英语读书笔记电子版

英语读书笔记电⼦版
CLASS NUMBER: STUDENT NAME: STUDENT NUMBER: INSTRUCTOR: PRO. DATE:
Contents Contents.......................................................................................................... 错误!未定义书签。

Unit 1Education.. (1)
1.1 Reading Focus (1)
1.1.1 New Words (3) ............................................................................................................ 错误!未定义书签。

1.2 Reading Focus (4)
1.2.1 New Words (7)
(8)
Unit 2 (21)
2.1 Reading Focus (26)
U n i t1E d u c a t i o n 1.1 Reading Focus
We Should Cherish Our Children's
Freedom to Think
--Kie Ho Americans who remember "the good old days" are not alone in complaining about the educational system in this country. Immigrants, too, complain, and with more up-to-date comparisons. Lately I have heard a Polish immigrant express dismay that his daughter's high school has not taught her the difference between Belgrade and Prague. A German friend was furious when he learned that the mathematics test given to his son on his first day as a freshman included multiplication and division. A Lebanese boasts that the average high-school graduate in his homeland can speak fluently in Arabic, French and English. Japanese businessmen in Los Angeles send their children to private schools staffed by teachers imported from Japan to learn mathematics at Japanese levels, generally considered at least a year more advanced than the level here.
But I wonder: If American education is so tragically inferior, why is it that this is still the country of innovation? I think I found the answer on my short trip to the Laguna Beach Museum of Art, where the work of schoolchildren was on exhibit. Equipped only with colorful yarns, foil paper, felt pens and crayons, they had transformed simple paper lunch bags into, among other things, a waterfall with flying fish, Broom Hilda the witch and a house with a woman in a bikini hiding behind a swinging door. Their public school had provided these children with opportunities and direction to fulfill their creativity, something that people in this country tend to take for granted.
When I was 12 in Indonesia, where education followed the Dutch system, I had to memorize the names of all the world's major
珍惜孩⼦思考的⾃由
--Kie Ho 不只是那些怀念“美好往⽇”的美国⼈在抱怨美国的教育制度，移民们也在抱怨，使这种抱怨有了更多的当代式的对⽐。

