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Unit1-4

Unit 1 Text A

How Difficult Is English? 英语有多难

Like the national push for Asian literacy (n.有文化,有教养,有读写能力)in Australia,就如澳大利亚在全国推行学亚洲语言一样,there has been foreign languages fervor[f??v?] in China,中国也掀起一股外语热,with English on top of the list. 在这股热潮中,英语高居榜首。English is not only taught at schools,colleges and universities,but also at evening classes,on radio and TV.不仅各级学校教英语,夜校、电台、电视台也都设有英语课程。Parents hire private tutors for their school children;父母为学龄的孩子聘请英语家教,adult English learners would sacrifice the weekend at an English corner in a public park practicing their spoken English with peop1e of the same interest and determination. 成年英语学习者会牺牲周末休息日,到公园参加英语角,与志趣相投的英语学习者练习口语。Is English such a difficult language that it really demands people to invest a large amount of time and energy before it is mastered? 英语真的有这么难,需要人们投入大量的时间和精力才能掌握吗? The answer,if I am asked to offer,is undoubtedly,yes.如果我被问及这个问题,那么毫无疑问,我的答案是:是的。From my personal experience, 从我个人的经验来看,I think learning English means far more than learning its pronunciation,its grammatical rules,its words,etc.英语学习不仅仅是学习英语发音、语法规则、词汇等,It involves learning everything about the countries where it is used and the people who use it.它包括学习与使用该语言的国家和民族有关的所有内容。Without such a complete understanding of the language, 对英语没有这样全面的理解,the English a foreigner speaks will inevitably sound strange or even unintelligible(莫名其妙的)though there is not anything wrong with his pronunciation,sentence structure and the words he uses.即使发音、句子结构、措辞毫无错误,一个外国人所讲的英语也难免听起来稀奇古怪甚至难以理解。

The social customs and habits of the English-speaking people contribute a lot to the difficulty a foreigner has in learning it.讲英语民族者的社会风俗习惯增加了外国人学习英语的难度。Take the Chinese English learners for example.以学英语的中国人为例," Hello "and "Good morning"

may sound a little bit simple to Chinese people."你好"和"早上好"是非常简单的。It is totally beyond the understanding of a Chinese English learner that native English speakers would be annoyed when they're addressed "Where are you going?",which is a commonly used addressing among the Chinese."你去哪儿?"是中国人常用的问候语,若英语母语者被问及"你去哪儿?",他们会因此感到不悦,这一点让中国的英语学习者大为不解。Is there anything wrong with the English sentence structure? 这个英语句子结构不对吗?Of course not.当然不是。It take s quite some time for a Chinese English learner to understand the western concept of privacy being violated in this address. 学英语的中国人得费点儿时间才能理解这一问候语侵犯了西方人的隐私。By the same token,同样,"Have you eaten?"(which is another addressing term the Chinese people usually use)will sound to native English speakers that the Chinese are so hospitable that they invite people to meals off-handedly. 英语母语者听到"你吃了吗?"(中国人常用的另外一个问候语),会觉得中国人非常好客,会在事先毫无准备的情况下请人吃饭。Meanwhile,the Chinese would be shocked to hear,"Oh,it's very nice of you.When?",if the addressee happens to have a craving for (渴望)Chinese cooking and has not had his dinner yet.如果听话者此刻正希望品尝一下中国美食,又碰巧没有吃饭,他会回答"太好了,什么时候?",中国人为此也会大吃一惊。

"We can say we are going to have chicken for dinner.Why can't we say pig,bull or sheep for dinner instead of pork,beef or mutton?" Chinese English learners may raise such questions.中国的英语学习者可能会这样问:"我们可以说吃鸡,为什么不能说吃猪、吃牛、吃羊,而要说吃猪肉、牛肉、羊肉呢?"Figuring out the reason s for the peculiar English vocabulary is no easy task for Chinese English learners.对学习英语的中国人来说,为这些特殊的英语词汇找出理由并非易事。But the problem is that memorizing English words mechanically would be devastating(毁灭性的;全然的)and inefficient if they did not know what had happened in British history.问题在于如果不懂英国历史,死记硬背英语单词毫无效率。Thus learning English(and other languages as well)involves learning the history of the countries where it is spoken.所以说,学英语(其他语

言亦如此)还包括学习使用该语言国家的历史知识。A task of this kind is more difficult

Chinese English learners than for people who speak a western language other than English because Chinese has nothing in common with the alphabetic English and China had little contact with the Western world in modern history.学习英语的中国人要做到这一点比其他非英语国家的西方人要困难得多,因为汉字和英语这种拼音文字毫无共同之处,并且中国和西方世界在近代史上很少接触。Consequently,所以,the background knowledge of English fascinates large numbers of interested and determined English learners in China but at the same time disheartens quite a few.在中国,英语背景知识既吸引了大量英语爱好者,也使许多人丧失信心。

