英语自考本科高级英语笔记-下册-Lesson Fifteen 2.xls

Page 1 of 17Lesson Fifteen Lesson Fifteen Is America Falling Apart Words and Expressions 1acquisitive adj 可得到的 贪得无厌的 Eager to acquire and possess things 2ambience n 气氛 环境A particular environment or surrounding influence 3amenity n 环境 使人愉快的事物 Pleasantness resulting from agreeable conditions 4angst n 忧虑An acute but unspecific feeling of anxiety 5aspiring adj 有抱负的 有雄心的Desiring or striving for recognition or advancement Aspriing young people will not accept it aspire v 渴望 追求Have an ambitious plan or a lofty goal aspirer n 渴望者 追求者Person who has an ambitious plan or lofty goal aspiration n 渴望 热望A will to succeed He has an aspiration to be an actor 6at a stretch连续不断地Continuously 7burgeon vi 发芽 急速成长Grow and flourish 8callous adj 冷漠的 无情的Emotionally hardened 9castellated adj 城堡似的In the style of a castel 10 central heating中央供暖 Page 2 of 17Lesson Fifteen 11 clamor v 吵吵闹闹地要求Make loud demands 12 condemnation n 谴责 批判An expression of strong disapproval 13 conductive adj 有助于 的 促成 的 Be helpful 14 conscientiousness n 认真负责The trait of being painstaking and careful My teacher is well known for his conscientiousness conscientious adj 负责尽职的Characterized by extreme care and great effort conscience n 良心 道义感Conformity to one s own sense of right conduct She told the truth for conscience s sake 15 creed n 信条 信念 Any system of principles or beliefs 16 decadent adj 衰落的 堕落的Marked by excessive self indulgence and moral decay American people defeated decadent British Empire decadence n 颓废 堕落Decay from a better better moral or cultural standard In the period of decadence there are no good works 17 defoliate vt 使树叶落光Stripe the leaves branches or entire trees from 18 dehumidifier n 除湿器 19 disarming n 解除武装Act of reducing or depriving of arms 20 dogged adj 顽强的 坚持不懈的Stubbornly unyielding 21 Eden n 伊甸园 Any place of complete bliss and delight and peace Page 3 of 17Lesson Fifteen 22 esculent adj 可吃的 适宜做食物的 23 exorbitantly adv 过高的 过分的To an exorbitant degree 24 Fascist n 法西斯主义者 25 gadget n 小装置A device that very useful for a particular job 26 ghastly adj 极坏的 可怕的Shockingly repellent inspiring horror 27 gross lipped adj 出言粗俗的 28 herein adv 此中 据此看来In this place or thing or document 29 insipid adj 枯燥乏味的Lacking interest or significance The young girl is pretty but insipid insipidity n 没味道 不风趣Lacking any distinctive or interesting taste property The audience is getting bored because of the insipidity of the speech 30 liquefy v 使成液体 液化Become liquid 31 lira n 意大利里拉 32 luscious adj 味美香甜的 动人的Having strong sexual appeal 33 mechanic n 机械工人 技工A craftsman skilled in operating machine tools 34 miraculously adv 奇迹般地 不可思议地 In a miraculous manner 35 monstrous adj 凶暴的 恐怖的 巨大的Shockingly brutal or cruel 36 neo pref新的 新近的 used as a combining form recent or new Page 4 of 17Lesson Fifteen 37 neurotic adj 神经质的Affected with emotional disorder neurosis n 神经质A mental or personality disturbance 38 obsolescence n 过时 作废The property of being out of date and not current Planned obsolescence encourages consumption obsolescent adj 逐渐被废弃的Becoming obsolete Old type of television is obsolescent 39 overbearing adj 盛气凌人的 专横霸道的Expecting unquestioning obedience 40 pall n 掩盖物 Hanging cloth used as a blind 41 paradisal adj 天堂的Relating to or befitting paradise 42 paradox n 自相矛盾的话或事 in logic a self contradiction 43 parturition n 分娩The process of giving birth 44 plumber n 水管工 A craftsman who installs and repairs pipes and fixtures and appliances 45 postwar adj 战后Belonging to the period after a war 46 potbellied adj 大腹便便的Having a large belly 47 prewar adj 战前Existing or belonging to a time before a war 48 preying n 捕食 掠夺Profit from in an exploitatory manner 49 primer n 启蒙读物 入门书An introductory textbook 50 ruggedly adv 粗野地 粗暴地In a rugged manner Page 5 of 17Lesson Fifteen 51 redemptive adj 补偿的 挽回的Compensational I don t know whether it is redemptive or not redemption n 赎回 补偿Compensation It is beyond redemption 52 repentance n 悔悟Regret Tom showed repentance for what he had done repentant adj 后悔的 悔改的Regretful Harry was repentant of his fault 53 rump n 底座 臀部 The fleshy part of the human body that you sit on 54 rusting adj 生锈的Cause to rust 55 servitor n 服务人员 跟班 随从 Someone who performs the duties of an attendant for someone else 56 sewer n 下水道 阴沟 A conduit that carries away sewage or surface water 57 signalize vt 表现 表露 使显著Point out carefully and clearly The event was signalized because of the participation of Andy signalization n 表现A conspicuous indication signal n 信号Any communication that encodes a message signal v 用信号通知Be a signal for or a symptom of They signaled the fleet to turn back Page 6 of 17Lesson Fifteen 58 smog n 浓烟雾 Air pollution by a mixture of smoke and fog 59 tobacconist n 烟草商 烟店店主A shop that sells pipes and pipe tobacco and cigars and cigarettes 60 unorthodox adj 离经叛道的 非正统的 Independent in behavior or thought 61 vanguard n 先锋 先头部队 先驱 The leading units moving at the head of an army 62 woo v 恳求 求婚 求爱 Seek someone s favor 63 workmanship n 工艺 做工Skill in an occupation or trade 64 wresting n 费力取得 歪曲事实Take away with force 65 butcher n 屠夫 屠杀A person who slaughters or dresses meat for market 66 sickle n 镰刀 An implement