最近我听到⼀个波兰移民的沮丧地说，⼥⼉的⾼中不再教贝尔格莱德和布拉格的区别。

⼀位德国朋友很⽣⽓，因为他听说⼉⼦⼤⼀第⼀天的数学考试⾥有乘法和除法。

⼀个黎巴嫩⼈夸耀说⾃⼰祖国⼀般的⾼中毕业⽣都能流利讲阿拉伯语、法语和英语。

在洛杉矶的⽇本商⼈把孩⼦送到私⽴学校，那⾥有来⾃⽇本的教师以⽇本的⽔平教数学，那通常被认为本洛杉矶当地学校教的数学⾼出⼀学年的⽔平。

但是我惊讶的是：如果美国的教育如此悲惨地低劣，为什么美国还是⼀个创新的国度呢？在拉古纳滩艺术博物馆进⾏了短暂访问后，我想我找到了答案。

这个博物馆⾥展览着学⽣们的作品。

只⽤彩⾊纱线、铝箔纸、毡笔和蜡笔，学⽣们就把简单的午餐袋做成缀以飞鱼的瀑布、扫帚希尔达巫婆，或是⼀座房⼦，⼀位穿着⽐基尼的妇⼥藏在弹簧门后。

公⽴学校为孩⼦们提供了机会去实现创造⼒，⽽这恰恰是⼈们总是认为理所当然的事。

我１２岁时在印度尼西亚，那⾥的教育制度仿照荷兰，我不得不记住全部世界主要城市的名字，从喀布尔到卡拉奇。

⽽同样年纪时，我那个在加利福尼亚长⼤的宝贝⼉⼦还以为布宜诺斯艾利斯是西班⽛语中的⼀种⾷品，或许是炸⽟⽶饼之类的东西。

但是，与他那些亚洲、欧洲的同伴不同，我⼉⼦在运⽤地理知识⽅⾯已经有了创造性的进展。

他才６岁时，就画出了⼀张从家到学校的路线图，包括街道及其名称、⼤楼、交通标志和他经过的房⼦。

美国的⽗母们忘记了，在这⾥他们的孩⼦可以⾃由实践⾃⼰的想法，如果没有这些，孩⼦们将不能思考，并缺乏⾃信。

⾼中时代，我们是奉献和服从的模范。

我们规规矩矩，坐着听课，被动地回答问题，⽽且只能给出唯⼀正确的答案。

即使学习句型时也没
cities, from Kabul to Karachi. At the same age, my son, who was brought up a Californian, thought that Buenos Aires was Spanish for "good food." However, unlike many children of his age in Asia and Europe, my son had studied creative geography. When he was only 6, he drew a map of the route that he traveled to get to school, including the streets and their names, the buildings and traffic signs and the houses that he passed.
American parents forget that in this country their children are able to experiment freely with ideas; without this they will not really be able to think or to believe in themselves.
In my high school years, back in Indonesia, we were models of dedication and obedience; we sat to listen, to answer only when asked, and to give the only correct answer. Even when studying word forms, there were no alternatives. In similes, pretty lips were always as red as cherries, and beautiful eyebrows were always like a parade of black clouds, like children in many other countries in the world, I simply did not have a chance to choose, to make decisions. My son, on the contrary, told me that he got a good laugh—and an A—from his teacher for creating his own simile "the man was as nervous as Richard Pryor at a Ku Klux Klan* convention."
There's no doubt that American education does not meet high standards in such basic skills as mathematics and language. And we realize that our youngsters are ignorant of Latin, put Mussolini in the same category as Dostoevski, can not recite the Periodic Table by heart. Would we, however, prefer to stuff the developing little heads of our children with hundreds of geometry problems, the names of rivers in Brazil and 50 lines from "the Canterbury Tales?" Do we really want to retard their impulses, frustrate their opportunities for self-expression?
When I was 18, I had to memorize Hamlet's "To be or not to be" speech flawlessly. In his English class, my son was assigned to 有例外，例如学⽐喻句，漂亮的嘴唇总是像樱桃⼀样红，美丽的眉⽑总像排排⿊云。

和世界上很多其他国家的孩⼦⼀样，我完全没有机会去选择、去做决定。

我⼉⼦恰好相反，他告诉我，他开怀⼤笑，因为造了这样的句⼦：“那个⼈和在三Ｋ党集会上的理查德·普赖尔⼀样紧张。

”⽼师给了他⼀个Ａ。

毫⽆疑问，美国教育在数学、语⾔等基本技能⽅⾯的培训⽔平不⾼，我们也意识到，美国青年不懂拉丁语，会把墨索⾥尼和陀斯妥耶夫斯基归为⼀类，也不会背诵元素周期表。

但是⽆论怎样，我们真的要把数百道⼏何题和巴西河流的名字以及《坎特伯雷故事》中的５０⾏诗句⼀起都塞进孩⼦们的⼩脑袋⾥吗？我们真的要扼杀他们的冲动、欲望和⾃我表现的机会吗？
我１８岁时必须准确⽆误地记住哈姆雷特的“⽣存还是死亡”的独⽩，⽽我⼉⼦上英语课时，则被要求给朱丽叶写⼀封情书，可以⽤莎⼠⽐亚风格的语⾔，也可以⽤现代语⾔。

