. to put (sth.) down carelessly, heavily or in a mass
c. to leave or abandon (sb.)
d. to sell abroad at a very low price
 He dumped his wife and went with another girl.
 The government declared that it did not dump radioactive waste at sea.
 It produces more than it needs, then dumps its surplus onto the world
market.
 Just dump things over there—I’ll sort it out later.
4. errand
n. short journey to take a message, get or deliver goods, etc.
If you run errand for sb., you do or get sth. for them, usually be making a
short trip somewhere.
Examples:
Run an errand for me, will you? Go find Roger for me.
He was tired of running errands for his sister.
an errand of mercy 雪中送炭
a fool’s errand 徒劳无功的差事
5. expand
长度、面积或体积等方面的扩张、膨胀，多含有朝四面八方扩展或延伸之义
Examples:
He breathed deeply and expanded his chest.
He expanded his operation to include all aspects of the clothing industry.
cf.
extend 表示时间、空间或土地等方面的纵向扩展或延续
The cold weather extended into March.
The railway has been extended to the next town.
spread 多指事物在时间、距离或面积上的扩大或延伸
The various dealers’ prices show a wide spread.
There is a tree with a spread of 100 feet.
stretch 可指身体上的伸展， 也可指长度或广度上的增长性、
伸缩性
There is not much stretch in this collar; I can hardly get it over my head.
She got out of bed and had a very good stretch.
6. indulge
v. to allow oneself/sb. to have whatever one likes or wants
Examples:
I’m really going to indulge myself tonight with a bottle of champagne.
indulge in a long hot bath
I shall forget about dieting today. I’m just going to indulge, ie eat and
drink what I like.
7. lean
a. a. without much flesh; thin and healthy
b. containing no or little fat
c. small in amount or quantity; not productive
 a lean body
 lean meat
 a lean harvest
 lean beef
 a lean diet
 a lean year
 a lean season for good films
cf.
a ladder leaning against the wall
8. lumpy
a. full of lumps; covered in lumps
Examples:
lumpy gravy 有颗粒的肉汁
a lumpy mattress 有疙瘩的褥垫
a sugar lump
break a piece of coal into small lumps
a nasty lump on her neck
have a lump in one’s throat
9. miserly
a. a miserly person is one who hates spending money
Example:
a miserly attitude
miser n.
A typical miser, he hid his money in the house in various places.
cf.
They endured hours of backbreaking work in miserable conditions.
10. onrush
n. a strong movement forward
an onrush of cold air
cf.
an oncoming event a. coming
an ongoing program of research
a. continuing to exist or progress
an onshore breeze
a. blowing from the sea towards the land
an onslaught on government housing policies
n. fierce attack
11. sentimental
a. a. showing or based on tender feeling rather than reasonable or practical
judgments
b. showing too much of such feelings, esp. of a weak or insincere kind
Examples:
The necklace was a present from my mother and has sentimental value.
I enjoyed this movie but the ending was too sentimental.
cf.
a sensational murder trial
12. threadbare
a. worn thin; shabby
Examples:
a threadbare carpet
a threadbare joke
cf.
barewithout the usual covering or protection
bareback a. ad. on a horse without a saddle
barefaced a.
shameless
barefoot(ed) a. ad. without shoes or stockings
bareheaded a. ad. not wearing a hat
barelegged a. ad.
wearing nothing on one’s legs
13. transform
v. to completely change the appearance, form, or character of sth. or sb., esp. in a
way that improves it
Examples:
A steam engine transforms heat into power.
Put yourself in the hands of our experts, who will transform your hair
and makeup.
transformation n.
In recent years his ideas have undergone a complete transformation.
14. urge
v. a. to try very hard to persuade
b. to suggest very strongly; draw attention to the importance of or need for
c. to drive or force (forward)
Examples:
They urged us to give our support.
They urged on us the need for cooperation.
He urged the horses on with a whip.
urgent a.
urgency n.
in urgent need of medical attention
a matter of great urgency
15. worldly
a. a. material; not spiritual
b. sophisticated; practical
I think it is time you woke up and focused your thoughts on more worldly
matters.
He was different from anyone I had known, very worldly, very
sophisticated.
Phrases
1. add up to
to amount to
Examples:
The company’s profits last year added up to $50 million.
With a meal included in the cost of the ticket, it all adds up to a really
good evening’s entertainment.
cf.
Add your scores up and we’ll see who won.
Our explanation seemed only to add to his bewilderment.
2. be better off without
to be happier without sb./sth.
Example:
We’d be better off without them as neighbors.
cf.
He’d be better off going to the police about it. (be wiser)
better late than never
better safe than sorry
3. be through
a. to have finished doing sth., using sth., etc.
b. to be no longer having a relationship with sb. or sth.
Examples:
I’m not through just yet; I should be finished in an hour.
I am through with Jane/alcohol.
4. go to ruin = fall into ruin
to become damaged or destroyed because no one is taking care of it
Examples:
It is his brother who had let the farm go to ruin.
The ancient temple had fallen into ruin.
5. hard cash
money in the form of notes and coins as opposed to a cheque or a credit card
cf.
A hard currency is one that is unlikely to lose
its value and so is considered to be a good one
to have or to invest in.
The government is running short of hard currency to pay for imports.
6. kick up one’s heels
to be relaxed and enjoy oneself
Example:
She’s a workaholic and doesn’t know how to kick up her heels.
cf.
kick one’s heels (to have nothing to do while waiting for sb./sth.)
We’re just kicking our heels until the nextsemester begins.
7. make no mention of
not to say anything about
Examples:
He made no mention of having seen her.
He made no mention of his wife’s illness to me.
cf.
Don’t mention it.
They already take pension and social security payments off my pay, not to
mention state taxes.
Let’s meet the above-mentioned heroes.
8. put/set/turn one’s mind to sth.
to give all one’s attention to
Examples:
It won’t take long to sort it out once you put your mind to it.
Let’s now turn our minds to tomorrow’s meeting.
Part five Word building
1. Prefix—em
em-: the form used for en-before b, m or p
embark
embed
embellish
empower
2. Root—form
form: shape
informal
formula
deformity
information
performance
reform
uniformity
3. Suffix—ish
-ish: to do
banish
cherish
diminish
embellish
flourish
furnish
garnish
Part Six Grammar
Purpose Adverbial
Purpose is expressed by the infinitive:
1. The infinitive alone
2. In order/ so as + infinitive
3. Infinitive + noun + preposition
They stopped to ask the way.
She gave up work in order to have more time with the children.
She learnt typing in order to help her husband with his work.
I need a corkscrew to open this bottle with.
Clauses of purpose:
1. so that + will/would or can/could + infinitive
2. so that/ in order that + may/might or shall/should + infinitive
Ship lifeboats so that the crew can escape if the ship sinks.
These men risk their lives in order that we may live more safely.
Criminals usually telephone from public telephone boxes so that the police
won’t be able to trace the call.
in case and lest:
1.
2.
3.
4.
I’ll make a cake in case someone drops in at the weekend.
I carry a spare wheel in case I have/should have a puncture.
I always kept candles in the house in case there was a power cut.
He doesn’t/didn’t dare to leave the house lest someone should recognize
him.
Part seven Group Discussion
Which lifestyle do you prefer, Lottie’s or Bess’s?
A wise man once said that happiness is somewhere between too much and
too little. Do you agree?
Compare your lifestyle with that of your parents. Can you find something
touching in your comparison?
