新编大学英语第五册课文与翻译

Unit 1 suspense Passage Reading The Lady or the Tiger? by Frank Stockton 1 Long ago there lived a semi-barbaric king who had a great imagination. One of his ideas was to build a big arena as an agent of justice where crime was punished or virtue rewarded. When a subject1 was accused of a crime of sufficient importance to interest the king, public notice was given that on an appointed day the fate of an accused person would be decided in the king’s arena. 2 When all the people had assembled in the galleries, and the king, surrounded by the court, sat high up on his throne on one side of the arena, he gave a signal, a door beneath him opened, and the accused subject stepped out into the arena. Directly opposite him on the other side were two doors, exactly alike and side by side. It was the duty and the privilege of the person on trial to walk directly to these doors and open one of them. He could open either door he pleased. He was subject to no guidance or influence, only chance. If he opened one, there came out of it a cruel and hungry tiger, which immediately sprang upon him and tore him to pieces as punishment for his guilt. But, if the accused person opened the other door, there came forth a lady, the most suitable to his age and station2 that the king could select from among his fair 3 subjects; and to this lady he was immediately married as a reward for his innocence. It didn’t matter that he might possess a wife and family or that his affections might be engaged upon a lady of his own selection. The wedding took place immediately and in the arena. Bells rang, people shouted glad hurrahs, and the innocent man led his bride home. 3 This was the king’s method of administering justice, its fai rness was obvious. The accused person was instantly punished if he found himself guilty and, if innocent, he was rewarded on the spot. The institution 4 was a very popular one. The element of uncertainty gave interest to the occasion which could not other wise have a happened.5 4 The king had a beautiful and willful daughter. She was the apple of his eye and he loved her above all humanity.6 Among his courtiers was a young man of a low station whom the princess loved because he was very handsome and brave. This love affair moved along happily for many months, until one day the king happened to find out about it. He immediately had the youth imprisoned and appointed a day for a trial in the arena. Never before had such a case occurred; never before had a subject dared to love the daughter of a king. 5 The tiger-cages of the kingdom were searched for the most savage beast, from which the fiercest one could be selected for the arena. Young and beautiful maidens were carefully surveyed in order that the young man might have a suitable bride if fate did not determine him a different destiny. Of course, everybody knew that the deed with which the accused was charged had been done. He loved the princess and did not deny it, but the king would take pleasure in watching the events which would determine whether or not the young man had done wrong in allowing himself to love the princess. 6 The day of the trial arrived. From far and near the people gathered and crowded the galleries of the arena. The king and his court entered and sat in their places opposite the twin doors. All was ready. The signal was given. A door beneath the royal party opened and the lover of the princess walked into the arena. Tall and handsome, he was greeted by a hum of admiration. Half the audience had not known that so grand a youth had lived among them. No wonder the princess loved him! What a terrible thing for him to be there! 7 as the youth advanced into the arena, he turned, as the custom was, to bow to the king, but he did not think at all of her father. Form the very moment that the decree had gone forth, that her lover should decide his fate in the arena, she had thought of nothing else.7 Possessed of more power and determination than anyone connected with a previous case, she found out the secret of the doors. She knew behind which door stood the tiger cage with its open front and behind which door waited the lady. She had used both gold and determination to find out the secret. 8 The princess also knew who the lady was. It was one of the most beautiful of the ladies of the court, and the princess hated her. Often the princess had seen, or imagined that she had seen, this fair creature glancing with admiration at her lover, and sometimes the princess thought that these glances were returned. Now and then she had seen them talking together. 9 When her lover looked at her, and his eye met hers, he knew that she knew behind which door crouched the tiger and behind which stood the lady. He had expected her to know it as he understood her nature and determination. Then it was that his quick and anxi ous glance asked the question: “Which?”8 It was as plain to her as if he had shouted it from where he stood.9 There was not an instant to be lost. The question was asked in a flash; it must be answered in another. She raised her hand and made a slight, quick movement to- ward the right. No one but her lover saw her. Every eye was fixed on the man in the arena. Every breath was held and every eye remained fixed on that man. Without the slightest hesitation, he went to the door on the right and opened it. 10 Now, the point of the story is this: Did the tiger come out of the door, or did the lady? The more we think about this question, the harder it is to answer. It involves a study of the human heart which leads us through devious mazes of passion out of which it is difficult to fine our way.10 the soul of the princess beat with a white heat beneath the combined fires of despair and jealousy.11 she had lost him, but who should have him? How often in her waling hours and in her dreams had she thought of her lover opening the door on the other side of which waited the cruel fangs of the tiger! But how much oftener had she seen him at the other door and she could see his delight as he opened the door of the lady! Her soul had burned with agony as she imagined him rushing to meet that woman with her sparkling eyes of triumph. She further imagined the glad shouts of the crowd as the two handsome people were married and walked away showered with flowers.12 Her one despairing shriek was lost in the noise. 11 Would it not be better for him to die at once? And yet, that awful tiger, those shrieks, that blood! Her decision had been indicated in an instant, but it had been made after days and nights of anguished thought. She had known she would be asked, she had decided what she would answer, and, without the slightest hesitation, she had moved her hand to the right. 12 The question of her decision is not to be lightly considered, and it is not for me to presume to set myself up as the one person able to answer it.13 And so I leave it with all of you: Which came out of the opened door, — the lady, or the tiger? (1,307 words) Time taken:____________minutes UNIT 2 Manners IN-CLASS READING No One Stops to Say "Thank You" Anymore 1 I am sitting in a local restaurant offering takeout homestyle meals, surrounded by exhausted but happy shoppers, families out for Friday night dinner, and students taking a break from college exams. The warm room buzzes with conversation. A well-known local homeless man very untidy but clean comes in, places an order, pays for it, then sits quietly waiting for his dinner. All talk stops. No one looks at him and several diners leave. He is aware of the general discomfort his presence has caused. When his takeout is ready, he gathers up his numerous bags and his dinner and, laden down, advances to the door to go back to the streets. Just as he reaches the door and begins to shift bundles to free a hand, a well-dressed man coming to the restaurant steps aside and holds the door for him. The homeless man stops and says, "Thank you very much." 2 What struck me about this encounter was not the wealthier man helping out the less fortunate one. It was the homeless man stopping to thank him despite being desperate to escape a room full of disapproving people. No doubt he also thanked whoever had given him the money to buy dinner. In line buying my own meal, no one had thanked the young people behind the counter who dished up mashed potatoes for them. Had I taken a poll of the room, though, I bet everyone there would have considered themselves as having more manners than a person who lives on the streets. 3 But how many of us are truly well-mannered? Some observations have been surprising. 4 When I let someone into my lane of traffic, men almost always acknowledge this courtesy with a wave of the hand; women (the "polite" sex) hardly ever do. More women than men (the "chivalrous" sex) hold open doors for those behind them; teenage boys commit this nicety the least. And I no longer see mothers instructing a child, boy or girl, to hold open a door when several people are approaching something expected of all boys when I was growing up. 5 Manners are a tool to remind us of others around us. Our actions affect each other; there is always give and take. However, if youth today are any indication, we are truly destined to become a society of people who think only of themselves. Maybe it sounds cliché, but my parents would have killed me had I done some of the things I endure from today's youth. 6 I never ran in public, much less between and around the legs of people in stores. One scream and I would have been taken to the car and lectured on my behavior. Whenever I was rude in public, I was made to apologize; my parents didn't do it for me. These embarrassing moments didn't harm me; rather, they caused me to become aware that there were others inhabiting this world besides myself and my actions affected them. 7 I have yet to receive an apology from a child who just ran over my foot while chasing a sibling, and only half the time have the parents apologized. Often they simply gather up the children, making no eye contact, and take them to another part of the store to run around. If a child isn't made to deal with a minor situation, how will one ever handle a major faux pa& (which we all inevitably commit at some point)? 