新世纪商务英语综合教程第二册复习资料

Unit1

1. Truly, the tongue spoken back in the 1300s only by the "low people" of England has come a long way.

Paraphrase: Indeed, the language spoken as early as 1300s by the native people in England has developed for a long time

2. But however accommodating English might be the real reason for the latter day triumph of English is the triumph of the English-speaking United States as a world power.

Paraphrase: Adaptable, as English might be, the English owes its success to the victory of the English-speaking United States as a world power.

3. As the 20th century drew on, however, and English continued to encroach, French was driven on to the defensive.

Paraphrase: As the 20th century was approaching, and English kept on expanding beyond limits, French was put in a cornered position, having to fight for protection. 4. In India some people see English as an oppressive legacy of colonialism that should be exterminated.

Paraphrase: India was once regarded as the Jewel in the Crown of the British Empire. People in India would think the English language reminds them of the period of colonialism, which should be wiped out.

5. But for many peoples the triumph of English is the defeat, if not outright destruction, of their own language.

Paraphrase: But for many peoples, the success or the wide spread of English means the defeat, perhaps even a complete extinction, of their own language.

6. Thus the triumph of English not only destroys the tongues of others; it also isolates native English-speakers from the literature, history and ideas of other peoples. Paraphrase: Therefore, the success of English not only defeats other languages, but separates native English speakers from the literature, history and ideas of other ethnic groups.

Unit2

1. Sometimes it seems as if a tidal wave of the worst Western culture is creeping across the globe like a giant strawberry milkshake oozing over the planet, with a flavor that is distinctly sweet, sickly and manifestly homogenous

Paraphrase: Sometimes the Western culture seems to permeate the whole world like spilt milkshake, with a strong smell, sweet but obviously devoid of diversity.

2. Production and consumption of cultural goods and services have become commodities, along with the essentials of social life (marriage and family life, religion, work and leisure), that are the crucibles of cultural creation.

Paraphrase: Cultural creation is facing great challenge posed by the commercialization of culture.

3. Obviously, it would be an excessive form of cultural fundamentalism to suggest that Africans should try to keep everything exactly as it is, rather than allowing culture to develop. Paraphrase: Obviously, it would be too culturally radical to suggest that Africans should conduct rigid adherence to their current life and refuse to allow culture to develop.

4. Justified initially as a civilizing mission and subsequently dubbed modernization, in practice it was wholesale Westernization with very little room for any viable middle ground.

Paraphrase: In the beginning it justified itself as a civilizing mission and later on it honored itself as modernization. However, in fact it was a process of extensive and complete Westernization which left other countries no other choice.

5. Such a radical undermining of people's existing values and cultures has a corrosive impact on their sense of who they are, what they want and what they respect.

Paraphrase: The severe damage of people's existing values and cultures has a destructive effect. It makes those people confused about who they are, what they want and what they respect.

6. One major reason is the structural change in the world economy: globalization and the flood of goods dumped in poor countries that are marketed by mass seductive advertising which is blatantly superficial but nonetheless successful in creating fresh desires in peoples of traditional societies. Paraphrase: One major reason of this fast and large-scale westernization is the change of overall structure in the world economy. Because of globalization, western countries use marketing strategies such as advertising to create fresh desires in consumers from less developed countries and get rid of products by selling them at a low price.

7. However, there is genuine cause for concern about the rate at which cultures (African and

non-African) are being undermined in a world that is bound together by ever-stronger economic ties.

Paraphrase: However, people indeed have a reason to worry that African and non-African cultures are gradually encroached by western culture due to the ever-growing strong interdependence of trade and business among countries.

8. More importantly, colonialism paved the way for today's cultural globalization by leaving the colonized in a state of cultural disorientation and consequently vulnerable to continuing cultural invasion.

Paraphrase: More importantly, colonialism provided the necessary condition for today's cultural globalization since it left the colonized countries unable to recognize its own cultural heritage. As a result, these countries are easily susceptible to long-lasting cultural invasion.