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Unit 1 Love
After-Class Reading
PASSAGE I A Kiss for Kate
Proper Names
Chris
（男子名）克里斯
Kate
（女子名）凯特
Phyllis
（女子名）菲莉斯
New Words
await*
v. wait for something 等待
e.g. He is anxiously awaiting the result of the medical tests.
blond
adj. （男子）白肤金发碧眼的
bygone
adj. 过去的，逝去的
chat*
v. talk in a friendly informal way 闲聊，聊天
e.g. She spends hours on the phone chatting with her friends.
chin
n. 下巴
commodity*
n.
1) 商品
e.g. The country's most valuable commodities include diamonds and gold.
2) 有价值的东西
e.g. If you're going into teaching, energy is a necessary commodity.
confidentially
adv. 秘密地，悄悄地
conversation*
n. informal talk in which people exchange news, feelings, and thoughts （友好、随便的）谈话
e.g. I had an interesting conversation with the person who lives in the flat below us this morning.
dependent*
adj. needing someone or something 依靠的，依赖的
e.g. All life is dependent on the sun.
deprive*
v. take something away from someone 剥夺
e.g. He claimed that he had been deprived of his freedom.
devotion*
n. great love or loyalty 忠诚，热爱
e.g. She will be remembered for her selfless devotion to the cause.
dining*
n. 就餐
e.g. dining hall 餐厅 dining room 餐室 dining table 餐桌
floodgate
n. 泄水闸（门），防洪闸（门）
frail
adj. thin and weak 虚弱的，柔弱的
function*
v. work the way it is supposed to 正常工作，正常生活
e.g. The lungs function to supply the body with oxygen. 肺的作用是为全身提供氧气。
gaze*
v. look at someone or something for a long time 注视，凝视
e.g. Every day for a week Tina would sit gazing at the painting.
grip*
v. hold tightly 紧抓
e.g. The baby gripped my finger with her tiny hand.
impulsively
adv. acting suddenly, without thinking about it carefully first 冲动地
insecure*
adj. not feeling confident about oneself 不安全的
e.g. The situation in the village is still insecure, because of the number of guns held by the villagers.
lap*
n. the upper part of your legs when you are sitting down （人坐着时）腰以下到膝为止的大腿部
e.g. Come and sit on my lap and I'll read you a story.
lawn*
n. 草地，草坪
e.g. Put the chairs out on the lawn.
lounge*
n. 休息厅，休息室
e.g. All the family were sitting in the lounge watching television.
lover*
n. 情人
e.g. They were friends before they became lovers.
medication
n. 药物，药剂
melodious
adj. having a pleasant tune （音调、旋律）优美的，悦耳的
monopoly*
n. a power of control which is not shared by other people or group 垄断，垄断权，专利权
e.g. The country is determined to protect its tobacco monopoly.
motion*
n. the act, manner, or state of moving 移动
motionless
adj. not moving at all 一动不动的
e.g. The horse lay motionless on the ground, as if it were dead.
nightgown
n. 睡衣
observe*
v. see and notice something 观察
e.g. The role of scientists is to observe and describe the world, not to try to control it.
overnight*
adv. suddenly 突然间
e.g. She became a star overnight when she stepped in to play the leading role.
pamper
v. treat others kindly and do a lot for them in order to make them comfortable 溺爱，娇养
pat*
v. 轻拍
e.g. He patted my head lovingly.
pill
n. 药丸
e.g. My mother takes a lot of pills every morning.
policy*
n. 政策
e.g. The White House said that there will be no change in policy.
porch*
n. 门廊，阳台
e.g. The old church has a porch with a bench where you can sit if it's raining.
puzzled*
adj. confused and unable to understand something 迷惑的，困惑的
e.g. The students sat with puzzled expressions on their faces as their lecturer tried to explain the theory.
rail*
n. a bar that is fixed along or around something, especially to stop you from falling 栏杆
e.g. Hold onto the rail so that you don't fall.
