21世纪大学英语读写基础教程Unit4课文讲解1 Oneday,amanwhoseemedtoowneverythinghecouldwantsuddenlyfeltadeep,inexplica下面是小编为大家整理的21世纪大学英语读写基础教程Unit4课文讲解60篇,供大家参考。
21世纪大学英语读写基础教程Unit4课文讲解1
One day, a man who seemed to own everything he could want suddenly felt a deep, inexplicable sadness. What"s wrong with him? Did he finally regain his happiness? Here is the story...
The Happiest Man in the World
Adapted by Amy Friedman
Once upon a time there lived a man named Henry who had both land and money. He loved his wife and their strong and healthy children. In short, Henry had everything a man could want. At least that"s the way it seemed to everyone who knew him.
But one morning Henry awoke from a deep sleep beneath a warm comforter, his eyes filled with tears. His heart felt heavy. "I"m unhappy," he said. For a moment he was frightened by such a feeling, but then he jumped out of bed, packed a picnic lunch and set off for a walk in the woods. He was determined to feel happy again.
Henry hiked for hours, looking at the bright blue sky, enjoying the crisp autumn day. Everyone he passed greeted him. His neighbor"s dog barked hello. Another neighbor, meeting him as he returned home, handed him a freshly baked pumpkin pie, which he took home for supper.
Henry had always loved pumpkin pie, but even the pie, and his children"s happy voices and the blaze of the fire in the hearth, did not lift his spirits. He fell asleep feeling unhappier than he had ever before felt in all his life.
When he woke the next morning, he was even sadder. "I must fix this," he said, and set off for the city, where he thought he would find a hundred ways to cheer himself. He purchased silver bracelets for his wife and bags of candy for his children. He bought himself a pair of the softest slippers he could find. He dined in an elegant restaurant, and ate his favorite foods. And still that night he felt a deep sadness.
Weeks passed in this way. The ripe pumpkins in the field that had once brought him joy did nothing to raise his spirits. Neither did the moonlit nights, the honking geese, the flowing streams, the fields of hay, the chatter of the children, the feel of his soft new slippers. Henry sipped hot chocolate. He ate ripe apples. He bathed in warm baths and listened to beautiful music. But nothing helped.
At last, at his wit"s end, Henry went to see a wise man, and there he begged with a voice filled with misery and longing. "Sir, please tell me what I can do to find a way to lift my heavy heart. I must be cured of this terrible illness, which seems to have come from nowhere. I must find happiness."
"That which is clear to some people is sometimes hidden from others," the wise man said. "You must find the happiest man in the world. When you find him, ask him to trade his shirt for yours. Happiness will be yours once again."
Henry set off at once to find the happiest man in the world. One after another he came upon men who told him they were happy. Then Henry asked them one question: "Would you be happier if I gave you all my money?"
"Yes," each man answered.
"Then you are not the happiest man in the world," Henry said, and he went on searching.
One day as he walked through the forest, he heard someone in the distance singing the happiest song he had ever heard. He followed the sound and soon came to a woodcutter chopping logs.
"Excuse me. My name is Henry, and I am looking for the happiest man in the world," he said.
"You"ve come to the right man," the woodcutter said. "I"m happy as can be."
"Ah, then," Henry said, "would you like me to give you all my money?"
The woodcutter laughed. "I have no need for your money. Look at all I have," and he beckoned Henry to look at the forest—at the red and golden leaves, at the squirrels scurrying across the forest floor, at the birds perched overhead, at the deer grazing nearby.
"At last!" Henry cried. "I have been searching for you for a long time now. The wise man told me that if I exchanged shirts with the happiest man in the world, I would be cured of my illness. You see, I"m unhappy. Please, will you exchange your shirt for mine?"
The happiest man in the world looked closely at Henry, and then he began to laugh and laugh. He laughed until the forest echoed with his laughter.
When at last he quieted himself, Henry asked him, "How can you laugh at such a serious request? You see my shirt. It"s made of the finest cotton, and it will be yours. All I need is to wear yours."
And then the woodcutter unbuttoned his tattered coat, and Henry saw that the happiest man in the world wasn"t wearing a shirt.
"I own no shirts," the woodcutter said. "But now you know that you have the strength to seek all that you think you should have."
Henry smiled, for now he understood why the wise man had sent him on this journey. He felt his heart became light once more.
(841 words)
21世纪大学英语读写基础教程Unit4课文讲解2
beneath
prep.in or to a lower position than 在…的下面
comforter
n. (美)盖被
unhappy
a. 不愉快的，不幸福的
picnic
n. 郊游野餐;户外用餐;(个人自带食品的)聚餐
determine
v. (cause to) make a decision (使)下决心
* hike
v. take a long walk in the country (在乡间)作徒步旅行;远足
* crisp
a. 1. (of the air, weather, etc.) cold, dry and fresh (空气、气候等)干而冷的;清爽的;清新的
2. hard and dry; easily broken 干而硬的;脆的;易碎的
bark
vi. (at) make the short, sharp cry that a dog and some other animals make (狗等动物)吠，叫
* pumpkin
n. 南瓜
pie
n. 馅饼(一种西式点心)
* blaze
n. 1. (a burst of) a bright flame 火焰;烈火
2. a bright show of lights, colours, etc. 光辉;灿烂
vi. burn brightly and strongly 熊熊燃烧
hearth
n. 壁炉炉床;壁炉边(被认为是家庭生活的"中心)
purchase
vt. (fml) buy [正式]购买
n. 1. (fml) the act of buying [正式]购买
2. a thing that has been bought 购买之物
bracelet
n. 手镯;臂镯
candy
n. (esp. AmE) a sweet, sweets, or (a piece of) chocolate (尤美)糖果
slipper
n. a type of soft comfortable shoe for wearing inside the house 室内便鞋，拖鞋
* dine
vi. (fml) eat dinner [正式]用膳;进餐
elegant
a. beautiful and graceful 高雅的，优美的
sadness
n. 悲伤
moonlit
a. lighted by the moon 有月光的，月明的
honk
v. (雁)叫;按汽车喇叭
flow
v. (of liquid) move continuously and easily (液体)流动，流淌
stream
n. 1. a natural flow of water smaller than a river 小河，小溪
2. (of) a continuous flow of things or people 一连串，川流不息
hay
n. long grass that has been cut and dried, esp. used as animal food (作牲畜饲料用的)干草
chatter
n. rapid unimportant conversation 喋喋不休，饶舌
vi. talk quickly, continuously, and for a long time, usu. about sth. unimportant 喋喋不休，饶舌
* sip
v. drink only a little at a time 小口地喝，啜饮
n. a very small amount of a drink 一小口
chocolate
n. 巧克力;巧克力饮料
wit
n. 1. power of thought 才智，才能
2. the ability to use words in a clever and humorous way 风趣;幽默
* misery
n. great unhappiness or great pain (of body or mind) (身心的)痛苦，不幸
longing
n. (for)a strong feeling of wanting sth. 渴望
nowhere
ad. 什么地方都不，无处
woodcutter
n. a man whose job is to cut down trees in a forest 伐木者，樵夫
chop
v. cut by repeatedly hitting with an axe or other sharp instrument 砍，劈
log
n. a thick piece of wood cut from a tree 原木，圆材，干材
beckon
v. call or signal with a movement of the head, head, etc. (用头或手的动作)示意，召唤
squirrel
n. 松鼠
scurry
vi. hurry; move quickly, esp. with small short steps (尤指用小步)急跑，急赶
perch
vi. (of a bird)come to rest, esp. on a thin, raised object such as a branch (鸟)飞落，暂栖
overhead
a. & ad.(located or passing) above one"s head 在头顶上(的)，在空中(的)
deer
n. 鹿
* graze
vi. feed on growing grass, as cattle, sheep, etc. (牛、羊等)啃食牧草
nearby
a. & ad. near; close by (在)附近(的)
exchange
v. (for, with) give sb. sth. and receive sth. of the same kind in return 交换
echo
vi. (with) (of a place) be filled with echoes 发出回声，产生回响
n. a sound sent back or repeated from a surface such as a wall 回声，声音
laughter
n. an act or sound of laughing 笑，笑声
request
n. an act of asking for sth 要求，请求
vt. ask (for) 要求，请求
unbutton
v. 解开(纽扣)
tattered
a. (esp. of clothes) old and torn (尤指衣服)破旧的，破烂的
Phrases and Expressions
in short
briefly stated; in a few words 总而言之
at least
至少
for a moment
片刻，一会儿
set off
start going 出发， 动身
at last
终于
at one"s wit"s end
(infml) completely at a loss or in despair [非正式]智穷计尽;全然不知所措
from nowhere
从不知道的地方
once again
再一次
one after another
one by one; repeatedly or continuously 一个接一个地;接连地
come upon
meet, find, or discover by chance (偶然)遇见，发现
go on
continue without stopping or without change 继续
once more
再一次
21世纪大学英语读写基础教程Unit4课文讲解60篇扩展阅读
21世纪大学英语读写基础教程Unit4课文讲解60篇（扩展1）
——21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册Unit4课文简介60篇
21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册Unit4课文简介1
Isaac Bashevis Singer
She was a small woman, old and wrinkled. When she started washing for us, she was already past seventy. Most Jewish women of her age were sickly and weak. All the old women in our street had bent backs and leaned on sticks when they walked. But this washwoman, small and thin as she was, possessed a strength that came from generations of peasant forebears. Mother would count out to her a bundle of laundry that had accumulated over several weeks. She would then lift the bundle, put it on her narrow shoulders, and carry it the long way home.
