2004.9.20 下午自作于四川师范大学本部新村9栋-510
作者：潘永春（当然源于上外版精读教材）
四川师范大学69#3班 610066
panabc999@https://www.doczj.com/doc/084303624.html,
此文本仅供网友学习！
UNTH 1
TEXT
It is humorous essay. But after reading it you will surely find that the author is most serious in writing it.
Ts There Life on Earth?
There was great excitement on the planet of Venus this week. For the first time Venusian scientists managed to land a satellite on the plant Earth, and is has been sending back signals as well as photographs ever since.
The satellite was directed into an area know as Manhattan (named after the great Venusian astronomer Prof. Manhattan, who first discovered it with his telescope 20,000 light years ago).
Because of excellent weather conditions and extremely strong signals, Venusian scientists were able to get valuable information as to the feasibility of a manned flying saucer landing on Earth. A press conference was held at the Venus Institute of Technology.
"We have come to the conclusion, based on last week's satellite landing," Prof. Zog said, "that there is no life on Earth."
"How do you know this?" the science reporter of the Venus Evening Star asked.
"For one thing, Earth's surface in the area of Manhattan is composed of solid concrete and nothing can grow there. For another, the atmosphere is filled with carbon monoxide and other deadly gases and nobody could possibly breather this air and survive."
"What does this mean as far as our flying sauce program is concerned?"
"We shall have to take our own oxygen with us, which means a much heavier flying saucer than we originally planned."
"Are there any other hazards that you discovered in your studier?"
"Take a look at this photo. You see this dark black cloud hovering over the surface of Earth? We call this the Consolidated Edison Belt. We don't know what it is made of, but it could give us a lot of trouble and we shall have to make further tests before we send a Venus Being there."
"Over here you will notice what seems to be a river, but the satellite findings indicate it is polluted and the water is unfit to drink. This means we shall have to carry our own water, which will add even greater weight to the saucer."
"Sir, what are all those tiny black spots on the photographs?"
"We're not certain. They seem to be metal particles that move along certain paths. They emit gases, make noise and keep crashing into each other. There are so many of these paths and so many metal particles that it is impossible to land a flying saucer without its being smashed by one."
"What are those stalagmite projections sticking up?"
"They're some type of granite formations that give off light at night. Prof. Glom has named them skyscrapers since they seem to be scraping the skies."
"If all you say is true, won't this set back the flying saucer program
several years?"
"Yes, but we shall proceed as soon as the Grubstart gives us the added funds."
"Prof. Zog, why are we spending billions and billions of zilches to land a flying saucer on Earth when there is no life there?
"Because if we Venusians can learn to breathe in an Earth atmosphere, then we can live anywhere."
NEW WORDS
humorous
a. funny; that makers people laugh 幽默的
humor
n.
essay
n. 散文，随笔
excitement
n. the state or quality of being excited
planet
n. large body in space that moves round a star esp. round the sun 行星
Venusian
a. of or having to do with the plant Venus 金星的
n. supposed Venus being 金星人
satellite
n. spacecraft that goes round the planet earth and sends back radio and television signals; heavenly body that goes round a plant （人造）卫星
signal
n. 信号；暗号
astronomer
n. person who studies the science of the sun, moon, stars and planets
天文学家
telescope
n. instrument with special glasses used for seeing distant things
extremely
ad. very 极端，非常
extreme
a.
feasibility
ad. possibility of being carried or done 可行性
feasible
a.
manned
a. occupied by one or more persons 载人的
saucer
n. 浅碟；茶托
flying saucer
n. 飞碟
conference
n. meeting
press conference
n. meeting arranged by an important person to which news reporters are invited to listen to a statement or ask questions 记者招待会
technology
n. 技术
conclusion
n. decision of opinion reached by reasoning 结论
conclude
v.
reporter
v. person who gathers news for a newspaper, magazine, or radio or TV station 记者
compose
vt. make up, form 组成，构成
concrete
n. building material made by mixing cement with sand, small stones and water 混凝土
atmosphere
n. all the gasses round the earth; air in a place 大气；空气
carbon
n. 碳
monoxide
n. 一氧化物
deadly
a. causing death; likely to cause death 致命的
gas
n. 气体
survive
vi. remain alive; continue to live or exist 活下来；幸存
vt. remain alive after; live longer than 经历...后还活着；比...活得长
survival
n.
program
n. plan of what it to be done 计划
concern
vt. be of importance or interest to; have an effect on 涉及，关系到
oxygen
n. 氧，氧气
originally
ad. formerly 起初，原来
original
a.
hazard
n. danger
hover
vi. stay in or near one place in the air 盘旋
consolidated
a. untied; combined 联合的
consolidate
vt.
belt
n. area that has some special quality; zone （地）带
indicate
vt. show
indication
n.
pollute
vt. make (air, water, soil, etc.) dirty with manmade waste 污染
pollution
n.
unfit
a. not good enough; not
suitable
particle
n. 粒子；微粒
emit
vt. send out 散发，射出
emission
n.
crash
v. (cause to) break into pieces violently 坠落；猛撞
smash
v. (cause to) break into pieces violently (使)碎裂
stalagmite
n. 石笋
projection
n. sth. that stands out from a surface 凸出物
type
n. a particular kind, class or group 类型，种类
granite
n. hard grey stone used for building 花岗岩
formation
n. sth. that is formed; way in which sth. is formed 形成（物）
skyscraper
n. very tall building 摩天大楼
scrape
vt. rub with sth. rough or sharp 刮，擦
proceed
vi. continue after having stopped （停顿后）继续进行
fund
n. sum of money set apart or available for a special purpose 资金；基金
billion
n. one thousand million
zilch
n. zero; nothing at all
PHRASES & EXPRESSIONS
(be) known as
also publicly called; named 以...闻名，通常名叫
name after
give the same name as 以...名字命名
as to
about, concerning 关于
base on / upon
use as a basis or foundation for 以...为基础，把...基于
for one thing ... (for another)
in the first place... (in the second place)
be composed of
have as members or parts 由...组成
as far as ... be concerned
to the degree that it matters to 就...而言
stick up
stand upright; project 直立；突出
give off
emit; send out 发出；散发出
set back
delay the advance of development of 耽搁；阻碍
PEOPER NAMES
Art Buchwald
阿特.布奇沃德
Venus
金星
Manhattan
曼哈顿（纽约市中心）
Zog
佐格（姓氏）
Edison
爱迪生（姓氏）
Glom
格洛姆（姓氏）
UNIT 2
TEXT
A heated discussion about whether men are braver than women is settled in a rather unexpected way.