for cutting grass or crops 67 seam n 接缝处 缝合处 Line formed by joining two pieces 68 nasty adj 肮脏的 污秽的 Offensive or even of persons malicious 69 bizarre adj 奇异的Conspicuously or grossly unconventional or unusual 70 junk n 垃圾 The remains of something that has been destroyed or broken up 71 ecstasy n 入迷A state of being carried away by overwhelming emotion 72 parasitism n 寄生状态 寄生病 73 agronomic adj 农艺学的 农事的Of or relating to or promoting agronomy 74 slavishly adv 奴隶般地In a slavish manner 75 turn sour 令人不快Unpleasant Page 7 of 17Lesson Fifteen Text Explanation 1a castellated town This is a town built in the style of a castle 2the hammer and sickle painted on the rumps of public statues The hammer and sickle is the symbol of the Communist Party in Italy It shows that the Communist Party was active at that time 3a thousand lira note shrunk to the slightness of a dollar bill This tells us that the Italian money was very much depreciated 贬贬值值 at that time 4the open markets are luscious with esculent color the open markets are full of delicious fruits and vegetables in mouth watering color 5 the human condition is humorously accepted Italians accept their difficult living condition with a sense of humor 6 but the next Wednesday s return of an old Western is something to look forward to but an old American film about cowboys to be re showed next Wednesday is something the local people look forward to Page 8 of 17Lesson Fifteen 7What matters is the wresting of minimal sweetness of the long known bitterness of living For many years they have been living a bitter life yet they can still get through effort the least amount of pleasure out of the bitter life This is what is important to them 8 prewar if one thing went wrong the day was ruined postwar if one thing went right the day would be made before the war people felt everything was going on fine and they were unprepared for anything to go wrong So if anything went wrong they would be in a bad mood feeling the whole day was spoiled But after the war if one thing went right people would be in high spirits feeling the whole day was nice 9 the Kafka feeling that the whole marvelous fabric of American life is coming apart at the seams the feeling that the whole of American society is breaking down fundamentally which is similar to the feeling described in Kafka s novels come apart fall to pieces 破破掉掉 碎碎掉掉 The teapot just came apart in my hands 10 The run down rail services of America are something I try vainly to forget The railway services of America are extremely bad I try to forget them but I failed to Page 9 of 17Lesson Fifteen 11 American individualism wishes to manifest itself in independence of the community American individualism finds its expression in being independent of or being different from other people in the community 12 Once let the acquisitive instinct burgeon and there was ruggedly individual forces only too ready to make it come to full and monstrous blossom As soon as the acquisitive instinct begins to grow strong individual forces will develop it fully which is something outrageous ruggedly individual forces often termed rugged individualism the disguised hot pursuit of practical and realistic interests of an didividual only too ready to make it come to full and monstrous blossom very ready to make the acquitive instinct develop fully 13 This self elected deprivation was a way into the nastier side of the consumer society I myself chose not to buy an automobile and that led me to see the more disgusting side of the consumer society 14 The nightmare of filth outside and in that enfolds the trip from Springfield Mass to Grand Central Station would not be accepted in backward Europe The filth inside the trains and along the railway line from Springfield to New York is so horrible that it would not be accepted in backward Europe Page 10 of 17Lesson Fifteen 15 The more efficiently self contained the home seems to be the more dependent it is on the great impersonal corporations When the home is efficiently equipped with all sorts of gadgets it becomes dependent on the great indifferent corporations The more the home is thus equipped the more dependent it is on the latter 16 Skills at the lowest level have to be wooed slavishly and exorbitantly rewarded Even workers doing the least skilled jobs have to be begged to come and paid much too high 17 And doctors know their scarcity value and behave accordingly And doctors know their great value because there are not enough doctors to meet the needs and therefore charge excessive medical fees 18 Planned obsolescence is not conductive to pride in workmanship Articles that are designed to break or wear out quickly do not help people to take pride in their work 19 On another level consumption is turning sour consumption is becoming something unpleasant Page 11 of 17Lesson Fifteen 20 Indestructible plastic hasn t even the grace to undergo chemical change to have the grace to do something means to be polite enough to do something proper 明明智智地地做做某某事事 爽爽爽爽快快快快地地做做某某事事 He had the grace to say that he was sorry Here it is used humorously to refer to the fact that goods made of