She would bring the laundry back about two weeks later. My mother had never been so pleased with any washwoman. Yet she charged no more than the others. She was a real find. Mother always had her money ready, because it was too far for the old woman to come a second time.
Laundering was not easy in those days. The old woman had no running water where she lived but had to bring in the water from a pump. And the drying! It could not be done outside because thieves would steal the laundry. So it had to be carried up to the attic and hung on clotheslines. Only God knows what the old woman had to endure each time she did a wash!
She could have begged at the church door or entered a home for the penniless and aged. But there was in her a certain pride and love of labor with which many members of the labor force have been blessed. The old woman did not want to become a burden, and so she bore her burden.
The woman had a son who was rich. He was ashamed of his mother, and never came to see her. Nor did he ever give her money. The old woman told this without bitterness. When the son got married, the wedding took place in a church. The son had not invited the old mother to his wedding, but she went to the church anyway and waited at the steps to see her son lead the bride to the altar.
One day the washwoman, now nearly eighty years old, came to our house. A good deal of laundry had accumulated during the past weeks. Mother gave her a pot of tea to warm herself, as well as some bread. The old woman sat on a kitchen chair trembling and shaking, and warmed her hands against the teapot. Her fingernails were strangely white. These hands spoke of the stubbornness of mankind, of the will to work not only as one"s strength permits but beyond the limits of one"s power. It was sad to watch the old woman stagger out with the big bundle and disappear.
Usually the woman brought back the wash after two or, at the most, three weeks. But three weeks passed, then four and five, and nothing was heard of the old woman.
For us the washwoman"s absence was a catastrophe. We needed the laundry. We did not even know the woman"s address. It seemed certain that she had collapsed, died. Mother declared she had had a premonition that we would never see our things again. We mourned, both for the laundry and for the old woman who had grown close to us through the years she had served us so faithfully.
More than two months passed. One evening, while Mother was sitting near the lamp mending a shirt, the door opened and a small puff of steam, followed by a huge bundle, entered. Under the bundle tottered the old woman, her face as white as a linen sheet. Mother uttered a half-choked cry, as though a corpse had entered the room. I ran toward the old woman and helped her unload her bundle. She was even thinner now, more bent. She could not utter a clear word, but mumbled something with her sunken mouth and pale lips.
After the old woman had recovered somewhat, she told us that she had been ill, very ill. In fact, she had been so sick that someone had called a doctor, and the doctor had sent for a priest. Someone had informed the son, and he had contributed money for a coffin. But God had not yet wanted to take this poor soul to Himself. She began to feel better, she became well, and as soon as she was able to stand on her feet once more, she resumed her washing. Not just ours, but the wash of several other families too.
"I could not rest easy in my bed because of the wash," the old woman explained. "The wash would not let me die."
"With the help of God you will live to be a hundred and twenty," said my mother.
"God forbid! What good would such a long life be? The work becomes harder and harder ... my strength is leaving me ... I do not want to be a burden on any one!" The old woman muttered, crossed herself, and raised her eyes toward heaven. After getting paid, she left, promising to return in a few weeks for a new load of wash.
But she never came back. The wash she had returned was her last effort on this earth. She had been driven by a strong will to return the property to its owners, to fulfill the task she had undertaken.
21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册Unit4课文简介2
washwoman
n. 洗衣妇
wrinkled
a. having or showing small folds or lines in the skin 有皱纹的
*wrinkle
vi. (esp. of the skin) form into lines, folds, etc. 起皱纹
n. 皱纹
Jewish
a. of the Jews 犹太人的
sickly
a. often ill 常病的
possess
vt. own, have 拥有，具有
generation
n. a single stage or step in family descent 代，一代
for(e)bear
n. [常用复数] 祖先
bundle
n. (of) a number of articles tied, fastened or held together, usu. across the middle 捆，束，包
laundry
n. 1. clothes, sheets, etc., that need to be washed or have just been washed 付洗衣物;已洗好的衣物
2. a place or business where clothes, etc., are washed and ironed 洗衣房，洗衣店
accumulate
vi. gradually increase in numbers or amount until there is a large quantity in one place 积累，积聚
launder
vi. wash and iron clothes, sheets, etc. 洗熨衣物
pump
n. 泵，抽(水)机
attic
n. 阁楼;顶楼
clothesline
n. 晾衣绳
endure
vt. suffer, undergo (pain, hardship, etc.) 忍受(痛苦、困难等)，耐住
penniless
a. 身无分文的"
*bless
vt. (with) 使具有，使有权得到
bear(bore, borne)
vt. take (responsibility, etc.) on oneself 承担(责任等)
wedding
n. a marriage ceremony, esp. with a party or meal after a church service 婚礼
bride
n. 新娘
altar
n. (教堂内的)圣坛，祭坛
kitchen
n. 厨房，灶间
teapot
n. 茶壶
fingernail
n. 指甲
stubbornness
n. 倔强;顽强
*stubborn
a. 1. 顽固的, 倔强的
2. 顽强的, 坚持的
*stagger
vi. have trouble standing or walking; move unsteadily on one"s feet 摇晃着移动; 蹒跚
n. 摇晃不稳的动作; 蹒跚
*catastrophe
n. a terrible event that causes great suffering, misfortune, or ruin 灾难，灾祸，大祸
collapse
vi. (健康等)垮掉;倒坍
premonition
n. 预感
*mourn
vi. (for, over) feel and/or show grief, esp. for the death of someone; be sorrowful(尤指对某人的亡故)感到悲痛;哀悼
faithfully
ad. 1. with faith 忠实地
2. exactly 如实地;确切地
faithful
a. 1. loyal and true (to sb., to a cause, etc.) 忠实的，忠诚的
2. true to the facts or to an original 如实的
puff
n. a sudden short rush of air, smoke, etc.(空气、烟雾等的)一阵，一股
totter
vi. walk with weak unsteady steps 蹒跚，踉跄
*linen
a. 亚麻(布)的
n. 亚麻布(或线);亚麻织品(床单、被单、桌布等)
utter
vt. make (a sound); say 发出(声音);说，讲
half-choked
a. 半哽住的
*corpse
n. 死尸，尸体
unload
vt. 1. have (a load) removed 卸(货)
2. remove a load from (sth.) 从 … 卸下货物
vi. 卸货
mumble
v. speak (words) unclearly 含糊地说(话)，咕哝
sunken
a. 下陷的;凹陷的
recover
vi. (from) return to the usual state of health, strength, ability, etc. 痊愈，复原;恢复
somewhat
ad. by some degree or amount; a little 稍微，有点
priest
n. 牧师，神父
inform
vt. (of, about) tell, give information to 告诉，通知
contribute
vt. join with others in giving (money, help, etc.) 捐(款)，贡献，提供(帮助)
coffin
n. 棺材
resume
vt. begin (sth. or doing sth.) again after a pause (中断后)重新开始，继续
*mutter
vt. 轻声含糊地说
load
n. 一包(洗的衣物);负荷，负载
vt. 装(货或人);把货物(或人)装上(车、船、飞机等)
property
n. 财产;所有物
fulfil,-fill
vt. do or perform (a duty, task, etc.) 履行，完成
*undertake(undertook，undertaken)
vt. accept responsibility for (a piece of work) and start to do it 承担
Phrases and Expressions
lean on
rest in a sloping position on for support 靠在 …上，倚在 …上
count out
count one by one 逐一数出
be blessed with
be fortunate in having 有幸得到，具有
take place
举行，进行;发生，产生
a (good /great) deal of
quite a lot of 大量
speak of
suggest the idea of; show clearly that sth. happened or that it exists 显示;表明
at (the) most
not more than (the stated amount) 至多
hear of
receive news about (sb. or sth.) 获知…的消息，听到…的消息
stand /be on one"s feet
站起;(病后)恢复健康
with the help of
在 … 的帮助下
God forbid!
