I Want a Wife

Unit 1 Fresh StartI first began to wonder what I was doing on a college compus anyway when my parents drove off . My plan was to keep my ears open and my mouth shut .The next morning , I found my first class and marched in . But I was in the wrong building . After class , I went to the cafeteria , I stepped in a large puddle of ketchup and my rear end met the floor . It ended with my first day of college class . I was very frustrated . But later , a composed and very confident football player let me realized I had been taking myself far too seriously .So I gave up trying to act my way through college and began not acting at all . Three years after graduation , I’m still making mistakes , and I’m even being forgiven for a few .Unit 2 Tranny of the UrgentHave you ever wished for a thirty-hour gay ? We seemed have a lot of things undone . But would a thirty-hour day really solve the problem ? Prolongation of time doesn’t really solve the problem . We find ourselves working more and enjoying it less . Our dilemma goes deeper , it’s basically the problem of priorities . Sometimes we have left undone and we have done those things which we shouldn’t have done . It’s the problem of priorities . Some urgent things devour our energy . Then we recall the important tasks pushed aside . We realize we’ve become slaves to the “ tyranny of the urgent ” .Unit 3 Chinese FoodChinese and Western have the different attitudes toward food . Most of chinese pay more attention to the food , but the western is different . For them , food is quite simply a fuel . Chinese think the eating is one of the most important things in life : to eat with the capital E . In fact , chinese food is the only truly international food . How did this come about ? The reasons included that the chinese went to work in North America , and the population pressure in HongKong . But root is that the western are interested in chinese food . There is no doubt that the traditional high-quality chinese meal is a serous matter , the preparation is detailed , and the enjoyment must therefore match it . Chinese food is an expression of basic assumptions about life itself .Unit 4 Why I Want a WifeI’m a wife , but I want a wife . With a wife , I can go back to college , leaving my wife to take care of the house and my children . I want a wife who will take care of my physical needs . She is supposed to the house clean , cook the meals every day , and do the grocery shopping . I want a wife who will take care of the details of my social life . When my friends are invited to our home , she should prepare a special meal and make them feel comfortable . I want a wife who will satisfy my sexual needs , of course , she will not demand sexual attention when I don’t feel like it . And I want the liberty to replace my present wife with another one . A wife can do so many things , who wouldn’t want a wife ?Unit 5 The Company ManPhil was a company man , a workaholic , a prefect tape A . He worked himself to death at 3:00 am Sunda y morning . He worked six days a week , over ten hours a day . He didn’t like to exercise , so he was overweight . He was too busy to share any time with his wife and children . As a result , he was very distant from them . One of his sons said : “ my fath er and I only boardhere .” Most company loved him and they thought that if he could have lived for another five years , he would have been naturally moved to the top spot . Phil was dead , his company could run without him , but he left his wife and children behind , and threw them into a helpless condition .Unit 7 The ChaserAlan Austen wanted to buy some love portion from the old man to win a girl's heart . In the very beginning , he is very nervous . The old man showed him a portion called a life-cleaner , however , it's very expensive . But the old man told him the love portion is not as expensive as that . If the girl drinks it , she will be changed altogether , she will want to be everything to him . She will take care of him , and she will worry about him . Alan is very happy to hear that , because that is what he wants . Finally , Alan thanks the old man and leaves here .Unit 8 Fun , Oh Boy . Fun . You Could Die from ItFun is hard to have , fun is a rare jewel . As a matter o f fact : “ is it fun ?” becomes the questions that overshadows all other questions . When the pleasures got to be the main things , the fun fetish was sure to follow . Everything is supposed to be fun in their eyes . In order to have fun , they start to look for more and more thrilling ways to supply it . Big occasions were supposed to be fun . The correct way is to treat fun reverently , so you may have some fresh fun now and then .Unit 9 One Becoming a Better StudentAs students , we expect a great deal from our teachers . As a teacher , I begun to see that is really impossible to teach by these expectations . Many factors come together to make a fine student . Such people are tremendously curious , and they have the better discipline . To be a student is to take risks . Successful students don't expect to be spoon-fed , but take their own initiative . To learn , is to open oneself . There are several advice to the good students : Be attentive ; Be seen ; Be on time ; Be consistent ; Listen with your whole body ; you have the right to disagree ; and last , let your teacher know much you appreciate him or her .。

