21世纪大学英语教程05.docx

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1、Unit 5Text APre-reading ActivitiesAs you listen to the passage, write down the idioms and expressions that match each definition below. Warning: One of the definitions fits two expressions that youll hear.a) a child who learns to survive by observing life on city streetscompetitive strategies used i

2、n businessb) 100% Americanunhealthy foodc) a popular American dessertan activity, decision, problem, etc., that concerns only family members1. How would you answer Lis last question?The ABCs of the U.S.A.: America Seen with European EyesMichael DobbsAmerica can be a strange experience for a foreigne

3、r. My wife and I arrived in the United States in January after seven years overseas - four in France, three in Poland. From the jumble of first impressions, we compiled an A-to-Z explanation of why America can be such a foreign country to those who arrive here from Europe.I should explain at the out

4、set that I am from Britain, but my Florida-born wife Lisa is as American as apple pie. In our list, however, A doesnt stand for apple pie. It stands fo亡Ambition. In the Old World, people are taught to hide it. Here its quite proper to announce that youre after the bosss job or want to make a million

5、 dollars by the age of 30.Breakfast. The American habit of conducting business at breakfast has reached Europe, but I doubt it will ever really catch on. In France and Britain, breakfast is a family affair. Here, its become part of the power game.Credit Cards. You really can*t leave home without the

6、m. Its interesting, and somewhat frustrating, to discover that bad credit is better than no credit at all: I was refused a VISA card on the grounds that I didnt have a credit profile.Drcams. The American Drcam is still very much alive. Dreaming great drcams is what keeps American society going - fro

7、m the waitress who wants to become a car dealer to the street kid who wants to become a basketball star. Europeans dream dreams too, but dont seem to believe in them so much.Exercise. A couple of years ago I came to Washington with some French journalists. As our bus passed a health club on the way

8、to the hotel, the French visitors cheered at莉萨（女子名）VISA威世信用卡（美国的一种购物信用卡）Galoise高卢牌香烟Oliver North奥利弗诺斯（男子名）Ollie奥利（奥利弗的昵称）the sight of body-conscious Americans bending, stretching and leaping around. Americas obsession with physical fitness really amuses and puzzles Europeans. First names. In Europe,

9、 people progress in a natural and orderly way from the use of last names to the use of first names. Here, its first names at first sight. This can cause confusion for Europeans. With everyone on a first-name basis, how can you tell your acquaintances from your friends?Gadgets. These can be addictive

10、. Its difficult to imagine now how we survived for so long without automatic ice machines and microwave ovens.Hardware Stores. If I were in charge of arranging the programs of visiting delegations from lessdeveloped countries, I d include a compulsory visit to a hardware store.These temples of Ameri

11、can capitalism reveal a whole range of American values, from the do-it-yourself pioneer spirit through a love of comfort that absolutely astonishes most foreigners.Insurance. Americans have policies to cover every possible risk, no matter how remote. So far, weve refused supplementary insurance for

12、our car radio, death insurance for our mortgage and accident insurance for our cat. It gives us a feeling of living dangerously.Junk food. Anyone who wants to understand why Americans suffer from higher rates of cancer and heart disease only has to look at what they eat.Ketchup. I had to come to Ame

13、rica to discover that it can be eaten with anything from French fries to French cheese.Lines. American lines beginning with the yellow line at immigration control are the most orderly in the world. The British queue, once internationally renowned, has begun to decay in recent years. The French queue

14、 was never very impressive, and the Italian line is simply a mob.Money. In Europe, everybody likes money, but no one shows it off. Unless its been in the family for several generations, theres often an assumption that it was acquired dishonestly. In America, no one cares how you got it.No smoking. N

15、o longer just a polite request in America, this phrase has become the law. Nobody would dare ask a Frenchman to put out his Galoise in a restaurant. Oliver North. What other major Western democracy lets army officers take over foreign policy? A hero for some, a traitor for others, Ollie (see First N

16、ames) is an example of an American recklessness that awes and alarms Europeans.Patriots. They exist everywhere, of course, but the American version is louder and more self-conscious than the European. In Britain, its taken for granted that politicians love their country. Here, theyre expected to pro