recognition*
n. understanding and acceptance of a fact or situation 认出，意识到
e.g. The quick recognition of the disease is vital for effective treatment. 很快地诊断出疾病对有效的治疗是至关重要的。
reminisce
v. talk or think about pleasant events in the past 畅谈、追忆往事
restless*
adj. unable to keep still 焦躁不安的
e.g. She spent a restless night, turning with worry.
ritual*
n. something you do regularly and in the same way 老规矩
e.g. My father is in the kitchen conducting his morning ritual--reading the newspaper and drinking his coffee.
schedule*
n. 时间表，时刻表
e.g. We have planned our teaching schedule for the next six months.
scrapbook
n. a book with empty pages where you can stick newspaper articles, pictures, etc. 剪贴簿
shift*
v. move from one place or position to another 移动
e.g. She shifted her weight uneasily from one foot to the other.
slide*
v. (slid , slid) move smoothly over a surface 流淌，滑行
e.g. When I was little I used to like sliding on the polished floor in my socks. 我小时候喜欢穿着袜子在打过蜡的地板上滑行。
slipper
n. 拖鞋
staff*
n. the people who work for an organization （全体）职员，工作人员
e.g. I) The staff has been cut by a quarter over the past year.
II) The staff are not very happy about the latest pay increase.
stroll*
v. walk somewhere in a slow relaxed way 散步，漫步
e.g. We could stroll into town if you like.
surround*
v. be all around someone on every side 包围
e.g. Gavin sat at his desk, surrounded by books and papers.
tenderly*
adv. 温柔地
e.g. She stroked the cat tenderly behind the ears. 她温柔地抚摸着猫的耳朵后面。
throat*
n. 嗓子
tuck*
V. 塞（好），掖（好）
e.g. She tucked her favorite doll under her arm and went upstairs to bed.
watchful
adj. 戒备的，注意的
well
v. 涌出
wide-awake
adj. 完全醒着的
withdrawn
adj. very shy and quiet 孤独的，离群的
e.g. Following her son's death, she became quiet and withdrawn and rarely went out.
wrinkle*
v. 起皱纹
wrinkled
adj. 有皱纹的
e.g. She was an old woman with a wrinkled face.
A Kiss for Kate
Every afternoon when I came on duty as the evening nurse, I would walk the halls of the nursing home[1], pausing at each door to chat and observe. Often, Kate and Chris, their big scrapbooks in their laps, would be reminiscing over the photos. Proudly, Kate showed me pictures of bygone years: Chris—tall, blond, handsome; Kate pretty, dark-haired, laughing. Two young lovers smiling through the passing seasons. How lovely they looked now, sitting there, the light shining on their white heads, their time-wrinkled faces[2] smiling at the memories of the years, caught and held forever in the scrapbooks[3].
How little the young know of loving, I'd think. How foolish to think they have a monopoly on such a precious commodity. The old know what loving truly means; the young can only guess.
Kate and Chris were always together—in the dining room, the lounge, strolling around the big porches and lawns, always holding hands. As we staff members ate our evening meal, sometimes Kate and Chris would walk slowly by the dining-room doors. Then conversation would turn to a discussion of the couple's love and devotion, and what would happen when one of them died. We knew Chris was the strong one, and Kate was dependent upon him.
How would Kate function if Chris were to die first? We often wondered.
Bedtime followed a ritual[4]. When I brought the evening medication, Kate would be sitting in her chair, in nightgown and slippers, awaiting my arrival. Under the watchful eyes of Chris and myself, Kate would take her pill, then carefully Chris would help her from the chair to the bed and tuck the covers in around her frail body.
Observing this act of love, I would think for the thousandth time, good heavens [5], why don't nursing homes have double beds for married couples? All their lives they have slept together, but in a nursing home, they're expected to sleep in single beds. Overnight they're deprived of a comfort of a lifetime.
How very foolish such policies are, I would think as I watched Chris reach up and turn off the light above Kate's bed. Then tenderly he would bend, and they would kiss gently. Chris would pat her cheek, and both would smile. He would pull up the side rail[6] on her bed, and only then would he turn and accept his own medication. As I walked into the hall, I could hear Chris say, "Good night, Kate," and her returning voice, "Good-night, Chris," while the space of an entire room separated their two beds.