Quiz 1
1. The republication of the poet’s most recent works will certainly ________ his
national reputation.
a. magnify
b. strengthen
c. enlarge
d. enhance
2. On weekends my grandma usually ___ a glass of wine.
a. subscribes to
b. engages in
c. hangs on
d. indulges in
3. The coming of the railways in the 1830s __ our society and economic life.
a. transformed
b. transported
c. transferred
d. transmitted
4. The police set a ___ to catch the thieves.
a. plan
b. device
c. trap
d. trick
5. He was punished _____ he should make the same mistake again.
a. unless
b. provided
c. if
d. lest
6. One of the attractive features of the course was the way the practical work had
been ______ with the theoretical aspects of the subject.
a. embedded
b. embraced
c. integrated
d. synthesized
7. Encouraged by their culture to voice their opinions freely, the Canadians are
not afraid to go against the group _____, and will argue their viewpoints
enthusiastically, though rarely aggressively.
a. consent
b. conscience
c. consensus
d. consciousness
8. In spite of the _____, it seemed that many of the invited guests would still show
up.
a. deviation
b. distinction
c. comparison
d. controversy
9. These continual _____ in temperature make it impossible to decide what to
wear.
a. transitions
b. transformations
c. exchanges
d. fluctuations
10. We find it impossible to _____ with the latest safety regulations.
a. accord
b. unify
c. comply
d. obey
Quiz 2
1. His character seems to have undergone a complete ____________ since his
marriage. (transform)
2. The giant panda is a/an __________ species. (danger)
3. The old man has socialist _______. (lean)
4. Constant _________ brought about his ruin. (indulge)
5. The blow caused him to lose ____________. (conscious)
6. The owner of the firm feared the manager’s vigorous ___________.
(expand)
7. The government pays more attention to the _________ of the working
conditions of those workers. (better)
8. This is _________: I’ve been kept waiting for three hours. (tolerate)
9. I hope that what I say will ______ the situation. (clear)
10. He liked to ________ that he had won a gold medal. (fantastic)
11. It’s _________ how he has managed to climb that far. (marvel)
12. He disliked the sickly ___________ of that romantic novel. (sentimental)
Lesson eleven
You have to get me out of here
Part One Warm up
I. Dangerous Sports
Add more to the list of dangerous sports.
skydiving, scuba diving, potholing, parachuting, bungee jumping
Are they the sports for you?
 Are they dangerous?
 Why are there still a lot of people trying them?
 What are they good for?
 If you bungee jump once, would you like to try it again?
Part two Background information
I. Author
Lissa Hall Johnson (1955—), a well-established writer for young adults and the general
American public. She is a book producer for Focus on the Family, writing and editing a
variety of projects. She is the creator of the Brio Girl series for which she has written and
edited. She is currently looking for the fiction book of the century to launch a fiction line at
Focus. Formerly on the Adventures in Odyssey creative team, she’s the author of 15 novels for
teens and the middle-grade reader. She has also written for many periodicals including Brio,
Breakaway, Focus on the Family, and Reader's Digest.
II. Telluride
The Town of Telluride: Colorful, Historic, Unique
Nestled in a box canyon surrounded by 13,000-foot peaks of the San Juan Mountains,
the Town of Telluride is just six blocks wide and twelve blocks long. Due to its
significant role in the history of the American West, the core area of Telluride was
designated a National Historic Landmark District in 1964. This listing is the highest
level of historic status available to sites designated by the United States Secretary of
the Interior. Telluride is one of only four other Colorado communities with this
honor. These sites are so special that, in theory, they are eligible for consideration as
National Parks.
With its colorful Victorian-era homes, clapboard storefronts, boutiques, art galleries,
gourmet restaurants, historic buildings and much more, Telluride is a delight to
explore.
The Town of Telluride is located in the southwest corner of Colorado in the
spectacular San Juan Range of the Rocky Mountains. Telluride lies approximately
100 highway miles northeast from the Four Corners, which is the intersection of
Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah. Telluride is the county seat for San
Miguel County.
"Telluride is one of 10 coolest Mountain Towns." Mens Journal Nov 2005
"Telluride is a cosmopolitan and confident alpine escape unlike any other in one of the
most pristine, primordial and spectacular settings in North America." Denver Post,
June 6, 2004
"Telluride is an eclectic, down-to-earth treasure nestled in a stunning box canyon
rimmed with 13,000 foot peaks. " Ski Magazine, October 2003
III. Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains, major mountain system of W North America and easternmost belt of the
North American cordillera, extending more than 3,000 mi (4,800 km) from central N.Mex. to
NW Alaska; Mt. Elbert (14,431 ft/4,399 m) in Colorado is the highest peak. The Rockies are
located between the Great Plains on the east (from which they rise abruptly for most of their
length) and a series of broad basins and plateaus on the west.
The mountains form the Continental Divide, separating rivers draining to the Atlantic and
Arctic oceans from those draining to the Pacific. The major Atlantic-bound rivers rising in
the Rockies include the Rio Grande, Arkansas, Platte, Yellowstone, Missouri, and
Saskatchewan. Those draining to the Arctic include the Peace, Athabasca, and Liard rivers.
Flowing to the Pacific Ocean are the Colorado, Columbia, Snake, Fraser, and Yukon rivers.
Part Three Text appreciation
I. text analysis
1. Theme of the Text
Katie Kemble’s story not only tells us how a young woman directed her won rescue, but shows
what people should do to survive in critical situations.
2. Structure of the Text
Part 1 (Paras. 1— 3 ): Katie, paired with Ric, was ready for the climbing of Ophir Wall.
Part 2 (Paras. 4---27 ): After severely hurt, Katie firmly and successfully directed her rescue.
Part 3 (Paras. 28----38 ): Katie got her chance of using the leg again and the experience bound
Ric together with her in their life.
3. Questions to understand the text
 Question: The writer uses a large number of action verbs in describing what happened.
List out such words and expressions.
bump
land
leap to one’s feet
struggle down the trail
stagger
 Question: In the text, there are also many medical terms, which are not highly technical.
List them out.
vein
artery
nerve endings
emergency-room staff
surgery
 Question: Which type of writing does the text fall into, description, narration, exposition
or argumentation?
Narration. In recounting the accident and rescue, the writer shows what kind of person Katie is,
and conveys a central point and shares with the reader her view of what happened.
 Question: What is the context of the story? (When, where and to whom does the story
happen?) For what does the writer make it quite clear at the beginning of the story?
It was May 27, 1989. Rock climbers Katie and with Ric were climbing Ophir Wall. The context is
made clear at the beginning of the story so that the reader can better understand the whole
narrative.
 Question: Why does not the writer provide us with more details about what took place
before 2:30 that afternoon?
These details are not relevant enough to the purpose of the narrative. When selecting details,
writers usually only use relevant and effective details, or things that contribute to bringing out the
main idea of the narrative.
Question: From whose point of view is the story told?
From a third person’s view. A third-person narrative may seem more objective and have a broad
narrative scope. By comparison, a first-person narrative may be more graphic and lifelike, but the
scope of the narrative may be limited.
Question: What made it possible for Katie to save not only her life but also her almost
severed leg?
Katie’s presence of mind plus her knowledge of self-rescue and critical care played the most
important role.
Question: Ric devoted a lot to Katie’s self-rescue miracle. Can you give a description of
Ric’s psychological experiences?
We can say Ric experienced the stages of being frightened, encouraged, confident, admirable and
attracted.
Question: What was Katie’s motto? How do you understand it?
