品味地道美文 解读高考词汇

品味地道美文，解读高考词汇 Obama: study for success US president Barack Obama is one of the most successful speechmaker in the world. Some people even say that one reason he became president of the US si because he knows how to give a good speech. Here is an excerpt （摘录） from his recent “back to school” speech, delivered （发 表）two weeks ago in Virginia, the US. I know that sometimes, you get the sense that you can be rich and successful without any hard work-that your ticket to success is through rapping(饶舌音乐) or basketball or being a reality TV star, when chances are, youre not going to be any of those things. But the truth is, being successful is hard. You wont love every subject you study. Not every homework assignment (作业) will seem completely important to your life right this minute. And you may not succeed at everything the first time you try. Thats OK. Some of the most successful people in the world are the ones whove had the most failures. J. k. Rowings first Harry Potter book was rejected (拒绝) 12 times before it was finally published. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team, and he lost hundreds of games and missed thousands of shots during his career. But he once said: “ I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” These people succeeded because they understand that you cant let your failures define (给下定义) you you have to let them teach you. You have to let them show you what to do differently next time. No ones born being good at things, you become good at things through hard work. Dont be afraid to ask questions. Dont be afraid to ask for help when you need it. I do that every day. Asking for help isnt a sign of weakness; its a sign of strength. It shows you have the courage to admit (承认) when you dont know something, and to learn something new. And even when youre struggling, even when youre discouraged, and you feel like other people have given up on you-dont ever give up on yourself. Because when you give up on yourself, you give up on your country. Sense (sens) n. ( an) ability to understand or make judgments about sht 辨识力，理解，领悟力 Eg.:I have a very good sense of direction. Failure n. lack of success 失败（fail v. ） Failure is the mother of success. Strength n. something providing force, advantage or power 强项，长处，优势（strong adj.） The great strength of our plan is that its so cheap compared with the others. Courage n. the quality of being brave 勇气； 胆量 拓展：discourage v. 使丧失勇气 Sue showed great courage throughout her illness. Dont let one failure discourage you. Teens thought 奥巴马的这篇电视演说激情澎湃，赋予很强的感染力。 文中长短句交错有致，并多次使用 排比句式与生动的事例，增强了节奏感与说服力， 让听众在领略奥巴马演讲么魅力的同时， 也备受鼓舞。 The truth in other words A BLIND boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said: “ I am blind, please help”. There were only a few coins in the hat. A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words. Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps(脚步声) and asked : “Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?” The man said: “I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way.” What he had written was: “ Today is a beautiful day but I cannot see it.” Do you think the first sign and the second sign were saying the same thing? Of course both signs told people the boy was blind. But the first sign simply told people to help by putting some money in the hat. The second sign told people that they were able to enjoy the day, but the boy could not enjoy it because he was blind. The first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people they were so lucky that they were not blind. There are at least two lessons we can learn from this simple story. The first is: Be thankful for what you have. Someone else has less. Help where you can. The second is：Be creative. Think differently. There is always a better way! By anonymous Words in focus recognize v. know again (someone or something one has seen, heard, or experienced before ) (辨)认出 Eg: He had changed so much that I could hardly recognize him. truth n. the true facts about something 事实 Well never know the truth behind the accident. simply adv. Only 仅仅，只是 Eg: He goes there simply because he likes to . creative adj. producing new ideas of things; imaginative and inventive 创造性的 同根词： creation n. 