21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册史蒂芬霍金简史60篇

21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册史蒂芬霍金的简史1　　FirstListening　　1.Beforeyoulistentothetapehaveaquicklookattheparagraphbel下面是小编为大家整理的21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册史蒂芬霍金简史60篇,供大家参考。

21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册史蒂芬霍金的简史1

　　First Listening

　　1.Before you listen to the tape have a quick look at the paragraph below. It"s similar to what you"ll hear on the tape, but there are some differences. As you listen the first time, underline the sections of the paragraph that are different from what you hear on the tape. Don"t worry yet about what the exact differences are-just underline where they appear.

　　Steven Hawking, the world-famous scientist and author, lost his ability to speak in 1985. Already confined to a wheelchair, unable to move more than a few muscles, he lost his voice and this meant he could communicate only by raising his eyebrows. Then an American com*r programmer came to Hawking"s rescue by designing a vocalizing com*r specially for him. With its help. Hawking can construct sentences at a speed of about 15 words per minute, by selecting words from his com*r screen and then clicking on a device that vocalizes the sentences for him. Hawking jokes about the com*r: "The only trouble is that it gives me an American accent."

　　Second Listening

　　2. What else do you know about Steven Hawking and his book A Brief History of Time? Why is he called "the smartest man in the world"?

　　A Brief History of Stephen Hawking

21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册史蒂芬霍金的简史2

　　He has been proclaimed "the finest mind alive", "the greatest genius of the late 20th century", and "Einstein"s heir". Known to millions, far and wide, for his book A Brief History of Time, Stephen Hawking is a star scientist in more ways than one. His gift for revealing the mysteries of the universe in a style that non-scientists can enjoy made Hawking an instant celebrity and his book a bestseller in both Britain and America. It has earned a place in the Guinness Book of Records for spending 184 weeks in The Sunday Times "top-ten" lists, and has sold more than five million copies worldwide — virtually unheard-of success for a science book.

　　How did all this happen? How has a man who is almost completely paralysed and unable to speak except through a com*r overcome these incredible obstacles and achieved far more than most people ever dream of?

　　Stephen William Hawking was a healthy baby, born to intellectual, eccentric parents. His father Frank, a doctor specialising in tropical diseases, and his mother Isobel, a doctor"s daughter, lived in a big old house full of books. Carpets and furniture stayed in use until they fell apart; the wallpaper hung peeling from old age. The family car was a London taxi, bought for ￡50.

　　Hawking has always been fascinated by his birth date: January 8,1942. It was the 300th anniversary of the death of Galileo, the Italian mathematician and astronomer who revolutionised astronomy by maintaining that the Sun is the centre of the Solar System — not the Earth, as ancient astronomers believed.

　　"Galileo", says Hawking, "was the first scientist to start using his eyes, both figuratively and literally. In a sense, he was responsible for the age of science we now enjoy."

　　Hawking attended St. Albans School, a private school noted for its high academic standards. He was part of a small elite group, the brightest of the bright students. They hung around together, listened to classical music and read only such "smart" authors as Aldous Huxley and Hawking"s hero, Bertrand Russell, at once an intellectual giant and liberal activist.

　　Hawking spent very little time on maths homework, yet got full marks. A friend recalls: "While I would be struggling away with a complicated problem, he just knew the answer. He didn"t have to think about it."

　　This instinctive insight also impressed his teachers. One of Hawking"s science teachers, for example, recalls the time he posed the question: "Does a cup of hot tea reach a drinkable temperature more quickly if you put the milk in first, or add the milk after pouring?" While the rest of the class struggled over how to even begin approaching the problem, Hawking almost instantly announced the correct answer: "Add the milk after pouring, of course." (The hotter the tea initially, the faster it will cool.) Another teacher relates how Hawking and his friends built a simple com*r—and this was in 1958, a time when only large research centres had any com*rs at all.

　　Hawking the schoolboy was a typical grind, underweight and awkward and peering through eyeglasses. His grey uniform always looked a mess and he spoke rather unclearly, having inherited a slight lisp from his father. This had nothing to do with early signs of illness; he was just that sort of kid—a figure of classroom fun, respected by his friends, avoided by most.

　　Hawking went on to study at Oxford, winning a scholarship to read Natural Science, a course which combines mathematics, physics and astronomy, at University College. He found much of the work easy and averaged only one hour"s work a day. Once, when his tutor set some physics problems from a textbook, Hawking didn"t even bother to do them. Asked why, he spent 20 minutes pointing out errors in the book. His main enthusiasm was the Boat Club. Many times he returned to shore with bits of the boat knocked off, having tried to guide his crew through an impossibly narrow gap. His rowing trainer suspects, "Half the time, he was sitting in the stern with his head in the stars, working out mathematical formulae."

　　Oxford has always had its share of eccentric students, so Hawking fit right in. But then, when he was 21, he was told that he had ALS—a progressive and incurable nerve disease. The doctors predicted that he had only a few years to live.

　　"Before my condition was diagnosed, I was very bored with life," Hawking says today, speaking from his wheelchair through a com*rized voice synthesizer. The doctors" grim prognosis made him determined to get the most from a life he had previously taken for granted.

　　"But I didn"t die," Hawking notes dryly. Instead, as his physical condition worsened, Hawking"s reputation in scientific circles grew, as if to demonstrate the theory of mind over matter. Hawking himself acknowledges his disease as being a crucial factor in focusing his attention on what turned out to be his real strength: theoretical research. Hawking specializes in theoretical cosmology, a branch of science that seeks ultimate answers to big questions; Why has the universe happened, and what are the laws that govern it? His main work has been on black holes and the origin and expansion of the universe. He currently holds the Cambridge University professorship once held by Sir Isaac Newton.

　　The smartest man in the world is not immune to the depression that can accompany severe disabilities. But Hawking says: "I soon realized that the rest of the world won"t want to know you if you"re bitter or angry. You have to be positive if you"re to get much sympathy or help." He goes on: "Nowadays, muscle power is obsolete. What we need is mind power—and disabled people are as good at that as anyone else."

21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册史蒂芬霍金的简史3

　　*proclaim

　　vi. say publicly and officially 宣告，宣布

　　*heir

　　n. 继承人

　　best-seller

　　n. sth. (esp. a book) that sells in very large numbers 畅销书/货

　　top-ten

　　n. 排行前十名

　　virtually

　　ad. almost; very nearly 几乎;实际上

　　virtual

　　a. almost what is stated; in fact though not officially 实质上，实际上(但并非正式的)

　　*paralyse, -ze

　　vt. make sb. lose the ability to move part or all of his body, or to feel anything in it 使瘫痪

　　obstacle

　　n. sth. that blocks one"s way or makes movement, progress, etc. difficult 障碍(物)

　　*eccentric

　　a. (of people or their behaviour) unusual; not conventional or normal; slightly odd (人、行为举止)异乎寻常的;古怪的，怪僻的

　　tropical

　　a. of or found in the tropics 热带的;发生于热带的

　　carpet

　　n. 地毯

　　wallpaper

　　n. thick coloured or patterned paper for decorating the walls of a room 墙纸;壁纸

　　*peel

　　vi. (of a covering) come off in strips or small pieces 剥落;脱落

　　vt. (off) remove the outer covering from (a fruit, vegetable, etc.) 削去…的皮;剥去…的壳

　　n. the outer covering of fruits and vegetables (水果、蔬菜等的)皮

　　anniversary

　　n. a day which is an exact year or number of years after sth. has happened; a ceremony, feast, etc., held on this day 周年;周年纪念

　　mathematician

　　n. a person who studies mathematics 数学家

　　astronomer

　　n. a person who studies astronomy 天文学家

　　revolutionise, -ize

　　vt. cause a complete change in 使发生革命性剧变

　　*astronomy

　　n. the scientific study of the sun, moon. stars, planets, etc. 天文学

　　solar

　　a. 1. of, from or concerning the sun 太阳的;太阳产生的

　　2. using the sun"s light and heat 利用太阳光(或太阳能)的

　　ancient

　　a. belonging to times that are long past 古代的;属于古代的

　　figuratively

　　ad. 比喻地;借喻地

　　*literally

　　ad. 1. according to the most basic and simple meaning of a word 字面上地;照文字地

　　2. exactly, really 确实地，真心地，不加夸张地

　　*elite

　　a. (Fr) (of people or organizations) considered to be the best of their kind(法)杰出的，卓越的;精锐的

　　n. a group of the most powerful, rich or talented people 精英阶层;实力集团

　　classical

　　a. 1. (of music) composed with serious intentions and having lasting value (as opposed to jazz or pop) 古典的;古典乐派的

　　2. being in accordance with ancient Greek or Roman models in literature or art or with later systems based on them 古典(指古希腊或古罗马文学、艺术等)的;基于古典文学艺术的

　　*instinctive

　　a. (出于)本能的;(出于)天性的

　　insight

　　n. deep understanding; the ability to see into the true nature of sth. 洞悉，深入了解;洞察力

　　pose

　　vt. 1. ask (a question, riddle, etc.) 提出(问题等)

　　2. create or present (a difficulty, etc.) 造成，引起(困难等)

　　initially

　　ad. at first; at the beginning 最初;开始

　　relate

　　v. 1. tell (a story) 讲述(故事)

　　2. see or show a connection between 使联系，显示出…与…的联系

　　underweight

　　a. weighing too little or less than is usual 重量不足

　　awkward

　　a. 笨拙的;使人尴尬的

　　peer

　　vi. (at, through) look very carefully or hard for not being able to see well 仔细看;费力地看

　　n. a person of the same age or status as you 同辈;同等地位的人

　　eyeglasses

　　n. =glasses 眼镜

　　inherit

　　vt. 1. have features or qualities similar to those of an ancestor 经遗传而得(性格、特征)

　　2. receive (money, property, etc.) as a result of the death of the previous owner 继承(金钱、遗产等)

　　lisp

　　n. 咬舌;口齿不清

　　crew

　　n. 1. a rowing team 全体划船队员

　　2. all the people working on a ship, an aircraft, etc.(船、飞机等的)全体人员

　　gap

　　n. 1. an opening or break between two things 豁口;缺口

　　2. 峡谷;山口

　　3. 差距;分歧;隔阂

　　mathematical

　　a. of or concerning mathematics 数学(上)的

　　progressive

　　a. 1. (of diseases, etc.) becoming increasingly worse in its later stages (疾病等)愈来愈严重的`

　　2. moving forward continuously or by stages 向前进的;循序渐进的

　　3. favoring or eager for new ideas or changes 进步的;改革的

　　incurable

　　a. that cannot be cured 不可救药的;不能治愈的

　　nerve

　　n. 1. any of the threadlike parts of the body which form a system to carry feelings and messages to and from the brain 神经

　　2. strength or control of mind; courage 意志力;勇气

　　predict

　　v. see or describe (a future happening) in advance as a result of knowledge, experience, reason, etc. 预言，预测

　　*diagnose

　　vt. discover the nature of (a disease) 诊断(疾病)

　　wheelchair

　　n. 轮椅

　　synthesizer

　　n. [电子]合成器;音响合成器

　　*grim

　　a. 1. (of a situation, etc.) unpleasant, difficult to accept and worrying 严酷的;无情的

　　2. (of a place) unattractive and depressing in appearance 阴森的，令人生畏的

　　prognosis

　　n. 1. (med.) a doctor"s opinion of what course a disease will probably take [医]预后(指根据症状对疾病结果的预测)

