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21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册单元2内容解析60篇

2023-11-02共人围观

简介21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册单元2内容解析1　　Listening　　First Listening　　Before listening to the tape, have a quick look

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册单元2内容解析1

　　Listening

　　First Listening

　　Before listening to the tape, have a quick look at the following words.

　　conversation

　　谈话

　　comment on

　　bowling

　　保龄球

　　lane

　　球道

　　connect

　　联系

　　converse

　　交谈

　　switch

　　转换

　　Second Listening

　　Listen to the tape again. Then, choose the best answer to each of the following questions.

　　1. What was the main cause of the problem discussed in the listening?

　　A) She was using a Western style in conversations among the Japanese.

　　B) She insisted on speaking English even though she was in Japan.

　　C) She spoke the Japanese language poorly.

　　D) She was an American woman married to a Japanese man.

　　2. Which of the following comparisons does the listening make about Japanese and Western conversational styles?

　　A) The Japanese style is like tennis and the Western style is like volleyball.

　　B) The Western style is more athletic than the Japanese style.

　　C) The Japanese style is like bowling and the Western style is like tennis.

　　D) The Japanese style is like singles tennis and the Western style is like doubles.

　　3. The author considers the Western conversational style to be ____________.

　　A) more interactive (互动的)

　　B) louder

　　C) more personal

　　D) better

　　4.The author considers the Japanese conversational style to be ____________.

　　A) easier to adjust to(适应)

　　B) more strictly (严谨地) organized

　　C) more traditional

　　D) better

　　5.The author concludes that ____________.

　　A) once you know the differences, it is easy to adjust to them

　　B) because she is American, she will never really understand Japan

　　C) life will be much easier for her students than it was for her

　　D) it remains difficult to switch from one style to another

　　Pre-reading Questions

　　1.Look at the title and guess what this passage is about.

　　2. Go over the first paragraph quickly and find out who the author is. Is she a Japanese born and educated in the United States or an American married to a Japanese?

　　3. Have you ever talked with a native speaker of English? What problems have you encountered in talking with a foreigner?

　　Conversational Ballgames

　　Nancy Masterson Sakamoto

　　After I was married and had lived in Japan for a while, my Japanese gradually improved to the point where I could take part in simple conversations with my husband, his friends, and family. And I began to notice that often, when I joined in, the others would look startled, and the conversation would come to a halt. After this happened several times, it became clear to me that I was doing something wrong. But for a long time, I didn't know what it was.

　　Finally, after listening carefully to many Japanese conversations, I discovered what my problem was. Even though I was speaking Japanese, I was handling the conversation in a Western way.

　　Japanese-style conversations develop quite differently from western-style conversations. And the difference isn't only in the languages. I realized that just as I kept trying to hold western-style conversations even when I was speaking Japanese, so were my English students trying to hold Japanese-style conversations even when they were speaking English. We were unconsciously playing entirely different conversational ballgames.

　　A western-style conversation between two people is like a game of tennis. If I introduce a topic, a conversational ball, I expect you to hit it back. If you agree with me, I don't expect you sim* to agree and do nothing more. I expect you to add something — a reason for agreeing, another example, or a remark to carry the idea further. But I don't expect you always to agree. I am just as happy if you question me, or challenge me, or completely disagree with me. Whether you agree or disagree, your response will return the ball to me.

　　And then it is my turn again. I don't serve a new ball from my original starting line. I hit your ball back again from where it has bounced. I carry your idea further, or answer your questions or objections, or challenge or question you. And so the ball goes back and forth.

　　If there are more than two people in the conversation, then it is like doubles in tennis, or like volleyball. There's no waiting in line. Whoever is nearest and quickest hits the ball, and if you step back, someone else will hit it. No one stops the game to give you a turn. You're responsible for taking your own turn and no one person has the ball for very long.

　　A Japanese-style conversation, however, is not at all like tennis or volleyball, it's like bowling. You wait for your turn, and you always know your place in line. It depends on such things as whether you are older or younger, a close friend or a relative stranger to the previous speaker, in a senior or junior position, and so on.

　　The first thing is to wait for your turn, patiently and politely. When your moment comes, you step up to the starting line with your bowling ball, and carefully bowl it. Everyone else stands back, making sounds of polite encouragement. Everyone waits until your ball has reached the end of the lane, and watches to see if it knocks down all the pins, or only some of them, or none of them. Then there is a pause, while everyone registers your score.

　　Then, after everyone is sure that you are done, the next person in line steps up to the same starting line, with a different ball. He doesn't return your ball. There is no back and forth at all. And there is always a suitable pause between turns. There is no rush, no impatience.

　　No wonder everyone looked startled when I took part in Japanese conversations. I paid no attention to whose turn it was, and kept snatching the ball halfway down the alley and throwing it back at the bowler. Of course the conversation fell apart, I was playing the wrong game.

　　This explains why it can be so difficult to get a western-style discussion going with Japanese students of English. Whenever I serve a volleyball, everyone just stands back and watches it fall. No one hits it back. Everyone waits until I call on someone to take a turn. And when that person speaks, he doesn't hit my ball back. He serves a new ball. Again, everyone just watches it fall. So I call on someone else. This person does not refer to what the previous speaker has said. He also serves a new ball. Everyone begins again from the same starting line, and all the balls run parallel. There is never any back and forth.

　　Now that you know about the difference in the conversational ballgames, you may think that all your troubles are over. But if you have been trained all your life to play one game, it is no simple matter to switch to another, even if you know the rules. Tennis, after all, is different from bowling.

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册单元2内容解析2

　　conversational

　　a. 会话的，交谈的

　　conversation

　　n. an informal talk in which people exchange news, feelings, and thoughts 谈话; 会谈

　　ballgame

　　n. any game played with a ball 球类活动

　　gradually

　　ad. in a way that happens or develops slowly over a long period of time 逐渐

　　startle

　　vt. make suddenly surprised or slightly shocked 使惊吓，使惊奇

　　halt

　　n. a stop or pause 停住，停止

　　v. stop (使)停住，(使)停止

　　handle

　　vt. deal with 处理，应付

　　unconsciously

　　ad. not consciously 无意识地，不知不觉地

　　challenge

　　vt. 向…挑战;对…质疑

　　n. 挑战;质疑

　　disagree

　　vi. (with) have or express a different opinion from sb. else 有分歧，不同意

　　response

　　n. an answer; (an) action done in answer 回答;回应;反应

　　original

　　a. first; earliest 起初的;原来的

　　bounce

　　vi. (of a ball) spring back or up again from the ground or another surface (球)弹起，(球)反弹

　　objection

　　n. sth. that one says to show that he /she opposes or disapproves of an action, idea, etc. 反对，异议

　　forth

　　ad. forward; out 向前;向外

　　responsible

　　a. having the job or duty of looking after sb. or sth., so that one can be blamed if things go wrong 须负责的，有责任的

　　bowling

　　n. 保龄球

　　relative

　　a. having a particular quality when compared with sth. else 相对的，比较的

　　n. a member of one's family; relation 亲属;亲戚

　　a. coming before in time or order 先前的，以前的

　　junior

　　a. of lower rank or position; younger 级别或地位较低的`，年资较浅的;年少的，较年幼的

　　bowl

　　vt. 把(球)投向球瓶

　　lane

　　n. 球道;车道;胡同，小巷

　　n. 球瓶;大头针，别针

　　vt. record 记录，登记

　　suitable

　　a. 合适的;适当的

　　impatience

　　n. 不耐烦;急躁

　　*snatch

　　vt. get hold of (sth.) hastily; take in a hurry, esp. forcefully 抓住;夺，夺得

　　alley

　　n. 小巷，小街，胡同;球道

　　bowler

　　n. 投球手

　　apart

　　ad. into pieces 成碎片

　　parallel

　　a. running side by side but never getting nearer to or further away from each other *行的，并列的

　　switch

　　vi. change 改变，转移

　　Phrases and Expressions

　　Join in

　　take part in (an activity) 参加，参与

　　come to a halt

　　stop 停住，停止;停顿

　　even if/though

　　in spite of the fact that; no matter whether 即使;尽管

　　just as

　　正如;同样地

　　back and forth

　　来回地，反复地

　　and so on

　　and other things of this kind 等等

　　knock down

　　make (sth.) fall by hitting or pushing it 击倒;撞倒

　　fall apart

　　break; fall to pieces; end in failure 破裂;破碎;以失败告终

　　call on /upon

　　formally ask (sb.) to do sth. 号召;请求

　　refer to

　　mention; speak about 谈到，提及

　　after all

　　when all is said or done 毕竟

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册单元2内容解析3

　　Listening

　　First Listening

　　Before listening to the tape, have a quick look at the following words.

　　conversation

　　谈话

　　comment on

　　bowling

　　保龄球

　　lane

　　球道

　　connect

　　联系

　　converse

　　交谈

　　switch

　　转换

　　Second Listening

　　Listen to the tape again. Then, choose the best answer to each of the following questions.

