现代大学英语精读6(第二版)参考用书
(完整版)(完整版)现代大学英语精读6(第二版)教师用书Unit1
Unit 1Paper TigersWesley YangAdditional Background Information(About Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother)What follows is a comment on Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Elizabeth Chang, an editor of The Washington Post's Sunday Magazine, which carried the article on January 8th, 2011.The cover of Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother was catnip to this average parent's soul. Although the memoir seems to have been written to prove that Chinese parents are better at raising children than Western ones, the cover text claims that instead it portrays "a bitter clash of cultures, a fleeting taste of glory" and how the Tiger Mother “was humbled by a 13-year-old.”As a hopelessly Western mother married into a Chinese family living in an area that generates immigrant prodigies as reliably as clouds produce rain, I was eager to observe the comeuppance of a parent who thought she had all the answers.And, in many ways, "Tiger Mother" did not disappoint. At night, I would nudge my husband awake to read him some of its more revealing passages, such as when author Amy Chua threatened to burn her older daughter's stuffed animals if the child didn't improve her piano playing. "What Chinese parents understand," Chua writes, "is that nothing is fun until you're good at it." By day, I would tell my own two daughters about how Chua threw unimpressive birthday cards back at her young girls and ordered them to make better ones. For a mother whose half-Chinese children played outside while the kids of stricter immigrant neighbors could be heard laboring over the violin and piano, the book can be wickedly gratifying. Reading it is like secretly peering into the home of a controlling, obsessive yet compulsively honest mother—one who sometimes makes the rest of us look good, if less remarkable and with less impressive offspring. Does becoming super-accomplished make up for years of stress? That's something my daughters and I will never find out.Chua is a law professor and author of two acclaimed books on international affairs, though readers of "Tiger Mother" get only a glimpse of that part of her life, with airy, tossed off-lines such as "Meanwhile, I was still teaching my courses at Yale and finishing up my second book" while also "traveling continuously, giving lectures about democratization and ethnic conflict." Her third book abandons global concerns to focus intimately on Chua's attempt to raise her two daughters the way her immigrant parents raised her. There would be no play dates and no sleepovers: "I don't really have time for anything fun, because I'm Chinese," one of Chua's daughters told a friend. Instead, there would be a total commitment to academics and expertise at something, preferably an instrument. Though Chua's Jewish husband grew up with parents who encouraged him to imagine—and to express himself, he nonetheless agreed to let her take the lead in rearing the children and mostly serves as the Greek chorus to Chua's crazed actions.In Chinese parenting theory, hard work produces accomplishment, which produces confidence and yet more accomplishment. As Chua note s, this style of parenting is found among other immigrant cultures, too, and I'm sure many Washington-area readers have seen it, if they don't employ it themselves. Chua's older daughter, Sophia, a pianist, went along with, and blossomed, under this approach. The younger daughter, Lulu, whose instrument of Chua's choice was a violin, was a different story. The turning point came when, after years of practicing and performing, Lulu expressed her hatred of the violin, her mother and of being Chinese. Chua imagined a Western parent’s take on Lulu's rebellion: "Why torture yourself and your child? What's the point? (I)knew as a Chinese mother I could never give in to that way of thinking." But she nevertheless allowed Lulu to abandon the violin. Given that the worst Lulu ever did was cut her own hair and throw a glass, my reaction was that Chua got off easy in a society where some pressured children cut themselves, become anorexic, refuse to go to school or worse. No one but an obsessive Chinese mother would consider her healthy, engaging and accomplished daughter deficient because the girl prefers tennis to the violin—but that's exactly the point.And, oh, what Chua put herself and her daughters through before she got to her moment of reckoning. On weekends, they would spend hours getting to and from music lessons and then come home and practice for hours longer. At night, Chua would read up on violin technique and fret about the children in China who were practicing 10 hours a day. (Did this woman ever sleep?) She insisted that her daughters maintain top grades—Bs, she notes, inspire a "screaming, hair-tearing explosion" among Chinese parents and the application of countless practice tests. She once refused to let a child leave the piano bench to use the bathroom. She slapped one daughter who was practicing poorly. She threatened her children not just with stuffed-animal destruction, but with exposure to the elements. She made them practice on trips to dozens of destinations, including London, Rome, Bombay and the Greek island of Crete, where she kept Lulu going so long one day that the family missed seeing the palace at Knossos.Sometimes, you're not quite sure whether Chua is being serious or deadpan. For example, she says she tried to apply Chinese parenting to the family's two dogs before accepting that the only thing they were good at was expressing affection. "Although it is true that some dogs are on bomb squads or drug-sniffing teams," she concluded, "it is perfectly fine for most dogs not to have a profession, or even any special skills." On the one hand, she seems aware of her shortcomings: She is, she notes, "not good at enjoying life," and she acknowledges that the Chinese parenting approach is flawed because it doesn't tolerate the possibility of failure. On the other hand, she sniffs that "there are all kinds of psychological disorders in the West that don't exist in Asia." When not contemptuous, some of her wry observations about Western-style child-rearing are spot-on: "Private schools are constantly trying to make learning fun by having parents do all the work," and sleepovers are "a kind of punishment parents unknowingly inflict on their children through permissiveness."Readers will alternately gasp at and empathize with Chua's struggles and aspirations, all the while enjoying her writing, which, like her kid-rearing philosophy, is brisk, lively and no-holds-barred. This memoir raises intriguing, sometimes uncomfortable questions about love, pride, ambition, achievement and self-worth that will resonate among success-obsessed parents. Is it possible, for example, that Chinese parents have more confidence in their children's abilities, or that they aresimply willing to work harder at raising exceptional children than Westerners are? Unfortunately, the author leaves many questions unanswered as her book limps its way to a conclusion, with Chua acknowledging her uncertainty about how to finish it and the family still debating the pros and cons of her approach (anyone hoping for a total renunciation of the Chinese approach will be disappointed).Ending a parenting story when one child is only 15 seems premature; in fact, it might not be possible to really understand the impact of Chua's efforts until her daughters have offspring of their own. Perhaps a sequel, or a series ("Tiger Grandmother"!) is in the works. But while this battle might not have been convincingly concluded, it's engagingly and provocatively chronicled. Readers of all stripes will respond to "Tiger Mother."Structure of the TextPart I (Paras. 1-2)The author, an Asian living in the United States, introduces himself as a ‘banana’.Part II (Paras. 3-5)The author describes how he believes Asians are generally viewed in the United States and how he views Asian values himself. It is clear that his overall attitude toward his cultural roots is negative. Part III (Paras. 6-8)The author agrees that Asians (especially Chinese) are over-represented in American elite schools and that, percentage-wise, more Chinese earn median family incomes than any other ethnic group in the United States. However, he does not accept the idea that the Chinese are “taking over” top American schools. He particularly ridicules the idea that the United States has to worry about a more general Chinese “takeover”, as Amy Chua’s book seems to suggest.Part IV (Paras. 9-14)In these paragraphs, the author tells the story of a Chinese American whose experience as a graduate of one of the most competitive high schools in the U.S. proves that while Asian overrepresentation in elite schools is a fact, the success of Asian students is not an indication of their higher intelligence but rather of their constant practice of test-taking. The fear that U.S. schools might become “too Asian” (too test-oriented) in response, narrowing students’ educational experience, has aroused general concern.Part V (Paras. 15-22)The author points out that the ethnic imbalance in elite schools is not only resented by white students and educators, but that even Asian students are beginning to raise serious doubts. They are tired of the crushing workload and believe there must be a better way. They envy their white fellow students who finally get to the top - strong, healthy, with a high level of academic achievement, and with time even for a girlfriend or boyfriend. They cannot help but still feel alienated in this society.Part VI (Paras. 23-28)In these Paragraphs, the author tells the story of another Chinese student who describes the subtle influence of his Chinese upbringing, which makes it difficult for him to be culturally assimilated.Part VII (Paras. 29-36)In these Paragraphs, the author discusses the problem of the “bamboo ceiling”—the fact that in spite of high academic achievement, virtually no Asians are found in the upper reaches of leadership. The author believes that this is because Asian upbringing fails to provide children with the requisite skills for leadership.Part VIII (Paras. 37-43)Between Para. 36 and Para. 37 in the original essay, there are many more case studies reflecting vividly the negative effects of Asian culture. But in order to limit the essay to a manageable length, we (the compilers) were unable to include them. Therefore, in this section, the essay comes to a somewhat abrupt conclusion.Interestingly enough, the author feels that the Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother is well worth reading although he does not agree with Amy Chua, because, in his opinion, the book provides all the material needed to refute what ‘the Tiger Mother’ stands for. More importantly, the author thinks that Amy Chua should be praised for her courage to speak out and defy American mainstream views.Detailed Study of the Text1. Millions of Americans must feel estranged from their own faces. But every self-estrangedindividual is estranged in his own way. (Para. 1)Millions of Americans must feel alienated (separated) from the essence of themselves by their own faces.The author is referring here to ethnic minority people in the United States, especially Asians.Note that “face” here does not refer to skin color or facial features alone, but also to cultural di fferences. His point is that these attributes force him into the category of “immigrant”, though he doesn’t feel like one.2. You could say that I am a banana. But while I don't believe our roots necessarily defineus, I do believe there are racially inflected assumptions wired into our neural circuitry. (Para. 2)A banana is white inside and yellow outside. The term is often used ironically to refer to anAsian American who is like all other non-Asian Americans people except for the color of his skin.The author admits that people can call him a banana, but he does not like it, because he does not believe his Asian roots determine who he is. However, he has to admit that there are racially inflected assumptions wired into many Asian Ame ricans’ neural circuitry.racially inflected assumptions: racially based prejudices, beliefs and ideaswired into our neural circuitry: deeply planted in our brains (in our minds)3. Here is what I sometimes suspect my face signifies to other Americans: An invisibleperson, barely distinguishable from a mass of faces that resemble it. A conspicuous person standing apart from the crowd and yet devoid of any individuality. An icon of so much that the culture pretends to honor but that it in fact patronizes and exploits. Not just people “who are good at math” and play the violin, but a mass of stifled, repressed, abused, conformist quasi-robots who simply do not matter, socially or culturally. (Para. 3) This is how I sometimes guess other Americans look at us. (This is what I sometimesthink my face means to other Americans.)An invisible person: a person much the same as others of the same group; a person who is hardly distinguishable; a person nobody will pay special attention todevoid of any individuality: without any individualityAsian culture is said to stress uniformity or conformity. The individual is encouraged to merge with the collective. Self-promotion or assertiveness is considered in bad taste whereas invisibility is regarded as a sign of modesty.icon：n. 偶像The successful Asian student has become a symbol to be worshipped.to patronize and exploit: to treat somebody in an offensively condescending manner and make use of him or herThe author says that American culture pretends to honor the ‘Tiger Child’ (the successful Asian) as an icon (a symbol of success and everything it represents), but actually it treats Asians in a condescending way and makes use of them.a mass of stifled, repressed, abused, conformist quasi-robots: a large number of peoplewho are not allowed to act or express themselves freely, treated in a harsh and harmful way, and made to behave similarly, like robots.do not matter socially or culturally: do not have much social or cultural importance.4. I've always been of two minds about this sequence of stereotypes. (Para. 4)of two minds: (BrE: in two minds) not decided or certain about something.this sequence of stereotypes: this series of stereotypes. On the one hand the author is angry that Asians should be viewed this way, and he thinks it racist, but on the other hand, he has to admit that these views do apply to many Asians.It is ironic to note that the author himself seems to be especially influenced by these racist prejudices. One may also wonder whether the stereotyped views some people have when they first encounter people of other races necessarily have devastating effects. For example, Chinese thought of Westerners as a mass of blue-eyed, yellow-haired, big-nosed, hairy chested aliens at one time. Fear of the unknown or unfamiliar is a common human reaction.5. Let me summarize my feelings toward Asian values: Damn filial piety. Damn gradegrubbing. Damn Ivy League mania. Damn deference to authority. Damn humility and hard work. Damn harmonious relations. Damn sacrificing for the future. Damn earnest, striving middle-class servility. (Para. 5)Now the author is talking about much more serious things. He is talking about his feelings toward Asian values rather than features or skin color, and his attitude is one of total rejection and condemnation. While we must realize that all cultures or civilizations have drawbacks, and we have every reason to listen to the bitter reactions of angry young Asians toward our shared culture, we should also remind ourselves that y oung people’s judgments may be hasty, imbalanced, and immature.Damn: Note that this word is generally considered extremely offensive and obscene in all its usages, and is therefore avoided, but here the author is so bitter that no other expression seems adequate. Indeed, he may have deliberately chosen this word to shock the Asian community, especially Asian parents.filial piety: love for, respect for, and obedience to one’s parentsgrade grubbing: striving for high academic scoresivy league mania: craze, obsession regarding entry to ivy league universitiesdeference to authority: respect for and submission to authorityhumility and hard work: modesty, humbleness; diligenceearnest striving middle-class servility: Middle-class people usually “hope t o rise and fear to fall” (Bunyan) and therefore work slavishly and behave submissively.One may wonder whether what the author describes here is racially determined or mainly a reflection of social and economic conditions. Many of the values listed above are similar to those of the American Puritans when obedience, respect for the old, diligence, thrift, simple living, family loyalty, discipline, and sacrifice were considered essential virtues.6. I understand the reasons Asian parents have raised a generation of children thisway. …This is a stage in a triumphal narrative, and it is a narrative that is much shorter than many remember. (Para. 6)The author says that he understands why Asian parents have raised their children this way. It is natural for most Asian parents to try to improve their children’s lives through education.a stage in a triumphal narrative: A stage (the beginning stage) of a success story. Andmany Asians have achieved success in a much shorter time than people realize.7. Asian American success is typically taken to ratify the American Dream and to provethat minorities can make it in this country without handouts. (Para. 7)to be taken to: to be considered toto make it: to succeed8.Still, an undercurrent of racial panic always accompanies the consideration of Asians,and all the more so as China becomes the destination for our industrial base and the banker controlling our burgeoning debt. （Para. 7）But there always exists a feeling of racial panic, though it may not be obvious, whenever people think of Asians. This undercurrent is now becoming stronger as more American industrial companies move their manufacturing base to China, and China has become the banker controlling our growing national debt.9. But if the armies of Chinese factory workers who make our fast fashion and iPadsterrify us, and if the collective mass of high-achieving Asian American students arouse an anxiety about the laxity of American parenting, what of the Asian American who obeyed everything his parents told him? Does this person really scare anyone? (Para. 7)The author is pointing out the contradiction here: If…, then what about…? It is clear that he doubts if there is any reason for Americans to be afraid of the Asian American who obeys everything his parents tell him. Children brought up in this submissive culture cannot pose any threat.fast fashion: This is a contemporary term used to refer to products designed and brought to market quickly in order to capture ever-changing fashion trends.10.Earlier this year, the publication of Amy Chua's Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother inciteda collective airing out of many varieties of race-based hysteria. But absent from themillions of words written in response to the book was any serious consideration ofwhether Asian Americans were in fact taking over this country. (Para. 8)to incite a collective airing out of many varieties of race-based hysteria: To provoke many people into stating openly various kinds of strong racist opinionsb ut absent from the millions of words…was any serious consideration…: But there wasno serious consideration in all these millions of words…11.I mean, I'm proud of my parents and my neighborhood and what I perceive to be myartistic potential or whatever, but sometimes I feel like I'm jumping the gun a generation or two too early. (Para. 9)The second sentence of this sentence means that I feel like I am changing into a new person a generation or two too early.This shows that the changes he has to make in response to a new cultural environment have come in conflict with his old cultural legacy, and he feels lost.12. I ride the 7 train to its last stop in Flushing, where the storefront signs are all written inChinese and the sidewalks are a slow-moving river of impassive faces. (Para. 10)the storefront signs: 店面招牌Note that Flushing (法拉盛) now has the largest Chinese community in New York city, larger than Chinatown.impassive faces: faces showing no emotionNote that etymologically, the word impassive is related to “passion” rather than “passive”.13. There are no set-asides for the underprivileged or, conversely, for alumni or otherprivileged groups. There is no formula to encourage “diversity” or any nebulous concept of “well-roundedness” or “character.” Here we have something like pure meritocracy. (Para. 12)set-asides: slots set aside for people in special categories 招生的保留名额for the underprivileged: 专为弱势群体（保留的名额）F or alumni or other privileged groups: 为校友及其他享有特权的团体（保留的名额）T here is no formula to encourage “diversity” or any nebulous concept of “well-roundedness” or “character.”：There are no special provisions to encourage diversity” (referring mainly to ethnic diversity, guaranteed by what was known as ‘affirmative action’) or any vague idea of “well-roundedness” (referring to set-asides for students with special athletic or other talents) or “character” (referr ing to set-asides for students of especially fine character, demonstrated, or example by community service.)Note that, according to the author, this school is different. It operates on the basis of something like pure meritocracy.meritocracy: a system in which advancement is determined only by ability and achievement.Here it refers particularly to a system of education in which admission to an educational institution, evaluation and promotion are all determined by ability and achievement (merit).14. This year, 569 Asian Americans scored high enough to earn a slot at Stuyvesant,a long with 179 whites, 13 Hispanics, and 12 blacks. Such dramatic overrepresentation,and what it may be read to imply about the intelligence of different groups of NewYorkers, has a way of making people uneasy. (Para. 13)to earn a slot: to get admitted into the school; to be allowed to enter the schoolslot: available position; opening; placedramatic over-representation: a disproportionately large percentage of those admitted15.But intrinsic intelligence, of course, is precisely what Asians don't believe in. (Para. 13)But Asians, of course, believe only in hard work. They don’t believe in natural intelligence.16.