经典英语四级美文阅读经典英语四级美文阅读篇一I want a wife (我想要个妻)Judy Syfers，a wife，and mother of two children，argues in this essay for a wife of her own. Although her argument might seem strange，her position will become apparent once you move into the essay. She presents many points to support her position，so you want to keep in mind those you think are the strongest.I belong to that classification of people known as wives. I am a Wife. And，not altogether incidentally，I am a mother.Not too long ago a male friend of mine appeared on the scene fresh from a recent divorce. He had one child，who is，of course，with his e某-wife. He is looking for another wife. As I thought about him while I was ironing one evening，it suddenly occurred to me that I，too，would like to have a wife. Why do I want a wife?I would like to go back to school so that I can become economically independent，support myself，and if need be，support those dependent upon me，I want a wife who will work and send me to school. And while I am going to school I want a wife to take care of my childre n. I want a wife to keep track of the children‘s doctor and dentist appointments. And to keep track of mine，too. I want a wife who will wash the children’s clothes and keep them mended. I want a wife who is a good nurturant attendant to my children，who arranges for their schooling，makes sure that they have an adequate social life with their peers，takes them to the park，the zoo，etc. I want a wife who takes care of the children when they are sick，a wife who arranges to be around when the children need special care，because，of cause，I cannot miss classes at school. My wife mustarrange to lose time at work and not lose the job. It may mean a small cut in my wife‘s income from time to time，but I guess I can tolerate that. Needless to say，my wife will arrange and pay for the care of the children while my wife is working.I want a wife who will take care of my physical needs. I want a wife who will keep my house clean. A wife who will pick up after my children，a wife who will pick up after me. I want a wife who will keep my clothes clean，ironed，mended，replaced when need be，and who will see to it that my personal things are kept in their proper place so that I can find what I need the minute I need it. I want a wife who cooks the meals，a wife who is a good cook. I want a wife whowill plan the menus，do the necessary grocery shopping，prepare the meals，serve them pleasantly，and then do the cleaning up while I do my studying. I want a wife who will care for me when I am sick and sympathize with my pain and loss of time from school. I want a wife to go along when our family takes a vacation so that someone can continue to care for me and my children when I need a rest and change of scene.I want a wife who will not bother me with rambling complaints about a wife‘s duties. But I want a wife who will listen to me when I feel the need to e某plain a rather difficult point I have come across in my course of studies. And I want a wife who type my papers for me when I have written them.I want a wife who will take care of the details of my social life. When my wife and I are invited out by my friends，I want a wife who will take care of the babysitting arrangements. When I meet people at school that I like who will have the house clean，will prepare a special meal，serve it to me and my friends，and notinterrupt when I talk about things that interest me and my friends. I want a wife who will have arranged that the children are fed and ready for bed before my guests arrive so that the children do not bother us. I want a wife who takes care of the needs of my guests so that they feel comfortable，who makes sure that they have an ashtray，that they are offered a second helping of the food，that their wine glasses are replenished when necessary，that their coffee is served to them as they like it. And I want a wife who knows that sometimes I need a night out by myself.I want a wife who is sensitive to my se某ual needs，a wife who makes love passionately and eagerly when I feel like it，a wife who makes sure that I am satisfied. And，of course，I want a wife whowill not demand se某ual attention when I am not in the mood for it.I want a wife who assumes the complete responsibility for birth control，because I do not want more children. I want a wife who will remain se某ually faithful to me so that I do not have to clutter up my intellectual life with jealousies. And I want a wife who understands that my se某ual needs may entail more than strict adherence to monogamy. I must，after all，be able to relate to people as fully as possible.If，by chance，I find another person more suitable as a wife than the wife I already have，I have the liberty to replace my present wife with another one. Naturally，I will e某pect a fresh，newlife;my wife will take the children and be solely responsible for them so that I am left free.When I am through with school and have a job，I want my wife to quit working and remain at home so that my wife can more fully and completely take care of a wife‘s duties.My God，who wouldn‘t want a wife?Judy Syfers经典英语四级美文阅读篇二Changes in the concept of nationalism (爱国主义的变迁)Nationalism can be defined as a deep sense of loyalty and devotion that one feels for one‘s own race and country. It is a set of emotions that is nurtured over thousands of years. And as agrarian communities give way to modern urban societies，nationalism today has also evolved into a form that is quite different from the ancient one that we know of.Nationalism in the old days did not just refer to loyalty to the country. It was closely tied up with loyalty to the emperor or sovereign king. Both were inseparable. Chinese general Yue Fei‘s undivided loyalty to the country and the Song emperor(who was misled by corrupt court officials)was what led to his tragic death years ago.Empirical evidences also showed that early nationalism had its origin in regional and blood ties. Unless a grouping was assured that the interests of its own families and communities were met，it would be difficult for them to fulfil their duties and obligations to the country. This was why when a new emperor was enthroned，he would confer titles and territories to his kinsmen. Such feudal practices were also common among regional government officials. The wider sense of patriotism to the emperor and country could only be stimulated in turbulent times when a country was in danger of invasion by outside forces.This form of early nationalism was suitable for old economiesthat were basically agrarian in nature，and interdependence andcommunication links among them were limited. Under these circumstances，rulers resorted to power politics to preserve their territories and their system of government. And power politics went hand in hand with nepotism and cronyism.Actually，it is not difficult to understand why ancient rulers behaved in this manner. In primeval times，tribal chiefs and their members had to resort to power to ensure the survival of their whole community.Today，however，a different perspective of nationalism has been taken. People can now differentiate between loyalty to the individual ruler and loyalty to the country. They would not rise to calls for nationalism unless the interests of the ruler and theirs are identical，that is，they truly reflect the interests of the country. To love the country is to love its citizenry. This is fundamental. Loyalty to the nation and country must take precedence over bloodties and loyalty to an individual or to a community.Unfortunately，social progress does not take place evenly. As a result，the new concept of nationalism also evolves at a different pace. In some societies，people still hold on to the narrow brand of nationalism——one that is confined to their region. These people place high regard for their immediate families，then relatives，then clans and then regions or religious groups. E某amples of these are found in many developing countries，where many of their citizens unscrupulously sacrifice national interests for their own benefits or those of their groups. For these people，loyalty to the country is secondary. They would only npursue national interests or turn to diplomacy when their individual or their group‘s interests need to be protected.So how do we reinforce the modern concept of nationalism?We need to understand that rights and responsibilities are parado某es. On one hand，a person needs to be given some political rights before he is able to perform his civic duties. On the other hand，a civic conscious person will demand rights that are due to him. In time to come，as a society modernises，people‘s rights and responsibilities should be balanced.Once the majority in a society are able to e某ert their rights and fulfil their responsibilities，they will regard themselves as masters of their country and their own destiny. Citizens whose nationalism is built on this foundation are likely to have acquired a high level of modern civic consciousness.Governments of developing countries need to understand this simple principle if they want to conduct education and publicity programmes effectively to promote the new concept of nationalism among their citizens.Generally，governments find it effective to use the mass media to transmit nationalistic values as they are penetrating and far-reaching. At the same time，governments should，at appropriate times，respond with changes in civic laws and regulations in order to support the new concept of nationalism.In a nutshell，national education should be accompanied by legal changes that would accord its people basic civil rights. Without this guarantee of basic civil and individual rights，a country‘s citizens would not be able to say that they are masters of their destiny. Then there is no need to talk about setting up a law-abiding society or even creating a consciousness of the new concept of nationalism.经典英语四级美文阅读篇三电The modern age is an age of electricity. People are so used to electric lights， radio， televisions， and telephones that it is hard to imagine what life would be like without them. When there is a power failure， people grope about in flickering candlelight， cars hesitate in the streets because there are no traffic lights to guide them， and food spoils in silent refrigerators.Yet， people began to understand how electricity works only a little more than two centuries ago. Nature has apparently been e某perimenting in this field for millions of years. Scientists are discovering more and more that the living world may hold many interesting secrets of electricity that could benefit humanity. All living cells send out tiny pulses of electricity. As the heart beats，it sends out pulses of record; they form an electrocardiogram， which a doctor can study to determine how well the heart is working. The brain，too， sends out brain waves of electricity， which can be recorded in an electroencephalogram. The electric currents generated by most living cells are e某tremely small —— often so small that sensitive instruments are needed to record them. But in some animals， certain muscle cells have become so specialized as electrical generators that they do not work as muscle cells at all. When large numbers of these cells are linked together， the effects can be astonishing.The electric eel is an amazing storage battery. It can send ajolt of as much as eight hundred volts of electricity through the water in which it lives. (An electric house current is only one hundred twenty volts.) As many as four-fifths of all the cells in the electric eel's body are specialized for generating electricity， andthe strength of the shock it can deliver corresponds roughly to the length of its body.电当今时代是电气时代。

我要一个老婆之答禄夫天创作J. 布雷迪我属于人们叫做老婆的那一类人。

我为人妻，而且顺理成章又为人母。

不久之前，我碰到一个男性朋友，他刚刚离婚。

他有一个儿子，当然是有他前妻扶养。

他明白暗示想再找一个老婆。

一天傍晚我在熨衣服时，想起了他，我脑子里顿生一个念头：我也要找一个老婆。

那时怎么回事呢？我想回到学校去念书，那样我能够在经济上独立，自食其力，需要时，还可以资助那些有赖于我的人。

我要一个乐于工作和让我上学的人当我的老婆。

在我上学期间，我要我的老婆跟孩子的医生和牙医坚持联系，如约咨询。

跟我的医生和牙医也坚持好联系。

我要老婆确保孩子饮食合理，衣著整洁。

我要我的老婆会给孩子洗衣服，缝缝补补。

我要的老婆还是个体贴入微、细心周到的好管家，能把孩子放学后的活动安插妥帖，包管他们跟小伙伴们有足够的社会活动，带他们逛公园、游动物园，等等。

我要的老婆，在孩子生病时，会很好地照料他们：万一孩子需要特殊照顾时，她会守在他们身边，因为我在上学是不成缺课的。

我的老婆必须设法请假不去上班，却不丢掉工作。

我老婆的工资为此会被一扣再扣，不过这点算不了什么，我想我还是负担得了的。

甭说了，我老婆要边工作边照顾孩子，难为她要辛苦一些。

我要的老婆会关注我物质上的要求。

我要的老婆会把我的家收拾得干干净净。

我要的老婆会跟在我后面把东西归拢好。

我要的老婆会把我的衣服洗好，熨好，缝裰好，并及时更新换旧；她会把我的个人用品放得有条不紊，所以我要用什么东西时，立刻便能找到。

我要的老婆会烧菜煮饭，是一名好厨娘。

我要的老婆会制定食谱，购买必须的零星杂货，准备好一日三餐，高高兴兴地端上桌来；然后在我做功课的时候，她又将屋里屋外打扫干净。

我要的老婆，在我生病的时候，她会关心我，服侍我，对疾病带给我的痛苦和脱课深表同情。

我要我的老婆在家庭休假时一起外出，这样便有人继续照料我和我的孩子，也就是说我此时可以充分休息一下，换换环境。

我要的老婆，她不会喋喋不休地埋怨做老婆的义务。

Why i want a wife反思因为，“我”需要一个妻子照顾“我”，照顾“我” 的孩子，收拾“我”的屋子，照看“我”的一切，取悦“我”的客人与“我....简直让人无法忍受。