　　1. What was the main cause of the problem discussed in the listening?

　　A) She was using a Western style in conversations among the Japanese.

　　B) She insisted on speaking English even though she was in Japan.

　　C) She spoke the Japanese language poorly.

　　D) She was an American woman married to a Japanese man.

　　2. Which of the following comparisons does the listening make about Japanese and Western conversational styles?

　　A) The Japanese style is like tennis and the Western style is like volleyball.

　　B) The Western style is more athletic than the Japanese style.

　　C) The Japanese style is like bowling and the Western style is like tennis.

　　D) The Japanese style is like singles tennis and the Western style is like doubles.

　　3. The author considers the Western conversational style to be ____________.

　　A) more interactive (互动的)

　　B) louder

　　C) more personal

　　D) better

　　4.The author considers the Japanese conversational style to be ____________.

　　A) easier to adjust to(适应)

　　B) more strictly (严谨地) organized

　　C) more traditional

　　D) better

　　5.The author concludes that ____________.

　　A) once you know the differences, it is easy to adjust to them

　　B) because she is American, she will never really understand Japan

　　C) life will be much easier for her students than it was for her

　　D) it remains difficult to switch from one style to another

　　Pre-reading Questions

　　1.Look at the title and guess what this passage is about.

　　2. Go over the first paragraph quickly and find out who the author is. Is she a Japanese born and educated in the United States or an American married to a Japanese?

　　3. Have you ever talked with a native speaker of English? What problems have you encountered in talking with a foreigner?

　　Conversational Ballgames

　　Nancy Masterson Sakamoto

　　Finally, after listening carefully to many Japanese conversations, I discovered what my problem was. Even though I was speaking Japanese, I was handling the conversation in a Western way.

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册单元2内容解析4

　　conversational

　　a. 会话的，交谈的

　　conversation

　　n. an informal talk in which people exchange news, feelings, and thoughts 谈话; 会谈

　　ballgame

　　n. any game played with a ball 球类活动

　　gradually

　　ad. in a way that happens or develops slowly over a long period of time 逐渐

　　startle

　　vt. make suddenly surprised or slightly shocked 使惊吓，使惊奇

　　halt

　　n. a stop or pause 停住，停止

　　v. stop (使)停住，(使)停止

　　handle

　　vt. deal with 处理，应付

　　unconsciously

　　ad. not consciously 无意识地，不知不觉地

　　challenge

　　vt. 向…挑战;对…质疑

　　n. 挑战;质疑

　　disagree

　　vi. (with) have or express a different opinion from sb. else 有分歧，不同意

　　response

　　n. an answer; (an) action done in answer 回答;回应;反应

　　original

　　a. first; earliest 起初的;原来的

　　bounce

　　vi. (of a ball) spring back or up again from the ground or another surface (球)弹起，(球)反弹

　　objection

　　n. sth. that one says to show that he /she opposes or disapproves of an action, idea, etc. 反对，异议

　　forth

　　ad. forward; out 向前;向外

　　responsible

　　a. having the job or duty of looking after sb. or sth., so that one can be blamed if things go wrong 须负责的，有责任的

　　bowling

　　n. 保龄球

　　relative

　　a. having a particular quality when compared with sth. else 相对的，比较的

　　n. a member of one's family; relation 亲属;亲戚

　　a. coming before in time or order 先前的，以前的

　　junior

　　a. of lower rank or position; younger 级别或地位较低的.，年资较浅的;年少的，较年幼的

　　bowl

　　vt. 把(球)投向球瓶

　　lane

　　n. 球道;车道;胡同，小巷

　　n. 球瓶;大头针，别针

　　vt. record 记录，登记

　　suitable

　　a. 合适的;适当的

　　impatience

　　n. 不耐烦;急躁

　　*snatch

　　vt. get hold of (sth.) hastily; take in a hurry, esp. forcefully 抓住;夺，夺得

　　alley

　　n. 小巷，小街，胡同;球道

　　bowler

　　n. 投球手

　　apart

　　ad. into pieces 成碎片

　　parallel

　　a. running side by side but never getting nearer to or further away from each other *行的，并列的

　　switch

　　vi. change 改变，转移

　　Phrases and Expressions

　　Join in

　　take part in (an activity) 参加，参与

　　come to a halt

　　stop 停住，停止;停顿

　　even if/though

　　in spite of the fact that; no matter whether 即使;尽管

　　just as

　　正如;同样地

　　back and forth

　　来回地，反复地

　　and so on

　　and other things of this kind 等等

　　knock down

　　make (sth.) fall by hitting or pushing it 击倒;撞倒

　　fall apart

　　break; fall to pieces; end in failure 破裂;破碎;以失败告终

　　call on /upon

　　formally ask (sb.) to do sth. 号召;请求

　　refer to

　　mention; speak about 谈到，提及

　　after all

　　when all is said or done 毕竟

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册单元2内容解析60篇扩展阅读

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册单元2内容解析60篇（扩展1）

——21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册课程6内容详解60篇

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册课程6内容详解1

　　Leonid Fridman

　　There is something very wrong with the system of values in a society that has only unkind terms like nerd and geek for the intellectually curious and academically serious.

　　We all know what a nerd is: someone who wears thick glasses and ugly clothes; someone who knows all the answers to the chemistry or math homework but can never get a date on a Saturday night. And a geek, according to "Webster's New World Dictionary," is a street performer who shocks the public by biting off heads of live chickens. It is a revealing fact about our language and our culture that someone dedicated to pursuit of knowledge is compared to such a freak.

　　Even at a prestigious educational institution like Harvard, anti-intellectualism is widespread: Many students are ashamed to admit, even to their friends, how much they study.

　　Although most students try to keep up their grades, there is but a small group of undergraduates for whom pursuing knowledge is the most important thing during their years at Harvard. Nerds are looked down upon while athletes are made heroes of.

　　The same thing happens in U.S. elementary and high schools. Children who prefer to read books rather than play football, prefer to build model airplanes rather than idle away their time at parties with their classmates, become social outcasts. Because of their intelligence and refusal to conform to society's anti-intellectual values, many are deprived of a chance to learn adequate social skills and acquire good communication tools.

　　Enough is enough.

　　Nerds and geeks must stop being ashamed of what they are. Those who don't study hard must stop teasing those who do, the bright kids with thick glasses. The anti-intellectual values that have spread throughout American society must be fought.

　　There are very few countries in the world where anti-intellectualism runs as high in popular culture as it does in the U.S.. In most industrialized nations, not least of all our economic rivals in East Asia, a kid who studies hard is praised and held up as an example to other students.

　　In many parts of the world, university professorships are the most prestigious and materially rewarding positions. But not in America, where average professional ballplayers are much more respected and better paid than professors of the best universities.

　　How can a country where typical parents are ashamed of their daughter studying mathematics instead of going dancing, or of their son reading Weber while his friends play baseball be expected to compete in the technology race with Japan? How long can America remain a world-class power if we constantly put social skills and physical strength over academic achievement and intellectual ability?

　　Do we really expect to stay afloat largely by importing our scientists and intellectuals from abroad, as we have done for a major portion of this century without making an effort to also cultivate a pro-intellectual culture at home? Even if we have the political will to spend a lot more money on education than we do now, do we think we can improve our schools if we laugh at our hardworking pupils and fail to respect their impoverished teachers?