The Dinner Party
I first heard this tale in India, where is told as if true -- though any naturalist would know it couldn't be. Later someone told me that the story appeared in a magazine shortly before the First World War. That magazine story, and the person who wrote it, I have never been able to track down.
The country is India. A colonial official and his wife are giving a large dinner party. They are seated with their guests -- officers and their wives, and a visiting American naturalist -- in their spacious dining room, which has a bare marble floor, open rafters and wide glass doors opening onto a veranda.
A spirited discussion springs up between a young girl who says that women have outgrown the jumping-on-a-chair-at-the-sight-of-a-mouse era and a major who says that they haven't.
"A woman's reaction in any crisis," the major says, "is to scream. And while a man may feel like it, he has that ounce more of control than a
woman has. And that last ounce is what really counts."
The American does not join in the argument but watches the other guests. As he looks, he sees a strange expression come over the face of the hostess. She is staring straight ahead, her muscles contracting slightly. She motions to the native boy standing behind her chair and whispers something to him. The boy's eyes widen: he quickly leaves the room.
Of the guests, none except the American notices this or sees the boy place a bowl of milk on the veranda just outside the open doors.
The American comes to with a start. In India, milk in a bowl means only one thing -- bait for a snake. He realizes there must be a cobra in the room. He looks up at the rafters -- the likeliest place -- but they are bare. Three corners of the room are empty, and in the fourth the servants are waiting to serve the next course. There is only one place left -- under the table.
His first impulse is to jump back and warn the others, but he knows the commotion would frighten the cobra into striking. He speaks quickly, the tone of his voice so commanding that it silences everyone.
"I want to know just what control everyone at this table has. I will count three hundred -- that's five minutes -- and not one of you is to move a muscle. Those who move will forfeit 50 rupees. Ready?"
The 20 people sit like stone images while he counts. He is saying "...two hundred and eighty..." when, out of the corner of his eye, he sees the cobra emerge and make for the bowl of milk. Screams ring out as he jumps to slam the veranda doors safely shut.
"You were right, Major!" the host exclaims. "A man has just shown us an example of perfect self-control."
"Just a minute," the American says, turning to his hostess. "Mrs. Wynnes, how did you know that cobra was in the room?"
A faint smile lights up the woman's face as she replies: "Because it was crawling across my foot."
NEW WORDS
heated
a. with strong, excited, and often angry feelings 热烈的；激烈的
unexpected
a. not expected 意外的
naturalist
n. one who makes a special study of plants or animals outdoors 博物学家（尤指直接观察动植物者）
shortly
ad. Soon; (in) a little time 不久，马上
colonial]
a. of or related to a colony or colonies 殖民地的
spacious
a. big; having much space 广阔的；宽阔的
dining
n. 餐厅
bare
a. not covered (with a carpet); empty 不铺地毯的；赤裸的；光秃的
marble
n. 大理石
rafter
n. one of the sloping beams that support 椽
onto
prep. to a position or point on 到...之上; 向...之上
veranda
n. 阳台
spirited
a. full of spirit; lively
outgrow
vt. leave behind, as one grows older or more mature 长大得使...不再适用; 成长得不再要
mouse
n. 鼠
era
n. 时代，年代
major
n. 少校
crisis
n. time of difficulty, danger, etc.
危机
ounce
n. 盎司;少量
argument
n. discussion by persons who disagree; dispute 争论;辩论
hostess
n. 女主人
muscle
n. 肌肉
contract
vi. become shorter or smaller 收缩
contraction
n.
slightly
ad. a little 稍微地
slight
a.
motion
vi. give a signal by moving the hand or head 打手势;点(或摇)头示意
widen
v. make or become wider
bait
n. food used to attract fish, animals, or birds so that they may be caught 诱饵
cobra
n. poisonous snake found in India and Africa 眼镜蛇
likely
a. probable 可能的
impulse
n. sudden wish to do sth. 冲动
commotion
n. noisy confusion or excitement 混乱;骚动
tone
n. quality of voice or music 语气;音调
commanding
a. authoritative 威严的
forfeit
vt. suffer the loss of (sth.) as a punishment (作为惩罚而)失去
rupee
n. monetary unit of India, Pakistan, etc. 卢比
image
n. statue 雕像
emerge
vi. come or appear (from somewhere)
emergence
n.
slam
vt. shut loudly and with force 砰地关上
host
n. man who receives guests 男主人
faint
a. weak, indistinct 微弱的;不明显的
crawl
vi move slowly by pulling the body along the ground 爬行
UNIT 3
TEXT
Jefferson died long ago, but may of his ideas still of great interest to us.
Lessons from Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States, may be less famous than George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, but most people remember at last one fact about him: he wrote the Declaration of Independence.
Although Jefferson lived more than 200 years ago, there is much that we learn from him today. Many of his ideas are especially interesting to modern youth. Here are some of the things he said and wrote:
Go and see. Jefferson believed that a free man obtains knowledge from many sources besides books and that personal investigation is important. When still a young man, he was appointed to a committee to find out whether the South Branch of the James River was deep enough to be used by large boats. While the other members of the committee sat in the state capitol and studied papers on the subject, Jefferson got into a canoe and made on-the-spot-observations.
You can learn from everyone. By birth and by education Jefferson belonged to the highest social class. Yet, in a day when few noble persons ever spoke to those of humble origins except to give an order, Jefferson went out of his way to talk with gardeners, servants, and waiters. Jefferson once said to the French nobleman, Lafayette, "You must go into the people's homes as I have done, look into their cooking pots and eat their bread. If you will only do this, you may find out why people are dissatisfied and understand the revolution that is threatening France."
Judge for yourself. Jefferson refused to accept other peo
ple's opinions without careful thought. "Neither believe nor reject anything," he wrote to his nephew, "because any other person has rejected or believed it. Heaved has given you a mind for judging truth and error. Use it."