文章中，妻子千般好，然而，在丈夫觉得他找到了一位更适合当妻子的女人，他有权利换妻子，正和了那句古话“妻子如衣服”。

不，不仅仅是这样，文中，他要求离异后，妻子应独立负担儿女的养育,So that I will leave a new, free life(没记错的话原文是这样的).妻子要忠诚，要勤劳，要贤惠。

她们不可以抱怨自己的作为一个妻子的职责。

何其悲哉!然而，所有妻子必须遵循的，丈夫却可以破例。

何其怒哉!或许，它是有些夸张的，但，不可否认的，它是成功的。

它以描述的、简单的语句在叙述男人心中的理想妻子。

真的有如临其境的感觉。

学了它，我也思考了一下什么是婚姻?什么是夫妻?虽然，我还没到那个过程。

依我之见，夫妻与婚姻，是一种双方的责任。

维护婚姻、维护双方之间的关系的义务。

有人认为，婚姻是由爱情维持的。

我承认很多婚姻的组成是源于爱情，但，爱情是一-生一世不褪色的么?爱情能经受几十年柴米油盐的浸泡吗?那不是爱情的romatic.婚姻，是双方的相互尊重，相互了解。

而不是单方面的付出与享受。

倒是有点像是国家的权利与义务的关系。

如果家里关系不平衡，又如何长久相处?就如电影《分手男女》，男女主角由爱接近、结合。

然而，没有相互的体谅、主动承担与爱护对方，他们分开了(虽然以后又应该复合了) 。

社会.因平等而和谐，家庭亦是，不是么?平等，是相互尊重的基础，也是家庭长久的必要。

如果不平等,我无法想象怎样与一个男人共度一生。

How terible!说实话，我不相信爱情，我认为爱情只是一种激情。

正如某人所说，爱情是当激情退却，你依然珍惜、爱惜对方。

这种境界对我太深，太模糊了。

小说里很多，很不幸，小说越看越多，我倒越不相信这种感情。

或许它离现实太远了吧。

UNIT 13 MARRIAGECultural background1. Divorce in AmericaThe divorce rate in America is reported to be more than 50%, which means one in two couples will break up. Why is it so high? What is the real reason for them to divorce? Freedom is one of the most important beliefs for Americans and nothing can replace it. So if they think the love and family can’t offer them happiness and safety, they would choose to divorce. They wouldn’t think more about the family or the children because they take themselves as the center. What’s worse, as the divorce rate in America rises, bad effects do are indeed brought on children who are used to growing up with both parents.2. The Three Most Common Marriage Difficulties & How to Stop Them① MoneyMoney is a sensitive area and your household finances need to be properly structured. You and your spouse should define your core values. Try to come to an understanding about what you both care the most about spending money on.② The in-lawsIt is not uncommon for some mothers- or fathers-in law to overstep their boundaries and interfere with their child’s marriage. If your in-laws are causing difficulties in your marriage, you and your spouse will then need to set boundaries with your parents.③ The way they spend their time togetherOf course, you and your spouse have individual needs and interests. However, you and your spouse should focus on the time you spend together, instead of the activity itself.Text IMARRIAGERobert LyndGlobal ReadingI. General analysis of the textMarriage is a social union or legal contract between individuals that creates kinship. People get married for such reasons as legal, social, emotional and economical; for public declaration of love; or for the lawful foundation of a family. Marriage practices are diversified in different cultures. They are dependent on many things, such as conventions, habits, legal system, etc. How much do contemporary people value their marriage? What are the possible causes of their difficulties in regard to marriage? How can marriage be more rationally understood?This text attempts to convince the readers that marriage is thought to be full of difficulties by all people, conventional and unconventional, past and present, and it suggests that taking a proper attitude towards these difficulties may make some difference.II. Structural analysis of the textThe text falls into three parts:Part I (Paragraph 1): The author, after quoting Russell on the subject, puts forward his own argument that difficulties in regard to marriage have been an old issue for centuries.Part II (Paragraphs 2 – 7):The author analyzes the roots of such difficulties by listing quotations from famous literary works and famous people.Part III (Paragraphs 8 – 9): The author assigns the causes of unhappy marriages to the excessive consciousness of difficulties in human beings, and encourages people to face the difficulties in marriage bravely.III. Rhetorical features of the textIn this text the author often makes comments on the people he quotes or what is said by those people so as to express his own opinions. Listed below are the comments made by the author in Paragraphs 5 – 7:… the reputed saying of the henpecked Socrates, ... . (Paragraph 5)Burton is far from encouraging! (Paragraph 5)Pepys scribbled in his diary ... (Paragraph 5)The pious Jeremy Taylor was as keenly aware that marriage is not all bliss. (Paragraph 6) The sentimental and optimistic Steele … (Paragraph 6)Dr. John son, … devoted husband though he was … (Paragraph 7)Detailed ReadingQuestions1. Why is it said that the younger generation of conventional people has a rosier conception of marriage than their ancestors? (Paragraph 1)Answer: Because people of the younger generation are mostly not yet married and they thus have great expectations of marriage.2. What attitude did people in the Victorian era have towards marriage? (Paragraph 1) Answer: Even people in the Victorian era, which was a period renowned for its emphasis on social duties rather than rights, did not have expectations for a difficulty-free marriage.3. Who are those people the author quoted? Are they considered conventional or unconventional? Why? (Paragraphs 2－7)Answer: The people quoted are all philosophers, writers, and scientists, whom the author considers as unconventional people, since they were all people with knowledge, talents and wisdom beyond the ordinary. What they thought of marriage could be derived from the essence of human experience.4. How did the novelists and playwrights describe marriage in their works? (Paragraphs 2－7)Answer: The conventional novelists of the nineteenth century seldom described marriage after the wedding. Even when married people did appear in plays and novels later on, theyusually seemed more and more miserable.5. What attitudes do social reformers and thinkers and aesthetes hold towards marriage? Why? (Paragraphs 8－9)Answer: Social reformers tend to take an optimistic view towards marriage, while thinkers and aesthetes are on the pessimistic side, thinking of marriage as full of miseries. Social reformers usually encourage people to get married by convincing them of the happiness of marriage, since marriage and family are the cornerstones of a stable society; while thinkers tend to analyze both the positive and negative sides of marriage, and aesthetes strive for the perfection of marriage, so they focus more on its miserable side.6. Did the author draw a conclusion concerning the truth of marriage? Why or why not? (Paragraphs 8－9)Answer: No, he didn’t. He explains that whether marriage is difficult or not depends on people’s attitude: if we think it’s difficult, then it is; but if we can ignore the difficulties, then they may well cease to exist.Text IIWHY I WANT A WIFE1Judy Brady2Lead-in Questions1)What are the responsibilities of a wife?a.to take care of her husband, their child and parentsb.to do the houseworkc.to satisfy the physical and mental needs of her husband2)What does marriage mean to women?Tip: companionship, enjoyment of the family life, sacrifice of her time and energy even her whole career, less communication with their friends and the outside worldMain ideaNotes1. About the text －This text first appeared in the Spring 1971 issue of Ms. Magazine and has been reprinted often and it is one of the best-known manifestos in popular feminist writing and a classic of feminist satire.2. About the author －Born in 1937, Judy Brady became a freelance writer during the 1960s and has written articles on such issues as abortion, education, and the labor and women’s movements for a variety of publications.3. I belong to that classification of people known as wives. (Paragraph 1) －I am among the people who are labeled wives.4. Not long ago a male friend of mine appeared on the scene from the Midwest fresh from a recent divorce. (Paragraph 2) －Not long ago one of my male friendsfrom the Midwest came to see me. He had just had a divorce.5. have adequate social life with their peers. (Paragraph 3) －spend enough time playing with children of their age.6. A wife who will pick up after my children, a wife who will pick up after me. (Paragraph 4) －A wife who will clear up the mess the children have made, a wife who will clear up the mess I have made.7. I want a wife to go along when our family takes a vacation so that someone can continue to care for me and my children when I need a rest and a change of scene. (Paragraph 4) －I want a wife who will travel with us when the family is on vacation, so that I and my children will still be taken care of when I want to have a rest and enjoy a new environment.8. … that they have an ashtray, that they are passed the hors d’oeuvres that they are offered a second helping of the food ... (Paragraph 6) －… that my guests have an ashtray if they smoke, that they have the appetizer before the meal, that they will get a second helping of the food when necessary ...9. If, by chance, I find another person more suitable as a wife than the wife I already have, I want the liberty to replace my present wife with another one. (Paragraph 7) －In the case that I find a better woman and want her to be my new wife, I want my present wife to give her place away and let me marry the new one.Additional notes1.My wife must arrange to lose time at work and not lose the job. It may meana small cut in my wife’s income from time to time, but I guess I can toleratethat. (Paragraph 4) －My wife should know how to ask for leaves for any reason of the family but still keep her job. I can tolerate the small loss of her income because of the leaves.2.Needless to say, my wife will arrange and pay for the care of the childrenwhile my wife is working. (Paragraph 4) －It is certain that my wife will arrange and pay somebody to take care of the children when she is working.3.I want a wife who will care for me when I am sick and sympathize with mypain and loss of time from school. (Paragraph 5) －I want a wife who will care for me when I am sick, and feel sorry for my body pain and missing classes because of illness.Questions for discussion1.What effect does the author obtain with the title “Why I Want a Wife”?2.What kind of literary devices does the author use to achieve the special satirical effect?3.If you are a woman, after you have read Text I and Text II, do you still want to get marriedand become a wife?Key to questions for discussion1. If you have noticed that this article is written by a woman, you will definitely find the title “Why I Want a Wife” so intriguing that your curiosity about what the author has to say is immediately aroused.2. The most prevalent device is sarcasm. This can be seen throughout the whole text. She is constantly using sarcasm to describe a wife’s roles. “I want a wife who takes care of thechildren when they are sick, a wife who arranges to be around when the children need special care, because, of course, I cannot miss classes at school.” As one reads on, one can immediately tell that Brady has gone through all of the situations she describes and has put a humorous twist on them. She also goes into great detail in describing why she wants a wife. “I want a wife who will keep my clothes clean, ironed, mended, replaced when need be, and who will see to it that my personal things are kept in their proper place so that I can find what I need the minute I need it.”Reoccurrence of key elements is another literary device that Brady uses throughout her article. She is always describing what the wife does for the husband, but never describes what the husband does for the wife. She uses this as a strong building block in her essay. Without using this, she would not have conveyed her message that a wife is always giving and that a husband expects a wife to meet all of these traditional standards.3. This is an open question. What follows is only one of the possible answers.No. Both Text I and Text II are so pessimistic towards marriage and woman’s status in marriage. Because of the difficulties in marriage and the unequal role of husband and wife, it might frighten away some of us from stepping into the wedding hall.Memorable quotesAn ideal wife is any woman who has an ideal husband.－Booth Tarkington Booth Tarkington (July 29, 1869 – May 19, 1946) was an American novelist and dramatist. Tarkington’s best known work today is The Magnificent Ambersons, which won the Pulitzer Prize, due in part to its famous treatment by Orson Welles in 1942 and its frequently favored listing on the Modern Library’s list of top-100 novels.All young women begin by believing they can change and reform the men they marry. They can’t.－George Bernard Shaw George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950) was an Irish playwright and a co-founder of the London School of Economics. He is the only person to have been awarded both a Nobel Prize for Literature (1925) and an Oscar (1938), for his contributions to literature and for his work on the film Pygmalion (adaption of his play of the same name), respectively.Questions for discussion:1)In your opinion, what’s your standard for an ideal husband/wife?2)To what extent can you tolerate your future husband/wife?Guidance1)Example for reference:I believe that the ideal husband is one who is caring andhonest and treasures his family like no one else. An ideal husband is the one who will actually listen to a conversation that you have started and make intelligent remarks. He is the one who will also do the housework without having been asked to. He is a husbandwho knows everything about you: the things that make you mad or sad and the things that make you happy.2)Example for reference: There are two aspects to consider as to whether I can toleratemy future husband or not. One is physical and the other is spiritual. On one hand, he must pay enough attention to the personal and environmental hygiene. Otherwise, it is too terrible to live with him. On the other, he must give due respect to my parents. Since my parents have taken care of me for more than 20 years, he should feel obliged to treat them well and love them. It’s one of the most fundamental ethical values. In a word, I have rather high expectations for my future husband in the mentioned two aspects in my future marriage.。