I had been off duty two days and when I returned, the first news I heard was, "Chris died yesterday morning."
"How?"
"A heart attack [7]. It happened quickly."
"How's Kate?"
"Bad."
I went into Kate's room. She sat in her chair, motionless, hands in her lap, staring. Taking her hands in mine, I said, "Kate, it's Phyllis."
Her eyes never shifted; she only stared. I placed my hand under her chin and slowly turned her head so she had to look at me.
"Kate, I just found out about Chris. I'm so sorry."
At the word "Chris", her eyes came back to life. She looked at me, puzzled, as though wondering how I had suddenly appeared. " Kate, it's me, Phyllis. I'm so sorry about Chris."
Recognition and sadness flooded her face. Tears welled up and slid down her cheeks. "Chris is gone," she whispered.
"I know," I said. "I know."
We pampered Kate for a while, letting her eat in her room, surrounding her with special attention. Then gradually the staff worked her back into the old schedule [8]. Often, as I went past her room, I would observe Kate sitting in her chair, scrapbooks on her lap, gazing sadly at pictures of Chris.
Bedtime was the worst part of the day for Kate. Although she was allowed to move from her bed to Chris's bed, and although the staff chatted and laughed with her as they tucked her in for the night, still Kate remained silent and sadly withdrawn. Passing her room an hour after she had been tucked in, I'd find her wide awake, staring at the ceiling.
The weeks passed, and bedtime wasn't any better. She seemed so restless, so insecure. Why? I wondered. Why this time of day more than the other hours[9]?
Then one night as I walked into her room, only to find the same wide-awake Kate, I said impulsively, "Kate, could it be you miss your good-night kiss?" Bending down, I kissed her wrinkled cheek.
It was as though I had opened the floodgates. Tears ran down her face; her hands gripped mine. "Chris always kissed me good-night," she cried.
"I know," I whispered.
" I miss him so, all those years he kissed me good-night. " She paused while I wiped the tears. " I just can't seem to go to sleep without his kiss."
She looked up at me, her eyes full of tears. "Oh, thank you for giving me a kiss."
A small smile turned up the corners of her mouth. "You know," she said confidentially, "Chris used to sing me a song."
"He did?"
"Yes，"—her white head nodded—"and I lie here at night and think about it."
"How did it go?"
Kate smiled, held my hand and cleared her throat. Then her voice, small with age but still melodious, lifted softly in song:
So kiss me, my sweet, and so let us part.
And when I grow too old to dream,
That kiss will live in my heart. (921 words)
Phrases and Expressions
as though
好像，似乎
e.g. I) He treats me as though I were a stranger.
II) I feel as though we have never parted.
be dependent on
依靠
e.g. The young are totally dependent on their parents for food and shelter（住宿）.
be on/off duty
be working or not working at a particular time 上/下班
e.g. I) It was the same nurse who was on duty when you had your accident.
II) I'm off duty on Fridays.
come to life
苏醒
e.g. The soldier came to life again.
deprive ... of
剥夺
e.g. A lot of these children have been deprived of a normal home life.
turn up
使......向上翘
e.g. She turned up her eyes in horror at the idea.
PASSAGE II Benefits from Pets[1]
Proper Names
Arizona
（地名）亚利桑那州（美国）
James Herriot
（男子名）詹姆斯.赫里奥特
Tucson
（地名）图森（美国亚利桑那州南部城市）
New Words
addition*
n. 增加
additional*
adj. more than what is agreed or expected 额外的
e.g. There will be an extra charge for any additional passengers. 额外的乘客要另收费。
adoring
adj. 崇拜的，敬慕的
e.g. I refuse to play the part of the adoring wife.
aid*
v. help 援助，帮助
e.g. Huge projects designed to aid the poorer countries can sometimes do more harm than good. 大量用来援助贫困国家的项目有时弊大于利。
Alzheimer's disease
n. 阿耳茨海默氏病，早老性痴呆病
anxiety*
n. the feeling of being very worried 忧虑
e.g. Children normally feel a lot of anxiety about their first day at school.
