新视野大学英语2-Unit8.doc

Unit 8Section APre-reading ActivitiesFirst ListeningPlease listen to a short passage carefully and prepare to answer some questions.Second ListeningListen to the tape again. Then answer the following questions with your own experiences.1) How do young students and older teachers see the role of education differently?2) What is quality of life and how can it be improved?3) According to the writer, what must educators prepare students for?Theres a Lot More to Life than a JobIt has often been remarked that the saddest thing about youth is that it is wasted on the young.Reading a survey report on first-year college students, I recalled the regret, If only I knew then what I know now.The survey revealed what I had already suspected from informal polls of students both in Macon and at the Robins Resident Center: if it (whatever it may be) wont compute and you cant drink it, smoke it or spend it, then it holds little value.According to the survey based on responses from over 188,000 students, todays college beginners are more consumeristic and less idealistic than at any time in the seventeen years of the poll.Not surprising in these hard times, the students major objective is to be financially well off. Less important than ever is developing a meaningful philosophy of life. Accordingly, today the most popular course is not literature or history but accounting.Interest in teaching, social service and the humanities is at a low, along with ethnic and womens studies. On the other hand, enrollment in business programs, engineering and computer science is way up.Thats no surprise either. A friend of mine (a sales representative for a chemical company) was making twice the salary of college instructors during her first year on the job even before she completed her two-year associate degree.Ill tell them what they can do with their (music, history, literature, etc.), she was fond of saying. And that was four years ago; I tremble to think what shes earning now.Frankly, Im proud of the young lady (not her attitude but her success). But why cant we have it both ways? Cant we educate people for life as well as for a career? I believe we can.If we can not, then that is a conviction against our educational system kindergarten, elementary, secondary and higher. In a time of increasing specialization, a time when 90 percent of all the scientists who have ever lived are currently alive, more than ever, we need to know what is truly important in life.This is where age and maturity enter. Most people, somewhere between the ages of 30 and 50, finally arrive at the inevitable conclusion that they were meant to do more than serve a corporation, a government agency, or whatever.Most of us finally have the insight that quality of life is not entirely determined by a balance sheet. Sure, everyone wants to be financially comfortable, but we also want to feel we have a perspective on the world beyond the confines of our occupation; we want to be able to render service to our fellow man and to our God.If it is a fact that the meaning of life does not dawn until middle age, is it then not the duty of educational institutions to prepare the way for that revelation? Most people, in their youth, resent the Social Security deductions from their pay, yet a seemingly few short years later find themselves standing anxiously by the mailbox.While its true all of us need a career, preferably a prosperous one, it is equally true that our civilization has collected an incredible amount of knowledge in fields far removed from our own. And we are better for our understanding of these other contributions be they scientific or artistic. It is equally true that, in studying the diverse wisdom of others, we learn how to think. More importantly, perhaps, education teaches us to see the connections between things, as well as to see beyond our immediate needs.Weekly we read of unions that went on strike for higher wages, only to drive their employer out of business. No company, no job. How shortsighted in the long run.But the most important argument for a broad education is that in studying the accumulated wisdom of the ages, we improve our moral sense. I saw a cartoon recently which depicts a group of businessmen looking puzzled