The Western and Oriental values are found to be in confrontation in learning English.英语学习中,东西方的价值观念是相互冲突的。Native English speakers may complain about Chinese confusion when using "he" and "she",for the two words sound the same,though,different in written forms in Chinese.英语母语的人会混淆汉语中"他""她"的用法,因为这两个字尽管字形不同,读音却相同,他们因此常常抱怨。As a result,some native English speakers conclude that the Chinese are unable to tell the difference between the two sexes.结果有些英语母语的人得出结论,认为中国人不区分两种性别。But native English speakers are more gender blind than the Chinese when they mention their cousins.但是在涉及表亲的时候,英语母语的人更是混淆性别。The confusion caused by the confrontation of Western and Chinese values,to a certain extent,东西方价值观的冲突造成的语言上的混淆,affects the Chinese English learner's comprehension of what he /she reads and hears.在一定程度上影响学习英语的中国人对自己所读或所听到的内容的理

解。Only by developing an understanding and tolerance(忍受

Chinese English learner reach the goal of communicating with native English speakers.学习英语的中国人只有增加不同文化价值观之间的理解和宽容,才能达到与英语母语者交流的目标。

A Chinese English learner could not have a good command of Eng1ish unless he overcomes the cultural barriers(not all,of course!)in learning English.学习英语的中国人,只有在学习英语的过程中克服文化障碍才能很好地掌握英语。(当然不可能是克服全部文化障碍!)Many Chinese translate what they think about in Chinese into English when they talk or write.很多中国人

说话或写作的时候,将自己汉语思维的内容翻译成英语,This kind of English inevitably affects the fluency and flow of speech,the amount of information conveyed,and,above all,the quality of communication.这势必会影响英语表达的流畅、传达的信息量,最重要的是,影响交流的质量。

The above is,not wholly,how difficult English is.尽管不完全,以上就是学习英语的困难。Some native speakers might have said,"You foreigners don't use good English! " at the time a foreigner fails to understand what he is saying.英语母语者被外国人误解的时候可能会说:"你们外国人不懂地道的英语!""Why should l?"1 would protest,我要反驳:"我们为什么要懂?"though.Still,I have to keep asking myself:Is it possible for a foreigner to command English?我还要问:一个外国人可能精通英语吗?

IV

Any living language is in a constant state of change.任何一种活生生的语言都是处于不停的变化之中的。That change is gradual(逐渐的)and continuous(连续的) .该变化是逐渐并且连续不断的。At any particular moment,it is almost hard to notice like most of the changes that affect your own body.就像影响你身体的大部分变化一样,这种变化在某一特定时刻是很难察觉的。You don't notice them, 身体的这些变化不容易觉察,but you're lucky if it feels as good and serves you as well as ten years ago.但是如果你的身体如十年前一样好的话,你是非常幸运的。In that period of time it has changed.但是在这十年间,你的身体已经发生了变化。It is the same with Language .语言的变化也是这样的。

The most common and the most noticeable可觉察的kind of change is what happens to vocabulary.语言的变化中,最常见、最容易察觉的是词汇的变化。New words appear;old words take on new meanings . 新词出现,老词增加新义。Even the native speaker might feel surprised. 即使是母语者对这些变化也会感到吃惊的。Mouse began to mean a small,hand-held device which can be used to give instructions to a computer to which it is connected by a short cable(电

缆).Mouse一词开始表示一种小型的手动装臵,这种装臵通过一根短短的导线连到计算机上,可以向计算机发指令。To describe a person as green is a way of saying that he is naive(缺少经验的) or inexperienced.Green可以用来描述一个人缺少经验。Now the word indicates a whole philosophy of life or a political opinion,目前这个词表示一整套生活哲学和政治观点。and we have greenism (绿色主义)which is supported by greenists.我们现在有绿色主义这种提法,绿色主义者支持这种提法。In their shopping they will look for products which carry green-labeling(绿色标志)which indicates that they have been made in a way which is not harmful to the environment .购物时,他们寻找带有绿色标志的产品。绿色标志代表该产品的生产过程对环境是无害的。Such products are eco-friendly(有利于生态环境的)and they are preferred by those who are eco- conscious.这种商品是无害于生态环境的,有生态意识的人偏爱这种产品。