Jefferson felt that the people "may safely be trusted to hear everything true and false, and to form a correct judgment. Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter."
Do what you believe is right. In a free country there will always be conflicting ideas, and this is a source of strength. It is conflict and not unquestioning agreement that keeps freedom alive. Though Jefferson was for many years the object of strong criticism, he never answered his critics. He expressed his philosophy in letters to a friend, "There are two sides to every question. If you take one side with decision and on it with effect, those who take the other side will of course resent your actions."
Trust the future; trust the young. Jefferson felt that the present should never be chained to customs which have lost their usefulness. "No society," he said, "can make a perpetual constitution, or even a perpetual law. The earth belongs to the living generation." He did not fear new ideas, nor did he fear the future. "How much pain," he remarked, "has been caused by evils which have never happened! I expect the best, not the worst. I steer my ship with hope, leaving fear behind."
Jefferson's courage and idealism were based on knowledge. He probably knew more than any other man of his age. He was an expert in agriculture, archeology, and medicine. He practiced crop rotation and soil conservation a century before these became standard practice, and he invented a plow superior to any other in existence. He influenced architecture throughout America, and he was constantly producing devices for making the tasks of ordinary life easier to perform.
Of all Jefferson's many talents, one is central. He was above all a good and tireless writer. His complete works, now being published for the first time, will fill more than fifty volumes. His talent as an author was soon discovered, and when the time came to write the Declaration of Independence at Philadelphia in 1776, the task of writing it was his. Millions have thrilled to his words: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal…"
When Jefferson died on July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of American independence, he left his countrymen a rich legacy of ideas and examples. American education owes a great debt to Thomas Jefferson, Who believed that only a nation of educated people could remain free.
NEW WORDS
declaration
n. document containing an open public announcement 宣言
independence
n. freedom from the control of others 独立
obtain
vt. get through effort 获得
source
n. place from which sth. comes; place wher
e a river starts （来）源；源头
personal
a. done in person; belonging to a person 亲自的；个人的
investigation
n. detailed or careful examination 调查
investigate
vt.
appoint
vt. put (sb.) in a position 任命
appointment
n.
committee
n. a group of people chosen for special duties 委员会
capitol
n. （美国）州议会大厦
canoe
n. light boat moved by a paddle 独木舟
on-the-spot
a. at the place of the action 现场的
humble
a. low in position 地位低下的
origin
n. parentage; birth; beginning 血统；出身；起源
gardener
n. person who works in a garden either for pay or as a hobby 园丁
waiter
n. person who serves food to the tables in a restaurant （男）侍者
nobleman
n. 贵族
dissatisfy
vt. hang over dangerously; utter a threat against 使不满
threaten
vt. hang over dangerously; utter a threat against 威胁
threat
n.
reject
vt. refuse to take, believe, use of consider 拒绝
rejection
n.
nephew
n. the son of one's brother or sister
error
n. mistake; sth. done wrongly
false
a. not true or correct
judgment
n. opinion 判断， 看法
hesitate
vi. feel doubtful; be undecided 犹豫，迟疑不决
hesitation
n.
prefer
vt. like better; choose (one thing) rather than (another) 更喜欢；宁愿
preference
n.
latter
a. nearer to the end 后面的；后半的
n. the second of two persons or things just spoken of 后者
conflict
n. be opposed; clash 冲突
n. disagreement; clash; fight
unquestioning
a. given or done without question or doubt
agreement
n. having the same opinion(s); thinking in the same way 同意；一致的
criticism
n. unfavourable remarks of judgments 批评
critic
n. person who makes judgments about the good and bad qualities of sth.; person who points out mistakes 评论家；批评者
criticize
vt.
philosophy
n. 哲学
resent
vt. feel angry or bitter at 对...忿恨;对...不满
action
n. the process of doing things; sth. done 行动过程；行动
custom
n. 习惯,风俗
perpetual
a. never-ending; going on for a long time or without stopping 永恒的;连续不断的
constitution
n. 宪法;章程
living
a. alive now 活(着)的
remark
vt. say; comment 说;评论说
n. 话语;评论
evil
n. sth. bad; sin 邪恶,罪恶
a. very bad 邪恶的,坏的
idealism
n. 理想主义;唯心主义
arch(a)eology
n. study of ancient things, esp. remains of prehistoric times 考古学
rotation
n. 轮作;旋转
rotate
v.
conservation
n. protecting from loss of from being used up 保护;保存
conserve
vt.
superior
a. good or better in quality or value 较好的;优的
superiority
n.
existence
n. the state of existing 存在
influence
vt. have an effect on 影响
architecture
n. art and science of building 建筑术;建筑学
constantly
ad. continuously; frequently 不断地;经常地
constant
a.
perform
vt. do, carry out 做,履行
talent
n. special natural ability 才能,天资
central
a. chief; main; most important 主要的
tireless
a. never or rarely getting tired
writer
n. a person who writes esp. as a way of earning money 作家
publish
vt. have (a book, etc.) printed and put on sale 出版
volume
n. book, esp. one of a set of books 卷;册
thrill
vi. have a very exciting feeling 非常激动
self-evident
a. clear without proof 不言而喻的
create
vt. make (sth. that has not been made before) 创造
creation
n.
anniversary
n. the yearly return of a special date 周年纪念日
countryman
n. a person from one's own country 周胞
legacy
n. sth. that one person leaves to another when he dies 遗产
owe
vt. 欠(债等);应把...归功于
debt
n. something owed to someone else 债(务)
educate
vt. train; teach how to read, write, think, etc.
PHRASES & EXPRESSIONS
go out of one's way (to do sth.)
take particular trouble; make a special effort 特地
leave...to
leave sb. in charge of 交托,委托
act on
act according to 按照...行事
leave behind
abandon; fall to take or bring 丢弃;留下,忘带
in existence
existing 存在
above all
most important of all 首先,尤其是
PROPER NAMES
Bruce Bilven
布鲁斯.布利文
Thomas Jefferson
托马斯.杰斐逊
George Washington
乔治.华盛顿
Abraham Lincoln
亚伯拉罕.林肯
the Declaration of Independence
《独立宣言》
the James River
詹姆斯河
Lafayette
拉斐特
France
法国
Heaven
上帝；天堂
Philadelphia
费城（美国港市）
UNIT 4
TEXT
Trying to make some money before entering university, the author applies for a teaching job. But the interview goes from bad to worse...