Her motto was “Face the fear, know what you have to do and do it”. This means that whatever
happens we must remain calm and should not panic. Only in this way are we able to make the
fullest use of whatever knowledge we have of survival.
4. Further discussion
Is rock climbing an exciting sport? Is it risky? What kind of accident can happen?
What kind of a person was Katie?
What was she doing when the accident took place?
What injury happened to her?
How did she direct her own rescue?
Why was the doctor surprised to find her lower leg
warm?
What kind of a person do you think Ric was?
What made they two come together?
5. Writing devices
Narration: To narrate is to give an account of an event or a series of events. In its broadest sense,
narrative writing includes stories, real or imaginary, biographies, histories, news items, and
narrative poems.
Narration often goes hand in hand with description.
When planning a narrative, the writer should consider these five aspects:
 context
 selection of details
 organization
 point of view
 purpose
Other types of writing
• Description: painting a picture in words of a person, place, object, or scene.
• Exposition: expounding or explaining.
• Argumentation: convincing other people to agree with the writer’s point of view, to
approve a policy or a course of action that he proposes, or to do something that he wants
to be done.
Part Four language study
1. altitude
n. the height of a place above sea level
Examples:
It is difficult to breathe at these altitudes.
In these altitudes snow never melts.
The plane was flying at an altitude of 30,000 feet.
cf.
Their house is at an elevation of 2,000 meters. (height above sea level)
2. bump
v. to strike or knock with force or violence
n. a raised uneven area on a surface
Examples:
The jostling crowd bumped against the railing in their eagerness to see the race.
Our car bumped along the rough mountain road.
The bump knocked our car forward a few feet.
3. clench
v. to hold (fists, teeth, etc.) together tightly
Examples:
She clenched her teeth and refused to move.
He clenched his fists threateningly.
4. discipline
v. to teach sb. to obey rules and control their own behavior
Examples:
They never make any attempt to discipline their children.
I’ve disciplined myself to do two hours of exercises every day.
disciplined a.
a disciplined approach
cf.
It is the most disciplined, effective army in the world. （遵守纪律的，受过训练的）
The investigation led to disciplinary action against several officers. （惩戒性的）
5. distract
v. to make it impossible for sb. to continue what they are doing by making them look at
or
listen to sth. else
Examples:
His mind is distracted by fear.
Reading distracts the mind from grief.
distraction n.
There are too many distractions to work properly.
The cinema is my favorite distraction.
6. endurance
n. the power of bearing pain, suffering, etc. with strength and patience
Examples:
The course is a real test of endurance.
He came to the end of his endurance.
endure v.
If help doesn’t come, we must endure to the end.
I can’t endure to see/seeing animals suffer like that.
7. . initial
a. of or at the beginning
Examples:
She overcame her initial shyness and really enjoyed the evening.
The initial investment will be $50 million.
initially ad.
The president initially appeared to endorse the idea.
8. notorious
Examples:
The neighborhood is notorious for robbery.
The place has become notorious as the home of gamblers.
notoriety n.
He gained notoriety before being caught and sent to prison.
Cf.
That big house in Malibu belongs to a famous movie star.
She’s very well-known in the literary world.
He is a distinguished/ an eminent surgeon.
Florence is renowned for its beautiful buildings.
Many politicians are notorious hypocrites.
9. . resemble
v. to be or look like
Examples:
She resembles her mother.
She resembles her sister in appearance but not in character.
resemblance
n.
He has a strong resemblance to his father.
There’s a strong resemblance between Susan and Robert.
10. sensation
n. a. feeling
b. a state of excited interest
Examples:
After the accident he could feel no sensation in his arm.
I knew the train had stopped, but I had the sensation that it was still moving.
The scandal has created a sensation in Paris.
11. stabilize
v. to make sth. steady
Examples:
The price of coffee has been rising and falling sharply, but has now been stabilized.
stable—unstable a.
a stable job/marriage/government/rate of exchange
stability—instability
n.
the stability of the pound/ a long period of political stability
12. stagger
v. a. to move unsteadily, almost falling over
b. to cause to feel shocked disbelief; seem almost unbelievable to
Examples:
 The news staggered me for the moment.
 He staggered into the dining-room, where he fell dead.
 staggered; staggering a.
 I was staggered by the size of the phone bill.
 The cost was a staggering $10 million.
13. a matter of
a. a little more or less than; about
b. needing as a part or result
Examples:
In 1914 everyone expected the war to be over in a matter of months.
Learning a language isn’t just a matter of remembering words.
It’s a matter of opinion.
It’s only a matter of time.
It’s a matter of life and death.
It’s a matter of taste.
14. be attached to
to be fond of and feel a strong connection with
Examples:
I am deeply attached to this old car.
It is easy to become attached to the children you work with.
15. blossom into
to develop in a pleasing or favorable way;
to flourish
Examples:
blossom into an expert
That lonely, remote settlement blossomed into a charming little city.
Mary blossomed into a beautiful girl.
16. hold in
not to express how one really feels
Examples:
Jane Eyre wanted to speak but thought better of it and held in.
At the funeral, she could no longer hold her grief in and burst into tears.
17. presence of mind
the ability to remain calm and take quick
sensible actions
Examples:
Thanks to his presence of mind, the children were saved.
When the fire started in the kitchen, John had the presence of mind to turn off the
gas.
18. see through
to give help and support to sb. during a difficult time
Examples:
I’ve given him a sedative; that should
see him through the night.
He had just enough money to see him
through a year abroad.
19. . take command
to begin controlling and making decisions
Examples
Janet took command of the situation and got everyone out of the building safely.
He began to take command of the army.
cf.
China has ample resources at command.
Who is the officer in command?
He has a hundred men under his command.
20. wear off
(of a feeling, effect, etc., esp. an unpleasant one) to become less strong; to be reduced until
disappear
Examples:
The pain is wearing off.
The effects of the shock will soon wear off.
An hour after he took the medicine, the
fever began to wear off.
II. Word building
1. Prefix—milli2. Root—dur
3. Suffix—-en
milli-: thousand; thousandth
milligram
milliliter
millennial
millipede
dur: to last
durable
durance
duration
endure
indurate
obdurate
perdurable
Suffix— -en
a. made of
Examples:
a golden crown
wooden seats
His ashen face showed how shocked he was.
III .Grammar
Misrelated participles
A participle is considered to belong to the noun/pronoun which precedes it.
1. Tom, horrified at what he had done, could at first say nothing.
2. Romeo, believing that Juliet was dead, decided to kill himself.
That participle may be separated from its noun/pronoun by a main verb.
1. Jones and Smith came in, followed by their wives.
2. She rushed past the policeman, hoping he wouldn’t ask what she had in her suitcase.
If there is no noun/pronoun in this position, the participle is considered to belong to the
subject of the following main verb.
1. Stunned by the blow, Peter fell heavily.
2. Believing that he is alone, the villain expresses his thoughts aloud.
If this principle is disregarded, confusion results.
Example of misrelated participles:
•
Waiting for a bus a brick fell on my head.
Correct forms:
• As I was waiting for a bus a brick fell on my head.
Part Five Extension
I. oral work
Describe rock climbing as a sport.
Describe Katie’s accident.
Describe what kind of person Ric is.
Is courage only to be found in wars? How is it displayed in everyday life?
What do you think are the sources of courage?
