21st Century College English: Book 1 Unit 6: Part A Nerds and Geeks Unit 6: Part A • Pre-Reading Activities • Intensive Study • Exercises • Assignment Pre-reading Activities • Warm-up Questions • Listening Pre-reading Activities Are there any negative terms in China that are used in connection with a fellow student? What values do they express? Are they used for hard working students? Pre-reading Activities Do you know the terms “nerds” and “geeks”? If not, skim through the first two paragraphs to guess their meaning. Pre-reading Activities First Listening: Before listening to the tape, have a quick look at the following words. insult 侮辱 bite 咬 prefer 宁愿 constructive 建设性的 rival 对手 professional 专业人员 ignore 忽视不理 compete 竞争 Pre-reading Activities Second Listening: Listen to the tape again. Then, choose the best answer to each of the following questions. Check-up Pre-reading Activities 1. The main purpose of this listening passage is to _____. A) argue against higher salaries for athletes B) offer solutions to current economic problems C) complain about the lack of respect for intellectuals D) describe changes in the English language Pre-reading Activities 2. What is the meaning of the words “nerd” and “geek”? A) They are insulting terms which are applied to smart students. B) They are used in the U.S. to describe students from other countries. C) A nerd is a good student and a geek is a poor student. D) A nerd is a poor student and a geek is a good student. Pre-reading Activities 3. The passage says that in nations other than the U.S., _____. A) hardworking students are praised B) professors are paid better salaries C) more respect is given to intellectuals D) all of the above Pre-reading Activities 4. The passage suggests that the words “nerd” and “geek” should _____. A) be made illegal B) become words of praise, rather than insults C) be used to describe athletes instead of students D) all of the above Script Pre-reading Activities Throughout U.S., children prefer to “nerd” read How longthat canthe America remain words awho world power if we books value The fact we use insulting such as and rather than play football become socially unpopular. Evenand at social physical abilities than intelligence “geek”skills to and describe our most rather intelligent, hard-working a top university like Harvard, students are ashamed to admit hard work? How we expect to compete on the world students shows thatcan something is very wrong with American how much they study. market society. if we do not support our best pupils or their Our economic rivals in East Asia don’t have this problem. underpaid teachers? The word “geek” to a performer who shocks the In those nations, a kidrefers who studies hard is praised and held up as example. 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Intensive Study • Intensive Study Difficult sentences Key words, phrases & usages Comprehension exercises Text A: Nerds and Geeks Nerds and Geeks by Leonid Fridman 1 There is something very wrong with the system of values in a society that has only unkind terms like nerd and geek for the intellectually curious and academically serious. Text A: Nerds and Geeks 2 We all know what a nerd is: someone who wears thick glasses and ugly clothes; someone who knows all the answers to the chemistry or math homework but can never get a date on a Saturday night. And a geek, according to “Webster’s New World Dictionary”, is a street performer who shocks the public by biting off heads of live chickens. It is a revealing fact about our language and our culture that someone dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge is compared to such a freak. Text A: Nerds and Geeks 3 Even at a prestigious educational institution like Harvard, anti- intellectualism is widespread: Many students are ashamed to admit, even to their friends, how much they study. Although most students try to keep up their grades, there is but a small group of undergraduates for whom pursuing knowledge is the most important thing during their years at Harvard. Nerds are looked down upon while athletes are made heroes of. Text A: Nerds and Geeks 4 The same thing happens in U.S. elementary and high schools. Children who prefer to read books rather than play football, prefer to build model airplanes rather than idle away this time at parties with their classmates, become social outcasts. Because of their intelligence and refusal to conform to society’s anti-intellectual values, many are deprived of a chance to learn adequate social skills and acquire good communication tools. Text A: Nerds and Geeks 5 Enough is enough. 