as they sit around a conference table; one of them is talking on the intercom: Miss Baxter, he says, could you please send in someone who can distinguish right from wrong?In the long run thats what education really ought to be about. I think it can be. My college roommate, now head of a large shipping company in New York, not surprisingly was a business major. But he also hosted a classical music show on the colleges FM station and listened to Wagner as he studied his accounting.Thats the way it should be. Oscar Wilde had it right when he said we ought to give our ability to our work but our genius to our lives.Lets hope our educators answer students cries for career education, but at the same time lets ensure that students are prepared for the day when they realize their shortsightedness. Theres a lot more to life than a job.Words: 821NEW WORDSformala. 1. following accepted rules of behavior 正式的；合乎礼仪的2. in appearance; by name only 形式上的，名义上的informala. not formal 不正式的，不拘形式的，随便的polln. 1. C a survey of public opinion 民意测验，民意调查2. (also pl.) the giving of written choices at an election 选举投票residenta. 1. having a home in a place 居住的，居留的2. attached to and working regularly for a particular organization 住校的，住院的，住在任所的n. C a person who lives or has his/her home in a place 居民，定居者computev. count (sth.); work (sth.) out 估算，算出，计算consumeristica. believing in spending money and buying goods 消费主义的accordinglyad. 1. for the reason; so 因此，所以2. in a manner that is suggested by what is known or has been said 按照所说的情况humanityn. 1. (pl.) subjects concerned with human culture 人文学科（尤指文学、语言、历史和哲学）2. U human beings as a whole; people 人的总称，人类3. U kind-heartedness 仁慈，仁爱，善心ethnica. of a national or racial group that has a common cultural tradition （有共同文化传统的）民族的，种族的；部落的enrollv. become or make (sb.) a member (of sth.) （使）成为的成员，注册enrollmentn. 1. C the number of people enrolled 注册或登记的人数2. U enrolling or being enrolled 登记，注册，入会salaryn. C a fixed amount of money given every week, month, or year as pay for an employee 薪金，薪水kindergartenn. C, U a school for very young children 幼儿园elementarya. 1. of or in the beginning stage; related to primary schools 初级的；小学的2. simple or easy; basic 简单的，基本的，基础的secondarya. 1. (of education or a school) for children over 11 years old （教育、学校）中等的2. less important than related things 次要的specializevi. (in) give particular attention to (a subject, product, etc.) 专攻，专门研究（某课题、产品等）specialization (英specialisation)n. U, C specializing 专业化，专门化corporationn. C a business company 公司agencyn. 1. C a government organization 政府机构2. C a business or place of business providing a service 经销处，代理处confinen. (pl.) limits, borders 界限，范围vt. keep sb./sth. within certain limits 把限制于occupationn. 1. C a job; employment 工作，职业2. C a way of spending time; an activity done in ones spare time 日常活动，消遣rendervt. 1. give 给予，提出2. cause sb./sth. to be in a particular state 使得，使成为institutionn. 1. C (building of an) organization, (sometimes) an organization for helping people with special needs 机构；慈善机构，社会福利机构（如孤儿院、养老院）2. C a custom, system or organization that has existed for a long time and is accepted as an important part of a particular society 制度，习俗revelationn. 1. U making known sth. that was secret or hidden 泄露，揭示，展示2. C sth. which is revealed 所揭露的事，惊人的新发现preferablea. preferred; more suitable 更可取的，更合意的，更好的preferablyad. rather than anything, anywhere, etc. else 更可取地，宁可civilization (英civilisation)n. U, C a human society with its highly developed social organizations, or the culture and way of life of a society or country at a particular period in time 文明，文化incrediblea. impossible or very difficult to believe 难以置信的contributionn. C, U action of giving (money, support, help or ideas) towards a particular aim or purpose; sth. given towards a particular aim or purpose 捐助（物），贡献（物），奉献artistica. 1. of art or artists 艺术的，美术的；艺术家的2. skillful and attractive 富有艺术性的，精美的，精彩的wisdomn. 1. U experience and knowledge; quality of being wise 经验与知识，智慧，睿智2. U good judgment 正确判断，贤明weeklyad. once a week or every week 一周一次地，每周地a. happening once a week or every week 一周一次的，每周的n. C a newspaper or magazine which is published once every week 周报，周刊unionn. 