21st Century College English: Book 2
Unit 7 : Part A
Thinking:
A Neglected Art
Unit 7: Part A
• Pre-reading Activities
• Intensive Study
• Exercises
• Assignment
Pre-reading Activities
• Warm-up Questions
• Listening
Pre-reading Activities: Warm-up Questions
1. What do you think about thinking?
2. Do you like thinking? Why?
Pre-reading Activities: Listening
1. As you listen to Part One of the tape, try to
figure out what the words blurk and blurking
mean.
•
What does “blurk” mean?
A) To do physical exercises
B) To sing songs
C) To spell words
D) To beat one’s brains
E) To do a crossword game
Script
Pre-reading Activities: Listening Script — Part One
Announcer [very enthusiastically]:
Yes, you too can experience the excitement of this wonderful
pastime! Blurking is for everyone — whether you’re young or old,
professional or amateur, expert or a complete beginner — you too
can blurk! And blurking is something you can do anytime,
anywhere! You can blurk in your house, in your car, alone or with
your friends. You can blurk in the dark, you can blurk on the run,
you can even blurk in the bath! Blurking requires no special
equipment, and there are no complicated instructions! Blurking
takes up no space, it makes no noise, it’s friendly to the
environment, and most of the time, blurking is perfectly safe and
has very few side effects. We promise: Once you start blurking,
you'll find it hard to stop. So try blurking now, for free.
Pre-reading Activities: Listening
2. Now listen to Part Two, and work out what
porfing is.
•
What does “porfing” mean?
A) Discovering
B) Reading
C) Inventing
D) Amazing
Script
Pre-reading Activities: Listening Script — Part Two
Announcer [still very enthusiastically]:
And as a special offer, you can also enjoy porfing — one of the
most amazing activities ever discovered. Experience for yourself
how porfing silently transfers information directly to your brain, at
whatever speed you choose! We’re sure you'll find that porfing is
a great companion activity to blurking, especially if you try them
both at the same time. All you have to do to try out porfing for
yourself is move your eyes across specially-marked pieces of
paper. You’ll be amazed!
Pre-Reading Activities
• Intensive Study
• Difficult sentences
• Key words, phrases & usages
• Comprehension exercises
Intensive Study
Thinking: A Neglected Art
by Carolyn Kane
1
It is generally agreed that the American education system is in
deep trouble. Everyone is aware of the horrible facts: school systems
are running out of money, teachers can’t spell, students can’t read,
high school graduates can’t even find China on the map.
Intensive Study
2
Most of us know, or think we know, who is to blame: liberal courts,
spineless school boards, ridiculous government regulations. It’s easy
to select a bad guy.
3
But possibly the problem lies not so much in our institutions as in
our attitudes. It is sad that although most of us claim that we believe in
education, we place no value on intellectual activity.
Intensive Study
4 We Americans are a charitable and humane people: We have
institutions devoted to every good cause from rescuing homeless cats
to preventing World War III. But what have we done to promote the art
of thinking? Certainly we make no room for thought in our daily lives.
Suppose a man were to say to his friends, “I’m not going to PTA
tonight (or the baseball game, or whatever) because I need some time
to myself, some time to think”? Such a man would be shunned by his
neighbors; his family would be ashamed of him. What if a teen-ager
were to say, “I’m not going to the dance tonight because I need some
time to think”? His parents would immediately start looking in the
Yellow Pages for a psychiatrist.
Intensive Study
5 Several years ago a college administrator told me that if he wanted
to do any serious thinking, he had to get up at 5:30 in the morning — I
suppose because that was the only time when no one would interrupt
him. More recently I heard a professor remark that when his friends
catch him in the act of reading a book, they say, “My, it must be nice to
have so much free time.” And even though I am an English teacher ―a
person who should know better ― I find myself feeling vaguely guilty
whenever I sneak off to the library to read. It is a common belief that if
a man is thinking or reading, he is doing nothing. Through our words
and our actions, we express this attitude every day of our lives. Then
we wonder why our children refuse to take their studies seriously and
why they say to their teachers, “Why do I need to learn this stuff? It
won’t do me any good; I’ll never need it.”