May it not happen! 上天不容!
21世纪大学英语读写基础教程Unit4课文讲解60篇（扩展2）
——21世纪大学英语读写基础教程The Future课文解读60篇
21世纪大学英语读写基础教程The Future课文解读1
What will our future be like? What might happen in the year 2144? How far can your imagination take you into the future? Let"s see what a newspaper in New Zealand tells us.
The Future
Will the future be one of robots and spaceships, or meditation and organic food? Today and next Wednesday The Post steps into the future, and asks the experts what they think the world of tomorrow will be like.
Imagine you are holding the December 11, 2144 edition of The Evening Post. It won"t be made of paper, but a thin screen that can be folded up and put in your pocket or bag. You"ll use the same screen tomorrow, when the day"s news will be beamed to its tiny modem via satellite.
The modem will chatter away all day, updating stories from around the world as they happen, complete with moving pictures and sound. A retina scanner will follow your eye, scrolling each page as you get near the bottom. The paper"s com*r will record which stories interest you most and design a custom menu every time you switch it on.
Let"s see what"s happening today. Again, the big local story is the disappearing apartment blocks at Happy Valley. Built over an old landfill, this expensive new development is slowly sinking into the ground. Engineers suspect plastic milk bottles dumped with their caps screwed on in the late-20th century are bursting under the weight of the buildings. "People back then," says Wellington"s Mayor in a live interview, "were pretty stupid."
Overseas a power failure at a cryo-prison in Alabama during the holiday weekend saw 50,000 inmates thawed prematurely, and in Bangladesh monsoon floods have wiped out hundreds of villages. Some things don"t change.
In reality, we can"t predict what the pages of this newspaper will contain 144 years from now because we can"t predict the future. But in two weeks we will arrive in the new millennium, a date long held up as the future, but which will soon represent a new beginning.
Thirty years ago it was expected that by 2000 commuters would fly to work on highways in the sky, that robots with pinnies would do the vacuuming, that humans would have colonised our near planets and the moon.
Our cars are still stuck firmly on the ground, although even the most basic family runabout has a powerful electronic brain which tells it how much fuel to use and figures out in milliseconds how to save the occupants in a crash.
We still do the vacuuming ourselves, although our ovens tell us when food is ready. We can download whole libraries through our home com*rs and view snaps of friends on the other side of the world seconds after they are taken.
We have yet to live anywhere other than Earth, although missions into space have allowed us to develop new medicines, information chips and superconductors to make life better down here.
Who would have believed we"d be altering the genetic make-up of animals so they can grow replacement organs for us? Who"d have believed the drink machine in the foyer dials for supplies when it senses it"s getting low?
At the dawn of the new millennium the future seems to be coming at us at a frightening pace, with the world seeming to change almost weekly.
What then, will it be like in 100 years? 500? 1000? Will it be a technological future with space hotels, rocket cars, genetically engineered people and automated homes? Or will it be an organic future with a new emphasis on spirituality and nature?
Will humankind still be blighted by war? Will we be able to cure cancer? Will we still get married? What sort of world will our children inherit?
Over the past few months The Post has been asking experts in their fields to take an educated, but fanciful, guess. None claims to be able to tell the future, but by tracking current trends they can give us an idea of what to expect in the world of tomorrow.
You won"t be around to read the December 11, 2144 edition of The Evening Post, but this is the next best thing.
Welcome to the future.
21世纪大学英语读写基础教程The Future课文解读2
robot
n. an automatic machine that can perform the actions of a person 机器人
spaceship
n. a vehicle used for travelling in space 航天器;宇宙飞船
organic
a. 1. not using artificial chemicals in the production of plants and animals for food 施有机肥料的
2. of, found in, or formed by living things 生物体的;有机体的
expert
n. a person with special knowledge, skill or training in a particular field 专家;能手
edition
n. one printing of a book, newspaper, etc. (书、报等的)版次
fold
vt. bend (sth.) so that one part is over another 折叠
beam
vt. transmit (a signal) in a particular direction 定向发射(无线电信号等)
modem
n. (计算机)调制解调器
via
prep.through 通过
* update
vt. make (sth.) more modern or up-to-date 更新
retina
n. 视网膜
scanner
n. 扫描器
scroll
vt. (on a com*r display) move a cursor smoothly, causing new data to replace old on the monitor (象展开卷轴般)将文字显示于屏幕
design
vt. plan or arrange so as to make sure that sth. fulfils your purpose 设计
custom
a. made specially for individual customers 定制的;定做的
switch
vt. turn (an electrical device) on or off 用开关把(电器)开启(或关掉)
disappear
vi. cease to be seen 消失;不见
apartment
n. a set of rooms on one floor of a building 公寓;单元房
valley
n. a stretch of land between hills or mountains 谷，山谷
landfill
n. an area built up from deposits of solid garbage 用垃圾填筑而成的地面
suspect
vt. believe without certain proof; guess 推测，猜想;认为
dump
vt. throw away (garbage, rubbish, etc.) in a heap or a place set apart for the purpose 倾倒(垃圾等)
screw
v. fasten (sth.) by turning or twisting 拧紧
mayor
n. the chief executive of a city or a town *
overseas
ad. across the sea; abroad 到海外;在国外
cryo-prison
n. 冰冻监狱
inmate
n. any of a number of people living together in an institution, esp. a prison (尤指监狱中的)被收容者
thaw
vi. change from a frozen to a liquid state 融化;化冻
* prematurely
ad. before the proper or usual time; too early 比(正常)时间提早地;过早地
monsoon
n. 季风
contain
vt. have or hold within itself 包含，容纳
millennium
n. a period of 1000 years 一千年
highway
n. a main public road 公路;交通要道
pinny
n. 围裙
vacuum
vi. clean with a vacuum cleaner 用吸尘器打扫
colonise
vt. make into a colony 在…开拓殖民地
firmly
ad. in a firm way 牢固地;稳固地;坚定地
runabout
n. 敞蓬小轿车
electronic
a. 电子的
millisecond
n. 毫秒
occupant
n. a person who occupies a car, house, etc. 占用者，居住者
crash
n. an accident in which a vehicle hits sth., usu causing damage, and often injury or death (车辆等)碰撞;撞毁
oven
n. 烤箱
download
vt. transfer (a program, data, etc.) from a larger com*r system to a smaller com*r 下载(计算机程序、资料等)
snap
n. short for snapshot (口)快照，简照
chip
n. 集成电路片;微(型)电路
superconductor
n. 超导体
alter
v. become or make different; change (使)改变;变更
* genetic
a. 基因的.
makeup
n. combination of things, people, etc. that form sth.; composition of sth. (事物、人等的)组合;构成
replacement
n. 1. the act of replacing 代替;替换
2. a person or thing that takes the place of another 接替者;替换物
organ
n. a part of an animal body or plant serving a particular purpose 器官
foyer
n. an entrance hall or large open space in a theatre, hotel, etc., where people can meet or talk (剧场、旅馆等的)门厅，休息厅
pace
n. rate of progress or development (进步或发展的)速度;节奏
weekly
ad. once a week or every week 每星期;每周一次
technological
a. 技术的
rocket
n. 火箭;火箭发动机
genetically
ad. 因基因决定地
engineer
vt. 设计;建造
automate
vt. cause (sth.) to work automatically 使自动化
emphasis
n. stress 强调
spirituality
n. 精神性;灵性
humankind
n. 人类
blight
vt. spoil or ruin 损害
cancer
n. 癌症
inherit
vt. receive (property, a title, etc.) as a result of the death of the previous owner or be born with (a physical or mental quality) that a parent, grandparent or other relative has 继承
fanciful
a. showing imagination rather than reason and experience 幻想的;想像的
track
vt. follow the course or movements of 跟踪;追踪
current
a. of the present time; happening now 现时的，当前的
trend
n. the way or direction things tend to go 趋势;动向
Phrases and Expressions
step into
enter 走进，进入
fold up
make smaller in size by folding 折叠
chatter away
clatter continuously from vibration (机器)不停地咯咯作响
switch on
turn on 打开(电灯、收音机等)
screw on
旋，拧;旋牢
wipe out
destroy completely 彻底摧毁;消灭
hold sb./sth. up
show sb./sth. as an example 举某人(某事物)作为范例
other than
except 除…之外
come at
move towards in a threatening manner 冲向
21世纪大学英语读写基础教程Unit4课文讲解60篇（扩展3）
——21世纪大学英语读写基础教程Unit4课文讲解 (菁选2篇)
21世纪大学英语读写基础教程Unit4课文讲解1
One day, a man who seemed to own everything he could want suddenly felt a deep, inexplicable sadness. What"s wrong with him? Did he finally regain his happiness? Here is the story...