Part Six Quiz
1. People _________that vertical flight transports would carry millions of passengers as do
the airliners of today.
a. convinced
b. anticipated
c. resolved
d. assured
2. The doctor was asked to go back to the hospital because of ______ case.
a. an operation
b. an emergency
c. a treatment
d. an incident
3. Humidity is so intense in some parts of the tropics that Europeans find they are unable to
____ it.
a. maintain
b. persist
c. endure
d. sustain
4. All our attempts to ____ the child from drowning were in vain.
a. regain
b. recover
c. reserve
d. rescue
5. Some journalists often overstate the situation so that their news may create a great
______.
a. explosion
b. sensation
c. exaggeration
d. stimulation
6. The economic crisis in that country have threatened the _____ of the government.
a. stability
b. capability
c. persistence
d. permanence
7. Out of ______ revenge, he did his worst to blacken her character and ruin her reputation.
a. perfect
b. total
c. sheer
d. integral
8. The doctor doesn’t _____ that the patient will live much longer.
a. monitor
b. manifest
c. articulate
d. anticipate
9. The sign set up by the road ______ drivers to a sharp turn.
a. alerts
b. refreshes
c. pleads
d. diverts
10. At present, it is not possible to confirm or to refute the suggestion that there is a causal
relationship between the amount of fat we eat and the _____ of heart attacks.
a. incidence
b. impetus
c. rupture
d. emergence
Quiz 2
1. She hit her head and was __________ for several minutes. (consciousness)
2. She made a speedy ________ from her illness and was soon back at work. (recover)
3. Long-distance races are won by the runners with the greatest ___________. (endure)
4. She ran and ran until she dropped from _________. (exhaust)
5. His constant absences threaten the _______ of his marriage. (stable)
6. The crowd waited outside the theater in eager __________. (anticipate)
7. Your advice has been of __________ value to us. (estimate)
8. His daring escape from prison gained him a certain ________. (notorious)
9. The child’s continual crying drove me to __________. (distract)
10. Each day he turns screws to _________ the brace by one millimeter. (long)
Lesson 12 Confessions of a miseducated man
Part one Warm-up
1. When did globalization start? (Hint: There were three waves.)
The most recent wave of globalization, which started in 1980, was spurred by a
combination of advances in transport and communications technologies and by large
developing countries who sought foreign investment by opening up to international
trade.
The first wave lasted from 1870 to the start of World War I.
Following World War II, a second wave of globalization emerged, lasting from about
1950 to 1980.
2. What is globalization?
The growing integration of economies and societies around the world.
It is an inevitable phenomenon in human history that’s been bringing the world closer
through the exchange of goods and products, information, knowledge and culture. But
over the last few decades, the pace of this global integration has become much faster
and dramatic because of unprecedented advancements in technology, communications,
science, transport and industry.
Part two Background information
1. Author
Norman Cousins (1915—1990)
Careers:
 writer
 editor
 citizen diplomat
 promoter of holistic healing
 unflagging optimist
Lifelong Concerns:
 war and peace
 world governance
 justice
 human freedom
 the human impact on the environment
 health and wholeness
Belief in world governance:
 He believed that enduring world peace could only be
achieved through effective world governance.
Belief in world federalism:
 He argued for a world no longer based on the supremacy
of nationalism and other superficial differences.
Contribution to peace and human well-being:
 He arranged for medical treatment in USA for 24 young
Japanese women who came to be known as the
“Hiroshima Maidens”;
 helped support the medical care of 400 Japanese children
orphaned by the atomic bomb;
 with his wife, legally adopted one of the "Maidens";
 helped create a program for the “35 Polish women who had
been victims of Nazi medical experiments during the war”.
Summary of his life:
 In June 1983 Cousins told the graduating class of Harvard Medical School
that the "conquest of war and the pursuit of social justice... must become our
grand preoccupation and magnificent obsession." These certainly were the
concerns that obsessed him throughout his life, and over the years he battled
through his writings and actions to make them matters of more general
concern. Driven by the shock and portent of Hiroshima, he worked to combat
unchecked nationalism, promote federalism, and build a sense of world
citizenship, in the belief that people as a whole might yet construct a new
world order of peace and justice. His optimism, intellectual curiosity, and
commitment to the preservation of human life were equally unquenchable.
2. Globalization
In his book The Lexus and the Olive Tree, Thomas Friedman wrote:
“Globalization is not a phenomenon. It is not just some passing trend. Today it
is an overarching international system shaping the domestic politics and
foreign relations of virtually every country, and we need to understand it as
such.”
As thoughtful people concerned about world affairs, our job is to pick up
“globalization”, examine it from all sides, dissect it, figure out what makes it
tick, and then nurture and promote the good parts and mitigate or slow down
the bad parts.
Globalization is much like fire. Fire itself is neither good nor bad. Used
properly, it can cook food, sterilize equipment, form iron, and heat our homes.
Used carelessly, fire can destroy lives, towns and forests in an instant. As
Friedman says: "[Globalization] can be incredibly empowering and incredibly
coercive. It can democratize opportunity and democratize panic. It makes the
whales bigger and the minnows stronger. It leaves you behind faster and faster,
and it catches up to you faster and faster. While it is homogenizing cultures, it
is also enabling people to share their unique individuality farther and wider."
Globalization has dangers and an ugly dark side. But it can also bring
tremendous opportunities and benefits. Just as capitalism requires a network of
governing systems to keep it from devouring societies, globalization requires
vigilance and the rule of law.
Anti-trust laws, the Securities and Exchange Commission, labor unions,
charities, the Federal Trade Commission, and countless other agencies and
organizations keep American capitalism in check. Similar transparent
mechanisms are needed to make sure globalization is a positive force in the
world.
Globalization will always have cheerleaders who are blind to the destruction
globalization can cause. And it will always have strident opponents blind to
the way globalization gives some people their first opportunity to fulfill basic
aspirations.
As with most issues, the majority of people will be in the middle. They will
see globalization not as something to worship or demonize. Instead, they will
see it as something to mold, shape and manage for the betterment of everyone.
Part three Text appreciation
1. Theme of the Text
To prepare ourselves for this new world, we must all be re-educated so that we will be
able to understand that there are more similarities than differences among peoples.
The differences are superficial and insignificant whereas the similarities are essential
and fundamental. These similarities enable all of us to be equal members in this
global village and to live happily with mutual respect.
2. Structure of the Text
Part 1 (Paras. 1—7 ): The old education focusing on nations’ differences should give
way to the new one emphasizing the similarities.
Part 2 (Para. 8 ): We should respect all human beings because human life is such a
rare occurrence.
Part 3 (Para. 9 ): However different peoples may be, they are united in their
humanness, in their basic human faculties and gifts.
Part 4 (Paras.10—11): They are also united in their needs.
3. Questions to understand the text
1) Question: According to the author, tribalism “had taken refined forms”. How do
you understand its “refined forms”?
Tribalism originally refers to behavior and attitudes that are based on strong loyalty to
a tribe. Here, its refined forms are modern regionalism, racism, and nationalism.
2) Only a few years ago an education in differences of references fulfilled a specific if
limited need. Question: What is the “specific” need?
The author is referring to the need of tourists.
3) Question: List out some aspects of the old education that emphasized the
differences among nations.
its geography
comparative culture
anthropology
…
4) Then overnight came the great compression. Question: How do you understand
“the great compression”?
The so-called “global village”.
5) … that something in them enables them to respond deeply to forms and colors and
ordered sounds. Question: What does “forms and colors and ordered sounds” refer
to?
Literature, architecture, art and music.
6) However friendly the universe may be, it has left the conditions of human existence
precariously balanced.
Question: Why does the author say that the conditions of human existence are
dangerously balanced?