　　Our fault lies not so much with our economy or with our politics as within ourselves, our values and our image of a good life. America's culture has not adapted to the demands of our times, to the economic realities that demand a highly educated workforce and innovative intelligent leadership.

　　If we are to succeed as a society in the 21 st century, we had better do away with our anti-intellectualism and teach our children that a good life depends on exercising one's mind and pursuing knowledge to the full extent of one's abilities.

　　Not until the words "nerd" and "geek" become terms of praise rather than insults do we stand a chance.

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册课程6内容详解2

　　Listen to the tape again. Then, choose the best answer to each of the following questions.

　　1. The main purpose of this listening passage is to_________.

　　A) argue against higher salaries for athletes

　　B) offer solutions to current economic problems

　　C) complain about the lack of respect for intellectuals

　　D) describe changes in the English language

　　2. What is the meaning of the words "nerd" and "geek"?

　　A) They are insulting terms which are applied to smart students.

　　B) They are used in the U.S. to describe students from other countries.

　　C) A nerd is a good student and a geek is a poor student.

　　D) A nerd is a poor student and a geek is a good student.

　　3. The passage says that in nations other than the U.S.,_________.

　　A) hardworking students are praised

　　B) professors are paid better salaries

　　C) more respect is given to intellectuals

　　D) all of the above

　　4. The passage suggests that the words "nerd" and "geek" should_________.

　　A) be made illegal

　　B) become words of praise, rather than insults

　　C) be used to describe athletes instead of students

　　D) all of the above

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册单元2内容解析60篇（扩展2）

——21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册第5单元内容解读60篇

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册第5单元内容解读1

　　Leslie Dunkling

　　"Let me give you one piece of advice," I said to Ted and Mary just before they got married a few years ago. "If you want to stay happily married, always be prepared to compromise. When you have different opinions about something, you each give way a little. You take the middle course. That is compromise." And I'm glad to say that the young couple seemed to take that advice.

　　I remember when they took their first holiday together. Ted wanted to do something energetic, because he didn't usually get much exercise during the year. Mary's job meant that she was on her feet most of the time. All she wanted to do was lie in the sun. Ted hated the idea of lying on a beach; Mary hated the idea of being too active. They compromised, and took their holiday in mid-summer, high in the Alps. Mary was able to lie in the sun by the hotel swimming pool, while Ted went off for long walks in the mountains with a group of hikers. In the evening they met at the hotel, both content with their day, happy to eat a leisurely meal together and dance a little afterwards.

　　They compromised over everything and they were very happy.

　　To complete their happiness, they had a baby when they had been married for three years—a son. But that, strangely, was when the problem arose. They had to name their son, of course, and each had a name in mind; not the same name, unfortunately. It seemed that a situation had arisen where compromise was impossible. Ted wanted to call their son Robert, Mary wanted to call him Lawrence. How can you compromise with names like that? No, this time one of them would have to give way, it seemed. There would have to be a winner, and a loser. That was how they saw things, at least.

　　Mary told me all about it when I called at the hospital two days after the baby's birth.

　　"Ted wants to call him Robert," Mary said, "because there's a tradition in his family. The eldest son is always Robert or Edward. His father was Robert, his grandfather Edward, his great-grandfather Robert, and so on."

　　"That seems reasonable," I said.

　　"I don't want my son to be named after someone in the family," Mary said. "He's a unique individual, and I want him to have a name that no one else in the family has had. I want to call my son Lawrence."

　　"That seems reasonable, too," I said.

　　"Everyone's been giving me advice," Mary said. Then she told me who had given her advice, and what advice she had been given, (but not in the same order). I had to guess who gave what advice. Maybe you'd like to try to do that as well?

　　These were the people:

　　1) Uncle Fred, who was a painter, and liked vivid colours.

　　2) Aunt Sybil, who spent every spare minute in her garden.

　　3) Cousin John, who spent far too much of his time at horse races and sim* couldn't resist a gamble.

　　4) Mary's friend, Sue, who was very active in the Women's Liberation Movement.

　　5) Ted's brother David, an actor with a high opinion of himself.

　　6) Mary's father, a music professor.

　　7) Mary's mother, who loved Shakespeare.

　　8) Mary's friend, Catherine, known to be rather snobbish.

　　Here, in a different order, is the advice they gave Mary:

　　a) "Spin a coin, and decide that way."

　　b) "David's rather a nice name. That would be a good compromise."

　　c) "Tell your husband that you had the child so you have the right to choose his name."

　　d) "I've always liked the names Johann Sebastian."

　　e) "Call him William. He'll be a sweet William. What a pity you didn't have a girl. There are such lovely names for girls — Heather, Rosemary, Lily, Fern, Daisy."

　　f) "He's got blond hair. You could call him Boyd — which means yellow."

　　g) "Charles is rather a refined name, don't you think? Not Robert, though, or Lawrence. Too ordinary, my dear."

　　h) "Hamlet would make an unusual, but attractive name."

　　Well, I soon sorted out who suggested what, then I gave my own advice, "Compromise!"

　　"How?" said Mary.

　　"In the same way as my parents," I said. "My father felt that I should be named after his father, and my mother felt the same way about naming me after her father. So, I'm named after both of them."

　　"You mean, they were both called Samuel?" said Mary.

　　"No. One was George, the other was Albert. Samuel is the compromise. I'm named George Albert Samuel, but called Samuel."

　　And so it was that my nephew was named Robert William Lawrence, but is called Lawrence.

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册第5单元内容解读2

　　*energetic

　　a. full of energy 精力旺盛的，充满活力的

　　hiker

　　n. a person who travels about the country, esp. on foot 徒步旅行者

　　content

　　a. (with) satisfied with what one has; not wanting more 满意的;满足的

　　leisurely

　　a. relaxed; without hurrying 从容的;不慌不忙的

　　arise(arose,arisen)

　　vi. happen; appear 出现;呈现

　　tradition

　　n. a custom or belief that the people in a particular group or society have practiced or held for a long time 传统

　　unique

　　a. considered unusual; being the only one of its type 独特的，独一无二的

　　individual

　　n. a person 个人;个体

　　a. single; separate 个人的;个别的;单独的'

　　painter

　　n. a person who paints pictures 画家

　　*gamble

　　n. a risky action or decision that one takes in the hope of gaining money, success, etc. **

　　v. play cards or other games for money **;打赌

　　snobbish

　　a. 势利的

　　spin(spun)

　　vt. turn round and round fast 使旋转

　　blond

　　a. 1. (of hair) light-coloured (头发)金黄色的;

　　2.(人)白肤金发碧眼的

　　refined

　　a. (of a person, his behaviour, etc.) having or showing education, gentleness of manners 文雅的，优美的

　　nephew

　　n. the son of one's brother or sister 侄，甥

　　Phrases and Expressions

　　give way

　　yield 让步，屈服

　　take the middle course

　　take a course of action which is a compromise between two extremes 采取折中办法

　　be on one's feet

　　be standing or walking 站立着

　　go off

　　leave; set off 离开;出发

　　have ... in mind

　　想到，考虑到;记得

　　call at

　　make a short visit at 短访，访问

　　name after

　　give sb. the same name as 以…的名字(为…)取名

　　with a high /low /good /bad opinion of

　　thinking well /badly of 对…评价高 / 低(好 / 不好)

　　sort out

　　separate from a large group; put in good order; set straight, make clear 拣出;整理;弄清楚

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册单元2内容解析60篇（扩展3）

——21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册单元2内容解析 (菁选3篇)

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册单元2内容解析1

　　Listening

　　First Listening

　　Before listening to the tape, have a quick look at the following words.

　　conversation

　　谈话

　　comment on

　　bowling

　　保龄球

　　lane

　　球道

　　connect

　　联系

　　converse

　　交谈

　　switch

　　转换

　　Second Listening

　　Listen to the tape again. Then, choose the best answer to each of the following questions.

　　1. What was the main cause of the problem discussed in the listening?

　　A) She was using a Western style in conversations among the Japanese.