The Happiest Man in the World
Adapted by Amy Friedman
Once upon a time there lived a man named Henry who had both land and money. He loved his wife and their strong and healthy children. In short, Henry had everything a man could want. At least that"s the way it seemed to everyone who knew him.
But one morning Henry awoke from a deep sleep beneath a warm comforter, his eyes filled with tears. His heart felt heavy. "I"m unhappy," he said. For a moment he was frightened by such a feeling, but then he jumped out of bed, packed a picnic lunch and set off for a walk in the woods. He was determined to feel happy again.
Henry hiked for hours, looking at the bright blue sky, enjoying the crisp autumn day. Everyone he passed greeted him. His neighbor"s dog barked hello. Another neighbor, meeting him as he returned home, handed him a freshly baked pumpkin pie, which he took home for supper.
Henry had always loved pumpkin pie, but even the pie, and his children"s happy voices and the blaze of the fire in the hearth, did not lift his spirits. He fell asleep feeling unhappier than he had ever before felt in all his life.
When he woke the next morning, he was even sadder. "I must fix this," he said, and set off for the city, where he thought he would find a hundred ways to cheer himself. He purchased silver bracelets for his wife and bags of candy for his children. He bought himself a pair of the softest slippers he could find. He dined in an elegant restaurant, and ate his favorite foods. And still that night he felt a deep sadness.
Weeks passed in this way. The ripe pumpkins in the field that had once brought him joy did nothing to raise his spirits. Neither did the moonlit nights, the honking geese, the flowing streams, the fields of hay, the chatter of the children, the feel of his soft new slippers. Henry sipped hot chocolate. He ate ripe apples. He bathed in warm baths and listened to beautiful music. But nothing helped.
At last, at his wit"s end, Henry went to see a wise man, and there he begged with a voice filled with misery and longing. "Sir, please tell me what I can do to find a way to lift my heavy heart. I must be cured of this terrible illness, which seems to have come from nowhere. I must find happiness."
"That which is clear to some people is sometimes hidden from others," the wise man said. "You must find the happiest man in the world. When you find him, ask him to trade his shirt for yours. Happiness will be yours once again."
Henry set off at once to find the happiest man in the world. One after another he came upon men who told him they were happy. Then Henry asked them one question: "Would you be happier if I gave you all my money?"
"Yes," each man answered.
"Then you are not the happiest man in the world," Henry said, and he went on searching.
One day as he walked through the forest, he heard someone in the distance singing the happiest song he had ever heard. He followed the sound and soon came to a woodcutter chopping logs.
"Excuse me. My name is Henry, and I am looking for the happiest man in the world," he said.
"You"ve come to the right man," the woodcutter said. "I"m happy as can be."
"Ah, then," Henry said, "would you like me to give you all my money?"
The woodcutter laughed. "I have no need for your money. Look at all I have," and he beckoned Henry to look at the forest—at the red and golden leaves, at the squirrels scurrying across the forest floor, at the birds perched overhead, at the deer grazing nearby.
"At last!" Henry cried. "I have been searching for you for a long time now. The wise man told me that if I exchanged shirts with the happiest man in the world, I would be cured of my illness. You see, I"m unhappy. Please, will you exchange your shirt for mine?"
The happiest man in the world looked closely at Henry, and then he began to laugh and laugh. He laughed until the forest echoed with his laughter.
When at last he quieted himself, Henry asked him, "How can you laugh at such a serious request? You see my shirt. It"s made of the finest cotton, and it will be yours. All I need is to wear yours."
And then the woodcutter unbuttoned his tattered coat, and Henry saw that the happiest man in the world wasn"t wearing a shirt.
"I own no shirts," the woodcutter said. "But now you know that you have the strength to seek all that you think you should have."
Henry smiled, for now he understood why the wise man had sent him on this journey. He felt his heart became light once more.
(841 words)
21世纪大学英语读写基础教程Unit4课文讲解2
beneath
prep.in or to a lower position than 在…的下面
comforter
n. (美)盖被
unhappy
a. 不愉快的，不幸福的
picnic
n. 郊游野餐;户外用餐;(个人自带食品的)聚餐
determine
v. (cause to) make a decision (使)下决心
* hike
v. take a long walk in the country (在乡间)作徒步旅行;远足
* crisp
a. 1. (of the air, weather, etc.) cold, dry and fresh (空气、气候等)干而冷的;清爽的;清新的
2. hard and dry; easily broken 干而硬的;脆的;易碎的
bark
vi. (at) make the short, sharp cry that a dog and some other animals make (狗等动物)吠，叫
* pumpkin
n. 南瓜
pie
n. 馅饼(一种西式点心)
* blaze
n. 1. (a burst of) a bright flame 火焰;烈火
2. a bright show of lights, colours, etc. 光辉;灿烂
vi. burn brightly and strongly 熊熊燃烧
hearth
n. 壁炉炉床;壁炉边(被认为是家庭生活的"中心)
purchase
vt. (fml) buy [正式]购买
n. 1. (fml) the act of buying [正式]购买
2. a thing that has been bought 购买之物
bracelet
n. 手镯;臂镯
candy
n. (esp. AmE) a sweet, sweets, or (a piece of) chocolate (尤美)糖果
slipper
n. a type of soft comfortable shoe for wearing inside the house 室内便鞋，拖鞋
* dine
vi. (fml) eat dinner [正式]用膳;进餐
elegant
a. beautiful and graceful 高雅的，优美的
sadness
n. 悲伤
moonlit
a. lighted by the moon 有月光的，月明的
honk
v. (雁)叫;按汽车喇叭
flow
v. (of liquid) move continuously and easily (液体)流动，流淌
stream
n. 1. a natural flow of water smaller than a river 小河，小溪
2. (of) a continuous flow of things or people 一连串，川流不息
hay
n. long grass that has been cut and dried, esp. used as animal food (作牲畜饲料用的)干草
chatter
n. rapid unimportant conversation 喋喋不休，饶舌
vi. talk quickly, continuously, and for a long time, usu. about sth. unimportant 喋喋不休，饶舌
* sip
v. drink only a little at a time 小口地喝，啜饮
n. a very small amount of a drink 一小口
chocolate
n. 巧克力;巧克力饮料
wit
n. 1. power of thought 才智，才能
2. the ability to use words in a clever and humorous way 风趣;幽默
* misery
n. great unhappiness or great pain (of body or mind) (身心的)痛苦，不幸
longing
n. (for)a strong feeling of wanting sth. 渴望
nowhere
ad. 什么地方都不，无处
woodcutter
n. a man whose job is to cut down trees in a forest 伐木者，樵夫
chop
v. cut by repeatedly hitting with an axe or other sharp instrument 砍，劈
log
n. a thick piece of wood cut from a tree 原木，圆材，干材
beckon
v. call or signal with a movement of the head, head, etc. (用头或手的动作)示意，召唤
squirrel
n. 松鼠
scurry
vi. hurry; move quickly, esp. with small short steps (尤指用小步)急跑，急赶
perch
vi. (of a bird)come to rest, esp. on a thin, raised object such as a branch (鸟)飞落，暂栖
overhead
a. & ad.(located or passing) above one"s head 在头顶上(的)，在空中(的)
deer
n. 鹿
* graze
vi. feed on growing grass, as cattle, sheep, etc. (牛、羊等)啃食牧草
nearby
a. & ad. near; close by (在)附近(的)
exchange
v. (for, with) give sb. sth. and receive sth. of the same kind in return 交换
echo
vi. (with) (of a place) be filled with echoes 发出回声，产生回响
n. a sound sent back or repeated from a surface such as a wall 回声，声音
laughter
n. an act or sound of laughing 笑，笑声
request
n. an act of asking for sth 要求，请求
vt. ask (for) 要求，请求
unbutton
v. 解开(纽扣)