8 I have noticed that children are not even being schooled in social graces. At a Sunday brunch, a clown was making balloon animals for the children. My friend's daughter, Sarah, stood by me waiting her turn'. One by one the children grabbed their balloons and yes ran. I was the only adult present who prompted "What do you say?" when the clown handed Sarah her balloon. The clown beamed at us, grateful he had actually been acknowledged. 9 I don't blame the children, however. They emulate what they see. And what they are seeing is a society focused solely on acquisition be it the dream house or another drink in a restaurant or a space on a crowded freeway without ever stopping to thank the source. 10 Rude language is now so commonplace that it is accepted behavior. And I'm not talking about the obviously blue vocabulary in books and movies, or that damn is considered harmless compared to what else has become acceptable. I'm referring to inconsiderate word choice. For example, while discussing a story idea with an editor, a very young staff member asked if I was the "chick" who had called for information. I said nothing, knowing that a show of displeasure would have labeled me oversensitive rather than him rude. 11 Most people today feel proud to have built a society that treats the races, sexes, and economic classes more equally than ever before. And, yes, we have made real strides in these areas. But isn't it ironic that these same people don't find it necessary to say "Excuse me" to an older couple walking very slowly in front of them, before zooming around the couple? 12 It's not necessary to provide yet another analysis of the disintegration of the family or the breakdown of the social fabric or the price of democracy to explain what has happened to our society. The matter at hand is simply to thank the next person who provides a helping hand when needed. 13 In a crowded world, manners are of vital importance. Small, friendly human interactions help ease the everyday stress of having to hurry, trying to squeeze onto a crowded thoroughfare, standing in one more line to deal with a clerk of some kind, or calling a customer service representative for the third time about a mistake on a bill. Manners make us aware that everything we have derives from a source. Are we really so pressured that we cannot stop to observe simple courtesy?(991 words) Time taken: ______ minutes Proper Name Sarah (女子名)萨拉 New Words acknowledge v. show thanks for 就…… 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 示谢意,致谢 e.g. He acknowledged the applause with a small bow. acquisition n. the act of getting land, power, money, etc. 获取 e.g. The acquisition of the property took months. anymore adv. any longer (一般只用于表示否定意义的上下文中)而今再也 e.g. I don't like being called Theresa anymore. It's old-fashioned. brunch n. a meal that serves as both breakfast and lunch 早午餐 bundle n. a group of things such as papers, clothes, or sticks that are fastened or tied together 捆,束,包 e.g. He gathered the bundles of clothing into his arms. buzz v. 1) be filled with a lot of excitement or activity 充满了激动或活动的声音 e.g. The narrow streets in the area buzzed with stories of the killers. 2) talk quietly at the same time 发出低沉、嘈杂的声音 e.g. The audience buzzed throughout the performance. chase v. quickly follow someone or something trying to catch them 追逐,追赶 e.g. Outside in the yard, kids were yelling and chasing each other. chick n. American slang for a young woman (偶)少女,少妇 chivalrous adj. (esp. of men) marked by bravery, honor, generosity, and good manners (esp. toward women) (男人) 有骑士风度的 cliché n. an expression that is used too often and has lost most of its meaning陈词滥调 clown n. a performer, especially in the circus, who dresses strangely and tries to make people laugh by his jokes, tricks or actions 小丑 commonplace adj. ordinary; not regarded as special or unusual 普通的,不足为奇的 e.g. A few years ago it was quite rare to see women unaccompanied by men in a pub, now it's commonplace. courtesy n. polite behavior; a polite or kind action or expression 有礼的举止或言辞 e.g. The student replied with promptness and courtesy. democracy n. social equality and the right to take part in decision-making 民主 e.g. Democracy is spreading around the world in various forms. destined adj. certain to happen at some time in the future 命中注定的 e.g. He feels that he was destined to become a musician. disintegration* n. the state of becoming weaker or less united and being gradually destroyed 解体,瓦解 emulate v. try to be like someone else, because you admire them 仿效 e.g. People often try to emulate their favorite pop singers or movie stars. fabric n. 1) a framework or structure 组构,组织 e.g. He said the fabric of society was threatened by groups of criminals involved with drugs, violence and robbery. 2) material or cloth made by weaving threads together 织物,(纺)织品 e.g. My shirt is made of cotton fabric. freeway n. (AmE) a very wide road built for fast long-distance travel 高速公路,高速干道 indication n. a sign of something; something that is suggested 象征,迹象 e. g. This was a clear indication that they were in financial difficulty. inevitably* adv. unavoidably 不可避免地 e.g. An organization of this size inevitably has problems. ironic* adj. full of irony 讽刺的,有讽刺意味的 e.g. How ironic that he should have been invited to play for the English team on the very day that he broke his leg. laden adj. heavily loaded with something 装满的,充满的 e.g. She arrived back home laden with shopping bags. oversensitive* adj. too easily influenced or offended 过分敏感的,神经过敏的 sibling n. a brother or sister 兄弟(或姐妹), 同胞 squeeze v. 1) fit by forcing, pressing or crowding挤人,挤过,塞 e.g. Anne squeezed herself into the crowded elevator. 2) press firmly together, especially from opposite sides 压,挤,榨 e.g. She squeezed the tube hard and the last of the tooth paste came out. stride n. 1) an improvement in a situation or in the development of something 进展,进步 e.g. We've made great strides in medical technology this century. 2) a long step 大步,步幅 e.g. With every stride, runners hit the ground with up to five times their body-weight. v. walk quickly with long steps 阔步行进,大踏步走 e. g. He came striding along the path, with his gun over his shoulder. takeout(AmE) adj. intended to be taken from the point of sale and consumed elsewhere 供顾客带出外吃的. n. food made to be taken out 外卖的食物 thoroughfare n. the main road through place such as a city or town 大街,大道 Phrases and Expressions at hand near in time or space 近在手边,附近;即将到来 e.g. I picked up a book that happened to lie at hand and read a few pages. disk up put into and/ or serve in a dish as food 把(食物)装盘,盛在盘中端上(饭菜) e.g. I will dish up the first course. gather up bring together into one group, collection, or place 使聚集,收拢,集拢 e.g. She watched Willie gather up the papers and stuff them carelessly in his pocket. give-and-take the practice of making mutual concessions; willingness to compromise 互相让步,互相迁就 e.g. You can't always insist on your own way—there has to be some give-and-take. help (someone) out give help and support to someone who has problems 帮助某人(尢指摆脱困境或危难) e.g. I) I helped out with the secretarial work. II) I think her colleagues did help her out on that occasion. lecture on scold or warn, especially at some length 训斥,告诫 e.g. She lectured her children on good table manners. much less even less likely 更谈不上 e.g. Jack can hardly understand arithmetic, much less geometry. no doubt almost certainly; very probably 肯定地,想必 e.g. 1 ) You've all no doubt heard the news. II) No doubt I learned a lot from that lecture. run around run excitedly and randomly within a particular area 在……四处奔跑 e.g. We need a large garden, where the kids can run around freely. run over make one's way quickly over 在……上跑过,撞倒 e.g. We almost ran over a fox that was crossing the road. step aside walk to one side 走开一点,让开一点 e.g. The crowd stepped aside to let the chairman pass. UNIT 3 Business Strategies IN-CLASS READING Business Lessons from the Rain Forest Takashi Kiuchi 1 The environment and the emerging information economy are two issues most vital to the future of my business, and perhaps the world. To me, these topics seem intimately linked. Perhaps this is partly because I work for Mitsubishi Electric, an electronics company, and I see our impacts on the environment. But my most important lessons about the link among business, the environment, and the economy did not come from my company. I learned them in the forest. 2 On my trip to Asia, I visited the Malaysian rain forest. What I learned changed my life as a corporate executive. 3 I learned that saving the rain forests in fact, saving the environment is more than an environmental necessity. It is a business opportunity. In our case, it is an opportunity to pursue business opportunities that use creativity and technology to substitute for trees, for resources of any kind. 4 I learned something else in the rain forest, too, something more profound. I learned how we might operate our company not just to save the rain forest, but to be more like the rain forest. 5 To be agile and creative, we must structure our company so that we are a learning organization. Not top-down, but bottom-up. Not centralized, but decentralized. Not limited by rules, but motivated by objectives. Not structured like a machine which cannot learn but like a living system, which can. 6 When I visited the rain forest, I realized that it was a model of the perfect learning organization, a place that excels by learning to adapt to what it doesn't have. A rain forest has almost no resources. The soil is thin. There are few nutrients. It consumes almost nothing. Wastes are food. Design is capital. So my model for Mitsubishi Electric is an organization that is like a rain forest in those respects. 7 Rain forests have no productive assets, yet they are incredibly productive. They are home to millions of types of plants and animals more than two-thirds of all biodiversity in the world. Those plants and animals are so perfectly mixed that the system is more efficient, and more creative, than any business in the world. 