　　B) She insisted on speaking English even though she was in Japan.

　　C) She spoke the Japanese language poorly.

　　D) She was an American woman married to a Japanese man.

　　2. Which of the following comparisons does the listening make about Japanese and Western conversational styles?

　　A) The Japanese style is like tennis and the Western style is like volleyball.

　　B) The Western style is more athletic than the Japanese style.

　　C) The Japanese style is like bowling and the Western style is like tennis.

　　D) The Japanese style is like singles tennis and the Western style is like doubles.

　　3. The author considers the Western conversational style to be ____________.

　　A) more interactive (互动的)

　　B) louder

　　C) more personal

　　D) better

　　4.The author considers the Japanese conversational style to be ____________.

　　A) easier to adjust to(适应)

　　B) more strictly (严谨地) organized

　　C) more traditional

　　D) better

　　5.The author concludes that ____________.

　　A) once you know the differences, it is easy to adjust to them

　　B) because she is American, she will never really understand Japan

　　C) life will be much easier for her students than it was for her

　　D) it remains difficult to switch from one style to another

　　Pre-reading Questions

　　1.Look at the title and guess what this passage is about.

　　2. Go over the first paragraph quickly and find out who the author is. Is she a Japanese born and educated in the United States or an American married to a Japanese?

　　3. Have you ever talked with a native speaker of English? What problems have you encountered in talking with a foreigner?

　　Conversational Ballgames

　　Nancy Masterson Sakamoto

　　Finally, after listening carefully to many Japanese conversations, I discovered what my problem was. Even though I was speaking Japanese, I was handling the conversation in a Western way.

　　A western-style conversation between two people is like a game of tennis. If I introduce a topic, a conversational ball, I expect you to hit it back. If you agree with me, I don't expect you simply to agree and do nothing more. I expect you to add something — a reason for agreeing, another example, or a remark to carry the idea further. But I don't expect you always to agree. I am just as happy if you question me, or challenge me, or completely disagree with me. Whether you agree or disagree, your response will return the ball to me.

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册单元2内容解析2

　　Listening

　　First Listening

　　Before listening to the tape, have a quick look at the following words.

　　conversation

　　谈话

　　comment on

　　bowling

　　保龄球

　　lane

　　球道

　　connect

　　联系

　　converse

　　交谈

　　switch

　　转换

　　Second Listening

　　Listen to the tape again. Then, choose the best answer to each of the following questions.

　　1. What was the main cause of the problem discussed in the listening?

　　A) She was using a Western style in conversations among the Japanese.

　　B) She insisted on speaking English even though she was in Japan.

　　C) She spoke the Japanese language poorly.

　　D) She was an American woman married to a Japanese man.

　　2. Which of the following comparisons does the listening make about Japanese and Western conversational styles?

　　A) The Japanese style is like tennis and the Western style is like volleyball.

　　B) The Western style is more athletic than the Japanese style.

　　C) The Japanese style is like bowling and the Western style is like tennis.

　　D) The Japanese style is like singles tennis and the Western style is like doubles.

　　3. The author considers the Western conversational style to be ____________.

　　A) more interactive (互动的)

　　B) louder

　　C) more personal

　　D) better

　　4.The author considers the Japanese conversational style to be ____________.

　　A) easier to adjust to(适应)

　　B) more strictly (严谨地) organized

　　C) more traditional

　　D) better

　　5.The author concludes that ____________.

　　A) once you know the differences, it is easy to adjust to them

　　B) because she is American, she will never really understand Japan

　　C) life will be much easier for her students than it was for her

　　D) it remains difficult to switch from one style to another

　　Pre-reading Questions

　　1.Look at the title and guess what this passage is about.

　　2. Go over the first paragraph quickly and find out who the author is. Is she a Japanese born and educated in the United States or an American married to a Japanese?

　　3. Have you ever talked with a native speaker of English? What problems have you encountered in talking with a foreigner?

　　Conversational Ballgames

　　Nancy Masterson Sakamoto

　　Finally, after listening carefully to many Japanese conversations, I discovered what my problem was. Even though I was speaking Japanese, I was handling the conversation in a Western way.

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册单元2内容解析3

　　conversational

　　a. 会话的，交谈的

　　conversation

　　n. an informal talk in which people exchange news, feelings, and thoughts 谈话; 会谈

　　ballgame

　　n. any game played with a ball 球类活动

　　gradually

　　ad. in a way that happens or develops slowly over a long period of time 逐渐

　　startle

　　vt. make suddenly surprised or slightly shocked 使惊吓，使惊奇

　　halt

　　n. a stop or pause 停住，停止

　　v. stop (使)停住，(使)停止

　　handle

　　vt. deal with 处理，应付

　　unconsciously

　　ad. not consciously 无意识地，不知不觉地

　　challenge

　　vt. 向…挑战;对…质疑

　　n. 挑战;质疑

　　disagree

　　vi. (with) have or express a different opinion from sb. else 有分歧，不同意

　　response

　　n. an answer; (an) action done in answer 回答;回应;反应

　　original

　　a. first; earliest 起初的;原来的

　　bounce

　　vi. (of a ball) spring back or up again from the ground or another surface (球)弹起，(球)反弹

　　objection

　　n. sth. that one says to show that he /she opposes or disapproves of an action, idea, etc. 反对，异议

　　forth

　　ad. forward; out 向前;向外

　　responsible

　　a. having the job or duty of looking after sb. or sth., so that one can be blamed if things go wrong 须负责的，有责任的

　　bowling

　　n. 保龄球

　　relative

　　a. having a particular quality when compared with sth. else 相对的，比较的

　　n. a member of one's family; relation 亲属;亲戚

　　a. coming before in time or order 先前的，以前的

　　junior

　　a. of lower rank or position; younger 级别或地位较低的.，年资较浅的;年少的，较年幼的

　　bowl

　　vt. 把(球)投向球瓶

　　lane

　　n. 球道;车道;胡同，小巷

　　n. 球瓶;大头针，别针

　　vt. record 记录，登记

　　suitable

　　a. 合适的;适当的

　　impatience

　　n. 不耐烦;急躁

　　*snatch

　　vt. get hold of (sth.) hastily; take in a hurry, esp. forcefully 抓住;夺，夺得

　　alley

　　n. 小巷，小街，胡同;球道

　　bowler

　　n. 投球手

　　apart

　　ad. into pieces 成碎片

　　parallel

　　a. running side by side but never getting nearer to or further away from each other *行的，并列的

　　switch

　　vi. change 改变，转移

　　Phrases and Expressions

　　Join in

　　take part in (an activity) 参加，参与

　　come to a halt

　　stop 停住，停止;停顿

　　even if/though

　　in spite of the fact that; no matter whether 即使;尽管

　　just as

　　正如;同样地

　　back and forth

　　来回地，反复地

　　and so on

　　and other things of this kind 等等

　　knock down

　　make (sth.) fall by hitting or pushing it 击倒;撞倒

　　fall apart

　　break; fall to pieces; end in failure 破裂;破碎;以失败告终

　　call on /upon

　　formally ask (sb.) to do sth. 号召;请求

　　refer to

　　mention; speak about 谈到，提及

　　after all

　　when all is said or done 毕竟

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册单元2内容解析60篇（扩展4）

——21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册Unit1内容讲解60篇

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册Unit1内容讲解1

　　text a

　　listening

　　first listening

　　before listening to the tape, have a quick look at the following words.

　　grade

　　分数

　　concentrate

　　全神贯注

　　schedule

　　时间表

　　pressure

　　压力

　　selectively

　　有选择地

　　relevant

　　有关的

　　skip over

　　跳过;略过

　　approach

　　方法

　　second listening

　　listen to the tape again. then, choose the best answer to each of the following questions.

　　1. the purpose of this listening passage is ____.

　　a) to describe college life

　　b) to give advice for college success

　　c) to warn against being lazy at college

　　d) to increase college enrollment(入学人数)

　　2. according to the listening passage, the most important key to getting good grades at college is _____.

　　a) asking questions in class

　　b) doing assignments ahead of time

　　c) working as hard as you can

　　d) learning how to study effectively

　　3. which of the following does the listening not say you should do?

　　a) organize your time and materials.

　　b) write down every word the professor says in class.

　　c) treat studying like business.

　　d) study together.

　　pre-reading questions

　　1. based on the title, guess what the text is about.