“Learning math is not about learning math,” an instructor at one called Ivy Prep wasquoted in The New York Times as saying. “It's about weightlifting. You are pumping the iron of math.” Mao puts it more specifically: “You learn quite simply to nail any standardized test you take.” (Para. 13)an instructor at one called Ivy Prep: a teacher at a school called Ivy Prep, meaning a school for preparing students to get into Ivy League universities.pumping the iron of math: lifting the iron of math, rather than an iron weight.Note that the author is playing on the slang expression “pumping iron”: to lift weights.to nail: to fix, secure, or make sure of, especially by quick action or concentrated effort.17. And so there is an additional concern accompanying the rise of the Tiger Children, onefocused more on the narrowness of the educational experience a non-Asian child might receive in the company of fanatically pre-professional Asian students. (Para. 14)an additional concern accompanying the rise of the Tiger Children: an additional worry related to the rise of high-achieving Asian American children.the narrowness of the educational experience: Non-Asian American parents are worried that their children’s education experience will be very narrow because they are surrounded by Asian students who are all obsessively pre-professional.pre-professional: Preparatory to the practice of a profession or a specialized field of study related to it.18. A couple of years ago, she revisited this issue in her senior thesis at Harvard, where sheinterviewed graduates of elite public schools and found that the white students regarded the Asian students with wariness. In 2005, The Wall Street Journal reported on “white flight” from a high school in Cupertino, California, that began soon after the childre n of Asian software engineers had made the place so brutally competitive that a B average could place you in the bottom third of the class. (Para. 14)to revisit the issue：to look at the issue again“w hite flight”: the fleeing (running away) of white studentsa B average could place you in the bottom third of the class: If your grade were no morethan B on average, then you would be quite likely to find yourself in the lowest third of the class.19.You could frame it as a simple issue of equality and press for race-blind quantitativeadmissions standards. In 2006, a decade after California passed a voter initiative outlawing any racial engineering at the public universities, Asians composed 46 percent of UC Berkeley's entering class; one could imagine a similar demographic reshuffling in the Ivy League, where Asian Americans currently make up about 17 percent of undergraduates. (Para. 16)to frame: to express in wordsto press for: to make a strong demand forrace-blind: treating different races equallyCompare: color-blindrace-blind quantitative admissions standards:没有种族歧视的招生名额原则racial engineering:designing a student body to reflect a pre-determined racial mix (the opposite of race-blind quantitative admissions standards)C ompare: social engineering; genetic engineeringto compose 46 percent: to make up/to represent 46 percentUC Berkeley's entering class：加州大学伯克利分校的新生班demographic reshuffling：changing the representation of component groups making up a larger group of people: in this case, changing the ethnic mix within the population of Ivy League undergraduates20.But the Ivies, as we all know, have their own private institutional interests a t stake intheir admissions choices, including some that are arguably defensible. Who can seriously claim that a Harvard University that was 72 percent Asian would deliver the same grooming for elite status its students had gone there to receive? (Para. 16)to hav e their… interests at stake: to have their… interests in danger/at risk/in jeopardy arguably defensible：It can be argued that some of those private interests are defensible.to deliver the same grooming: to give the same preparation for future elite employment and social position. grooming:梳理打扮21. He had always felt himself a part of a mob of “nameless, faceless Asian kids,” who were“like a part of the décor of the place.” (Para. 17)the décor of a place: the way the place is decorated22.“It's l ike, we're being pitted against each other while there are kids out there in theMidwest who can do way less work and be in a garage band or something—” (Para. 18) to pit us against each other: to force us to compete with each otherout there: used to say in a general way that someone or something existsway less: a lot less.Note that the word ‘way’ is an adverb here.or something: used to suggest another choice, etc., that is not specified.23.“The general gist of most high school movies is that the pretty cheerleader gets with thebig dumb jock, and the nerd is left to bide his time in loneliness. But at some point in the future,” he says, “the nerd is going to rule the world, and the dumb jock is going to work in a carwash”. (Para. 19)gist: the general or basic meaning of something said or written。
现代大学英语精读6第二版教师用书unit3
Unit3What Is NewsNeil Postman and Steve PowersStructure of the TextPart I (Para. 1)In this beginning paragraph, the authors state the purpose of the essay.Part II (Para. 2)Some people might define the news as what television directors and journalists say it is. The authors, however, think that this definition is too simplistic.。
Part III (Paras. 3–5)In these para graphs, the authors explain why the news cannot be simply defined as “what happened that day” or “what happened that day that was important and interesting”.Part IV (Paras. 6–11)In these paragraphs, the authors tell readers that the news is more often made rather than gathered, and it is made on the basis of what the journalist thinks important or what the journalist thinks the audience thinks is important. Therefore, every news story is a reflection of the reporter who tells the story.Part V (Paras. 12–15)In these paragraphs, the authors point out that to make sense of the news, the viewer has to know some thing about the journalist’s political beliefs as well as his prejudices, interests, and quirks which are, in turn, influenced by his financial status, the companies he has worked for, the schools he went to, the books he has read, etc.、Part VI (Paras. 16–17)In these paragraphs, the authors point out that the journalist cannot always impose his/her views on the general public because the television channel or newspaper cannot survive unless the news they provide satisfies the needs of the general public. On the other hand, the viewer/reader must also take into account his or her relationship to a larger audience because television and newspapers are mass media and their news is not intended for an audience of one.Part VII (Paras. 18–20)In these paragraphs, the authors discuss some other possible definitions of news: news as something to give people pleasure; news as something instructive that reveals the mores, values, and ideals of a society; news as living history; news as a source of literature; news as a reflectionof human pain, suffering, tragedies and confusion; news as something to inspire people and make them optimistic; news as something to frighten people and make them aware of the seamy side of the reality; last but not least, news as a filler between commercials.Part VIII (Para. 21)In this paragraph, the authors conclude the essay by reiterating their purpose in raising the issue “What is n ews” It is to arouse our interest and help us understand the problems, limitations, traditions, motivations, and even the delusions of the television news industry.Detailed Study of the Text·1. We turn to this question because unless a television viewer has considered it, he or she is in danger of too easily accepting someone else’s definiti on—for example, a definition supplied by the news director of a television station; or even worse, a definition imposed by important advertisers.(Para. 1)news director: (电视台) 新闻节目负责人advertisers: In many countries in the West, television stations largely depend on selling air time to advertisers for their revenue. Therefore, important advertisers can often impose their views and interests on the news supplied by television stations.viewer：Someone who is watching a movie, a television program, or an exhibitionCompare:audience: a group of people who watch, read, or listen to somethingspectator: a person who watches an event, show, game, or activity2. A simplistic definition of news can be drawn by paraphrasing Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes’ famous definition of the law. The law, Holmes said, is what the courts say it is… we might say that the news is what television directors and journalists say it is.(Para. 2) Americans generally accept Holmes’ famous definition of the law because they agree that laws must allow for the new interpretations necessary to meet the challenges of a changing nation and a changing world. But to propose a definition of the news by para phrasing Holmes’ definition of the law probably commits the logical error of false analogy. For example, it would not make much sense if we were to say politics is what politicians say it is, or education is what teachers say it is.—simplistic: disapproving too simple; not complete or sufficiently thoroughNothing more. Nothing less. : As simple as that; no more, no less.in similar fashion: in the similar way; likewise; by the similar token3. But if we were to take that approach, on what basis would we say that we haven’t been told enough Or that a story that should have been covered wasn’t O r that too many stories of a certain type were included Or that a reporter gave a flagrantly biased account (Para. 2)The fact that people are often unsatisfied with news reporting implies that people have differentideas about what news should be.flagrantly biased: obviously and unquestionably biased4. In modifying their answer, most will add that the news is “important and interesting things that happened that day.” This helps a little but leaves open the question of what is “important and interesting” and how that is decided.(Para. 3)It is all right to say that news consists of the important things that happened that day. But important to whom In what sense For what reason；but leaves open the question: but does not give an answer to the question5.Of course, some people will say that the question of what is important and interesting is not in the least problematic. What the President says or does is important; wars are important, rebellions, employment figures, elections, appointments to the Supreme Court. (Para. 4)This is an interesting example of hasty generalization. It is true that what important people say or do is often important, but we can’t jump to the conclusion that everything they say or do is always important. On the other hand, sometimes even what happens to someone completely unknown can escalate to a serious crisis. People call that “the Butterfly Effect.”problematic: causing a problem; questionable; uncertain6. Now, there is a great deal to be said for Saran Wrap. (Para. 4)N ow, it’s true that Saran Wrap is very useful.7.Saran Wrap is not news. The color of Liz Taylor’s wrap is. Or so some people believe. (Para. 4):Note that the authors are making a word play on the word “wrap,” which has different meanings.8. We shall never learn about these people either, however instructive or interesting their stories may have been.(Para. 5)We will never hear anything about these people either, no matter how instructive or interesting their stories may have been.instructive: providing knowledge or information; educational9.Of course, there are some events—the assassination of a president, an earthquake, etc.—that have near universal interest and consequences. But most news does not inhere in the event.(Para. 6)to inhere in sth.: formal to be a natural part of sth.; to be inherent in sth.10. In fact, the news is more often made rather than gathered. (Para. 6)|In fact, often the news is not something out there for you to pick up; you have to decide what information is newsworthy and make it into news.11．Is a story about a killing in Northern Ireland more important than one about a killing in Morocco(Para. 6)For Americans of Irish background, the answer will most likely be yes. It is said that the relative importance of an event is often determined by the relative distance of its occurrence to the person involved.12．…every news story is a reflection of the reporter who tells the story. The reporter’s previous assumptions about what is “out there” edit what he or she t hinks is there. (Para. 6)If news stories were just facts, and facts speak for themselves, then all news stories, though written by different people, would be the same. But news stories are actually all different because every news story is a reflection of the reporter who tells the story, and every reporter has previous assumptions (beliefs, points of view, and biases) which affect what he/she thinks is there.to edit: to decide what will be included or left out, as editors do in preparing, printing, broadcasting, etc.13．The answers to all of these questions, as well as to other questions about the event, depend entirely on the point of view of the journalist. You might think this is an exaggeration, that reporters, irrespective of their assumptions, can at least get the facts straight. (Para. 7);irrespective of: regardless of; without thinking about or consideringAll government officials, irrespective of their rank, must disclose their property.We pursue the diplomatic policy of the five principles of peaceful coexistence in our relationship with all countries irrespective of their size or political s ystem.to get the facts straight: to find out what the facts are without making mistakesnow-defunct: now-dead; now no longer existing or functioningto feature a story: to give a story a prominent place in a newspaper or television news show14．…who thus earn their 35 rubles a month in lieu of “relief”… (Para. 8)Instead of receiving government relief, they are given jobs by the government so that they can earn their money. (这是以工代赈的政策)in lieu of: instead of；(government) relief：money that is given to poor people by the government (政府)救济15．…it was the policy of the Journal to highlight the contrast between the primitive Russian economy and the sophisticated American economy. (Para. 11)the Journal: This refers to the newspaper The Wall Street Journal, mentioned above.to highlight: to make people notice or be aware of somethingsophisticated: (the opposite of primitive) highly developed and complex 高级的，复杂的16．Each of our senses is a remarkably astute censor. We see what we expect to see; often, we focus on what we are paid to see. And those who pay us to see usually expect us to accept their notions not only of what is important but of what are important details. (Para. 11)We have five sense organs, and they are all extremely sharp censors.censor: a person who examines books, movies, newspapers, etc. and removes things considered by the authorities to be offensive, immoral, or harmful to society (Note the personification of the word) .【We do not see or hear everything. We only see or hear what we expect to see or hear because we have been trained that way. We have been paid by our bosses to see or hear what they expect us to see or hear. We have been made to accept our bosses’ notion of what is interesting and important.17．“We’d have complete dossiers on the interests, policies, and idiosyncrasies of the owners. Then we’d have a dossier on every journalist in the world. The interests, prejudice s, and quirks of the owner would equal Z. The prejudices, quirks, and private interests of the journalist Y. Z times Y would give you X, the probable amount of truth in the story.” (Para. 12)Here the French writer Albert Camus, quoted by A. J. Liebling, is using a mathematic formula to express the relationship between the interests, prejudices and quirks of a newspaper owner, and those of the journalists, and the probable amount of truth in a news story.Z x Y = XHere, Z = the interests, prejudices, and quirks of the ownerY = the interests, prejudices, and quirks of the journalistsX = the truth probability of the newsDossiers (on): files (of); records (of)`18．The host might say something like this: “To begin with, this station is owned by Gary Farnsworth, who is also the president of Bontel Limited, the principal stockholder of which is the Sultan of Bahrain. Bontel Limited owns three Japanese electronic companies, two oil companies, the entire country of Upper Volta, and the western part of Ro mania. …” (Para. 13) The implied suggestion is that this television station is quite likely to be biased in its news reporting, reflecting the interests of those who control its finances.19．“The anchorman on the television show earns $800,000 a year; his portfolio includes holdings in a major computer firm. He has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Arkansas but was a C+ student, has never taken a course in political science, and speaks no language other than English. Last year, he read only two books—a biography of Cary Grant and a book of popular psychology called Why Am I So Wonderful … (Para. 13)The implication here is that the opinions of the anchorman on a television show are strongly influenced by his financial status, his source of income, the education he has received, and the books he has read.anchorman (anchorwoman): (chiefly in the US) a man or woman who presents and coordinates a television news program (电视和广播电台)新闻节目主持人Compare:broadcaster:播音员host：（游戏，访谈节目）主持人portfolio：a range of investments held by a person or organization 全部投资；投资组合|holdings：financial assets; land, property, or shares in a company 拥有的财产20. “The reporter who covered the story on Yugoslavia speaks Serbo-Croatian, has a degree in international rel ations, and has had a Neiman Fellowship at Harvard University.”(Para. 13)A reporter who speaks the language, has a degree in a related field, and has done research on journalism at a distinguished university can naturally be expected to be more competent to cover the story on Yugoslavia than one without these qualifications.21. What we are saying is that to answer the question “What is news” a viewer must know something about the political beliefs and economic situation of those who provide the news. (Para. 15)The point we are trying to make is that a viewer must know something about the political beliefs and economic situation of those who supply the news if he/she wants to answer the question “What is news”Note here that the news reporter’s economic situation refers to his/her financial status as well as the way his/her living is made, because a person’s vested interest (his/her personal stake in an undertaking, especially with an expectation of financial or other gain) often affects his/her point of view.22. There is, in fact, a point of view that argues against journalists imposing their own sense of significance on an audience.…What’s our point A viewer must not only know what he or she thinks is significant but others believe is significant as well. (Para. 16)】to keep their own opinions to themselves: To keep their own opinions secret; not to announce their own opinionsto advise them of what is important: to instruct them in what is important; to teach them what is importantNote that with t he verb “advise”, the preposition “of” is used, and “to advise somebody of something” is not to be confused with “to advise somebody to do something”.Liz Taylor’s adventures in marriage: This refers to the actress’s unusually numerous marriages, which were a favorite subject of social gossip at the time.A viewer must not only know what he or she thinks is significant but others believe is significant as well: This may be clearer if we repeat the word “what” after “but”.23. Television is a mass medium, which means that a television news show is not intended for you alone. It is public communication, and the viewer needs to have some knowledge and opinions about “the public.”(Para. 17)In defining news it is important for us to remember that a mass medium is not for any single individual alone. It is for the general public, and in a pluralistic society, people’s interests and needs differ. Therefore, viewers must take this fact into consideration and respect the right of other people to be different.24. And this leads to another difficulty in answering the question “What is news” Some might agree with us that Liz Taylor’s adventures in marriage do not constitute significant events but that they ought to be included in a news show precisely for that reason. Her experiences, they may say, are amusing or diverting, certainly engrossing. In other words, the purpose of news should be to give people pleasure, at least to the extent that it takes their minds off their own troubles.… (Para. 18)^This is looking at news from a different perspective. It says that many people read the news not for being educated or enlightened, but simply for entertainment. This may not be the most important purpose of the mass media, but we can’t say it is illegitimate. The question “What is news” is now becoming increasingly complicated.they want relief, not aggravation: People want the news to give them some relief–meaning here the removal of something painful or unpleasant rather than its opposite, aggravation, which makes the painful or unpleasant situation even worse.to take their minds off their own troubles: to make them forget their own troubles25. It is also said that whether entertaining or not, stories about the lives of celebrities should be included because they are instructive; they reveal a great deal about our society—its mores, values, ideals. (Para. 18)Even if stories about the lives of celebrities do not amuse or divert us, we still need to read them because these stories tell us a lot about the society we live in.26. Mark Twain once remarked that news is history in its first and best form. (Para. 18) People now more or less agree that today’s news is tomorrow’s history, and today’s history was yesterday’s news. So news can be defined as history to this extent.<27. The American poet Ezra Pound… defined literature as news that stays news. Among other things, Pound meant that the stuff of literature originates not in stories about the World Bank or an armistice agreement but in those simple, repeatable tales that reflect the pain, confusion, or exaltations that are constant in human experience, and touch us at the deepest levels. (Para.18)Ezra Pound relates news to literature. Such things as the World Bank and an armistice agreement, regarded as important today, will sooner or later become history, things of the past. However, we remember and retell stories about people’s pain, confusion, or exaltations because they are part of human experience and touch our emotions. This kind of news is the source of literature.28. What are we to make of it Why him It is like some Old Testament parable; these questions were raised five thousand years ago and we still raise them today. It is the kind of story that stays news, and that is why it must be given prominence. (Para. 18)to make of it: to understand itto be given prominence: to be treated as important; to be stressed29. What about… the fires, rapes, and murders that are daily featured on local television newsWho has decided that they are important, and why One cynical answer is that they are there because viewers take comfort in the realization that they have escaped disaster. At least for that day.(Para. 19)…viewers take comfort in the realization that…: viewers feel relieved or less worried because they know that these terrible things have not happened to them.】30. …It is the task of the news story to provide a daily accounting of the progress of society. …These reports, especially those of a concrete nature, are the daily facts from which the audien ce is expected to draw appropriate conclusions about the question “What kind of society am I a member of”(Para. 19)Another task of the news story is to give a daily accounting of the progress of society so that viewers will understand their society better.31.