Text B

Learning a Language 学语言

Most students would like to know how to learn a 1anguage more easily. 大部分学生都想知道如何能够轻松地学好一门语言,Most linguists and language teachers would also like to know this.大部分语言学家和语言教师也想弄清楚这个问题。Linguists are working on this problem in two ways.语言学家从两个方面研究这个问题。First,they are trying to understand how children learn to speak and understand their native language. 一方面,他们致力于弄清楚儿童是如何学会母语、理解母语的。They are also trying to learn how people learn a second language.另一方面致力于研究人是如何学习第二语言的。

Linguists are not sure how children learn to speak.语言学家并不确定儿童是如何学说话的。Some linguists think that children are born with an ability to learn and use a 1anguage.一些语言学家认为儿童生来就有学习和使用语言的能力。This does not mean that they come into the world knowing their native language. 这并不是指一个人的母语是与生俱来的;It means that,along with many other things,they are born with the ability to learn their native language.而是指一个人生

来具有学习其母语的能力,这种能力与人在其他方面表现出来的能力是相同的。With just a little exposure to the language,孩子只要与要学习的语言有一定接触,and a little help from their parents,they are able to learn to speak.在父母的些许帮助下就能够学会说话。Another group of linguists does not think this is correct.另外一派语言学家则对此持有异议。

This second group of linguists thinks that children learn to use a 1anguage from their parents.持反对意见的语言学家认为儿童是跟着父母学会使用语言的。They believe that parents teach their children to produce sounds and words in their language.他们认为父母首先教孩子发声、吐字。When children know some words,their parents will begin to teach them to say sentences.当孩子掌握一定词汇以后,父母就开始教他们如何组织句子。These linguists do not think that parents teach their children in the same way that adults are taught a second language.但是他们认为,父母教孩子的方式不同于教成年人学习第二语言的方法。Instead,相反,parents probably teach their children by talking to them and correcting their use of 1anguage. 父母是通过与孩子交谈并纠正他们的语言错误来教孩子说话的。These linguists feel that children learn their language mainly from the environment .这一派语言学家认为,儿童主要通过语言环境

,这种情况下,the environment is their family and their home. 语言环境是家庭和生活环境。As you see,可以看出,the first group of linguists disagrees.第一派语言学家对此并不赞同。

There are some other theories about how children learn a language.关于儿童如何学习语言还有一

些其他理论。Many people are studying the process .This work is being done in many countries.许多国家中有很多人正着手研究儿童学习语言的过程。Linguists are not the only people who are interested in this process.Many psychologists,doctors,and parents are also interested.People who teach foreign languages are interested, too.不仅语言学家,许多心理学家、医生和父母都对儿童的语言学习过程感兴趣。外语教师也对这

一过程很感兴趣。

Foreign language teachers are interested in how children learn to speak their native language

.外语教师对儿童如何学说母语感兴趣,有其很重要的原因。If they knew how children learn their native language,他们如果知道儿童如何学习母语,perhaps they would have an easy way to teach adults,as well as children, a second language.就可能找到一种简便的方法教儿童和成年人学习第二语言。This is a very interesting idea.这是一种非常有意思的想法。Some foreign language teachers believe that adults learn a second language the same way children learn their native language .有些外语教师认为成年人学习第二语言的过程和儿童学习母语的过程是相同的。These teachers try to make their students' learning similar to that of children.这部分外语教师模仿儿童学习语言的过程组织教学:These teachers speak only the foreign language in the classroom.课堂上只讲外语,They will not talk to students in the native language.不与学生讲母语。They try to expose them to as much of the spoken foreign language as possible.They do not teach them any rules for using the language.他们使学生尽可能多地接触所学外语的口语形式,不教学生语言使用的规则。Most parents don't teach their children rules for language usage,either. They simply tell them how to say something correctly.Foreign language teachers using this spoken language method do the same thing. 外语教师采用这种口语教法是因为大多数父母在教孩子说话的时候也不教孩子语言使用规则,而只是告诉孩子怎样讲话是正确的。For some students,对一些学生来说,this method is successful.这种方法是成功的,They learn to speak quickly and easily.他们能够轻而易举地、很快地学会所学的语言。They seem to enjoy using the language,他们似乎很喜欢去用所学的语言,and they do not pay much attention to whether they use exactly the right rules for what they say.并不很在意是否使用了正确的语言规则。Some students, however,cannot learn a language this way.Linguists are trying to find another way to teach them a language.另外一些学生则不适合这种方法,语言学家着手寻找一种适合他们的教学方法。

A second method,the rule-learning method,sometimes works better with these students.另

