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Unit One: How to Improve Your Study Habits

TEXT

Want to know how to improve your grades without having to spend more time studying? Sounds too good to be true? Well, read on...

How to Improve Your Study Habits

Perhaps you are an average student with average intelligence. You do well enough in school, but you probably think you will never be a top student. This is not necessarily the case, however. You can receive better grades if you want to. Yes, even students of average intelligence can be top students without additional work. Here's how:

1. Plan your time carefully. Make a list of your weekly tasks. Then make a schedule or chart of your time. Fill in committed time such as eating, sleeping, meetings, classes, etc. Then decide on good, regular times for studying. Be sure to set aside enough time to complete your normal reading and work assignments. Of course, studying shouldn't occupy all of the free time on the schedule. It's important to set aside time for relaxation, hobbies, and entertainment as well. This weekly schedule may not solve all of your problems, but it will make you more aware of how you spend your time. Furthermore, it will enable you to plan your activities so that you have adequate time for both work and play.

2. Find a good place to study. Choose one place for your study area. It may be a desk or a chair at home or in the school library, but it should be comfortable, and it should not have distractions. When you begin to work, you should be able to concentrate on the subject.

3. Skim before you read. This means looking over a passage quickly before you begin to read it more carefully. As you preview the material, you get some idea of the content and how it is organized. Later when you begin to read you will recognize less important material and you may skip some of these portions. Skimming helps double your reading speed and improves your comprehension as well.

4. Make good use of your time in class. Listening to what the teacher says in class means less work later. Sit where you can see and hear well. Take notes to help you remember what the teacher says.

5. Study regularly. Go over your notes as soon as you can after class. Review important points mentioned in class as well as points you remain confused about. Read about these points in your textbook. If you know what the teacher will discuss the next day, skim and read that material too. This will help you understand the next class. If you review your notes and textbook regularly, the material will become more meaningful and you will remember it longer. Regular review leads to improved performance on test.

6. Develop a good attitude about tests. The purpose of a test is to show what you have learned about a subject. The world won't end if you don't pass a test, so don't worry excessively about a single test. Tests provide grades, but they also let you know what you need to spend more time studying, and they help make your knowledge permanent.

There are other techniques that might help you with your studying. Only a few have been mentioned here. You will probably discover many others after you have tried these. Talk with your classmates about their study techniques. Share with them some of the techniques you have found to be helpful. Improving your study habits will improve your grades.

NEW WORDS

average n. ordinary 普通的;中等的

intelligence n. ability to learn and understand 智力

necessarily ad. inevitably 必定

case n. what has really happened; actual condition 实情

additional a. added 附加的，额外的 n. addition

weekly a. done or happening every week 每周的;一周一次的

schedule n. timetable 时间表

chart

n. (sheet of paper with) information written or drawn in the form of a picture 图(表)

commit vt. 指定...用于

aside ad. to the side　在旁边;到(向)一边

etc (Latin, shortened form for et cetera) and other things　等等

normal a. usual　正常的

reading n. the act or practice of reading　阅读

assignment n. sth. given out as a task　(布置的)作业

occupy n. take up　占用

relaxation n. (sth. done for) rest and amusement　休息，娱乐 relax v.

hobby n. what one likes to do in one's free time　业余爱好

entertainment n. show, party, etc. that people enjoy　娱乐 entertain vt.

solve vt. find an answer to (a problem)　解决(问题)

aware a. having knowledge or understanding　知道的;意识到的

furthermore ad. moreover; in addition　而且;此外

enable vt. make (sb.) able (to do sth.)　使(某人)能(做某事)

activity n. sth. (to be) done 　活动

adequate a. as much as one needs; enough　充分的;足够的

distraction n. sth. that draws away the mind or attention　分心(或分散注意力)的事物

concentrate (on or upon) vi. pay close attention (to)　全神贯注(于)

skim vt. read quickly to get the main ideas (of)　略读

preview vt. have a general view of (sth.) beforehand　预习

content n. what is written in a book, etc.　内容

organize vt. form into a whole　组织

later ad. 后来;以后

skip vt. pass over　略过

portion n. part; share　一部分;一份

double v. make or become twice as great or as many　(使)增加一倍

comprehension n. the act of understanding or ability to understand　理解(力)

mention vt. speak or write about (sth.) in a few words　提及

confused a. mixed up in one's mind　迷惑的，混淆的 confuse vt.

textbook n. a standard book for the study of a subject　教科书;课本

performance n. achievement　成绩

meaningful a. having important meaning or value　富有意义的

attitude n. what one thinks about sth.　态度，看法

purpose n. aim　目的，意图

excessively ad. too much　过多地，过分地 excessive a.

permanent a. lasting for a long time; never changing　持久的;永久的

technique n. way of doing sth.　技巧，方法

helpful a. useful; providing help or wiling to help　有益的;给予帮助的，肯帮忙的

PHRASES & EXPRSSIONS

fill in write in　填写，填充

decide on make a choice or decision about　选定，决定

set aside save for a special purpose　留出

as well also; too; in addition　也，还;同样

be aware (of) know (sth.); know (what is happening)　知道，意识到

concentrate on direct one's attention, efforts, etc. to　全神贯注于

look over examine (quickly)　把...看一遍，过目

go over review 复习

lead to result in 导致

Unit Two: Sailing Round the World

TEXT

At sixty-five Francis Chichester set out to sail single-handed round the world. This is the story of that adventure.

Sailing Round the World

Before he sailed round the world single-handed, Francis Chichester had already surprised his friends several times. He had tried to fly round the world but failed. That was in 1931.

The years passed. He gave up flying and began sailing. He enjoyed it greatly. Chichester was already 58 years old when he won the first solo transatlantic sailing race. His old dream of going round the world came back, but this time he would sail. His friends and doctors did not think he could do it, as he had lung cancer. But Chichester was determined to carry out his plan. In August, 1963, at the age of nearly sixty-five, an age when many men retire, he began the greatest voyage of his life. Soon, he was away in this new 16-metre boat, Gipsy Moth.

Chichester followed the route of the great nineteenth century clipper ships. But the clippers had had plenty of crew. Chicheater did it all by himself, even after the main steering device had been damaged by gales. Chichester covered 14, 100 miles before stopping in Sydney, Australia. This was more than twice the distance anyone had previously sailed alone.

He arrived in Australia on 12 December, just 107 days out from England. He received a warm welcome from the Australians and from his family who had flown there to meet him. On shore, Chichester could not walk without help. Everybody said the same thing: he had done enough; he must not go any further. But he did not listen.

After resting in Sydney for a few weeks, Chichester set off once more in spite of his friends' attempts to dissuade him. The second half of his voyage was by far the more dangerous part, during which he sailed round the treacherous Cape Horn.

On 29 January he left Australia. The mext night, the blackest he had ever known, the sea became so rough that the boat almost turned over. Food, clothes, and broken glass were all mixed together. Fortunately, bed and went to sleep. When he woke up, the sea had become calm the nearest person he could contact by radio, unless there was a ship nearby, Wild be on an island 885 miles away.

After succeeding in sailing round Cape Horn, Chichester sent the followiing radio message to London:" I feel as if I had wakened from a nightmare. Wild horses could not drag me down to Cape Horn and that sinister Southern Ocean again."

Juat before 9 o'clock on Sunday evening 28 May, 1967, he aeeived back in England, where a quarter of a million people were waiting to welcome him. Queeh Elizabeth II knigthed him with the very sword that Queen Elizabeth I had sailed round the world for the first time. The whole voyage from England and back had covered 28, 500 miles. It had taken him nine months , of which the sailing time was 226 days. He had done what he wanted to accomplish.

Like many other adventurers, Chichester had experienced fear and conquered it. In doing so, he had undoubtedly learnt something about himself. Moreover, in the modern age when human beings depend so much on machines, he had given men throughout the world new pride.

NEW WORDS

single-handed a & ad. (done) by one person alone 单独的(地)

adventure n. 冒险(活动)

solo a. single-handed 单独的

transatlantic a. crossing the Atlantic Ocean 横度大西洋

lung n. part of the body with which one breathes 肺

cancer n. 癌

determined a. with one's mind firmly made up 下定了决心的 determine v. determination n.

retire vi. stop working at one's job(because of age) 退休

voyage n. sea journey 航海;航行

route n. way from one place to another 路线

clipper n. 快速帆船

crew n. group of people who work together on a ship or aeroplane 全体船员;全体乘务员

steer vt. make (esp. a boat or road vehicle) go in a particular direction 为...撑舵

device n. a piece of equipment　设备;装置

steering device　 n. 操舵装置

damage vt. cause harm or injury to 损坏

gale n. very strong wind　大风

cover vt. travel (a certain distance)　行过(一段距离)

previously ad. before 以前 previous 　a.

attempt n. try 试图，尝试

dissuade vt. prevent (sb.) from doing sth. by reasoning 劝阻

treacherous a. more dangerous than it seems 暗藏危险的;奸诈的

cape n. 海角

rough a. (of weather or the sea) stormy; not calm (气候)有暴风雨的;(海)波涛汹涌的

fortunately ad. luckily 幸运地;幸亏 fortunate a.

contact vt. get in touch with 联系，接触

nearby ad. close by 在附近

following a. next; to be mentioned immediately 接着的;下列的

waken v. (cause to) wake 唤醒;醒来

nightmare n. terrible dream 恶梦

drag vt. pull along with great effort 拖，拉

sinister a. 凶恶的，邪恶的

knight n. 爵士 vt. 封... 为爵士

sword 　　　 n. 剑，刀

accomplish vt. finish successfully　完成

conquer vt. overcome　征服

undoubtedly ad. certainly　无疑地

moreover ad. in addition　此外，而且

human a. of or concerning people　人们

being n. a living thing, esp. a person　生物;人

PHRASES & EXPRESSIOMS

set out begin a course if action　着手，开始

give up atop doing　放弃

be determined to (do) have a strong will to (do)　决心(做)

(all) by oneself (completely) alone

in spite of not taking notice of; not caring about 尽管;虽然

by far by a large amount or degree...得多

turn over (cause to) fall over, upset　(使)翻倒，(使)倾覆

can not help can not keep oneself from　禁不住

NAMES

Francis Chichester 　弗朗西斯. 奇切斯特

Gipsy Moth　　　　　吉普赛. 莫斯

Sydney 悉尼(澳大利亚城市)

Cape Horn 合恩角(智利)

London 伦敦

Elizabeth 伊丽莎白(女子名)

Drake 德雷克(姓氏)

UNIT three: The Present

TEXT

They say that blood is thicker than water, that our relatives are more important to us than others. Everyone was so kind to the old lady on her birthday. Surely her daughter would make an even bigger effort to please he?

The Present

It was the old lady's birthday.

She got up early to be ready for the post. From the second floor flat she could see the postman when he came down the street, and the little boy from the ground floor brought up her letters on the rare occasions when anything came.

Today she was sure the would be something. Myra wouldn't forget her mother's birthday, even if she seldom wrote at other times. Of course Myra was busy. Her husband had been made Mayor, and Myra herself had got a medal for her work the aged.

The old lady was proud of Myra, but Enid was the daughter she loved. Enid had never married, but had seemed content to live with her mother, and teach in a primary school round the corner.

One evening, however, Enid said, "I've arranged for Mrs. Morrison to look after you for a few days, Mother. Tomorrow I have to go into hospital--just a minor operation, I'll soon be home."

In the morning she went, but never came back--she died on the operating table. Myra came to the funeral, and in her efficient way arranged for Mrs. Morrison to come in and light the fire and give the old lady her breakfast.

Two years ago that was, and since then Myra had been to see her mother three times, but her husband never.

The old lady was eight today. She had put on her best dress. Perhaps--perhaps Myra might come. After all, eighty was a special birthday, another decade lined or endured just as you chose to look at it.

Even if Myra did not come, she would send a present. The old lady was sure of that. Two spots of colour brightened her cheeks. She was excited--like a child. She would enjoy her day.

Yesterday Mrs. Morrison had given the flat an extra clean, and today she had brought a card and a bunch of marigolds when she came to do the breakfast. Mrs. Grant downstairs had made a cake, and in the afternoon she was going down there to tea. The little boy, Johnnie, had been up with a packet of mints, and said he wouldn't go out to play until the post had come.

"I guess you'll get lots and lots of presents," he said, "I did last were when I was six."

What would she like? A pair of slippers perhaps. Or a new cardigan. A cardigan would be lovely. Blue's such a pretty colour. Jim had always liked her in blue. Or a table lamp. Or a book, a travel book, with pictures, or a little clock, with clear black numbers. So many lovely things.

She stood by the window, watching. The postman turned round the corner on his bicycle. Her heart beat fast. Johnnie had seen him too and ran to the gate.

Then clatter, clatter up the stairs. Johnnie knocked at her door.

"Granny, granny," he shouted, "I've got your post."

He gave her four envelopes. Three were unsealed cards from old friends. The fourth was sealed, in Myra's writing. The old lady felt a pang of disappointment.

"No parcel, Johnnie?"

"No, granny."

Maybe the parcel was too large to come by letter post. That was it. It would come later by parcel post. She must be patient.

Almost reluctantly she tore the envelope open. Folded in the card was a piece of paper. Written on the card was a message under the printed Happy Birthday -- Buy yourself something nice with the cheque, Myra and Harold.

The cheque fluttered to the floor like a bird with a broken wing. Slowly the old lady stooped to pick it up. Her present, her lovely present. With trembling fingers she tore it into little bits.

NEW WORDS

relative n. 亲属，亲戚

present n. gift 礼物，赠品

postman n. 邮递员

rare a. not happening often 罕见的;不常发生的

occasion n. special time; time when sth. happens 时刻，时机;场合

mayor n. chief official of a city or town 市长

medal n. 奖章

aged a. old

content a. satisfied; pleased 满意的;高兴的

primary a. first; earliest 首要的;最初的

arrange vi. make preparations; plan 作安排，筹划

minor a. not serious or important 较小的;次要的

operate vi. cut the body in order to set right or remove a diseased part 开刀，动手术

operating table n. a special table in a hospital, where operations are done 手术台

funeral n. 葬礼

efficient a. able to plan and work well 效率高的

decade n. ten years

endure vt. bear (pain, suffering, etc.) 忍受，忍耐

spot n. a round area that is different from the main surface 点，斑点

brighten vt. make bright or brighter 使发光;使发亮

cheek n. either side of the face below the eye 面颊

extra a. additional 额加的，外加的

clean n. cleaning

bunch n. things of the same kind that are tied together (一)束，(一)串

marigold n. 万寿菊(花)

packet n. small parcel box 小包(裹)

mint n. 薄荷糖

slipper n. 拖鞋

cardigan n. (羊毛)开衫

clatter n. a number of rapid short knocking sounds 咔嗒声

granny n. (colloq. for)grandmother

envelope n. a paper cover for a letter 信封

unsealed a. 未密封的 seal　　vt.　 sealed a. 密封的

writing n. handwriting 书法;笔迹

pang n. sudden, sharp pain 剧痛

disappointment n. sadness because one does not get what one hopes for 失望 disappoint vt.

parcel n. 包裹

reluctantly ad. unwillingly 不情愿地，勉强地 reluctant a.

fold vt. bend into two or more parts 折叠

cheque n. 支票

flutter vt. move quickly to and fro in the air 飘动

stoop vi. bend the body forwards and downwards 弯腰

tremble vi. shake uncontrollably with quick short movements 颤抖

PHRASES & EXPRESSIONS

at other times on other occasions 在别的时候;平时

round / around the corner very near in distance or time 在附近;即将来临

after all in spite of everything; it must be remembered 毕竟;终究

be sure of 对...有把握，确信

pick up take hold of and lift up from a surface 拿起，捡起

PROPER NAMES

Myra 迈拉(女子名)

Enid 伊妮德(女子名)

Morrison 莫里森(姓氏)

Grant 格兰特(姓氏及男子名)

Johnnie 约翰尼(John的昵称)

Unit Four: Turning off TV：A Quidt Hour

TEXT

Many people in the United States spend most of their free time watching television. Certainly, there are many worthwhile programs on television, including news, educational programs for children, programs on current social problems, plays, movies, concerts, and so on. Nevertheless, perhaps people should not be spending so much of their time in front of the TV. Mr Mayer imagines what we might do if we were forced to find other activities.

