基英课文

Unit 1

New Year’s resolutions① are like anything---you get out of them what you put in②. Judging from result of other years, I had never put enough in, but this year was going to be different. I read books on self-improvement before I wrote my list. Fin d some beauty in everything… Make the other fellow feel important. …About thirty like that.Pretty clearly, anyone who followed my collection of rules would blessed with a richer③ in life, boundless④love from his family,and the admiration④ of the community⑤I could hardly wait until New Year’s Day

①【resolution [,rezə'lu:ʃən] =determination,决心】

②【you get out of them what you put in种瓜得瓜种豆得豆】

③【=colorful】

④【['baundlis] ，无限的】

⑤【[,ædmə'reiʃən] ，赞扬】

⑥【[kə'mju:niti]，社区】.

When I came downstairs Maggie, my wife, was at the kitchen sink①. I tiptoed over②and kissed her on the back of the neck.(Resolution No 1: Be spontaneous③in showing affection④.)She shrieked⑤and dropped a cup. “Don’t ever sneak

u p⑥on me like that again!”she cried.“You’re looking looking l ovely this morning,” I said.(A sincere compliments⑦ worth its weight in gold)

①【[siŋk]，水槽】

②【['tiptəu]，偷偷的】

③【[spɔn'teiniəs] ，自发的】

④【=love】

⑤【[ʃri:k]，尖叫】

⑥【[sni:k] ，偷偷的】

⑦【['kɔmplimənt]，赞美】

“Look,” she said, “it wasn’t my idea to stay out until four a.m.”

I took some aspirin① and coffee into the living room. I’d just started reading the paper when Sammy, our five-year-old ,came in. He was wearing the watch he’d receives for Christmas. “Say, Dad,” he said, “what makes your watch run?”In the old days I would have told him to ask his mother.

Instead ,I got a pencil and drew a sketch② of the escapement

③mechanism④. (Always encourage your child’s curiosity.)

It took about fifteen minutes, and Sammy wandered off⑤several times, but I kept calling him back. “There,” I said, “that’s what makes your watch run.”

“There how come it doesn’t ?”he asked.

His brother Roy walked by. “You have to wind⑥it,” said Roy. Sammy wound it and held it to his ear. He smiled. “Roy sure smart,” he said.

Our daughter Gretchen came in with her doll, Mrs. Robinson. “Good morning, Gretchen,” I said. “Happy New Year, Mrs. Robinson.”(Meet your children at his own level)⑦

It isn’t either happy,” said Gretchen. “Mrs. Robinson is sick. Probably a coronary.”⑧

①【['æspərin]，阿司匹林】

②【[sketʃ] ,素描】

③【[i'skeipmənt] ，齿轮】

④【['mekənizəm]，原理】

⑤【溜号】

⑥【[wind]，扭】

⑦(Meet your children at his own level【站在你孩子的立场上考虑问题】

⑧【['kɔ:rənəri]，心血管病】

“Why don’t you take her to see Dr. Sammy?”I suggested. “He ca n use his new doctor’s kit”

The phone rang, and I answered it. It was a friend of our daughter Kit. “Happy New Year ,Marilyn,” I said . “What have you been doing over①the holidays?” (Show an interest in your children’s friends.) She said she hadn’t be en doing anything much. “Come now, a pretty girl like you,” I said jovially② “I ’ll bet 【sure】the fellows are swarming around③…What’s that? Yes , of course you can speak to Kit. Certainly .”

Kit was in her room with the record player going very loud. I rapped on the door. She called out something, and I went in. She was in her pajama s④. “I didn’t say you could come in!” She yelled, grabbing a robe and holding it in front of her. At fourteen , she has become extremely aware of being female.

“I’m sorry . I couldn’t understand you,” I said apologetically⑤. T o ease⑥the situation, I pick up her brand-new⑦sweater from the floor and put it over⑧a chair.