My First Job
While I was waiting to enter university, I saw advertised in a local newspaper a teaching post at a school in a suburb of London about ten miles from where I lived. Being very short money and wanting to do something useful, I applied, fearing as I did so, that without a degree and with no experience in teaching my chances of getting the job were slim.
However, three days later a letter arrived, asking me to go to Croydon for an interview. It proved an awkward journey: a train to Croydon station; a ten-minute bus ride and then a walk of at least a quarter to feel nervous.
The school was a red brick house with big windows, The front garden was a gravel square; four evergreen shrubs stood at each corner, where they struggled to survive the dust and fume
s from a busy main from a busy main road.
It was clearly the headmaster himself that opened the door. He was short and fat. He had a sandy-coloured moustache, a wrinkled forehead and hardly any hair.
He looked at me with an air of surprised disapproval, as a colonel might look at a private whose bootlaces were undone. 'Ah yes,' he grunted. 'You'd better come inside.' The narrow, sunless hall smelled unpleasantly of stale cabbage; the walls were dirty with ink marks; it was all silent. His study, judging by the crumbs on the carpet, was also his dining-room. 'You'd better sit down,' he said, and proceeded to ask me a number of questions: what subjects I had taken in my General School Certificate; how old I was; what games I played; then fixing me suddenly with his bloodshot eyes, he asked me whether I thought games were a vital part of a boy's education. I mumbled something about not attaching too much importance to them. He grunted. I had said the wrong thing. The headmaster and I obviously had very little in common.
The school, he said, consisted of one class of twenty-four boys, ranging in age from seven to thirteen. I should have to teach all subjects except art, which he taught himself. Football and cricket were played in the Park, a mile away on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons.
The teaching set-up filled me with fear. I should have to divide the class into three groups and teach them in turn at three different levels; and I was dismayed at the thought of teaching algebra and geometry-two subjects at which I had been completely incompetent at school. Worse perhaps was the idea of Saturday afternoon cricket; most of my friends would be enjoying leisure at that time.
I said shyly, 'What would my salary be?' 'Twelve pounds a week plus lunch.' Before I could protest, he got to his feet. 'Now', he said, 'you'd better meet my wife. She's the one who really runs this school.'
This was the last straw. I was very young: the prospect of working under a woman constituted the ultimate indignity.
NEW WORDS
apply
vi. write to ask for (a job, membership. etc.), esp. officially 申请
application
n.
interview
n. 面试；接见；会见
advertise
vt. make know to people by printing a notice in a newspaper, etc. or by broadcasting on television, ets. 为...做广告
advertisement
n.
local
of, special to, a place or district 当地的;地方性的
post
n. job or position 职位
suburb
n. outer area of a town or city, where people live 郊区
slim
a. small, slight; slender 微小的;苗条的
depress
vt. make sad 使沮丧
depression
n.
brick
n. 砖
gravel
n. 砾石
evergreen
a. with green leaves throughout the year 常绿的
shrub
n. low bush with several woody stems 灌木
fume
n. strong-smelling smoke, gas or vapour 浓烈难闻的烟,气,汽
headmaster
n. (中,小学的)校长
sandy-coloured
a. yellowish-r
ed 沙色的,黄中带红的
moustache
n. hair growing on the upper lip 小胡子
disapproval
n. unfavorable opinion or feeling; dislike 不赞成;不满
colonel
n. 上校
private
n. soldier of the lowest rank 列兵;士兵
bootlace
n. shoelace for a high shoe or boot 靴带
undo
vt. untie, unfasten 解开;松开
ah
interj. (a cry of surprise, pity, pain, joy, dislike, etc.) 啊
grunt
vt. 咕哝着说出
unpleasantly
ad. 令人不愉快地
stale
a. not fresh 不新鲜的
cabbage
n. 卷心菜
crumb
n. very small, broken piece of bread or cake 面包屑;糕饼屑
carpet
n. heavy woven material fir covering floors or stairs 地毯
certificate
n. 证(明)书
bloodshot
a. (眼睛)充血的
vital
a. very necessary; of the greatest importance 必不可少的,极其重要的
mumble
vt. speak (words) unclearly 含糊地说
attach
vt. give (to); fasten (to) 把...给予;系,贴
importance
n. the quality of being important
obviously
ad. it can be easily seen; plainly 明显地，显然
obvious
a.
consist (of)
vi. be made up (of) 组成，构成
range
vi. vary between certain limits （在一定的范围内）变动
cricket
n. 板球
set-up
n. arrangement
dismay
vt. make discouraged or afraid 使灰心，使害怕
algebra
n. 代数学
geometry
n. 几何学
incompetent
a. completely unskillful; not good enough at doing a job, etc. 无能力的；不胜任的
competent
a. opposite of incompetent
leisure
n. free time; time which one can spend as one likes 闲暇；悠闲
salary
n. fixed (usually monthly) pay for regular work 薪水
plus
prep. with the addition of 加（上）
protest
vi. express a strong objection 抗议；反对
straw
n. 稻草；麦杆
prospect
vi. sth. expected or considered probable; possibility 期望中的事；展望；前景
constitute
vt. form; make up; be 组成，构成
ultimate
a. greatest; utmost; last or final 最大的；终极的，最终的
indignity
n. injury to one's dignity; insult 侮辱
PHRASES & EXPRESSIONS
be short of
not having enough of 缺少
smell of
have, give out the smell of 有...的气味
judging by
forming an opinion based on
attach importance to
consider important 重视
in common
shared with someone else 共有的,共同的
consist of
be made up of
in turn
one after another 轮流
PROPER NAMES
London
伦敦(英国首都)
Croydon
克洛伊登(英国地名)
UNIT 5
TEXT
Seen through the eyes of a young friend Einstein was a simple, modest and ordinary man.
