英语综合教程2-Unit7-Letter-to-a-B-student

$LetterToABstudentByLYY&LSMLetterToABStudentReadingReflectionPutyourgradeinperspectiveAcctuallyEnjoyyourcampuslifeTheauthorPre-readingquestionsThestructuralanalysisAbouttheauthor

Yes,I'mRobertOliphant!I'm--An

American

professorAwriter,AcolumnistAndevenanexecutivedirector

(常务董事)

In1938,IgraduatedfromWashingtonand

JeffersonCollege.

Abouttheauthor

Later,IbecameanEnglishprofessoratCaliforniaStateUniversityatNorthridge,whichisoneofthenation’slargestpublicuniversities.AbouttheauthorAbouttheauthor

Moreover,Iwasalsoavisitingprofessor(客座教授)ofEnglishandLinguistics(语言学)atStanfordUniversitywhereIhadstudiedmedievallexicography(中世纪词典学)andgotaPh.D.(博士学位).

Pre-readingquestions

1.whatgradesdoyoumostlygetfortheEnglishcoursesyouhavetaken?Areyouhappyordisappointedwiththegradesyouget?2.howdoyouandyourclassmatesregardthegradesyouget?Doyouthinkthegradesonegetstrulyreflecthisabilityandpotential?TextcomprehensionGradeDescription4-pointEquivalent100-pointASuperior4.096-100A-Superior3.790-95B+Good3.387-89BGood3.083-86B-Good2.780-82

Paragraph1AmericangradingsystemGradeDescription4-pointEquivalent100-pointC+Satisfactory2.377-79CSatisfactory2.073-76C-Satisfactory1.770-72DPoor1.065-69FFailure0.00-64

Paragraph1What’sthethemeofthispieceofwriting?Itisexplicitlystatedinthefirstsentenceofthethirdparagraph:toputaBstudent’sdisappointmentinperspectivebyconsideringexactlywhatthegradeBmeansanddoesn’tmean.Structuralanalysis——purposeofwriting:toputyourdisappointmentinperspectivebyconsideringexactlywhatyourgrademeansanddoesn’tmeanintroduction—distinctionbetweenthestudentasaperformerintheclassroomandthestudentasahumanbeing—perspective:thewayweshouldregardgrades

Paragraphs6–8Paragraphs2–5Paragraphs9–10Paragraph1Structuralanalysis

Thetextisneatlystructured.Apartfromthefirstparagraph,whichintroducesthetopicofthelettertherestofthetextfallsclearlyintothreeparts.keyword:

disappointmentMainidea:Gradesdonotmeaneverything.Para2–5Structuralanalysis

Para6–8Para9–10keyword:perspectiveMainidea:Inacomplexsocietylikeourslabelsarenecessarybuttheyshouldbekeptinperspective.keyｗｏｒｄｓ:thestudentasperformer;thestudentashumanbeingMainidea:GettingaBinclassdoesnotmeanonewillalwaysbeaBperformerinlife.Textcomprehension

Adecent(得体的，正派的)grade(inthepast).Itisconsideredthat“Gentleman’sC”asanaveragegrade(平均等级)isseriouslybehindthetimes(过时，落伍),today’s“average”gradeisa“B”.Afewyearsago,the“Gentleman’sC”prevailed(流行，盛行)inuniversities.Gentleman’sagreementn.君子协定Gentlemanshipn.绅士的身份、品格

Gentleman'sC

Paragraph1Textcomprehension

Zero-sumgame（零和游戏/博弈）：Asituationinwhichifonepersongainsanadvantageformit,someoneelseinvolvedinitmustsufferanequivalentdisadvantage.