I want a wifeI am a wife ,and not by accident, a mother of two children.Not long ago, a friend of mine come to me and told me that he was looking for a wife. As I thought about him one evening,I suddenly had the idea that I ,too, would like to have a wife. Why do I want a wife?I would like to go back to school so that I can become a good scientist.I want a wife who will work and send me to school. And while I am going to school I want a wife to look after my children. I want her to make sure my children eat properly and are kept clean. I want a wife who will comb the girl's hair and tie the boy's necktie and wash the children's clothes. I want a wife who arranges for their schooling,takes them to park or the zoo and makes them have a good time after school. I want a wife who looks after the children when they are a sick,arranges to be around when the children need special care. Of course,I can't miss the lectures at school.I want a wife who will take care of me ,She will see to it that my personal things are kept in their proper places so that I can find the what I need the minute I need it. I want a wife who is a good cook . She will plan the menus ,do the necessary shopping ,cook the meals, and serve them pleasantly. She will do the cleaning up after the meals while I do my studying. I want a wife who will care for me when I am sick and sympathize with my pain and loss of time from school. I want a wife to accompany me when our family takes a holiday so that she can continue to care for me and my children when I need rest and change of scene.I want a wife who will take care of my house life . When I meet people at home , I want a wife who will prepare a special meal,serve it to me and my friends.She will not cut in when I talk about things that interest me and my friends . I want a wife who will have arranged things so that the children are fed and ready for bed before guests arrive. I want a wife who will take care of the needs of my guests so that they may feel comfortable .She will make sure that they are offered a second helping of thefood ,that their wine glasses are filled up, and that their coffee is served to them as they like it.I want a wife who will not trouble me with a wife's duties but always listens to me .She must arrange to lose time at work but not to lose her job. She knows that sometimes I need a night out by myself . If ,by chance ,I find another person better as a wife than the wife I already have , I want to have the freedom to replace her with another one . And my wife will take the children and be responsible for them so that I can be felt free. God, who wouldn't want a wife ?TOO DEAR FOR THE WHISTLEWhen I was a child of seven years old ,my friends ,on a holiday ,filled my pocket with coppers.I went at once to a shop where they sold toys for children . I handed over all my money for a whistle .I then came bounding home ,and went blowing the whistle all over the house .My brothers and sisters and cousins asked me how much I had paid for it, and then they said I had given four times as much as the whistle was worth . They put me in mind of what good things I might have bought with the rest of the money,and laughed at me so much for foolishness. So I cried. Thinking about the matter gave me more shame than the whistle gave me pleasure.This, however,was of use to me afterwords. When I wanted to buy something which I did not really need , I said to myself ,don't give too much for the whistle ,and I saved money. As I grow up , came into the world ，I thought I met withmany ,very many ,who gave too much for the whistle .when I saw some man full of desire for court favor, wasting his time at court meetings ,giving up his rest, his liberty,his noble character, and perhaps his friends , for the favor , I said to myself --This man gives too much for his whistle.When I saw another full of love for being famous ,taking part in political affairs all thetime ,paying no attention to his own business ,and ruining it finally, I said--He pays too much dear for his whistle.If I knew a man who gave up every kind of comfortable living ,all the pleasure of doing good to others ,all the respect of his fellows and the joys of friendship ,in order to gather and keep wealth--poor man, said I, you pay too much dear for your whistle.When I met a man of pleasure, who did not try to improve his mind but devoted himself only to having a good time , perhaps giving no attention to his health ,Poor man --said I --you are providing pain for yourself ,instead of pleasure, you are paying too much dear for your whistle.If I saw someone fond of appearance ,who had fine clothes,fine house,fine furniture,fine carriages,all above his fortune,and for which he had run into debt, God --said I --he has paid too much dear for his whistle.In short , the suffering of mankind are largely due to their putting a false value on things --to give too much for their whistle.CYCLING FOR AIR WITH LOVETed doesn't like cars , he wants people to stop driving because cars make the air dirty.Ted had an idea. He said :I am going to cycle around the North America.I want to show everyone that cycling is a fun way to get around . If more people ride bikes , the air will be cleaner.He left his hometown with 160 dollars in his pocket . When he got to San Diego, he met another cyclist .The cyclist invited Ted to speak at a big meeting about the environment .He said:we will pay you airfare to Texas and we will pay you to talk about your cycling trip. Two hours later, Ted was on a plane to the environmental conference and to a big surprise!While he was at the conference ,he met Deanna. It was love at first sight !They talked for six hours straight.The next day ,Ted called Deanna and asked her to finish the trip with him .Deanna said yes , sold everything in her apartment, gave her notice at work , and was on the road with Ted 20days later! It was difficult at first, said Deanna,Ted got up every morning at 6:00 a.m.,but I wanted to sleep until noon . After a few days ,they started having fun . As they cycled from Florida to Montreal and then back to Vancouver,every day was an adventure.People paid for their food in restaurant and gave them extra money .Some people gave them 50 to 100 .They slept in people 's backyards and drank beer with motorcycle gangs.On their way back to Vancouver, they stopped in Edmonton to visit Ted's relatives. During the stopover,they got married.People tied a JUST MARRIED sign and tin cans to the back of their bikes.They now wanted to write a book about their trip.We want people to know you can be an environmentalist and still have fun .LOUIS PASTEUR:A MODERN-DAY SCIENTISTIn the summer of 1885, nine-year-old Joseph Meister was a very ill litter boy .He had been attacked by a sick dog that had rabies ,a very dangerous illness.His doctor tried to help him but there was no cure for rabies at that time . The doctor told Joseph's parents that perhaps there was one man who could save Joseph's life.His name was Louis Pasture.When Pasture was a young boy in France ,he was very curious.Louis was especially interested in medicine,so he spent many hours every day with the chemist who lived in his small town. The chemist sold pills ,cough syrups,and other types of medicine ,just as modern pharmacists or druggists do today. At that time , the chemist had to do all the medicines himself . Young Louis enjoyed looking the chemist as he worked and listening to him help the customers who came to him each day . Pasture decide that one day he wanted to help people too. As a school boy, Pasture worked carefully and slowly. At first, his teacher thought Louis might be a slow leaner.Through elementary school ,high school, and college , Pasture worked the same thoughtful way.In fact, he was not a slow leaner,but a very intelligent young man . He became a college professor and a scientist,and he continued to work carefully.Because of Pasteur's patient methods, he was able to make many observations about germs. For example ,germs cause meat and milk to spoil.They also cause many serious disease.Pasteur was studying about the germs that cause rabies when Joseph Meister became ill. IN fact ,Pastuer believe the had a cure for rabies,but he had never given it to a person before. At first,Pasture was afraid to treat the boy ,but his doctor said he wasdying .Pasture gave him an inoculation orshot ,every day for ten days .Slowly ,the child became better .Pasture's vaccination cured him. During his lifetime , Pasture studied germs and learned how they cause diseases in animals and people . He developed vaccinations that prevent many of these illnesses.He also invented the process of pasteurization,which stops foods such as milk from spoiling .Louis Pasteur died on September 28.1895,at the age of 72.Modern medicine continues to benefit form the work of this great scientist.FRIENDSHIPA high school history teacher told me ,if you make a close friend in school ,you will be most fortunate.A true friend is some one who stays with you for life.Experience teaches that he wasright.Good friendships are just not easily formed.Why?One reason is that it is