Turning off TV: a Quiet Hour

I would like to propose that for sixty to ninety minutes each evening, right after the early evening news, all television broadcasting in the United States be prohibited by law.

Let us take a serious, reasonable look at what the results be if such a proposal were accepted. Families might use the time for a real family hour. Without the distraction of TV, they might sit around together after dinner and actually talk to one another. It is well known that many of our problems -- everything, in fact, from the generation gap to the high divorce rate to some forms of mental illness -- are caused at least in part by failure to communicate. We do not tell each other what is disturbing us. The result is emotional difficulty of one kind or another. By using the quiet family hour to discuss our problems, we might get to know each other better, and to like each other better.

On evenings when such talk is unnecessary, families could rediscover more active pastimes. Freed from TV, forced to find their own activities, they might take a ride together to watch the sunset. Or they might take a walk together (remember feet?) and see the neighborhood with fresh, new eyes.

With free time and no TV, children and adults might rediscover reading. There is more entertainment in a good book than in a month of typical TV programming. Educators report that the generation growing up with television can barely write an English sentence, even at the college level. Writing is often learned from reading. A more literate new generation could be a product of the quiet hour.

A different form of reading might also be done, as it was in the past: reading aloud. Few pastimes bring a family closer together than gathering around and listening to mother or father read a good story. The quiet hour could become the story hour. When the quiet hour ends, the TV networks might even be forced to come up with better shows in order to get us back from our newly discovered activities.

At first glance, the idea of an hour without TV seems radical. What will parents do without the electronic baby-sitter? How will we spend the time? But it is not radical at all. It has been only twenty-five years since television came to control American free time. Those of us thirty-five and older can remember childhoods without television, spent partly with radio -- which at least involved the listener's imagination -- but also with reading, learning, talking, playing games, inventing new activities. It wasn't that difficult. Honest. The truth is we had a ball.

NEW WORDS

worthwhile a. good enough for the time or effort needed; valuable 值得花时间(或精力)的;有价值的

program (me) n. performance on radio or television 节目

educational a. of or for education; providing education or information 教育的;有教育意义的

current a. of the present time 当前的

social a. of or in society 社会的

movie n. film that one sees at a cinema 电影

nevertheless conj. but; however 然而，不过

propose vt. suggest 建议

broadcasting n. the action of sending out sound (or images) by radio (or television) 广播

prohibit v & n. forbid by law 禁止

proposal vt. suggestion 提议，建议

actually n. in actual fact, really 实际上

generation n. all the people about the same age (一)代

gap n. an empty space between two things or two parts of a thing; a wide difference of opinion, character, or the like 缺口，间隙;分歧，隔阂

divorce n. end of a marriage by law 离婚

rate n. 率

mental a. of the mind 精神的;思想上的

communicate vi. share or exchange opinions, ideas, etc. 交流意见，思想等

disturb vt. make (sb.) worried 使烦恼

emotional a. 感情的

pastime n. anything done to pass time pleasantly 消遣，娱乐

sunset n. the going down of the sun; the time when the sun goes down　日落(时分)

neighborhood n. the area around a point or place 邻近地区;地段

adult n. 成年人

typical　　　a. 典型的

educator n. a person whose profession is education 教育家

barely ad. hardly 仅仅，勉强;几乎没有

literate a. able to read and write 能读写的;有文化的

product n. sth. made or grown 产品

network n. 广播(或电视)联播公司;广播(或电视)网

glance n. quick look 一瞥;扫视

radical a. extreme; very different 激进的

electronic a. 电子的

electron n.

baby-sitter n. someone who looks after a child when the parents are away for a short time (代人临时)照看婴儿

childhood n. time when one is a child 童年

partly ad. not completely; in some degree 部分地;在一定程度上

involve

vt. have as a part or result (必须)包括

imagination n. the ability to imagine 想像力

learning n. the gaining of knowledge or skill through studying; knowledge or skill gained through studying 学习;学问，知识

invent vt. produce (sth.) for the first time 发明

PHRASES & EXPRESSIONS

generation gap failure of the younger and older generations to communicate and understand one another 代沟

in part in some degree; partly 在一定程度上;部分地

grow up change from a child to a man or a woman 成长，长大

bring together cause to meet 使相聚

come up with think of; produce 想出;提出

at first glance when first seen or thought about　乍一看;最初考虑时

have a ball (sl.) enjoy oneself, have a very good time 玩得开心

PROPER NAMES

Mayer　　　　　迈耶(姓氏)

the United States 美国

Unit Five: A Miserable，Merry Christmas

TEXT

A miserable and merry Christmas? How could it be?

A Miserable, Merry Christmas

Christmas was coming. I wanted a pony. To make sure that my parents understood, I declared that I wanted noting else.

"Nothing but a pony?" my father asked.

"Nothing," I said.

"Not even a pair of high boots?"

That was hard. I did want boots, but I stuck to the pony. "No, not even boots."

"Nor candy? There ought to be something to fill your stocking with, and Santa Claus can't put a pony into a stocking,"

That was true, and he couldn't lead a pony down the chimney either . But no. "All I want is a pony," I said. "If I can't have a pony, give me nothing, nothing."

On Christmas Eve I hung up my stocking along with my sisters.

The next morning my sisters and I woke up at six. Then we raced downstairs to the fireplace. And there they were, the gifts, all sorts of wonderful things, mixed-up piles of presents. Only my stocking was empty; it hung limp; not a thing in it; and under and around it -- nothing. My sisters had knelt down, each by her pile of gifts; they were crying with delight, till they looked up and saw me standing there looking so miserable. They came over to me and felt my stocking: nothing.

I don't remember whether I cried at that moment, but my sisters did. They ran with me back to my bed, and there we all cried till I became indignant. That helped some. I got up, dressed, and driving my sisters away, I went out alone into the stable, and there, all by myself, I wept. My mother came out to me and she tried to comfort me. But I wanted no comfort. She left me and went on into the house with sharp words for my father.

My sisters came to me, and I was rude. I ran away from them. I went around to the front of the house, sat down on the steps, and, the crying over, I ached. I was wronged, I was hurt. And my father must have been hurt, too, a little. I saw him looking out of the window. He was watching me or something for an hour or two, drawing back the curtain so little lest I catch him, but I saw his face, and I think I can see now the anxiety upon on it, the worried impatience.

After an hour or two, I caught sight of a man riding a pony down the street, a pony and a brand-new saddle; the most beautiful saddle I ever saw, and it was a boy's saddle. And the pony! As he drew near, I saw that the pony was really a small horse, with a black mane and tail, and one white foot and a white star on his forehead. For such a horse as that I would have given anything.

But the man came along, reading the numbers on the houses, and, as my hopes -- my impossible hopes -- rose, he looked at our door and passed by, he and the pony, and the saddle. Too much, I fell upon the steps and broke into tears. Suddenly I heard a voice.

"Say, kid," it said, "do you know a boy named Lennie Steffens?"

I looked up. It was the man on the pony, back again.

"Yes," I spluttered through my tears. "That's me."

"Well," he said, "then this is your horse. I've been looking all over for you and your house. Why don't you put your number where it can be seen?"

"Get down," I said, running out to him. I wanted to ride.

He went on saying something about "ought to have got here at seven o'clock, but--"

I hardly heard, I could scarcely wait. I was so happy, so thrilled. I rode off up the street. Such a beautiful pony. And mine! After a while I turned and trotted back to the stable. There was the family, father, mother, sisters, all working for me, all happy. They had been putting in place the tools of my new business: currycomb, brush, pitchfork -- everything, and there was hay in the loft.

But that Christmas, which my father had planned so carefully, was it the best or the worst I ever knew? He often asked me that; I never could answer as a boy. I think now that it was both. It covered the whole distance from broken-hearted misery to bursting happiness -- too fast, A grown-up could hardly have stood it.

NEW WORDS

miserable

a. causing unhappiness; very unhappy 悲惨的

merry

a. cheerful, full of lively happiness, fun, etc. 欢乐的，愉快的

pony

n. a small horse 矮种马;小马

boot

n. 长统靴

candy

n. (AmE) sweets 糖果

sticking

n. 长(统)袜

chimney

n. 烟囱

eve

n. 前夕

fireplace

n. 壁炉

mixed-up

a. (different things) put together　混合的，混杂的

limp

a. soft; not stiff or firm　软的;松沓的

kneel

v. go down or remain on the knee(S)　跪下

indignant

a. angry at sth. unfair　气愤的;愤慨的

stable

n. building for keeping and feeding animals, esp. horses　马厩

weep

v. cry　哭泣;流泪

rude

a. not at all polite　粗鲁的，不礼貌的

wrong

vt. treat unjustly　委屈

curtain

n. 窗帘

lest

conj. for fear that　唯恐，以免

anxiety

n. fear caused by uncertainty about sth.　焦虑

impatience

n. inability to wait calmly　不耐烦，急躁

patience

brand

n. 商标，牌子

brand-new

a. entirely new and unused　崭新的

saddle

n. 马鞍

mane

n. 马鬃

forehead

n. that part of the face above the eyes and below the hair 前额

kid

n. child

splutter

v. speak quickly and confusedly (from excitement, etc.) 语无伦次地说

scarcely

ad. hardly, almost not 几乎不，简直不

scarce

thrill

vt. excite greatly　使非常激动

trot

vi. run or ride slowly, with short steps　(马)小跑

currycomb

n. a special comb used to rub and clean a horse　马梳

pitchfork

n. 干草叉

hay

n. dried grass 干草

loft

n. a room over a stable, where hay is kept 草料棚

broken-hearted

a. filled with grief; very sad 心碎的;极其伤心的

misery

n. the state of being very unhappy, poor, ill, lonely, etc. 悲惨;不幸;苦难

happiness

n. the state of being happy 快乐;幸福

grown-up

a. & n. (of) an adult person 成人(的)

PHRASES & EXPRESSIONS

make sure

ct so as to make something certain 确保;查明

nothing but

nothing other than; only 除了...以外没有什么;仅仅，只不过

stick to

refuse to give up or change 坚持，不放弃

hang up

fix (sth,) at a high place so that it does not touch the ground　挂起

or something

(used when the speaker is not sure) 诸如此类

catch sight of

see suddenly or for a moment 看到，发现

draw near

mover near　接近

break into

suddenly start (to cry, laugh, etc.) 突然...起来

in place

in the right place　在适当的位置

PROPER NAMES

Santa Claus

圣诞老人

Christmas Eve

圣诞前夜

Lennie Steffens

伦尼.斯蒂芬斯

Unit Six : Sam Adams，Industrial Engineer

TEXT

San set out to improve efficiency at the shirt factory but, as we find out later in this unit, his plans turned out not quite as he had expected.

Sam Adams, Industrial Engineer

If you ask my mother how I happened to become an industrial engineer, she'll tell you that I have always been one.

She means that I have always wanted everything to be well organized and neat. When I was still in elementary school, I liked to keep my socks in the upper left-hand drawer of my bureau, my underwear in the upper right drawer, shirts in the middle drawer, and pants, neatly folded, in the bottom drawer.

In fact, I was the efficiency expert for the whole family. I used to organize my father's tools, my mother's kitchen utensils, my sister's boyfriends.

I needed to be efficient. I wanted to be well organized. For me, there was a place for everything and everything was always in its place. These qualities gave me a good foundation for a career in industrial engineering.

Unfortunately, I was also a bit bossy and I wasn't a very good listener. You'll see what I mean when I tell you about the first project I ever did after I finished my bachelor's degree at the university.

After graduation I returned home to my small town in Indiana. I didn't have a job yet. Mr. Hobbs, a friend of my father's, owned a small shirt factory in town. Within the past five years it had grown from twenty to eighty workers. Mr. Hobbs was worried that his plant was getting too big and inefficient, so he asked me to come in on a short-term basis as a consultant.

I went to the plant and spent about a week looking around and making notes. I was really amazed at what I saw.

Most curious of all, there was no quality control whatsoever. No one inspected the final product of the factory. As a result some of the shirts that were put in boxes for shipment were missing one or two buttons, the collar, even a sleeve sometimes!

The working conditions were poor. The tables where the workers sat were very high and uncomfortable. Except for a half hour at lunchtime, there were no breaks in the day to relieve the boring work. There was no music. The walls of the workrooms were a dull gray color. I was amazed that the workers hadn't gone on strike.

Furthermore, the work flow was irregular. There was one especially absent-minded young man in the assembly line who sewed on buttons. After a while I recognized him as "Big Jim," who used to sit behind me in math class in high school. He was very slow and all the shifts were held up at his position. Workers beyond him in line on his shift had to wait with nothing to do; therefore, a great deal of time and efficiency were lost as Big Jim daydreamed while he worked. All week I wondered why he wasn't fired.

After I made observations for a week, Mr. Hobbs asked me for an oral report of my findings. I covered my major points by telling him the following:

"If you have a quality control inspection, you will greatly improve your finished product."

"If the assembly line is redesigned, a smooth work flow can be achieved and time and energy can be saved."

"If you decrease the height of the worktables, the machine operators will work more comfortably."

"If the management provides pleasant background music and beautifies the dull setting, the factory will be much more productive."

"If the workers have a fifteen-minute coffee break in the morning and afternoon, they will be more efficient."

"If excellent work results in frequent pay increases or promotions, the workers will have greater incentive to produce."

Mr. Hobbs thanked me for this report and told me he would talk over my suggestions with his brother, the co-owner and manager of the factory. "We're interested in progress here," he said. "We want to keep up with the times."

He also gave me a check for $ 100 and a box of shirts with his compliments.

