Unit 2
Text A
Pre-reading Activities
First Listening
Before listening to the tape, have a quick look at the following words.
fare
乘客
buck
（俚）（一）元
trace
找到
glare
盯视
gratitude
感激
gracefully
得体地
Second Listening
Listen to the tape again and choose the best answer to each of the following questions.
1. How did the man who had lost his wallet react to it being returned?
A) He acted hostile towards the cabdriver.
B) He took it without a word, but smiled his thanks.
C) He gave the driver some money, but no thanks.
D) He thanked the driver, but gave him no reward.
2. What does the story of the cabdriver show?
A) Cabdrivers are usually honest people.
B) People need to be shown gratitude.
C) You should always give a tip for good service.
D) It's not worthwhile to help other people.
3. Which of the following is NOT an example of expressing gratitude?
A) returning a wallet someone has left behind
B) gracefully receiving an act of kindness from another person
C) thanking and praising coworkers, family, and friends
D) making a small gesture of appreciation
4. Why does the author consider gratitude so important?
A) It keeps people from getting angry.
B) It helps you to get what you want.
C) It makes others like you more.
D) It makes the world a more pleasant place to live.
The Gratitude We Need
A.J. Cronin
On a fine afternoon in New York, I got into a taxi. From the driver's expression and the way he slammed in his gears, I could tell that he was upset. I asked him what was the trouble. "I've got good reason to be sore," he growled. "One of my fares left a wallet in my cab this morning. Nearly three hundred bucks in it. I spent more than an hour trying to trace the guy. Finally I found him at his hotel. He took the wallet without a word and glared at me as though I'd meant to steal it."
"He didn't give you a reward?" I exclaimed.
"Not a cent. But it wasn't the dough I wanted..." he fumbled, then exploded, "If the guy had only said something..."
Because his helpful, honest act had not been appreciated, that cabdriver's day was poisoned, and I knew he would think twice before rendering a similar service. The need for gratitude is something we all feel, and denial of it can do much to harm the spirit of kindness and cooperation.
During World War II a mother in Cincinnati received a letter from her son in the army in which he spoke of a woman in a village in Normandy who had taken him into her home when he was wounded and hungry, and hidden him from the Germans. Later on, unhappily, the boy was killed in the Ardennes offensive. Yet the mother was moved by an irresistible intention. She saved up for two years, crossed the Atlantic and located the village referred to by her son. After many inquiries, she found the woman who had sheltered her son—the wife of an impoverished farmer—and pressed a package into her hand. It was the gold wristwatch her son had received on his graduation, the only object of real value the boy had ever possessed. The mother's act of gratitude so touched people's hearts that it has become something of a legend in and around the village. It has done more than fine speeches to foster good feeling toward Americans.
Gratitude is the art of receiving gracefully, of showing appreciation for every kindness, great and small. Most of us do not fail to show our pleasure when we receive hospitality, gifts and obvious benefits, but even here we can perfect our manner of showing gratitude by making it as personal and sincere as possible. Recently, when touring in southern Italy with my wife, I sent to a friend in Connecticut several bottles of a local wine which had taken our fancy. It was a trifling gift, yet to our surprise, instead of the conventional letter of thanks, we receive a phonograph record. When we played it, we heard our friend's voice speaking after dinner, describing how he and his guests had enjoyed the wine and thanking us for our thoughtfulness. It was pleasant to have this unusual proof that our gift had been appreciated.
Gratitude is sometimes more than a personal affair. My son, studying medicine at McGill University, told me of a patient brought into hospital in Montreal whose life was saved by a blood transfusion. When he was well again he asked: "Isn't there any way I can discover the name of the donor and thank him?" He was told that names of donors are never revealed. A few weeks after his discharge he came back to give a pint of his own blood. Since then he has returned again and again for the same purpose. When a surgeon commented on this splendid record of anonymous service, he answered simply: "Someone I never knew did it for me. I'm just saying 'thanks'".
It is a comforting thought that gratitude can be not merely a passing sentiment but a renewal which can, in some instances, persist for a lifetime. A husband who recalls appreciatively some generous or unselfish act on his wife's part, or a wife who never forgets the gifts her husband has given her, does much to keep the domestic wheels spinning smoothly. W.H. Hudson, British author and naturalist, has written: "One evening I brought home a friend to share our usual evening meal. Afterward he said to me:‘You are fortunate to have a wife who, despite ill health and children to look after, cooks such excellent meals.' That tribute opened my eyes and taught me to show gratitude for my wife's day-to-day heroism, which I had hitherto taken for granted."
It is, above all, in the little things that the grace of gratitude should be most employed. The boy who delivers our paper, the milkman, the mailman, the barber, the waitress at a restaurant, the elevator operator—all oblige us in one way or another. By showing our gratitude we make routine relationships human and render monotonous tasks more agreeable.
A patient of mine in London who worked as a bus conductor once confided to me, "I get fed up with my job sometimes. People grumble, bother you, haven't got the right change for their tickets. But there's one lady on my bus morning and evening, and she always thanks me in a particularly friendly way when I take her ticket. I like to think she's speaking for all the passengers. It helps me to keep smiling."
Arnold Bennett had a publisher who boasted about the extraordinary efficiency of his secretary. One day Bennett said to her, "Your employer claims that you are extremely efficient. What is your secret?" "It's not my secret," the secretary replied. "It's his." Each time she performed a service, no matter how small, he never failed to acknowledge it. Because of that she took infinite pains with her work.
