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新编英语教程第二册Unit11

时间:2006-09-21 16:00来源:互联网 提供网友:clian1   字体: [ ]
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Unit 11

DIALOGUE I

The Young on the Old

A: Isn't it Luo Wei? You've certainly changed beyond recognition!
B: Hi, Li Xia, you've grown from a tomboy into a graceful1 lady!
A: It was ten years ago that we first went to school together, wasn't it? I think it incredible that the well-groomed young man before me should have been the number one mischief-maker in the class.
B: How time flies!
A: I'm really surprised at how time changes people for the better, including you. Ha!
B: Don't be so sure of that. Time can bring aches and pains, too. It all depends on whether you grow from adolescence2 into adulthood3 or from adulthood into old age.
A: From adulthood into old age. That'll be terrible, won't it? I simply can't imagine what it'll be like to grow old.
B: Perhaps you'll be regarded as a burden to your children and the society forty years from now. Who knows?
A: Don't be so pessimistic. I don't suppose people here will let that happen.
B: But now and then there are cases of senior citizens being neglected or maltreated by their children. Recently there was a news report about an old man who'd been badly treated since retirement4. The local people couldn't bear to see the old man suffer so much, and it was his neighbours who came to his rescue.
A: I read about that, too. It was just outrageous5 that his children should have refused to take care of him.
B: They ought to be brought to trial at the people's moral court and be punished in some way.
A: Anyway, they've been condemned6 by public opinion. I hope they have come to their senses.
B: Who knows whether or not I'll suffer the same fate as that poor old man! At the thought that one day I'll be too old to take care of myself, I can't help feeling disheartened.
A: We shouldn't think in that way actually. Everybody ages. Old age's nobody's fault. As we grow physically7 older, we need to keep ourselves psychologically young, and to contribute our experience and mature judgment8 to society.
B: I suppose you are right. I'll make myself useful to the community with my knowledge. I can't imagine myself doing nothing all day long. I don't mind what I do, but I need to be doing something useful. I'll pursue further education to keep my knowledge updated and my brain healthy.
A: I'm sure colleges and universities will have departments offering courses especially tailored to meet the needs of senior citizens. As a matter of fact, in a few places, they've already started giving courses in collecting, painting, calligraphy9, things like that.
B: Yes, I've also heard there are places where old people have their own clubs and associations, such as the shadow boxing society and slow-dancing clubs.
A: So we don't have to worry about life in old age. I'm quite sure that by the time we retire, we'll live a rich and full life. As we'll be able to afford more time, we'll even travel around the world.

DIALOGUE II

Dialogue:

Three students are talking outside the library.
A: Well, that's enough work for today. I'd better be going home now.
B: Yes, I must be off, too. By the way, you've heard about Frank, I suppose.
C: No, I haven't heard a thing. I haven't seen him for about a month. What's happened?
A: What's happened to him?
B: Well, nothing bad. He's just won a scholarship to go to France next year!
C: Has he? How fantastic! That's really good news.
A: What a surprise! I must remember to congratulate him next time I see him.
C: He must be very pleased with himself. Incidentally, talking about scholarships, guess what I heard this morning.
B: What?
C: Well, poor Jane! She didn't pass her exams again, so she's been refused a scholarship.
A: Oh, no! That's dreadful. This is the third time she's tried to get a scholarship. This was her last chance, too.
B: She must be very miserable10.
A: She certainly doesn't deserve to have failed. She's always worked hard.
B: I suppose she's not very good at sitting for exams. Some people do get very nervous. I think I'll go round and see her, and to cheer her up a bit.
A: Well, give her my regards, won't you?
B: Yes, of course.
C: Be seeing you, then. Bye.
A & B: Bye. See you!