外一种方法--语言规则学习法--更适合这部分学生。Some linguists believe that learning a foreign language is different from learning to speak one's native language.一些语言学家认为学习外语不同于学习母语。They feel that students must learn the rules for using the language by memorizing them and must practice saying things in the language and using the rules correctly.学生必须通过记忆来学习语言使用规则,必须练习使用这种语言,练习正确地使用这些规则。These linguists try to teach students the rules of the language they want to learn.语言教师首先教学生要学的语法规则,Then they give them many sentences in the language to say over and over again.再给学生一些例句让他们反复练习,The students are encouraged to make up new sentences,using the rules that they have learned and the words that they know.同时鼓励学生使用所学过的语法规则和他们所掌握的词造句。

Some students are very successful with this second, rule-learning method.一些学生使用这种语法规则学习法效果非常好,They learn the language quite quickly and can use it well.他们学得很快,用得也好。They know the rules for using the language and can speak the language and understand it,too.他们掌握了语言使用规则,能够使用所学的语言,也能够理解别人的话。For many students, this is the best way to learn a foreign language.对一些学生来说,这是学外语最好的方法。For some students, both of these methods may work.对另外一些学生来说,两种方法都行之有效。Sometimes teachers use a combination of these methods in class,有时候,老师在课堂上将两种方法结合起来用,hoping that everyone will be able to learn the language with one method or the other.目的是让每个学生都能受益。Some people can go to a country and "pick up" the language simply from hearing it and trying to communicate in it.有些人能够到国外通过倾听,与人交流等手段自然而然的学会那个国家的语言。These people are rare.但这毕竟是少数人。

Most people try to learn a language by taking classes and studying it in some way.大多数人还是通过课堂或者其他方式来学语言的。Most teachers will try different ways to help students learn a language quickly and easily.大多数老师也通过不同的教法来帮助学生轻松快速的学会

一门语言。Linguists and psychologists are trying to understand how people learn and use a language.语言学家和心理学家正致力于弄清楚人是如何学会并使用语言的。Perhaps language 1earning will be easier when they have a clear understanding of how people learn and use a language.也许在解决了这个问题之后,语言学习会变得容易一些。

Unit 2Text A

Caught Between Two Cultures夹在两种文化之间

I was born and raised in Hong Kong.我是土生土长的香港人。 For the past six years I’ve been living in the United States.六年来一直生活在美国,I work as a sales girl in a large department store. 是一家大百货商店的女售货员。Right now I’m going through a difficult period of my life which is hard for me to talk about.目前我正经历人生中一段痛苦,自己也很难讲述。

A few months ago 1 went to Hong Kong for a visit.几个月前,我回香港探亲,It was the first time I’d gone back there since coming to the United States.这也是我到美国后第一次回家探亲。I was eager to see my parents,my brothers and sisters,and my friends.我期待着见到我的父母、兄弟姐妹和我的朋友。

I really got a shock when I arrived.到达时,我确实大吃一惊。Hong Kong was not the same city that I left six years ago.香港已经不是六年前我离开时的那座城市了。Things had changed so much that I didn’t recognize parts of it.这儿发生了巨大的变化,一些地方都认不出来了。My elementary school was gone.我读书的那所小学已经不复存在。The houses on the street where I used to live had been torn down and replaced by office buildings.曾经住过的那条街上的房子已被拆掉,代之而起的是办公大楼。

The shock from the physical changes in the city,however,was nothing compared to the confusion and hurt I soon began to feel in my parents’ home.但是,我到了

父母亲家里不久,就发现了一些令我想不通的问题,情感上也受到了挫伤。与之相比,香港外观上的变化给我的震惊算不得什么。My family greeted me warmly when I arrived.我的家人热情地迎接我回家。While my mother was busy preparing a special dinner in my honor,我母亲忙着备饭为我接风,the rest of the family eagerly asked me questions about my life in the United States.家里其余的人迫不及待地问我在美国的生活。I felt happy that day and for a couple of days after,那天和之后的几天我都非常高兴。but then I began to feel that something was wrong.但是不久我就开始感觉到事情有些不对劲儿。I noticed that my family,especially my mother, would sometimes glance at me in a strange way when I was speaking.我注意到,在我讲话的时候,我的家人,尤其是我母亲,会以一种奇怪的目光看我。They gradually became less warm and friendly toward me,渐渐地,大家对我疏远起来,不像开始时那么热情、友好了。and I became uncomfortable and confused as to(至于) why they were behaving that way.我感到不舒服,弄不明白他们为什么这样对待我。

I decided to talk to my mother.我决定和母亲谈一谈。She asked me,“Have you forgotten your Chinese way ?”她问我:“你忘了中国的规矩了吗?”I asked her what she meant.我问她指的是什么。She said.“You’ve fo rgotten the place of women in a Chinese home.她回答说:“你忘了中国家庭里女人的地位了。You talk when you should remain silent.应该保持沉默的时候,你却在讲话。You speak on matter s that are of concern only to men.你就那些只与男人有关的事情发表见解。You speak openly of your inner feelings and desires.你直言不讳你的内心感受和愿望,That’s not the way of a Chinese woman.这不是中国女人的做法。We k e e p our thoughts and feelings to ourselves.”