　　2. a prediction about the future 预测

　　dryly, drily

　　ad. 1. according to the rules and without personal warmness or feeling 干巴巴地;冷冰冰地

　　2. 干燥地

　　worsen

　　v. (cause to) become worse (使)变得更坏;(使)恶化

　　demonstrate

　　vt. 1. prove or make clear by reasoning or examples 论证，证明

　　2. show the way to do sth. or how sth. works 示范;操作;演示

　　3. show (one"s particular skill, quality or feeling) 显示，表露

　　vi. take part in a march or meeting to show one"s opposition to sth. or support for it **

　　acknowledge

　　vt. 1. (as, to be) recognize, accept or admit (as) 承认;接受

　　2. state that one has received sth. 告知(信件、礼物等的)收到

　　3. show one"s appreciation for, as by giving or saying sth. 对…表示谢忱，答谢

　　theoretical

　　a. based on or concerning the ideas and abstract principles of a subject, rather than the practical aspects of it 理论(上)的;纯理论的

　　cosmology

　　n. the scientific study of the universe and its origin and development 宇宙学

　　*govern

　　vt. 1. (often pass.) determine the nature of [常被动]决定;支配

　　2. rule (a country, a city, etc. and its people) 统治;治理

　　3. have control or influence over (sth.) 支配;影响

　　governor

　　n. a person who controls any of certain types of organization or place 统治者;管辖者;地方长官

　　expansion

　　n. 1. the process of becoming greater in size or amount 扩大，扩充;扩张

　　2. 扩充物;扩展部分

　　*immune

　　a. 1. (to) not affected by 不受影响的;可防止的

　　2. unable to be harmed (by a disease) because of special powers in oneself 免疫的;有免疫力的

　　depression

　　n. 1. a feeling of sadness and hopelessness 忧伤，消沉，沮丧

　　2. a period of reduced business activity and high unemployment 不景气;萧条(期)

　　disability

　　n. a physical injury or mental illness that severely affects one"s life 伤残，残疾

　　sympathy

　　n. 1. the ability to share the feelings of another 同情心，恻隐心

　　2. a pity 同情

　　sympathize, -ise

　　v. show or feel sympathy (表示)同情

　　black hole

　　an area in outer space into which everything near it, including light itself, is pulled [天]黑洞

　　nowadays

　　ad. at the present time, in contrast with the past 如今，现在

　　obsolete

　　a. no longer used; out of date 已废弃的;过时的

　　Phrases and Expressions

　　far and wide

　　everywhere; from or over a large area 到处;广泛地

　　dream of

　　wish, fantasize, imagine 梦想;向往

　　specialise in

　　concentrate one"s studies, interests, etc. on (a particular field, etc.) 专门从事;专门研究

　　in use

　　being used 在使用着的

　　fall apart

　　break into pieces; break up 破碎;崩溃

　　in a sense

　　to a certain extent but not entirely 从某种意义上说

　　be responsible for

　　be the cause of 是…的原因;对…负责

　　hang around (with)

　　spend time in a place or with sb., often without any particular purpose (在某处)闲荡;(和某人)厮混

　　at once

　　at the same time 同时，一起

　　struggle away with

　　try very hard to do (sth., though it is very hard) 努力做(某事)，艰难地做(某事)

　　have nothing to do with

　　have no relation to or connection with 与…无关

　　bother to do sth.

　　trouble oneself to do sth. 费心去做某事

　　knock off

　　cause sth. to fall from a place 敲掉;击倒

　　work out

　　find an answer to (sth.); solve (sth.) 想出;得出

　　have one"s share of sth.

　　have part of sth.; have the amount that is fair for sb. 享有其中一份;享有自己应得的一份

　　fit (right) in

　　be (precisely) suitable (to) (正)相合

　　mind over matter

　　(sometimes humor) control of events or material objects by the power of the mind 精神战胜物质

　　turn out to be

　　happen to be in the end 最后是;结果是

21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册史蒂芬霍金的简史60篇扩展阅读

21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册史蒂芬霍金的简史60篇（扩展1）

——21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册第2单元内容详解60篇

21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册第2单元内容详解1

　　First Listening

　　Before listening to the tape, have a quick look at the following blanks to prepare yourself to listen for the figures.

　　1. As you listen to the passage the first time, fill these blanks with the words you hear:

　　Asians and Asian Americans make up only _____ of the US population, but they come up to ____ of the undergraduates at Harvard, _____ at MIT, ______ at Yale and _____ at Berkeley.

　　Second Listening

　　Read the following words first to prepare yourself to answer them to the best of your ability.

　　Talent effort money concentration ambition intelligence pressure sacrifice discrimination tradition

　　2. Why are these statistics "amazing"? And what do you think the explanation is?

21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册第2单元内容详解2

　　Fox Butterfield

　　Kim-Chi Trinh was just nine when her father used his savings to buy a passage for her on a fishing boat that would carry her from Vietnam. It was a heartbreaking and costly sacrifice for the family, placing Kim-Chi on the small boat, among strangers, in hopes that she would eventually reach the United States, where she would get a good education and enjoy a better life.

　　It was a hard journey for the little girl, and full of risks. Long before the boat reached safety, the supplies of food and water ran out. When Kim-Chi finally made it to the US, she had to cope with a succession of three foster families. But when she graduated from San Diego"s Patrick Henry High School in 1988, she had straight A"s and scholarship offers from some of the most prestigious universities in the country.

　　"I have to do well," says the 19-year-old, now a second-year student at Cornell University. "I owe it to my parents in Vietnam."

　　Kim-Chi is part of a wave of bright, highly - motivated Asian - Americans who are suddenly surging into our best colleges. Although Asian - Americans make up only 2.4 percent of the nation"s population, they constitute 17.1 percent of the undergraduates at Harvard, 18 percent at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and 27.3 percent at the University of California at Berkeley.

　　Why are Asian - Americans doing so well? Are they grinds, as some stereotypes suggest? Do they have higher IQs? Or can we learn a lesson from them about values we have long treasured but may have misplaced — like hard work, the family and education?

　　Not all Asians are doing equally well; poorly - educated Cambodian refugee children, for instance, often need special help. And many Asian - Americans resent being labeled a "model minority," feeling that this is reverse discrimination by white Americans — a contrast to the laws that excluded most Asian immigrants from the US until 1965, but prejudice nevertheless.

　　The young Asians" achievements have led to a series of fascinating studies. Perhaps the most disturbing results come from the research carried out by a University of Michigan psychologist, Harold W. Stevenson, who has compared more than 7,000 students in kindergarten, first grade, third grade and fifth grade in Chicago and Minneapolis with counterparts in Beijing, Taipei and Sendai. On a battery of math tests, the Americans did worst at all grade levels.

　　Stevenson found no differences in IQ. But if the differences in performance are showing up in kindergarten, it suggests something is happening in the family, even before the children get to school.

　　It is here that various researchers" different studies converge: Asian parents are motivating their children better. "The bottom line is, Asian kids work hard," Stevenson says.

　　The real question, then, is how Asian parents imbue their offspring with this kind of motivation. Stevenson"s study suggests a critical answer. When asked why they think their children do well, most Asian parents said "hard work." By contrast, American parents said "talent."

　　"From what I can see," criticizes Stevenson, "we"ve lost our faith in the idea that we can all get ahead in life through hard work. Instead, Americans now believe that some kids have what it takes and some don"t. So we start dividing up classes into‘fast learners’and‘slow learners’, whereas the Chinese and Japanese feel all children can succeed in the same curriculum."

　　This belief in hard work is the first of three main factors contributing to Asian students" outstanding performance. It springs from Asians" common heritage of Confucianism, the philosophy of the 5th-century-BC Chinese sage whose teachings have had a profound influence on Chinese society. One of Confucius"s primary teachings is that through effort, people can perfect themselves.

　　Confucianism provides another important ingredient in the Asians" success as well. In Confucian philosophy, the family plays a central role — an orientation that leads people to work for the honor of the family, not just for themselves. One can never repay one"s parents, and there"s a sense of obligation or even guilt that is as strong a force among Asians as Protestant philosophy is in the West.

　　There"s yet another major factor in this bond between Asian parents and their children. During the 15 years I lived in China, Japan, and Vietnam, I noticed that Asian parents establish a closer physical tie to their infants than most parents in the United States. When I let my baby daughter crawl on the floor, for example, my Chinese friends were horrified and rushed to pick her up. We think this constant attention is old-fashioned or even unhealthy, but for Asians, it"s highly effective.

　　Can we learn anything from the Asians? "I"m not naive enough to think everything in Asia can be transplanted," says Stevenson. But he offered three recommendations.

　　"To start with," he says, "we need to set higher standards for our kids. We wouldn"t expect them to become professional athletes without practicing hard."

　　Second, American parents need to become more committed to their children"s education, he declares. "Being understanding when a child doesn"t do well isn"t enough." Stevenson found that Asian parents spend more time helping their children with homework or writing to their teachers than American parents do.

　　And, third, our schools could be reorganized in simple but effective ways, says Stevenson. Nearly 90 percent of Chinese youngsters say they actually enjoy school, and 60 percent can"t wait for school vacations to end. This is a vastly more positive attitude than youngsters in The US express. One reason may be that students in China and Japan typically have a break after each class, helping them to relax and to increase their attention spans.

　　"I don"t think Asians are any smarter," says Don Lee, an Asian-American student at Berkeley. "There are brilliant Americans in my chemistry class. But the Asian students work harder. I see a lot of wasted potential among the Americans."

21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册第2单元内容详解3

　　excel

　　v. (at) be the beat or better others (at sth.) 胜过他人

　　savings

　　n. money saved, esp. in a bank 积蓄;存款

　　heartbreaking

　　a. which causes great sorrow 令人悲痛的，令人心碎的

　　costly

　　a. expensive, costing a lot of money 代价高昂的;昂贵的

　　sacrifice

　　n. loss or giving up of sth. of value, esp. for what is believed to be a good purpose 牺牲

　　vt. 牺牲

　　risk

　　n. (of) a danger;sth. that might have undesirable results 危险;风险

　　vt. place in a dangerous situation 使遭受危险;冒…的风险

　　cope

　　vi. (with) deal successfully (with a difficult situation) (妥善地)应付或处理

　　succession

　　n. a series or the act of following one after the other (前后相接的)一系列，一连串;连续

　　successive

　　a. following each other closely 接连的，连续的，相继的

　　*foster

　　a. *的;寄养的

　　vt. 收养;照料

　　scholarship

　　n. 1. 奖学金

　　2. 学识;学术成就

　　owe

　　vt. (to) 1. have sth. (usually sth. good) because of 把…归功于

　　2. have to pay, for sth. already done or given 欠

　　owing

　　a. (to) still to be paid 未付的，欠着的

　　motivate

　　vt. (often pass.) 1. provide (sb.) with a (strong) need, purpose or reason for doing sth. [常被动] 激发…的积极性