easy to move around in your society.Mr.Darrell Sifford, a news reporter for the Washington Daily,has been studying and talking about friendship for a number of years .He reports what one woman thought about the effect of ease of movement on friendship:I was nine , and we just moved from South Carolina to New Jersey, and I didn't know anybody. My mother had a way of getting to the root of things and she said to me :Amelia, I know you are feeling bad because you don't have any friends .But you can fix it .Just walk across the street,I know there is a girl about your age over there,and knock on the door and ask her to be your friend.As a nine-year-old girl , I could do that . I knocked on the door and said HI, my name is Amelia ,and I 'd like for us to be friends and to my surprise ,she said she would like that too and we became friends . She added that going about it directly always worked when she was a child . But as she left childhood, she found that the simple direct approach was more and more difficult for her to follow. So,as an adult,Amelia longed to have friends but her hands were tied when it came to doing anything about it.The problem,according to her ,is that society teaches us in a number of ways that direct action is not an acceptable way of doing things.We need to be less direct so that our feelings will not be hurt if our offer of friendship is refused.Mr.Sifford goes on to describe his own ideas on the subject:To most of us ,friendship is very important ,but we need to have clear in our own minds the kinds of friendship we want . Are they to be very close or kept at arm's length ?Do we want to share ourselves or do we want to walk on the surface?For some people, an ordinary friendship is enough and that's all right .But at some point we need to make sure that what we expect from the friendship is the same as what our friends expect form it .If one wants more from the friendship than the other, and if this is not talked about , one is eventually to feel that he is not being given enough attention.The sharing of close secrets including our fears as well as our dark dreams, is the surest way to deepen friendships.But he process must be gone through slowly and continued only if there are signs of interest and our efforts are answered.what are some of the problems in forming friendships? According to Mr.Sifford,the biggest problem is to expect too much and too soon . Deepfriendships takes time . Another big difficulty is to think one possesses the other and that he should spend all his time only with you . Similarly, friendships require action from both sides. In short ,you must give as much as you take. Finally there is a question of developing friendship: Unless you spend enough time together ,talking on the phone ,writing letters ,doing things together , friendship will gradually fade away.Why is it so difficult to form friendships? Perhaps it is possible,as Mr.Sifford states, that we simply do not stay in one place long enough for a true friendship to develop. However ,we all agree that each of us should carefully about the the kind of friendships we want. As in all interpersonal relationships, success depends on the kind of friendship we expect to have ,openness to others and a willingness to experiment.Individuallywhat separates me from everyone else? the difference is not what clothes I wear or the music I listen to , but what I feel inside.Ever since I was young,I have loved professional wrestling. I woke up every Saturday to watch my favorite superstars . As I grew older, I got a lot of flak for watching this fake sport. My peers would laugh at me for following what was called a man's soap opera.So I put my love for wrestling on the shelf.Like everyone else,I wanted to be associated with the cool clique. I yearned to be invited to the parties of the in-crowd and hang out with popular kids.I became pretty successful. Although my Friday evenings were busy with parties, I would still wake up early Saturdays to watch wrestling. It wasn't until freshman year that I realize I wasn't being myself. That year , I tried many new things and activities and make new friends .In my town,football was the sport,so I decide to play football,thinking it might give me a head start in popularity. The team started with 48 athletes. At the end ,there were 14 of us left . I stuck it out not because I liked it, but I am not a quitter. That long season taught me a lesson :I wasn't football player. More importantly, it taught me to be myself.After that season , I went back to being a wrestling fan .I watched it religiously,no matter what insults were thrown my way. I came across a quote:Don't dream it, Be it . When I read this, my friend Dan had the same idea.What if we build a wrestling ring? we asked .We acquired the necessary wood and equipment for its construction. The following weekend , we met at his house .We saw our dream in a pile in his backyard.We worked form dawn to dusk to build our great establishment .By Sunday night ,our mission was complete. Our hard work had paid off. We had a real ring.W e decide to hold an event .We practiced for hours, trying to improve every aspect of our wrestling ability. The date was May 24th.Our show had a start time of 9:00pm.To our surprise,about one hundred family,friends and fans showed upto support us .It was the most important night of my life and complete success. Since that time ,we have held five sows with as many as two hundred and fifty people turning out.We continue to live this dream .We accomplished what we set out to do. We are now well known throughout school.When I walk down the halls, I am respected by my peers. Some are the same peers who ridiculed me for watching wrestling when I was younger. When they approach me ,they often say:good match,Chris.I humbly say:Thank you .Knowing I did something I believed in . As my senior year winds down, I'll remember all of my high school memories. But what will stick out most is the memory that I did something I loved despite what everyone said or thought.I accomplished goal.I lived my dream.HE HIT ME, SO I HIT HIM BACKIt was a very sunny day at the end of May. There I was , under a big tree,busy cooking,ordering,and inspecting my cooking group's final project.I ,of course,as the leader of the group,had to be responsible for everything.Hey,you! What are you doing ? I shouted as I saw a member of my group just standing there ,spacing out .Finally ,after two hours of cooking, all of us were ready to set the dishes on the presentation table . The table was already nicely decorated, so we just had to arrange the location of the dishes.After everything was set, I collapsed on the nearest chair and let my hand hang on the side. I felt as if there was a cold wet cloth on my back. I looked around, watching other groups setting their projects up. Suddenly, my eyes hit upon a very unpleasant scene.There was an annoying boy who had been teasing me for two years playing around with my final project. I got up and shouted,"Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing?" Leave it alone or else!"He, of course, was happy to see me yelling with a very red face. That was his whole purpose. But his happy face changed rapidly as he saw me reaching for an empty plate in front of me as I stared at him .He quickly moved away from my project, so I sat down again. My head was pounding as if the veins were ready to explode.suddenly, I felt something hit hard against my right cheekbone .I turned my head and saw the same ugly ,annoying boy smiling teasingly right next to me . My brain was numb, my whole body was numb, except my reflex and my arm as I took a swing at that boy .I didn't realize what I had done until I saw him crying as he covered his cheek in front of me . I couldn't believe what I had done .When his mother came up to me and angrily asked me why I had hit her precious son . I tried so hard to hold my tears and calm my shaking body . I answered with all the courage that I had left, He hit me , so I hit him back . Just as simple as that .Suddenly I felt like a winner. After the presentation, I came up to him and looked straight down into his eyes and said" you know, you have quite a smooth cheek for a boy " Then I walked away.ODDS AND ENDSIn these days ,much of the profit of a business--sometimes the whole of its success--depend on the use of the odds and ends .The odds and ends are various small things .They are left over when the main thing is produced .Yet they have a real value of their own .All kinds of big businesses have their odds and ends .In a big meal factory , for example ,there are countless odds and ends --bones and hair ,to name only a few. The bones are made in to glue;the hair is made into rope, If these odds and ends were to be looked down upon ,it would mean a big difference in the amount of the profit of the factory.We students have our own adds and ends .Take time for instance.Every one of us has the same amount of it.Our success or failure depends on the use of our time .But we use the time more or less in the same way .We have our regular day'swork :certain periods of classes, or several