【精品】高级英语自学指导用书12

【精品】高级英语自学指导用12 《高级英语》自学指导用书 编者:赵晓 Part One: College English Book Five Lesson 1 Rashid’s School at Okhla I. Introduction Rashid’s School at Okhla, taken from Santha Rama Rau?s first book Home to India, records the author?s visit with her aunt Kitty to a village school at Okhla in 1939, when she was a 16-year-old girl newly returned from ten-years? schooling in Britain to her native country India. The text gives us a glimpse of her intense interest in the changes that were taking place in her native land and of the educational campaign carried out by the Congress Party hoping to bring political consciousness through education to the people of India. In running the village school, Rashid, the headmaster, met with and conquered various difficulties: the villagers? deep-rooted suspicion about education, religious obstacles and financial shortage, etc. It was out of countless such efforts by numerous Indians that the New India was created. II. Organization of the Text 1. On the way to Okhla (Paragraphs 1-2) Through description of the road condition, traffic and property of bullock and camel owners, the author brings out the poverty and backwardness of India and foretells the difficulties for the educational campaign carried on in the Indian villages. 2. At Okhla (Paragraphs 3-4) Another picture is taken of the backwardness and isolation of the Indian village by specific description of the village huts, multi-functional tiny shop, and early marriage of the village women. 3. Meeting Rashid at his school (Paragraphs 5-18) In describing the school activities, the author tells the reader the difficulties involved in running a village school (i.e. villages? deep-rooted suspicion about education and religious barriers) and great efforts and enthusiasm exerted by the Congress Party of which Rashid serves as one of its representatives in the educational campaign. 4. Meeting Rashid at Kitty?s home in Delhi (Paragraphs 19-24) Another difficulty is discussed in the conversation between Kitty and Rashid: lack of financial support from the colonial government. At the same time, the author?s mother speaks of the relationship between reason and conscience and analyzes the difference in education between the Western countries and India. III. Key Words and Expressions 1. orderly (Para 1): well-arranged. 2. facilitate (Para 1): make…easy or easier. 3. brass (Para 1): an alloy of copper and zinc. Compare: copper (a single element) and bronze (an alloy of copper and tin). 4. household utensils (Para 1): 家庭用具。Compare: household appliances,家用电器,。 5. proprietor (Para 3): (shop) owner. 6. as much…as (Para 5): to the same degree…as, e.g. It is as much our responsibility as yours,这 是你们的责任～同样是我们的责任,. 7. fluid English (Para 5): fluent English. 8. enunciate (Para 6): pronounce. 9. in a florid tone (Para 6): in a showy tone. 10. an impetus (Para 6): a push forward. 11. gauge (Para 6): judge; estimate. 12. in a small way (Para 8): on a small scale. Compare: in a big way (= on a large scale). 13. inaugurate (Para 8): start; launch. 14. accomplish (Para 9): succeed in doing something; finish successfully. Compare: finish, complete and accomplish. To finish is to bring something to an end; to complete is to make something whole or perfect; and to accomplish implies great effort involved. E.g. I need one more stamp to complete my collection of this set (i.e. This set of stamps is made complete.). But: I finished my stamp collection at the age of 16 (i.e. I stopped collecting stamps then.). 15. skeptical (Para 9): suspicious. 16. carry weight (Para 10): have importance; have effect. 17. substantial difference (Para 11): great difference. 18. misrepresent the incident (Para 18): give an untrue account of the issue slightly. 19. a rickety bus (Para 19): a shaky bus; a very old bus that is likely to fall to pieces. 20. true to his promise (Para 19): in accordance with his promise; as he had promised to do. 21. carry through (Para 20): carry out. 22. not courage so much as hard work and money… (Para 21): not courage but rather hard work and money. Not…so much as or not so much…as: not…but rather,与其说是。。。不如说 是。。。,. 23. might as well (Para 23): also may (just) as well: have no strong reason not to,不妨,. 24. contradict (Para 23): rebuke. 25. on my hands (Para 24): as my pressing responsibility. Antonym: off my hands: not as my pressing responsibility. 26. mutual corrective (Para 24): something that corrects each other?s defects. IV. Questions for Discussion 1. Was the Agra road an asphalt road or a dirt road? What gives the clue to your answer in the text? (It was a dirt road. The sentence “behind us the dust rolled upward in thick red clouds” gives the clue in the text.) 2. What were the four functions of the shop owner at Okhla? (The shop owner at Okhla serves as a provider of daily commodities, a governor of the village, a village banker and a village letter-writer.) 3. What signs of educational activity among the children did the two visitors notice? (They noticed that the children were taught fine arts, farming and geography.) 4. What difficulties did Rashid have in persuading the villagers to send their children to his school? How did he manage to do that? (Firstly, the villagers were suspicious about education. They didn’t believe they could really learn something useful from the educational campaign. Secondly, they were concerned more about family finances than about their children’s education, as the children became important to their families in that they could help support their families. Rashid managed to assure the villagers that the children would learn really useful things in school --- how to enrich the soil and how to make the land more productive. He also persuaded the villagers to send their children to school by offering to provide the means for the children to reel cotton for an hour every day so that the earnings from the cotton spools could be used to support their families.) 5. Was the school co-educational? Was co-education common in cities then in India? What did Rashid say the reason was? (Yes, it was. No, it wasn’t. Rashid said that, once the poor villagers moved to cities, they lost their land and consequently a kind of independence spirit. Therefore they were more affected by traditional customs and ideas which disapprove of co-education. As a result, co-education was less common in cities and in the countryside in India.) 6. Rashid denied that it took courage to open the school. Why did he deny that? What did he say it took? (Because theoretically the colonial government supported education for all people and there were even some laws concerning this matter. Rashid said it took hard work and money.) 7. The mother said that Rashid had a “frightening responsibility.” Why did she think it was frightening? (It was frightening because the children would never forget what was taught and so a teacher had no chance of making any mistakes. It was frightening also because sooner or later the new ideas taught would conflict with old ideas, beliefs and habits and so a teacher was doing something risky.) 8. What does the mother say about reason and conscience? (Reason is the mental power of judging right or wrong from principles, religious codes, or conventional moral customs. Conscience is the individual sense of judgment of what is right or wrong. In the mother’s view, we rely on both reason and conscience. They compensate each other by correcting each other’s shortcoming.) 9. What do you think Rashid had in mind when he said that education was only an impetus to the achievement of “political consciousness”? (When he said that education was only an impetus to the achievement of “political consciousness,” Rashid had two ideas in mind. One was that a teacher should treat the villagers as his equals and should not act in a way that would show his superiority to the villagers. The other was that a teacher could only push the villagers to educate themselves, but how much they achieved in education depended on themselves. A teacher could not take the place of the villagers in the educational campaign.) 10. What do you think of Rashid as a person? (Rashid was a man of immense energy. He was passionate yet practical. He was well-educated and had a profound love for his students and his country. He was also timid.) V. Exercises A. Fill in the blank in each sentence with the best word or expression from the box below, changing its form when necessary: facilitate as much…as impetus gauge in a small way not so much…as misrepresent inaugurate carry weight substantial true to on one’s hands 1. Such a port would __________ the passage of oil from the Middle East to Japan. 2. She has a large family __________. 3. His actions are always ________ his words. 4. The mayor?s opinion ______ great ______ in this town. 5. The private wanted to show the sergeant that he was ______ a man ______ anybody. 6. Foreign investments have become the primary ________ behind the country?s economic recovery. 7. The demonstrators demanded that blacks be given a __________ voice in the government. 8. The elections were over and the first native Governor was ________. 9. It was ______ the clothes ______ the man himself who impressed immediately. 10. Witnesses claim to have been seriously ________. (Key: 1. facilitate 2. on her hands 3. true to 4. carried…weight 5. as much…as 6. impetus 7. substantial 8. inaugurated 9. not so much…as 10. misrepresented) B. Choose the right word from the box given below for each blank: introducing conflict technology known status resulted significant destroyed seeds power worse that led methods countries supplies development declined growth rate turn number shown system swiftly that 1. The “Green Revolution” The introduction of new varieties of rice and wheat in Asia and Latin America has been (1)______ as the “Green Revolution.” So far the new (2)______ and the accompanying technology have not (3)______ in increased agricultural production per head or reduced malnutrition. The direct, quantitative effects of (4)______ high-yielding variation of food grains have been modest. The indirect and quantitative effects, however, have sometimes been (5)______. The new technology has (6)______ to changes in crop pattern and in (7)______ of production. It has accelerated the (8)______ of a market-orientated, capitalist agriculture. It has encouraged the (9)______ of wage labor, and thereby helped to create or augment a class of agricultural laborers. It has increased the (10)______ of landowners, and this in (11)______ has been associated with a greater polarization of classes and intensified (12)______. Changes in (13)______ and class alignments have been accompanied by changes in the distribution of income. Profits and rents have increased absolutely and relatively. The share of wages has (14)______ and in some instances real wages rates or the (15)______ of days worked, or both, have declined. In short, an old (16)______ of agriculture, slowly or (17)______ is in the process of being (18)______ by the advance of contemporary (19)______. The policies (20)______ have accompanied the “Green Revolution” in many underdeveloped (21)______ have aggravated the problems (22)______ these countries face. (23)______ of some commodities have increased, but the (24)______ of growth of total agricultural production has (25)______ little tendency to rise. At the same time, inequality has become (26)______, poverty has increased absolutely. (Key: 1. known 2. seeds 3. resulted 4. introducing 5. significant 6. led 7. methods 8. development 9. growth 10. power 11. turn 12. conflict 13. status 14. declined 15. number 16. system 17. swiftly 18. destroyed 19. technology 20. that 21. countries 22. that 23. supplies 24. rate 25. shown 26. worse) Lesson 2 Four Choices for Young People I. Introduction In the 1960s, American youth were disillusioned with what they called “the adult world” for its social problems like racial discrimination, poverty and the Vietnam War and rebelled against it in various ways. They rejected the conventional social values and voiced their beliefs and attitudes to protest against the American society in which they had no further confidence: some quit the usual ways of society; some escaped from cities to the unspoiled country to live a rather primitive communal life; and still others took up arms, hoping to get rid of the social evils once and for all. Against this background, the author wrote this article to suggest that reform approach was the only workable way for young Americans to deal with the social problems. II. Organization of the Text 1. American youth?s dissatisfaction with the American society (Paragraphs 1-2) 2. Four choices for them to deal with the social problems (Paragraphs 3-14) ? Author?s attitude toward the youth?s dissatisfaction (Paragraph 3) ? The first choice: drop out (Paragraph 4) ? The second choice: flee (Paragraphs 5-6) ? The third choice: plot a revolution (Paragraphs 7-10) ? The fourth choice: reform (Paragraphs 11-14) III. Key Words and Expressions 1. misgivings (Para 1): anxiety; worries. 2. scores of (Para 2): a large number of. 3. do without (Para 2): dispense with; manage without. 4. cope with (Para 3): deal successfully with. 5. drop out: quit the usual ways of society, such as rejecting conventional social values and withdrawing from conventional social activities. 6. expedient (Para 4): temporary solution. 7. batten on (Para 4): live well on. 8. run out of (Para 6): have no more of. 9. unsullied (Para 6): unspoiled. 10. bucolic (Para 6): pastoral.? 11. workings (Para 7): mechanisms. 12. dashing (Para 7): energetic. 13. charismatic figure (Para 7): one who has great popular appeal. 14. revolutionist (Para 8): a professional revolutionary or a revolutionary with serious intention. 15. come off (Para 8): happen. 16. senescence (Para 8): old age. 17. disillusionment (Para 8): disappointment. 18. hard-faced (Para 8): stubborn. 19. stuffy (Para 8): dull; without imagination. 20. dawn on (Para 9): bring about. 21. bureaucracies (Para 9): government organizations at all levels. 22. inviting (Para 11): attractive. 23. exasperating (Para 11): annoying. 24. in short supply (Para 11): scarce. Compare: in full supply. 25. remedy (Para 11): put or make right. 26. in a mess (Para 12): in trouble. 27. vehemently (Para 12): strongly; violently. 28. affluent (Para 13): wealthy; rich. 29. dawn on (Para 13): make…realize. 30. insoluble (Para 13): unconquerable; unsolvable. 31. warfare (Para 13): military war. 32. insuperable (Para 14): unconquerable; unsolvable. 33. pragmatically (Para 14): practically. 34. dogged (Para 14): unyielding. IV. Questions for Discussion 1. How do young Americans look at their society in general? (They look at the American society with great distrust and hold that American government should be responsible for all the social problems.) 2. What does the author say is the most important decision for them to make? (The author thinks the most important decision for them to make is to choose a strategy to cope with the imperfect American society.) 3. Why does the author say the first choice is “parasitic”? (Because those people who make the first choice depend on the society to make a living and yet refuse to take up any social responsibilities.) 4. In what way does the second choice differ from the first one? Why does the author say it is no longer practical on a large scale? (The second choice differs from the first one in that the escapists are willing to support themselves and to contribute something to the society. They simply don’t like the environment of civilization, that is, the city. It is no longer practical on a large scale because on the one hand, except for the polar regions, very few areas on the earth remain unsettled, and, on the other hand, except for the rich gentleman farmers, people are moving to the cities.) 5. What people make the third choice? Why does the author say they “are bound to be disappointed in either case”? (People who make the third choice are those who have no patience with the tedious workings of the democratic process or who believe that basic institutions can only be changed by force. They are bound to be disappointed in either case because the author thinks if their revolution fails, the revolutionaries will either be killed or spend their remaining life in prison and even if their revolution is successful, the revolutionaries will still be disappointed as the new revolutionary state is just as hard-faced and stuffy as the old one. It is powerless in solving the old social problems.) 6. What is the implied meaning of his analogy of a military campaign in the Apennines? (The implied meaning of his analogy of a military campaign in the Apennines is that social problems can not be solved once and for all. When the old problems are solved, new ones will come into existence. These new problems have to be dealt once again.) 7. What is the fourth choice? What does the author think of it? (The fourth choice is the reform approach. The author thinks it is the only approach that works.) V. Exercises A. Fill in the blank in each sentence with the best word or expression from the box below, changing its form when necessary: strike run out of cleanse disappoint insoluble unprecedented satisfy virtual contribute available symbolize vehement 1. For many Americans, it is their lifelong dream to buy a ____________ two-storied house with a garden. 2. To make Beijing our worthy capital, we must get it ____________ of polluted air, among other things. 3. In a lot of cultures, red roses are used to ____________ love. Unfortunately, their car ____________ fuel, just ten miles short of Chicago. 4. 5. An ____________ event in history took place in 1969, when two American astronauts landed for the first time on the Moon.. 6. The detective finally gave up, declaring the mystery ____________ . 7. Though high-sounding, his speech ____________ everyone at the meeting as totally irrelevant to what was discussed. 8. If you travel by plane, Beijing and Guangzhou are ____________ neighboring cities. (Key: 1. satisfactory 2. cleansed 3. symbolize 4. ran out of 5. unprecedented 6. insoluble 7. struck 8. virtually) B. Circle the right word or expression in the brackets in each of the following sentences: 1. The professor looked over our papers with a hasty (sight, glance) . 2. Before ordering their dinner, they considered the (relevant, relative) merits of chicken and roast beef.. 3. The little boy?s constant noise (exhilarated, exasperated) his father, who was busy writing a paper for a symposium. 4. Isn?t it (wholesome, noisome) to live in a city with so many vehicles passing day and night? 5. He was born in a small town (lived, inhabited) by about 500 people. 6. Her desk was all (jumbled, cluttered) with old papers, strings, and other odds and ends. 7. He thinks they are extremely (idealistic, ideal) , for all their pragmatism. 8. She made one last (attraction, appeal) to her father for permission to go to the party. (Key: 1. glance 2. relative 3. exasperated 4. noisome 5. inhabited 6. cluttered 7. idealistic 8. appeal) C. Choose the right word from the box given below for each blank: sick femininity politically touch correspondent felt relative settled frank friendship blonde cut eyes what invited heart arranged took wore submit widened across taken that glass restaurant dining member money face supplies covering fashion accepted said introduce least aside appointment distrusted 2. Agnes Smedley Getting in (1)_____ with Chou En-lai was a tougher nut to crack, since I (2)____ it essential that I meet him under auspices acceptable to him. So Bosshard (3)____ for me to meet Agnes Smedley at a luncheon in the YMCA (4)____ room. Though not a (5)____ of any Communist party, she had spent months in the cave city of Yen?an and worshiped Chu Teh and his sturdy 8th Route Army. She was now a (6)____ for the Manchester Guardian --- when she (7)____ time off from her aggressive assaults on the foreign community for (8)____ and hospital (9)____ to alleviate the neglect with which the Chinese treated their (10)____ and wounded soldiers. She was without much conventional charm of (11)____, her (12)____ was squarish, as was her figure. Her (13)____ hair, streaked in shades of sun-scorched yellow, was (14)____ in an indifferent bob; she (15)____ clothes for the sole purpose of (16)____ her body, with no thought of (17)_____. Though a (18)____ of the Marine Corps general Smedley Butler, she had little use for most military officers, except of course her beloved Chinese Reds. In her (19)____ the military were all (20)____ naïve, an opinion she promptly stated in an abrupt and somewhat harsh voice. But after this initial phase of putting me in my place, she (21)____ down and we got along pleasantly enough. During coffee I (22)____ her to have Wiener schnitzel the next evening at the Austrian-Chinese (23)____. Though her eyes (24)____ momentarily with surprise, she (25)____. That evening, after the third gimlet, Agnes set her (26)____ down with a thump and (27)____ flatly: “What?s this all about, Captain Dorn? I know damned well I?m not the type (28)____ your type asks out on a date.” “I want you to (29)____ me to Chou En-lai and to ask him to be (30)____ with me.” “Well, at (31)____ you?re honest about it. That?s to your credit---(32)____ from all these drinks, I like honesty. Even though I think I?m being (33)____ in. I?ll see (34)____ I can do. I?ve get an (35)____ with Chou tomorrow morning.” We finally shook hands (36)____ the table, and I began a long (37)____ with this intense, unhappy woman. A radical with a great soft (38)____, she refused to (39)____ to any form of discipline and (40)____ all political leaders. (Key: 1. touch 2. felt 3. arranged 4. dining 5. member 6. correspondent 7. took 8. money 9. supplies 10. sick 11. femininity 12. face 13. blonde 14. cut 15. wore 16. covering 17. fashion 18. relative 19. eyes 20. politically 21. settled 22. invited 23. restaurant 24. widened 25. accepted 26. glass 27. said 28. that 29. introduce 30. frank 31. least 32. aside 33. taken 34. what 35. appointment 36. across 37. friendship 38. heart 39. submit 40. distrusted) Lesson 3 Rock Superstars: What Do They Tell Us About Ourselves and Our Society? I. Introduction Rock music, shortening for rock and roll, started in the United States in the 1950s and quickly became popular throughout the world. Even today it is still popular with the teenagers. The author probes into the social significance of rock music from a sociological point of view. He begins with the scene of three rock concerts in the first three paragraphs to bring out the different attitudes held by teenagers and adults toward rock stars. Then by citing a sociologist and a musician, he points out that rock music is a sociological expression and that it mirrors its times. The rock music arena is a sort of debating forum where ideas clash and crash and where rock stars not only embody teenagers? attitudes toward social and political issues but also help the American society define its beliefs and feelings. The author returns to the question posed in the sub-heading, intending to encourage the readers to think seriously about the problem. II. Organization of the Text 1. Description of the scene at three rock concerts (Paragraphs 1-3) 2. Social significance of rock music (Paragraphs 4-10) ? Authoritatives? views (Paragraphs 5-6) a. Music expresses its times. (Irving Horowits) b. Rock music is really a sociological expression rather than a musical force. (Todd Rundgren) ? Examples to support their views (Paragraphs 7-10) a. Politics (Paragraphs 7-8) b. Feelings (Paragraph 9) c. Summary (Paragraph 10) 3. Rewards to rock superstars: fame and gain (Paragraphs 11-12) 4. Returning to the question raised in the title (Paragraph 13) III. Key Words and Expressions 1. amphitheater (Para 1): “amphi-”, a prefix, meaning “circular, surrounding”; an amphitheater is a roofless building with rows of seats on a slope that completely surrounds and rises above a central usually circular area, especially one built in ancient Rome used for competitions and theatre performances圆形剧场 2. packed (Para 1): crowded with people 3. sprinkle (Para 1): spray 4. contents (Para 1): the thing contained, here it refers to water 5. surge (Para 1): move forward like a sea wave 6. crunch up (Para 2): crowd up noisily 7. singing ghoul (Para 2): horror singer 8. marvelous (Para 2): wonderful 9. tune up (Para 3): adjust a musical instrument and get ready for performance 10. pilgrimage (Para 3): a religious journey made to show devotion to a sacred place 11. adulation (Para 4): excessive praise 12. reverence (Para 4): great respect 13. fantasy (Para 4): imagination 14. clash and crash (Para 5): three figures of speech are involved in this phrase: alliteration (repetition of an initial consonant in a series of content words头韵, e.g.: bread and butter), assonance (repetition of a stressed vowel in a series of content words 准押韵, e.g.: make, lake, late ,later) and metaphor (a comparison without the use of comparative words such as like or as 暗喻, e.g.: He is a lion.他勇猛得像头狮子[= He is as brave as a lion.]。) 15. embody (Para 6): express 16. editorialize (Para 6): carry editorials (leading articles in a newspaper or a magazine) 17. disaffection (Para 7): dissatisfaction. Compare: dissatisfaction: dissatisfaction can be caused by any events. It has a much wider scope of application than disaffection disaffection: usually has to do with a political cause. 18. urge (Para 8): advocate 19. lyrics (Para 9): words of a song 20. celebrate (Para 9): praise 21. baby (Para 12): a loved person IV. Questions for Discussion 1. What is the function of the two quotations? Are they appropriate? (The first quotation tells us the content of rock music while the second tells us the social significance of rock music. Yes, they are.) 2. What does the author attempt to illustrate with the three examples? What similarities have you noticed concerning the writing of these examples? (The author attempts to illustrate the great influence of rock music among the teenagers with the three examples. In the writing of these examples the author follows the same set pattern: the date, the place, the mention of a particular musical performer, and his or her effect upon the audience. The sentences are short, packed with adjectives, in an attempt to recapture the excitement of these performances.) 3. According to Horowitz, what is the social significance of rock music? Say in your own words what he means. (According to Horowitz, rock music reflects the characteristics of the times in which it is composed. It reflects American people’s believes and attitudes and rock music stage is a place where different ideas come into violent conflict.) 4. Has the author given a complete answer to the question he raises in the title? Why do you think the author ends the article the way he does? (No, he doesn’t. It may be the author’s intention not to provide any solution but to encourage the readers to think seriously about the problem.) 5. How do you account for the statement that “Rock music is really a sociological expression rather than a musical force”? (Rock music is a social phenomenon expressing the likes and dislikes of particular groups of people. It is not a brand-new musical form.) 6. What make the American youth worship their rock stars with such intense passion? (American youth worship their rock stars with such intense passion because rock stars speak out what they want to say in a way that suits the taste of the American youth.) 7. What does rock music tell us about the American people and society? Is it right to dismiss it as decadent? (Rock music tells us the believes and attitudes of American people and society. It tells us what the American people and society concern most in the 1960s such as civil rights, nuclear fallout, loneliness, revolution, sadness, love, hate and tender feelings. It is not right to dismiss it as decadent.) V. Exercises A. Fill in the blank in each sentence with the best word or expression from the box below, changing its form when necessary: sprinkle swelter in other words lazy rather than reject act out idle worship reverence drive embody 1. His paintings ____________ the spirit of the modern era. 2. How do you ____________ your frustrations, by throwing glasses or something? 3.The peddler ____________ some water over his vegetables to make them fresher and heavier. 4. In such heated air, the ____________ students could hardly keep their minds on their lessons. 5. That?s ____________ gossip. Don?t listen to it. 6. She sent in her application for the job, but was ____________ as unqualified. 7. The salesman considered it safe to go along with the boss ______________ to contradict him. 8. Everybody should have a sincere ____________ for the laws of his country. (Key: 1. embody 2. act out 3. sprinkled 4. sweltering 5. idle 6. rejected 7. rather than 8. reverence) B. Circle the right word or expression in the brackets in each of the following sentences: 1. The whole nation watched the two candidates (arguing, debating) the issue of raising taxes on TV. 2. It was a (proud, arrogant) moment for my cousin when she shook hands with the President. 3. Even if you (mix, blend) oil and water, they will not (mix, blend) . 4. Some people watch television so much that they cannot (conceive, imagine) of living without it.. 5. As it was an informal dinner, most people (wore, were dressed) in their comfortable clothes . 6. Do you think those young people are (idealistic, ideal) or pragmatic?. 