综合教程4Book4 Unit1A课文文本
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If you ask me1If you ask me, real life is not all it's cracke d up to be. Twelve yearsat school and threeyearsat univer sity, teache rs bangin g on aboutopport uniti es in the big wide worldbeyond our shelte red life as studen ts, and what do I find?2 Try as I mightto stay cheerf ul, all I ever get is hassle, someti mes with people (especi allyboys, god, when will they grow up?), but mostly with money. It's just so expens ive out here! Everyo ne wantsa sliceoff you. The Inland Revenu e wantsto deduct income tax, the bank manage r wantsrepaym entson my studen t loan, the landlo rd wantsthe rent, gas, water, electr icity and my mobile billskeep coming in, and all that's before I've had anythi ng to eat. And then some bright sparkcallsme out of the blue, asking if I'm intere stedin buying a pensio n. At this rate, I won't even last till the end of the year, let alonetill I'm 60.3 I didn't really want to go out to work just yet. I mean, I wasn't a dropou t and I knew I'd have to some day. Accord ing to any number of people "life's not a picnic", "there's no such thingas a free lunch". But giventhat I'd got a good degree, I though t I'd like to go on to get my master's. Actual ly, I had my eye on the course at the London School of Econom ics (LSE) . Top school, very good for my CV. But I talked to my mum aboutit, and she said she couldn't afford to suppor t me any more. I kind of unders tandit, and not just becaus e my degree is in econom ics. She'd worked hard for 15 yearsto give me an educat ion. My dad wasn't around most of the time, and when he was, he didn't have any money. He'd spentit gambli ng on the dogs or down the pub. So it came to the pointwhenI just agreed with Mum, and bowedmyself toward s the inevit able.4 If you ask me, and despit e everyt hingyou hear, fortun ately thereare some really nice people out there. Take Mike, for exampl e. When I left univer sity, what I though t was that my mum wouldfeel oblige d to look afterme if I return ed home. So I packed up my belong ingsand went to London to get a job. I wanted someth ing in financ e and invest ments, becaus e you know, maybewith a job like that, I coulduse my degree. But by that time, therewere no jobs left, and I didn't really want to end up in some boring office, doingphotoc opies and making the tea.5 Go anywhe re you like in London and there's usuall y a good pub. The day I realiz ed no one in the city was goingto offerme a job, I went into The Salisb ury on Leaden hallStreet for a drinkand someth ing to eat. Mike the landlo rd was at the bar, pourin g pintswith one hand, making sandwi cheswith the other, and washin g the glasse s all at the same time—it's true, he really did seem to have threehands. He also seemed to know everyo ne, and greete d the regula rs by name, gettin g theirdrinks readywith the questi on, "The usualtoday, is it?" I though t he looked kind of cool, he was doingwhat he did best, servin g thirst y client s, and no one did it better. So I went up to him and askedhim whethe r therewas a job for me.6 Well, to cut a long storyshort, I starte d work in the pub one Friday lunchtime. It was quitedemand ing work, but I likedit. People seemed to find me amusin g and it made me feel better too. Therewas one middle-aged regula r in a suit who always had a half of bitter and a ham and pickle sandwi ch, with the crusts cut off. When I saw Tony coming, I triedto have his lunchreadyfor him even before he asked. He was anothe r one of thosereally nice people.7 If you ask me, spendi ng moneywhen you don't have any is dead easy. I beganto thinkabouthow I'd spendmy firstmonth's wages. The flat whereI was stayin g was expens ive, and I just abouthad enough to coverthe firstmonth's substa ntial bills. But I calcul atedthat there'd be just enough moneyover to treatmyself to someth ing. Why not get a CD or maybea plantto cheerup the flat? I though t.8 It was my birthd ay on pay day. Apartfrom Mike and Tony, I didn't have any friend s in London. Seeing that I didn't have a boyfri end either, you can unders tandwhy I beganto feel sorryfor myself. So I ordere d myself some flower s, and askedthem to be sent with a little card, saying "With all my love Anon." The highli ght of my birthd ay wouldbe the confus ed look on the floris t's eyes when he delive red them.9 Laterthat week, Tony came in as usualand sat down at the bar. "What's wrongwith you? Where's that smilegone today?" I talked to him about... well, aboutpretty well everyt hing, money, the master's, my birthd ay, the lot. He sympat hized with me.10 Tony got up from his stool, and went over to talk to some of the others. Rememb er: The Salisb ury is rightin the heartof the city, so all the custom ers were in bankin g or insura nce or the stockmarket. Next day he turned up with cheque s to the valueof £20,000. "This is a loan for you to set up your busine ss. The only collat eralyou have is my trustin you that one day, you'll pay us back—if you can. And if you can't, too bad, that's the financ e busine ss for you. But I thinkyou will."11 I didn't say anythi ng for fear that I was goingto cry. What were the odds on anyone beingso nice?12 And the flower s? I redire ctedthem to my mum, and they arrive d for her on my birthd ay. She deserv ed them, don't you think?13 If you ask me, lookin g back afterall theseyears, you only need one or two breaks in your life to succee d. The fact that the rest is hard work doesn't matter, it's stillworthit.14 Aftera year workin g at The Salisb ury, I got a placeat the LSE, did my master's and founda job in an invest mentbank. I invest ed the £20,000, and sold out before the 2008 crash. I paid back Tony and the otherinvest ors, with ten per cent annual intere st, and set up my own firm. It exceed ed all my expect ation s and is stilla thrivi ng busine ss.15 Tony wroteme a thank-you note. He'd been in a car accide nt, and couldn't walk. The moneyI paid back wouldallowhim to adapthis houseso he couldmove around it in his wheelc hair. This is what he wrote:16 "Thirty-five yearsin bankin g, and I've nevermade a better invest mentthan the loan to you. You've repaid the moneywith intere st, and my trustin you and your honest y 100-fold. If you ask me, invest ing in people givesthe best return you can ever hope for."17 If you ask me, he's right. What do you think?依我看依我看,现实生活并没有人们想象的那么好。
新标准大学英语综合教程4教师用书unit1课文翻译新标准大学英语综合教程4教师用书unit1课文翻译unit1Translation of the passagesActive reading (1)大学毕业找工作的第一要义:别躺在沙发上做梦今年夏天,超过65 万的大学生毕业离校,其中有许多人根本不知道怎么找工作。
在当今金融危机的背景下,做父母的该如何激励他们?七月,你看着21 岁英俊的儿子穿上学士袍,戴上四方帽,骄傲地握着优等学士学位证书,拍毕业照。
这时,记忆中每年支付几千英镑,好让儿子吃好、能参加奇特聚会的印象开始消退。
总算熬到头了。
等到暑假快要结束,全国各地的学生正在为新学期做准备的时候,你发现大学毕业的儿子还歪躺在沙发上看电视。
他只是偶尔走开去发短信,浏览社交网站Facebook,去酒吧喝酒。
这位前?千禧一代?的后裔一夜之间变成了哼哼一代的成员。
他能找到工作吗?这就是成千上万家庭所面临的景象:今年夏天,超过65 万大学生毕业,在当今金融危机的背景下他们中的大多数人不知道自己下一步该做什么。
父母只会唠叨,而儿女们则毫无缘由地变成了叛逆者,他们知道自己该找份工作,但却不知道如何去找。
来自米德尔塞克斯郡的杰克·古德温今年夏天从诺丁汉大学政治学系毕业,获得二级一等荣誉学士学位。
他走进大学就业服务中心,又径直走了出来,因为他看见很多人在那里排长队。
跟他一起住的另外5 个男孩也都跟他一样,进去又出来了。
找工作的压力不大,虽然他所认识的大多数女生都有更清晰的计划。
他说:?我申请政治学研究工作,但被拒了。
他们给的年薪是1 万8 千镑,交完房租后所剩无几,也就够买一罐煮豆子,可他们还要有研究经历或硕士学位的人。
然后我又申请了公务员速升计划,并通过了笔试。
但在面试时,他们说我‘太冷漠’了,谈吐‘太像专家治国国论者’。
我觉得自己不可能那样,但我显然就是那样的。
?打那以后他整个夏天都在?躲?。
他能够轻松复述《交通警察》中的若干片段,他白天看电视的时间太多,已经到了影响健康的地步。
