现代大学英语精读(3) Unit 13

Russell Baker

▪Born in Virginia in 1925

▪In charge of "The Observer" column for the New York Times from 1962 to 1998.

▪Won his first Pulitzer Prize in 1979 for distinguished commentary as a columnist

▪Received his second Pulitzer Prize in 1983 for his autobiography Growing up

▪Regarded as one of America's leading wordsmiths and humorists Beackground:

The Great Depression

One of the most critical economic periods in the United States history was the Great Depression. A majority of the U.S. citizens did not know much about the Depression. The only information that they knew was what they read from textbooks. Many citizens never really had to face the hardship like others were forced to face. Growing Up by Russell Baker is

an autobiography on the problems he and his family endured during this era.

Causes of the Great Depression:

▪Speculation(投机) in the 1920s caused many people to buy stocks with loaned money. The stock market boom was very unsteady, because it was based on borrowed money and false optimism.

▪Politicians believed that business was the key business of America.

Thus, the government took no action against unwise investing.

▪Stock Market crash on October 24, 1929 (black Thursday)

Misery and personal sufferings were widespread.

▪Living conditions changed when multiple families crowded into small houses or apartments.

▪Unemployment rate was very high.

▪Thousands went hungry.

▪Children suffered long term effects from a poor diet and inadequate medical care.

▪Women continued to doing women’s work such as nursing, and even if they were able to get an industry job which seldom hired women, they usually were paid less than men.

Language Study:

preside [pri'zaid]

v.

act as president

preside over companies and corporations

vi.主持，担任会议主席

to chair, run the show

vt.管理

manage, conduct, run, direct, control

overgrown [,əuvə'ɡrəun]

adj.

1. covered with growing plants

2. abounding in usually unwanted vegetation

adj.蔓生的；生长过快的

conceive [kən'si:v]

v.

1. have the idea for

He conceived of a robot that would help paralyzed patients This library was well conceived

2. judge or regard; look upon; judge

The racist conceives such people to be inferior

3. become pregnant; undergo conception

She cannot conceive My daughter was conceived in Christmas Day vt.怀孕；构思；以为；持有

design, hold

vi.怀孕；设想；考虑

allow, think of, think about

inconceivable [,inkən'si:vəbl]

adj.

totally unlikely

adj.不可思议的；难以置信的；不能想象的incredible

promptly [prɔmptli]

adv.

1. with little or no delay

the rescue squad arrived promptly

adv. 迅速地；立即地；敏捷地quickly, rapidly

dismiss [dis'mis]

v.

1. bar from attention or consideration

She dismissed his advances

2. cease to consider; put out of judicial consideration