（他选择了后者；在他笔下，他的罗密欧把朱丽叶带到拱廊上打电脑游戏。

）
在美国，历史系的学⽣可以扮演林德.约翰逊，同另⼀个扮演胡志明公开辩论。

但是难以想像⽇本的年轻⼈敢于扮演⼆战中裕仁天皇的⾓⾊这么做。

美国教育的批评者不能忽视的⼀点是有些他们不能真正理解的东西，因为他们视之为理所当然，那就是⾃由。

在教育质量的研究中，⼈们已经忽略了本世纪最重要的衡量标准，这个标准，我想就是给孩⼦⾃由讲话、书写、创造的权⼒。

当然我们的公共教育并不完美，但确有⾃⾝的优势。

write a love letter to Juliet, either in
Shakespearean or modern language. (He picked
the latter; his Romeo would take it Juliet to an
arcade for video games).
Here in America a history student can take
the role of Lyndon Johnson in an open debate
against another student playing Ho Chi Minh.
But it is unthinkable that a youngster in Japan
would dare to do the same regarding the role of
their Hirohito in World War II.
Critics of American education in this
country cannot grasp one thing, something that
they don't truly understand because they take it
for granted: freedom. This most important
measurement has been omitted in the studies of
the quality of education in this century, the only
one, I think, that extends even to children the
license to freely speak, write and be creative.
Our public education certainly is not perfect, but
it does have its advantages.
1.1.1 New Words
1. up-to-date?adj. 最新的,现代的
例句：
Up-to-date?technology;?up-to-date?fashions.?
最新技术，最近时尚
2. multiplication?n. 乘法,增加,乘法表
例句：
My?son?began?to?study?multiplication?when?he?was?six.?
我⼉⼦六岁的时候开始学习乘法。

3. division?n. 区分,分开,除法,公司,部门，师（军队⾥）
例句：
Addition?and?division?are?forms?of?computation.?
加法和除法都是计算⽅法.
4. staff?vt. 配备员⼯
例句：
Most?of?our?offices?are?staffed?by?volunteers.?
在我们⼤多数办公室任职的是志愿⼈员。

5. tragically?adv. 悲剧地, 悲惨地
例句：
Let?the?strivings?of?us?all,?prove?Martin?Luther?King?Jr.?to?have?been?correct,?when?he?said ?that humanity?can? no?longer?be?tragically?bound?to?the?starless?midnight?of?racism
and?war.?
我们要⽤我们所有⼈的努⼒证实马丁·路德·⾦的话是正确的。

他说，⼈类再也不能悲惨地⾛向种族歧视和战争的⿊暗之夜。

6. witch?n. ⼥巫,巫婆
例句：
The?witch?turned?the?princess?into?a?swan.?
巫婆把公主变成了⼀只天鹅。

7. alternative?n. 替换物,取舍
例句：
Please?find?alternative?means?of?transport.?
请另外找⼀个运输⽅法。

8. stuff?v. 填满,塞满
例句：
He?stuffed?the?apples?into?the?bag.?
他把苹果塞进袋⼦⾥。

9.unthinkable?adj. 不能想的,想像不到的,过份的
例句：
It?is?unthinkable?that?we?shall?allow?a?nuclear?holocaust?to?occur.?
我们若竟让核武器⼤屠杀的惨剧发⽣，简直是匪夷所思。

1. take?for?granted?vi. 想当然(认为理当如此,对作主观估计)
例句：
It?is?taken?for?granted?that?everyone?is?equal?before the?law.?
法律⾯前⼈⼈平等是被认为理所当然的。

2. bring?up?教育,培养
例句：
Her?parents?died?when?she?was?a?baby?and?she?was?brought?up?by?her?aunt.? 她出⽣後不久⽗母双亡，是由姑母抚养⼤的。

3. believe?in?相信,信任
例句：
I?fervently?believe?in?our?eventual?victory.?
我坚信我们最后会胜利。

4. ignorant?of?adj. 不知道(⽆知)
例句：
To?say?you?were?ignorant?of?the?rules?is?no?excuse.?
说⾃⼰不知道规则是不能成为藉⼝的.
5. by?heart?牢记,凭记忆
例句;
Everyone?in?the?class?has?to?learn?Lincoln's?Gettysburg?Address?by?heart.?
班上每个学⽣都必须默诵林肯葛底斯堡演说词。

1.2 Reading Focus
Angels on a Pin
--Alexander Calandra Some time ago, I received a call from Jim, a colleague of mine, who teaches physics. He asked me if I would do him a favor and be the referee on the grading of an examination question. I said sure, but I did not quite understand why he should need my help. He told me that he was about to give a student a zero for his answer to a physics question, but the student protested that it wasn't fair. He insisted that he deserved a perfect score if the system were not set up against the student. Finally, they agreed to take the matter to an impartial instructor. And I was selected.
I went to my colleague's office and read the examination question. It said: "Show how it is possible to determine the height of
a tall building with the aid of a barometer." The student had answered: "Take the barometer to the top of the building, tie a long rope to it, lower the barometer to the street, and then bring it up and measure the length of the rope. The length of the rope will be the height of the building."
I laughed and pointed out to my colleague that we must admit the student really had a pretty strong case for full credit since he had indeed answered the question completely and correctly. On the other hand, I could also see the dilemma because if full credit were given to him it could mean a high grade for the student in his physics course. A high grade is supposed to prove competence in the course, but the answer he gave did not show his knowledge on the subject. "So, what would you do if you were me?" Jim asked.
I suggested that the student have another try at answering the question. I was not surprised that my colleague agreed, but I was surprised that the student did, too.
I told the student that I would give him six minutes to answer the question. But I warned
针尖上的天使
--亚历⼭⼤·卡兰德
不久前，我接到⼀个教物理的同事的电话，问我是否愿给⼀考题的打分作⼀个仲裁。