(完整word版)新标准大学英语四综合教程Unit1-6课文及翻译If you ask me1If you ask me, real life is not all it's cracked up to be. Twelve years at school and three years at university, teachers banging on about opportunities in the big wide world beyond our sheltered life as students, and what do I find?2 Try as I might to stay cheerful, all I ever get is hassle, sometimes with people (especially boys, god, when will they grow up?), but mostly with money. It's just so expensive out here! Everyone wants a slice off you. The Inland Revenue wants to deduct income tax, the bank manager wants repayments on my student loan, the landlord wants the rent, gas, water, electricity and my mobile bills keep coming in, and all that's before I've had anything to eat. And then some bright spark calls me out of the blue, asking if I'm interested in buying a pension. At this rate, I won't even last till the end of the year, let alone till I'm 60.3 I didn't really want to go out to work just yet. I mean, I wasn't a dropout and I knew I'd have to some day. According to any number of people "life's not a picnic", "there's no such thing as a free lunch". But given that I'd got a good degree, I thought I'd like to go on to get my master's. Actually, I had my eye on the course at the London School of Economics (LSE) . Top school, very good for my CV. But I talked to my mum about it, and she said she couldn't afford to support me any more. I kind of understand it, and not just because my degree is in economics. She'd worked hard for 15 years to give me an education. My dad wasn't around most of the time, and when he was, he didn't have any money. He'd spent it gambling on the dogs or down the pub. So it cameto the point when I just agreed with Mum, and bowed myself towards the inevitable.4 If you ask me, and despite everything you hear, fortunately there are some really nice people out there. Take Mike, for example. When I left university, what I thought was that my mum would feel obliged to look after me if I returned home. So I packed up my belongings and went to London to get a job. I wanted something in finance and investments, because you know, maybe with a job like that, I could use my degree. But by that time, there were no jobs left, and I didn't really want to end up in some boring office, doing photocopies and making the tea.5 Go anywhere you like in London and there's usually a good pub. The day I realized no one in the city was going to offer me a job, I went into The Salisbury on Leadenhall Street for a drink and something to eat. Mike the landlord was at the bar, pouring pints with one hand, making sandwiches with the other, and washing the glasses all at the same time—it's true, he really did seem to have three hands. He also seemed to know everyone, and greeted the regulars by name, getting their drinks ready with the question, "The usual today, is it?" I thought he looked kind of cool, he was doing what he did best, serving thirsty clients, and no one did it better. So I went up to him and asked him whether there was a job for me.6 Well, to cut a long story short, I started work in the pub one Friday lunch time. It was quite demanding work, but I liked it. People seemed to find me amusing and it made me feel better too. There was one middle-aged regular in a suit who always had a half of bitter and a ham and pickle sandwich, with the crusts cut off. When I saw Tony coming, I tried to have his lunch ready for him even before he asked. He was another one of those reallynice people.7 If you ask me, spending money when you don't have any is dead easy. I began to think about how I'd spend my first month's wages. The flat where I was staying was expensive, and I just about had enough to cover the first month's substantial bills. But I calculated that there'dbe just enough money over to treat myself to something. Why not get a CD or maybe a plant to cheer up the flat? I thought.8 It was my birthday on pay day. Apart from Mike and T ony,I didn't have any friends in London. Seeing that I didn't have a boyfriend either, you can understand why I began to feel sorry for myself. So I ordered myself some flowers, and asked them to be sent with a little card, saying "With all my love Anon." The highlight of my birthday would be the confused look on the florist's eyes when he delivered them.9 Later that week, Tony came in as usual and sat down at the bar. "What's wrong with you? Where's that smile gone today?" I talked to him about... well, about pretty well everything, money, the master's, my birthday, the lot. He sympathized with me.10 Tony got up from his stool, and went over to talk to some of the others. Remember: The Salisbury is right in the heart of the city, so all the customers were in banking or insurance or the stock market. Next day he turned up with cheques to the value of £20,000. "This is a loan for you to set up your business. The only collateral you have is my trust in you that one day, you'll pay us back—if you can. And if you can't, too bad, that's the finance business for you. But I think you will."11 I didn't say anything for fear that I was going to cry. What were the odds on anyone being so nice?12 And the flowers? I redirected them to my mum, and theyarrived for her on my birthday. She deserved them, don't you think?13 If you ask me, looking back after all these years, you only need one or two breaks in your life to succeed. The fact that the rest is hard work doesn't matter, it's still worth it.14 After a year working at The Salisbury, I got a place at the LSE, did my master's and found a job in an investment bank. I in vested the £20,000, and sold out before the 2008 crash.I paid back Tony and the other investors, with ten per cent annual interest, and set up my own firm. It exceeded all my expectations and is still a thriving business.15 Tony wrote me a thank-you note. He'd been in a car accident, and couldn't walk. The money I paid back would allow him to adapt his house so he could move around it in his wheelchair. This is what he wrote:16 "Thirty-five years in banking, and I've never made a better investment than the loan to you. You've repaid the money with interest, and my trust in you and your honesty 100-fold. If you ask me, investing in people gives the best return you can ever hope for."17 If you ask me, he's right. What do you think?依我看依我看,现实生活并没有人们想象的那么好。
Unit 1Text A人在自然界|亚历山大·斯伯金Nature nurtures mankind unselfishly with its rich resources. Yet, man is so carried away in his transformation of nature that he is unaware that it also has limitations and needs constant care. Now worn by the excessive demands of mankind, nature is unable to maintain the ecological balance needed. Humanity is faced with the problem of how to stop, or at least to moderate, the destruction of Mother Nature.人类生活在大自然的王国里。
他们时刻被大自然所包围并与之相互影响。
人类呼吸的空气、喝下的水和摄入的食物,无一不令人类时刻感知到大自然的影响。
我们与大自然血肉相连,离开大自然,我们将无法生存。
Human beings live in the realm of nature. They are constantly surrounded by it and interact with it. Man is constantly aware of the influence of nature in the form of the air he breathes, the water he drinks, and the food he eats. We are connected with nature by "blood" ties and we cannot live outside nature.人类不仅生活在大自然之中,同时也在改变着大自然。
应Key to book4 unit1-4Unit 1Active reading (1)Looking for a job after university? First, get off the sofaReading and understandingDealing with unfamiliar words3 Match the words in the box with their definitions.1 to make progress by moving to the next stage in a series of actions or events (proceed)2 the process of changing from one situation, form or state to another (transition)3 not feeling involved with someone or something in a close or emotional way (detached)4 referring to something which will happen soon (upcoming)5 to be sitting still in a position that is not upright (slump)6 to return to a previous state or way of behaving (revert)7 to say what happened (recount)4 Complete the paragraph with the correct form of the words in Activity 3.It isn‘t easy to make the (1) transition from a busy university student to an unemployed young adult (2) slumped on a bar stool or half watching a mindless television show, wondering if and how their career is going to (3) proceed. Many people who have experienced a long period of inactivity like this, when (4) recounting how they felt at the time, refer to the same strange psychological effect. As the days pass, they begin to feel (5) detached from any sense of pressure to go and look for a job, and tend to regard (6) upcoming interviews as if they were not very important. Typically, back at home after three or four years away, they (7) revert to old habits, start seeing old friends, and, in many