READING

The Virtue11 Called Devotion

My grandmother is ninety-four now, and she doesn't hear much of what we say to her any more - even when we shout. At times she is so childishly demanding that we can hardly put up with her. Other times, she is so depressed12 at the state of the world that it is impossible to cheer her up. She is hard to live with.
Grandma lives with my mother and father. They have been looking after her for years. When it became apparent that Grandma could no longer take care of herself, she was moved into my parents' roomy home. She misses her little house and the amount of freedom she had, but she was terribly lonely there. Now she sees her family as often as she pleases.
When Grandma's abilities to see, hear, and walk adequately began to fail, numerous family meetings were held to discuss what to do. No one wanted to live with her; that was evident. We talked of placing her in a retirement home, but that idea was quickly discarded. Although Grandma would be with more people her own age, she would see even less of her family - and that would break her heart. Besides, the really good homes were extremely expensive, and the inexpensive ones were unappealing.
Mother flatly stated that Grandma would not end up in a nursing home. When the time came, Grandma would take up residence in her home. When Grandma was eighteen, she had had to quit school to look after her ailing13 parents, and she had loyally cared for them until their deaths. And Mother was not about to allow her mother to age away in unfamiliar14 surroundings. I admire my mother greatly for this decision. It was not an easy one for her, but it was a clear one. When so many others are heedlessly shunning15 the responsibility of aging parents, my mother stands out with strength.
In many lands, from the so-called primitive16 cultures to the highly developed ones, the eldest17 of the family is treated respectfully as the head of the household, at least until he or she becomes too old to make logical decisions. After that time, they are cared for by other members of the family for the rest of their days. Years ago in some cultures, I have heard, they were taken out to the wilderness18 and left to die at the hands of nature. Although this sounds cruel and heartless, I sometimes wonder if it was any crueller than today's practice of placing them in a strange environment to pine away from loneliness and confusion.
Many of the old folks who live in nursing homes have sick and feeble bodies. And they need constant attention to survive. But think about it! How enthusiastic about living would you be if your children had to pay perfect strangers to keep your body functioning? What would be the point of living? The indignity19 of it would be almost unbearable20.
My own mother is still quite vigorous and active. She is enthusiastic about the future and is making many long-range plans. But someday she will be old and feeble. And one day, one of her five children, possibly me, will know that the time has come to care for an aging parent. We talk about this often, and I jokingly tell her that I will take her to the mountain and leave her there. She sometimes responds with this story:
"One day, a young man saw his father walking down the road lugging21 a large basket. When he got closer, the young man could see that his old grandfather was in the basket.
"'Where are you taking Grandpa, Father?' he asked.
"I'm taking him to the canyon,' his father said. 'He's old and mean and no good for anything now, so I'm going to throw him over the cliff.'
"'Okay, Father, you go right ahead,' the young man said, 'but be sure to save the basket. Someday I shall need it for you.'"
Someday we, too, will be old and feeble. Let us hope that loving families will not forget the virtue called devotion.

The Changing Concept of Family in America

Not long ago, Americans had a pretty good idea of what "family" meant. But today, with people living together in so many different combinations, "family" is much harder to define. When it comes to family values, many Americans may be saying one thing and doing another. The real picture is that the American family is suffering a crisis of collapsing22. The American family is no longer what it used to be, though many Americans claim that they place the highest value on family life.
Researchers have been asking Americans about their families for over half a century, and Americans have always replied that the family takes priority over everything else in their lives. But if you watch what Americans do, traditional family relationships are in trouble. Research indicates that if current divorce rates continue, about two out of three marriages that begin this year will not survive as long as both spouses23 live. Besides, the proportion of American adults who are married is decreasing, the share of out-of-wedlock births has soared, and most children under age eighteen will spend part of their childhood living with only one parent.
The truth is that many, if not most, Americans will sacrifice traditional family ties for activities which they claim are more important. It is common for Americans to let the pursuit of more individualistic goals interfere24 with their family life. Worse still, many Americans are far more materialistic25 and self-centered than they are willing to admit.


The family is of nature's masterpieces.
-- George Santayana

To the family -- that dear octopus26 from whose tentacles27 we never
quite escape, nor, in our inmost hearts, ever quite wish to.
-- Dodie Smith