8 If we ran our companies like the rain forest, imagine how creative, how productive, how ecologically benign we could be. We can begin by operating less like a machine and more like a living system. At Mitsubishi Electric, we have begun to adopt an environmental management system founded on principles of industrial ecology. For us, this means two things: First, we must have our eyes wide open and see the environmental costs and benefits of our business. Second, based on what we see, we must take action: See costs and reduce them. See benefits and increase them. See needs and fill them. 9 When I visited the rain forest, I realized that, as business people, we have been looking at the rain forest all wrong. What is valuable about the rain forest is not the trees, which we can take out. What is valuable is the design, the relationships, from which comes the real value of the forest. When we take trees from the forest, we can ruin its design. But when we take lessons from the forest, we further its purpose. We can develop the human ecosystem into as intricate and creative a system as we find in the rain forest. We can do more with less; grow without shrinking. 10 While the rain forest has many design principles, let's discuss three: 11 Differentiate. Be yourself, be unique. In the rain forest, conformity leads to extinction. If two organisms have the same niche, only one survives. The other adapts or dies. 12 The same thing happens in today's economy. If two businesses have the same niche, making exactly the same product, only one survives. The other adapts or dies. Most companies today are trying to be the one that survives by cutting costs, radically downsizing, desperately seeking the lowest cost. 13 It's smarter to differentiate. Create unique products, different from any others. Fill unique niches. Don't kill our competitors or be killed by them sidestep them instead. Only then is it time to reduce costs and grow more efficient. 14 Cooperate. Today, many people think competitiveness is the key to business success, but such thinking is out of date. Today, as we grow different, we learn that none of us is whole. We need each other to fill in our gaps. For example, at my company, we no longer look to grow bigger simply by acquiring more and more companies as subsidiaries. Instead, we are engaging in cooperative joint ventures with many others. Each company retains its independence, its specialty, and its core competence. Together we benefit from our diversity. 15 Be a good fit. We used to say only the fittest survives; only one can be the winner. But the rain forest has many winners. 16 The same can be true in our economy. In this new, diverse, rain-forest economy, it is not a question of who is most fit. It is a question of where we best fit. If we fit if we solve a social problem, fulfill a social need we will survive and excel. If we only create problems, we will not. 17 I am often asked whether the needs of the corporation and the needs of the environment are in conflict. I do not believe they are. In the long run, they cannot be. 18 Conventional wisdom is that the highest mission of a corporation is to maximize profits and return to shareholders. That is a myth. It has never been true. Profit is just money a medium of exchange. You always trade it for something else. So profits are not an end; they are a means to an end. 19 My philosophy is this: We don't run our business to earn profits. We earn profits to run our business. Our business has meaning and purpose a reason to be here. 20 People talk today about business needing to be socially responsible, as if this is something new we need to do, on top of everything else we do. But social responsibility is not something that one should do as an extra benefit of the business. The whole essence of the business should be social responsibility. It must live for a purpose. Otherwise, why should it live at all? 21 What I learned from the rain forest is easy to understand. We can use less and have more. It is the only way, for the interests of business and the interests of the environment are not incompatible.(1102 words) Time taken: _______ minutes Proper Names Malaysian adj. 马来西亚的 Mitsubishi Electric 日本三菱电气公司 Takashi Kiuchi (日本男子名)木内孝 New Words agile adj. active, lively, think quickly 灵活的,(才思)敏捷的 e.g. The agile monkey swung from branch to branch. biodiversity n. biological diversity in an environment as indicated by numbers of different species of plants and animals 生物品种 competence n. the ability and skill to do what is needed 能力,技能 e.g. I'm only worried about his attitude to the job: his competence is not in question. conformity * n. agreement with established rules, customs, etc. 一致,顺从 e.g. Excessive conformity is usually caused by fear of disapproval . conventional adj. following what is traditional or considered to be normal 传统的,符合习俗的 e.g. The house was built with conventional materials but in a totally new style. cooperate v. work with somebody else to achieve something 合作,协作,配合e.g. I ) Our company is cooperating with a Danish firm on this project. II) The art department cooperated with the editorial department to produce the book. core n. 1) the central or most important part of something 核心,要点 e.g. The basic lack of government funding is at the core of the problem. 2) the hard center of certain fruits, containing seeds 果心,核 e.g. She finished her apple and threw the core away. differentiate v. 1) make or become different in the process of growth or development (使)变异 e.g. The cells differentiate into a wide variety of cell types. 2) to see or express a difference (between) 区分,区别 e.g. A child may not differentiate between his imagination and the real world. diversity * n. the condition of being different or having differences 差异,多样性e.g. Newspapers were obliged to allow a diversity of views to be printed. downsize * v. to make a business or industry smaller 缩减,削减 e.g. I ) The company will have to downsize to cut costs. II) American manufacturing organizations have been downsizing their factories. ecologically * adv. from the point of view of ecology 从生态学的观点看 e.g. Ecologically, the new dam (大坝) has been a disaster. ecology n. the pattern and balance of relationships between plants, animals, people, and the environment in that place 生态 e.g. The oil spill caused terrible damage to the fragile (脆弱的) ecology of the coastline. ecosystem * n. all the plants and animals that live in a particular area together with the complex relationship that exists between them and their environment 生态系统 electronics n. 1) electronic devices and equipment 电子器件 e.g. All the electronics are housed in a waterproof box. 2) a branch of physics that deals with the emission, behavior and effects of electrons and with electronic devices 电子学,电子技术 e.g. The field of modern electronics has grown rapidly. extinction * n. a situation in which a particular kind of animal, plant, etc. no longer exists 消灭;灭绝 e.g. There are many animals in danger of extinction. incompatible * adj. unable to exist together in harmony 不相容的,不协调的,不相配的e.g. I ) I don't think either of them was to blame: they were just incompatible. II) His behavior has been incompatible with his role as head of the state. objective n. an aim that you are trying to achieve 目的,目标 e.g. The main objective of this policy is to reduce unemployment, adj. not influenced by one's own personal feelings, based only on facts 客观的,不带偏见的 e.g. I ) Please try to give an objective report of what happened. II) It's hard to be objective about your own strengths and weaknesses. organism n. 1) any individual life form considered as an entity 生物,有机体 e.g. The scientist examined the organism under then microscope. 2) any complex, organized body or system similar to a living being (如生物的)机体、有机组织 e.g. Factories and cities are more complex organisms than self-sufficient villages. radically * adv. in a radical or an extreme manner 根本地,本质地 e.g. The industry has changed radically as a result of the increased use of electronic systems. resource n. 1) something such as land, minerals, or natural energy that exists in a country and can be used to increase its wealth 资源,财富 e.g. The coast is a finite resource and we must use it wisely. 2) an available means afforded by the mind or one's personal capabilities 应变能力,谋略 e.g. Sometimes anger is the only resource left in a situation like this. sidestep * v. step sideways to avoid something or someone that is coming or going to hit, avoid discussing or dealing with something 向旁侧避让,回避 e.g. I ) He made a grab for her but she sidestepped him and kicked him. II) He was trying to sidestep responsibility. subsidiary n. a company or organization that is owned or controlled by another 子公司,附属机构 e.g. I work for a small subsidiary of a large corporation. adj. serving to assist or supplement, subordinate or secondary 辅助的,次要的,附设的 e.g. Can I ask a subsidiary question? Phrases and Expressions in the long run finally, after everything has been considered, on the whole 最终,终究,从长远看 e.g. We ought to buy a new car-it'll be cheaper in the long run. UNIT 4 IN-CLASS READING On Friendship 1 Today millions of Americans vacation abroad, and they go not only to see new sights but also in those places where they do not feel too strange to perhaps meet new people. No one really expects a vacation trip to produce a close friend. But surely the beginning of a friendship is possible. Surely in every country people value friendship. 2 The difficulty when strangers from two countries meet is not a lack of appreciation of friendship, but different expectations about what constitutes friendship and how it comes into being. In those European countries that Americans are most likely to visit, friendship is quite sharply distinguished from other, more casual relations, and is differently related to family life. For a Frenchman, a German or an Englishman, friendship is usually more particularized and carries a heavier burden of commitment. 3 But as we use the word, "friend" can be applied to a wide range of relationships to someone one has known for a few weeks in a new place, to a close business associate, to a childhood playmate, to a man or woman, to a trusted confidant. There are real differences among these relations for Americans a friendship may be superficial, casual, situational of deep and enduring. But to a European, who sees only our surface behavior, the differences are not clear. 4 Who, then, is a friend? 5 InFrance, as in many European countries, friends generally are of the same sex, and friendship is seen as basically a relationship between men. Frenchwomen laugh at the idea that "women can't be friends," but they also admit sometimes that for women "it's a different thing." And many French people doubt the possibility of a friendship between a man and a woman. There is also time kind of relationship within a group men and women who have worked together for a long time, who may be very close, shaving great loyalty and warmth of feeling. In French eyes this is not friendship, although two members of such a group may well be friends. 