NEW WORDS

efficiency

n. the state or quality of being efficient 效率

industrial

a. of industry 工业的

neat

a. orderly and clean 整洁的

elementary

a. of or for beginners 初等的，初级的

sock

n. 短袜

drawer

n. 抽屉

bureau

n. a chest of drawers for bedroom use 衣柜

underwear

n. 内衣

pants

n. trousers

expert

n. a person with special knowledge or skill 专家，能手

kitchen

n. room used for cooking　厨房

utensil

n. any tool or container used in the house, esp. for cooking　用具，器皿

quality

n. the degree of goodness which a thing or a person possesses　质量;品质

foundation

n. 基础

career

n. profession; way of making a living　职业;生涯

engineering

n. 工程学;管理

unfortunately

ad. 不幸的是;遗憾的是

bossy

a. always telling other people what to do and how to do it, like a boss 爱指挥人的;专横的

project

n. a piece of work; a big plan　项目;方案

bachelor

n. a person who had the first university degree　学士

graduation

n. completion of an educational course　毕业

graduate

vi.

short-term

a. involving or lasting a short period of time 短期的

basis

n. 基础;根据

consultant

n. a person who gives professional or technical advice 顾问

consult

amaze

vt. fill with great surprise or wonder 使大为惊讶，使惊愕

curious

a. strange 奇怪的

whatsoever

a. of any kind, at all 任何的，丝毫的

inspect

vt. examine 检查

shipment

n. the act of wending, carrying or delivering goods 装运。运送

miss

vt. be without; lack

button

n. 钮扣

collar

n. 领子

sleeve

n. 袖子

relieve

vt. make less or easier 减轻

boring

a. uninteresting and tiresome 令人厌烦的

workroom

n. a room specially kept for working in 工场(间)

dull

a. not bright or clear 阴暗的

flow

n. a smooth steady movement or supply 流(动)

work flow

a. 工作流程

irregular

n. uneven; not continuous 不规则的，不稳定的

regular

absent-minded

a. so concerned with one's thoughts as not to notice what is happening, what one doing, etc. 心不在焉

absent

a. not present

inspection

n. the act of examining (sth.) closely or in detail 检查

assembly

n. 组装;集会

assemble

assembly line

n. 装配线

shift

n. 班;轮班

daydream

v. have pleasant dreamlike thoughts (about) 做白日梦，空想

fire

vt. make (sb.) leave his job 解雇

observation

n. the act of watching carefully 观察

observe

vt.

observe

oral

a. spoken, not written 口(头)的

findings

n. the results of any research or enquiry 调查(或研究)的结果

major

a. important 较大的;主要的

redesign

vt. 重新设计

design

vt. 设计

achieve

vt. get by effort (经努力)得到;实现

decrease

vt. make smaller or fewer 减少

worktable

n. a table at which work is done 工作台

operator

n. a person who makes sth. work 操作人员

operate

vt.

management

n. 资方;管理(部门)

background

n. 背景

beautify

vt. make beautiful 美化，装饰

setting

n. surroundings 环境

productive

a. producing much; able to produce 多产的;富有成效的

frequent

a. happening often 频繁的

promotion

n. 提升;促进

promote

vt.

incentive

n. 刺激

suggestion

n. an idea or plan put forward for people to think about 建议

co-owner

n. a joint owner 共同所有者

manager

n. a person responsible for running a section of a business 经理

compliments

n. formal respects or greetings;贺词;问候

PHRASES & EXPRESSIONS

find out

learn or discover 查明;发现

turn out

happen to be or found be in the end 结果是

quality control

the activity of checking that products are all of satisfactory standard and quality, usu. by testing samples of them 质量控制(管理)

as a result

because of 作这结果，因此

except for

apart from; with the exception of 除了...外

go on strike

refuse go continue working 罢工

hold up

delay 延迟，耽搁;阻碍

result in

have as a result; cause 结果是;导致

talk over

discuss 商量;讨论

keep up with

go or move as fast as 跟上

PEOPER NAMES

San Adams

萨姆.亚当斯

Indiana

印第安纳(美国州名)

Hobbs

霍布斯(姓氏)

Unit Seven: The Sampler

TEXT

The author finds out that good intentions alone are not enough when his attempt to be kind to an old man leaves them both feeling worse than before.

The Sampler

In a certain store where they sell puddings, a number of these delicious things are laid out in a row during the Christmas season. Here you may select the one which is most to your taste, and you are even allowed to sample them before coming to a decision.

I have often wondered whether some people, who had no intention of making a purchase, would take advantage of this privilege. One day I asked this question of the shop girl, and I learned it was indeed the case.

"Now there's one old gentleman, for instance," she told me, "he comes here almost every week and samples each one of the puddings, though he never buys anything, and I suspect he never will. I remember him from last year before that, too. Well, let him come if he wants it, and welcome to it. And what's more, I hope there are a lot more stores where he can go and get his share. He looks as if he needed it all right, and I suppose they can afford it."

She was still speaking when an elderly gentleman limped up to the counter and began looking closely at the row of puddings with great interest.

"Why, that's the very gentleman I've been telling you about," whispered the shop girl." Just watch him now." And then turning to him:" Would you like to sample them, sir? Here's spoon for you to use."

The elderly gentleman, who was poorly but neatly dressed, accepted the spoon and began eagerly to sample one after another of the puddings, only braking off occasionally to wipe his red eyes with a large torn handkerchief.

"This is quite good."

"This is not bad either, but a little too heavy."

All the time it was quite evident that he sincerely believed that he might eventually buy one of these puddings, and I am positive that he did not for a moment feel that he was in any way cheating the store. Poor old chap! Probably he had come down in the world and this sampling was all that was left him from the time when he could afford to come and select his favorite pudding.

Amidst the crowd of happy, prosperous looking Christmas shoppers, the little black figure of the old man seemed pitiful and out of place, and in a burst of benevolence, I went up to him and said:

"Pardon me, sir, will you do me a favor? Let me purchase you one of these puddings. It would give me such pleasure."

He jumped back as if he had been stung, and the blood rushed into his wrinkled face.

"Excuse me," he said, with more dignity than I would have thought possible considering his appearance, "I do not believe I have the pleasure of knowing you. Undoubtedly you have mistaken me for someone else." And with a quick decision he turned to the shop girl and said in a loud voice, "Kindly pack me up this one here. I will take it with me." He pointed at one of the largest and most expensive of the puddings.

The girl took down the pudding from its stand and started to make a parcel of it, while he pulled out a worn little black pocketbook and began counting out shillings and pennies on to the counter. To save his "honour" he had been forced into a purchase which he could not possibly afford. How I longed for the power to unsay my tactless words! It was too late though, and I felt that the kindest thing I could do now would be walk away.

"You pay at the desk," the shop girl was telling him, but he did not seem to understand and kept trying to put the coins into her hand. And that was the last I saw or the old man. Now he can never go there to sample pudding any more.

NEW WORDS

author

n. the writer of a book, article, play, poem, etc. 作者

intention

n. purpose　目的;意图

sampler

n. one who finds out the quality of sth. by testing a part of it　品尝家

pudding

n. 布丁(西餐中一种松软的甜点心)

delicious

a. tasting or smelling pleasant　美味的，可口的

select

vt. choose from a group　挑选

selection

sample

vt. test a part of　品尝

purchase

n. buying

vt. buy

advantage

n. sth. useful or helpful　利益，好处;优点

privilege

n. special right given to a person　特权

instance

n. example, case　例子，实例

suspect

vt. feel doubt about; guess or suppose　怀疑;猜测

suspicion

afford

vt. have the money for 　担负得起

elderly

a. near old age 　上了年纪

limp

n. walk with an uneven step　跛行

counter

n. 柜台

spoon

n. 调羹

eagerly

ad. with strong interest or impatient desire　热切地，急切地

occasionally

ad. now and then; at times 　偶尔;间或

occasional

heavy

a. (of food, etc.) too rich to digest easily　(食物等)太油腻而不易消化

evident

a. plain and clear (to the eye or mind)　明显的，明白的

sincerely

ad. honestly　诚恳地

eventually

ad. in the end 　终于，最终

positive

a. sure, certain　有把握的，确信的

cheat

vt. deceive　欺骗

chap

n. man; boy; fellow　男人;小伙子;家伙

amidst

prep. in the middle of; among　在...中间

crowd

n. 人群

prosperous

a. rich; successful　富裕的;成功的;昌盛的

prosperity

figure

n. 外形，伦廓;体形

pitiful

a. making one feel pity 可怜的

benevolence

n. the desire to do good 仁慈

sting

vt. prick or hurt 刺，螫

wrinkle

v. (cause to) form into lines (使)起皱纹

dignity

n. calm and serious manner or style 尊严

appearance

n. that which can be seen; look 外表

pack

vt. put (things) into boxes, cases, etc. 把(东西)打包(或装箱)

stand

n. (货)架;(货摊)

worn

a. damaged by use or wear 破烂的，损坏的

pocketbook

a. a wallet for money and personal papers 皮夹

shilling

n. 先令

long

vi. wish earnestly 渴望

unsay

vt. take back (sth. that has been said) 收回(说过的话)

tactless

a. 不策略的

coin

n. metal money 硬币

PHEASES & EXPRESSIONS

lay out

spread out 陈列

in a row

side by side in a neat line 成一长行

to one's taste

in a way that one likes 合...口味，中...的意

take advantage of

use (sth.) for one's own benefit 利用

for instance

for example

and what's more

also, and more importantly 而且，更重要的是

all right

certainly; beyond doubt 确实，无疑地

break off

pause 中止，中断

come down (in the world)

become poor; lose social position 落泊，潦倒;失势

out of place

improper (for one's surroundings) 不适当的;不相称的

do sb. a favo(u)r

do sth. kind to sb. 给某人以恩惠;帮某人忙

mistake...for

think wrongly that (sth. or sb.) is (sth. or sb. else) 把...错认为

pull out

take out 抽出，取出

count out

count (things) one by one 逐一数出

long for

wish very much for 渴望

Unit Eight : Yoe Go Your Way，I'll Go Mine

TEXT

A young boy faces the impossible task of trying to soften the blow of tragic mews.

You Go Your Way, I'll Go Mine

The messenger got off his bicycle in front of the house of Mrs. Rosa Sandoval. He went to the door and knocked gently. He knew almost immediately that someone was inside the house. He could not hear anything, but he was sure the knock was bringing someone to the door and he was most eager to see who this person would be -- his woman named Rosa Sandoval who was now to heat of murder in the world and to feel it in herself. The door was not a long time opening, but there was no hurry in the way it moved on its hinges. The movement of the door was as if, whoever she was, she and nothing in the world to fear. Then the door was open, and there she was.

To Homer the Mexican woman was beautiful. He could see that she had been patient all her life, so that now, after years of it, her lips were set in a gentle and saintly smile. But like all people who never receive telegrams the appearance of a messenger at the front door is full of terrible implication. Homer knew that Mrs. Rosa Sandoval was shocked to see him. Her first word was the first word of all surprise. She said "Oh," as if instead of a messenger she had thought of opening the door to someone she had know a long time and would be pleased to sit down with. Before she spoke again she studied Homer's eyes and Homer Knew that she knew the message was not a welcome one.

"You have a telegram?" she said.

It wasn't Homer's fault. His work was to deliver telegrams. Even so, it seemed to him that he was part of the whole mistake. He felt awkward and almost as if he alone were responsible for what had happened. At the same time he wanted to come right out and say, "I'm only a messenger, Mrs. Sandoval, I'm very sorry I must bring you a telegram like this, but it is only because it is my work to do so."

"Who is it for?" the Mexican woman said.

"Mrs. Rosa Sandoval, 1129 G Street." Homer said. He extended the telegram to the Mexican woman, but she would not touch it.

"Are you Mrs. Sandoval?" Homer said.

"Please," the woman said. "Please come in. I cannot read English. I am Mexican. I read only La Prensa which comes from Mexico City." She paused a moment and looked at the boy standing awkwardly as near the door as he could be and still be inside the house.

"Please," she said, "what does the telegram say?"

"Mrs. Sandoval," the messenger said, "the telegram says --"

But now the woman interrupted him. "But you must open the telegram and read it to me," she said. "You have not opened it."

"Yes, ma'am," Homer said as if he were speaking to a school teacher who had just corrected him.

He opened the telegram with nervous fingers. The Mexican woman stooped to pick up the torn envelope, and tried to smooth it out. As she did so she said, "Who sent the telegram -- my son Juan Domingo?"

"No, ma'am." Homer said. "The telegram is from the War Department."

"War Department?" the Mexican woman said.

"Mrs. Sandoval," Homer said swiftly, "your son is dead. Maybe it's a mistake, Everybody makes a mistake, Mrs. Sandoval. Maybe it wasn't your son. Maybe it was somebody else. The telegram says it was Juan Domingo. But maybe the telegram is wrong,"

The Mexican woman pretended not to hear.

"Oh, do not be afraid," she said. "Come inside. Come inside. I will bring you candy." She took the boy's arm and brought him to the table at the center of the room and there she made him sit.

"All boys like candy," she said. "I will bring you candy." She went into another room and soon returned with an old chocolate candy box. She opened the box at the table and in it Homer saw a strange kind of candy.

"Here," she said. "Eat this candy. All boys like candy."

Homer took a piece of the candy from the box, put it into his mouth, and tried to chew.

"You would not bring me a bad telegram," she said. "You are a good boy -- like my little Juanito when he was a little boy. Eat another piece." And she made the messenger take another piece of the candy.

Homer sat chewing the dry candy while the Mexican woman talked. "It is our own candy," she said, "from cactus. I made it for my Juanito when he come home, but you eat it. You are my boy, too."

Now suddenly she began to sob, holding herself in as if weeping were a disgrace. Homer wanted to get up and run, but he knew he would stay. He even thought he might stay the rest of his life. He just didn't know what else to do to try to make the woman less unhappy, and if she had asked him to take the place of her son, he would not have been able to refuse, because he would not have known how. He got to his feet, as if by standing he meant to begin correcting what could not be corrected and then he knew the foolishness of this intention and became more awkward than ever. In his heart he was saying over and over again, "What can I do? What the hell can I do? I'm only the messenger."

NEW WORDS

soften

v. (cause to) become soft(er) or gentle (使)软化;(使)温和

tragic

a. very sad, unfortunate; of or related to tragedy 悲惨的;悲剧的

messenger

n. a person employed to deliver telegrams, letters or parcels 送信人，电报投递员

gently

ad. softly 轻轻地

immediately

a. at once

immediate

eager

a. marked by strong interest or impatient desire 热切的，渴望的

hinge

n. 铰链

whoever

pron. no matter who 无论谁，不管谁

saintly

a. like a saint; very holy 像圣徒一样的;圣洁的

implication

n. 含义

imply

vt.

shock

vt. cause unpleasant or angry surprise to (sb.) 使(某人)震惊

deliver

vt. take (sth.) to the place where it esp. sth. bad 交付，递送

awkward

a. uncomfortable 尴尬的

responsible

a. having done or been the cause of esp. sth. bad(应)负责的

Mexican

n & a. 墨西哥人;墨西哥(人)的

extend

vt. hold out 伸出

pause

vi. stop for a short time　暂停，中止

interrupt

vt. stop (sb. speaking) by breaking in 打断(某人讲话)

nervous

a. 神经质的;紧张的

ma'am

madam (used in direct address)　夫人，太太，小姐

smooth

vt. make smooth or smoother　把...弄平

department

n. 部门;系

swiftly

ad. rapidly, quickly　快速地;敏捷地

swift

chocolate

n. 巧克力(糖)

chew

vt. crush (food) with the teeth 咀嚼

cactus

n. 仙人掌

sob

vi. cry with short, quick breaths 啜泣;呜咽

disgrace

n. shame 耻辱;丢脸的人(或事)

unhappy

a. not happy

hell

n. 地狱

PHRASES & EXPRESSIONS

hear of

have knowledge of or receive information about 听到，听说

be responsible for

be the cause of 应对...负责的

come out (with)

speak out 大声地说，清楚地说

smooth out

make smooth(er)

hold oneself in

control one's feelings

take the place of

act or be used instead of, replace 代替，取代

get to one's feel

stand up

over and over again

very often, repeatedly 反复地，再三地

PROPER NAMES

Rosa Sandoval

罗莎.桑多瓦尔

Homer

霍默

Mexico City

墨西哥城(墨西哥首都)

Juan Domingo

胡安多明哥

the War Department

(美国)陆军部(旧称)

Juanito

胡安尼特(Juan的昵称)

Unit Nine：The Brain

TEXT

Throughout the ages different ideas have been expressed about the working of the human brain. It is only recently, however, that science has begun to give us some idea of how the brain really works.