　　2. look at the subheadings, 1-8, in the text. which of these activities do you already do? in which areas do you feel you need improvement?

　　3. are there any "secrets" to your own success as a student? in other words, do you have any special study techniques which have been very successful for you?

　　secrets of a students

　　edwin kiester & sally valentine kiester

　　alex, now a first-year student in natural sciences at cambridge, played football for his school in manchester and directed the school production of a play — but he left school with five a's. amanda, studying english at bristol university, acted in plays at her school and played tennis regularly. yet she still managed to get four a's.

　　how do a students like these do it? brains aren't the only answer. the most gifted students do not necessarily perform best in exams. knowing how to make the most of one's abilities counts for much more.

　　hard work isn't the whole story either. some of these high-achieving students actually put in fewer hours than their lower-scoring classmates. the students at the top of the class get there by mastering a few basic techniques that others can easily learn. here, according to education experts and students themselves, are the secrets of a students.

　　1. concentrate! top students allow no interruptions of their study time. once the books are open, phone calls go unanswered, tv unwatched and newspapers unread. "this doesn't mean ignoring important things in your life," amanda explains. "it means planning your study time so that you can concentrate. if i'm worried about a sick friend, i call her before i start my homework. then when i sit down to study, i can really focus."

　　2. study anywhere — or everywhere. a university professor in arizona assigned to tutor underachieving college athletes, recalls a runner who exercised daily. he persuaded him to use the time to memorise biology terms. another student stuck a vocabulary list on his bathroom wall and learned a new word every day while brushing his teeth.

　　3. organize your materials. at school, tom played basketball. "i was too busy to waste time looking for a pencil or a missing notebook. i kept everything just where i could get my hands on it," he says. paul, a student in new mexico, keeps two folders for each subject — one for the day's assignments, the other for homework completed and ready to hand in. a drawer keeps essentials together and cuts down on time-wasting searches.

　　4. organize your time. when a teacher set a long essay, alex would spend a couple of days reading round the subject and making notes, then he'd do a rough draft and write up the essay. he would aim to finish a couple of days before the assignment was due so that if it took longer than expected, he'd still meet the deadline. amanda stuck to a study schedule that included breaks every two hours. "trying to study when you're overtired isn't smart," she advises. "even a short break to stretch or get some fresh air can work wonders."

　　5. learn how to read. "i used to spend hours going through irrelevant material," amanda remembers. "but then i got used to reading quickly; if the first sentence of a paragraph wasn't relevant, i'd move on to the next paragraph." "the best course i ever took," says an oklahoma student, "was speed-reading. i not only increased my words per minute but also learned to look at a book's table of contents and pictures first. then, when i began to read, i had a sense of the material and i retained a lot more." to such students, the secret of good reading is to be an active reader — one who keeps asking questions that lead to a full understanding of the material being read.

　　6. take good notes. "before writing anything, i pide my page into two parts," says amanda, "the left part is about a third of the page wide; the right, two-thirds. i write my notes in the wider part, and put down the main ideas on the left. during revision, this is very useful because you can see immediately why the material is relevant, rather than being worried by a great mass of information." just before the end of lesson bell rings, most students close their books, put away papers, talk to friends and get ready to leave. but a smart student uses those few minutes to write two or three sentences about the lesson's main points, which he scans before the next class.

　　7. ask questions. "if you ask questions, you know at once whether you have got the point or not," says alex. class participation is a matter of showing intellectual curiosity. in a lecture on economics, for example, curious students would ask how the chinese economy could be both socialist and market-driven, thus interesting themselves not only in whats, but also in whys and hows.

　　8. study together. the value of working together was shown in an experiment at the university of california at berkeley. a graduate student there who observed a first-year calculus course found that asian-american students discussed homework, tried different approaches and explained their solutions to one another while the others studied alone, spent most of their time reading and rereading the text, and tried the same approach time after time even if it was unsuccessful.

　　after all, the secrets of a students are not so secret. you can learn and master them and become an a student, too.

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册单元2内容解析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60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

　　A.J. Cronin

　　On a fine afternoon in New York, I got into a taxi. From the driver's expression and the way he slammed in his gears, I could tell that he was upset. I asked him what was the trouble. "I've got good reason to be sore," he growled. "One of my fares left a wallet in my cab this morning. Nearly three hundred bucks in it. I spent more than an hour trying to trace the guy. Finally I found him at his hotel. He took the wallet without a word and glared at me as though I'd meant to steal it."

　　"He didn't give you a reward?" I exclaimed.

　　"Not a cent. But it wasn't the dough I wanted..." he fumbled, then exploded, "If the guy had only said something..."

　　Because his helpful, honest act had not been appreciated, that cabdriver's day was poisoned, and I knew he would think twice before rendering a similar service. The need for gratitude is something we all feel, and denial of it can do much to harm the spirit of kindness and cooperation.

　　During World War II a mother in Cincinnati received a letter from her son in the army in which he spoke of a woman in a village in Normandy who had taken him into her home when he was wounded and hungry, and hidden him from the Germans. Later on, unhappily, the boy was killed in the Ardennes offensive. Yet the mother was moved by an irresistible intention. She saved up for two years, crossed the Atlantic and located the village referred to by her son. After many inquiries, she found the woman who had sheltered her son—the wife of an impoverished farmer—and pressed a package into her hand. It was the gold wristwatch her son had received on his graduation, the only object of real value the boy had ever possessed. The mother's act of gratitude so touched people's hearts that it has become something of a legend in and around the village. It has done more than fine speeches to foster good feeling toward Americans.

　　Gratitude is the art of receiving gracefully, of showing appreciation for every kindness, great and small. Most of us do not fail to show our pleasure when we receive hospitality, gifts and obvious benefits, but even here we can perfect our manner of showing gratitude by making it as personal and sincere as possible. Recently, when touring in southern Italy with my wife, I sent to a friend in Connecticut several bottles of a local wine which had taken our fancy. It was a trifling gift, yet to our surprise, instead of the conventional letter of thanks, we receive a phonograph record. When we played it, we heard our friend's voice speaking after dinner, describing how he and his guests had enjoyed the wine and thanking us for our thoughtfulness. It was pleasant to have this unusual proof that our gift had been appreciated.

　　Gratitude is sometimes more than a personal affair. My son, studying medicine at McGill University, told me of a patient brought into hospital in Montreal whose life was saved by a blood transfusion. When he was well again he asked: "Isn't there any way I can discover the name of the donor and thank him?" He was told that names of donors are never revealed. A few weeks after his discharge he came back to give a pint of his own blood. Since then he has returned again and again for the same purpose. When a surgeon commented on this splendid record of anonymous service, he answered sim*: "Someone I never knew did it for me. I'm just saying 'thanks'".

　　It is a comforting thought that gratitude can be not merely a passing sentiment but a renewal which can, in some instances, persist for a lifetime. A husband who recalls appreciatively some generous or unselfish act on his wife's part, or a wife who never forgets the gifts her husband has given her, does much to keep the domestic wheels spinning smoothly. W.H. Hudson, British author and naturalist, has written: "One evening I brought home a friend to share our usual evening meal. Afterward he said to me:‘You are fortunate to have a wife who, despite ill health and children to look after, cooks such excellent meals.' That tribute opened my eyes and taught me to show gratitude for my wife's day-to-day heroism, which I had hitherto taken for granted."

　　It is, above all, in the little things that the grace of gratitude should be most employed. The boy who delivers our paper, the milkman, the mailman, the barber, the waitress at a restaurant, the elevator operator—all oblige us in one way or another. By showing our gratitude we make routine relationships human and render monotonous tasks more agreeable.

　　A patient of mine in London who worked as a bus conductor once confided to me, "I get fed up with my job sometimes. People grumble, bother you, haven't got the right change for their tickets. But there's one lady on my bus morning and evening, and she always thanks me in a particularly friendly way when I take her ticket. I like to think she's speaking for all the passengers. It helps me to keep smiling."