6 For the French, friendship is a one-to-one relationship that demands a keen awareness of the other person's intellect, temperament and particular interests. A friend is someone who draws out your own best qualities, with whom you sparkle and become more of whatever the friendship draws upon. Your political philosophy assumes more depth, appreciation of a play becomes sharper, taste in food or wine is accentuated, enjoyment of a sport is intensified. 7 And French friendships are compartmentalized. A man may play chess with a friend for thirty years without knowing his political opinions, or he may talk politics with him for as long a time without knowing about his personal life. Different friends fill different niches in each person's life. These friendships are not made part of family life. A friend is not expected to spend evenings being nice to children or courteous to a deaf grandmother. These duties are primarily for relatives. Men who are friends may meet in a cafe. Intellectual friends may meet in larger groups for evenings of conversation. Working people may meet at the little bistro where they drink and talk, far from the family. 8 InGermany, in contrast with France, friendship is much more distinctly a matter of feeling. Adolescents, boys and girls, form deeply sentimental attachments, walk and talk together not so much to polish their wits as to share their hopes and fears and dreams, to form a common front against the world of school and family and to join in a kind of mutual discovery of each other's and their own inner life. Within the family, the closest relationship over a lifetime is between brothers and sisters. Outside the family, men and women find in their closest friends of the same sex the devotion of a sister, the loyalty of a brother. Appropriately, in Germany friends usually are brought into the family. Children call their father's and their mother's friends "uncle" and "aunt." Between French friends, who have chosen each other because they have similar points of view, lively disagreement and sharpness of argument are the breath of life. But for Germans, whose friendships are based on mutuality of feeling, deep disagreement on any subject that matters to both is regarded as a tragedy. Like ties of kinship, ties of friendship are meant to be permanently binding. Young Germans who come to the United States have great difficulty in establishing such friendships with Americans. We view friendship more tentatively, subject to changes in intensity as people move, change their jobs, marry, or discover new interests. 9 English friendships follow a still different pattern. Their basis is shared activity. Activities at different stages of life may be of very different kinds discovering a common interest in school, serving together in the armed forces, taking part in a foreign mission, staying in the same country house during a crisis. In the midst of the activity, whatever it may be, people fall into step sometimes two men or two women, sometimes two couples, sometimes three people and find that they walk or play a game or tell stories or serve on a tiresome and exacting committee with the same easy anticipation of what each will do day by day or in some critical situation. Americans who have made English friends comment that, even years later; "you can take up just where you left off." Meeting after a long interval, friends are like a couple who begin to dance again when the orchestra strikes up after a pause. English friendships are formed outside the family circle, but they are not, as in Germany, complementary to the family nor are they, as in France, separated from the family. And a break in an English friendship comes not necessarily as a result of some irreconcilable differences of viewpoints or feelings but instead as a result of misjudgment, where one friend seriously misjudges how the other will think or feel or act, so that suddenly they are out of step. 10 What, then, is friendship? Looking at these different styles, including our own, each of which is related to a whole way of life, are there common elements? There is the recognition that friendship, in contrast with kinship, implies freedom of choice. A friend is someone who chooses and is chosen. Related to this is the sense each friend gives the other of being a special individual, on whatever grounds this recognition is based. And between friends there is inevitably a kind of equality of give-and-take. These similarities make the bridge between societies possible, and the American's characteristic openness to different styles of relationships makes it possible for him to find new friends abroad with whom he feels at home. Finding Happiness 1 Does happiness favor those of a particular age, sex, or income level? Does happiness come with satisfying close relationships? What attitudes, activities, and priorities engender a sense of well-being? 2 Although the scientific pursuit of happiness has recently mushroomed, speculations about happiness are age-old. Ancient philosophers believed that happiness accompanied a life of intelligent reflection. "There is no fool who is happy, and no wise man who is not," said the Roman philosopher Cicero. In later centuries, some sages have suggested that happiness comes from living a virtuous life, and others, from indulging pleasures; some that it comes from knowing the truth, and others, from preserving illusions; some that it comes from restraint, and others, from getting rid of rage and misery. The list goes on, but the implication is clear: To discover the truth about happiness, we must ask how these competing ideas relate to reality. In short, we must study happiness scientifically. 3 Social scientists have exploded some myths about who's happy and who's not by identifying predictors of happiness and life satisfaction. 4 Many people believe there are unhappy times of life-typically the stress-filled teen years, the "mid-life crisis" years, or the declining years of old age. But interviews with people of all ages reveal that no time of life is notably happier or unhappier. Emotions do change with age: Satisfaction with social relations and health becomes more important in later life. And teens, unlike adults, typically rebound from either gloom or joy within an hour's time. Yet knowing someone's age gives no clue to the person's lasting sense of well-being. Moreover, rates of depression, suicide, and divorce show no increase during the mythical "mid-life crisis" years. 5 Does happiness have a favorite sex? Are men happier because of their greater incomes and social power? Are women happier because of their supposedly greater capacity for intimacy and social connection? Like age, gender gives no clue to subjective well-being. There are gender gaps in misery: When troubled, men more often become alcoholic, while women more often think deeply and get depressed or anxious. Yet men and women are equally likely to declare themselves "very happy" and "satisfied" with life. This conclusion is grounded in scores of studies around the world. 6 Living standards have soared during the twentieth century and are expected to continue rising in the decades ahead. Does that mean that we humans can look forward to increasing happiness? Not necessarily. Steady improvements in the economy are not accompanied by a steady increase in people's assessments of their own happiness. It seems that people become less satisfied over time with a given level of income. 7 In study after study, four traits are typical of happy people. First, happy people, especially in individualistic Western cultures, like themselves. On self-esteem tests, they agree with statements such as "I'm a lot of fun to be with" and "I have good ideas". As we might expect of people who are usually happy, they report that they have positive self-esteem. Indeed, they usually have good opinions of themselves: They believe themselves to be more ethical, more intelligent, less prejudiced, better able to get along with others, and healthier than the average person. 8 Second, happy people typically feel personal control. Feeling empowered rather than helpless, they also do better in school, achieve more at work, and cope better with stress. Deprived of control over one's life-a phenomenon studied in prisoners, nursing-home patients, etc. -people suffer lower morale and worse health. Severe poverty is depressing if it destroys people's sense of control over their life. 9 Third, happy people are usually optimistic. One could reason that pessimists, whose low expectations are so often exceeded, would constantly be surprised by joy. "Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed," wrote poet Alexander Pope in a 1727 letter. Nevertheless, positive-thinking optimists--those who agree, for example, that "when I undertake something new, I expect to succeed" -- tend to be more successful, healthier, and happier. 10 Fourth, happy people tend to be extroverted. Although we might have expected that introverts might live more happily in the serenity of their less-stressed contemplative lives, extroverts are happier--whether living and working alone or with others and whether living in rural or metropolitan areas. 11 With each of these trait-happiness correlations, the causal arrows are uncertain. For example, does happiness make people more outgoing? Or are outgoing people more enthusiastic and less anxious about reaching out to others? Such tendencies may explain their marrying sooner, getting better jobs, and making more friends. If these traits indeed produce happiness, people might become happier by acting as if they had the desired traits. In experiments, people who act as if they had high self-esteem begin feeling better about themselves, and people who are urged to smile feel happier. 12 Yet happiness seems changeable only within limits imposed by our genetic makeup. From their study of 254 identical and fraternal twins, psychologists David Lykken and Auke Tellegen estimate that 50% of the difference among people's happiness ratings is inherited. Even identical twins raised apart often are similarly happy. Depending on our outlooks and recent experiences, our happiness fluctuates around our happiness set point, which disposes some people to be ever cheerful and others gloomy. 