晨读

Unit 1 University student lifeI. Ivy League and OxfordThe Ivy League colleges are a group of eight universities based in the northeastern United States. All eight are private institutions and all are considered among the country's elite schools for academics. The league includes Harvard, Yale, University of Pennsylvania, Princeton, Columbia, Brown, Dartmouth and Cornell University. The term Ivy League also is used in general to express that which is of exceptional quality.HistoryS even of the eight Ivy League schools were first established prior to the American Revolution. Cornell is the exception, established in 1865. These seven schools are the oldest in the country, as are Rutgers University and The College of William and Mary, neither of which is officially considered a part of the Ivy League. The oldest college in the nation is Harvard University, founded under the name of New College in 1636. Yale is the second oldest, being founded in 1701.AthleticsIvy League, as a la bel, originally referred only to the athletic conference of which the eight universities are a part. In fact, the moniker was first used during the 1930s by sportswriters describing the conference's colleges as "Ivy League," meaning that which is overgrown with ivy, or old. Today, athletics still play a part in each of the college programs and rivalries--like that of crew teams from Harvard and Yale, or Princeton versus University of Pennsylvania in basketball--which have existed from the early formation of the league.AdmissionsGetting accepted into an Ivy League school is no easy task. Thousands of hopeful high school students apply to each of the colleges every year, but most find that acceptance is extraordinarily selective. The highest selection rate can be found at Cornell University, where on average just over 20 percent of applicants are admitted. Those seeking acceptance into Dartmouth have it a little worse, with only about 13 percent accepted, while those hoping to enter the Harvard have it toughest of all, with only about seven percent accepted. Roughly 95 percent of new students finish in the top 10 percent of their classes.PerceptionAnother consideration that sets Ivy League colleges apart is their perception to the general public. Though having an Ivy League education listed on a resume invariably receives a favorable nod, there is a general understanding that these schools represent, in addition to high academic standards, a certain amount of elitism, even snobbery. Though generalizing is a contentious subject; nevertheless, ideas of the ostentatious and wealthy are almost always associated with these schools.New words:Moniker 名字,绰号Overgrown 1.长得很快2. 杂草丛Rivalry 竞争, 竞赛,较量Perception 认识, 观念, 看法，见解Snobbery 势利行为, 谄上傲下, 恃才傲物Contentious 容易引起争论的,好争论的Ostentatious 好夸耀的;炫耀的II. Introduction - University of Oxford牛津大学Oxford is an historic and unique institution. As the oldest university in the English-speaking world, it can lay claim to nine centuries of continuous existence. There is no clear date of foundation, but teaching existed at Oxford in some form in 1096 and developed rapidly from 1167, when Henry II banned English students from attending the University of Paris.In 1188, the historian, Gerald of Wales, gave a public reading to the assembled Oxford dons and in 1190 the arrival of Emo of Friesland 弗里斯兰省(荷兰省名)(靠近北海), the first known overseas student, set in train the University's tradition of international scholarly links. By 1201, the University was headed by a magister古罗马或中世纪的教师scolarum Oxonie, on whom the title of Chancellor职业名称，大臣，来源于盎格鲁诺曼底法语was conferred授予, 赋予（奖项、学位、荣誉或权利）in 1214, and in 1231 the masters were recognized as a universitas or corporation.In the 13th century, rioting between town and gown (townspeople and students) hastened the establishment of primitive halls of residence. These were succeeded by the first of Oxford's colleges, which began as medieval 'halls of residence' or endowed houses under the supervision of a Master. University, Balliol and Merton Colleges, established between 1249 and 1264, are the oldest.Less than a century later, Oxford had achieved eminence卓越;著名above every other seat of learning, and won the praises of popes, kings and sages圣人, 智者, 哲人by virtue of its antiquity古迹, 古物, curriculum, doctrine and privileges. In 1355, Edward III paid tribute to the University for its invaluable contribution to learning; he also commented on the services rendered to the state by distinguished Oxford graduates.Early on Oxford became a centre for lively controversy, with scholars involved in religious and political disputes. John Wyclif, a 14th-century Master of Balliol, campaigned for a bible in the vernacular本国语,本地话,方言, against the wishes of the papacy罗马教皇职位. In 1530, Henry VIII forced the University to accept his divorce from Catherine of Aragon西班牙北部地方. During the Reformation in the 16th century, the