新标准大学英语_综合教程3_课后答案unit8

Unit8

Active reading (1)

Language points

1 She was called Katya, a dewy-eyed, sweet girl from Voronezh, who accepted Yakov on his own

reckoning. (Para 1)

As dew falls in the early morning and symbolizes innocence and newness, the word dewy-eyed means

innocent and lacking in experience about life.

Reckoning means one’s own view and account.

The sentence means that an innocent-looking girl from a less sophisticated city than Moscow was willing

to believe Yakov’s own high opinion of himself.

2 On International Women’s Day, Soviet women bask in their menfolk’s love and gratitude. (Para 2)

To bask means to relax in the sun. Here it depicts how comfortable and pleasant Soviet women feel on this

day.

3 Their husbands, with much cursing and clattering of pans, cook breakfast for the family … (Para 2)

The expression with much cursing and clattering of pans means with a lot of swearing and banging

about – as they were not used to doing it, they made many mistakes.

4 A Soviet woman’s days are usually taken up with … nipping out of work at lunchtime to buy

something for dinner … (Para 3)

To nip out means to go out for a very short time probably unofficially. It is a slang and is similar to the

expressions pop out and sneak out.

5 Their husbands … by drinking themselves into a stupor with toasts “to our beloved ladies …”

(Para 4)

Stupor is a state in which you cannot think, speak, see, or hear clearly, usually because you have drunk

too much alcohol. Sadly, Russia does have a serious alcoholism problem and early death from overconsumption

of vodka is far too common.

6 “I certainly will,” said Yakov, squeezing in between Liza Minelli and Katya and draping an arm

around each of them. (Para 10)

Yakov fit in between Liza Minelli and Katya although they were sitting close together, and put an arm

around each girl.

7 Yuri and Emily arrived and we covered blinis with thick sour cream and red caviar and drank

champagne, as families did all over Voronezh. (Para 13)

Sour cream is fermented cream, which is smoother and thicker. Eastern European food is noted for its sour

flavours.

Caviar usually refers to the roe or eggs of the sturgeon, a large fish, and is a very expensive special food.

It can also refer to other commoner fish roes.

Unit 8 High days and holidays

264

Reading and understanding

4 Answer the questions.

1 How well does the writer know the Soviet Union?

Not very well. The others have to explain the tradition of International Women’s Day to the writer.

2 What was Yakov doing when the writer met him?

He was buying roses.

3 Where does the writer live?

Room 99 of a hostel.

4 What do the Russian men do on International Wome n’s Day?

They buy flowers for the women in their life and do some house chores for them.

5 What kind of daily life do Russian women usually have?

They have a very busy life with lots of chores to do.

6 What do the Russian men do after they’ve prepared breakfast for their wives? They meet up with friends and drink themselves into a stupor.

7 What is the usual number of flowers to buy in Russia?

An odd number.

8 Why did Yakov buy 14 flowers?

He planned to give Katya five flowers and the girls in Room 99 three for each. Dealing with unfamiliar words

5 Match the words in the box with their definitions.

1 to put something somewhere in a careless way, especially something that is heavy (dump)

2 to lie, sit, or lean in a relaxed or lazy way (lounge)

3 loved very much by someone (beloved)

4 to move somewhere quietly and secretly so that no one can see you or hear you