21世纪大学英语读写教程B3_U08_A

nullnullUnit 8 Part AThe Highs of Low Technology21st Century College English: Book 3nullUnit 8: Part A Pre-Reading Activities Text A: Language Points Exercises AssignmentThe Highs of Low Technologynull1. In the famous tale “Through the Looking-Glass”, Alice finds her way through a mirror to a very strange land. In the scene you’re about to hear, Alice has been sitting under a tree and talking with the Red Queen. Listen to the passage twice and fill in the missing words from the text below.        Pre-Reading ActivitiesCheck-upnullSuddenly they began to run. Alice never could quite understand how they began: All she remembers is that they were running hand in hand, and the Queen went so fast that Alice could hardly manage to keep up with her. The Queen kept crying “__________! __________!” But Alice couldn’t go faster, though she had no breath left to say so. She felt as if she would never be able to talk again, she was getting so out of breath. And still the Queen cried “__________! __________!” and dragged her along.Pre-Reading ActivitiesFasterFasterFaster Fasternull“_____________________?” Alice managed to gasp. “______________?!” the Queen repeated. “Why, _________________ ten minutes ago! __________!” And they ran on, with the wind whistling in Alice’s ears and almost blowing her hair off her head, she imagined. They went so fast that at last they seemed to hardly touch the ground with their feet. And then suddenly, just as Alice was getting quite exhausted, they stopped, and she found herself sitting on the ground.Pre-Reading Activities Are we almost there Almost there we passed it FasternullPre-Reading ActivitiesAlice looked around in great surprise. “Why, I do believe ____________ ______________________________________!” “Of course we have,” said the Queen. “What would you expect?” “Well, in my country,” said Alice, “you’d generally __________________ ______________________________________________________________.” “_______________________!” said the Queen. “Here it takes __________ ______________________________________________.” A slow sort of countrynull2. The Queen’s final statement is very often quoted as a comment on modern society. What kind of life does it make you think of?     Pre-Reading Activities____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________A very fast-paced life with everything advancing so rapidly that you can hardly keep pace. The moment you’ve learned something about the computer, for instance, the knowledge has become outdated.Check-upnullPre-Reading ActivitiesSuddenly they began to run. Alice never could quite understand how they began: All she remembers is that they were running hand in hand, and the Queen went so fast that Alice could hardly manage to keep up with her. The Queen kept crying “Faster! Faster!” But Alice couldn’t go faster, though she had no breath left to say so. She felt as if she would never be able to talk again, she was getting so out of breath. And still the Queen cried “Faster! Faster!” and dragged her along. “Are we almost there?” Alice managed to gasp. “Almost there?!” the Queen repeated. “Why, we passed it ten minutes ago! Faster!” And they ran on, with the wind whistling in Alice’s ears and almost blowing her hair off her head, she imagined. They went so fast that at last they seemed to hardly touch the ground with their feet. And then suddenly, just as Alice was getting quite exhausted, they stopped, and she found herself sitting on the ground. Alice looked around in great surprise. “Why, I do believe we’ve been under this same tree the whole time!” “Of course we have,” said the Queen. “What would you expect?” “Well, in my country,” said Alice, “you’d generally get somewhere else if you ran very fast for a long time as we’ve been doing.” “A slow sort of country!” said the Queen. “Here it takes all the running you can do to stay in the same place.”nullText A:Language PointsThe Highs of Low Technology By Johanne MednicknullThe Highs of Low Technology By Johanne Mednick 1 I have a wonderful bicycle. My family refers to it as “that piece of junk” — an ancient piece of metal, the likes of which can be found in the dump or, if you’re lucky, at garage sales. But I have confidence in my bike. It gives me power, and I cherish its simplicity.Language Pointsnull2 What intrigues me, in this age of technological innovation (which is nowhere more apparent than in the bicycle world), is the number of people who stop me and comment on my bike. It’s a real conversation piece. “Where did you get that thing?” “I haven’t seen one of those in ages.” “What a great bike.” I get all kinds of comments — the best one being from a motorcycle gang who cornered me while I was locking it up. They politely suggested that I should wear gloves while riding to protect my hands. Maybe I should also put on a leather jacket.Language Pointsnull3 But really, what is it that people