The Brain

The Most Powerful

Computer in the Universe

Man still has a lot to learn about the most powerful and complex part of his body -- the brain.

In ancient times men did not think that the brain was the centre of mental activity. Aristotle the philosopher of ancient Greece thought that the mind was based in the heart. It was not until the 18th century that man realised that the whole of the brain was involved in the workings of the mind.

During the 19th century scientists found that when certain parts of the brain were damaged men lost the ability to do certain things. And so, people thought that each part of the brain controlled a different activity. But modern research has found that this is not so. It is not easy to say exactly what each part of the brain does.

In the past 50 years there has been a great increase in the amount of research being done on the brain. Chemists and biologists have found that the way the brain works is far more complicated that they had thought. In fact many people believe that we are only now really starting to learn the truth about how the human brain works. The more scientists find out, the more questions they are unable to answer. For instance, chemists have found that over 100,000 chemical reactions take place in the brain every second. Mathematicians who have tried to use computers to copy the way the brain works have found that even using the latest electronic equipment they would have to build a computer which weighed over 10,000 kilos. Some recent research also suggests that we remember everything that happens to us. We may not be able to recall this information, but it is all stored in our brains.

Scientists hope that if we can discover how the brain works, the better use we will be able to put it to. For example, how do we learn language? Man differs most from all the other animals in his ability to learn and use language but we still do not know exactly how this is dine. Some children learn to speak and read and write when they are very young compared to average children. But scientists are not sure why this happens. They are trying to find out whether there is something about the way we teach language to children which in fact prevents children from learning sooner.

Earlier scientists thought that during a man's lifetime the power of his brain decreased. But it is now thought that this is not so. As long as the brain is given plenty of exercise it keeps its power. It has been found that an old person who has always been mentally active has a quicker mind than a young person who has done only physical work. It is now thought that the more work we give our brains, the more work they are able to do.

Other people now believe that we use only 1% of our brains' full potential. They say that the only limit on the power of the brain is the limit of what we think is possible. This is probably because of the way we are taught as children. When we first start learning to use our minds we are told what to do, for example, to remember certain facts, but we are not taught how our memory works and how to make that best use of it. We are told to make noted hut we are not taught how our brains accept information and which is the best way to organise the information we want our brains to accept.

This century man has made many discoveries about the universe -- the world outside himself. But he has also started to look into the workings of that other universe which is inside himself -- the human brain.

NEW WORDS

computer

n. machine that stores information and works out answers 计算机

universe

n. 宇宙

complex

a. difficult to understand or explain 错综复杂的，难懂的

ancient

a. in or of times long ago 古代的;古老的

philosopher

n. 哲学家

philosophy

n. 哲学

involve

vt. cause to become connected or concerned 使卷入

working

n. (usu. pl.) operation; action　运转，运行，活动

ability

n. 能力

exactly

ad. with complete connected or concerned　确切地;精确地

amount

n. 数量，数额

chemist

n. one who studies and understands chemistry　化学家

biologist

n. one who studies the life of animals and plants 生物学家

biology

n. 生物学

complicated

n. difficult to understand, complex　难懂的;复杂的

chemical

a. of chemistry

unable

a. not able

reaction

n. 反应

mathematician

n. one who studies and understands mathematics　数学家

equip

n. 设备，装置

kilo = kilogram

公斤，千克

recent

a. done or made not long ago 近来的

recall

vt. remember　记得;回忆起

differ

vi. be different (from)

mentally

ad. 智力上，脑力上

physical

a. of the body; of matter; of the science of physics　身体的;物质的;物理学的

potential

n. 潜力

limit

n. 局限，限度

PHRASES & EXPRESSIONS

put...to (good) use

use (in a profitable) (好好)利用

differ from

be dissimilar to 与...不同

compared to / with

in comparison with 与...相比

make notes

take notes 记笔记

look into

examine 调查，观察

PROPER NAMES

Aristotle

亚里士多德

Greece

希腊

Unit Ten ：Going Home

TEXT

I first heard this story a few years ago from a girl I had met in New York's Greenwich Village. Probably the story is one of those mysterious bits of folklore that reappear every few year, to be told anew in one form or another. However, I still like to think that it really did happen, somewhere, sometime.

Going Home

They were going to Fort Lauderdale -- three boys and three girls -- and when they boarded the bus, they were carrying sandwiches and wine in paper bags, dreaming of golden beaches and sea tides as the gray, cold spring of Now York vanished behind them.

As the bus passed through New Jersey, they began to notice Vingo. He sat in front of them, dressed in a plain, ill-fitting suit, never moving, his dusty face masking his age. He kept chewing the inside of his lip a lot, frozen into complete silence.

Deep into the night, outside Washington, the bus pulled into Howard Johnson's, and everybody got off except Vingo. He sat rooted in his seat, and the young people began to wonder about him, trying to imagine his life: perhaps he was a sea captain, a runaway from his wife, an old soldier going home. When they went back to the bus, one of the girls sat beside him and introduced herself.

"We're going to Florida," she said brightly. "I hear it's really beautiful."

"It is," he said quietly, as if remembering something he had tried to forget.

"Want some wine?" she said. He smiled and took a swig from the bottle. He thanked her and retreated again into his silence. After a while, she went back to the others, and Vingo nodded in sleep.

In the morning, they awoke outside another Howard Johnson's, and this time Vingo went in. The girl insisted that he join them. He seemed very shy, and ordered black coffee and smoked nervously as the young people chattered about sleeping on beaches. When they returned to the bus, the girl sat with Vingo again, and after a while, slowly and painfully, he began go tell his story. He had been in jail in New York for the past four years, and now he was going home.

"Are you married?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know?" she said.

"Well, when I was in jail I wrote to my wife," he said. "I told her that I was going to be away a long time, and that if she couldn't stand it, if the kids kept askin' questions, if it hurt her too much, well, she could jus forget me. I'd understand. Get a new guy , I said -- she's a wonderful woman, really something -- and forget about me. I told her she didn't have to write me. And she didn't. Not for three and a half years."

"And you're going home now, not knowing?"

"Yeah," he said shyly. "Well, last week, when I was sure the parole was coming through, I wrote the again. We used to live in Brunswick, just Before Jacksonville, and there's a big oak tree just as you come into town, I told her that if she didn't have a new guy and if she'd take me back, she should put a yellow handkerchief on the tree, and I'd get off and come home. If she didn't want me, forget it -- no handkerchief, and I'd go on through."

"Wow," the girl exclaimed. "Wow."

She told the others, and soon all of them were in it, caught up in the approach of Brunswick, looking at the pictures Vingo showed them of his wife and three children -- the woman handsome in a plain way, the children still unformed in the much-handled snapshots.

Now they were 20 miles from Brunswick, and the young people took over window seats on the right side, waiting for the approach of the great oak tree. Vingo stopped looking, tightening his face, as id fortifying himself against still another disappointment.

Then Brunswick was 10 miles, and then five. Then, suddenly, all of the young people were up out of their seats, screaming and shouting and crying, doing small dances of joy. All except Vingo.

Vingo sat there stunned, looking at the oak tree. It was covered with yellow handkerchiefs -- 20 of them, 30 of them, maybe hundreds, a tree that stood like a banner of welcome billowing in the wind. As the young people shouted, the old con slowly rose from his seat and made his way to the front of the bus to go home.

NEW WORDS

mysterious

a. strange 神密的

mystery

folklore

n. 民间传说

reappear

vi. appear again after an absence 再(出)现

anew

ad. in a new or different way; again 重新;再

sometime

ad. at some uncertain or unstated time 某个时候

tide

n. 潮汐

vanish

vi. disappear

ill-fitting

a. 不合身的

dusty

a. covered with dust 满是灰尘的

mask

vt. hide 遮盖;掩盖

root

v. (cause to) be fixed and unmoving　(使)生根;(使)固定

runaway

n. a person that has left home or escaped　逃跑者，出逃者

brightly

ad. in a bright manner, cheerfully　欢快地，高兴地

swing

n. a long and large drink　痛饮

retreat

vi. go back; withdraw 退缩;退却，撤退

chatter

vi. talk fast and noisily about sth. unimportant 喋喋不休

painfully

ad. in great discomfort 痛苦地

painful

jail

n. prison 监狱

guy

n. (AmE sl.) man; fellow 人;家伙

yeah

ad. (AmE) yes

parole

n. conditional release from prison 假释

oak

n. 橡树

wow

interj. an expression of surprise 哇，呀

exclaim

vt. Cry out suddenly because of surprise, anger, pain, etc. 惊叫，叫喊说

approach

n. coming near or nearer 接近，临近

unformed

a. immature 发育未全的

handle

vt. touch, feel or use (sth) with the hand(s) 触，摸，抚弄

snapshot

n. 快照

tighten

v. make strong (使)变紧;(使)绷紧

stun ]

vt. shock or surprise 增强;给...以勇气

banner

n. flag 旗，旗帜

billow

vi. wave　(波浪)翻腾;波浪般起伏

con

n. convict　囚犯

PHRASES & EXPRSSIONS

dream of

wish for ardently　向往，渴望

pull into

enter, arrive at　(车等)驶入;到达

take back

agree to receive sb. whom one has dismissed　允许...回来，接受

come through

arrive as expected 如所预料地到来

be caught up in

be very interested in 对...入迷

take over

occupy 占用;接管

make one's way

move along 去，前往

PROPER NAMES

Greenwich Village

格林尼治村(纽约市)

Fort Lauderdale

洛德代尔堡(佛罗里达州)

New Jersey

新泽西(美国州名)

Vingo

文(姓氏)

Howard Johnson

霍华德.约翰逊

Florida

佛罗里达(美国州名)

Brunswick

布伦斯威克(佐治亚洲)

Jacksonville

杰克逊维尔(佛罗里达州)

SECTION TWO

Unit One：Is There Life on Earth?

TEXT

It is humorous essay. But after reading it you will surely find that the author is most serious in writing it.

Ts There Life on Earth?

There was great excitement on the planet of Venus this week. For the first time Venusian scientists managed to land a satellite on the plant Earth, and is has been sending back signals as well as photographs ever since.

The satellite was directed into an area know as Manhattan (named after the great Venusian astronomer Prof. Manhattan, who first discovered it with his telescope 20,000 light years ago).

Because of excellent weather conditions and extremely strong signals, Venusian scientists were able to get valuable information as to the feasibility of a manned flying saucer landing on Earth. A press conference was held at the Venus Institute of Technology.

"We have come to the conclusion, based on last week's satellite landing," Prof. Zog said, "that there is no life on Earth."

"How do you know this?" the science reporter of the Venus Evening Star asked.

"For one thing, Earth's surface in the area of Manhattan is composed of solid concrete and nothing can grow there. For another, the atmosphere is filled with carbon monoxide and other deadly gases and nobody could possibly breather this air and survive."

"What does this mean as far as our flying sauce program is concerned?"

"We shall have to take our own oxygen with us, which means a much heavier flying saucer than we originally planned."

"Are there any other hazards that you discovered in your studier?"

"Take a look at this photo. You see this dark black cloud hovering over the surface of Earth? We call this the Consolidated Edison Belt. We don't know what it is made of, but it could give us a lot of trouble and we shall have to make further tests before we send a Venus Being there."

"Over here you will notice what seems to be a river, but the satellite findings indicate it is polluted and the water is unfit to drink. This means we shall have to carry our own water, which will add even greater weight to the saucer."

"Sir, what are all those tiny black spots on the photographs?"

"We're not certain. They seem to be metal particles that move along certain paths. They emit gases, make noise and keep crashing into each other. There are so many of these paths and so many metal particles that it is impossible to land a flying saucer without its being smashed by one."

"What are those stalagmite projections sticking up?"

"They're some type of granite formations that give off light at night. Prof. Glom has named them skyscrapers since they seem to be scraping the skies."

"If all you say is true, won't this set back the flying saucer program several years?"

"Yes, but we shall proceed as soon as the Grubstart gives us the added funds."

"Prof. Zog, why are we spending billions and billions of zilches to land a flying saucer on Earth when there is no life there?

"Because if we Venusians can learn to breathe in an Earth atmosphere, then we can live anywhere."

NEW WORDS

humorous

a. funny; that makers people laugh 幽默的

humor

essay

n. 散文，随笔

excitement

n. the state or quality of being excited

planet

n. large body in space that moves round a star esp. round the sun 行星

Venusian

a. of or having to do with the plant Venus 金星的

n. supposed Venus being 金星人

satellite

n. spacecraft that goes round the planet earth and sends back radio and television signals; heavenly body that goes round a plant (人造)卫星

signal

n. 信号;暗号

astronomer

n. person who studies the science of the sun, moon, stars and planets

天文学家

telescope

n. instrument with special glasses used for seeing distant things

extremely

ad. very 极端，非常

extreme

feasibility

ad. possibility of being carried or done 可行性

feasible

manned

a. occupied by one or more persons 载人的

saucer

n. 浅碟;茶托

flying saucer

n. 飞碟

conference

n. meeting

press conference

n. meeting arranged by an important person to which news reporters are invited to listen to a statement or ask questions 记者招待会

technology

n. 技术

conclusion

n. decision of opinion reached by reasoning 结论

conclude

reporter

v. person who gathers news for a newspaper, magazine, or radio or TV station 记者

compose

vt. make up, form 组成，构成

concrete

n. building material made by mixing cement with sand, small stones and water 混凝土

atmosphere

n. all the gasses round the earth; air in a place 大气;空气

carbon

n. 碳

monoxide

n. 一氧化物

deadly

a. causing death; likely to cause death 致命的

gas

n. 气体

survive

vi. remain alive; continue to live or exist 活下来;幸存

vt. remain alive after; live longer than 经历...后还活着;比...活得长

survival

program

n. plan of what it to be done 计划

concern

vt. be of importance or interest to; have an effect on 涉及，关系到

oxygen

n. 氧，氧气

originally

ad. formerly 起初，原来

original

hazard

n. danger

hover

vi. stay in or near one place in the air 盘旋

consolidated

a. untied; combined 联合的

consolidate

vt.

belt

n. area that has some special quality; zone (地)带

indicate

vt. show

indication

pollute

vt. make (air, water, soil, etc.) dirty with manmade waste 污染

pollution

unfit

a. not good enough; not suitable

particle

n. 粒子;微粒

emit

vt. send out 散发，射出

emission

crash

v. (cause to) break into pieces violently 坠落;猛撞

smash

v. (cause to) break into pieces violently (使)碎裂

stalagmite

n. 石笋

projection

n. sth. that stands out from a surface 凸出物

type

n. a particular kind, class or group 类型，种类

granite

n. hard grey stone used for building 花岗岩

formation

n. sth. that is formed; way in which sth. is formed 形成(物)

skyscraper

n. very tall building 摩天大楼

scrape

vt. rub with sth. rough or sharp 刮，擦

proceed

vi. continue after having stopped (停顿后)继续进行

fund

n. sum of money set apart or available for a special purpose 资金;基金

billion

n. one thousand million

zilch

n. zero; nothing at all

PHRASES & EXPRESSIONS

(be) known as

also publicly called; named 以...闻名，通常名叫

name after

give the same name as 以...名字命名

as to

about, concerning 关于

base on / upon

use as a basis or foundation for 以...为基础，把...基于

for one thing ... (for another)

in the first place... (in the second place)

be composed of

have as members or parts 由...组成

as far as ... be concerned

to the degree that it matters to 就...而言

stick up

stand upright; project 直立;突出

give off

emit; send out 发出;散发出

set back

delay the advance of development of 耽搁;阻碍

PEOPER NAMES

Art Buchwald

阿特.布奇沃德

Venus

金星

Manhattan

曼哈顿(纽约市中心)

Zog

佐格(姓氏)

Edison

爱迪生(姓氏)

Glom

格洛姆(姓氏)

Unit Two：The Dinner Party

TEXT

A heated discussion about whether men are braver than women is settled in a rather unexpected way.