… heavy television viewers… believe their communities are much more dangerous than do light television viewers. Television news, in other words, tends to frighten people. (Para. 19) This paragraph suggests that television news tends to frighten rather than to enlighten people. Heavy television viewers believe their communities are much more dangerous than light viewers do. This leads to the question that whether news stories should concentrate on the brighter side of social reality.heavy (light) television viewers:people who watch many (only a few) hours of television programs in a day.32. The question is, “Ought they to be frightened” which is to ask, “Is the news an accurate portrayal of where we are as a society” Which leads to another question, “Is it possible for daily news to give such a picture” Many journalists believe it is possible. Some are skeptical. The early twentieth-century journalist Lincoln Steffens proved that he could create a “crime wave” any time he wanted by simply writing a bout all the crimes that normally occur in a large city during the course of a month. He could also end the crime wave by not writing about them. If crime waves can be “manufactured” by journalists, then how accurate are news shows in depicting the condition of a society (Para. 19)Is it true that journalists can create events and make them disappear If it were true, wouldn’t that make it very easy to run a country Moreover, if it were true, how could we ever trust news provided by the mass media And wouldn’t that also mean that a country could get along just fine without reliable newsportrayal: depiction; description?33. Besides, murders, rapes, and fires (even unemployment figures) are not the only way to assess the progress (or regress) of a society. Why are there so few television stories about symphonies that have been composed, novels written, scientific problems solved, and a thousand other creative acts that occur during the course of a month Were television news to be filled with these events, we would not be frightened. We would, in fact, be inspired, optimistic, cheerful. (Para. 19)This paragraph raises a very interesting question: Why are many events that actually have great impact on human life not given any prominence - new philosophical theories and academic achievements for example Possible answers are given in the following paragraph.to assess the progress: to measure; to estimate; to evaluate; to appraiseregress: moving back to an earlier, less developed and usually worse state or condition. It is usually used as a verb. The noun form is “regression”.Compare: digress v. digression n.moving away from the main subject under discussion in speaking and writing34. One answer is as follows. These events make poor television news because there is so little to show about them. In the judgment of most editors, people watch television. And what they are interested in watching are exciting, intriguing, even exotic pictures. Suppose a scientist has developed a new theory about how to measure with more exactitude the speed with which heavenly objects are moving away from the earth. It is difficult to televise a theory, especially if it involved complex mathematics.(Para. 20)This paragraph tries to answer the question raised above. According to the authors, one answer may be that television as a means of communication has its limitations. It is good at showing exciting, intriguing, and exotic pictures and events, but not at dealing with ideas, theories, and other abstract things. In other words, i t is a visual medium; it is less effective at engaging viewers’ minds. The second, implied answer is that people watch television mainly to be entertained. They have no time or patience for profound subjects. Lastly, most editors and news directors are incapable of immediately realizing the significance of scientific and theoretical discoveries. The conclusion seems to be: The news media are extremely important, but they are incapable of answering all our needs where news is concerned.…35. Television sells time, and time cannot be expanded. This means that whatever else is neglected, commercials cannot b, which leads to another possible answer to the question “What is news” News, …in its worst form,… can also be mainly a “filler,” a “come-on” to keep the viewer’s attention until the commercials come. Certain producers have learned that by pandering to the audience, by eschewing solid news and replacing it with leering sensationalism, they can subvert the news by presenting a “television commercial show” t hat is interrupted by news. (Para. 20)In the United States, television stations are privately owned. These privately owned stations sell air time to business companies to promote their products. Therefore, presenting the news show is not the television st ation’s main purpose: “news” serves merely as “filler” to keep the viewer’s attention until the commercials appear, not vice versa. And there is nothing more effective for this purpose than leering sensationalism. This may be an extreme case, but there is certainly some truth in it.36. The purpose of this chapter is to arouse your interest in thinking about the question. Your answers are to be found by knowing what you feel is significant and how your sense of the significant conforms with or departs from that of others, including broadcasters, their bosses, and their audiences. Answers are to be found in your ideas about the purpose of publiccommunication, and in your judgment of the kind of society you live in and wish to live in. We cannot provide answers to these questions. But you also need to know something about the problems, limitations, traditions, motivations, and, yes, even the delusions of the television news industry.(Para. 21)This paragraph concludes the purpose of the essay. The authors do not intend to give us the answer to the question: “What is news”, because they can’t. The problem is complicated, and each of us has to find his/her own answer. The purpose of the essay is to arouse our interest in answering the question by ourselves, and also to inform us of the important factors we must take into consideration to understand the nature of news.Key to ExercisesI1. a set sequence in a theatrical or comic performance 保留节目（喜剧\歌舞等）2.to correct, condense, or modify material when preparing it for publication or presentation3.\4.in Paragraph 8, financial or practical assistance given to those in need 救济(in Paragraph18, the removal of something painful or unpleasant 减轻痛苦)5. a man or woman who presents and coordinates a television program （电视新闻）男节目主持人6.financial assets; land, property, or shares in a company 拥有的土地或股票7.the extent to which something is probable 几率8.to consider9.to watch a television show or listen to radio broadcast10.time during which a television show or radio broadcast is being transmitted 播放时间11. a news item, public-service announcement, or music, used to fill time on a radio ortelevision program12.something intended to allure or attract13.to undermine the power and authority of a system or institution'V1 How one defines “the news” depends on what he/she considers interesting and important.2 Now it’s true that Saran Wrap is very useful in many ways, and we guess that in the end factswill show that it is more useful for the happiness of most of us… (But…)3 But most news is not an essential part of an event. It becomes news only because, in themidst of the noise and disorder of everything happening around us, a journalist has selected it for our attention.4 … it was the policy of the newspaper to focus on the sharp difference b etween the backwardRussian economy and the advanced American economy. Each of our five senses acts as a censor, screening information. It makes us see what we want to see, hear what we want to hear, etc.; and we do so because that is what we have been educated or are paid to do.5 According to Camus, we would have complete records or files on the (newspaper) owners'interests, biases, and peculiar traits. Then we would have similarly complete files on every。
现代大学英语精读6第二版教师用书Unit
Unit3What Is News?Neil Postman and Steve PowersStructure of the TextPart I (Para. 1)In this beginning paragraph, the authors state the purpose of the essay.Part II (Para. 2)Some people might define the news as what television directors and journalists say it is. The authors, however, think that this definition is too simplistic.Part III (Paras. 3–5)In these para graphs, the authors explain why the news cannot be simply defined as “what happened that day” or “what happened that day that was important and interesting”.Part IV (Paras. 6–11)In these paragraphs, the authors tell readers that the news is more often made rather than gathered, and it is made on the basis of what the journalist thinks important or what the journalist thinks the audience thinks is important. Therefore, every news story is a reflection of the reporter who tells the story.Part V (Paras. 12–15)In these paragraphs, the authors point out that to make sense of the news, the viewer has to know somet hing about the journalist’s political beliefs as well as his prejudices, interests, and quirks which are, in turn, influenced by his financial status, the companies he has worked for, the schools he went to, the books he has read, etc.Part VI (Paras. 16–17)In these paragraphs, the authors point out that the journalist cannot always impose his/her views on the general public because the television channel or newspaper cannot survive unless the news they provide satisfies the needs of the general public. On the other hand, the viewer/reader must also take into account his or her relationship to a larger audience because television and newspapers are mass media and their news is not intended for an audience of one.Part VII (Paras. 18–20)In these paragraphs, the authors discuss some other possible definitions of news: news as something to give people pleasure; news as something instructive that reveals the mores, values, and ideals of a society; news as living history; news as a source of literature; news as a reflection of human pain, suffering, tragedies and confusion; news as something to inspire people and make them optimistic; news as something to frighten people and make them aware of the seamy side ofthe reality; last but not least, news as a filler between commercials.Part VIII (Para. 21)In this paragraph, the authors conclude the essay by reiterating their purpose in raising the issue “What is n ews?” It is to arouse our interest and help us understand the problems, limitations, traditions, motivations, and even the delusions of the television news industry.Detailed Study of the Text1. We turn to this question because unless a television viewer has considered it, he or she is in danger of too easily accepting someone else’s definition—for example, a definition supplied by the news director of a television station; or even worse, a definition imposed by important advertisers.(Para. 1)news director: (电视台) 新闻节目负责人advertisers: In many countries in the West, television stations largely depend on selling air time to advertisers for their revenue. Therefore, important advertisers can often impose their views and interests on the news supplied by television stations.viewer：Someone who is watching a movie, a television program, or an exhibitionCompare:audience: a group of people who watch, read, or listen to somethingspectator: a person who watches an event, show, game, or activity2. A simplistic definition of news can be drawn by paraphrasing Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes’ famous definition of the law. The law, Holmes said, is what the courts say it is… we might say that the news is what television directors and journalists say it is.(Para. 2) Americans generally accept Holmes’ famous definition of the law because they agree that laws must allow for the new interpretations necessary to meet the challenges of a changing nation and a changing world. But to propose a definition of the news by para phrasing Holmes’ definition of the law probably commits the logical error of false analogy. For example, it would not make much sense if we were to say politics is what politicians say it is, or education is what teachers say it is. simplistic: disapproving too simple; not complete or sufficiently thoroughNothing more. Nothing less. : As simple as that; no more, no less.in similar fashion: in the similar way; likewise; by the similar token3. But if we were to take that approach, on what basis would we say that we haven’t been told enough? Or that a story that should have been covered wasn’t? Or th at too many stories of a certain type were included? Or that a reporter gave a flagrantly biased account? (Para. 2)The fact that people are often unsatisfied with news reporting implies that people have different ideas about what news should be.flagrantly biased: obviously and unquestionably biased4. In modifying their answer, most will add that the news is “important and interestingthings that happened that day.” This helps a little but leaves open the question of what is “important and interesting” a nd how that is decided.(Para. 3)It is all right to say that news consists of the important things that happened that day. But important to whom? In what sense? For what reason?but leaves open the question: but does not give an answer to the question5.Of course, some people will say that the question of what is important and interesting is not in the least problematic. What the President says or does is important; wars are important, rebellions, employment figures, elections, appointments to the Supreme Court. (Para. 4)This is an interesting example of hasty generalization. It is true that what important people say or do is often important, but we can’t jump to the conclusion that everything they say or do is always important. On the other hand, sometimes even what happens to someone completely unknown can escalate to a serious crisis. People call that “the Butterfly Effect.”problematic: causing a problem; questionable; uncertain6. Now, there is a great deal to be said for Saran Wrap. (Para. 4)No w, it’s true that Saran Wrap is very useful.7.Saran Wrap is not news. The color of Liz Taylor’s wrap is. Or so some people believe. (Para. 4)Note that the authors are making a word play on the word “wrap,” which has different meanings.8. We shall never learn about these people either, however instructive or interesting their stories may have been.(Para. 5)We will never hear anything about these people either, no matter how instructive or interesting their stories may have been.instructive: providing knowledge or information; educational9.Of course, there are some events—the assassination of a president, an earthquake, etc.—that have near universal interest and consequences. But most news does not inhere in the event.(Para. 6)to inhere in sth.: formal to be a natural part of sth.; to be inherent in sth.10. In fact, the news is more often made rather than gathered. (Para. 6)In fact, often the news is not something out there for you to pick up; you have to decide what information is newsworthy and make it into news.11．I s a story about a killing in Northern Ireland more important than one about a killing in Morocco?(Para. 6)For Americans of Irish background, the answer will most likely be yes. It is said that the relative importance of an event is often determined by the relative distance of its occurrence to the person involved.12．…every news story is a reflection of the reporter who tells the story. The reporter’s previous assumptions about what is “out there” edit what he or she think s is there. (Para. 6) If news stories were just facts, and facts speak for themselves, then all news stories, though written by different people, would be the same. But news stories are actually all different because every news story is a reflection of the reporter who tells the story, and every reporter has previous assumptions (beliefs, points of view, and biases) which affect what he/she thinks is there.to edit: to decide what will be included or left out, as editors do in preparing, printing, broadcasting, etc.13．The answers to all of these questions, as well as to other questions about the event, depend entirely on the point of view of the journalist. You might think this is an exaggeration, that reporters, irrespective of their assumptions, can at least get the facts straight. (Para. 7) irrespective of: regardless of; without thinking about or consideringAll government officials, irrespective of their rank, must disclose their property.We pursue the diplomatic policy of the five principles of peaceful coexistence in our relationship with all countries irrespective of their size or political s ystem.to get the facts straight: to find out what the facts are without making mistakesnow-defunct: now-dead; now no longer existing or functioningto feature a story: to give a story a prominent place in a newspaper or television news show14．…who thus earn their 35 rubles a month in lieu of “relief”… (Para. 8)Instead of receiving government relief, they are given jobs by the government so that they can earn their money. (这是以工代赈的政策)in lieu of: instead of(government) relief：money that is given to poor people by the government (政府)救济15．…it was the policy of the Journal to highlight the contrast between the primitive Russian economy and the sophisticated American economy. (Para. 11)the Journal: This refers to the newspaper The Wall Street Journal, mentioned above.to highlight: to make people notice or be aware of somethingsophisticated: (the opposite of primitive) highly developed and complex 高级的，复杂的16．Each of our senses is a remarkably astute censor. We see what we expect to see; often, we focus on what we are paid to see. And those who pay us to see usually expect us to accept their notions not only of what is important but of what are important details. (Para. 11)We have five sense organs, and they are all extremely sharp censors.censor: a person who examines books, movies, newspapers, etc. and removes things considered by the authorities to be offensive, immoral, or harmful to society (Note the personification of the word) .We do not see or hear everything. We only see or hear what we expect to see or hear because we have been trained that way. We have been paid by our bosses to see or hear what they expect us to see or hear. We have been made to accept our bosses’ notion of what is interesting and important.17．“We’d have complete dossiers on the interests, policies, and idiosyncrasies of the owners.Then we’d have a dossier on every journalist in the world. The interests, prejudices, and quirks of the owner would equal Z. The prejudices, quirks, and private interests of the journalist Y. Z times Y would give you X, the probable amount of truth in the story.” (Para.12)Here the French writer Albert Camus, quoted by A. J. Liebling, is using a mathematic formula to express the relationship between the interests, prejudices and quirks of a newspaper owner, and those of the journalists, and the probable amount of truth in a news story.Z x Y = XHere, Z = the interests, prejudices, and quirks of the ownerY = the interests, prejudices, and quirks of the journalistsX = the truth probability of the newsDossiers (on): files (of); records (of)18．The host might say something like this: “To begin with, this station is owned by Gary Farnsworth, who is also the president of Bontel Limited, the principal stockholder of which is the Sultan of Bahrain. Bontel Limited owns three Japanese electronic companies, two oil companies, the entire country of Upper Volta, and the western part of Romania. …” (P ara.13)The implied suggestion is that this television station is quite likely to be biased in its news reporting, reflecting the interests of those who control its finances.19．“The anchorman on the television show earns $800,000 a year; his portfolio i ncludes holdings in a major computer firm. He has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Arkansas but was a C+ student, has never taken a course in political science, and speaks no language other than English. Last year, he read only two books—a biography of Cary Grant and a book of popular psychology called Why Am I So Wonderful? … (Para.13)The implication here is that the opinions of the anchorman on a television show are strongly influenced by his financial status, his source of income, the education he has received, and the books he has read.anchorman (anchorwoman): (chiefly in the US) a man or woman who presents and coordinates a television news program (电视和广播电台)新闻节目主持人Compare:broadcaster:播音员host：（游戏，访谈节目）主持人portfolio：a range of investments held by a person or organization 全部投资；投资组合holdings：financial assets; land, property, or shares in a company 拥有的财产20. “The reporter who covered the story on Yugoslavia speaks Serbo-Croatian, has a degree in international relations, and h as had a Neiman Fellowship at Harvard University.”(Para.13)A reporter who speaks the language, has a degree in a related field, and has done research on journalism at a distinguished university can naturally be expected to be more competent to cover the story on Yugoslavia than one without these qualifications.21. What we are saying is that to answer the question “What is news?” a viewer must know something about the political beliefs and economic situation of those who provide the news. (Para. 15)The point we are trying to make is that a viewer must know something about the political beliefs and economic situation of those who supply the news if he/she wants to answer the question “What is news?”Note here that the news reporter’s economic situation r efers to his/her financial status as well as the way his/her living is made, because a person’s vested interest (his/her personal stake in an undertaking, especially with an expectation of financial or other gain) often affects his/her point of view.22. There is, in fact, a point of view that argues against journalists imposing their own sense of significance on an audience.…What’s our point? A viewer must not only know what he or she thinks is significant but others believe is significant as well. (Para. 16)to keep their own opinions to themselves: To keep their own opinions secret; not to announce their own opinionsto advise them of what is important: to instruct them in what is important; to teach them what is importantNote that with the verb “advise”, the preposition “of” is used, and “to advise somebody of something” is not to be confused with “to advise somebody to do something”.Liz Taylor’s adventures in marriage: This refers to the actress’s unusually numerous marriages, which were a favorite subject of social gossip at the time.A viewer must not only know what he or she thinks is significant but others believe is significant as well: This may be clearer if we repeat the word “what” after “but”.23. Television is a mass medium, which means that a television news show is not intended for you alone. It is public communication, and the viewer needs to have some knowledge and opinions about “the public.”(Para. 17)In defining news it is important for us to remember that a mass medium is not for any single individual alone. It is for the general public, and in a pluralistic society, people’s interests and needs differ. Therefore, viewers must take this fact into consideration and respect the right of other people to be different.24. And this lea ds to another difficulty in answering the question “What is news?” Some might agree with us that Liz Taylor’s adventures in marriage do not constitute significant events but that they ought to be included in a news show precisely for that reason. Her experiences, they may say, are amusing or diverting, certainly engrossing. In other words, the purpose of news should be to give people pleasure, at least to the extent that it takes their minds off their own troubles.