tattered
a. (esp. of clothes) old and torn (尤指衣服)破旧的，破烂的
Phrases and Expressions
in short
briefly stated; in a few words 总而言之
at least
至少
for a moment
片刻，一会儿
set off
start going 出发， 动身
at last
终于
at one"s wit"s end
(infml) completely at a loss or in despair [非正式]智穷计尽;全然不知所措
from nowhere
从不知道的地方
once again
再一次
one after another
one by one; repeatedly or continuously 一个接一个地;接连地
come upon
meet, find, or discover by chance (偶然)遇见，发现
go on
continue without stopping or without change 继续
once more
再一次
21世纪大学英语读写基础教程Unit4课文讲解60篇（扩展4）
——21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册Unit4大学压力60篇
21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册Unit4大学压力1
1. As you listen to the passage, fill in as much information as you can about Annette"s plans.
Friday evening:
During the coming month:
Next term:
In the fall:
Next spring:
2. How did you feel while you were listening to Annette? What was it like trying to keep up with her? How do students like Annette make you feel?
21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册Unit4大学压力2
William Zinsser
I am master of Branford College at Yale. I live on the campus and know the students well. (We have 485 of them.) I listen to their hopes and fears — and also to their stereo music and their piercing cries in the dead of night ("Does anybody care?"). They come to me to ask how to get through the rest of their lives.
Mainly I try to remind them that the road ahead is a long one and that it will have more unexpected turns than they think. There will be plenty of time to change jobs, change careers, change whole attitudes and approaches. They don"t want to hear such news. They want a map — right now — that they can follow directly to career security, financial security, social security and, presumably, a prepaid grave.
What I wish for all students is some release from the grim grip of the future. I wish them a chance to enjoy each segment of their education as an experience in itself and not as a tiresome requirement in preparation for the next step. I wish them the right to experiment, to trip and fall, to learn that defeat is as educational as victory and is not the end of the world.
My wish, of course, is naive. One of the few rights that America does not proclaim is the right to fail. Achievement is the national god, worshipped in our media — the million-dollar athlete, the wealthy executive — and glorified in our praise of possessions. In the presence of such a potent state religion, the young are growing up old.
I see four kinds of pressure working on college students today: economic pressure, parental pressure, peer pressure, and self-induced pressure. It"s easy to look around for bad guys — to blame the colleges for charging too much money, the professors for assigning too much work, the parents for pushing their children too far, the students for driving themselves too hard. But there are no bad guys, only victims.
Today it is not unusual for a student, even one who works part time at college and full time during the summer, to have accumulated $5,000 in loans after four years — loans that the student must start to repay within one year after graduation (and incidentally, not all these loans are low-interest, as many non-students believe). Encouraged at the commencement ceremony to go forth into the world, students are already behind as they go forth. How can they not feel under pressure throughout college to prepare for this day of reckoning? Women at Yale are under even more pressure than men to justify their expensive education to themselves, their parents, and society. For although they leave college superbly equipped to bring fresh leadership to traditionally male jobs, society hasn"t yet caught up with this fact.
Along with economic pressure goes parental pressure. Inevitably, the two are dee* intertwined. I see students taking premedical courses with joyless determination. They go off to their labs as if they were going to the dentist. It saddens me because I know them in other corners of their life as cheerful people.
"Do you want to go to medical school?" I ask them.
"I guess so," they say, without conviction, or, "Not really."
"Then why are you going?"
"My parents want me to be a doctor. They"re paying all this money and..."
Peer pressure and self-induced pressure are also intertwined, and they begin from the very start of freshman year. "I had a freshman student I"ll call Linda," one instructor told me, "who came in and said she was under terrible pressure because her roommate, Barbara, was much brighter and studied all the time. I couldn"t tell her that Barbara had come in two hours earlier to say the same thing about Linda."
The story is almost funny — except that it"s not. It"s a symptom of all the pressures put together. When every student thinks every other student is working harder and doing better, the only solution is to study harder still. I see students going off to the library every night after dinner and coming back when it closes at midnight. I wish they could sometimes forget about their peers and go to a movie. I hear the rattling of typewriters in the hours before dawn. I see the tension in their eyes when exams are approaching and papers are due: "Will I get everything done?"
Probably they won"t. They will get sick. They will sleep. They will oversleep. They will bug out.
I"ve painted too grim a portrait of today"s students, making them seem too solemn. That"s only half of their story; the other half is that these students are nice people, and easy to like. They"re quick to laugh and to offer friendship. They"re more considerate of one another than any student generation I"ve ever known. If I"ve described them primarily as driven creatures who largely ignore the joyful side of life, it"s because that"s where the problem is — not only at Yale but throughout American education. It"s why I think we should all be worried about the values that are nurturing a generation so fearful of risk and so goal-obsessed at such an early age.
I tell students that there is no one "right" way to get ahead — that each of them is a different person, starting from a different point and bound for a different destination. I tell them that change is healthy and that people don"t have to fit into pre-arranged slots. One of my ways of telling them is to invite men and women who have achieved success outside the academic world to come and talk informally with my students during the year. I invite heads of companies, editors of magazines, politicians, Broadway producers, artists, writers, economists, photographers, scientists, historians — a mixed bag of achievers.
I ask them to say a few words about how they got started. The students always assume that they started in their present profession and knew all along that it was what they wanted to do. But in fact, most of them got where they are by a circuitous route, after many side trips. The students are startled. They can hardly conceive of a career that was not preplanned. They can hardly imagine allowing the hand of God or chance to lead them down some unforeseen trail.
21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册Unit4大学压力3
campus
n. the grounds of a university, college or school; a university 大学校园，学校校园;大学
piercing
a. (of voices, sounds, etc.) very sharp, esp. in an unpleasant way (声音等)尖厉的，刺耳的
pierce
vi. make a hole in or through (sth.) with a sharp point 刺穿，戳穿
presumably
ad. it may be supposed; probably 假定;可能
* presume
v. believe sth. to be true without direct proof but with some feeling of being certain; suppose (没有根据地)相信;推测
grave
n. the place where a dead person is buried 坟墓
a. serious or solemn in manner; (of a situation) serious and worrying 严肃的，庄严的;(形势)严重的.
