大学体验英语第二册Unit7-Passage A

Things I Learned From Dad
　Three successful people reveal how fathers shape their destiny.
Rebecca Lobo: Be Loving
　I knew - even when I was very young - just how much my mom and dad loved each other. Whenever one of them went out, they kissed each other good-bye. My brother, sister and I thought this was gross! But when I get married, I can only hope that I will have found someone who loves me as much as Dad loves Mom. Because there was always so much love in the family, I grew up with an incredible security blanket. 　

　Mom battled breast cancer when I was in college. Despite his worry, Dad was a pillar of strength for us and especially for her. After her mastectomy, she decided¹ against the added trauma² of breast-reconstruction surgery. Mom told me that in their entire marriage Dad never suggested that she even change her hairstyle. Instead he has always told her how beautiful she is. And that's why she thinks fighting cancer wasn't as hard as it could have been. She knew that no matter what, Dad and his love would be there. 　
Rebecca Lobo, a former College Player of the Year, plays basketball for the WNBA's New York Liberty.　
Richard Branson: Encourage　
　My sisters and I grew up in a little village in England. Our father was a struggling lawyer, but I always knew he was special. He never criticized, but used praise to bring out our best. He'd say, "If you pour water on flowers, they flourish. If you don't give them water, they die."　

　I remember as a child I said something unkind about somebody, and my father said, "Any time you say something unpleasant about somebody else, it's a reflection of you." He explained that if I looked for the best in people, I would get the best in return. I've tried to follow this principle in running my company.　

　Dad's also always been very understanding. At 15, I started a magazine. It was taking up a great deal of my time, and the headmaster of my school gave me a choice: stay in school or leave to work on my magazine. 　

　I decided to leave, and Dad tried to sway me from my decision, as any good father would. When he realized I had made up my mind, he said, "Richard, when I was 23, my dad persuaded me to go into law. And I've always regretted it. I wanted to be an archeologist, but I didn't pursue my dream. You know what you want. Go fulfill³ that dream." 　

　As it turned out, my little publication went on to become Student, a national magazine for young people in the U.K. My wife and I have two children, and I'd like to think we are bringing them up in the same way Dad raised me. 　

Richard Branson is chairman of the Virgin⁴ Group of Companies, which owns Virgin Atlantic Airways⁵, Virgin Entertainment and Virgin Cola. 　
John Lewis: Have Hope　
?As a young boy, I used to complain about having to get up so early to work on our farm in Troy, Ala. One day my father took me aside and said, "Son, we have to do this in order to make things better. Hang in there and things will improve."

?Dad was an optimist⁶ by nature, and he instilled⁷ in me this concept of hope about the future. He also taught us that we couldn't just be concerned about our own circumstances. We also had to be concerned about others. 　

　I saw my father always giving and always sharing. We didn't have that much to share or to give, but he had faith that things would work out-even under tremendously difficult conditions. There was a lot of fear back then in Alabama. Segregation⁸ was very rigid⁹. Water fountains for us were marked "Colored," and we could only walk on one side of the street. But somehow he survived under these circumstances without becoming bitter, angry or hateful. 　
　My father passed away in 1977. But if he had lived to see my election to Congress he would have been very proud and happy. I'd like to believe that he's looking down and watching me today. 　
John Lewis represents Georgia's 5th District in the U.S. House of Representatives. 　

1 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

2 trauma   

n.外伤，精神创伤

参考例句：

• Counselling is helping him work through this trauma.心理辅导正帮助他面对痛苦。
• The phobia may have its root in a childhood trauma.恐惧症可能源于童年时期的创伤。

3 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

4 virgin   

n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的

参考例句：

• Have you ever been to a virgin forest?你去过原始森林吗？
• There are vast expanses of virgin land in the remote regions.在边远地区有大片大片未开垦的土地。

5 AIRWAYS   

航空公司

参考例句：

• The giant jets that increasingly dominate the world's airways. 越来越称雄于世界航线的巨型喷气机。
• At one point the company bought from Nippon Airways a 727 jet. 有一次公司从日本航空公司买了一架727型喷气机。

6 optimist   

n.乐观的人，乐观主义者

参考例句：

• We are optimist and realist.我们是乐观主义者，又是现实主义者。
• Peter,ever the optimist,said things were bound to improve.一向乐观的皮特说，事情必定是会好转的。

7 instilled   

v.逐渐使某人获得（某种可取的品质），逐步灌输( instill的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Nature has instilled in our minds an insatiable desire to see truth. 自然给我们心灵注入了永无休止的发现真理的欲望。 来自辞典例句
• I instilled the need for kindness into my children. 我不断向孩子们灌输仁慈的必要。 来自辞典例句

8 segregation   

n.隔离，种族隔离

参考例句：

• Many school boards found segregation a hot potato in the early 1960s.在60年代初，许多学校部门都觉得按水平分班是一个棘手的问题。
• They were tired to death of segregation and of being kicked around.他们十分厌恶种族隔离和总是被人踢来踢去。

9 rigid   

adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的

参考例句：

• She became as rigid as adamant.她变得如顽石般的固执。
• The examination was so rigid that nearly all aspirants were ruled out.考试很严，几乎所有的考生都被淘汰了。