The professor and the Yo-yo
My father was a close friend of Albert Einstein. As a shy young visitor to Einstein's home, I was made to fee
l at ease when Einstein said, "I have something to show you." He went to his desk and returned with a Yo-Yo. He tried to show me how it worked but he couldn't make it roll back up the string. When my turn came, I displayed my few tricks and pointed out to him that the incorrectly looped string had thrown the toy off balance. Einstein nodded, properly impressed by my skill and knowledge. Later, I bought a new Yo-Yo and mailed it to the Professor as a Christmas present, and received a poem of thanks.
As boy and then as an adult, I never lost my wonder at the personality that was Einstein. He was the only person I knew who had come to terms with himself and the world around him. He knew what he wanted and he wanted only this: to understand within his limits as a human being the nature of the universe and the logic and simplicity in its functioning. He knew there were answers beyond his intellectual reach. But this did not frustrate him. He was content to go as far as he could.
In the 23 years of our friendship, I never saw him show jealousy, vanity, bitterness, anger, resentment, or personal ambition. He seemed immune to these emotions. He was beyond any pretension. Although he corresponded with many of the world's most important people, his stationery carried only a watermark - W - for Woolworth's.
To do his work he needed only a pencil only a pencil and a pad of paper. Material things meant nothing to him. I never knew him to carry money because he never had any use for it. He believed in simplicity, so much so that he used only a safety razor and water to shave. When I suggested that he try shaving cream, he said, "The razor and water do the job."
"But Professor, why don't you try the cream just once?" I argued. "It makes shaving smoother and less painful."
He shrugged. Finally, I presented him with a tube of shaving cream. The next morning when he came down to breakfast, he was beaming with the pleasure of a new, great discovery. "You know, that cream really works," he announced. "It doesn't pull the beard. It feels wonderful." Thereafter, he used the shaving cream every morning until the tube was empty. Then he reverted to using plain water.
Einstein was purely and exclusively a theorist. He didn't have the slightest interest in the practical application of his ideas and theories. His E=mc2 is probably the most famous equation in history - yet Einstein wouldn't walk down the street to see a reactor create atomic energy. He won the Nobel Prize for his Photoelectric Theory, a series of equations that he considered relatively minor in importance, but he didn't have any curiosity in observing how his theory made TV possible.
My brother once gave the Professor a toy, a bird that balanced on the edge of a bowl of water and repeatedly dunked its head in the water. Einstein watched it in delight, trying to deduce the operating principle. But be couldn't.
The next morning he announced, "I had thought about that bird for
a long time before I went to bed and it must work this way…" He began a ling explanation. Then he stopped, realizing a flaw in his reasoning. "No, I guess that's not it," he said. He pursued various theories for several days until I suggested we take the toy apart to see how it did work. His quick expression of disapproval told me he did not agree with this practical approach. He never did work out the solution.
Another puzzle that Einstein could never understand was his own fame. He had developed theories that were profound and capable of exciting relatively few scientists. Yet his name was a household word across the civilized world. "I've had good ideas, and so have other men," he once said. "But it's been my good fortune that my ideas have been accepted." He was bewildered by his fame: people wanted to meet him; strangers stared at him on the street; scientists, statesmen, students, and housewives wrote him letters. He never could understand why he received this attention, why he was singled out as something special.
NEW WORDS
modest
a. having or expressing a not too high opinion of one's merits, abilities, etc. 谦虚的
yo-yo
n. 游游（一种用线扯动使用权忽上忽来的轮形玩具）
ease
n. freedom from work, discomfort, trouble, difficulty, worry, etc. 悠闲；舒适；自在；安心
display
n. show 展示
loop
vt. 把（绳等）打成环
n. 圈；环
strong
n. 细绳；线；弦
balance
n. condition of being steady 平衡
v. keep in a state of balance
properly
ad. really; completely 非常；完全地
impress
vt. have a strong effect on the mind or feelings of 给...深刻的印象
mail
vt. send by post
poem
n. piece of writing in verse 诗
personality
n. character 个性
logic
n. the science or method of reasoning 逻辑(学);推理(法)
simplicity
n. the state of being simple; an absence of pretense 简单;简朴;单纯
function
vi. work
intellectual
a. 智力的
frustrate
n. cause to have feeling of annoyed disappointment; defeat 使沮丧;挫败
frustration
n.
jealousy
n. envy 妒忌
jealous
a.
vanity
n. state of being too proud of oneself or one's looks, abilities, etc. 虚荣心
bitterness
n. the quality or state of being bitter 苦;痛苦
resentment
n. feeling that one has when insulted, ignored, injured, etc. 怨恨
ambition
n. strong desire for success, power, riches, etc. 野心,抱负
ambitious
a.
immune
a. 有免疫力的;不受影响的
immunity
n.
emotion
n. strong feeling
pretension
n. 矫饰,做作,不受影响
correspond
vi. exchange letter regularly 通信
stationery
n. paper for writing letters, usu. with matching envelopes; writing materials 信笺;文具
watermark
n. mark made on paper by the maker, seen when it is held against light 水印
pad
n. a number o
f sheets of writing paper fixed along one edge 便笺簿
razor
n. sharp instrument for taking hair off the body 剃刀
shave
vt. cut off (hair or beard) with a razor
cream
n. any thick, soft liquid 膏状物
argue
vt. give reasons for or against (sth.) 争辨
painful
a. causing pain
shrug
vi. lift (the shoulders) slightly (to show in difference, doubt, etc.) 耸肩
finally
ad. at last; lastly 最终;最后
present
vt. give; offer 赠送;提供
tube
n. 管;软管
beam
vi. look or smile happily and cheerfully 面露喜色;高兴地微笑
beard
n. hair of the lower part of the face (excluding the moustache) 胡须
thereafter
ad. after that; afterwards
revert
vi return (to a former state, condition, etc.) 回复,回返
exclusively
ad. only; completely
exclusive
a. person who forms theories 理论家
theorist
n. 方程式
equation
n. small in degree, not considerable or serious 微小的,轻微的
application
n. using 应用
theory
n. (explanation of the) general principles of an art or science 理论
theoretical
a.
reactor
n. 反应堆
atomic
a. of or concerning an atom or atoms 原子的
atom
n.
photoelectric
a. 光电的
series
n. group of things of the same kind that come one after another 系列;套,组
relatively
ad. comparatively 相对地;比较地
relative
a.