博弈论的英文名为gametheory，直译就是“游戏理论”。游戏者有输有赢，一方所赢正是另一方所输，游戏的总成绩永远是零。“零和游戏”之所以广受关注，主要是因为人们发现，在社会的方方面面都有与“零和游戏”类似的局面，胜利者的光荣后面往往隐藏着失败者的辛酸和苦涩。

Positivesumgame正和游戏(“双赢”或“多赢”)Negativesumgame负和游戏(没有赢家)

Zero-sumgame

Paragraph2Textcomprehension

Thephrasespecificallyrefersto“thesevendeadlysins”:

pride,covetousness['kʌvitəsnis]

(贪婪),lust（色欲）,anger,gluttony（暴食）,envyandsloth（懒惰）.Eachofthesevendeadlysinshasanoppositeamongcorrespondingsevenholyvirtues.Inparallelordertothesins,thesevenholyvirtues：humanity,仁慈charity,宽容chastity,贞洁patience,temperance,节欲kindnessanddiligence.Deadlysins

Paragraph2Textcomprehension

Paragraph2You'vegrownupinasocietywherewinningisnotthemostimportantthing—it’stheonlythingParaphrase:

Winningisofprimaryimportance;nothingcouldbemore

importantthanwinning.

胜利不是最重要的，而是唯一重要的。Textcomprehension

Paragraph2You'vegrownupinasocietywherewinningisnotthemostimportantthing—it’stheonlythingExplanation:Thisisaspecialtypeofnegation.Theauthorisnotnegatingtheimportanceofwinning;rather,withthesentencethatfollowsthenegativeone,theauthorgivestheutmostemphasistotheimportanceofwinning.

Textcomprehension

Paragraph2Tolose,tofail,togounder,togobroke…inthefuture.Paraphrase:Beingunsuccessfulinone’slifeandcareerandfinanciallydisadvantagedisregardedasshamefulorevensinfulbecauseinthisworldpeopletendtothinkthatonlythosewhoaresuccessfulnowcanbesavedfromevilinthefuture.

失利失败，倾家荡产是很可怕的过错，因为在当今世界，人们认为眼下的兴隆发达预示着将来必能从困境中脱身。Textcomprehension

Paragraph3putsthinperspectivetakesthatfacevalueExplanation:

putsthinperspective:tojudgetherealimportanceofsthbyconsideringitinrelationtootherthings正确对待takesthatfacevalue:toacceptsthforwhatitappearstobe从表面上看Textcomprehension

Paragraph4Lackingmoreprecisemeassurementtools,wemustinterpretyourB……masteryofthesubject.没有更为精准的测量工具，我们至多只能把你的成绩当做一个相对模糊的标记，它仅代表着你对这门学科的掌握程度，只是一个值得质疑的评价。Itmeansthatwecan’tfindmoreexactwaystoassessyourgrade.SoyourBjustshowshowwellyoubehaveinthissubject,notsoclearly.Paraphrase:Textcomprehension

Paragraph5Ifyouvaluethesecharacteristicsinyourself,youwillbevalued.Explanation:Certainly,itissoeasytotranslate,butalsosohardtodo.Weputithere,justbecauseitseemslikeamotto,right?Wisheveryoneherecantryhimselfassaidinthesentenseandthenbevalued.Textcomprehension

Paragraph5YourBisapricetagonagarmentthatisquiteseparatefromtheliving,breathinghumanbeingunderneath.Explanation:Yes,thisisametaphor(隐喻).Asyoucansee,theauthormake“apricetag”ametaphorfor“yourB”.Youknow,priceisnotalwayscorrespondtovalue.Andthereisacontrast,too.你的B成绩就如外套上的价格标签，它的价值与你于其下作为一个活生生的人的价值是完全没有关联的，没可比性的。Textcomprehension

Paragraph6getoutoftheserviceLookatthenotesinpage126;refertoitandthereisnothingmoretotell.Textcomprehension

Paragraph6Thestudentasperformer;thestudentashumanbeing.Explanation:Youknowwhat,IlikethiskindofsentencesActually,it'snotlikeasentence,rather,it'slikeaphrase,orsomekeywords.Putitinthebeginningofyourparagraph,Iguessyourcompositionwillbecool！！！Ofcourse,I'mnotsureiftheteatherwillgiveyoupoints…Textcomprehension

重视，强调，特别注意makeapointofdoingsth坚持做某件事

Example：Gouptothemafterclass,ormakeapointofdroppinginduringofficehours.

课下或者在办公时间内，只要花一点心思，你就能做的到。makeapointof

Paragraph7Textcomprehension

GI(pl.GIsorGI‘s)isanAmericansoldier,especiallyanenlistedone(现役军人).GI-BillortheGI-BillofRightsisthepopularnamefortheServicemen'sReadjustmentActof1944,whichprovidedUSWorldWarIIveteranswithspecialassistance.