hours for review.And that ends a day.But what about its odds and ends --the odd moments? Many giants in science or art have made huge successes for themselves in the world mainly because they have made best use of their odd moments.Take Thomas Edison.While he was earning his living by tapping out messages,he did not allow his odd moments to ship by. He thought ,he planned , and he tried between messages. And he succeeded in working out a lot of things entirely new to the world. By fully using his odd moments he provided valuable wealth for the modern world. Think of the odd quarter of an hour in the morning before breakfast, the odd half an hour after dinner, and the odd moments in the washroom or between classes.Remember the chance to read or think that come now and again during the day. Make fully use of them , and you may find , as many big business have found , that the real profit is in using the odds and ends.WORKING HOLIDAYEvery summer, hundreds of thousands of students travel to other countries looking for work and adventure. Most of the opportunities are in seasonal work, mainly connected with tourism and agriculture. The pay is usually poor ,but most people work abroad for the thrill of travel. You can pick grapes in France, work on a family campsite, entertain kids on American summer camps and of course there are always jobs in hotels and restaurants.But it is not as easy as it used to be to find work. Unless you speak the language of the country well, there will be very few openings,says Anthea Ellis, an adviser on vacation work for students .If you work as a nanny with a family in Italy, then of course you will have to speak Italian. When you arrive to wash dishes in a restaurant in Paris , the owner will expect you to speak French.British students only have a language advantage for jobs in the USA and Australia.Not everyone enjoys the experience. Sarah James was a courier responsible for forty American children in Europe.The two teachers who accompanied the children had never been abroad . One child lost his passport;another became seriously ill and was flown home;four children were lost in Madrid for a whole day ;the whole group was thrown out of the hotel because of the noise they made, and Sarah herself was mugged on her only free evening of the entire trip.I did visit a lot of new places, she says, but it wasn't worth it ;the pay was awful and it really was a 24-hour-a-day job. the kids never slept!The trouble is ,students expect to have an easy time of it .Anthea Ellis points out. After all ,they see it as a holiday, in practice,though,you have to work hard . At the same time , all vacation work is casual work . You 'll have a job when the hotel the restaurant the campsite is busy, in other words , you will work it is convenient for the company that employs you .But you have few employment rights.As soon as the holiday season finishes, they will get rid of you . if you don't work hard or if your employer doesn't like you , you'll get the sack.STORIES ABOUT 'PSYCHIC' EXPERIENCES TITANIC SINKING PREDICTEDIN April 1929, the liner Titanic struck an iceberg and started sink. There weren't enough lifeboats for all the passengers and crew so fifteen hundred people died in the freezing water of the Atlantic . Sitting in of the lifeboats one of the survivors remembered a book which had predicted the disaster.The book by Morgan Roberson,bore a strange relationship to the facts of the real story. Not only did he name the ship Titan ,but he predicted where the Titanic would sink.JAMES HITS JACKPOT!James Bigson, a student at Oxford University,had a really strange dream in which he saw the name of two racehorses. When he woke up he found out that they were in races later that day. No sooner did he discover this than he rushed out and placed bets on both of them .The horses won!This was not an isolated incident. Over the next years James had a number of similar dreams and won a lot of money.ARI CRASH COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDEDONE morning , Valerie Spring woke up after an awful nightmare.She told her husband that she had seen an air crash between two aircraft on a runway. She realized that the crash was at Tenerife airport. She was standing underneath the planes and people were screaming at her to help them .She told some of her friends about the dream ,which tragically came true just seven days later . 587 people died . Never before had there been such a dreadful air disaster. For a long time afterwords she wished that she had been able to do something to prevent the accident from happening .JEWELLERY BUSINESSFive years ago , Minot was getting bored in his safe and secure banking job in Mexico city. A friend invited him to start a new business manufacturing ethnic jewellery. He was temped but realized there were risks not only for the career he had built but for his young family.After three sleepless nights an exhausted Minot went to bed for an afternoon nap. Hardly had he fallen asleep when he had a terrible dream:he was locked in an empty airless building and was suffocating . On waking he knew what he had to do and resigned from the bank. Five years later the jewellery business is highly successful.EARS AND YOUR CHARACTERThe size and shape of your ears show you character more than other part of the face .Other parts of the face change shape as we get older, but ears do not change their shape .They only change in size.Reading people's character from their ears is a very old science. In ancient times people thought that a per son with big ears had a good and generous character. They thought that a person with pale , small ears was dangerous. They also thought the shape of ear showed if a person was musical or not .Today, too,many people believe the size and shape of the ear helps you know if a per son is musical.Ears are all different , and each characteristic has a meaning . Next time you look at a person,see if his or her ears are large, medium-sized or small. Look at the lobes. Are they attached to the face? Ears that are always red mean that a person may have a temper ,or she or he may just have high blood pressure. Ears that are always cold and pale mean that a person has a nervous character.And a big inside the ear means a person is musical.HOW CLEVER IS A FISHCAN fish hear fisherman moving along the steam? what are the facts about the ability of a fish to see. Can they tell the differences between colors?The sharp hearing of a fish has been proved by two scientists .These men trained a fish to expect its food when it heard the sound of a whistle.The fish always opened and closed its mouth when it heard the feeding signal.And it was also proved that even a slight sound two hundred feet away could drive them away. That should make fishermen start thinking!One scientist has made more than fourteen thousand experiments testing the ability of fish to recognize different colors.A small bottle with a colored sign round it was lowered among the fish . When a fish swam near it , the food was given .then other colors were wrapped round the bottle .if a fish came near these , a gentle electric shock was given as a punishment by touching the fish's back with an electric wire. after between five to ten times. most of the fish could tell the difference between red, yellow, brown and green .Fish also have an eye for different shapes.One of the experts in the field proved this by teaching fish to connect certain patterns with food .He used a small circle and a square. If the fish swam to the circle , they receive food as a reward. If they swamto the square, they receive nothing. The fish learned in time to go to the circle but not to the square. Does this mean that in time fish might learn to leave alone all food on hooks that they have seen often before? Here is something for all fishermen to think about !These facts help to make more believable some of the 'believe it or not 'stories that have been told about fish. It is clear that fish have something shown their ability to gain knowledge as man does. It was reported once there was a pool of goldfish with a little platform above it. The platform was covered at certain times with plenty of ants' eggs, and tied up by a piece of string. The end of string hung in the water. The goldfish quickly learned how to feed themselves by giving the string a pull. Pulling this string turned over the platform. At once a shower of ants' eggs would fall into the water.A good example of what we might call 'thinking' by a fish is given by an experience of Dr.Andrew Gage. Fishing over a bridge he hooked a fish. It struggled and dragged the line two hundred feet away before he stopped it. Then it swam back to the bridge. The clever fish then swam round a pile and with a sudden pull, broke the line.If the story ended there, one could say the fish freed itself by accident . however ,Gage went on fishing. Below him he could see the fish that had broken loose. After another twenty minutes the fish again seized the food on the hook. This time it did not swim out. It swam round one of the piles under the bridge and again broke the line.。