　　Arnold Bennett had a publisher who boasted about the extraordinary efficiency of his secretary. One day Bennett said to her, "Your employer claims that you are extremely efficient. What is your secret?" "It's not my secret," the secretary replied. "It's his." Each time she performed a service, no matter how small, he never failed to acknowledge it. Because of that she took infinite pains with her work.

　　Some persons refrain from expressing their gratitude because they feel it will not be welcome. A patient of mine, a few weeks after his discharge from the hospital, came back to thank his nurse. "I didn't come back sooner," he explained, "because I imagined you must be bored to death with people thanking you."

　　"On the contrary," she replied, "I am delighted you came. Few realize how much we need encouragement and how much we are helped by those who give it."

　　Gratitude is something of which none of us can give too much. For on the smiles, the thanks we give, our little gestures of appreciation, our neighbors build up their philosophy of life.

21世纪大学英语读写教程第4册单元2课文详析3

　　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;**

　　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4

　　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世纪大学英语读写教程第一册单元2内容解析60篇（扩展6）

——21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册第一课内容讲解60篇

21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册第一课内容讲解1

　　First Listening

　　1. You're about to hear a conversation about Winston Churchill. Before you listen, take a look at the words below. Which do you think you're likely to hear when people discuss Churchill? Then, as you listen to the tape the first time, circle the words you hear.

　　prime minister author painter politician World War I romantic fearless serious passionate World War II

　　Second Listening

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

　　2. What was the argument about? Which side do you believe?

　　3. What do you know about Winston Churchill as British prime minister? What about his personality—do you have any impressions of him as a human being?

21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册第一课内容讲解2

　　Mary Soames

　　My father, Winston Churchill, began his love affair with painting in his 40s, amid disastrous circumstances. As First Lord of the Admiralty in 1915, he had been dee* involved in a campaign in the Dardanelles that could have shortened the course of a bloody world war. But when the mission failed, with great loss of life, Churchill paid the price, both publicly and privately: He was removed from the Admiralty and lost his position of political influence.

　　Overwhelmed by the disaster — "I thought he would die of grief," said his wife, Clementine — he retired with his family to Hoe Farm, a country retreat in Surrey. There, as Churchill later recalled, "The muse of painting came to my rescue!"

　　One day when he was wandering in the garden, he chanced upon his sister-in-law sketching with watercolours. He watched her for a few minutes, then borrowed her brush and tried his hand — and the muse worked her magic. From that day forward, Winston was in love with painting.

　　Delighted with anything that distracted Winston from the dark thoughts that overwhelmed him, Clementine rushed off to buy whatever paints and materials she could find. Watercolours, oil paints, paper, canvas — Hoe Farm was soon filled with everything a painter could want or need.

　　Painting in oils turned out to be Winston's great love — but the first steps were strangely difficult. He contemplated the blank whiteness of his first canvas with unaccustomed nervousness. He later recalled:

　　"Very hesitantly I selected a tube of blue paint, and with infinite precaution made a mark about as big as a bean on the snow-white field. At that moment I heard the sound of a motorcar in the drive and threw down my brush in a panic. I was even more alarmed when I saw who stepped from the car: the wife of Sir John Lavery, the celebrated painter who lived nearby.

　　"'Painting!' she declared. 'What fun. But what are you waiting for? Let me have the brush — the big one.' She plunged into the paints and before I knew it, she had swept several fierce strokes and slashes of blue on the absolutely terrified canvas. Anyone could see it could not hit back. I hesitated no more. I seized the largest brush and fell upon my wretched victim with wild fury. I have never felt any fear of a canvas since."

　　Lavery, who later tutored Churchill in his art, said of his unusual pupil's artistic abilities: "Had he chosen painting instead of politics, he would have been a great master with the brush."

　　In painting, Churchill had discovered a companion with whom he was to walk for the greater part of his life. Painting would be his comfort when, in 1921, the death of his mother was followed two months later by the loss of his and Clementine's beloved three-year-old daughter, Marigold. Overcome by grief, Winston took refuge at the home of friends in Scotland — and in his painting. He wrote to Clementine: "I went out and painted a beautiful river in the afternoon light with red and golden hills in the background. Many loving thoughts.... Alas, I keep feeling the hurt of Marigold."

　　Life and love and hope slowly revived. In September 1922 another child was born to Clementine and Winston: myself. In the same year, Winston bought Chartwell, the beloved home he was to paint in all its different aspects for the next 40 years.

　　My father must have felt a glow of satisfaction when in the mid-1920s he won first prize in a prestigious * art exhibition held in London. Entries were anonymous, and some of the judges insisted that Winston's picture — one of his first of Chartwell — was the work of a professional, not an *, and should be disqualified. But in the end, they agreed to rely on the artist's honesty and were delighted when they learned that the picture had been painted by Churchill.

　　Historians have called the decade after 1929, when Winston again fell from office, his barren years. Politically barren they may have been, as his lonely voice struggled to awaken Britain to the menace of Hitler, but artistically those years bore abundant fruit: of the 500-odd Churchill canvases in existence, roughly half date from 1930 to 1939.

　　Painting remained a joy to Churchill to the end of his life. "Happy are the painters," he had written in his book Painting as a Pastime, "for they shall not be lonely. Light and colour, peace and hope, will keep them company to the end of the day." And so it was for my father.

21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册第一课内容讲解3

　　amid

　　prep.in the middle of, among 在…之中

　　* disastrous

　　a. extremely bad; terrible 灾难性的，糟透的

　　lord

　　n. (in Britain) title of some officials of very high rank(英)大臣;大人，阁下

　　admiralty

　　n. (the A～)(in Britain) government department in charge of the navy (英)海军部

　　campaign

　　n. 1. a series of planned military actions 战役

　　2. a planned series of activities, esp. in politics and business 运动

　　bloody

　　a. 1. very violent, with a lot of wounding and killing **的

　　2. covered with blood 血污的

　　mission

　　n. 1. (usu. military) duty or purpose for which people are sent somewhere [常指军事]任务

　　2. 天职，使命

　　privately

　　ad. 1. not publicly 非公开地

　　2. personally; secretly 在涉及私(个)人方面;秘密地

　　private

　　a. 1. personal; secret 私(个)人的;秘密的

　　2. not public 非公开的

　　disaster

　　n. (a)sudden great misfortune 灾难，天灾;祸患

　　* grief

　　n. a feeling of extreme sadness 悲哀

　　* grieve

　　v. suffer from grief or great sadness (为…而)悲伤;伤心

　　retreat

　　n. 1. a place into which one can go for peace and safety 隐居处

　　2. 撤退;避难

　　vi. move back or leave a center of fighting or other activity 撤退;退避

　　muse, Muse

　　n. 1. (in Greek mythology) one of the nine goddesses of poetry, music, etc. 缪斯(希腊神话中司文艺的九位女神之一)

