新视野大学英语课文

CharlieChaplin

HewasborninapoorareaofsouthLondon.Heworehismother'soldredstockingscut

downfor

anklesocks.Hismotherwastemporarilydeclaredmad.Dickensmight

havecreatedCharlie

Chaplin'schildhood.ButonlyCharleChaplincouldhavecreatedthe

greatcomiccharacterof"

theTramp"，thelittlemaninragswhogavehiscreatorpermanentfame.

Othercountries-France,Italy,Spain,evenJapanandKorea一

haveprovidedmoreapplause

(andprofit)whereChaplinisconcernedthanthelandofhisbirth.ChaplinquitBritain

forgoodin

1913whenhejourneyedtoAmericawithagroupofperformerstodohiscomedyact

onthestage

wheretalentscoutsrecruitedhimtoworkforMackSennett,thekingofHollywood

comedyfilms.

Sadtosay,manyEnglishpeopleinthe1920,sand1930*sthought

Chaplin'sTrampabit,well,"

crudeCertainlymiddle-classaudiencesdid;theworking-class

audiencesweremorelikelyto

clapforacharacterwhorevoltedagainstauthority,usinghiswicked

littlecanetotripitup,or

aimingtheheelofhisbootforawell-placedkickatitsbroadrear.Allthesame,

Chaplin'scomic

beggardidn'tseemallthatEnglishorevenworkingclass.English

trampsdidn'tsporttiny

moustaches,hugepantsortailcoats:EuropeanleadersandItalian

waitersworethingslikethat.

Thenagain,theTramp'squickeyeforaprettygirlhadacoarsewayaboutitthatwas

considered,

well,notquitenicebyEnglishaudiences—that'showforeignersbehaved,wasn'tit?

Butforover

halfofhisscreencareer,ChaplinhadnoscreenvoicetoconfirmhisBritishnationality.

Indeed,itwasaheadacheforChaplinwhenhecouldnolongerresistthetalkingmovies

andhad

tofind"therightvoice"forhisTramp.Hepostponedthatdayas

longaspossible:inModern

Timesin1936,thefirstfilminwhichhewasheardasasinging

waiter,hemadeupanonsense

languagewhich©undedikenoknownnationality.Hehtersaidheinagined

theTramptobea

college-educatedgentlemanwho'dcomedownintheworld.Butifhe'dbeenableto

speakwithan

educatedaccentinthoseearlyshortcomedymovies,ifsdoubtfulifhewouldhave

achievedworld

fame.AndtheEnglishwouldhavebeensuretofindit"odd".Noonewascertain

whetherChaplin

diditonpurposebutthishelpedtobringabouthishugesuccess.

Hewasanimmenselytalentedman,determinedtoadegreeunusual

evenintheranksof

Hollywoodstars.Hishugefamegavehimthefreedom一and,moreimportantly,the

money—to

behisownmaster.Healreadyhadtheurgetoexploreandextendatalenthediscovered

inhimself

ashewentalong."Itcan'tbeme.Isthatpossible?Howextraordinary,"ishowhe

greetedthefirst

sightofhimselfastheTramponthescreen.

Butthatshockrousedhisimagination.Chaplindidn'thavehisjokes

writtenintoascriptin

advance;hewasthekindofcomicwhousedhisphysicalsensestoinventhisartashe

wentalong.

LifelessobjectsespeciallyhelpedChaplinmake"contact"withhimself

asanartist.Heturned

themintootherkindsofobjects.Thus,abrokenalarmclockinthemovieThe

Pawnbrokerbecame

a"sick"patientundergoingsurgery;bootswereboiledinhisfilmTheGoldRush

andtheirsoles

eatenwithsaltaidpepperIkeprimecutsoffish(henailsbeingremoved

likefishbones).This

physicaltransformation,plustheskillwithwhichheexecutedit

againandagain,aresurelythe

secretsofChaplin'sgreatcomedy.

Healsohadadeepneedtobeloved—andacorrespondingfearofbeingbetrayed.The

twowere

hardtocombineandsometimes-asinhisearlymarriages一

thecollisionbetweenthem

resultedindisaster.Yeteventhispainfully-boughtself-knowledge

founditswayintohiscomic

creations.TheTrampneverloseshisfaithintheflowergirlwho'll

bewaitingtowalkintothe

sunsetwithhim;whiletheothersideofChaplinmakesMonsieurVerdoux,theFrench

wifekiller,

intoasymbolofhatredforwomen.

It'sarelieftoknowthatlifeeventuallygaveCharlieChaplinthe

stablehappinessithadearlier

deniedhim.InOonaO'NeiHChaplin,hefoundapartnerwhosestabilityandaffection

spannedthe

37yearsagedifferencebetweenthemthathadseemedsothreateningthatwhen

theofficialwho

wasmarryingthemin1942,turnedtothebeautifulgirlof17who*dgivennoticeof

theirwedding

dateandsaid,"Andwhereistheyoungman?"一Chaplin,then54,hadcautiously

waitedoutside.