我说可以，但我不明⽩为什么需要我帮忙。

他说他要给⼀个学⽣做的物理题答案判零分，⽽学⽣认为这不公平，声称如果该评分体制的建⽴不是与学⽣作对的话，他就该得满分。

导师和学⽣同意将此争议交给⼀位⽆私的裁决者，于是选择了我。

我去了那位同事的办公室，看了那道考题：“说明怎样才能⽤⽓压表来测定⼀栋⾼层建筑物的⾼度。

”那考⽣答道：“把⽓压表拿到此楼顶，在表上系⼀根长绳，将⽓压表降⾄街上，然后提起来，测量绳⼦的长度。

绳⼦的长度就是该楼房的⾼度。

”
我⼤笑，告诉同事必须承认这个学⽣确实有得满分的强有⼒的证据，因为他完全正确地回答了问题。

另⼀⽅⾯，如果给他满分，就可能陷⼊两难的处境，因为如果给该⽣满分，这意味着该⽣在物理课程取得了⾼分。

⽽⾼分就应证明该⽣在物理学习⽅⾯的能⼒，但答案却⽆法证实这点。

“那么，如果您是我，您会怎么做呢？”吉姆问我。

我建议这个学⽣再次尝试回答这个问题。

我的同事同意了我的建议，对此我并不感到意外，令我感到意外的是，那个学⽣也同意了。

我给了他六分钟的时间回答这个问题，并提醒他必须⽤⼀些物理知识。

他坐下来，拿起笔。

显然在努⼒思考，但是五分钟过去了，他还⼀个字没写。

我问他是否放弃，他说不。

什么都没写是因为：他对这个问题有很多答案，他只是在想最佳答案。

我道歉说打扰了他，并请他继续。

在最后⼀分钟⾥，他匆匆写出了他的答案：把⽓压表拿到建筑物最顶层，倚着楼扔下表，⽤跑表计算其降落时间，然后⽤公式计算建筑⾼度。

这时，我问我的同事他是否愿放弃。

him that this time his answer should show some knowledge of physics. He sat down and picked up his pen. He appeared to be thinking hard. At the end of five minutes, however, I noticed that he had not put down a single word. I asked him if he wished to give up, but he said no. He had not written anything down because he had too many possible answers to this problem. He was just trying to decide which would be the best one. I excused myself for interrupting him and asked him to go on. In the next minute, he dashed off his answer, which read: "Take the barometer to the top of the building and lean over the edge of the roof. Drop the barometer and time its fall with a stopwatch. Then, using the formula S = 1 /2 at2, calculate the height of the building."
At this point, I asked my colleague if he would give up. He nodded yes, and I gave the student almost full credit.
When I left my colleague's office, I recalled that the student had said that he had other answers to the problem. I was curious, so I asked him what they were. "Oh, yes," said the student. "There are many ways of getting the height of a tall building with the aid of a barometer. For example, you could take the barometer out in a sunny day and measure the height of the barometer, the length of its shadow, and the length of the shadow of the building, and by the use of a simple proportion, determine the height of the building. The beauty of this method is that you don't have to drop the barometer and break it." "Fine," I said. "Any more?"
"Yes," said the student. "There is a very basic measurement method that people will like, because it is so simple and direct. In this method, you take the barometer and walk up the stairs. As you climb the stairs, you mark off the length of the barometer along the wall. You then count the number of marks, and this will give you the height of the building in barometer units. The only trouble with this method is that it 他让步了，我给了那学⽣⼏乎⼀个满分。