gravity
n. 1. 严肃，庄严;严重
2. 重力;地心引力
grip
n. a firm hold; control 紧握;控制
vt. 1. take a very tight hold (of) 握紧，紧握
2. take hold of the attention or feelings of 吸引;引起
* segment
n. a part of sth. 部分
preparation
n. arrangement for a future event 准备
wealthy
a. rich 富有的
glorify
vt. praise highly 颂扬，赞颂
glory
n. great fame, honor, and admiration 光荣;荣誉
potent
a. powerful, strong, forceful or effective 强有力的;有权势的;有效力的
self-induced
caused or brought about by oneself 自己导致的
* induce
vt. lead or cause (sb.) to do sth.; persuade or influence (sb.) to do sth. 导致;劝使，诱导
* incidentally
ad. by the way 顺便说一句
commencement
n. 1. (AmE) a ceremony at which university or college students are given their degrees or diplomas (美)毕业典礼;学位授予典礼
2. beginning of sth. 开始
commence
v. begin; start 开始;着手
ceremony
n. 典礼，仪式
commencement ceremony
(AmE) a college or university graduation ceremony (美)毕业典礼
reckoning
n. settlement of an account or a bill; (fig.) punishment 结帐;(喻)算帐，惩罚
reckon
vt. 1. calculate; add up (an amount, cost, etc.) 计算;算出(数量、费用等)
2. consider, regard 认为，把…看作
day of reckoning
(a Biblical reference) the time when one must eventually be punished for what one has done wrong (源自《圣经》)清算日，最后审判日
equip
vt. prepare (sb.) for dealing with a particular situation by providing necessary tools, education, etc.; su* (sb./ sth. with what is needed for a particular purpose) (智力、体力上)使有准备;配备，装备
inevitably
ad. 不可必免地;必然发生地
inevitable
a. which cannot be avoided or prevented from happening; certain to happen 不可避免的;必然发生的
intertwined
a. joined tightly together; very closely connected 互相缠结的，缠绕在一起的
premedical
a. preparing for the study of medicine 医学预科的
* dentist
n. a doctor trained to take care of people"s teeth 牙医
cheerful
a. in good spirit; causing a happy feeling 兴高采烈的;使人愉快的
conviction
n. a firm opinion or belief 深信，确信;把握
roommate
n. 住在同室的人，室友
typewriter
n. 打字机
* bug
vt. 1. (AmE) (infml) trouble (sb.) continually (美俚)烦扰，纠缠
2. (infml) fit with a secret listening apparatus (口)在…装qie听器
n. (AmE) a tiny insect, esp. one that causes damage; (infml) a fault or difficulty (美)虫子;(口)故障;毛病
considerate
a. careful not to hurt or trouble others; thoughtful 考虑周到的;替人着想的
fearful
a. afraid, anxious 惧怕的，忧虑的
goal-obsessed
a. extremely eager to realize one"s goals 一心要实现目标的
pre-arranged
a. planned or prepared in advance 预先准备好的
arrange
vt. 1. plan in advance; prepare 安排，准备
2. set in good or pleasing order 整理;排列
* slot
n. 1. a place or position in a schedule, list or series (口)(在机构、名单、程序等中的)位置，职位
2. a narrow opening in a tool or machine 狭长孔;狭槽
informally
ad. 非正式地;不拘礼节地
economist
n. an expert in economics 经济学家
a mixed bag
a group of people or things of different kinds and different qualities (人或物的)混合体;大杂烩
circuitous
a. indirect 迂回的，绕行的
circuit
n. 1. 环行;环行道
2. 电路;线路
circular
a. 1. 环行的，圆形的
2. 循环的
trail
n. a path, often through a forest or across rough ground (荒野中的)小径，小道
21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册Unit4大学压力4
in the dead of night
in the quietest part of the night 夜深人静之时
get through
complete successfully; manage to live through (a difficult experience or period of time) 完成;消磨，度过(时间)
right now
immediately; at this moment 立刻，马上
in itself
considered as a complete thing or experience, without thinking of effects, consequences, etc. 本身，实质上
in the presence of sb.
in the place where sb. is; with sb. there 在某人面前，当着某人的面
work on
affect; influence 对…起作用;影响
go forth (into)
set out 出发
under pressure
influenced by need or necessity; suffering stress 被催逼;在压力下
put together
(used after a noun or nouns referring to a group of people or things) combined; in total 合在一起
bug out
(AmE sl.) become mentally unbalanced (美俚)烦恼，困惑
be considerate of/to/toward sb.
pay attention to sb. "s needs, wishes, or feelings 替某人着想，体贴某人
be fearful of
be afraid of 惧怕
be bound for
intending to go to; going to 准备到…去;开往
fit into
be the right size or shape for; be suitable for 与…相符，与…相适应
all along
all the time; from the beginning 一直，始终;从一开始就
conceive of
think of 构想出;设想
21世纪大学英语读写基础教程Unit4课文讲解60篇（扩展5）
——21世纪大学英语读写教程第4册单元2课文详析 (菁选3篇)
21世纪大学英语读写教程第4册单元2课文详析1
First Listening
Before listening to the tape, have a quick look at the following words.
fare
乘客
buck
(俚)(一)元
trace
找到
glare
盯视
gratitude
感激
gracefully
得体地
Second Listening
Listen to the tape again and choose the best answer to each of the following questions.
1. How did the man who had lost his wallet react to it being returned?
A) He acted hostile towards the cabdriver.
B) He took it without a word, but smiled his thanks.
C) He gave the driver some money, but no thanks.
D) He thanked the driver, but gave him no reward.
2. What does the story of the cabdriver show?
A) Cabdrivers are usually honest people.
B) People need to be shown gratitude.
C) You should always give a tip for good service.
D) It"s not worthwhile to help other people.
3. Which of the following is NOT an example of expressing gratitude?
A) returning a wallet someone has left behind
B) gracefully receiving an act of kindness from another person
C) thanking and praising coworkers, family, and friends
D) making a small gesture of appreciation
4. Why does the author consider gratitude so important?
A) It keeps people from getting angry.
B) It helps you to get what you want.
C) It makes others like you more.
D) It makes the world a more pleasant place to live.
21世纪大学英语读写教程第4册单元2课文详析2
gratitude
n. being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness 感激;感谢的心情
slam
vt. shut loudly and with force; push, move, etc., hurriedly and with great force 猛然关上;猛力推移
sore
a. painful or aching; angry, esp. from feeling unjustly treated 疼痛的;恼怒的"
growl
v. make a deep, angry sound; complain angrily 咆哮;怒冲冲地抱怨
fare
n. a paying passenger (esp. in a taxi) (尤指出租车)乘客
trace
vt. find or discover 查出，找到
glare
vi. look fiercely or fixedly 瞪着眼看
dough
n. (sl.) money (俚语)钱
fumble
v. speak in a clumsy and unclear way支支吾吾地说，笨嘴拙舌地说
render
vt. 1. give (esp. help) 给予;提供(帮助等)
2. cause to be 使得;使成为
denial
n. the act of denying 否认;否定;拒绝
offensive
n. a planned military attack involving large forces over a long period 军事进攻;攻势
intention
n. sth. one proposes or plans to do 意图;目的;打算
inquiry
n. the act of inquiring; an investigation or examination 查询;调查
wristwatch
n. a small watch worn on a strap around the wrist 手表
foster
vt. help the growth and development of; encourage or promote 培养，促进;鼓励，助长
gracefully
ad. in a graceful way 优雅地;优美地;得体地
appreciation
n. gratefulness; gratitude 感激;感谢
hospitality
n. friendly reception; generous treatment of guests or strangers 款待;好客
sincere
a. free from pretense or deceit; genuine 真诚的;真挚的
trifling
a. of slight importance; of little value 微不足道的;没什么价值的
conventional
a. of the usual type; commonly used or seen 惯常的;通常的
phonograph
n. an instrument that reproduces the sounds from records 留声机;电唱机
thoughtfulness
n. the quality of being careful or considerate of others 关心;体贴
proof
n. 1. (piece of) evidence that shows that something is true or is a fact 证据; 证物
2. testing of whether something is true or a fact; demonstration or proving 验证;证明;证实
transfusion
n. the transfer of blood from one person or animal to another 输血
discharge
n. act of giving somebody permission to leave the army, hospital, etc. 允许离开;退伍;出院
pint
n. a measure for liquids (and some dry goods) equal to about 0.57 of a litre 品脱
surgeon
n. a doctor who performs operations 外科医生
sentiment
n. a mixture of thought and feeling 感情;情绪
renewal
n. the act of renewing or fact of being renewed 更新;恢复;重新开始;(中断后的)继续
appreciatively
ad. gratefully; thankfully 感激地
generous
a. showing readiness to give money, help, kindness, etc. 慷慨的，大方的
unselfish
a. not selfish; caring for others 无私的;为他人着想的
naturalist
n. a person who studies plants or animals, esp. outdoors 博物学家
tribute
n. a thing said or done or given as a mark of respect or affection, etc. 表示尊敬或赞美的言辞或举止;称赞;礼物
hitherto
ad. until this/that time 迄今;至今
barber
n. a person whose work is cutting men"s hair and shaving them 理发师
elevator
n. a moving platform or cage to carry people and things; up and down in a building, mine, or the like 电梯
elevate
vt. lift up; raise to a higher place or rank; improve (the mind, morals, etc.) 举起，提高;提升…的职位;提高(思想修养、道德品质等)
operator
n. a person who works a machine, apparatus, etc. 操作人员
monotonous
a. lacking in variety; boring through sameness 单调的;乏味的
agreeable
a. giving pleasure, pleasant 愉悦的;愉快的
confide
vt. tell (a secret) to sb. 吐露(秘密)
boast
vi. talk too proudly 吹牛，自夸
employer
n. a person or firm that employs others 雇主
21世纪大学英语读写教程第4册单元2课文详析3
think twice
think carefully; reconsider; hesitate 仔细考虑;重新考虑;踌躇，犹豫
save up
put aside (money) for future use 储蓄;存(钱)
refer to
mention 提及
something of a
rather a; to some degree 有点儿;有几分;可以说是一个
take /catch sb."s fancy
attract or please sb. 吸引住某人;令某人喜欢
on sb."s part/on the part of sb.
