新视野大学英语2unit8.docx

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1、Unit 8Section APre-reading ActivitiesFirst ListeningPlease listen to a short passage carefully and prepare to answer some questions.Second ListeningListen to the tape again. Then answer the following questions with your own experiences.1) How do young students and older teachers see the role of educ

2、ation differently?2) What is quality of life and how can it be improved?3) According to the writer, what must educators prepare students for?Theres a Lot More to Life than a JobIt has often been remarked that the saddest thing about youth is that it is wasted on the young.Reading a survey report on

3、first-year college students, I recalled the regret, If only I knew then what I know now.The survey revealed what I had already suspected from informal polls of students both in Macon and at the Robins Resident Center: if it (whatever it may be) wont compute and you cant drink it, smoke it or spend i

4、t, then it holds little value.According to the survey based on responses from over 188,000 students, todays college beginners are more consumeristic and less idealistic than at any time in the seventeen years of the poll.Not surprising in these hard times, the students major objective is to be finan

5、cially well off. Less important than ever is developing a meaningful philosophy of life. Accordingly, today the most popular course is not literature or history but accounting.Interest in teaching, social service and the humanities is at a low, along with ethnic and womens studies. On the other hand

6、, enrollment in business programs, engineering and computer science is way up.Thats no surprise either. A friend of mine (a sales representative for a chemical company) was making twice the salary of college instructors during her first year on the job 一 even before she completed her two-year associ

7、ate degree.I 11 tell them what they can do with their (music, history, literature,etc.),z，she was fond of saying. And that was four years ago; I tremble to think what she，s earning now.Frankly, Im proud of the young lady (not her attitude but her success). But why cant we have it both ways? Cant we

8、educate people for life as well as for a career? I believe we can.If we can not, then that is a conviction against our educational system kindergarten, elementary, secondary and higher. In a time of increasing specialization, a time when 90 percent of all the scientists who have ever lived are curre

9、ntly alive, more than ever, we need to know what is truly important in life.This is where age and maturity enter. Most people, somewhere between the ages of 30 and 50, finally arrive at the inevitable conclusion that they were meant to do more than serve a corporation, a government agency, or whatev

10、er.Most of us finally have the insight that quality of life is not entirely determined by a balance sheet. Sure, everyone wants to be financially comfortable, but we also want to feel we have a perspective on the world beyond the confines of our occupation; we want to be able to render service to ou

11、r fellow man and to our God.If it is a fact that the meaning of life does not dawn until middle age, is it then not the duty of educational institutions to prepare the way for that revelation? Most people, in their youth, resent the Social Security deductions from their pay, yet a seemingly few shor

12、t years later find themselves standing anxiously by the mailbox.While its true all of us need a career, preferably a prosperous one, it is equally true that our civilization has collected an incredible amount of knowledge in fields far removed from our own. And we are better for our understanding of

13、 these other contributions be they scientific or artistic. It is equally true that, in studying the diverse wisdom of others, we learn how to think. More importantly, perhaps, education teaches us to see the connections between things, as well as to see beyond our immediate needs.Weekly we read of u

14、nions that went on strike for higher wages, only to drive their employer out of business. No company, no job. How shortsighted in the long run.But the most important argument for a broad education is that in studying the accumulated wisdom of the ages, we improve our moral sense. I saw a cartoon rec

15、ently which depicts a group of businessmen looking puzzled as they sit around a conference table; one of them is talking on the intercom:Miss Baxter,，z he says, ，zcould you please send in someone who can distinguish right from wrong?”In the long run thats what education really ought to be about. I t

16、hink it can be. My college roommate, now head of a large shipping company in New York, not surprisingly was a business major. But he also hosted aclassical music show on the college，s FM station and listened to Wagner as he studied his accounting.That，s the way it should be. Oscar Wilde had it right

17、 when he said we ought to give our ability to our work but our genius to our lives.Lets hope our educators answer students cries for career education, but at the same time lets ensure that students are prepared for the day when they realize their shortsightedness. Theres a lot more to life than a jo

18、b.Words: 821NEW WORDSformala. 1. following accepted rules of behavior 正式的;合乎礼仪的2. in appearance; by name only 形式上的,名义上的informala. not forma!不正式的,不拘形式的,随便的polln. 1. C a survey of public opinion 民意测验,民意调查2. (also pl.) the giving of written choices at an election 选举投票residenta. 1. having a home in a pl