1. C a club formed by uniting people or groups; an organization of employees 协会，俱乐部；工会2. C (the act or instance of) uniting or being united 联合，合并accumulatev. collect a large number of things over a long time; gradually increase in number or amount 累积，积累cartoonn. 1. C an amusing drawing in a newspaper or magazine 漫画，幽默画2. C a film made by photographing a series of gradually changing drawings 动画片depictvt. show (sb./sth.) as a picture; describe (sth.) in words 描绘，描述puzzlev. 1. (make one) feel confused or slightly worried because one cannot understand sth. （使）困惑，（使）为难2. (make one) think hard about sth. in order to understand it （使）苦思n. 1. C a game or toy in which parts must be fitted together correctly, intended to amuse or exercise the mind 智力测验，智力玩具，谜2. C a question that is difficult to understand or answer 难题，难解之事conferencen. C, U (meeting for) discussion or exchange of views 会议，讨论（会）intercomn. C a system by which one can talk through a machine to sb. in a near place 内部通话系统distinguishvt. 1. recognize the difference between (people or things) 辨别，识别2. (oneself) behave or perform noticeably well 表现突出classicala. (of music) serious and traditional in style 古典的FM (abbreviation for frequency modulation)n. U a radio system of broadcasting 调频PHRASES AND EXPRESSIONSif only(used to express a strong wish) （用来表示强烈的愿望）但愿，真希望according toas stated by (sb.) or in (sth.) 根据be well offbe in a good position, esp. financially 经济充裕，富裕at a lowat a low level or figure 处于低水平（或数字）be fond ofhave a great liking for sb./(doing) sth. 很喜欢，很喜爱be proud oftake pride in 为感到自豪arrive atreach (sth. such as a place or conclusion) 达成，得出be meant to dobe supposed to do 应做read offind out about (sb./sth.) by reading 通过阅读发现（或查明）go on strikebe engaged in/start a strike 举行罢工in the long runafter a long period; in the end 从长远的观点来看；终究，最后PROPER NAMESMacon梅肯（美国乔治亚州中部城市）Robins Resident Center罗宾斯住宿中心Baxter巴克斯特Oscar Wilde奥斯卡王尔德（爱尔兰作家、诗人，19世纪末英国唯美主义的主要代表）Section BWhat Youngsters Expect in LifeBack in the good old days of stable economic expansion the 1950s and 1960s a person could choose to do something new, exciting, and creative in life but could also choose to say, Thats not for me: I am going to play it safe in life. I am going to stay in my home town and have a nice comfortable career in a salaried job. That second choice no longer exists for the vast majority of Americans. All of us are going to be creators and pioneers over the next 10 years whether we like it or not, and many of us dont like it.Just look at what the attitude surveys tell us. In the United States, three-quarters of the adults surveyed by the Harris poll and two-thirds of all high-school seniors surveyed by Scholastic magazine say they believe that the United States will be a worse place 10 years from now than it is today. No wonder young people are disaffected. No wonder they are not motivated to learn. They think the world in which they are going to spend their lives wont be a very satisfactory place.Young men, in particular, are not happy with their prospects for the future. When surveyors ask U.S. female high-school students what they are going to do when they graduate, they list all kinds of roles they want to fill, like doctors, lawyers, engineers, accountants, civil servants, police and firemen, and fighter pilots. In short, they want to do all the things that men have always done. Moreover, less than 10% of female high-school seniors expect to spend their adult lives solely as mothers and domestic managers, while nearly 90% are committed to having both a career and a marriage based on equality.By comparison, nearly half of male high-school students express their preference for a traditional, male-headed, one provider, nuclear family, where the wife stays home as mother and housewife. And when male high-school students are asked what kinds of careers they would like to have, the only two job fields that consistently receive large numbers of responses in open surveys are professional athlete and media personality. A large proportion of Americas young men one third or more simply say they dont know what theyre going to do as adults.If these people do not acquire some constructive vision of purpose for themselves, they are likely to be very destructive forces of resistance in society throughout their lives. We already see that. One recent estimate is that one-sixth of all fourteen-to twenty-four-year-olds