Anglican churchmen Cranmer, Latimer and Ridley were tried for heresy异教and burnt at the stake被绑在火刑柱上烧死in Oxford. The University was Royalist in the Civil War, and Charles I held a counter-Parliament in Convocation House.In the late 17th century, the Oxford philosopher John Locke, suspected of treason不忠, 叛逆, 谋反, 叛国(罪), was forced to flee the country. The 18th century, when Oxford was said to have forsaken port for politics, was also an era of scientific discovery and religious revival. Edmund Halley, Professor of Geometry, predicted the return of the comet彗星that bears his name; John and Charles Wesley's prayer meetings laid the foundations of the Methodist卫理公会教徒Society.From 1878, academic halls were established for women, who became members of the University in 1920. Since 1974, all but one of Oxford's 39 colleges have changed their statutes to admit both men and women. St Hilda's remains the only women's college.During the 20th century, Oxford added to its humanistic core a major new research capacity in the natural and applied sciences, including medicine. In so doing, it has enhanced and strengthened its traditional role as an international focus for learning and a forum for intellectual debate.New words:lay claim to声称…的权力2. 自称有知识〔技能〕等don (牛津、剑桥大学的)导师;特别研究员Unit 2 Cultural shock1. HalloweenIt is the night of October 31st, when it was believed that the spirits of dead people appeared, and which is now celebrated by children, who dress as witches, ghosts and soon. It was a time when the souls of those who had died were believed to return to visit their homes. People set bonfires on hilltops for relighting their hearth fires for the winter andto frighten away evil spirits, and they sometimes wore masks and other disguises to avoidbeing recognized by the ghosts thought to be present. It was in these ways that beingssuch as witches, hobgoblins, fairies, and demons came to be associated with the day. Theperiod was also thought to be favorable for divination on matters such as marriage, health,and death.As a secular holiday, Halloween has come to be associated with a number ofactivities. One is the practice of pulling usually harmless pranks. Celebrants wear masksand costumes for parties and for trick-or-treating, thought to have derived from theBritish practice of allowing the poor to beg for food, called “soul cakes.” Trick-or-treatersgo from house to house with the threat that they will pull a trick if they do not receive a treat, usually candy. Halloween parties often include games such as bobbing for apples, perhaps derived from the Roman celebration of Pomona. Along with skeletons and black cats,the holiday has incorporated scary beings such as ghosts, witches, and vampires into the celebration. Another symbol is the jack-o'-lantern, a hollowed-out pumpkin, originally aturnip, carved into a demonic face and lit with a candle inside. Since the mid 20th century,the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has attempted to make the collection ofmoney for its programs a part of Halloween.New words:Bonfire-a large outdoor fire, either for burning waste, or for a partyHearth-the area of floor around a fireplace in a houseHobgoblin-a goblin that plays tricks on peopleGoblin-a small, often ugly creature in children‟s stories that likes to trick peopleDemons-an evil spiritDivination-the act of finding out what will happen in the future by means of special powers, or the abilityto do thisSecular-not connected with or controlled by church or other religious authorityPrank-a trick, especially one which is played on someone to make them look silly Bob forapples-to play a game in which you try to pick up apples floating in water, using your mouth.Skeleton-bonesVampires-an evil spirit that is believed to suck people‟s blood by biting their necksJack-o‟-lantern:Turnip-a large round pale yellow vegetable that grows under the ground, or the plant that produces it2. Double Ninth Day (Chong Y ang Festival)It‟s a time for family get-togethers. It was also an occasion to remember the ancestors, the sacrifices they made and the hardships they underwent. Often families would be organized during which people search to renew their appreciation of nature and to reaffirm their love and concern for family members and close friends. And some of the families would like to climb the mountains.Unit 3 Movies1. New Y ork TimesIt is the morning daily newspaper published in New York City, long the newspaper of record in the United States and one of the world's great newspapers. Its strength is in itseditorial excellence; it has never been the largest newspaper in terms of circulation.The Times was established in 1851 as a penny paper that would avoid sensationalismand report the news in a restrained and objective fashion. It enjoyed early success as its editors set a pattern for the future by appealing to a cultured, intellectual