7. Filled with great (adulation, admiration) for their integrity and courage, he was determined to be a man like them. 8. Deep at night, they could still hear gun-fire (rambling, rumbling) in the distance. (Key: 1. debating 2. proud 3. mix; blend 4. conceive 5. were dressed 6. idealistic 7. admiration 8. rumbling) C. Choose the right word from the box given below for each blank: costs economic stagnated dependent developing speculate middle peoples through trade become started corporations back created with half used toward investments turned process sharp earned times increase said favor seek deficit developed turned overseas markets relationship industry later crisis 3. Japanese Capitalism Since the San Francisco Peace Treaty following the occupation, Japan?s economy has been (1)________ on the American economy. Until the (2)________ of the 1960s Japan?s (3)________ growth was tied in (4)________ American?s military expenditures and it may be (5)________ that Japanese (6)________ gained indirectly in world (7)________ at the expense of the more defense-oriented American industry. In other words, Japan, in its (8)________ with America benefited from an international division of labor shaped by relative production (9)________. However, when the Vietnam War bogged down, America?s productivity (10)________, the dollar crisis began, and Japanese-United States relations (11)________ strained. During the second (12)________ of the 1960s, Japan?s trade with America (13)________ sharply in Japan?s (14)________. In 1967, Japan?s trade with the United States showed a (15)________ of $200 million, but five years (16)________ in 1972 this had (17)________ into a surplus of $3 billion---up until the recent oil (18)________. America was trying in its policy (19)________ Japan to put a brake on Japan?s (20)________ expansion. As this situation (21)________, big enterprises in Japan began to (22)________ an independent economic sphere of influence, and (23)________ rapidly to expand activities in the (24)________ nations. Big (25)________ converted into yen the $10 billion they had (26)________ from exports during 1971-72, and (27)________ these yen to (28)________ in stocks, real estate, and commodities. Building up their retained earnings (29)________ gains in such speculation, they then converted some of the profits (30)________ into dollars and increased their (31)________ overseas. During this (32)________, clever use was made of revolution and subsequent devaluation of the yen to further (33)________ profits. This is the background behind the direct (34)________ investments of $2.3 billion in1972, about 2.7 (35)________ the previous year?s investments. This (36)________ increase in overseas investment, however, has (37)________ new strains in Japan?s relationship with the (38)________ of developing nations. (Key: 1. dependent 2. middle 3. trade 4. with 5. said 6. industry 7.markets 8. relationship 9. costs 10. stagnated 11. become 12. half 13. turned 14. favor 15. deficit 16. later 17. turned 18. crisis 19. toward 20. economic 21. developed 22. seek 23. started 24. developing 25. corporations 26. earned 27. used 28.speculate 29. through 30. back 31. investment 32. process 33. increase 34. overseas 35. times 36. sharp 37. created 38. peoples) Lesson 4 A Most Forgiving Ape (Part One) I. Introduction Our text is taken from the book No Room in the Ark, whose title is a parody of a Bible story. According to Genesis, after God created mankind and put them on the earth, he later found they became wicked. With regret God decided to send a flood to destroy every living being on the earth. But God was pleased with Noah, the only good man God could find at that time. So God commanded Noah to build an ark, a covered boat, and take into the boat with him his family, a male and female of every kind of animal and bird. The flood came on the earth and continued for forty days. Every living being on the earth died with the only exception of Noah and those who were with him in the ark. So when there is no room in the ark for an animal, that animal is really facing the danger of extinction. A Most Forgiving Ape is mainly a narration of how the author managed to closely observe the gorilla in its wild state in Central Africa. His purpose is not to entertain the reader with the description of some rare animal. His is really warning the world that the gorilla, so lovely an animal, is facing the danger of extinction unless some effective measures are taken. II. Organization of the Text 1. The mountains in which the gorillas live (Paragraphs 1-2) 2. An account of the gorilla in various aspects (Paragraphs 3-9) 3. Description of Kabale, the game warden and guides before setting out on a search expedition (Paragraphs 10-14) III. Key Words and Expressions 1. all at once (Para 1): suddenly 2. break out (Para 1): unfold; show suddenly 3. lofty (Para 1): high 4. forbidding (Para 1): frightening looking 5. soporific (Para 2): sleep-producing 6. temperate (Para 2): mild 7. mount (Para 3): display; exhibit 8. intrepid (Para 4): persistent and dauntless 9. elusive (Para 4): difficult to recall 10. trace (Para 5): draw 11. springy (Para 5): elastic 12. after a fashion (Para 9): also: in a fashion: in some way 13. take reprisals (Para 9): take revenge 14. bear a resemblance to (Para 11): look like 15. lush (Para 11): luxurious 16. ascent (Para 13): climbing 17. ordeal (Para 13): test of will 18. pig-headedness (Para 13): stubbornness 19. in point of fact (Para 14): actually; in reality; in fact IV. Questions for Discussion 1. What does the author think of the mountainous region where the gorilla lives? (It is a strange and disturbing place.) 2. Why does the author think that “the gorilla is something of a paradox in the African scene”? (He thinks that the gorilla is something of a paradox in the African scene because we think we know the gorilla very well, but actually we know him very little.) 3. Why do scientists take a great interest in the mountain gorilla? What do they want to prove? (Scientists take a great interest in the mountain gorilla because we know him very little. They want to prove the “humanness” of the animal.) V. Exercise Choose the right word from the box given below for each blank: increase prices land high revolution called coming plans little thought prevent land powerful left take production devoted holders prices on lucrative less thanks yielded rent modernization lend hired interest development problem act addition 4. Agrarian Problem in India There has been an immense and unprecedented wave of (1) ________ reform in India since the (2) ________ of Independence in 1974. One might have (3) ________ that after these reforms the larger holders (4) ______ on the soil would have (5) ________ themselves to the reorganization and intensification of production (6) ________ their land. Such a (7) ________ had it occurred, might have (8) ________ the owners abundant returns and might have given India a great (9) ________ in output so essential for the (10) ________ of the country and the success of the Five Year (11) ________. Instead, in vast area of the country the larger (12) ________ find it simpler and more (13) ________ to give out much of their land on (14) ________ to petty tenants and weak crop sharers. In (15) ________ to stopping rent, the larger holders often (16) ________ money at usurious rates of (17) ________ to their petty tenants and crop sharers. Furthermore, the larger holders may (18) ________ as traders in agricultural commodities. They (19) ________ over the produce of the smaller people of their village, often paying them less than the going market (20) ________. (21) ________ rents, high rates of interest and low (22) ________ have the mass of petty tenant producers with very (23) ________ to invest in the development of the land, and keep them at the mercy of the more (24) ________ people in the village. Thus, on the one hand, the grip of the larger holders serves to (25) ________ the lesser folk from developing the (26) ________; on the other hand, the larger holders do far (27) ________ than they might to modernize (28) ________ on that part of their land that they farm directly with (29) ________ labors. There is a kind of industrial (30) ________ proceeding in India today, in the sphere of manufacture. But (31) ________ to the agrarian (32) ________, there is nothing that can legitimately be (33) ________ an agricultural revolution. (Key: 1. land 2. coming 3. thought 4. left 5. devoted 6. on 7. modernization 8. yielded 9. increase 10. development 11. Plan 12. holders 13. lucrative 14. rent 15. addition 16. lend 17. interest 18. act 19. take 20. prices 21. High 22. prices 23. little 24. powerful 25. prevent 26. land 27. less 28. production 29. hired 30. revolution 31. thanks 32. problem 33. called) Lesson 5 A Most Forgiving Ape (Part Two) I. Introduction This part is a further description of how the touring party got a close observation of the gorilla. It develops in time sequence, in the natural process of climbing from the foot of the mountain to the point where they saw the gorilla. In the course of the description, the author also gives a vivid description of the natural surroundings at every stage and includes episodes having to do with his fatigue, fear, and joy with a humorous touch. All this makes the passage an excellent piece of description. II. Organization of the Text 1. Climbing from the foot of the mountain to a clearing 8,000 feet above sea level (the first rest) (Paragraphs 1-3) 2. Climbing from the clearing to over 10,000 feet (the second rest) (Paragraphs 4-9) 3. Encounter with the gorilla (Paragraphs 10-14) III. Key Words and Expressions 1. an uncompromising track (Para 1): a continuous, rugged and steep path 2. roll away (Para 1): roll continuously 3. cast about (Para 5): also: cast around; cast round: search anxiously about (one) for (something) 4. insistent (Para 5): urgent 5. come up with (Para 5): reach 6. border on (Para 6): verge on; be very much like 7. fatigue (Para 7): tiredness; exhaustion 8. get nowhere (Para 8): make no progress. Compare: get somewhere: make some progress 9. amnesia (Para 8): loss of memory 10. come on (Para 8): also: come upon: discover…by chance 11. draw up (Para 9): pull forward 12. adjure (Para 10): beg; urge earnestly 13. palpable (Para 10): noticeable; obvious 14. bizarre (Para 10): odd; weird; peculiar; strange 15. thump (Para 10): beat rapidly 16. fan out (Para 11): spread 17. at all events (Para 11): in any case 18. come up against (Para 12): meet (something, such as difficulty or opposition) 19. reflex action (Para 12): movement by instinct 20. give vent to (Para 13): express; utter 21. outlandish (Para 13): strange 22. melt away (Para 13): disappear 23. encounter (Para 14): meeting; experience IV. Questions for Discussion 1. Why is human reaction to the gorilla different from all other large animals? (Because the gorilla has so many human qualities that as soon as you see him, you have a sense of recognition. You feel you will be able to make some gesture, utter some sound, that the animal will recognize and understand.) 2. What attitude should we have toward western scientist like the author who study wild life in Africa? (On the one hand, we should learn from their persistence in the scientific research; on the other hand, we should be critical about their attitude toward the local African people. From the text we learn that the author has a sense of superiority toward the African guides. He does not treat the guides as his equals though they are very friendly and helpful[See Paragraph 9].) V. Exercise Choose the right word from the box given below for each blank: cool increase area visited that compared difficulties tourism markets reasons spent from families earnings industry which past business number rates travel centers than because exchange hotels coasts expect grown one fastest size in for see principally who high that possible 5. Tourism in India In 1973 India attracted 305,000 tourists, setting a new record. There were also 61,000 people who (1) ________ the country mainly for business (2) ________, and a slightly smaller (3) ________ of entirely business visitors. Although this represents an (4) ________ of about 20 percent in 1972, it is still a smaller total than Singapore?s 880,000. From April, 1969 to May, 1974, the India (5) ________ Department Corporation is estimated to have (6) ________ about ,20 m on about 400 rooms in five-star (7) ________. Occupancy (8) ________, particularly in the main (9) ________ of Delhi, Calcutta and Bombay, have been (10) ________. The holiday cottage developments are (11) ________ on the south-west and south-east (12) ________. The foothills of the Himalayas, which are (13) ________ in summer and served as a retreat (14) ________ many officials and their (15) ________ during the British period, are another priority (16) ________. A common complaint of (17) ________ agents is that Europeans, (18) ________ account for over 40 percent of the tourist traffic, (19) ________ to see all of India in a fortnight in the same way (20) ________ they may try to (21) ________ Italy or France (22) ________ a week. But this is not (23) ________ because of the (24) ________ of the country, with the distance (25) ________ Delhi to Nadras, for example, being greater than (26) ________ from London to Rome. Despite this and other (27) ________ tourism has (28) ________ steadily in the (29) ________ 10 years. In 1960 the number of tourists was 123,000, less (30) ________ a third of the 1973 total. Britain, (31) ________ sent 27,000 tourists in 1967 and 59,000 in 1973, remains (32) ________ of the most important (33) ________ for the Indian tourist (34) ________, and has also been one of the (35) ________ growing. This growing (36) ________ is particularly significant (37) ________ it produces foreign (38) ________, much of it in currencies which are freely convertible. In 1973 foreign-exchange (39) ________ from travelers amounted to nearly ,40 m. (40) ________ with less than ,30 m. in 1972. (Key: 1. visited 2. reasons 3. number 4. increase 5. Tourism 6. spent 7. hotels 8.rates 9. centers 10. high 11. principally 12. coasts 13. cool 14. for 15. families 16. area 17. travel 18. who 19. expect 20. that 21. see 22. in 23. possible 24. size 25. from 26. that 27. difficulties 28. grown 29. past 30. than 31. which 32. one 33. markets 34. industry 35. fastest 36. business 37. because 38. exchanges 39. earnings 40. compared) Lesson 6 A Lesson in Living (Part One) I. Introduction The text is taken from Maya Angelou?s autobiographical novel I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. The heroine, Marguerite, is the pseudonym of the author herself. In the novel, Maya Angelou tells the story of her childhood and her bitter struggle to grow into a woman of distinction. The novel was published in 1970, a year when the stormy black riots had more or less subsided. Written in such a background, the novel reflects the awakening of the political consciousness of the blacks in the civil rights movement. It is not merely a personal story, but a story of how the blacks come to realize their own talents, power and strength. The story is told in the first person with minute details and feminine psychological insights, which reflects the human warmth among the blacks. II. Organization of the Text 1. The author?s general impression of Mrs. Flowers (Paragraphs 1-5) 2. Mrs. Flowers? strange relationship with Momma, the author?s grandmother (Paragraphs 6-13) 3. The event that leads to the visit to Mrs. Flowers? (Paragraphs 14-31) III. Key Words and Expressions 1. wiry (Para 2): thin 2. ruffle (Para 3): make…rough; make…uneven 3. let alone (Para 3): not to mention 4. benign (Para 4): gentle 5. measure (Para 5): example; model 6. carrying voice (Para 6): loud voice; sonorous voice 7. leave out (Para 7): fail to include 8. unbalanced passion (Para 7): extreme emotion 9. unceremonious (Para 8): informal 10. mean (Para 10): ungenerous 11. textured voice (Para 10): rough voice 12. appeal to (Para 11): attract 13. incessantly (Para 11): constantly 14. evenizer (Para 13): a balancing power 15. sacrilegious (Para 17): irreverence 16. competently (Para 23): skillfully 17. hand out (Para 23): give; award 18. fitting (Para 31): suitable IV. Questions for Discussion 1. What kind of woman is Momma? Give examples to illustrate your point. (Momma is an uneducated religious old lady and a typical housewife. She is simple-minded and inconsiderate. This can be seen in the text: She speaks ungrammatical sentences and she not only calls Mrs. Flowers but also her own granddaughter “sister”. She is overjoyed when praised by Mrs. Flowers for her needle work. She forces her granddaughter to take off her dress before Mrs. Flowers, totally unaware that this will embarrass her granddaughter.) 2. What is Marguerite?s impression of Mrs. Flowers? (In the mind of Marguerite Mrs. Flowers is refined, graceful, gracious, gentle, and kind. She is well-educated and considerate, a woman that can be compared with any white woman in the town Stamps.) 3. Why should Marguerite wish to die when she was waiting for Mrs. Flowers outside the shop? (This is because she was too embarrassed for being forced to take off her dress before Mrs. Flowers.) V. Exercise Choose the right word from the box given below for each blank: derived call crossed names official same lies beyond number covers importance area that migrated government gulf since territory became routes along shown middle commercial estimated lands usage groups countries geographical language which bridge population reduced famines settled frontiers 6. Iran Iran and Persia, the two (1) ________ have been used to designate the (2) ________ country, but are not true synonyms. When the Aryan people (3) ________ from their original (4) ________ somewhere within Asia to the upland plateau below the Caspian Sea, one of their tribal (5) ________ was the Iranian. The Iranian tribe called Parsa finally (6) ________ in a region of the plateau (7) ________ they called Parsa. In time this regional name (8) ________ Pars and Fars, and hence the people of many other lands came to (9) ________ the country Persia. In Sasanian times the (10) ________ name of the empire of Iran was Iran Shah. (11) ________ 1935 when the Iranian (12) ________, for the sake of consistency, requested all foreign (13) ________ to use the official name of Iran, the correct designation has gained general (14) ________. On the other hand, the (15) ________ of the country is Persian Farsi to the inhabitants, since it (16) ________, over the centuries, from the language of ancient Parsa. Iran (17) ________ between the Caspian Sea and the Persian (18) ________, and has common (19) ________ with Iraq, Turkey, Soviet Russia, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Iran?s (20) ________ position made it the (21) ________ for communication by land between Far Eastern Asia and the (22) ________ of the Mediterranean and Europe. For hundreds of years the main trade (23) ________ between the Far East and the West (24) ________ northern Iran, and later on, when sea routes became of equal (25) ________, additional highways led up from ports (26) ________ the Persian Gulf to the principal (27) ________ centers both within the country and (28) ________ its frontiers. Iran today (29) ________ an area of 628,000 square miles, a much smaller (30) ________ than at many times in her long existence. Drawing on the accounts of earlier travels, it has been (31) ________ that during the Safavid period the (32) ________ of Iran was about 40 million. Wars, (33) ________, and epidemics are thought to have (34) ________ this number to million by the (35) ________ of the nineteenth century. The economic renaissance of the country is (36) ________ by the fact (37) ________ in 1972 the population was reliably estimated to (38) ________ 30,329,000. (Key: 1. names 2. same 3. migrated 4. area 5. groups 6. settled 7. which 8. became 9. call 10. official 11. Since 12. government 13. countries 14. usage 15. language 16. derived 17. lies 18. Gulf 19. frontiers 20. geographical 21. bridge 22. lands 23. routes 24. crossed 25. importance 26. along 27. commercial 28. beyond 29. covers 30. territory 31. estimated 32. population 33. famines 34. reduced 35. middle 36. shown 37. that 38. number) Lesson 7 A Lesson in Living (Part Two) I. Introduction This part tells how Mrs. Flowers gave Marguerite the first lesson in living, telling her she must be intolerant of ignorance but understanding of illiteracy. Mrs. Flowers enlightened her by giving her the novel and the book of poems to read. The poetic reading of A Tale of Two Cities, the advice she gave her, the human warmth and care she felt from her, and the charm of everything working on her and in her house, opened a new perspective in Marguerite?s life. What strikes the reader is that in the world of racial discrimination and social injustice one finds love and hope n the black community. II. Organization of the Text 1. On the way to Mrs. Flowers? (Paragraphs 1-8) 2. At Mrs. Flowers? (Paragraphs 9-23) 3. Returning home (Paragraphs 24-28) III. Key Words and Expressions 1. hang back (Para 2): remain behind 2. separate from (Para 4): distinguish from 3. outhouse (Para 9): (AmE) outside lavatory 4. Compare odor (Para 9), scent (Para 10) and smell: odor: a neutral word, referring to both the pleasant and unpleasant smells scent: a faint pleasant smell smell: an unpleasant odor 5. icebox (Para 11): (AmE) refrigerator 6. leer (Para 13): look sideways and threateningly 7. expressly (Para 15): particularly; especially; on purpose 8. mother wit (Para 16): natural, innate wisdom 9. homely (Para 16): simple 10. couch (Para 16): express 11. cascade (Para 18): fall 12. selflessness (Para 23): forgetting of oneself 13. shield (Para 27): cover 14. settled people (Para 28): rich people 15. take to (Para 28): like; love 16. trail off (Para 28): die out IV. Questions for Discussion 1. Was Marguerite anxious to talk to Mrs. Flowers on their way to the latter?s house? Why? Give reasons to prove your point. (No. Because the conversation with Mrs. Flowers would remind her of the tragic rape incident that happened at St. Louis. This can be seen from the fact that marguerite was reluctant to walk side by side with Mrs. Flowers. She “hung back in the separate unasked and unanswerable questions.”) 2. What is the influence literature exerts on Marguerite?s life? (Literature enables her to temporarily forget her bitter experience and life is turned from bitterness to happiness for her when she is reading literature works.) 3. What do you think is the lesson Mrs. Flowers teaches the girl? (The lesson Mrs. Flowers teaches the girl is “One must always be intolerant of ignorance but understanding of illiteracy.”) V. Exercises A. Fill in the blank in each sentence with the best word or expression from the box below, changing its form when necessary: infuse the measure of intolerant let alone memorize cascade ruffle couch swirl single out inclusive sop 1. The wind ____________ the surface of the lake. 2. All the children in the class did wrong, but David was ____________ for punishment. 3. He can?t even read the alphabet, ____________ speak the language. 4. His speech ____________ his countrymen with patriotism. 5. You are expected to ____________ all the transitive verbs in the text. 6. She is ____________ what a college student should accomplish. 7. He can?t be a good manager. He is ____________ of any criticisms about his management. 8. When it rained, water would ____________ down the hill. (Key: 1. ruffled 2. singled out 3. let alone 4. infused 5. memorize 6. the measure of 7. intolerant 8. cascade) B. Choose the right word or expression in the brackets to complete each of the following sentences: 1. Students of English are required to (remember, memorize) the listed 2,000 words. 2. You should not be (intolerable, intolerant) of different religious beliefs. 3. He tried to (infuse, fill) the awkward situation with humor. 4. We have a sense of working towards a (common, ordinary) goal. 5. The virus can only be transmitted through (familiar, intimate) contact. 6. It suddenly (happened, occurred) to him that he had worked for twelve hours without eating anything. 7. The students waited in (respectable, respectful) silence for the Nobel Prize winner to make his speech. 8. The children suffer most when their parents (divide, separate). (Key: 1. memorize 2. intolerant 3. infuse 4. common 5. intimate 6. occurred 7. respectful 8. separate) C. Choose the right word from the box given below for each blank: pay dependent alone lessons slowed to support so emergency demand price ahead called generations since need fear cooler conquered worrying that relations war important state but inflation go stay that this parliament situation on 7. Israel?s Dependence on U.S. There was the terrible economic cost of the war of October, 1973. The entire Israeli economy, which was booming along just prior to the war, (1 ) ________ down to a snail?s pace, as almost all able-bodied men were (2) ________ away to the front. The net result of all (3) ________ has been the world?s highest (4) ________ rate (some 37% annually, or about triple (5) ________ of the U.S.) and a drastic increase in taxes. And perhaps most (6) ________ it has meant that Israel, in order to (7) ________ her defense bills, has had to (8) ________ deeply into debt --- especially (9) ________ the United States. “We are now up to our ears in „I owe you? to the U.S.”, Israeli (10) ________ member Samuel Tamir told me. “And just to (11) ________ alive, we must go (12) ________ borrowing more. This is a very bad (13) ________ for us, very dangerous. Besides the unpleasant fact (14) ________ it will take us (15) ________ to pay you back, it means that we are (16) ________ more than ever on you --- not just for money, (17) ________ for our lives.” Indeed, one of the clearest (18) ________ of the war has been the extent of Israel?s dependence on U.S. (19) ________. For more than at any time, (20) ________ her establishment as a (21) ________ in 1948, Israel has now become isolated. The twenty or (22) ________ countries that broke off diplomatic (23) ________ with Israel during the (24) ________ have not resumed then, and the Europeans and Japanese, in desperate (25) ________ of Arab oil, have grown (26) ________ than ever to Israel?s requests. Thus, it has been left to the United States, almost (27) ________, to underwrite Israel?s needs, and so we have to the tune of some $ 2.2 billion (28) ________ aid this past fall, and more than $ 500 million projected in the year (29) ________. But all aid has its (30) ________ --- and this is precisely what is (31) ________ Israelis today. Many of them (32) ________, even dread, having to return Arab territories (33) ________ in June 1967. And yet, they know the United States is going to (34) ________ such concessions. (Key: 1. slowed 2. called 3. this 4. inflation 5. that 6. important 7. pay 8. go 9. to 10. parliament 11. stay 12. on 13. situation 14. that 15. generations 16. dependent 17. but 18. lessons 19. support 20. since 21. state 22. so 23. relations 24. war 25. need 26. cooler 27. alone 28. emergency 29. ahead 30. price 31. worrying 32. fear 33. conquered 34. demand) Lesson 8 I’d Rather Be Black Than Female I. Introduction Being the first black Congresswoman in the U.S. history, the author Shirley Chisholm presents a true picture of the two major social problems in the U.S. from her personal experience: racial discrimination and sexual discrimination. The article aims at raising the public?s awareness of sexual inequality for women. The author thinks it is harder to eliminate the prejudice against women, because women in the U.S. are much more brainwashed and content with their roles as second-class citizens than blacks ever were. She calls on the women to follow her own example and take a more active part in political life. She holds that the country needs women?s idealism and determination, perhaps more in politics than anywhere else. II. Organization of the Text 1. Sexual discrimination is more serious than racial discrimination (Paragraphs 1-4) 2. The author uses examples to support her previous view (Paragraphs 5-14) ? Political examples (Paragraphs 5-9) a. General examples (Paragraphs 5-6) b. Specific examples (the writer?s own experiences) (Paragraphs 7-9) ? Examples in employment (Paragraphs 10-11) ? People?s attitudes toward women?s role in politics (Paragraphs 13-14) a. Political leader?s attitude (Paragraph 13) b. Common people?s attitude (Paragraph 14) 3. The author appeals to the women to take a more active part in politics (Paragraphs 15-17) III. Key Words and Expressions 1. phenomenon (Para 1): a very unusual person 2. at once (Para 1): at the same time; altogether 3. Compare incredulous and incredible (Para 3): Incredulous: unwilling to believe Incredible: unbelievable 4. Compare content (Para 4) and contented (Para 10): Content: it can only be used as a complement. Contented: it can be used both as a complement and an attributive. 5. lot (Para 5): fortune; fate 6. break out of (Para 6): escape from 7. run for (Para 7): compete for 8. closed meetings (Para 8): secret meetings 9. project an image (Para 9): establish an impression 10. tokenism (Para 11): minimal symbolic equality 11. invariably (Para 11): always; constantly 12. build up (Para 13): help gain influence and reputation 13. drop out of (Para 13): quit 14. vocation (Para 14): profession. Don?t mistake it for vacation, which means holiday. 15. hardware (Para 15): weapons; weaponry 16. enforce (Para 15): put into effect 17. evade (Para 15): avoid 18. mold (Para 17): shape IV. Questions for Discussion 1. Why does the author say “I?d rather be black than female”? Does she really mean it? Why (not)? (No, she doesn’t really mean it because she says so to imply that compared with racial discrimination, sexual discrimination is more serious.) 2. Are women faced with more serious sexual discrimination in politics than in other fields? Why? (Yes. Because people think politics should be reserved for men and women are not suitable to get involved in politics.) 3. List out typical qualities that are commonly considered feminist. Which do you think are the qualities that women naturally have, which are the ones the society forces them to acquire? (The typical feminist qualities are empathy, tolerance, insight, patience and persistence. Of the five qualities, I think empathy, insight and persistence are the qualities women naturally have while the remaining two are the ones the society forces them to acquire.) V. Exercises A. Fill in the blank in each sentence with the best word or expression from the box below, changing its form when necessary: rather than register think of aware of predominate instead of lie behind prejudice menial separate make the difference phenomenon 1. Don?t overlook the job of a secretary. It ____________ between failure and success for the company. 2. The newly-launched satellite is expected to obtain data on solar radiation, sky brightness and other important ____________. 3. How can you be content to do such ____________ tasks as washing dishes here in the States? 4. A ____________ is a judgment formed before examining the evidence. 5. We all listen to music according to our ____________ capacities. 6. Knowledge will always ____________ over ignorance. 7. When this corporation entered the Chinese market 8 years ago, it aimed to occupy a larger market share ____________ to make profit in the short run. 8. Of all the animals, the ape is ____________ as the most forgiving animal. (Key: 1. makes the difference 2. phenomena 3. menial 4. prejudice 5. separate 6. predominate 7. rather than 8. thought of) B. Choose the right word or expression in the brackets to complete each of the following sentences: 1. His story of having discovered the treasure buried by some pirates seemed (incredible, incredulous) to everyone. 2. “But the piano is out of (tone, tune),” she said in a disappointed (tone, tune). 3. Her friends expressed great (sympathy, empathy) to her when her mother died. 4. They are now enjoying a short (vocation, vacation) at the seashore. 5. A (content, contented) person is one who is happy with what he has. 6. All the streets will be (eliminated, illuminated) tomorrow evening for the celebration. 