高级英语下义Lesson4.doc

Lesson fourThe Tragedy of Old Age in America一、Words and Expressions1.adj.adverse不利的,相反的,敌对的contrary,opposing,hostileadverse wind/ circumstances 逆风,逆境adv.adverselyn.adversity逆境,不幸,苦难unfavorable condition to keep/remain cheerful in adversityto face adversity with couragen.adversary 对手,敌手opponentHe defeated his old adversary.2.adj.arbitrary任意的(at random),专横的dictatorialan arbitrary ruler/power adv.arbitrarilyn.arbitrariness3.vt./n.barricade 阻止,阻碍（barrier）erect the barricadesbarricade sb.in/out of sth.They barricaded themselves in their rooms.barricade sth.off设障碍封锁The police barricaded off the entrance to the square.n.barrierhindrance Poor health is a barrier to success.cultural/language barrier隔阂barrier of race and e to terms with sb./sth.= reach an agreement5.vt.conserve 保存,保护,节约使用conserve wildlife 保护野生动物preserve（保护,保持,保存）/deserve（值得）6.adj.contingent (up)on sth.依情况而定,视而定的,有条件的dependent on sth.Our success is contingent upon your continued help.n.contingency 偶发事件contingency plans/arrangements 应变计划/安排7.cost of living:expense,expenditureat the cost of sth.以为代价cover the cost8.v.debilitate 使虚弱make sb.weaka debilitating illnessHuge debts are debilitating our economy.n.debility 虚弱,衰弱After operation,she suffered from general debility.9.defectn.缺点,毛病,瑕疵fault,shortcoming a defect of character a defect of education systemadj.defective:imperfect,incomplete be defective in sth.be defective in ones character Her hearing is found to be slightly defective.她的听力稍弱。adv.defectively10.deprive sb.of sth.:take sth.away from sb.dispossess sb.of sth.Someone is deprived of civil rightsn.deprivation（1）suffer deprivation of ones rights as a citizen（2）widespread deprivation caused by unemployment = poverty（3） Missing the holiday is a great deprivation.= lossadj.deprived:poor 贫困的a deprived areaThe poorest and most deprived area will receive governments help.11.adj.desolate:deserted 荒芜人烟的,孤独凄凉的a desolate area/lifeWe all felt desolate after he left.v.使荒凉an area desolated by war（该地区由于饱受战争摧残而满目苍夷。）adv.desolatelyn.desolation:misery,lonelinessdesolation caused by war 战争造成的满目苍夷12.n.dignitybeneath ones dignityv.dignify 使有尊严a ceremony dignified by the presence of the ambassador因大使的光临而生辉的典礼I wouldnt dignify this trash by calling it a novel.adj.dignified 高贵的,有尊严的graceful,elegant a dignified person/walk13.v.diagnose 诊断 diagnose sth.as sth.diagnose the tumor as benign 诊断该肿瘤为良性的diagnosispl.diagnoses诊断,诊断书make ones diagnosis 进行诊断a doctor skilled in diagnosis 诊断准确的医生adj.diagnosticdiagnostic training/skillsymptom症状14.adj.discrepant:differentn.discrepancy:differencediscrepancy between A and BThere are many discrepancies between the two versions of the affair.对这个事件的两种说法有很大出入。15.v.eradicate:destroy pletely; eliminate; put an end to Smallpox has already been eradicated.The government is taking effective actions to eradicate crimes.n.eradication 16.euphemism:use of pleasant,mild,polite or indirect words or phrases in place of more direct ones without hurting othersfeelings.Pass away is a euphemism fordie.adj.euphemistic language/terms/expressions/wordsadv.euphemistically17.adj.excruciating 极度的,剧烈的 intense,acutean excruciating headacheexcruciating miseryadv.excruciatingly18.v.exist存在,生存,生活Does life exist on Mars?We cannot exist without water and food.exist on sth.:live on or depend onFish exists on water.He exists on rice and water.I can hardly exist on the wages I get.n.existence adj. existent = existing 现存的,现有的existential adj.存在主义的existentialism n.存在主义 existentialist 存在主义者He is an existentialist.He holds existentialist views.19.fold (n.折痕 v.折叠)unfold (v.打开)folder n.纸夹,文件夹stand n.架,座,台a hat standan umbrella standa music stand 乐谱架20.n.fraud 欺骗,骗子deceiving sb.illegally fraudulent adj.deceitful,dishonest a fraudulent display of sympathy 假惺惺的同情n.fraudulenceadv.fraudulently 21.v.fulfill 履行,实现,完成fulfill ones promise/duty/ a command/an obligation 满足 fulfill the terms of a contract:satisfy/meet the requirements of sth.满足合同条款的要求fulfill the conditions of entry to a university 具备某大学的入学条件fulfill oneself:fully develop ones abilities or character He was able to fulfill himself through music.音乐能使他发挥自己的才能n.fulfillmentadj.fulfilling:successful achieveachievement accomplishaccomplishment 22.funnel:n.