cases, become dependent again on their parents.5 Replace the underlined words with the correct form of the words in the box. You may need to make other changes.1 I went to a mixed-ability secondary school just outside London. (comprehensive)2 I got stopped by a policeman who asked to see my driving licence. (cop)3 Have you seen this beautiful from the air view of Oxford? (aerial)4 Isabel tightly her bag as she walked down the corridor towards the office. (clutched)5 You should speak to Toby; he‘s an supporter of flexible working hours. (advocate)6 I hurt my leg badly a couple of months ago, and it still hasn‘t got better completely. (healed)6 Answer the questions about the words.1 Is a dead-end job one with (a) exciting prospects, or (b) no future?2 Is a tricky problem (a) difficult, or (b) easy to solve?3 If an activity saps all your energy, do you feel (a) tired, or (b) more active than usual?4 Does a pushy person try to (a) persuade you to do something you don‘t want to, or (b) help you by listening to what you have to say?5 If you feel apathy, do you want to (a) change the world, or (b) stay at home and do nothing?7 Answer the questions about the phrases.1 Is fork out (a) a formal, or (b) an informal way of saying to pay for something?2 If you are in the same boat as another person, are you (a) making the same journey together, or (b) in the same difficult or unpleasant situation?3 If you feel you have come full circle, do you (a) feel you are back where you started, or (b) feel a sense of satisfaction because you have completed something?4 If someone takes a soft line, do they deal with a person (a) in a kind and sympathetic way, or (b) in a lazy way without making a decision?5 If you strike the right note about something, are you expressing yourself (a) well, or (b) badly?6 If you do something by all means, do you (a) try your best to do it, or (b) not care about it?7 If you nudge someone back into the saddle, are you encouraging them to (a) take responsibility again, or (b) take it easy?8 If you talk through a problem with someone, do you (a) examine it carefully and sensitively, or (b) refer to it quickly and then change the subject?Active reading (2)If you ask meDealing with unfamiliar words4 Match the words in the box with their definitions.1 funny or entertaining (amusing)2 used for emphasizing that something good has happened, especially because of good luck (fortunately)3 an amount of money that a person, business or country borrows, usually from a bank (loan)4 to take an amount or number from a total (deduct)5 the most exciting, impressive, or interesting part of an event (highlight)6 to show that you understand someone‘s problems (sympathize)7 needing a lot of time, ability, and energy (demanding)5 Complete the conversation with the correct form of the words in Activity 4.A After three years at university, I‘m now quite heavily in debt.B I (1) sympathize with you, I know what it‘s like to have financial problems. But (2) fortunately I didn‘t need to take out a student (3) loan when I was at university, because I had a part-time job.A What did you do?B I worked in a restaurant at weekends.A That must have been very (4) demanding.B Yes, it was. I had to get the right balance between work and study. But the other people who worked there were good fun to be with, so it was quite (5) amusing too. The (6) highlight of the weekend was always Saturday night when we worked overtime.A But I don‘t expect you made a lot of money?B No, there wasn‘t much after they‘d (7) deducted tax and pension contributions. But it was enough to keep me going.6 Replace the underlined words with the correct form of the words in the box. You may need to make other changes.1 When I was at college I kept all my personal things in an old cupboard.2 A lot of people who leave university before getting a degree end up in good jobs.3 I think she‘ll get a good degree, but I wouldn‘t risk my money on the exact result.4 The money I spent at college was more than what I earned in my part-time job.5 The chances of my being offered a job after that interview must be quite remote.6 Our business has done very well since we changed our advertising.7 I think telling the truth and not cheating is always the best policy.Key:(1) belongings (2) dropouts (3) gamble (4) exceeded (5) odds(6) has thrived (7) honesty7 Answer the questions about the words and expressions.1 If something is not all it’s cracked up to be, is it (a) valid and interesting, or (b) just a little bit disappointing?2 If someone keeps banging on about something, are you likely to be (a) interested in, or (b) bored by what they say?3 If there is a lot of hassle in your life, are you likely to feel (a) stressed, or (b) relaxed?4 If something happens out of the blue, is it (a) unexpected, or (b) part of your plan?5 If you say you ended up in a particular job, do you suggest that (a) you have fulfilled your ambition, or (b) it happened almost by chance?6 Are the regulars in a pub (a) the customers who come very often, or (b) the food the pub offers most often?7 If something is dead easy, is it (a) very easy, or (b) not easy at all?8 If you treat someone to something, do you (a) buy something nice for them, or (b) behave badly to them?9 If you cheer a place up, do you (a) make the place look brighter, or (b) make the people in the place happier?Reading and interpreting8 Look at the sentences from the passage and identify the style features.1 Twelve years at school and three years at university, teachers banging on about opportunities in the big wide world beyond our sheltered life as students, and what do I find?This shows the informality of an incomplete sentence in the first part, the use of an informal expression (banging on) and a rhetorical question to the reader (What do I find?)2 Try as I might to stay cheerful, all I ever get is hassle, sometimes with people (especially boys, god, when will they grow up?) …This has the use of an informal word (hassle), an informal exclamation (god) and a question to the reader (When will they grow up?)3 Actually, I had my eye on the course at the London School of Economics (LSE).Here there is a discourse marker typical of speech (Actually) and an informal phrase (had my eye on).4 I kind of understand it, and not just because my degree is in economics.Here ―kind of‖ is a sort of discour se marker of informal speech (showing something is general, vague or not definite).5 I wanted something in finance and investments, because you know, maybe with a job like that, Icould use my degree.This has a discourse marker of informal speech (you know).6 ... it‘s true, he really did seem to have three hands.Again here is a discourse marker of informal speech (it‘s true).7 I talked to him about ... well, about pretty well everything …This has another discourse marker of informal speech (well) and an informal phrase (pretty well). Language in useword formation: compound nouns1 Write the compound nouns which mean:1 a degree which is awarded a first class (a first-class degree)2 work in a hospital (hospital work)3 a ticket for a plane journey (a plane ticket)4 a discount for students (a student discount)5 a pass which allows you to travel on buses (a bus pass)6 a room where an interview is held (an interview room)7 a period spent in training (a training period)word formation: noun phrases2 Write the noun phrases which mean:1 a career which is rewarding from the financial point of view (a financially rewarding career)2 legislation which has been introduced recently (recently introduced legislation)3 instructions which are more complex than usual (unusually complex instructions)4 an institution which is orientated towards academic (academically orientated work)5 work which makes physical demands on you (physically demanding work)6 information which has the potential to be important (potentially important information)7 candidates who have been selected after a careful procedure (carefully selected candidates)8 