7. Her (perseverance, persistence) in wearing that old-fashioned hat surprised her husband. 8. The effect of the officer?s speech was such that the army recovered its (moral, morale) at once. (Key: 1. incredible 2. tune, tone 3. sympathy 4. vacation 5. contented 6. illuminated 7. persistence 8. morale) C. Choose the right word from the box given below for each blank: from open that distinguished where found who as rested which facial admired seen for shortly home bystander reputation seized beaten bundled wearing instrument when for blood from with motive where showed taken alarm who searched 8. Author Murdered in London James Pope-Hennessy, the (1) ________ biographer and brother of the British Museum?s director, Sir John Pope-Hennessy, was (2) ________ battered to death in his London (3) ________ yesterday. “He had been severely (4) ________ about the head, possibly stabbed, bound, and gagged,” a spokesman (5) ________ Scotland Yard said. The (6) ________ was raised at about 11:30 a.m. (7) _________ Mr. Pope-Hennessy?s valet, Mr. Lesley Smith, returned (8) ________ shopping. He said that (9) ________ he went inside the house he was (10) ________ by three intruders and (11) ________ up to the first floor, (12) ________ there was a fight and he was attacked (13) ________ a weapon. A (14) ________ saw Mr. Smith emerge (15) ________ the house “smothered in (16) ________ and shouting for help. (17) ________ afterwards, a man (18) ________ a brown leather jacket was (19) ________ leaving the house.” Police (20) ________ the house and found Mr. Pope-Hennessy, (21) ________ was still alive. He and Mr. Smith were (22) ________ to St. Charles?s Hospital (23) ________ Mr. Pope-Hennessy died. A report (24) ________ that the author died because of (25) ________ injuries. Police believe that the (26) ________ for the murder was robbery and (27) Detectives (29) ________ ________ the author was “beaten up with a blunt (28) ________.” searched the house found cupboards and drawers (30) ________. Mr. Pope-Hennessy?s (31) ________ as a biographer particularly of nineteenth century figures (32) ________ on a series of works (33) ________ were noted (34) ________ their careful and informed research. “Sins of the Fathers,” a study of the Atlantic slave trade, was particularly (35) ________. (Key: 1. distinguished 2. found 3. home 4. beaten 5. for 6. alarm 7. when 8. from 9. as 10. seized 11. bundled 12. where 13. with 14. bystander 15. from 16. blood 17. Shortly 18. wearing 19. seen 20. searched 21. who 22. taken 23. where 24. showed 25. facial 26. motive 27. that 28. instrument 29. who 30. open 31. reputation 32. rested 33. which 34. for 35. admired) Lesson 9 The Trouble With Television I. Introduction The first television service was launched by the B.B.C. in 1926 and in 1962 the Telstar Communications Satellite sent its first transatlantic picture. In the United States the first black and white television service began in 1941. In 1954, the United States initiated the color television broadcasting. Ever since that time, television has quickly taken over the radio, the magazine and the newspaper to be the most influential mass medium, for it has the obvious advantages: it transmits information not only in the form of words and sound but also in pictures. However, inn this article, the author is presenting the adverse effects of television on American society and culture. II. Organization of the Text 1. Great influence of television (Paragraphs 1-2) 2. Problems with television (Paragraphs 3-12) a. Television discourages concentration (Paragraph 3) b. Television?s variety becomes a narcotic, not a stimulus (Paragraph 4) c. Television operates on the appeal to the short attention span (Paragraphs 5-7) d. Television results in inefficient communication (Paragraph 8) e. Television is decivilizing (Paragraphs 9-11) f. Television sells neat resolutions to human problems (Paragraph 12) 3. The author?s appeal (Paragraphs 13-14) a. Restatement of television?s great influence (Paragraph 13) b. The author?s appeal: coordinated efforts can get rid of television?s adverse effects (Paragraph 14) III. Key Words and Expressions 1. prominent (Title): important and widely known 2. anchorman (Title): host. Compare: anchorwoman: hostess 3. adverse (Title): harmful 4. statistical averages (Para 1): average statistical figures 5. appeal to (Para 2): interest; be interesting to 6. gratification (Para 3): satisfaction 7. kaleidoscopic (Para 4): constantly changing. Consult kaleidoscope (a tube fitted at one end with mirrors and pieces of colored glass which shows many colored patterns when turned万花筒). 8. exposure (Para 4): picture; image 9. follow its lead (Para 4): follow its guidance 10. perpetual (Para 4): uninterrupted 11. next attraction (Para 4): next place of interest 12. allot (Para 4): give; allocate 13. on the order of (Para 4): about; approximately 14. usurp (Para 4): take away 15. enhance (Para 5): increase 16. strain the attention (Para 5): overwork the attention 17. novelty (Para 5): something new 18. bequeath (Para 6): pass on to (after one?s death) 19. pervade (Para 7): spread through 20. get to (Para 7): affect; influence 21. coherence (Para 8): understanding 22. dismissible (Para 8): rejectable 23. cultivate (Para 9): develop 24. anachronism (Para 9): something outdated 25. simplistic (Para 11): simple-minded 26. neat resolution (Para 12): quick, clever and effective solution 27. wholesale (Para 13): completely 28. trivial fare (Para 14): low-quality food. Here it means television programs of little value 29. trivial (Para 14): insignificant; unimportant 30. perceive (Para 14): notice IV. Questions for Discussion 1. In your opinion, should TV appeal to the short attention span? Why (not)? (In my opinion, TV should not appeal to the short attention span because anything interesting and rewarding in life requires some constructive, consistently applied effort.) 2. Has television a part to play in modern society? If so, what is the part it should play? (Yes, television has a part to play in modern society. It can provide us with useful information and entertain us with interesting recreational programs such as music, drama, poetry, ballet. Television is also an important teaching aid in bringing to a number of students simultaneously the details of a subject or an experiment that otherwise could be viewed only by a single person or small group. In education, television’s most impressive use is extending the range of a gifted teacher beyond a single classroom so that millions of students can benefit from his teaching. A scientific experiment can be learned by watching how it is done.) 3. According to the author, what is wrong with television? (As for the answer, see Organization of the Text, 2. Problems with Television.) V. Exercises A. Fill in the blank in each sentence with the best word or expression from the box below, changing its form when necessary: the least gifted divert statistically speaking in place stimulus novelty skeptical anachronism evade expose grammatical assume 1. If discovered, the soldiers hiding down in the valley would be ____________ to the enemy?s fire. 2. Listening to music ____________ her after a hard day?s work. 3. The suspect tried to ____________ an important question by saying he could not remember. 4. ____________ the number of births and deaths rise and fall in nearly parallel lines. 5. It is an ____________ to speak of Mark Twain as satirizing people watching television. 6. Under the ____________ of praise, the students will work even harder. 7. Staying up late on the New Year?s Eve was a ____________ to the children, and they enjoyed it. 8. If Mr. Pullman were not a successful lawyer, he would be very much ____________ as a teacher. (Key: 1.exposed 2. diverted 3. evade 4. Statistically speaking 5. anachronism 6. stimulus 7. novelty 8. in place) B. Choose the right word or expression in the brackets to complete each of the following sentences: 1. The teacher (allotted, divided) the children into several small groups for the trip to the Palace Museum. 2. Around mid-night, she received a (mysterious, miraculous) phone call from someone she did not know of. 3. Do you think soil samples are (obtainable, absorbable) from the Mars by an unmanned aircraft in the near future? 4. She was so dear to him that he still kept her picture in a (preeminent, prominent) position on his desk. 5. A soft background music will (enhance, increase) a delicious meal. 6. He was so disappointed when the manager said that his plan was completely (dismissible, disposable). 7. The baby-sitter kept the kids (accompanied, company) until we got back from the theater. 8. Will the financial (reverse, adverse) prevent you from taking a holiday this summer? (Key: 1. divided 2. mysterious 3. obtainable 4. prominent 5. enhance 6. dismissible 7. company 8. reverse) C. Choose the right word from the box given below for each blank: tall based food species color skin on dry into for society numbers land from developed enabled seeds hair changing which spread stayed climate acknowledged river acquired distributed cooperate culturally large flexible short conserve dissipate culture way 9. Mankind Two to three million years ago in East Africa, a new (1) ________ of primate began to evolve. Over millennial development, his brain became (2) ________. He began to walk (3) ________ his hind legs. His hands became more (4) ________. He (5) ________ an opposable thumb. He evolved a language. His brain and his hands (6) ________ him to become a toolmaker --- in (7) ________, he became Man. Nature began a new experiment. Instead of adapting to a specific environment, man (8) ________ the capacity to adapt himself to any specific environment. He (9) ________throughout the globe, (10) ________ as he moved, until he became the most widely (11) ________ species on earth. Man adapted physically as well as (12) ________ to the new surroundings into (13) ________ he moved. Those who (14) ________ in or moved to equatorial climates developed dark (15) ________ to protect them (16) ________ the rays of the sun. Those who moved to colder (17) ________ developed light skin to take advantage of the sunlight for the synthesis of vitamin D. People in cold (18) ________ climates became stocky, to (19) ________ heat. People in hot dry climates tended to become (20) ________ and thin, to (21) ________ heat. Popularly and simplistically, most of the people of the world fall (22) ________ three generally (23) ________ racial groups --- Mongoloid, Negroid, and Caucasoid. This grouping is (24) ________ on rather arbitrary characteristics --- skin (25) ________, eye form and (26) ________ form. In temperate (27) ________ valleys, agriculture developed about 10,000 years ago. It became necessary (28) ________ large groups of people to (29) ________ in order to distribute the waters of irrigation equitably. With irrigation came surplus (30) ________, which meant that large (31) ________ of people were freed from the (32) ________ to pursue nonagrarian specialties --- technological development, scholarship for its sake --- and war. These were the (33) ________ of “civilization”. Human (34) ________ became complex under these circumstances. Every (35) ________ gives its members an identity and, to a large extent, molds the (36) ________ in which they perceive the world and interact with other people. People of one culture are likely to see other peoples in terms of two basic categories: “we” (“people like me”) and “they” (“people not like me”). (Key: 1. species 2. large 3. on 4. flexible 5. developed 6. enabled 7. short 8. acquired 9. spread 10. changing 11. distributed 12. culturally 13. which 14. stayed 15. skin 16. from 17.climate 18. dry 19. conserve 20. tall 21. dissipate 22. into 23. acknowledged 24. based 25. color 26. hair 27. river 28. for 29. cooperate 30. food 31. numbers 32. land 33. seeds 34. society 35. culture 36. way) Lesson 10 On Getting Off to Sleep I. Introduction Sleeplessness or insomnia is a common complaint of people. With the exception of babies few grown-ups can be totally free of insomnia in modern society because civilized people are not exempt from worries, anxieties and sorrows which often cause sleeplessness. The author is here not dwelling upon the subject of insomnia from a scientific or medical point of view. He is using sleeplessness as an example to illustrate the contrariness of things and the large bundle of contradictions a man is confronted with. He holds that humor is the saving grace of us. The author ridicules people who, with “iron wills”, can lie down and fall into deep slumber in a matter of a few minutes. He thinks there is something inhuman in it. He categorizes himself into the group of men full of human sympathy and depth in feelings and thoughts and good tastes. In this essay, insomnia becomes a praiseworthy agony inherent in an active and intellectual mind. This is the key note of the essay. II. Organization of the Text 1. Contrariness of man seen in the matter of sleep (Paragraphs 1-2) 2. Criticism of people who can fall asleep quickly (Paragraphs 3-4) 3. Artificial ways of inducing sleep (Paragraphs 5-7) III. Key Words and Expressions 1. get off to sleep (Title): fall asleep 2. vexation (Para 1): displeasure 3. virgin paper (Para 1): blank paper 4. depend upon it (Para 1): (colloquial) be quite sure; have no doubt 5. overpowering (Para 1): overwhelming 6. reproachfully (Para 1): blamefully; criticizingly 7. between the sheets (Para 1): in bed 8. pell-mell (Para 1): in disorderly haste 9. in the humor (Para 2): in the mood. Compare out of humor: moody; in a bad temper 10. at once … and … (Para 2): both … and … 11. oblivion (Para 3): unconsciousness 12. coy (Para 3): shy. Compare shy and coy: Shy: a quality that may be a person?s nature. Coy: used chiefly of women. It now carries overtones of a feigned and consequently coquettish shyness meant to kindle amatory interest. For example: She was coy over the telephone when he asked for a date, although she had flirted outrageously with him the evening before. The extended meaning of coy refers to a playful or sly unwillingness to reveal information or to make a statement: When I told him that I had heard rumors of his promotion, he smiled coyly and said nothing. 13. be given to (Para 3): be in the habit of 14. woo (Para 3): persuade into love 15. sycophantic (Para 3): flattery; flattering 16. thanks to (Para 3): owing to; because of; on account of 17. take … to heart (Para 3): take … seriously 18. likewise (Para 3): in the same way; the same 19. remonstrate (Para 3): complain 20. callous (Para 3): insensitive 21. fancy (Para 3): imagination 22. compare notes (Para 4): exchange of ideas 23. confidence (Para 4): secret 24. cast up (Para 4): calculate 25. legion (Para 5): numerous; abundant 26. impossible (Para 5): very unpleasant 27. soporific (Para 5): sleeping pill 28. plan (Para 5): method 29. serve one?s turn (Para 5): answer one?s immediate needs 30. muster (Para 5): gather; collect 31. swine (Para 5): pigs 32. draw the curtain (Para 6): start; begin 33. plumb (Para 6): exactly upright 34. be of no avail (Para 6): be of no use 35. deft (Para 6): skillful 36. meditate (Para 6): think seriously; think deeply 37. dreary (Para 6): gloomy; sad 38. phantom (Para 6): ghost 39. come upon (Para 7): come across; meet by chance; discover by chance 40. prose away (Para 7): talk endlessly 41. o? nights (Para 7): (from on nights) at night 42. bare of (Para 7): without; empty 43. act upon (Para 7): have an effect on 44. dismiss (Para 7): put away 45. crooked (Para 7): unstraightened IV. Questions for Discussion 1. The author uses a lot of exaggeration in this essay. Point out the instances. (Instances of exaggeration are as follow: What a bundle of contradictions is a man! Surely, humor is the saving grace of us, for without it we should die of vexation. Between chime and chime of the clock I can write essays by the score. Give me a restless hour or two in bed and I can solve, to my own satisfaction, all the doubts of humanity, etc.) 2. Do you think the author intends to convey any serious message to the reader? Prove your point. (Yes, I think the author intends to convey a serious message to the reader. Apart from the discussion of artificial ways of inducing sleep, the author devotes much space to the criticism of those people who can fall asleep quickly. He regards them to be inhuman and bovine. He believes they have no taste in higher matters or depth in understanding.) V. Exercises A. Fill in the blank in each sentence with the best word or expression from the box below, changing its form when necessary: clench crook eventful inhuman of no avail meditate monotony refresh remonstrate straighten slumber torment 1. He ____________ his fists ready to defend himself. 2. I felt greatly ____________ after drinking a glass of iced water. 3. The newly-recruited soldier was asked to ____________ his hat. 4. The mother ____________ with her son about his behavior. 5. The villagers searched the whole area for the missing child, but it was ____________. 6. 1949 is a(n) ____________ year to China. 7. The commander-in-chief ____________ for three days before making the final decision. 8. The blacks suffered from ____________ racial discrimination. (Key: 1. clenched 2. refreshed 3. straighten 4. remonstrated 5. of no avail 6. eventful 7. had meditated 8. inhuman) B. Choose the right word or expression in the brackets to complete each of the following sentences: 1. There is a (contrariness, contradiction) between what he says and what he does. 2. It was in the (dark, dim) light of the early dawn that I saw a man moving towards me. 3. The poor, sick man is (abused, tormented) by the policeman?s endless interrogation. 4. Too much food (induces, tempts) sleepiness. 5. He (wondered, meditated) for a whole week before making that important decision. 6. A(n) (literal, exact) translation is not always the best. 7. The author declares that the plot and characters of the novel are (imaginary, imaginative). 8. We walked for miles along the (twisted, crooked) path in the forest. (Key: 1. contradiction 2. dim 3. tormented 4. induces 5. meditated 6. literal 7. imaginary 8. crooked) C. Choose the right word from the box given below for each blank: found publishes history pictures died close tomb he built cut unlocked debris aware hand filled who beautiful survived photograph underground discovered moved survivor mummy site drive looted named tourists hope 10. The Oldest Face in the World Today the Sunday Times Magazine (1) ________ the first color (2) ________ of the oldest intact mummy in the world. He is a man who (3) ________ 2,372 years before the birth of Christ. He lies (4) ________ in a shallow rock niche at Saqqara, the (5) ________ of the Step Pyramid and only a 30-minute (6) ________ from the center of Cairo. He was (7) ________ partly by accident by Dr. Ahomed Moussa, the Inspector of Antiquities at Saqqara, (8) ________ is reconstructing the causeway (9) ________ by the Pharaoh Unas more than 4,000 years ago. Dr. Moussa discovered a quarry (10) ________ to the causeway which had been (11) ________ with sand and (12) ________. Tombs were (13) ________ into the quarry face but had been (14) ________ within a few centuries. Each tomb was painstakingly cleared by (15) ________ in the (16) ________ that something might have (17) ________. In the last corner of the last (18) ________ Dr. Moussa found the (19) ________ and intact mummy of a singer (20) ________ Waty. Waty died 4,348 years ago --- a full 500 years before the oldest intact mummy previously (21) ________. He is a unique (22) ________ of the old Kingdom of Egypt. The (23) ________ of his time is covered by Gardiner?s “Egypt of the Pharaohs” and Margaret Murrary?s “The Splendor That Was Egypt,” both available in paperback editions. The (24) ________ still lies in its tomb at Saqqara. It is too rich a discovery to be (25) ________ to a museum. Scholars have been (26) ________ of its existence, but (27) ________ cannot see it. The tomb was (28) ________ by Dr. Moussa for Sunday Times photographer Bryan Wharton to capture the first (29) ________ of Waty for the public. The result is an extraordinary view of Man as (30) ________ was more than four millennia ago. (Key: 1. publishes 2. pictures 3. died 4. underground 5. site 6. drive 7. discovered 8. who 9. built 10. close 11. filled 12. debris 13. cut 14. looted 15. hand 16. hope 17. survived 18. tomb 19. beautiful 20. named 21. found 22. survivor 23. history 24. mummy 25. moved 26. aware 27. tourists 28. unlocked 29. photograph 30. he) Lesson 11 Why I Write I. Introduction Written in 1946, the essay criticized modernism?s art-for-art?s sake. The author George Orwell proposes that writing should combine political purpose with aestheticism, making two an organic whole. He is for a simple style, a continuous perfection of the style. His advice is to never write lifeless books or essays full of purple sentences and passages without meaning, to avoid decorative adjectives and humbug to which the young people tend to give their attention. II. Organization of the Text 1. The author?s early literary experience (Paragraphs 1-4) 2. Four great motives for writing (Paragraphs 5-11) 3. Relationship between politics and aesthetic achievement (Paragraphs 12-14) 4. Summary (Paragraph 15) III. Key Words and Expressions 1. disagreeable mannerisms (Para 2): unpleasant manners 2. be mixed up with (Para 2): be related to 3. get one?s own back for (Para 2): get even with; compensate for; make up for 4. amount to (Para 2): add up to; come to 5. take down to dictation (Para 2): write down in accordance with dictation 6. fancy (Para 2): imagine; think 7. ghastly failure (Para 2): great failure 8. engage in (Para 3): be occupied with 9. burlesque (Para 3): ridiculous 10. thrilling (Para 3): breathtaking; very exciting 11. narcissistic (Para 3): self-intoxicating; self-loving 12. meticulous (Para 3): very careful 13. send shivers down one?s backbone (Para 4): also send shivers (or a shiver) up/down (or up and down) one’s back/spine/backbone: make one feel very excited 14. arresting simile (Para 4): attractive simile 15. assess (Para 5): judge 16. tumultuous (Para 5): disorderly; noisy 17. putting aside (Para 5): apart from 18. at any rate (Para 5): in any case 19. egoism (Para6): selfishness 20. snub (Para 6): treat … badly 21. humbug (Para 6): nonsense 22. acutely (Para 6): strongly 23. smother (Para 6): suffocate; kill 24. drudgery (Para 6): hard dull humble work 25. willful (Para 6): hard-headed; stubborn 26. self-centered (Para 6): selfish 27. impact (Para 7): effect 28. feeble (Para 7): weak 29. feel strongly about (Para 7): be fastidious about; be particular about; be fussy about 30. above the level of (Para 7): apart from 31. posterity (Para8): offspring; the future generation 32. strive after (Para 9): struggle for 33. war against (Para 10): struggle against 34. fluctuate (Para 10): change 35. outweigh (Para 10): be more important than 36. as it is (Para 10): in reality; in fact; actually 37. turn the scale (Para 11): decide the result. Also tip/tilt the scale(s). 38. totalitarianism (Para 11): dictatorship; tyranny 39. guise (Para 11): appearance 40. bias (Para 11): inclination; tendency 41. reconcile (Para 12): find agreement between 42. ingrained (Para 12): inherent; natural 43. detachment (Para 13): impartiality; objectivity 44. read somebody a lecture (Para 13): scold solemnly and at length; criticize solemnly and at length 45. otherwise (Para 13): differently; in other way 46. picturesquely (Para 14): ornately; flowerily 47. public-spirited (Para 15): unselfish 48. bout (Para 15): attack 49. demon (Para 15): evil spirit 50. squall (Para 15): cry 51. efface (Para 15): rub out 52. betray (Para 15): be led astray; be misled IV. Questions for Discussion 1. In what way does Orwell think an author?s early development important to his literary career? Do you agree with him? (Orwell thinks that an author’s early development important to his literary career in that one cannot assess a writer’s motives without knowing something of his early development and his subject matter will be determined by the age he lives in. Yes, I agree with him. ) 2. Do you think aesthetic enthusiasm is an important motive in many writers? Is it important to Orwell? (Aesthetic enthusiasm is not an important motive in many writers but it is important to Orwell. In the text, it says that “the aesthetic motive is very feeble in a lot of writers” and that “I could not do the work of writing a book, or even a long magazine article, if it were not also an aesthetic experience.”) 3. What does Orwell mean when he says that one has to struggle to efface one?s own personality in order to write good prose? (He means that one has to try hard to control one’s temperament and not to allow his own emotional attitude to be seen clearly in order to write good prose.) V. Exercises A. Fill in the blank in each sentence with the best word or expression from the box below, changing its form when necessary: efface fluctuate outgrow outweigh perverse readable reconcile shiver slant thrilling undervalue unsuitable 1. Part of the address on the letter has been ____________. 2. The roof began to ____________ leftward. 3. Can you imagine that the child has ____________ his clothes in three months? 4. That fascist derived some kind of ____________ satisfaction from torturing people. 5. In the teeth of the cutting north wind we were all ____________ with cold. 6. My love for freedom ___________ everything else. 7. The general and the minister had quarreled, but later they were completely ____________. 8. She complained that the contributions she had made for the company were ____________. (Key: 1. effaced 2. slant 3. outgrown 4. perverse 5. shivering 6. outweigh 7. reconciled 8. undervalued) B. Choose the right word or expression in the brackets to complete each of the following sentences: 1. We advise girls below twenty not to marry, because they are still emotionally (naïve, immature). 2. Her feelings (fluctuated, changed) between excitement and fear. 3. The police will not hesitate to use (force, compulsion) if the bank robbers still refuse to surrender. 4. After twenty years of antagonism, the two countries were finally (reconciled, friendly). 5. To call the air strike against Yugoslavia peace-keeping is a (downright, thorough) lie. 6. “As red as blood” is a (metaphor, simile). 7. The sight of the snake gave me the (trembling, shivers). 8. Although the children found the fables most (readable, understandable), they sometimes missed the messages of the stories. (Key: 1. immature 2. fluctuated 3. force 4. reconciled 5. downright 6. simile 7. shivers 8. readable) C. Choose the right word from the box given below for each blank: second introduction native developed spoken which source date pronunciation words descended development years evidence half relations middle borrowed widespread language influences accepted publishing addition records written number effect regarded containing appear 11. English Language English language has more than 250,000,000 (1) ________ speakers and is far more (2) ________ than Chinese. It is (3) ________ throughout the continent of North America, in the British Isles, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, and is also the most important of the (4) ________ of colonization in Asia, Africa and Oceania. In (5) ________ it is the language of commerce and the (6) ________ language of many countries (7) ________ formerly had French or German in that position. Most of the languages of Europe, and many of those of Asia, are (8) ________ from a language spoken about 5,000 years ago by a Neolithic people. The earliest written (9) ________ of all English (10) ________ from the closing years of the 7th century and consist in the main of charters (11) ________ in Latin but (12) ________ personal and place names in English. In the (13) ________ of Old English, the greatest (14) ________ of words loaned comes from Latin. (15) ________ English began with the (16) ________ after the Norman Conquest in the 10th century. Numerous French words were (17) ________, though these had begun to (18) ________ before the Conquest. French loan (19) ________ became numerous by the 14th century. But there is not the slightest (20) ________ to show that the Conquest had any (21) ________ on the accidence or the phonology. The languages of the Low Countries --- Flemish, Dutch and Low German --- formed another important (22) ________ of loanwords during the Middle English period, due to the constant and close (23) ________ between these countries and England. By the second (24) _________ of the 15th century London English had been (25) ________ as a standard library language in most parts of the country. One of the most important (26) ________ in establishing London English as the standard library language was the (27) ________ of printing in 1476. From the beginning London was the center of book (28) ________ in England. Modern English has been (29) ________ and there is now a single accepted (30) ________ for the vast majority of words in ordinary polite use, deviation from which is (31) ________ either as a provincialism or a vulgarism. (Key: 1. native 2. widespread 3. spoken 4. language 5. addition 6. second 7. which 8. descended 9. records 10. date 11. written 12. containing 13. development 14. number 15. Middle 16. years 17. borrowed 18. appear 19. words 20. evidence 21. effect 22. source 23. relations 24. half 25. accepted 26. influences 27. introduction 28. publishing 29. developed 30. pronunciation 31. regarded) Lesson 12 Work I. Introduction In the 1960s Britain entered social welfare and people began to concern themselves primarily about more leisure and less labor. Bertrand Russell, who has always been a crusader against parasitic bourgeois ethics, rates it necessary to restate the importance and value of work. He believes that work is better than idleness for idleness is man?s worst enemy. Besides preventing man from feeling bored, work provides chances of success and opportunities for ambition. Happiness of life is also related to the constructiveness of work. Russell mocks the ignorance of the rich capitalists who pay to get work done for them because they mistake idleness for happiness, and he is accusing them of feeding on the exploitation of others like parasites. II. Organization of the Text 1. Advantages of ordinary work (Paragraphs 1-3) a. Preventive of boredom (Paragraphs 1-2) b. Provision of chances of success and opportunities for ambition (Paragraph 3) 2. Advantages of interesting work (Paragraphs 4-7) a. Exercise of skill (Paragraph 6) b. Construction (Paragraph 7) III. Key Words and Expressions 1. irksome (Para 1): unpleasant; annoying; troublesome 2. tedium (Para 1): tediousness 3. to begin with (Para 1): firstly 4. a good many (Para 1): a large number of 5. at a loss (Para 1): confused 6. agreeable (Para 1): pleasant; to one?s liking 7. big game (Para 1): large wild animals 8. persuade (Para 1): convince 9. impair (Para 2): harm 10. zest (Para 2): excitement 11. inevitable (Para 3): unavoidable 12. procure (Para 3): obtain; get 13. the world at large (Para 3): the entire world; the whole world 14. in the long run (Para 3): finally. Compare in the short run: in the near future. 