新视界大学英语4_Unit2

1、,Topic preview: Watch a video clip about the greatest stories students have ever read and discuss the HOME-RUN books students need to read.,For Chinese children, what story or stories are the most popular?,Girls？,Boys？,Warming up,Warming up, Read the first lines of the novels and answer the question

2、s.,Warming up,This is a true story but I cant believe its really happening. Its a murder story, too. I cant believe my luck. Martin Amis, London Fields (1989) An hour and 45 minutes before Nazneens life began began as it would proceed for quite some time, that is to say uncertainly her mother Rupban

3、 felt an iron fist squeeze her belly. Monica Ali, Brick Lane (2003),Warming up,My name is Kathy H. Im 31 years old, and Ive been a carer now for over 11 years. That sounds long enough, I know, but actually they want me to go on for another eight months, until the end of this year. Kazuo Ishiguro, Ne

4、ver Let Me Go (2005) Excuse me, Sir, but may I be of assistance? Ah, I see I have alarmed you. Do not be frightened by my beard: I am a lover of America. Mohsin Hamid, The Reluctant Fundamentalist (2007),Warming up,Questions: Which beginning looks: 1 most traditional? 2 least traditional? 3 most mem

5、orable? 4 least memorable? Now discuss your answers with your partner.,Reference ,Warming up,Reference: 1 The one of Brick Lane seems fairly traditional in the sense that it begins with the birth of someone I guess to be the main character. 2 The last one of The Reluctant Fundamentalist seems rather

6、 strange. We arent given much help: Someone speaks, but not to the reader; there is some sort of imagined situation. 3 I find the phrase “felt an iron fist squeeze her belly” dramatic and it makes the opening sentence (from Brick Lane) memorable. 4 The third of Never Let Me Go is rather flat though

7、I am not sure what Kathy means exactly.,Warming up, Work in pairs. Tell your partner which book you would most like to read, and why.,Warming up, Check () the advice you would expect a writer to give to a reader., 1 Never lend a book to anyone. 2 Spend all your money on books. 3 Think about a book b

8、efore you start reading it. 4 Dont read any books which are considered to be immoral. 5 Read as little as possible.,Now read the extract from Henry Millers The Books in My Life and compare your answers with the writers.,Skimming,Browse the passage within 8 minutes to get a rough idea about it. Answe

9、r the questions of Activity 2 and 3 on page 27.,Task,Skimming, Check () the things the writer says about books.,Now work in pairs and decide which of the statements you agree with.,Books _. 1 are living things 2 are easy to obtain 3 can enrich the readers mind and spirit 4 are a readers friends 5 ca

10、n make friends for the reader 6 should stay on the shelf 7 can be dangerous 8 are like money 9 are all different 10 are rarely original,Skimming, Choose the best answer to the questions.,1 What does Miller consider to have been an advantage during his writing career? (a) To have been able to read al

11、l the books he wanted. (b) To have grown up in a room full of books. (c) To have written without the aid of a library. (d) The fact that he never wanted to own any books.,2 What did three stars on a book mean in the public library of Millers youth? (a) Young people werent allowed to read them. (b) T

12、hey were the most popular books in the library. (c) They were intended for children. (d) They were more exciting than one-star books.,(c),(a),Skimming,3 Why does Miller hope the star system still exists in public libraries? (a) It is an efficient system which works well. (b) It discourages people fr

13、om reading inappropriate books. (c) It makes people interested in reading. (d) It makes it easier for people to recognize books.,4 Why do people lend books, in Millers opinion? (a) Because they feel the need to share their feelings. (b) Because its the best way to make a friend. (c) Because its less

14、 risky than lending money. (d) Because its not possible to possess a book for ever.,(c),(a),Skimming,5 According to Miller, what should you do when you find a book you want to read? (a) Pick it up and start reading. (b) Ask a friend for advice about the book. (c) Think about whether you really need

15、to read it. (d) Only read it if it is original.,6 What does Miller especially admire about Blaise Cendrars? (a) He had a very adventurous life. (b) He was a great writer. (c) He knew what to do with his time. (d) He read as well as wrote a lot.,(c),(d),They were alive and they spoke to me,译文,Digging