made or done by sb. 某人所做的;某人有责任的
in one way or another
by some means or method 以某种方式(或方法)
be /get fed up with /about
be(come) tired or bored; be(come) unhappy or depressed 厌倦;厌烦;沮丧
boast about /of
talk too proudly about /of 自吹;夸耀
take pains with
make an effort to do 努力;下功夫
refrain from
hold oneself back from; avoid 克制;避免
21世纪大学英语读写基础教程Unit4课文讲解60篇（扩展6）
——21世纪大学英语综合教程第二册 Unit4 课文翻译及课后答案 (菁选3篇)
21世纪大学英语综合教程第二册 Unit4 课文翻译及课后答案1
我喜欢动物 劳拉·A·莫雷蒂
“你觉得你为什么这么喜欢动物呢?”这是圣诞夜我的家人问我的问题。我知道他们期待我会说些诸如“我喜欢动物是因为它们聪明、好玩”之类的话。
可是我却说：“我喜欢动物，因为它们诚实。”
“在哪方面呢?”我的一个兄弟问道——似乎诚实仅仅表现在说实话，而众所周知动物是不会说话的!他的问题引来一阵开怀大笑。
“我喜欢动物，因为它们从不假装成别人，”我继续我的回答，“动物不会伪造感情。”
圣诞晚餐吃过了，礼物也打开了，我们正坐在沙发和扶手椅上。咖啡正端上来，于是我抓紧机会继续说。
“我喜欢动物，因为它们从生活中只索取它们需要的东西。它们不糟蹋环境，不污染水和它们所呼吸的空气。它们不生产大规模杀伤性武器，然后用这些武器去攻击别人——尤其是它们的同类。我喜欢动物因为它们根本不需要那些东西。”
“那是因为它们无知，”我的姐姐争论道,“它们不做这些事是因为它们根本不知道怎么做。”
狮子们不会聚在一起，”我反击道,“来商议如何灭绝斑马——即它们的食物来源。我想这并不是因为它们不知道怎么做，而是因为这么做会适得其反。”
他们笑了。
“我喜欢动物，”我继续道，“还因为它们不留恋过去的.东西，也不把过去的东西用作现在行为的借口。它们不去计划未来的生活，它们只活在今天，这一刻，充实地，完全地，单纯地活着。我喜欢动物因为它们比人类活得自由得多。”
“那是因为它们不会思考,”我的一个表亲说。
“这就是差别之所在吗?”我感到疑惑。“你是想说它们不以我们的方式思考吧。”
屋里变得异常安静。我很惊讶我的家人竟听得如此专注。
“还有，”我想起了自己成为保护动物权益积极分子的原因，随即补充道，“动物是地球上受害最深的生物：甚于儿童，甚于妇女，甚于有色人种。偏见使我们去剥削、利用它们，把它们当作科研工具和可消耗的商品，还去吃它们。我们把所能想到的任何暴行都用在它们身上。我喜欢动物，因为它们不对自己或别人做那些我们对它们做的事情。”
“最后，”我总结道，“我喜欢动物，因为它们不是伪君子。它们不会说的是一套，做的是另一套。它们，我已经说了，是诚实的。动物——而不是人——才是地球奉献出的最佳一族。”
相当有趣的是，尽管我的话十分率直，却没有招来他们恶意的评论或丝毫的嘲笑。事实上，接下去的谈话变成了分享他们所知的动物故事，有关于动物的忠诚和灵性的故事，也有关于它们的幽默和纯真的故事。而我反倒成了听众，只偶尔发表一下评论：
“嗳，但愿人能像动物一样就好了。”
我就这样进行了一场出色的论战;我是代表着我们中间最棒的一个群体上阵的。
21世纪大学英语综合教程第二册 Unit4 课文翻译及课后答案2
5
1. enables 2. arguing 3. comments 4. despite 5. planet
6. pretending 7. cruel 8. polluted 9. particularly 10. freedom
6
1. have no use for 2. playing with 3. dwell on
4. get together 5. on behalf of 6. on earth
7
1. What do you guess has made him change his mind?
2. Who do you guess is the winner of the speech contest?
3. When do you suppose the results of the exam will come out?
4. Where do you imagine they spent their vacation?
8
1. I don’t think he will agree with us.
2. I don’t think Alice can understand such a difficult question.
3. I don’t think you are taller than your brother
4. I don’t think they have made up their minds.
9
1. This report dwells on how some species were exterminated because of the polluted environment.
2. To tell the truth, I think a snide comment made out of prejudi?e is better than faked praise given by a hypocrite.
3. Mary countered the manager on behalf of all the employees by arguing that it is cruel to limit the employees freedom and it will eventually affect the company’s reputation.
4. What on earth has enabled some people, particularly certain high officials, to abuse their powers despite the law?
5. I don’t think success is merely related to intelligence. In fact, many good qualities, such as innocence, honesty, humor and loyalty, can help us succeed, too.
6. Strangely enough, the joke did not bring about hearty laughter, not even a hint of any. Could it be that the audience was pretending to be serious?
10
1. John is not here. Try phoning his home number to see if he’s there?
2. Walking along the street, he stopped to take a picture.
3. I forgot to ask him for his address.
4. We regret to inform you the model you want is out of stock.
5. They tried to pass the exam.
6. I remember turning the lights off before we came out.
7. I’ll never forget hearing this piece of music when I was lonely.
8. I regret giving up the job.
9. I stopped eating chocolate last year.
10. She first told us her plan and then went on to tell us how she would carry it out.
21世纪大学英语综合教程第二册 Unit4 课文翻译及课后答案3
马的意识——威廉•冯•奥斯顿试图教马数数 鲁丝•多尔夫曼
马会不会加减乘除?当然不会!但是在1900年，冯•奥斯顿可不同意你的意见。冯•奥斯顿是位德国教师，他试图证明动物和人一样聪明。
他收了一只熊、一只猫和一匹马作学生，开始教他们算术或实数。熊和猫很快失去了兴趣，然而马却没有。
事实上，这匹名叫聪明的汉斯的马是一名优秀的学生。每堂课他都静静地站在那里，面对着老师。为了确保汉斯专心听讲，冯•奥斯顿在它眼睛的两侧安上了遮挡物。这些“障眼物”迫使汉斯正视老师。看来没有什么能让他分神了。
冯·奥斯顿用撞柱游戏中的9个小瓶柱来教汉斯1到9的数字。他排出4根小柱，问道：“有几根小柱子啊?”
“嗒，嗒，嗒，嗒，”汉斯敲着前蹄回答。
冯·奥斯顿用写在黑板上的数字代替九柱后，汉斯依然学得很快，他仍旧能答对问他的大多数问题。这只令人惊讶的动物甚至学会了认钟点和算某些数的*方根!不久，聪明的汉斯赢得了全世界的称赞。之前可从来没有动物进行过数学思维!
然而，有些数学家怀疑有诈。冯•奥斯顿是不是在给汉斯提示呢?让一匹马做如此复杂的数学计算似乎是不可能的!不过，当数学家们测试汉斯时，他们大为惊讶。测验结果表明，汉斯的能力竟达到了一个14岁学生的水*!
尽管如此，仍有科学家表示怀疑。他们组成一个小组重新对汉斯进行测试。小组中的一名心理学家奥斯卡.冯斯特想到一个主意。为什么不单独测试汉斯呢?这样一来，当然不可能有人给他提示了。
不出冯斯特所料，汉斯没能通过测验。这是因为汉斯需要房间里有个知道正确答案的人，可是那个知道答案的人并不知道自己在提示汉斯!当汉斯接近正确答案时，那人的身体就会发生一些变化，而这些变化只有汉斯能察觉到。即使是心跳加速也可能成为让汉斯开始敲击蹄子的信号!
毫无疑问，冯·奥斯顿发现汉斯从来不懂数学时他很是失望。不过话说回来，汉斯的的确确是匹非常聪明的马!
