厦门大学研究生综合英语unit 9语言点

IsAffordableHousingBecomingAnOxymoron?HalR.Varian现在，房子似乎贵得没人买得起。

当然，经济学家更了解情况。

从短期来看，大部分地区的住房供应或多或少是固定的。

因此，房价主要取决于市场的需求力——即人们在住房方面愿意花多少钱。

在过去的几年里， 抵押贷款利率降至历史最低点， 而这直接刺激了住房需求。

在一些地区，特别是在东南海岸，这些地区受到用地限制影响， 住房供应量很难再增加，房价已被推高到前所未有的水平。

抵押贷款利率是否造成了房价泡沫， 这一直是个有争议的问题。

经济学对“泡沫”一词，并没有一个公认的定义， 但有种观点称，住房需求的一个重要部分基于人们对未来房价增值的预期，房价越是走高，越有人愿意购买，以便从他们预期会增值的未来房价中获取收益，这进一步推动了房价上涨。

引用艾伦·格林斯潘的话来说，市场中很可能存在一些“泡沫” ，特别是在沿海地区。

但即使泡沫退去，那些地区的住房仍然相当昂贵。

有什么解决办法吗？一些城市已经启动住房补贴计划， 为新的业主提供各种类型的资助。

不幸的是，这些计划恰恰进一步扩大需求， 推动房价上涨。

事实上，在一个持续供应住房的理想市场，对大部分买卖提供 10%的补贴，只会使房价上涨 10%。

这种先自付、后补贴的房价政策，其结果又回到了起点。

如果你真想让房价下降， 你会增收房产税， 与强行补贴类似， 房产税增加 10%会使房价下跌10%。

当然，住房的总费用（购买价加上税的当前价值）将保持不变，所以这也没有真正解决住房费用问题。

在加利福尼亚州，税收政策在房价动态变化方面已发挥出重大作用。

1978年通过的 13号议案将业主自住房的房产税增幅限制在每年 2%。

但是当住房出售时，房产税是根据售价评估的，这意味着新业主通常面临着显著高于旧业主的房产税。

13号议案被称为“搬家税” 。

事实上确实如此，因为对于加州房主来说，改造原有住房要比搬离原住房实惠得多。

Unit 9Text AII. Language points1. …many dressed in the brilliant matrimonial hues of their cultures.(Para. 1) …many wearing the wedding dresses whose colors are characteristic of their cultures.2. Once a practice as provincial as it was personal, the art of pairing up people for marriage has become an increasingly international and technology-driven business. (Para. 2) In the past, the art of matchmaking was a local and personal practice; now, it has become a business that goes to the world and is pushed by technology.3. As young people all over the world move far from home for school and work, even those from traditionbound cultures can no longer rely solely on the resources of crafty aunties to find them suitable mates. (Para. 2) Since young people throughout the world live far away from home for study and work, even those from cultures closely related to traditions can no longer depend only on their resourceful and clever relatives to help find a suitable husband or wife.crafty:a. clever; cunninge.g. a crafty politicianHe‟s a crafty old fox.4. With growth slowing in the U.S., Web matchmaking giants are eyeing fertile potential markets such as China and India. (Para. 2) With growth of the U.S. market slowing down, big online matchmaking companies are aiming at potential markets such as China and India where there are many opportunities for development.5. But an international match presents hurdles in business as in love: differing societal attitudes, wily competition and cultural quirks to bewilder the most sophisticated suitor. (Para. 2) But global matchmaking is difficult in terms of business as well as love due to the following facts: different societies have different attitudes towards love and matchmaking; competition in matchmaking and love involves a lot of tricks; specific conventions of a particular culture may confuse the most experienced suitor.hurdle n. (fig) difficulty to be overcome; obstaclee.g. I‟ve passed the written test; the interview is the next hurdle.wily:a. crafty or cunning; full of wilese.g. as wily as a foxUnit 9 79bewilder:v. puzzle (sb); confusee.g. The child was bewildered by the noise and the crowds.I am totally bewildered by the clues to this crossword puzzle.sophisticated:a. having or showing much worldly experience and knowledge of fashionable lifee.g. a sophisticated womanwearing sophisticated clothes6. As far back as the Paleolithic era, arranged marriages served to forge networks between family groups, writes Stephanie Coontz in Marriage, a History.(Para. 3) In Marriage, a History, Stephanie Coontz points out that as early as the Paleolithic era, arranged marriages began to help create close ties between family groups.forge:v. (fig) create (usu a lasting relationship) by means of much hard worke.g. forge a bond, a link, an alliance, etca friendship forged by adversity7. Suspicion and disdain eased into acceptance as more Americans found a partner--or at least a date and not a nut —on the sites. (Para. 4) Americans‟ attitude towards online matchmaking changed from doubt and contempt into acceptance because more of them found a mate — or at least a person to have a romantic relationship with rather than a crazy person—on the Internet dating sites.disdain:n. feeling that sb./sth. is not good enough to des erve one‟s respect; contempte.g. a look/tone/expression of disdaintreating other people‟s ideas with disdain8. If a country with little tradition of matchmaking can embrace a version of it online, then it follows that cultures long used to a third party’s hand in love affairs would do the same. (Para. 5)If online matchmaking can be popular in a country like the U.S. with little tradition of matchmaking, then we can logically conclude that cultures with long tradition of arranged marriage by a third party would accept it as well.9. But it has learned along the way that its model does not always translate. (Para. 6) But Match has learned during the course of expansion that its way of matchmaking does not always work well in other cultures.10. On Match, users post personal profiles and photos, attracting and perusing potentialmates in what resembles a colossal bar scene. (Para. 6) On , users post their personal profiles and photos on the Internet, attracting other users and examining carefully the personal profiles and photos of the users they are attracted to in a scene which is like a huge bar.peruse:v. read carefully or thoroughlye.g. peruse a document11. To differentiate itself from local competitors when it launched there in 2003, Match80toned down its window-shopping aspect and played up the promise of long-term love.