漏斗,烟囱v.move through a funnel or a narrow space The water funneled through the gorge and out onto the plain.水穿过峡谷流到平原。funnel petrol into a can23.housing（n.住房）Schooling（n.学校教育,学费）24.v.humiliate 使感到羞耻,不光彩make sb.ashamed He felt humiliated by her scornful remarks.他听到她嘲讽的话觉得丢了脸。a country humiliated by defeat 因战败而受辱的国家adj.humiliatinga humiliating experience n.humiliationsuffer public humiliation 当众受辱25.v.impair 削弱,损害 weaken or damageLoud noise can impair your hearing.n.impairment 26.n.inflationcontrol/ curb inflation adj.inflationary 27.be inherent in sth.adv.inherently 28.life expectancy（预期寿命）life span29.v.lull lull o sth.lull us into a false sense of security lull sb.to do sth.使安静lull a baby to sleep 哄孩子睡觉30.means:property,belongings,possessionsmeans test by means of 31.mental hospital:asylum 精神病院,政治避难所,收容所32.adj.morbid:perverse 病态的,不正常的a morbid imagination n.morbidityadv.morbidly33.n.multitude A Multitude of sb./sth.:extremely large number ofA large multitude had assembled to hear him preach.= a large number of people Vast multitudes of birds visit this lake in spring.the multitude 群众,大众a speech appealing to the multitude 34.v.penalize/se处罚(punish) ,尤指比赛中的判罚People who drive when they are drunk should be heavily penalized.penalize sb.for doing sth.n.penaltydeath penaltypenalty area 罚球区penalty kick 罚点球penalty clause 合同中违约罚款的规定35.v.precede 先于This point has been dealt with in the preceding paragraph.precede with sth.= begin/ start with He preceded his speech with a vote of thanks to the committee.adj.preceding 36.n.prerogative 特权 right or privilege A monarch has a prerogative of pardoning criminals.君主享有对罪犯的赦免权。the royal gression:development,advancement,growthprogression from sth.to sth.the teams progression to the first division 该队晋升为甲级队Adolescence is the period of progression from childhood to adulthood.过渡期38.v.reassure 使放心reassure sb.about sth.reassure that:remove ones doubts or fearsThe police reassured her about her childs safety.A glance in the mirror reassured him that his tie was not crooked（戴歪）.n.reassuranceadj.reassuringadv.reassuringlya reassuring pat on the back.39.adj.scanthardly enough pay scant attention to ones advicewith scant regard for my feelings 不大理会我的感情40.adj.stark 十足的；赤裸裸的；荒凉的desolate,bare十足的,完全的complete,utter,downrightstark madness 彻底的疯狂adv.完全地stark madness/crazy 41.adj.sublimeadv.sublimelyn.sublimity 42.v.subsist:exist,stay alive 存活subsist on sth.How do you manage to subsist on such a low wage? He subsisted mainly on vegetables and fruit.n.subsistencesubsistence level勉强糊口的生活水平（维持生活的最低水平）43.be up to the standard（合格,达到标准）/ below the standard 44.v./ n.toil:work hard toil away/ at/ over sth.We toiled away all afternoon to get ready for our guests.The students are toiling over their homework（辛苦地做功课）45.treat（治疗） the patient cure（治疗）the disease 二、TextWhat is it like to be old in the United States? What will our own lives be like when we are old? Americans find it difficult to think about old age until they are propelled into the midst of it by their own aging and that of relatives and friends.Aging is the neglected stepchild of the human life cycle.Though we have begun to examine the socially taboo subjects of dying and death,we have leaped over that long period of time preceding death known as old age.In truchtruth,it is easier to manage the problem of death than the problem of living as an old person.Death is a dramatic one-time crisis while old age is a day-by-day and year-by-year confrontation with powerful external and internal forces,a bittersweet coming to terms with ones own personality and ones life.(1)n.tragedy 悲剧,悲惨 adj.tragic 悲惨的,悲剧的(2)old age:senior citizen老年人(3)be propelled into Propel v.推进,驱使(4)leap over跳过(5)confront with sth.