在离开同事办公室的时候，我想起那个学⽣说他还有其它解法，便感到好奇。

于是我问他还有哪些解法。

“啊，有，”他说，“有很多种⽅法，都可以利⽤这只表得出⼀栋⾼楼的⾼度。

例如，你可以在⼀个⼤晴天把它拿到户外并测量表⾼和影长，还有该⼤
楼的影长，使⽤⼀个简单的⽐率，就可以测定该楼的⾼度。

这个⽅法的好处是不⽤把⽓压计扔下去⽽摔碎。

”
“好，”我说道“还有其它⽅法吗？”
“有，”那学⽣说道，“有⼀种⼈们会喜欢的⾮常基本的测量⽅法，因为它很简单直接，该⽅法是，你拿着⽓压表开始爬楼梯。

在你爬楼梯时，你在墙上标出⽓压表的长度，然后再数这些记号，你会以⽓压表为单位得到楼⾼，⼀种⾮常直接的⽅法。

这个⽅法的唯⼀缺点是⽤不了太多物理知识。

”
“当然，如果你想⽤⼀种更复杂的、真正⽤物理学知识的⽅法，可以把表系到绳⼦的⼀端，让他像个钟摆⼀样，然后确定街⾯上和楼顶的摆值。

通过两个摆值的差别，原则上可以算出楼⾼。

”
最后，他推断道：“还有很多其它办法来解题。

也许，现实⽣活中最好最实⽤的办法是把表拿到地下室并敲主管⼈的房间。

等他开门后，你对他说：‘我这⼉有⼀个精致的⽓压表。

如果你告诉我这栋⾼楼的⾼度，我就把它送给你！”
这时，我问那个学⽣是否真不知道这个问题的常规答案。

他笑了笑，承认他知道，但是他说他已厌倦了标准问题和标准答案，他不知道为什么总是强调那些固定的规则⽽不是创造性的思考。

因此忍不住对那些对苏联⼈造卫星惊慌失措的美国课堂开个⼩玩笑。

那⼀刻，我突然想起了⼀个问题：⼀根⼤头针上可以放⼏个跳舞的天使？我们⽼师们总是责备学⽣回答错误。

或许我们应该反问⾃⼰，我们是否⼀直在寻求正确的答案。

doesn't require much knowledge of physics."
"Of course, if you prefer a more
sophisticated method, a method that will really
show some knowledge of physics, you can tie
the barometer to the end of a rope, swing it as a
pendulum and determine the value of 'g' at the
street level and at the top of the building. From
the difference between the two values of 'g' the
height of the building can, in principle, be
worked out.”
Finally, he concluded that while there are
many ways of solving the problem, "Probably
the best and the most practical in a real-life
situation is to take the barometer to the
basement and knock on the superintendent's
door. When the superintendent answers, you
speak to him as follows: Mr. Superintendent, I
have here a fine barometer. If you will tell me
the height of this building, I will gladly give you
this barometer!"
At this point, I asked the student if he really
didn't know the expected answer to this
question. He smiled and admitted that he did,
but said he was fed up with standard answers to
standard questions. He couldn't understand why
there should be so much emphasis on fixed rules
rather than creative thinking. So he could not
resist the temptation to play a little joke with the
educational system, which had been thrown into
such a panic by the successful launching of the
Russian Sputnik. At that moment I suddenly
remembered the question: How many angels can
dance on the head of a pin? We teachers are
always blaming the students for giving wrong
answers. Perhaps we should ask ourselves
whether we are always asking the right
questions.
1.2.1 New Words
1.academic?adj. 学院的,理论的,学术性的
例句：
She?already?has?good?academic?qualifications?under her?belt.?
她已获得良好学历.
2.barometer?n. ⽓压计,晴⾬表
例句：
The?barometer?began?to?fall.?
⽓压计的读数开始下降。

3.basement?n. 地下室
例句：
In?the?basement?water?streams?down?the?walls.?
在地下室⾥，⽔顺着墙不断地流下来。

4.calculate?v. 计算,考虑,计划
例句：
The?scientists?calculated?when?the?spacecraft?would?reach?the?moon.? 科学家推算出宇宙飞船抵达⽉球的时间。

5.deserve?vi. 应该得到?vt. 应受,值得
例句：
You've?been?working?all?morning---you?deserve?a?rest.?
你已经⼲了⼀个上午了，该休息⼀下了。