readership (upper class) instead of a mass audience (mass media). But its high moral tone was no asset in the heated /keen competition of other papers for readers in New York City.New words:Circulation: the average number of copies of a newspaper or magazine that are usually sold each day, week, month and so onSensationalism: a way of reporting events or stories that makes them seem as strange, exciting, or shocking as possible, and in a way that people disapprove ofRestrained: calm or controlled and does not show your real feelingsAppealing to: attractive and interestingReadership: the people who read a particular newspaper or magazineAsset: value or advantage2. Academy Award of MeritIt is also called Oscar, any of several awards presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize achievement in the film industry. The award, a gold- plated statuette (the Statue of Liberty), is bestowed upon winners in the following 24 categories: best picture, actor, actress, supporting actor, supporting actress, directing, original screenplay, adapted screenplay, cinematography电影摄影/制片术, art direction and set decoration, editing, original musical or comedy score配乐, original dramatic score, original song, costume design,makeup, sound, sound effects editing, visual effects, foreign-language film, animated short, live-action short现场节目的短片, documentary feature, and documentary short. The academy also presents scientific and technical awards, special achievement awards, honorary awards and so on. Aside from bestowing international recognition and prestige, an Academy Award can play a crucial role in the success of the major winners. The best picture award, for example, can significantly increase the box office earnings of the winning film. For actors and directors, the award often quickly results in higher salaries and increased media attention. A long-term advantage is that award winners tend to be offered better pictures and thus receive more acclaim for that work. The design for the award statuette—a knight standing on a reel of film and holding a sword —is credited to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) art director Cedric Gibbons.3. Beverly HillsIt is a city, western Los Angeles (L.A) county, California, U.S., completely surrounded by the city of Los Angeles. Hollywood celebrities and executives build lavish homes in Beverly Hills.4. Katharine HepburnAmerican stage and film actress, known as a spirited(精神饱满，生机勃勃的）performer with a touch of eccentricity. She Introduced into her roles a strength of character previously considered to be undesirable in Hollywood leading ladies.As an actress she was noted for her brisk（爽快的）upper-class New England accentand tomboyish(假小子气的) beauty. Her 12 Academy Award nominations also set a record, which stood until 2003, when broken by Meryl Streep. In addition, Hepburn appeared frequently on television in the 1970s and '80s. In 1999 the American Film Institute named Hepburn the top female American screen legend of all time.5. BroadwayThe term Broadway is virtually synonymous with American theatrical activity. Broadway gained its name as the axis of an important theatre district in the mid-19th century, attracting Impresarios(演出主办人/经理) with its central location and Fashionable reputation. The number, size, and magnificence of the Broadway theatres grew with New York City…sprosperity(繁荣) and power, and in the 1890s the brilliantly lighted street became known as “the Great White Way.”6. HitchcockRebeccaThe film begins with a voiceover of a woman speaking the first lines from the novel: "Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again", said to the images of a ruined country manor, she goes on telling us that she can never return to Manderley — as it no longer exists, except as a ruin. Joan Fontaine plays a young woman (who is never named) who works as a companion to the wealthy Edythe Van Hopper (Florence Bates). In Monte Carlo, she meets the aristocratic widower Maximilian (Maxim) de Winter (Laurence Olivier) and they fall in love. Within weeks, they decide to get married.Maxim takes his new bride to Manderley, his country house in Cornwall, England. The servants accept the new Mrs. de Winter as the new lady of the house. Except the housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers (Judith Anderson), who is particularly unpleasant. She is still obsessed with Rebecca's beauty and sophistication, and preserves her former bedroom as a shrine, even to the point of seeming to worship Rebecca's handmade underwear and expensive négligée. Rebecca's "cousin" Jack (George Sanders) (actually one of her lovers) occasionally appears at the house when Maxim is away, and seems to know Mrs. Danvers well, calling her by the name "Danny", which was Rebecca's pet name for her.The new Mrs. de Winter is intimidated by Mrs. Danvers and by the responsibilities of being