13 Close relationships also mark happy lives. One could easily imagine why the stress of close relationships might further increase illness and misery. "Hell is other people," stated Jean-Paul Sartre. Thankfully, however, the benefits of close relationships with friends and family usually outweigh the strains. Compared with people lacking such relationships, those who can name several intimate friends are healthier, less likely to die prematurely, and happier. Psychologist William Pavot has found that people report happier feelings when with others. 14 For more than nine in ten people, the most significant alternative to aloneness is marriage. Although broken marital relationships are a source of much misery, a supportive, intimate, committed relationship is among life's greatest satisfactions. To quote Henry Ward Beecher, "Well-married a person is winged; ill-matched, shackled." Fortunately, national surveys reveal that three in four married Americans say their spouse is their best friend, and four out of five say they would marry the same person again. Such feelings help explain why, during the 1970s and 1980s, more married adults said they were "very happy" than did those who never married (39% versus 24%). 15 Is marriage, as is so often supposed, more strongly associated with men's happiness than women's? In both European and North American national surveys, the happiness gap between the married and never-married is similar for women and men. The results of nearly a hundred such studies confirm this: Although a bad marriage may be more depressing to a woman than to a man, the myth that single women report greater happiness than married women can be ignored. 16 So, knowing people's age, sex, and income (assuming they have enough to afford life's necessities) hardly tells us if they are happy. William Cowper's 1782 hunch has proven right: "Happiness depends, as Nature shows, less on exterior things than most suppose." Better clues come from knowing what traits a person has and whether the person enjoys a supportive network of close relationships. (1198 words) Time taken: ______ minutes Proper Names Alexander Pope (男子名) 亚历山大·蒲柏(1688-1744,英国诗人,著有长篇讽刺诗《夺发记》、《群愚史诗》等,并翻译荷马史诗《伊利亚特》和《奥德赛》) Auke Tellegen (男子名) 奥克·泰利根 Cicero (男子名)西塞罗(106--43 BC,古罗马政治家、律师、哲学家、作家。他徒劳地维护共和政体,却以罗马最大的演说家而名垂史册,著有《论演说术》、《论共和国》、《论法律》等) David Lykken (男子名)戴维·利肯 Henry Ward Beecher (男子名)亨利·沃德·比彻(1813-1887,美国基督教公理会自由派牧师、废奴运动领袖,主张妇女参政,赞成进化论) Jean-Paul Sartre (男子名)让-保尔·萨特(1905-1980,法国哲学家、剧作家、小说家。法国存在主义的首倡者。他的《话语》获1964年诺贝尔文学奖,但他未接受。他的著作颇丰,如哲学著作《存在与虚无》、小说《自由之路》、剧作《魔鬼与上帝》等) Roman adj.罗马的 William Cowper (男子名)威廉·柯珀(1731-1800,英国诗人,赞美乡村生活和自然风光,代表作为长诗《任务》和抒情短诗《白杨树》) William Pavot(男子名)威廉·派弗特 New Words causal* adj. of or forming a cause; relating to cause and effect 原因的,关于因果的 e.g. No causal relationship has been established between violence on television and violent behavior. changeable* adj. likely to change or changing often 易变的,不定的 e.g. She knew how impulsive (易冲动的) and changeable Sophie could be. committed* adj. feeling great dedication and loyalty to something 坚定的,献身的,忠诚的 e.g. I ) Law student Libby Brooks has been a committed socialist since the age of 18. II ) She is committed to artistically and politically provocative (令人振奋的) work, not financial gain. competing adj. that cannot all be right or satisfied at the same time 抵触的,相互矛盾的 e.g. They talked about the competing theories of the origin of life. contemplative adj. Deeply thoughtful in a serious and quiet way (好)沉思的,(爱)思考的 e.g. The beautiful sunset and the peaceful atmosphere left him feeling very contemplative. engender v. (formal) cause to happen 造成,引起 e.g. Her latest book has engendered a lot of controversy. ethical adj. morally good or correct 道德的,合乎道德 标准 excel标准偏差excel标准偏差函数exl标准差函数国标检验抽样标准表免费下载红头文件格式标准下载 的 e.g. The article questioned the ethical conduct of certain journalists, who are claimed to have used threats in order to obtain interviews. Exterior 1) adj. on or coming from the outside, outer 外部的,外面的 e.g. Jim wants to see the whole exterior structure of the building first before going inside, as this is how he writes poetry. 2) n. the outside, the outer appearance or surface外部,外表,外貌e.g. I) The rooms in the town hall were as grand as the exterior. II) She maintained a calm exterior, though really she was furious (非常生气). extrovert n. a person who is active and confident, and enjoys spending time with other people 性格外向的人 e.g. If you are an extrovert, you are quite likely to enjoy working as a receptionist (接待员). extroverted adj. active, lively, and sociable 性格外向的 e.g. You should be energetic, conscientious, uncomplaining, cheerful and fairly extroverted. fluctuate v. change or vary, especially continuously and between one level or thing and another 起伏,波动,涨落 e.g. Prices of fruits and vegetables fluctuate according to the season. fraternal adj. 1) (of twins) born from two eggs, not identical 异卵双生的 2) relating to brothers or like brothers, friendly 兄弟(般)的,友爱的gloom n. 1) a feeling of unhappiness or despair 忧郁,沮丧 e.g. Bergman's films are often full of gloom and despair. 2) a state of partial darkness 昏暗,阴暗 e.g. It was not the gloom of the hotel but the uninteresting food that he chiefly complained about. gloomy adj. 1) sad because you think the situation will not improve 忧郁的,沮丧的 e.g. He is gloomy about the state of his financial situation. 2) almost dark so that you cannot see very well 昏暗的,阴暗的 e.g. He has to spend 10 years in the gloomy mud-walled prison. hunch n. a feeling or guess about the future, a suspicion 预感,直觉 e.g. "How did you know that horse was going to win?" "It was just a hunch." individualistic adj. 1) showing independence or individuality in thought or action 显示个人独立性和个性的 2) pursuing individual rather than common or collective interests 利己主义的,个人主义的 introvert n. a shy, quiet and typically self-centered person 性格内向的人 e.g. He used to be very sociable, but he's been an introvert since his wife's death. lasting * adj. existing or continuing a long while, enduring 持久的,永久的,耐久的 e.g. Few observers believe that the treaty (协定) will bring a lasting peace to the region. metropolitan adj. connected with or belonging to a very large city 大都会的,大城市的 e.g. His clients include the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (纽约大都会美术博物馆), Elton John and his future father-in-law. mushroom 1) v. grow and develop very quickly 迅速生长,迅速发展 e.g. I) Our sales have begun to mushroom. II) The organization was founded in 1955 and quickly mushroomed into a mass movement of the middle class. 2) n. a fast-growing fungus with a round top and short stem 蘑菇 e.g. I liked helping to pick mushrooms in the wet fields. mythical adj. imaginary, not real 想像的,虚构的 e.g. He keeps talking about all these mythical "job prospects (前景)". prematurely adv. in a way of occurring, coming or being done too soon 过早地,比预期时间早地 e.g. She has been forced to retire prematurely because of health problems. pursuit n. an activity to which someone gives his time 从事的事务,研究 e.g. His scientific pursuits made him a very observant (观察力敏锐的) man. rating n. classification or ranking of someone or something 评定结果,品级e.g. I) The critics' rating of the novel was very low. II) The company has a good credit rating, so it is allowed to borrow a lot of money. rebound v. recover in value, amount, strength, etc. 恢复,振作,回升 restraint n. 1) calm, controlled, and unemotional behavior 克制,抑制,限制 e.g. He showed admirable restraint, and refused to be provoked (激怒). 2) rules or conditions that limit or restrict someone or something 约束措施,约束条件 e.g. The Prime Minister is calling for new restraints on trade unions. sage n. a very wise man 圣贤之人,哲人 serenity n. calmness, tranquility 安祥,宁静 shackle 1) v. prevent someone from acting or speaking freely 束缚 e.g. The young people should not be shackled by outdated attitudes. 2) n. one of a pair of metal rings linked by a chain, used for fastening a prisoner's wrists or ankles together 手铐,脚镣 e.g. He unbolted (打开) the shackles on Billy's hands. spouse n. a person's husband or wife 配偶 e.g. In 60% of the households surveyed both spouses went out to work. subjective adj. based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes, or opinions 主观的,个人的 e.g. I think my husband is the most handsome man in the world, but I realize my judgment is rather subjective. supportive* adj. giving help or encouragement, especially to someone who is in a difficult situation 起支持作用的,支援的 e.g. I) His boss has never been very supportive of him. II) The staff in this company are extremely supportive of each other. totalitarian adj. of or being a political system in which those in power have complete control and do not allow people freely to oppose them 极权主义的 virtuous* adj. possessing good moral qualities 有道德的,善良的,正直的 e.g. He described them as virtuous and hard-working people. Phrases and Expressions be grounded in give (something abstract) a firm theoretical or practical basis 以......为基础,以......为根据 e.g. I ) He acquired an understanding of psychological behavior grounded in facts. II ) The study of history must be grounded in a thorough knowledge of the past. in short in a few words, briefly 总之,简而言之 e.g. I ) She was surrounded by doctors, lawyers, housewives-people, in short, like hersel f. II ) He's disorganized, he's inefficient, he's never there when you want him-in short, the man's hopeless. scores of a lot of, a large number of e.g. I ) There were five deaths and scores of injuries in the traffic accident yesterday. II ) There were scores of tourists at the memorial (纪念馆) when we visited it. Unit 6 Human Behavior Inclass-Reading What, Me? Showing Off? 1 We're at the Wilson's annual party, and over at the far end of the living room an intense young woman with blazing eyes and a throbbing voice is criticizing poverty, war, injustice and human suffering. Indeed, she expresses such anguish at the anguish of mankind that attention quickly shifts from the moral issues she is expounding to how very, very, very deeply she cares about them. 2 She's showing off. 3 Down at the other end of the room a scholarly fellow has just used "angst", "Kierkegaard" and "epistemology" in the same sentence. Meanwhile our resident expert in wine meditatively sips, then pushes away, a glass of perfectly good French wine. 4 They're showing off. 5 And then there's us, complaining about how tired we are today because we went to work, rushed back to see our son's school play, shopped at the market and hurried home in order to cook gourmet food, and then repaired another dining-room chair. 