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 graceful deHza     
adj.优美的,优雅的;得体的
参考例句:
  • His movements on the parallel bars were very graceful.他的双杠动作可帅了!
  • The ballet dancer is so graceful.芭蕾舞演员的姿态是如此的优美。
2 adolescence CyXzY     
n.青春期,青少年
参考例句:
  • Adolescence is the process of going from childhood to maturity.青春期是从少年到成年的过渡期。
  • The film is about the trials and tribulations of adolescence.这部电影讲述了青春期的麻烦和苦恼。
3 adulthood vKsyr     
n.成年,成人期
参考例句:
  • Some infantile actions survive into adulthood.某些婴儿期的行为一直保持到成年期。
  • Few people nowadays are able to maintain friendships into adulthood.如今很少有人能将友谊维持到成年。
4 retirement TWoxH     
n.退休,退职
参考例句:
  • She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
  • I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。
5 outrageous MvFyH     
adj.无理的,令人不能容忍的
参考例句:
  • Her outrageous behaviour at the party offended everyone.她在聚会上的无礼行为触怒了每一个人。
  • Charges for local telephone calls are particularly outrageous.本地电话资费贵得出奇。
6 condemned condemned     
adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词
参考例句:
  • He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
  • The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。
7 physically iNix5     
adj.物质上,体格上,身体上,按自然规律
参考例句:
  • He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服,心绪也很乱。
  • Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。
8 judgment e3xxC     
n.审判;判断力,识别力,看法,意见
参考例句:
  • The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
  • He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。
9 calligraphy BsRzP     
n.书法
参考例句:
  • At the calligraphy competition,people asked him to write a few characters.书法比赛会上,人们请他留字。
  • His calligraphy is vigorous and forceful.他的书法苍劲有力。
10 miserable g18yk     
adj.悲惨的,痛苦的;可怜的,糟糕的
参考例句:
  • It was miserable of you to make fun of him.你取笑他,这是可耻的。
  • Her past life was miserable.她过去的生活很苦。
11 virtue BpqyH     
n.德行,美德;贞操;优点;功效,效力
参考例句:
  • He was considered to be a paragon of virtue.他被认为是品德尽善尽美的典范。
  • You need to decorate your mind with virtue.你应该用德行美化心灵。
12 depressed xu8zp9     
adj.沮丧的,抑郁的,不景气的,萧条的
参考例句:
  • When he was depressed,he felt utterly divorced from reality.他心情沮丧时就感到完全脱离了现实。
  • His mother was depressed by the sad news.这个坏消息使他的母亲意志消沉。
13 ailing XzzzbA     
v.生病
参考例句:
  • They discussed the problems ailing the steel industry. 他们讨论了困扰钢铁工业的问题。
  • She looked after her ailing father. 她照顾有病的父亲。
14 unfamiliar uk6w4     
adj.陌生的,不熟悉的
参考例句:
  • I am unfamiliar with the place and the people here.我在这儿人地生疏。
  • The man seemed unfamiliar to me.这人很面生。
15 shunning f77a1794ffcbea6dcfeb67a3e9932661     
v.避开,回避,避免( shun的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • My flight was more a shunning of external and internal dangers. 我的出走是要避开各种外在的和内在的威胁。 来自辞典例句
  • That book Yeh-yeh gave me-"On Filial Piety and the Shunning of Lewdness"-was still on the table. 我坐下来,祖父给我的那本《刘芷唐先生教孝戒淫浅训》还在桌子上。 来自汉英文学 - 家(1-26) - 家(1-26)
16 primitive vSwz0     
adj.原始的;简单的;n.原(始)人,原始事物
参考例句:
  • It is a primitive instinct to flee a place of danger.逃离危险的地方是一种原始本能。
  • His book describes the march of the civilization of a primitive society.他的著作描述了一个原始社会的开化过程。
17 eldest bqkx6     
adj.最年长的,最年老的
参考例句:
  • The King's eldest son is the heir to the throne.国王的长子是王位的继承人。
  • The castle and the land are entailed on the eldest son.城堡和土地限定由长子继承。
18 wilderness SgrwS     
n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等,荒漠
参考例句:
  • She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
  • Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。
19 indignity 6bkzp     
n.侮辱,伤害尊严,轻蔑
参考例句:
  • For more than a year we have suffered the indignity.在一年多的时间里,我们丢尽了丑。
  • She was subjected to indignity and humiliation.她受到侮辱和羞辱。
20 unbearable alCwB     
adj.不能容忍的;忍受不住的
参考例句:
  • It is unbearable to be always on thorns.老是处于焦虑不安的情况中是受不了的。
  • The more he thought of it the more unbearable it became.他越想越觉得无法忍受。
21 lugging cce6bbbcf49c333a48fe60698d0047ab     
超载运转能力
参考例句:
  • I would smile when I saw him lugging his golf bags into the office. 看到他把高尔夫球袋拖进办公室,我就笑一笑。 来自辞典例句
  • As a general guide, S$1 should be adequate for baggage-lugging service. 一般的准则是,如有人帮你搬运行李,给一新元就够了。 来自互联网
22 collapsing 6becc10b3eacfd79485e188c6ac90cb2     
压扁[平],毁坏,断裂
参考例句:
  • Rescuers used props to stop the roof of the tunnel collapsing. 救援人员用支柱防止隧道顶塌陷。
  • The rocks were folded by collapsing into the center of the trough. 岩石由于坍陷进入凹槽的中心而发生褶皱。
23 spouses 3fbe4097e124d44af1bc18e63e898b65     
n.配偶,夫或妻( spouse的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Jobs are available for spouses on campus and in the community. 校园里和社区里有配偶可做的工作。 来自辞典例句
  • An astonishing number of spouses-most particularly in the upper-income brackets-have no close notion of their husbands'paychecks. 相当大一部分妇女——特别在高收入阶层——并不很了解他们丈夫的薪金。 来自辞典例句
24 interfere b5lx0     
v.(in)干涉,干预;(with)妨碍,打扰
参考例句:
  • If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话,可能弊多利少。
  • When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件,棘手的事情就来了。
25 materialistic 954c43f6cb5583221bd94f051078bc25     
a.唯物主义的,物质享乐主义的
参考例句:
  • She made him both soft and materialistic. 她把他变成女性化而又实际化。
  • Materialistic dialectics is an important part of constituting Marxism. 唯物辩证法是马克思主义的重要组成部分。
26 octopus f5EzQ     
n.章鱼
参考例句:
  • He experienced nausea after eating octopus.吃了章鱼后他感到恶心。
  • One octopus has eight tentacles.一条章鱼有八根触角。
27 tentacles de6ad1cd521db1ee7397e4ed9f18a212     
n.触手( tentacle的名词复数 );触角;触须;触毛
参考例句:
  • Tentacles of fear closed around her body. 恐惧的阴影笼罩着她。
  • Many molluscs have tentacles. 很多软体动物有触角。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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