15. the domesticated wife (Para 3): the housewife 16. practically (Para 3): almost; nearly 17. well-to-do (Para 3): rich; wealthy 18. comparatively (Para 3): relatively 19. modest (Para 4): humble 20. on the average (Para 4): generally speaking 21. a matter of course (Para 6): a natural or usual event 22. delectable (Para 6): pleasing; delightful 23. exquisite (Para 6): wonderful 24. call for (Para 6): demand 25. by no means (Para 7): not at all 26. haphazard (Para 7): disorderly 27. embody (Para 7): express 28. reverse (Para 7): opposite 29. demolition (Para 7): destruction 30. preliminary (Para 7): preparatory 31. afresh (Para 7): again 32. unmask (Para 7): expose 33. pretense (Para 7): excuse 34. actuate (Para 7): motivate 35. contemplate (Para 7): think deeply about IV. Questions for Discussion 1. What does Russell think are the important ingredients of happiness for most people? (The important ingredient of happiness for most people is continuity of purpose.) 2. What does Russell think are man?s motives in work? What do you think should man?s motives in work be? (Russell thinks man’s motives in work are the four advantages of work, which are preventive of boredom, provision of chances of success and opportunities for ambition, exercise of skill and construction. I agree with the author’s view.) V. Exercises A. Fill in the blank in each sentence with the best word or expression from the box below, changing its form when necessary: be apt to irk by all means by no means actuate literal by any means by means of outwit take for granted procure unmask 1. They managed to trace his whereabouts ____________ checking on his credit card expenditures. 2. The reason why a lot of the private businessmen failed after their initial success was because they had been ____________ by the desire to grab as much money as possible in as short a time as possible. 3. After their mother died, they realized how important she had been in their lives. While she was alive, they had always ____________ what she did for them. 4. If you play chess with the computer, it is not very easy to ____________ it. 5. The boss?s condescending attitude ____________ him so much that he decided to quit the job. 6. It is ____________ impossible to learn swimming in three days if you have a good coach. 7. You have to ____________ a building permit before you can start adding a wing to the house. 8. She ____________ waited for a whole hour in the pouring rain, but the bus never came. (Key: 1. by means of 2. actuated 3. taken for granted 4. outwit 5. irked 6. by no means 7. procure 8. literally) B. Choose the right word or expression in the brackets to complete each of the following sentences: 1. The office buildings with their (desirable, desired) locations are very much in demand. 2. Driving after drinking Whiskey (is about, is apt) to cause traffic accidents. 3. I don?t want the (actual, literal) meaning of the word, I?m asking you its figurative sense here. 4. In that part of the world the summer weather is so (varied, variable) that even when the sun is shining brightly you never can be sure if it is going to rain in an hour?s time. 5. He said he would go to the dress rehearsal, (unless, provided) he was not too busy. 6. Something has been wrong with their marriage for a long time, although she makes (pretenses, excuses) that it is not. 7. The Suzhou Style embroidery (requires, acquires) very exquisite skills. 8. A lot of retired people play chess to (kill, spend) time. (Key: 1. desirable 2. is apt 3. literal 4. variable 5. provided 6. pretenses 7. requires 8. kill) C. Choose the right word from the box given below for each blank: when ready called far ships carried came coast grew that those by vessel extended reached sea so capable decks themselves think arrived consisted developed voyaging magnetic exploration from reign latter across arrived landpower 12. China and the Indian Ocean As early as the Tang period (618-906 A.D.) the Chinese began to comprehend that the Indian Ocean --- or the Southern Ocean, as they (1) ________ it --- provided for the Chinese a unified system of (2) ________ communications. (3) ________ were sent to India during the (4) ________ of the Han Emperor Wu Ti (141-87 B.C.). By the first century A.D., a Chinese ambassador had (5) ________ the Persian Gulf. This was at the time (6) ________ China was welded together. The Han emperors did this (7) ________ thoroughly that the Chinese since that time have called (8) ________ the Sons of Han. Then in the 4th and 5th centuries the sea connections and commerce (9) ________ steadily. The Chinese began to (10) ________ of all the seas as one --- a concept that Europeans (11) ________ at only very late in history. Many years before Rome fell, the Chinese were (12) ________ across the Indian Ocean. Fa Hsien, who went home from India in 413 A.D. on “a large merchant (13) ________” that was bound for Java, reported that the ship (14) ________ 200 people. By the (15) ________ part of the 11th century, Chinese mariners had the (16) ________ compass and were (17) ________ for even more extensive voyage. By the first part of the 12th century, Chinese ships were fully (18) ________ of sailing (19) ________ any part of the Indian Ocean. But it was only in the 15th century (20) ________ the Chinese admiral Cheng Ho reached the east (21) ________ of the African continent. The Chinese sea-going junks were (22) ________ chiefly under the Sung Dynasty (960-1279), and some of these had five (23) ________ and were 600 feet long. When the Ming Dynasty (24) ________ to power exploration was (25) ________ along the rim of the Indian Ocean. This means that the Chinese (26) ________ of this oceanic world took place a generation or more before the Portuguese (27) ________ on the scene. The most dramatic expeditions were (28) ________ conducted by Cheng Ho, the chief court eunuch. We know of seven separate ventures between 1403 and 1433. The first expedition (29) ________ of 62 ships carrying 28,000 men. The third voyage sent ships as (30) ________ west as Aden. Tribute missions came to China (31) ________ Africa, Arabia and Bengal. But in 1450 the seapower advocates were completely defeated (32) ________ the (33) ________ advocates that for generations the Chinese were consigned to a lesser role in the world. (Key: 1. called 2. sea 3. Ships 4. reign 5. reached 6. when 7. so 8. themselves 9. grew 10. think 11. arrived 12. voyaging 13. vessel 14. carried 15. latter 16. magnetic 17. ready 18. capable 19. across 20. that 21. coast 22. developed 23. decks 24. came 25. extended 26. exploration 27. arrived 28. those 29. consisted 30. far 31. from 32. by 33. landpower) Lesson 13 I Would Like to Tell You Something I. Introduction Three decades ago, a notorious chapter was closed in the annals of American history. The Vietnam War had come to an end. It ended in defeat for the United States. This resulted from both the Vietnamese people?s brave fighting and the support of justice-loving nations. However, the US defeat owed much to a long “battle” fought on American soil. In the course of the war the antiwar movement in the US became widespread. This antiwar movement played such a critical role in ending the war that one American newspaper commented: “We had lost the war in the Mississippi Valley, not the Mekong Valley.” In December 1970, hundreds of veterans from Vietnam Veterans Against the War went to Detroit to what was called the “Winter Soldier” investigations, to testify publicly about atrocities they had participated in or seen in Vietnam, committed by Americans against Vietnamese. John F. Kerry, the author of this essay, was among those who attended the investigations. He wrote this essay to arouse Americans? antiwar sentiment. He declared that American government policy in Indo-China was the root cause of all those war atrocities and told Americans why the veterans were against the war as well as what action they were going to take. II. Organization of the Text 1. Theme of the article (Paragraph 1) 2. Detroit investigation and its purpose (Paragraphs 2-4) 3. The veterans? feelings about the war (Paragraphs 5-17) a. The veterans? anger about American public?s insensitivity (Paragraphs 5-9) b. The veterans? anger about American government policy (Paragraphs 10-17) 4. What the veterans are going to do (Paragraphs 18-21) III. Key Words and Expressions 1. now that (Para 1): since 2. discharge (Para 2): demobilize 3. testify to (Para 2): bear witness to 4. on a day-to-day basis (Para 2): every day 5. relive (Para 3): experience again 6. randomly (Para 3): casually; aimlessly 7. raze (Para 3): destroy 8. fashion (Para 3): way; manner 9. reminiscent of (Para 3): reminding of 10. stage (Para 4): arrange 11. spill out one?s heart (Para 4): express the deepest feelings 12. purge (Para 4): purify; cleanse 13. be tantamount to (Para 4): be equal to 14. brutalization (Para 4): brutal deeds 15. depersonalization (Para 4): insensitivity 16. get by (Para 5): pass 17. rescind (Para 5): cancel; take away 18. accreditation (Para 5): right 19. cover (Para 5): report 20. rampant (Para 6): widespread 21. press for (Para 6): urge strongly for 22. in the next breath (Para 6): in next moment 23. sink in (Para 7): be absorbed 24. lie down (Para 8): suffer without complaint 25. dismiss (Para 8): treat lightly 26. don?t give a damn (Para 9): don?t care at all 27. so what (Para 9): so what does it matter 28. deal in (Para 10): use 29. in terms of (Para 10): with regard to; concerning 30. glamorize (Para 11): beautify 31. revulsion (Para 11): disgust; repugnance 32. in no way (Para 12): not at all 33. stand up for (Para 12): support 34. rancid (Para 12): offensively smelling 35. from want of support (Para 14): because of lack of support 36. squander (Para 14): waste 37. one-sided (Para 14): unfair; prejudiced 38. ravage (Para 15): ruin and destroy 39. rationalize (Para 15): find reasons for 40. be on dope (Para 17): take drugs 41. march on (Para 18): march in the direction of; march toward 42. pay homage to (Para 18): show respect for 43. the deceased (Para 18): the dead 44. rule on (Para 19): make a formal decision about; give an official decision about 45. dormant (Para 19): inactive 46. part and parcel of (Para 19): a basic and necessary part of 47. succinctly (Para 20): briefly and clearly 48. ambush (Para 20): a surprise attack from a hiding place IV. Questions for Discussion 1. What does the author mean when he says “America has created a monster in the form of millions of fighting men”? (He means millions of American soldiers were taught to use violence in Vietnam War but when they returned home, angered and being betrayed, they became a powerful opposing force against the government.) 2. What has made the veterans so angry? What are they angry about? (The American public’s insensitivity and the American government deceptive policy have made the veterans so angry. They are angry about the distortion of facts by the government and their miserable condition after they returned home.) 3. What is it that the author wants to tell his reader? (The author wants to tell his reader the feelings of the Vietnam War veterans and what they are going to do.) V. Exercises A. Fill in the blank in each sentence with the best word or expression from the box below, changing its form when necessary: glamorize differentiation be tantamount to rampant rationalize revulsion indignation dormant hypocrisy accreditation arrogance distortion 1. I don?t think you need ____________ to go and interview the people working in the community center. 2. What America and NATO did to Yugoslavia ____________ mass murder. 3. This car manufacturer aims for the greatest possible ____________ of their product from those of other manufacturers. 4. He is a very capable manager, but his ____________ makes it hard for others to cooperate with him. 5. Nowadays some of the magazines make a point of ____________ the life styles of actors and actresses in order to boost the sale of their journals. 6. He was filled with ____________ when he found that the decision had been made behind his back. 7. The willful ____________ of history in some of the films is appalling. 8. He ____________ quitting school by saying that what he needed was practical experience. (Key: 1. accreditation 2. is tantamount to 3. differentiation 4. arrogance 5. glamorizing 6. indignation 7. distortion 8. rationalized) B. Choose the right word or expression in the brackets to complete each of the following sentences: 1. He knows that his parents have to work very hard in order to provide for his education, so he never (spends, squanders) money. 2. He wanted a (transcript, manuscript) of the report to show to his friends. 3. The workers were filled with (indignity, indignation) when they discovered that they were secretly watched during working hours. 4. People should (clean, purge) their minds of too strong a desire for money. 5. The policemen risked their lives in order to (preserve, protect) the children. 6. In the past year, quite a few (dormant, unimportant) women?s organizations became active again. 7. The newspaper?s (mistake, distortion) of the incident needs to be looked into. 8. The heroic deeds of the firefighters should be (glamorized, praised). (Key: 1. squanders 2. transcript 3. indignation 4. purge 5. protect 6. dormant 7. distortion 8. praised) C. Choose the right word from the box given below for each blank: low code centuries goal end hands bath vote changes improve divorce participation influence democratize bride equality husband’s isolated role status politics gained entered obedient expected defeat law right last married household code leadership 13. Women in Japan Today For more than six (1) ________ before 1868, Japan was a feudal society (2) ________ (for much of that period) from contact with foreign countries. Feudal (3) ________ as well as that of Buddhism and Confucianism accorded women (4) ________ status in the family and gave them almost no (5) ________ in running society. The year 1868 marked the (6) ________ of the feudal era. Thereafter Japan (7) ________ a period of rapid modernization. But despite fundamental (8) ________ in many areas of Japanese life until the end of World War Two, modernization did not dramatically (9) ________women?s status. Leadership was in the (10) ________ of a warrior class, not concerned with reforming the social order. In the typical family in the modern period to 1945, a (11) ________, especially when she (12) ________ an eldest son who would become the family heir, went to live with her (13) ________ family and was (14) ________ to adapt to the “ways of the family”. In the three-generation (15) ________, the new bride occupied the lowest (16) ________ of all family members and was expected to be (17) ________ to the authority of her mother-in-law. The moral (18) ________ of the prewar period enjoined the wife to be the first up in the morning, the (19) ________ to go to bed, to take her (20) ________ only after her husband and all his family members had bathed. Outside the family, women?s (21) ________ in the affairs of society was extremely limited. Women could not (22) ________ and for a long part of the period from 1868 to 1945, they were even barred by (23) ________ from attending gatherings where (24) ________ was discussed. In 19445, following Japan?s (25) ________ in World War Two, occupation forces under American (26) ________ set out to (27) ________ Japanese society. One specific (28) ________ of the reforms was to improve the status of women. Under the constitution of 1947, Japanese women (29) ________ full political rights and a guarantee of their (30) ________ in all sphere of life. A revised civil (31) ________ gave a woman the (32) ________ to own property in her own name and to (33) ________ on the same grounds as men. (Key: 1. centuries 2. isolated 3. influence 4. low 5. right 6. end 7. entered 8. changes 9. improve 10. hands 11. bride 12. married 13. husband’s 14. expected 15. household 16. status 17. obedient 18. code 19. last 20. bath 21. role 22. vote 23. law 24. politics 25. defeat 26. leadership 27. democratize 28. goal 29. gained 30. participation 31. code 32. equality 33. divorce) Lesson 14 Are All Generalizations False? I. Introduction The essay is intended for ordinary readers and, therefore, the authors avoid using too many technical jargons. In the text they define the concept of generalization, disclose all its merits and defects. They conduct this mental operation in a matter-of-fact way, duly crediting the instrumental role of generalization and revealing its inherent drawbacks. They do so not because they want us to generalize less frequently, but because they want us to generalize more soundly. II. Organization of the Text 1. How the human mind goes about generalizing (Paragraphs 1-8) 2. Tendencies that can cause a generalization to miscarry (Paragraphs 9-12) a. Prejudice (Paragraph 11) b. Exhibitionism (Paragraph 12) 3. The need to generalize despite the inadequacy of generalization (Paragraphs 13-15) a. Refusal to generalize will lead to a ridiculous state (Paragraph 13) b. Knowledge is stated in generalizations (Paragraphs 14-15) 4. Ways to seek generalization with a high degree of probability (Paragraphs 16-20) a. Induction by simple enumeration of cases (Paragraphs 17-18) b. Scientific generalizations based on accurate control of every element of one case (Paragraph 19) c. The harmony of a particular generalization with the rest of our knowledge (Paragraph 20) 5. Summary (Paragraph 21) III. Key Words and Expressions 1. float into (Para 2): come naturally into 2. end (Para 2): purpose; aim 3. witticism (Para 3): a witty remark 4. platitude (Para 3): cliché 5. covering (Para 5): applicable to 6. dispose of (Para 7): finish with; get rid of 7. hold (Para 7): be valid; be true 8. reporting (Para 7): returning 9. gay (Para 8): loose 10. circulate (Para 10): move about 11. file (Para 10): column; row 12. speculate on (Para 11): guess about 13. unshakable conviction (Para 11): firm belief 14. take refuge in (Para 13): find shelter in; find protection in 15. anecdote (Para 13): story 16. above all (Para 13): most important of all 17. cautious (Para 13): careful 18. furnish with (Para 14): supply with 19. outrun (Para 16): go beyond 20. outtalk (Para 16): say more than 21. no more than (Para 17): only; merely 22. moderately high (Para 17): fairly high 23. parable (Para 18): fable 24. be consistent with (Para 20): be in agreement with 25. be borne out (Para 20): be supported 26. harmony (Para 20): agreement; accordance IV. Questions for Discussion 1. Should one generalize? Why (not)? (Yes. Because generalizations are indispensable guides. One of the values of knowledge lies in its predictive power --- its power to predict the future. Such knowledge is stated in generalizations. Also refusal to generalize can lead to a ridiculous state.) 2. How should one try to achieve sound generalization? (One should be careful in generalizing. He should refuse to outrun his evidence or outtalk his information. He should avoid prejudice and exhibitionism. Then according to specific circumstances, he can choose either of the three generalizing methods: induction by simple enumeration of cases, scientific generalization based on accurate control of every element and the harmony of a particular generalization with the rest of our knowledge.) 3. Sum up briefly the author?s view on generalization. (As for the answer, see Organization of the Text) V. Exercise Choose the right word from the box given below for each blank: living point measure cost controlling says least where resistance dreams report drug areas cause danger spreading eradicated control protect burden needed health malaria estimated raging attained impracticable which measures children weapons 14. Eradication of Malaria The complete eradication of malaria from the world, as distinct from merely (1) ________ it, used to be one of the brightest (2) ________ of the World Health Organization. Well, the WHO?s report for 1974 (3) ________ that of the nearly 2,000 million people (4) ________ in the originally malarious areas of the world, almost three-quarters have seen the disease (5) ________, or eradication programmes started. But the same (6) ________ says that malaria is now (7) ________ in some countries that had appeared to be on the (8) ________ of eradicating it. Evidently the eradication on a world scale cannot be (9) ________ at present. Unfortunately, in countries whose (10) _________ services are poor simply have not the resources (11) ________ for vigilance. But luckily, the lesser aim of malaria (12) _________ is still feasible for some countries, or at (13) ________ some parts of countries. Time-honored measures like (14) ________ oil on still water (15) ________ the mosquito breeds, attacking its larvae, and the mosquito-proofing of houses will (16) ________ some of the population. So, too, will regular dosing with chloroquine, (17) ________ has ousted quinine as the most favored (18) ________ for use against the parasite. But the dosing, as a preventive (19) ________, of all their rural population is (20) ________ for most African countries. Minimal (21) ________ of malaria control in typical population of 1 million, three-quarters of them living in rural (22) ________, have been (23) ________ by the WHO at 34 American cents a head. The extra cost of adequate malaria control, even with help from the WHO and other aid-giving agencies, may be too great a (24) ________. But the (25) ________ of not controlling malaria is also high. It is a major (26) ________ of death for young (27) ________ in tropical Africa. And if (28) ________ is not attacked rigorously now, there is a (29) ________ that man?s (30) ________ against it may become ineffective. The (31) ________ of the mosquito to insecticides has already upset some campaigns. (Key: 1. controlling 2. dreams 3. says 4. living 5. eradicated 6. report 7. raging 8. point 9. attained 10. health 11. needed 12. control 13. least 14. spreading 15. where 16. protect 17. which 18. drug 19. measure 20. impracticable 21. measures 22. areas 23. estimated 24. burden 25. cost 26. cause 27. children 28. malaria 29. danger 30. weaponry 31. resistance) Lesson 15 The Beauty Industry I. Introduction In the 1950s Aldous Huxley had rightly anticipated what crisis lay ahead for the cosmetic industry. What worries him is, as he points out at the beginning, not so much the enormous expenditure on cosmetics as the disregard of the harmony between the human soul and physical appearance caused by cosmetics. Huxley searches for the cause by examining the rise of beauty industry amid the great social fluctuations. He thinks that women are induced by the cosmetic industry to yield to the cult of personal appearance and physical attraction, and they are adapting their tastes and interests to suit a world given to artificial beauty. Such a trend, he warns, has caused women to neglect the need to perfect their souls and has weakened their ability to discern spiritual emptiness and ugliness. II. Organization of the Text 1. Modern cult of beauty in America and Europe by citing enormous expenditure on cosmetics (Paragraphs 1-2) 2. Causes to the rise of beauty industry (Paragraphs 3-5) a. General increase in prosperity (Paragraph 3) b. Improvement of women?s social status (Paragraphs 4-5) 3. Results of the modern cult of beauty (Paragraphs 6-10) a. Retaining women?s youthful appearance to a greater age than in the past (Paragraph 7) b. Women?s neglect of their souls (Paragraphs 8-10) 4. Conclusion (Paragraph 11) III. Key Words and Expressions 1. substantially (Para 1): mainly 2. expend (Para 1): spend 3. racketeering (Para 1): blackmailing 4. a tidy sum (Para 1): a large amount 5. revenue (Para 1): annual income; yearly income 6. upkeep (Para 2): maintenance 7. likeness (Para 2): portrait; image; picture 8. hoarding (Para 2): billboard 9. means (Para 2): income; wealth 10. such as it is (Para 3): although it may not be of much worth 11. badly off (Para 3): poor 12. retrench (Para 4): cut down expenses 13. symptomatic (Para 4): symbolic; indicative 14. hitherto (Para 5): until now 15. not long since (Para 5): not long ago 16. perennially (Para 5): all the year around 17. predecessor (Para 5): foregoer 18. concede (Para 5): admit 19. be preoccupied with (Para 5): be absorbed in 20. vendor (Para 5): seller 21. in so far as (Para 7): to the degree that 22. retain (Para 7): keep 23. crone (Para 7): bent old woman 24. consummation (Para 7): perfect state 25. mimick (Para 7): imitate; copy 26. act upon (Para 7): put into use; apply 27. emphatically (Para 8): most certainly 28. tenant (Para 8): inhabit; occupy 29. vessel (Para 8): container 30. connoisseur (Para 8): expert 31. conversely (Para 8): oppositely 32. transfigure (Para 8): change 33. lasciviousness (Para 9): lust craving 34. avarice (Para 9): greed 35. fresh face (Para 9): young face 36. positively repulsive (Para 9): really unpleasant; indeed unpleasant 37. possessed (Para 11): continually worried 38. hagridden (Para 11): troubled 39. ineffectual (Para 11): ineffective 40. incentive (Para 11): stimulus IV. Questions for Discussion 1. Is the author?s view of the beauty industry positive or negative? State the reasons he proposes in the text. (The author’s view of the beauty industry is negative, for he says though modern cult of beauty can retain women’s youthful appearance for a longer period of time than in the past, it makes them neglect the perfection of their souls.) 2. What are the criteria for human beauty according to the author? (The author believes human beauty is not skin deep. Real beauty is as much an affair of the inner as of the outer self. Human beauty is affected by the nature of its spiritual contents.) 3. What aspect of the modern western society is the author criticizing in this essay? Is his criticism well-grounded? (The author is criticizing women’s excessive concern of their physical appearance as to neglect the perfection of their souls in western society. His criticism is not so well-grounded, for he blames mainly women for allowing themselves to fall victim to the cosmetic industry and has blinded himself to the fact that he lives in a male-dominated world and that it is men who dictate attitudes and tastes for women.) V. Exercises A. Fill in the blank in each sentence with the best word or expression from the box below, changing its form when necessary: preoccupy cult consummate expend diffusion instinctive listless pronounce upkeep simulate ineffectual indistinguishable 1. Although the building is new, the residents still pay a lot of attention to its ____________. 2. In order to appear to be older than they really are, many teenagers like to ____________ the behavior of the grown-ups. 3. The overwhelming heat made the office workers ____________. 4. He was so ____________ with his own thoughts that he didn?t even hear the alarm. 5. The ____________ of knowledge through the internet needs to be taken into consideration in our educational reform. 6. When people think about how much they have to invest in their children?s education, they don?t want to ____________ large sums of money on luxuries. 7. He found it hard to understand Jack because he had a ____________ Australian accent. 8. He couldn?t retrieve his unfinished paper from the computer file. He tried all the tricks he knew but they were all ____________. (Key: 1. upkeep 2. simulate 3. listless 4. preoccupied 5. diffusion 6. expend 7. pronounced 8. ineffectual) B. Choose the right word or expression in the brackets to complete each of the following sentences: 1. She sensed (intrinsically, instinctively) that somebody is following her. 2. She is (occupied, preoccupied) with some urgent work and can?t see you today. 3. When the twins wear the same kind of clothes, they are almost (indistinct, indistinguishable). 4. The (instinctive, intrinsic) quality of a person is more important than his or her appearance. 5. (As long as, In so far as) human beings can?t live completely and harmoniously, according to Huxley, men and women will never be beautiful. 6. They improved their pronunciation by (imitating, mimicking) their teacher. 7. The way in which TV can (affect, effect) a person?s thinking should never be overlooked. 