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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Unit 3
Part B
Text 1
A Marriage Agreement (Part One)
(Tom and Linda have signed a marriage agreement. Both agree not to break the rules outlined in the agreement. John, a reporter, is talking to them about the agreement.)
John: Tom, Linda, first I'd like to ask you why you decided1 to write this unusual agreement.
Tom: We found that many problems are caused when a person has different expectations from his or her spouse2. We wanted to talk about everything openly and honestly before we started living together.
Linda: Also we both know how important it is to respect each other's pet peeves3. Like, I can get very annoyed if others leave stuff4 -- clothing, papers, everything! -- lying around on the floor. It really bugged5 me, so we put that in the agreement.
John: This is mentioned in Article 1: Cleaning Up, isn't it? It says, "Nothing will be left on the floor overnight6. Everything must be cleaned up and put away before going to bed."
Tom: Then I'll know clearly what Linda's expectations are.
John: I see. What about Article 2: Sleeping? It says, "We will go to bed at 11 p.m. and get up at 6:30 a.m. except on weekends." I'm sure some people hearing this will think that this agreement isn't very romantic.
Tom: Well, we disagree. We think it's very romantic. This agreement shows that we sat down and talked, and really tried to understand the other person. A lot of problems occur in a marriage when people don't talk about what they want.
Linda: That's right. When we disagreed about something, we worked out a solution that was good for both of us. I would much rather have Tom really listen to me and understand my needs than give me a bunch of flowers or a box of candy.
Questions:
1. Which statement best summarizes7 the marriage agreement between Tom and Linda?
2. According to Tom, what will give rise to problems in a marriage?
3. What can be inferred8 about Linda from the conversation?
Text 2
A Marriage Agreement (Part Two)
John: Linda, do you spend a lot of time checking to see if the other person is following the rules? Arguing?
Linda: No, not at all.
Tom: A lot of couples argue because they don't understand each other's expectations. I think we spend less time arguing than most couples because we both know what the other person expects.
John: What happens if one of you breaks a rule?
Tom: Well, that's in Article 13 of our agreement.
John: Is it? Oh yes, Article 13: Breaking Rules. "If you break a rule, you must apologize and do something nice for the other person to make it up."
Linda: Yeah, like last time Tom broke the rule of driving.
John: What's the rule?
Linda: The rule is we must ask for directions if we are driving and get lost for more than five minutes.
John: What happened?
Tom: We were driving to a friend's wedding, and we got lost. Linda wanted to stop at a gas station to ask for directions, but I thought I could figure it out.
Linda: Then we drove forty miles in the wrong direction and ended up being late for the wedding.
Tom: So I took her out to dinner. I knew what I should do to apologize.
John: That's very important, I think, knowing how to apologize. By the way, do you plan to update your agreement at all? What if things change in your life and a rule doesn't work anymore?
Linda: We've thought about that too. Article 14 states that we must review this agreement once a year and make necessary changes.
John: Well, it was really nice talking to you both. Thank you very much for your time.
Tom & Linda: Thank you.
Statements:
1. Tom and Linda never argue because they both know what the other person expects.
2. Once Tom broke Article 14 and apologized to Linda by taking her out to dinner.
3. If some of the rules in the marriage agreement become outdated9, changes will be made to update them.
4. It seems that both Tom and Linda are satisfied with their marriage agreement.
Part C
A Perfect Match
Are you looking for a good relationship with someone special? What type of person is the best person for you? Is it the person with the highest IQ? Is it the most beautiful or most handsome person? How about the richest person or the most ambitious10? Is your ideal11 partner the most traditional or the most modern person? Is he or she the person most like you, or most unlike you?
The answer, psychologists say, is none of the above. Why? Because they are all extremes. In a number of research studies, psychologists asked couples these questions. The answers were clear. Most people are happy with moderation -- with partners who are not the most or the best (or the least or the worst). People are more comfortable with partners who are not so special.
The research showed several other important things. In a love relationship, two things can cause trouble. First, trouble happens when both people get angry quickly. This is not surprising. Second, trouble happens when people don't expect to change themselves in a relationship. Do you stay calm when you disagree with someone? Are you ready to change yourself? If you can tolerate12 disagreement and are willing to change, maybe you are ready for a serious relationship.
Statements:
1. The passage implies13 that the perfect match for you is a person who is most unlike you.
2. The author argues that the most beautiful or most handsome person may not be your perfect partner.
3. Moderate14 person, that is, the partners who are not the most or the best can be your perfect match.
4. The research showed that an extreme love relationship between the two can cause trouble.
5. The passage states that the anger is one of the causes that lead to the breakup of a love relationship.
6. The perfect match lies in the people's attitudes to tolerate disagreement and be willing to change in a relationship.
Part D
Husbands and Wives Don't See Things Alike15
Let's face it -- husbands and wives just don't see things alike. Take TV remote controls, for example. I'm a channel-grazer. When I watch the news, I flip16 back and forth17 through four different networks.
"It drives me crazy when you do that," my wife complains. I don't understand why she has no interest in other channels. After all, she is a woman who wants to know everything going on in the neighborhood and among all the relatives. Just one button away might be an interesting program on How to Lose Fifty Pounds by Eating Chocolate Sundaes or How to Understand Weird18 Husbands. But, no, she won't change channels, not even if she dislikes the program she's watching.
"This talk show host makes me so angry!" she cried one evening.
"Then why don't you change the channel?" I asked.
"Because I can't stand people who are always changing channels."
Differences. No right or wrong, just differences.
"The first law of civilization," said an old philosopher19, "is to let people be different."
I don't need to convert20 my wife to my ways, and she doesn't try to make me be like her. We simply take turns monitoring the remote control.
收听单词发音 |
1
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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spouse
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| n.配偶(指夫或妻) | |
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3
peeves
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| n.麻烦的事物，怨恨，触怒( peeve的名词复数 ) | |
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4
stuff
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| n.原料，材料，东西；vt.填满；吃饱 | |
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5
bugged
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| vt.在…装窃听器（bug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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overnight
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| ad.前一天晚上，一夜间 a.前一天晚上的 | |
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summarizes
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| v.总结，概述( summarize的第三人称单数 ) | |
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inferred
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| v.推断( infer的过去式和过去分词 )；间接地提出；暗示；意指 | |
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9
outdated
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| adj.旧式的，落伍的，过时的；v.使过时 | |
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ambitious
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| adj.有雄心的，劲头十足的，有野心的 | |
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ideal
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| adj.理想的，完美的；空想的，观念的；n.理想 | |
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12
tolerate
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| v.忍受，容忍，容许，宽恕；vt.容忍，忍受，容许 | |
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13
implies
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| 暗示，暗指( imply的第三人称单数 )； 必然包含； 说明，表明 | |
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14
moderate
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| adj.适度的，稳健的，温和的，中等的；v.节制，使...稳定，使...缓和；n.稳健的人 | |
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alike
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| adj.同样的，相像的；adv.一样地；同程度地 | |
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flip
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| vt.快速翻动；轻抛；轻拍；n.轻抛；adj.轻浮的 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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weird
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| adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的 | |
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philosopher
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| n.哲学家，哲人 | |
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convert
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| v.（在形式、状态、用途等方面）（使）改变 | |
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