The author is referring to the fact that human conditions are very delicate. We must
have water and oxygen for survival. Too much or too little of these things would
cause a disaster. These things should be well balanced.
7) Further Discussion About the Text
What do geography, anthropology and many other courses usually tell us
about the differences between races and nations?
Are they important according to the author?
How should we be re-educated to adapt to the new world according to the
author?
In which aspects does the author base his arguments? Elaborate each point.
Do you agree that tribalism is standing in our way to progress today?
Part four Language study
1. comparative
a. a. having significance only in relation to something else
b. relating to or based on or involving comparison
Examples:
comparative anatomy
comparative adjective
comparative method
cf.
No horse has a speed comparable to that of his.
2. comprehend
v. a. to get the meaning of something
b. to include in scope; include as part of something broader; have as one’s sphere or
territory
Examples:
The judge said that it was difficult to comprehend why the police acted so in
this matter.
The park comprehends all the land on the other side of the river.
comprehension
n.
The problem is above/beyond my comprehension.
3. confession
n. an admission of misdeeds or faults; (Roman
Catholic Church) the act of a penitent disclosing his sinfulness before a priest
in the sacrament of penance in the hope of absolution
Examples:
He made a confession.
Confession is the first step to repentance.
[谚]认罪是悔罪的第一步； 悔过必先认错。
Open confession is good for the soul.
[谚]直认无讳， 身心泰然。
4. destiny
n. a. an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future
b. your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that
happens to you)
Example:
a master of one’s own destiny
cf.
He was destined to be an actor.
The destination of his study is the law.
5. hostile
a. unfriendly; showing dislikes
hostile to a person/ a country/ a nation
be hostile to Christianity
be hostile to reform/ any change
a man hostile to war
反战人士
hostility n.
They showed an open hostility to…
There is much hostility against America.
6. mutuality
n. a reciprocal relation between interdependent entities
Example:
Although there are not real winners or losers, in games of pretending children
soon learn that the game ends when mutuality ends.
cf.
mutual love/ aid/ friend/ benefit and
collaboration
7. occupy
v. a. to engage or engross wholly
b. to keep busy with
c. to take; use up
Examples:
The workers were occupied in building new houses.
He occupies an important position in the Ministry of Education.
8. persist
v. a. to refuse to stop
b. to continue to exist
Examples:
persist in the study of English
On the top of very high mountains snow persists throughout the year.
9. preference
n. a. grant of favor or advantage to one over another
b. the right or chance to choose; a predisposition in favor of something
Examples:
A teacher should not show preference for any one of his pupils.
preference bond 优先股
cf.
preferential right 优先权
You may come, preferably, in the morning.
10. reference
n. a. the act of referring or consulting
b. a book to which you can refer for authoritative
facts
c. a formal recommendation by a former employer to a potential future employer
describing the person’s qualifications and dependability
Examples:
Keep this dictionary for reference.
When I was looking for a job, I asked my head teacher to give me a reference.
11. respond
v. to show a response or a reaction to something
Examples:
I offered him a drink but he didn’t respond.
The plane responds well to the controls.
respond by a nod
respond with a smile
12. similarity
n. the quality of being similar
Examples:
a similarity of writing styles
Several explanations have been offered to explain similarity increases
interpersonal attraction.
13. superficial
a. involving a surface only; not deep or penetrating emotionally or intellectually; of
little substance or significance
superficial water
superficial feet
superficial knowledge
superficial extent
14. supreme
a. a. greatest in status or authority or power
b. highest in excellence or achievement
Examples:
The most important law court is called the Supreme Court.
supreme courage 最大的勇气
supreme disgust 极端的厌恶
the supreme test of fidelity 忠诚最后的考验
supreme good 至善
15. vital
a. full of life; full of spirit; urgently needed
vital energies
vital style
a vital wound
a vital question
a vital part
a vital examination
生命力
生动的文体
致命伤
生死攸关的问题
（身体的）要害处
至关重要的考试
Phrases
1. in those respects
in those details; at those points
Examples:
In those respects, I don’t agree with you.
This room is fine except in one respect— what can I sit on?
In many respects the new version is worse than the old one.
2. all but
almost; nearly
Examples:
It’s all but impossible.
an all but impossible task
All but the morning star have disappeared.
All but one were present.
3. wipe out
to get rid of; destroy all of
Examples:
wipe out a stain/deficits/illiteracy
The entire population was wiped out by the terrible disease.
The cost of the new building will wipe out all the company’s profits this year.
4. give way (to)
a. to admit defeat in an argument or fight
b. to break under pressure; collapse
c. to have its place taken by
d. to allow oneself to show
Examples:
My new evidence forced him to give way.
The floor gave way under the heavy weight.
Steam trains gave way to electric trains.
He gave way to tears.
5. take in
a. to provide lodgings for (a person)
b. to include
c. to understand fully; grasp
d. to deceive
Examples:
He had nowhere to sleep so we offered to take him in.
This is the total cost of the holiday, taking everything in.
It took me a long time to take in what you were saying.
Don’t be taken in by his promise.
6. in a certain perspective
from a certain point of view
Examples:
The company’s results need to be looked at in their proper perspective; our
profits have fallen but it’s been a difficult year for our competitors, too.
You must get the story in its right perspective.
7. come forward
to offer oneself to fill a position; give help to the police, etc.
Examples:
Only two people have come forward for election to the committee.
No one has come forward with any information about the murder.
8. in terms of/ in… terms
with regard to; from the point of view of
Examples:
The book has been well reviewed, but in terms of actual sales it hasn’t
been very successful.
In business terms the project is not really viable, but it would add to the
prestige of the company.
Part Five Word building
1. Prefix—mis
misbehave
mischief
misconduct
misdate
misfortune
mislead
misplace
mispronounce
mistrust
misunderstand
2. Root—press
depression
expression
impression
oppression
repression
suppression
3. Suffix—ship
fellowship
friendship
hardship
partnership
relationship
scholarship
workmanship
Part Six Uses of the infinitive
A. the subject of a sentence
To compromise appears advisable.
It is an offence to drop litter in the street.
B. the complement of a verb
His plan is to keep the affair secret.
He forgot to leave the car keys on the table.
C. the object or part of the object of a verb
He wants me to pay.
She learnt how to make lace.
D. be + infinitive: commands or instructions
No one is to leave this building without the
permission of the police.
She is to be married next month.
E. purpose
I want a case to keep my records in.
He sent his son to a boarding school in order
to have some peace.
F. after certain adjectives
He is quite likely to come today.
You are lucky to be going by air.
G. as a connective link
He survived the crash only to die in the desert.
He returned home to learn that this daughter had
just become engaged.
H. replace relative clauses
He is the second man to be killed in this way.
There is a lot to be done.
I. after certain nouns
His ability to get on with people is his chief asset.
Their promise to rebuild the town was not taken seriously.
J. with too/enough and certain adjectives/adverbs
He was too drunk to drive home.
Would you be so good as to forward my letters?
She had enough sense to turn off the gas.
K. certain infinitive phrases can be placed at the beginning or end of a sentence
To be perfectly frank, you’re a bad driver.
To be honest, I just don’t like her.
I’ve never met him, to tell you the truth.
Lesson Thirteen
Warm-up
Blueprint for Success
Ⅰ. Warm-up Questions
1. Do you come from a well-to-do family?
Have you ever felt that you’re on a tight budget sometimes?
2. Suppose one day you won a lottery of five million yuan, what would you do with
that sum of money?
