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Isn't It Good to Speak a Foreign Language?

时间:2005-05-04 16:00来源:互联网 提供网友:hwmy   字体: [ ]
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Lesson 34

                  Isn't It Good to Speak a Foreign Language?

                                         Text A

    "You really are a lucky dog. "
Many peole assume that admission into the Institute of Foreign Trade means not only a farewell to "unemployment", but also a hearty1 handshake with affluence2. They say, and I quote, "As soon as you graduate, you will have a fair chance to go abroad. You may fly round the world, see exciting things and exotic places and feel as happy as a lark3 and as proud as a peacock. "

    I didn't know what to.think when I first came to this institute. Happy? Yes , happy that I had been admitted by this splendid institute of higher learning. I started to dream about the many things I had so excitedly heard from those who like to dream. I fancied myself posted to one of our commercial offices overseas, working in carpeted offices with air-conditioning, and delightful4 social activities and parties in the evenings. "What would you like, tea or coffee?" I would answer with a nod, "Brazilian coffee with Danish milk please. " And trying to make conversation, I would say, "What lovely Mediterranean5 weather we are having!"


    Sometimes, however, I felt a bit uneasy. Comfort is not the only thing in life, you know. I do care about what people may think of me, particularly those "scholarly" people who might turn up their noses at the mere6 mention of the word "trade" and frown at me. taking me for a little money-grubbing, vulgar merchant.
    Well. a year at this institute has taught me a great many things.


    First, it is not at all easy to be trained for the foreign trade service. Like the students of all other institutes, you must work hard , be straight in all your dealings , staunchly patriotic7 , loyal and 100% reliable. You must get a good command of two foreign languages and Chiiiese , and try in every way to broaden the range and scope of your knowledge, which you may have to draw upon in your future work - history, geography, culture and so on and so forth8.


    Let me cite one or two examples to show how important it is to know the customs and culture of different countries.
    Once , one of our corporations wanted to sell washing machines to Arab countries. In an advertisement to promote sales, strategy demands diagrams instead of written instructions. Dirty clothes went into the machine in the first diagram, a thorough washing was illustrated9 in the third. Simple and clear. But the result was disastrous10. Arabic is written from right to left. How can this corporation expect to promote sales with dirty clothes as a reault of the new machine?


    Another example concerns trade-marks. One of the best batteries produced in China is the "White Elephant" battery. In English, however, "White Elephant" means an object that is useless, overpriced and utterly11 undesirable12. Do you think English -speaking people would be inclined to make a large purchase of this "White Elephant"?


    Second, I've come to learn that the life of a foreign trade worker is not exactly what most people think it is. A good foreign trade worker is one who is dedicated13 to his work. He must have a strong sense of duty and be fully14 aware that a slight mistake may bring colossal15 losses to the country both politically and economically. My uncle, for instance, happens to be a foreign trade worker. Since he is very busy, my aunt has to do nearly all the housework. He is often disturbed in his sleep because of the heavy responsibility.

Sometimes, he goes to dinner parties four times a week, or even twice a day, but his duties as a translator prevent him from partaking in these banquets. I've seen many of his colleagues burning the candle at both ends. They seldom go to theatres. They seldom go to concerts and they can't even afford time to watch a football match which they're very much interested in. They always think of the interests of the people and the country, without a single thought for themselves. So, think of the tasks . think of the responsibility. Shame on those who only think of their personal comfort, of going abroad, drinking toasts and coming back loaded with foreign made articles.


    Last, but not least; I've come to learn that foreign trade plays a substantial role in our national economy. This is done by acquiring from abroad the equipment and technical know-how16 necessary for our modernization17 drive and by pushing the sales of our exports which form the material basis of our imports. There arc so many new fields to open up and so many new things to be learned. Four or five years is not cnough. It requires more than one's lifetime.


    As a student of foreign trade. I feel that my future: job is just as significant and necessary as many other occupations. like the geologists'conquering the deserts, the scientists'tapping the ocean, and the astronauts'exploring the outer space. Instead of going abroad, I may be asked to sit at my desk all my life, collecting
data, translating or interpreting. Then, "Am I a lucky dog?" Yes. I am lucky that I've become a student of foreign trade. Lucky that I'm conscious of the responsibility of a business woman of New China. I.ucky that I have acquired an initial ability to serve my country and my people heart and soul.