are admiring? Are they admiring me for resisting the lure of mass bicycle consumerism? I must look like an eyesore pedaling behind my family, who all ride the latest model of mountain bike. (To them, I’m some sort of odd person, an embarrassment not fit to be on the road.) On the other hand, maybe people are just genuinely curious, as they would be if confronted with a dinosaur bone. I never get the feeling that they think I’m crazy for riding something so old when I could be fussing with gears and having a presumably easier time of things. My bike seems to touch a sensitive chord in people, and I’m not quite sure what or why that is.Language Pointsnull4 Perhaps my bike is representative of a world gone by: the world before gimmicks and gadgets, accessories and attachments. A time when people thought in terms of settling into a cushioned seat, stopping the movement with their heel and travelling a bit slower than we are travelling now. My bike is certainly not built for speed, but who needs speed when I can coast along the streets, hold my head high and deliciously feel the wind on my face? My bike is built for taking time. It makes people feel relaxed.Language Pointsnull5 When I’m riding my bike, I feel as though I have control. And I don’t feel that way about most things these days. I don’t deny that my computer and my microwave make my life a lot easier. I use these things, but they also make me feel rather small and, in a strange way, inadequate. What if I press the wrong button? What if something goes wrong? Maybe if I learned to understand these appliances I’d feel better — more secure about my relationship with technology. But frankly, I’m not comforted by manuals and how-to courses. Of course there are always “experts” I could go to who seem to know everything about anything. Relatives, friends, salespeople—people who seem at ease with all the latest inventions and who delight in ingenuity.Language PointsnullLanguage Points6 I just don’t get excited over the idea of yet another thing I could do if I pulled the right lever or set the right program. Nervous and unsure in the beginning, I eventually adapt to these so-called conveniences and accept them as a part of life, but I’m not entirely convinced of their merit. I hunger for simplicity and I have a sneaking suspicion that many people feel the same way. That’s why they admire my bike. It comforts them and gives them a sense of something manageable, not too complicated.nullLanguage Points7 I’m not suggesting that we all go back to a pioneer-village attitude. But I do think it’s important to respect that which is simple and manageable—no doubt difficult in a time when more means better and new means best. I’m proud that my “piece of junk” makes me and others feel good. It allows me the opportunity to relax and, when I’m heading down the road, to escape what I don’t understand.nullrefers to it as — speak about sb./sth. as ...; call sb. Somethinge.g. He always refers to his wife as “the old woman”. This kind of art is often referred to as “minimal art” （极简抽象艺术）.nullthe likes of which — sth./sb. of the same kind e.g. He was a very great actor — we won’t see the likes of him again. You don’t know what loss of employment means to the likes of me.nullgarage sales — 宅前出售(在出售人住所进行的清宅旧货出售) A garage sale in American English is a private sale of used furniture, household appliances, personal articles, clothing, tools, and other items, held in the garage or other part of a seller’s home. Things that you get at garage sales are usually very cheap and of no great value.nullI cherish its simplicity. — I appreciate its simplicity. Cherish is, however, different from appreciate in that it implies a special love and care, while appreciate often connotes understanding and admiration.e.g. She cherishes her children above all. We all appreciate beautiful things.nullintrigues — vt. excite interest or curiosity 激起…的兴趣e.g. Anything colorful intrigued the little boy. Throughout history, people have been intrigued by the question of whether there is intelligent life elsewhere in the universe. nullnowhere — ad. not anywhere; in/at/to no place e.g. My keys are nowhere to be found. He went nowhere yesterday.nullconversation piece — sth. that stimulates conversation between people 话题；可作话题的东西A conversation piece is an unusual object which causes people to start talking. e.g. Her collection of Victorian dolls provided a conversation piece for her guests.nullcornered — get sb. into a place or situation difficult to escape 缠住某人; 将某人逼入困境e.g. The police pursued and cornered the escaped prisoner. He once cornered me (= talked to me alone and made it difficult for me to get away from him) at a party and bored me to death about his difficult childhood. nulllocking it up — fasten sth. with a lock 锁住e.g. Although the jewels were locked up in a strongbox (保 险箱), the thieves stole them without any difficulty. It’s cruel