6 Nerds and geeks must stop being ashamed of what they are. Those who don’t study hard must stop teasing those who do, the bright kids with thick glasses. The anti-intellectual values that have spread throughout American society must be fought. Text A: Nerds and Geeks 7 There are very few countries in the world where anti- intellectualism runs as high in popular culture as it does in the U.S. In most industrialized nations, not least of all our economic rivals in East Asia , a kid who studies hard is praised and held up as an example to other students. 8 In many parts of the world, university professorships are the most prestigious and materially rewarding positions. But not in America, where average professional ballplayers are much more respected and better paid than professors of the best universities. Text A: Nerds and Geeks 9 How can a country where typical parents are ashamed of their daughter studying mathematics instead of going dancing, or of their son reading Weber while his friends play baseball be expected to compete in the technology race with Japan or remain a leading political and cultural force in Europe? How long can America remain a world-class power if we constantly put social skills and physical strength over academic achievement and intellectual ability? Text A: Nerds and Geeks 10 Do we really expect to stay afloat largely by importing our scientists and intellectuals from abroad, as we have done for a major portion of this century without making an effort to also cultivate a pro-intellectual culture at home? Even if we have the political will to spend a lot more money on education than we do now, do we think we can improve our schools if we laugh at our hard-working pupils and fail to respect their impoverished teachers? Text A: Nerds and Geeks 11 Our fault lies not so much with our economy or with our politics as within ourselves, our values and our image of a good life. America’s culture has not adapted to the demands of our times, to the economic realities that demand a highly educated workforce and innovative intelligent leadership. Text A: Nerds and Geeks 12 If we are to succeed as a society in the 21st century, we had better do away with our anti-intellectualism and teach our children that a good life depends on exercising one’s mind and pursuing knowledge to the full extent of one’s abilities. 13 Not until the words “nerd” and “geek” become terms of praise rather than insults do we stand a chance. …a society that has only unkind terms like nerd and geek for the intellectually curious and academically serious. Paraphrase: ? those students who have genuine curiosity for academic knowledge and who regard study as a serious business. dedicate to — devote (esp. oneself) to a special task or purpose e.g. dedicated • very Mother Teresa in dedicated her whole life to helping — interested and working wholeheartedly for the poor. e.g. • Martin Luther King, Jr. dedicated his life/himself to • The student is dedicated to finding a cure for Civilmedical Rights Movement. AIDS. • The elderly gentleman was a dedicated teacher. pursuit n. — the act of pursuing someone or something e.g. Translate: • His main interest in life is the pursuit of fame. Cf: 他一生都在追求名和利,但一样都没有得到. pursue: — make continued efforts to gain Key e.g. He wants to pursue his studies in Britain after Hegraduation. has pursued fame and fortune all his life but has achieved neither. deprive of — to take away from, prevent from using Translate: e.g. 剥夺他的公民权是非法的。 • The young man was deprived of his bachelor’s degree. Key • The deprived him ofhim hisof factory. It isfire illegal to deprive his citizen’s right. Enough is enough. Translate: ?Key: 适可而止吧。 least of all — especially not (used after a negative statement) Typical pattern: no one/nothing …, least of all … e.g. Translate: I told a seemed funny story, but any nobody least of all • No The one food is barely toenough pay for attention onelaughed, family, toleast the of teacher, mythe father. all least ofwhole all thevillage. kids. Key 我讲了个笑话,但没人笑,尤其是我父亲。 hold up v. — to show with respect as an example e.g. • The old man often holds up his youngest daughter as an example of hard work. • Michael Jordan is held up by many American blacks as an example to follow. stay afloat/keep afloat v. — (of a ship) float instead of sinking; (figuratively) free of debt or get over difficulties Translate: e.g. Do we really expect to stay afloat largely by importing • The company managed to stay afloat during the our scientists and intellectuals from abroad, …? crisis. Key 难道我们真的希望这样靠从国外引进科学家和知识分子 来生存下去吗? … lie with v. — be the responsibility of, to rest with e.g. Practice • Thea report said that Dianna’s Make sentence with “lie with”. accident lies with the drunk driver. ?