… (Para. 18)This is looking at news from a different perspective. It says that many people read the news not for being educated or enlightened, but simply for entertainment. This may not be the most important purpose of the mass media, but we can’t say it is illegitimate. The question “What is n ews?” is now becoming increasingly complicated.they want relief, not aggravation: People want the news to give them some relief–meaning here the removal of something painful or unpleasant rather than its opposite, aggravation, which makes the painful or unpleasant situation even worse.to take their minds off their own troubles: to make them forget their own troubles25. It is also said that whether entertaining or not, stories about the lives of celebrities should be included because they are instructive; they reveal a great deal about our society—its mores, values, ideals. (Para. 18)Even if stories about the lives of celebrities do not amuse or divert us, we still need to read them because these stories tell us a lot about the society we live in.26. Mark Twain once remarked that news is history in its first and best form. (Para. 18) People now more or less agree that today’s news is tomorrow’s history, and today’s history was yesterday’s news. So news can be defined as history to this extent.27. Th e American poet Ezra Pound… defined literature as news that stays news. Among other things, Pound meant that the stuff of literature originates not in stories about the World Bank or an armistice agreement but in those simple, repeatable tales that reflect the pain, confusion, or exaltations that are constant in human experience, and touch us at the deepest levels. (Para. 18)Ezra Pound relates news to literature. Such things as the World Bank and an armistice agreement, regarded as important today, will sooner or later become history, things of the past. However, we remember and retell stories about people’s pain, confusion, or exaltations because they are part of human experience and touch our emotions. This kind of news is the source of literature.28. What are we to make of it? Why him? It is like some Old Testament parable; these questions were raised five thousand years ago and we still raise them today. It is the kind of story that stays news, and that is why it must be given prominence. (Para. 18)to make of it: to understand itto be given prominence: to be treated as important; to be stressed29. What about… the fires, rapes, and murders that are daily featured on local television news? Who has decided that they are important, and why? One cynical answer is that they are there because viewers take comfort in the realization that they have escaped disaster. At least for that day.(Para. 19)…viewers take comfort in the realization that…: viewers feel relieved or less worried because they know that these terrible things have not happened to them.30. …It is the task of the news story to provide a daily accounting of the progress of society. … These reports, especially those of a concrete nature, are the daily facts from which the audience is expect ed to draw appropriate conclusions about the question “What kind of society am I a member of?”(Para. 19)Another task of the news story is to give a daily accounting of the progress of society so that viewers will understand their society better.31.… heavy television viewers… believe their communities are much more dangerous than do light television viewers. Television news, in other words, tends to frighten people. (Para.19)This paragraph suggests that television news tends to frighten rather than to enlighten people. Heavy television viewers believe their communities are much more dangerous than light viewers do. This leads to the question that whether news stories should concentrate on the brighter side of social reality.heavy (light) television viewers:people who watch many (only a few) hours of television programs in a day.32. The question is, “Ought they to be frightened?” which is to ask, “Is the news an accurate portrayal of where we are as a society?” Which leads to another question, “Is it possible for daily news to give such a picture?” Many journalists believe it is possible. Some are skeptical. The early twentieth-century journalist Lincoln Steffens proved that he could create a “crime wave” any time he wanted by simply writing about all the crimes that normally occur in a large city during the course of a month. He could also end the crime wave by not writing about them. If crime waves can be “manufactured” by journalists, then how accurate are news shows in depicting the condition of a society? (Para. 19)Is it true that journalists can create events and make them disappear? If it were true, wouldn’t that make it very easy to run a country? Moreover, if it were true, how could we ever trust news provided by the mass media? And wouldn’t that also mean that a country could get along just fine without reliable news?portrayal: depiction; description33. Besides, murders, rapes, and fires (even unemployment figures) are not the only way to assess the progress (or regress) of a society. Why are there so few television stories about symphonies that have been composed, novels written, scientific problems solved, and a thousand other creative acts that occur during the course of a month? Were television news to be filled with these events, we would not be frightened. We would, in fact, be inspired, optimistic, cheerful. (Para. 19)This paragraph raises a very interesting question: Why are many events that actually have great impact on human life not given any prominence - new philosophical theories and academic achievements for example? Possible answers are given in the following paragraph.to assess the progress: to measure; to estimate; to evaluate; to appraiseregress: moving back to an earlier, less developed and usually worse state or condition. It is usually used as a verb. The noun form is “regression”.Compare: digress v. digression n.moving away from the main subject under discussion in speaking and writing34. One answer is as follows. These events make poor television news because there is so little to show about them. In the judgment of most editors, people watch television. And what they are interested in watching are exciting, intriguing, even exotic pictures. Suppose a scientist has developed a new theory about how to measure with more exactitude the speedwith which heavenly objects are moving away from the earth. It is difficult to televise a theory, especially if it involved complex mathematics.(Para. 20)This paragraph tries to answer the question raised above. According to the authors, one answer may be that television as a means of communication has its limitations. It is good at showing exciting, intriguing, and exotic pictures and events, but not at dealing with ideas, theories, and other abstract things. In other words, it i s a visual medium; it is less effective at engaging viewers’ minds. The second, implied answer is that people watch television mainly to be entertained. They have no time or patience for profound subjects. Lastly, most editors and news directors are incapable of immediately realizing the significance of scientific and theoretical discoveries. The conclusion seems to be: The news media are extremely important, but they are incapable of answering all our needs where news is concerned.35. Television sells time, and time cannot be expanded. This means that whatever else is neglected, commercials cannot b, which leads to another possible answer to the question “What is news?” News, …in its worst form,… can also be mainly a “filler,” a “come-on” to keep the vie wer’s attention until the commercials come. Certain producers have learned that by pandering to the audience, by eschewing solid news and replacing it with leering sensationalism, they can subvert the news by presenting a “television commercial show” that is interrupted by news. (Para. 20)In the United States, television stations are privately owned. These privately owned stations sell air time to business companies to promote their products. Therefore, presenting the news show is not the television statio n’s main purpose: “news” serves merely as “filler” to keep the viewer’s attention until the commercials appear, not vice versa. And there is nothing more effective for this purpose than leering sensationalism. This may be an extreme case, but there is certainly some truth in it.36. The purpose of this chapter is to arouse your interest in thinking about the question. Your answers are to be found by knowing what you feel is significant and how your sense of the significant conforms with or departs from that of others, including broadcasters, their bosses, and their audiences. Answers are to be found in your ideas about the purpose of public communication, and in your judgment of the kind of society you live in and wish to live in. We cannot provide answers to these questions. But you also need to know something about the problems, limitations, traditions, motivations, and, yes, even the delusions of the television news industry.(Para. 21)This paragraph concludes the purpose of the essay. The authors do not intend to give us the answer to the question: “What is news?”, because they can’t. The problem is complicated, and each of us has to find his/her own answer. The purpose of the essay is to arouse our interest in answering the question by ourselves, and also to inform us of the important factors we must take into consideration to understand the nature of news.Key to ExercisesI1. a set sequence in a theatrical or comic performance 保留节目（喜剧\歌舞等）2.to correct, condense, or modify material when preparing it for publication or presentation3.in Paragraph 8, financial or practical assistance given to those in need 救济(in Paragraph 18,the removal of something painful or unpleasant 减轻痛苦)4. a man or woman who presents and coordinates a television program （电视新闻）男节目主持人5.financial assets; land, property, or shares in a company 拥有的土地或股票6.the extent to which something is probable 几率7.to consider8.to watch a television show or listen to radio broadcast9.time during which a television show or radio broadcast is being transmitted 播放时间10. a news item, public-service announcement, or music, used to fill time on a radio or televisionprogram11.something intended to allure or attract12.to undermine the power and authority of a system or institutionV1 How one defines “the news” depen ds on what he/she considers interesting and important.2 Now it’s true that Saran Wrap is very useful in many ways, and we guess that in the end factswill show that it is more useful for the happiness of most of us… (But…)3 But most news is not an essential part of an event. It becomes news only because, in themidst of the noise and disorder of everything happening around us, a journalist has selected it for our attention.4 … it was the policy of the newspaper to focus on the sharp difference between the backwardRussian economy and the advanced American economy. Each of our five senses acts as a censor, screening information. It makes us see what we want to see, hear what we want to hear, etc.; and we do so because that is what we have been educated or are paid to do.5 According to Camus, we would have complete records or files on the (newspaper) owners'interests, biases, and peculiar traits. Then we would have similarly complete files on every journalist in the world.Camus then proposes: Z×Y= X, where:Z stands for the prejudices, eccentric habits and private interests of the owner.Y stands for the prejudices, eccentric habits and private interests of the journalist.X is the probable amount of truth in the story.6 Certain producers of television programs have discovered that, by catering to the low tastesand desires of their audience, by avoiding real news and deliberately replacing it with sensational stories, they can transform television news from programs interrupted by short commercials into one long commercial interrupted by snippets of news.VIPhrases1.一种过于简单化的定义2.一种公然带有偏见的报道/陈述3.就业数字统计4.喜剧保留剧目。
现代大学英语精读6notesonenglish
现代大学英语精读6n o t e s o ne n g l i s h c h a r a c t e r(总8页)--本页仅作为文档封面，使用时请直接删除即可----内页可以根据需求调整合适字体及大小--First note. I had better let the cat out of the bag at once and record my opinion that the character of the English is essentially middle class. There is a sound historical reason for this， for，since the end of the eighteenth century， the middle classes have been the dominant force in our community. They gained wealth by the Industrial Revolution， political power by the Reform Bill of 1832； they are connected with the rise and organization of the British Empire； they are responsible for the literature of the nineteenth century.Solidity， caution， integrity， efficiency. Lack of imagination， hypocrisy. These qualities characterize the middle classes in every country， but in England they are national characteristics also， because only in England have the middle classes been in power for one hundred and fifty years. Napoleon， in his rude way， called us "a nation of shopkeepers." We prefer to call ourselves "a great commercial nation" -- it sounds more dignified -- but the two phrases amount to the same. Of course there are other classes： there is an aristocracy， there are the poor. But it is on the middle classes that the eye of the critic rests -- just as it rests on the poor in Russia and on the aristocracy in Japan. Russia is symbolized by the peasant or by the factory worker； Japan by the samurai； the national figure of England is Mr. Bull with his top hat， his comfortable clothes， his substantial stomach， and his substantial balance at the bank. Saint George may caper on banners and in the speeches of politicians， but it is John Bull who delivers the goods. And even Saint George-- if Gibbon is correct-- wore a top hat once； he was an army contractor and supplied indifferent bacon. It all amounts to the same in the end.Second Note. Just as the heart of England is the middle classes， so the heart of the middle classes is the public school system. This extraordinary institution is local. It does not even exist all over the British Isles. It is unknown inIreland， almost unknown in Scotland （countries excluded from mysurvey）， and though it may inspire other great institutions--Aligarh， for example， and some of the schools in the United States--it remainsunique， because it was created by the Anglo-Saxon middle classes， and can flourish only where they flourish. How perfectly it expresses their character -- far better for instance， than does the university， into which social and spiritual complexities have already entered. With its boarding-houses， its compulsory games， its system of prefects and fagging， its insistence on good form and on esprit de corps， it produces a type whose weight is out of all proportion to its numbers. On leaving his school， the boy either sets to work at once -- goes into the army or into business， or emigrates -- or else proceeds to the university， and after three or four years there enters some other profession --becomes a barrister， doctor， civil servant， schoolmaster， or journalist. （If through some mishap he does not become a manual worker or an artist.） In all these careers his education， or the absence of it，influences him. Its memories influence him also. Many men look back on their school days as the happiest of their lives. They remember with regret that golden time when life， though hard， was not yet complex， when they all worked together and played together and thought together， so far as they thought at all； when they were taught that school is the world in miniature and believed that no one can love his country who does not love his school. And they prolong that time as best they can by joining their Old Boys' society： indeed， some of them remain Old Boys and nothing else for the rest of their lives. They attribute all good to the school. They worship it. They quote the remark that "The battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton." It is nothing to them that the remark is inapplicable historically and was never made by the Duke of Wellington， and that the Duke of Wellington was an Irishman. They go on quoting it because it expresses their sentiments； they feel that if the Duke of Wellington didn't make it he ought to have， and if he wasn't an Englishman he ought to have been. And they go forth into a world that is not entirely composed of public-school men or even of Anglo-Saxons， but of men who are as various as the sands of the sea； into a world of whose richness and subtlety they have no conception. They go forth into it with well-developed bodies， fairly developed minds， and undeveloped hearts. And it is this undeveloped heart that is largely responsible for the difficulties of Englishmen abroad. An undeveloped heart--not a cold one. The difference is important， and on it my next note will be based.For it is not that the Englishman can't feel -- it is that he is afraid to feel. He has been taught at his public school that feeling is bad form. He must not express great joy or sorrow， or even open his mouth too wide when he talks--his pipe might fall out if he did. He must bottle up his emotions，or let them out only on a very special occasion.Once upon a time （this is an anecdote） I went for a week's holiday on the Continent with an Indian friend. We both enjoyed ourselves and were sorry when the week was over， but on parting our behaviour was absolutely different. He was plunged in despair.He felt that because the holiday was over all happiness was over until the world ended. He could not express his sorrow too much. But in me the Englishman came out strong. I reflected that we should meet again in a month or two， and could write in the interval if we had anything to say； and under these circumstances I could not see what there was to make a fuss about. It wasn't as if wewere parting forever or dying. "Buck up，" I said， "do buck up." He refused to buck up， and I left him plunged in gloom.The conclusion of the anecdote is even more instructive. For when we met the next month our conversation threw a good deal of light on the English character. I began by scolding my friend. I told him that he had been wrong to feel and display so much emotion upon so slight an occasion； that it was inappropriate. The word "inappropriate" roused him to fury. "What" he cried. "Do you measure out your emotions as if they were potatoes" I did not like the simile of the potatoes， but after a moment's reflection I said： "Yes， I do； and what's more， I think I ought to. A small occasion demands a little emotion just as a large occasion demands a great one. I would like my emotions to be appropriate. This may be measuring them like potatoes， but it is better than slopping them about like water from apail， which is what you did." He did not like the simile of the pail. "If those are your opinions， they part us forever，" he cried， and left the room. Returning immediately， he added： "No--but your whole attitude toward emotion is wrong. Emotion has nothing to do with appropriateness. It matters only that it shall be sincere. I happened to feel deeply. I showed it. It doesn't matter whether I ought to have felt deeply or not."This remark impressed me very much. Yet I could not agree with it， and said that I valued emotion as much as he did， but used it differently； if I poured it out on small occasions I was afraid of having none left for the great ones， and of being bankrupt at the crises of life. Note the word "bankrupt." I spoke as a member of a prudent middle-class nation， always anxious to meet my liabilities， but my friend spoke as an Oriental， and the Oriental has behind him a tradition， not of middle-class prudence but of kingly munificence and splendour. He feels his resources are endless，just as John Bull feels his are finite. As regards material resources， the Oriental is clearly unwise. Money isn't endless. If we spend or give away all the money we have， we haven't any more， and must take the consequences， which are frequently unpleasant. But， as regards the resources of the spirit， he may be right. The emotions may be endless. The more we express them， the more we may have to express. True love in this differs from gold and clay， That to divide is not to take away.Says Shelley. Shelley， at all events， believes that the wealth of the spirit is endless； that we may express it copiously， passionately， and always； that we can never feel sorrow or joy too acutely.In the above anecdote， I have figured as a typical Englishman. I will now descend from that dizzy and somewhat unfamiliar height， and return to mybusiness of notetaking. A note on the slowness of the English character. The Englishman appears to be cold and unemotional because he is really slow. When an event happens， he may understand it quickly enough with his mind， but he takes quite a while to feel it. Once upon a time a coach， containing some Englishmen and some Frenchmen， was driving over the Alps. The horses ran away， and as they were dashing across a bridge the coach caught on the stonework， tottered， and nearly fell into the ravine below. The Frenchmen were frantic with terror： they screamed and gesticulated and flung themselves about，as Frenchmen would. The Englishmen sat quite calm. An hour later， the coach drew up at an inn to change horses， and by that time the situations were exactly reversed. The Frenchmen had forgotten all about the danger， and were chattering gaily； the Englishmen had just begun to feel it， and one had a nervous breakdown and was obliged to go to bed. We have here a clear physical difference between the two races--a difference that goes deep into character. The Frenchmen responded at once； the Englishmen responded in time. They were slow and they were also practical. Their instinct forbade them to throw themselves about in the coach， because it was more likely to tip over if they did. They had this extraordinary appreciation of fact that we shall notice again and again. When a disaster comes， the English instinct is to do what can be done first， and to postpone the feeling as long as possible. Hence they are splendid at emergencies. No doubt they are brave--no one will deny that--bravery is partly an affair of the nerves， and the English nervous system is well equipped for meeting physical emergency.It acts promptly and feels slowly. Such a combination is fruitful， and anyone who possesses it has gone a long way toward being brave. And when the action is over， then the Englishman can feel.There is one more consideration -- a most important one. If the English nature is cold， how is it that it has produced a great literature and a literature that is particularly great in poetry Judged by its prose， English literature would not stand in the first rank. It is its poetry that raises it to the level of Greek， Persian， or French. And yet the English are supposed to be so unpoetical. How is this The nation that produced the Elizabethan drama and the Lake Poets cannot be a could，unpoetical nation. We can't get fire out of ice. Since literature always rests upon national character，there must be in the English nature hidden springs of fire to produce the fire we see. The warm sympathy， the romance， the imagination， that we look for in Englishmen whom we meet， and too often vainly look for， must exist in the nation as a whole， or we could not have this outburst of national song. An undeveloped heart--not a cold one.The trouble is that the English nature is not at all easy to understand. It has a great air of simplicity， it advertises itself as simple， but the more we considerit， the greater the problems we shall encounter. People talk of the mysterious East， but the West also is mysterious. It has depths that do not reveal themselves at the first gaze. We know what the sea looks like from a distance： it is of one color， and level， and obviously cannot contain such creatures as fish. But if we look into the sea over the edge of a boat， we see a dozen colors， and depth below depth， and fish swimming in them. That sea is the English character--apparently imperturbable and even. These depths and the colors are the English romanticism and the English sensitiveness--we do not expect to find suchthings， but they exist. And -- to continue my metaphor--the fish are the English emotions， which are always trying to get up to the surface， but don't quite know how. For the most part we see them moving far below， distorted and obscure. Now and then they succeed and we exclaim， "Why， the Englishman has emotions！ He actually can feel！" And occasionally we see that beautiful creature the flying fish， which rises out of the water altogether into the air and the sunlight. English literature is a flying fish. It is a sample of the life that goes on day after day beneath the surface； it is a proof that beauty and emotion exist in thesalt， inhospitable sea.And now let's get back to terra firma. The Englishman's attitude toward criticism will give us another starting point. He is not annoyed by criticism. He listens or not as the case may be smiles and passes on， saying， "Oh， the fellow's jealous"； "Oh， I'm used to Bernard Shaw； monkey tricks don't hurt me." It never occurs to him that the fellow may be accurate as well as jealous， and that he might do well to take the criticism to heart and profit by it. It never strikes him--except as a form of words -- that he is capable of improvement； his self-complacency is abysmal. Other nations， both Oriental and European， have an uneasy feeling that they are not quite perfect. In consequence they resent criticism. It hurts them； and their snappy answers often mask a determination to improve themselves. Not so the Englishman. He has no uneasy feeling. Let the critics bark. And the "tolerant humorous attitude" with which he confronts them is not really humorous， because it is bounded by the titter and the guffaw.Turn over the pages of Punch. There is neither wit， laughter， nor satire in our national jester--only the snigger of a suburban householder who can understand nothing that does not resemble himself. Week after week， under Mr Punch's supervision， a man falls off his horse， or a colonel misses a golfball， or a little girl makes a mistake in her prayers. Week after week ladies show not too much oftheir legs， foreigners are deprecated， originality condemned. Week after week a bricklayer does not do as much work as he ought and a futurist does more than he need. It is all supposed to be so good-tempered and clean； it is also supposed to be funny. It is actually an outstanding example of our attitude toward criticism： the middle-class Englishman， with a smile on his clean-shaven lips， is engaged in admiring himself and ignoring the rest of mankind. If， in those colorless pages， he came across anything that really was funny -- a drawing by Max Beerbohm， for instance -- his smile would disappear， and he would say to himself， "The fellow's a bit of a crank，" and pass on.This particular attitude reveals such insensitiveness as to suggest a more serious charge： is the Englishman altogether indifferent to the things of thespirit Let us glance for a moment at his religion -- not， indeed， at his theology， which would not merit inspection， but at the action on his daily life of his belief in the unseen. Here again his attitude is practical. But an innate decency comes out： he is thinking of others rather than of himself. Right conduct is his aim. He asks of his religion that it shall make him a better man in daily life： that he shall be more kind， more just，more merciful， more desirous to fight what is evil and to protect what is good. No one could call this a low conception. It is， as far as it goes， a spiritual one. Yet -- and this seems to be typical of the race -- it is only half the religious idea. Religion is more than an ethical code with a divine sanction. It is also a means through which man may get into direct connection with thedivine， and， judging by history， few Englishmen have succeeded in doing this. We have produced no series of prophets，as has Judaism or Islam. We have not even produced a Joan of Arc， or a Savonarola. We have produced few saints. In Germany the Reformation was due to the passionate conviction of Luther. In England it was due to palace intrigue. We can show a steady level of piety， a fixed determination to live decently according to our lights -- little more.Well， it is something. It clears us of the charge of being an unspiritual nation. That facile contrast between the spiritual East and the materialistic West can be pushed too far. The West also is spiritual. Only it expresses its belief， not in fasting and visions， not in prophetic rapture， but in the daily round， the common task. An incomplete expression， if you like. I agree. But the argument underlying these scattered notes is that the Englishman is an incomplete person. Not a cold or an unspiritual one. But undeveloped， incomplete.I have suggested earlier that the English are sometimes hypocrites， and it is not my duty to develop this rather painful subject. Hypocrisy is the prime charge that is always brought against us. The Germans are called brutal， the Spanishcruel， the Americans superficial， and so on； but we are perfide Albion， the island of hypocrites， the people who have built up an Empire with a Bible in one hand， a pistol in the other and financial concessions in both pockets. Is the charge true I think it is； but what we mean by hypocrisy Do we mean consciousdeceit Well， the English are comparatively guiltless of this； they have little of the Renaissance villain about them. Do we mean unconscious deceit Muddle-headedness Of this I believe them to be guilty. When an Englishman has been led into a course of wrong action， he has nearly always begun by muddling himself. A public-school education does not make for mental clearness， and he possesses to a very high degree the power of confusing his own mind. How does it work in the domain of conductJane Austen may seem an odd authority to cite， but Jane Austen has， within her limits， a marvelous insight into the English mind. Her range is limited， her characters never attempt any of the more scarlet sins. But she has a merciless eyefor questions of conduct， and the classical example of two English people muddling themselves before they embark upon a wrong course of action is to be found in the opening chapters of Sense and Sensibility. Old Mr. Dashwood has just died. He has been twice married. By his first marriage he has a son， John； by his second marriage three daughters. The son is well off； the young ladies and their mother -- for Mr. Dashwood's second wife survives him -- are badly off. He has called his son to his death-bed and has solemnly adjured him to provide for the second family. Much moved， the young man promises， and mentally decides to give each of his sisters a thousand pounds： and then the comedy begins. For he announces his generous intention to his wife， and Mrs. John Dashwood by no means approves of depriving their own little boy of so large a sum. The thousand pounds are accordingly reduced to five hundred. But even this seems rather much. Might not an annuity to the stepmother be less of a wrench Yes -- but though less of a wrench it might be more of a drain， for "she is very stout and healthy， and scarcely forty." An occasional present of fifty pounds will be better， "and will， I think， be amply discharging my promise to my father." Or， better still， an occasional present of fish. And in the end nothing is done， nothing； the four impecunious ladies are not even helped in the moving of their furniture.Well， are the John Dashwoods hypocrites It depends upon our definition of hypocrisy. The young man could not see his evil impulses as they gathered force and gained on him. And even his wife， though a worse character， is also self-deceived. She reflects that old Mr. Dashwood may have been out of his mind at his death. She thinks of her own little boy -- and surely a mother ought to think of her own child.She has muddled herself so completely that in one sentence she can refuse the ladies the income that would enable them to keep a carriage and in the next can say that they will not be keeping a carriage and so will have no expenses. No doubt men and women in other lands can muddle themselves， too， yet the state of mind of Mr. and Mrs. John Dashwood seems to me typical of England. They are slow -- they take time even to do wrong； whereas people in other lands do wrong quickly.There are national faults as there are national diseases， and perhaps one can draw a parallel between them. It has always impressed me that the national diseases of England should be cancer and consumption -- slow， insidious， pretending to be something else； while the diseases proper to the South should be cholera and plague， which strike at a man when he is perfectly well and may leave him a corpse by evening. Mr. and Mrs. John Dashwood are moral consumptives. They collapse gradually without realizing what the disease is. There is nothing dramatic or violent about their sin. You cannot call them villains.Here is the place to glance at some of the other charges that have been brought against the English as a nation. They have， for instance， been accused of treachery， cruelty， and fanaticism， In these charges I have never been able to see the least point， because treachery and cruelty are conscious sins. The man knows he is doing wrong， and does it deliberately， like Tartuffe or Iago. He betrays his friend because he wishes to. He tortures his prisoners because he enjoys seeing the blood flow. He worships the Devil because he prefers evil to good. From villainies such as these the average Englishman is free. His character， which prevents his rising to certain heights，also prevents him from sinking to these depths. Because he doesn't produce mystics he doesn't produce villains either； he gives the world no prophets， but no anarchists， no fanatics--religious or political.Of course there are cruel and treacherous people in England -- one has only to look at the police courts -- and examples of public infamy can be found， such as the Amritsar massacre. But one does not look at the police courts or the military mind to find the soul of any nation； and the more English people one meets the more convinced one becomes that the charges as a whole are untrue. Yet foreign critics often make them. Why Partly because they are annoyed with certain genuine defects in the English character， and in their irritation throw in cruelty in order to make the problem simpler. Moral indignation is always agreeable， but nearly always misplaced. It is indulged in both by the English and by the critics of the English. They all find it great fun. The drawback is that while they are amusing themselves the world becomes neither wiser nor better.The main point of these notes is that the English character is incomplete. No national character is complete. We have to look for some qualities in one part of the world and others in another. But the English character is incomplete in a way that is particularly annoying to the foreign observer. It has a bad surface -- self complacent， unsympathetic， and reserved. There is plenty of emotion further down， but it never gets used. There is plenty of brain power， but it is more often used to confirm prejudices than to dispel them. With such an equipment the Englishman cannot be popular. Only I would repeat： there is little vice in him and no real coldness. It is the machinery that is wrong.I hope and believe myself that in the next twenty years we shall see a great change， and that the national character will alter into something that is less unique but more lovable. The supremacy of the middle classes is probably ending. What new element the working classes will introduce one cannot say， but at all events they will not have been educated at public schools. And whether these notes praise or blame the English character -- that is only incidental. They are the notes of a student who is trying to get at the truth and would value the assistance of others. I believe myself that the truth is great and that it shall prevail. I have no faith in official caution and reticence. The cats are all out of their bags， and diplomacy cannot recall them. The nations must understand one another and quickly； and without the interposition of their governments， for the shrinkage of the globe is throwing them into one another's arms. To that understanding these notes are a feeble contribution -- notes on the English character as it has struck a novelist.。
杨立民《现代大学英语精读(6)》(第2版)学习指南【词汇短语+课文精解+全文翻译+练习答案】-Uni
Unit 1一、词汇短语estranged[ɪˈstreɪndʒd] adj. 分居的；疏远的，不和的；（与某事物）脱离的，决裂的v. 使疏远，使离间；使隔离（estrange的过去式和过去分词）【例句】She felt estranged from her former existence. 她感到自己已脱离了过去的生活方式。
inflected [ɪnˈflektɪd]adj. 屈折的；字尾有变化的v.弯曲；曲折（inflect的过去式）【例句】L atin is a more inflected language than English. 拉丁语比英语词尾变化多。
circuitry [ˈsɜːkɪtri] n. 电路；电路系统；电路学；一环路【例句】The computer’s entire circuitry was on a single board. 电脑的全部电路都在一块板上。
neural [ˈnjʊərəl] adj. 神经的，神经系统的【词组】n eural pathways in the brain大脑里的神经通路icon[‘aɪkɑn]n.图标；肖像；偶像；象征；圣像【搭配】cultural, national icon 文化偶像、国家象征patronize [ˈpætrənaɪz]vt.惠顾；赞助【例句】I’ll never patronize that store again.我再也不去光顾那家商店了。
【派生】patronizing adj. 要人领情的；屈尊俯就的exploit [ɪkˈsplɔɪt] vt.剥削；利用；开发；开采n. 业绩；功绩；功勋【例句】Television advertisers can exploit a captive audience. 电视广告商能利用被动观众。
【派生】exploitative adj.剥削的；利用的；开发资源的exploitation n.开发，开采；利用；广告推销filial [ˈfɪliəl] adj. 子女（应做）的，孝顺的【例句】My husband is a filial son.我丈夫是一个孝顺的儿子。
杨立民《现代大学英语精读(6)》(第2版)学习指南【词汇短语+课文精解+全文翻译+练习答案】-Uni
Unit 4一、词汇短语mink [mɪŋk] n. 水貂，貂皮【例句】I’ll trade you my genuine leather jacket for your mink coat. 我用我的真皮夹克换你的貂皮大衣。
ranger [ˈreɪndʒə(r)]n. 皇家园林、地产等的管理员；担任巡逻和警戒任务的护林员；武装骑警，突击队员【例句】We were pretty much lost when we met the forest ranger. 在遇到护林员的时候我们几乎快要迷路了。
skunk[skʌŋk]n.臭鼬【例句】This is the second skunk we’ve got. 这已经是我们捉到的第二只臭鼬了。
scummy[ˈskʌmi] adj. 下流的；满是浮渣的；浮渣一般的【例句】Although you wear some cologne, I can still vaguely smell a scummy whiff out of you. 虽然你身上喷了古龙水，但我还能隐约闻到一股人渣的味儿。
plow [plau] n. 犁；犁形工具v.犁；耕【例句】The ground was plowed and planted with corn.地翻耕后种上了玉米。
【搭配】put one’s hand to the plow开始工作under the plow <土地>耕种中，在耕作下zing [zɪŋ] n. 活力；生命力；精力；子弹声vt. 对……挑剔vi.发尖啸声【例句】He just lacked that extra zing. 他就是缺少那么一点儿活力。
landslide[ˈlændslaɪd] n. [地质]山崩；大胜利vi.发生山崩；以压倒优势获胜【例句】Their house was buried by a landslide. 他们的房子被一次山体滑坡掩埋了。
杨立民《现代大学英语精读(6)》(第2版)学习指南【词汇短语+课文精解+全文翻译+练习答案】-Uni
Unit 10一、词汇短语reclaim [] vi. 要回；开垦（荒地）；回收【例句】This land was reclaimed from the sea. 这块土地是填海开垦出来的。
【词组】beyond reclaim不可救药，没有悔改【助记】re（回来）+claim（喊）→喊回来→收回orient [] vt. 使适应；使熟悉情况（或环境等）；使朝向；以…为方向（目标）【例句】①The orient has been playing an active role in the world economy. 亚洲一直在世界经济中发挥积极作用。
②We must orient our products to the needs of the market. 我们必须使我们的产品适应市场的需要。
【词组】orient oneself to适应，顺应（新环境等）ingrained [] adj. 根深蒂固的，一成不变的，积深难除的【例句】These people have an ingrained superiority complex in them. 这些人有一种根深蒂固的优越感。
whim [wɪm] n. 奇想；一时的兴致；怪念头；幻想【例句】We decided, more or less on a whim, to sail to Morocco. 我们多少有些心血来潮地决定乘船去摩洛哥。
up-country [ˌʌp ˈkʌntri] adv. 在内地；内地地adj. 内陆地区的；内地的；偏远的n. 内地【例句】I hired a car to take us up-country. 我租了辆车带我们去内地。
temperance [ˈtempərəns] n. 戒酒；节欲；（气候等的）温和adj. 温暖的；有节制的【例句】Temperance should be applied not only to food and drink, but to work and play. 不仅在食物饮酒方面，而且在工作与游戏上，也要有节制。
杨立民《现代大学英语精读(6)》(第2版)学习指南【词汇短语+课文精解+全文翻译+练习答案】-Uni
Unit 7一、词汇短语perilously [ˈperələsli] adv. 危机四伏地；充满危险地【例句】We came perilously close to disaster. 我们险些出了大乱子。
ailment [] n. 轻微的病痛【例句】I don’t have even the slightest ailment. 我什么毛病也没有。
【词组】economic ailment经济失调trifling ailments轻症，微症augment [] vi. 增大；增加【例句】He augmented his income by teaching in the evenings. 他晚上教书来增加收入。
【派生】augmentation n. 增加，增大；增加物divine []adj.神的，上帝的，神圣的；非凡的，极好的【例句】①That play we saw last night was just simply divine! 我们昨晚看的那出戏实在是太好了！②At last I divined the truth. 最后我发现了事情的真相。
【词组】divine comedy神曲（意大利诗人但丁作的叙事诗）【助记】div（联想dive）＋（v）ine（葡萄藤）→能在葡萄藤中潜水是非凡的、超人的stockbroker [ˈstɑːkbroʊkər] n. [金融]股票经纪人【例句】My stockbroker manages my portfolio for me. 我的证券经纪人替我管理投资组合。
fecundity [] n. 多产；富饶；丰富【例句】The boy’s fecundity of imagination amazed his teacher. 男孩丰富的想象力让教师感到惊异。
amelioration [əˌmiːliəˈreɪʃn] n. 改进，改善【例句】Progress brings with it the amelioration of the human condition.进步改善了人类生存状况。
现代大学英语精读6（第二版）参考用书housewifelyarts文章结构
Structure of the TextPart I (Paras. 1-11)The protagonist introduces herself and tells us that she is driving nine hours with her 7-year-old son so that she can hear her mother’s voice again.Part II (Paras. 12-22)The protagonist describes how she had to sell her mother’s house and how the house brought backmemories of her dead mother with her African parrot.Part III (Paras. 23-34)On their way to the Zoo, the protagonist and her son come to a rest stop and what she sees makesher think about her responsibilities as a mother.Part IV (Paras. 35-51)The protagonist reminisces about how she first saw the parrot at her mother’s home and how theydeveloped a hostile relationship from the very beginning.Part V (Paras. 52-58)The protagonist tells her son where they are going and for what purpose. We learn from this section what kind of person her son’s father is and how she became a single parent.Part VI (Paras. 59-65)The protagonist’s son, Ike, tells her a story about his classmate Louis’ crazy mother and t his once again makes her keenly aware of her desire to protect her son against even the knowledge that such people exist.Part VII (Paras. 66-97)This is a most revealing and touching part of the story in which we learn the reasons for the intense disagreements between the protagonist and her mother. She does not understand why hermother often appears harsh and cold, unlike her father, who was kind and did not judge her, norcan she understand why her mother gave so much of her care and attention to a bird s o soon afterher father’s death.Part VIII (Paras. 98-110)The protagonist and her son check into an inn and there she remembers how her mother cried overher grandmother’s death. She also hears in the news about a python strangling a toddler, whichreminds h er of a video of a similar event Ike’s father showed her. The fear that this could reallyhappen to her son keeps her awake that night.Part IX (Paras. 111-123)In this section, the protagonist recalls how cruelly she hurt her mother’s feelings over the par rot when it was time to send her mother to a nursing home.Part X (Paras. 124-143)These memories show why the protagonist misses her mother so much and wants so much to hearher dead mother’s voice once again through the imitations of the parrot, but the b ird refuses to talk,as though her mother still will not forgive her for the way she treated the bird.Part XI (Paras. 144-150)The protagonist now remembers the day her mother finally had to part with her beloved bird and go to the nursing home. It was a heart-breaking day for her.Part XII (Paras.151-177)As the protagonist revisits her home, happy memories come to her and she recalls her deceased parents. Her son feels sorry that his mother has been brought up in this place; in its rundownstate,he sees it as miserable, but his mother tells him that it was “a beautiful house”.Part XIII (Paras. 178-192)A realtor comes for a preview, then a couple come for an inspection. As they check the house, theyjot down critical observations. The protagonist thinks that perhaps this is just the right place forher and her son.Part XIV (Paras. 193-211)The protagonist again remembers the day she was to send her mother to the nursing home. She kept asking her mother whether she would like to keep a few things as souvenirs, but her mother’sanswer was always no, saying that she “could turn her heart off”. Looking back, the protagonistrealizes that this was not true, and that they were all “sick with love”.。
现代大学英语精读(第2版)第六册U9_The_One_Against_the_Many
现代大学英语精读(第2版)第六册:U9 The One Against the ManyUnit 9 The One Against the Many第九单元一个对多个Arthur M. Schlesinger.Jr亚瑟·迈耶·施莱辛格In an epoch dominated by the aspirations of new states for national development, it is instructive to recall that the United States itself began as an underdeveloped country.在这个新生国家渴望发展的时代，回眸美国从不发达国家开始的发展历程是很有教益的。
Every country, of course, has its distinctive development problems and must solve them according to its own traditions, capacities, and values. The American experience was unique in a number of ways. The country was blessed by notable advantages-above all, by the fact that population was scarce in relation to available resources. But the favorable ratio between population and resources was obviously not the only factor in American development. Had that been so, the Indians, for whom the ratio was even more favorable, would have developed the country long before the first settlers arrived from over the seas. What mattered equally was the spirit in which these settlers approached the economic and social challenges offered by the environment. Several elements seem fundamental to the philosophy which facilitated the rapid social and economic development of the American continent.当然，每个国家都有各自发展的问题，而且必须根据其各自的传统、能力和价值解决它们。
现代大学英语精读6学习指南
现代大学英语精读6学习指南Here is an essay on the topic "A Study Guide for Modern University English Intensive Reading 6" with more than 1000 words, written in English without any additional title or punctuation marks in the body of the text.Modern university English intensive reading courses are designed to enhance students' proficiency in the language by exposing them to a wide range of academic and literary texts. One such course is English Intensive Reading 6 which typically covers a diverse range of topics and genres. As a student enrolled in this course it is important to have a clear understanding of the course objectives and to develop an effective learning strategy to maximize the benefits of the program. In this essay we will explore a study guide for English Intensive Reading 6 to help students navigate the course successfully.The primary goal of English Intensive Reading 6 is to improve students' overall English language competence with a focus on advanced reading comprehension skills. Through the course students will be introduced to complex academic texts covering a variety of subject areas such as literature, history, science, and current affairs. The aim is to equip students with the necessary strategies andtechniques to critically analyze challenging reading materials and extract key information effectively.One of the key aspects of the course is the development of advanced vocabulary skills. Students will be exposed to a wide range of academic and subject-specific terminology which they must be able to comprehend and utilize appropriately in their own writing and discussions. This involves not only memorizing the definitions of new words but also understanding their contextual usage and semantic relationships. Systematic vocabulary building exercises and regular quizzes will be an integral part of the course curriculum.In addition to expanding their lexical knowledge students will also work on enhancing their reading comprehension abilities. This will involve learning and practicing various reading strategies such as skimming, scanning, intensive reading, and critical reading. Students will learn how to identify the main ideas, supporting details, and underlying arguments in complex texts. They will also develop the skills to recognize the author's purpose, tone, and perspective which are crucial for a deeper understanding of the material.Another important component of English Intensive Reading 6 is the development of academic writing skills. Students will be required to produce a variety of written assignments such as summaries, critiques, and research-based essays. These writing tasks aredesigned to not only assess the students' comprehension of the reading materials but also their ability to organize their thoughts coherently, construct logical arguments, and communicate effectively in written English.To succeed in this course students must adopt an active and engaged approach to learning. This means consistently completing all assigned readings, actively participating in class discussions, and diligently working on the writing assignments. It is also important to develop effective time management skills to ensure that all coursework is completed on time.Regular practice is key to improving one's English proficiency. Students should make it a habit to read extensively both inside and outside the classroom setting. This could involve reading academic journals, newspapers, magazines, or even literary works. Additionally students should engage in regular writing practice by keeping a journal, writing summaries of articles, or attempting sample essay questions.Another crucial aspect of succeeding in English Intensive Reading 6 is effective note-taking. Students should develop the habit of taking detailed and organized notes during lectures and class discussions. These notes can serve as valuable study resources when preparing for exams or working on writing assignments. Students should alsolearn how to effectively annotate the texts they read in order to highlight key information, identify important arguments, and record their own insights and reflections.Active engagement with the course material is also critical. Students should not passively read the texts but rather approach them with a critical eye. This involves formulating questions, making connections to prior knowledge, and analyzing the author's perspectives and rhetorical strategies. Engaging in such active reading practices will not only deepen the students' understanding of the material but also prepare them for the rigorous demands of academic discourse.Finally it is important for students to seek out additional support and resources whenever needed. This could involve regularly consulting with the course instructor during office hours, participating in peer study groups, or utilizing the university's writing center or language learning lab. Taking advantage of such resources can go a long way in helping students overcome any challenges they may face and succeed in the course.In conclusion English Intensive Reading 6 is a challenging yet rewarding course that can significantly enhance students' English language proficiency. By adopting an active and engaged approach to learning, developing effective study habits, and seeking out additional support, students can navigate the course successfully andemerge as more confident and competent users of the English language. The skills and strategies acquired in this course will not only benefit students academically but also prepare them for the demands of the professional world.。