Some persons refrain from expressing their gratitude because they feel it will not be welcome. A patient of mine, a few weeks after his discharge from the hospital, came back to thank his nurse. "I didn't come back sooner," he explained, "because I imagined you must be bored to death with people thanking you."
"On the contrary," she replied, "I am delighted you came. Few realize how much we need encouragement and how much we are helped by those who give it."
Gratitude is something of which none of us can give too much. For on the smiles, the thanks we give, our little gestures of appreciation, our neighbors build up their philosophy of life.
(1 069 words)
New Words
gratitude
n. being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness 感激；感谢的心情
slam
vt. shut loudly and with force; push, move, etc., hurriedly and with great force 猛然关上；猛力推移
sore
a. painful or aching; angry, esp. from feeling unjustly treated 疼痛的；恼怒的
growl
v. make a deep, angry sound; complain angrily 咆哮；怒冲冲地抱怨
fare
n. a paying passenger (esp. in a taxi) （尤指出租车）乘客
trace
vt. find or discover 查出，找到
glare
vi. look fiercely or fixedly 瞪着眼看
dough
n. (sl.) money （俚语）钱
fumble
v. speak in a clumsy and unclear way支支吾吾地说，笨嘴拙舌地说
render
vt. 1. give (esp. help) 给予；提供（帮助等）
2. cause to be 使得；使成为
denial
n. the act of denying 否认；否定；拒绝
offensive
n. a planned military attack involving large forces over a long period 军事进攻；攻势
intention
n. sth. one proposes or plans to do 意图；目的；打算
inquiry
n. the act of inquiring; an investigation or examination 查询；调查
wristwatch
n. a small watch worn on a strap around the wrist 手表
foster
vt. help the growth and development of; encourage or promote 培养，促进；鼓励，助长
gracefully
ad. in a graceful way 优雅地；优美地；得体地
appreciation
n. gratefulness; gratitude 感激；感谢
hospitality
n. friendly reception; generous treatment of guests or strangers 款待；好客
sincere
a. free from pretense or deceit; genuine 真诚的；真挚的
trifling
a. of slight importance; of little value 微不足道的；没什么价值的
conventional
a. of the usual type; commonly used or seen 惯常的；通常的
phonograph
n. an instrument that reproduces the sounds from records 留声机；电唱机
thoughtfulness
n. the quality of being careful or considerate of others 关心；体贴
proof
n. 1. (piece of) evidence that shows that something is true or is a fact 证据; 证物
2. testing of whether something is true or a fact; demonstration or proving 验证；证明；证实
transfusion
n. the transfer of blood from one person or animal to another 输血
discharge
n. act of giving somebody permission to leave the army, hospital, etc. 允许离开；退伍；出院
pint
n. a measure for liquids (and some dry goods) equal to about 0.57 of a litre 品脱
surgeon
n. a doctor who performs operations 外科医生
sentiment
n. a mixture of thought and feeling 感情；情绪
renewal
n. the act of renewing or fact of being renewed 更新；恢复；重新开始；（中断后的）继续
appreciatively
ad. gratefully; thankfully 感激地
generous
a. showing readiness to give money, help, kindness, etc. 慷慨的，大方的
unselfish
a. not selfish; caring for others 无私的；为他人着想的
naturalist
n. a person who studies plants or animals, esp. outdoors 博物学家
tribute
n. a thing said or done or given as a mark of respect or affection, etc. 表示尊敬或赞美的言辞或举止；称赞；礼物
hitherto
ad. until this/that time 迄今；至今
barber
n. a person whose work is cutting men's hair and shaving them 理发师
elevator
n. a moving platform or cage to carry people and things; up and down in a building, mine, or the like 电梯
elevate
vt. lift up; raise to a higher place or rank; improve (the mind, morals, etc.) 举起，提高；提升…的职位；提高（思想修养、道德品质等）
operator
n. a person who works a machine, apparatus, etc. 操作人员
monotonous
a. lacking in variety; boring through sameness 单调的；乏味的
agreeable
a. giving pleasure, pleasant 愉悦的；愉快的
confide
vt. tell (a secret) to sb. 吐露（秘密）
boast
vi. talk too proudly 吹牛，自夸
employer
n. a person or firm that employs others 雇主
Phrases and Expressions
think twice
think carefully; reconsider; hesitate 仔细考虑；重新考虑；踌躇，犹豫
save up
put aside (money) for future use 储蓄；存（钱）
refer to
mention 提及
something of a
rather a; to some degree 有点儿；有几分；可以说是一个
take /catch sb.'s fancy
attract or please sb. 吸引住某人；令某人喜欢
on sb.'s part/on the part of sb.
made or done by sb. 某人所做的；某人有责任的
in one way or another
by some means or method 以某种方式（或方法）
be /get fed up with /about
be(come) tired or bored; be(come) unhappy or depressed 厌倦；厌烦；沮丧
boast about /of
talk too proudly about /of 自吹；夸耀
take pains with
make an effort to do 努力；下功夫
refrain from
hold oneself back from; avoid 克制；避免
Proper Names
A. J. Cronin
克罗宁（1896—1981，英国医生和小说家）
Cincinnati
辛辛那提（美国俄亥俄州西南部城市）
Normandy
诺曼底（法国西北部一地区）
Ardennes
阿登高地（欧洲西部一高原森林区）
Connecticut
（美国东北部）康涅狄格州
McGill University
（加拿大蒙特利尔）麦吉尔大学
Montreal
蒙特利尔（加拿大东南部港市）
W. H. Hudson
赫德森（1841—1922，英国作家、博物学家）
Arnold Bennett
阿诺德·本涅特（1867—1931，英国小说家） |