Intensive Study
6
It’s easy to understand the reasons for this prejudice against
thinking. One problem is that to most of us, thinking looks
suspiciously like doing nothing. A human being in deep thought is an
uninspiring sight. He leans back in his chair, props up his feet, puffs
on his pipe and stares into space. He gives every appearance of
wasting time. Besides, he’s leaving all the hard work for us! We wish
he would get up and do something useful ― clean the house, maybe,
or mow the lawn. Our resentment is natural.
Intensive Study
7 But thinking is far different from laziness. Thinking is one of the
most productive activities a human being can undertake. Every
beautiful and useful thing we have created exists because somebody
took the time and effort to think of it.
8 And thinking does require time and effort. It’s a common
misconception that if a person is “gifted” or “bright” or “talented,”
wonderful ideas will flash spontaneously into his mind. Unfortunately,
the intellect doesn’t work this way. Even Einstein had to study and
think for months before he could formulate his theory of relativity.
Those of us who are less intelligent find it a struggle to conceive even
a moderately good idea, let alone a brilliant one.
Intensive Study
9 Another reason why we distrust thinking is that it seems unnatural.
Human beings are a social species, but thinking is an activity that
people do best when they’re alone. Consequently, we worry about
people who like to think. It disturbs us to meet a person who
deliberately chooses to sit alone and think instead of going to a party
or a soccer match. We suspect that such a person needs counseling.
In addition, such people can sometimes appear unfriendly ― and that
makes us deeply uneasy.
Intensive Study
10 Our concern is misplaced. Intelligence is just as much a part of
human nature as friendliness. It would certainly be unnatural for
someone to totally isolate themselves. But it would be equally
unnatural for a person to allow his mind to die of neglect.
11 If Americans ever became convinced of the importance of thought,
we would probably find ways to solve the problems of our schools,
problems that now seem impossible to overcome. But how can we
revive interest in the art of thinking? The best place to start would be
in the home. Family members should practice saying such things as,
“ I’ll wash the dishes tonight because I know you want to catch up on
your thinking.”
Intensive Study
12 This may sound crazy. But if we are to survive as a free people, we
will have to take some such course of action as soon as possible,
because regardless of what some advertisers have led us to believe,
this country does not run on oil. It runs on ideas.
neglect v.
— to pay little or no attention to
Cf.
e.g.
forget
v. v. had neglected filing all the documents of
•overlook
His secretary
project.
leave
behind
unintentionally;
be unable to
— the
to fail
to notice
or consider;
to ignoreto
deliberately
e.g.remember
e.g.
• When she decided to rent the house, she overlooked
• Don’t
feelthat
upset
because
she forgot
your name.
the fact
there’s
no public
transportation
around.
(be) in trouble
— having difficulties or problems
e.g.
• If they know we are in trouble, they will certainly come
to our help.
Translate
许多 dot 公司陷入资金问题。
Key
Many dot companies are in trouble with funds.
run out (of sth.)
— have no further supply of; lack (sth.); be out of
Cf.
Cf.
e.g.
run
into
run
down
afterwill the world use for power when it has run out of
on
• What
— to meet or find by chance
—oil?
to knock
down
pursue;
move
or
to
work
chase
by means of (sth.); go by; work by
e.g.
e.g.
• She ran into her boss in the supermarket during work
• Three
people
were
downafter
by the
speeding truck.
He istoy
The
never
car runs
tired
of
onrun
running
battery.
fame.
hours
yesterday.
— to amount to
e.g.
• His salary has run into six figures.
(be) to blame
— to hold responsible
e.g.
• A snow storm was to blame for the power failure.
Note

He is to be blamed for the damage.

He is to blame for the damage.
liberal a.
— 1) open to new ideas; favoring reform
2) not strict; loose or approximate
Cf.
e.g.
literal
•—The
wordgovernment
for word adopt some liberal policies to lift the
e.g.restriction for import.
• The
Thisofficial
book isdocuments
a liberal translation.
must be translated in a literal way.
guy n.
— 1) [informal] a man, fellow
2) [pl.] [informal] persons of either sex
e.g.
• George is a nice guy to work with.
• Let’s do a good job, guys!
Translate into Chinese:
But possibly the problem lies not so much in our
institutions as in our attitudes.
但或许问题更多的不是存在于我们的制度，而是存在于我们
的态度之中。
intellectual
a.