8. She said that she would (preserve, reserve) the right to take the issue to a higher authority. (Key: 1. instinctively 2. occupied 3. indistinguishable 4. intrinsic 5. In so far as 6. mimicking 7. affect 8. reserve) C. Choose the right word from the box given below for each blank: route Japan export size money nation emerged colony level plants east pouring corporations economy product quickened resources machinery manufacturing operate capital policy finance situated 15. Singapore Singapore, the smallest (1) ________ in Asia, occupies a 225-square-mile expanse of swamping, tropical islands --- an area about the (2) ________ of Trenton, New Jersey. The former British (3) ________ has almost no natural (4) ________, except a superb harbor (5) ________ along the main shipping (6) ________ from Europe to the Far East. And it has fewer people --- 2.2 million --- than metropolitan St. Louis. Yet the tiny city-state has swiftly seized a large place in the world (7) ________. It is a thriving (8) ________ center turning out ships, precision (9) ________, and electronic components. And it is fast becoming the Zurich of the (10) ________, an international haven for money and bankers. In nine years of full independence, the gross national (11) ________ has nearly tripled --- raising the average per capital income to a (12) ________ exceeded in Asia only by that of (13) ________. The government has hitched to the global economy through multinational (14) ________, which supply needed (15) ________, expertise and export markets. Singapore ardently woos foreign business, a rare (16) ________ among countries that have only recently (17) ________ from colonialism. During the past five years, international manufacturers have responded by (18) ________ in $1.2 billion of their own to start more than a hundred factories. About half the (19) ________ has come from U.S. corporations. Altogether 425 American companies now (20) ________ in Singapore. General Electric alone has even (21) ________ assembling home appliances and components. Today money is a major Singapore (22) ________. The country?s hundred or so banks (23) ________ business and industry throughout Asia. Their aggressive push for loan customers has (24) ________ the development of the whole region. (Key: 1. nation 2. size 3. colony 4. resources 5. situated 6. route 7. economy 8. manufacturing 9. machinery 10. east 11. product 12. level 13. Japan 14. corporations 15. capital 16. policy 17. emerged 18. pouring 19. money 20. operate 21. plants 22. export 23. finance 24. quickened) Lesson 16 Miss Brill I. Introduction Miss Brill is a former English actress living alone in France. She makes a loving by taking such odd jobs as giving English lessons, as a paid companion, etc. She seems well-to-do but feels lonely and isolated from the community. Also, she is approaching old age and years of spinsterhood have left her sensitive, self-conscious and easily hurt. All this has tended to wall her in and torments her with a sense of emptiness and being uprooted. The trip she takes to the park that autumn afternoon as usual on Sunday gives her a chance to break out of the wall of isolation and establish contact with society. As she watches scene after scene of lively human life, she feels her heart begins to thaw out in fondness and her mind starts to weave amiable and sympathetic tales for the people around her. Now and then she feels proud or even superior for being able to read what is going on in their minds, but she does feel that she and the community are getting closer and closer, and that meaning, hope and confidence are coming back to her. Her heart jumps for joy when she thinks the great truth is finally dawning on her: life is like a play and every human being has a part to play in it; like all the others, she belongs after all to this performance of human life and has acted her part well and will never be isolated or estranged again. The story, however, takes a sharp turn at this point. She overhears a young couple speak about her with contempt and then they rudely ask her to go away. She is driven back to her lonely and isolated world and laments over a broken heart. The story exposes the cruelty of western society in which the old are completely ignored. In that society old people are the outdated actors or actresses while the young are popular heroes or heroines who enjoy life. II. Organization of the Text 1. The setting of the story (Paragraphs 1-2) 2. Development of the story (Paragraphs 3-16) 3. The closing of the story (Paragraphs 17-18) III. Key Words and Expressions 1. put up (Para 1): lift; raise 2. stiff (Para 8): formal; unfriendly 3. dab (Para 8): touch 4. hobble along (Para 8): walk unsteadily along 5. knock over (Para 8): knock down 6. walk abreast (Para 8): walk side by side 7. make a point of (Para 9): insist on 8. invalid (Para 9): sick 9. frail (Para 9): weak 10. mug (Para 13): face 11. be off with someone (Para 15): go away 12. treat (Para 17): entertainment; pleasure 13. in a dashing way (Para 18): in an energetic way IV. Questions for Discussion 1. In what country do you think is this story set? Why? (I think this story is set in France, because French place name and words are used.) 2. What kind of woman is Miss Brill? (Miss Brill is an elderly spinster who is sensitive, self-conscious and easily hurt. She feels lonely and isolated.) 3. What do you think does the author want to reveal to the reader by a story like this? (The author wants to reveal to the reader that in western countries old people are ignored and isolated by the society. Their later years are made miserable because of the cruelty of the society.) V. Exercises A. Fill in the blank in each sentence with the best word or expression from the box below, changing its form when necessary: clasp rescue splash get used to flap drift make a point of doing dab scrape share stroke swoop 1. She gently ____________ the dust from the vase before she put it back on the shelf. 2. The students stood on the top of the hill, enjoying the beautiful view below, their coats ____________ in the wind. 3. It was very hot and the kids were all happily ____________ in the pool. 4. He ____________ the mud from his boots before he entered the room. 5. They moved to the south three years ago, still they can?t ____________ the humid summer. 6. I don?t think it is safe to ___________ the monkeys. 7. She sat in the moonlight, her thoughts ____________ back to the last Autumn Festival she spent with her parents. 8. The firemen ____________ all the people from the burning building. (Key: 1. dabbed 2. flapping 3. splashing 4. scraped 5. get used to 6. stroke 7. drifting 8. rescued) B. Choose the right word or expression in the brackets to complete each of the following sentences: 1. She told the children about her life on the farm all those years ago, how she (got used to, used to) get up at four every morning to milk the cows. 2. The teacher told the boys first to (pour, splash) some water on the floor before mopping it. 3. When he was discovered, the pick-pocket (waved, flapped) a knife to threaten the people around him. 4. The eagle suddenly (drifted, swooped) down and snatched the piece of meat. 5. With the help of the specially trained dogs, they were able to (rescue, save) ten people buried in the snow. 6. His feet were numb with cold, as soon as he got into the room he started (rubbing, stroking) them vigorously. 7. The kitchen floor has to be (scrubbed, scraped) every other day. 8. Every night before he went to bed, he (made a point, made a plan) of checking all the doors and windows. (Key: 1. used to 2. splash 3. waved 4. swooped 5. rescue 6. rubbing 7. scrubbed 8. made a point) C. Choose the right word from the box given below for each blank: got rely severe calling left went worked sold worst running subsidies pay population shoes bring development sacked leaving work exhausting closure cost for illustrated benefits able enterprises 16. Workless Youth in the Italian South Every day in Naples now bands of workless youths march through the streets (1) _________ for jobs. The slump has been and still is a (2) _________ one in Italy as a whole. But things are worse in the south and (3) ________ around Naples. Here, where the workforce anyway accounts for only 25% of the adult (4) ________ unemployment is (5) ________ two and a half times the national rates. Three men interviewed (6) ________ the general picture. Salvatore, aged 25, (7) ________ technical college at 16 to (8) _________ as an artisan, gilding picture frames and altar accessories. Pay was low and no social security (9) ________ were paid by his employer. There was not enough work and he was (10) ________. Two years ago he (11) ________ to Turin and (12) ________ a job in a factory making upholstery for Fiat cars. Last November, it closed down (13) ________ its 300 men without a job. Salvatore came home. Gennaro, 28, married with two children, had left (14) ________ Germany in 1971. He (15) _________ a 14-hour shift (three in the morning to five in the afternoon) in a foundry for two years on high (16) ________, saving enough to (17) ________ his family over. Then he switched to a less (18) ________ job, but he was on piece-work, and last year short-time pay rates were too low for him to be (19) ________ to support his family. So they all came home. Egidio, 27, had made (20) ________ in one of those cottage industry concerns (five men in a back room) so typical of Italy?s depressed areas. In the early 1970s shoes (21) ________ well and a lot of such (22) _________ were set up. At the first touch of frost they shriveled and died. And since these small concerns (23) ________ on low labor (24) ________ for their share of the market, and do not pay stamps, Egidio, and thousand like him, cannot even get their 800 lire a day unemployment pay. In the province of Naples 2,500 industrial jobs have gone recently with the (25) ________ of foreign factories. Despite government (26) ________ for southern factory-owners and laws forcing the state sector to invest in the south the area has failed to spur real industrial (27) ________, or to develop a local managerial class. (Key: 1. calling 2. severe 3. worst 4. population 5. running 6. illustrated 7. left 8. work 9. benefits 10. sacked 11. went 12. got 13. leaving 14. for 15. worked 16. pay 17. bring 18. exhausting 19. able 20. shoes 21. sold 22. enterprises 23. rely 24. cost 25. closure 26. subsidies 27. development) ___________________________________________ Reference Books: 1.王家湘)刘新民等)大学英语教程,第5册,[M])北京)外语教学与研究出版社) 1987年5月 2.张中载、王家湘)刘新民、张毓霖)大学英语教程,第5册教师手册,[M])北京) 外语教学与研究出版社)1989年6月 3.王家湘)高级英语,上,[M])北京)外语教学与研究出版社)2000年1月 Part Two: College English Book Six Lesson 1 What’s Wrong With Our Press? I. Introduction Since the emergence of the first newspaper in English in 1620, it has increasingly become a medium of communication by which information on current affairs, opinions and entertaining features are circulated among the people. However, with the rise of new audio-visual media of communication, the primacy of the newspaper has been challenged. As early as 1948 television began to rob radio of audiences and advertisers, and then from the 1950s on, steadily and surely, television began to replace the newspaper as the most effective means of mass communication known to mankind. Now the Internet is beginning to take the place of television as the most influential mass medium. Compared with the newspaper, television apparently has many advantages over the newspaper; for one thing, television transmits news, facts, opinions, comments, stories and other entertaining features in the form of both sounds and pictures. That is why more people would prefer television if they were asked to make a choice between television and newspaper. The author, by making a comparison between the two, points out that the American newspaper is full of partisanship and rabid bias. It resists change and neglects minority audience. She concludes that, despite the inadequacies of the newspaper, no picture can ever be an adequate substitute of the press, and the word will eventually prevail. The criticisms about the newspaper is aimed at improving this medium so that it can better perform the service of informing the people. II. Organization of the Text 1. Author?s personal evaluation of the present situation of the press: decline of public confidence in the press (Paragraphs 1-4) ? Author?s personal evaluation of the present situation of the press (Paragraph 1) ? Supporting evidence: findings of Mr. Roper?s survey (Paragraphs 2-4) 2. Causes to the decline of public confidence in the press: deception and dereliction of the press (Paragraphs 5-15) ? Deception (Paragraphs 6-12) ? Dereliction (Paragraphs 13-15) 3. Conclusion (Paragraph 16) III. Key Words and Expressions 1. features (Para 1): face 2. as such (Para 1): in that form or kind 3. line (Para 1): cover the inside of 4. come in (Para 2): rank 5. as against (Para 3): in comparison with 6. harry (Para 4): trouble 7. inclined (Para 4): likely; tending 8. leery (Para 4): dubious; doubtful 9. discount (Para 4): ignore 10. allot (Para 5): give 11. aside from (Para 5): apart from 12. default on (Para 5): fail to fulfill; fail to perform 13. get … over with (Para 6): finish with 14. live on (Para 6): depend on 15. rabid (Para 6): unreasonably violent 16. bias (Para 6): prejudice 17. pungent (Para 6): caustic; biting 18. predominantly (Para 6): mostly; mainly 19. extol (Para 6): praise highly 20. consistently (Para 6): continually 21. balanced (Para 6): impartial 22. take precedence over (Para 7): be more important than 23. by and large (Para 7): generally speaking 24. have one?s say (Para 7): have the chance to express one?s opinion 25. set up (Para 8): organize 26. knock down (Para 8): criticize and attack 27. discharge (Para 8): perform; carry out 28. virulence (Para 10): vicious attack 29. peeve (Para 10): annoyance; resentment 30. cater to (AmE) (Para 10): also cater for (BrE): try to satisfy 31. sedation (Para 10): inactivity 32. rabble (Para 10): mob; disorderly crowd of noisy people 33. rout (Para 10): destroy 34. in the light of (Para 11): taking into account; considering 35. bolster (Para 11): support 36. at random (Para 12): aimlessly; without any plan 37. franchise (Para 14): special right; privilege 38. in turn (Para 14): consequently 39. dereliction (Para 15): failure to perform one?s duty IV. Questions for Discussion 1. List the points of difference that the author finds between press and television news coverage in the United States. (In the news coverage in the United States, the press prints snippets of opinion from unqualified readers while television makes every effort to present viewers with more than one aspect of an issue, either by letting opposing spokesmen have their say, or by outlining the positions held by both major parties on the subject involved. Television also provides a wide range of opinion by setting up four or five experts and letting them knock each other down.) 2. The author excludes the “five or six splendid newspapers --- and the one great newspaper” when she says that television “does a better job than the nation?s press as a whole.” Why? (Because those newspapers “serve the world as models of responsible public information.”) 3. What in the author?s view is the reason for a “decline of public confidence” in the American press? (The reason for a decline of public confidence in the American press is deception and dereliction of the press.) V. Exercises A. Fill in the blank in each sentence with the best word or expression from the box below, changing its form when necessary: at random in vain entrust cheapen cater to appeal confine to on the beat stuff pass for take precedence over substitute 1. Vitamin C pills are no ____________ for fruits and vegetables. 2. By his nasty behavior the governor has ____________ himself in everyone?s eyes. 3. I tried ____________ to get George to join the campaign to end fox-hunting in Britain. 4. The pillow is ____________ with feathers. 5. The soldiers were ____________ with the task of putting out the fire in the forests. 6. With her excellent performance she could ____________ a professional dancer. 7. Fighting the Japanese invaders ____________ everything else. 8. Those violent films ____________ the worst side of human nature. (Key: 1. substitute 2. cheapened 3. in vain 4. stuffed 5. entrusted 6. pass for 7. took precedence over 8. cater to) B. Choose the right word or expression in the brackets to complete each of the following sentences: 1. His six-year experience gave him a big (advantage, strength) over the other applicants for the job. 2. These rules and regulations not only apply to the graduate students, but to the school (on the whole, as a whole). 3. We (met, encountered) a serious setback in the battle when our supplies were intercepted by the enemy. 4. I was very sick and was (confined to, limited to) bed for over two weeks. 5. The local newspaper gave an extensive (coverage, reporting) of the trial.? 6. The singer was fully (justifiable, justified) in suing the newspaper for slander. 7. This magazine is intended to (attract, appeal) to millions of college students in China. 8. Jamaica (functioned, worked) as a center of the American slave trade in the 18th century until the abolition of slavery in 1833. (Key: 1. advantage 2. as a whole 3. encountered 4. confined to 5. coverage 6. justifiable 7. appeal 8. functioned) C. Choose the right word from the box given below for each blank: each extension during supported bridge travel marketed spend commerce cooperation joint instead by added offering step financing tourists called create push program pointed goal attractions predicted on that agents drawing 1. Joint Forces For Tourism The United States and Mexico have undertaken a joint tourism project designed to bring international tourists to both nations. Under the agreement, the United States (1) ________ Service and the Mexican Tourism Council are sponsoring and jointly (2) ________ a project under which a Spanish tour whole-saler will market a tour (3) ________ that highlights the tourism (4) ________ of both nations. (5) ________ buying any one of the itineraries offered in the program will (6) ________ an equal amount of time in (7) ________ nation. The program will initially be (8) ________ in Spain, France, Germany and the United Kingdom, with possible (9) ________ to other countries later. Assistant Secretary of (10) ________ for Tourism C. L. Washburn (11) ________ the agreement a historic first, and (12) ________ it would (13) ________ international visitor arrivals to this country above the 20 million mark (14) ________ the 1976 Bicentennial year. Washburn (15) ________ out that every 20,000 international tourists to the United States (16) ________ one job in the U.S. economy. In 1973, international tourism (17) ________ ver 270,000 jobs. o “Our (18) ________ is to try to (19) ________ the oceans that separate both Mexico and the United States from the international travel market (20) ________ putting a new tour (21) ________ the shelves of travel (22) ________ around the world, a tour (23) ________ will increase the tourism (24) ________ power of the Americas by (25) ________ two countries (26) ________ of one,” Washburn said. This (27) ________ USTS-Mexican Tourism Council project, Washburn (28) ________, was only the first (29) _________ in increasing the tourism (30) ________ between the United States and its neighbors. (Key: 1. Travel 2. financing 3. program 4. attractions 5. Tourists 6. spend 7. each 8. marketed 9. extension 10. Commerce 11. called 12. predicted 13. push 14. during 15. pointed 16. create 17. supported 18. goal 19. bridge 20. by 21. on 22. agents 23. that 24. drawing 25. offering 26. instead 27. joint 28. added 29. step 30. cooperation) Lesson 2 What to Listen for in Music I. Introduction The author holds that we all listen to music on three separate planes: the sensuous plane, the expressive plane and the sheerly musical plane. The sensuous plane of music is self-evident. The expressive plane is more subtle and controversial. Ordinary music-lovers always want to find a meaning in a piece of music. To them, the more concrete the music is, the more expressive it appears to be. But more often than not, a piece of music may only have a purely musical meaning which no word can adequately define or explain. Then, different people may interpret it differently, and feel for themselves the specific expressive quality of a theme, or an entire piece of music. Professional musicians are more attentive to the actual musical material --- the notes, the melodies, the rhythms, the harmonies and the tone colors. Listening to all these elements is listening on the purely musical plane. Of course, one never listens to one or the other of these planes. What we do is listen in all three ways at the same time. The author thinks that we should all strive to become more intelligent listeners; that is, we should enjoy music and be able to judge it like the composer. Only by being a more conscious and aware listener can you deepen your understanding of music. A more active kind of listening is what the author proposes in the article. II. Organization of the Tex 1. Division of music listening process into three planes (Paragraph 1) 2. Detailed discussion of the three planes (Paragraphs 2-19) ? Sensuous plane (Paragraphs 2-6) A. Definition (Paragraphs 2-3) a. Example 1 (Paragraph 2) b. Example 2 (Paragraph 3) B. Abuse of this plane by musical lovers: listen for losing themselves (Paragraphs 4-6) a. Advice 1 (Paragraph5) b. Advice 2 (Paragraph 6) ? Expressive plane (Paragraphs 7-15) A. A more controversial and subtle plane (Paragraph 7) B. Author?s view on this plane (Paragraph 8) All music has a certain meaning behind the notes but it is not easy to define the meaning. C. Ordinary music lovers? bad habit on this plane (Paragraph 9) They always want to find a meaning in a piece of music. To them the more concrete the music is, the more expressive it appears to be. It is a bad habit of listening to try to connect what one is listening with something concrete. D. Author?s advice on this plane (Paragraphs 10-11) We can only pin a general meaning to music. The value of a musical piece is determined by the slight variation in meaning with each hearing. Supporting reasons (Paragraphs 12-14) a. The meaning of some musical pieces can not be defined with exact words. (Example: Bach?s Well-Tempered Clavichord) (Paragraph 12) b. It?s unnecessary to define the exact meaning of a musical piece even if one can, as different people may interpret differently. (Paragraph 13) c. Music pieces need not express only one emotion. (Example: Beethoven?s Ninth Symphony) (Paragraph 14) E. Summary of author?s view (Paragraph 15) ? Sheerly musical plane (Paragraphs 16-19) A. Explanation of this plane (Paragraph 16) B. Different attitudes to this plane by professionals and non-professionals (Paragraphs 17-18) a. Professionals: Too conscious of notes and their manipulation to pay attention to meaning. b. Non-professionals: Too conscious of the meaning to pay attention to the sound materials. C. Summary of this plane (Paragraph 19) 3. Summary with an analogy (Paragraphs 20-26) A. Summary (Paragraphs 20-24) B. Author?s appeal (Paragraphs 25-26) III. Key Words and Expressions 1. so to speak (Para 1): in one sense; as one might say 2. hypothetical (Para 1): suppositional 3. engender (Para 2): produce 4. deride (Para 3): laugh at; make fun of (as of no value) 5. belittle (Para 3): denigrate; depreciate 6. lose oneself (Para 4): forget about oneself 7. apropos of (Para 4): with regard to; concerning 8. potent (Para 5) powerful 9. be commensurate with (Para 6): be equal to 10. shy away from (Para 7): avoid 11. proclaim (Para 7): declare officially 12. intransigent (Para 7): uncompromising 13. therein (Para 8): in that particular matter 14. conception (Para 9): a false concept 15. abet (Para 9): encourage 16. usual run (Para 9): usual kind 17. come to (Para 10): succeed in 18. triumph (Para 10): joy; satisfaction 19. novices (Para 11): green hand; inexperienced learner 20. pin down (Para 11): define 21. put one?s finger on (Para 11): define the exact meaning of 22. mirror (Para 12): reflect 23. resignedly sad (Para 12): sad but calmly suffering without complaint 24. boil … down to (Para 14): come down to; sum … up as; summarize … as 25. hang on to (Para 14): stick to; refuse to give … up 26. in terms of (Para 16): with regard to 27. if anything (Para 17): if there is any difference 28. be engrossed with (Para 17): be indulged in 29. not so much … as (Para 17): not … but rather 30. the man in the street (Para 18): the average person 31. after all (Para 19): in spite of everything 32. correlate (Para 20): relate … together 33. be analogous to (Para 22): be similar to IV. Questions for Discussion 1. What are the three separate planes on which we all listen to music? Does one of these dominate your listening habits? (The three separate planes on which we all listen to music are the sensuous plane, the expressive plane and the sheerly musical plane. Yes, the sensuous plane dominates my listening habits. 2. What is “expressive power” in music? Is it necessary to define music?s meaning? (The “expressive power” in music refers to music’s ability to express a certain meaning. It’s unnecessary to define music’s meaning. We only need to understand music’s general meaning.) 3. How can one be “a more conscious and aware listener”? (To be “a more conscious and aware listener,” one needs to be both inside and outside the music at the same moment, judging it and enjoying it. That is, one should not merely be carried away by the beautiful music sound but should also have some knowledge and understanding of what music is.) V. Exercise Choose the right word from the box given below for each blank: staff academic aspirants on way campuses as autonomous acres doubt came by brought that sure lands with soared backed largest school lies encourage around luck that total bonds constitution remain fund giving from rise directly estimated spent 2. The University of Texas The University of Texas, in true Texan style, is big. There are 75,000 students going to the six (1) _________ and six medical (2) ________ strung out from Dallas to El Paso, the Austin campus, (3) ________ 42,000 students, is now the fourth (4) _________ university campus in the country. Its reputation (5) ________ rather more with its football team and its law (6) ________ at Austin, the nursery for all political (7) ________ in Texas, than with its academic standards. Nearly $ 500 million of construction is under (8) ________ at the university: building has been at a premium (9) ________ the number of students has (10) ________ in the past ten years. The university?s propensity to build is (11) ________ by the state constitutional provision (12) ________ allows it to issue (13) ________ for construction (something it cannot do for running expenses). To date the (14) ________ bond indebtedness for the university stands (15) ________ $ 400 million. There is little (16) ________ that some of the money could be better spent (17) ________ faculty salaries to attract teaching (18) ________ of a higher caliber. The university has remained defiantly (19) ________. This autonomy is (20) ________ by the Texas constitution of 1876 and by (21) ________. The (22) ________ gave the university a million (23) ________ of land in west Texas (later another million acres were added) and luck (24) ________ in 1923 when oil was struck there. Some clever thinking (25) ________ the framers of the Texas constitution made (26) ________ that the university would (27) ________ a rich and spoiled offspring by laying down that the wealth (28) ________ this land could not be touched (29) ________ but must go into a permanent university (30) ________. Only the proceeds from investing this wealth can be (31) ________. In 1974-75 the oil and gas royalties (32) ________ in $ 32 million and leasing (33) ________ added a further $ 12 million; the total proceeds are (34) ________ to rise to $ 66 million in 1975-76. Today the permanent university fund stands at $ 80 million, swollen by the recent (35) ________ in the price of oil and natural gas, (36) ________ the university an endowment that is overshadowed only by (37) ________ of Harvard. (Key: 1. academic 2. campuses 3. with 4. largest 5. lies 6. school 7. aspirants 8. way 9. as 10. soared 11. encouraged 12. that 13. bonds 14. total 15. around 16. doubt 17. on 18. staff 19. autonomous 20. backed 21. luck 22. constitution 23. acres 24. came 25. by 26. sure 27. remain 28. from 29. directly 30. fund 31. spent 32. brought 33. lands 34. estimated 35. rise 36. giving 37. that) Lesson 3 Eveline I. Introduction “Eveline” is a short story from James Joyce?s Dubliners written in 1905. It tells the story of a girl weary of a dull job and a life of quiet desperation with a brutal father. She is offered escape from the drudgery of Dublin by her boy friend, a sailor. Marriage and flight across the sea to Buenos Ayres promise a new life and perhaps love too. But Irish paralysis and her timidity keep her from eloping with her lover. What merits our attention is the use of a new technique in short story writing: the stream of consciousness. The story lacks exciting events and climax in the traditional sense, yet through description of trivial details the author voices his resentment against the “paralysis” or living death in Dublin. Escape and frustration are the themes of the story. II. Organization of the Tex 1. The setting of the story (Paragraphs 1-3) A. Eveline?s mood and atmosphere of the story (Paragraph 1) B. Eveline?s childhood memory (Paragraph 2) C. Eveline?s impression of her home (Paragraph 3) 2. Eveline?s job status and family condition (Paragraphs 4-7) 3. Love affair with Frank (Paragraphs 8-10) 4. Memory of her mother at her death bed and climax of the story (Paragraphs 11-15) 5. Closing of the story (Paragraphs 16-22) III. Key Words and Expressions 1. hunt … in (Para 2): drive … in 2. keep nix (Para 2): keep watch 3. have an edge on (Para 4): be critical of 4. palpitation (Para 7): quick heart beat 5. go for (Para 7): attack; beat 6. squabble (Para 7): quarrel 7. squander (Para 7): waste 8. provisions (Para 7): foods 9. elated (Para 8): happy and proud 10. fall on one?s feet (Para 8): settle down 11. indistinct (Para 11): unclear 12. lay up (Para 11): be ill in bed 13. air (Para 12): tune; song 14. close (Para 12): (adj.) oppressively hot 15. melancholy (Para 12): sad 16. strut (Para 12): walk proudly; stride 17. muse (Para 14): think deeply 18. lay a spell on (Para 14): also cast a spell on: affect greatly 19. quick (Para 14): (n.) deepest feelings 20. passage (Para 16): voyage 21. quay (Para 16): harbor 22. nausea (Para 16): a feeling of sickness 23. tumble (Para 18): roll over violently 24. frenzy (Para 20): madness 25. anguish (Para 20): great mental pain IV. Questions for Discussion 1. What does the author want to convey to the reader in this short story? (In this short story the author wants to convey to the reader the theme that the Irish people are aware of their problems but they are unable to do anything to solve those problems. That is, they are suffering from a kind of paralysis or living death.) 2. Why did Eveline want to leave home, and why did she finally decide not to go with Frank to Buenos Ayres? (Eveline wanted to leave home because of her unpleasant job, a brutal father and poverty, yet she finally decided not to go with Frank to Buenos Ayres because of her timidity and her inability to break away from her family connection.) 3. What strikes you most about the article? (What strikes me most about the article is the new technique used in the story: the stream of consciousness. The story is not organized in the traditional chronological order but rather in the order of the heroine’s mental activities. Throughout the story there are no exciting events but there is only description of trivial details. The author, by making use of these seemingly insignificant things, reveals to us a serious theme: the paralysis of Dublin.) V. Exercises A. Fill in the blank in each sentence with the best word or expression from the box below, changing its form when necessary: spell where on earth tumble invariable inhale go for unaccustomed be laid up anguish melancholy squabble undesirable 1. The children were playing in the park, chasing each other, ____________ on the lawn, laughing and shouting all the time. 2. At first she was so ____________ to the cockney accent that she understood nothing of what the taxi drivers said. 3. “____________ can we find the money to pay the hospital bills?” 4. The performance was over, the audience remained motionless, completely under the ________ of the music. 5. He let the crowded room, walked on to the balcony and ____________ the fresh night air. 6. When the pickpocket was cornered in the bus, he took out a knife and ____________ the conductor. 7. He missed the exam as he ____________ with pneumonia for a whole month. 