a coursebook in which everything has been planned beautifully (a beautifully planned textbook)try as … might3 Rewrite the se ntences using try as … might .1 I‘m trying to fill this last page, but I just can‘t think of anything.Try as I might to fill this last page, I just can‘t think of anything.2 I try to be friendly with Marta, but she doesn‘t seem to respond.Try as I migh t to be friendly with Marta, she doesn‘t seem to respond.3 I try hard to get to sleep, but I can‘t help thinking about my family.Try as I might to get to sleep, I can‘t help thinking about my family.4 He just doesn‘t seem to get the promotion he deserve s, even though he keeps trying.Try as he might, he just doesn‘t seem to get the promotion he deserves. / Try as he might to get the promotion he deserves, he just doesn‘t seem to get it.5 I keep trying to remember her name, but my mind is a blank.Try as I might to remember her name, my mind is a blank.given that …4 Rewrite the sentences using given that …1 Since I know several languages, I thought I would look for work abroad.Given that I know several languages, I thought I would look for work abroad.2 Xiao Li has the best qualifications, so she should get the job.Given that Xiao Li has the best qualifications, she should get the job.3 Since we‘re all here, I think it would be a good idea to get down to some work.Given that we‘re all here, I thin k it would be a good idea to get down to some work.4 Since it‘s rather late, I think we should leave this last task until tomorrow.Given that it‘s rather late, I think we should leave this last task until tomorrow.clauses introduced by than5 Rewrite the sentences using clauses introduced by than .1 She‘s experienced at giving advice. I‘m more experienced.She‘s less experienced at giving advice than I am. / I‘m more experienced at giving advice than she is.2 You eat too much chocolate. It isn‘t good for you.You eat too much chocolate than is good for you.3 She worked very hard. Most part-timers don‘t work so hard.She worked harder than most part-timers do.4 You have arrived late too many times. That isn‘t acceptable.You have arrived late more times than is acceptable.5 I don‘t think you should have given so much personal information. It isn‘t wise.I think you have given more personal information than is wise.collocations6 Read the explanations of the words. Answer the questions.1 highlight A highlight is the most exciting, impressive, or interesting part of an event.(a) What would you like to be the highlight of your career?I would like the highlight of my student career to be to receive a national award for the best student research project.(b) How can you highlight an important sentence in a text?You can underline it in pencil or pen or you can use coloured pens or highlighters.(c) What are the edited highlights of a football match?The highlights are when someone scores a goal or prevents one from being scored.2 loan A loan is an amount of money someone borrows from someone else.(a) Have you ever taken out a loan?No, I haven‘t. But my parents have taken out several loans to buy kitchen equipment.(b) What is the best way to pay off a loan?It is best to pay a loan off quickly, although you will still have to pay some interest.(c) If you have a library book on loan, what do you have to do with it?You have to return it before the date it is due, otherwise you may have to pay a fine.3 thrive To thrive means to be very successful, happy or healthy.(a) What sort of business thrives best in your part of the country?In my part of the country, light industries and electronics companies thrive.(b) Which sort of plants thrive in a hot climate?In a hot climate you can see tropical fruit and vegetables thrive and also tropical plants and trees. (c) Why do you think some couples thrive on conflict?It is difficult to understand why some couples thrive on conflict. Maybe each one wants to compete with the other or maybe they enjoy ―kissing and making up‖ after the conflict.7 Translate the paragraphs into Chinese.If you ask me, real life is not all it‘s cracked up to be. Twelve years at school and three years at university, teachers banging on about opportunities in the big wide world beyond our sheltered life as students, and what do I find?Try as I might to stay cheerful, all I ever get is hassle, sometimes with people (especially boys, god, when will they grow up?), but mostly with money. It‘s just so expensive out here! Everyone wants a slice off you. The Inland Revenue wants to deduct income tax, the bank manager wants repayments on my student loan, the landlord wants the rent, gas, water, electricity and my mobile bills keep coming in, and all that‘s before I‘ve had anything to eat. And then some bright spark calls me out of the blue, asking if I‘m interested in buying a pension. At this rate, I won‘t even last till the end of the year, let alone till I‘m 60.(☞翻译时可以根据上下文增译,即增加原文暗含了但没有直接表达出来的意思。
基础英语Book 4 第一单元学习资料Ⅰ.Exercise 9. Take a close look at the following picture. Think about it for one minute. Then give a two-minute oral presentation to explain to the class what you think it means. Questions:1.What does the man fill his mind with, knowledge or money?2.What dose the man fill his pocket, knowledge or money?3.What should we do first ?To fill our mind with knowledge or to fill our pocket with money? Preparation:1. We have been taught the importance of independence. Actually, we are learning to be independent while we are living on campus as college students. Upon graduation, we will look for a job and earn a living in the world of competition on our own.2. First things first. We are supposed to fill our……………………………………………………. ……………………………………………………………………………3. We are living in the age of knowledge economy ………………………………………………. ………………………………………………..4. Today, we are college students with empty pockets. ………………………………………….. ..............................................................................Ⅱ.Language points for Paragraph 11-14 of Text B1. e.g.新的经济发展正推动着变革。
冰雪卫士1812年,法国皇帝拿破仑带领他的大陆军进入俄国。
他已经做好了准备,对俄国人民保卫家乡进行残酷抵抗,他也准备好跨越俄国土地前去莫斯科的漫长征程。
然而,对于莫斯科那毁灭性的敌人------阴冷严寒刺骨的俄国冬日,他确没有做丝毫准备。
1914年,纳粹德国的领导者希特勒发起了对苏维埃俄国的进攻,紧接着俄国人民也奋博罗季诺起反抗了。
希特勒的军队是举世无双的。
他的战争武器已经打败了欧洲大多数反抗。
希特勒期待着一个短暂的战役,但是就像他之前的拿破仑一样,给他的却是一次惨痛的教训。
俄国的冬日再一次成为苏维埃士兵的救星。
拿破仑的战役1812年的春天,拿破仑在俄国的边境召集了一支60万人的军队。
士兵们都受过良好的训练,做事效率高,而且武器装备精良。
这支军队叫做大陆军。
拿破仑对于取得迅速胜利十分有信心,且预言说五个星期内征服俄国。
之后很快,拿破仑的军队越过涅曼河进入俄国。
拿破仑期望的迅速的决定性胜利并没有发生。
令他惊讶的是,俄军拒绝站起来反抗,取而代之的是向东方撤退,同时烧毁他们的庄稼和房屋。
大陆军紧随其后,但是向前的道路很快就被缓慢的物资供应阻碍了。
8月,法俄两军陷入斯摩棱斯克之战,双方各有一万士兵战死沙场。
然而俄军再次撤退至其领地。
拿破仑还没有取得决定性胜利。
他现在面临一个重大决定。
他是该继续追赶俄军呢?还是要留守斯摩棱斯克迎接即将来临的冬天呢?拿破仑决定赌一把,继续向448千米以外的莫斯科前进。
1812年9月7,法俄两军在距离莫斯科112千米以外的博罗季诺展开激烈战斗。
夜幕降临,3万法军和5万4千俄军要么战死沙场要重伤。
俄军再一次撤退至安全地带拿破仑对莫斯科有清楚的作战计划,但是对城市的占领却成了一场空胜利。
俄国人逃离了首都。
法军抵达后不久,一场猛烈的火灾摧毁的三分之二的城市。
拿破仑向亚历山大一世提出停战,但是俄国沙皇知道他是在等待时机:“我们应该让俄国的冬天帮我们打赢这场战争。
”拿破仑很快发现,在冬季的莫斯科,他不能为自己的军队提供粮食,衣物以及宿营地。
新标准大学英语综合教程4原文Unit 1。
Text A。
Pre-reading Activities。
First Listening。
First Listening。
1. What do you know about the Chinese New Year?2. What is your favorite festival, and why?3. What do people do to celebrate the Chinese New Year?4. What do you think is the most important festival in China?5. What do you know about the custom of giving red packets during the Chinese New Year?Text A。