appreciation*
n. 感激
e.g. Children rarely show any appreciation for what their parents do for them.
benefit*
n. 好处
e.g. The discovery of oil brought many benefits to the town.
bind*
v. (bound, bound) tie tightly or fasten 捆绑
e.g. They bound an umbrella to the pole to get some shade. 他们把雨伞绑在柱子上遮阳。
brilliant*
adj. very good 卓越的，高明的
e.g. She's got a brilliant sense of humor.
capable*
adj. able 能够，有能力的
e.g. A force of 10 wind is capable of blowing the roofs off houses. 十级大风会把屋顶从房子上刮掉。
cute*
adj. charming and attractive 漂亮的，逗人喜爱的
e.g. He's got a really cute baby brother.
deaf*
adj. unable to hear 聋的
e.g. He's been totally deaf since birth.
derive*
v. get or obtain 取得，获得
e.g. She derives great pleasure from/out of playing piano.
disability
n. 残疾
e.g. She is deaf, but refuses to let her disability prevent her from doing what she wants to do.
diversion*
n. 转向，转移
e.g. The arrival of the window cleaner provided a welcome diversion from the boring meeting.
eagerly*
adv. 渴望地
e.g. The dog wagged its tail eagerly when I gave him some food.
ease*
v. make less severe, difficult or painful 缓和，减轻
e.g. The doctor promised that these pills would ease the pain.
emotion*
n. strong feeling 情感
e.g. Human emotions are things like hatred, anger, sadness and happiness.
entitle*
v. give a title to a book, film, etc. 给......命名
e.g. Her latest novel, entitled The Forgotten Love, is out this week.
expert*
n. 专家
e.g. I enjoy radio programs in which gardening experts give advice.
growl
v. make a low rough sound 嚎叫
household*
n. 家庭，户
e.g. The whole household was/were at home that morning.
human being*
n. 人类
e.g. No human being should have to suffer what these people have suffered.
identify*
v.
1) recognize 辨认出
e.g. Even the smallest baby can identify its mother from her voice.
2) 认为与......一致
e.g. Many women of normal weight feel unable to identify with the super-thin models in the magazines.
independently*
adv. not taking help or money from other people 独立地
e.g. Each part of the organization operates independently of the others.
individual*
n. 个人，个体
e.g. The school will turn her into an individual.
interaction*
n. 交流
e.g. There is not enough interaction between the management and the workers.
nap
n. a short sleep, especially during the day 小睡
e.g. Grandpa usually takes a little nap after lunch.
obvious*
adj. clear, easy to see 显然的，明显的
e.g. I know you don't like Helen, but there's no need to make it so obvious to everyone.
ownership*
n. 所有权
e.g. Do you have any proof of ownership of this car?
physically*
adv. 身体上，肉体上
e.g. One person alone couldn't have moved that stone--it's just not physically possible.
popularity
n. 普及，流行
e.g. Western music is steadily gaining in popularity. 西方音乐越来越流行。
pressure*
n. the act of force or weight being put on to something 压力
e.g. The pressure of the water turns the wheel.
purr
v. 低声地叫
e.g. A big gray cat sat in his lap purring contentedly.
relaxation*
n. a way of resting and enjoying yourself 消遣
e.g. Playing golf is one of my favorite relaxations.
remark*
v. give a spoken statement of an opinion or thought 谈论，说
e.g. Dr Johnson once remarked: "When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life."
resident*
n. 居民
e.g. The local residents were angry at the lack of parking spaces.
rub*
v. 摩擦
e.g. Celia's cat purred loudly, rubbing against her legs.
scratch*
n. 抓，搔
security*
n. 安全
e.g. If it's a choice between higher pay and job security, I'd prefer to keep my job.
stroke*
v. 抚摸
e.g. Stroke the dog if you like; it won't bite.
suggestion*
n. an idea, plan, or possibility that someone mentions 建议
e.g. I don't know what to wear tonight--have you got any suggestions?