relativity
n.
curiosity
n. the desire to know or learn 好奇心
observe
v. see and again
repeatedly
ad. again and again
dunk
vt. put under water for a limited time 把...浸一浸
deduce
vt. reach a conclusion by reasoning 演绎,推断
deduction
n.
principle
n. 原理;原则
flaw
n. fault 缺点,瑕疵
reasoning
n. process of reaching conclusions by using one's reason 推理
pursue
vt. work at, be busy with, go on with 从事;忙于;继续
apart
ad. separate(ly) 分离,分开
approach
n. method of doing sth. 方式,方法
solution
n. sth. that one cannot understand or explain 谜
fame
n. (condition of) being famous
profound
a. needing much thought or study to understand; deep 深奥的;深刻的
capable
a. able
capability
n.
household
n. all the people living in a house
a. familiar and common
household word
n. word or name known and spoken of by almost everyone 家喻户晓的词或名字
civilized
a. 文明的
civilize
vt.
civilization
n.
fortune
n. luck
bewilder
vt. confuse; puzzle 把...弄糊涂;使迷惑
statesman
n. political or government leader, esp. one who is wise and fair-minded 政治家
housewife
n. married woman who manages a household
PHRASES & EXPRESSIONS
at ease
free from worry or nervousness; comfortable
off balance
not in balance; unsteady 失去平衡的
come t
o terms with
accept (sth. one does not want to accept) and deal with it in the best way one can 与...达成协议;与...妥协
as far as
to the degree that 到...程度
mean nothing to
be of no importance to
believe in
have confidence in the value of
so much so that
to such an extent that
a series of
a number of (thing or events) of the same kind that follow each other 一系列,一连串
take apart
separate (a small machine, clock, etc.) into pieces 拆开
work out
solve, find the answer to 解决;算出;想出
capable of
having the ability, power or inclination (to do)
single out
choose from a group for special treatment 选出,挑出
PROPER NAMES
Thomas Lee Bucky
托马斯.李.巴基
Joseph Blank
约瑟夫.布兰克
Albert Einstein
阿伯特.爱因斯坦
Woolworth
伍尔沃叫(姓氏)
Nobel Prize
诺贝尔奖金
UNIT 6
TEXT
A famous surgeon tells about the importance of self-confidence from his own experience.
The Making of a Surgeon
How does a doctor recognize the point in time when he is finally a "surgeon"? As my year as chief resident drew to a close I asked myself this question on more than one occasion.
The answer, I concluded, was self-confidence. When you can say to yourself, "There is no surgical patient I cannot treat competently, treat just as well as or better than any other surgeon" - then, and not until then, you are indeed a surgeon. I was nearing that point.
Take, for example, the emergency situations that we encountered almost every night. The first few months of the year I had dreaded the ringing of the telephone. I knew it meant another critical decision to be made. Often, after I had told Walt or Larry what to do in a particular situation, I'd have trouble getting back to sleep. I'd review all the facts of the case and, not infrequently, wonder if I hadn't made a poor decision. More than once at two or three in the morning, after lying awake for an hour, I'd get out of bed, dress and drive to the hospital to see the patient myself. It was the only way I could find the peace of mind I needed to relax.
Now, in the last month of my residency, sleeping was no longer a problem. There were still situations in which I couldn't be certain my decision had been the right one, but I had learned to accept this as a constant problem for a surgeon, one that could never be completely resolved - and I could live with it. So, once I had made a considered decision, I no longer dwelt on it. Reviewing it wasn't going to help and I knew that with my knowledge and experience, any decision I'd made was bound to be a sound one. It was a nice feeling.
In the operating room I was equally confident. I knew I had the knowledge, the skill, the experience to handle any surgical situation I'd ever encounter in practice. There were no more butterflies in
my stomach when I opened up an abdomen or a chest. I knew that even if the case was one in which it was impossible to anticipate the problem in advance, I could handle whatever l found. I'd sweated through my share of stab wounds of the belly, of punctured lungs, of compound fractures. I had sweated over them for five years. I didn't need to sweat any more.
Nor was I afraid of making mistakes. I knew that when I was out in practice I would inevitably err at one time or another and operate on someone who didn't need surgery or sit on someone who did. Five years earlier - even one year earlier - I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I had had to take sole responsibility for a mistake in judgment. Now I could. I still dreaded errors - would do my best to avoid them -- but I knew they were part of a surgeon's life. I could accept this fact with calmness because I knew that if I wasn't able to avoid a mistake, chances were that no other surgeon could have, either.
This all sounds conceited and I guess it is - but a surgeon needs conceit. He needs it to encourage him in trying moments when he's bothered by the doubts and uncertainties that are part of the practice of medicine. He has to feel that he's as good as and probably better than any other surgeon in the world. Call it conceit - call it self-confidence; whatever it was, I had it.
NEW WORDS
surgeon
n. doctor who performs operations 外科医生
self-confidence
n. 自信心
making
n. means of gaining success 成功之道
resident
n. 住院医生
conclude
vt. arrive at a belief or opinion by reasoning 得出结论
surgical
a. of, by, or for surgery 外科的；手术的
competently
ad. with the necessary skill 称职地；胜任地
competent
a.
near
vt. approach; come closer to
emergency
n. sudden and dangerous happening needing immediate action 紧急情况；急症
encounter
vt. be faced with (difficulties, danger, etc.); meet unexpectedly 遭到；意外地遇见
dread
vt. fear greatly 畏惧
critical
a. important at a time of danger and difficulty 紧要的；关键性的
particular
a. belonging to some one person, thing, or occasion 特定的
case
n. instance of disease or injury 病例
infrequently
ad. seldom; not often
relax
vi. become less tense 放松
relaxation
n.
residency
n. the last stage of a doctor's training at a hospital 高级专科住院实习（期）
constant
a. happening all the time; unchanging 不断的；始终如一的
resolve
vt. solve 解决
resolution
n.
considered
a. carefully thought out 经过深思熟虑的
dwell
vi. live (in a place) 居住
bound
a. very likely; certain 一定的，必然的
sound
a. correct; based on good judgment 正确的，合理的
confident
a. sure of oneself and one's abilities 自然的
confidence
n.
handle
vt.