创造力 Eg:This job is so boring. I wih I could do something more creative. What really matters WE lived in a very quiet neighborhood. One evening I heard a loud crash in the street. Earlier that evening my wife had asked me to go to the store to get some soft drinks. It seemed like this would be a good time to let my teenage daughter Holly practice her driving, so I sent her to the store in my truck. At dinner my son talked about how much he liked my truck. I enjoyed having it, but I said: “Guy, my heart is not set on that truck. I like it but it is just metal and wont last forever. Never set your heart on anything that wont last. After hearing the loud noise, the whole family ran outside. My son shouted； “ Dad! Dad, Holly crashed your truck.” My heart sank and my mind was flooded with conflicting thoughts. Was anyone hurt? Who else was involved? As I ran to the door, I heard a voice in my heart say: “Here is a chance to show Holly what you really love. Shell never forget it.” 嘉兴英语教学网 收集整理 欢迎使用 第 3 页 共 32 页 The accident had occurred in my own driveway. Holly had crashed my truck into our other vehicle, the family van (搬运车)。 In her inexperience, she had confused the brakes and the gas pedal. Holly was unhurt physically but when I reached her, she was crying and saying： “ Oh, Dad, Im sorry. I know how much you love this truck.” I held her in my arms as she cried. Later that week a friend stopped by and asked what had happened to my truck. I told her the whole story. Her eyes moistened(湿润) and she said: “ That happened to me when I was a girl. I borrowed my dads car and ran into a log that had fallen across the road. I ruined the car. When I got home my Dao knocked me to the ground and began to kick me.” Over 40 years later, she still felt the pain of the night. It was a deep wound on her soul. I remember how sad Holly was the night she crashed our truck, and how I comforted her. One day, when Holly thinks back on her life, I want her to know that I love her a thousand times more than any piece of property. I repaired the van, but the dent(凹陷) in my truck is still there today. Every day it reminds me of what really matters in my life. By Ken Pierpow Words in focus Crash n. loud noise made by a violent fall, blow or break.etc.撞击声，坠落声 用法：作动词表示“（使）猛撞；（使）撞毁” Eg: The tree fell with a great crash. He crashed his car into a wall. Flood v. arrive in large numbers（大量地）涌向某处 用法：flood with Eg: The office was flooded with complaints. Involve v. include or affect sb/sth 牵连， 涉及 Eg：The accident involved a bus and a truck. Pain n. suffering; great discomfort of the body or mind (身体或精神上的)痛苦 同根词：painful adj. Eg: His behavior caused his parents a great deal of pain. Coffee shop kindness At the end of my senior year of high school, I got a job working at a local coffee shop. I thought the job would be easy and stressfree. I pictured myself pouring the best coffees, making delicious doughnuts (炸面包圈) ， and becoming friends with regular customers. I wasnt expecting the people with enormous orders, the women who complained that the coffee was much too creamy (含乳脂的)， or the men who wanted their iced coffee remade again and again until they reached perfection. I couldnt seem to please anyone. One rainy day, one of my regular customers came in looking upset.he said he felt like getting in bed,pulling the sheets up over his head, and staying there for a few years. I knew exactly how he felt. Before he left, I handed him a bag along with his iced coffee. He was surprised, since he hadnt ordered anything but coffee. I had given him his favorite type of doughnut. “Its on me” I told him. “Have a nice day.” He smiled and thanked me before heading back out into the rain. The next day, it was still raining. I spent my afternoon hanging out the window handing people their orders. I was completely wet and freezing cold. Worse, no one was tipping that day. Every time I looked into our empty tip jar, I grew more depressed. In the evening, the customer from the day before drove up to the window. He handed me a pink rose and a note. He said that not many people took time to care about others and he was glad there were still people like me in the world. With a friendly wave, he drove away. I ran to the back of the shop and read the note. It read； Christine, Thanks for being so sweet, kind and thoughtful yesterday. It is so nice to meet someone whos genuinely (真诚地) nice. Please dont change your ways! Have a great day!