面临,面对Questions:1.what is it like to be old in the United States?Those of us who are not old barricade ourselves from discussions of old age by declaring the subject morbid,boring or in poor taste.Optimism and euphemism are other common devices.People will speak of looking forward to theirretirement years.The elderly are described respectfully assenior citizens,golden agers ,our elders,and one hears of old people who are considered inspirations and examples of how toage well orgracefully.There is the popularly accepted opinion that Social Security and pensions provide a comp for tablecomfortable and reliable flow of funds so the elderly have few financial worries.Medicare has lulled the population into reassuring itself that the once terrible financial burdens of late-life illnesses are now eradicated.Advertisements and travel folders show relaxed,happy,well-dressed older people enjoying recreation,travel and their grandchildren.If they are no longer living in the old family home,they are pictured as delighted residents of retirement communities with names like Leisure Would World and Sun City,with lots of grass,clean air and fun.This is the American ideal of thegolden years toward which millions of citizens are expectantly toiling through their workdays.But this is not the full story.A second theme runs through the popular view of old age.Our colloquialisms reveal a great deal:once you are old you arefading fast,over the hill,out to pasture,down the drain,finished,over out of date,and anold crock,fogy,geezer,orbiddy.One hears children saying they are afraid to get old,middle-aged people declaring they want to die after they have passed their prime,and numbers of old people wishing they were dead.2.What can we possibly conclude from these discrepant points of view? Our popular attitudes could be summed up as a combination of wishful thinking and stark terror.We base our feelings on primitive fears,prejudice and stereotypes rather than on knowledge and insight.In reality,the way one experiences old age is contingent upon physical health,personality,earlier-life experiences,the actual circumstances of late-life events(in what order they occur,how they occur,when they occur) and the social supports one receives:adequate finances,shelter,medical care,social roles,religious support,recreation.All of these are crucial and interconnected elements which together determine the quality of late life.3.what are the interconnected elements that determine the quality of late life?Old age is neither inherently miserable nor inherently sublimelike every stage of life it has problems,joys,fears and potentials.The process of aging and eventual death must ultimately be accepted as the natural progression of the life cycle,the old completing their prescribed life spans and making way for the young.Much that is unique in old age in fact derives from the reality of aging and the imminence of death.The old must clarify and find use for what they have attained in a lifetime of learning and adapting; they must conserve strength and resources where necessary and adjust creatively to those changes and losses that occur as part of the aging experience.The elderly have the potential for qualities of human reflection and observation which can only come frorm having lived an entire life span.There is a lifetime accumulation of personality and experience which is available to be used and enjoyed.(6)in poor taste乏味的(7)conclude结束,终止,决定(8)sum up计算.的总数,概括,总结 as(9)base on sth.基于(10)go hand in hand与.共同行动；与.相配合；与.一致；与.结合在一起7.what do you think are the potentials in late life?But what are an individuals chances for agood old age in America,with satisfying final years and a dignified death? Unfortunately,none too good.For many elderly Americans old age is a tragedy,a period of quiet despair,deprivation,desolation and muted rage.This can be a consequence of the kind of life a person has led in younger years and the problems in his or her relationships with others.There are also inevitable personal and physical losses to be sustained,some of which can become overwhelming and unbearable.All of this is the individual factor,the existential element.But old age is frequently a tragedy even when the early years have been fulfilling and people seemingly have everything going for them.Herein lies what I consider to be the genuine tragedy of old age in Americawe have shaped a society which is extremely harsh to live in when one is old.The tragedy of old age is not the fact that each of us must grow old and die but that the process of doing so has been made unnecessarily and at times excruciatingly painful,humiliating,debilitating and isolating through insensitivity,ignorance and poverty.The potentials for satisfactions and