in America mostly males are currently disaffected and disconnected. They are not associated with any formal role in society, nor are they in any formal relationship with another person. These are the folks who are joining the gangs in inner cities and swelling the ranks of the rural military gangs. They see no roles for themselves in an Information Age society, and they are angry about their empty future.So this is a very pregnant moment, not only for the future of America, but also for all of the mature industrial economies and, ultimately, for the world at large. It is an uncertain moment, a scary moment. It is the kind of moment in history when, to summarize in the words of Alfred North Whitehead, familiar patterns fade, familiar solutions fail, and familiar options disappear. Of course, the books and periodicals that are warning society about the removal of jobs, the end of work, and wage decreases only serve to increase public anxiety a slow-motion variation of shouting Fire! in a crowded theater.These alarming forecasts are largely simple projections of the past two or three decades of workplace trends. However, in the absence of plausible alternative explanations for the gloomy economic news of the past 15 20 years and the gloomier prospects implicit in the projections of those trends, industrial societies fearful for the future might very well take backward steps. These steps will principally serve the interests of the economically dominant groups who want to protect their assets and resources from the forces of change. Nations that take such steps will lose balance. Social and economic progress will grind to a halt and more and more jobs will be eliminated by the negative side of this transformation. The anger and frustration displayed by people who do not understand what is happening to them will be a terrible and dangerous force in all the major industrial economies.Words: 750NEW WORDSexpansionn. U action of expanding; state of being expanded 扩大，扩张，膨胀scholarn. 1. C a person who studies a subject deeply 学者2. C a student who has been awarded money after a competitive exam, etc. 获奖学金的学生scholastica. relating to school and education 学校的，学院的，学术上的motivatevt. 1. cause to want to do sth. 激起（兴趣），激发（行动）2. be the reason for (sb.s action); cause (sb.) to act in a particular way 作为（行为的）动机；激励prospectn. 1. (pl.) chance of success 前景，前程，前途2. C, U possibility or strong chance of sth. happening 前景，可能性accountantn. C sb. who keeps or examines the records of money received, paid, etc. by a company or person 会计师，会计civila. 1. of or relating to ordinary people rather than the armed forces or the Church 平民的（与军队、教会无关的）；文职的2. within the country 国内的firemann. C a person whose job is putting out fires 消防队员equalityn. U state of being equal 平等，同等，均等comparisonn. 1. U the act of comparing 比较；对照2. C a statement of the points of similarity and difference between two things 经比较得出的结论preferencen. 1. U (sing.) liking for sth. (more than sth. else) 较喜欢，宁愿，偏爱2. C a thing that is liked better or best 喜爱物，偏爱物housewifen. C a woman whose work is inside the home, cleaning, cooking, etc., and who usually does not have any other job 家庭主妇，家庭妇女athleten. C a person who trains to compete in physical exercises and sports 运动员proportionn. 1. C a comparative part or share of a whole 部分，份2. U relation of one thing to another in quantity, size, etc. 比例，比率constructvt. build (sth.); put or fit together; form 建造，构筑；构成；形成constructivea. having a useful purpose; helpful 建设性的，积极的，有益的visionn. 1. C an imagined mental image of sth., often including ones goal or dream 想像，构想，设想2. U power of seeing; sight 视力，视觉gangn. 1. C a group of criminals; a group of usu. young men who cause trouble 一群罪犯；一伙，一帮2. a group of friends, esp. teenagers 结伴的朋友（尤指少男少女）vi. (up) unite as a group against sb. 结成一伙，联合起来swellv. 1. (cause to) become greater （使）变强，（使）增加，（使）提高2. (cause sth. to) become larger （使）增大，（使）膨胀，（使）肿起rankn. 1. (usu. the s or the and file) ordinary members of an organization, esp. of the armed forces 普通成员，普通士兵2. C, U position higher or lower than others, showing the importance or the degree of responsibility of the person having it; (high) social class 地位，级别；（高）社会阶层3. C a row, esp. of people or things standing side by side 行，列，排industriala. having highly d