3. Would you give all that up and donate it to those who are worse off than you are?
4. Do you come from a well-to-do family?
Have you ever felt that you’re on a tight budget sometimes?
5. Suppose one day you won a lottery of five million yuan, what would you do with
that sum of money?
6. Would you give all that up and donate it to those who are worse off than you are?
II.
China’s Most Noted Philanthropist
Do you know who is the most noted philanthropist in China? If yes, say
something about him.
 Li Ka-Shing (李嘉诚, born on July 29, 1928), is one of the wealthiest persons
in Hong Kong and East Asia. He is also one of the richest persons of Chinese
descent in the world. Presently, he is the Chairman of Cheung Kong Holdings.
 Considered one of the most powerful figures in Asia, Li was named “Asia’s
Most Powerful Man” by Asiaweek in 2000. On February 26, 2004, Forbes
ranked him as 19th richest man in the world at US$12.4 billion.
 Li’s businesses are dominant in every facet of life in Hong Kong, from
electricity to telecom, from real estate to retail, from shipping to the Internet. It
is often said that for every dollar spent in Hong Kong, 5 cents goes into the
pocket of Li Ka-Shing. The Cheung Kong Group’s market capitalization is
$766 billion HK ($100 billion USD) as at September 30, 2005. The Group
operates in 51 countries and employs over 210,000 staff worldwide.
 In spite of his wealth, Li has a reputation for leading a no-frills lifestyle, and is
known to wear cheap shoes and plastic watches.
 Li is also a noted philanthropist; his 1981 donations resulted in the founding of
Shantou University, near his hometown of Chaozhou. After the 2004 Indian
Ocean Earthquake disaster, he reportedly pledged a total of US$3 million. In
2005, Li announced a HK$1 billion (US$128 million) donation to Hong Kong
University.
III. Oral Presentation—If I Were…
What would you do with your money if you were one of the wealthiest persons in the
world? Give your oral presentation. If I were Bill Gates/Michael
Dell…
Background Information
Ⅰ. Millard Fuller
“I see life as both a gift and a responsibility.
My responsibility is to use what God has
given me to help his people in need.”
—Millard Fuller
Millard Fuller founded Habitat for Humanity International in 1976 and served in
executive roles until 2005. His leadership helped forge Habitat into a worldwide
Christian housing ministry.
From humble beginnings in Alabama, Millard Fuller rose to become a young,
self-made millionaire. A graduate of Auburn University in Auburn, Ala., and the
University of Alabama Law School at Tuscaloosa, he and a college friend began a
marketing firm while still in school. Fuller’s business expertise and entrepreneurial
drive made him a millionaire at age 29. But as the business prospered, his health,
integrity and marriage suffered.
These crises prompted Fuller to re-evaluate his values and direction. His
soul-searching led to reconciliation with his wife and to a renewal of his Christian
commitment.
The Fullers then took a drastic step: They decided to sell all of their possessions, give
the money to the poor and begin searching for a new focus for their lives. This search
led them to Koinonia Farm, a Christian community located near Americus, Ga., where
people were looking for practical ways to apply Christ’s teachings.
The Fullers initiated several partnership enterprises. They built modest houses on a
no-profit, no-interest basis, thus making homes affordable to families with low
incomes. Homeowner families were expected to invest their own labor into the
building of their home and the houses of other families. This reduced the cost of the
house, increased the pride of ownership and fostered the development of positive
relationships. Money for building was placed into a revolving fund, enabling the
building of even more homes.
Fuller received the Medal of Freedom from former U.S. President Clinton in
September 1996, and was named the 1995 Builder of the Year by Professional Builder
magazine. He and his wife were awarded the 1994 Harry S. Truman Public Service
Award, and he also has received the Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Award. He
continues to receive many honorary doctorates and achievement awards for his
outstanding leadership and contributions toward meeting the goal of eliminating
poverty housing worldwide.
Ⅱ. Religious Background
—Biblical Teachings About Wealth
God gives the ability to get wealth—Because many of us are physically and mentally
capable of earning a living, we may be drawn to think that our abilities, diligence, and
hard work have gotten us wealth. While we must not undermine human effort in the
equation of wealth, we must always remember that God gives us the abilities we have
to earn a living (Deuteronomy 8:18). The picture of someone in a wheelchair or a
hospital bed should be a reminder that God is in control of our abilities and
inabilities.
The wealthy are to show consideration to the poor—The wealthy are to put
themselves in the shoes of the poor and treat them as they would want to be treated.
Deuteronomy 15:7-8 states, “lf there is among you a poor man of your brethren,
within any of the gates in your land which the Lord is giving you, you shall not
harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother, but you shall open your
hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he needs.”
Jesus said, "It is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say
to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to
enter the kingdom of God." (Matthew 19:23-24) This seems like a very strange
phenomenon. On the one hand wealth can be a blessing from God for obedience. But
on the other hand it can keep a person from entering the kingdom. Jesus magnified the
dangers of wealth when He said, "Woe to you who are rich, for you have received
your consolation. Woe to you who are full, for you shall hunger." (Luke 6:24-25a)
Therefore, wealth can be both a blessing and a curse.
It should also be noted that not only do riches make it difficult to enter the kingdom of
heaven, but also the desire to be rich has plunged many into ruin and destruction (1
Timothy 6:9). Scripture says that "the lust or wealth is both foolish and harmful" and
that, "the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed
from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many
sorrows." (1 Timothy 6:10) The writer of Proverbs says, "Do not wear yourself out to
get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint." (Proverbs 23:4/NIV) Christians are to be
content with where they are and with what they have.
Wealth is dangerous to faith—When a person grows wealthy, even when he has done
so by legitimate means, there is a tendency to forget God. He warned the children of
Israel about this when they were preparing to enter the land of Canaan: "Beware that
you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His
judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, lest—when you have eaten
and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; and when you and
your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you
have is multiplied... then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand
have gained me this wealth.’" (Deuteronomy 8:11-13,17)
Wealth is dangerous to faith—Wealth has a way of making us numb to the things of
God and other people. Power, prestige and influence are often associated with wealth,
but according to Christ, these things are to be renounced for the sake of the kingdom
(Matthew 20:25-28).
The final conclusion of the matter is that God is in control of the events and
circumstances of life. He is the One who gives human beings their aptitudes and the
opportunities to develop them. He knows the family, neighborhood, country and time
period into which each person would be born, and therefore knows his economic
status. The Bible teaches that we are to accept our lot and enjoy the work given us to
do (Ecclesiastes 5:18). God allows both wealth and poverty but reminds us that these
conditions of life are only temporary. Truly wealthy are those who see this life against
the backdrop of eternity and so govern their lives.
Therefore, Christens believe that the wealth they have is put in their hands by
God in their trust, and they should give it back to God through donations and charities.
Anyone who dies rich dies in shame.
Text Appreciation
Ⅰ. Text Analysis
Theme
This text is about an American philanthropist who devotes his life to building houses
for the poor and the needy. Such people can be found in any society or culture. But in
the United States, they are often influenced by the religious tradition, in which
Christians are told that the wealth they have is put in their hands by God in their trust,
and they should give it back to God through donations and charities. Anyone who dies
rich dies in shame.
Structure
Part 1 (Paras. 1-3): Millard Fuller started off as a whiz with money and had every
promise of becoming an unusually successful businessman. To him, life was full.
Part 2 (Paras.4-13 ): When crisis occurred to his marriage due to his too much
devotion to work, Millard Fuller gave away all his fortune and began to work as a
fund-raiser to maintain the family.