6 And what we also are doing is showing off. 7 Indeed everyone, I would like to propose, has some sort of need to show off. No one's completely immune. Not you. And not I. And although we've been taught that it's bad to boast, that it's trashy to toot our own horn, that nice people don't strut their stuff, seek attention or name-drop, there are times when showing off may be forgivable and maybe even acceptable. 8 But first let's take a look at showing off that is offensive, that's not acceptable, that's never nice. Like showoffs motivated by a fierce competitiveness. And like narcissistic showoffs who are willing to do anything to be and to stay the center of attention. 9 Competitive showoffs want to be the best of every bunch. Competitive showoffs must outshine all others. Whatever is being discussed, they have, more expertise or money or even aggravation and better dentists or children or marriages or recipes and deeper love of animals or concern for human suffering. Competitive showoffs are people who reside in a permanent state of rivalry. For example, you're finishing a story about the sweet little card that your five-year-old recently made for your birthday when the competitive showoff interrupts to relate how her daughter not only made her a sweet little card, but also brought her breakfast in bed and saved her allowance for months and months in order to buy her obviously much more beloved mother a beautiful scarf for her birthday. 10 Narcissistic showoffs, however, don't bother to compete because they don't even notice there's anyone there to compete with. They talk nonstop, they brag, they dance, they sometimes quote Homer in Greek, and they'll even go stand on their head if attention should flag. Narcissistic showoffs want to be the star while everyone else is the audience. And yes, they are often adorable and charming and amusing but only until around the age of six. 11 I've actually seen a narcissistic showoff get up and leave the room when the conversation shifted from his accomplishments. "What's the matter?" I asked when I found him standing on the terrace, brooding darkly. "Oh, I don't know," he replied, "but all of a sudden the talk started getting so superficial." 12 Another group of showoffs much more sympathetic types are showoffs who are basically insecure. Insecure showoffs show off because, as one close friend explained, "How will they know that I'm good unless I tell them about it?" And whatever the message I'm smart, I'm a fine human being showoffs have many different techniques for talking about it. 13 Sometimes showoffs ask for cheers to which they're not entitled. Sometimes showoffs earn the praise they seek. And sometimes folks achieve great things and nonetheless do not show off about it. 14 Now that's impressive. 15 Indeed, when we discover that the quiet mother of four with whom we've been talking intimately all evening has recently been elected to the state senate and she never even mentioned it! we are filled with admiration, with astonishment, with awe. 16 What self-restraint! 17 For we know very well I certainly know that if we'd been that lucky lady, we'd have worked our triumph into the conversation. As a matter of fact, I'll lay my cards right on the table and confess that the first time some poems of mine were published, I not only worked my triumph into every conversation for months and months, but I also called almost every human being I'd ever known to proclaim the glad tidings both local and long distance. Furthermore let me really confess if a stranger happened to stop me on the Street and all he wanted to know was the time or directions, I tried to detain him long enough to enlighten him with the news that the person to whom he was speaking was a Real Live Published Poet. 18 Fortunately for everyone, I eventually it took me awhile calmed down. 19 Now, I don't intend to defend myself I was showing off, I was bragging and I wasn't the slightest bit shy or self-restrained, but a golden, glowing, glorious thing had happened in my life and I had an overwhelming need to exult. Exulting, however, may be a permissible form of showing off. 20 Exulting is what my husband does when he fries me an egg and practically does a tap dance as he carries it from the kitchen stove to the table, setting it before me with the purely objective assessment that this may be the greatest fried egg ever made. 21 Exulting is what my mother did when she took her first grandson to visit all her friends, and announced as she walked into the room, "Is he gorgeous? Is that a gorgeous baby? Is that the most gorgeous baby you ever saw?" 22 And exulting is what that mother of four would have done if she'd smiled and said, "Don't call me 'Marge' any more. Call me 'Senator'". 23 Exulting is shamelessly shouting our talents or triumphs to the world. It's saying: I'm taking a bow and I'd like to hear clapping. And I think if we don't overdo it (stopping strangers to say you've been published is overdoing it), and I think if we know when to quit ("Enough about me. Let's talk about you. So what do you think about me?" does not count as quitting), and I think if we don't get addicted (i.e., crave praise for every poem or fried egg), and I think if we're able to walk off the stage (and clap and cheer while others take their bows), then I think we're allowed, from time to time, to exult. 24 Though showing off can range from very gross to very subtle, and though the point of showing off is sometimes nasty, sometimes needy, sometimes nice, showoffs always run the risk of being thought immodest, of being harshly viewed as... well... showoffs. And perhaps we ought to consider the words Lord Chesterfield wrote to his sons: "Modesty is the only sure bait when you angle for praise." 25 And yes, of course he's right, we know he's right, he must be right. But sometimes it's so hard to be restrained. For no matter what we do, we always have a lapse or two. So let's try to forgive each other for showing off.(1224 words) Time taken: ________ minutes Proper Names Lord Chesterfield 切斯特菲尔德伯爵(1694-1773),英国政治家,外交家,作家,以所著《致儿家书》和《给教子的信》而闻名,称号The 4th Earl of Chesterfield。 Homer荷马(约公元前9--公元前8世纪,古希腊吟游盲诗人,著有史诗《伊利亚特》和《奥德赛》,其著作和生平众说纷纭。 Judith Viorst(女子名)朱迪思.凡尔斯特 Kierkegaard (男子名)克尔恺郭尔(1813-1855)丹麦出生的宗教哲学家。被认为是存在主义的创始人。因对成体系的理性哲学的批评,特别是对黑格尔主义的批评而著名。其论据是:真实的生活不能由抽象的概念体系所包含。 Marge (女子名)玛吉 Wilson(男子名)威尔逊 New Words admiration* n. a feeling of great liking, respect , and approval 钦佩,赞赏,羡慕 e.g. I) He lost the fight-but won the admiration of the world. II) In return she receives hard work and royalty from her staff, plus admiration for her forward thinking. adorable* adj. very attractive, delightful, lovable迷人的,讨人喜欢的,可爱的 e.g. I) Oh, what an adorable little girl! II) From the little summerhouse there's a grand view of this adorable countryside. aggravation* n. irritation, annoyance 烦恼,恼火 e.g. I was going to complain that my steak wasn't cooked properly, but I decided that it wasn't worth the aggravation. allowance n. a sum of money given for a particular purpose and/or on a regular basis 津贴,补贴,零用钱e.g. I) The scholarship includes an allowance of 100 pounds for books. II) After graduation, an allowance from his father enabled him to stay in London and write. angle 1) v. try to get, especially by means of indirect remarks or requests(用暗示等方法)取得,谋取 e.g. I) I am quite sure she was not angling for a compliment. II) He got the invitation to Washington he had been angling for. 2) n. the space or distance between two lines or surfaces at the point where they join together 角,角度 e.g. I) Oxford Road joins the High Street at an angle of 90 degrees. II) The low angle of the winter sun throws long, dramatic shadows. angst n. an anxious feeling that is caused by worrying about the state of the world 忧虑,疑惧(尤指对于世界局势) e.g. I'm very sympathetic towards young people going through all the pain and angst of those years. astonishment* n. great surprise 惊讶,惊奇 e.g. To the astonishment of his friends, he took off his shoes. awhile adv. for a short time 一会儿,片刻,暂时 e.g. We rested awhile at the side of the road, enjoying the spectacle (景象). bait n. food or something else used to attract (fish, animal, birds, etc. which are then caught) or as a temptation 诱饵,诱惑物 e.g. I) Cheese is good bait for catfish. II) The shop used free gifts as a bait to attract new customers. blazing adj. of tremendous intensity, heat, or force 强烈的,燃烧的,炫目的 e.g. She turned and faced him, her eyes blazing. brood v. 1) think quietly and deeply about, especially something that makes one unhappy 忧思,沉思 e.g. I) He brooded over what she had said for several days. II) He sat at his desk, brooding darkly on why she had left him. 2) (of a bird) sit on eggs to hatch them (禽类)孵蛋 e.g. We could not tell if the bird was brooding on her eggs or not. confess v. admit that one has done something that one feels ashamed of or embarrassed about 坦白,承认. e.g. I) I must confess that I haven't read it. II) Perhaps I shouldn't confess this, but I did on one occasion forge (假冒) Tony's signature. crave v. have a strong desire for something 渴望得到,迫切需要 e.g. They crave meat, and Musakanya knows where to get it. darkly* adv. gloomily 悲观地,忧郁地 detain v. prevent (someone) from leaving or doing something; delay 留住,耽搁 e.g. I) She was detained in the office by unexpected clients. II) We'll be obliged to detain you here while we continue the investigation. epistemology n. the theory of knowledge, especially with regard to its methods, validity, and scope 认识论 e.g. Epistemology is the investigation of what distinguishes justified belief from opinion. expound v. present and explain (a theory or idea) systematically and in detail 详述,阐述 e.g. The monks used to come to the village frequently and expound Buddhist (佛教的) principles. exult v. show or feel very happy and proud, especially as the result of a success 狂喜,欢欣鼓舞 e.g. The members of the soccer team exulted over their winning season. forgivable* adj. that can be forgiven 可原谅的,可宽恕的,可饶恕的 e.g. Missing bricks would have been forgivable in an old building, but not in a brand-new (崭新的) house. gorgeous adj. extremely attractive, beautiful, or pleasant 非常漂亮的,令人愉快的 e.g. I) She flashed me a gorgeous smile, as I came past her at dinner. II) She's gorgeous, and from that moment, her name had stuck in my mind. gourmet adj. (of food and drink) produced according to the highest cooking standard e.g. The gourmet meal cost $ 50 per person. gross adj. 1) (informal) extremely unpleasant, very rude or offensive 粗俗的,粗野的 e.g. I) He felt he had said something gross and indecent. II) Stop playing with your food. That's really gross. 