16、,Background information,1 I sit in a little room, one wall of which is now completely lined with books. It is the first time I have had the leisure of working with anything like a collection of books. There are probably no more than 500 in all, but for the most part they represent my own choice. It

17、is the first time, since I began my writing career, that I am surrounded with a goodly number of the books I have always longed to possess. The fact, however, that in the past I did most of my work without the aid of a library I look upon as an advantage rather than a disadvantage.,Digging,2 One of

18、the first things I associate with the reading of books is the struggle I waged to obtain them. Not to own them, mind you, but to lay hands on them. From the moment the passion took hold of me I encountered nothing but obstacles. The books I wanted, at the public library, were always out. And of cour

19、se I never had the money to buy them. To get permission from the library in my neighborhood I was 18 or 19 years of age to borrow such a “demoralizing” work as The Confession of a Fool, by Strindberg, was just impossible.,译文,Digging,In those days the books which young people were prohibited from rea

20、ding were decorated with stars one, two or three according to the degree of immorality attributed to them. I suspect this procedure still obtains. I hope so, for I know of nothing better calculated to whet ones appetite than this stupid sort of classification and prohibition.,译文,Digging,3 What makes

21、 a book live? How often this question arises! The answer, in my opinion, is simple. A book lives through the passionate recommendation of one reader to another. Nothing can throttle this basic impulse in the human being. Despite the views of cynics and misanthropes, it is my belief that men will alw

22、ays strive to share their deepest experiences.,译文,Digging,4 Books are one of the few things men cherish deeply. And the better the man the more easily will he part with his most cherished possessions. A book lying idle on a shelf is wasted ammunition. Like money, books must be kept in constant circu

23、lation. Lend and borrow to the maximum of both books and money! But especially books, for books represent infinitely more than money. A book is not only a friend, it makes friends for you. When you have possessed a book with mind and spirit, you are enriched. But when you pass it on you are enriched

24、 threefold.,译文,Digging,5 Here an irrepressible impulse seizes me to offer a piece of gratuitous advice. It is this: Read as little as possible, not as much as possible! Oh, do not doubt that I have envied those who have drowned in books. I, too, would secretly like to wade through all those books I

25、have so long toyed with in my mind. But I know it is not important. I know now that I did not need to read even a tenth of what I have read. The most difficult thing in life is to learn to do only what is strictly advantageous to ones welfare, strictly vital.,译文,Digging,6 There is an excellent way t

26、o test this precious bit of advice I have not given rashly. When you stumble upon a book you would like to read, or think you ought to read, leave it alone for a few days. But think about it as intensely as you can. Let the title and the authors name revolve in your mind. Think what you yourself mig

27、ht have written had the opportunity been yours. Ask yourself earnestly if it be absolutely necessary to add this work to your store of knowledge or your fund of enjoyment.,译文,Digging,Try to imagine what it would mean to forego this extra pleasure or enlightenment. Then, if you find you must read the

28、 book, observe with what extraordinary acumen you tackle it. Observe, too, that however stimulating it may be, very little of the book is really new to you. If you are honest with yourself you will discover that your stature has increased from the mere effort of resisting your impulses.,译文,Digging,7

29、 Indubitably the vast majority of books overlap one another. Few indeed are those which give the impression of originality, either in style or in content. Rare are the unique books less than 50, perhaps, out of the whole storehouse of literature. In one of his recent autobiographical novels, Blaise

30、Cendrars points out that Rmy de Gourmont, because of his knowledge and awareness of this repetitive quality in books, was able to select and read all that is worthwhile in the entire realm of literature. Cendrars himself who would suspect it? is a prodigious reader. He reads most authors in their or

31、iginal tongue.,译文,Digging,Not only that, but when he likes an author he reads every last book the man has written, as well as his letters and all the books that have been written about him. In our day his case is almost unparalleled, I imagine. For, not only has he read widely and deeply, but he has

32、 himself written a great many books. All on the side, as it were. For, if he is anything, Cendrars, he is a man of action, an adventurer and explorer, a man who has known how to “waste” his time royally. He is, in a sense, the Julius Caesar of literature. ,Main idea of the text,1. The fact, however,