6.dilemma?n. 困境,进退两难
例句：
Faced?with?the?dilemma,?he?opted?for?soldiering?on.?
⾯临着进退两难的困境，他决定顽强地坚持下去。

7.impartial?adj. 公平的,不偏不倚的
例句：
People?in?the?city?held?the?impartial?judge?in?high?regard.?
这个城市的⼈们都很尊敬这位公正的法官。

8.inner?adj. 内部的,⾥⾯的,内⼼的?n. ⾥⾯,内部
例句：
He?has?no?inner?resources?and?hates?being?alone.?
他没有内在的精神寄托，因⽽害怕孤独。

9.pendulum?n. 摆,钟摆
例句：
The?pendulum?of?the?clock?in?my?room?is?a?bear.?
我房间的钟摆是⼩熊形状的。

10.superintendent?n. 监督⼈,管理⼈,所长
例句：
His?brother?is?appointed?superintendent?of?the?security?force.?
他哥哥被任命为安全⼒量的负责⼈。

11.temptation?n. 诱惑,引诱?v. 引,诱
例句：
She?yielded?to?temptation?and?had?another?chocolate.?
她禁不住诱惑, ⼜吃了⼀块巧克⼒.
1.2.2Phrases
1.dash?off?vt. 匆忙完成(匆匆写)
例句：
She?dashed?off?two?letters?in?thirty?minutes.?
她在30分钟内写好了两封信。

2.with?the?aid?of?借助于, 通过...的帮助
例句：
We?may?travel?with?the?aid?of?a?good?map.?
我们可以靠⼀幅好地图旅游。

3.point?out?v.指出
例句：
No?matter?who?point?out?our?shortcoming,?we?will?correct?them.?
不管谁指出我们的缺点，我们都改正。

4.at?the?end?of?在...结尾,在....末端
例句：
The?town?lies?at?the?end?of?the?valley.?
这个镇坐落于河⾕的尽头。

5.put?down?v.放下, 拒绝, 镇压, 羞辱, 削减, 记下, 制⽌, 取缔
例句：
Put?down?your?address?here.?
请在这⾥写下你的地址。

6.mark?off?v.划分出
例句：
The?boundaries?are?clearly?marked?off?on?the?map.?
边界的划分在地图上标得很清楚。

7.be?fed?up?with?饱受, 厌烦
例句：
I'm?fed?up?with?all?those?nonsense.?
所有那些胡⾔乱语我真听腻了。

8.emphasis?on?强调
例句：
The?teacher?laid?emphasis?on?the?precision?of?the?translation?from?the?outset.? ⽼师从⼀开始就强调翻译准确性。

U n i t2A g a i n s t A l l O d d s 2.1 Reading Focus
Against All Odds
When Stephen Hawking returned to St. Albans for the Christmas vacation at the end of 1962, the whole of southern England was covered in a thick blanket of snow. In his own mind, he must have known that something was wrong. The strange clumsiness he had been experiencing had occurred more frequently. At the party he threw on New Year's Eve, he had difficulties pouring a glass of wine, and most of the liquid ended up on the tablecloth .
After a series of examinations, he was told that he had a rare and incurable disease called ALS. The disease affects the patient's nerves in the spinal cord and the parts of the brain which control motor functions. The body gradually wastes away , but the mind remains unaffected . Hawking just happened to be studying theoretical physics, one of the very few jobs for which the mind is the only real tool needed. This, however, gave little comfort to the twenty-one-year-old who, like everyone else, had seen a normal life ahead of him rather than a death sentence. The doctors had given him two years.
Hawking was deeply shocked by the news and experienced a time of deep depression. He
不计成败
1962年年底，当史蒂芬.霍⾦返回圣.奥尔本过圣诞假期时，整个英国南部已被厚厚的⼤雪覆盖。