　　2. 使有动机

　　*surge

　　vi. move, esp. forward, in or like powerful waves (如浪潮般) 汹涌;奔腾

　　n. (感情等的)洋溢或奔放

　　constitute

　　vt. 1. form or make up 形成;构成

　　2. formally establish or appoint 组建;选派

　　constitution

　　n. 1. the act of establishing, making, or setting up;constituting 制定;设立;组成

　　2. (often cap.) [常大写] 宪法;法规;章程

　　*constitutional

　　a. allowed or limited by a political constitution 宪法规定的;合乎宪法的

　　grind

　　n. (AmE, often derog.) a student who is always working (美)[常贬义]用功的学生，书呆子

　　vt. 磨;磨碎

　　*stereotype

　　n. a fixed pattern which is believed to represent a type of person or event 固定形式，老套

　　misplace

　　vt. 1. lose (sth.),usu. for only a limited time (暂时)丢弃

　　2. put in an unsuitable or wrong place 把…放错地方

　　refugee

　　n. sb. who has been forced to leave their country for political reason or during a war 难民;流亡者

　　*resent

　　vt. feel anger and dislike about sth. 对…表示愤恨

　　label

　　vt. 1. describe as belonging to a particular kind or class 把…称为;把…列为

　　2. 加标签于;用标签标明

　　n. 标签

　　minority

　　n. 1. a small part of a population which is different from others in race, religion, etc. 少数民族;少数派

　　2. the small number or part;less than half 少数

　　minor

　　a. 较少的，较小的

　　*discrimination

　　n. 1. the practice of unfairly treating sb. or sth. 区别对待;歧视

　　2. the ability to recognize the difference between two things 识别力;辨别力

　　reverse discrimination

　　the making of distinctions in favour of groups considered disadvantaged or underprivileged 逆向歧视，反其道而行之的歧视

　　*discriminate

　　v. 1. (against, in favor of) unfairly treat one person or group worse or better than others 有差别地对待

　　2. see or make a difference between things or people 区别，辨别，区分

　　contrast

　　n. (to, with) a strong difference between two people, objects or situations 对比;对照

　　v. examine (two things) in order to find or show differences 对比;对照

　　exclude

　　vt. keep out from a place or an activity 阻止…进入;把…排斥在外

　　exclusion

　　n. the act of excluding or fact of being excluded 拒绝;排斥

　　exclusive

　　a. (of) not taking into account;without;excluding 不算;不包括;把…排斥在外

　　exclusively

　　ad. only;and nothing/no one else 排斥其他地;专有地;单独地

　　immigrant

　　n. a person who has come to live in a country from abroad 移民;侨民

　　prejudice

　　n. unfair and usually unfavorable feeling or opinion about a group—e.g.a nationality or race 歧视;偏见;成见

　　series

　　n. 1. (of) a set or group of things of the same kind or related in some way, coming one after another or in order 系列;连接

　　2. 丛书;广播(或电视)系列节目

　　fascinating

　　a. having great attraction or charm 吸引人的.;迷人的

　　*fascinate

　　vt. (with) charm powerfully;be very interesting to 强烈地吸引;迷住

　　disturbing

　　a. causing worry or fright 令人不安的;令人烦恼的

　　disturb

　　vt. 1. break the peace or order of 扰乱;打扰

　　2. cause to become anxious or upset 使心神不安;使烦恼

　　*disturbance

　　n. 1. an act of disturbing or the state of being disturbed 打扰;扰乱

　　2. sth. that disturbs 造成干扰的事物

　　kindergarten

　　n. a school or class for young children, usu. between the ages of four and six 幼儿园

　　*counterpart

　　n. a person or thing that has the same purpose or does the same job as another in a different system 对应的人(或物);对手(方)

　　battery

　　n. 1. (of) a set or number of things of the same kind occurring in rapid succession 一组;一系列

　　2. 电池(组)

　　*converge

　　vi. (of two or more things) come together towards the same point (在一点上)会合;集中

　　the bottom line

　　the basic point 基本要点

　　imbue

　　v. (with)(usu. pass.) to fill with (sth., often a strong feeling or opinion) [常被动]灌输(某种强烈的情感或意见)

　　*offspring

　　n. a child or children from particular parents 子女;后代

　　critical

　　a. 1. providing a careful judgment of the good and bad qualities of sth. 判断(或评价)审慎的

　　2. 批判的

　　3. 关键的

　　criticize (-cise)

　　v. 1. make judgments about the good or bad points of 评论

　　2. judge with disapproval;point out the faults of 批评;指责

　　criticism

　　n. unfavorable judgment or expression of disapproval 批评;指责

　　curriculum

　　n. the program of study offered in a school, college, etc. 课程，大纲

　　factor

　　n. any of the facts, conditions, influences, etc. that act with others to bring about a result 因素，要素

　　outstanding

　　a. 1. better than others, very good 杰出的;优秀的

　　2. easily seen, important 显要的;重要的

　　*heritage

　　n. a tradition, custom, or quality which is passed down over many years within a family, social group, or nation and which is thought of as belonging to all its members 继承物，遗产;传统

　　philosophy

　　n. 哲学

　　sage

　　n. sb., esp. an old man or historical person, known for his wisdom and long experience 圣贤;哲人

　　primary

　　a. 1. chief, main 主要的

　　2. earliest in time or order of development 最初的

　　ingredient

　　n. 1. one of the essential parts of a situation 因素;要素

　　2. 成分

　　central

　　a. 1. chief, main, of greatest importance 主要的，最重要的

　　2. being (at, in, or near) the center (位居)中心的

　　*orientation

　　n. a direction or position 取向;方位;定位

　　*repay

　　vt. reward;pay back 偿还;回报

　　obligation

　　n. sth. that one must do out of a duty or promise 义务;责任

　　guilt

　　n. 1. the feelings produced by knowledge or belief that one has done wrong 内疚

　　2. the fact of having broken a moral rule or official law 罪(行)

　　bond

　　n. 1. sth. that unites two or more people, or groups, such as a shared feeling or interest 联结;联系

　　2. 公债，债券

　　3. 合约

　　crawl

　　vi. & n. 爬(行)

　　horrify

　　vt. shock greatly;fill with horror 吓;使感惊骇

　　unhealthy

　　a. 1. likely to cause illness or poor health 有碍健康的

　　2. not very strong or well, often ill 体弱多病的，不结实的，不健康的

　　*naivea. 1. too willing to believe or trust 轻信的

　　2. without experience (as of social rules or behaviour), esp. because one is young 幼稚的;天真的

　　*transplant

　　vt. move sth. from one place and plant, settle or establish elsewhere 移植;移居

　　recommendation

　　n. 1. suggestion, piece of advice 建议

　　2. 推荐信

　　vacation

　　n. (esp. AmE) holiday 假期;休假

　　vastly

　　ad. 1. very greatly 非常大地

　　2. 广阔地

　　vast

　　a. 1. very large and wide 广阔的;广大的

　　2. great in amount 大量的

　　positive

　　a. 1. (of people) sure, having no doubt about sth. 无疑问的;确定的

　　2. certain, beyond any doubt 肯定的

　　3. (of a statement) direct 正面的

　　span

　　n. 1. the length of time over which a stated thing continues or works well 持续时间

　　2. 跨度;跨距

　　attention span

　　a length of time over which one can concentrate 注意力的持续时间

　　Phrases and Expressions

　　make it (to) (a place)

　　succeed in getting (to) (a place) 成功抵达某地

　　owe to

　　have (sth. good) because of 把…归功于…

　　imbue with

　　(use. pass.) fill (sb), with (sth.), esp. a strong feeling or opinion [常被动] 向…灌输…

　　by contrast

　　very differently (from sth. previously mentioned);on the other hand 对比之下

　　get ahead

　　be successful in one"s career 获得成功;出头

　　have what it takes

　　(infml.) have the qualifications necessary for success 具备取得成功的必要条件

　　spring from

　　be a product or result of;originate from 发源于;来自

　　can"t wait (for sth.)

　　be excited about and eager (for sth.) 迫不及待，等不及

21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册史蒂芬霍金的简史60篇（扩展2）

——21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册课文Unwritten Rules60篇

21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册课文Unwritten Rules1

　　First Listening

　　1. As you listen to the tape the first time, mark each word or phrase J or T, to indicate whether Jill (the woman) or Tim (the man) says them. (Some words might be spoken by both people!)

　　animal anywhere asleep car cold decent ignore law light no one police safety sleepy social contract who knows

　　Then briefly summarize each person"s attitude toward the social contract.

　　Second Listening

　　2. Whose point of view is closer to your own? Are there situations when it"s okay to break the rules? Are there rules it"s never okay to break, even when you"re alone?

21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册课文Unwritten Rules2

　　Bob Greene

　　The restaurant was almost full. A steady hum of conversation hung over the room; people spoke with each other and worked on their meals.

　　Suddenly, from a table near the center of the room, came a screaming voice: "Damn it, Sylvia...."

　　The man was shouting at the top of his voice. His face was red, and he yelled at the woman sitting opposite him for about fifteen seconds. In the crowded restaurant, it seemed like an hour. All other conversations in the room stopped, and everyone looked at the man. He must have realized this, because just as suddenly as he had started, he lowered his voice and finished whatever it was he had to say in a tone the rest of us could not hear.

　　It was startling precisely because it almost never happens; there are no laws against such explosions, and with the pressures of our modern world you would almost expect to run into such things on a regular basis. But you don"t; as a matter of fact, when I thought it over I realized that it was the first time in my life I had witnessed such a demonstration. During all the meals I"ve had in restaurants, I had never seen a person start screaming at the top of his lungs.

　　When you"re eating among other people, you don"t raise your voice; it"s just one example of the unwritten rules we live by. When you consider it, you recognize that those rules probably govern our lives on a more absolute basis than the ones you could find if you looked in the law books. The customs that govern us are what make a civilization. There would be chaos without them, and yet it"s not at all clear why — even in our disintegrating society — we obey them.

　　How many times have you stopped at a red light late at night? You can see in all directions; there"s no one else around — no headlights, no police cruiser idling behind you. You"re tired and in a hurry. But you wait for the light to change. Is it for safety"s sake? No; you can see that there would be no accident if you drove on. Is it to avoid getting arrested? No; you are alone; there"s no one to catch you. Still, you sit and wait.

　　At major athletic events, it is not uncommon to find 90,000 or 100,000 people sitting in the stands. On the playing field are two dozen athletes —maybe fewer. There aren"t enough security guards on hand to keep all the spectators from getting out of their seats and walking onto the field. But it never happens. Regardless of the emotion of the contest, the spectators stay in their places, and the athletes are safe in their part of the arena. The invisible barrier always holds.

　　In restaurants and coffee shops, people pay their bills. It"s a simple enough concept. Yet it would be remarkably easy to wander away from a meal without paying at the end. Especially in these difficult economic times, wouldn"t you expect this to become a common form of cheating? Why doesn"t it happen more often? It"s just another unwritten rule of human conduct that people automatically make good on their debts. They would no sooner walk out on a bill than start screaming.

　　I know a man who, when he parks his car at a parking meter, always puts change in the meter even if there"s time left on it. He regards it as the right thing to do. He says he isn"t doing it just to extend the time remaining—even if there"s sufficient time on the meter to cover whatever task he has to perform at the location, he pays his own way. He believes that you"re supposed to purchase your own time; the fellow before you purchased only his.

　　There are so many rules like these—rules that we all obey—that we think about them only when that rare person violates them. In the restaurant, after the man had yelled "Damn it, Sylvia" there was a tentative atmosphere among the other diners for half an hour after it happened. They weren"t sure what disturbed them about what they had witnessed; they knew, though, that it had violated something very basic about the way we"re supposed to behave. And it bothered them—which in itself is a hopeful sign that, more often than not, all is well.