33、 that in the past I did most of my work without the aid of a library I look upon as an advantage rather than a disadvantage. (Line 9, Para 1),This is irony. Miller is writing about the importance of reading and about the key books in his life, but there is a paradox: Only recently has he been able t

34、o get all the books he has wanted all his life and, as a writer, he wrote books without the help of a library. He says that not having books is an advantage. Probably Millers early writing was a mixture of autobiography and fiction, so he didnt need to read other books or refer to them. The irony is

35、 that he is saying this in a book about the books that influenced him.,Difficult sentences,Difficult sentences,2. One of the first things I associate with the reading of books is the struggle I waged to obtain them. (Line 1, Para 2),When I think of reading and books I recall how difficult it was to

36、obtain those books I wanted. wage a struggle: to be involved in a struggle. This is based on the phrase “wage war”, which means to fight.,Difficult sentences,3. The books I wanted, at the public library, were always out. (Line 6, Para 2),The books I wanted were often not in the library or out on loa

37、n.,Difficult sentences,4. to borrow such a “demoralizing” work as The Confession of a Fool, by Strindberg, was just impossible. (Line 10, Para 2),The word “demoralizing” here means that such books as The Confession of a Fool were considered bad for the mental development of young people. The word is

38、 in quotes (引号) as Miller strongly disagrees.,Difficult sentences,5. I suspect this procedure still obtains. (Line 16, Para 2),I suspect this procedure still exists.,Difficult sentences,6. A book lives through the passionate recommendation of one reader to another. (Line 3, Para 3),The “life” of a b

39、ook depends on the word-of-mouth recommendation of one reader to another, especially if people suggest with strong feelings that the book should be read.,Difficult sentences,Despite those who have low opinions of humans, I believe humans by nature want to tell others of their most important experien

40、ces and feelings.,7. Despite the views of cynics and misanthropes, it is my belief that men will always strive to share their deepest experiences. (Line 6, Para 3),Difficult sentences,8. And the better the man the more easily will he part with his most cherished possessions. (Line 2, Para 4),This co

41、ntinues Millers thought that books are for sharing. A good person will share things they love. In this case, such a person will give or lend favourite books to others and such generosity makes friends: When you give books you get friendship.,Difficult sentences,9. When you have possessed a book with

42、 mind and spirit, you are enriched. (Line 10, Para 4),When you have read a book with careful attention and have really understood its ideas and emotions, you have gained a lot.,Difficult sentences,10. observe with what extraordinary acumen you tackle it. (Line 14, Para 6),If you watch yourself, you

43、will see that you read it with greater intelligence. The “what” clause here is indirect exclamation. Another example: She saw what a beautiful day it was.,Difficult sentences,11. If you are honest with yourself you will discover that your stature has increased from the mere effort of resisting your

44、impulses. (Line 17, Para 6),Millers argument here is that you should not read everything. Instead, you should choose very carefully, and resist the temptation to read books which are not going to add to your knowledge or enjoyment. In this way, you will grow. The implication is that if we choose the

45、 very best books and read them carefully, we will get the best from them and grow by such selection. your stature has increased: Here it metaphorically means you have gained.,Difficult sentences,12. All on the side, as it were. (Line 20, Para 7),Cendrars was a man of action who spent most of his tim

46、e on travels and adventures. Surprisingly (you would think he did not have time), he read a lot in different languages and even wrote many books this was in addition to his main activities.,Difficult sentences,13. For, if he is anything, Cendrars, he is a man of action, an adventurer and explorer, a

47、 man who has known how to “waste” his time royally. (Line 21, Para 7),Cendrars had a huge reputation as a man of action, travelling, having adventures and exploring different countries and yet he read a lot he knew how to use the little time available to read. The word “waste” here is in quotes to s

48、how irony (reading isnt a waste of time) that he reads thoroughly and widely.,wage,释义,vt. to start and continue a war or fight 发动，进行（战争或斗争）,例句,They waged a price war.,他们打起了价格战。,翻译,Words,例句,Rebels have waged a 12-year war against the government.,叛军已经进行了12年的反政府战争。,翻译,释义,vt. to make someone lose confid