Part 3 (Paras.14-32): Millard has found a mission that will summon all his energy
and idealism- Habitat for Humanity, a house–building project for the poor, and he is
successful again.
Question: How do you understand the sentence “How could I have miscalculated
so badly?” (In Para. 5)
How could I have been so stupid? How could I have made such a wrong judgment?
Millard was considered a whiz with money, and therefore must have been very good
at calculation. But he had only calculated monetarily. In a more important sense he
had actually miscalculated.
Question: What do you think is the reason that made Millard give away all the
money he had earned?
We all know how difficult it is to resist the temptation of money. And to give away
money you already have is more difficult. But Millard did it. He did it because he
suddenly discovered that money actually stood between him and his wife. It had not
brought happiness to his life. It had not brought any meaning.
Question: Why would people say that “A planned life can only be endured”? (In
Para. 7)
Perhaps they feel that a planned life offers no excitement, no drams, no romance. A
planned life is a life that has already fallen into a rut.
Question: Do you think that when difficulty comes, a couple can face it together?
(In Para. 11)
For a couple truly in love, yes.
It is a view shared by many people that the best time of married life is the time when
husband and wife can stand shoulder to shoulder, fight the same difficulties, defy the
same challenges, and struggle for the same goal, rather than live in comfort together.
Further Discussion
In what way was Millard Fuller different from other boys?
How did he manage to pay his way through university?
When his wife said that she didn’t think she loved him any more, was it stupid
on her part, since she already had money, a beautiful house, an expensive car,
and two luxurious boats?
Fuller finally chose family and health over wealth. Do you approve of his
choice?
Ⅱ. Writing Device
Climax
He gave away his fortune for a hammer, a saw—and a dream.
Climax, as a figure of speech, is derived from the Greek word for “ladder”, and
implies the progression of thought at a uniform or almost uniform rate of significance
or intensity, like the steps of a ladder ascending evenly. The right words must be
chosen to convey the thought in an ascending order of force and intensity, from weak
to strong, from light to weighty.
Climax: more examples
• I came, I saw, I conquered.
• Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be
chewed and digested.
• Reading makth a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man.
Ⅲ. Sentence Paraphrase
Language Study
Ⅰ. Word Study
1. assault
n.
violent and sudden attack
Examples:
They made an assault on the enemy’s positions. 他们突袭了敌人的阵地。
The town was taken by assault. 城镇被强行攻占。
2. charity
n. a. willingness to judge other persons with kindness 宽厚；仁慈
b. help, money, food, etc. given to the poor
救济；施舍
c. (pl.) an organization that gives help to the poor 慈善团体
Examples:
judge other people with charity 宽厚待人
live on/ off charity
leave all one’s money to charities
Word Formation
adj. charitable
3. contract
n. binding agreement between persons, groups, states
Examples:
enter into/make a contract
sign a contract
breach of a contract
conditions of a contract
合同；契约
v. to make or become smaller or shorter
Example:
Metals contract as they become cool.
Word Formation
n. contractor
adj. contractible
n. contraction
4. distribute
v. a. to give out; to hand out
b. to spread
Examples:
distribute pictures among children
distribute magazines to subscribers
distribute manure over a field
n. distribution
contribute
v. a. to join with others in giving help, money, etc.
捐赠；捐助
b. to help to cause or produce 有助于；促成
Examples:
contribute food and clothing for the refugees
contribute to the Red Cross
Exercises contribute to one’s health.
Drinking contributed to his ruin.
attribute
n. 属性；性质；本性
v. 归于；归因于
Examples:
Politeness is an attribute of a gentleman.
This comedy is attributed to Shakespeare.
He attributes his success to hard work.
5. dubious
adj. a. (of persons) feeling doubt
b. (of persons or things) causing doubt
Examples:
I feel dubious of/about his honesty.
I feel dubious as to what to do next.
He is a dubious character.
The result is still dubious.
结果仍未确定。
6. dwell
v. a. (fml.) to live
b. to think, speak or write at length about 细思；详述
Examples:
dwelling house/dwelling place
住宅/住处
He dwelt too much on/upon his past. 他过于详细地叙述了他的过去。
n. dwelling
dwell: 表示居住在某地，更具文学色彩
We visited the wise man who dwelt in the mountains.
inhabit: 表示某个群体生活在某个地域，较为正式
There are still some tribes who inhabit the tropical forests.
In ancient times, Shanghai was a village, inhabited by some fishermen.
reside: 表示居住于某一个地方，更多地指某人、某家庭固定的
或法律意义上的住所，较为正式
reside abroad
The defendant resides at 8, Huashan Road.
dwell—dweller
inhabit—inhabitant
dwell—dwelling
inhabit—inhabitation
reside—resident
reside—residence
7. jolt
v. to give a jerk to; (of a vehicle) to move along by jerks
n. jerk; sudden shake; (fig.) surprise; shock
Examples:
The old bus jolted us as it went over the stony road.
The bus jolted along.
The unexpected news gave them a jolt.
I jotted down his name and address.
cf. jot
8. peek
v. to look at sth. quickly, esp. sth. you are not supposed to see；to peep
Examples:
have a peek at sb.
have a quick peek over the fence
窥视；偷看
gaze: 长时间的凝视，常带有惊讶、赞美、迷恋之意
He gazed out of the train window during his trip to Chicago.
glare: 怒目而视，强调敌意或畏惧
The two boxers stood glaring at each other.
peer: 细看，定睛注视，往往是透过某种障碍物看清某物
Near-sighted people often peer at you when they are not wearing glasses.
gape: 目瞪口呆地看
He gaped in astonishment at the scene.
stare: 睁大眼睛注视，带有惊讶、赞美、恐惧或粗鲁、无礼之意
The children stood staring at the strangely dressed tourist.
9. plea
n. a. (legal) statement made by or for a person charged in a law court
辩护
b. an eager or serious request
恳求
c. reason or excuse offered for wrongdoing or failure to do sth. 辩解；借口
Examples:
pleas for mercy 恳求慈悲
on the plea of ill health 以健康不佳为借口
plead
vt.
plead a client’s case 为一当事人的案子辩护
plead ignorance 以不知道情况为借口
vi.
plead for sb.
plead with sb. for mercy
He pleaded with his son to be less trouble to his mother.
10. summon
v.
a. to demand the presence of; to call or send for 召唤；召集
b. to gather together 聚集
Examples:
summon shareholders to a general meeting
召集股东大会
summon sb. to appear as a witness
传唤某人出庭作证
summon up one’s courage/energy for a task
11. tap
n.
faucet
v. a. to draw out liquid from the tap
b. to obtain sth. from sb. or sth. 发掘；开发
Examples:
turn on/off the tap
tap the maples
tap the natural resources
tap the production potential
Cf. tap (2)
n. quick light blow
v. to give a tap
Examples:
a tap on the window/at the door
tap dancing 踢踏舞
tap a man on the shoulder
12. veteran
n. person who has had much or long experience, esp. as a soldier
adj. experienced
Examples:
a veteran in battle
身经百战的老战士
a veteran of the Red Army 老红军
a veteran worker/teacher
13. vow
n. solemn promise
v. to promise solemnly
Examples:
perform a vow
break a vow
He vowed to avenge the insult.
She vowed never to speak to him again.
14. yearn
v.
to have a strong desire for sth.
Examples:
He yearned for a sight of the old faces.
He yearned to return to his native land.