The Dinner Party

I first heard this tale in India, where is told as if true -- though any naturalist would know it couldn't be. Later someone told me that the story appeared in a magazine shortly before the First World War. That magazine story, and the person who wrote it, I have never been able to track down.

The country is India. A colonial official and his wife are giving a large dinner party. They are seated with their guests -- officers and their wives, and a visiting American naturalist -- in their spacious dining room, which has a bare marble floor, open rafters and wide glass doors opening onto a veranda.

A spirited discussion springs up between a young girl who says that women have outgrown the jumping-on-a-chair-at-the-sight-of-a-mouse era and a major who says that they haven't.

"A woman's reaction in any crisis," the major says, "is to scream. And while a man may feel like it, he has that ounce more of control than a woman has. And that last ounce is what really counts."

The American does not join in the argument but watches the other guests. As he looks, he sees a strange expression come over the face of the hostess. She is staring straight ahead, her muscles contracting slightly. She motions to the native boy standing behind her chair and whispers something to him. The boy's eyes widen: he quickly leaves the room.

Of the guests, none except the American notices this or sees the boy place a bowl of milk on the veranda just outside the open doors.

The American comes to with a start. In India, milk in a bowl means only one thing -- bait for a snake. He realizes there must be a cobra in the room. He looks up at the rafters -- the likeliest place -- but they are bare. Three corners of the room are empty, and in the fourth the servants are waiting to serve the next course. There is only one place left -- under the table.

His first impulse is to jump back and warn the others, but he knows the commotion would frighten the cobra into striking. He speaks quickly, the tone of his voice so commanding that it silences everyone.

"I want to know just what control everyone at this table has. I will count three hundred -- that's five minutes -- and not one of you is to move a muscle. Those who move will forfeit 50 rupees. Ready?"

The 20 people sit like stone images while he counts. He is saying "...two hundred and eighty..." when, out of the corner of his eye, he sees the cobra emerge and make for the bowl of milk. Screams ring out as he jumps to slam the veranda doors safely shut.

"You were right, Major!" the host exclaims. "A man has just shown us an example of perfect self-control."

"Just a minute," the American says, turning to his hostess. "Mrs. Wynnes, how did you know that cobra was in the room?"

A faint smile lights up the woman's face as she replies: "Because it was crawling across my foot."

NEW WORDS

heated

a. with strong, excited, and often angry feelings 热烈的;激烈的

unexpected

a. not expected 意外的

naturalist

n. one who makes a special study of plants or animals outdoors 博物学家(尤指直接观察动植物者)

shortly

ad. Soon; (in) a little time 不久，马上

colonial]

a. of or related to a colony or colonies 殖民地的

spacious

a. big; having much space 广阔的;宽阔的

dining

n. 餐厅

bare

a. not covered (with a carpet); empty 不铺地毯的;赤裸的;光秃的

marble

n. 大理石

rafter

n. one of the sloping beams that support 椽

onto

prep. to a position or point on 到...之上; 向...之上

veranda

n. 阳台

spirited

a. full of spirit; lively

outgrow

vt. leave behind, as one grows older or more mature 长大得使...不再适用; 成长得不再要

mouse

n. 鼠

era

n. 时代，年代

major

n. 少校

crisis

n. time of difficulty, danger, etc. 危机

ounce

n. 盎司;少量

argument

n. discussion by persons who disagree; dispute 争论;辩论

hostess

n. 女主人

muscle

n. 肌肉

contract

vi. become shorter or smaller 收缩

contraction

slightly

ad. a little 稍微地

slight

motion

vi. give a signal by moving the hand or head 打手势;点(或摇)头示意

widen

v. make or become wider

bait

n. food used to attract fish, animals, or birds so that they may be caught 诱饵

cobra

n. poisonous snake found in India and Africa 眼镜蛇

likely

a. probable 可能的

impulse

n. sudden wish to do sth. 冲动

commotion

n. noisy confusion or excitement 混乱;骚动

tone

n. quality of voice or music 语气;音调

commanding

a. authoritative 威严的

forfeit

vt. suffer the loss of (sth.) as a punishment (作为惩罚而)失去

rupee

n. monetary unit of India, Pakistan, etc. 卢比

image

n. statue 雕像

emerge

vi. come or appear (from somewhere)

emergence

slam

vt. shut loudly and with force 砰地关上

host

n. man who receives guests 男主人

faint

a. weak, indistinct 微弱的;不明显的

crawl

vi move slowly by pulling the body along the ground 爬行

Unit Three：Lesson from Jefferson

TEXT

Jefferson died long ago, but may of his ideas still of great interest to us.

Lessons from Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States, may be less famous than George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, but most people remember at last one fact about him: he wrote the Declaration of Independence.

Although Jefferson lived more than 200 years ago, there is much that we learn from him today. Many of his ideas are especially interesting to modern youth. Here are some of the things he said and wrote:

Go and see. Jefferson believed that a free man obtains knowledge from many sources besides books and that personal investigation is important. When still a young man, he was appointed to a committee to find out whether the South Branch of the James River was deep enough to be used by large boats. While the other members of the committee sat in the state capitol and studied papers on the subject, Jefferson got into a canoe and made on-the-spot-observations.

You can learn from everyone. By birth and by education Jefferson belonged to the highest social class. Yet, in a day when few noble persons ever spoke to those of humble origins except to give an order, Jefferson went out of his way to talk with gardeners, servants, and waiters. Jefferson once said to the French nobleman, Lafayette, "You must go into the people's homes as I have done, look into their cooking pots and eat their bread. If you will only do this, you may find out why people are dissatisfied and understand the revolution that is threatening France."

Judge for yourself. Jefferson refused to accept other people's opinions without careful thought. "Neither believe nor reject anything," he wrote to his nephew, "because any other person has rejected or believed it. Heaved has given you a mind for judging truth and error. Use it."

Jefferson felt that the people "may safely be trusted to hear everything true and false, and to form a correct judgment. Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter."

Do what you believe is right. In a free country there will always be conflicting ideas, and this is a source of strength. It is conflict and not unquestioning agreement that keeps freedom alive. Though Jefferson was for many years the object of strong criticism, he never answered his critics. He expressed his philosophy in letters to a friend, "There are two sides to every question. If you take one side with decision and on it with effect, those who take the other side will of course resent your actions."

Trust the future; trust the young. Jefferson felt that the present should never be chained to customs which have lost their usefulness. "No society," he said, "can make a perpetual constitution, or even a perpetual law. The earth belongs to the living generation." He did not fear new ideas, nor did he fear the future. "How much pain," he remarked, "has been caused by evils which have never happened! I expect the best, not the worst. I steer my ship with hope, leaving fear behind."

Jefferson's courage and idealism were based on knowledge. He probably knew more than any other man of his age. He was an expert in agriculture, archeology, and medicine. He practiced crop rotation and soil conservation a century before these became standard practice, and he invented a plow superior to any other in existence. He influenced architecture throughout America, and he was constantly producing devices for making the tasks of ordinary life easier to perform.

Of all Jefferson's many talents, one is central. He was above all a good and tireless writer. His complete works, now being published for the first time, will fill more than fifty volumes. His talent as an author was soon discovered, and when the time came to write the Declaration of Independence at Philadelphia in 1776, the task of writing it was his. Millions have thrilled to his words: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal…"

When Jefferson died on July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of American independence, he left his countrymen a rich legacy of ideas and examples. American education owes a great debt to Thomas Jefferson, Who believed that only a nation of educated people could remain free.

NEW WORDS

declaration

n. document containing an open public announcement 宣言

independence

n. freedom from the control of others 独立

obtain

vt. get through effort 获得

source

n. place from which sth. comes; place where a river starts (来)源;源头

personal

a. done in person; belonging to a person 亲自的;个人的

investigation

n. detailed or careful examination 调查

investigate

vt.

appoint

vt. put (sb.) in a position 任命

appointment

committee

n. a group of people chosen for special duties 委员会

capitol

n. (美国)州议会大厦

canoe

n. light boat moved by a paddle 独木舟

on-the-spot

a. at the place of the action 现场的

humble

a. low in position 地位低下的

origin

n. parentage; birth; beginning 血统;出身;起源

gardener

n. person who works in a garden either for pay or as a hobby 园丁

waiter

n. person who serves food to the tables in a restaurant (男)侍者

nobleman

n. 贵族

dissatisfy

vt. hang over dangerously; utter a threat against 使不满

threaten

vt. hang over dangerously; utter a threat against 威胁

threat

reject

vt. refuse to take, believe, use of consider 拒绝

rejection

nephew

n. the son of one's brother or sister

error

n. mistake; sth. done wrongly

false

a. not true or correct

judgment

n. opinion 判断，看法

hesitate

vi. feel doubtful; be undecided 犹豫，迟疑不决

hesitation

prefer

vt. like better; choose (one thing) rather than (another) 更喜欢;宁愿

preference

latter

a. nearer to the end 后面的;后半的

n. the second of two persons or things just spoken of 后者

conflict

n. be opposed; clash 冲突

n. disagreement; clash; fight

unquestioning

a. given or done without question or doubt

agreement

n. having the same opinion(s); thinking in the same way 同意;一致的

criticism

n. unfavourable remarks of judgments 批评

critic

n. person who makes judgments about the good and bad qualities of sth.; person who points out mistakes 评论家;批评者

criticize

vt.

philosophy

n. 哲学

resent

vt. feel angry or bitter at 对...忿恨;对...不满

action

n. the process of doing things; sth. done 行动过程;行动

custom

n. 习惯,风俗

perpetual

a. never-ending; going on for a long time or without stopping 永恒的;连续不断的

constitution

n. 宪法;章程

living

a. alive now 活(着)的

remark

vt. say; comment 说;评论说

n. 话语;评论

evil

n. sth. bad; sin 邪恶,罪恶

a. very bad 邪恶的,坏的

idealism

n. 理想主义;唯心主义

arch(a)eology

n. study of ancient things, esp. remains of prehistoric times 考古学

rotation

n. 轮作;旋转

rotate

conservation

n. protecting from loss of from being used up 保护;保存

conserve

vt.

superior

a. good or better in quality or value 较好的;优的

superiority

existence

n. the state of existing 存在

influence

vt. have an effect on 影响

architecture

n. art and science of building 建筑术;建筑学

constantly

ad. continuously; frequently 不断地;经常地

constant

perform

vt. do, carry out 做,履行

talent

n. special natural ability 才能,天资

central

a. chief; main; most important 主要的

tireless

a. never or rarely getting tired

writer

n. a person who writes esp. as a way of earning money 作家

publish

vt. have (a book, etc.) printed and put on sale 出版

volume

n. book, esp. one of a set of books 卷;册

thrill

vi. have a very exciting feeling 非常激动

self-evident

a. clear without proof 不言而喻的

create

vt. make (sth. that has not been made before) 创造

creation

anniversary

n. the yearly return of a special date 周年纪念日

countryman

n. a person from one's own country 周胞

legacy

n. sth. that one person leaves to another when he dies 遗产

owe

vt. 欠(债等);应把...归功于

debt

n. something owed to someone else 债(务)

educate

vt. train; teach how to read, write, think, etc.

PHRASES & EXPRESSIONS

go out of one's way (to do sth.)

take particular trouble; make a special effort 特地

leave...to

leave sb. in charge of 交托,委托

act on

act according to 按照...行事

leave behind

abandon; fall to take or bring 丢弃;留下,忘带

in existence

existing 存在

above all

most important of all 首先,尤其是

PROPER NAMES

Bruce Bilven

布鲁斯.布利文

Thomas Jefferson

托马斯.杰斐逊

George Washington

乔治.华盛顿

Abraham Lincoln

亚伯拉罕.林肯

the Declaration of Independence

《独立宣言》

the James River

詹姆斯河

Lafayette

拉斐特

France

法国

Heaven

上帝;天堂

Philadelphia

费城(美国港市)

Unit Four：My First Job

TEXT

Trying to make some money before entering university, the author applies for a teaching job. But the interview goes from bad to worse...

My First Job

While I was waiting to enter university, I saw advertised in a local newspaper a teaching post at a school in a suburb of London about ten miles from where I lived. Being very short money and wanting to do something useful, I applied, fearing as I did so, that without a degree and with no experience in teaching my chances of getting the job were slim.

However, three days later a letter arrived, asking me to go to Croydon for an interview. It proved an awkward journey: a train to Croydon station; a ten-minute bus ride and then a walk of at least a quarter to feel nervous.

The school was a red brick house with big windows, The front garden was a gravel square; four evergreen shrubs stood at each corner, where they struggled to survive the dust and fumes from a busy main from a busy main road.

It was clearly the headmaster himself that opened the door. He was short and fat. He had a sandy-coloured moustache, a wrinkled forehead and hardly any hair.

He looked at me with an air of surprised disapproval, as a colonel might look at a private whose bootlaces were undone. 'Ah yes,' he grunted. 'You'd better come inside.' The narrow, sunless hall smelled unpleasantly of stale cabbage; the walls were dirty with ink marks; it was all silent. His study, judging by the crumbs on the carpet, was also his dining-room. 'You'd better sit down,' he said, and proceeded to ask me a number of questions: what subjects I had taken in my General School Certificate; how old I was; what games I played; then fixing me suddenly with his bloodshot eyes, he asked me whether I thought games were a vital part of a boy's education. I mumbled something about not attaching too much importance to them. He grunted. I had said the wrong thing. The headmaster and I obviously had very little in common.

The school, he said, consisted of one class of twenty-four boys, ranging in age from seven to thirteen. I should have to teach all subjects except art, which he taught himself. Football and cricket were played in the Park, a mile away on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons.

The teaching set-up filled me with fear. I should have to divide the class into three groups and teach them in turn at three different levels; and I was dismayed at the thought of teaching algebra and geometry-two subjects at which I had been completely incompetent at school. Worse perhaps was the idea of Saturday afternoon cricket; most of my friends would be enjoying leisure at that time.

I said shyly, 'What would my salary be?' 'Twelve pounds a week plus lunch.' Before I could protest, he got to his feet. 'Now', he said, 'you'd better meet my wife. She's the one who really runs this school.'

This was the last straw. I was very young: the prospect of working under a woman constituted the ultimate indignity.