the new chatelaine of Manderley. As a result, she begins to doubt her relationship with her husband. The continuous presence of Rebecca in the house starts to haunt her.Trying to act more like the perfect wife, Mrs. de Winter suggests to Maxim that they host a costume party. Maxim reluctantly consents. Mrs. de Winter excitedly plans her own costume in secret, but Mrs. Danvers suggests that she copy Caroline de Winter, an ancestor, whose portrait hangs in the upstairs hallway. On the night of the party, Mrs. de Winter reveals her costume to Maxim, who is both surprised and angry at her, shouting at her to change her costume. Mrs. de Winter rushes upstairs, sees Mrs. Danvers go into Rebecca's room and follows her. There she confronts Mrs. Danvers about her knowing that Rebecca had worn the same costume the previous year. Mrs. Danvers retaliates by saying that she will never take Rebecca's place and almost convinces Mrs. de Winter to commit suicide. But Mrs. de Winter snaps out of her trance when a sudden commotion starts downstairs — a ship has been spotted foundering off the coast.Mrs. de Winter (after changing her outfit) rushes downstairs to the front lawn, where she hears news that a sunken boat has been found off the coast - with Rebecca's body in it. She spots a distant glow from the cottage on the shore and enters to find Maxim. Maxim admits to his new wife that he had misidentified another body as Rebecca's in order to prevent discovery of the truth. From almost the beginning of their marriage, he and Rebecca had hated one another. They had agreed to "keep up appearances" of a real marriage for the sake of the family honor. Rebecca, however, began to get "careless" after a while, for example disappearing for days on end to London and then returning as though nothing was wrong. Maxim was also aware of Rebecca's ongoing affair with Jack. One night, suspecting to find Rebecca and Jack together, Maxim came down to the cottage. Rebecca had been expecting Jack, who had never come to see her. She told Maxim that she was pregnant with Jack's child. During the argument, she fell, hit her head, and died. Maxim took the body out in a boat which he then scuttled.In the ensuing police investigation, officials question whether the damage to the boat indicates that Rebecca may have committed suicide. Jack quickly provides evidence, a letter from Rebecca, that strongly suggests she was not suicidal. He tries to blackmail Maxim with it, but Maxim tells the police about the attempt. Maxim nevertheless comes under suspicion of murder and the second Mrs. de Winter must face the prospect of losing her husband. The investigation focuses on Rebecca's secret visits to a London doctor (Leo G. Carroll), which Jack presumes was due to her illicit pregnancy. However, an interview with the doctor reveals that Rebecca was, in fact, suffering from cancer, and would have died very shortly. She was not pregnant: she had lied to Maxim, apparently trying to goad him into killing her — as an (indirect) means of suicide.As Maxim returns home to Manderley, he finds his wife safe and sound but the manor on fire, set alight by the deranged Mrs. Danvers, who dies in the flames.Unit 4 FoodThanksgivingIt is an annual national holiday in the United States celebrating the harvest and other blessings of the past year. It originated in the autumn of 1621 when Plymouth governorWilliam Bradford invited neighbouring Indians to join the Pilgrims for a three-day festivalof recreation and feasting in gratitude for the bounty of the season. By the end of the 19th century, Thanksgiving Day had become an institution throughout New England, andin 1863, following a movement led by Sarah Josepha Hale, it was officially proclaimed a national holiday by President Abraham Lincoln. The traditional feast of turkey and pumpkinpie has since become part of the national culture. Traditionally celebrated on the lastThursday in November, it was changed by act of Congress in 1941 to the fourth Thursdayof that month. Canada first adopted Thanksgiving as a national holiday in November 1879,and it is now celebrated annually on the second Monday in October.New words:Feast v. to eat a lot of a particular food with great enjoymentPilgrim: someone who travels a long way to a holy place for a religious reason.In gratitude for: be gratefulBounty: the quality of being generousProclaim: to say publicly that something important is true or existsUnit 5 Business1. Wall StreetNew words:utility: (AmE) a service such as gas or electricity provided for people to usebrokerage: the business of being a broker (middleman).mythology: ancient myths in general, and the beliefs they representdevastate: to cause so much damage to a place or area that most of it is destroyedbastion: something that protects a way of life, principle etc that seems likely to change or disappear堡垒manipulator: someone