2) total; whole总的,毛的 e.g. I) This bridge supports gross weights of up to 24 tons. II) The gross weight of a product includes the weight of its package. harshly* adv. sternly, severely, cruelly 严酷地,无情地,严厉地 e.g. I) He thinks you've marked his essay rather harshly. II) It was terrible to treat the mentally ill so harshly. injustice* n. unfairness, lack of justice 非正义,不公正,无道义 e.g. I) A sense of anger and injustice flooded my mind when I thought back to my childhood. II) When he became a victim of what he presumed to be injustice, he would complain. meditatively adv. in a state of thinking carefully or deeply 深思地,沉思地 e.g. He stared meditatively at the items spreading out on the table. name-drop v. casually mention the names of famous people one knows or claims to know in order to impress others 借名流权贵来抬高自己 e.g. Readers who hope to name-drop will be disappointed. narcissistic adj. with too great a love for one's own abilities or physical appearance 自我陶醉的,孤芳自赏的 needy adj. 1) in a condition of need or want (处于) 缺少或欠缺状态的 e.g. Many people criticized a regime that spent so much money on sport when there were more needy areas. 2) extremely poor 极其贫穷的,无生计的 e.g. over 90 percent of what people give goes directly to help the needy. nonstop 1) adv. without stopping, continuously 不停地 e.g. This airplane flew nonstop from New York to Paris. 2) adj. without stopping, continuous, ongoing 不停的 e.g. My neighbor's nonstop chatter (闲谈) became annoying. offensive adj. highly irritating or annoying, unpleasant or disagreeable to the sense, disgusting 冒犯的,讨厌的,令人不快的 e.g. I) The advertisements were highly offensive to women. II) I consider David's article on July 19 to be inaccurate, offensive and ridiculous. outshine v. surpass in excellence, achievement, etc. 胜过,优于,使相形见绌 e.g. The young girl violinist outshone all the other competitors. overwhelming adj. too great to resist or overcome, very large 势不可挡的,巨大的 e.g. I) He felt an overwhelming urge to tell someone about what had happened. II) The painting is simply without parallel anywhere in the world and has an overwhelming power which charms all those who have set eyes upon it. permissible adj. that is or may be allowed 许可的,可允许的 e.g. I) Delay is not permissible, even for a single day. II) It is permissible to edit (修改) and rephrase the statement. proclaim v. make (something) known officially or publicly, declare with emphasis 宣告,宣布,声明 e.g. I) She proclaimed that what I had said was untrue. II) The army commanders proclaimed a state of emergency in that area. restrained * adj. calm and controlled, not showing strong feelings 克制的,自制的,受约束的 e.g. I) He was furious, but his manner was very restrained. II) Her voice was not restrained, nor was she the least embarrassed. rivalry n. competition, the condition of being a rival or rivals竞争,竞赛,对抗 e.g. I) The parents encouraged friendly rivalry among their children. II) There was fierce rivalry between the two companies to get the contract. scarf n. a piece of cloth for wearing round the neck, head, or shoulders 围巾,披肩 e.g. The east wind made the girl pull her black woolen scarf tightly round her neck. scholarly * adj. having the qualities of a scholar, concerned with academic learning and research 有学者风度的,有学问的 e.g. Glasses gave her a scholarly look. senate n. an assembly having the highest law-making powers in a government 议会,最高立法机构,参议院 e.g. I) He was elected to the California State Senate. II) The United States Senate has 100 senators, two from each state. senator n. a member of a senate 议员,参议员 e.g. I) President Lyndon Johnson had also been a senator from Texas. II) Senator Smith spoke in great detail about the proposed legislation (法规). shamelessly * adv. without shame, not modestly不知羞耻地,不谦虚地 e.g. He is well aware of his gift, using it shamelessly on every possible occasion. show-off n. a person who behaves in a way that makes his skills, abilities, or good qualities very obvious in order to impress people or to attract attention 爱炫耀或卖弄的人 strut v. (strutted, strutted, strutting) 1) used in "strut one's stuff" : show off one's talents or skills 炫耀技能、才智等 e.g. The lab was a place for young Arthur to strut his stuff and become known. 2) walk in an upright, proud way 趾高气扬地走,高视阔步 e.g. This honor entitled her to strut in front of the marching band at football games. suffering* n. pain of body or mind 肉体或内心的痛苦 e.g. Any donation you can give will help us ease the suffering and isolation of the homeless this New Year. terrace n. a flat area next to a house usually with a stone floor, used as an outdoor living area (房屋外的) 露台,平台 e.g. A light shone from the basement halfway along the terrace. throb v. (throbbed, throbbed, throbbing) 1) shake or vibrate as a sound 震颤,颤动 e.g. The music from their party throbbed through the apartment building. 2) beat with increased force or speed (急速强烈地)跳动,搏动 e.g. I hit my toe against the door this morning and it's starting to throb. tidings n. (plural, formal) news, information, or notification 消息,音信 e.g. I dare to hope that your heart will be touched by the tidings of my survival. toot v. produce a short sound or series of sounds 发出鸣声或嘟嘟声 e.g. Bob tooted his horn, hoping Bill would hear him and come out. trashy* adj. of the nature of trash, of inferior quality or worth 毫无用处的,毫无价值的 e.g. I wouldn't call his book trashy but it wasn't very well written. Phrases and Expressions all of a sudden unexpectedly 突然,出乎意料地 e.g. I) All of a sudden, the tyre burst. II) All of a sudden, I noticed that someone was following me. angle for try to obtain something by hinting 使用暗示手段以期获得某物 e.g. I) I suspect that she's been angling for promotion. II) Martha was angling for an invitation to Steve's birthday party. count as be regarded as 看成,视为 e.g. I) These benefits do not count as income for tax purposes. II) The Grand Canyon (大峡谷) is generally counted as one of the most spectacular sights in the US. entitle somebody to something give a right or claim, qualify 给......权利/所有权/资格 e.g. I) The position of vice president entitles her to a large office. II) You are not entitled to unemployment benefit if you have never worked. lay/put one's cards on the table be completely straightforward, conceal nothing 彻底公开,和盘托出 e.g. I think it's time I put my cards on the table. You see, I'm not really a student. show off try to impress others with one's abilities, wealth, intelligence, etc. 炫耀自己的能力、财富、智慧等 e.g. I) Do stop showing off-it's embarrassing. II) For keen travel writers, now is your chance to show off your talents by entering our annual travel writing competition. toot one's own horn (AmE. informal) praise oneself, call attention to one's own skill, intelligence, or success, boast 自吹自擂,炫耀自己的才能、功绩 e.g. I) Oh, you should listen to him toot his own horn! II) One who does things well does not have to toot his own horn. work... into... manage to include something in a piece of writing, speech, or activity 把......穿插进,把......插入e.g. I) Would it be possible to work a couple of meetings into your schedule? II) We hope you can work a few jokes into your speech to make it more interesting. Unit 1 美女还是老虎? 很久以前,有一个国王,非常野蛮,想像力却非常丰富。他出了很多点子,其中一个就 是建一个大竞技场来执行裁决。在那里,罪恶受到惩治,美德得以回报。当臣民被指控犯罪,而且其罪行足以令国王关注时,就会发布公告,告知在某一指定的日期,被指控者的命运将在国王的竞技场上决定。 所有人都已聚集在观众席上,而在竞技场的一边,国王高高地坐在他的御座上,周围簇拥着他的皇室成员及侍臣。当所有人就座后,国王就会发出信号,接着他下面的一扇门就会打开,受到指控的臣民从这儿出来,走入竞技场。在竞技场的另一边,国王的正对面有一模一样的两扇门,紧紧地挨着。受审者直接走向这两扇门,打开其中的一扇,这是他必须做的事,也是他的特殊待遇。他愿意打开哪扇门,就打开哪扇门。他不会得到任何提示,只有凭运气。他可能打开一扇门,里面会出来一只凶残饥饿的老虎。老虎立即立即扑向他,将他撕得四分五裂。这就是对他所犯罪行的惩罚。但是,如果受审者打开另一扇门,里面会走出一位小姐,她是国王从国内众多美女中挑选出来的,是与他的年龄和身份最般配的;他必须立即与这位小姐结婚,这是对他清白无罪的回报。也许他已有妻小,也许他已心有所属,但这一切都不重要。婚礼会立即在竞技场上举行。那时,钟声敲响,观众欢呼,这位无辜的人则领着他的新娘回家。 这就是国王进行裁决的方式。其公正性是显而易见的。如果被告有罪,他将立即受到惩治;如果清白,则当场得到回报。这种 制度 关于办公室下班关闭电源制度矿山事故隐患举报和奖励制度制度下载人事管理制度doc盘点制度下载 非常受欢迎。其中的不确定因素给这种场合增添了趣味性。 国王有一个漂亮任性的女儿,是国王的掌上明珠。他爱她胜过爱任何人。在他的侍臣中,有一位职位较低的年轻人,由于他英俊、勇武,公主爱上了他。他们幸福地恋爱了好几个月之后,有一天被国王碰巧发现了。国王立即将年轻人监禁起来,并定下日期要在竞技场审判他。这样的案子以前从未发生过;以前也从未有任何臣民胆敢爱上国王的女儿。 为了寻找最凶猛的老虎带到竞技场上去,搜遍了整个王国所有关老虎的笼子。同时对年轻漂亮的少女也进行了甄选,以便为他挑选一位最合适的新娘,以备此人命不该绝。当然,众人皆知,他确实做了他被指控的事。他爱公主,并对此供认不讳,然而国王却以此为乐,想看看这年轻人斗胆爱上公主究竟有没有错。 审判的日子到了。人们从四面八方赶来,挤满了竞技场的观众席。国王和他的侍臣们也来到了竞技场,正对着那两扇一模一样的门坐了下来。一切准备就绪,信号发出,国王一行人下面的一扇门打开了,公主的情人走进了竞技场。他高大英俊,人群中发出了一片赞叹声。有半数的观众不知道竟然有这么一位气度不凡的青年生活在他们中间。难怪公主会爱上他!让他出现在这样的场合真是太可怕了! 当这位青年走进竞技场时,按照惯例,他转身向国王鞠躬,然而他脑子里却根本没有这位王室人物的存在。他的眼睛只是死死地盯着坐在她父亲右边的公主。自从要在竞技场上决定她情人命运的命令发出的那一刻起,公主的心里就再也没想过别的事。由于她比以往任何一位与案件有关的人都具有更大的权利和更强的决心,她发现了这两扇门的秘密。她知道哪扇门后面是敞开着的老虎笼,哪扇门后面有一位小姐等在那儿。她凭借黄金和决心发现了这个秘密。 公主也知道那位小姐是谁。她是宫廷中所有小姐中最漂亮的一位,公主嫉恨她。公主经常看见,或者想像中看见,这位美人儿向她的情人暗送秋波,公主有时候也想到她的情人会回敬这位小姐的目光,她时不时地还看到他们在一起说话。 当公主的情人朝她看、两人四目相对时,他知道她清楚哪扇门后蹲着老虎,哪扇门后站着小姐。他早就预料到她会知道的,因为他非常了解她的秉性和决心。此时此刻他那迅速而焦急的一瞥就是在问这样一个问题:“哪扇门?”这个(用目光表示的)问题对她来说是再明白不过了,就像他从他站着的地方向她大声提问一样明白无误。时间一刻都不能耽误。问题是在一刹那间提出的, 答案 八年级地理上册填图题岩土工程勘察试题省略号的作用及举例应急救援安全知识车间5s试题及答案 也必须在刹那间给出。她抬起手,朝右边作了一个不起眼而且很 快的手势。除了她的情人以外,没有人看到她的这一动作。每个人的眼睛都盯着竞技场上的这个人。所有人都屏声息气,所有的眼睛依然盯着他。他毫不犹豫地朝右边那扇门走去,并将它打开。 现在,故事的关键是:从这扇门出来的是老虎还是美女?对这个问题我们考虑得越多,就越难给出答案。它涉及到对人们内心世界的研究,这种研究必然要经历一个个迂回曲折的激情迷宫,从中我们很难找到出路。绝望和嫉妒交织在一起,像火一样煎熬着公主的心。她已失去了他,但是谁应该得到他呢?多少次在醒着的时候,多少次在梦中,她想像着她的情人打开那扇门的情景,等在门的另一边的是老虎凶残的利齿!而更多的时候她看到他站在另一扇门前,看到他打开有美女的那扇门时的喜悦情形!每当她想像到他冲向那位眼睛里充满胜利喜悦的小姐时,她的心就像被灼烧一样。她还想像到,一对佳人成婚,在花雨中走出竞技场时,人群中爆发出的阵阵欢呼声。她自己那绝望的尖叫声则被人们的呼喊声淹没了。让他立即死去难道不更好吗?然而,那可怕的老虎,那尖叫声,那鲜血!她的决定早就在刹那间已经表明,但这是经过无数个日日夜夜痛苦思索的结果。她早就知道他会问她的,她也早已决定怎么来回答,而且她毫不犹豫地指向了右边。 她究竟作出了什么样的决定,对这个问题的考虑是不能轻率的,我也不会想当然地把自己当作是唯一能够回答这个问题的人。因此我将这个问题交给你们:从打开的那扇门里走出来的是美女还是老虎? Unit 2 不再有人停下来说声“谢谢”了 我坐在邻近的一家供应家常口味外卖的餐馆里。餐馆里顾客满堂,有疲惫而快乐的购物者、周末晚上外出就餐的家庭以及考试间隙出来小憩的大学生们。暖暖的屋子里充满了嗡嗡的谈话声。一个大家都熟悉的本地流浪汉——穿着虽不整齐却很干净——走了进来,点了餐,付了钱,接着坐下来静静地等他的外卖。这时,所有的谈话都停了下来。没人朝他看,而且好几个就餐者起身离开了。他意识到了自己的出现使大家感到不自在。当他要的外卖端出来时,他收拢自己的那些袋子和饭菜,提上它们,沉重、压抑地走向门口,准备再回到街上去。正当他走到门口准备腾出一只手(去开门)时,一个正朝餐馆走来、穿戴讲究的男子侧身替他开了门。这位流浪汉停住脚步,说了声:“非常感谢。” 这件偶然的小事使我感动的并不是一位富有的人帮助了一位不幸的人,而是那位无家可归者,尽管急于要逃离这满屋子讨厌他的人,却依然停下来感谢这位富人。毫无疑问,他还感谢过所有给过他钱买饭的人。我在排队买饭的时候,就没见到一个人感谢过柜台后为他们盛土豆泥的年轻人。尽管这样,如果当时我在屋子里的人中做一下民意测验的话,我敢保证那儿的每个人都会认为自己要比街上的流浪汉更懂礼貌。 然而,我们中有多少人是真正的举止得体、彬彬有礼呢?一些观察到的现象令人吃惊。 当我让某个人(的车)并入我的车道时,男人几乎总是挥挥手对我的礼让表示感谢,而女人(“彬彬有礼”的性别)几乎从来不这么做。更多的是女人而不是男人(“有骑士风度”的性别)为后面的人拉着门;这种礼仪细节,十几岁的男孩遵守得最少。而且我再也看不到母亲教导孩子,不管是男孩还是女孩,当后面有人走过来时,应替那些人拉着门——在我小的时候,这是要求每个男孩都要做到的事。 礼貌是一种工具,它提醒我们周围还有别人存在。我们的行为会相互影响,我们应该彼此谦让。但是,如果今天的年轻人能够预示什么的话,那就是我们注定要形成一个人人为己的社会。要是我做了某些我容忍今天的年轻人所做的那些事的话,那非把我父母气死不可,尽管这听起来也许是老生常谈。 我小时候从不在公共场合乱跑,更不会在商店的人群里穿来穿去。