现代大学英语精读6学习指南
现代大学英语精读6学习指南English:"Modern College English Reading 6 Study Guide is designed to accompany the textbook and aid students in comprehending and mastering the material. It provides a structured approach to learning, offering summaries, explanations, and exercises to reinforce understanding. The study guide covers a range of topics, from vocabulary expansion to reading comprehension strategies, helping students develop essential language skills. Each unit is carefully crafted to align with the corresponding unit in the textbook, ensuring seamless integration between the two resources. Through engaging activities and thought-provoking questions, students are encouraged to actively engage with the content, fostering deeper comprehension and critical thinking. Additionally, the study guide includes supplementary materials such as audio recordings and supplementary reading passages to enhance learning opportunities. By following the guidance provided in the study guide, students can enhance their proficiency in English while gaining confidence in their abilities."中文翻译:《现代大学英语精读6学习指南》旨在配合教材，帮助学生理解和掌握所学内容。
现代大学英语精读6第二版
现代大学英语精读6第二版一、引言《现代大学英语精读6第二版》是一本高等教育英语教材，旨在帮助学生提升英语阅读水平。
本文档将对该教材的内容、学习方法以及阅读技巧进行详细介绍。
二、教材内容《现代大学英语精读6第二版》共分为六个单元，每个单元包含了一篇主题明确、语言丰富的文章。
每篇文章都有相关的词汇、语法、篇章结构等知识点。
该教材的内容涵盖了社会、文化、科技、环境等多个领域，旨在帮助学生了解和思考当今社会的热点问题。
三、学习方法1.系统阅读：学生可以按照教材的顺序逐篇阅读，逐步提高阅读能力。
在阅读过程中，可以标记不认识的词汇和句子，后续进行查阅和理解。
2.词汇积累：教材中的每篇文章都包含了一定量的生词和短语。
学生可以将这些词汇整理成词汇表，并进行反复记忆和使用，以巩固记忆。
3.语法分析：教材中的文章包含了丰富的语法知识点。
学生可以在阅读过程中分析句子结构、语法成分等，加深对语法知识的理解。
4.篇章结构分析：教材中的每篇文章都有一定的篇章结构，包括引言、主体段落和结论。
学生可以分析文章的篇章结构，了解作者表达观点的方式。
5.阅读技巧训练：除了教材中的文章，学生还可以通过阅读其他英文文章、新闻报道等来提高阅读能力。
可以通过划重点、摘要等方式训练自己的阅读技巧。
四、阅读技巧1.快速浏览：在开始阅读一篇文章之前，可以先快速浏览文章的标题、段落首句、插图等，获取整体了解。
2.划重点：阅读过程中，可以用记号在文章中划出重要的词汇、短语和句子。
这样在回顾时更容易找到关键信息。
3.问答结合：在阅读过程中，可以自己提出问题，并在文章中找到答案。
这种问答结合的方式有助于理解文章的内容。
4.多角度思考：阅读过程中，可以从不同的角度思考文章的主题、观点等，并与自己的知识和经验进行联系。
5.背景知识补充：在阅读过程中，遇到不熟悉的话题或概念，可以通过查阅相关资料进行补充，增加对文章的理解。
五、总结《现代大学英语精读6第二版》是一本帮助学生提高英语阅读能力的教材。
现代大学英语精读6(第二版)参考用书
现代大学英语精读6（第二版）参考用书Unit 8 Housewifely ArtsMegan Mayhew BergmanAdditional Background InformationWhat is this story about? One answer is simply thatit is about love. Because of the protagonist’s strong maternal love for her son, Ike, she worries about geic weaknesses she might have passed on to him—―cancer genes, hay fever, high blood pressure, perhaps a fear of math‖, plus being undersized for his age making him an easy target for bullies. Being a single parent, she knows that she is all her son has. She takes care to shelter him from bad exles and possible harm. The desire to be a good mother, to help her child grow up happy, healthy, and productive is so intense that she is sometimes haunted by nightmares.The experience of parenting her child gradually makes the protagonist more aware of her relationship with her mother:Will you love me forever? I think to myself. Will you love me when I’m old? If I go crazy? Will you beembarrassed by me? Avoid my calls? Wash dishes when you talk to me on the phone, roll your eyes, lay the receiver down next to the cat?These were exactly the things she did to her mother. Loving her son, she finally realizes how much her parents also loved her. Her father’s love was easier to understand. He tried his best to give her opportunities in life, but when she failed in the year at a private college, which he had funded for her with considerable difficulty, he did not judge or reproach her. She loved her father, but she regarded her mother as cold and harsh and fought constantly with her, reacting like her former self, the rebellious teenager, being neither mature nor passionate in looking after her mother in old age, understanding her, forgiving her weaknesses, and loving her.But now that her mother is dead, she begins increasingly to miss her, and the decision to drive nine hours with her son for the sake of hearing her mother’s voice again through the imitations of Carnie, the African parrot, shows how much she needs this connection. “I realize how badly I need a piece of my mother. A scrap, asound, a smell—something.” She knows she has not been a good daughter, and the parrot her mother loved and whichshe hated so much, always seemed to e between them. Now, however, Carnie has bee her only avenue to the kind of memory she craves. But the bird does not give her that satisfaction, remaining pletely silent. Perhaps it couldnot forgive her unkind treatment of it in the past.Noheless, the journey proves successful. In thetradition of the American ―road trip‖, a nother way of thinking about this story, the protagonist does notmerely make an actual journey with her son in a car,during which various things happen along the way, shealso makes a personal, emotional journey in which she achieves a measure of enlightenment. It is a typicalfeature of―road trip‖ journeys that they teach the characters things about themselves that they did not previously know.Driving toward home, they stop at the house in whichthe protagonist grew up–- ―a deserted, plain house fo rplain folks…‖…I lead him to the back of the house, down thehallway which still feels more familiar to me than any Iknow…I remove the valances Mom made in the early eighties, dried bugs falling from the folds of the fabric into the sink below. These are the things with which she made a home. Her contributions to our sense of place were humble and put forth with great intent, crafts which took weeks of stitching and unstitching, measuring, cutting, gathering. I realize how much in the home was done by hand and sweat. My father had laid the carpeting and linoleum. Mom had painted the same dinner chairs twice, sewed all the window treatments…I scan the kitchen and picture Mom paying bills, her perfect script, the way she always listed her occupation with pride: homemaker…Recalling how her parents had created a home that she describes to Ike by saying, ―This was a beautiful house‖, she understands that her parents were not demonstrative people, not people who talked about love, but people who had shown it to her in all their actions and these things they had made. And here, also, she finds the clear recollections of her mother that she had been seeking: ―… Now I can hear my mother everywhere—in the kitchen, in my bedroom, on the front porch…‖This visit also helps the protagonist to make a major decision around which one part of the plot is constructed: should she and Ike move to Connecticut, a state to which her firm has offered to transfer her? Ike is reluctant.“…What if we live here forever? He asked. People used to do that, I said. Lived in one house their entire life. My mother, for instance…”In revisiting the house of her childhood, she has grasped the profound sense of home that growing up inthis single place has given her. She concludes: “Together, we can make a solid grilled cheese, prune shrubs, clean house. Together, maybe we’re the housewife this house needs. Maybe our best life is here.”And, significantly, she es, finally, to a true understanding of her mother’s courage and streng th, granting her respect and admiration: “Steamrolled by the world, but in the face of defeat, she threatened usall.‖ And the last three sentences of the story—My heart, she’d said. I can turn it off. For years, I’d believed her.But I know the truth now. What maniacs we are—sick with love, all of us.—make clear her final realization that her mother loves and has always loved her, and that she, too, loves and has always loved her mother.Structure of the TextPart I (Paras. 1-11)The protagonist introduces herself and tells us that she is driving nine hours with her 7-year-old son so that she can hear her mother’s voice again.Part II (Paras. 12-22)The protagonist describes how she had to sell her mother’s house and how the house brought back memories of her dead mother with her African parrot.Part III (Paras. 23-34)On their way to the Zoo, the protagonist and her son e to a rest stop and what she sees makes her think about her responsibilities as a mother.Part IV (Paras. 35-51)The protagonist reminisces about how she first saw the parrot at her mother’s home and how they developed a hostile relationship from the very beginning.Part V (Paras. 52-58)The protagonist tells her son where they are going and for what purpose. We learn from this section what kind of person her son’s father is and how she became a single parent.Part VI (Paras. 59-65)The protagonist’s son, Ike, tells her a story about his classmate Louis’ crazy mother and this once again makes her keenly aware of her desire to protect her son against even the knowledge that such people exist.Part VII (Paras. 66-97)This is a most revealing and touching part of the story in which we learn the reasons for the intense disagreements between the protagonist and her mother. She does not understand why her mother often appears harsh and cold, unlike her father, who was kind and did not judge her, nor can she understand why her mother gave so much of her care and attention to a bird so soon after her father’s death.Part VIII (Paras. 98-110)The protagonist and her son check into an inn and there she remembers how her mother cried over her grandmother’s death. She also hears in the news about apython strangling a toddler, which reminds her of a video of a similar event Ik e’s father showed her. The fearthat this could really happen to her son keeps her awake that night.Part IX (Paras. 111-123)In this section, the protagonist recalls how cruelly she hurt her mother’s feelings over the parrot when it was time to send her mother to a nursing home.Part X (Paras. 124-143)These memories show why the protagonist misses her mother so much and wants so much to hear her dead mother’s voice once again through the imitations of the parrot, but the bird refuses to talk, as though her mother still will not forgive her for the way she treated the bird.Part XI (Paras. 144-150)The protagonist now remembers the day her mother finally had to part with her beloved bird and go to the nursing home. It was a heart-breaking day for her.Part XII (Paras.151-177)As the protagonist revisits her home, happy memories e to her and she recalls her deceased parents. Her sonfeels sorry that his mother has been brought up in this place; in its rundown state, he sees it as miserable, buth is mother tells him that it was ―a beautiful house‖.（提醒：因编辑的疏忽，教材(184页)1-4行漏标了段落序号，造成176-179序号缺失，并非文字缺失，特此说明。
现代大学英语精读6第二版教师用书-Unit-3
Unit3What Is News?Neil Postman and Steve PowersStructure of the TextPart I <Para. 1>In this beginning paragraph, the authors state the purpose of the essay.Part II <Para. 2>Some people might define the news as what television directors and journalists say it is. The authors, however, think that this definition is too simplistic.Part III <Paras. 3–5>In these paragraphs, the authors explain why the news cannot be simply defined as "what happened that day〞or "what happened that day that was important and interesting〞.Part IV <Paras. 6–11>In these paragraphs, the authors tell readers that the news is more often made rather than gathered, and it is made on the basis of what the journalist thinks important or what the journalist thinks the audience thinks is important. Therefore, every news story is a reflection of the reporter who tells the story.Part V <Paras. 12–15>In these paragraphs, the authors point out that to make sense of the news, the viewer has to know something about the journalist’s political beliefs as well as his prejudices, interests, and quirks which are, in turn, influenced by his financial status, the companies he has worked for, the schools he went to, the books he has read, etc.Part VI <Paras. 16–17>In these paragraphs, the authors point out that the journalist cannot always impose his/her views on the general public because the television channel or newspaper cannot survive unless the news they provide satisfies the needs of the general public. On the other hand, the viewer/reader must also take into account his or her relationship to a larger audience because television and newspapers are mass media and their news is not intended for an audience of one.Part VII <Paras. 18–20>In these paragraphs, the authors discuss some other possible definitions of news: news as something to give people pleasure; news as something instructive that reveals the mores, values, and ideals of a society; news as living history; news as a source of literature; news as a reflection of human pain, suffering, tragedies and confusion; news as something to inspire people and make them optimistic; news as something to frighten people and make them aware of the seamy side of the reality; last but not least, news as a filler between commercials.Part VIII <Para. 21>In this paragraph, the authors conclude the essay by reiterating their purpose in raising the issue "What is news?〞It is to arouse our interest and help us understand the problems, limitations, traditions, motivations, and even the delusions of the television news industry.Detailed Study of theText1. We turn to this question because unless a television viewer has considered it, he or she is in danger of too easily accepting someone else’s definition—for example, a definition supplied by the news director of a television station; or even worse, a definition imposed by important advertisers.<Para. 1>news director: <电视台>新闻节目负责人advertisers: In many countries in the West, television stations largely depend on selling air time to advertisers for their revenue. Therefore, important advertisers can often impose their views and interests on the news supplied by television stations.viewer：Someone who is watching a movie, a television program, or an exhibitionCompare:audience:a group of people who watch, read, or listen to somethingspectator:a person who watches an event, show, game, or activity2. A simplistic definition of news can be drawn by paraphrasing Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes’ famous definition of the law. The law, Holmes said, is what the courts say it is… we might say that the news is what television directors and journalists say it is.<Para. 2> Americans generally accept Holmes’ famous definition of the law because they agree that laws must allow for the new interpretations necessary to meet the challenges of a changing nation and a changing world. But to propose a definition of the news by para phrasing Holmes’ definition of the law probably commits the logical error of false analogy. For example, it would not make much sense if we were to say politics is what politicians say it is, or education is what teachers say it is. simplistic: disapproving too simple; not complete or sufficiently thoroughNothing more. Nothing less. : As simple as that; no more, no less.in similar fashion: in the similar way; likewise; by the similar token3. But if we were to take that approach, on what basis would we say that we haven’t been told enough? Or that a story that should have been covered wasn’t? Or that too many stories of a certain type were included? Or that a reporter gave a flagrantly biased account? <Para. 2>The fact that people are often unsatisfied with news reporting implies that people have different ideas about what news should be.flagrantly biased: obviously and unquestionably biased4. In modifying their answer, most will add that the news is "important and interesting things that happened that day.〞This helps a little but leaves open the question of what is "important and interesting〞and how that is decided.<Para. 3>It is all right to say that news consists of the important things that happened that day. Butimportant to whom? In what sense? For what reason?but leaves open the question: but does not give an answer to the question5.Of course, some people will say that the question of what is important and interesting is not in the least problematic. What the President says or does is important; wars are important, rebellions, employment figures, elections, appointments to the Supreme Court. <Para. 4>This is an interesting example of hasty generalization. It is true that what important people say or do is often important, but we can’t jump to the conclusion that everything they say or do is always important. On the other hand, sometimes even what happens to someone completely unknown can escalate to a serious crisis. People call that "the Butterfly Effect.〞problematic: causing a problem; questionable; uncertain6. Now, there is a great deal to be said for Saran Wrap. <Para. 4>Now, it’s true that Saran Wrap is very useful.7.Saran Wrap is not news. The color of Liz Taylor’s wrap is. Or so some people believe. <Para. 4>Note that the authors are making a word play on the word "wrap,〞which has different meanings.8. We shall never learn about these people either, however instructive or interesting their stories may have been.<Para. 5>We will never hear anything about these people either, no matter how instructive or interesting their stories may have been.instructive: providing knowledge or information; educational9.Of course, there are some events—the assassination of a president, an earthquake, etc.—that have near universal interest and consequences. But most news does not inhere in the event.<Para. 6>to inhere in sth.: formal to be a natural part of sth.; to be inherent in sth.10. In fact, the news is more often made rather than gathered. <Para. 6>In fact, often the news is not something out there for you to pick up; you have to decide what information is newsworthy and make it into news.11．Is a story about a killing in Northern Ireland more important than one about a killing in Morocco?<Para. 6>For Americans of Irish background, the answer will most likely be yes. It is said that the relative importance of an event is often determined by the relative distance of its occurrenceto the person involved.12．…every news story is a reflection of the reporter who tells the story. The reporter’s previous assumptions about what is "out there〞edit what he or she thinks is there. <Para. 6>If news stories were just facts, and facts speak for themselves, then all news stories, though written by different people, would be the same. But news stories are actually all different because every news story is a reflection of the reporter who tells the story, and every reporter has previous assumptions <beliefs, points of view, and biases> which affect what he/she thinks is there.to edit: to decide what will be included or left out, as editors do in preparing, printing, broadcasting, etc.13．The answers to all of these questions, as well as to other questions about the event, depend entirely on the point of view of the journalist. You might think this is an exaggeration, that reporters, irrespective of their assumptions, can at least get the facts straight. <Para. 7> irrespective of: regardless of; without thinking about or consideringAll government officials, irrespective of their rank, must disclose their property.We pursue the diplomatic policy of the five principles of peaceful coexistence in our relationship with all countries irrespective of their size or political s ystem.to get the facts straight:to find out what the facts are without making mistakesnow-defunct: now-dead; now no longer existing or functioningtofeature a story: to give a story a prominent place in a newspaper or television news show 14．…who thus earn their 35 rubles a month in lieu of "relief〞… <Para. 8>Instead of receiving government relief, they are given jobs by the government so that they canearn their money. <这是以工代赈的政策>in lieu of: instead of<government> relief：money that is given to poor people by the government <政府>救济15．…it was the policy of the Journal to highlight the contrast between the primitive Russian economy and the sophisticated American economy. <Para. 11>the Journal: This refers to the newspaper The Wall Street Journal, mentioned above.to highlight: to make people notice or be aware of somethingsophisticated: <the opposite of primitive> highly developed and complex 高级的,复杂的16．Each of our senses is a remarkably astute censor. We see what we expect to see; often, we focus on what we are paid to see. And those who pay us to see usually expect us to accept their notions not only of what is important but of what are important details. <Para. 11>We have five sense organs, and they are all extremely sharp censors.censor: a person who examines books, movies, newspapers, etc. and removes things considered by the authorities to be offensive, immoral, or harmful to society <Note the personification of the word> .We do not see or hear everything. We only see or hear what we expect to see or hear because we have been trained that way. We have been paid by our bosses to see or hear what they expect us to see or hear. We have been made to accept our bosses’ notion of what is interesting and important. 17．"We’d have complete dossiers on the interests, policies, and idiosyncrasies of the owners. Then we’d have a dossier on every journalist in the world. The interests, prejudices, and quirks of the owner would equal Z. The prejudices, quirks, and private interests of the journalist Y. Z times Y would give you X, the probable amount of truth in the story.