我们的想法和感情都不说出来。”

,听着母亲这样讲,I realized what had happened to me.我意识到了是怎么回事。American including American women,美国人,包括美国女性,are much freer in expressing their thoughts and feelings.都非常自由地表达自己的思想和感情。

Also American women feel as free as men to speak or give an opinion about any subject.美国男女一样,对任何问题都自由地发表见解。They don’t take a silent back seat during a discussion.在讨论中,她们不会做一个沉默的旁观者。I guessed that through my association with Americans during the past six years,我想,过去六年和美国人的交往中,I had gradually adopted some of their ways.我渐渐学了他们的一些做法。

During the next few days I tried to be a Chinese woman.接下来的几天,我尽力作一名中国女性,But it didn’t work.可是没用。My family remaine d distant from me.家人和我疏远。They could no longer accept me fully as on e of them.他们无法完全把我当作自己人。I became more uncomfortable and hurt as things were said and done that made me feel that I was an outsider,a stranger in my own country.身在家乡却被视为外人,这使我更加不自在,感觉受到了深深的伤害。

I cut my visit short by three weeks and came back to the United States.我提前三周结束了这次探亲,回到美国。But coming back here didn’t lessen the confusion and pain.但是回来之后并没有减轻我的困惑和苦恼。In fact,事实上,I feel more confused than before.我比以前更加困惑,I now feel homeless.感到无家可归。I don’t feel like an American.我感觉自己不是美国人,Americans haven’t accepted me.美国人也不接受我。The women I work with at the store are polite enough,商店里一起工作的女同事们都对我非常礼貌,but they don’t try to get close to me or let me get close to them.但是她们不接近我,我也无法接近她们。During the morning coffee break they make plan s to have lunch together and go shopping.上午工作休息喝咖啡时她们计划一起吃午饭,一起购物;On Fridays they talk about the disco place they’re going to that night.星期五她们谈论晚上要去哪家迪厅,They never include me in their plans 。但是从未将我列入她们的计划。My accent,我的口音、my name,and my oriental features mark me as a foreigner.名字和东方人的长相显示我是个外国人。I’ve felt for a long time that I wasn’t being accepted by Americans,but I’d felt that I was Chinese and that my

home was Hong Kong.长期以来,我感到自己是中国人,我的故乡是香港,自己不被美国人接受。Now I no longer consider Hong Kong my home.现在我不再将香港视为我的故乡,And so I feel homeless.因此感到无家可归。I’m caught between the old world where I no 1onger belong and the new world which has not yet accepted me.我被夹在两个世界当中——不再属于原来的世界,还未被新世界接纳。

Ⅳ.“Culture shock”occurs as a result of total immersion in a new culture.“文化冲击”是完全浸人一种新文化所产生的结果。It happens to “people who have been suddenly moved abroad”.这一现象经常发生在“突然移居国外的人”身上。Newcomers may be anxious because they do not speak the language,know the customs,or understand people’s behavior in daily ['deili] ad. 每日地,日常地a. 每日的,日常的life.初来乍到者与当地人讲不同的语言,不了解当地的习俗,也无法理解人们日常生活中的行为。他们会因此而感到焦虑不安。The visitor finds that “yes”may not always mean“yes",旅游者发现“是”并非总代表“赞同”,that friendliness does not necessarily mean friendship,友好不一定代表友谊,or that statements that appear to be serious are really intended as jokes.听起来严肃的话语也许只是玩笑。The foreigner may be unsure as to (至于)when to shake hands or hug,外国人无法确定什么情况下该握手,什么情况下该拥抱,when to start conversations,什么时候开始说话,or how to approach a stranger.如何结识陌生人。The notion(概念) of “culture shock” helps explain feelings of bewilderment (n.困惑).“文化冲击”可以帮助我们解释这种困惑感。Language problems do not account for all the frustrations (n.挫折)that people feel.语言并非造成人们这种挫折感的全部原因。When one is deprived ( vt.夺去)of everything that was once(adv.一次) familiar[ ] a.熟悉的;冒昧的,such as understanding a transportation system,knowing how to register for university classes,or knowing how to make friends.difficulties in dealing with the new society may arise .像交通系统,注册大学课程,交友等这些一个人曾经熟悉的一切全部消