plastic cannot be recycled 21 Awareness of this is a kind of redemptive grace but it has not led to repentance and a revolution in consumer habits Awareness of this is a kind of compensation for their guilty feelings about consumption Yet it has not noticeably brought about deep regret for or a drastic change in the way they consume 22 they don t noticeably clamor for a decrease in the number of owner vehicles they don t demand loudly a decrease in the number of private cars 23 America has always despised its teachers and as a consequesnce it has been granted the teachers it deserves America has always looked down upon its teachers as result it deserves to have the kind of teachers it gets as a consequence as a result 结结果果 He s never studied hard as a consequence he s never passed examinations Page 12 of 17Lesson Fifteen 24 The quality of first grade education could not be faulted on the level of dogged conscientiousness You could not find fault with the teachers for the quality of first grade education The teachers were conscientious and determined to do a good job on the level of in the aspect of in connection with 25 But there seemed to be no spark no daring no madness no readiness to engage the individual child s mind as anything other than raw material for statistical reductions 但但是是除除了了把把孩孩子子的的头头脑脑当当作作进进行行数数字字计计算算训训练练的的原原料料以以为为 似似乎乎不不存存在在能能使使孩孩子子开开动动脑脑筋筋的的火火花花 胆胆识识 激激情情与与愿愿望望 The teachers only prepared the children for working with numbers They seemed to have no flash of wit no courage no enthusiasm and were not ready to engage the children in other things The author implies that there were a lot more to teach the children anything other than anything but Page 13 of 17Lesson Fifteen 26 American technical genius seems to give the lie to too summary a condemnation of the educational system but there is more to education than the segmental equipping of the mind the American capacity in technology seems to show that it is wrong to condemn the educational system in a too direct and prompt way but there is more to education than providing the children with just a separate section of knowledge genius the great capacity of creation or invention to give the lie to something to show something to be worng to prove something untrue too summary a condemnation a too direct and prompt condemnation 27 In the name of this ghastly creed the jungle must be defoliated In the name of this horrible creed any means however cruel must be used 28 you re a load of decadent gross lipped potbellied callous overbearing neo imperialists you are a large group of neo imperialists who are morally low rude in speaking big belllied for excessive eating and drinking indifferent to other s sufferings arrogant and domineering 你你们们是是一一帮帮腐腐化化堕堕落落的的 言言语语粗粗俗俗的的 大大腹腹便便便便的的 麻麻木木不不仁仁的的 盛盛气气凌凌人人的的新新帝帝国国主主义义者者 Page 14 of 17Lesson Fifteen 29 When Europe had sunk to the level of a sewer Sewer the underground pipes for carrying off drainage and waste water is used here metaphorically to give the idea of the lowest level the worst condition 30 Original sin was the monopoly of that dirty continent Evil was exclusively found in Europe the Old World 原原罪罪是是大大洋洋彼彼岸岸那那肮肮脏脏的的大大陆陆的的独独有有品品 31 evil had no place in America there was no evil in America at all 32 The agony that America is undergoing is not to be associated with breakdown as much as with the parturition of self knowledge The great pain that America is undergoing is more associated with the birth of self knowledge of its evil doing than with the actual breakdown of the country 美美国国现现在在经经历历的的痛痛苦苦与与其其说说是是伴伴随随分分崩崩离离析析而而来来 还还不不如如说说是是伴伴随随自自我我认认识识的的诞诞生生而而来来 Page 15 of 17Lesson Fifteen 33 The various escapist movements have commited the gross error of assuming that original sin rested with their elders their rulers and that they themselves could manifest their essential innocence by building little neo Edens They were greatly mistaken to assume that evil rested only with their elders because they themselves were also evil doers And they could not demonstrate that they were innocent by building small communities for they did violence to life in doing so 然然而而各各式式各各样样的的逃逃避避现现实实的的运运动动 都都犯犯下下了了这这样样一一个个严严重重的的错错误误 即即认认为为只只有有他他们们的的长长辈辈 他他们们的的统统治治者者 才才有有原原罪罪 而而他他们们自自己己可可以以用用建建立立小小的的伊伊甸甸园园的的方方法法来来表表明明自自己己本本质质的的清清白白无无辜辜 34 the paradisal vision Under the influence of drugs one experiences a joyful state of feeling like being in paradise 35 Practically all of the crime I encountered in New York was a preying of the opium eaters on the working community As far as the crimes I encountered in New York were concerned almost all of them were commited by drug takers against working people 36 There has to be a snake in paradise There is evil even in paradise This implies that it is impossible to get rid of evil no matter how perfect a society is There is always evil there Page 16 of 17Lesson Fifteen 37 You can t escape the heritage of human evil by building communes usually on an agronomic ignorance that does voilence to life When young American escapists built their communes they rejected the farming experiences of their elders as they rejected everything that their elders did