19、ace 居住的,居留的2. attached to and working regularly for a particular organization 住 校的,住院的,住在任所的n. C a person who lives or has his/her home in a place 居民,定居者Acomputev. count (sth.); work (sth.) out 估算,算出,计算 consumeristica. believing in spending money and buying goods 消费主义的accordinglyad. 1. for the reaso

20、n; so 因此,所以2. in a manner that is suggested by what is known or has been said 按 照所说的情况Ahumanityn. 1. (pl.) subjects concerned with human culture 人文学科(尤指文学、 语言、历史和哲学)2. U human beings as a whole; people 人的总称,人类3. U kind-heartedness 仁慈,仁爱,善心Aethnica. of a national or racial group that has a common cul

21、tural tradition (有 共同文化传统的)民族的,种族的;部落的Aenrollv. become or make (sb.) a member (of sth.)(使)成为的成员,注册enrollmentn. 1. C the number of people enrolled 注册或登记的人数2. U enrolling or being enrolled 登记,注册,入会salaryn. C a fixed amount of money given every week, month, or year as payfor an employee 薪金,薪水kindergart

22、enn. C, U a school for very young children 幼丿园elementarya. 1. of or in the beginning stage; related to primary schools 初级的; 小学的2. simple or easy; basic简单的,基本的,基础的 secondarya. 1. (of education or a school) for children over 11 years old (教育、 学校)中等的2. less important than related things 次要的specializevi

23、. (in) give particular attention to (a subject, product, etc.)专攻, 专门研究(某课题、产品等)specialization (英 specialisation)n. U, C specializing 专业化,专门化corporationn. C a business company 公司agencyn. 1. C a government organization 政付机构2. C a business or place of business providing a service 经销处,代 理处confinen. (pl.

24、) limits, borders 界限,范围vt. keep sb. /sth. within certain limits 把限缶于occupationn. 1. C a job; employment 工作,职业2. C a way of spending time; an activity done in ones spare time 日 常活动,消遣rendervt. 1. give给予,提出2. cause sb. /sth. to be in a particular state 使得,使成为institutionn. 1. C (building of an) organiz

25、ation, (sometimes) an organization for helping people with special needs机构;慈善机构,社会福利机构(如孤儿 院、养老院)2. C a custom, system or organization that has existed for a long time and is accepted as an important part of a particular society 制度,习 俗Arevelationn. 1. U making known sth. that was secret or hidden 泄露

26、,掲不,展小2. C sth. which is revealed所揭露的事,惊人的新发现preferablea. preferred; more suitable更可取的,更合意的,更好的preferablyad. rather than anything, anywhere, etc. else 更可取地,宁可civilization (英 civilisation)n. U, C a human society with its highly developed social organizations, or the culture and way of life of a socie

27、ty or country at a particular period in time 文明,文化incrediblea. impossible or very difficult to believe 难以置信的contributionn. C, U action of giving (money, support, help or ideas) towards a particular aim or purpose; sth. given towards a particular aim or purpose 捐助(物),贡献(物),奉献artistica. 1. of art or a

28、rtists艺术的,美术的;艺术家的2. skillful and attractive富有艺术性的,精美的,精彩的wisdomn. 1. U experience and knowledge; quality of being wise 经验与知识, 智慧,睿智2. U good judgment正确判断,贤明weeklyad. once a week or every week 一周一次地，每周地a. happening once a week or every week 一周一次的,每周的h. C a newspaper or magazine which is published on

29、ce every week 周扌艮, 周刊unioni. 1. C a club formed by uniting people or groups; an organization of employees协会,俱乐部;工会2. C (the act or instance of) uniting or being united 联合，合并accumulatev. collect a large number of things over a long time; gradually increase in number or amount 累积,积累cartoonn. 1. C an a

30、musing drawing in a newspaper or magazine 漫画, 幽默回2. C a film made by photographing a series of gradually changing drawings 动画片Adepictvt. show (sb. /sth.) as a picture; describe (sth.) in words 描绘,描述puzzlev. 1. (make one) feel confused or slightly worried because one cannot understand sth.(使)困惑,(使)为难

31、2. (make one) think hard about sth. in order to understand it (使)苦 思n. 1. C a game or toy in which parts must be fitted together correctly, intended to amuse or exercise the mind 智力测验,智力玩具,谜2. C a question that is difficult to understand or answer 难题,难解 之事conferencen. C, U (meeting for) discussion o