〞<Para. 12>Here the French writer Albert Camus, quoted by A. J. Liebling, is using a mathematic formula to express the relationship between the interests, prejudices and quirks of a newspaper owner, and those of the journalists, and the probable amount of truth in a news story.Z x Y = XHere, Z = the interests, prejudices, and quirks of the ownerY = the interests, prejudices, and quirks of the journalistsX = the truth probability of the newsDossiers <on>: files <of>; records <of>18．The host might say something like this: "To begin with, this station is owned by Gary Farnsworth, who is also the president of Bontel Limited, the principal stockholder of which is the Sultan of Bahrain. Bontel Limited owns three Japanese electronic companies, two oil companies, the entire country of Upper Volta, and the western part of Romania. …〞<Para.13>The implied suggestion is that this television station is quite likely to be biased in its news reporting, reflecting the interests of those who control its finances.19．"The anchorman on the television show earns $800,000 a year; his portfolio includes holdings in a major computer firm. He has a bachelor’s degree in journa lism from the University of Arkansas but was a C+ student, has never taken a course in political science, and speaks no language other than English. Last year, he read only two books—a biography of Cary Grant and a book of popular psychology called Why Am I So Wonderful? … <Para.13>The implication here is that the opinions of the anchorman on a television show are strongly influenced by his financial status, his source of income, the education he has received, and the books he has read.anchorman <anchorwoman>:<chiefly in the US> a man or woman who presents and coordinates a television news program <电视和广播电台>新闻节目主持人Compare:broadcaster:播音员host：〔游戏,访谈节目〕主持人portfolio：a range of investments held by a person or organization 全部投资；投资组合holdings：financial assets; land, property, or shares in a company拥有的财产20. "The reporter who covered the story on Yugoslavia speaks Serbo-Croatian, has a degree in international relations, and has had a Neiman Fellowship at Harvard University.〞<Para.13>A reporter who speaks the language, has a degree in a related field, and has done research on journalism at a distinguished university can naturally be expected to be more competent to cover the story on Yugoslavia than one without these qualifications.21. What we are saying is that to answer the question "What is news?〞a viewer must know something about the political beliefs and economic situation of those who provide the news.<Para. 15>The point we are trying to make is that a viewer must know something about the political beliefs and economic situation of those who supply the news if he/she wants to answer the question "What is news?〞Note here that the news reporter’s economic situation refers to his/her financial status as well as the way his/her living is made, becaus e a person’s vested interest <his/her personal stake in an undertaking, especially with an expectation of financial or other gain> often affects his/her point of view.22. There is, in fact, a point of view that argues against journalists imposing their own sense of significance on an audience.…What’s our point? A viewer must not only know what he or she thinks is significant but others believe is significant as well. <Para. 16>to keep their own opinions to themselves:To keep their own opinions secret; not to announce their own opinionsto advise them of what is important: to instruct them in what is important; to teach them what is importantNote that with the verb "advise〞, the preposition "of〞is used, and "to advisesomebody of something〞is not to be confused with "to advise somebody to do something〞.Liz Taylor’s adventures in marriage: This refers to the actress’s unusually numerous marriages, which were a favorite subject of social gossip at the time.A viewer must not only know what he or she thinks is significant but others believe is significant as well: This may be clearer if we repeat the word "what〞after "but〞.23. Television is a mass medium, which means that a television news show is not intended for you alone. It is public communication, and the viewer needs to have some knowledge and opinions about "the public.〞<Para. 17>In defining news it is important for us to remember that a mass medium is not for any single individual alone. It is for the general public, and in a pluralistic society, p eople’s interests andneeds differ. Therefore, viewers must take this fact into consideration and respect the right of other people to be different.24. And this leads to another difficulty in answering the question "What is news?〞Some might agree with us that Liz Taylor’s adventures in marriage do not constitute significant events but that they ought to be included in a news show precisely for that reason. Her experiences, they may say, are amusing or diverting, certainly engrossing. In other words, the purpose of news should be to give people pleasure, at least to the extent that it takes their minds off their own troubles.…<Para. 18>This is looking at news from a different perspective. It says that many people read the news not for being educated or enlightened, but simply for entertainment. This may not be the most important purpose of the mass media, but we can’t say it is illegitimate. The question "What is news?〞is now becoming increasingly complicated.they want relief, not aggravation: People want the news to give them some relief–meaning here the removal of something painful or unpleasantrather than its opposite, aggravation, which makes the painful or unpleasant situation even worse.to take their minds off their own troubles: to make them forget their own troubles25. It is also said that whether entertaining or not, stories about the lives of celebrities should be included because they are instructive; they reveal a great deal about our society—its mores, values, ideals. <Para. 18>Even if stories about the lives of celebrities do not amuse or divert us, we still need to read them because these stories tell us a lot about the society we live in.26. Mark Twain once remarked that news is history in its first and best form. <Para. 18> People now more or less agree that today’s news is tomorrow’s history, and today’s history was yesterday’s news. So news can be defined as history to this extent.27. The American poet Ezra Pound… defined literature as news that stays news. Among other things, Pound meant that the stuff of literature originates not in stories about the World Bank or an armistice agreement but in those simple, repeatable tales that reflect the pain, confusion, or exaltations that are constant in human experience, and touch us at the deepest levels. <Para. 18>Ezra Pound relates news to literature. Such things as the World Bank and an armistice agreement, regarded as important today, will sooner or later become history, things of the past. However, we remember and retell stories about pe ople’s pain, confusion, or exaltations because they are part of human experience and touch our emotions. This kind of news is the source of literature.28. What are we to make of it? Why him? It is like some Old Testament parable; these questions were raised five thousand years ago and we still raise them today. It is the kind of story that stays news, and that is why it must be given prominence. <Para. 18>to make of it: to understand itto be given prominence: to be treated as important; to be stressed29. What about…the fires, rapes, and murders that are daily featured on local television news? Who has decided that they are important, and why? One cynical answer is that they are there because viewers take comfort in the realization that they have escaped disaster. At least for that day.<Para. 19>…viewers take comfort in the realization that…: viewers feel relieved or less worried because they know that these terrible things have not happened to them.30. …It is the task of the news story to provide a dai ly accounting of the progress of society. …These reports, especially those of a concrete nature, are the daily facts from which the audience is expected to draw appropriate conclusions about the question "What kind of society am I a member of?〞<Para. 19>Another task of the news story is to give a daily accounting of the progress of society so that viewers will understand their society better.31.… heavy television viewers… believe their communities are much more dangerous than do light television viewers. Television news, in other words, tends to frighten people. <Para.19>This paragraph suggests that television news tends to frighten rather than to enlighten people. Heavy television viewers believe their communities are much more dangerous than light viewers do. This leads to the question that whether news stories should concentrate on the brighter side of social reality.heavy <light> television viewers:people who watch many <only a few> hours of television programs in a day.32. The question is, "Ought they to be frightened?〞which is to ask, "Is the news an accurate portrayal of where we are as a society?〞Which leads to another question, "Is it possible for daily news to give such a picture?〞Many journalists believe it is possible. Some are skeptical. The early twentieth-century journalist Lincoln Steffens proved that he could create a "crime wave〞any time he wanted by simply writing about all the crimes that normally occur in a large city during the course of a month. He could also end the crime wave by not writing about them. If crime waves can be "manufactured〞by journalists, then how accurate are news shows in depicting the condition of a society? <Para. 19>Is it true that journalists can create events and make them disappear? If it were true, wo uldn’t that make it very easy to run a country? Moreover, if it were true, how could we ever trust news provided by the mass media? And wouldn’t that also mean that a country could get along just fine without reliable news?portrayal: depiction; description33. Besides, murders, rapes, and fires <even unemployment figures> are not the only way to assess the progress <or regress> of a society. Why are there so few television stories about symphonies that have been composed, novels written, scientific problems solved, and a thousand other creative acts that occur during the course of a month? Were television news to be filled with these events, we would not be frightened. We would, in fact, be inspired, optimistic, cheerful. <Para. 19>This paragraph raises a very interesting question: Why are many events that actually have great impact on human life not given any prominence - new philosophical theories and academic achievements for example? Possible answers are given in the following paragraph.to assess the progress: to measure; to estimate; to evaluate; to appraiseregress: moving back to an earlier, less developed and usually worse state or condition. It is usually used as a verb. The noun form is "regression〞.Compare: digress v. digression n.moving away from the main subject under discussion in speaking and writing34. One answer is as follows. These events make poor television news because there is so little to show about them. In the judgment of most editors, people watch television. And whatthey are interested in watching are exciting, intriguing, even exotic pictures. Suppose a scientist has developed a new theory about how to measure with more exactitude the speed with which heavenly objects are moving away from the earth. It is difficult to televise a theory, especially if it involved complex mathematics.<Para. 20>This paragraph tries to answer the question raised above. According to the authors, one answer may be that television as a means of communication has its limitations. It is good at showing exciting, intriguing, and exotic pictures and events, but not at dealing with ideas, theories, and other abstract things. In other words, it is a visual medium; it is less effective at engaging viewers’ minds. The second, implied answer is that people watch television mainly to be entertained. They have no time or patience for profound subjects. Lastly, most editors and news directors are incapable of immediately realizing the significance of scientific and theoretical discoveries. The conclusion seems to be: The news media are extremely important, but they are incapable of answering all our needs where news is concerned.35. Television sells time, and time cannot be expanded. This means that whatever else is neglected, commercials cannot b,which leads to another possible answer to the question "What is news?〞News, …in its worst form,… can also be mainly a "filler,〞 a "come-on〞to keep the viewer’s attention until the commercials come. Certain producers have learned that by pandering to the audience, by eschewing solid news and replacing it with leering sensationalism, they can subvert the news by presenting a "television commercial show〞that is interrupted by news. <Para. 20>In the United States, television stations are privately owned. These privately owned stations sell air time to business companies to promote their products. Therefore, presenting the news show is not the television station’s main purpose: "news〞serves merely as "filler〞to keep the viewer’s attention until the commercials appear, not vice versa. And there is nothing more effective for this purpose than leering sensationalism. This may be an extreme case, but there is certainly some truth in it.36. The purpose of this chapter is to arouse your interest in thinking about the question. Your answers are to be found by knowing what you feel is significant and how your sense of the significant conforms with or departs from that of others, including broadcasters, their bosses, and their audiences. Answers are to be found in your ideas about the purpose of public communication, and in your judgment of the kind of society you live in and wish to live in. We cannot provide answers to these questions. But you also need to know something about the problems, limitations, traditions, motivations, and, yes, even the delusions of the television news industry.<Para. 21>This paragraph concludes the purpose of the essay. The authors do not intend to give us the answer to the question: "What is news?〞, because they can’t. The problem is complicated, and ea ch of us hasto find his/her own answer. The purpose of the essay is to arouse our interest in answering the question by ourselves, and also to inform us of the important factors we must take into consideration to understand the nature of news.Key to ExercisesI1. a set sequence in a theatrical or comic performance 保留节目〔喜剧\歌舞等〕2.to correct, condense, or modify material when preparing it for publication or presentation3.in Paragraph 8, financial or practical assistance given to those in need 救济<in Paragraph18, the removal of something painful or unpleasant 减轻痛苦>4. a man or woman who presents and coordinates a television program 〔电视新闻〕男节目主持人5.financial assets; land, property, or shares in a company拥有的土地或股票6.the extent to which something is probable 几率7.to consider8.to watch a television show or listen to radio broadcast9.time during which a television show or radio broadcast is being transmitted 播放时间10. a news item, public-service announcement, or music, used to fill time on a radio or televisionprogram11.something intended to allure or attract12.to undermine the power and authority of a system or institutionV1 How one defines "the news〞depends on what he/she considers interesting and important.2 Now it’s true that Saran Wrap is very useful in many ways, and we guess that in the end factswill show that it is more useful for the happiness of most of us… <But…>3 But most news is not an essential part of an event. It becomes news only because, in themidst of the noise and disorder of everything happening around us, a journalist has selected it for our attention.4 … it was the policy of the newspaper to focus on the sharp difference between the backwardRussian economy and the advanced American economy. Each of our five senses acts as a censor, screening information. It makes us see what we want to see, hear what we want to hear, etc.; and we do so because that is what we have been educated or are paid to do.5 According to Camus, we would have complete records or files on the <newspaper>owners'interests, biases, and peculiar traits. Then we would have similarly complete files on every journalist in the world.Camus then proposes: Z×Y= X, where:Z stands for the prejudices, eccentric habits and private interests of the owner.Y stands for the prejudices, eccentric habits and private interests of the journalist.X is the probable amount of truth in the story.6 Certain producers of television programs have discovered that, by catering to the low tastesand desires of their audience, by avoiding real news and deliberately replacing it with sensational stories, they can transform television news from programs interrupted by short commercials into one long commercialinterrupted by snippets of news.VIPhrases1.一种过于简单化的定义2.一种公然带有偏见的报道/陈述3.就业数字统计4.喜剧保留剧目5.有教育意义的故事6.精神状态7.真实度。
现代大学英语 精读6(第二版)BK6 教师用书 Unit 10
Unit 10Thoughts on Reclaiming the American DreamBarack ObamaStructure of the TextPart I (Paras. 1-7)It must be remembered that Obama wrote this book shortly before he declared his intention to run for the White House; it was obviously meant to serve as a public statement of his political platform. Obama must have been well aware that there were formidable obstacles on his road to becoming President. Not only was he an African-American—even the fact of his being American-born was challenged by his opponents. In some quarters, there was suspicion that he was actually a black Muslin. Therefore, for people to accept him as their President, it was a matter of vital importance for Obama to prove his deep understanding of and great faith in the American heritage. With this in mind, it is clear that he could not have chosen a better way to start his essay than by quoting the first paragraph of the Declaration of Independence, generally regarded as the nation’s most important political document.Part II (Paras. 8-12)In this section, Obama points out that Americans are not just individualistic: they also have communal values, which they treasure as well. These two differing sets of values are always in tension, but America has been lucky that the tension has not been as serious as in other countries. When their values collide, Americans have always tried to use these countervailing values to hold excesses in check.Part III (Paras. 13-24)In this section, Obama suggests that sometimes finding the right balance is easy, but sometimes it can be difficult. He explains the reasons and discusses how to solve the problem in the face of competing values.Part IV (Paras. 25-33)In this section, Obama presents his position on the relative importance of cultural factors vs. government policy in determining individual success and social cohesion. He refuses to take an “either-or” attitude, preferring to place himself more or less in the middle. However, he still defines himself as a democrat because, unlike conservatives, he still believes government has a vital role to play—although he admits there is sometimes a danger of government intervention making things worse.Detailed Analysis of the Text1.“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they areendowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”(Para. 1)These simple words by Thomas Jefferson are familiar to us, but it is not easy to see all their implications. Perhaps the teacher could ask his/her students to explain how they understand this paragraph.2.Those simple words…describe not only the foundation of our government but thesubstance of our common creed.(Para. 2)Question: Why does Obama say that these simple words describe the fundamental principle on which U.S. government is based?Because these words state that the government cannot take away people’s right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness because God has given people these rights, not the government.They also state that, since people are all created equal, their natural rights must be equally protected. Government is an institution formed by people to protect their natural rights.These words further imply that government must not exploit or oppress the people and that if government fails to serve the interests of the people, the people have the right to overthrow it.When political scientists talk about popular sovereignty, rule by popular consent, government as a necessary evil, democracy, equality, freedom, civil rights, etc., these concepts are all related to the simple words in this first paragraph. Therefore, Obama refers to these words as “the substance of our common creed” —the basis of our common belief.3.…few… could tra ce the genesis of the Declaration of Independence to its roots in theeighteenth-century liberal and republican thought. (Para. 2)to trace the genesis to its roots: to follow back the origin/beginning to its roots. See Notes to the Text.4.… through ou r own agency we can, and must, make of our lives what we will…(Para. 2)… by relying on our own efforts we can, and must realize our dreams (for God means us to build a Christian commonwealth on earth and therefore it is our duty to succeed). 是否可删除5.It or ients us, sets our course… (Para. 2)It guides us and shows us the way…6.…the value of individual freedom is so deeply ingrained in us that …it is easy to forgetthat at the time of our nation’s founding this idea was entirely radical in its implications, as radical as Martin Luther’s posting on the church door. (Para. 3)Question: Why does Obama say this?He wants to show how proud he is of the great American tradition and of America’s founding fathers.7.In fact, much of my appreciation of our Bill of Rights comes from having spent part ofmy childhood in Indonesia and from still having family in Kenya…, fishing off the island of Lamu. (Para. 4)Here, Obama cleverly turns his family background into a political asset. He is telling the nation that having spent part of his childhood in Indonesia and still having relatives in Kenya have, if anything, made him more profoundly American, not less.visiting my grandmother up-country: visiting my grandmother who lives inland (rather than in the centre of the country)fishing off the island of Lamu: fishing a little way from the island of Lamu8.… Michelle saw how suffocating the demands of family ties and tribal loyalties could be,with distant cousins constantly asking for favors, uncles and aunts showing up unannounced.(Para. 5)米歇尔发现那些亲戚和族人提出的要求真让人受不了，总有那些八杆子打不着的表兄弟姐妹没完没了地要求得到点好处，还有叔叔阿姨会突然不请自来。
现代大学英语 精读6(第二版)BK6 教师用书 Unit 5