(Para. 6) In order to distinguish itself from local competitors when it started operations there in 2003, Match made its window-shopping aspect less important and emphasized the promise of long-term love.tone down(cause sth. to) become less intensee.g. She is trying to tone down the colors of the picture.play sth. up try to make sth. appear more important than it ise.g. Some reporters like to play up sensational social news.12. That bodes well for the international hopes of eHarmony, the leader amongcompatibility-focused sites in the U.S. (Para. 7) The social changes and especially the newly pervasive insistence on love as an essential ingredient of marriage are a good sign for eHarmony‟s success around the world because the company is the leading matchmaking site in the U.S. that has been focusing on compatibility research.bode well/ill (for sb./sth.) be a good/bad sign (for sb./sth.)e.g. His idle habits bode ill for his future.These figures do not bode well for the company‟s future.13. That’s not to mention marriages at a rate of 90 a day, unions that so far haveproduced 100 000 children (a disproportionate number of them named Harmony).(Para. 7) In addition, eHarmony helps make 90 marriages every day which up to now have produced 100 000 children (an unusually large number of them named Harmony after the company).disproportionate:a. relatively too large or small, etc; out of proportione.g. We spend a disproportionate amount of our income on rent.14. In China, that means commissioning researchers at Beijing University to find outwhether its model —in which 29 “dimensions” such as humor and spirituality are mined for compatibility —applies to the culture.(Para. 8) In China, eHarmony has appointed researchers at Beijing University to find out whether its model — in which 29 “dimensions” such as humor and spirituality are extracted for the compatibility test — is appropriate for Chinese culture.15. China should be a natural haven for online matchmaking.(Para. 10) China shouldnaturally be an ideal market for online matchmaking.haven:n. place of safety or rest; refugee.g. Terrorists will not find a safe haven here.16. The imbalance of genders brought on by the single-child rule (many parents opted tokeep only a male baby) has also led to a desperate demand for matchmakers among rural men, opening the door to unscrupulous brokers who con women into unions.(Para. 10) The fact that men outnumber women due to the one-child policy (many parents chose to keep only a male baby) has also led to an urgent need for matchmakers amongUnit 9 81marriage-aged single men in the countryside, which gives unethical brokers opportunities to make profit by deceiving women into marriage.unscrupulous: a. without moral principlese.g. unscrupulous methods, behaviorHe was utterly unscrupulous in his dealings with rival firms.con:v. (infml) swindle or persuade sb. after gaining his truste.g. I was conned into buying a useless car.She conned me out of $100.17. Western online matchmakers, however, do face challenges in gaining a foothold in theChinese matchmaking market. (Para. 11) Western online matchmakers, however, do find it difficult to gain a secure position in the Chinese matchmaking market, from which they can make further progress.18. Chinese sites rely instead on online advertising and ticket sales from events such asspeed-dating mixers that charge about $13 for admission (parents who tag along have to pay too). (Para. 11) Instead of subscription fees, Chinese Web dating sites mainly rely on online advertising and ticket sales from events such as speed-dating mixers that require about $13 for admission in which parents who follow their children closely also have to pay.tag along (after/behind/with sb.) follow closelye.g. children tagging along behind their motherIf you‟re going to the cinema, do you mind if I tag along (with you)?19. …his free websites steer users to his 30 off-line matchmaking offices, where they canpay fees totaling up to $6,000. (Para. 11) …after browsing his websites free of charge, users will be guided to his 30 off-line matchmaking offices, where they can pay as much as $6000 for matchmaking.steer:v. direct or control the course ofe.g. steer a boat into the harbor(fig) He managed to steer the discussion away from the subject of money.20. Like China, India has a long history of and cultural comfort with matchmaking;(Para. 12) Like China, India has a long history of matchmaking and matchmaking is generally accepted in its culture.21. Partly because India’s matrimonial sites have already succeeded in wooing the nation,Western companies have hesitated at the door.(Para. 13) Partly because India‟s Web matchmaking sites have already succeeded in obtaining the support of the nation, Western companies have not decided yet whether they should dive into the Indian market.woo:v. try to obtain the support ofe.g. woo the voters22. For instance, sites there make matches on the basis of factors unfamiliar to outsiders,82including caste, language and “character”— a euphemism for chastity. (Para. 13) For example, India‟s matrimonial sites make matches according to factors that people outside India are not familiar with, such as caste, language and "character"—an indirect word for virginity.euphemism:n. (example of the) use of pleasant, mild or indirect words or phrases in place of more accurate or direct onese.g. …Pass away‟ is a euphemism for …die‟.