21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册课文Unwritten Rules3

　　hum

　　n. a low steady continuous sound 连续低沉的声音

　　screaming

　　a. 尖声的，发出尖叫声的

　　scream

　　v. say (sth.) loudly and usually on a high note, esp. because of anger, fear, pain, etc. (因恐惧、痛苦等而)尖声喊叫，惊呼

　　*

　　v. 1. declare to be very wrong or bad 指责，贬斥

　　2. (esp. of God) send (sb.) to punishment without end after death (尤指上帝)罚(某人)入地狱受罪

　　3. curse at 诅咒;咒骂

　　int. 该死，他妈的，讨厌(表示愤怒、厌烦、轻蔑、失望等)

　　yell

　　vi. (at) speak or say sth. in a very loud voice 叫喊，叫嚷

　　precisely

　　ad. 1. exactly; just 恰好;正好

　　2. in an exact manner; carefully 精确地;细致地

　　precision

　　n. exactness 精确，准确

　　a. made or done with exactness 精密的，确切的

　　explosion

　　n. 1. a sudden bursting out of strong emotion (感情等的)爆发，迸发

　　2. (a loud noise caused by) a sudden, violent burst of energy 爆炸(声)，炸裂(声)

　　3. a large and rapid increase 大规模的扩大;激增

　　explode

　　vi. 1. blow up or burst 爆炸;爆破

　　2. (in, with) show sudden violent emotion 爆发，迸发

　　vt. 1. cause (a bomb, etc.) to blow up or burst 使爆炸;使突发

　　2. (often pass.) destroy (a belief) [常被动] 破除，戳穿

　　explosive

　　a. that can explode 会爆炸的

　　basis

　　n. 基础;根据;基本原则，准则

　　basically

　　ad. with regard to what is most important and basic; in reality 基本上;实际上;主要地

　　witness

　　vt. see (sth.) happen 目击

　　n. a person who sees an event take place and is therefore able to describe it to others 目击者，见证人

　　demonstration

　　n. 1. the expression of a feeling (情绪的)显示，表露

　　2. a public show of strong feeling or opinion, often with marching, big signs **

　　absolute

　　a. 1. not depending on or measured by comparison with other things 绝对的

　　2. complete: total 完全的;十足的

　　3. certain; definite; leaving no doubt 确实的;不容置疑的

　　custom

　　n. 1. (an) established socially accepted practice 习俗，风俗

　　2. the habitual practice of a person (个人)习惯

　　customary

　　a. established by custom; usual or habitual 习俗的;习惯的

　　*disintegrate

　　v. 1. fall apart 瓦解;解体

　　2. (cause to) break into small parts or pieces (使)碎裂;(使)粉碎

　　headlight

　　n. 车前灯

　　cruiser

　　n. (AmE) a police car (美)警察巡逻车

　　sake

　　n. 目的;理由;缘故;利益

　　arrest

　　vt. take and keep (sb.) prisoner with the authority of the law 依法逮捕，拘捕

　　athletic

　　a. of or concerning athletes or athletics 运动员的;运动的

　　security

　　n. safety; sth. that provides or assures safety 安全;保卫措施，安全措施

　　*spectator

　　n. a person who is watching an event or game (比赛等的.)观看者，观众

　　emotion

　　n. 1. any of the strong feelings of the human spirit 情感;激情;感情

　　2. strength of feelings; excited state of the feelings 激动

　　contest

　　n. an event in which people compete against each other; a competition 竞赛;比赛

　　arena

　　n. a level area for sports, public entertainment, etc. (供竞技、表演等用的)场地

　　remarkably

　　ad. unusually; noticeably 非凡地，异常地;值得注意地，引人注目地

　　parking meter

　　a device next to a parking space into which one has to put money for parking for a certain time 汽车停放计时器，汽车停放收费计

　　extend

　　vt. make (sth.) longer or larger 使延长，使延期;扩展，扩大

　　extension

　　n. 1. the act of extending or being extended 延伸;扩展

　　2. a part which is added to make sth. longer, wider, or larger 增加的部分

　　location

　　n. a place or position 地点;位置

　　*violate

　　vt. break or be contrary to (a rule, principle, treaty, etc.) 违反，违背;违犯

　　*tentative

　　a. 犹豫的，迟疑不决的

　　diner

　　n. a person eating dinner 就餐者

　　behave

　　v. 1. act; bear oneself 行为;举止

　　2. (of things) act in a particular way (事物)作出反应;起作用

　　3. (of machines, etc.) work or function (机器等)运转

　　hopeful

　　a. 1. (of things) causing hope; likely to be favourable or successful; promising (事物)有希望的，给人希望的;有前途的

　　2. having hope 抱有希望的;充满希望的

　　Phrases and Expressions

　　hang over

　　remain, esp. as sth. unpleasant or threatening 笼罩;威胁

　　* it

　　(俚)该死

　　raise/lower one"s voice

　　speak more loudly/quietly 提高/压低嗓门

　　at the top of one"s voice/lungs

　　as loudly as possible 用尽量大的声音，放声(大叫)

　　on a regular /absolute basis

　　regularly /absolutely 定期地;绝对地

　　on a... basis

　　in a...way …地;在…基础上

　　as a matter of fact

　　actually, in fact 实际上

　　live by

　　live according to (sth. such as a principle) 遵循(…的原则)

　　for sth."s / sb."s sake / for the sake of sth. / sb.

　　for the purpose of sth. / for the benefit of sb. 为了，为了…的利益

　　on hand

　　available; present (not absent) 现有，在手头;在场

　　make good (on one"s debt[s])

　　pay what one owes 偿付，支付(债务)

　　no sooner... than

　　1. 同…一样不

　　2. 一…就…

　　walk out on sth. / sb.

　　1. stop doing sth. one has agreed to do or that one is responsible for 不管，不顾;不履行;不支付

　　2. leave suddenly, esp. in a time of trouble; desert 抛弃，离开

　　in itself

　　considering only the thing specified; in its true nature 本身;实质上

　　more often than not

　　quite frequently 往往，多半

　　all is well

　　the situation is very satisfactory 一切顺利

21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册史蒂芬霍金的简史60篇（扩展3）

——21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册史蒂芬霍金的简史 (菁选3篇)

21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册史蒂芬霍金的简史1

　　First Listening

　　1.Before you listen to the tape have a quick look at the paragraph below. It"s similar to what you"ll hear on the tape, but there are some differences. As you listen the first time, underline the sections of the paragraph that are different from what you hear on the tape. Don"t worry yet about what the exact differences are-just underline where they appear.

　　Steven Hawking, the world-famous scientist and author, lost his ability to speak in 1985. Already confined to a wheelchair, unable to move more than a few muscles, he lost his voice and this meant he could communicate only by raising his eyebrows. Then an American computer programmer came to Hawking"s rescue by designing a vocalizing computer specially for him. With its help. Hawking can construct sentences at a speed of about 15 words per minute, by selecting words from his computer screen and then clicking on a device that vocalizes the sentences for him. Hawking jokes about the computer: "The only trouble is that it gives me an American accent."

　　Second Listening

　　2. What else do you know about Steven Hawking and his book A Brief History of Time? Why is he called "the smartest man in the world"?

　　A Brief History of Stephen Hawking

21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册史蒂芬霍金的简史2

　　He has been proclaimed "the finest mind alive", "the greatest genius of the late 20th century", and "Einstein"s heir". Known to millions, far and wide, for his book A Brief History of Time, Stephen Hawking is a star scientist in more ways than one. His gift for revealing the mysteries of the universe in a style that non-scientists can enjoy made Hawking an instant celebrity and his book a bestseller in both Britain and America. It has earned a place in the Guinness Book of Records for spending 184 weeks in The Sunday Times "top-ten" lists, and has sold more than five million copies worldwide — virtually unheard-of success for a science book.

　　How did all this happen? How has a man who is almost completely paralysed and unable to speak except through a computer overcome these incredible obstacles and achieved far more than most people ever dream of?

　　Stephen William Hawking was a healthy baby, born to intellectual, eccentric parents. His father Frank, a doctor specialising in tropical diseases, and his mother Isobel, a doctor"s daughter, lived in a big old house full of books. Carpets and furniture stayed in use until they fell apart; the wallpaper hung peeling from old age. The family car was a London taxi, bought for ￡50.

　　Hawking has always been fascinated by his birth date: January 8,1942. It was the 300th anniversary of the death of Galileo, the Italian mathematician and astronomer who revolutionised astronomy by maintaining that the Sun is the centre of the Solar System — not the Earth, as ancient astronomers believed.

　　"Galileo", says Hawking, "was the first scientist to start using his eyes, both figuratively and literally. In a sense, he was responsible for the age of science we now enjoy."

　　Hawking attended St. Albans School, a private school noted for its high academic standards. He was part of a small elite group, the brightest of the bright students. They hung around together, listened to classical music and read only such "smart" authors as Aldous Huxley and Hawking"s hero, Bertrand Russell, at once an intellectual giant and liberal activist.

　　Hawking spent very little time on maths homework, yet got full marks. A friend recalls: "While I would be struggling away with a complicated problem, he just knew the answer. He didn"t have to think about it."

　　This instinctive insight also impressed his teachers. One of Hawking"s science teachers, for example, recalls the time he posed the question: "Does a cup of hot tea reach a drinkable temperature more quickly if you put the milk in first, or add the milk after pouring?" While the rest of the class struggled over how to even begin approaching the problem, Hawking almost instantly announced the correct answer: "Add the milk after pouring, of course." (The hotter the tea initially, the faster it will cool.) Another teacher relates how Hawking and his friends built a simple computer—and this was in 1958, a time when only large research centres had any computers at all.

　　Hawking the schoolboy was a typical grind, underweight and awkward and peering through eyeglasses. His grey uniform always looked a mess and he spoke rather unclearly, having inherited a slight lisp from his father. This had nothing to do with early signs of illness; he was just that sort of kid—a figure of classroom fun, respected by his friends, avoided by most.

　　Hawking went on to study at Oxford, winning a scholarship to read Natural Science, a course which combines mathematics, physics and astronomy, at University College. He found much of the work easy and averaged only one hour"s work a day. Once, when his tutor set some physics problems from a textbook, Hawking didn"t even bother to do them. Asked why, he spent 20 minutes pointing out errors in the book. His main enthusiasm was the Boat Club. Many times he returned to shore with bits of the boat knocked off, having tried to guide his crew through an impossibly narrow gap. His rowing trainer suspects, "Half the time, he was sitting in the stern with his head in the stars, working out mathematical formulae."

　　Oxford has always had its share of eccentric students, so Hawking fit right in. But then, when he was 21, he was told that he had ALS—a progressive and incurable nerve disease. The doctors predicted that he had only a few years to live.

　　"Before my condition was diagnosed, I was very bored with life," Hawking says today, speaking from his wheelchair through a computerized voice synthesizer. The doctors" grim prognosis made him determined to get the most from a life he had previously taken for granted.

　　"But I didn"t die," Hawking notes dryly. Instead, as his physical condition worsened, Hawking"s reputation in scientific circles grew, as if to demonstrate the theory of mind over matter. Hawking himself acknowledges his disease as being a crucial factor in focusing his attention on what turned out to be his real strength: theoretical research. Hawking specializes in theoretical cosmology, a branch of science that seeks ultimate answers to big questions; Why has the universe happened, and what are the laws that govern it? His main work has been on black holes and the origin and expansion of the universe. He currently holds the Cambridge University professorship once held by Sir Isaac Newton.