17、ve it.Quiet. American cities are quieter than European cities - thanks to noise controls on automobiles and to recent environmental legislation. This was a major surprise for someone brought up to assume that America was a noisy place.Religion. The idea of putting preachers on TV is alarming to Euro

18、peans. Its even more alarming to see them in action.Sales. Ever since arriving in Washington, weve been hurrying to take advantage of this week*s unrepeatable offer, only to discover that its usually repeated next week. We!re just catching on that theres always an excuse for a sale.Television. That

19、grown-ups can watch game shows and sitcoms at 11 AM amazes me but the national habit, day or night, is contagious. I recently found myself nodding in agreement with a professor who was saying that American kids watch too much television. Then I realized that I was watching him say this on television

20、.Ulcers. See Work.Visas. Americans dont need visas to visit Britain (or most European countries, for that matter). To enter the United States, I had to sign a document promising that I would not overthrow the government by force and had no criminal record. One wonders if many terrorists and criminal

21、s answer Hyesn on these questionnaires. Work. People in less developed countries often imagine that they can become rich simply by emigrating to America. But America became a wealthy society through work, work and more work. Its still true.X-rated movies. We have them in Europe too, but not on motel

22、-room TVs.Yuppies. The European counterpart remains a pale shadow of the all-American original. The animal seems more ambitious, and more common, on this side of the Atlantic.Zillion. What other nation would invent a number thafs infinitely more than a billion? America may not always be the best, bu

23、t it certainly thinks big.(1,030 words)New Wordsjumblen. a confused or untidy group of things 杂舌L 的堆* compilevt. produce by putting together many pieces (eg, of information) 汇编； 编制 outsetn. beginning开始；起始ambitionn. strong desire for success, power, money, etc.对(成功、权力、金钱等的)强烈 欲望，野心；雄心profilen. 1. a s

24、hort article or programme which describes a persons life and character 传略, 人物简介2. a side view, csp. of sb/s head; a shape of sth. seen against a background 狈！J面, 狈1J 影；轮廓vt. 1.写的传略2.给.画侧面像；描的轮廓 * dealern. a person whose business involves buying and selling 商人； 证券经Z己人journalistn. a person who works o

25、n a newspaper or magazine and writes articles for it 新闻记 者；报纸撰稿人journaln. 1. a magazine for people with a particular interest 杂志, 期刊2. an account which one writes of ones daily activities 日志； 日 i己leap (leapt or leaped)vi. jump high in the air or jump a long distance 跳跃n. a sudden jump or movement; a

26、 sudden increase in number, amount, etc, EK跃; 激增* obsessionn. a fixed idea from which the mind cannot be freed 着迷； 困扰physical fitnesshealthy body conditions 身体健康amusevt. make (sb.) laugh; cause to spend time in a pleasant way 逗乐；给提供娱乐或消遣amusinga. (of sth.) that makes people laugh 有趣的；逗笑的orderlya. we

27、ll arranged or organized 有条理的；整齐的confusionn. 1. the state of being mixed up, more difficult to understand 辨另ll 不清； 混淆2. disorder骚乱；混舌Lconfusevt. make more difficult to understand; cause to be mistaken; mix up 使模糊不清； 混 淆；使混乱acquaintancen. 1. a person you know, but who is not a close friend 相识的人； 熟人2.

28、 knowledge of or familiarity with sb./sth. 了 解； 认识gadgetn. (infml) a small machine or device 小巧的机械；精巧的装置addictivea.(使人)入迷的；(使人)上瘾的microwaven.微波;微波炉ovenn.烤炉，烤箱microwave ovenn.微波炉delegationn.代表团delegaten.代表；会议代表vt. 1. appoint as one*s representative 委派.为代表2. entrust (duties, rights, etc. to sb.)授权;把委托

29、给(某人)* capitalismn.资本主义(制度)do-it-yourselfn. & a, (the activity of) making or repairing things oneself 自 己动手 (的)， 自行维 修(的)* supplementarya. additional补充的，增补的* mortgagen.抵押;抵押贷款vt. use (ones land or house) as a guarantee to the lending institution in order toborrow money from it 抵押ketchupn. (= catchup