…Pass water‟ is a euphemism for …urinate‟.III. Key to the exercises1. Reading comprehension(1) There are some reasons why the art of pairing up people has become an increasinglyinternational and technology-driven business. On the one hand, since young people all over the world move far from home for school and work, they can no longer only depend on their relatives to find them suitable mates. On the other hand, online marriage and dating sites have multiplied rapidly since they began to appear a decade ago.(2) In the U.S., matchmaking took off as an industry only in this decade, with the arrival ofInternet dating sites. Americans‟attitude towards online matchmaking has gone through some changes. At first Americans distrusted and scorned online matchmaking, but they later accepted it because more Americans found a partner on the dating sites.(3) According to Para. 6, in order to differentiate itself from local competitors, Matchemphasized the importance of long-term love and relied on science to help users find their true love.(4) According to the text, China should be a natural haven for online matchmaking. Firstly, upuntil a century ago, marriage-registration forms required the seal of an “introducer.”Secondly, even today, the off-line matchmaking business remains robust. Lastly, the imbalance of genders has led to a desperate demand for matchmakers among rural men. (5) Western online matchmakers do face some challenges in gaining a foothold in the Chinesematchmaking market. For example, western online matchmakers mainly rely on subscription fees for their revenues, but in China, only a very small number of Internet daters pay subscription fees which are minimal according to the Western standard. If they want to win the Chinese matchmaking market, they have to adjust their subscription-based models to the market.2. VocabularySection A(1) matrimonial (2) privacy (3) multiply (4) flirt (5) browse (6) provincial (7) steer (8) temperament (9) disproportionate (10) havenUnit 9 83Section B(1) B (2) A (3) D (4) C (5) C (6) A (7) D (8) B (9) C (10) A3. Cloze(1) bore (2) gossip (3) share (4) lies (5) informal(6) online (7) visited (8) lead (9) estimated (10) Although(11) mere (12) values (13) but (14) made (15) stuff(16) practically (17) unimaginably (18) originally (19) into (20) on4. TranslationA. Chinese to English1) Translate the following sentences into English.(1) In countries such as the United States and Australia, the sports industry is very lucrative.The money that professional sportsmen make every year is certainly no less than specialist doctors, lawyers or bankers.(2) I strongly reject the idea that people who use “earthy” language are speaking more directlyor with more authenticity than people who employ euphemisms.(3) As time goes by and technological development forges ahead, it will become increasinglyharder to differentiate between mental and manual labour.(4) Increases in physical activity have been shown to be strongly associated with improvingphysical fitness. Therefore, moderate physical activity —even an unhurried 30-minute stroll every day — may diminish the risk for heart disease among the elderly.(5) To take full advantage of the convenience offered by the Information Age, I subscribe to anumber of journals concerned with my subject on the Internet.(6) The best-financed, most technologically powerful companies often bring out their mostadvanced products on their home turf a year or two before they ship them around the world.(7) China and America together account for nearly half of the global energy demand, whichurges the leaders of the two countries to talk about how clean technology may help solve the problem of climate change.(8) Some aspiring young people in big cities like Beijing and Shanghai may opt to remainsingle because they are so busy with work that they don‟t have the time to date and get married.2) Translate the following paragraph into English.Facebook users may feel socially successful in cyberspace but they are more likely to perform poorly in exams, according to new research into the academic impact of the social networking website. The majority of students who use Facebook every day are underachieving by as much as an entire grade compared with those who shun the site. About 83% of British 1684to 24-year-olds are thought to use social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Bebo, to keep in touch with friends and organize their social lives. According to the research, 65% of Facebook users accessed their account daily, usually checking it several times to see if they had received new messages. The amount of time spent on Facebook at each log-in varied from just a few minutes to more than an hour. However，79% of Facebook-using students believed the time they spent on the site had no impact on their work. Facebook said: “There is also acade mic research that shows the benefits of services like Facebook. It‟s in the hands of students, in consultation with their parents, to decide how to spend their time.”B. English to Chinese1) Translate the following paragraph into Chinese.美国的婚恋网站谋求使自己区别于当地竞争对手的一种方法是依靠科学。