Word Formation
n. yearning
Ⅱ. Phrases and Expressions
1. at cost
at the price that sth. is made or produced without gaining a profit
Examples:
He sold his house at cost. 以成本价
The passer-by saved the child from drowning, but only at the cost of his own
life. 以······为代价
We must arrive there at all costs before midnight. 不惜任何代价
I know it to my cost. 吃了苦头之后才······
2. give sth./sb. away
a. to give freely, not expecting anything in return 赠送
b. to distribute 分发；分配
c. to allow sb. else to have 放弃（机会）等
d. to reveal, intentionally or unintentionally
有意或无意地泄露
Examples:
He gave away all his money to the poor.
He was invited to attend the closing ceremony of the tournament and give away the
prizes.
You’ve given away a good chance of winning the match.
His accent gave him away.
3. go for
a. to go to fetch
b. to attack
c. to strive for; to aim at
d. to be applicable to
Examples:
Please go for the tools.
They went for him in the newspapers.
We are going primarily for promotion of friendship, not just for the championship.
What I have said about Bob goes for you, too.
4. lay out
a. to spread out for use or so as to be seen easily
b. to arrange; to design
c. to spend or invest (money)
Examples:
The exhibits were laid out in good taste.
The gardens are beautifully laid out.
You should lay out your money in a planned way.
They laid themselves out to make the reception a success. 竭尽全力做某事
cf.
lay oneself out to do sth.
5. leave out
a. to omit
b. to fail to consider
Examples:
When you copy this document, be careful not to leave out a single word.
We left out the possibility of his coming. 我们没有考虑到他会来。
6. other than
a. except for 除外
b. in a different way 不同于；非
Examples:
All parts of the bike other than the brakes are in good condition.
He is no other person than Jack.
The truth is quite other than what you think.
I borrowed some books other than novels.
7. make... difference
make a/some/no/any/ not much/ a great deal of difference: to be of some/no, etc.
importance
Examples:
It won’t make much difference whether you go today or tomorrow.
Does that make any difference?
That makes no difference to me.
Ⅲ. Word Building
1. Prefix—disdistribute (prefix)
disallow
不允许
disapprove
不赞成
dishonest
不诚实的
disbelief
不相信
dis-: 否定；分开
discharge
disconnect
discolor
discontinue
卸货
分离
使褪色
中止
2. Root—tribut, mut
distribute (root)
attribute
把······归因于
contribute
贡献；捐助
distribute
分发；分配
retribution
报应；报酬
tribute
贡金；礼物
tributary
进贡的；支流的
redistribute 再分配
commute (root)
tribut: 交给
mut(a) : 变
commute
变换；通勤
commutable 可以变化的
mutable
可变的；无常的
mutability
可变性
immutable
不可改变的
permute
变更；取代
transmute
使转变；使变形
Examples:
The imprisonment is commutable by a fine.
拘留可代之以罚款。
She was mutable in new wishes.
她的愿望常有变化。
Her failure was due to the mutability of
purpose. 她的失败原因在于目标无常。
They failed to transmute this metal into gold.
他们想把这种金属炼成黄金，结果失败了。
3. Conversion
Conversion: a word-formation process whereby a word of a certain word-class is shifted into a
word of another word-class without the addition of an affix.
net
face
trap
tap
hammer
blossom
flower
net strawberries
face dangers
trap a fox
tap a maple tree
hammer a nail in a wood
Cherry-trees began to blossom.
The idea flowered elsewhere.
balloon
Figures ballooned.
Extension
I.
1.
2.
Oral Work
Group Discussion
What do you think it is that makes some people treat money as dirt and devote their
whole life and energy to the happiness of others? Why do some others throw away
honesty, decency, and conscience and cheat and steal and rob just to become rich?
Work in groups. List as many reasons as you can for each attitude.
Topics for Debating:
1. Wealth is more important than anything else.
2. A successful tycoon is always revered.
II.
Quiz
Quiz 1
维和部队
耗费时间的工作
决策权
保全面子的一步棋
省力的工具
产油国家
筹款计划
摘水果的季节
观光旅游
热爱和平的民族
II.
peace-making troops
a time-consuming job
decision-making power
a face-saving move
labor-saving tools
oil-producing countries
a fund-raising plan
the fruit-picking season
a sight-seeing trip
peace-loving nations
Quiz 2
1. He received an urgent _________ in preparation for the new project.
(assign)
2. The imprisonment is _________ by a fine.
(commute)
3. Is the _________ of wealth uneven in your country? (distribute)
4. Who is the blood _____ ? (donate)
5. We were deeply moved by his ________.
(generous)
6. He is satisfied with the _________ of a new lighting system. (install)
7. After marrying a wealthy businessman, she began to live in ______.
(luxurious)
8. They are searching for a method to _______ cost. (minimal)
II.
Quiz 3
1. Nowadays we hear a lot about pollution and its _____ on our health.
A. results
B. consequences
C. outcomes
D. effects
2. The police set a _____ to catch the thieves.
A. trap
B. device
C. plan
D. trick
3. Although we have made frequent attempts to _____ , we have so far been
unsuccessful.
A. contact
B. contract
C. contrast
D. contrary
4. The car _____ half way for no reason.
A. broke off
B. broke out
C. broke down
D. broke up
5. As a result of careless washing, the jacket _____ to a child’s size.
A. contracted
B. compressed
C. shrank
D. decreased
6. Franklin’s ability to learn from observations and experience _____ greatly to his
success
in public life.
A. contributed
B. owed
C. attributed
D. related
7. I want to buy a new tie to _____ this brown suit.
A. go into
B. go after
C. go with
D. go by
8. Many people complain of the rapid _____ of modern life.
A. rate
B. pace
C. speed
D. growth
9. Once out of the earth’s gravity, the astronaut is _____ by the problem of
weightlessness.
A. affected
B. effected
C. inclined
D. related
10. Young people are not _____ to stand and look at works of art; they want art they
can participate.
A. content
B. generous
C. confident
D. conservative
11. I’ve already told you that I’m going to buy it, _____.
A. however much it costs
B. however does it cost much
C. how much it costs
D. no matter how it costs
12. They usually have less money at the end of the month than _____ at the
beginning.
A. which is
B. which was
C. they have
D. it is
13. “We’ll never give in _____ they may do or say.”
A. although
B. no matter how
C. despite
D. whatever
14. Take this baggage and _____ you can find enough space.
A. hang it whatever place
B. hang it there where
C. hang it wherever
D. hang it in which
15. Substances will expand or contract _____ heated or cooled, but this is not the case
with water.
A. when they will be
B. if they will be
C. as they are being
D. when
16. _____, little John did not reply.
A. When asked what his name was
B. When being asked what his name was
C. When his name was asked
D. When he is asked what is his name
17. It was _____ everyone went to the beach.
A. so hot a weather
B. such hot weather that
C. a hot enough weather that
D. a very hot weather so that
18. The higher income tax is harmful _____ it may discourage people from trying to
earn more.
A. so that
B. unless
C. in that
D. in case
19. When John said that he would invite us all to a banquet, I think that _____
generous. Don’t believe him.
A. was only
B. was only being
C. is only
D. has only been
20. I _____ all the French I ever _____ at school.
A. gradually forget… learnt
B. am gradually forgetting… learnt
C. have gradually forgotten… have learnt
D. was gradually forgetting… had learnt
III.
Writing
Write a composition on the following topic:
What Money Means to Me
1. In the first paragraph, state your view.
2. In the second paragraph, support your view with details.
3. In the third paragraph, bring what you have written to a natural conclusion with a
summary or a suggestion.