30、)调味番茄酱fryn. (see French fry)cook (food) in hot fat or oil 油煎，油炸French fries(美)法式炸薯条immigrationn. the coming of people into a country in order to work or settle there 移居； 移民queuen. a line of people waiting (for a bus, to be served, to enter a place, etc.) (升F 队等彳陵 的)一队人form or join a line 排队(等候)* ren

31、owneda. famous; well-known有名的；享有声誉的impressivea.给人以深刻印象的；感人的* mobn. (often derog.) a large, disorganized and often violent crowd of people 贬 人群;乌合之众assumptionn. 1. sth. that is taken as true without proof 彳髭定；月意断2. the taking (of power or responsibility) 夺取； 篡夺democracyn. a country or a system of gov

32、ernment in which the people choose their governmentor make important decisions by voting 民主； 民主国家； 民主政治traitorn. a person who is disloyal, esp. to his country 卖国贼, 叛徒recklessnessn.不顾后果，鲁莽* recklessa. (of a person or ones behaviour) not caring about danger or the result of ones actions不顾后果的，鲁莽的* patr

33、iotn. a person who shows love for and loyalty to his or her country 爱国者patriotica. having or expressing the quality of a patriot 爱 国的； 有爱 国心的legislationn. 1. laws法律，法规the act of making laws立法，法律的制定preachern.传道士，牧师* preachv. 1. make known (a particular religion) by speaking in public 布道2. advise or u

34、rge others to accept (a thing or course of behaviour) 竭力劝说； 说教grown-upn.成年人sitcomn. (infml) situation comedy 情景喜居contagiousa. 1. (of a feeling or attitude) spreading quickly from person to person (T青绪等) 感 染性的2. (of a disease) that can spread from person to person (疾病)传染的ulcern.溃疡* visan.签证documentn.

35、 a paper that gives information, proof or support of sth. 文件vt. 1.为提供文件(或证据等)2.(在影片、小说中)纪实性地描述* overthrowvt. defeat; remove from official power 推翻； 打倒criminala. of or related to crime 犯罪的；犯法的n. a person who is guilty of a crime 罪犯* questionnairen. a written list of questions to be answered by a numb

36、er of people in order to getinformation for a survey, etc.调查表，问题单* emigratevi. leave ones own country to live in another one 移居国夕卜X-rateda.(电影等)X级的，禁止(十六岁以下)儿童观看的* moteln. hotel specially built for people traveling by car 汽车旅馆yuppien.雅皮土(Young Urban Professional的缩写，即城市职业阶层中的年轻人士)* ambitiousa. having

37、 a strong desire for success, power, riches, etc. 有里予心的， 有抱负的zillionn. (si.)无限大的数目，无法计算的大数目Phrases and Expressionsthe ABCsthe most basic facts about a subject (学科等的)基本知识；入门at the outsetat the beginning 首先，一开始stand forrepresent; mean 代表； 意味着be after sth.in search of sth.; with a desire for sth. 追求cat

38、ch on1. become popular 流行起来understand 懂得，理解on (the) ground(s) thatbecause根据，以为理由at the sight ofas soon as seeing (sth. or sb.) 一见之下； 立即leap aroundjump about跳来跳去at first sightwhen seen or examined for the first time 乍一看，一见之下be on a first-name basis with sb.call (sb.) by his or her first name (因关系亲密而)

39、相互直呼其名tell A from Bdistinguish A from B 辨另U,分辨be in charge of sth.be responsible for 管理，负责so farup to the present 迄今为止put outcause (sth.) to stop burning 熄灭bring upnurture and educate (a child)养育； 教育take advantage ofmake use of; profit from 利用in agreement with赞同，同意by forceby fierce or violent means用武力或强迫手段think bighave ambitious ideas野心勃勃，好高鹫远Proper NamesMichael Dobbs迈克尔多布斯(男子名)Poland波兰(欧洲中部国家)Lisa