The Chinese New Year is the most important festival for the Chinese people and is when all family members get together, just like Christmas in the West. All people living away from home go back, becoming the busiest time for transportation systems of about half a month from the Spring Festival. Airports, railway stations and long-distance bus stations are crowded with home returnees.The New Year's Eve and the first three days of the New Year are the peak time for celebrations. People in northern China eat dumplings, and people in southern China eat rice cakes. People in the north enjoy the tradition of eating dumplings on New Year's Eve. They eat dumplings at midnight, which symbolizes driving away the old and welcoming the new. In the south, people eat rice cakes on the first day of the New Year. Thepronunciation of "cake" in Chinese is the same as that of "height" and "promotion", so eating rice cakes symbolizes growth, progress, and promotion year by year.During the Spring Festival, the most popular activity is the dragon and lion dances. Every morning, people light firecrackers to welcome the New Year. The first day is for the welcoming of the gods of the heavens and earth. People burn incense and paper money to worship their ancestors. The second day is for married daughters to visit their birth parents.The fifth day is called Po Wu, and people stay home to welcome the God of Wealth. The sixth day is for visiting relatives and friends. The seventh day is everyone's birthday. People eat noodles to celebrate, as noodles symbolize longevity. The fifteenth day is the Lantern Festival. People eat yuanxiao, a kind of sweet dumpling made of glutinous rice flour, which symbolizes family unity and prosperity.The Chinese New Year is a time of family reunion. No matter how far away people are, they will come back to their hometown to celebrate the festival. The Chinese New Year is not only a time for family reunion, but also a time for people to rest and relax. It is a time for people to enjoy themselves after a year of hard work. The Chinese New Year is a time for people to look forward to the future, and it is a time for people to make wishes for the coming year.Post-reading Activities。
综合教程第四册Unit1
Unit 1 关心他人
我们都应该花时间与他人交流,演示出我们真正的关心。
今日的教育环境提出了许多原本从不曾考虑过的观点,其中一种观点就是认识到关心他人这一重要原则。
它准确地反映了我们社会中各个层面存在的需求。
关心他人不仅仅指关注身边的人或与他们互动,它也涉及到一系列社会关系中存在的问题。
这要求我们对别人表示出真实、深入的关怀,用心耐心地了解他们的观念,将自己的思想和情绪能得以充分表达。
若我们认真的话,关心他人可以是一个实实在在的任务,甚至可以作为一种习惯。
我们可以为此做出不同的努力,以促进友谊和家庭关系的和谐,并将之带进学校和其他的社会环境中。
当我们实现他人的需求,耐心听取他人的意见,充分考虑他人感受时,我们就能体会到温暖、舒服和快乐的感觉。
此外,在当今时代,生活更加多元,人们内心也更加渴望得到谅解和理解,要求我们更加有礼貌,并重视彼此的感受。
只有在这样的背景下,我们才真正的关心他人,以拯救我们这个世界。
Reading AloudUnit1She was a small woman, old and wrinkled. When she started washing for us, she was already past seventy. All the old women in out street had bent backs and leaned on sticks when they walked. But this washwoman, small and thin as she was, possessed a strength that came from generations of peasant forebears. Mother would count out to her a bundle of laundry that had accumulated over several weeks. She would then lift the bundle, put it on her narrow shoulders, and carry it the long way home.She would bring the laundry back about two weeks later. My mother had never been so pleased with any washwoman. Yet she charged no more than the others. She was a real fine. Mother always had her money ready, because it was too far for the woman to come a second time.count out <非正>逐一数出,大声数; <非正>不把…考虑在内她是个小个子的妇人,上了年纪,满脸皱纹。
综合教程4Unit1-Unit4课文翻译.Unit 1Never Give In, Never, Never, NeverWinston ChurchillAlmost a year has passed since I came down here at your Head Master's kind invitation in order to cheer myself and cheer the hearts of a few of my friends by singing some of our own songs. The ten months that have passed have seen very terrible catastrophic events in the world—ups and downs, misfortunes—but can anyone sitting here this afternoon, this October afternoon, not feel deeply thankful for what has happened in the time that has passed and for the very great improvement in the position of our country and of our home? Why, when I was here last time we were quite alone, desperately alone, and we had been so for five or six months. We were poorly armed. We are not so poorly armed today; but then we were very poorly armed. We had the unmeasured menace of the enemy and their air attack still beating upon us, and you yourselves had had experience of this attack; and I expect you are beginning to feel impatient that there has been this long lull with nothing particular turning up!But we must learn to be equally good at what is short and sharp and what is long and tough. It is generally said that the British are often better at the last. They do not expect to move from crisis to crisis; they do not always expect that each day will bring up some noble chance of war; but when they very slowly make up their minds that the thing has to be done and the job put through and finished, then, even if it takes months—if it takes years—they do it.Another lesson I think we may take, just throwing our minds back to our meeting here ten months ago and now, is that appearances are often very deceptive, and as Kipling well says, we must "... meet with Triumph and Disaster. And treat those two impostors just the same."You cannot tell from appearances how things will go. Sometimes imagination makesthings out far worse than they are; yet without imagination not much can be done. Those people who are imaginative see many more dangers than perhaps exist; certainly many more will happen; but then they must also pray to be given that extra courage to carry this far-reaching imagination. But for everyone, surely, what we have gone through in this period—I am addressing myself to the school—surely from this period of ten months this is the lesson: never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy. We stood all alone a year ago, and to many countries it seemed that our account was closed, we were finished. All this tradition of ours, our songs, our school history, this part of the history of this country, were gone and finished and liquidated.Very different is the mood today. Britain, other nations thought, had drawn a sponge across her slate. But instead our country stood in the gap. There was no flinching and no thought of giving in; and by what seemed almost a miracle to those outside these islands, though we ourselves never doubted it, we now find ourselves in a position where I say that we can be sure that we have only to persevere to conquer.You sang here a verse of a school song: you sang that extra verse written in my honour, which I was very greatly complimented by and which you have repeated today. But there is one word in it I want to alter—I wanted to do so last year, but I did not venture to. It is the line: "Not less we praise in darker days."I have obtained the Head Master's permission to alter darker to sterner. "Not less we praise in sterner days."Do not let us speak of darker days: let us speak rather of sterner days. These are not dark days; these are great days—the greatest days our country has ever lived; and we must all thank God that we have been allowed, each of us according to our stations, to play a part in making these days memorable in the history of our race.绝不屈服,绝不,绝不,绝不温斯顿·丘吉尔1 将近一年前,应贵校校长盛情邀请,我来到这里唱了几首我们自己的歌曲,既为自己加油,也为一些朋友打气。
Unit 1the paragraph into English我认为,选修第二专业并不适合每一位本科生。
我大学本科主修英语专业,大一时就开始辅修经济学了。
无疑,我是班里最用功的学生。
我竭尽全力想同时达到两个不同专业的要求,但还是有不及格的时候。
因为经济学需要良好的数学基础,我不得不花大量时间钻研数学,因而忽略了英语学习。
the paragraph into Englishyou ask me, taking a second major isn’t good for every under graduate. In my freshman year as an English major, I took economics as my minor. By all odds, I was the most hard-working student in my class. But try as I might to meet the requirements of the two different subjects, I still couldn’t do well enough to pas s all the exams. Given that the study of economics required a good command of mathematics, I had to spend so much time on math that I neglected my English.the paragraph into English第二学期,《英国文学》及《宏观经济学》两门课不及格给我敲响了警钟,这可是我一生中第一次考试不及格,这大大打击了我的自信心。
虽然我不是一个容易向命运低头的人,在暑假结束的时候,我还是决定放弃经济学,以免两个专业都难以完成。
当我只需修一个专业的时候,一切似乎又回到了正规。