NEW WORDS

apply

vi. write to ask for (a job, membership. etc.), esp. officially 申请

application

interview

n. 面试;接见;会见

advertise

vt. make know to people by printing a notice in a newspaper, etc. or by broadcasting on television, ets. 为...做广告

local

of, special to, a place or district 当地的;地方性的

post

n. job or position 职位

suburb

n. outer area of a town or city, where people live 郊区

slim

a. small, slight; slender 微小的;苗条的

depress

vt. make sad 使沮丧

depression

brick

n. 砖

gravel

n. 砾石

evergreen

a. with green leaves throughout the year 常绿的

shrub

n. low bush with several woody stems 灌木

fume

n. strong-smelling smoke, gas or vapour 浓烈难闻的烟,气,汽

headmaster

n. (中,小学的)校长

sandy-coloured

a. yellowish-red 沙色的,黄中带红的

moustache

n. hair growing on the upper lip 小胡子

disapproval

n. unfavorable opinion or feeling; dislike 不赞成;不满

colonel

n. 上校

private

n. soldier of the lowest rank 列兵;士兵

bootlace

n. shoelace for a high shoe or boot 靴带

undo

vt. untie, unfasten 解开;松开

interj. (a cry of surprise, pity, pain, joy, dislike, etc.) 啊

grunt

vt. 咕哝着说出

unpleasantly

ad. 令人不愉快地

stale

a. not fresh 不新鲜的

cabbage

n. 卷心菜

crumb

n. very small, broken piece of bread or cake 面包屑;糕饼屑

carpet

n. heavy woven material fir covering floors or stairs 地毯

certificate

n. 证(明)书

bloodshot

a. (眼睛)充血的

vital

a. very necessary; of the greatest importance 必不可少的,极其重要的

mumble

vt. speak (words) unclearly 含糊地说

attach

vt. give (to); fasten (to) 把...给予;系,贴

importance

n. the quality of being important

obviously

ad. it can be easily seen; plainly 明显地，显然

obvious

consist (of)

vi. be made up (of) 组成，构成

range

vi. vary between certain limits (在一定的范围内)变动

cricket

n. 板球

set-up

n. arrangement

dismay

vt. make discouraged or afraid 使灰心，使害怕

algebra

n. 代数学

geometry

n. 几何学

incompetent

a. completely unskillful; not good enough at doing a job, etc. 无能力的;不胜任的

competent

a. opposite of incompetent

leisure

n. free time; time which one can spend as one likes 闲暇;悠闲

salary

n. fixed (usually monthly) pay for regular work 薪水

plus

prep. with the addition of 加(上)

protest

vi. express a strong objection 抗议;反对

straw

n. 稻草;麦杆

prospect

vi. sth. expected or considered probable; possibility 期望中的事;展望;前景

constitute

vt. form; make up; be 组成，构成

ultimate

a. greatest; utmost; last or final 最大的;终极的，最终的

indignity

n. injury to one's dignity; insult 侮辱

PHRASES & EXPRESSIONS

be short of

not having enough of 缺少

smell of

have, give out the smell of 有...的气味

judging by

forming an opinion based on

attach importance to

consider important 重视

in common

shared with someone else 共有的,共同的

consist of

be made up of

in turn

one after another 轮流

PROPER NAMES

London

伦敦(英国首都)

Croydon

克洛伊登(英国地名)

Unit Five：The Professor and the Yo-Yo

TEXT

Seen through the eyes of a young friend Einstein was a simple, modest and ordinary man.

The professor and the Yo-yo

My father was a close friend of Albert Einstein. As a shy young visitor to Einstein's home, I was made to feel at ease when Einstein said, "I have something to show you." He went to his desk and returned with a Yo-Yo. He tried to show me how it worked but he couldn't make it roll back up the string. When my turn came, I displayed my few tricks and pointed out to him that the incorrectly looped string had thrown the toy off balance. Einstein nodded, properly impressed by my skill and knowledge. Later, I bought a new Yo-Yo and mailed it to the Professor as a Christmas present, and received a poem of thanks.

As boy and then as an adult, I never lost my wonder at the personality that was Einstein. He was the only person I knew who had come to terms with himself and the world around him. He knew what he wanted and he wanted only this: to understand within his limits as a human being the nature of the universe and the logic and simplicity in its functioning. He knew there were answers beyond his intellectual reach. But this did not frustrate him. He was content to go as far as he could.

In the 23 years of our friendship, I never saw him show jealousy, vanity, bitterness, anger, resentment, or personal ambition. He seemed immune to these emotions. He was beyond any pretension. Although he corresponded with many of the world's most important people, his stationery carried only a watermark - W - for Woolworth's.

To do his work he needed only a pencil only a pencil and a pad of paper. Material things meant nothing to him. I never knew him to carry money because he never had any use for it. He believed in simplicity, so much so that he used only a safety razor and water to shave. When I suggested that he try shaving cream, he said, "The razor and water do the job."

"But Professor, why don't you try the cream just once?" I argued. "It makes shaving smoother and less painful."

He shrugged. Finally, I presented him with a tube of shaving cream. The next morning when he came down to breakfast, he was beaming with the pleasure of a new, great discovery. "You know, that cream really works," he announced. "It doesn't pull the beard. It feels wonderful." Thereafter, he used the shaving cream every morning until the tube was empty. Then he reverted to using plain water.

Einstein was purely and exclusively a theorist. He didn't have the slightest interest in the practical application of his ideas and theories. His E=mc2 is probably the most famous equation in history - yet Einstein wouldn't walk down the street to see a reactor create atomic energy. He won the Nobel Prize for his Photoelectric Theory, a series of equations that he considered relatively minor in importance, but he didn't have any curiosity in observing how his theory made TV possible.

My brother once gave the Professor a toy, a bird that balanced on the edge of a bowl of water and repeatedly dunked its head in the water. Einstein watched it in delight, trying to deduce the operating principle. But be couldn't.

The next morning he announced, "I had thought about that bird for a long time before I went to bed and it must work this way…" He began a ling explanation. Then he stopped, realizing a flaw in his reasoning. "No, I guess that's not it," he said. He pursued various theories for several days until I suggested we take the toy apart to see how it did work. His quick expression of disapproval told me he did not agree with this practical approach. He never did work out the solution.

Another puzzle that Einstein could never understand was his own fame. He had developed theories that were profound and capable of exciting relatively few scientists. Yet his name was a household word across the civilized world. "I've had good ideas, and so have other men," he once said. "But it's been my good fortune that my ideas have been accepted." He was bewildered by his fame: people wanted to meet him; strangers stared at him on the street; scientists, statesmen, students, and housewives wrote him letters. He never could understand why he received this attention, why he was singled out as something special.

NEW WORDS

modest

a. having or expressing a not too high opinion of one's merits, abilities, etc. 谦虚的

yo-yo

n. 游游(一种用线扯动使用权忽上忽来的轮形玩具)

ease

n. freedom from work, discomfort, trouble, difficulty, worry, etc. 悠闲;舒适;自在;安心

display

n. show 展示

loop

vt. 把(绳等)打成环

n. 圈;环

strong

n. 细绳;线;弦

balance

n. condition of being steady 平衡

v. keep in a state of balance

properly

ad. really; completely 非常;完全地

impress

vt. have a strong effect on the mind or feelings of 给...深刻的印象

mail

vt. send by post

poem

n. piece of writing in verse 诗

personality

n. character 个性

logic

n. the science or method of reasoning 逻辑(学);推理(法)

simplicity

n. the state of being simple; an absence of pretense 简单;简朴;单纯

function

vi. work

intellectual

a. 智力的

frustrate

n. cause to have feeling of annoyed disappointment; defeat 使沮丧;挫败

frustration

jealousy

n. envy 妒忌

jealous

vanity

n. state of being too proud of oneself or one's looks, abilities, etc. 虚荣心

bitterness

n. the quality or state of being bitter 苦;痛苦

resentment

n. feeling that one has when insulted, ignored, injured, etc. 怨恨

ambition

n. strong desire for success, power, riches, etc. 野心,抱负

ambitious

immune

a. 有免疫力的;不受影响的

immunity

emotion

n. strong feeling

pretension

n. 矫饰,做作,不受影响

correspond

vi. exchange letter regularly 通信

stationery

n. paper for writing letters, usu. with matching envelopes; writing materials 信笺;文具

watermark

n. mark made on paper by the maker, seen when it is held against light 水印

pad

n. a number of sheets of writing paper fixed along one edge 便笺簿

razor

n. sharp instrument for taking hair off the body 剃刀

shave

vt. cut off (hair or beard) with a razor

cream

n. any thick, soft liquid 膏状物

argue

vt. give reasons for or against (sth.) 争辨

painful

a. causing pain

shrug

vi. lift (the shoulders) slightly (to show in difference, doubt, etc.) 耸肩

finally

ad. at last; lastly 最终;最后

present

vt. give; offer 赠送;提供

tube

n. 管;软管

beam

vi. look or smile happily and cheerfully 面露喜色;高兴地微笑

beard

n. hair of the lower part of the face (excluding the moustache) 胡须

thereafter

ad. after that; afterwards

revert

vi return (to a former state, condition, etc.) 回复,回返

exclusively

ad. only; completely

exclusive

a. person who forms theories 理论家

theorist

n. 方程式

equation

n. small in degree, not considerable or serious 微小的,轻微的

application

n. using 应用

theory

n. (explanation of the) general principles of an art or science 理论

theoretical

reactor

n. 反应堆

atomic

a. of or concerning an atom or atoms 原子的

atom

photoelectric

a. 光电的

series

n. group of things of the same kind that come one after another 系列;套,组

relatively

ad. comparatively 相对地;比较地

relative

relativity

curiosity

n. the desire to know or learn 好奇心

observe

v. see and again

repeatedly

ad. again and again

dunk

vt. put under water for a limited time 把...浸一浸

deduce

vt. reach a conclusion by reasoning 演绎,推断

deduction

principle

n. 原理;原则

flaw

n. fault 缺点,瑕疵

reasoning

n. process of reaching conclusions by using one's reason 推理

pursue

vt. work at, be busy with, go on with 从事;忙于;继续

apart

ad. separate(ly) 分离,分开

approach

n. method of doing sth. 方式,方法

solution

n. sth. that one cannot understand or explain 谜

fame

n. (condition of) being famous

profound

a. needing much thought or study to understand; deep 深奥的;深刻的

capable

a. able

capability

household

n. all the people living in a house

a. familiar and common

household word

n. word or name known and spoken of by almost everyone 家喻户晓的词或名字

civilized

a. 文明的

civilize

vt.

civilization

fortune

n. luck

bewilder

vt. confuse; puzzle 把...弄糊涂;使迷惑

statesman

n. political or government leader, esp. one who is wise and fair-minded 政治家

housewife

n. married woman who manages a household

PHRASES & EXPRESSIONS

at ease

free from worry or nervousness; comfortable

off balance

not in balance; unsteady 失去平衡的

come to terms with

accept (sth. one does not want to accept) and deal with it in the best way one can 与...达成协议;与...妥协

as far as

to the degree that 到...程度

mean nothing to

be of no importance to

believe in

have confidence in the value of

so much so that

to such an extent that

a series of

a number of (thing or events) of the same kind that follow each other 一系列,一连串

take apart

separate (a small machine, clock, etc.) into pieces 拆开

work out

solve, find the answer to 解决;算出;想出

capable of

having the ability, power or inclination (to do)

single out

choose from a group for special treatment 选出,挑出

PROPER NAMES

Thomas Lee Bucky

托马斯.李.巴基

Joseph Blank

约瑟夫.布兰克

Albert Einstein

阿伯特.爱因斯坦

Woolworth

伍尔沃叫(姓氏)

Nobel Prize

诺贝尔奖金

Unit Six：The Making of a Surgeon

A famous surgeon tells about the importance of self-confidence from his own experience.

The Making of a Surgeon

How does a doctor recognize the point in time when he is finally a "surgeon"? As my year as chief resident drew to a close I asked myself this question on more than one occasion.

The answer, I concluded, was self-confidence. When you can say to yourself, "There is no surgical patient I cannot treat competently, treat just as well as or better than any other surgeon" - then, and not until then, you are indeed a surgeon. I was nearing that point.

Take, for example, the emergency situations that we encountered almost every night. The first few months of the year I had dreaded the ringing of the telephone. I knew it meant another critical decision to be made. Often, after I had told Walt or Larry what to do in a particular situation, I'd have trouble getting back to sleep. I'd review all the facts of the case and, not infrequently, wonder if I hadn't made a poor decision. More than once at two or three in the morning, after lying awake for an hour, I'd get out of bed, dress and drive to the hospital to see the patient myself. It was the only way I could find the peace of mind I needed to relax.

Now, in the last month of my residency, sleeping was no longer a problem. There were still situations in which I couldn't be certain my decision had been the right one, but I had learned to accept this as a constant problem for a surgeon, one that could never be completely resolved - and I could live with it. So, once I had made a considered decision, I no longer dwelt on it. Reviewing it wasn't going to help and I knew that with my knowledge and experience, any decision I'd made was bound to be a sound one. It was a nice feeling.

In the operating room I was equally confident. I knew I had the knowledge, the skill, the experience to handle any surgical situation I'd ever encounter in practice. There were no more butterflies in my stomach when I opened up an abdomen or a chest. I knew that even if the case was one in which it was impossible to anticipate the problem in advance, I could handle whatever l found. I'd sweated through my share of stab wounds of the belly, of punctured lungs, of compound fractures. I had sweated over them for five years. I didn't need to sweat any more.

Nor was I afraid of making mistakes. I knew that when I was out in practice I would inevitably err at one time or another and operate on someone who didn't need surgery or sit on someone who did. Five years earlier - even one year earlier - I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I had had to take sole responsibility for a mistake in judgment. Now I could. I still dreaded errors - would do my best to avoid them -- but I knew they were part of a surgeon's life. I could accept this fact with calmness because I knew that if I wasn't able to avoid a mistake, chances were that no other surgeon could have, either.

This all sounds conceited and I guess it is - but a surgeon needs conceit. He needs it to encourage him in trying moments when he's bothered by the doubts and uncertainties that are part of the practice of medicine. He has to feel that he's as good as and probably better than any other surgeon in the world. Call it conceit - call it self-confidence; whatever it was, I had it.

NEW WORDS

surgeon

n. doctor who performs operations 外科医生

self-confidence

n. 自信心

making

n. means of gaining success 成功之道

resident

n. 住院医生

conclude

vt. arrive at a belief or opinion by reasoning 得出结论

surgical

a. of, by, or for surgery 外科的;手术的

competently

ad. with the necessary skill 称职地;胜任地

competent

near

vt. approach; come closer to

emergency

n. sudden and dangerous happening needing immediate action 紧急情况;急症

encounter

vt. be faced with (difficulties, danger, etc.); meet unexpectedly 遭到;意外地遇见

dread

vt. fear greatly 畏惧

critical

a. important at a time of danger and difficulty 紧要的;关键性的

particular

a. belonging to some one person, thing, or occasion 特定的

case

n. instance of disease or injury 病例

infrequently

ad. seldom; not often

relax

vi. become less tense 放松

relaxation

residency

n. the last stage of a doctor's training at a hospital 高级专科住院实习(期)

constant

a. happening all the time; unchanging 不断的;始终如一的

resolve

vt. solve 解决

resolution

considered

a. carefully thought out 经过深思熟虑的

dwell

vi. live (in a place) 居住

bound

a. very likely; certain 一定的，必然的

sound

a. correct; based on good judgment 正确的，合理的

confident

a. sure of oneself and one's abilities 自然的

confidence

handle

vt. manage, deal with 处理

butterfly

n. 蝴蝶

abdomen

n. belly 腹(部)

anticipate

vt. see beforehand 预期

anticipation

sweat

n. 汗

vi. 流汗

stab

n. thrust made with a pointed weapon 刺;戳

belly

n. 肚，腹部

puncture

vt. make a small hole in (sth.) with sth. pointed 刺穿

compound

a. having more than one part 复合的

fracture

n. break in a bone 骨折

compound

n. 复合性骨折

inevitably

ad. unavoidably 不可避免地

inevitable

err

vi. make mistakes; do wrong

operate

vi. perform a surgical operation 动手术

surgery

n. 外科;外科手术

sole

a. unshared; one and only 唯一的

responsibility

n. 责任;责任心

avoid

vt. escape; keep or get away from 避免

conceited

a. having too high an opinion of oneself 自负的

conceit

n. too high an opinion of oneself

trying

a. hard to endure or bear; very difficult 难受的;恼人的

bother

vt. annoy, trouble 烦扰，麻烦

uncertainty

n. uncertain condition; doubt

PHRASES & EXPRESSIONS

draw to a close

come to an end 结束

live with

learn to accept (sth. unpleasant); tolerate 学会;适应;容忍

dwell on

think, write, or speak a lot about 老是想着;详述;强调

(be) bound to (do)

(be) certain to (do) 一定..., 必然...

in practice

(医师,律师等) 在开业中;在实践中

butterflies in the stomach

feelings of nervousness 忐忑不安

open up

cut open 切开,给...开刀

in advance

ahead of time 预先,事前

at one time or another

sometime or other 早晚

sit on

delay taking action on; do nothing about 拖延;搁置

PROPER NAMES

Nolen

诺兰(姓氏)

Walt

沃尔特(男子名 Walter 的昵称)

Larry

拉里(男子 Lawrence 的昵称)

Unit Seven;There's Only Luck

TEXT

In this article the author describes what happened to her one night and what happened to her one night and her feelings about it.