如果我尖叫一声的话,就会被带到汽车旁,因举止不当而被父母训斥一番。无论何时只要我在公共场合对别人无礼, 我父母都要我自己去道歉,他们不替我去道歉。这些让人难堪的时刻并没有伤害我;相反,他们使我认识到,除了我以外,还有别的人生活在这个世界上,而且我的行为影响了他们。 有些小孩在追逐其兄弟(或姐妹)时踩了我的脚,却没有一个孩子给我道过歉,而且也只有半数的父母会为此表示歉意。他们常常只是把孩子叫拢来,看都不看我一眼,又把他们带到商店的另一处去乱跑。如果不让小孩学会处理小事,那将来某个时候,他们又如何去收拾严重失言、失礼的场面呢?(我们所有人说不上某个时候就会不可避免地犯这种错误。)我注意到孩子们甚至没有得到任何社交礼貌方面的教育。一个周日,在吃早午餐时,一个小丑在为孩子们做动物气球。我朋友的女儿,萨拉,站在我身边排队等着。一个接一个的孩子抓过给他们的气球,然后——是的——跑开了。当那个小丑把气球递给萨拉时,我提示孩子“你该说什么?”我是在场的唯一这样提示孩子的成人。小丑满面笑容地看着我们,非常感激,因为他终于得到了认可。 然而我并不责怪孩子们。他们仿效所看到的一切。而他们亲眼目睹的是一个只关注所得的社会——无论是得到一栋理想的房子,还是在餐馆里再要一杯饮料,还是在拥挤的高速公路上占有一车之位——人们从不停下来向给予的人致谢。 说粗话现在是那么普遍,以至于成了被认可的行为。我并不是指书本和电影中那些显而易见的脏话,也不是谈论与别的已被认可的脏话相比“该死”这个词已经无伤大雅。我指的是缺乏考虑的用词。比如说,当我和一个编辑讨论某个故事的构想时,一位非常年轻的职员问我是否就是那个打电话来了解情况的“妞儿”。我沉默不语,心里明白如果我表现出不快,那么人们会认为是我过于敏感而不是他失礼。 今天,我们已建成了一个比以往任何时候都更加平等地对待不同种族、不同性别以及不同经济阶层的社会,大多数人为此而感到自豪。不错,在这些方面,我们确确实实已经取得了很大的进步。但是,同样是这些人,却认为突然超过在前面缓慢行走的一对老夫妇之前,不必说一句“对不起,请让一让”,这难道不具有讽刺意味吗? (我们)没必要对家庭分裂、社会结构瘫痪、民主的代价再进行分析来解释我们这个社会究竟出了什么问题。现在要做的事很简单,就是下一次当你需要帮助时,感谢向你伸出援助之手的人。 在一个拥挤的世界里,礼貌是极其重要的。人们之间细微但友好的交往有助于减轻日常生活中的压力,比如说,我们不得不赶时间,不得不想方设法挤入拥挤的大道,还得一次次排队去跟某位办事员打交道,或为账单上的一个差错要一再打客户服务电话等等。礼貌使我们意识到,我们所拥有的每样东西都是有来源的。难道我们真的承受着那么巨大的压力以至于不能停一下来践行一点简单的礼仪吗? Unit 3 从雨林中学到的经商之道 对于我自己企业的未来,或许对世界的未来,环境和正在出现的信息经济是两个至关重要的问题。在我看来,这两个话题像是密切相关的。在某种程度上,这或许是因为我为三菱电气公司工作的缘故,我看到了我们对环境的影响。但是,有关商业、环境和经济相互间关系的最重要学问我不是从自己的公司里学到的,而是从雨林中学到的。 我到亚洲旅行时,参观了马来西亚的雨林。我在那儿学到的东西改变了我作为公司主管人员的一生。 我懂得了保护雨林实际上就是保护环境,但这不仅仅是环境的需要,。也是一个商业上的机会。就我们公司而言,这就是一种机会,借此可以去寻求用创造力和技术来替代树木以及任何资源的商业良机。 在雨林里我还学到了一些别的东西,一些更深刻的东西。我懂得了如何经营自己的公司,以便不仅做到保住雨林,还要使公司更像一个雨林。 我们必须把公司建设成一个学习型的机构,使它具有灵活性和创造性。不是自上而下,而是自下而上(地学习)。不应权力集中,而应权力下放。不应用规定去限制公司,而应用目标去激励它。不应把公司建造得像一台不会学习的机器,而应使它像一个有生命的机体,能够学习。 参观雨林时,我认识到雨林这个机体是一个善于学习的典范。雨林几乎没有任何资源。土地贫瘠,没有什么养分。它几乎不消耗任何东西。废弃物是它的养料。组成结构是它的资本。我期望的三菱电气的模式就是一个在这些方面和雨林相似的机构。 雨林没有生产资料,然而却具有令人难以置信的生产能力。它是数百万种动植物的家园——超过了世界物种的三分之二。这些动植物如此融洽地生长在一起,使雨林成为一个更有效率、更富有创造性的机体,胜过世界上任何一家公司。 如果我们像雨林那样经营我们的公司,可以想象我们将会多么富有创造性,具有多么强的生产力,我们将成为善待生态环境的义士。我们可以首先使公司运作得更像一个有生命的机体,而不像一台机器。在三菱电气,我们已经开始采用一种根据工业生态原理建立的环境管理系统。对我们来说,这意味着两点:首先,我们必须睁大眼睛,看到在环境方面造成的损失和我们公司的利益。其次,我们必须根据我们所看到的情况来采取行动:看到损失——减少它们。 看到利益——增加它们。 看到需求——满足它们。 参观雨林时,我认识到作为商人,我们对雨林的认识一直是错误的。雨林的价值不在于那些我们可以采伐的树木。可贵的是它的构造,是相互之间的各种关系,雨林的真正价值则来自于此。当我们从雨林砍伐树木时,我们会毁掉它的构造。但是,当我们向它获取教益时,我们会促使其目标的实现。我们可以将人类的生态系统也建设成和雨林一样复杂精细、一样富有创造性。我们可以用更少的资源做更多的事情,而且不断发展壮大。 尽管雨林有很多构造原理,我们仅讨论三点: 标新立异。保持本色,保持独特。在雨林里,雷同导致灭亡。如果两个生物机体具有同样的生态位,只有一个可以生存。另一个要么调整适应,要么消亡。 在当今的经济体系中,情况也一样。如果两家企业处于相同领域,生产完全一样的产品,只有一家可以生存。另一家要么转产,要么倒闭。今天大多数公司都想通过降低成本、大幅度裁员和不顾一切地寻求最低成本来努力成为幸存者。 标新立异是更明智的做法。创造出与其它任何产品都不一样、独一无二的产品从而“独霸一方”。不要毁灭我们的竞争者,也不要被它们毁灭——而应避开它们。只有这样才能降低成本、提高效率。 合作共处。今天,许多人认为竞争力是商业成功的关键,但这种想法已经过时了。今天,我们在变得各不相同的同时,也认识到我们任何一个企业都不是十全十美的。我们需要互相填补空白。例如,在我公司里,我们不再期望仅仅靠收购越来越多的公司作为子公司来壮大自己,而是正在和许多别的公司一起合作经营合资企业。每一个公司都保持自己的独立性、自己的特色和自己的核心技术。彼此不同的特点使各方都得益。 做优秀的适应者。我们过去常说只有适者生存;胜利者只有一个。但是雨林拥有众多的胜利者。 在经济体系中我们也能这样。在这个新的、多样化的、雨林似的经济体系中,问题不在于谁最能适应, 而在于什么地方我们最适应。如果我们能适应,也就是我们解决了一个社会问题,满足了某个社会需求,我们将能生存并成为优胜者。如果我们只会制造问题,我们就不能生存、不能成为优胜者。 经常有人问我,公司的需要和环境的需要是否互相矛盾,我认为不是。长远来看,它们不会互相矛盾。 通常的观点认为一个企业的最高使命是获取最大的利润、给股东们最大的回报。这是一种错误的信念。它从来没有正确过。利润只不过是金钱——是一种交换的媒介。你总是用它来换取其它的东西。因此,利润不是最终目的;而只是用来达到某个目的的手段。 我的处世哲学是这样的:我们不是为了赢利而经营企业,我们赢利是为了经营企业。我们的企业有它自身的意义和目的——有它存在的理由。 现在人们谈起企业需要对社会负责,好像这是一件新鲜事,是除了我们所做的所有其它事情之外需要额外去做的一件事。但是社会责任并不是为了企业另外的某个利益而要去做的事情。企业的全部精髓就是社会责任。企业必须有自己生存的目的。否则,它有什么必要存在呢? 我从雨林中所学到的东西是很容易理解的。我们可以耗费更少,获得更多。这是唯一的出路,因为企业的利益和环境的利益并不是互不相容的。 Unit 4 论友谊 如今,许多美国人到国外度假。他们不仅去欣赏新的景观,而且在那些不太陌生的地方有可能遇见新的朋友。没有人真的期待一次度假旅行就能结交一位好友。但可以肯定的是,开始一段友谊是有可能的。无庸置疑,在每个国家里,人们都珍视友谊。 结交一个来自异国的陌生人,困难不在于双方不懂得友谊的重要,而在于对友谊的内涵以及怎样建立友谊的期望不同。在美国人最可能去游览的那些欧洲国家里,友谊显然不同于其他比较随便的关系,而且与家庭生活的关系也各不相同。对法国人、德国人或英国人来讲,友谊通常更加具体,并意味着更多的 承诺 党员整改承诺书工程质量保证服务承诺书供货时间与服务承诺方案食品安全承诺书我公司的设计优势和服务承诺 和义务。 而我们(美国人)可以将“朋友”一词广泛用于各种不同的关系——在一个新地方刚刚认识几个星期的某个人,一位关系密切的生意伙伴,一个童年的玩伴,一个男人或一个女人,一个非常信赖的知己。对美国人来说,这些关系中确实存在着差异——友谊可以是肤浅的,偶然的,应景的,也可以是深厚持久的。但是,只看见我们这些表面行为的欧洲人是不明白这些区别的。 那么,谁才是朋友呢? 与许多欧洲国家一样,在法国,朋友通常是同一性别的,而且友谊基本上被看作是男人之间的一种关系。法国女人对“女人不能成为朋友”这个观点嗤之以鼻,但她们自己有时也承认,对女人而言“友谊是一种不同的概念”。许多法国人对男人和女人之间发展友谊的可能性持怀疑态度。然而,还有一种存在于团体内部的关系——男女成员长期共事,有可能会关系密切,相互信任,相互关心。但在法国人眼里,这不是友谊,尽管这样的团体中的两个成员很可能就是朋友。 对法国人来说,友谊是一对一的关系,双方需要非常熟知彼此的才智、性情、和嗜好。朋友是这样的人:他会使你充分发挥你的最佳品质,跟他在一起你会生气勃勃, 并能把承载相互间友谊的一切表现得更加出色。你的政治哲理更加深邃,对戏剧的鉴赏力更加敏锐,品评美食美酒的能力更强,从运动中得到的乐趣更多。 法国人的友谊可划分为不同的类别。一个人能同朋友切磋棋艺三十年,却对他的政治观点毫不知晓,或者与朋友畅谈政治三十年,却对他的个人生活一无所知。不同的朋友能充实个人生活的不同方面。所有友谊都不会成为家庭生活的一部分。你不会期望一位朋友去花上好几个晚上善待你的孩子,或者彬彬有礼地陪伴在你那耳聋的祖母左右。这些职责主要该由亲人来承担。男人们也许会在咖啡馆与朋友相聚,知识分子会和一大群朋友聚会,在聊天中度过一个个夜晚。有工作的朋友也会聚在小酒馆里,远离家人,边喝边聊。 德国与法国的情况截然不同,在德国,友谊更显而易见地是一种情感。少男少女相互间建立了深情厚谊,同出同入,促膝谈心——与其说是为了激发彼此的聪明才智,不如说是为了倾诉各自的希望、忧虑和憧憬,为了团结一致共同对付学校和家庭,为了共同了解对方的以及各自的内心世界。在家庭内部,兄弟姐妹之间的友谊是一生中最亲密的关系。在家庭之外,男女都能从同性密友身上看到姐妹般的奉献精神,以及兄弟般的赤诚之心。德国人,一般都把朋友带到家中,这是很得体的做法。孩子称父母亲的朋友为“叔叔”和“阿姨”。法国人之所以成为朋友是因为彼此观点相近,朋友间热烈的争论和尖锐的论点则是维持友谊所必不可少的。但是,对于德国人来说,他们的友谊是建立在相互依存的情感基础上的,在双方都看重的问题上的任何严重分歧都被认为是悲剧。像亲情纽带一样,友谊的纽带也应该是永远联系在一起的。到美国来的德国青年很难与美国人建立起这种友谊。相比之下,我们把友谊看作是暂时性的,友情会随着人们搬迁、工作变动、结婚或兴趣的变化而变化。 英国人的友谊又有着另一种不同的模式。他们在共同参与活动的基础上建立友谊。不同的生活阶段会有不同类型的活动——在学校里发现一项共同的兴趣,在部队里一起服役,一起出国共同承担一项任务,在同一个乡间住所度过危机。不管是什么活动,在参与的过程中,人们开始和谐起来——有时是两个男人或两个女人,有时是两对夫妇,有时是三个人——大家一起散步、玩游戏、讲故事、或者在一个工作繁重且十分乏味的委员会共事,并对各自日常的活动或者在关键场合的行为都了如指掌。那些结交了英国朋友的美国人评论说,即便过了好些年“你仍然可以同英国人重续友谊”。久别重逢的朋友们就像是一对随着乐队休息片刻后又再次翩翩起舞的舞伴一样。英国人的友谊是在家庭以外形成的,这种友谊既不像德国人那样与家庭生活结合在一起,却也不像法国人那样与家庭毫不相干。英国人友谊的中断不一定是因为观点或者感情上产生了不可调和的分歧,而是由于相互误解的结果。当一方对另一方的想法、感情、或者行为产生了严重的误解时,他们就会突然失和。 那么,到底什么是友谊呢?看看这些不同风格的友谊,也包括我们美国式的,每一种都与整个生活方式有关,那么它们之间有没有共同之处呢?友谊,与亲属关系不同,暗含了选择的自由,这是大家的一个共识。朋友是彼此之间互相选择的。正因为是这样,每个朋友都使对方觉得他是一个独特的个体,不管这种认识的依据是什么。朋友之间必然存在着一种互谅互让的平等关系。这些共同之处使得不同群体之间的沟通成为可能,而美国人能够接受不同风格的友情,这一特点使他们能够在国外找到新朋友,并与之融洽相处。 Unit 5 寻找快乐 快乐是否特别青睐某一年龄、某种性别或是某个收入水平的人呢?有了令人满意的、亲密的人际关系就会快乐吗?什么样的人生态度、事务活动以及选择取舍能使人快乐呢? 尽管有关快乐的科学研究最近才迅速发展起来,但对快乐的思索却自古有之。古代哲学家们认为充满智慧思索的人生才快乐。罗马哲学家西塞罗说:“世上没有快乐的愚人,也没有不快乐的智者。”在此后的几个世纪里,有些智者认为快乐源于高尚的人生,而另一些则认为快乐来自尽情享受;有些智者认为快乐源于知情达理,而另一些则认为快乐来自一直存有的幻想;有些智者认为快乐源于自律,而另一些则认为快乐在于摆脱愤怒和痛苦。不同的观点我们还可以列举出很多,但其中蕴涵的意义已经很清楚了:要想了解快乐的真谛,我们必须搞清楚这些相互对立的观点是否符合实际。总之,必须科学地研究这个问题。 社会科学家通过努力寻求什么与人生的快乐和满足有关,推翻了一些关于哪些人快乐、哪些人不快乐的错误观念。 很多人认为人生有几个不快乐的阶段——通常指的是压力重重的少年时期,“危机四伏的中年”时期,以及日趋衰弱的老年时期。但是对不同年龄的人所做的调查结果表明,人生中不存在特别快乐或者特别不快乐的特定时期。确实,人的情绪会随着年龄的增长而变化: 令人满意的社会关系和健康状况在人的后半生会显得更加重要。青少年则与成人不同,他们的愁闷或快乐不到一小时就完全过去了。但是,一个人是否一直快乐,他的年龄并不能给我们任何启示。而且,抑郁症、自杀和离婚的比例在所谓的“危机四伏的中年”阶段也没有上升的迹象。 那么,快乐是否偏爱某个性别的人呢?是男人因为收入丰厚、社会地位高而比女人更快乐还是女人因为她们似乎更具亲和力、更善于社交而比男人更快乐呢?跟年龄一样,性别同个人感觉上的幸福感也没有必然的联系。但是,面临痛苦时,男女的反应确有差别:烦恼时,男人更喜欢借酒消愁,而女人则更容易陷于沉思,变得忧郁或焦虑。但男人和女人都有可能表示自己“非常快乐”,对生活“很满足”。这是根据世界范围内的几十个调查研究得出的结论。 二十世纪人们的生活水平得到了大幅度的提高,并有望在未来的几十年中继续改善。这是否就意味着我们人类有望享受更多的快乐呢?未必如此。经济的稳步增长并不会使人们感到自己也越来越幸福。人们似乎对已有的收入水平也日趋不满。 一次又一次的研究表明,快乐的人有四个典型特征:首先,快乐的人都自我欣赏,这在强调个性的西方文化中尤为突出。在自我评价测试中,他们对于诸如“与我相处很开心”、“我有很多好主意”的说法都表示赞同。快乐的人承认他们有很强的自尊心,这与我们的猜想正好一致。的确,他们通常自我评价良好:认为自己比别人更道德,更聪明,更少成见,更善于与他人相处,也比常人更健康。 第二,快乐的人通常有自我驾御能力。他们自主能力强,面对问题不至于束手无策,因而在学校里成绩更好,工作中成就更大,对压力也更能应付自如。在囚犯、疗养院里的病人以及生活在极权统治下的人群中进行的研究表明人们一旦失去了生活的自主能力,就会意志消沉、健康恶化。极度的贫穷如果使人们丧失了对生活的自主意识,也是让人很沮丧的。 第三,快乐的人通常都很乐观。也许人们会这样进行推理,由于悲观者的期望不高,很容易超越,所以他们经常会得到惊喜。诗人亚历山大? 蒲柏在1727年的一封信中这样写道:“无所期望的人才会感到快乐,因为他永远不会失望。”但是,会进行积极思考的乐观主义者往往会更成功、更健康、更快乐,他们承认诸如“当承担一项新工作时,我期望成功”这样的想法。 第四,快乐的人往往很外向。尽管我们也许会以为内向者过得更幸福,因为他们压力小,在宁静的生活中有更多的时间进行思考.但是,实际上,外向的人更快乐,无论是独自一人或是与他人一同生活和工作,无论是住在乡村或是都市。 对于上述每一种性格特征与快乐的相互关系中,哪个是“因”哪个是“果”还不确定。比如,是快乐使人更外向呢?还是外向的人与他人交往时更热情,更不拘谨呢?外向的人之所以结婚早、职业好、朋友多也许是因为他们有这些特点的缘故。如果这类性格真的能给人带来快乐,那么人们也许可以装作具有这类性格以使自己更快乐些。在实验中,那些佯装自信的人自我感觉真的好起来了,那些强作笑颜的人也更快乐了。 然而,快乐似乎只能在我们的基因组所限定的范围内变化。人们快乐程度的差别有50%是遗传的,这是心理学家戴维? 利肯和奥克? 泰利根在研究了254对同卵和异卵双胞胎之后作出的估计。即使在不同的环境里养大的一对同卵双胞胎,他们的快乐程度仍然差不多。在人生观和近期经历的影响下,快乐程度会围绕一个固有值上下浮动,这个固有的快乐值使一些人笑口常开,而使另一些人愁肠百结。 亲密的人际关系也是幸福生活的标志。人们很容易想象为什么亲近的关系所带来的压力会恶化病情,加深痛苦。让-保尔·萨特曾说过:“他人即地狱。”幸好,与朋友家人之间的亲密关系所带来的益处常常多于它所带来的压力。与缺少这类关系的人相比,那些能够说出几个好朋友的人总是更健康、更快乐、不容易早逝。心理学家威廉·派弗特发现,人们在与他人相处时会更愉悦。 对九成以上的人来说,婚姻是结束孤寂生活的最有效的办法。尽管婚姻关系的破裂会带来极大的痛苦,但相互支持,亲密无间,忠贞不渝的婚姻关系是人生中一件最美满的事。用亨利? 沃德? 比彻的话来说就是“婚姻美满如添翼,勉强结合似牢笼。”值得高兴的是,全国范围内的调查表明,四分之三的已婚美国人说他们的配偶是自己最好的朋友,五分之四的人说,倘若可以再次选择,他们还会选择现在的配偶。这种情感恰好可以说明为什么在20世纪70年代和80年代,声称自己“非常快乐”的已婚者比未婚者多(39%对24%)。 婚姻是否如人们通常所认为的那样,对男性快乐程度的影响比对女性的影响大?在欧洲与北美国家的调查都表明:无论男性还是女性,已婚与未婚者之间快乐的差别是相似的。近百个此类调查的结果也证实了这一点:尽管一个失败的婚姻可能使女性比男性更沮丧,但认为单身女性比已婚女性更快乐的观念是完全站不住脚的。 因此,知道了人们的年龄、性别以及收入(假定他们的收入足以维持生活),我们仍无法确定他们是不是快乐。威廉? 柯珀1782年的设想如今已被证实:“正如现实所显示的,外部事物对快乐的影响比大多数人以为的要小得多。”判断一个人是否快乐,更好的依据是了解他具有什么性格,以及他是否有一个良好的人际关系网支持他。 Unit 6 什么?我在卖弄? 我们参加了威尔逊家一年一度的聚会。在客厅的另一头,一名年轻女士正在抨击贫穷、战争、不公正及人类所蒙受的疾苦,她情绪激昂、声音颤抖,双眼闪着怒光。确实,她对人类的疾苦如此痛心疾首,以至于大家的注意力迅速地从她阐述的道德问题转向了她本人,她是如何非常非常深切地关注这类问题。 她在卖弄。 屋子的这一头,一个有学者派头的家伙刚刚在一句话里用上了“感时伤怀”、“克尔恺郭尔”和“认识论”这些词语。与此同时,我们的常驻品酒专家拿着一杯非常好的法国葡萄酒,若有所思地浅尝一口,随即便将杯酒弃置一边。 他们也是在卖弄。 还有我们。我们抱怨自己今天有多累,因为我们去上班,赶回来观看儿子在学校的演出,到食品店采购,急匆匆地回家做可口的饭菜,而后又修好了餐厅里的另一把椅子。 我们同样也在卖弄。 我想说的是,实际上每个人都有这样或那样的理由想卖弄一下。没人能完全超凡脱俗,你我亦然。尽管我们所受的教育告诉我们,自我吹嘘不好,自吹自擂没用,有教养的人从不炫耀自己,从不出风头或借名人来抬高自己。然而,有些时候卖弄可以得到原谅,甚至是可以接受的。 不过我们先得看一看,什么样的卖弄是令人讨厌的,无法接受的,永远令人不悦的。比如说,有人因强烈的竞争而卖弄。有人想方设法成为焦点人物并保持住这种地位而自我陶醉地卖弄。 竞争型的卖弄者们想成为所有人群中的佼佼者。他们一定要使别人都相形见絀。不管在谈论什么,他们总是拥有更多——更多的专长、金钱、甚至烦恼;他们拥有的总是更好——更好的牙医、孩子、婚姻或烹饪法;他们的感情总是更深刻——对动物更深的爱护,对人类苦难更深的关注。竞争型的卖弄者们永远处于竞争状态。例如,你正在讲你那五岁的孩子最近为你做了个小巧可爱的生日卡,但就在你快讲完时,那个竞争型的卖弄者插进来说,她的女儿不仅给她做了一张小巧可爱的生日卡,还把早餐送到她的床头,并且省下了一个月又一个月的零花钱为她买了条漂亮的围巾作为生日礼物——显然,她这个母亲得到的爱远胜于你。 自我陶醉型的卖弄者们则不会费神去竞争,因为他们压根儿没发现会有什么人可竞争。 他们无休止地高谈阔论、自吹自擂、手舞足蹈,时而还引用一下荷马的希腊文原句。如果他们不能引起他人注意,甚至会不惜头脚倒立。自我陶醉型的卖弄者们希望自己是明星,他人皆为观众。不错,他们往往都很可爱,迷人,有趣——只不过那是他们大约六岁以前的事了。 我确实见识过一个自我陶醉型的卖弄者。当人们不再谈论他的成就时,他便起身走了出去。当发现他站在阳台上闷闷不乐时,我问他:“你怎么了?”"哦,没什么,"他回答说,"不过,我感到话题一下子变得那么肤浅了。" 另一类卖弄者们是大大值得同情的,他们是基本上无安全感的人。据一位密友解释,他们卖弄是因为他们觉得“假如我不告诉别人,别人怎么会知道我很棒呢?”无论卖弄者们想告诉别人什么,比方说,我是个聪明人,我是个大好人,他们都有各种不同的技巧来表达这个意思。 有的时候,卖弄者们企求他们没资格得到的喝彩。有的时候,卖弄者们赢得了所追求的赞誉。而有的时候,人们获得了极大的成就却没有去炫耀 那才叫令人难忘呢! 一位已有四个孩子的文静的母亲不久前选入了州议会,她整晚都在和我们聊天,谈得十分投机,却压根儿没提这件事。当我们发觉时,说真的,我们真是百感交集,又是钦佩、又是惊讶。 她是何等地自律啊! 假如我们是那位幸运的女士的话,我们就会想方设法把自己的成就纳入话题,我们太了解自己了——我当然清楚得很。其实,我可以坦白交代:当我的诗歌首次发表时,我不仅成年累月地在每次聊天时提及此事,还不厌其繁地给本地的和外地的几乎所有认识的人打电话,宣告喜讯。不妨让我向你再坦白得彻底一点儿,如果碰巧有个陌生人在街上叫住我,即便他只想问问时间或问问路,我也会尽量多留他一会儿,好让他知道,正在和他说话的人是个不折不扣的,已有大作发表的,还未作古的诗人。 令大家庆幸的是,过了一段时间,我终于冷静下来了。 那时我是在卖弄,在自夸,没有丝毫的羞怯和自制能力。不过,我不是想为自己辩护,生活中发生了那么重要、那么荣耀、那么激动人心的一件事,使我按捺不住地要炫耀一番。炫耀大概是一种尚能容忍的卖弄吧。 我先生给我做了个煎蛋。他几乎跳着踢踏舞把煎蛋从厨房的灶头端到桌上,摆在我的面前,完全客观地评价道这也许是迄今为止做得最好的煎蛋。这就是炫耀。 我母亲带着她的长孙去所有的朋友家串门,一进门就嚷嚷:“他可爱吗?他是不是个可爱的小家伙?他是不是你见过的最可爱的小家伙?”这也是炫耀。 假如那个有四个孩子的母亲微笑着说:“别再叫我…玛吉?。叫我…州议员?”。这也是炫耀。 炫耀就是毫不谦虚地向全世界宣布我们的才能和成就。就像是说:我正在谢幕,希望听到掌声。我想如果我们不做过头(比如说,叫住陌生人,只为了告诉他你的大作发表了,这就是做过了头);如果我们懂得适可而止(“别再谈我了。谈谈你吧。你觉得我怎么样?”算不上是适可而止),如果我们不是炫耀迷(比方说,每作一首诗,每煎一个蛋都渴望得到赞扬),如果我们能够走下舞台(在他人谢幕时为之鼓掌、欢呼),那么我想我们是可以时不时地炫耀一下的。 尽管卖弄有的张扬,有的含蓄,卖弄的出发点有时卑鄙,有时美好,有时出于情感需要,但炫耀总有不谦之嫌,有被无情地定为卖弄者之虞。或许我们应当考虑一下切斯特菲尔德伯爵给儿子信中的话:"谦逊是博取赞誉唯一可靠的手段。” 当然,他说得没错。我们清楚他是对的,他肯定是正确的。不过有时实在太难克制自己了。无论我们做什么,总会犯点小差错。那么,何不让我们原谅彼此的卖弄呢?