to keep the dog locked up all day.nullCompare lure and temptation: Lure suggests something that always attracts and often deceives yet does not necessarily leads one into evil or danger, while temptation often suggests the desire to do or have, through pleasure or gain, something one knows one should not do or have.lure — n. attraction; temptation 诱惑 — vt. attract, tempt 引诱，诱惑e.g. She was attracted to Hollywood by the lure of the silver screen. I know I shouldn’t eat chocolate cake when I’m dieting, but I find it hard to resist the temptation. lure sb. away from his dutynullconsumerism — n. the consumption of goods and services 消费Consumerism is the state of advanced industrial society in which a lot of goods are bought and sold, or (disapproving) the state in which too much attention is given to buying and owning things. e.g. He disliked Christmas time and its rampant (发疯似的) consumerism.nulleyesore — n. something ugly to look ate.g. They think the new library building is an eyesore.nullpedal — v. 骑(自行车) 踩动踏板 — n. 踏板      e.g. Anne pedaled (her bike) to school. In the cities many people now pedal around on bicycles instead of polluting the environment by using cars. Bicycles have two pedals, one for each foot. This sewing machine is operated by a foot pedal.nullgenuinely — ad. authentically; trulye.g. I’m genuinely sorry for what I said. These will be the first genuinely free elections in the country.nullfuss with — concern oneself with sth. unimportant （因小事而）惴惴不安e.g. It irritates me the way she’s always fussing with her hair!nullgears — n. set of wheels with teeth around the edges used to control the speed of a machine or vehicle,齿轮；排档 e.g. A piece of gum fell onto the gears, bringing the machine to a halt. While driving up the hill, Anne shifted to a lower gear.nulltouch a sensitive chord — call up someone’s feelings; affect or stir someone’s emotions e.g. The issue of food safety touches a chord with almost everyone. The report touched a chord in the American people. The speaker had obviously struck a chord with his audience.nullis representative of — being an example or type of (a certain class or kind of thing) 代 表 关于同志近三年现实表现材料材料类招标技术评分表图表与交易pdf视力表打印pdf用图表说话 pdf …的e.g. Are your opinions representative of all the workers here? Is a questionnaire (调查问卷) answered by 500 people truly representative of national opinion?nullgimmick — n. an unusual action, object or device which is intended to attract attention or publicity (为引人注意而搞的)小革新，小发明；巧妙的小玩意儿e.g. I bought a gimmick that purifies (净化) water straight from the tap.nullaccessories — n. (oft. pl.) an extra part which makes sth. More effective or beautiful 附属物；附件e.g. What accessories are available on this automobile? She wore a green wool suit with matching accessories (= shoes, hat, bag, etc).nullattachment — n. something that is fixed to something else 附属物e.g. This food processor has a special attachment for grinding coffee.nullthink in terms of — give primary consideration to sth./doing sth.; emphasize sth./doing sth. in one’s thinking; have sth./doing sth. as one’s priority 首先考虑(做)某事; 认为(做)某事是最首要的 e.g. You should be thinking in terms of paying off your debts. He is thinking in terms of leaving.nullcushion — n. a soft pillow or pad to rest on; protection from harm, esp. from impact 软垫；缓冲 — vt. reduce the force of; protect from hardship or sudden changee.g. My rocking chair has a soft cushion. The three goals we scored in the first half give us a useful cushion against defeat.nullcoast along — move along or make progress without much efforte.g. coast along on a bicycle (= ride along without pedaling) While I struggled and labored, my sister just coasted along with top grades in all subjects.nulldeliciously — ad. very pleasantly 美美地；怡人地e.g. As she dived into the pool, the water felt deliciously cool on her skin.nulltaking (one’s) time — use as much time as is needed; do not hurrye.g. Take your time — there’s no rush. He’s certainly taken his time in answering my letter.nulle.g. The students all denied cheating on the test. He denied the news to be true. Neil denies that he broke the window, but I’m sure he did. No one should be denied a good education. She denied her son nothing.deny —vt. 1. declare untrue; refuse to accept as true 2. refuse to give or allownulle.g. Talking to him makes me feel small. He is always trying to make me look small in front of my girlfriend.feel small — feel ridiculous, ashamed or humiliated (Also: look small)nullfeel inadequate — feel lack of abilities or confidencee.g. He makes me feel totally inadequate. I always feel inadequate when faced by a difficult problem.nullgoes wrong — turn out badly; make a mistake 坏掉; 出错e.g. If that washing machine goes wrong again, I shall complain to the makers. These shelves are very easy to put together — you can’t go wrong.nullappliance — n. a machine for use in the home 器具；装置An appliance is a tool or machine designed for a particular use, especially one that utilizes an electric current. e.g. Refrigerators, vacuum (真空) cleaners, washing- machines are household appliances. The kitchen is full of electrical appliances.nullat ease with — feel confident and comfortable with sth./sb. 