21世纪大学英语读写基础教程Unit4课文讲解60篇（扩展7）
——21世纪大学英语读写基础教程The Future课文解读 (菁选2篇)
21世纪大学英语读写基础教程The Future课文解读1
What will our future be like? What might happen in the year 2144? How far can your imagination take you into the future? Let"s see what a newspaper in New Zealand tells us.
The Future
Will the future be one of robots and spaceships, or meditation and organic food? Today and next Wednesday The Post steps into the future, and asks the experts what they think the world of tomorrow will be like.
Imagine you are holding the December 11, 2144 edition of The Evening Post. It won"t be made of paper, but a thin screen that can be folded up and put in your pocket or bag. You"ll use the same screen tomorrow, when the day"s news will be beamed to its tiny modem via satellite.
The modem will chatter away all day, updating stories from around the world as they happen, complete with moving pictures and sound. A retina scanner will follow your eye, scrolling each page as you get near the bottom. The paper"s computer will record which stories interest you most and design a custom menu every time you switch it on.
Let"s see what"s happening today. Again, the big local story is the disappearing apartment blocks at Happy Valley. Built over an old landfill, this expensive new development is slowly sinking into the ground. Engineers suspect plastic milk bottles dumped with their caps screwed on in the late-20th century are bursting under the weight of the buildings. "People back then," says Wellington"s Mayor in a live interview, "were pretty stupid."
Overseas a power failure at a cryo-prison in Alabama during the holiday weekend saw 50,000 inmates thawed prematurely, and in Bangladesh monsoon floods have wiped out hundreds of villages. Some things don"t change.
In reality, we can"t predict what the pages of this newspaper will contain 144 years from now because we can"t predict the future. But in two weeks we will arrive in the new millennium, a date long held up as the future, but which will soon represent a new beginning.
Thirty years ago it was expected that by 2000 commuters would fly to work on highways in the sky, that robots with pinnies would do the vacuuming, that humans would have colonised our near planets and the moon.
Our cars are still stuck firmly on the ground, although even the most basic family runabout has a powerful electronic brain which tells it how much fuel to use and figures out in milliseconds how to save the occupants in a crash.
We still do the vacuuming ourselves, although our ovens tell us when food is ready. We can download whole libraries through our home computers and view snaps of friends on the other side of the world seconds after they are taken.
We have yet to live anywhere other than Earth, although missions into space have allowed us to develop new medicines, information chips and superconductors to make life better down here.
Who would have believed we"d be altering the genetic make-up of animals so they can grow replacement organs for us? Who"d have believed the drink machine in the foyer dials for supplies when it senses it"s getting low?
At the dawn of the new millennium the future seems to be coming at us at a frightening pace, with the world seeming to change almost weekly.
What then, will it be like in 100 years? 500? 1000? Will it be a technological future with space hotels, rocket cars, genetically engineered people and automated homes? Or will it be an organic future with a new emphasis on spirituality and nature?
Will humankind still be blighted by war? Will we be able to cure cancer? Will we still get married? What sort of world will our children inherit?
Over the past few months The Post has been asking experts in their fields to take an educated, but fanciful, guess. None claims to be able to tell the future, but by tracking current trends they can give us an idea of what to expect in the world of tomorrow.
You won"t be around to read the December 11, 2144 edition of The Evening Post, but this is the next best thing.
Welcome to the future.
21世纪大学英语读写基础教程The Future课文解读2
robot
n. an automatic machine that can perform the actions of a person 机器人
spaceship
n. a vehicle used for travelling in space 航天器;宇宙飞船
organic
a. 1. not using artificial chemicals in the production of plants and animals for food 施有机肥料的
2. of, found in, or formed by living things 生物体的;有机体的
expert
n. a person with special knowledge, skill or training in a particular field 专家;能手
edition
n. one printing of a book, newspaper, etc. (书、报等的)版次
fold
vt. bend (sth.) so that one part is over another 折叠
beam
vt. transmit (a signal) in a particular direction 定向发射(无线电信号等)
modem
n. (计算机)调制解调器
via
prep.through 通过
* update
vt. make (sth.) more modern or up-to-date 更新
retina
n. 视网膜
scanner
n. 扫描器
scroll
vt. (on a computer display) move a cursor smoothly, causing new data to replace old on the monitor (象展开卷轴般)将文字显示于屏幕
design
vt. plan or arrange so as to make sure that sth. fulfils your purpose 设计
custom
a. made specially for individual customers 定制的;定做的
switch
vt. turn (an electrical device) on or off 用开关把(电器)开启(或关掉)
disappear
vi. cease to be seen 消失;不见
apartment
n. a set of rooms on one floor of a building 公寓;单元房
valley
n. a stretch of land between hills or mountains 谷，山谷
landfill
n. an area built up from deposits of solid garbage 用垃圾填筑而成的地面
suspect
vt. believe without certain proof; guess 推测，猜想;认为
dump
vt. throw away (garbage, rubbish, etc.) in a heap or a place set apart for the purpose 倾倒(垃圾等)
screw
v. fasten (sth.) by turning or twisting 拧紧
mayor
n. the chief executive of a city or a town *
overseas
ad. across the sea; abroad 到海外;在国外
cryo-prison
n. 冰冻监狱
inmate
n. any of a number of people living together in an institution, esp. a prison (尤指监狱中的)被收容者
thaw
vi. change from a frozen to a liquid state 融化;化冻
* prematurely
ad. before the proper or usual time; too early 比(正常)时间提早地;过早地
monsoon
n. 季风
contain
vt. have or hold within itself 包含，容纳
millennium
n. a period of 1000 years 一千年
highway
n. a main public road 公路;交通要道
pinny
n. 围裙
vacuum
vi. clean with a vacuum cleaner 用吸尘器打扫
colonise
vt. make into a colony 在…开拓殖民地
firmly
ad. in a firm way 牢固地;稳固地;坚定地
runabout
n. 敞蓬小轿车
electronic
a. 电子的
millisecond
n. 毫秒
occupant
n. a person who occupies a car, house, etc. 占用者，居住者
crash
n. an accident in which a vehicle hits sth., usu causing damage, and often injury or death (车辆等)碰撞;撞毁
oven
n. 烤箱
download
vt. transfer (a program, data, etc.) from a larger computer system to a smaller computer 下载(计算机程序、资料等)
snap
n. short for snapshot (口)快照，简照
chip
n. 集成电路片;微(型)电路
superconductor
n. 超导体
alter
v. become or make different; change (使)改变;变更
* genetic
a. 基因的.
makeup
n. combination of things, people, etc. that form sth.; composition of sth. (事物、人等的)组合;构成
replacement
n. 1. the act of replacing 代替;替换
2. a person or thing that takes the place of another 接替者;替换物
organ
n. a part of an animal body or plant serving a particular purpose 器官
foyer
n. an entrance hall or large open space in a theatre, hotel, etc., where people can meet or talk (剧场、旅馆等的)门厅，休息厅
pace
n. rate of progress or development (进步或发展的)速度;节奏
weekly
ad. once a week or every week 每星期;每周一次
technological
a. 技术的
rocket
n. 火箭;火箭发动机
genetically
ad. 因基因决定地
engineer
vt. 设计;建造
automate
vt. cause (sth.) to work automatically 使自动化
emphasis
n. stress 强调
spirituality
n. 精神性;灵性
humankind
n. 人类
blight
vt. spoil or ruin 损害
cancer
n. 癌症
inherit
vt. receive (property, a title, etc.) as a result of the death of the previous owner or be born with (a physical or mental quality) that a parent, grandparent or other relative has 继承
fanciful
a. showing imagination rather than reason and experience 幻想的;想像的
track
vt. follow the course or movements of 跟踪;追踪
current
a. of the present time; happening now 现时的，当前的
trend
n. the way or direction things tend to go 趋势;动向
Phrases and Expressions
step into
enter 走进，进入
fold up
make smaller in size by folding 折叠
chatter away
clatter continuously from vibration (机器)不停地咯咯作响
switch on
turn on 打开(电灯、收音机等)
screw on
旋，拧;旋牢
wipe out
destroy completely 彻底摧毁;消灭
hold sb./sth. up
show sb./sth. as an example 举某人(某事物)作为范例
other than
except 除…之外
come at
move towards in a threatening manner 冲向
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