　　2. a force or person that inspires sb. to write, paint, etc. 创作灵感

　　rescue

　　n. help which gets sb. out of a dangerous or unpleasant situation 救助;救援

　　vt. 救助;救援

　　sister-in-law

　　n. sister of one's husband or wife 姑子;姨子;嫂子;弟媳

　　sketch

　　v. make a quick, rough drawing (of sth.) 素描，速写

　　n. 素描，速写

　　watercolo(u)r

　　n. 水彩(颜料);水彩画

　　magic

　　n. 魔法，法术

　　a. 有魔力的

　　* distract

　　vt. (from) take (one's mind, sb.) off sth. 转移(***); 使转移***

　　* canvas

　　n. 1. a piece of strong heavy cloth used for an oil painting 帆布画布

　　2. a completed oil painting 油画

　　* contemplate

　　vt. look at in a serious or quiet way, often for some time (默默地)注视，凝视

　　blank

　　a. 1. without writing, print or other marks 空白的

　　2. expressionless;without understanding 无表情的;茫然的

　　unaccustomed

　　a. not used (to sth.); not usual (对某物)不习惯的;不寻常的

　　accustomed

　　a. regular; usual 惯常的，通常的

　　hesitantly

　　ad. not doing sth. quickly or immediately for one's uncertainty or worry about it 犹豫不决地

　　infinite

　　a. extremely great in degree or amount; without limits or end 无限的';极大的

　　precaution

　　n. 1. carefulness 防备，预防

　　2. an action taken to avoid sth. dangerous or unpleasant 预防措施

　　bean

　　n. 豆;蚕豆

　　motorcar

　　n. a car 汽车

　　alarm

　　vt. excite with sudden fear or anxiety 使惊恐;使忧虑

　　n. 1. a sudden feeling of fear or anxiety 惊恐;忧虑

　　2. a warning of danger 警报

　　plunge

　　vi. (into, in) 1. rush suddenly and dee* into sth. 投身于

　　2. suddenly fall in a particular direction 纵身投入;一头扎入

　　fierce

　　a. 1. angry, violent and cruel 暴怒的;凶猛的;残酷的

　　2. (of heat, strong feelings) very great 强烈的

　　* slash

　　n. a long sweeping cut or blow 砍;挥击

　　vt. cut with long sweeping forceful strokes;move or force with this kind of cutting movement 砍，砍击;猛挥

　　absolutely

　　ad. completely;without conditions 完全地;绝对地

　　* terrify

　　vt. fill with terror or fear 恐吓，使惊吓

　　* wretched

　　a. very unhappy or unfortunate 不幸的;可怜的

　　victim

　　n. sb. or sth. hurt or killed as a result of other people's actions, or of illness, bad luck, etc. **者，受害者;***

　　* fury

　　n. 1. a wildly excited state (of feeling or activity) 狂热;激烈

　　2. (a state of) very great anger **

　　artistic

　　a. 1. of. concerning art or artists 艺术的;艺术家的

　　2. made with inventive skill or imagination 富有艺术性的

　　companion

　　n. mate; one who associates with or accompanies another 同伴;伴侣

　　beloved

　　a. much loved; darling 深爱的;亲爱的

　　overcome

　　vt. 1. (often pass.) (by, with) (of feelings) take control and influence one's behavior [常被动](感情等)压倒，使受不了

　　2. win a victory over; defeat 克服;战胜

　　* refuge

　　n. (a place that provides) protection or shelter from harm, danger or unhappiness 避难(所);庇护(所)

　　alas

　　int. a cry expressing grief, sorrow or fear 唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等)

　　* revive

　　v. 1. regain strength, consciousness, life, etc.;bring (sb. or sth.) back to strength, consciousness, life, etc. (使)复苏;(使)重振活力

　　2. become active, popular, or successful again 恢复生机;复兴;重新流行

　　glow

　　n. a feeling of warmth or pleasure 热烈

　　vi. emit a soft light 发光

　　a. & n. (a person who is) not professional 业余(水*)的(运动员、艺术家等)

　　entry

　　n. 1. a person or thing taking part in a competition, race, etc. 参赛一员

　　2. entrance; the act of entering or the right to enter 进入;进入权

　　* anonymous

　　a. (of a person) with name unknown;(of a letter, painting, etc.) written or created by an unidentified person 名字不详的;匿名的

　　disqualify

　　vt. make or declare unfit, unsuitable, or unable to do sth. 取消…的资格;使不适合;使不能

　　rely

　　vi. (on, upon) 1. have trust or confidence (in) 信任;信赖

　　2. depend with full trust or confidence 依赖

　　* historian

　　n. a person who studies history and/or writes about it 历史学家

　　* barren

　　a. (of land) unproductive (土地等)贫瘠的，荒芜的

　　awaken

　　vt. 1. (to) cause to become conscious of 使意识到

　　2. cause to wake up 唤醒

　　* menace

　　n. a threat or danger 威胁

　　abundant

　　a. plentiful; more than enough 丰富的;充足的

　　abundance

　　n. a great quantity; plenty 丰富;充裕;大量

　　odd

　　a. 1. (infml.) (after numbers) a little more than the stated number [常用以构成复合词]…以上的;…出头的

　　2. strange or unusual 奇特的;古怪的

　　3. 奇数的，单数的

　　existence

　　n. the state of existing 存在;实有

　　* pastime

　　n. hobby;sth. done to pass time in a pleasant way 消遣，娱乐

　　Phrases and Expressions

　　pay the price

　　experience sth. unpleasant because one has done sth. wrong, made a mistake, etc. 付出代价

　　come to sb.'s rescue

　　help sb. when he/she is in danger or difficulty 解救某人，救助某人

　　chance upon

　　meet by chance; find by chance 偶然碰见;偶然发现

　　try one's hand

　　attempt (to do sth.), esp. for the first time 尝试

　　plunge into

　　begin to do sth. suddenly; enter without hesitation 突然或仓促地开始某事;突然冲入

　　before one knows it

　　before one has time to consider the course of events 转眼之间，瞬息之间

　　fall upon

　　attack fiercely 猛攻，猛扑

　　take refuge

　　seek protection from danger or unhappiness 避难

　　rely on

　　trust, or confidently depend on 依赖，依靠

　　fall from office

　　lose a position of authority to which sb. was elected or appointed 离位，**

　　awaken to

　　cause to become conscious of 使意识到

　　bear fruit

　　produce successful results 结果实;有成果

　　date from

　　have existed since 始自

　　keep sb. company

　　stay with sb. so that he/she is not alone 陪伴某人

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册单元2内容解析60篇（扩展7）

——21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第1单元课文讲解60篇

21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第1单元课文讲解1

　　A common misconception among youngsters attending school is that their teachers were child prodigies. Who else but a bookworm, with none of the normal kid's tendency to play rather than study, would grow up to be a teacher anyway?

　　I've tried desperately to explain to my students that the image they have of me as an enthusiastic devotee of books and homework during my adolescence was a bit out of focus. On the contrary, I hated compulsory education with a passion. I could never quite accept the notion of having to go to school while the fish were biting.

　　But in my sophomore year, something beautiful and exciting happened. Cupid aimed his arrow and struck me right in the heart. All at once, I enjoyed going to school, if only to gaze at the lovely face in English II.

　　My princess sat near the pencil sharpener, and that year I ground up enough pencils to fuel a campfire. Alas, Debbie was far beyond my wildest dreams. We were separated not only by five rows of desks, but by about 50 I.Q. points. She was the top student in English II, the apple of Mrs. Larrivee's eye.

　　Occasionally, Debbie would catch me staring at her, and she would flash a smile that radiated intelligence and quickened my heartbeat. It was a smile that signaled hope and made me temporarily forget the intellectual gulf that separated us.

　　I schemed desperately to bridge that gulf. And one day, as I was passing the supermarket, an idea came to me. A sign in the window announced that the store was offering the first volume of a set of encyclopedias at the special price of 29 cents. The remaining volumes would cost $2.49 each.

　　I purchased Volume I — Aardvark to Asteroid — and began my venture into the world of knowledge. I would henceforth become a seeker of facts. I would become Chief Brain in English II and sweep my princess off her feet with a surge of erudition. I had it all planned.

　　My first opportunity came one day in the cafeteria line. I looked behind me and there she was.

　　"Hi," she said.

　　After a pause, I wet my lips and said, "Know where anchovies come from?"

　　She seemed surprised. "No, I don't."

　　I breathed a sigh of relief. "The anchovy lives in salt water and is rarely found in fresh water." I had to talk fast, so that I could get all the facts in before we reached the cash register. "Fishermen catch anchovies in the Mediterranean Sea and along the Atlantic coast near Spain and Portugal."

　　"How fascinating," said Debbie, shaking her head in disbelief. It was obvious that I had made quite an impression.

　　A few days later, during a fire drill, I casually went up to her and asked, "Ever been to the Aleutian Islands?"

　　"Never have," she replied.

　　"Might be a nice place to visit, but I certainly wouldn't want to live there," I said.

　　"Why not?" said Debbie, playing right into my hands.

　　"Well, the climate is forbidding. There are no trees on any of the 100 or more islands in the group. The ground is rocky and very little plant life can grow on it."

　　"I don't think I'd even care to visit," she said.