失,他在新社会中肯定会碰到一些困难。

Text B

Culture Shock — The Initial Stresses文化冲击—最

初的压力

My friend Dr.Dong had a wonderful chance to go to Seattle to present a paper at a professional meeting.我的朋友董医生有幸获得了一次去西雅图在一个专业会议上做学术报告的好机会。Having attended my course in Intercultural Communications,已经上过我的跨文化交际课程,he consulted me to review some of the cultural differences he might experience.他请我帮他温习一下他可能遇到的一些文化差异。I also gave him the phone number of a friend of mine who lived in the area.我也把在当地居住的一个朋友的电话号码给了他。When he got back,we met to review his experience.他回来后,我们又聚到一起回顾了他的经历。

Dr.Dong told me that the course information had helped him.董医生告诉我,跨文化交际课上学的东西派上了用场。He experienced the typical stages of culture shock.他经历了文化冲击的典型阶段。He arrived expectant and happy and enjoyed his first days very much.他满怀期待高高兴兴地到了美国,非常愉快地度过了最初几天。At the medical conference,在医学会议上,he felt quite confident of his area of research and was able to perform well in his presentation.他对自己的研究领域颇为自信,而且他所做的发言也相当成功。 But after a few days, 但几天后,he began to feel uncomfortable.他开始感到有些不适应了。 His medical English was fine,他的医学英语不错,but the social interaction skills were different,可是社会交往技能却是另一码事,and he was unsure of the cues and the communication styles.他拿不准那些暗示及交际风格。

He worried more and more that he was misunderstanding simple English greetings and table talk conventions.他焦躁不安,连简单的英文问候语以及餐桌交谈习俗也弄不

懂了。When people greeted him with,“Hi,how’s it going ?”有人用“嗨,一切都好吗?”和他打招呼,he thought they had asked him “where are you going?”他以为是问他“你要去哪儿?”,and answered with the name of the conference hall,答之以会议厅的名字,only to get a confused stare from them.结果招来了疑惑的目光。At a western style dinner,在一次西式的晚宴上,a colleague asked,“So how’re you enjoy in ’ the States?”一位同事问他:“你在美国过得好吗?”he thought he heard,“So how are you enjoying your steak?”他听成了“你觉得牛排味道如何?”,and answered that he was having chicken,not beef.回答他在吃鸡肉,不是牛肉。That time,his colleague smiled,那次,那位同事笑了,and patiently repeated the question.并耐心重复了他的问题,At last,they both laughed at the error.之后俩人对这个错误大笑一通。

Such failures in understandings and communications were minor.这类误解和交流不畅还是次要的。But for Dr.Dong,但对董医生来说,they were the beginning of a sense of“cultural confusion”.它们是“文化困惑”感的开始。By the end of the meetings,在会议快要结束时,he felt a deep sense of“ cultural stress ”an d was worn out from having to pay attention to so many new expressions and ways of dealing [???●] n.买卖;待遇 vt.给予with things.他深深地感到了“文化压力”,为待人接物时那么多的新表达方法和方式而感到精疲力竭。He felt his handshake was not as firm as Americans’,他感到自己握手不如美国人那么有力;found that people reacted反应(常与to连用)unusually when he modestly insisted his English was not good after they complimented him,人们称赞他时,他谦虚地坚持说自己的英语不好,他发现别人的反应异乎寻常;didn’t know how to accept dinner invitations properly and therefor missed out on going to several lunches,and so on.由于搞不清如何适当地接受宴会邀请而错过了几次午餐,如此等等,不一而足。Eventually,he was so bewildered [?????●??] vt.迷惑;弄糊涂that he felt the full impact冲击of“culture shock”.最终他被搞得不知所措,彻

底感受了“文化冲击”。

What is culture shock and why does it occur ? 什么是文化冲击,为什么会存在文化冲击?The term was coined about 50 years ago by a Swedish scholar.这一术语是大约50年前一位瑞典学者最先创造使用的。 His seminal article ,“Culture Shock; Adjustment to New Cultural Environments ”has been reprinted and revised for many textbooks and magazines.其拓荒之作《文化冲击:适应新的文化环境》为许多教科书及杂志所再版和修订。He called it “the occ upational disease of people who have been suddenly transplanted abroad”.他将“文化冲击”定义为“突然移居海外的人所患的职业病”。His use of the word“disease ”is a pun,他用的“disease”这个词是个双关语,because it implies that it is like an“illness” with its own “symptoms and cure”.因为它暗示这如同一种“病,有其自身的症状和疗法”,but also that the root cause is also a feeling of “dis-”ease or unsettled uneasiness.而且其根源也是一种(dis)不(ease)适或心神不宁的感觉。