There's Only Luck

My mind went numb when I saw the gun pointing against the car window as we pulled out of the garage: This can't be happening to me. Then I felt the gun, cold, against my head, and I heard my friend Jeremy saying, "What do you want? Take my wallet," but at the time I thought of nothing.

I remember being vaguely annoyed when the gunman pulled me from the car by the hair. I remember the walk to the house - Jeremy, me, the two men with two guns. I remember the fear and anger in the gunmen's voices because Jeremy was being slow, and I remember wondering why he waas being slow. I did not realize that Jeremy had thrown the keys into the shrubbery. But I remember that sound of the gun hitting Jeremy's head and the feeling as the man who had hold of my hair released me. And I remember the split second when I realized he was looking at Jeremy, and I remember wondering how far I could run before he pulled the trigger. But I was already running, and upon reaching the car across the street, I didn't crouch behind it but screamed instead.

I remember thinking there was something absurdly melodramatic about screaming "Help, help!" at eight o'clock on a Tuesday evening in December and changing my plea to the more specific "Help, let me in, please let me in!" But the houses were cold, closed, unfriendly, and I ran on until I heard Jeremy's screams behind me announcing that our attackers had fled.

The neighbors who had not opened their doors to us came out with baseball bats and helped Jeremy find his glasses and keys. In a group they were very brave. We waited for the cops to come until someone said to someone else that the noodles were getting cold, and I said politely, "Please go and eat. We're O.K."

I was happy to see them go. They had been talking of stiffer sentences for criminals, of bringing back the death penalty and how the President is going to clean up the country. I was thinking, they could be saying all of this over my dead body, and I still feel that stiffer sentences wouldn't change a thing. In a rush all the rage I should have felt for my attackers was directed against these contented people standing in front of their warm, cozy homes talking about all the guns they were going to buy. What good would guns have been to Jeremy and me?

People all over the neighborhood had called to report our screams, and the police turned out in force twenty minutes later. They were ill-tempered about what was, to them, much ado about nothing. After all, Jeremy was hardly hurt, and we were hopeless when it came to identification. "Typical," said one cop when we couldn't even agree on how tall the men were. Both of us were able to describe the guns in horrifying detail, but the two policemen who stayed to make the report didn't think that would be much help.

The cops were matter-of-fact about the whole thing. The thin one said, "That was a stupid thing to do, throwing away the keys. When a man has a gun against your head you do what you're told." Jeremy looked properly sheepish.

Then the fat cop same up and the thin one went to look around the outside of the house. "That was the best thing you could have done, throwing away the keys," he said. "If you had gone into the house with them…" His voice trailed off. "They would have hurt her" - he jerked his head toward me - "and killed you both." Jeremy looked happier. "Look," said the fat cop kindly, "there's no right of wrong in the situation. There's just luck."

All that sleepless night I replayed the moment those black gloves came up to the car window. How long did the whole thing last? Three minutes, five, eight? No matter how many hours of my life I may spend reliving it, I know there is no way to prepare for the next time - no intelligent response to a gun. The fat cop was right: There's only luck. The next time I might end up dead.

And I'm sure there will be a next time. It can happen anywhere, anytime, to anyone. Security is an illusion; there is no safety in locks or in guns. Guns make some people feel safe and some people feel strong, but they're fooling themselves.

NEW WORDS

numb

n. having lost the power of feeling or moving 失去感觉的，麻木的

garage

n. building in which a car is kept 汽车库

wallet

n. leather pocket-case for paper money, cards, etc. 皮夹

vaguely

ad. not clearly 模糊地

vague

annoy

vt. make rather angry 使恼怒

gunman

n. a man armed with a gun, esp. a criminal or terrorist 持枪歹徒

shrubbery

n. low bushes forming a mass or group 灌木丛

release

vt. set free 松开;释放

split

vt. divide into parts 劈开

split second

very brief moment of time; instant 瞬间，一刹那

trigger

n. 扳机

crouch

vi. lower the body to the ground 蹲伏

absurdly

ad. foolishly; ridiculously 愚蠢地，荒唐可笑地

absurd

melodramatic

a. exciting in effect, often too much so to be thought real 感情夸张;闹剧式的

plea

n. asking for sth. with strong feelings 恳求

specific

a. definite; not general 明确的;具体的

flee

v. run away (from) 逃走;逃离

baseball

n. 棒球(运动)

bat

n. 球棒，球拍

cop

n. (informal) policeman

noodle

n. (usu. pl.) 面条

stiff

a. severe 严厉

criminal

n. someone who has broken the law 罪犯

penalty

n. punishment 惩罚

rage

n. great anger 狂怒

contented

a. satisfied; happy 满足的

cozy

a. warm and comfortable 暖和舒适的

ill-tempered

a. (often) angry or annoyed 脾气坏的;易怒的

ado

n. trouble and excitement 忙乱

hopeless

a. giving no cause for hope; very bad or unskilled 没有希望的;无能的

identification

n. 鉴别

identify

vt.

horrify

vt. frighten; shock very much 使恐怖;使震惊

detail

n. small, particular fact 细节

matter-of-fact

a. concerned with the facts; practical 注重事实的;讲究实际的

sheepish

a. foolish or embarrassed by awareness of a fault 局促不安的

trail

vi. grow gradually weaker, dimmer, etc.

jerk

vt. pull or lift suddenly 猛拉;猛抬

replay

vt. play (match, recording, etc.) over again 重放

glove

n. 手套

last

vi. go on

relive

vt. experience again, esp. in the imagination

intelligent

a. clever; rational 聪明的;明智的

response

n. action done in answer; answer 反应;回答

respond

vi.

security

n. safety, freedom from danger or fear 安全，平安

secure

illusion

n. false perception; (the seeing of) sth. that does not really exist 错觉;幻觉

PHRASES & EXPRESSIONS

pull out (of)

move out (of) (车，船等)驶出

have (get, catch) hold of

抓住

bring back

restore, reintroduce 恢复

clean up

clean thoroughly and remove anything unwanted 彻底打扫;整肃

turn out

appear; come or go out to see or do sth. 出来，出动

in force

in large numbers 大批地，人数众多地

much ado about nothing

a lot of unnecessary explaining, of excitement about things not serious or unimportant 无事生非;小题大作

come to

reach (a particular point) in explaining, etc. 谈到(某一点)

agree on

have the same opinion on

in detail

giving a lot of facts 详细地

trail off

(voice, etc.) become gradually weaker and fade into silence (声音等)逐渐变弱

no way

不可能

prepare for

get ready for

and up 结束，告终

PROPER NAMES

Ruth Reichl

露丝.赖克尔

Jeremy

杰里米(男子名)

Unit Eight:Honesty：Is It Going out of Style?

TEXT

Ever thought about cheating on a test? Of course not. But some students are not quite so honest …

Honesty: Is It Going Out of Style?

Stacia Robbins

According to a recent poll, 61 percent of American high school students have admitted to cheating on exams at least once. It can be argued such a response my not mean much. After all, most students have been faced with the temptation to peek at a neighbor's test paper. And students can be hard on themselves in judging such behavior. However, there are other indications that high school cheating may be on the rise.

More and more states are requiring students to pass competency tests in order to receive their high school diplomas. And many educators fear that an increase in the use of state exams will lead to a corresponding rise in cheating. A case in point is students in New York State who faced criminal misdemeanor charges for possessing and selling advance copies of state Regents examinations.

Cheating is considered to be a major problem in colleges and universities. Several professors say they've dropped the traditional term paper requirement because many students buy prewritten term papers, and they can't track down all the cheaters anymore.

Colleges and universities across the nation have decided to do more than talk about the rise in student cheating. For instance, the Department of Psychology at the University of Maryland launched a campaign to stop one form of cheating. As 409 students filed out of their exam, they found all but one exit blocked. Proctors asked each student to produce an ID card with an attached photo. Students who said they'd left theirs in the dorm or at home had a mug shot taken. The purpose of the campaign was to catch "ringers," students who take tests for other students.

The majority of students at the University of Maryland applauded the campaign. The campus newspaper editorial said, "Like police arresting speeders, the intent is not to catch everyone but rather to catch enough to spread the word."

We frequently hear about "the good old days", when Americans were better, happier, and more honest. But were they more honest? Maybe yes, a long time ago when life was very different from what it is today.

School children used to know the story of how Abraham Lincoln walked five miles to return a penny he'd overcharged a customer. It's the kind of story we think of as myth. But in the case of Lincoln, the story is true … unlike the story of George Washington and the cherry tree. Washington's first biographer invented the tale of little George saying to his father, "I cannot tell a lie. I did it with my ax." What is important in both stories, however, is that honesty was seen as an important part of the American character.

And these are just two stories out of many. Students in the last century usually didn't read "fun" stories. They read stories that taught moral values. Such stories pointed out quite clearly that children who lied, cheated, or stole came to bad ends.

Parents may have further reinforced those values. It's difficult to know. We do know that children didn't hear their parents talk of cheating the government on income taxes - there weren't any.

A clue as to why Americans may have been more honest in the past lies in the Abe Lincoln story. Lincoln knew his customer. They both lived in a small town. Would a check-out person at a large supermarket return money a customer? It's less likely. On the other hand, would overnight guests at an inn run by a husband and wife, steal towels? It's less likely.

Perhaps this tells us that people need to know one another to be at their honest best.

The vast majority of Americans still believe that honesty as an important part of the American Character. For that reason, there are numerous watch-dog committees at all levels of society. Although signs of dishonesty in school, business, and government seem much more numerous in recent years than in the past, could it be that we are getting better at revealing such dishonesty?

There is some evidence that dishonesty may ebb and flow. When times are hard, incidents of theft and cheating usually go up. And when times get better such incidents tend to go down.

Cheating in school also tends to ebb and flow. But it doesn't seem linked to the economy.

Many educators feel that as students gain confidence in themselves and their abilities, they are less likely to cheat. Surprisingly, some efforts to prevent cheating may actually encourage cheating - a person may feel "they don't trust me anyway," and be tempted to "beat the system." Distrust can be contagious. But, so can trust!

NEW WORDS

honesty

n. freedom from deceit, cheating, etc. 诚实

style

n. fashion 时髦

poll

n. survey of public opinion by putting questions to a representative selection of persons 民意测验

admit

v. state or agree to the truth of; confess 承认，供认

admission

temptation

n. the act of tempting or being tempted 引诱;诱惑

peek

vi. look (at sth.) quickly, esp. when one should not 偷看

behavio(u)r

n. way of behaving 行为

behave

indication

n. sign or suggestion 迹象

competency

n. ability; being competent 能力;胜任

diploma

n. official paper showing that a person has successfully finished a course of study or passed an examination 文凭

corresponding

a. matching 相应的

criminal

a. of crime

misdemeano(u)r

n. crime that is less serious than, for example, stealing of murder 轻罪

charge

n. accusation 指控

possess

n. have, own 占有，拥有

advance

a. made available before the date of general publication or release 预先的

regent

n. member of a governing board (学校董事会的)董事

drop

vt. give up; discontinue 放弃;革除

traditional

a. of or according to tradition 传统的

tradition

requirement

n. sth. required; sth. demanded as a condition 要求;必要条件

prewritten

a. written beforehand; written in advance

psychology

n. science of the mind 心理学

psychological

launch

vt. start, set going 发起;发动

campaign

n. series of planned activities for some special purpose 运动

file

vi. march or move in a line 排成纵队行进

exit

n. way out of a place 出口(处)

proctor

n. 临考人

ID card

n. identity card 身份证

dorm

n. (short for) dormitory 宿舍

mug

n. the face or mouth

shot

n. a single photograph

mug shot

n. (sl.) photograph of a person's face, used for purposes of identification 面部照片

ringer

n. any person who pretends to be another 冒名顶替者

applaud

vt. praise esp. by striking one's hands to gether 拍手称赞

campus

n. university; the grounds of a university, college, or school 大学;校园

editorial

n. leading article 社论

arrest

vt. seize (sb.) in the name of the law 逮捕

speeder

n. person who drives an automobile at a higher speed than is lawful 违法超速驾驶者

intent

n. purpose; intention

frequently

ad. at short intervals, often 频繁地

overcharge

vt. charge too much 对...要价太高

customer

n. person who buys goods from a shop, esp. regularly 顾客

myth

n. 神话

unlike

prep. not like, different from

cherry

n. 樱桃

biographer

n. person who writes about another person's life 传记作家

ax(e)

n. 斧子

character

n. mental or moral qualities that make one person, race, etc. different from others 性格，品质

moral

a. concerning principles of right of wrong 道德的

reinforce

vt. encourage of strengthen 加强

tax

n. 税，税款

clue

n. sth. that helps to find an answer to a question 线索

check-out

n. desk where one pays the bill of the goods one has chosen 结帐处

supermarket

n. large shop where one serves oneself with food and goods 超级市场

overnight

a. for or during the night 住一夜的;一整夜的

inn

n. small hotel 小旅馆，客栈

towel

n. 毛巾

vast

a. very big

numerous

a. many

watch-dog

a. organized or acting as a watchful guardian, esp. against unlawful practice 起监督作用的

dishonesty

n. the quality of being dishonest

reveal

vt. make known 揭露

evidence

n. sign or proof 证据

ebb

vi. (of the tide) flow back from the land to the sea; grow less; become weak or faint 落潮;低落，衰退

flow

vi. (of the tide) come in; rise; run or spread smoothly (潮)涨;上升;流

incident

n. event; happening 事件

theft

n. (the act of, an instance of) stealing

tend

vi. have a tendency 易于，往往会

link

vt. join or connect 连接;联系

economy

n. 经济

anyway

ad. at all; in any case 究竟;无论如何

tempt

vt. attract (sb.) to do sth. wrong or foolish 引诱

system

n. 体制;制度

systematic

distrust

n. lack of trust; mistrust 不信任，怀疑

contagious

a. tending to spread easily from person to person 传染的

PHEASES & EXPRESSIONS

out of style

no longer fashionable 过时的，不再流行

according to

as stated or shown by; in a way that agrees with 按照，根据

(be) faced with

面对

be hard on

对...过分严厉

on the rise

increasing steadily 在增长;在加剧

a case in point

a very good example 恰当的例子

all but

all except 除了...都

(be) different from

unlike, not the same as 与...不同

think of ... as

regard as

in the case of

就...来说,至于

come to

arrive at a particular state or position 变成(某种状态)

lie in

exist in 在于

on the other hand

from the opposed point of view 另一方面,反过来说

at one's best

in as good a state as possible 处于最佳状态

go up

rise; increase 上升;增加

go down

fall; decrease 下降;减少

PROPER NAMES

Stacia Robbins

斯泰茜娅.罗宾斯

Maryland

马里兰(美国州名)

Abe

艾贝(Abraham的昵称)

Abe

Unit Nine:What Is Intelligence，Anyway?

