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Self-concept1. The self-concept is a complex structure. This complexity is illustrated by the idea of multiple selves. We seem to be a different person in each of many different situations, and an example may clarify this concept. First, picture yourself an athletic event. Now, contrast this image with one of yourselves taking a final exam. Finally, imagine yourself at work on a very busy day. You should probably describe yourself differently in each setting. Which image is really you? Of course, all are. We have multiple selves each dependent on the context. Together they form our self-concept. It is the context that makes certain aspects of our self-concept more important at the particular moment. Self-concept is composed of our beliefs, values and attitudes. Our beliefs give our self-concepts their substance; our values give them aspirations and standards; and our attitudes give them motivation. These three elements providea structure in which we develop and build ourselves.self-concept 自我意识complexity 复杂性multiple selves 多重自我is composed of 由.组成substance 物质，实质aspiration 抱负，渴望2. American wedding custom Wedding days are often considered the most important day of many peoples lives. For this reason alone, throughout the past and into modern day, numerous customs and superstitions have developed around the wedding event, in hopes of creating The Perfect Day!A very common custom still honored today is in reference to a time-old saying, Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a silver sixpence inside your shoe. So old is this that tracing it back to its origination is nearly impossible. The old is believed to be the friends and family attending the wedding. The new is represented by the couple themselves, as a new union. The borrowed is something from the families that is to be returned. Something blue is interpreted to represent the brides virginity. The sixpence can be any form of money, tucked into the brides shoe, this to bring wealth to the union, both in monetary means and love3. Light PollutionWe usually think of pollution as a harmful waste substance that threatens the air and water. But some people have become concerned about another kind of pollution. It can be everywhere, depending on the time of day. And it is not thought of as a substance. It is light.The idea of light pollution has developed with the increase of lights in cities. In many areas, this light makes it difficult or impossible to observe stars and planets in the night sky. Light pollution threatens to reduce the scientific value of research telescopes.Light pollution is the result of wasted energy. Bright light that shines into the sky is not being used to provide light where it is needed on Earth. Lights that are brighter than necessary also cause light pollution. Recently, two Italian astronomers and an American environmental scientist created a world map of the night sky. The map shows that North America, Western Europe and Japan have the greatest amount of light pollution. (165 words)Useful Words and Expressionssubstance 物质a mineral substance 矿物the substance of a speech 讲话的要旨a man of substance 财主in substance 实质上，本质上，大体上sacrifice the substance for the shadow 只图虚名不求实效；舍本逐末waste ones substance 浪费钱财become concerned about 开始关心；关心，担忧planet n. 行星telescope n. 望远镜astronomer n. 天文学家4. The Tower of LondonIn 1078, King William began to build a large stone building on the north bank of the Thames River and named it the Tower of London. The tower was finished 20 years later. Around 1240, King Henry III made it his home. He painted the tower white, and widened the grounds to include a church, a great hall and other buildings. In 1381, Richard II became King of England. A group of farmers attacked the tower. In the end, Richard was forced to give up his power to Henry IV. Queen Elizabeth was held prisoner in the tower for two months by Queen Mary, her half sister. She was set free on May 19, 1554, and in 1558 became the Queen of England. In 1603, part of the tower became a museum. A lot of royal jewels were kept in the tower for visitors to see. The tower has been a place of interest in London ever since. (158 words)Useful Words and Expressionsthreaten v. 恐吓，威胁 threaten someone with death 用死威胁某人 threaten to do sth. 威胁要做某事 The clouds threaten rain. 云预示有雨。attack v. / n. 攻击 be attacked with (a disease) 患病 open an attack 开始进攻set sb. free 释放jewel n. 宝石，珠宝5. DepressionThe dictionary describes depression as the state of feeling very sad, anxious and hopeless. The question here is why one gets depressed. Is the inability to deal with the situation or the high stress levels that come with success or failure? Life is full of twists and turns. Some are pleasant and some are not so pleasant, and sometimes even terrible.Seasonal changes are the main reason for depression in nature. Change is unavoidable. It may happen in nature or in life. But the way the change makes us feel is subjective. They differ from person to person, along with the ways we deal with them. Feeling depression is a normal phenomenon, but letting it overtake us completely is not the best thing. There are no specific rules or concepts in dealing with it. A person should adopt whatever way he or she feels is the best, but be sure it will not hurt another person. (157 words)Useful Words and Expressionstwists and turns 迂回曲折On their way forward, they are bound to run into twists and turns. 在前进的道路上，他们是一定会碰到曲折的。subjective adj. 主观的phenomenon n. 现象；杰出人才 a social phenomenon 社会现象 the phenomenon of nature 自然现象 infant phenomenon 神童overtake v. 压倒；追上，超过 overtake another car 超过另一辆车 be overtaken with terror 被吓倒6. Cell PhonesNowadays, with the rapid development of IT and information industry, cell phones play a dominant role in peoples life.On the one hand, the mobile phone is portable and convenient. Being wireless, you can carry them everywhere with great ease. You can reach a person wherever and however far away he is. On the other hand, it is a friend indeed. Whenever you come across trouble, you can call for help immediately.However, just as every coin has two sides, the cell phone also has its many disadvantages. Some people complain that mobile phones give unpleasant noise on some important occasions when the owner forgets to turn them off. And it also cuts into peoples spare time, because with the mobile phone the boss can easily reach them and call them to duty during their spare time. Worst of all, the electromagnetic wave emitted from the phone is said to be harmful to peoples health and does often cause headaches to the owner.7 An Old SayingToday we explain a very old saying that has had a big influence on rock-and-roll music. That saying is a rolling stone gathers no moss. It has several meanings. One meaning is that a person who never settles down in one place will not be successful. Another is that someone who is always moving, with no roots in one place, avoids responsibilities.This proverb was said to be first used in the 1500s. But in the 1960s, the expression rolling stone became famous in the world of rock-and-roll music. It became the name of a rock group, a song and a magazine.Experts say it all started with a song by the American singer and guitarist Muddy Waters. He was one of the countrys top blues musicians until his death in 1983. His music influenced singers like Elvis Presley and Bob Dylan. In 1950, Muddy Waters recorded a song called Rollin Stone. (153 words)Useful Words and ExpressionsA rolling stone gathers no moss. 滚石不生苔；转业不聚财。moss n. 苔藓rolling stone 无固定职业者；见异思迁者blues n. 布鲁斯（歌曲）（一种伤感的美国黑人民歌）Elvis Presley 猫王8 Death Valley: the Coming of the NameThe area was named by a woman in 1849. That was the year after gold was discovered in California. Thousands of people from other parts of the country traveled to the gold mining areas in California. They were in a hurry to get there before other people did.Many people were not careful. They made bad choices or wrong decisions. One group trying to reach California decided to take a path called the Old Spanish Trail. By December, they had reached Death Valley. They did not have to survive the terrible heat of summer, but there was still an extreme lack of water. There were few plants for their work animals to eat.The people could not find a pass through the tall mountains. Gradually, they began to suffer from a lack of food. To survive, they killed their work animals for food and began to walk out of the Valley. As they left, one woman looked back and said,Good-bye, death valley. The name has never been changed. (169 words)Useful Words and Expressionsmining n. 采矿，矿业trail n. 踪迹，小径 trail a fugitive 追踪一在逃犯survive v. 生存，生还 survive