　　The smartest man in the world is not immune to the depression that can accompany severe disabilities. But Hawking says: "I soon realized that the rest of the world won"t want to know you if you"re bitter or angry. You have to be positive if you"re to get much sympathy or help." He goes on: "Nowadays, muscle power is obsolete. What we need is mind power—and disabled people are as good at that as anyone else."

21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册史蒂芬霍金的简史3

　　*proclaim

　　vi. say publicly and officially 宣告，宣布

　　*heir

　　n. 继承人

　　best-seller

　　n. sth. (esp. a book) that sells in very large numbers 畅销书/货

　　top-ten

　　n. 排行前十名

　　virtually

　　ad. almost; very nearly 几乎;实际上

　　virtual

　　a. almost what is stated; in fact though not officially 实质上，实际上(但并非正式的)

　　*paralyse, -ze

　　vt. make sb. lose the ability to move part or all of his body, or to feel anything in it 使瘫痪

　　obstacle

　　n. sth. that blocks one"s way or makes movement, progress, etc. difficult 障碍(物)

　　*eccentric

　　a. (of people or their behaviour) unusual; not conventional or normal; slightly odd (人、行为举止)异乎寻常的;古怪的，怪僻的

　　tropical

　　a. of or found in the tropics 热带的;发生于热带的

　　carpet

　　n. 地毯

　　wallpaper

　　n. thick coloured or patterned paper for decorating the walls of a room 墙纸;壁纸

　　*peel

　　vi. (of a covering) come off in strips or small pieces 剥落;脱落

　　vt. (off) remove the outer covering from (a fruit, vegetable, etc.) 削去…的皮;剥去…的壳

　　n. the outer covering of fruits and vegetables (水果、蔬菜等的)皮

　　anniversary

　　n. a day which is an exact year or number of years after sth. has happened; a ceremony, feast, etc., held on this day 周年;周年纪念

　　mathematician

　　n. a person who studies mathematics 数学家

　　astronomer

　　n. a person who studies astronomy 天文学家

　　revolutionise, -ize

　　vt. cause a complete change in 使发生革命性剧变

　　*astronomy

　　n. the scientific study of the sun, moon. stars, planets, etc. 天文学

　　solar

　　a. 1. of, from or concerning the sun 太阳的;太阳产生的

　　2. using the sun"s light and heat 利用太阳光(或太阳能)的

　　ancient

　　a. belonging to times that are long past 古代的;属于古代的

　　figuratively

　　ad. 比喻地;借喻地

　　*literally

　　ad. 1. according to the most basic and simple meaning of a word 字面上地;照文字地

　　2. exactly, really 确实地，真心地，不加夸张地

　　*elite

　　a. (Fr) (of people or organizations) considered to be the best of their kind(法)杰出的，卓越的;精锐的

　　n. a group of the most powerful, rich or talented people 精英阶层;实力集团

　　classical

　　a. 1. (of music) composed with serious intentions and having lasting value (as opposed to jazz or pop) 古典的;古典乐派的

　　2. being in accordance with ancient Greek or Roman models in literature or art or with later systems based on them 古典(指古希腊或古罗马文学、艺术等)的;基于古典文学艺术的

　　*instinctive

　　a. (出于)本能的;(出于)天性的

　　insight

　　n. deep understanding; the ability to see into the true nature of sth. 洞悉，深入了解;洞察力

　　pose

　　vt. 1. ask (a question, riddle, etc.) 提出(问题等)

　　2. create or present (a difficulty, etc.) 造成，引起(困难等)

　　initially

　　ad. at first; at the beginning 最初;开始

　　relate

　　v. 1. tell (a story) 讲述(故事)

　　2. see or show a connection between 使联系，显示出…与…的联系

　　underweight

　　a. weighing too little or less than is usual 重量不足

　　awkward

　　a. 笨拙的;使人尴尬的

　　peer

　　vi. (at, through) look very carefully or hard for not being able to see well 仔细看;费力地看

　　n. a person of the same age or status as you 同辈;同等地位的人

　　eyeglasses

　　n. =glasses 眼镜

　　inherit

　　vt. 1. have features or qualities similar to those of an ancestor 经遗传而得(性格、特征)

　　2. receive (money, property, etc.) as a result of the death of the previous owner 继承(金钱、遗产等)

　　lisp

　　n. 咬舌;口齿不清

　　crew

　　n. 1. a rowing team 全体划船队员

　　2. all the people working on a ship, an aircraft, etc.(船、飞机等的)全体人员

　　gap

　　n. 1. an opening or break between two things 豁口;缺口

　　2. 峡谷;山口

　　3. 差距;分歧;隔阂

　　mathematical

　　a. of or concerning mathematics 数学(上)的

　　progressive

　　a. 1. (of diseases, etc.) becoming increasingly worse in its later stages (疾病等)愈来愈严重的`

　　2. moving forward continuously or by stages 向前进的;循序渐进的

　　3. favoring or eager for new ideas or changes 进步的;改革的

　　incurable

　　a. that cannot be cured 不可救药的;不能治愈的

　　nerve

　　n. 1. any of the threadlike parts of the body which form a system to carry feelings and messages to and from the brain 神经

　　2. strength or control of mind; courage 意志力;勇气

　　predict

　　v. see or describe (a future happening) in advance as a result of knowledge, experience, reason, etc. 预言，预测

　　*diagnose

　　vt. discover the nature of (a disease) 诊断(疾病)

　　wheelchair

　　n. 轮椅

　　synthesizer

　　n. [电子]合成器;音响合成器

　　*grim

　　a. 1. (of a situation, etc.) unpleasant, difficult to accept and worrying 严酷的;无情的

　　2. (of a place) unattractive and depressing in appearance 阴森的，令人生畏的

　　prognosis

　　n. 1. (med.) a doctor"s opinion of what course a disease will probably take [医]预后(指根据症状对疾病结果的预测)

　　2. a prediction about the future 预测

　　dryly, drily

　　ad. 1. according to the rules and without personal warmness or feeling 干巴巴地;冷冰冰地

　　2. 干燥地

　　worsen

　　v. (cause to) become worse (使)变得更坏;(使)恶化

　　demonstrate

　　vt. 1. prove or make clear by reasoning or examples 论证，证明

　　2. show the way to do sth. or how sth. works 示范;操作;演示

　　3. show (one"s particular skill, quality or feeling) 显示，表露

　　vi. take part in a march or meeting to show one"s opposition to sth. or support for it **

　　acknowledge

　　vt. 1. (as, to be) recognize, accept or admit (as) 承认;接受

　　2. state that one has received sth. 告知(信件、礼物等的)收到

　　3. show one"s appreciation for, as by giving or saying sth. 对…表示谢忱，答谢

　　theoretical

　　a. based on or concerning the ideas and abstract principles of a subject, rather than the practical aspects of it 理论(上)的;纯理论的

　　cosmology

　　n. the scientific study of the universe and its origin and development 宇宙学

　　*govern

　　vt. 1. (often pass.) determine the nature of [常被动]决定;支配

　　2. rule (a country, a city, etc. and its people) 统治;治理

　　3. have control or influence over (sth.) 支配;影响

　　governor

　　n. a person who controls any of certain types of organization or place 统治者;管辖者;地方长官

　　expansion

　　n. 1. the process of becoming greater in size or amount 扩大，扩充;扩张

　　2. 扩充物;扩展部分

　　*immune

　　a. 1. (to) not affected by 不受影响的;可防止的

　　2. unable to be harmed (by a disease) because of special powers in oneself 免疫的;有免疫力的

　　depression

　　n. 1. a feeling of sadness and hopelessness 忧伤，消沉，沮丧

　　2. a period of reduced business activity and high unemployment 不景气;萧条(期)

　　disability

　　n. a physical injury or mental illness that severely affects one"s life 伤残，残疾

　　sympathy

　　n. 1. the ability to share the feelings of another 同情心，恻隐心

　　2. a pity 同情

　　sympathize, -ise

　　v. show or feel sympathy (表示)同情

　　black hole

　　an area in outer space into which everything near it, including light itself, is pulled [天]黑洞

　　nowadays

　　ad. at the present time, in contrast with the past 如今，现在

　　obsolete

　　a. no longer used; out of date 已废弃的;过时的

　　Phrases and Expressions

　　far and wide

　　everywhere; from or over a large area 到处;广泛地

　　dream of

　　wish, fantasize, imagine 梦想;向往

　　specialise in

　　concentrate one"s studies, interests, etc. on (a particular field, etc.) 专门从事;专门研究

　　in use

　　being used 在使用着的

　　fall apart

　　break into pieces; break up 破碎;崩溃

　　in a sense

　　to a certain extent but not entirely 从某种意义上说

　　be responsible for

　　be the cause of 是…的原因;对…负责

　　hang around (with)

　　spend time in a place or with sb., often without any particular purpose (在某处)闲荡;(和某人)厮混

　　at once

　　at the same time 同时，一起

　　struggle away with

　　try very hard to do (sth., though it is very hard) 努力做(某事)，艰难地做(某事)

　　have nothing to do with

　　have no relation to or connection with 与…无关

　　bother to do sth.

　　trouble oneself to do sth. 费心去做某事

　　knock off

　　cause sth. to fall from a place 敲掉;击倒

　　work out

　　find an answer to (sth.); solve (sth.) 想出;得出

　　have one"s share of sth.

　　have part of sth.; have the amount that is fair for sb. 享有其中一份;享有自己应得的一份

　　fit (right) in

　　be (precisely) suitable (to) (正)相合

　　mind over matter

　　(sometimes humor) control of events or material objects by the power of the mind 精神战胜物质

　　turn out to be

　　happen to be in the end 最后是;结果是

21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册史蒂芬霍金的简史60篇（扩展4）

——21世纪大学英语读写教程第4册第8单元课文讲解60篇

21世纪大学英语读写教程第4册第8单元课文讲解1

　　Bill Heavy

　　When my father rings, I hurry down to the front door of my condo. There he is, in corduroy pants, the tread worn off the knees, and a shirt I outgrew in tenth grade. He"s come to help me put in a new garbage disposal. Actually, I"m helping him. His mechanical gene passed over his only son, on its way to some future generation. At 39, I"ve made my peace with this.

　　My father hasn"t been to my place since he helped me paint four years ago. The truth is, I"m often not sure how to talk to him. But this time it will be easy. We have a job to do.

　　In minutes he has taken over the whole enterprise, lying under the sink and squinting up into the machinery. And suddenly I am 12 years old again, watching him fix things and feeling useless.

　　As a child, I identified so strongly with my mother that I thought my father was just a long-term house guest with spanking privileges. She and I are bookish, introverted worriers. My father is an optimist who has never had a sleepless night in his life.

　　Like most fathers and sons, we fought. But there was no cooling-off period between rounds. It was a cold war lasting from the onset of my adolescence until I went off to college in 1973.I hated him. He was a former navy fighter pilot, with an Irish temper and a belief that all the problems of the world—including an overprotected son who never saw anything through to completion—could be cured by the application of more discipline.

　　At a time when an eighth-grader"s social status was measured in the fraction of an inch of hair kissing his collar, my father would march me down to the barbershop on Saturdays and triumphantly tell the man with the scissors. "Just leave him enough to comb." I would close my eyes, determined not to give him the satisfaction of seeing me cry. Without even thinking about it, I froze him out of my life, speaking only when spoken to. I learned to use silence like a knife. My one communique for an entire dinner was usually a sarcastic "May I be excused now? I have homework."