49、ence or hope 使失去信心；使泄气,Words,例句,The ships crew were now exhausted and utterly demoralized.,这艘船上的船员现在都已精疲力竭，彻底丧失了信心。,翻译,例句,One of our objectives is to demoralize the enemy troops in any way we can.,我们的目标之一就是要用一切可能的手段打击敌军的士气。,翻译,demoralize,释义1,n. C, U a statement that you make to a priest in which you

50、 say what bad things you have done and ask to be forgiven 忏悔；告罪,Words,例句,She is a good Catholic and goes to confession regularly.,她是个虔诚的天主教徒，按时作告罪。,翻译,例句,She was affected to tears by his confession.,他的悔过使她感动得流泪。,翻译,confession,释义2,n. C, U a statement about yourself that you would not normally make be

51、cause you are embarrassed about it 承认,Words,例句,Carol overheard Masons confession that he was drinking again.,卡罗尔无意中听到梅森承认自己又开始喝酒了。,翻译,例句,His speech was seen as a confession of weakness.,他的发言被看作是承认了自己的弱点。,翻译,confession,释义,vt. to officially stop something from being done, especially by making it illeg

52、al （尤指以法令）禁止,例句,The sale of alcohol to young people is prohibited by law.,法律明令禁止向年轻人售酒。,翻译,Words,例句,翻译,Many societies prohibit marriages between blood relatives.,很多社会都禁止近亲结婚。,prohibit,释义,n. U behaviour that people think is morally wrong 不道德的行为,例子,翻译,Words,例句,In our culture, selfishness and immoralit

53、y have essentially become synonymous.,翻译,在我们的文化中，自私和不道德成了同义词。,All the churchmen have preached against immorality.,所有牧师都讲道反对不道德的行为。,immorality,释义1,n. C a feeling of being very interested in something or wanting it very much 欲望,例句,The publics appetite for celebrity gossip seems insatiable.,公众获取名人小道消息的

54、欲望似乎永远难以满足。,翻译,Words,例句,He spent a lot of money in satisfying the appetite for excitement.,他花钱如水以追究刺激。,翻译,appetite,释义2,n. C, U the natural feeling of wanting to eat 食欲；胃口,例句,Watching the surgery on TV made me lose my appetite.,观看了电视上的手术，我食欲全无。,翻译,Words,appetite,例句,All that fresh air and exercise has

55、 given me an appetite.,所有这些新鲜空气和锻炼使我食欲大振。,翻译,Most children with healthy appetites are ready to eat almost anything that is offered them and a child rarely dislikes food unless it is badly cooked. (Jun. 1997, CET4, Cloze),真题,释义,n. U the process of putting people or things into particular groups accor

56、ding to the features that they have 分类；分级,例句,The classification of wines is often done according to their region.,葡萄酒通常按产地进行分类。,翻译,Words,例句,Classification of things has always been important in science.,翻译,把事物进行分类整理在科学上一直十分重要。,classification,释义,n. C, U a suggestion that someone or something is espec

57、ially suitable or useful for a particular situation 推荐,例句,The best way of finding a lawyer is through personal recommendation.,找律师的最好方式是通过熟人介绍。,翻译,Words,例句,Johns former employer wrote him a recommendation.,约翰的前雇主给他写了一封推荐信。,翻译,recommendation,释义,vi. to make a lot of effort to achieve something 努力；奋斗；力

58、求,例句,翻译,Words,He strives hard to keep himself very fit.,他努力地保持身体健康。,例句,翻译,The film studio is striving to improve its public image.,该电影制片厂正在努力改善其公众形象。,strive,释义,vt. to make something better or more enjoyable 充实；使丰富,例句,翻译,Words,The goal of the course is to enrich our understanding of other cultures.,这

59、门课的目的是为了加强我们对其他文化的了解。,例句,翻译,Fruit juices are added to cheap port wine to enrich its color and flavor.,在廉价的波尔图葡萄酒中加入果汁，使其颜色更浓、味道更美。,enrich,We find that bright children are rarely held back by mixed ability teaching. On the contrary, both their knowledge and experience are enriched. (Jan. 1990, CET4, Reading Comprehension),真题,释义,vt. to have the unhappy feeling of wanting to be like someone else or have what they have 羡慕；嫉妒,例句,翻译,Words,