8. The parents have lived in ____________ ever since the boy went missing. (Key: 1. tumbling 2. unaccustomed 3. Where on earth 4. spell 5. inhaled 6. went for 7. was laid up 8. anguish) B. Choose the right word or expression in the brackets to complete each of the following sentences: 1. (Invariably, Unchangeably) strict with himself, he went over the accounts yet another time. 2. Many people are worried by what they think is (unaccustomed, undesirable) scenes on TV for the children. 3. It is impossible to sort out all the (squabbles, debates) among the children. Sometimes one just has to ignore them. 4. It is such a (pitiful, sympathetic) sight to see the elderly people sitting on park benches, lonely and expressionless. 5. The party over, the guests gone, she looked at the empty rooms and sank into (anguish, melancholy) 6. He (stumbled, tumbled) on the pavement and twisted his ankle. 7. What happened to them on the trip was a nightmare, which left them (unspeakably, pitifully) furious for weeks. 8. The vulgar commercial which followed broke the (spell, appeal) of the film. (Key: 1. Invariably 2. undesirable 3. squabbles 4. pitiful 5. melancholy 6. stumbled 7. unspeakably 8. spell) C. Choose the right word from the box given below for each blank: nations occur period center highest in came opened lags commit first recorded frequently rate annual compared accidental kill many psychologist fail helpless rising attempt claim between cause who people 3. Suicides in the U.S.A. Self-inflicted deaths in America last year --- those officially (1) ________ as suicide --- claimed the lives of an estimated 24,400 persons, a record (2) ________ total. Furthermore, in the (3) ________ two months of this year, estimated suicides (4) ________ to 3,560 --- compared with 3,400 for a similar (5) ________ in 1973. Most suicides (6) ________ in the urban areas, the highest geographical incidence is (7) ________ the West and men (8) ________ suicide more (9) ________ and violently than women. Suicide is (10) ________ sharply among young people. Researchers (11) ________ that perhaps 70,000 to 80,000 young people (12) ________ the ages of 15 and 24 will (13) ________ suicide in the next twelve months --- and 3,500 to 4,000 will succeed. The over-all suicide (14) ________ of 11.7 per 100,000 in the United States is by no means high (15) ________ with other countries. It (16) ________ behind Hungary?s 33.1 per 100,000 --- the world?s (17) ________ --- as well as a number of other European (18) ________ such as Czechoslovakia?s 24.5 per 100,000, Austria?s 22.3 per 100,000, and Sweden?s 22 per 100,000. The Los Angeles Institute for the Study of Self-Destructive Behavior, which (19) ________ in 1958 as the nation?s first suicide-prevention (20) ________, now conducts “psychological autopsies” to establish whether death was (21) ________ or suicidal. Dr. Calvin Frederick, (22) _______ with the investigation work, explained the generalized (23) ________ of suicide this way: “Usually, (24) ________ commit suicide because they are hapless, (25) ________, and hopeless.” Four to ten times as (26) ________ people attempt suicide as those (27) ________ actually succeed. Those who (28) ________ will often try again to (29) ________ themselves. (Key: 1. recorded 2. annual 3. first 4. came 5. period 6. occur 7. in 8. commit 9. frequently 10. rising 11. claim 12. between 13. attempt 14. rate 15. compared 16. lags 17. highest 18. nations 19. opened 20. center 21. accidental 22. psychologist 23. cause 24. people 25. helpless 26. many 27. who 28. fail 29. kill) Lesson 4 The Tragedy of Old Age in America I. Introduction Aging is a universal problem. In one way or another it emerges in every country and there is not exception in the USA, where it is a socially taboo subject. The mere mention of the word “old” sounds a memento mori (a symbol of death). Euphemisms are used to describe the elderly, and great efforts are made to present an enjoyable, happy picture of old age in America. But that is only one side of the picture. The other side is deplorable: many people dread and abhor age. Even children, still in the cradle of life, dread the grave. The aged in the United States are neglected, prejudiced against. Our popular attitudes towards age are a combination of wishful thinking and utter terror. The feelings about old age and experience differ from old person to old person, and are determined by such things as physical health, psychology, personality, medical care, living conditions, etc. Old people need knowledge and insight for the direction of their feelings. Old age is neither inherently miserable nor inherently wonderful. What we find in the U.S. is a society which can be harsh to live in when one grows old. For many elderly Americans old age is a tragedy, a period of quiet despair, deprivation and muted rage. And for the minorities --- the Black, Mexican-American, Asian-American and American Indian elderly --- there are greater socio-economic disadvantages. II. Organization of the Tex 1. Aging as a neglected stepchild of the human life cycle in America (Paragraphs 1-3) A. Optimistic attitude toward old age (Paragraph 2) B. Pessimistic attitude toward old age (Paragraph 3) 2. Author?s view of old age (Paragraphs 4-5) 3. Old age as a tragedy in America (Paragraphs 6-15) A. Conclusion (Paragraph 6) B. Supporting evidence (Paragraphs 7-15) a. Basic daily requirements for survival (Paragraphs 7-8) b. Disillusionment of the American dream (Paragraph 9) c. Employment discrimination (Paragraph 10) d. Medical care problem (Paragraph 11) e. Various problems in daily life (Paragraph 12) f. Old women?s problem (Paragraph 13) g. Minorities? problems (Paragraphs 14-15) III. Key Words and Expressions 1. propel (Para 1): drive; push 2. come to terms with (Para 1): learn to accept something unpleasant 3. barricade … from (Para 2): prevent … from 4. morbid (Para 2): abnormal 5. lull (Para 2): deceive; cheat 6. expectantly (Para 2): hopefully 7. toil (Para 2): work hard 8. discrepant (Para 4): different 9. be contingent upon (Para 4): be dependent upon; depend on 10. sublime (Para 5): wonderful 11. imminence (Para 5): coming; approaching 12. clarify (Para 5): sort out 13. muted (Para 6): silent; hidden 14. sustain (Para 6): bear 15. herein (Para 6): in this 16. excruciatingly (Para 6): extremely 17. triumph (Para 6): success 18. inhospitable (Para 6): unfriendly; hostile 19. multitudes of (Para 7): large numbers of 20. keep up with (Para 7): remain level with 21. pay off (Para 7): pay the whole of debt 22. tough (Para 9): unyielding 23. adversity (Para 9): misfortune; bad fortune; trouble 24. penalize (Para 10): punish 25. means test (Para 11): investigation into one?s financial conditions 26. elite (Para 11): the best part of 27. fraudulent (Para 12): deceitful; deceptive 28. fare (Para 13): get on; get along 29. prerogative (Para 13): special right; privilege 30. eligible (Para 14): qualified 31. scant (Para 14): hardly enough 32. take a toll of (Para 15): harm IV. Questions for Discussion 1. In your view, are there universal problems confronting old age in all societies? State your reason. (Yes, there are universal problems confronting old age in all societies, which, in my view, are medical care problem and reduced income. As we know, old people tend to suffer from illnesses more often than the young. A single unexpected attack of serious disease can wipe out all the savings of the old. After retirement the income is drastically reduced and this can greatly affect their life quality.) 2. What are the problems old people in America have to face? (The problems old people in America have to face are reduced income, medical care problem, employment discrimination, old women’s problem, minorities’ problem and various problems they will face in daily life.) 3. Is old age in China a problem worth our attention? (Yes, it is, for old age is a universal problem existing more or less in every country. In China old people face medical care problem, worsening of living condition, lack of proper care from the children and the society.) V. Exercises A. Fill in the blank in each sentence with the best word or expression from the box below, changing its form when necessary: conserve inherent toil defective lull unbearable eradicate penalize vary impair subsistence interconnect 1. We must ____________ forests not only for the present but for future generations. 2. AIDS is expected to be ____________ from the world in the coming century. 3. The two daughters? sweet words ____________ King Lear into believing that they really loved him more than anything in the world. 4. The whole class was ____________ for not being able to keep the classroom clean and tidy. 5. Overcooking will ____________ the flavor and taste of the dish. 6. The slaves ____________ day and night pulling heavy blocks of stone to the construction site of the pyramids. 7. The problems they encounter are ____________ in the economic system. 8. We must bear in mind that there are still millions of people who still live at ____________ level. (Key: 1. conserve 2. eradicated 3. lulled 4. penalized 5. impair 6. toiled 7. inherent 8. subsistence) B. Choose the right word or expression in the brackets to complete each of the following sentences: 1. These underground pipes are (interrelated, interconnected). 2. Nuclear power is (inherently, naturally) both dangerous and powerful. 3. The (one-time, once) bus driver is now a famous pop singer. 4. The film is (based, established) on a novel by Lu Xun. 5. Spoiled children will not manage to live against (difficulty, adversity). 6. He got the job by (false, fraudulent) means; he said he had ten years of working experience. 7. Mental problems of all ages are not totally (untreatable, incurable). 8. The students are advised to (conserve, preserve) water and electricity. (Key: 1. interconnected 2. inherently 3. one-time 4. based 5. adversity 6. fraudulent 7. untreatable 8. conserve) C. Choose the right word from the box given below for each blank: unless arises note know animal day marches killing bring prolong humans living depends matters troubled end falling men about seem upset show over remain shows await death chance that depress 4. The Question of Death About two million people die each year in the United States, and the American culture has finally decided to take (1) ________ of this fact. Death in our (2) ________ is having its belated due. Basically, the question of death (3) ________ from the fact that man is the only (4) ________ who knows he is going to die and who also knows he can (5) ________ about his own death. Only man can be (6) ________ about the relative advantages of death (7) ________ continued living. Man may allocate his own death or passively (8) ________ its arrival. He may have death by (9) ________ or death by choice. He may also allocate (10) ________ for others when he judges that certain values outweigh the need or right of others to (11) ________ alive. Indeed, history (12) ________ that men have chosen death for other (13) ________ with a rather formidable liberality. But it is no gentle irony that (14) ________ have traditionally been much quicker to justify the (15) ________ of others than the killing of self. Medicine (16) ________ on. We have the knowledge to (17) ________ life. But do we have the wisdom to (18) ________ it? Professor Richard?s has written (19) ________ death --- which does not (20) _______ him. He said, “I watch the leaves (21) ________ of the tree outside my window. I (22) ________ there couldn?t be a healthy tree next year (23) ________ the leaves fall off. The life of the thing that (24) ________ --- a tree or a forest --- (25) ________ on their departure. And the leaves (26) ________ to delight in the purge: they put on a great (27) ________.” But the professor is (28) ________ about life. “I?m afraid I?m going to live to 100,” he explained, “I wouldn?t like to go on (29) ________ after I?d forgotten the things (30) ________ really matter.” (Key: 1. note 2. day 3. arises 4. animal 5. bring 6. troubled 7. over 8. await 9. chance 10. death 11. remain 12. shows 13. men 14. human 15. killing 16. marches 17. prolong 18. end 19. about 20. depress 21. falling 22. know 23. unless 24. matters 25. depends 26. seem 27. show 28. upset 29. living 30. that) Lesson 5 The Spanish Bullfight I. Introduction Bullfighting has existed in one form or another for more than 2,000 years. Spanish bullfight began more than 800 years ago. The best fights in Spain are held in Madrid, Seville, Valencia, and Malaga during the Spring and Summer. In this article, the author discusses the social significance of Spanish bullfight following the initial description of the bullfight ceremonies. In the steeply tiered stadium 20,000 people were watching the opening ceremony and ritual preceding a bullfight. But just when the reader is ready to see the bullfight, the author stops his description of bullfighting. He goes on to tell us how traditional, religious and ritualized a bullfight is, and how it is related to Spanish culture and the Spanish character. Foreign devotees of bullfighting often misunderstand it: They explain the whole Spanish character in terms of the bullfight. But in the opinion of the writer it does tell us much about the love of contradiction in a race of intense individualists who were living then under the dictatorship of Franco (1939-1975). A bullfight can not be described in one word. It is neither beautiful nor brutal. All at the same time it can be brave, pitiful, squalid, heroic, messy, chivalrous, and obscene. In it we see how this courteous, passionate, and chivalrous people value courage, manners and pride of self. II. Organization of the Text 1. Bullfight ceremonies (four stages of bullfight) (Paragraphs 1-6) A. Advertising (Paragraphs 1-2) B. Emergence of two men on horseback (Paragraph 3) C. Bullfight procession (Paragraph 4) D. Emergence of the fighting bull and its fighter (Paragraphs 5-6) 2. Reasons to describe the bullfight ceremonies (Paragraphs 7-8) A. The first reason: One good way to learn something true about a country is to examine at first hand one of its obvious clichés, so that you can debunk it to your own satisfaction, or admit with more authority that it is not for you, or begin to feel its truth as the natives feel it. (Paragraph 7) B. The second reason: Cruelty should not be an excuse to reject bullfight, for bullfight is a very significant Spanish institution. (Paragraph 8) 3. Social significance of Spanish bullfight (Paragraphs 9-13) A. Bullfight is formal and traditional (Paragraph 9) B. Bullfight is not either beautiful or brutal. All at one time it can be brave, pitiful, squalid, heroic, messy, chivalrous, and obscene. (Paragraph 10) C. Bullfight tells us that the Spanish people are a race that loves contradiction. (Paragraph 11) D. Bullfight is religious. (Paragraph 12) E. Bullfight is a morality play, that isolates, and sets against each other, the qualities which this courteous, passionate, and chivalrous people value most: courage, manners and pride of self. (Paragraph 13) III. Key Words and Expressions 1. block letter (Para 1): also block capital: hand printed capital letter 2. formation (Para 1): arrangement; pattern 3. go about (Para 1): perform; do 4. build up (Para 2): increase; develop; gather 5. rampart (Para 2): mass 6. compose oneself on (Para 2): sit comfortably on 7. field glasses (Para 2): large binoculars 8. canvas (Para 3): oil painting 9. tinny (Para 3): of a thin metallic sound 10. bailiff (Para 4): official 11. cradle (Para 4): hold gently 12. flutter (Para 5): wave 13. brace (Para 5): set firmly in the ground 14. shamble (Para 5): walk with dragging feet 15. promise (Para 5): expectation; hope; sign 16. caress (Para 5): feel gently 17. ration (Para 5): share 18. graze (Para 5): hurt by rubbing 19. explosive (Para 5): violently strong 20. staccato (Para 5): disconnected 21. solidly (Para 7): firmly 22. grounds (Para 7): reason 23. alien (Para 7): foreign; different 24. look on … as (Para 7): consider … to be; regard … as 25. debunk (Para 7): criticize 26. preliminary (Para 8): preparatory 27. institution (Para 8): custom 28. fly into a rage (Para 8): become violently angry 29. crusade (Para 8): struggle; movement 30. cuisine (Para 8): cooking style 31. pig-sticking (Para 8): hunting of wild pigs 32. pacify (Para 9): make calm; make peaceful 33. squeamish (Para 9): easily shocked 34. by way of (Para 9): with the intention of 35. petrified (Para 9): paralyzed 36. rear (Para 10): stand up 37. bidding (Para 10): invitation; urging 38. exquisite (Para 10): wonderful 39. contentious (Para 10): tending to argue 40. squalid (Para 10): sordid; miserable 41. messy (Para 10): untidy 42. obscene (Para 10): dirty 43. squalor (Para 11): misery 44. in miniature (Para 11): on a small scale 45. fatuous (Para 11): silly 46. balm (Para 11): remedy 47. verge on (Para 12): be near to 48. blasphemy (Par 12): disrespect toward God 49. caution (Para 13): warn against 50. conduce to (Para 13): lead to IV. Questions for Discussion 1. Would you say that the Spaniards? love of bullfight reflects the contradictions of their everyday life? Give your reason. (Yes, the Spaniards’ love of bullfight reflects the contradictions of their everyday life. The Spaniards love bullfight because they want to enjoy the bravery and style demonstrated by the bull and its fighter, but the result of the bullfight is contrary to their expectation. It is either the bull or the fighter that is killed or wounded and the scene of the bull ring is always bloody and dirty and disorderly. In everyday life, the Spaniards are strong individualists. They love freedom, yet they live fatalistically under a dictatorship for about 40 years (The Spanish dictator Franco was in power from 1939 to 1975.). 2. What is the author?s view of the bullfight? (As for the answer, see Organization of the Text: Social significance of Spanish bullfight.) 3. What is your view of the bullfight? Would you call it a wholesome sport? (In my view, bullfight is brutal and silly for a man to fight against a harmless beast and I wouldn’t call it a wholesome sport.) V. Exercise Choose the right word from the box given below for each blank: by married alone span children separation every fell living change birth decline during dropped increased compared size household with those families fewer proportion average who while couples under result related single older 5. U.S. Households Getting Smaller Recent increase in the number of people (1) ________ alone, coupled with a declining (2) ________ rate, have led to a decrease in the (3) ________ of the average U.S. household. Between 1969 and 1974, the (4) ________ number of persons living in the U.S. household (5) ________ from 3.19 to 2.97. In this five-year (6) ________ the medial age of household heads dropped (7) ________ almost one full year --- from 48.1 to 47.3 years. There has been also the (8) ________ in type of household. Since 1969 there has been a (9) ________ in the proportion of regular (10) ________ and an increase in the (11) ________ of primary individuals --- persons (12) ________ live alone or with other persons not (13) ________ to them. In 1974, nine of (14) ________ ten primary individuals lived (15) ________ in their own home. The higher proportion of young (16) ________ heads living alone or with non-relatives is probably the (17) ________ of young adults remaining (18) ________ for longer periods, while for (19) ________ ages the increased is associated (20) _______ high levels of divorce, (21) ________, and widowhood. At the same time, the proportion of young (22) ________ couples who have (23) ________ in their homes has declined, and (24) ________ with children tend to have (25) ________. In 1974, about 28 percent of all married (26) ________ with the husband (27) ________ 35 had no young children living with them, (28) ________ with the 1969 level of 24 percent. (29) ________ that five-year period, young couples with one or two children (30) ________ form 52 to 55 percent of the total, (31) ________ those with three or more (32) ________ from 24 percent to 17 percent. (Key: 1. living 2. birth 3. size 4. average 5. fell 6. span 7. by 8. change 9. decline 10. families 11. proportion 12. who 13. related 14. every 15. alone 16. household 17. result 18. single 19. older 20. with 21. separation 22. married 23. children 24. those 25. fewer 26. couples 27. under 28 compared 29. During 30. increased 31. while 32. dropped) Lesson 6 Jerusalem the Golden (Excerpt) I. Introduction The text is an excerpt of the novel Jerusalem the Golden, the fourth novel by Margaret Drabble, with which she won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for fiction. Clara, the herine, grew up in an ordinary family in a middle-sized town in England. Even when she was a schoolgirl, she resented her small, cramped and heartlessly cozy home. Her mother had no friends, for she repelled intimacy, but she cared what the neighbors thought of her and kept up a certain position in the neighborhood; she prided herself on plainness and held that beauty was a frivolity and a sign of sin that she would be ashamed to have in her house. Clara felt contempt for her mother, not respect. She wanted to see the outside world and he part of it. It was this eagerness that finally led her to become a married man?s mistress. Hers is really a story of decadence, though it is described as one of self-advancement. What is remarkable about this novel, as the compilers see it, is the author?s insight into the psychology of teenage girls and young women and the excellent way the author described it. This excerpt is a detailed description of Clara?s school life at Battersby Grammar School. Her mother chose this school for her not because she could not afford the bus fares to a better school (the schooling was free), but because she had no trust in education and wanted to spend as little as she could as long as she kept up er social position in the neighborhood. Nevertheless, Clara liked the school for the simple reason that it was a much larger world than her “small and cramped and heartlessly cozy home.” As in the rest of the book, the author reveals her talent in describing feminine psychology in vivid, minute detail. II. Organization of the Text 1. Setting of the story (Paragraph 1) 2. Clara?s fondness of the school and school work (Paragraphs 2-3) 3. Clara?s relationship with her teachers (Paragraphs 4-9) 4. Clara?s mood after making her decision about her academic specialization (Paragraph 10) III. Key Words and Expressions 1. parsimony (Para 1): ungenerosity; ungenerousness 2. distinguished (Para 1): famous 3. fringe (Para 1): edge 4. fugitive (Para 1): escaping 5. genteel (Para 1): people of high social class 6. stick it out (Para 1): also sweat it out: keep doing something in spite of unpleasantness 7. grimly (Para 1): determinedly 8. accost (Para 1): stop and start to speak 9. battered (Para 1): dispirited; in low spirits 10. ragged (Para 1): old and torn 11. for all (Para 2): in spite of; despite 12. specify (Para 2): mention exactly 13. accessibility (Para 2): convenience 14. distinct (Para 2): different; unique 15. level out (Para 2): make smooth 16. incessantly (Para 2): constantly; endlessly 17. snatch away (Para 2): blow away 18. cramped (Para 2): crowded 19. cozy (Para 2): comfortable 20. multitudes of (Para 2): large numbers of 21. domesticity (Para 2): domestic life; home life; family life 22. frizzy (Para 4): curly 23. encase (Para 4): cover 24. in keeping with (Para 4): in agreement with; going suitably with 25. grim (Para 4): unpleasant 26. as it is (Para 4): in reality 27. impervious (Para 4): unaffected 28. potter about (Para 4): also putter around (AmE): move about slowly, doing small unimportant jobs 29. idiosyncratic (Para 4): peculiar; eccentric; odd 30. forfeit (Para 4): lose 31. affect (Para 5): pretend 32. strain (Para 5): pressure 33. torment (Para 5): annoy 34. unplumbed (Para 5): unexplored 35. appalling (Para 5): shocking 36. pen nib (Para 5): pen point 37. marvel (Para 5): wonder 38. diversion (Para 5): amusement 39. damp (Para 5): rather wet 40. take a fancy to (Para 6): love; like; be fond of 41. affection (Para 6): love; fondness 42. place (Para 6): give 43. subterfuge (Para 6): excuse 44. bravado (Para 6): unnecessary showing of courage or boldness 45. outrageously (Para 6): unexpectedly and offensively 46. unprecedented (Para 6): unparalleled 47. resent (Para 6): feel anger at 48. potentially (Para 7): possibly 49. classy (Para 7): fashionable; stylish 50. be equipped with (Para 7): have 51. nerve (Para 7): courage 52. fancy (Para 7): brightly colored 53. positively (Para 7): indeed 54. demeanor (Para 7): manner 55. nasty (Para 7): difficult 56. flirtation (Para 7): play with love 57. summon (Para 7): call over 58. come out into the open (Para 7): declare openly 59. conviction (Para 8): firm, sincere belief 60. hang about (Para 8): stay near; stay around 61. relish (Para 8): enjoy to the full; enjoy to one?s heart?s content 62. constraint (Para 8): restrained manner; unnatural manner 63. air of challenge (Para 9): appearance of restrained manner 64. perturb (Para 9): trouble; worry 65. serried (Para 10): crowded 66. alleviate (Para 10): lessen; relieve 67. glorify (Para 10): make … beautiful; make … magnificent 68. layout (Para 10): arrangement; pattern 69. grotesque (Para 10): strange and unnatural 70. leeway (Para 10): additional space 71. sniff (Para 10): smell 72. pry (Para 10): look secretly at 73. fleetingly (Para 10): quickly 74. hedge (Para 10): bush 75. jolly well (Para 10): indeed; certainly IV. Questions for Discussion 1. How was Clara different from her classmates? (Clara was different from her classmates in that she liked school and the school work. In fact, she liked everything that was different from her home. She was also different from her classmates in that “she knew enough of the world to know that no affection, however oddly won or placed, is laughable or negligible.” This shows Clara was more mature psychologically than her classmates.) 2. Would you say what is described in the text is a feminine world? Give examples to prove your point. (Yes, what is described in the text is a feminine world, for throughout the text there is no mentioning of male teachers or students. All the teachers and students described are feminine. Even the principal of the school is a “headmistress” called Miss Potts.) V. Exercise Choose the right word from the box given below for each blank: every started scrambling irrigation like speeded lush pipe made river thriving along diameter by work called shifting pumped farmers drained for acres supported side wrest desert pure driven irrigated continuously rolls feeding shower keep growing plants dropping pioneer on slopes natural care 6. New U.S. Farmland In its natural state, the land (1) ________ the Columbia River in eastern Washington and Oregon is a forbidding expanse of (2) ________ sand, sagebrush and thistle, and only the hardest of (3) ________ or ranchers would try to (4) ________ a living from it. But (5) ________ all this, the mid-Columbia region is one of the most (6) ________ new agricultural areas in the world. Thanks to a remarkable new system of (7) ________, the desert along the (8) ________ is blooming: its field are (9) ________ with bumper crops of potatoes, corn, alfalfa beans. Corporate farmers are (10) ________ for every acre of land they can get. The Columbia River reclamation actually (11) ________ about five years ago, but it has been vastly (12) ________ up by the agricultural boom. And it was (13) ________ possible in the first place (14) ________ the perfection of a fascinating new bit of farm technology (15) ________ pivot irrigation. Conventional flood irrigation wouldn?t (16) ________ along the Columbia; the water quickly (17) ________ through the sand. With pivot irrigation, the water is (18) ________ from the river to the center of a round field a half-mile in (19) ________. A long arm of 6-inch (20) ________ a quarter of-mile long pivots around the center of the field (21) ________ the hand of a clock, making one revolution (22) ________ 12 hours. The arm is (23) ________ 10 feet off the ground by ten towers; each tower (24) ________ along on two rubber-tired wheels (25) ________ by electric motors. Sprinklers along the length of the pipe (26) ________ the ground continuously through the long (27) ________ season, (28) ________ the equivalent of 60 inches of rain annually (29) ________ the land compared with the (30) ________ fall of only 7 inches a year. The segmented irrigation pipe can even move up an down the (31) ________ of rolling land. Since much of the land is almost (32) ________ sand, it must be (33) ________ fertilized, and here too, the sprinkler system is used by (34) ________ the appropriate nutrients into the water. Most of the growers (35) ________ a careful set of charts for each circle. “We figure out how much the (36) _______ are using in food and water, and we supply it each day,” says Howard Kartchner, president of Desert Magic, Inc., a (37) ________ on the Oregon desert, “We spoon-feed the plants with tender, loving (38) ________.” About 120,000 acres of once useless (39) ________ have already been (40) ________ in just five counties that lie on either (41) ________ of the river, and this year another 50,000 (42) ________ are being developed. (Key: 1. along 2. shifting 3. farmers 4. wrest 5. for 6. thriving 7. irrigation 8. river 9. lush 10. scrambling 11. started 12. speeded 13. made 14. by 15. called 16. work 17. drained 18. pumped 19. diameter 20. pipe 21. like 22. every 23. supported 24. rolls 25. driven 26. shower 27. growing 28. dropping 29. on 30. natural 31. slopes 32. pure 33. continuously 34. feeding 35. keep 36. plants 37. pioneer 38. care 39. desert 40. irrigated 41. side 42. acres) Lesson 7 Science Has Spoiled My Supper I. Introduction In this essay the author expresses the opinion of a conservative food-snob about American food today. His strong love for old-fashioned food leads him to say that American food today is becoming much less tasty than it used to be. Such examples include cheese, vegetables, biscuits made from patent batters, half-baked substitutes for all kinds of breads, and frozen foods. He attributes the tastelessness of American food today to “what is called science” and economics. Finally he argues that the national problem of overeating can find its root cause in the tastelessness of the food, and that Americans as a nation eating the same standardized food are losing their most precious quality: individuality. The author is obviously prejudiced about American food today, and some of his arguments are arguable. But he has his arguments well presented, using hyperboles and sarcastic comments to strengthen them. II. Organization of the Text 1. The tastelessness of American food (Paragraphs 1-2) A. Author?s attitude toward science (Paragraph 1) B. The tastelessness of American food (Paragraph 2) 2. Supporting evidence (Paragraphs 3-24) A. Example 1: Cheese (Paragraphs 3-8) B. Example 2: Vegetables (Paragraphs 9-14) C. The first consequence of eating tasteless food: Overweight of Americans (Paragraphs 15-18) D. Example 3: Biscuit batter (Paragraph 19) E. Example 4: Frozen food (Paragraphs 20-21) F. The second consequence of eating tasteless food: Loss of individuality (Paragraphs 22-24) 3. Author?s appeal (Paragraph 25) III. Key Words and Expressions 1. contribute (Para 1): supply an article to 2. monograph (Para 1): an article or short book on one particular subject or branch of a subject 3. set a table (Para 2): supply food 4. index (Para 2): sign 5. venerable (Para 2): old and respectable 6. alleged (Para 2): so-called 7. gruesome (Para 2): distasteful; disgusting 8. sharp (Para 3): pungent; having a strong taste 9. crumbly (Para 3): easy to crumble 10. supplant (Para 3): replace 11. fussy (Para 4): particular 12. patron (Para 4): regular customer 13. step in (Para 5): get involved 14. disclose (Para 5): show; reveal 15. take effect (Para 5): produce a result 16. motto (Para 5): guiding principle 17. be after (Para 5): pursue 18. bland (Para 6): tasteless 19. put … off (Para 6): make … feel distaste 20. shut out (Para 7): cause … to go bankrupt 21. gag (Para 8): vomit 22. guffaw (Para 8): laugh rudely at 23. edible (Para 9): eatable 24. decent (Para 9): rather good 25. famed (Para 11): famous 26. insane (Para 12): extremely foolish and meaningless 27. as a rule (Para 12): usually; generally 28. tamper with (Para 12): meddle with; monkey about 29. all at once (Para 13): suddenly 30. be done with (Para 13): be finished with 31. tell … from (Para 14): distinguish … from 32. hybridize (Para 14): crossbreed 33. leftovers (Para 15): remains 34. unquenched (Para 15): unsatisfied 35. stave off (Para 15): delay; fend off; ward off 36. gastronome (Para 16): food lover 37. ecstasy (Para 16): extreme joy; extreme satisfaction 38. satiate (Para 16): satisfy 39. upwards of (Para 17): more than 40. viand (Para 17): food 41. texture (Para 17): quality 42. ageless (Para 17): everlasting; eternal 43. craving (Para 17): strong desire 44. curse (Para 17): problem 45. the beck and call (Para 18): the demand 46. infernal (Para 19): terrible 47. fiasco (Para 19): complete failure 48. polish off (Para 19): finish quickly 49. ring down the curtain on (Para 20): bring an end to 50. measure up to (Para 20): also measure up with: match with 51. simmer (Para 20): cook gently 52. comestibles (Para 20): foods 53. mediocrity (Para 22): food of low quality; a man of undistinguished ability 54. hog (Para 22): pig 55. faceless (Para 23): featureless 56. attributes (Para 23): qualities 57. amount to (Para 24): be equal to; add up to IV. Questions for Discussion 1. In what ways does the author think science and economics have spoiled American food? (The author thinks science and economics have spoiled American food in that they are after “durability”, “shippability” and reduction of cost at the expense of food quality.) 