第九单元TEXT学习语言当我们谈论起学习一种语言，比如英语，日语或者西班牙语时，我们讲的和想的仿佛所说的这种语言是固定不变的事物。

我们期望学习一种语言就像学几何学或学习如何骑自行车一样，系统地学、并且最终有明确的成就。

许多人发现这种观念错了后，最后就放弃了学习。

实际上人们要学会一种语言，可能是走上了一条要持续终生的道路。

学习语言的经历使人们意识到如果要想成功，不仅要实实在在地努力，而且还认识到，在许多情况下，即使是他们称为“母语”的语言，他们也并不是大师。

实际上，学习任何一种语言是一种永无止境的航行。

目前世界上所使用的数千种语言中的任何一种都是复杂的。

虽然许多语言的确有它的标准形式，尤其是书面语，这也就是我们所学习的语言，但是这些语言可能也有各种各样的地区方言和社会风格，而且许多语言是在历史上与其他语言混合的产物。

英语就是这种混合的语言。

英语开始自己语言航程不到两千年，它开始是一种古德语，接着与一种特殊的古法语相碰撞，然后受到几波拉丁语和大量的希腊语浪潮的冲击，以后，英语又从与人们使用的其他每一种语言接触中获得了多多少少的成分。

第二个有关语言的错误观念是词语有固定和明确的意思。

不管有利还是有弊，这都完全不正确。

以看似简单，而且很具体的英语单词man为例：该词的意思似乎很清楚，它指的是成年男子。

当然它是这个意思，不过考虑一下下面这些句子：1) There are several men missing in that chess set.那使(国际)象棋里少了几个棋子。