Key to book4 unit1-4Unit 1Active reading (1)Looking for a job after university? First, get off the sofaReading and understandingDealing with unfamiliar words3 Match the words in the box with their definitions.1 to make progress by moving to the next stage in a series of actions or events (proceed)2 the process of changing from one situation, form or state to another (transition)3 not feeling involved with someone or something in a close or emotional way (detached)4 referring to something which will happen soon (upcoming)5 to be sitting still in a position that is not upright (slump)6 to return to a previous state or way of behaving (revert)7 to say what happened (recount)4 Complete the paragraph with the correct form of the words in Activity 3.It isn‘t easy to make the (1) transition from a busy university student to an unemployed young adult (2) slumped on a bar stool or half watching a mindless television show, wondering if and how their career is going to (3) proceed. Many people who have experienced a long period of inactivity like this, when (4) recounting how they felt at the time, refer to the same strange psychological effect. As the days pass, they begin to feel (5) detached from any sense of pressure to go and look for a job, and tend to regard (6) upcoming interviews as if they were not very important. Typically, back at home after three or four years away, they (7) revert to old habits, start seeing old friends, and, in many cases, become dependent again on their parents.5 Replace the underlined words with the correct form of the words in the box. You may need to make other changes.1 I went to a mixed-ability secondary school just outside London. (comprehensive)2 I got stopped by a policeman who asked to see my driving licence. (cop)3 Have you seen this beautiful from the air view of Oxford? (aerial)4 Isabel tightly her bag as she walked down the corridor towards the office. (clutched)5 You should speak to Toby; he‘s an supporter of flexible working hours. (advocate)6 I hurt my leg badly a couple of months ago, and it still hasn‘t got better completely. (healed)6 Answer the questions about the words.1 Is a dead-end job one with (a) exciting prospects, or (b) no future?2 Is a tricky problem (a) difficult, or (b) easy to solve?3 If an activity saps all your energy, do you feel (a) tired, or (b) more active than usual?4 Does a pushy person try to (a) persuade you to do something you don‘t want to, or (b) help you by listening to what you have to say?5 If you feel apathy, do you want to (a) change the world, or (b) stay at home and do nothing?7 Answer the questions about the phrases.1 Is fork out (a) a formal, or (b) an informal way of saying to pay for something?2 If you are in the same boat as another person, are you (a) making the same journey together, or (b) in the same difficult or unpleasant situation?3 If you feel you have come full circle, do you (a) feel you are back where you started, or (b) feel a sense of satisfaction because you have completed something?4 If someone takes a soft line, do they deal with a person (a) in a kind and sympathetic way, or (b) in a lazy way without making a decision?5 If you strike the right note about something, are you expressing yourself (a) well, or (b) badly?6 If you do something by all means, do you (a) try your best to do it, or (b) not care about it?7 If you nudge someone back into the saddle, are you encouraging them to (a) take responsibility again, or (b) take it easy?8 If you talk through a problem with someone, do you (a) examine it carefully and sensitively, or (b) refer to it quickly and then change the subject?Active reading (2)If you ask meDealing with unfamiliar words4 Match the words in the box with their definitions.1 funny or entertaining (amusing)2 used for emphasizing that something good has happened, especially because of good luck (fortunately)3 an amount of money that a person, business or country borrows, usually from a bank (loan)4 to take an amount or number from a total (deduct)5 the most exciting, impressive, or interesting part of an event (highlight)6 to show that you understand someone‘s problems (sympathize)7 needing a lot of time, ability, and energy (demanding)5 Complete the conversation with the correct form of the words in Activity 4.A After three years at university, I‘m now quite heavily in debt.B I (1) sympathize with you, I know what it‘s like to have financial problems. But (2) fortunately I didn‘t need to take out a student (3) loan when I was at university, because I had a part-time job.A What did you do?B I worked in a restaurant at weekends.A That must have been very (4) demanding.B Yes, it was. I had to get the right balance between work and study. But the other people who worked there were good fun to be with, so it was quite (5) amusing too. The (6) highlight of the weekend was always Saturday night when we worked overtime.A But I don‘t expect you made a lot of money?B No, there wasn‘t much after they‘d (7) deducted tax and pension contributions. But it was enough to keep me going.6 Replace the underlined words with the correct form of the words in the box. You may need to make other changes.1 When I was at college I kept all my personal things in an old cupboard.2 A lot of people who leave university before getting a degree end up in good jobs.3 I think she‘ll get a good degree, but I wouldn‘t risk my money on the exact result.4 The money I spent at college was more than what I earned in my part-time job.5 The chances of my being offered a job after that interview must be quite remote.6 Our business has done very well since we changed our advertising.7 I think telling the truth and not cheating is always the best policy.Key:(1) belongings (2) dropouts (3) gamble (4) exceeded (5) odds(6) has thrived (7) honesty7 Answer the questions about the words and expressions.1 If something is not all it’s cracked up to be, is it (a) valid and interesting, or (b) just a little bit disappointing?2 If someone keeps banging on about something, are you likely to be (a) interested in, or (b) bored by what they say?3 If there is a lot of hassle in your life, are you likely to feel (a) stressed, or (b) relaxed?4 If something happens out of the blue, is it (a) unexpected, or (b) part of your plan?5 If you say you ended up in a particular job, do you suggest that (a) you have fulfilled your ambition, or (b) it happened almost by chance?6 Are the regulars in a pub (a) the customers who come very often, or (b) the food the pub offers most often?7 If something is dead easy, is it (a) very easy, or (b) not easy at all?8 If you treat someone to something, do you (a) buy something nice for them, or (b) behave badly to them?9 If you cheer a place up, do you (a) make the place look brighter, or (b) make the people in the place happier?Reading and interpreting8 Look at the sentences from the passage and identify the style features.1 Twelve years at school and three years at university, teachers banging on about opportunities in the big wide world beyond our sheltered life as students, and what do I find?This shows the informality of an incomplete sentence in the first part, the use of an informal expression (banging on) and a rhetorical question to the reader (What do I find?)2 Try as I might to stay cheerful, all I ever get is hassle, sometimes with people (especially boys, god, when will they grow up?) …This has the use of an informal word (hassle), an informal exclamation (god) and a question to the reader (When will they grow up?)3 Actually, I had my eye on the course at the London School of Economics (LSE).Here there is a discourse marker typical of speech (Actually) and an informal phrase (had my eye on).4 I kind of understand it, and not just because my degree is in economics.Here ―kind of‖ is a sort of discours e marker of informal speech (showing something is general, vague or not definite).5 I wanted something in finance and investments, because you know, maybe with a job like that, Icould use my degree.This has a discourse marker of informal speech (you know).6 ... it‘s true, he really did seem to have three hands.Again here is a discourse marker of informal speech (it‘s true).7 I talked to him about ... well, about pretty well everything …This has another discourse marker of informal speech (well) and an informal phrase (pretty well). Language in useword formation: compound nouns1 Write the compound nouns which mean:1 a degree which is awarded a first class (a