AsOonaherselfwasthechildofalargefamilywithitsownproblems,shewas

well-preparedfor

thebattlethatChaplin'slifebecameasunfoundedrumorsofMarxistsympathies

surroundedthem

both—and,lateron,shewasthecenterofrestinthequarrelsthatChaplinsometimes

sparkedin

theirownlargefamilyoftalentedchildren.

ChaplindiedonChristmasDay1977.Afewmonthslater,acoupleofalmostcomic

body-thieves

stolehisbodyfromthefamilyburialchamberandhelditformoney:thepolice

recovereditwith

moreefficiencythanMackSennettsclumsyKeystoneCopswouldhavedone.Butone

can'thelp

feelingChaplinwouldhaveregardedthisstrangeincidentasafitting

memorial一hiswayof

havingthelastlaughonaworldtowhichhehadgivensomany.

(Words:909)

ThePoliticalCareerofaFemalePolitician

Modestandsoft-spoken,AgathaMuthoniMbogo,24,ishardlytheimageofa

revolutionary.Yet,

sixmonthsago,shedidamostrevolutionarything:SheranformayorofEmbu,Kenya,

andwon.

Ms.Mbogo'svictorywasevenmoresurprisingbecauseshewasvotedinbyher

colleaguesonthe

DistrictCouncil,allmen.Forthethousandsofwomeninthisfarmingareatwohours

northeastof

Nairobi,Ms.Mbogosuddenlybecameasymboloftheincreasingly

powerfulpoliticalforce

womenhavebecomeinKenyaandacrossAfrica.

Ms.Mbogolaunchedherdreamofacareerinpoliticsin1992byrunningforthe

EmbuCouncil,

facingtheobstaclesthatoftentroubleAfricanwomenrunningfor

politicaloffice.Shehadlittle

money.Shehadnopoliticalexperience.Shefacedridiculousquestions

aboutherpersonallife.

"MyopponentkeptinsistingthatIwasgoingtogetmarriedto

somebodyinanothertownand

moveaway,"Ms.Mbogosaid.

Ms.Mbogoalsofacedmisunderstandingamongthetown'swomen,manyofwhom

initiallywere

unwillingtovoteforher.Shebecameanambassadorforwomen'spoliticalrights,

givingspeeches

beforewomen'sgroupsandgoingfromdoortodoor,handbagin

hand,spendinghoursatatime

givingacombinationofspeechandgovernmentlesson.

“Iwasdelightedwhenshewontheelection,becausemenelected

her/saidLydiahKimani,an

Embufarmerandpoliticalactivist."Itwastheanswertomy

prayersbecauseitseemedtobea

victoryoverthisideathat'womencan'tlead*."

EducationofAfricanwomenhasbecomeatoppriorityforpoliticalactivists.One

organizationhas

helddozensofworkshopsinruralKenyatohelpwomenunderstandthenation's

constitutionand

theproceduresandtheorybehindademocraticpoliticalsystem.One

veteranfemalepolitical

activistsaidhatmanywomenhadnotteennughthebasicsofpolitical

participation.Theyae

taughttovotefortheonewho"givesyouahalf-kilosackofflour,200gramsofsalt,or

aloafof

bread"duringthecampaign,saidtheactivist.

Womenpoliticiansandactivistssaytheyarefightingdeeplyheld

culturaltraditions.Those

traditionsteachthatAfricanwomencook,clean,takecareofchildren,sowandharvest

cropsand

supporttheirhusbands.Theytypicallydonotinheritland,divorce

theirhusbands,controltheir

financesorholdpoliticaloffice.

Yet,politicalactivityamongKenyanwomenisnotanew

phenomenon.Duringthestrugglefor

independenceinthe1950s,Kenyanwomenoftensecretlyprovidedtroopswith

weaponsandspied

onthepositionsofcolonialforces.Butafterindependence,leadersjealoustoprotect

theirpower

shutthemoutofpolitics,asituationrepeatedacrossthecontinent.

Today,menstillhavetheupperhand.WomeninKenyamakeup

60percentofthepeoplewho

vote,butonly3percentoftheNationalAssembly.NoKenyanwomanhaseverhelda

cabinetpost.

Againstthatbackground,AgathaMbogobeganherpoliticalcareer.Afterwinningher

councilseat,

shedeclinedaspotontheeducationandsocialservicescommittee

afteracolleaguecalledit"a

woman'scommittee".Sheinsteadjoinedthetownplanningcommittee,

amuchmorevisible

assignment.

Thenlastyear,shedecidedtochallengeEmbu*smayor,aveteranpolitician.Ms.

Mbogosaidshe

hadbecomefrustratedbecausethedonorgroupsthatprovidesubstantialaidtoKenya's

ruralareas

"didnotwanttocomehere".

"Weweren'tseeingthingsdonefbrthecommunity,Mshesaid."It

wasascandal-thedonors1

moneyseemedtobegoingtoindividuals."

Afterafiercecampaign,thecouncilelectedher,7to6.ShesaidwomeninEmbu

celebrated.Men

werepuzzled;somewerehostile.Theyasked,"Howcouldallof

thosemenvoteforawoman?”

sherecalled.