-Hank After that, whenever I felt depressed or sick of coffee, I thought of Hank and his kindness. Then I would smile, hold my head up high, clear my throat and ask politely, “How can I help you?” By Christine Walsh Stress-free adj. having no worries or stress 没有压力的 词缀：-free 表示 “无的 ” 可与名称一起构成形容词或副词。 如：a trouble-free journey; They live there rent-free. Picture v. imagine something by making an image in your mind 想象 I cant picture life without electricity. Depressed adj. very unhappy 沮丧的，抑郁的 Eg: I was depressed at the thought of all the hard word ahead. Thoughtful adj. paying attention to the feelings or needs of other people 体贴的 Eg:It was really thoughtful of you to remember my birthday. Its on me 我请客。相当于 its my treat./Im going to pay for you.又如： The drinks are on me. Teens thought 一个不经意的善举，一颗知恩感恩的心，就会让温馨和真情如火花般蔓延，温暖世界的每 一个角落。 Chinas first superhero? 这个酷酷的熊猫人能成为拯救世界的大英雄吗？ Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No ,wait a minute, its Pandaman? One might think that singer, musician, actor, producer and director Jay Chou had enough on his plate. Well, apparently not. The Taiwanese superstar has turned his attention to a new project-creating a Chinese superhero to compete with the likes of Batman and Superman. “I love watching superhero movies,” Chou said. “All Chinese heroes are from ancient times, so I want to do something that no one has yet done.” What could be more Chinese and modern than a Panda? Chous heroes will be based on Tuantuan and Yuanyuan-the two pandas givens to Taiwan last year. The pair have been very popular in Taiwan, creating a phenomenon(现象)described as “pandamania(熊猫热)”. Chous TV drama ,Panda Hero, will be set in 2030. The two heroes will be defending “Bright City” from evildoers (干坏事的人) and trying to maintain peace and harmony. The show will begin filming this month. Of course the idea of a panda action hero is not a new one. Just last year, the film Kungfu Panda was released and was very popular around the world. However, Chou insists he has not copied the idea. He claims he had the idea long before Kungfu Panda was released, but never had the time to make it. 嘉兴英语教学网 收集整理 欢迎使用 第 5 页 共 32 页 Much of the previous films humor comes from the fact that a panda is the last animal you might imagine doing martial arts(武打) 。 Theyre cute and lazy, and hardly have the characteristics required of a superhero. The real problem is that pandas are simply too nice to be superheroes. The superhero is usually a complex, flawed (有缺点的) character. Characters like Batman and Spiderman are based on animals that are not the most lovable around. Perhaps Chous Panda Hero will be a bit tongue in cheek (并非让人信以为真)， but , even if this is so, it will still be similar to Kungfu Panda. And if Chou really wants to turn the panda into a serious superhero, it seems like hes missed the joke. By David Bartram, 重点讲解 核心词汇 Apparently adv. 显然 同义词： obviously Eg: Apparently, they have done a lot of work. Base vt. 以 做基础 词组: be based on/upon 建立在基础上 Eg: Judgement should be based on facts. Maintain vt. 维护 同根词： maintenance n. Eg: You should have tried to maintain your rights. Harmony n. 和谐 词组: be in harmony with 与和谐 Be out of harmony with 与 不和谐 Eg：My cat and dog live in perfect harmony. Insist vt/vi 坚持认为 用法：常与 on/that 连用 Eg: He insisted that he had done nothing wrong. 活学活用 The pair have been very popular in Taiwan, creating a phenomenon described as “pandamania”. 本句中 creating a phenomenon 是现在分词结构作伴随状语，表示补充说明。现在分词表 示与主语之间的主动关系。 现在分词的一般式表示与谓语动词同时或稍早发生。 小试身手 1._ their hats into the air, the fans of the winning team let out loud shouts of victory.(08 天津 卷) A. To thow B. Thrown C. Throwing D. Being thrown 2. He was busy writing a story, only_ once in a while to smoke a cigarette. (08 辽宁卷) A. to stop B. stopping C. to have stopped D. having stopped 阶段词汇 Release vt. 发行 Claim vt. 声称 Previous adj. 以前的 Complex adj. 