Liu haifengFolmarEnglish 110107September201022:00--23:00I want a wifemy first response after finishing reading this essay is the significance and painstaking of wife to her family. The word " I want a wife" unexpectedly bursts from a mother's mouth, which is ridiculous and makes me have the feeling above.Wife is a very hard job and good housewife is a much harder job. To children, she should care about the children's diet and change it so that they will not be fed up with what they eat; she should make sure her children are kept clean and healthy; she should take care of the children when they are sick. To husband, she should take care of the babysitting arrangements when I was invited out by my friends; she should not bother me with rambling complaints about a wife's duties; she should be sensitive to my sexual needs and make love passionately and eagerly when I feel like it. What a all-around housewife! There is no man who do not want such a kind wife. However, as a matter of fact, there is no woman can do like that completely because wife is a human being who can no do her job perfectly either.We should not request any more to our wives since I dare not to imagine how our life will be if our wives disappear from our daily life. I think it can be a very horrible situation that we ever have. There will be no person who will arrange and pay for the care of the children while she is working; there will be no person who will plan the menus, do the necessary grocery shopping, prepare the meals, serve them pleasantly, and then do the cleaning up while I do my studying; there will be no person who will have arranged that the children are fed and ready for bed before my guests arrive so that the children do not bother us. Based on what I assume above and experience in the normal life, I can surely draw a conclusion that wife is as important as husband in one family or even more significant than husband from point of view about family management.So every supercilious man who is one woman's husband, please do not command your life to do everything you want anymore. Are you hardhearted enough to make your kind and beautiful wife's fragile heart under heavy pressure and endless complainment? No , of course not. If so, your conscience will hurt your heart more painful than your wife feel about the pressure. Being kind to your wife equals to being kind to yourself!If you want to be a successful person, at first, you should try to be a qualified husband to your valuable wife in your home.。