1944年，《退伍军人权利法案》(Servicemen’s

ReadjustmentAct，或GIBill“大兵法案”)出台。根据这一法案，政府资助二次大战的退伍军人接受大学教育，旨在帮助退伍军人更好地适应平民生活。此外，政府还为退伍军人提供医疗,卫生,住房等方面的优惠政策。这些军人学生就称为GI-Billstudents。

GI-Billstudents

Paragraph7

Paragraph7那些学生只是在不久以前脱下军装，变成普通人。他们曾经是下士、中士、轰炸机驾驶员、中尉、上尉、指挥官、少校或者中校……...menwhohadbutrecentlyputawaytheiruniformsandidentities…evenalieutenantcolonel...Textcomprehension

Paragraph7...menwhohadbutrecentlyputawaytheiruniformsandidentities…evenalieutenantcolonel...Explanation:

Here“menwhohad...andidentities”referstoformerGIs,who,liketheauthorhimself,hadtakenofftheirarmyuniformsandchangedtheiridentitiesfromservicementocivilians.Manyofthesemenhadbeenofficersofvariousranks.

Textcomprehension将军general中将lieutenant少将majorgeneral准将brigadier[brɪgə'dɪə]上校colonel中校lieutenantcolonel少校major

Militaryrank（军衔）上尉captain中尉1stlieutenant少尉2ndlieutenant上士1stsergeant中士sergeant下士corporal列兵privateTextcomprehension

Paragraph7Ahardtest.Atestonwhichheusuallyflunkedabouthalfofthem.Explanation:终于知道“挂科”怎么写了吧~挂别人，是flunkhimflunkvt.1)tofailanexaminationorcourseofstudy考试不及格e.g.Iflunkedmysecondyearexamsandwasluckynottobethrownoutofcollege.e.g.Ifheisnogood,flunkhim.2)giveafailingmarktosb.给某人打不及格Collocation:flunkout

因成绩不及格而被学校除名e.g.Danwon’tbeincollegenextyear—he’sbeenflunkedout.resent

vt.

tofeelangrybecauseyouhavebeenforcedtoacceptsomeoneorsomethingthatyoudonotlike恨,生气e.g.Herfatherseemstoresenthernewboyfriendforhehasnojob.Herroommateseemstoresentmybeingintheirdorm.Derivation:resentmentn.resentfula.resentfulnessn.resentdoingsthResentsbforsth因为…而憎恨

Paragraph8...shiftingsuddenlyfromafriendlygeartoacoerciveone.……他突然从友善的样子变成严酷的模样儿。

Paragraph8Explanation:Theword“gear”originallymeansadeviceinavehiclewhichcontrolstherateatwhichtheenergybeingusedisconvertedintomotion(排挡).Inoursentence,theshiftingofgearreferstothechangeintheinstructor'smannerofdealingwithhisstudents.Whendrinkingwiththestudentsinthepub,hewaseasy-goingandfriendly;butintheclassroom,hebecamesternandsevere.

gear

n.1)themachineryinavehiclethatturnspowerfromtheengineintomovement排档

e.g.Don’tturnofftheenginewhileyou’restillingear.e.g.Thelandinggearofaplanehasjammed.飞机的着陆架发生故障.。e.g.Allhiscampinggearwaspackedintherucksack.

他的野营物品全都放在背囊里了。3)asetofequipmentortoolsyouneedforaparticularactivity物品,工具

Collocation:change/shiftgear

换档2)apieceofmachinerythatperformsaparticularjob装置

Paragraph9Itisimportanttorecognizethathumanbeings,…Warfare,sickness,disasterspublicandprivate—thesearethelargercoordinatesoflife.尽管社会阶级和教育背景不同，但是人们都由相同的物质构成，被恐惧、快乐、痛苦、和成就这些人类共同的纽带联系在一起。承认这一点非常重要。战争、疾病、公共灾难、私人困难——这些都是生活中的更大坐标集合。

Paragraph9Paraphrase:

Itisimportanttoseethefactthatalthoughtheydifferintheirclassstatusandeducationalbackground,humanbeingsareessentiallythesame.Firstofall,theyare,biologicallyspeaking,constructedinthesameway,andthentheyallsharethefeelingsoffearandjoy,andalsothecommonexperienceofsufferingandachieving.Thiscommonality[kɒmə'nælɪtɪ]

hasboundthemtogether.Allofthemwillregardwars,diseases,anddisasters,bothprivateandpublic,asunfortunatebigeventsintheirlifetime.

e.g.1.Theyhewedtheirwaythroughthedensejungle.他们在浓密的丛林里开辟出一条路来。2.Iwanttohewoutacareerformyself.开辟出，开创我想要艰苦地创一番事业。3.WeshouldhewtotheParty‘sline.坚持，遵守我们应该坚持党的路线。hewv.toshapeorcarvefromsomematerial

砍,劈，固守，坚持hewsth.away/off砍掉，砍下hewsth.Out开辟出，开创Collocation:e.g.Thefirstinvariantofstrain[ɪn'veərɪənt]

isindependentofthecoordinatesystembeingused.第一应变不变量与所用的坐标系无关。coordinaten.

e.g.Citizensarecoordinatesinacourtoflaw.公民在法庭上是平等的。2)onethatisequalinimportance,rank,ordegree

(在重要性、等级或程度上)同等的人或物1)(usu.pl.)

oneofapairofnumbersand/orlettersthatshowtheexactpositionofapointonamaporgraph坐标

Paragraph9Itisturethattheselabels……,withtheresult……andresponsibility.在这个如此复杂的社会的运行过程中，这些社会标签的确是必须的，因为它们能让我们知道怎样的人能被他人信任去做怎样的事，结果，我们就是靠这些东西来作区分的——成绩、学位、等级与责任等等。相较于你毕业后将要面对的无数未知的道路，现在的学术工作仅仅是一条狭窄的被严格规划的公路。...academicworkisanarrow…youwillencounterafteryouleaveschool.

Paragraph１０...academicworkisanarrow…youwillencounterafteryouleaveschool.

Explanation:Ametaphor(隐喻)again.Andacontrast,too.Comparingacademiclifetoaneatlydefinedhighway,andone’slifeafterschooltotheunmappedrollingcountry.Thesentenceclearlyshowsuswestillhavealotofthingstolearnafterschool.Sowhatdeterminesyourfutureisnotjustyourtoday'sBgrade,butyourattitudesandperformancestomorrowwhenmeetinguncertainties.

Paragraph１０lateronyouwillhavetoshifttoyourself“shift”referstothechangefromdependingonwhatyouhavelearnedatschooltodependingonyourself.Locatinggoalsandopportunitiesinthesamefogthathampersusallaswemove

“thesamefogthathampersusall”means“whatpreventsusallfromfindingourgoalsandopportunities”Putyourgradeinperspective

Theauthortriedtoconvincethestudentsthatgradedoesnotmeaneverythingandmaynotreflectthelevelofthestudents’intelligence,yetheaffirmedtheimportanceofgrade.Howtoevaluategradeisabsolutelyahardcoreforeducation.InChina,thoughwehavebeenhighlightingtheimportanceofeducationforall-rounddevelopment(全面发展),itisstillcommonthattheteachers,aswellasPutyourgradeinperspective

thestudents,tendtocaremoreaboutgrade.

Besides,parentsareforcingtheirchildrentogainhigherscores,regardlessofthefactthattheirkidsaregettingmoreandmoretiredofthisfiercebattle.Inordertoachievea“good”performance,thestudentsgettotallyabsorbedinstudy,whichusuallymeanstheirwholejobistorecite,recite,andrecite,crazily!Justlikearecitingmachine.Doesthisreallymakeanysense?

PutyourgradeinperspectiveSomeparentshiretutorsfortheirchildren.Thisisnatural,andIcanunderstandthattheyareforthebenefitsoftheirkids.Butwhatdrivesmecrazyisthattheychasedtostudysohardthattheirentirescheduleisfullallthetime;theyarenotavailableevenforaminute.Gradeissuchamagicspell（符咒）.Putyourgradeinperspective