Think back on your own experience.回想一下你自己的经历。Have you ever moved from one context to another ?你曾从一个环境迁到另一个吗? Many students feel this adjustment shock when they change from one school to another,or move from a small town to a big city.很多学生,从一所学校转到另一所,或从一个小镇到一座大城市时,都会感到这种顺应冲击。

The sensations one feels in new surroundings often include:在新的环境下人们的感受经常包括:

Feeling like an outsider,feeling unsure of oneself or even feeling stupid;感到像个局外人,对自己没有信心,甚至感到愚蠢;Sensing that one’s language skills

aren’t good enough,missing jokes,colloquial phrases, references to TV shows or pop songs or other cultural“insider”information;感到自己的语言能力不足,领会不了笑话、口语化用语的含义,也搞不懂电视节目及流行歌曲或其他文化“内涵”的信息;Feeling uneasy and unsettled,irritable and increasingly short-tem-pered;感到不适和不安,易激怒并且脾气越来越暴躁;Feeling lonely and wanting to go“home”,feeling more and more like a stranger or outcast;感到孤独并且想要回”家”,感觉愈来愈像个陌生人和被抛弃的人;Feeling overwhelmed,overloaded,daydreaming,staring blankly at things or even staring at nothing;感到不能自持.负担过重,想人非非,失神发呆;Becoming more and more afraid of communicating and of making mistakes,worried anxious.越来越害怕交流和犯错误,担心、焦虑。

These are all symptoms of initial culture shock.这些都是文化冲击的最初症状。With a new context come new ways of doing things.新的环境伴随着新的行事方法。Being uninitiated and unsure of what to do ,people usually have a strong sense of displacement in the beginning.最初若没有积极性并且不知道该做什么,这种移位感通常都很强烈。But the good news is that we humans are very good at adapting.但是好在

我们人类很善于调整适应。Though almost all of us undergo of mental stress in this period.尽管在转变过程中都经历了某种程度的心理压力,after a few weeks or

months,数周至数月后,“read” our new context.我们就学会如何“解读”新环境, We become aware of the new cues,the new expectations,and the new ways of communicating. 逐渐懂得了新的暗示、新的期望、新的交际方法。With some trials (n.

考验,磨难,困难,患难) and errors(错误),and with a 1ot

ourselves ,几经磨练,加上自己的耐心,most of us succeed in overcoming culture shock and learn to enjoy our new context.大多数人成功地克服了文化冲击,学会享受新环境。

Dr.Dong’s visit to the US was only three weeks long,董医生的美国之行仅仅3

周的时间,but by the end of the five-day medical conference,但未等5天的医学会议结束,he was already starting to feel more confident.他已经开始感到比较自信了。 Sure he felt a little foolish about some of the mistakes he had made,当然他感到自己所犯的一些错误有点儿愚蠢,but he quickly learned to laugh at his errors and found that his colleagues smiled with him.但他很快就学会调侃自己的过错,并发现他的同事也在向他微笑。This broke down the barriers to communication and helped him build some good professional 专业的relationships.这些消除了交流的障碍,帮助他建立了一些良好的业务关系。And after the conference, he contacted 联系the family I had referred him to and had a very nice time visiting them.会议结束后,他同我提到的那一家人取得联系,并愉快地拜访了他们。There were some new cultural surprises, 在此过程中他又经历了一些新的文化惊奇,but he discovered he could better understand and adapt to them.但他发现他能够更好地了解并适应他们。

By the time he returned to China,回到中国,he was feeling quite positive about this American trip,他感到此次美国之行很有意义,and was glad for the new experiences and new skills it had given him.对此行的新经历和获得的新技能感到高兴。He had become successful in the initial period in a new culture.接触一种新文化的最初阶段,他取得了成功,Though he had gone through some embarrassing culture stresses,尽管经历了一些尴尬的文化压力,each had proven to be a valuable learning experience,但每一次都证明是颇有价值的学习经历,and in the end had helped him overcome his culture shock.并且,最终帮助他战胜了文化冲击。

Unit 3 Text A

Books书

Knowledge may be acquired through conversation,watching television or traveling,知识可以通过交谈、看电视或旅游来获得,but the deepest and most consistent way is through reading.但最深入、最经常的途径是读书。If we consider the literate population of the world,如果我们考察一下世界上有阅读能力的人,we may conclude that a few spend their whole lives on academic reading;便可得出这样一个结论:把整个一生用来阅读学术书籍是少数;many read something light for pleasure,多数人只是看些闲书消遣;a few dip into something more serious now and then;时常浏览一些比较严肃读物的人也是少数;while very many men,women and children never advance beyond the sports page of a newspaper,a fashion article or a comic.而更多的男人、妇女和儿童只看报纸上的体育新闻、时装介绍或连环漫画。