Unit 1Part III. Listening ComprehensionSection ASection A11. W: You look awful. What happened to you?M: I quarreled with my wife last night. I want a wife to take care of me.Q: What does the man mean?12. W: Are you asleep or are you just pretending to sleep?M: I’m really asleep.W: If you can hear me, you must be faking it. Good, you can give me a hand with the chores.Q: What is the probable relationship between the man and the woman?13. M: Mary doesn’t want me to take the job. She says our child is too young and the job requiresmuch travelling.W: You should talk to her again and see if you can find a way out. Think about the gains and losses before you make a decision.Q: What do we learn from the conversation?14. M: Cathy and Bill got a separation.W: It’s really a shame. I’ve heard that they quarrel, but they’ve always made up afterwards.Q: What probably happened to Cathy and Bill?15. M: What kind of father am I? My only son almost died, and I did n’t even know he was ill.W: Don’t blame yourself. You were too busy to pay attention to him. If his mother was still alive, things would have been much better.Q: Why does the man blame himself?16. M: You had a job interview yesterday, didn’t you? How did it go?W: Not too bad, I guess. There were about 20 candidates competing for the sales manager’s job. And finally it was down to three of us, but, unfortunately, the other two are men. And they seemed better qualified.Q: What does the woman imply?17. W: It is so hard for the female graduates to find a suitable job these days.M: Yeah, it is also the case to the male graduates.Q: What does the man mean?18. M: Congratulations! Vicky! You have been offered the chance to study abroad for half a year.W: Thanks, Jack! But it’s hard for me to make the decision. I really don’t know how to strike a balance between being a mother and a teacher.Q: Why is the woman not so happy?Conversation oneMother: Hello, Frank, this is Mum. Have you made any plans for your work after graduation? Frank: Well, Mum, I’d prefer a job at a large hospital in Beijing or shanghai.Mother: As a doctor?Frank: No, not exactly a doctor. I’d rather work as a nursing officer. It’s em… it’s what a lot of people call a male nurse.Mother: A male nurse? Are you kidding, Frank?Frank: No, I’m serious, Mum. I know, people usually think nurses are female and male nurses seem to be strange and they are assumed to be failed doctors but…Mother: Frank, I thought you really wanted to be a doctor?Frank: No, Can you believe that I really want to be a nurse and that er…er… it isn’t just that I may fail as a doctor?Mother: Frank, my dear, don’t you realize that nurses do different things from doctors?Frank: I know very well, Mum. As a male nurse you have much more contact with the er…patients and you know, a long term responsibility for their …their welfare. Huh, there’s no way I’d want to be a doctor…they have practically no personal contact with their patients…Mother: Dear, you should know people usually think nursing is female’s work. It’s not suitable fora male, because it require care and patience.Frank: Mum, that’s a stereotypical view of nursing. The world has changed, and so has people’s attitudes towards job roles. I’m really interested in this job and have qualifications for it, why shouldn’t I do it? Believe me, Mum, I’m going to be a really good nurse. Questions 19 to 22 are based on the conversation you have just heard.19. What is people’s usual view on male nurses?20. According to Frank, what is the difference between doctors and nurses?21. Why does Frank’ mother think this job is not suitable for a male?22. For what reason does Frank choose to work as a nurse?Conversation twoJane: Mike, is it possible for you to spare some time this weekend to take John to the zoo? Mike: I’m sorry, Jane. I wish I could. But…Jane: Please, Mike, don’t tell me you are busy again this weekend. You are always busy with your work, ever-ending work. Why don’t you think about your son and me?Mike: I do. You should know, Jane, what I’m working for. I’m trying my best to earn more money to support the family. Jane, you know, it’s getting difficult to make ends meet. Jane: Yes, you are doing your best. And I know you are a very successful manager. But Mike, you have to admit you are not a devoted father.Mike: That’s unfair, Jane. It really hurt me when you say that.Jane: It seems to me that all you really care about is your career; you don’t show enough concern for my work or the education of our sonMike: What do you mean, Jane? I do care about you and our son. But the problem is I…I just don’t have time to take care of the family. I feel really terrible.Jane: Mike, what I mean… I mean you should try to understand me, understand how hard it is as a working mother. I have to strive to keep the balance between being a mother and aprofessional. You know it’s really hard. Keeping up the family responsibilities at home,and still having to work hard at my job. You should know there is always the possibilityof being laid off.Mike: Don’t worry so much, Jane. To be honest, I’d rather you stay at home to be a full-time housewife, so…Jane: No, no way. I wouldn’t give up my career for anything.Mike: All right, all right, let’s talk about it later.Questions 23 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard.23. According to Mike, why is he working so hard?24. Which of the following statements is not true about Jane as a working mother?25. What does Mike suggest Jane to do to relieve her hardness as a working mother?Section BPassage OneMore often than not, household chores will lead to tired and angry couples. It’s known to all that housework often triggers disputes in a marriage. Surrounded by piles of laundry, dirty plates, both husbands and wives feel stressed. But here the wives voice is louder, especially for those with kids. According to a survey, each child brings an increase of more than thirty hours of housework per week. The accumulating cleaning, shopping, and cooking just drive the wife crazy.In an idealistic case, the husband will help out. Yet most bread-earners habitually turn a blind eye. When wives bury them in dishes and anticipate emotional response, husbands are changing channels for action movies. Moreover, when being warned about the wives dissatisfaction, they show complete ignorance. Because of this, they are often accused of laziness and sexism.The truth is, due to the different makeup of brain, men and women take different attitude towards housework. A man’s brain takes in less than that of a woman. Therefore, he can feel at ease with a mess, while, a woman would rather die if she could not restore the order. Further research reveals that men attach little personal identity to housework. Instead, they are looking to the outside and perseveringly pursue power and recognition. This is also the reason why men tendto become a workaholic when they have kids. They are proving their worth in their own way. Questions 26 to 28 are based on the passage you have just heard.26. According to the passage, who will feel most stressed?27. Which of the following best describes men’s attitudes towards housework?28. Why do most men turn a blind eye to housework?Passage TwoJane Brown has been married for 12 years. She has three children, and lives in a suburb outside Columbus Ohio. When her youngest child reached school-age, Jane decided to go back to work. She felt that she should contribute to the household finance. Her salary can make a difference between a financial struggle and a secure financial situation for her family. Jane also felt bored and frustrated in her role as a homemaker and wanted to be more involved in life outside her home. Jane was worried about her children’s adju stment to this new situation. But she arranged for them to go stay with the woman nearby after school each afternoon. They seemed to be happy with the arrangement. The problem seemed to be between Jane and her husband Bill. When Jane was at home all day, she was able to clean the house, go grocery shopping, wash the clothes, take care of the children, and cook two or three meals each day. She was very busy of course, but she succeeded in getting everything done. Now the same things need to be done, but Jane has only evenings and early mornings to do them. Both Jane and Bill are tired when they arrive home at 6:00 PM. Bill is accustomed to sitting down and reading the paper, or watching TV until dinner is ready. This is exactly what Jane feels like doing. But someone has to fix dinner and Bill expects it to be Jane. Jane is becoming very angry at Bill’s attitude. She feels that they should share the household jobs. But Bill feels that everything should be the same as it was before Jane went back to work.Questions 29 to 32 are based on the passage you have just heard.29. Why did Jane want to go back to work？30. How did Jane spend her days before she went back to work?31. What problem arose when Jane went back to work?32. What does the story try to tell us?Passage ThreeBarbara Sanders is a wife and the mother of two children, ages 2 and 4. Her husband, Tom, is an engineer and makes an excellent salary. Before Barbara had children, she worked as an architect for the government, designing government housing. She quit her job when she became pregnant, but is now interested in returning to work. She’s been offered an excellent job with the government. Her husband feels it’s unnecessary for her to work since the family does not need the added income. He also thinks that a woman should stay home with her children. If Barbara feels the need to do socially important work, he thinks that he should do volunteer work one or two days a week. Barbara, on the other hand, has missed the excitement of her profession and does not feel she would be satisfied doing volunteer work. She would also like to have her own income, so she does not have to ask her husband for money whenever she wants to buy something. She does not think it’s necessary to stay home every day with children and she knows a very reliable baby-sitter who’s willing to come to her house. Tom does not think a baby-sitter can replace a mother and thinks it’s a bad idea for the children to spend so much time with someone who’s not part of the family.Questions 33 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard.33. What was Barbara’s profession before her pregnancy?34. What does Barbara’s husband think she should do if she wants to work?35. What does Barbara’s husband think about hiring a babysitter?(36)throughout (37)obviously (38)breadwinner, (39)raising. (40) common (41) nursery (42)varying (43)unusual (44)has been to have both men and women share in children care, housework and financial responsibilities. (45)Many American women enjoy the independence that an outside job and the salary give them. (46)American women, however, have met challenges since pioneer days, and they continue to fight for true equality.。