                                       Text B

MATTHEW:   Chris, why is it that there are so many different languages , and   
   that in Europe certainly if you travel more than a hundred miles ,
   you're likely to find people speaking a completely different language
   to your own?
 
 
CHRIS:   Well, it's true to say that there are er ... hundreds and hundreds
   of different languages. It's perhaps um . . . however , more
   interesting and more informative18 to say that there are several
   different groups of languages er . .. Most European languages,with
   the exception of I think Finnish and er .. . Basque and . . .
   Hungarian I believe,belong to the Indo-European group of languages,
   I'm not very sure myself of the . . . the actual details of the
   history of these languages, but you can be very sure that er ... most
 
 
   of these languages , say Latin and Greek nd our own language a and
   er . . . German and er ... French and ... all the others, are
   connected. The reason why you can travel from one Willage to another
   in Switzerland and er . . . from one area to another in England
   and find different dialects, if not different languages spoken,
   is that um ... several hundred years ago communication was by word
   of mouth. Word of mouth meant that people had to move ; if people
   were to move they needed roads and there were no roads.
 
 
MATTHEW:   Do you see any chance for a universal language like Esperanto?
CHRIS:   Not for an artificial er ... language, no ... I suppose the Roman 
   Catholic Church used Latin. but Latin had a ... a particular
   religious basis and this is probably why it was therefore chosen.
   I don't see very much chance for Esperanto; I think it's an awfully20
   good idea but I don't believe that language works like that.I think
   people will probably er .. . work towards the most convenient
   language to use.They will not set out to learn a new language. It
   seems to me that er ... either English,. Russian or Chinese, perhaps
   Japanese, will be the language of the future er . . . My bet's on
   English.
 
 
MATTHEW:
   Maggie, why do you think it is that so few English people speak
   a second language?
MAGGIE:   I think when you learn a language at school ...it tends to be
   rather a dead occupation, and it's very difficult to stimulate22 any
   interest among school children. But when you actually go to the
   country and spend say a month in . . . in an exchange visit when
   you're a schoolgirl, or a schoolboy um ... then you suddenly become
   more interested because you ... you want to communicate with poeple
 
 
   when you're actually abroad, and it's not safe to rely on the fact th
   that most people speak English when um . . . in foreign countries.
   Mm . . . I think English people traditionally thought that . . . that
   foreigners always spoke19 English, and a lot of foreigners do, but
   there are people that you meet in the street or you want to take a
   bus somewhere,  then you find that you need to speak the language
   and'it's very unnerving to be in a situation where you can't
   communicate with people when you do want to travel around.
 
 
MATTHEW:   Have you ever been abroad and learnt er ... a language in the
   country?
MAGGIE:   Yes , well when I was a secretary I er... went and lived in Geneva  
   for two years, and I learnt French at school but I . . . I really
   didn't speak it at all. I knew it theoretically but I wasn't able to
   communicate with people. But I was in a situation where if I didn't
   speak French , then I would not have been able to do my shopping and
   buy food ,and so I picked the language up and I made friends with
 
 
   French people ... Swiss French people, and I found that if I wanted
   to communicate with all . . . all the people that I met , then I
   had to learn French, and I think it's the best method of learning
   because you're in the situation. It's very hard at times - you
   can sit through dinner parties and not understand what ... what's
   going on and you think everybody thinks you're stupid because you
   can't communicate with them, but it's ... it's the hard way but I
   think it's the best way to learn.
 
 
MATTHEW:   Elfriede, you come from Austria and yet you've been living in England
   now for the last three years. Has having to learn and speak another
   language created great problems?
ELFRIEDE:   Um ... At the beginning, yes, it was rather difficult for me to get
   the right job . . . um. after you've lived here for one or two years
   you get to know the system and then that's quite good. You know how
   to use libraries and oh .. . you get to know where to um... call
   in emergencies; um ... you get to know ... er ...trying to get a
   radio and understand the radio and all the . . . programmes they
   have . . . um and when they're on and the little stories.
 
 
MATTHEW:   What about English humour on the radio?
ELFRIEDE:   Um . . . I think that takes a very very long time to understand and
   I'm sorry to say that I haven't managed yet to understand it
   completely, but er... I find it very interesting to speak other
   languages um ... because English people have different er ...have
   a different mentality23, and have a very different character and a
   different temperament24 and it is fascinating for me to talk to them um...
   and also for myself to be able to express myself in a different
   language and to communicate with them.