— having the ability to learn and reason
Synonym
e.g.
intelligent
bright
brilliant
smart
• A project has been carried out to study the intellectual
intelligence,
and
often
aacuteness
ready
capability
— showing
having
the
quickness
unusually
ability
to
and
impressive
cope
ease
with
in mental
learning
various
situations
and
aspect ofquick
apes.
care of one’s own interests
e.g.for
newtaking
problems
e.g.
•e.g.Einstein
Tom was had
a bright
a brilliant
boy and
mind.
often came up with great ideas.
•• He
too smartperson
to go against
his boss.
An is
intelligent
would have
been more careful.
promote v.
— 1) to raise in rank, position or importance
2) to attempt to sell or popularize by advertising or
publicity
e.g.
Translate
新的税收政策将促进高科技产业的快速发展。
• The
organization aims to promote the concern for the
homeless people.
Key
Theauthor
newwilltax
policy
willto promote
• The
come
to the city
promote histhe
new rapid
book.
development of the high-tech industries.
make (no) room for
— have (no) space or time for
e.g.
• He is busy with his work all the time and makes no
room for social life.
Practice
Make a sentence with “make no room for”.
suppose v.
— 1) [imperative] to consider as possible; if
e.g.
• Suppose you have a second chance, what will you do?
Translate
要是给你这份工作，你接受吗？
Key
Suppose you are offered the job, will you accept it?
More to learn
suppose v.
— 2) to think; to expect; to imagine
e.g.
• George supposed his role as cultural translator was
important to the joint venture.
Translate
我想亚洲的经济形势已经开始好转。
Key
I suppose that Asia’s economic situation has started
to improve.
Text-related information
PTA (Parent-Teacher Association)
PTA is an organization of local groups of teachers and
the parents of their pupils that works for the
improvement of the schools and the benefit of the pupils.
The stated purposes of the PTA are to bring the home
and school into closer relationship so that parents and
teachers may cooperate intelligently in the training of the
child, and to develop between educators and the general
public such united efforts as will secure for every child
the highest advantages in mental, social, and physical
education.
what if
— what would occur if; suppose that
Cf.
e.g.
what
though
• What
if our computer is affected by the virus?
— it doesn't matter if
e.g.
• What though the data in our computer is destroyed by
the virus; we have backup.
More to do
Text-related information
Yellow Pages
A classified telephone directory or section of a
directory, listing subscribers by the type of business or
service they offer, usually printed on yellow paper and
with classified advertising.
suppose v.
— 1) [imperative] to consider as possible; if
e.g.
• Suppose you have a second chance, what will you do.
Translate
要是给你这份工作，你接受吗？
Key
Suppose you are offered the job, will you accept it?
More to learn
suppose v.
— 2) to think; to expect; to imagine
e.g.
• George supposed his role as cultural translator was
important to the joint venture.
Translate
我想亚洲的经济形势已经开始好转。
Key
I suppose that Asia’s economic situation has started
to improve.
sneak off (to)
— leave quietly
e.g.
• Jane sneaked off in the middle of the party to her room.
stuff
n.
— [informal] substance; unspecified material
e.g.
• There’s sticky stuff all over the desk.
• We’ve known all of this stuff; can you tell us anything
new?
Translate into Chinese:
He leans back in his chair, props up his feet, puffs on his
pipe and stares into space. He gives every appearance of
wasting time.
他仰坐在椅上，架起双腿，抽着烟斗，漠然注视着前方。不
管怎么看，他都是一副消磨时光的样子。
let alone
— [idiom] not to mention; much less
e.g.
• She has never drunk beer, let alone wine or liquor.
Translate
我不会说英语，更别提法语或德语了。
Key
I can’t speak English, let alone French or German.
Translate into Chinese:
Intelligence is just as much a part of human nature as
friendliness.
智慧如同友善一样也是人性的一部分。
catch up on
— (make special efforts to) do sth. which has been left
undone or neglected
e.g.
Cf.
•catch
Sheupis with
staying up late at the office to catch up on the
report.
— to come up from behind
e.g.
• China is making great efforts to catch up with the
advanced countries in information technologies.
regardless of
— in spite of
e.g.
• The company will promote its new product regardless
of expenses.
Translate
Priscilla held onto her dream to get college education
regardless of all the hardships.
Key
普里西拉不顾千辛万苦，从不放弃上大学的愿望。
run on
— (cause to) move or work by means of (sth. such as
power); go by; work by
e.g.
• The taxicabs in this city are required to run on natural
gas.
Practice
Make a sentence with “run on”.