• It lies with you to accept or reject the suggestion. adapt to v. — make fit (as for a specific or new use or situation), change so as to be suitable e.g. • Some freshmen find it difficult to adapt to Sichuan’s hot food. • Don’t worry. You will soon adapt to college life. do away with v. — put an end to, get rid of e.g. Practice •Make That school did away uniforms a sentence with “dowith away with”. years ago. • It’s important for government officials to do away ? with those outdated notions. … a good life depends on exercising one’s mind and pursuing knowledge to the full extent of one’s abilities. Paraphrasing: ? making all possible efforts to gain knowledge. stand a chance v. — to have the possibility of achieving something Translate: e.g. 我们队有获胜的希望。 • If you get straight As, you will stand a good chance of winning the scholarship. •Key Unskilled workers will stand almost no chance of Our team still stands a chance of winning the game. being reemployed. not so much as With a noun or a phrase, we use this phrase to express quantity Translate: e.g. The professor not so much scholar a businessman. • She worksisvery hard nota so muchasfor money as for Keypleasure. • 这个教授与其说是学者还不如说是个商人。 His success lies not so much with his intelligence as with his connections. More to learn Exercises 《读写教程 I》: Ex. X, p. 164 Exercises X. Combine the following pairs of sentences, using as … as or not so much … as after the model. There are very few countries in the world where antiintellectualism runs so high in popular culture as it does in the U.S. The fault lies not so much with our economy or with our policies as within ourselves, our values and images of a good life. 1. a) His teacher is able to make the point clear and convincing. b) He is also able to make the point clear and convincing. He is able to make the point as clear and convincing as his teacher Exercises X. Combine the following pairs of sentences, using as … as or not so much … as after the model. There are very few countries in the world where antiintellectualism runs so high in popular culture as it does in the U.S. The fault lies not so much with our economy or with our policies as within ourselves, our values and images of a good life. 2. a) This is not a matter of putting more money into education. b) This is a matter of changing our anti-intellectualism values. This is not so much a matter of putting more money into education as a matter of changing our anti-intellectual values. Exercises X. Combine the following pairs of sentences, using as … as or not so much … as after the model. There are very few countries in the world where antiintellectualism runs so high in popular culture as it does in the U.S. The fault lies not so much with our economy or with our policies as within ourselves, our values and images of a good life. 3. a) They think that academic achievement is important to a student. b) They also think that social skills are important to a student. They think that social skills are as important as academic achievement to a student. Exercises X. Combine the following pairs of sentences, using as … as or not so much … as after the model. There are very few countries in the world where antiintellectualism runs so high in popular culture as it does in the U.S. The fault lies not so much with our economy or with our policies as within ourselves, our values and images of a good life. 4. a) The purpose of this article is not to answer the question. b) The purpose of this article is to discuss the question. The purpose of this article is not so much to answer the question as to discuss the question. Exercises X. Combine the following pairs of sentences, using as … as or not so much … as after the model. There are very few countries in the world where antiintellectualism runs so high in popular culture as it does in the U.S. The fault lies not so much with our economy or with our policies as within ourselves, our values and images of a good life. 5. a) Professors are respected and well paid in this country. b) Professional ballplayers are also respected and well paid in this country Professional ballplayers are as respected and well paid as professors in this country. Text-related information Webster’s New World Dictionary Webster’s New World Dictionary (College Edition) is a well-known dictionary of the American language intended for college students. Its definition of “geek” is somewhat out-of-date as this word is currently used as a slang term referring to anyone lacking social grace or popularity. Text-related information Harvard Harvard University ( 哈佛大学 ) is the oldest American university, founded in 1636 at Cambridge, Massachusetts. It is generally considered the most prestigious university in the U.S., perhaps analogous to Beijing University’s status in China. The main university campus lies along the Charles River a few miles west of Boston. Text-related information Max Weber, 1864-1920 Weber was a German sociologist and political economist, one of the founders of sociology. His ideas, which spanned subjects from economic history to the sociology of music, continue to be extremely influential. For a young person in the U.S. to be reading Weber would be a marker of a strong intellect.