2. What does the author suppose are the consequences of Americans as a nation eating standardized tasteless food? (The author supposes the consequences of Americans as a nation eating standardized tasteless food are overweight of Americans and their loss of individuality, that is, difference from each other.) 3. Why do you think the author points out at the very beginning that his own education was scientific and draws distinction between “science” (Para 1) and “what is called science” (Para 5)? (The author points out at the very beginning that his own education was scientific and draws distinction between “science” and “what is called science” because it is advantageous for him to point out his love for science at the very beginning. He cannot afford to give the reader the impression from the title that he is opposing science. What he opposes, as is made clear in Para 5, is “what is so called” science. This distinction is important for otherwise his essay would be weightless from the outset.) V. Exercises A. Fill in the blank in each sentence with the best word or expression from the box below, changing its form when necessary: take effect put off on the spot measure up to take to make a confession ring down the curtain with the result suckle oneself be well on the way amount to in the best sense 1. An honest person never ____________ stealing even when he falls into financial difficulties. 2. The suspect committed suicide, which ____________ a confession of guilt. 3. With an MBA degree and two years? job experience, he ____________ to becoming a successful sales manager. 4. The president said proudly, “Although our company doesn?t ____________ Ford in size, we are more profitable.” 5. The contract will ____________ once it is signed by both parties. 6. When Jerry ruined an important machine, his boss fired him ____________. 7. He ____________ a great deal on ancient Chinese literature before becoming a writer himself. 8. He retired at the age of 65, ____________ on a distinguished career. (Key: 1. takes to 2. amounts to 3. is well on the way 4. measure up to 5. take effect 6. on the spot 7. suckled himself 8. ringing down the curtain) B. Choose the right word or expression in the brackets to complete each of the following sentences: 1. Don?t (put down, put off) him by his appearance; he is actually quite a charming person. 2. At the seminar some scientists discussed heroic new experiments on the (intact, innate) human heart. 3. We (contribute, attribute) Edison?s success to intelligence and hard work. 4. A wise man (preserves, reserves) some money for use in rainy days. 5. The reckless driver got his just (deserts, desserts) when his driver?s license was suspended. 6. The captain (demanded, commanded) the soldiers to fire. 7. The photos sent back from the satellite support the (theory, hypothesis) that possibly there is life on Mars. 8. There is some (resemblance, similarity) between the accounts of the fire, but all the important details are different. (Key: 1. put down 2. intact 3. attribute 4. reserves 5. deserts 6. commanded 7. hypothesis 8. similarity) C. Choose the right word from the box given below for each blank: invitation business gathering integral guests exchange parties relations who have care impress used allow members go backgrounds lumber affairs turn few see heard in by with courted ask calls influence 7. Social Parties in Washington Like New York, where a party or dinner often mixes business with pleasure, a Washington party is an (1) ________ part of the business of politics, the (2) ________ of making important connections. Some Washington (3) ________ have a social aura about them, depending on (4) ________ gives them and who is there, but most parties are virtually open-house (5) ________, with the hosts not knowing most of the (6) _________ who are there. I went to a (7) ________ of these parties because I wanted to (8) ________ the inside of some of the Washington mansions I had (9) ________ so much about. Almost invariably during the evening some man would (10) ________ to me and say: “Good to see you again, Ed.” The name varied. I?d say: “I?m Bob.” “Of course, Bob Twillingham, isn?t is?” “Bob Winter-Berger.” “Of course, I?m sorry. Well, Bob, how?s the (11) ________ business these days?” “I?m in public (12) ________.” “Oh, really? That must be interesting.” Such a typical (13) ________ clearly demonstrates “a (14) ________ of friends” according to Washington party standards. You don?t even need an (15) ________ to attend many Washington parties. You just (16) ________ to know about them. No Washington hostess would (17) ________ a servant or a security guard (18) ________ black tie to ask you who you were. Most of the bigger parties, those (19) ________ 300 or 400 guests, are given to (20) ________ somebody, and Washingtonians are easily impressed. Most (21) ________ of the Congress, for example, come from middle-class (22) ________ in smaller communities across the country. They are dazzled (23) ________ money. They are dazzled by big names. Being (24) ________ by any of Washington?s famous hostesses is a heady experience for them. When the hostess (25) ________ them from time to time (and trier time) to (26) ________ their vote on a certain matter or (27) ________ them to hurry certain documentation through a government agency, they (28) ________ along with her because she is a friend and they have no idea that they are being (29) ________ --- or they don?t (30) ________ if they are. (Key: 1. integral 2. business 3. parties 4. who 5. affairs 6. guests 7. few 8. see 9. heard 10. turn 11. lumber 12. relations 13. exchange 14. gathering 15. invitation 16. have 17. allow 18. in 19. with 20. impress 21. members 22. backgrounds 23. by 24. courted 25. calls 26. influence 27. asks 28. go 29. used 30. care) Lesson 8 I’ll Never Escape the Ghetto I. Introduction This is an autobiographical account of the author, a black scholar. Unlike other talented blacks, the author, with eight years of higher education both at home and abroad, has chosen to work in his home ghetto and is determined to strive for the common interests of all blacks. Why has he made such a choice? His desire to do something supposedly impossible is one reason, as he says. But for the most part, this is due to his pride as a black, his “affectionate ties” to Watts and his realization that his individual success is merely “embarrassing emptiness” if it is not part of the progress of all blacks. He was not born with such a realization. As he explains, the ghetto riots had a decisive influence on his outlook. His purpose is, of course, not just to explain why he will never escape the ghetto. While pointing out the significance of the ghetto problem in America, he is in fact calling on all other talented blacks to do the same. This is because, as he says, talent and leadership are the very things the ghetto needs most today. II. Organization of the Text 1. Author?s first reason to work in his home ghetto (Paragraph 1) He is a native from the ghetto. 2. Author?s second reason to work in his home ghetto (Paragraphs 2-7) He wants to do something supposedly impossible. 3. The weakening of his desire to work in his home ghetto (Paragraphs 8-11) His desire had been weakened for some time as he felt it too difficult to live with the social disgrace of coming from Watts. 4. The decisive influence of the two years at Oxford and the ghetto riots on his world outlook (Paragraphs 12-19) He realized that he could not break his ties with Watts and that his individual success is merely “embarrassing emptiness” if it is not part of the progress of all blacks. 5. Author?s other reasons to work in his home ghetto (Paragraphs 20-29) ? His realization that the problem of the black ghetto is the key problem of the last third of the 20th century and that there is no future of all blacks without a future for the black ghetto. ? His affectionate ties to Watts. ? His logical ties to Watts. ? His awareness that talent and leadership are the very things the ghetto needs most today. III. Key Words and Expressions 1. credentials (Para 1): evidence; proof 2. retraction (Para 2): moving backward 3. deliverance (Para 2): an act of saving from danger 4. transient (Para 2): temporary 5. have a firm hold on (Para 3): have a strong influence on 6. underscore (Para3): also underline: emphasize; stress 7. be antithetical to (Para 6): be directly opposed to 8. in droves (Para 6): in huge crowds 9. intrigue (Para 7) : attract; interest 10. pattern (Para 7): example; model 11. exodus (Para 8): escape 12. resort to (Para 9): make use of; turn to … for help 13. stigma (Para 9): a sign of shame; a sign of disgrace 14. matter (Para 10): be important 15. epochal conflagration (Para 11): a big fire of great historic significance 16. influx (Para 13): inflow 17. come down (Para 13): be considered less worthy 18. traumatic (Para 15): emotionally shocking 19. jolt (Para 15): shock up 20. archetype (Para 16): model; example 21. emulate (Para 16): copy; imitate 22. parallel (Para 18): comparison 23. bootstrap effort (Para 18): self-reliant effort 24. comport with (Para 18): accord with; agree with 25. shatter (Para 18): ruin; wreck; destroy 26. hail … as (Para 18): recognize … as something good 27. pay lip service to (Para 18): give oral support to without deeds 28. shibboleth (Para18): clichés 29. identify with (Para 18): feel that one shares something with 30. a spate of (Para 19): a large number or amount of 31. momentous (Para 19): great; important 32. militancy (Para 19): fighting spirit 33. fulmination (Para 19): condemnation 34. be struck by (Para 20): be affected by 35. phenomenal (Para 21): unusual 36. vicious (Para 22): cruel 37. contrived (Para 23): unnatural and forced 38. in the throes of (Para 24): in the painful struggles of 39. pointless (Para 24): meaningless 40. spouting (Para 24): high-sounding speech 41. indigenous (Para 25): native 42. personal journal (Para 25): diary 43. watershed (Para 26): dividing line 44. reach (Para 26): scope; domain; sphere 45. province (Para 26): scope; domain; sphere 46. vulnerable (Para 27): easily harmed, hurt or wounded 47. sour (Para 27): disappointing 48. diminish (Para 29): become to see small or unimportant 49. stake (Para 29): risk IV. Questions for Discussion 1. What made the author choose his career in Watts? (As for the answer, see Organization of the Text.) 2. What have you learned about the struggle of American blacks in the 1960s? (The 1960s was a time when the black people awakened from their dormancy in the face of racial discrimination and segregation. Led by such famous civil rights movement leaders as Martin Luther King, they were actively involved in the struggles against racial discrimination. They began to realize their own power and regain their self-esteem. Their effort greatly improved their status in the American society.) V. Exercises A. Fill in the blank in each sentence with the best word or expression from the box below, changing its form when necessary: comport indifference simplify dependent on influx transient emulate mentality underscore enroll parallel watershed 1. These young people are trying to ____________ the modernist art of the 20th century. 2. Your pay is ____________ how much you produce in a month. 3. An increasing number of students have been ____________ in the business administration class. 4. The peace-keeping forces adopted an attitude of total ____________ to the killing and looting of the mobs. 5. The open-door policy has brought a huge ____________ of tourists to China. 6. Shakespeare?s success in dramas has no ____________. 7. The old generation finds it hard to understand the ____________ of the young people who would admire pop singers more than distinguished scientists. 8. You have to ____________ the theory of English grammar to these beginners. (Key: 1. emulate 2. dependent on 3. enrolled 4. indifference 5. influx 6. parallel 7. mentality 8. simplify) B. Choose the right word or expression in the brackets to complete each of the following sentences: 1. Western businessmen come in (droves, groups) to invest in light industry in China. 2. The assassination of Martin Luther King did not quench the civil rights movement. It made the black leaders more (war-like, militant). 3. It is not (customary, habitual) in South China to eat dumplings on Lunar New Year?s Eve. 4. These certificates and awards are enough to (prove, qualify) him as an excellent engineer. 5. The boss (demonstrated, manifested) a total indifference to the safety of the workers. 6. Just (follow, obey) his instructions and you will succeed. 7. The commander-in-chief (was thinking of, was reflecting on) a massive frontal attack against the enemy. 8. It is a (regrettable, regretful) fact that our health declines as we grow old. (Key: 1. droves 2. militant 3. customary 4. qualify 5. manifested 6. follow 7. was thinking of 8. regrettable) C. Choose the right word from the box given below for each blank: for far categories foods once hotels from into to materials for and it however as 8. Healthy Food Street sellers, particularly in developing countries, supply large amounts of food (1) ________ people on low incomes. This sector also employs some 6 to 25% of the work force, mainly women, in developing countries, and provides markets for agricultural and other produce. In many countries, (2) ________, the authorities are not willing to recognize it (3) ________ a formal sector of the food supply system, they may ignore it in food control programs or even try to put an end to (4) ________. There are two possible contaminants: pathogenic micro-organisms (5) ________ hazardous chemicals. As (6) ________ as micro-organisms are concerned, there is apparently no convincing evidence that street foods are more involved in the transmission of infection than foods obtained in, for example, hotels. Studies in Egypt and elsewhere have found street foods to compare not unfavorably with hotel (7) ________ in respect of contamination with micro-organisms --- some street foods were found to be contaminated with pathogens, but so were foods from four-and-five-star (8) ________ in the same area. Hazardous chemicals have been found in street foods, and food exposed for sale on roadsides may become contaminated by lead form vehicle exhausts. Health dangers may arise (9) ________: purchase of raw (10) ________ of poor quality; improper storage, processing, and cooking, leading (11) ________ reuse of water; limited piped drinking-water; lack of refrigeration; unsatisfactory waste-disposal facilities; and personal cleanliness. The authorities should take (12) ________ account the potentials of different categories of food for transmitting disease, and should control appropriately for the different (13) ________ --- sellers of bottled drinks require less control than those of food. Dry foodstuff, dried grains, and sugared foods are less likely to transmit disease than gravies, cooked rice, and low-acid milk, egg, and meat products. Similarly foods which are thoroughly cooked and eaten at (14) ________ are safer than precooked food kept at high temperatures (15) ________ several hours. (Key: 1. for 2. however 3. as 4. it 5. and 6. far 7. foods 8. hotels 9. from 10. materials 11. to 12. into 13. categories 14. once 15. for) Lesson 9 Vivisection I. Introduction The author first deals with the basis for a rational discussion of vivisection. In the first paragraph he argues why it is irrational to discuss vivisection in terms of sentimentality. Then in the second and third paragraphs he points out that the whole discussion can only be based on the assumption that pain is an evil. This does not mean that pain should never be inflicted. However, it requires justification when it is inflicted for a good purpose. This leads to his comments on how the Christian and naturalistic vivisectionists defend vivisection. He argues that the Christian defenders? statement that animals “have no souls” is in fact an argument against vivisection instead of for vivisection. Their defense lies in the superiority of man over beast as is guaranteed in the Revelation (a Book in the Bible). As for the naturalistic vivisectionists, the author analyses their defense as simply a sentiment of loyalty to our species. It is this sentiment that leads to the most sinister thing about modern vivisection --- the persecution of men of another race, class, party or religion, which he is strongly opposed to. Is the author for or against vivisection? Basically, he sides with anti-vivisectionists. But as far as vivisection of animals is concerned, he shows a certain degree of permissiveness. If the Christian defender vivisects with care “on grounds of our real, divinely ordained, superiority”, “we can respect his point of view”. (Para. 6) Even if the author has great scorn for naturalistic vivisectors, he still says, “It may be natural to have this loyalty to our own species.” What he vehemently opposed is the persecution of man, either in laboratories or in war. This advance in the triumph of ruthless, non-moral utilitarianism is too great a tragedy and must be opposed. II. Organization of the Text 1. The basis for a rational discussion of vivisection (Paragraphs 1 – 3) 2. Comments on how the Christian and naturalistic vivisectionists defend vivisection (Paragraphs 4 – 7) ? Transitional paragraph (Paragraph 4) ? The Christian vivisectionists? defense: (Paragraphs 5 – 6) A. Animals have no souls. B. We are worth more than many sparrows. ? The naturalistic vivisectionists? defense: (Paragraph 7) We should be loyal to our own species. 3. The most sinister thing about modern vivisection (Paragraphs 8-10) 4. What we can do at present (Paragraph 11) III. Key Words and Expressions 1. lie open to (Para 1): be vulnerable to 2. address to (Para 1): direct to 3. fall (Para 2): lose the argument 4. laudable (Para 3): praiseworthy 5. reformatory punishment (Para 3): just punishment; punishment intended to reform a convicted criminal 6. be entitled to (Para 5): be qualified to; have the right to 7. discipline (Para 5): punishment 8. recompense (Para 5): compensate 9. render (Para 5): make 10. conform to (Para 6): act in accordance with 11. formulate (Para 6): express in short clear terms 12. consist in (Para 6): subsist in; be found in; lie in 13. come up against (Para 7): meet with 14. stand in the way of (Para 7): block 15. at bottom (Para 7): in nature 16. cut from under one?s feet (Para 7): destroy in advance 17. sinister (Para 8): threatening 18. back (Para 8): support 19. stamp (Para 9): label 20. crank (Para 9): odd person 21. count (Para 9): consider 22. relate (Para 9): tell 23. suffer (Para 9): allow 24. symptomatic (Para 10): symbolic; indicative 25. abide by (Para 10): act in accordance with IV. Questions for Discussion 1. How do Christian and naturalistic vivisectionists differ in defending vivisection? Does the author think their arguments are rational? (The Christian vivisectionists defend vivisection on the bases that “animals have no souls” and that we are “worth more than many sparrows”; the naturalistic vivisectionists defend their position by holding that “we should be loyal to our own species”. The author doesn’t think their arguments are rational.) 2. What does the author think is most sinister about modern vivisection? (He thinks the most sinister thing about modern vivisection is the naturalistic vivisections’ argument that we should be loyal to our own species, for it will lead to the persecution of man by man, class by class, one party by another and one country by another.) 3. Do you share the author?s attitude towards vivisection? (An open question with its answer omitted.) V. Exercise Choose the right word from the box given below for each blank: way which stir up unable message prevents it likely Moreover of 9. Word The first and smallest unit that can be discussed in relation to language is the word. In speaking, the choice of words is (1) ________ the utmost importance. Proper selection will eliminate one source of (2) ________ breakdown in the communication cycle. Too often, careless use of words (3) ________ a meeting of the minds of the speaker and listener. The words used by the speaker may (4) ________ unfavorable reactions in the listener (5) ________ interfere with his comprehension; hence, the transmission-reception system breaks down. (6) ________, inaccurate or indefinite words may make (7) ________ difficult for the listener to understand the (8) ________ which is being transmitted to him. The speaker who does not have specific words in his working vocabulary may be (9) ________ to explain or describe in a (10) ________ that can be understood by his listeners. (Key: 1. of 2. likely 3. prevents 4. stir up 5. which 6. Moreover 7. it 8. message 9. unable 10. way) Lesson 10 On Human Nature and Politics I. Introduction Bertrand Russell rounds up four motives that result in political activities. They are acquisitiveness, rivalry, vanity and love of power. He thinks man?s desire to own as much as possible stems not only from his fear of poverty and hunger but form his primeval instinct to possess the essentials. Man?s need to vie for supremacy, he argues, is a much stronger motive as it tends to bring about war and ruin. Of all these motives, man?s desire for power over others, he believes, is the most influential because it increases steadily with a person?s age and experience in exercising power. To these four, Russell adds man?s love of excitement as a way to kill boredom. Though often considered less fundamental, this last motive is just as important because, if misguided, it is apt to arouse man?s destructive instinct. The article denounce the dark side of human nature and politics in a humorous, witty, and caustic satire. II. Organization of the Text 1. Four motives to political events (Paragraph 1) 2. Detailed discussion of the four motives (Paragraphs 2 – 6) ? Acquisitiveness (Paragraphs 2 – 3) ? Rivalry (Paragraph 4) ? Vanity (Paragraph 5) ? Love of power (Paragraph 6) 3. Love of excitement (Paragraphs 7-15) ? Transitional paragraph (Paragraph 7) ? Examples of love of excitement (Paragraphs 8 – 10) ? Cause of love of excitement (Paragraphs 11 – 12) ? Neglect of love of excitement (Paragraph 13) ? Solution to love of excitement (Paragraphs 14 – 15) III. Key Words and Expressions 1. so to speak (Para 1): as one might say 2. gratify (Para 1): satisfy 3. for the most part (Para 1): mostly; usually 4. sparingly (Para 1): frugally; economically 5. on that account (Para 1): because of that 6. viands (Para 1): food 7. title (Para 2): right 8. befriend (Para 3): treat friendly 9. hoard (Para 3): store in huge amounts 10. come to grief (Para 4): also “be brought to grief” and “come to failure”: be destroyed, damaged, etc.; meet with accident or failure 11. naval review (Para 4): a grand show of the navy 12. thereby (Para 4): by that means 13. potency (Para 5): power 14. antic (Para 5: strange and unusual behavior 15. buffoonery (Para 5): silly awkward behavior of a buffoon 16. posthumous fame (Para 5): fame coming after death 17. repent of (Para 5): feel sorry about 18. immortal (Para 5): imperishable; everlasting 19. relate (Para 5): tell 20. absolution (Para 5): forgiveness; pardon; remission of sin 21. condemned murderer (Para 5): a murderer who has been sentenced to death penalty 22. meager (Para 5): insufficient 23. potentate (Para 5): ruler 24. impiety (Para 5): irreverence 25. attribute … to … (Para 5): ascribe … to …; assign … to …; declare something to belong to 26. avid (Para 5): eager; keen 27. short of (Para 6): except 28. omnipotence (Para 6): all-power; limitless power 29. a host of (Para 6): a large number of 30. exercise (Para 6): use; utilize 31. domestic (Para 6): a house maid 32. actuate (Para 6): drive; propel; motivate 33. despot (Para 6): tyrant 34. decry (Para 6): speak ill of 35. pernicious (Para 6): harmful 36. rudiment (Para 7): elementary part 37. the light of Gospel (Para 8): the enlightenment of the Bible 38. orgiastically (Para 9): vigorously 39. stir up (Para 9): arouse 40. populace (Para 10): common people 41. stalk (Para 11): hunt by following quietly and staying hidden 42. carcase (Para 11): dead body 43. dress (Para 11): cut open an animal and wash it clean 44. nook and cranny (Para 11): corner 45. take to (Para 11): begin; start 46. vanity (Para 11): emptiness 47. hereafter (Para 11): in the future 48. suffice (Para 12): be enough; be sufficient 49. strenuous (Para 12): exhausting 50. cheer to the echo (Para 12): cheer long and loudly 51. bellicosity (Para 12): war-fondness; belligerence 52. innocent outlet (Para 12): harmless way 53. grave (Para 13): serious; solemn 54. be at hand (Para 14): be available 55. tame (Para 15): gentle 56. descend (Para 15): go down 57. fragile (Para 15): weak; easily broken 58. be condemned to (Para 15): be punished with IV. Questions for Discussion 1. The author thinks that acquisitiveness is the mainspring of the capitalist system. Comment on this. (It is quite true that acquisitiveness is the mainspring of the capitalist system. The capitalists are driven by the desire for more and more profits to invest their money. This explains why they are indifferent to the deterioration of environment and are drawn to risk their money in underdeveloped countries.) 2. Do you agree that love of power is by far the strongest motive in the lives of important men? (An open question with its answer omitted.) 3. What is the suggested purpose of artificial waterfalls? (They are suggested to provide a means for people to use up their surplus energy so that they will not have love of excitement.) V. Exercises A. Fill in the blank in each sentence with the best word or expression from the box below, changing its form when necessary: advocate elude repent attribute inhale rudiment contented insatiable suffice deceive outlet utter 1. Martin Luther King ________ non-violent civil rights movement. . He ________ a lot of air before diving into the water. 2 3. I had my breakfast two hours ago, a light lunch will ________. 4. After parting with her he began to ________ what he had done to his wife. 5. Enduring great pain the wounded soldier never ________ a groan. 6. The employer ________ the illiterate country boys and girls into signing the contract of low-pay employment. 7. He felt ________ to live a simple and lonely life in that remote village. 8. The old professor has a(n) ________ love for Peking Opera. (Key: 1. advocated 2. inhaled 3. suffice 4. repent 5. uttered 6. deceived 7. contented 8. insatiable) B. Circle the right word or expression from the brackets in each of the following sentences: 1. There is a long history of (hostility, rivalry) between Cambridge and Oxford. 2. His (greed, acquisitiveness) drove him to (keep, hoard) more food than he needed. 3. On her deathbed she told her children that she had nothing to (repent of, regret). 4. A(n) (immense, great) amount of money has been put into building the dam to control the river. 5. Crop rotation has prevented the soil from (poverty, impoverishment). 6. It is a very monotonous and (tiresome, tiring) job to be on watch the whole night. 7. I (obtain, derive) great pleasure from making new friends. 