manage, deal with 处理
butterfly
n. 蝴蝶
abdomen
n. belly 腹（部）
anticipate
vt. see beforehand 预期
anticipation
n.
sweat
n. 汗
vi. 流汗
stab
n. thrust made with a pointed weapon 刺；戳
belly
n. 肚，腹部
puncture
vt. make a small hole in (sth.) with sth. pointed 刺穿
compound
a. having more than one part 复合的
fracture
n. break in a bone 骨折
compound
n. 复合性骨折
inevitably
ad. unavoidably 不可避免地
inevitable
a.
err
vi. make mistakes; do wrong
operate
vi. perform a surgical operation 动手术
surgery
n. 外科；外科手术
sole
a. unshared; one and only 唯一的
responsibility
n. 责任；责任心
avoid
vt. escape; keep or get away from 避免
conceited
a. having too high an opinion of oneself 自负的
conceit
n. too high an opinion of oneself
trying
a. hard to endure or bear; very difficult 难受的；恼人的
bother
vt. annoy, trouble 烦扰，麻烦
uncertainty
n. uncertain condition; doubt
PHRASES & EXPRESSIONS
draw to a close
come to an end 结束
live with
learn to accept (sth. unpleasant); tolerate 学会；适应；容忍
dwell on
think, write, or speak a lot about 老是想着；详述；强调
(be) bound to (do)
(be) certain to (do) 一定..., 必然...
in practice
(医师,律师等) 在开业中;在实践中
butterflies in the stomach
feelings of nervousness 忐忑不安
open up
cut open 切开,给...开刀
in advance
ahead of time 预先,事前
at one time or another
sometime or other 早晚
sit on
delay taking action on; do nothing about 拖延;搁置
PROPER NAMES
Nolen
诺兰(姓氏)
Walt
沃尔特(男子名 Walter 的昵称)
Larry
拉里(男子 Lawrence 的昵称)
UNIT7
TEXT
In this article the author describes what happened to her one night and what happened to her one night and her feelings about it.
There's Only Luck
My mind went numb when I saw the gun pointing against the car window as we pulled out of the garage: This can't be happening to me. Then I felt the gun, cold, against my head, and I heard my friend Jeremy saying, "What do you want? Take my wallet," but at the time I thought of nothing.
I remember being vaguely annoyed when the gunman pulled me from the car by the hair. I remember the walk to the house - Jeremy, me, the two men with two guns. I remember the fear and anger in the gunmen's voices because Jeremy was being slow, and I remember wondering why he waas being slow. I did not realize that Jeremy had thrown the keys into the shrubbery. But I remember that sound of the gun hitting Jeremy's head and the feeling as the man who had hold of my hair released me. And I remember the split se
cond when I realized he was looking at Jeremy, and I remember wondering how far I could run before he pulled the trigger. But I was already running, and upon reaching the car across the street, I didn't crouch behind it but screamed instead.
I remember thinking there was something absurdly melodramatic about screaming "Help, help!" at eight o'clock on a Tuesday evening in December and changing my plea to the more specific "Help, let me in, please let me in!" But the houses were cold, closed, unfriendly, and I ran on until I heard Jeremy's screams behind me announcing that our attackers had fled.
The neighbors who had not opened their doors to us came out with baseball bats and helped Jeremy find his glasses and keys. In a group they were very brave. We waited for the cops to come until someone said to someone else that the noodles were getting cold, and I said politely, "Please go and eat. We're O.K."
I was happy to see them go. They had been talking of stiffer sentences for criminals, of bringing back the death penalty and how the President is going to clean up the country. I was thinking, they could be saying all of this over my dead body, and I still feel that stiffer sentences wouldn't change a thing. In a rush all the rage I should have felt for my attackers was directed against these contented people standing in front of their warm, cozy homes talking about all the guns they were going to buy. What good would guns have been to Jeremy and me?
People all over the neighborhood had called to report our screams, and the police turned out in force twenty minutes later. They were ill-tempered about what was, to them, much ado about nothing. After all, Jeremy was hardly hurt, and we were hopeless when it came to identification. "Typical," said one cop when we couldn't even agree on how tall the men were. Both of us were able to describe the guns in horrifying detail, but the two policemen who stayed to make the report didn't think that would be much help.
The cops were matter-of-fact about the whole thing. The thin one said, "That was a stupid thing to do, throwing away the keys. When a man has a gun against your head you do what you're told." Jeremy looked properly sheepish.
Then the fat cop same up and the thin one went to look around the outside of the house. "That was the best thing you could have done, throwing away the keys," he said. "If you had gone into the house with them…" His voice trailed off. "They would have hurt her" - he jerked his head toward me - "and killed you both." Jeremy looked happier. "Look," said the fat cop kindly, "there's no right of wrong in the situation. There's just luck."
All that sleepless night I replayed the moment those black gloves came up to the car window. How long did the whole thing last? Three minutes, five, eight? No matter how many hours of my life I may spend reliving it, I know there is no way to prepare for the next time - no intelligent response to a gun. The fa
t cop was right: There's only luck. The next time I might end up dead.
And I'm sure there will be a next time. It can happen anywhere, anytime, to anyone. Security is an illusion; there is no safety in locks or in guns. Guns make some people feel safe and some people feel strong, but they're fooling themselves.