                           Additional Information

    Sometimes, I can't help thinking how magic languages are. They are like bridges joining islands - connecting people's minds.
    Now, whenever I am in the classroom, at lectures or practising Engl;sh or French. I often think of my experiences at the llth Asian Games held in Beijing last autumn.


    I was assigned interpreter to the sports delegation25 from The Maldives, a small island countrv in the Indian Ocean. When I met the delegation at the Beijing Airport    I was greatly surprised to find they all spoke English fluentIy,We were so excited when we realized that we were talking to each other in a language that was not native to anv of us.


    During the Games, one of "my" delegation, Shijiao, developed some eye trouble. The Games Village doctor thought it was infectious and said he should go to the infectious diseases hospital, and I was asked to take him. A Sikh from the Indian delegation went with us. He was suspected of having hepatitis. At the hospital I helped the doctor and nurse get Shijiao settled down.


    The next day, the hospital called to say that Shijiao's eye trouble was not serious and there was no need for him to stay in hospital. So I immediately went to fetch him out. We were about to leave the hospital when a nurse hurried over to me.
    "Are you the interpreter?" she asked.
    "Yes , "
    "Could you please help us. The Indian patient you brought in vvith you yesterday, you know, we can't communicate with him. Nobody in the hospital speaks English. "
"All right. Let's see if I can be of help. "


    Shijiao and I followed her to the Sikh's ward21. Three doctors and nurses were around his bed, trying to get through to him with gestures and a few English words. They were very relieved to see me.
    I asked the Indian. "Can I help you?"
    But he replied in a language I had never heard before.
    "English! English! Don't you speak English?" I asked.


    It seemed he knew the word 'English' , for he shook his head. I didn't kriow what to do now. It was beyond me.
    Then Shijiao started speaking in a strange language. It was so funny. How come? The native tongue in The Maldives is Devehi, certainly not a language in India. Shijiao turned to me and said. "My parents came from India. I speak a little Hindi. "


    That was great. The examination started. The doctors told me in Chinese
what they wanted to know. I translated it into English. Shijiao told the patient in Hindi. The Sikh answered in Hindi: Shijiao told me in English, and I put it into Chinese for the doctors.


    The examination took a full hour. The doctors and the patient were very happy, for at last they could communicate with each other. When all the questioning was over, the doctor who seemed to be in charge took my hand and Shijiao's hand and said in Chinese. "Thank you very much. " Then the patient smiled at me and said, "Tan Kiu. " (Thank you)
    It was such an exciting and stimulating26 experience. I felt how good it was to be an interpreter.
 