2) The boat was manned entirely by women and children. 这条船完全由妇女儿童驾驭。

人们也可能认为这些句子有一点自然；确实，它们并不代表man这个词惯常的核心意思，然而，这些意义是核心意义的合理延伸。

第二句尤其有意思，因为man是动词而不是名词，而且man一词表示人们期望成年男子当船员，不是妇女，当然更不是儿童。

第九单元知识点总结英语Unit 9 of our English learning covers various important topics related to grammar, vocabulary, and language skills. This unit mainly focuses on advanced grammar concepts, essential vocabulary, and practical language skills that are necessary for writing and speaking in English. In this summary, we will review and discuss the key knowledge points from this unit.1. Advanced Grammar ConceptsUnit 9 introduces advanced grammar concepts that are essential for building a strong foundation in the English language. These concepts include:1.1. Conditional SentencesConditional sentences are used to express situations and their outcomes. There are different types of conditional sentences, including zero, first, second, third, and mixed conditionals. Zero conditional is used for general truths and facts, first conditional for possible situations in the present or future, second conditional for hypothetical or imaginary situations in the present or future, third conditional for past unreal situations, and mixed conditionals for a combination of past and present situations.1.2. Reported SpeechReported speech is used to convey what someone else has said. It involves changing the tense and pronouns of the original statement. In reported speech, the reporting verb is usually in the past tense, and the pronouns and tenses are changed according to the original statement.1.3. Passive VoicePassive voice is used to focus on the action rather than the subject. In passive voice, the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence, and the verb is changed to the past participle form. Passive voice is often used when the doer of the action is unknown, unimportant, or obvious.1.4. Relative ClausesRelative clauses are used to provide additional information about a noun in the main clause. They are introduced by relative pronouns (who, whom, whose, which, that) and relative adverbs (when, where, why). Relative clauses can be defining or non-defining, and they are essential for adding descriptive details to a sentence.2. Essential VocabularyUnit 9 introduces a wide range of essential vocabulary related to different topics and themes. Some of the important vocabulary topics include:2.1. EducationVocabulary related to education includes words and phrases that are commonly used in educational settings, such as school subjects, academic disciplines, school facilities, and educational activities.2.2. EnvironmentEnvironment-related vocabulary includes words and phrases related to environmental issues, conservation, pollution, renewable energy, and sustainability.2.3. TechnologyTechnology vocabulary covers words and terms associated with modern technology, digital devices, internet usage, software and hardware, social media, and communication.2.4. Health and FitnessHealth and fitness vocabulary includes words and expressions related to physical and mental well-being, medical conditions, exercise, nutrition, and healthy lifestyle choices.3. Practical Language SkillsUnit 9 emphasizes the development of practical language skills that are essential for communication in English. Some of the important language skills covered in this unit include:3.1. Writing SkillsWriting skills are essential for expressing thoughts, ideas, and information in a coherent and organized manner. Unit 9 focuses on various types of writing, such as descriptive writing, narrative writing, persuasive writing, and argumentative writing.3.2. Speaking SkillsSpeaking skills are crucial for effective verbal communication. This unit emphasizes the development of speaking skills through discussions, debates, presentations, and public speaking activities. It also focuses on fluency, pronunciation, and intonation.3.3. Listening SkillsListening skills are important for understanding spoken English in various contexts. Unit 9 includes listening activities that help learners improve their listening comprehension, vocabulary, and understanding of different accents and speech patterns.3.4. Reading SkillsReading skills are essential for understanding written English texts. This unit includes reading comprehension activities that focus on developing reading strategies, critical thinking, and inference skills.In summary, Unit 9 covers advanced grammar concepts, essential vocabulary, and practical language skills that are important for English language learners. By mastering the knowledge points from this unit, learners can enhance their language proficiency, communication skills, and overall understanding of the English language.。

Pollution is a dirty wordThe earth is our home.we must take care of it,for ourselves and for the next generation.This means preserving the quality of our environment.地球是我们的家，为了我们和我们的下一代我们必须保护她。

这意味着我们要保护我们环境的质量。

The importance of this task is stressed by scientists who study the relation of man to nature.These scientists are called ecologists,from the Greek word oikos,which means home.Ecologists are responsible for keeping the land,air and water clean.”How are we doing?”an ecologist was asked recently.”Lousy,the scientist said,sniffing the fume-laden air.”We’re got to do a better job-and soon-or it will be too late.”研究人与自然关系的科学家强调了这个任务的重要性。

这些科学家被称为生态学家，这个词源于希腊语oikos，意思是家。

生物学家对保护土地、空气和水源的洁净负有责任。

一个生物学家最近被问到：“我们做的怎么样？”他嗅着满是烟雾的空气回答说：“很差劲，我们必须要做的更好，否则很快就会太迟了。

”Consume,consume,consume!Our society is consumer oriented-dangerously so.To keep the wheels of industry turning,we manufacture consumer goods in endless quantities,and ,in the process,are rapidly exhausting our natural resources.But this is only half the problem.What do we do with manufactured products when they are worn out?They must be disposed of,but how and where?Unsightly junk-yards full of rusting automoniles already surround every city in the nation.Americans throw away 80 billion bottles and cans each year,enough to build more than ten stacks to the moon.There isn’t room for much more waste and yet the factories grind on.They cannot stop because every one wants a job.Our standard of living,one of the highest in the world,required the consumption of manufactured products in ever-increasing amounts.Man,about to be buried in his own waste,is caught in a vicious cycle.”Stop the world ,I want to get off.”is the way a popular song put man’s dilemma.消费，消费，消费！我们的社会是以消费者为中心的，而这是非常危险的。