first-class degree)2 work in a hospital (hospital work)3 a ticket for a plane journey (a plane ticket)4 a discount for students (a student discount)5 a pass which allows you to travel on buses (a bus pass)6 a room where an interview is held (an interview room)7 a period spent in training (a training period)word formation: noun phrases2 Write the noun phrases which mean:1 a career which is rewarding from the financial point of view (a financially rewarding career)2 legislation which has been introduced recently (recently introduced legislation)3 instructions which are more complex than usual (unusually complex instructions)4 an institution which is orientated towards academic (academically orientated work)5 work which makes physical demands on you (physically demanding work)6 information which has the potential to be important (potentially important information)7 candidates who have been selected after a careful procedure (carefully selected candidates)8 a coursebook in which everything has been planned beautifully (a beautifully planned textbook)try as … might3 Rewrite the sen tences using try as … might .1 I‘m trying to fill this last page, but I just can‘t think of anything.Try as I might to fill this last page, I just can‘t think of anything.2 I try to be friendly with Marta, but she doesn‘t seem to respond.Try as I might to be friendly with Marta, she doesn‘t seem to respond.3 I try hard to get to sleep, but I can‘t help thinking about my family.Try as I might to get to sleep, I can‘t help thinking about my family.4 He just doesn‘t seem to get the promotion he deserves, even though he keeps trying.Try as he might, he just doesn‘t seem to get the promotion he deserves. / Try as he might to get the promotion he deserves, he just doesn‘t seem to get it.5 I keep trying to remember her name, but my mind is a blank.Try as I might to remember her name, my mind is a blank.given that …4 Rewrite the sentences using given that …1 Since I know several languages, I thought I would look for work abroad.Given that I know several languages, I thought I would look for work abroad.2 Xiao Li has the best qualifications, so she should get the job.Given that Xiao Li has the best qualifications, she should get the job.3 Since we‘re all here, I think it would be a good idea to get down to some work.Given that we‘re all here, I think it would be a good idea to get down to some work.4 Since it‘s rather late, I think we should leave this last task until tomorrow.Given that it‘s rather late, I think we should leave this last task until tomorrow.clauses introduced by than5 Rewrite the sentences using clauses introduced by than .1 She‘s experienced at giving advice. I‘m more experienced.She‘s less experienced at giving advice than I am. / I‘m more experienced at giving advice than she is.2 You eat too much chocolate. It isn‘t good f or you.You eat too much chocolate than is good for you.3 She worked very hard. Most part-timers don‘t work so hard.She worked harder than most part-timers do.4 You have arrived late too many times. That isn‘t acceptable.You have arrived late more times than is acceptable.5 I don‘t think you should have given so much personal information. It isn‘t wise.I think you have given more personal information than is wise.collocations6 Read the explanations of the words. Answer the questions.1 highlight A highlight is the most exciting, impressive, or interesting part of an event.(a) What would you like to be the highlight of your career?I would like the highlight of my student career to be to receive a national award for the best student research project.(b) How can you highlight an important sentence in a text?You can underline it in pencil or pen or you can use coloured pens or highlighters.(c) What are the edited highlights of a football match?The highlights are when someone scores a goal or prevents one from being scored.2 loan A loan is an amount of money someone borrows from someone else.(a) Have you ever taken out a loan?No, I haven‘t. But my parents have taken out several loans to buy kitchen equipment.(b) What is the best way to pay off a loan?It is best to pay a loan off quickly, although you will still have to pay some interest.(c) If you have a library book on loan, what do you have to do with it?You have to return it before the date it is due, otherwise you may have to pay a fine.3 thrive To thrive means to be very successful, happy or healthy.(a) What sort of business thrives best in your part of the country?In my part of the country, light industries and electronics companies thrive.(b) Which sort of plants thrive in a hot climate?In a hot climate you can see tropical fruit and vegetables thrive and also tropical plants and trees. (c) Why do you think some couples thrive on conflict?It is difficult to understand why some couples thrive on conflict. Maybe each one wants to compete with the other or maybe they enjoy ―kissing and making up‖ after the conflict.7 Translate the paragraphs into Chinese.If you ask me, real life is not all it‘s cracked up to be. Twelve years at school and three years at university, teachers banging on about opportunities in the big wide world beyond our sheltered life as students, and what do I find?Try as I might to stay cheerful, all I ever get is hassle, sometimes with people (especially boys, god, when will they grow up?), but mostly with money. It‘s just so expensive out here! Everyone wants a slice off you. The Inland Revenue wants to deduct income tax, the bank manager wants repayments on my student loan, the landlord wants the rent, gas, water, electricity and my mobile bills keep coming in, a nd all that‘s before I‘ve had anything to eat. And then some bright spark calls me out of the blue, asking if I‘m interested in buying a pension. At this rate, I won‘t even last till the end of the year, let alone till I‘m 60.(☞翻译时可以根据上下文增译,即增加原文暗含了但没有直接表达出来的意思。
A Manifesto for MenAs men, we know we could get a better deal. We look at women and see modernity: expansive people exploring new roles, conquering the world. Quietly, secretly, we admire the gathering pace of their achievement. And we say to ourselves: what about us? Isn’t this how we are supposed to be: bright, confident, going places?So what’s getting in our way? There is no point in blaming women, stoking up a sex war. This remains, after all, a man’s world. If we knew what we wanted, we could enact it. No, the problem is our lack of imagination. Ask women what they, as women, want and they’ll tell you: equality. Men? We haven’t a clue. And the reason is simple. We have failed to understand the opportunities of this century’s greatest and most enduring social movement, the collapse of the sexual division of labor.We’re making a mistake. The past ill-served our real needs. It forced us into a narrow sense of ourselves as workers, which fell apart when we were sacked, retired or fell ill. It drove us out of our homes and made us strangers to our children. It meant we subcontracted our physical, emotional, and practical needs to women. They fed us, nurtured us, gave us access to our feelings, mediated a social world for us. They did our private labor, just as we did their public work.For all the adult behavior we demonstrated outside the home, we remained children within it. It left us, particularly the elderly, half-dead, living sad, limited lives, often stuck in soured relationships.We can change all this. And it isn’t just wishful thinking. A fair wind was behind women’s liberation: in a few decades they gained control of their own fertility, while the economy demanded a vast expansion in the labor force. Even conservative men couldn’t stop them.The first step must be for us to break our silence. Hence this manifesto.Just imagine how we might beWhen the sexual division of labor underpinned notions of being a man, we defined ourselves in three ways: as bread-winning workers, as the opposite of women, and as fathers who did what mothers did not do. Each