TEXT

Asimov explains why there is much more in intelligence than just being able to score high on intelligence tests.

What Is Intelligence, Anyway?

Isaac Asimor

What is intelligence, anyway? When I was in the army I received a kind of aptitude test that all soldiers took and, against a normal of 100, scored 160. No one at the base had ever seen a figure like that and for two hours they made a nig fuss over me. (It didn't mean anything. The next day I was still a buck private with KP as my highest duty.)

All my life I've been registering scores like that, so that I have the complacent feeling that I'm highly intelligent, and I expect other people to think so, too. Actually, though, don't such scores simply mean that I am very good at answering the type of academic questions that are considered worthy of answers by the people who make up the intelligence tests - people with intellectual bents similar to mine?

For instance, I had an auto-repair man once, who, on these intelligence tests, could not possibly have scored more than 80, by my estimate. I always took it for granted that I was far more intelligent than he was. Yet, when anything went wrong with my car I hastened to him with it, watched him anxiously as he explored its vitals, and listened to his pronouncements as though they were divine oracles - and he always fixed my car.

Well, then, suppose my auto-repair man devised questions for an intelligence test. Or suppose a carpenter did, or a farmer, or, indeed, almost anyone but an academician. By every one of those tests, I'd prove myself a moron. And I'd be a moron, too. In a world where I could not use my academic training and my verbal talents but had to do something intricate or hard, working with my hands, I would do poorly. My intelligence, then, is not absolute. Its worth is determined by the society I live in. Its numerical evaluation is determined by a small subsection of that society which has managed to foist itself on the rest of us as an arbiter of such matters.

Consider my auto-repair man, again. He had a habit of telling me jokes whenever he saw me. One time he raised his head from under the automobile hood to say: "Doc, a deaf-and-dumb guy went into a hardware store to ask for some nails. He put two fingers together on the counter and made hammering motions with the other hand. The clerk brought him a hammer. He shook his head and pointed to the two fingers he was hammering. The clerk brought him nails. He picked out the sizes he wanted, and left. Well, doc, the next guy who came in was a blind man. He wanted scissors. How do you suppose he asked for them?"

I lifted my right hand and made scissoring motions with my first two fingers. Whereupon my auto-repair man laughed heartily and said, "Why, you dumb fool, he used his voice and asked for them." Then he said, smugly, "I've been trying that on all my customers today." "Did you catch many?" I asked. "Quite a few," he said, "but I knew for sure I'd catch you." "Why is that?" I asked. "Because you're so goddamned educated, doc, I know you couldn't be very smart."

And I have an uneasy feeling he had something there.

NEW WORDS

aptitude

n. natural ability or skill 能力，才能

normal

n. the usual state or level 正常的状态或水平

figure

n. 数字

fuss

n. unnecessary expression of excitement, anger, impatience, etc. 大惊小怪

buck private

n. (sl.) common soldier of the lowest rank 列兵

KP (abbr)

kitchen police (a military duty of helping the cooks prepare and serve the food, wash the dishes, and clean up the kitchen) 炊事值勤(员)

vt. achieve; write in a list or record 取得;登记

complacent

a. self-satisfactory; pleased with oneself 自满的;自鸣得意的

highly

ad. to a great degree; very

simply

ad. just; only 仅仅;只不过

academic

a. scholarly, theoretical, not practical; of a college or university 学术的，学究的;学院的

worthy (of)

a. deserving 值得的

bent

n. natural tendency or inclination 嗜好，倾向

similar

a. alike; of the same sort 类似的

auto

n. (short for) automobile 汽车

estimate

n. judgment or opinion about how much, how many, how good, etc. 估计

grant

vt. give or allow (what is asked for) 授予;准予

hasten

vi. go fast; be quick 赶快;急忙

explore

vt. search or examine thoroughly 探索;探究

vitals

n. essential parts of anything; the main bodily organs 主要部件;(人体的)重要器官

pronouncement

n. formal or authoritative statement; opinion 声明;见解

divine

a. coming from God; sacred 神的;神圣的

oracle

n. 圣言;神谕

devise

vt. think out; plan 想出;设计

carpenter

n. 木匠

academician

n. member of an art, literary or scientific academy or society院士，学会会员

morron

n. stupid person 低能者;蠢人

verbal

a. complicated with words and their use; spoken, not written 词语的;口头的

intricate

a. complicated 错综复杂

absolute

a. not measured by comparison with other things 绝对的

determine

vt. fix or find out exactly 确定

numerical

n. of a number; shown by numbers 数字的;用数字表示的

evaluation

vt. 估价，评价

evaluate

vt.

subsection

n. part of a section 小组，分部

foist

vt. force (sth.) on another person by fraud or trickery 把...强加于

arbiter

n. judge 仲裁人,公断人

joke

n. sth. said or done to cause laughter or amusement

automobile

n. 汽车

hood

n. (汽车)引擎罩

doc

(short for) doctor

deaf

a. unable to hear 聋的

dumb

a. unable to speak; stupid 哑的;愚笨的

deaf-and-dumb

a. unable to hear and speak

hardware

n. metal goods such as utensils, tools, nails, etc. 金属器具

hammer

n. 锤子;榔头

v. strike repeatedly (with a hammer)

clerk

n. salesclerk; person who works in a shop selling things 店员

scissors

n. 剪刀

scissor

v. cut with scissors

whereupon

ad. upon, at, or after which 于是，因此;然后

heartily

ad. 尽情地

smugly

ad. complacently 沾沾自喜地

goddamned

ad. (sl.) very, extremely

uneasy

a. awkward; not easy in mind or body 局促的;不安的;不安适的

PHRAESE & EXPRESSIONS

make a fuss of / over

为...大惊小怪

worthy of

deserving 值得

make up

prepare ready for use 编制;配制

by one's estimate

据某人估计

take sth. for granted

regard it as true or as certain to happen 认为某事当然

go wrong

stop working as true or as certain to happen 出毛病

pick out

select 挑选

try...on

在...身上试验

for sure

for certain; certainly 确切地;肯定

PROPER NAMES

Isaac Asimov

艾萨克.阿西莫夫

Unit Ten: Profits of Praise

TEXT

Are we too quick to blame and slow to praise? It seems we are.

Profits of Praise

It was the end of my exhausting first day as waitress in a busy New York restaurant. My cap had gone awry, my apron was stained, my feet ached. The loaded trays I carried felt heavier and heavier. Weary and discouraged, I didn't seem able to do anything right. As I made out a complicated check for a family with several children who had changed their ice-cream order a dozen times, I was ready to quit.

Then the father smiled at me as he handed me my tip. "Well done," he said. "You've looked after us really well."

Suddenly my tiredness vanished. I smiled back, and later, when the manager asked me how I'd liked my first day, I said, "Fine!" Those few words of praise had changed everything.

Praise is like sunlight to the human spirit; we cannot flower and grow without it. And yet, while most of us are only too ready to apply to others the cold wind of criticism, we are somehow reluctant to give our fellows the warm sunshine of praise.

Why - when one word can bring such pleasure? A friend of mine who travels widely always tries to learn a little of the language of any place she visits. She's not much of a linguist, but she does know how to say one word - "beautiful" - in several languages. She can use it to a mother holding her baby, or to lonely salesman fishing out pictures of his family. The ability has earned her friends all over the world.

It's strange how chary we are about praising. Perhaps it's because few of us know how to accept compliments gracefully. Instead, we are embarrassed and shrug off the words we are really so glad to hear. Because of this defensive reaction, direct compliments are surprisingly difficult to give. That is why some of the most valued pats on the back are those which come to us indirectly, in a letter or passed on by a friend. When one thinks of the speed with which spiteful remarks are conveyed, it seems a pity that there isn't more effort to relay pleasing and flattering comments.

It's especially rewarding to give praise in areas in which effort generally goes unnoticed or unmentioned. An artist gets complimented for a glorious picture, a cook for a perfect meal. But do you ever tell you laundry manager how pleased you are when the shirts are done just right? Do you ever praise your paper boy for getting the paper to you on time 365 days a year?

Praise is particularly appreciated by those doing routine jobs: gas-station attendants, waitresses - even housewives. Do you ever go into a house and say, "What a tidy room"? Hardly anybody does. That's why housework is considered such a dreary grind. Comment is often made about activities which are relatively easy and satisfying, like arranging flowers; but not about jobs which are hard and dirty, like scrubbing floors. Shakespeare said, "Our praises are our wages." Since so often praise is the only wage a housewife receives, surely she of all people should get her measure.

Mothers know instinctively that for children an ounce of praise is worth a pound of scolding. Still, we're not always as perceptive as we might be about applying the rule. One day I was criticizing my children for squabbling. "Can you never play peacefully?" I shouted. Susanna looked at me quizzically. "Of course we can," she said. "But you don't notice us when we do."

Teachers agree about the value of praise. One teacher writes that instead of drowning students' compositions in critical red ink, the teacher will get far more constructive results by finding one or two things which have been done better than last time, and commenting favorably on them. "I believe that a student knows when he has handed in something above his usual standard," writes the teacher, "and that he waits hungrily for a brief comment in the margin to show him that the teacher is aware of it, too."

Behavioral scientists have done countless experiments to prove that any human being tends to repeat an act which has been immediately followed by a pleasant result. In one such experiment, a number of schoolchildren were divided into three groups and given arithmetic tests daily for five days. One group was consistently praised for its previous performance; another group was criticized; the third was ignored.

Not surprisingly, those who were praised improved dramatically. Those who were criticized improved also, bus not so much. And the scores of the children who were ignored hardly improved at all. Interestingly the brightest children were helped just as much by criticism as by praise, but the less able children reacted badly to criticism, needed praise the most. Yet the latter are the very youngsters who, in most schools, fail to get the pat on the back.

To give praise costs the giver nothing but a moment's thought and a moment's effort - perhaps a quick phone call to pass on a compliment, or five minutes spent writing an appreciative letter. It is such a small investment - and yet consider the results it may produce. "I can live for two months on a good compliment," said Mark Twain.

So, let's be alert to the small excellences around us - and comment on them. We will not only bring joy into other people's lives, but also, very often, added happiness into out own.

NEW WORDS

profit

n. advantage or good obtained from sth... money gained in business 益处;利润

exhaust

vt. tire out 使筋疲力尽

waitress

n. woman waiter

awry

a. with a turn to one side 歪;斜

apron

n. 围裙

stain

vt. make dirty marks on 玷污

load

vt. put a full amount of things on or in (sth.) 装满

tray

n. 托盘

weary

a. very tired 厌倦的，厌烦的

discourage

vt. cause to lose courage or confidence 使泄气，使灰心

ice-cream

n. 冰淇淋

dozen

n. twelve (一)打

quit

v. stop (doing sth.) and leave 离(职)，不干

sunlight

n. light of the sun; sunshine

human

a. of or concerning people

apply

vt. 运用，实施

application

somehow

ad. for some reacon or other; in some way or other 不知怎么地，以某种方式

reluctant

a. unwilling 不情愿的;勉强的

sunshine

n. light of the sun

linguist

n. person who is good at foreign languages; person who studies the science of language 通晓数国语言的人;语言学家

salesman

n. man whose work is selling a company's goods to businesses, homes, etc. 推销员

earn

vt. get in return for work or as a reward for one's qualities, etc. 挣得，赢得

chary

a. careful; cautious 谨慎小心的

compliment

n. praise 赞美(话)

vt. praise 赞美

gracefully

ad. 大大方方地;优美地

graceful

embarrass

vt. make awkward or ashamed 使尴尬

defensive

a. 防御

surprisingly

as. in a surprising manner or degree

pat

n. tap made with the open hand 轻拍

v. tap gently with the open hand

indirectly

ad. in an indirect way 间接地

indirect

spiteful

a. having or showing ill will 恶意的

convey

vt. make (ideas, views, feelings, etc.) know to another person 转达，传达

relay

vt. 传送;传达

flatter

vt. praise too much; praise insincerely (in order to please) 过奖;谄媚，奉承

comment

n. opinion, explanation or judgment written or spoken about an event, book, person, state of affairs, etc. 评论

vi. make comments (on); give opinions

rewarding

a. worthwhile; worth doing; giving a reward to 值得(做)的;报答的

reward

vt.

generally

ad. usually 通常，一般地

artist

n. person who practises or works in one of the fine arts, esp. painting 画家，艺术家

glorious

a. splendid 辉煌的

laundry

n. 洗衣店

appreciate

vt. understand and enjoy; be thankful for 欣赏，鉴赏;感谢，感激

routine

a. not unusual or exciting; regular 常规的，例行的

gas-station

n. 加油站

attendant

n. 服务人员

tidy

a. neatly arranged 整洁的，整齐的

housework

n. work done on taking care of a house 家务劳动

dreary

a. dull and uninteresting 沉闷乏味的

grind

n. hard uninteresting work 苦差使

scrub

vt. clean by rubbing hard, esp. with a stiff brush 擦洗

wage

n. (pl.) 工资，报酬

measure

n. am adequate or due portion 份儿

instinctively

ad. 本能地

scold

vt. blame with angry words 申诉，怒骂

perceptive

a. 感觉灵敏的

criticize

vt. 批评

squabble

vi. quarrel, esp. noisily and unreasonably 争吵，口角

peacefully

ad. in a peaceful manner; quietly 安静地

peaceful

quizzically

ad. 嘲弄地;疑惑地

drown

vt. cover completely with water; cause (sb.) to die by keeping under water 淹没;使(某人)淹死

critical

a. fault-finding 挑剔的，苛求的

constructive

a. helping 建设性的

favo(u)rably

ad. helping 赞成地，称赞地

favo(u)rable

brief

a. using a few words; short

margin

n. blank space round the printed or written matter on a page 页边的空白

behavioral

a. of or relating to behavior 行为的

countless

a. too many to be counted

arithmetic

n. science of numbers 算术

consistently

ad. 始终如一地;一贯地

consistent

a. coming earlier in time or order 以前的

lgnore

vt. not to take notice of, pay no attention to 不理,忽视

dramatically

ad. strikingly 显著地

dramatic

react

vi. respond 反应

youngster

n. young person, esp. a boy

appreciative

a. thankful; grateful

investment

n. 投资

invest

alert

a. watchful and keen 警觉的

excellence

n. an excellent or valuable quality; virtue

PHRASRS & EXPRESSIONS

make out

write out; complete or fill in 开出;填写

only too

very 极,非常

not much of a

not a very good 不十分好的

fish out

bring out after searching 掏出

shrug off

dismiss as not deserving attention or as sth. unimportant 耸肩表示对...不屑理睬

pat on the back

word or gesture of praise or encouragement 赞扬;鼓励

pass on

convey (to another) 传递

live on

depend upon for support 靠...生活

PROPER NAMES

Janet Graham

珍妮特.格雷厄姆

Shakespeare

莎士比亚

Susanna

苏珊娜

Mark Twain

马克.吐温

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