who is good at getting what they want by cleverly controlling or deceiving other peopleIt is in the southern section of the borough of Manhattan, in New York City, which hasbeen the location of some of the chief financial institutions of the United States. The street is narrow and short and extends only about seven blocks from Broadway to the East River.Even before the American Civil War the street was recognized as the financial capital of the nation.The Wall Street, or financial, district contains the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, investment banks, government and municipal securities dealers, trust companies, the Federal Reserve Bank (Green Span), many headquarters of utilities and insurance companies, and the International Cotton, Coffee, Sugar, Cocoa, and Commodity Exchanges. The district is the headquarters of many of the country's brokerage firms.Wall Street is a worldwide symbol of high finance and investment and, as such, has entered modern mythology. In prosperous times Wall Street has symbolized the route to quick riches. After the devastating stock market crash of 1929, Wall Street seemed the bastion of financial manipulators able to destabilize national economies.2. Ford Automotive CompanyNew words:Associate: someone who you work or do business withAssembly: the process of putting parts together in order to make somethingpassenger cars: cars for people, not for goodsaccessories: something that you add to a machine, tool, car etc so that it can do other things, or in order to make it look attractiveAmerican automotive corporation founded in 1903 by Henry Ford (q.v.) and 11 associate investors. The company today is chiefly engaged in the manufacture, assembly, and sale of passenger cars (Ford, Mercury, Lincoln, and Continental), trucks, tractors, and related partsand accessories and is also engaged in financial services. (tertiary industry)Unit 6 SportsIn many parts of the world there are four seasons: spring, summer, fall and winter. Inthe US, there are only three: football, basketball and baseball. That‟s not completely true,but almost in every season, Americans have a ball if you want to know what season it is,just look at what people are playing for many Americans, sport does not just occupy the sidelines. It takes center court.Besides “the big three” sports, Americans play a variety of other sports. In warm weather, people enjoy water sports. Lovers of surfing, sailing and scuba diving flockto the ocean. Swimmers and water skiers also revel in the wet stuff. Fishermen try their luckin ponds, lades and rivers. In winter, sportsmen delight in freezing fun. From the first snowfall, skiers hit the slopes. Frozen ponds and ice rinks become playgrounds for skatinga hockey. People play indoor sports whatever the weather. Racketball, weightliftingand bowling are year-round activities.For many people in the US, sport is not just for fun. It’s almost a religion. Thousands of sports fans buy expensive tickets to watch their favorite teams and athletes play in person.Other fans watch the games at home, glued to their TV sets. the most devoted sports buffsnever miss a game. Many a wife becomes a “sports widow” during her husband‟s favorite season. American‟s devotion to athletics has created a new class of wealthy people: professional athletes. Sports stars often receive million-dollar salaries. Some even make big money appearing inadvertisements of soft drinks, shoes and even toiletries.Not all Americans worship sports, but athletics is an important part of their culture. Throughout their school life, Americans learn to play many sports. All students take physical education classes in school. Some try out for the school teams, while others join intramural sports leagues. Athletic events at universities attract scores of fans and benefit the whole community. Many people also enjoy non-competitive activities like hiking, biking, horseback riding, camping or hunting. To communicate with American sportsnuts, it helps if you can talk sports.Sports in America represent the international heritage of the people who play. Many sports were imported from other countries.European immigrants brought tennis, golf, bowling and boxing to America. Football and baseball came from other old world game. Only basketball has a truly American origin. Even today some formerly “foreign sports like soccer are gaining American fans. In 1994 the US hosted the world cup for the first time ever.Not only do Americans import sports, but they export sports fever, as well satellites broadcast games to sports fans around the globe. The world series, the US professional baseball championship, has begun to live up to its name. The names of American superstars like basketball great Michael Jordan have become household words the world over. Who knows? Sports seasons may even change world weather patterns.Unit 7 Shyness。