32、r exchange of views 会议,讨论(会) intercomn. C a system by which one can talk through a machine to sb. in a near place内部通话系统 distinguishvt. 1. recognize the difference between (people or things) 辨另, 识另2. (oneself) behave or perform noticeably well 表现突出 classicala. (of music) serious and traditional in st

33、yle 古典的 FM (abbreviation for frequency modulation)n. U a radio system of broadcasting 调频PHRASES AND EXPRESSIONS if only(used to express a strong wish)(用来表示强烈的愿望)但愿,真希望 according toas stated by (sb.) or in (sth.) 根据be well offbe in a good position, esp. financially 经济允裕, 畐裕at a lowat a low level or f

34、igure处于低水平(或数字)be fond ofhave a great liking for sb. /(doing) sth.很喜欢,很喜爱be proud oftake pride in为感到自豪arrive atreach (sth. such as a place or conclusion) 达成,得出be meant to dobe supposed to do 应做read offind out about (sb. /sth.) by reading 通过阅读发现(或查明)go on strikebe engaged in/start a strike 举行罢in the

35、long runafter a long period; in the end从长远的观点来看;终究,最后PROPER NAMESMacon梅肯（美国乔治亚州中部城市）Robins Resident Center 罗宾斯住宿中心Baxter 巴克斯特Oscar Wilde奥斯卡王尔德（爱尔兰作家、诗人,19世纪末英国唯美主义的主要代表）Section BWhat Youngsters Expect in LifeBack in the good old days of stable economic expansion - the 1950s and 1960s a person could

36、choose to do something new, exciting, and creative in life but could also choose to say, Thats not for me: I am going to play it safe in life. I am going to stay in my home town and have a nice comfortable career in a salaried job. That second choice no longer exists for the vast majority of America

37、ns. All of us are going to be creators and pioneers over the next 10 years whether we like it or not, and many of us dont like it.Just look at what the attitude surveys tell us. In the United States, three-quarters of the adults surveyed by the Harris poll and two-thirds of all high-school seniors s

38、urveyed by Scholastic magazine say they believe that the United States will be a worse place 10 years from now than it is today. No wonder young people are disaffected. No wonder they are not motivated to learn. They think the world in which they are going to spend their lives wont be a very satisfa

39、ctory place.Young men, in particular, are not happy with their prospects for the future. When surveyors ask U. S. female high-school students what they are going to do when they graduate, they list all kinds of roles they want to fill, like doctors, lawyers, engineers, accountants, civil servants, p

40、olice and firemen, and fighter pilots. In short, they want to do all the things thatmen have always done. Moreover, less than 10% of female high-school seniors expect to spend their adult lives solely as mothers and domestic managers, while nearly 90% are committed to having both a career and a marr

41、iage based on equality.By comparison, nearly half of male high-school students express their preference for a traditional, male-headed, one provider, nuclear family, where the wife stays home as mother and housewife. And when male high-school students are asked what kinds of careers they would like

42、to have, the only two job fields that consistently receive large numbers of responses in open surveys are professional athlete and media personality. A large proportion of America，s young men - one third or more simply say they dont know what they re going to do as adults. If these people do not acq

43、uire some constructive vision of purpose for themselves, they are likely to be very destructive forces of resistance in society throughout their lives. We already see that. One recent estimate is that one-sixth of all fourteen-to twenty-four-year-olds in America 一 mostly males - are currently disaff

44、ected and disconnected. They are not associated with any formal role in society, nor are they in any formal relationship with another person. These are the folks who are joining the gangs in inner cities and swelling the ranks of the rural military gangs. They see no roles for themselves in an Infor

45、mation Age society, and they are angry about their empty future.So this is a very pregnant moment, not only for the future of America, but also for all of the mature industrial economies and, ultimately, for the world at large. It is an uncertain moment, a scary moment. It is the kind of moment in h

46、istory when, to summarize in the words of Alfred North Whitehead, familiar patterns fade, familiar solutions fail, and familiar options disappear. Of course, the books and periodicals that are warning society about the removal of jobs, the end of work, and wage decreases only serve to increase publi

47、c anxiety a slow-motion variation of shouting Fire! in a crowded theater.These alarming forecasts are largely simple projections of the past two or three decades of workplace trends. However, in the absence of plausible alternative explanations for the gloomy economic news of the past 15 一 20 years

48、and the gloomier prospects implicit in the projections of those trends, industrial societies 一 fearful for the future 一 might very well take backward steps. These steps will principally serve the interests of the economically dominant groups who want to protect their assets and resources from the forces of change. Nations that take such steps will lose balance. Social and economic progress will