复杂的 Keys: CB Learn to treasure living every day The 92-year-old,small, well-poised(泰然自若的) and proud lady, who is fully dressed each morning by eight oclock, with her hair fashionably styled and makeup perfectly applied, even though she is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, she smiled sweetly when told her room was ready. As she moved her walker to the elevator, I gave her a visual description of her tiny room, including the curtains that she had been hung on her window. “ I love it,” she stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy. “ Mrs. Jones, you havent seen the room just wait.” “That doesnt have anything to do with it,” she replied. “ Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesnt depend on how the furniture is arranged, its how I arrange my mind. Ive already decided to love it. Its a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed thinking about the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open Ill focus on the new day and all the happy memories Ive stored away, just for this time in my life.” She went on to explain, “Old age is like a bank account, you withdraw (取出)from what you ve put in. So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories. Thank you for your part in filling my memory bank. I am still depositing.” And with a smile, she said: “Remember the five simple rules to be happy” 1. Free your heart from hatred. 2. Free your mind from worries. 3. Live simply. 4. Give more. 5. Expect less.” By Brian Zahn Expressions Make up n. sth such as powder, lipstick, etc put on face to change shb appearance 化妆品 Legally adv. According to the law 依据法律地 Enthusiasm n. strong feelings of admiration or interest 热情 Memory n. thing or event, etc that is remembered 记忆（的事） Sentence bank Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. 她七十岁的丈夫最 近去世了，因此她不得不搬家。 语法：句中的现在分词短语作状语，表结果。再如： It rained for two weeks, completely ruining our holiday. I can spend the day in bed thinking about the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. 我要么卧床不起， ，总念着因身体的某些部分不能运动所产生的不便；要么下床来，庆幸身 体的另外一些部分还能动弹。 语法：句中动词 spend 常用短语为 spend on sth/(in ) doing sth. 嘉兴英语教学网 收集整理 欢迎使用 第 7 页 共 32 页 Eg；She spent two weeks writing a novel. Words in focus Apply v. put or spread sth on sth. 涂， 擦 用法：apply 还有申请，请求的意思， 常用的短语 apply (to sb) for sth: Eg: You should apply for the job immediately. Visual adj. relating to seeing 视觉的 Eg: She has a very good visual memory. Arrange v. put sth in order 布置，排列 Eg: She arranged all her books on the shelf. As long as 只要，如果 Eg: You can borrow the book as long as you keep it clean. Store away ：put sth away for future use 储存起来 Eg: Please store these quilts away in the big box. Making all the difference Steve was a 12-year-old with heavy- drinking parents. He was failing. He had been failing since first grade, and so passed on from grade to grade. He was a big boy, looking more like a teenager than a 12-year-old, yet, Steve went unnoticed until Miss White. Miss White was a smiling, young, beautiful redhead, and Steve was in love. But he never did his homework, and he was always in trouble with her. One day, Miss Whites impatient voice broke into his daydreams. “ Steve!” He turned to look at her. “ Pay attention!” Steven locked his gaze on Miss White, as she began to go over some test results for the seventh grade. “ You all did pretty well,” she told the class, except for one boy, and it breaks my heart to tell you this, but the smartest boy in the seventh grade is failing my class!” She just stared at Steve, who dropped his eyes and carefully examined his fingertips. “ Steve! Please work harder. I care about you!” Suddenly, Steve got it. Someone cared about him. Steve went home from school, thoughtful, that afternoon. Walking into the house, he took a look around. Both parents were passed out(醉倒)， and the smell was overpowering （受不了 的. He quickly gathered up his camping gear（设备） ， some peanut butter, a loat of bread, a bottle of water, and this time his schoolbooks. He headed for the woods. Monday morning, Miss White gave a quiz on the weekend homework. Steve hurried through the test, and was the first to hand in his paper. With a look of surprise, Miss White took his paper. She began to look it over. Steve walked back to his desk, his heart pounding （跳动） within his chest. Miss Whites face was in total shock. The smartest boy in the seventh grade had just passed his first test. Steve discovered that not only co