在他的意识⾥，他⼀定知道有什么东西出问题了。

在他⾝上发⽣的奇怪⽽笨拙的现象开始频繁发⽣。

新年前⼣的聚会上，他艰难地倒了⼀杯酒，⼤部分都倾到桌布上了。

经过⼀系列体检，他被告知得了⼀种罕见、不可治愈的疾病，叫肌萎缩侧索硬化症（ALS）。

这种疾病可以影响病⼈的脊髓神经和⼤脑内控制运动功能的区域。

⾝体会慢慢衰弱，⽽⼤脑丝毫不受影响。

霍⾦当时正在研究理论物理，这是仅有的少数真正只需⼤脑思考就可以进⾏的研究。

然⽽，这⼏乎不能给这个21岁的年轻⼈任何安慰，像其他每个⼈⼀样，渴望的是正常的⽣活，⽽不是死刑。

医⽣认为他只能再活两年。

霍⾦被这⼀消息深深震撼了，⼀度陷⼊深度抑郁中。

他把⾃⼰关起来，听⼤量喧闹的⾳乐。

他不停地想：为什么这样的事会落
在我头上？我怎么能摆脱掉呢？由于他可能不能活到完成博⼠学位那天，他觉得继续研究已经没有什么意义了。

当时他当然相信没有什么值得活下去了。

如果⼏年后就要死去，为什么还要⾃寻⿇烦做事呢？⼲脆坐等死亡来临好了。

这是他的命运。

然⽽，不久他就摆脱抑郁重返⼯作中了。

shut himself away and listened to a great deal of loud music. He kept thinking, 'How could something like this happen to me? Why should I be cut off like this?' There seemed very little point in continuing with his research because he might not live long enough to finish his PhD. For a while he quite naturally believed that there was nothing to live for. If he was going to die within a few years, then why bother to do anything now? He would live out his time span and then die. That was his fate.
It was not long, however, before he dragged himself out of his depression and back to work. In the hospital, he had seen a boy die of leukemia in the bed opposite him, and it had not been a pretty sight. He realized that clearly there were people who were worse off than him. At least, his condition didn't make him feel ill. Whenever he felt like pitying himself, he remembered that boy.
He had had some recurring dreams. He dreamt that he was going to be put to death, which made him realize that there were a lot of worthwhile things he could do if he were to be set free. In another frequently occurring dream, he thought he could give up his life to save others: 'After all, if I were going to die anyway, it might as well do some good.'
There is little doubt that the appearance on the scene of a young woman was a major 在医院，他看到对⾯病床的男孩死于⽩⾎病，这不是⼀个微不⾜道的场景。