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 hearty Od1zn     
adj.热情友好的;衷心的;尽情的,纵情的
参考例句:
  • After work they made a hearty meal in the worker's canteen.工作完了,他们在工人食堂饱餐了一顿。
  • We accorded him a hearty welcome.我们给他热忱的欢迎。
2 affluence lx4zf     
n.充裕,富足
参考例句:
  • Their affluence is more apparent than real.他们的富有是虚有其表。
  • There is a lot of affluence in this part of the state because it has many businesses.这个州的这一部分相当富有,因为它有很多商行。
3 lark r9Fza     
n.云雀,百灵鸟;n.嬉戏,玩笑;vi.嬉戏
参考例句:
  • He thinks it cruel to confine a lark in a cage.他认为把云雀关在笼子里太残忍了。
  • She lived in the village with her grandparents as cheerful as a lark.她同祖父母一起住在乡间非常快活。
4 delightful 6xzxT     
adj.令人高兴的,使人快乐的
参考例句:
  • We had a delightful time by the seashore last Sunday.上星期天我们在海滨玩得真痛快。
  • Peter played a delightful melody on his flute.彼得用笛子吹奏了一支欢快的曲子。
5 Mediterranean ezuzT     
adj.地中海的;地中海沿岸的
参考例句:
  • The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
  • Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。
6 mere rC1xE     
adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过
参考例句:
  • That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
  • It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。
7 patriotic T3Izu     
adj.爱国的,有爱国心的
参考例句:
  • His speech was full of patriotic sentiments.他的演说充满了爱国之情。
  • The old man is a patriotic overseas Chinese.这位老人是一位爱国华侨。
8 forth Hzdz2     
adv.向前;向外,往外
参考例句:
  • The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
  • He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。
9 illustrated 2a891807ad5907f0499171bb879a36aa     
adj. 有插图的,列举的 动词illustrate的过去式和过去分词
参考例句:
  • His lecture was illustrated with slides taken during the expedition. 他在讲演中使用了探险时拍摄到的幻灯片。
  • The manufacturing Methods: Will be illustrated in the next chapter. 制作方法将在下一章说明。
10 disastrous 2ujx0     
adj.灾难性的,造成灾害的;极坏的,很糟的
参考例句:
  • The heavy rainstorm caused a disastrous flood.暴雨成灾。
  • Her investment had disastrous consequences.She lost everything she owned.她的投资结果很惨,血本无归。
11 utterly ZfpzM1     
adv.完全地,绝对地
参考例句:
  • Utterly devoted to the people,he gave his life in saving his patients.他忠于人民,把毕生精力用于挽救患者的生命。
  • I was utterly ravished by the way she smiled.她的微笑使我完全陶醉了。
12 undesirable zp0yb     
adj.不受欢迎的,不良的,不合意的,讨厌的;n.不受欢迎的人,不良分子
参考例句:
  • They are the undesirable elements among the employees.他们是雇员中的不良分子。
  • Certain chemicals can induce undesirable changes in the nervous system.有些化学物质能在神经系统中引起不良变化。
13 dedicated duHzy2     
adj.一心一意的;献身的;热诚的
参考例句:
  • He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
  • His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。
14 fully Gfuzd     
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地
参考例句:
  • The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气,然后全部呼出。
  • They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。
15 colossal sbwyJ     
adj.异常的,庞大的
参考例句:
  • There has been a colossal waste of public money.一直存在巨大的公款浪费。
  • Some of the tall buildings in that city are colossal.那座城市里的一些高层建筑很庞大。
16 know-how TxeyA     
n.知识;技术;诀窍
参考例句:
  • He hasn't got the know-how to run a farm.他没有经营农场的专业知识。
  • I don't have much know-how about engines.发动机方面的技术知识我知之甚少。
17 modernization nEyxp     
n.现代化,现代化的事物
参考例句:
  • This will help us achieve modernization.这有助于我们实现现代化。
  • The Chinese people are sure to realize the modernization of their country.中国人民必将实现国家现代化。
18 informative 6QczZ     
adj.提供资料的,增进知识的
参考例句:
  • The adverts are not very informative.这些广告并没有包含太多有用信息。
  • This intriguing book is both thoughtful and informative.这本引人入胜的书既有思想性又富知识性。
19 spoke XryyC     
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
20 awfully MPkym     
adv.可怕地,非常地,极端地
参考例句:
  • Agriculture was awfully neglected in the past.过去农业遭到严重忽视。
  • I've been feeling awfully bad about it.对这我一直感到很难受。
21 ward LhbwY     
n.守卫,监护,病房,行政区,由监护人或法院保护的人(尤指儿童);vt.守护,躲开
参考例句:
  • The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
  • During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时,我要点根火把,抵挡蚊虫。
22 stimulate wuSwL     
vt.刺激,使兴奋;激励,使…振奋
参考例句:
  • Your encouragement will stimulate me to further efforts.你的鼓励会激发我进一步努力。
  • Success will stimulate the people for fresh efforts.成功能鼓舞人们去作新的努力。
23 mentality PoIzHP     
n.心理,思想,脑力
参考例句:
  • He has many years'experience of the criminal mentality.他研究犯罪心理有多年经验。
  • Running a business requires a very different mentality from being a salaried employee.经营企业所要求具备的心态和上班族的心态截然不同。
24 temperament 7INzf     
n.气质,性格,性情
参考例句:
  • The analysis of what kind of temperament you possess is vital.分析一下你有什么样的气质是十分重要的。
  • Success often depends on temperament.成功常常取决于一个人的性格。
25 delegation NxvxQ     
n.代表团;派遣
参考例句:
  • The statement of our delegation was singularly appropriate to the occasion.我们代表团的声明非常适合时宜。
  • We shall inform you of the date of the delegation's arrival.我们将把代表团到达的日期通知你。
26 stimulating ShBz7A     
adj.有启发性的,能激发人思考的
参考例句:
  • shower gel containing plant extracts that have a stimulating effect on the skin 含有对皮肤有益的植物精华的沐浴凝胶
  • This is a drug for stimulating nerves. 这是一种兴奋剂。
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