If you have learnt to love books as a child,如果从小就学会爱读书,the reading habit will never desert you.那么你会永远保持读书的习惯,But if this has not been your good fortune,但如果你没有这种好运气养成爱读书的习惯,you tend to think of reading as a bore.你就会认为读书是件讨厌的事。A few,but very few,come to the habit late in life.有一些人,为数不多,直到晚年才养成爱读书的习惯。The circumstances which help to set a child on the path to the literary adventure are:有助于使儿童走上读书道路的环境是:a life even barely above real poverty,有一个略高于赤贫生活水平的家庭,so that there is scope in the family for thoughts and activities not wholly devoted to the struggle for making a living;这样的家庭才有机会想些别的而不至于全盘心思为谋生而奋斗;the availability of free books either at home or in a public library;或者家中有书,或者可在公共图书馆借书,做到看书不花钱;and the possession (n.拥有)of a character([ ]n.性格)both curious好奇的and independent.本人具有求知欲和独立性。

In order to desire to read one must be curious.一个人想读书,必须有求知欲。A few children are able to keep this curiosity and their mental independence alive despite the educational system of their country.少数儿童不论他们国家的教育制度如何,始终能够保持这种求知欲和思想上独立性。But many fail to do so either because of an overstrict system where what is most important is memory work;但多数儿童却做不到这一点。or because of a careless and lazy one where even the basic disciplines of literacy are ignored in the sacred name of free expression.这要么是由于教育制度过于严格,把死记硬背看做天下第一号大事;要么是由于教育制度松散、使人怠惰,在“自由表达”的神圣旗臶下,甚至连读书写字这样的基本要求也被忽视。It is a wonder that at least a few children survive their schooling and emerge as people who can think,people who are open-minded and knowledgeable.堪称奇迹的是,至少有少数儿童竟然没有被这种学校教育所糟蹋,而是脱颖而出,成为善于思考、思路开阔、博学多闻的人。

Thus,various circumstances are not favorable for the reading habit.因此,不利于培养阅读习惯的环境是各种各样的,And we may add to this the worldwide atmosphere of violence(n.暴力) and anarchy(n.无政府状态),我们对此还可加一条,那就是遍及全世界的暴力行为和无政府状态——the New Dark Age in which we live today.我们现在就生活在其中的新黑暗时代。Many of us no longer have the peace of mind necessary to a quiet hour with a book.我们很多人再也没有静下来读上一小时书所必需的那种心情了。But it is precisely(adv.精确地) because of our present现在的 troubles that we should read.然而正是由于当前存在的各种问题,我们更应该读书。How,否则,otherwise,are we to understand the nature of hatred,我们怎能理解什么是仇恨、of cruelty,什么是残酷、of power polities ?什么是强权政治呢? How,otherwise,are we to take a stand on the serious question of individual freedom and authority ?我们怎能在个人自由和权威这类严肃的问题上表明我们的立场呢? How,otherwise,are we to comprehend and

perhaps solve these urgent紧急的 problems that face us?我们怎能理解而且可能解决我们所面临的迫在眉睫的许多问题呢?

Ideally then,因此,a school system should be one in which the love of learning,理想的教育制度应该培养学生酷爱学习,rather than the acquisition of facts,is cultivated;而不是只是为了获取事实one in which the spirit 精神of enquiry (n.询问) is encouraged.:应该鼓励探索精神。Ideally(a.完美的),family and governmental policy should be to see that we have a great number of books而理想的家庭和政府方针应该保证我们有大量的书籍—any books.——什么书籍都有。 A person with a book is a real person alive on the earth;手不释卷是活在世上真正的人;without a book he is a foo1.不然,就是一个傻瓜。

1V.

Great books deal ( v t.对付;应付,常与with连用)with the persistently unsolved problems of human life.重要的书籍是用来解决人类生活中难以解决的问题的。There are genuine [ ?????◆??] a.真的;真正的mysteries [ ???????] n.神秘小说,侦探小说in the world that mark the limits( n.极限) of human knowing and thinking.世界上确实有一些限制人类知识和思维的真正神秘的东西。Inquiry not only begins with wonder, but usually ends with it also.询问不仅开始于疑惑,也结束于疑惑。Great minds acknowledge [?????●???] v t .承认;表示感谢mysteries honestly.伟人都承认神秘的存在。Wisdom( n.

智慧,聪明,才智)is fortified(加强的)not destroyed([????????] v t .破坏,毁灭;消灭) , by understanding its limitations([●??????????] n.限制;限度,局限).智慧是可以通过了解它的限制来得到加强而不是被摧毁。

It is our privilege([ ?????●???] n.特权,优惠) ,as readers ,to belong to

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