霍⾦清楚地意识到，世上还有⽐⾃⼰更不幸的⼈。

⾄少，他的病并不让他感到不舒服。

不管什么时候想⾃怜时，他就想起这个男孩。

他做了很多相同的梦，梦见⾃⼰被杀，这让他意识到，如果活着，他还有很多值得做的事情。

在另⼀个经常做的梦中，他想以⾃⼰的⽣命去挽救别⼈：“不管怎样，总之我是要死的，不妨去做些好事。

”
⽆可怀疑的是，⼀位年轻⼥⼦的出现是霍⾦⽣命的重要转折点，她就是简·王尔德，⾸次见到她是在⼀个聚会上。

出院后，两⼈开始越来越频繁地见⾯并发展了深厚的关系。

遇到简以后，他⾛出了抑郁。

正如预料中的那样，他在剑桥⼤学的前两年，病情急剧恶化。

他⾛路开始困难起来，要想⾛⼏步，必须得⽤拐杖。

只有撑着墙、物体和拐杖，他才能痛苦缓慢地在房间和空地上⾛动。

很多时候，这些⽀撑物根本不够⽤，出现在办公室的时候，他满头绷带--因重重地摔在地上，头上摔出了丑陋的肿块。

同时很快，他开始⾔语不清，很难听懂，甚⾄周围的⼈也很难听懂他在说什么。

然⽽，什么都没有让他停下来。

事实上，他正渐⼊佳境。

⼯作⽐以前任何时候都进展得⼜快⼜好。

看起来有点⼉疯狂，ALS对他来说不是很重要了。

当然，和社会上所有那些⾝体不健全的⼈⼀样，他必须忍受羞耻和障碍，⾃
turning point in Hawking's life. This was Jane Wilde, whom he had first met at the party. After he came out of the hospital, the two of them began to see a lot more of one another, and a strong relationship developed. It was finding Jane that enabled him to break out of his depression.
As predicted, during his first two years at Cambridge, the effects of the disease rapidly worsened. He was beginning to experience great difficulty in walking and was forced to use a stick in order to cover just a few feet. With the support of walls and objects, as well as sticks, he would manage, painfully slowly, to move across rooms and open areas.
There were many times when these supports were not adequate, and he would turn up in the office with a bandage around his head, having fallen heavily and received a nasty bump. Meanwhile, his speech rapidly became first slurred, and then very hard to follow, and even those close to him were having difficulty understanding what he was saying.
Nothing slowed him down, however; in fact, he was just hitting his stride. Work was progressing faster and better than it ever had before. Crazy as it may seem, ALS is simply not that important to him. Of course he has had to suffer the humiliations and obstructions facing all those in society who are not able-bodied, and 然地，他必须调整状态，以适应特别环境下的⽣活。

但是，疾病没有影响他的⼤脑，因此也没有影响他的⼯作。

⽐其他⼈要好的是，霍⾦本⼈希望淡化看待⾃⼰的残疾，将全部精⼒投⼊到科学中去，因为这对他来说才是真正重要的。

霍⾦接受了患上 ALS这⼀事实，并在六⽉份遇到了⼀个可以与之纯粹私⼈地分享⽣活的⼈，他开始⾼兴起来。

两⼈订了婚，周末相见的次数频繁起来。

显然，所有的⼈都觉得两⼈真正很幸福，在对⽅⼼⽬中都很重要。

简回忆说，“我本想追求⽣活的⽬标，我想，我发现照顾他就是我的⽬标。

但是我们已经相爱的了。

”对霍⾦来说，和简订婚可能是有⽣以来最重要的事：这改变了他的⽣活，赋予他⽣活的意义。

没有简的帮助，他⼏乎难以坚持下去，达到⾃⼰的愿望。

从此以后，他的⼯作⽇益壮⼤，他的督学Sciama开始相信，霍⾦可能会完成博⼠论⽂。

危险在即，但是奇迹即将出现。

naturally he has had to adapt to his condition and to live under exceptional circumstances. But the disease has not touched his mind, and so it has not affected his work. More than anyone else, Hawking himself would wish to downplay his disability and to give his full attention to science, for that is what is really important to him.
Having come to terms with ALS and found someone in Jane with whom he could share his life on a purely personal level, he began to blossom. The couple became engaged, and the frequency of weekend visits increased. It was obvious to everyone that the two of them were truly happy and highly important to each other. Jane recalls, 'I wanted to find some purpose to my existence, and I suppose I found it in the idea of looking after him. But we were in love. 'For Hawking, his engagement to Jane was probably the most important thing that had ever happened to him: it changed his life and gave him something to live for. Without the help of Jane he almost certainly would not have been able to carry on or had the will to do so.
From this point on, his work went from strength to strength, and Sciama, his supervisor, began to believe that Hawking might, after all, manage to pull together the different threads of his PhD research. It was still touch and go, but a wonderful chance was just around the corner.
2.1.1 New Words
1.blanket?n. ⽑毯
例句：
The?traveler?wrapped?himself?with?a?blanket.?
旅⾏者⽤毯⼦把⾃⼰裹上。

2.clumsiness?n. 笨拙,粗陋,不漂亮
例句：
Pardon?me?my?clumsiness.?
原谅我的笨拙。

3.end?up?结束,告终
例句：
If?you?continue?to?steal?you'll?end?up?in?prison.?
你要是继续⾏窃终归得进监狱.
4.tablecloth?n. 桌布,台布
例句：
I'll?dust?the?table?before?putting?the?tablecloth?on.?
我要在铺台布以前先把桌上的灰掸⼲净。

5.incurable?adj. 不能医治的,不能矫正的,⽆救的
例句：
The?child?has?an?incurable?habit.?
那孩⼦有个⽆法矫正的习惯。

6.recurring?反复出现的，反复发⽣的
例句：
recurring?decimal?循环⼩数
7.worthwhile?adj. 值得(做)的
例句：
Thank?you?for?making?my?visit?so?worthwhile.?I?shall?treasure?your?friendship?and?kindhosp itality?you?have?given? me.?
感谢你们使我的访问如此有价值。

我将珍惜我们之间的友谊及你们给予我的盛情款待。

8.break?out?of?冲出,逃出;摆脱(束缚等)例句：。