8. The (victorious, triumphant) women football team made a (victorious, triumphant) return to China. (Key: 1. rivalry 2. acquisitiveness; hoard 3. repent of 4. immense 5. impoverishment 6. tiresome 7. derive 8. victorious; triumphant) C. Choose the right word from the box given below for each blank: wording produce refers to expected either information previous commands alternative leave traced process origin potential physical components debugged alleviates available severe 10. Bug We often hear the (1) ________ “Bug” while using computers. But what is a bug? In computer science, a bug (2) ________ an error in software or hardware. In software, a bug is an error in coding or logic that causes a program to malfunction or to (3) ________ incorrect results. Minor bugs, for example, a cursor that does not behave as (4) ________ --- can be inconvenient or frustrating, but not damaging to (5) ________. More severe bugs can cause a program to “hang” (stop responding to (6) ________ and might (7) ________ the user with no (8) ________ but to restart the program, losing whatever (9) ________ work had not been saved. In (10) ________ case, the programmer must find and correct the error by the (11) ________ known as debugging. Because of the (12) ________ risk to important data, commercial application programs are tested and (13) ________ as completely as possible before release. Minor bugs found after the program becomes (14) ________ are corrected in the next update; more (15) ________ bugs can sometimes be fixed with special software, called patches, that circumvents or otherwise (16) ________ its effects. In hardware, a bug is a recurring (17) ________ problem that prevents a system or set of (18) ________ from working together properly. The (19) ________ of the term reputedly goes back to the early days of computing, when a hardware problem in a computer at Harvard University was (20) ________ to a moth caught between the contacts of a replay in the machine. (Key: 1. wording 2. refers to 3. produce 4. expected 5. information 6. commands 7. leave 8. alternative 9. previous 10. either 11. process 12. potential 13. debugged 14. available 15. severe 16. alleviates 17. physical 18. components 19. origin 20. traced) Lesson 11 Is America Falling Apart? I. Introduction At the time the article was written during the 1970?s America was undergoing a period of social unrest next to the Great Depression (1930;s) in gravity. The author voices his bitter criticism toward consumption, service, education, American youth, social security, the Vietnam War and politics. He is not to imply that America is falling apart but rather to tell the Americans who have a guilty conscience and suffer from a neurotic despair that a sense of sin is always admirable, though it must not be allowed to become neurotic, for America is still a country more stimulating than depressing. The author also points out that the American young must not be taken as guides and the guides, as always, lie among the writers and artists. What the Americans should do right now is to demand from their government the provision of adequate state pensions and sickness benefits as well as nationalized transport. II. Organization of the Text 1. Different reaction to social unrest of American and Italian people (Paragraphs 1 – 3) 2. Specific problems in the U.S. (Paragraphs 4 – 8) ? Consumption (Paragraph 4) ? Lack of public transport (Paragraph 5) ? Decay of service in general (Paragraph 6) ? Pollution caused by consumption (Paragraph 7) ? Solution: a certain degree of public ownership (Paragraph 8) 3. Philosophical problems in the U.S. (Paragraphs 9 – 11) ? Uncreativeness of teachers and absence of the values of past from education (Paragraphs 9 – 10) ? Solution: introduction of values of past in education (Paragraph 11) 4. Constitutional problems (Paragraphs 12 – 15) Outdatedness of American constitution 5. Political problems (Paragraphs 16 – 20) ? The misguided American young (Paragraphs 16 – 17) ? The brutality of police (Paragraph 18) ? Problem of timocracy (Paragraphs 19 – 20) III. Key Words and Expressions 1.a castellated town (Para 1): a town built in the style of a castle 2. at the drop of a cappello (Para 1): on the slightest pretext or excuse 3. rump (Para 1): (humorous)(of human being) bottom 4. shrink (Para 1): depreciate 5. go through (Para 2): perform 6. luscious with esculent color (Para 2): full of delicious fruits and vegetables in mouthwatering color 7. rerun (Para 2): reshow 8. manifold (Para 2): many in kind or number 9. wrest (Para 2): obtain with difficulty 10. cognate with (Para 2): have the same source of origin as 11. draw (Para 3): produce or allow a current of air 12. come apart at the seams (Para 3): also fall / break apart at the seams: (informal) become ruined or fall into a bad mental state; fail completely; be ruined; fall into a worse condition 13. metaphysic (Para 5): principle 14. redemptive grace (Para 7): willingness to compensate 15. anachronistic (Para 8): lagging behind the time; out of date 16. unviable (Para 8): impractical 17. pay one?s way (Para 8): (informal) pay for one?s own needs or share without getting into debt 18. spring from (Para 8): arise from 19. supererogatory (Para 9): beyond one?s power 20. impinge on (Para 9): have an important effect on 21. on the level of (Para 9): in the aspect of; in connection with 22. primer (Para 9): a simple beginner?s book 23. in consequence (Para 10): as a consequence; as a result 24. give the lie to (Para 11): show something to be wrong; prove something untrue 25. settle to (Para 12): bring .. to an agreement 26. liquefied (Para 12): collapsed 27. take on (Para 13): accept 28. smite (Para 13): beat 29. rapine (Para 14): plunder 30. explain away (Para 14): account or give an excuse for something wrong in order to avoid blame 31. subject to (Para 15): under the control of 32. live with (Para 15): accept something unpleasant 33. grimly (Para 15): cruelly 34. well-meaning (Para 16): well-intentioned 35. come through (Para 18): continue to live after something dangerous 36. diffident (Para 20): lack of confidence 37. at a stretch (Para 21): without stopping 38. apocalyptical (Para 21): enlightening 39. brave (Para 21): meet … without showing fear 40. on the scene (Para 21): present IV. Questions for Discussion 1. In what areas and to what extend is America falling apart? (Consult Organization of the Text.) 2. How do Americans feel about their country falling apart? Why do they feel so? (They are suffering from a neurotic despair for their country’s falling apart because they are not psychologically unprepared for one thing to go wrong and now everything seems to go wrong.) 3. Why does the author think that the guides for Americans are not the young but the writers and artists? (Because the young themselves are misguided in thinking the evils lie with the adults and they are free from those evils.) 4. What is the author?s purpose of writing this article? (He is not to imply that America is falling apart but rather to tell the Americans who have a guilty conscience and suffer from a neurotic despair that a sense of sin is always admirable, though it must not be allowed to become neurotic, for America is still a country more stimulating than depressing. His purpose is to boost up American people’s morale and work together to solve the existing problems.) V. Exercises A. Fill in the blank in each sentence with the best word or expression from the box below, changing its form when necessary: have the grace callous luscious at the seams choke in terms of available to self-contained repentance acquisition subject to neurotic 1. Their clever plan came apart ________ when the government changed the tax laws. 2. The smoke from the burning building almost ________ the fireman to death. 3. I have never seen such an impolite man before. He shouted insults at me before my friends and yet he did not even ________ to apologize. 4. The corporate policy cannot be criticized ________ consumer satisfaction. 5. He is a rather silent, ________ man when with strangers. wages should ________ changes in the 6. The company and the union agreed that the workers? cost of living. 7. We were shocked at their ________ slaughter of dozens of elephants. 8. He showed deep ________ for his wrongdoing, hoping to get a lighter punishment. (Key: 1. at the seams 2. choked 3. have the grace 4. in terms of 5. self-contained 6. subject to 7. callous 8. repentance) B. Circle the right word or expression from the brackets in each of the following sentences: 1. In spite of his weakness his (rugged, dogged) determination helped him to win the race. 2. The time between two distinct periods of history, art, or literature is called a period of (transmission, transition). 3. Unaware of the truth, thousands of people gathered there, (clamoring, glamorizing) for legal recognition of their organization. 4. (Accusation, Condemnation) of the bombing of the embassy went swiftly across the country. 5. The speaker went on reading his prepared speech without a (consciousness, conscientiousness) that the audience is already getting bored. 6. The death of their lovely daughter landed them in great (ecstasy, anguish). 7. A teacher should not be (segmental, partial) to any of his students. 8. The restaurant is small but cozy with an (amenity, ambience) of ease, friendliness, and elegance. (Key: 1. dogged 2. transition 3. clamoring 4. Condemnation 5. consciousness 6. anguish 7. partial 8. ambience) C. Choose the right word from the box given below for each blank: flexibility for sophistication come represents decline booming in stretch commitment 11. Potentials for a Ph. D. After deciding on a specific area of advanced study, prospective students must resolve whether to aim (1) ________ a master?s or a Ph. D. Given the accelerating complexity of what an engineer must know, many employers have (2) ________ to regard a master?s degree as minimum training. Therefore, the typical two years required to earn an M.S. (3) ________ a useful investment of time, energy and money. Enrolling (4) ________ a doctoral program --- which could (5) ________ out for several years --- involves a much greater (6) ________ of time and the loss of the opportunity to earn a pay-check, not to mention considerably greater risk of unemployment. A specialty that is (7) when a student sets off on road toward a Ph. D. could be in (8) ________ by the time that individual graduates. Still, earning a doctorate can lead to jobs that have a research focus and require a very high level of (9) ________. The doctoral degree can also offer greater professional (10) ________, as Collin Hitchcock realizes. Hitchcock, 27, is in a Ph. D. program in electrical, computer, and systems engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N. Y. His research project: studying semiconductors in solar cells. “There probably won?t be a lot of jobs doing research with solar cells when I graduate, but I could shift gears to other kinds of semiconductors,” says Hitchcock. (Key: 1. for 2. come 3. represents 4. in 5. stretch 6. commitment 7. booming 8. decline 9. sophistication 10. flexibility) Lesson 12 The Everlasting Witness I. Introduction The story depicts an American mother who came down to Mexico to track down a war newsreel about American POWs in Vietnam and finally confirmed that the youth in the newsreel was no other than his son Jerry, who was missing in action in a mission. Now Jerry had turned out to be an idiot. The author seems to try to convey the idea that war means more than killing and blood-shedding but also lasting bitterness to the soldiers? loved ones, especially their mothers. The story reveals the true meaning of human misfortune and friendship. II. Organization of the Text 1. The recent flashback: how Marian had found the night before the three cinemas that were showing the war newsreel (Paragraphs 1 – 4) 2. The earlier flashback: what had happened to her son Jerry, how she had chanced upon the newsreel which her son was probably in, and why she was visiting her sister in Mexico (Paragraphs 5 – 17) 3. The actual search of the newsreel and the result of the search (Paragraphs 18 – 44) III. Key Words and Expressions 1. a thousand and one (Para 1): a great number of 2. felicitous (Para 1): merry 3. serenely (Para 1): calmly 4. funnies (Para 1): comic strips 5. mark (Para 1): character 6. ordered (Para 1): regular 7. untouched (Para 2): unaffected 8. smattering (Para 3): small amount 9. golden Mexican voice (Para 3): sonorous (loud and clear) Mexican voice 10. equanimity (Para 3): mental calmness 11. miss in action (Para 5): miss in fighting 12. retroactive (Para 5): (especially of a law) having effect on the past as well as on the future, e.g.: a retroactive pay increase 补发增加的工资 13. the rubbled dying (Para 6): the dying lying on the rubbles (broken stones or bricks) 14. ebb (Para 6): also ebb tide: the flow of the sea away from the shore 落潮～退潮,compare rising (flood) tide: the flow of the tide inward 15. indolent (Para 7): lazy 16. palpable (Para 7): obvious; noticeable 17. bemused (Para 8): dumb 18. albeit (Para 8): even though; although 19. loll against (Para 8): lean lazily against 20. make out (Para 15): pretend 21. fortnight (Para 17): two weeks 22. traffic circle (AmE) (Para 17): roundabout (BrE) 23. marshal (Para 21): arrange in good or correct order 24. blatant (Para 22): offensively noticeable 25. unshriven (Para 22): from shrive (shrove, shriven): to repent of 26. curb (Para 23): roadside 27. all of an idiot (Para 25): a complete idiot 28. veer (Para 25): turn or change directions 29. fumble (Para 25): move the fingers or hands awkwardly in search of 30. disapproval (Para 27): reproach 31. costume picture (Para 33): a film in which the actors wear historical clothes 32. top hat (Para 33): a man?s tall silk hat, especially worn on formal occasions 33. whittle away (Para 35): cut wood to smaller size by taking off small thin pieces continuously 34. stubble (Para 35): short beard 35. keep back (Para 35): withhold 36. blank (Para 37): expressionless 37. pluck (Para 40): pull sharply 38. entwine (Para 40): twist together 39. caress (Para 42): a light tender touch or kiss showing one?s love for someone 40. double over (Para 44): fold in half 41. abandon (Para 44): hand down without control IV. Questions for Discussion 1. Does Marian seem ot have typical “mother?s feelings”? Indicate passages that illustrate this. (Paragraphs 6, 15, 20, 35, 37, and 44) 2. Why did Marian go to the flower stall to buy the flowers? What is the significance of the flowers? (Marian went to the flower stand to buy the flowers because she was mentally prepared for her son’ death and the flowers were used as a symbol to commemorate her presumed dead son.) 3. Was she really trying to carry out her plan by herself? Why? (No, because she didn’t know Spanish and was unfamiliar with the city. Actually she needed the help from her sister and brother-in-law very much. It is because she did not want to let her sister know that she was searching the war news reel that she decided to carry out her plan by herself.) V. Exercises A. Fill in the blank in each sentence with the best word or expression from the box below, changing its form when necessary: justify miss pertinent unconscious of play up to bloat pluck at fumble accomplish entwine enunciate drown 1. Radio announcers must ________ words clearly. 2. There appeared at the door a fat, ugly man ________ with overeating. 3. The general walked straight on totally ________ being followed by the spy. 4. He laughed and shouted, trying to ________ his sorrow in excitement. 5. Don?t ________ the loose threads of your coat. Use a pair of scissors to cut them off. 6. The policemen informed the parents that their ________ child had been found 7. The father ________ his arm in his son?s and off they went like two good friends. 8. The traffic policeman waited patiently while the drunken driver ________ in his pocket for his driver?s license. (Key: 1. enunciate 2. bloated 3. unconscious of 4. drown 5. pluck at 6. missing 7. entwined 8. was fumbling) B. Circle the right word or expression from the brackets in each of the following sentences: 1. She fell down and injured her ankle badly. Sitting there, she (grimaced, made a face) from the pain. 2. When we were 5 miles short of New York, we got a flat tyre, and the car (trembled, jerked) to a stop. 3. Fred gave his father a special Christmas present --- he (milked, nursed) all the cows for him on Christmas morning. 4. The bank loaned the store money to get it back (to its feet, on its feet) after the fire. 5. The teacher said that if we believed something was true and good we should (hold on, hold on to) it. 6. The coach (played up, played up to) the possibilities, and kept our minds off our weaknesses. 7. After he won the championship, he was (burdened, loaded) with a lot of honors. 8. In 1972, he published his first book (devoted, dedicated) to his respected Professor David Lawrence. (Key: 1. grimaced 2. jerked 3. milked 4. on its feet 5. hold on to 6. played up 7. loaded 8. dedicated) C. Choose the right word from the box given below for each blank: when exhibits other dies During corps In spite of makes up inferred intriguing 12. Halley?s Comet Halley?s comet has become the best observed comet in history, but the information that has been gathered is only the beginning of what is needed to understand this comet, one of the most primitive bodies in the solar system. (1) ________ the recent appearance of Halley?s comet, a research (2) ________ of over 1,000 professional astronomers (3) ________ data around the world. The data revealed (4) ________ new information. For the first time ever, European and Russian spacecraft have photographed the comet?s nucleus. The photographs now show the mass of dirty ice and gas that (5) ________ the comet?s center. (6) ________ close-up photos revealing one of the oddest-looking objects in the solar system, comet scientists still can?t decide how fast Halley?s nucleus spins. Some experts believe it spins once every 2.2 days, some determine the spin to be once in 7.4 days, and (7) ________ scientists suggest that the comet (8) ________ both motions superimposed together. Astronomers monitor Halley each time it comes close enough to the earth, so that we can see the bright cloud of vaporized dust and gas that forms its tail. It is easier to get a clear look at the comet (9) ________ it is far away from the sun so that its activity (10) ________ down. (Key: 1. During 2. corps 3. inferred 4. intriguing 5. makes up 6. In spite of 7. other 8. exhibits 9. when 10. dies) Lesson 13 Ace in the Hole I. Introduction The story reflects the plight of the lower-middle class in America in the 1950?s. Fred Anderson, the hero, who had served in the army on graduation from high school, was chased out of one job after another and coupled with a shaky marriage. He had just been fired by his boss for damaging a car while parking it. The author successfully describes his worries about meeting his wife and a mentality to avoid conflict as long as possible. The whole article gives us a vivid picture of the living condition of the youth at that time. II. Organization of the Text 1. On the way to his mother?s (Paragraphs 1 – 6) 2. At his mother?s (Paragraphs 7 – 14) 3. At his own home (Paragraphs 15 – 44) III. Key Words and Expressions 1. in the hole (Title): in an embossing situation; in an awkward situation 2. flick on (Para 1): turn on with a short light sound 3. pop one?s lid (Para 1): become violently angry 4. come on (Para 1): start 5. pluck (Para 1): pick 6. pull up (Para 2): come to a stop 7. dig out (Para 5): move quickly away 8. keep at (Para 8): continue working on 9. so what (Para 12): so what does it matter 10. dopey (Para 13): sleepy 11. fuss (Para 13): behave restlessly 12. jiggle (Para 14): move from side to side 13. tune somebody up (Para 16): bring somebody to an excited mood 14. rack up (Para 20): make a score or goals 15. take something like a sport (Para 34): not to get too upset by something bad; take something lightly 16. suit yourself (Para 35): You can do whatever you like, I don?t care. 17. rave (Para 35): talk wildly as if mad 18. come in on (Para 43): join; take part in IV. Questions for Discussion 1. While driving home, Ace said to himself; “She?ll pop her lid.” “She?ll murder me.” Why? What had happened to him when the story began? (Ace was extremely worried because he had just been fired by his boss for damaging his car when parking it.) 2. What have you found out about the relationship between Ace and Evey? (Their relationship is strained and their marriage is shaky.) 3. What do you think of the picture the author has drawn in the story about domestic life? (The author has drawn a picture of the living condition of the youth of the lower-middle class in America in the 1950’s. The youth lived a passive life which they had no control.) V. Exercises A. Fill in the blank in each sentence with the best word or expression from the box below, changing its form when necessary: pinch keep at twiddle drop whirl feel like oneself fuss toss feel crowded read one’s mind take it easy pluck 1. The way everybody demanded that he should reach a decision immediately made him ________. 2. There is no need to ________ over a broken vase. 3. The speaker went on and on, she had to ________ herself to stay awake. 4. He ________ a few things into the suitcase and left in a hurry. 5. Her teenage son was very quiet these days. She asked him if something had been bothering him, but he just looked at her without saying anything. She was worried, she wished she could ________. 6. The police had been working on the case for over three months without much result, but they refused to give up. They ________ it till they finally arrested the ring-leader. 7. “What happened?” he asked, ________ the letter from her hand. 8. The summer was so hot and dry that leaves on the trees all ________. (Key: 1. feel crowded 2. fuss 3. pinch 4. tossed 5. read his mind 6. kept at 7. plucking 8. drooped) B. Circle the right word or expression from the brackets in each of the following sentences: 1. Ever since he recovered from his heart attack, he realized he had to (feel like himself, take things easy). 2. They had to (scrub, brush) the floor after the party was over. 3. He (flicked, plucked) the dust from his hat before entering the house. 4. Sensing that someone was approaching him from the back, he (twiddled, whirled) around suddenly. 5. The child was shy. She kept (plucking, picking) her mother by the sleeve to drag her away from the crowd. 6. He just sat there (turning, twiddling) his thumbs, showing no interest in the discussion. 7. He doesn?t like his job, but he (keeps at, keeps) it before he can find something better. 8. The boys (tossed, threw) a coin to decide who should make the first move. (Key: 1. take things easy 2. scrub 3. flicked 4. whirled 5. plucking 6. twiddling 7. keeps at 8. tossed) C. Choose the right word from the box given below for each blank: so formerly with none available near make sold as while 13. Compact Discs Compact discs (CDs) have revolutionized the music industry with their surprisingly realistic sound. The six-inch discs look like thin, plastic sandwiches (1) ________ aluminium in the center. They have digitally recorded material that is read by laser beams, (2) ________ the sound has (3) ________ of the crackling of vinyl records. CDs are also virtually indestructible, lighter, and smaller than conventional records (LPs). CDs are becoming more widely (4) ________ than LPs: they?re sold in electronics and video stores that haven?t (5) ________ carried records or cassettes. Many record stores are now cutting their prices on LPs to (6) ________ room for the new CDs. There has been a phenomenal growth in the sale of CDs. Sales were up almost 150 percent in the first half of 1986 (7) ________ compared to the first half of 1985. (8) ________ fewer than 6 million CDs were sold in the US in 1984, there were approximately 50 million (9) ________ in 1986. The sales would likely be even higher were it not for the price: CDs cost nearly twice as much as LPs. In the (10) ________ future, however, prices should lower as more production facilities open. Astronomers monitor Halley each time it comes close enough to the earth, so that we can see the bright cloud of vaporized dust and gas that forms its tail. It is easier to get a clear look at the comet (9) ________ it is far away from the sun so that its activity (10) ________ down. (Key: 1. with 2. so 3. none 4. available 5. formerly 6. make 7. as 8. While 9. sold 10. near) Lesson 14 Selected Snobberies I. Introduction In the essay Huxley tackles the issue of snobberies. As they have so widely permeated human life that it seems that there is almost nothing about which men cannot feel snobbish, Huxley enters a sensitive ground. On the one hand, snobberies are truly vexing, but on the other, almost no one can entirely avoid them. What Huxley does is to take a different attitude toward various snobberies: he condemns booze-snobbery and disease-snobbery as exasperations not worth any pity or concern, for he believes they are the results of leisurely life of the idle rich. As to culture or art snobbery, he adopts a more liberal attitude. His real sting is aimed at the capitalists? greed that constantly exploits the public by pushing conspicuous consumption and waste among consumers. II. Organization of the Text 1. Disease-snobbery: exasperating, not worth any pity or concern (Paragraph 1) 2. Booze-snobbery: exasperating, not worth any pity or concern (Paragraph 2) 3. Modernity-snobbery: the capitalist?s greed that constantly exploits the public (Paragraph 3) 4. Culture or art-snobbery: resulting in vanity and hypocrisy, not decadence (Paragraph 4 – 5) 5. Nature of snobbery (Paragraphs 6 – 7) III. Key Words and Expressions 1. fade away (Para 1): die slowly 2. in the flower of youth (Para 1): in the prime 3. ingenuous (Para 1): naïve; innocent 4. problematical (Para 1): doubtful; not settled 5. lavish (Para 1): generous; wasteful 6. solicitude (Para 1): eager care 7. take / have pride of place (Para 2): to be considered the best 8. ebb and flow (Para 2): grow less and rise 9. to the tune of (Para 3): to the amount of 10. platonic (Para 4): only of the mind and spirit; not sexual 11. comatose (Para 6): deeply unconscious; inactive and sleepy 12. out of hand (Para 7): immediately; at once 13. detest (Para 7): hate with very strong feelings 14. pay tribute to (Para 7): show one?s respect or admiration for or gratefulness to someone or something 15. rank (Para 7): be or put (in a certain class) 16. culminate in (Para 7): reach the highest point, degree, or development in IV. Questions for Discussion 1. What are the author?s essential points about snobberies? (The author condemns booze-snobbery and disease-snobbery as exasperations not worth any pity or concern. He mocks those who crave for up-to-datedness in their material possessions. As to culture or art-snobbery, he takes a tone of harmless mockery. His real sting is aimed at the capitalists’ greed that constantly exploits the public by pushing conspicuous consumption and waste among consumers.) 2. Why does the author say “We are all modernity-snobs now”? Is this universally true anywhere in the world today? (The author says “We are all modernity-snobs now” because the public is taught that up-to-datedness is one of the first duties of man and it readily accepts this idea as can be seen from the fact that there are so many advertisements in different mass media which successfully persuade the public to spend more and more money on consumer products. Yes, it is universally true anywhere in the world today.) 3. Comment on any snobbery not mentioned by the author. (An open question with the answer omitted.) V. Exercises A. Fill in the blank in each sentence with the best word or expression from the box below, changing its form when necessary: docile creditable judicious temper snobbish detest reiterate complacent mortal problematical lavish permissible 1. It is not ________ to take reference books out of the library. 2. The tour guide ________ to the tourists the importance of keeping an eye on their belongings. 3. A(n) ________ decision is a decision reached with sound judgment. 4. Lots of parents ________ money on their only child, not realizing the bad effect this has on their lives. 5. She ________ those mothers who teach their little children to beg in stead of working to make a living themselves. 6. The children in that kindergarten are made too ________. It may be easier to manage them, but it certainly is against their nature. 7. It is no use asking him for help. He is very ________ and only helps those whom he thinks are useful to him. 8. Her easy success in the job made her ________, which is very dangerous. (Key: 1. permissible 2.reiterated 3. judicious 4. lavish 5. detests 6. docile 7. snobbish 8. complacent) B. Circle the right word or expression from the brackets in each of the following sentences: 1. She is a (snobbish, proud) person and does not want to live on charity. 2. The incident was so bizarre that even though they saw it with their own eyes, when they related it later, they found it hardly (creditable, credible). 3. You have to be (reasonable, judicious), how can you expect him to work full time in the time? factory and at the same time get his M.A. degree in two years? 4. The story had been (retold, reiterated) by so many people that by the time I heard it, the version had become quite different. 5. When her son called to say that he would be home for the summer, she was very (complacent, happy). 6. They started the business together, but after a couple of years their relationship became (questionable, problematical) so they had to part company. 7. When what your teacher wants you to do is good for you, you should be (docile, obedient). 8. If the media (lavish, give) praises on the young athletes, it might not be good for him. (Key: 1. proud 2. credible 3. reasonable 4. retold 5. happy 6. problematical 7. obedient 8. lavish) C. Choose the right word from the box given below for each blank: upon tuition founding another medical decided so seeking nearly after 14. Elizabeth Blackwell Elizabeth Blackwell was born in England in 1821, and emigrated to New York City when she was ten years old. One day she (1) ________ that she wanted to become a doctor. That was (2) ________ impossible for a woman in the middle of the nineteenth century. (3) ________ writing many letters (4) ________ admission to medical schools, she was finally accepted by a doctor in Philadelphia. (5) ________ determined was she, that she taught school and gave music lessons to earn money for her (6) ________. In 1849, after graduation from (7) ________ school, she decided to further her education in Paris. She wanted to be a surgeon, but a serious eye infection forced her to abandon the idea. (8) ________ returning to the United States, she found it difficult to start her own practice because she was a woman. By 1857 Elizabeth and her sister, also a doctor, along with (9) ________ female doctor, managed to open a new hospital, the first for women and children. Besides being the first female physician and (10) ________ her own hospital, she also established the first medical school for women. (Key: 1. decided 2. nearly 3. After 4. seeking 5. So 6. tuition 7. medical 8. Upon 9. another 10. founding) ___________________________________________ Reference Books: 1. 张中载)张毓霖等)大学英语教程,第6册,[M])北京)外语教学与研究出版社) 1987年5月 2.张中载、王家湘)刘新民、张毓霖)大学英语教程,第6册教师手册,[M])北京) 外语教学与研究出版社)1989年6月 3. 张中载.高级英语,下,[M])北京)外语教学与研究出版社)2000年1月