自在, 不拘束e.g. The little boy is at ease with strangers. He was ill at ease with things he didn’t understand.nullingenuity — n. skill and cleverness in arranging things, solving problems, etc. 灵巧；精巧e.g. We have electricity because of Thomas Edison’s ingenuity. Anne’s boss praised her for her ingenuity in designing the unusual new product.nulllever — n. 杠杆；控制杆e.g. I pushed down on the lever to lift the rock on the other end. Push down on that red lever to start the machine.nullconvenience — n. the quality of being convenient; something that makes sth. easier, quicker, more efficient, etc. 方便；提供方便的用具e.g. I like the convenience of living so near work — it only takes me five minutes to get there. Our cabin (小屋) in the woods had no modern conveniences.nullmerit — n. value; worth 价值，优点e.g. There is little merit in this plan. One of her great merits as a teacher is her ability to listen.nullhunger for — want sth. very much 渴望得到e.g. My children hungered for friends. It’s terrible to hunger for news when the family’s letters don’t arrive.nullhave a sneaking suspicion — an unproved and vague feeling of suspicionIf you have a sneaking feeling about someone or something, the feeling embarrasses you, for example, because it is caused by the realization that someone else was right and you were wrong, or because it is the opposite of what you normally feel about them.e.g. I have a sneaking suspicion that he stole my wallet. I have a sneaking feeling that she’s right. His book leaves one with a sneaking admiration for his shameless commercialism.nullmanageable — a. easy to control or deal with 易操纵的；易处理的e.g. This shampoo (洗发水) makes my hair more manageable. The work has been divided into smaller, more manageable sections.nullpioneer-village attitude — way of thinking of early American settlers and country people who used to have a simple, self-sufficient life Pioneers (or settlers), the first members of a group to settle in an area, are especially important in the history of North America. Pioneers often suffer great hardships and are often responsible for forming the basic structure of society for those who follow.Text-related informationnullthat which is simple and manageable — what is simple and manageablethat which = what e.g. No price were too great to pay for a wrong such as that which he had put upon her. That which was strangest to the native was to see me eat salt with the meat. There I met with that which I had been looking for so long in vain. nullUnit 8 • ExercisesComprehension Vocabulary ListeningThe Highs of Low TechnologynullExercises • Comprehension《读写教程 III》: Ex. II, p. 234nullAnswer the following questions:1. Why does the author’s family refer to her bicycle as “that piece of junk”? 2. What kinds of comments does the bicycle attract from other people?Exercises • ComprehensionComments that reflect affectionate curiosity about this old style of bicycle that’s familiar to everyone but is now rarely seen.Because they ride fancy mountain bikes, while she sticks with her old, simple bicycle.null3. Why does the author consider the motorcycle gang’s comment “the best one”?  4. What tentative explanations does the author propose for the many comments her bike attracts?  That people may admire her for her “resisting the lure of mass bicycle consumerism”; that they’re curious about this “antique”; or that it reminds people of a past time when they could relax more. Because it’s funny: Motorcycle gangs are notoriously intimidating and notoriously very proud of their powerful engines. It’s humorous that they treat her with respect because of her old bicycle. Exercises • Comprehensionnull5. Why do modern appliances make the author feel inadequate? 6. What do the author’s feelings about modern appliances have to do with her feelings about her bike?  Because they’re too complicated and she can’t understand them easily.Her bicycle gives her a feeling of control and ease that the other appliances around her don’t—and her bicycle allows her to escape from those appliances and the bad feelings they cause.Exercises • Comprehensionnull7. Why does she think “it’s important to respect that which is simple and manageable” (Paragraph 7)?   8. What does the word “highs” in the title of the text refer to? Because she feels that simple, manageable things help us maintain the right relationship with our gadgets and appliances: We should enjoy them, not be intimidated by them.It could be interpreted as “advantages”, but it’s closer to “pleasures” or “thrills”.Exercises • ComprehensionnullExercises • VocabularyThe Highs of Low Technologynull《读写教程 III》: Ex. III, p. 234Exercises • VocabularynullExercises • Vocabul