notion rules out a vast sphere of activity and stifles men. We must rewrite these definitions.Work is not the promised landWhen people ask me what I am, I say I’m a jo urnalist. Not a man, not a father, not a husband, not a son, not a brother, not a citizen, not even a combination of these; a journalist. Like many men, I am my work. When work’s OK, I’m OK. Everything else might be falling apart, but success at work sustains a man. It provides status, power and a means to be a breadwinning father. The women’s movement has only further emphasized the paramount status of work and that, by implication, domesticity and child-rearing is drudgery.Yet expecting work to support our sense of self so fundamentally is a mistake. Many self definitions survive the passage of time. Job isn’t one of them. It’s too insecure. One day we know we’ll get fired, sick or retire. For those who are young and can’t get a job or are dumped on the scrap heap at an early age, failure at work leads to depression, crime, violence and, in some cases, suicide. Must a man go mad before he discovers a sounder way of valuing himself? We have to realize that putting faith in work is a con.Man is not the opposite of womanWhen women were seen as weak, we had to be strong. We did what women didn’t do, but now there’s hardly anything women won’t do. They play sports, earn money, attend football matches, fly RAF1 fighters and initiate sex. Yet we persist in thinking of ourselves as the “opposite”of women. At this rate, we’ll end up defined as the people who do the few activities women don’t want to do: rape,murder and abuse.Fathers, too, can fulfill all a child’s needsWe remain limited by the traditional image of fathers as providing income, discipline and, in some cases, a playmate for a child. Physical and emotional intimacy with children have been the prerogative of women and largely continue to be so. Today many men want to be closer to their children and are active fathers. We enjoy it and are competent. But some women refuse to treat us as equals.Equality begins at homeIn many homes men are passive, allowing women to organize our personal lives, letting them act as gatekeepers of the home, determining which friendships are maintained, how involved the couple is with family. Many of us find it difficult to take the initiative or to say no to women at home, because we never learned how to say no to our mothers.Men must start doing it for themselvesSuccessful men must take up a leadership role. Too often they stay quiet because they have least to gain from rethinking their roles. Their jobs are relatively secure, with high status and power over women. They have some control over their working hours, can often work from home and afford child care. They can still have it all.So they hang on to what can be salvaged from the old order, and close their minds to reshaping the world in a way that better suits all of us. The men’s movement is thus often inhabited by angry, inarticulate men who lack an intellectual framework for understanding their dilemmas. Intelligent, educated men could lead the way. We need them to start thinking, fast.。
The Unsung Heroes: What About Working Dads?On our first “date” after our twin daughters were born, my husband and I went to see the movie Toy Story1. We enjoyed it, but afterward my husband asked, “Where was the dad?” At first, it seemed petty to criticize an entertaining family movie because of one small point. The more I thought about it, however, the more glaring an omission it seemed. Not only was dad not around, he wasn’t even mentioned — despite the fact that there was a baby in the family, so dad c ouldn’t have been that long gone. It was as if the presence — or absence — of a father is a minor detail, not even requiring an explanation.This is only one example of the media trend toward marginalizing fathers, which mirrors enormous social changes in the United States. David Blankenhorn2, in his book Fatherless America3, refers to this trend as the “unnecessary father” concept.We are bombarded by stories about the struggles of working mothers (as opposed to nonworking mothers, I suppose). Meanwhile, a high proportion of media stories about fathers focus on abusive husbands or deadbeat dads. It seems that the only time fathers merit attention is when they are criticized for not helping enough with the housework (a claim that I find dubious anyway, because the definition of “housework” rarely includes cleaning the gutters, changing the oil in the car or other jobs typically done by men) or when they die. When Mr Blankenhorn surveyed fathers about the meaning of the term “good family man,” many responded that it was a phrase they only heard at funerals.One exception to the “unnecessary father” syndrome is the glowing media attention that at-home dads have received. I do not mean to imply that at-home dads do not deserve support for making this commitment. I only mean to point out the double standard at work when at-home dads are applauded while at-home mothers and breadwinner fathers are given little, if any, cultural recognition.The very language we use to discuss men’s roles (i.e., deadbeat da ds) shows a lack of appreciation for the majority of men who quietly yet proudly fulfill their family responsibilities. We almost never hear the term “working father,” and it is rare that calls for more workplace flexibility are considered to be for men as much as for women. Our society acts as if family obligations are not as important to fathers as they are to mothers —as if career satisfaction is what a man’s life is all about.Even more insulting is the recent media trend of regarding at-home wives as “status symbols” —like an expensive car —flaunted by the supposedly few men who can afford such a luxury. The implication is that men with at-home wives have it easier than those whose wives work outside the home because they have the “luxury” of a full-time housekeeper. In reality, however, the men who are the sole wage earners for their families suffer a lot of stresses. The loss of a job — or even the threat of that happening — is obviously much more difficult when that job is the sole source of income for a family. By the same token, sole wage earners have less flexibility when it comes to leaving unsatisfying careers because of the loss of income such a job change entails. In addition, many husbands work overtime or second jobs to make more money needed for their families. For these men, it is the family that the job supports that makes it all worthwhile. It is the belief that having a mother at home is important to the children, which makes so many men gladly take on the burden of being a sole wage earner.Today, there is widespread agreement among researchers that the absence of fathers from households causes serious problems for children and, consequently, for society at large. Yet, rather than holding up “ordinary” fathers as positive role models for the dads of tomorrow, too often society has thrown up its hands and decided that traditional fatherhood is at best obsolete and at worst dangerously reactionary. This has left many men questioning the value of their role as fathers.As a society, we need to realize that fathers are just as important to children as mothers are — notonly for financial support, but for emotional support, education and discipline as well. It is not enough for us merely to recognize that fatherlessness is a problem — to stand beside the grave and mourn the loss of the “good family man” and then try to find someone to replace him (ask anyone who has lost a father to death if that is possible). We must acknowledge how we have devalued fatherhood and work to show men how nece ssary, how important they are in their children’s lives.Those fathers who strive to be good family men by being there every day to love and support their families — those unsung heroes — need our recognition and our thanks for all they do. Because they deserve it.。