　　I lay awake at night imagining him being transferred by the gas company he worked for to an oil rig in the North Sea. But it didn"t happen, and soon all that remained was the contest of wills.

　　I went off to college, but he was still in my head. I could hear his voice every time I fell short in anything. Only when I began seeing my freelance articles in print did I begin to feel that I was slipping beyond his reach and into my own life.

　　Eventually I discovered that there is no anti-inflammatory agent like time. Now I wondered, could this aging 74-year-old be the giant who once thundered up the stairs to spank me, of whom I was so afraid that I wet my pants? In his place was someone I worried about, whom I dressed in my down hunting jacket for his annual pilgrimage to the Army-Navy game. My profession, which he had once ridiculed, saying, "Gee, do you think there"s any money in it?" now became a source of pride when fellow Rotarians mistook him for Bill Heavy "the writer." It was as if now that I no longer needed so desperately to please him, I had succeeded. We had become two old veterans from opposing armies, shaking hands years after the fighting, the combat so distant as to be a dream.

　　Before we can install the disposal, we have to snake out the pipes. Soon we get stuck trying to figure out how a gasket fits.

　　"Ah," he says finally, "we"re going to have to call a plumber."

　　This is not how I remember him. He used to be so stubborn, the kind of guy who could make IRS examiners throw up their hands in frustration and let him off. Now that I have his mind-set and don"t want to give up, it"s as if he"s acquired mine.

　　He says, "Besides, I gotta get home. Your mother and I have to be at a dinner party at 7:30."

　　"Don"t you pay for the plumber," he says. "Putting this thing in is part of my Christmas present to you."

　　Though we"ve failed to install the disposal, it"s been oddly satisfying. At last we"re on even ground. Maybe he wasn"t the best father. Maybe I wasn"t the best son, but I realize I will never be ready to cope with his leaving. I know that I"m luckier than some of my friends, whose fathers died while they were still locked in the battle that neither really wanted.

　　The plumber comes two days later. He secures the disposal in its place as easily as I buckle my belt.

　　Not long ago, I started badgering my parents to get their estate in order. They didn"t want to deal with it. I finally wrote them a letter saying if I were a parent, I would want to make * sure the IRS got as little of my money as possible. I knew this would push my father"s buttons. It worked. They met with a lawyer.xc

　　Later, my father and I lunch at a restaurant near my office so he can fill me in on the details. "One thing I don"t want you to worry about is what"ll happen to me," he says, with the satisfied air of a man who has taken care of business. "The Navy will cremate me for free."

　　"And what about the ashes?" I ask, concerned only with practical things. It is as if we are talking about how to get rid of the old disposal.

　　"They scatter them at sea." He turns away, looking around for our waiter. Something breaks inside me. When he turns back, I am crying, hot tears springing up in my eyes so suddenly I"m almost choking.

　　"I don"t want you to die," I manage to say. "I don"t want them to scatter your ashes. I"ll scatter your ashes."

　　"Oh, Bill," he says, taken aback, totally at a loss about what to say. "I just didn"t want to burden you with it."

　　I have no way to tell him that I want to be burdened with it, that it is my birth right to be burdened with it. "I know," I say.

　　I don"t even look around to see if anybody is watching. I don"t care. I reach across the table for his hand and hold it, trying to stop the tears.

21世纪大学英语读写教程第4册第8单元课文讲解2

　　condo

　　n. an apartment in a block of apartments of which each is owned by the people who live in it 公寓套间

　　corduroy

　　n. & a. 灯芯绒(的)

　　tread

　　n. grooved part on the surface 棱纹

　　outgrow

　　vt. grow too large or too tall for (esp. one"s clothes); grow faster or taller than 长大(或长高)而穿不下(原有的衣服等);长得比…快(或高)

　　garbage

　　n. rubbish, refuse 垃圾

　　garbage disposal

　　(装于厨房洗涤槽排水管内的)污物碾碎器

　　mechanical

　　a. 1. of, connected with, produced by machines 机械的";与机械有关的;由机械制成的

　　2. 手工操作的;技工的

　　squint

　　vi. look sideways or with half-shut eyes or through a narrow opening 瞟;眯着眼看;由小孔窥视

　　spank

　　vt. punish (a child) by slapping on the buttocks with the open hand or a slipper, etc. (用巴掌或拖鞋等)打(小孩的)屁股

　　introverted

　　a. (性格)内向的;不爱交际的

　　worrier

　　n. person who worries a lot 担心的人，发愁的人

　　optimist

　　n. a person who is always hopeful and looks upon the bright side of things 乐观的人;乐观主义者

　　cooling-off period

　　a period of time when two people or groups who are arguing about sth. can go away and think about how to improve the situation (争执双方冷静下来考虑如何改善关系的)冷却期

　　onset

　　n. the beginning (esp. of sth. unpleasant) (尤指不快之事的)开始

　　navy

　　n. 海军

　　fraction

　　n. 1. a small part, bit, amount, or proportion (of sth.) (某物的)小部分，一点儿，少许;片断

　　2. 分数;小数

　　collar

　　n. part of a garment that fits around the neck 衣领

　　barbershop

　　n. place where a man gets his face shaved and hair cut 理发店

　　triumphantly

　　ad. joyfully, satisfactorily (at a success or victory) 得意洋洋地;得胜地;成功地

　　communique

　　n. official announcement 公报

　　sarcastic

　　a. 讽刺的，嘲笑的，挖苦的

　　rig

　　n. a large structure in the sea used for drilling oil wells 钻井架;钻塔

　　freelance

　　a. 自由作家的;自由职业者做的

　　anti-inflammatory

　　a. 抗炎的，消炎的;息怒的

　　agent

　　n. substance, natural phenomenon, etc. producing an effect 剂;自然力;动因

　　down

　　n. fine, soft feathers of young birds 羽绒

　　pilgrimage

　　n. 1. a journey to a sacred place or shrine 朝圣;朝觐

　　2. a journey to a place associated with sb. /sth. one respects 到敬仰的某处之行

　　ridicule

　　vt. make fun of; mock 嘲弄;嘲笑

　　gee

　　int. (used to express surprise, admiration, etc.) (用以表示惊奇、赞赏等)哎呀，嘿

　　oppose

　　vt. fight or complete against in a battle, competition, or election 反对;反抗;与…较量

　　snake

　　vt. 用长铁丝通条疏通(管道)

　　stuck

　　a. not able to move or continue doing sth. 不能动的;不能继续做某事的;被卡住的

　　gasket

　　n. 垫圈;衬垫;密封垫

　　plumber

　　n. workman who fits and repairs water-pipes, bathroom articles, etc. 管子工

　　mind-set

　　n. mentality, way of thinking 心态;思想倾向

　　buckle

　　n. (皮带等的)搭扣，搭钩

　　vt. 用搭扣把…扣住(或扣紧、扣上)

　　badger

　　vt. pester;nag persistently 纠缠;烦扰

　　estate

　　n. all the money and property that a person owns, esp. that which is left at death 财产;(尤指)遗产

　　cremate

　　vt. burn (a corpse) to ashes 火化(尸体)

　　aback

　　ad. backwards 向后地;退后地

　　birth right

　　与生俱来的权利

21世纪大学英语读写教程第4册第8单元课文讲解3

　　put in

　　install 安装

　　pass over

　　move past without touching; overlook; fail to notice 掠过;忽视;不注意

　　make one"s peace with

　　settle a quarrel with;accept 与…讲和;接受

　　identify with

　　regard oneself as sharing the characteristics or fortunes with 与…认同

　　see through

　　not give up (a task, undertaking, etc.) until it is finished 把(任务等)进行到底

　　freeze out

　　exclude (sb.) by a cold manner, competition, etc. (以冷淡态度、竞争等)排斥(某人)

　　in print

　　(of a person"s work) printed in a book, newspaper, etc. (指作品)已印出;已出版

　　throw up one"s hands

　　show that one is annoyed or has given up hope with sb. or sth. that causes trouble (因厌烦等而)突然举起双手;认定无望而放弃尝试

　　let off

　　excuse; not punish; not punish severely 原谅;不惩罚;对…从轻处理

　　push sb."s buttons

　　start sb. in action 使某人行动起来

　　fill sb. in (on sth.)

　　give sb. full details (about sth.) 对某人提供(有关某事的)详情

　　for free

　　without charge or payment 不要钱;免费

　　get rid of

　　become free of 扔掉，处理掉;摆脱

　　be taken aback

　　be startled 吃惊

　　at a loss

　　perplexed, uncertain 困惑;不知所措

21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册史蒂芬霍金的简史60篇（扩展5）

——21世纪大学英语读写教程第3册第9单元课文解读60篇

21世纪大学英语读写教程第3册第9单元课文解读1

　　1. As you listen to the conversation, note down the answers to the following questions:

　　What is the destination of the mission that"s just been approved? _____

　　What is the mission expected to cost? ______

　　Who lives in that neighborhood? ______

　　What does the speaker think would be a better use for the money? _____

　　2. Do you know the answer to the last question asked in the dialog?

21世纪大学英语读写教程第3册第9单元课文解读2

　　It is expected that the discovery of possible life-forms from the planet Mars will revive public interest in space exploration. But is public support for the international space effort necessary, given that politicians seem determined to press ahead with it anyway?

　　The race to the moon, which was won by the Americans in 1969, was driven almost entirely by politics. The rivalry between the U.S. and the former Soviet Union meant that the two countries were determined to be the first to put a man on the moon. President John F. Kennedy promised that America would win this race and, as one of the most popular presidents in American history, he inspired a nation to think of space exploration as the ultimate test of America"s superiority over her Soviet enemy.

　　America"s success as the first nation to reach the moon, coupled with continuing Cold War rivalry, created much public support for the space programme and Washington was able to fund many more missions. During the 1970s, the moon was visited again, unmanned missions were sent to Mars and, for the first time, man-made craft were put on paths that would take them out of the solar system.

　　But, by the 1980s, public support for space exploration was declining. It faded almost entirely after the Challenger space shuttle disaster of 1986, and the U.S. government was under pressure to scale back its space programme. Politicians reacted by demanding cuts in spending, which put the future of many space missions in doubt.

　　In Russia, funding was also a problem. The end of the Soviet Union meant the country could no longer afford to sustain its space programme. In fact, spending became so tight that there was often not enough money to bring home astronauts working on the country"s Mir space station.

　　But, in the last few years, politicians seem to have changed their attitude to space exploration, even though there is little evidence that the public have. New missions to Mars are planned, and plenty of money is being spent on other extraterrestrial activities. Last year, for instance, the U.S. spent more on space research and development than on any other area of research, except health and the military.

　　And spending is likely to increase in the coming years: currently, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is planning a number of missions to Mars, and it is pressing ahead with the most expensive space-exploration project ever undertaken — the International Space Station. (Three years ago, this project — a collaboration between the U.S., Canada, Russia, Europe and Japan — came within one vote of being canceled by the American House of Representatives.)

　　And the Americans are not the only ones spending huge sums on space exploration. The Europeans, Canadians and Japanese are expected to spend $9 billion on their share of the space station, and Europe has already spent huge sums developing its Ariane rockets, the most recent of which — Ariane 5 — blew up shortly after it was launched. The Russians, too, claim they are committed to supporting the International Space Station — an expense that country seems ill able to afford.

　　So, if there is little public support for space exploration, where does the impetus to fund these activities come from? Promoting the cause of science is one possible answer. But recently there has been considerable controversy over whether projects like the International Space Station have enough scientific value to merit the billions that have been and will be spent on it.