Unit 5At War with the PlanetBarry CommonerAdditional Background Information(About Barry Commoner)Barry Commoner (1917-2012) was an American environmental scientist, author and social activist. Commoner received his bachelor’s degree in zoology from Columbia University (1937) and his master’s and doctoral degrees from Harvard University (1941). After serving as a lieutenant in the United States Navy during World War II, he moved to St. Louis, where he became a professor of plant physiology at Washington University. He taught there for 34 years and during this period, in 1966, he founded the Center for the Biology of Natural Systems (CBNS) to study the science of the total environment. In his work as a biologist, Commoner focused especially on ozone layer depletion.In the late 1950s, Commoner became well known for his opposition to nuclear testing. He went on to write several books about the negative ecological effects of above ground nuclear testing. In 1970, he received the International Humanist Award from the International Humanist and Ethical Union.In the 1960s, he became involved in other environmental issues, including pollution and energy sources. He gave speeches and wrote numerous books: Science and Survival (1967), The Closing Circle (1971), Energy and Human Welfare (1975), The Poverty of Power (1976), The Politics of Energy(1979), and Making Peace with the Planet(1990). In The Closing Circle, a bestseller, Commoner suggested that the American economy should be restructured to conform to the unbending laws of ecology. For example, he argued that polluting products (like detergents or synthetic textiles) should be replaced with natural products (like soap or cotton and wool). This book was one of the first to bring the idea of sustainability to a mass audience. In another bestseller published in 1976, The Poverty of Power,Commoner addressed the “Three Es” that were plaguing the United States in the 1970s: “First there was the threat to environmental survival; then there was the apparent shortage of energy; and now there is the unexpected decline of the economy.” He argued that the three issues were interconnected: the industries that used the most energy had the highest negative impact on the environment; the focus on non-renewable resources as sources of energy meant that those resources were growing scarce, thus pushing up the price of energy and hurting the economy. Towards the end of the book, Commoner suggests that the problem of the “Three Es” is caused by the capitalist system and can only be solved by replacing it with some sort of socialism.Among his views, Commoner believed that industrial methods, especially those involving fossil fuels, were causing environmental pollution. He also believed that it was pointless to try to undo the environmental damage human activity had caused. Instead, we should focus on preventingfuture destruction; for the most part, the solution to environmental problems lies in not destroying the environment in the first place.Commoner’s solutions for man y problems are considered radical. He was a strong advocate of renewable energy sources, specifically solar energy, which would decentralize electric utilities and use sunlight as an alternative power source for most energy consumers.Commoner also had strong views on the social causes of the present environmental situation. He argued, for example, that eliminating Third World debt payments would lessen the economic gap between developed and less developed countries and end the desperation that usually results in overpopulation. This debt forgiveness could also compensate for previous decades of damage inflicted on such countries. Commoner also called for redistribution of the world’s wealth.In 1980, he founded the Citizens Party to serve as a vehicle for his ecological message, and he ran for President of the United States in the 1980 election. After his unsuccessful bid for the White House, Commoner returned to New York City, and moved the Center for the Biology of Natural Systems to Queens College. He was a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.Commoner criticized Ronald Reagan and George Bush for regulating pollution and not preventing it. In his book Making Peace with the Planet, Commoner points out, "Solving the environmental question-- as distinct from somewhat diminishing its effect--is fundamentally a political problem because it calls for the establishment of a new, social form of governance over decisions that are now exclusively in private, corporate hands." He effectively argues that recognizing this fundamental reality is essential to achieving an environmentally sustainable society.Famed social activist Ralph Nader reflected on Commoner’s legacy in a public statement following his death: “Dr. Barry Commoner sho uld be considered the greatest environmentalist of the 20th century,” Nader said. “His great work is reflected in his many campaigns that succeeded and in raising public consciousness to the silent violence of toxic pollution.”Making Peace with the PlanetDespite 20 years of painful treatment and vast expenditures the United States' curative environmental efforts have failed. A completely different approach is in order. In his latest book, Making Peace with the Planet, Barry Commoner makes this case. What has failed, according to Commoner, is the attempt, starting with Earth Day 1970, to significantly reduce if not eliminate land, air and water pollution.Commoner's book is an extremely accessible and hard-hitting analysis of the environmental crisis. He weaves together specific issues, such as the economic impact of large-scale conversion to organic agriculture, with a broader commentary on the political economy of environmental policy-making. In doing so, Making Peace with the Planet provides a sweeping picture of the environmental crisis, including: a description of the conflict between the ecosphere, or the environment, and the technosphere, which includes the goods and systems produced by humanactivity; the failure of existing environmental regulations and the costs of that failure; the reasons behind this dismal record; and the role of citizen activism in dealing with the problem. Perhaps most importantly, the book outlines Commoner's concrete alternative proposals that would, if implemented, truly stop the technosphere's assault on the ecosphere.…Commoner describes how the technosphere can be redesigned in a manner that does not threaten the continued viability of the ecosphere. He provides examples of currently available, environmentally sound technologies that are not inimical to continued economic growth. Electricity generation and agriculture are two case studies used to support this argument.Commoner notes that electricity generation is based primarily on the burning of fossil fuels, which produces a host of noxious emissions, including sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. The book offers a two-step process by which electric power generation's negative environmental impact would be reduced and ultimately eliminated through a transition to solar energy. The initial phase requires a decentralized system using small co-generator plants which would utilize the heat which is wasted by most big plants and would run on cleaner burning natural gas. This system is much more efficient and therefore economical. As Commoner writes, "With the co-generator operating at a much higher level of both economic and thermodynamic efficiency than a conventional power plant, fuel consumption is reduced, decreasing both environmental impact and the cost of energy--a net gain for both the economy and the environment."Because solar electricity is most cost-effective at the point of use, Commoner argues that the decentralized nature of the co-generator system makes it an ideal prelude to the widespread use of solar energy. Such a transition makes economic sense in the long run. Fossil fuels are a nonrenewable resource; as they become less accessible, the cost of extraction increases to the point where the energy needed to retrieve them is greater than the yield. "As a result, as long as we continue to rely on nonrenewable fuels, especially oil and natural gas, a progressively larger fraction of the economic system's output must be invested in producing energy." Yet the technology already exists, in the form of the photovoltaic cell, for example, to sever the reliance on fossil fuels.Commoner also describes how agriculture's post-World War II addictive reliance on chemical pesticides makes it one of the chief sources of water pollution. Replacing this system with large-scale organic farming would be an economically feasible means of eliminating chemical dependence. A five-year comparative study of 14 large, organic farms and an equal number of conventional farms, for example, revealed that although output was 8.5 percent less on the organic farms, "the resultant loss in income was exactly balanced by not buying agricultural chemicals."Commoner's prescriptions for change possess a certain intrinsic logic that imputes to them an air of inevitability. This is somewhat deceiving because it gives the impression that rationality will overcome the structural impediments to such a scenario: mainly the capitalist system's emphasis on private control of production decisions and profit seeking.But, Commoner notes, the concentration of decision-making power in a few hands preventsrational policies, which would benefit the majority of the population, from being enacted. The widespread use of cost-benefit analysis, which entails that a financial formula be applied to the cost of saving lives and reducing disease, is one of the more odious manifestations of elite decision-making. Commoner explains how the cost-benefit approach is used by business and, in the case of the Reagan and Bush administrations, by the government, to justify the continued poisoning of the ecosphere. In addition, cost-benefit analysis victimizes poor people. "Thinly veiled by a facade of seemingly straightforward numerical computation, there is a profound moral or political judgment: that poor people who lack the resources to evade [toxic emissions] should be subjected to a more severe environmental burden than rich people." Commoner cuts through the rhetorical constructs used by industry to obfuscate the real issues and in so doing exposes their moral bankruptcy. As he puts it, "This narrow segment of society makes the decisions that obligate the rest of us to participate in the ecological war. And it is the corporate generals who reap the short-term—and short-sighted—economic benefits."Commoner acknowledges the difficulty involved in questioning this system. "The view that the nation's welfare depends on 'private enterprise' is so deeply embedded in American political life that even to raise the question of possible public intervention is often an open invitation to ridicule."Yet raise the question is precisely what Commoner does in Making Peace.He postulates that "Solving the environmental question—as distinct from somewhat diminishing its effect--is fundamentally a political problem because it calls for the establishment of a new, social form of governance over decisions that are now exclusively in private, corporate hands." He effectively argues that recognizing this fundamental reality is essential to achieving an environmentally sustainable society.Commoner is sober in his outlook, but he communicates a guardedly optimistic view based on certain precedents, most recently the revolutions in Eastern Europe. How applicable they are remains open to interpretation. One thing is certain, however. Making Peace with the Planet is an accessible synthesis, grand in its scope and accurate and persuasive in its detail. Commoner critiques existing structures and problems but, very significantly, offers a substantive alternative vision. His ideas for changing the systems of production are compelling. Unfortunately, the political will and leadership to move this agenda are lacking.(Source: The Multinational Monitor, May 1990)Structure of the TextPart I (Para.1)Introduction: The author points out that we live in two worlds—the natural world and the world we have created—and defines the two worlds.Part II (Paras. 2-5)The author presents the thesis statement of this essay: human activity has profoundly altered global conditions, and the two worlds are at war.Part III (Paras. 6-16)In the ecosphere, there are four basic laws. In contrast, the technosphere is governed by processes totally different from those laws.The first law of the ecosphere is “Everything is connected to everything else”; many man-made objects in the technosphere are often narrowly defined and are harmful to the environment. (Paras. 6-9)The second law of the ecosphere is “Everything has to go somewhere", which, together with the first, expresses the importance of cycles in the ecosphere. Unlike the ecosphere, the technosphere is dominated by linear processes. (Paras. 10-11)The third law “Nature knows best” shows that the ecosystem is a harmonious structure which is the outcome of 5 billion years of biological evolution, while the objects and materials in the technosphere reflect a rapid and relentless process of change and variation, untested by evolution. (Paras. 12-14)The fourth law of the ecosphere is “There is no such thing as a free lunch.” A free lunch is a debt. When the debts represented by environmental pollution are created by the technosphere and transferred to the ecosphere, damage is unavoidable. (Paras. 15-16)Part IV (Paras. 17-20)Since the two worlds are at war, the issue can only be understood in terms of their interplay. The solution to ending the war is not by taking sides: neither the ecosphere nor the technoshpere can be ignored.P art IV (Para. 21)Conclusion: The author stresses the importance of making peace with the planet.Detailed Study of the Text1.What is the main idea of Paragraph 1?This is the introduction, in which the author points out that we live in two worlds—the natural world and the world we have created. He then defines each world.2.Its storms, droughts, and floods are “acts of God,” free o f human control and exemptfrom our responsibility. (Para. 1)In the natural world, storms, droughts and floods are acts caused by natural forces. They are not controlled by humans and are not the result of human activity, so we are not responsible for them. In almost all religions, it is believed that storms, droughts and floods are acts performed by God. Here “acts of God” are in quotation marks, showing that the author is not religious.3.What is the main idea of the section made up of Paragraphs 2-5?In this section, the author points out that human activity has profoundly altered global conditions and that the two worlds are at war.4.Now, on a planetary scale, this division has been breached. (Para. 2)Globally, the two worlds are no longer separated. Humans have tampered with natural forcesand caused damage to the natural world. This is the topic sentence of the Paragraph, further explained and proved by the sentence that follows. It is a transitional sentence, linking up with the first Paragraph and also leading to further explanation of the interaction between the two worlds in subsequent Paragraphs.5.With the appearance of a continent-sized hole in the Earth's protective ozone layer andthe threat of global warming, even droughts, floods, and heat waves may become unwitting acts of man. (Para. 2)Paraphrase:Owing to human activity, a hole as big as a continent has appeared in the Earth’s protective ozone layer and global warming threatens us. At the same time, human beings may cause even droughts, floods, and heat waves without their intention and realization.the appearance of a continent-sized hole in the Earth’s protective ozone layer: Here the author refers to ozone depletion, particularly a massive springtime decrease in ozone over Earth's polar regions.protective ozone layer: Ozone（臭氧）is a poisonous gas with a strong smell that is a form of oxygen. The ozone layer absorbs 97–99% of the Sun’s medium-frequency ultraviolet light, which otherwise would potentially harm exposed life forms on and near the surface of the Earth.6. Like the Creation, the portending global events are cosmic: (Para. 3)Paraphrase:Like the creation of the universe, events that happen in this world may have vast effects on the relationship between the planet Earth and the sun.the Creation: the making of the world, especially by God as described in the Bible.Translation: 与宇宙的诞生一样，这些预兆会发生的全球事件是关乎整个宇宙的。
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Unit 8Housewifely ArtsMegan Mayhew BergmanAdditional Background InformationWhat is this story about? One answer is simply that it is about love. Because of the protagonist’s strong maternal love for her son, Ike, she worries about genetic weaknesses she might have passed on to him—―cancer genes, hay fever, high blood pressure, perhaps a fear of math‖, plus being undersized for his age making him an easy target for bullies. Being a single parent, she knows that she is all her son has. She takes care to shelter him from bad examples and possible harm. The desire to be a good mother, to help her child grow up happy, healthy, and productive is so intense that she is sometimes haunted by nightmares.The experience of parenting her child gradually makes the protagonist more aware of her relationship with her mother:Will you love me forever? I think to myself. Will you love me when I’m old? If I go crazy?Will you be embarrassed by me? Avoid my calls? Wash dishes when you talk to me on the phone, roll your eyes, lay the receiver down next to the cat?These were exactly the things she did to her mother. Loving her son, she finally realizes how much her parents also loved her. Her father’s love was easier to understand. He tried his best to give her opportunities in life, but when she failed in the year at a private college, which he had funded for her with considerable difficulty, he did not judge or reproach her. She loved her father, but she regarded her mother as cold and harsh and fought constantly with her, reacting like her former self, the rebellious teenager, being neither mature nor compassionate in looking after her mother in old age, understanding her, forgiving her weaknesses, and loving her.But now that her mother is dead, she begins increasingly to miss her, and the decision to drive nine hours with her son for the sake of hearing her mother’s voice again through the imitations of Carnie, the African parrot, shows how much she needs this connection. “I realize how badly I need a piece of my mother. A scrap, a sound, a smell—something.” She knows she has not been a good daughter, and the parrot her mother loved and which she hated so much, always seemed to come between them. Now, however, Carnie has become her only avenue to the kind of memory she craves. But the bird does not give her that satisfaction, remaining completely silent. Perhaps it could not forgive her unkind treatment of it in the past.Nonetheless, the journey proves successful. In the tradition of the American ―road trip‖, anothe r way of thinking about this story, the protagonist does not merely make an actual journey with her son in a car, during which various things happen along the way, she also makes a personal, emotional journey in which she achieves a measure of enlightenment. It is a typical feature of―road trip‖ journeys that they teach the characters things about themselves that they did not previously know.Driving toward home, they stop at the house in which the protagonist grew up–- ―a deserted, plain house for plain folks…‖…I lead him to the back of the house, down the hallway which still feels more familiar to me than any I know…I remove the valances Mom made in the early eighties, dried bugs falling from the folds of the fabric into the sink below. These are the things with which she made a home. Her contributions to our sense of place were humble and put forth with great intent, crafts which took weeks of stitching and unstitching, measuring, cutting, gathering. I realize how much in the home was done by hand and sweat. My father had laid the carpeting and linoleum. Mom had painted the same dinner chairs twice, sewed all the window treatments…I scan the kitchen and picture Mom paying bills, her perfect script, the way she always listed her occupation with pride: h omemaker…Recalling how her parents had created a home that she describes to Ike by saying, ―This was a beautiful house‖, she understands that her parents were not demonstrative people, not people who talked about love, but people who had shown it to her in all their actions and these things they had made. And here, also, she finds the clear recollections of her mother that she had been seeking: ―…Now I can hear my mother everywhere—in the kitchen, in my bedroom, on the front porch…‖This visit also helps the protagonist to make a major decision around which one part of the plot is constructed: should she and Ike move to Connecticut, a state to which her firm has offered to transfer her? Ike is reluctant.“…What if we live here forever? He asked. Peop le used to do that, I said. Lived inone house their entire life. My mother, for instance…”In revisiting the house of her childhood, she has grasped the profound sense of home that growing up in this single place has given her. She concludes:“Together, we can make a solid grilled cheese, prune shrubs, clean house.Together, maybe we’re the housewife this house needs. Maybe our best life ishere.”And, significantly, she comes, finally, to a true understanding of her mother’s courage and strength, granting her respect and admiration: “Steamrolled by the world, but in the face of defeat, she threatened us all.‖ And the last three sentences of the story—My heart, she’d said. I can turn it off.For years, I’d believed her.But I know the truth now. What maniacs we are—sick with love, all of us.—make clear her final realization that her mother loves and has always loved her, and that she, too, loves and has always loved her mother.Structure of the TextPart I (Paras. 1-11)The protagonist introduces herself and tells us that she is driving nine hours with her 7-year-old son so that she can hear her mother’s voice again.Part II (Paras. 12-22)The protagonist describes how she had to sell her mother’s house and how the house brought back memories of her dead mother with her African parrot.Part III (Paras. 23-34)On their way to the Zoo, the protagonist and her son come to a rest stop and what she sees makes her think about her responsibilities as a mother.Part IV (Paras. 35-51)The protagonist remini sces about how she first saw the parrot at her mother’s home and how they developed a hostile relationship from the very beginning.Part V (Paras. 52-58)The protagonist tells her son where they are going and for what purpose. We learn from this section w hat kind of person her son’s father is and how she became a single parent.Part VI(Paras. 59-65)The protagonist’s son, Ike, tells her a story about his classmate Louis’ crazy mother and this once again makes her keenly aware of her desire to protect her son against even the knowledge that such people exist.Part VII (Paras. 66-97)This is a most revealing and touching part of the story in which we learn the reasons for the intense disagreements between the protagonist and her mother. She does not understand why her mother often appears harsh and cold, unlike her father, who was kind and did not judge her, nor can she understand why her mother gave so much of her care and attention to a bird so soon after her father’s death.Part VIII (Paras. 98-110)The protagonist and her son check into an inn and there she remembers how her mother cried over her grandmother’s death. She also hears in the news about a python strangling a toddler, which reminds her of a video of a similar event Ike’s father showed her. T he fear that this could really happen to her son keeps her awake that night.Part IX (Paras. 111-123)In this section, the protagonist recalls how cruelly she hurt her mother’s feelings over the parrot when it was time to send her mother to a nursing home.Part X (Paras. 124-143)These memories show why the protagonist misses her mother so much and wants so much to hear her dead mother’s voice once again through the imitations of the parrot, but the bird refuses to talk, as though her mother still will not forgive her for the way she treated the bird.Part XI (Paras. 144-150)The protagonist now remembers the day her mother finally had to part with her beloved bird and go to the nursing home. It was a heart-breaking day for her.Part XII (Paras.151-177)As the protagonist revisits her home, happy memories come to her and she recalls her deceased parents. Her son feels sorry that his mother has been brought up in this place; in its rundown state, he sees it as miserable, but his mother tells him that it w as ―a beautiful house‖.（提醒：因编辑的疏忽，教材(184页)1-4行漏标了段落序号，造成176-179序号缺失，并非文字缺失，特此说明。