therapy*
n. 疗法，治疗
e.g. Rob was in therapy for several years.
touching
adj. making you feel pity, sympathy, sadness, etc. 动人的，使人感伤的
e.g. The way she looked after her little sister was really touching.
unconditional*
adj. complete and not limited by any conditions 无条件的
e.g. The Allies declared they would accept nothing less than unconditional surrender.
veterinarian
n. 兽医
vitamin*
n. 维生素
e.g. Milk is rich in vitamins
wag
v. 摇尾
e.g. The little dog wagged its tail in delight.
writer*
n. 作家，作者
e.g. She's a well-known writer of children's books.
Benefits from Pets[1]
Recently, a number of US newspapers carried a very small article entitled "Things You Can Learn from Your Dog". The article listed seven things done regularly by pet dogs which could be helpful to pet owners if they themselves did them. These things are: 1) When your loved one comes home, run to greet him. 2) Eat with pleasure. 3) When it's hot, drink lots of water. 4) Take naps. 5) Don't bite, just growl. 6) When you want something badly, dig for it. 7) Give unconditional love.
There are many people who would like to insist that only human beings are capable of feeling the emotion of love. However, there are many more people, usually pet owners, who feel that they not only love their pets, but that their pets love them in return. This is only one, but a very important, benefit of owning a pet. All of us want to enjoy good health. Thousands of articles are written in newspapers and magazines giving advice of all types as to what people should be doing if they wish to improve their chances of having good health. Most often this advice includes suggestions that we should eat right, exercise, take vitamins and get a pet. Why get a pet? Because more and more studies are showing that people who have pets are healthier, both physically and mentally, than those who don't. Right now more than half of the households in the United States have a companion animal. That includes 51 million dogs, 56 million cats, 45 million birds, and other small animals.
Besides the obvious things, like being cute, interesting to watch, and a lot of fun, pets do more for us than we often realize. If you now have or have ever had a pet, you know how wonderful it is to have someone[2] there for you, no matter how you look, how you are dressed, or what you are doing. Pets love you unconditionally and don't require brilliant conversation. A simple "good boy" and a pat on the head or scratch under the chin is enough for them[3]. They will find ways to let you know their appreciation of your praise, whether it is by wagging their tails, rubbing against you, purring, or simply looking at you with adoring eyes.
People who own pets often remark on what good company they are and what fun they have together. Pet experts and researchers identify many other additional benefits that come with pet ownership or interaction[4]. In addition to those mentioned thus far, pets ease stress and anxiety, aid relaxation, provide a sense of security, and are a great diversion from troubles. One medical study showed that people's blood pressure would fall when they stroked their pets.
Pets are increasingly being used in therapy for the elderly and those who have Alzheimer's disease or physical disabilities. One lady in Tucson, Arizona, shares her lovely little dog with many elderly nursing home residents. She takes her dog there at least once or twice a week and allows the elderly people to hold and pat her little dog. They eagerly await its arrival and always ask when she and her dog will be back. She is just one of hundreds of people who share their pets with the old and lonely. And then, of course, there are countless stories of dogs trained to aid blind, deaf, or wheel-chair bound individuals, often allowing them to live independently when otherwise this would not be possible[5]. The love between these people and their four-footed friends[6] is touching. Even brushing or patting a dog is great physical therapy, and we all know the benefits of walking, which is something a dog needs too.
James Herriot, a country veterinarian in England, has been a very popular writer in the English-speaking world. He has written a number of books and stories about pet owners and their pets. Many of his stories tell of the love between them as well as the benefits that owners and pets derive from each other. Part of his great popularity as a writer comes from the fact that people who love pets like to read about and identify with other pet lovers.[7] (706 words)
Phrases and Expressions
be capable of
have the skills, power, intelligence to do something 有能力
e.g. Only the Democratic Party is capable of running the country.
in addition to 除......之外（还）
e.g. In addition to the apples you asked for, I bought you some oranges.
in return 回报
e.g. She gave us food and clothing and asked for nothing in return.
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