　　NASA"s reasons for building the space station are "to develop new materials [and] technologies that will have immediate, practical applications". However, for such research to be worthwhile, NASA needs private companies to develop (and help pay for) extraterrestrial research. Unfortunately, the cost of sending anything into orbit is so high that most private companies favour improving techniques on Earth. Significantly, NASA has so far not managed to get any substantial private investment to manufacture products in space.

　　The result is that the station seems, at present, to have only one concrete objective: research into how people can live and work safely and efficiently in space. But how important is this research? And can it possibly justify the cost of this huge orbiting laboratory?

　　The only purpose of studying how humans live and work in space would be to prepare for long-term space missions. At present, none are planned, and this seems unlikely to change in the near future. The main reasons for this are the costs. A manned mission to our nearest planetary neighbour Mars, for example, would cost around $400 billion. This is $50 billion more than Russia"s present Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

　　And even if one accepts that this research is important, can it justify building a space station the size of 14 tennis courts, at a cost which is eventually expected to exceed $100 billion? Given the shortage of funds in many other areas of scientific research, it would seem not.

　　So why build it? There are good political reasons for doing so. It will provide work for the thousands of unemployed defence workers who depended on the Cold War for their jobs, and who make up a substantial proportion of voters in both Russia and the U.S. It will also help keep American/Russian ties strong — another reason NASA believes the space station is a good investment. (Critics argue that there are far cheaper ways to keep the U.S. and Russia on good terms.)

　　And then there is the legacy of the Cold War. The Berlin Wall may have fallen, but NASA and the U.S. government still seem to believe in the ideal of one nation"s superiority in space. Indeed, NASA describes the space station as "a powerful symbol of U.S. leadership".

　　It seems that the world"s politicians are caught in a timewarp. They still believe, as they did in the 1960s, that man must conquer space in order to prove he is master of his surroundings. If only it weren"t so expensive.

21世纪大学英语读写教程第3册第9单元课文解读3

　　* rivalry

　　n. active competition between people 竞争;对抗

　　craft

　　n. 1. (pl. unchanged) a boat, ship, aircraft, etc. 小船;船;飞机;飞行器

　　2. skill and care in doing or making sth. 工艺;手艺

　　3. a trade or profession requiring skill and care (需要特种手艺的)行业;职业

　　4. 诡计;手腕

　　* shuttle

　　n. 航天飞机

　　v. go from one place to another 穿梭往返

　　extraterrestrial

　　a. happening, existing or coming from somewhere beyond Earth 地球(或其大气圈)外的;行星际的`;宇宙的

　　military

　　a. of or for soldiers or an army 军事的

　　n. (the ～ ) soldiers or the army; the armed forces 军人;军队;武装部队

　　aeronautics

　　n. the scientific study or practice of constructing and flying aircraft 航空学

　　space exploration

　　n. 外层空间探索

　　* collaboration

　　n. working together with sb., esp. to create or produce sth. 合作，协作

　　cancel

　　vt. order (sth.) to be stopped; make (sth.) no longer valid 取消;废除

　　rocket

　　n. 火箭

　　vi. move very fast; rise quickly and suddenly 飞速前进;猛涨

　　* impetus

　　n. a force that encourages a process to develop more quickly 推动力;刺激

　　controversy

　　n. fierce argument or disagreement about sth., esp. one that is carried on in public over a long period 争论;争议

　　worthwhile

　　a. worth doing; worth the trouble taken 值得做的;值得花费时间(精力)的

　　orbit

　　n. a path followed by an object, eg. a spacecraft, round a planet, star, etc. [天]轨道

　　v. move in orbit round sth. 环绕(天体的)轨道运行

　　planetary

　　a. 行星的

　　gross

　　a. total; whole 总的;毛的

　　timewarp

　　n. (in science fiction) a situation in which people or things from one point in time are moved to or trapped in another point in time (科幻作品中)时间异常(或间断、暂停)

　　warp

　　n. 1. a bend or twist 变形;翘曲

　　2. a fault or abnormality in a person"s character 反常心理;乖戾

21世纪大学英语读写教程第3册第9单元课文解读4

　　press ahead (with sth.)

　　continue doing a task or pursuing an aim despite difficulties, objections, etc. (不顾困难地)继续进行

　　coupled with

　　together with 与…一起;连同

　　scale back

　　reduce in size 按比例缩减，相应缩减

　　put sth. in doubt

　　make sth. uncertain 使某事物不确定

　　blow up

　　explode; be destroyed by an explosion 爆炸;炸毁

　　Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

　　the annual total value of goods produced, and services provided, in a country 国内生产总值

　　be on good terms

　　have a good relationship 关系好

　　be caught in

　　be involved in 陷入，卷入

21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册史蒂芬霍金的简史60篇（扩展6）

——21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册第4课内容全解60篇

21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册第4课内容全解1

　　First Listening

　　1. As you listen the first time, tick the questions that are answered in the listening passage. Don"t worry about answering the questions yet - just identify which questions are answered.

　　1) What problem is Eddie having in school?

　　2) How many examples does the teacher give?

　　3) Does Eddie"s mother understand the teacher"s viewpoint?

　　4) Does Eddie agree with his teacher?

　　5) What does the teacher think Eddie"s parents should do?

　　Second Listening

　　2. Provide very brief answers to the questions above after the second listening.

　　3. Now a question for discussion: What do you think of the teacher"s ideas?

21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册第4课内容全解2

　　Vicky — beautiful, talented, very bright, voted "Most Likely to Succeed" in college — got a promising job with a large company after graduation. Then, after two years without promotions, she was fired. She suffered a complete nervous breakdown. "It was panic," she told me later. "Everything had always gone so well for me that I had no experience in coping with rejection. I felt I was a failure." Vicky"s reaction is an extreme example of a common phenomenon.

　　Our society places so much emphasis on "making it" that we assume that any failure is bad. What we don"t always recognize is that what looks like failure may, in the long run, prove beneficial. When Vicky was able to think coolly about why she was fired, for example, she realized that she was sim* not suited for a job dealing with people all the time. In her new position as a copy editor, she works independently, is happy and once again "successful."

　　People are generally prone to what language expert S. I. Hayakawa calls "the two-valued orientation." We talk about seeing both sides of a question as if every question had only two sides. We assume that everyone is either a success or a failure when, in fact, infinite degrees of both are possible. As Hayakawa points out, there"s a world of difference between "I have failed three times" and "I am a failure." Indeed, the words failure and success cannot be reasonably applied to a complex, living, changing human being. They can only describe the situation at a particular time and place.

　　Obviously no one can be brilliant at everything. In fact, success in one area often precludes success in another. A famous politician once told me that his career had practically destroyed his marriage. "I have no time for my family," he explained. "I travel a lot. And even when I"m home, I hardly see my wife and kids. I"ve got power, money, prestige — but as a husband and father, I"m a flop."

　　Certain kinds of success can indeed be destructive. The danger of too early success is particularly acute. I recall from my childhood a girl whose skill on ice skates marked her as "Olympic material." While the rest of us were playing, bicycling, reading and just loafing, this girl skated — every day after school and all weekend. Her picture often appeared in the papers, and the rest of us envied her glamorous life. Years later, however, she spoke bitterly of those early triumphs. "I never prepared myself for anything but the ice," she said. "I peaked at 17 — and it"s been downhill ever since."

　　Success that comes too easily is also damaging. The child who wins a prize for a carelessly - written essay, the * who distinguishes himself at a first job by lucky accident faces probable disappointment when real challenges arise.

　　Success is also bad when it"s achieved at the cost of the total quality of an experience. Successful students sometimes become so obsessed with grades that they never enjoy their school years. They never branch out into tempting new areas, because they don"t want to risk their grade - point average.

　　Why are so many people so afraid of failure? Sim* because no one tells us how to fail so that failure becomes a growing experience. We forget that failure is part of the human condition and that "every person has the right to fail."

　　Most parents work hard at either preventing failure or shielding their children from the knowledge that they have failed. One way is to lower standards. A mother describes her child"s hastily made table as "perfect!" even though it"s clumsy and unsteady. Another way is to shift blame. If John fails math, his teacher is unfair or stupid.

　　The trouble with failure - prevention devices is that they leave a child unequipped for life in the real world. The young need to learn that no one can be best at everything, no one can win all the time — and that it"s possible to enjoy a game even when you don"t win. A child who"s not invited to a birthday party, who doesn"t make the honor roll or the baseball team feels terrible, of course. But parents should not offer a quick consolation prize or say, "It doesn"t matter," because it does. The youngster should be allowed to experience disappointment — and then be helped to master it.

　　Failure is never pleasant. It hurts *s and children alike. But it can make a positive contribution to your life once you learn to use it. Step one is to ask, "Why did I fail?" Resist the natural impulse to blame someone else. Ask yourself what you did wrong, how you can improve. If someone else can help, don"t be shy about inquiring.

　　When I was a teenager and failed to get a job I"d counted on, I telephoned the interviewer to ask why. "Because you came ten minutes late," I was told. "We can"t afford employees who waste other people"s time." The explanation was reassuring (I hadn"t been rejected as a person) and helpful, too. I don"t think I"ve been late for anything since.

　　Success, which encourages repetition of old behavior, is not nearly as good a teacher as failure. You can learn from a disastrous party how to give a good one, from an ill-chosen first house what to look for in a second. Even a failure that seems total can prompt fresh thinking, a change of direction.

　　A friend of mine, after 12 years of studying ballet, did not succeed in becoming a dancer. She was turned down by the ballet master, who said, "You will never be a dancer. You haven"t the body for it." In such cases, the way to use failure is to take stock courageously, asking, "What have I left? What else can I do?" My friend put away her toe shoes and moved into dance therapy, a field where she"s both competent and useful.

　　Though we may envy the assurance that comes with success, most of us are attracted by courage in defeat. There is what might be called the noble failure — the special heroism of aiming high, doing your best and then, when that proves not enough, moving bravely on. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said: "A man"s success is made up of failures, because he experiments and ventures every day, and the more falls he gets, moves faster on....I have heard that in horsemanship — a man will never be a good rider until he is thrown; then he will not be haunted any longer by the terror that he shall tumble, and will ride whither he is bound."