NEW WORDS
numb
n. having lost the power of feeling or moving 失去感觉的，麻木的
garage
n. building in which a car is kept 汽车库
wallet
n. leather pocket-case for paper money, cards, etc. 皮夹
vaguely
ad. not clearly 模糊地
vague
a.
annoy
vt. make rather angry 使恼怒
gunman
n. a man armed with a gun, esp. a criminal or terrorist 持枪歹徒
shrubbery
n. low bushes forming a mass or group 灌木丛
release
vt. set free 松开；释放
split
vt. divide into parts 劈开
split second
very brief moment of time; instant 瞬间，一刹那
trigger
n. 扳机
crouch
vi. lower the body to the ground 蹲伏
absurdly
ad. foolishly; ridiculously 愚蠢地，荒唐可笑地
absurd
a.
melodramatic
a. exciting in effect, often too much so to be thought real 感情夸张；闹剧式的
plea
n. asking for sth. with strong feelings 恳求
specific
a. definite; not general 明确的；具体的
flee
v. run away (from) 逃走；逃离
baseball
n. 棒球（运动）
bat
n. 球棒，球拍
cop
n. (informal) policeman
noodle
n. (usu. pl.) 面条
stiff
a. severe 严厉
criminal
n. someone who has broken the law 罪犯
penalty
n. punishment 惩罚
rage
n. great anger 狂怒
contented
a. satisfied; happy 满足的
cozy
a. warm and comfortable 暖和舒适的
ill-tempered
a. (often) angry or annoyed 脾气坏的；易怒的
ado
n. trouble and excitement 忙乱
hopeless
a. giving no cause for hope; very bad or unskilled 没有希望的；无能的
identification
n. 鉴别
identify
vt.
horrify
vt. frighten; shock very much 使恐怖；使震惊
detail
n. small, particular fact 细节
matter-of-fact
a. concerned with the facts; practical 注重事实的；讲究实际的
sheepish
a. foolish or embarrassed by awareness of a fault 局促不安的
trail
vi. grow gradually weaker, dimmer, etc.
jerk
vt. pull or lift suddenly 猛拉；猛抬
replay
vt. play (match, recording, etc.) over again 重放
glove
n. 手套
last
vi. go on
relive
vt. experience again, esp. in the imagination
intelligent
a. clever; rational 聪明的；明智的
response
n. action done in answer; answer 反应；回答
respond
vi.
security
n. safety, freedom from danger or fear 安全，平安
secure
a.
illusion
n. false perception; (the seeing of) sth. that does not really exist 错觉；幻觉
PHRASES & EXPRESSIONS
pull o
ut (of)
move out (of) （车，船等）驶出
have (get, catch) hold of
抓住
bring back
restore, reintroduce 恢复
clean up
clean thoroughly and remove anything unwanted 彻底打扫；整肃
turn out
appear; come or go out to see or do sth. 出来，出动
in force
in large numbers 大批地，人数众多地
much ado about nothing
a lot of unnecessary explaining, of excitement about things not serious or unimportant 无事生非；小题大作
come to
reach (a particular point) in explaining, etc. 谈到（某一点）
agree on
have the same opinion on
in detail
giving a lot of facts 详细地
trail off
(voice, etc.) become gradually weaker and fade into silence （声音等）逐渐变弱
no way
不可能
prepare for
get ready for
and up 结束，告终
PROPER NAMES
Ruth Reichl
露丝.赖克尔
Jeremy
杰里米(男子名)
UNIT 8
TEXT
Ever thought about cheating on a test? Of course not. But some students are not quite so honest …
Honesty: Is It Going Out of Style?
Stacia Robbins
According to a recent poll, 61 percent of American high school students have admitted to cheating on exams at least once. It can be argued such a response my not mean much. After all, most students have been faced with the temptation to peek at a neighbor's test paper. And students can be hard on themselves in judging such behavior. However, there are other indications that high school cheating may be on the rise.
More and more states are requiring students to pass competency tests in order to receive their high school diplomas. And many educators fear that an increase in the use of state exams will lead to a corresponding rise in cheating. A case in point is students in New York State who faced criminal misdemeanor charges for possessing and selling advance copies of state Regents examinations.
Cheating is considered to be a major problem in colleges and universities. Several professors say they've dropped the traditional term paper requirement because many students buy prewritten term papers, and they can't track down all the cheaters anymore.
Colleges and universities across the nation have decided to do more than talk about the rise in student cheating. For instance, the Department of Psychology at the University of Maryland launched a campaign to stop one form of cheating. As 409 students filed out of their exam, they found all but one exit blocked. Proctors asked each student to produce an ID card with an attached photo. Students who said they'd left theirs in the dorm or at home had a mug shot taken. The purpose of the campaign was to catch "ringers," students who take tests for other students.
The majority of students at the University of Maryland applauded the campaign. The campus newspaper editorial said, "Lik
e police arresting speeders, the intent is not to catch everyone but rather to catch enough to spread the word."
We frequently hear about "the good old days", when Americans were better, happier, and more honest. But were they more honest? Maybe yes, a long time ago when life was very different from what it is today.
School children used to know the story of how Abraham Lincoln walked five miles to return a penny he'd overcharged a customer. It's the kind of story we think of as myth. But in the case of Lincoln, the story is true … unlike the story of George Washington and the cherry tree. Washington's first biographer invented the tale of little George saying to his father, "I cannot tell a lie. I did it with my ax." What is important in both stories, however, is that honesty was seen as an important part of the American character.
And these are just two stories out of many. Students in the last century usually didn't read "fun" stories. They read stories that taught moral values. Such stories pointed out quite clearly that children who lied, cheated, or stole came to bad ends.
Parents may have further reinforced those values. It's difficult to know. We do know that children didn't hear their parents talk of cheating the government on income taxes - there weren't any.
A clue as to why Americans may have been more honest in the past lies in the Abe Lincoln story. Lincoln knew his customer. They both lived in a small town. Would a check-out person at a large supermarket return money a customer? It's less likely. On the other hand, would overnight guests at an inn run by a husband and wife, steal towels? It's less likely.
Perhaps this tells us that people need to know one another to be at their honest best.
The vast majority of Americans still believe that honesty as an important part of the American Character. For that reason, there are numerous watch-dog committees at all levels of society. Although signs of dishonesty in school, business, and government seem much more numerous in recent years than in the past, could it be that we are getting better at revealing such dishonesty?
There is some evidence that dishonesty may ebb and flow. When times are hard, incidents of theft and cheating usually go up. And when times get better such incidents tend to go down.
Cheating in school also tends to ebb and flow. But it doesn't seem linked to the economy.
Many educators feel that as students gain confidence in themselves and their abilities, they are less likely to cheat. Surprisingly, some efforts to prevent cheating may actually encourage cheating - a person may feel "they don't trust me anyway," and be tempted to "beat the system." Distrust can be contagious. But, so can trust!
NEW WORDS
honesty
n. freedom from deceit, cheating, etc. 诚实
style
n. fashion 时髦
poll
n. survey of public opinion by putting questions to a representative selection of persons 民意测验
admit
v. state or agree