even triumphs in the life are real and vastly underexplored.For the most part the elderly struggle to exist in an inhospitable world.Are things really that bad? Lets begin by looking at the basic daily requirements for survival.Poverty or drastically lowered income and old age go hand in hand.People who are poor all their lives remain poor as they grow old.Most of us realize this.What we do not realize is that these poor are joined by multitudes of people who become poor only after growing older.When Social Security becomes the sole or primary income,it means subsistence-level styles for many,and recent increases do not keep up with soaring costs of living.Private pension plans often do not pay off,and pension payments that do come in are not tied to inflationary decreases in buying power.Savings can be wiped out by a single unexpected catastrophe.In January,1971,half of the elderly,or over 10 million people,lived on less than $ 75 a week,or $ 10 per day.Most lived on far less.Even the relatively well-off are not assured of an income that will support them.(11)be assured of sth.确定,保证(12)turn out打扫,驱逐,使外倾,生产,结果,翻出(13) bias against偏见(14) dump o sth.倾倒(15)yell at对.吼叫(16)as a result 结果(17)end up竖着,结束,死(18)retirement benefit退休金(19)make up of sth.构成,组成It has been estimated that at least 30 per cent of the elderly live in substandard housing.Many more must deprive themselves of essentials to keep their homes in repair.The American dream promised older people that if they worked hard enough all their lives,things would turn out well for them.Todays elderly were brought up to believe in pride,self-reliance and independence.Many are tough,determined individuals who manage to survive against adversity.But even the tough ones reach a point where help should be available to them.Age discrimination in employment is unrestrained,with arbitrary retirement practices and bias against hiring older people for available jobs.Social security penalizes the old by reducing their income checks as soon as they earn more than $2,400 a year.Job-training programs dont want the elderly (or the middle-aged,for that matter),so there is no opportunity to learn new skills.Employers rarely make concessions for the possible physical limitations of otherwise valuable older employees,and instead they are fired,retired or forced to resign.It is obvious that the old get sick more frequently and more severely than the young,and 86 per cent have chronic health problems of varying degree.These health problems,while significant,are largely treatable and for the most part do not impair the capacity to work.Medicare pays for only 45 per cent of older peoples health expenses; the balance must come from their own incomes and savings,or from Medicaid,which requires a humiliating means test.A serious illness can mean instant poverty.Drugs prescribed outside of hospitals,hearing aids,glasses,dental care and podiatry are not covered at all under Medicare.There is prejudice against the old by doctors and other medical personnel who dont like to bother with them.Psychiatrists and mental-health personnel typically assume that the mental problems of the old are untreatable.Psychoanalysts,the elite of the psychiatric profession,rarely accept them as patients.Medical schools and other teaching institutions find themuninteresting.Voluntary hospitals are well known for dumping theMedicare patient into municipal hospitals; municipal hospitals in turn funnel them into nursing homes,mental hospitals and chronic-disease institutions without the adequate diagnostic and treatment effort which might enable them to return home.Persons who do remain at home while in ill health have serious difficulties in getting social,medical and psychiatric services brought directly to them.Problems large and small confront the elderly.They are ease easy targets for crime in the streets and in their homes.Because of loneliness,confusion,hearing and visual difficulties they are prime victims of dishonest door-to-door salesmen and fraudulent advertising,and buy defective hearing aids,dance lessons,uselessMedicare insurance supplements,and quack health remedies,persons crippled by arthritis or strokes are yelled at by impatient bus drivers fo