21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册第4课内容全解3

　　vote

　　vt. 1. choose (sb.) to have (a particular title); elect 推选

　　2. 投票选举(或制定、决定、赞成、支持、通过)

　　vi. (for, against, on) express one"s choice officially at a meeting or in an election 投票;选举;表决

　　n. 选举;投票;选票

　　*promising

　　a. likely to be very good or successful 有前途的;有希望的

　　promotion

　　n. 1. advancement in rank or position 提升，晋级

　　2. attempt to make a product or an event popular or successful, esp. by advertising 促销;宣传

　　*breakdown

　　n. 1. physical, mental, or nervous collapse 崩溃;衰竭

　　2. (关系、计划或讨论等的)中断

　　nervous breakdown

　　an unnatural condition of deep worrying, anxiety, weeping or tiredness 精神崩溃

　　rejection

　　n. the act of rejecting or being rejected (遭到)拒绝;摒弃

　　reaction

　　n. response or change caused by the action of another 反应;感应

　　extreme

　　a. 1. greatest possible; of the highest degree 极端的;极度的;最大的

　　2. furthest possible; at the very beginning or end 末端的;尽头的

　　n. 极端;极度(状态)

　　emphasis

　　n. (on, upon) special force or attention given to sth. to show that it is particularly important 强调;重点;重要性

　　beneficial

　　a. producing favourable effects or useful results 有益的;有帮助的

　　editor

　　n. 1. a person who checks and corrects texts before they are published 校订者;(文字)编辑

　　2. 编辑;主编

　　editorial

　　a. of or done by an editor 编辑的，编者的

　　edit

　　v. 1. prepare for printing, broadcasting, etc., by deciding what shall be included or left out, putting right mistakes, etc. (为出版、广播等而)编辑，编选;剪辑

　　2. be the editor of 主编;充任(报纸等的)编辑

　　edition

　　n. a particular version of a book, magazine, or newspaper that is printed at one time 版本

　　*prone

　　a. (to) habitually likely to do sth. (usu. undesirable) 有…倾向的，易于…的

　　ap*

　　vt. (to) bring or put into use or operation 应用;实施

　　vi. (to, for) request sth., esp. officially and in writing (尤指以书面形式)申请;请求

　　complex

　　a. 1. difficult to understand, explain, or deal with; not clear or simple 错综复杂的

　　2. (词或句子)复合的，复杂的

　　n. a system consisting of a large number of closely related parts 综合体;复合体;群落

　　*preclude

　　vt. (fml.) (from) make impossible; prevent 妨碍，阻止;排除;防止

　　practically

　　ad. 1. (infml.) very nearly; almost 几乎，差不多

　　2. in a practical way 实际上;从实际角度

　　*prestige

　　n. general respect or admiration felt in men"s mind for sb. or sth. by reason of having, or being connected with, rank, proved high quality 声望;威望;威信

　　flop

　　n. (infml.) a failure 失败(者)

　　vi. move or fall heavily or awkwardly 笨重地行动;沉重地落下

　　*destructive

　　a. causing or be capable of causing great damage, harm or injury 破坏(性)的

　　acute

　　a. 1. severe, strong, deep 剧烈的`，激烈的;深切的

　　2. (of the mind or the senses) able to notice small differences; working very well; sharp(思想或感官)敏锐的;灵敏的;尖锐的

　　3. 尖的，锐的;成锐角的

　　loaf

　　vi. (infml.) stand or wait in a place without doing anything interesting or useful 游荡，闲逛

　　n. bread, usu. fairly large, in a shape that can be cut into slices (一个)面包

　　*glamo(u)rous

　　a. having the quality of being more attractive, exciting, or interesting than ordinary people or things 富有魅力的;令人向往的

　　*glamo(u)r

　　n. the exciting and charming quality of sth. unusual or special, with a magical power of attraction 魅力;迷人的力量

　　peak

　　vi. reach the highest value, level, point, etc. 达到顶峰;达到最大值

　　n. (山)峰;顶峰;尖顶

　　downhill

　　a. & ad. 1. (becoming) worse or less successful 走下坡路的(地)

　　2. (going) towards the bottom of a hill 向坡下(的)：向下(的)

　　damage

　　n. harm; loss 损害;损失

　　vt. cause damage to 损害;损坏;毁坏

　　distinguish

　　vt. 1. (～oneself) behave or perform noticeably well 使出众

　　2. recognize 辨别;区分

　　probable

　　a. likely 很可能发生的

　　*obsess

　　vt. (usu. pass.) completely fill the mind of (sb.) so that no attention is given to other * [常被动]使着迷

　　grade-point average, GPA

　　(美)(学生各科成绩的)*均积分点

　　shield

　　vt. (from) protect or hide from harm or danger 保护;庇护

　　n. 盾，盾牌

　　hastily

　　ad. too quickly 匆忙地;草率地;性急地

　　haste

　　n. quick movement or action 急忙，匆忙

　　device

　　n. 1. a method of achieving sth. 策略;手段

　　2. an object that has been invented for a particular purpose 装置;设备

　　unequipped

　　a. not equipped with the necessities 未配备所需物品的;无准备的

　　honor roll

　　(美)光荣榜(指优秀学生名单、当地服兵役公民名单等)

　　consolation

　　n. comfort during a time of sadness or disappointment 安慰;慰问

　　consolation prize

　　a prize given to sb. who has not won the competition 安慰奖

　　alike

　　ad. in (almost) the same way; equally 同样地;相似地;以同样程度

　　a. similar in appearance, quality, character, etc. 想像的，同样的

　　*impulse

　　n. 1. a sudden desire to do sth. (一时的)冲动

　　2. 冲力;脉冲;神经冲动

　　inquire, enquire

　　v. ask For information 询问;查问

　　inquiry, enquiry

　　n. (into, about) an act of inquiring 询问;查问

　　afford

　　vt. 1. be able to buy 买得起

　　2. be able to do, spend, give, bear, etc., without serious loss or damage 担负得起(损失、费用、后果等)

　　repetition

　　n. the act of repeating, or sth. repeated 重复;反复

　　ill-chosen

　　a. not well chosen 选择不恰当的

　　ill

　　ad. 1. not well. not enough 不恰当地;拙劣地

　　2. unfavourably; badly, unpleasantly or cruelly 不利地;恶劣地;冷酷无情地

　　3. hardly 几乎不;困难地

　　prompt

　　vt. cause or urge; encourage or help sb. to continue 促使;推动;激励

　　a. done without any delay; not late 迅速的;及时的

　　*ballet

　　n. 芭蕾舞(剧)

　　*stock

　　n. 1. a sup*(of sth.)for use 库存物;储备物

　　2. the thick part of a tree trunk 树桩;树干

　　v. (up) keep supplies of; store 备货;储备

　　courageously

　　ad. bravely; in a way showing courage 英勇地，无畏地

　　toe

　　n. 脚趾;足尖

　　toe shoe

　　芭蕾舞鞋

　　therapy

　　n. the treatment of mental or physical illness (心理或生理)疗法，治疗

　　heroism

　　n. the quality of being a hero; great courage 大无畏精神;英勇

　　horsemanship

　　n. the practice or skill of horse-riding 马术;骑术

　　*haunt

　　vt. (often pass.) be always in the thoughts of (sb.); visit regularly [常被动](思想、回忆等)萦绕;缠扰;常去

　　terror

　　n. (sb. or sth. that causes) extreme fear 恐怖;引起恐怖的人(或物)

　　tumble

　　vi. (down) fall suddenly or helplessly; collapse 摔下;跌倒;倒塌，坍塌

　　whither

　　conj. & ad. (archaic) (to) where 〈古体〉(无论)去哪里

　　bound

　　a. 1. (for, to) going to or intending to go to 准备到…去的

　　2. very likely; certain 一定的;注定的

　　Phrases and Expressions

　　place/lay/put emphasis on/upon

　　give sth. special force or attention to show that it is particularly important 强调;把重点放在，着重于

　　in the long run

　　after enough time; in the end 从长远观点来看;终究

　　a world of

　　a lot of 大量的，无数的

　　be brilliant/best at sth.

　　having or showing great skill at sth. 在某一方面极为出色

　　at the cost of

　　以…为代价

　　branch out

　　(into) add to the range of one"s interests or activities 扩大(兴趣、活动、业务等的)范围

　　count on/upon

　　expect; depend on 指望;料想;依靠

　　turn down

　　refuse (a request or offer or the person that makes it); reject 拒绝(某人或其请求、忠告等)

　　take stock

　　consider a situation carefully so as to take a decision 作出判断，进行评估

21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册史蒂芬霍金的简史60篇（扩展7）

——21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册Unit3内容介绍60篇

21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册Unit3内容介绍1

　　First Listening

　　1. As you listen to the tape the first time, fill in the missing parts in the blanks.

　　A) Jack is interested in a job as an ________ manager located in _______.

　　B) His qualifications include _______ years of experience knowing how to use ________.

　　C) He believes that people are _______ everywhere.

　　Second Listening

　　2. What is the disagreement about? Whose opinion do you agree more with? Why?

21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册Unit3内容介绍2

　　Joint ventures involving Western and Japanese companies often run into conflicts — a multitude of little things that escalate into big emotional battles in which all the parties keep exclaiming: "What"s wrong with them!? Can they understand that ...?!" But because the conflicts are mainly due to cultural differences, neither side can understand—unless they have a "cultural translator".

　　The first cultural translator I ever met was an installation engineer, George by name, who worked for an American company where I was the director of international operations. The company had just started a joint venture with a Japanese firm, and the American management needed someone to train the Japanese employees in its unique technology. George"s solid understanding of the equipment, its installation and use made him the best-qualified employee for the job, so everyone was happy when George accepted a two-year contract for temporary transfer to Japan.

　　From the start, George was well accepted by all the Japanese employees. Japanese managers often distrust anyone sent to represent US owners, but George was so naturally nonassertive that no one could see him as a threat to their careers. So they felt comfortable asking his advice on a wide range of *, including the odd behavior of their partners across the ocean. Engineers throughout the company appreciated George"s expertise and his friendly and capable help, and they got into the habit of turning to him whenever they had a problem — any problem. And the secretaries in the office were eager to help this nice bachelor learn Japanese.

　　Sooner than anyone expected, the company became a profitable, thriving and growing venture. George"s first two-year contract came to an end. By then, he could speak good Japanese, and had picked up Japanese habits. He drank green tea at all hours, ate rice at every meal and had even learned to sit properly on Japanese tatami mats. So when George was offered a second two-year Japanese contract, he accepted at once. Another contract followed, and George"s love affair with Japanese culture continued.

　　But as George"s sixth year in the country was coming to an end, an unexpected difficulty became apparent: The Japanese engineers had surpassed George in their knowledge of the rapidly - changing technology. He had nothing left to teach them.

　　Was this the end for poor George? Was there nothing more he could offer to the now-mature joint venture he had served so loyally? Would he have to leave the country he had come to love? No! Faced with the threat of an unwilling departure from Japan, George reinvented himself as a "cultural translator".

　　The idea came to George one day when the Japanese joint-venture president was — again — offended by a message from the American management. As usual in such situations, he stormed into George"s office and threw the message in front of him in a fury. And George, as usual, read the message and explained in his calm manner what the Americans had really meant by it, not what it sounded like in the context of Japanese culture.

　　Fortunately for everyone, both the Japanese and American sides of the joint venture had heard enough horror stories about cultural conflicts to recognize the value of George"s skills, so when he proposed this new position for himself, the idea was quickly approved. The wisdom of this decision was proved again and again over the years.

　　At times something far more important than good English was needed. One such case was when the Japanese accountant had to explain the $46,534 spent on 874 December-holiday presents. Or there was the time when the Japanese personnel manager had to justify keeping a chemist on the payroll even though the company no longer needed his expertise. In cases like these, everyone turned to George.

　　Somehow or other, he made their messages sound at least halfway sensible to Americans. And when there was something that even George couldn"t "translate" into American - style sense, he would write, "This will sound crazy, but you should go along with it anyway."

　　It worked the other way around, too. When the American managers visited Japan, George accompanied us everywhere to ensure that we didn"t do or say anything too stupid from the Japanese viewpoint. Whenever we did that anyway, he came to the rescue at once: "What they really mean is...." Whole multitudes of difficulties never arose thanks to George"s skill at smoothing over small conflicts before they became big, emotional and costly.

　　Since leaving that company in George"s capable hands, I"ve advised many firms on international operations. And my first recommendation is always the same: Don"t worry about language problems — the first thing you need is a cultural translator.

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