Ms.Mbogohasnotmetwiththekindsofabusethatotherfemalepoliticianshavebeen

subjected

to,however.Somehavesaidtheirsupportersaresometimesattackedwithclubsafter

rallies.Last

June,Kenyanpoliceattemptedtobreakupawomen'spolitical

meetingnorthwestofNairobi,

insistingitwasillegalandmightstartariot.Whenthe100

women,includingamemberofthe

NationalAssembly,refusedtogo,officerstoredowntheirbannersandbeatthem

withclubsaid

fists,witnessesreported.

Incontrast,Ms.MbogogenerallyreceiveswarmgreetingsfromthemenofEmbu,and

manysay

theyarenowgladthecouncilchoseher.

DonorgroupsarenowfundingprojectsinEmbuinearnest.Anewmarketisgoingup

downtown.

A200-bedsectionfornew-mothersisbeingaddedtothehospital.

Adormitory-stylehomehas

beenbultforhedozensofhomelessireetchildrenwhooncewanderedhe

city.Ms.Mbogois

especiallyproudofthemarketandthehospitalbecause"theyhaveanimpacton

women".

Atthecurrentmarket,wherehundredsofpeople,shadedby

umbrellas,layoutfruitsand

vegetables,onepersonwhosellslemonssaidshelikedthenewmayor.

“IfeellikeifIhaveaproblem,Icangotoheroffice,"she

said."Theothermayorshouted.He

actedlikeanemperor.Hedidnotwanttohearmyproblems."

Nearby,amansaidhefoundMs.Mbogoarefreshingchange."Pm

tiredofmen,**hesaid,

watchingoverhispileofonions."Theygiveussomanypromises,buttheydon't

deliverthegoods.

Aslongasshekeepsgivinguswhatwewant,sheisallright."

(Words:902)

AFamilyofFirsts

Inmyfamily,successisweighedbyasinglestandard:theability

tobefirst.Itdoesnotmatter

whatyouarefirstataslongasyouarefirstatsomething.

MyrelativescamefromEuropeattheheightoftheMachineAge

（机鎏时代）.Everyday,

somethingelseinAmericawasnewandfirst.Thefirstflushtoilet（抽水马桶）,thefirst

radio,the

firsthatwithafan.Myfamilygotfirstfever.Foodsandother

goodideasallcounted.Styles,

inventions,phrases,too.Thesolestandardforbeingfirstat

somethingwassimplynothaving

heardthatsomebodyelsehaddoneit.Thenyouearnedtheright

tosaythewonderfulwords:"I

diditfirst!M

Mygreat-grandfatheronmymother'smother'ssideinventedthetoodle.

Thetoodleisalittle

squareofpaperwithabitofmustard（芥末）rolledupintoit.Youcouldtakeatoodleto

workin

themorningwithapieceofcoldmeatandsqueezesomefreshmustardonitatlunch.

Thisgreat-grandfather,thetoodleinventor,hadthreedaughters:Ruthie（露茜），

thefrstgirlwho

evermadeacurtainintoajacket;Gertie（格尔蒂），thefirstgirl

whoevermadeajacketintoa

curtain;andPolly（波莉），mygrandmother,whoperfectedabrushto

cleantheinsideofawater

tap."Justbecauseyoucan'tseeitdoesn'tmeanitisn'tdirty,"shewasfondofsaying.

Pollywasproudofthefactthateveryinchofherapartmentwastouchedbyhuman

handatleast

twiceayear.Sheevendustedthetopsofdoors,usinga

top-of-the-doordustermadeofold

stockings,stuffedwithmoreoldstockings.Oldstockingshavealways

beenperceivedasa

challengebymyfamily.Mymotheruseshersasanonionbag,anideashesaysshe

invented.She

alsotakescreditforbeingthefirstpersontousebothlegsofapairofstockingsatthe

sametime,

onelegforonions,onelegforpotatoesorgarlic.ButIamgettingaheadofmyself.

Perhapsmymostfamousrelativeofall,theonewhoreallyleft

hismarkonAmerica,wasReb

Sussel（莱伯•萨塞尔），mygreat-grandfatheronmyfather'sfather'sside.

Accordingtofamily

stories,heintroducedthepastrami（五香烟熏牛肉）sandwichtothe

world.In1879,RebSussel

lefthisnativecountrytofindfameandfortuneonthestreetsof

NewYork.Hehadworkedata

millintheoldcountry,but,findingthewheatbusinesstoomuchofagrind,began

sellingpotsand

pansoffhisback.Hehadnohomeandw）uldSeephhebaementsor

stablesofhep©plehe

soldpotsto.Whileprayingonemorninghewaskickedbyahorse.

RebSusselknewhowtobutchermeat,sohedecidedtochangehisjobandopeneda

smallbutcher

shop.Thefirstweek,afriendstoppedbyandaskedifhecould

storeatrunkinthebackofthe

shop."Pmjustgoingbacktotheoldcountryforafewyears,"hesaid."Ifyoustoremy

trunk,Til

tellyouhowtomakepastrami.nAsthestorygoes,G