　　The fire drill was over and we began to file into the building, so I had to step it up to get the natives in. "The Aleuts are short and sturdy and have dark skin and black hair. They live on fish, and they trap blue foxes and seals for their valuable fur."

　　Debbie's eyes widened in amazement.

　　One day I was browsing through the library. I spotted Debbie sitting at a table, absorbed in a crossword puzzle. She was frowning, apparently stumped on a word. I leaned over and asked if I could help.

　　"Four-letter word for Oriental female servant," Debbie said.

　　"Try amah," I said, quick as a flash.

　　Debbie filled in the blanks, then turned to stare at me in amazement. "I don't believe it," she said. "I just don't believe it."

　　And so it went, that glorious, joyous, romantic sophomore year. Debbie seemed to relish our little conversations and hung on my every word. Naturally, the more I read, the more my confidence grew.

　　In the classroom, too, I was gradually making my presence felt. One day, during a discussion of Coleridge's "The Ancient Mariner", we came across the word albatross.

　　"Can anyone tell us what an albatross is?" asked Mrs. Larrivee.

　　My hand shot up. "The albatross is a large bird that lives mostly in the ocean regions below the equator, but may be found in the north Pacific as well. The albatross measures as long as four feet and has the greatest wingspread of any bird. It feeds on fish and shellfish. The albatross has an enormous appetite, and when it's full it has trouble getting into the air again."

　　There was a long silence in the room. Mrs. Larrivee couldn't quite believe what she had just heard. I sneaked a look at Debbie and gave her a big wink. She beamed proudly and winked back.

　　What I failed to perceive was that Debbie all this while was going steady with a junior from a neighboring school — a basketball player with a C+ average. The revelation hit me hard, and for a while I felt like forgetting everything I had learned. I had saved enough money to buy Volume II — Asthma to Bullfinch — but was strongly tempted to invest in a basketball instead.

　　I felt not only hurt, but betrayed. Like Agamemnon, but with less drastic consequences, thank God.

　　In time I recovered from my wounds. The next year Debbie moved from the neighborhood and transferred to another school. Soon she became no more than a memory.

　　Although the original incentive was gone, I continued poring over the encyclopedias, as well as an increasing number of other books. Having tasted of the wine of knowledge, I could not now alter my course. For:

　　"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing:

　　Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring."

　　So wrote Alexander Pope, Volume XIV — Paprika to Pterodactyl.

21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第1单元课文讲解2

　　prodigy

　　n. a person who has unusual and very noticeable abilities, usually at an early age 奇才;天才

　　child prodigy

　　an unusually clever child 神童

　　bookworm

　　n. a person devoted to reading 极爱读书者;书呆子

　　devotee

　　n. a person strongly devoted to sth. or sb. 热爱…者;献身于…的人

　　adolescence

　　n. 青春期

　　* compulsory

　　a. required by law or a rule 义务的;**的

　　compel

　　vt. oblige or force (sb.) to do sth. 强迫;强求

　　passion

　　n. a strong, deep, often uncontrollable feeling 热情;激情

　　gaze

　　vi. look fixedly 注视;凝视

　　princess

　　n. 1. 理想中的女友;心目中追求的女友

　　2. (oft, cap.) a female member of the royal family, usually the daughter of a king or queen or the wife of a prince [常大写]公主;王妃

　　prince

　　n. 1. 少女理想中的未婚者，白马王子

　　2. a male member of the royal family, especially the son of a king or queen 王子;亲王

　　3. (usu. sing.) (among, of) a very great, successful or powerful man of some stated kind [常单数](喻)大王;巨头;名家

　　sharpener

　　n. 卷笔刀;卷笔器

　　campfire

　　n. a wood fire made in the open air by campers 营火，冓火

　　quicken

　　v. (cause to) speed up 加快

　　scheme

　　v. make plans (for); plan in a deceitful way 计划;谋划

　　n. 1. a formal, official or business plan 计划;规划

　　2. a clever, dishonest plan 阴谋，诡计

　　volume

　　n. 1. one of a set of books of the same kind (一套书的)一册;一卷

　　2. (of) 体积;容积

　　encyclop(a)edia

　　n. a book or set of books dealing with a wide range of information presented in alphabetical order 百科全书

　　aardvark

　　n. 土豚，非洲食蚁兽

　　asteroid

　　n. 小行星;海星

　　* henceforth

　　ad. from this time onwards 自此以后

　　hence

　　ad. 1. for this reason, therefore 因此，所以

　　2. from this time on 今后，从此

　　erudition

　　n. learning acquired by reading and study 博学;学问

　　* cafeteria

　　n. a self-service restaurant 自助餐厅

　　anchovy

　　n. 凤尾鱼

　　sigh

　　n. the act or sound of sighing 叹息(声);叹气(声)

　　reliefn. feeling of comfort at the end of anxiety, fear, or pain (焦虑等的)**;宽慰

　　casually

　　ad. in a relaxed way 随便地;漫不经心地

　　casual

　　a. relaxed; not formal 随便的;漫不经心的;非正式的

　　* sturdy

　　a. physically strong 强壮的

　　seal

　　n. 1. 海豹

　　2. 印记，印章

　　vt. 1. 盖章于

　　2. 封，密封

　　widen

　　v. make or become wider 加宽;变宽

　　* browse

　　v. casually look or search, e.g. in a shop, in a library, at a book, etc., with no specific aim or object in mind 浏览

　　crossword

　　n. (= crossword puzzle) 纵横字谜，纵横填字游戏

　　frown

　　vi. contract the brows, as in displeasure or deep thought 皱眉头

　　* stump

　　vt. put an unanswerable question to; puzzle 把…难住;使为难

　　* oriental

　　a. of, from or concerning Asia 东方的

　　amah

　　n. 阿妈(印度等一些东方国家的奶妈、女佣或保姆)

　　glorious

　　a. having or deserving glory; very delightful and enjoyable 荣耀的;令人愉快的

　　joyous

　　a. full of or causing joy 充满欢乐的;令人高兴的

　　romantic

　　a. 1. (of sth.) beautiful in a way that strongly affects one's feelings 有浪漫色彩的

　　2. (of sb.) showing strong feelings of love 多情的;浪漫的

　　3. being unrealistic or unpractical 不切实际的

　　* relish

　　vt. get pleasure out of; enjoy greatly 从…获得乐趣;很喜爱

　　confidence

　　n. belief in one's own or another's ability 信心

　　mariner

　　n. (obsolete) a sailor 〈废〉水手

　　marine

　　a. 1. of ships and their goods and trade at sea 航海的;海事的

　　2. of, near, living in, or obtained from the sea 海洋的.;海生的;海产的

　　n. 水兵

　　albatross

　　n. 信天翁

　　wingspread

　　n. the distance between the tips of a pair of fully spread wings 翼幅

　　shellfish

　　n. 贝壳类动物

　　shell

　　n. 1. the hard covering of a sea creature, egg, fruit, seed, etc. 动物的壳(如贝壳、蛹壳等)，蛋壳;果壳;荚

　　2. the outside frame of a building (房屋的)框架;骨架

　　appetite

　　n. 1. one's desire to eat and one's feeling about how much to eat 食欲，胃口

　　2. (for) a strong desire 欲望;爱好

　　beam

　　vi. shine brightly; smile warmly 照耀;(面)露喜色;满脸堆笑

　　n. 1. 微笑;喜色

　　2. 光束

　　perceive

　　vt. notice; be conscious of 注意到;感觉;察觉

　　* revelation

　　n. the act of revealing sth., usually of great significance 揭示;暴露

　　asthma

　　n. 气喘，哮喘

　　bullfinch

　　n. 红腹灰雀

　　invest

　　vi. put money into sth. with the expectation of profit or other advantage 投资

　　investment

　　n. 1. 投资;投资额

　　2. the spending of (time, energy, etc.) to make sth. successful (时间、精力等的)投入

　　* betray

　　vt. be disloyal or unfaithful to 出卖，背叛

　　* drastic

　　a. strong, violent or severe 激烈的;迅猛的

　　consequence

　　n. (usu. pi.) the result or effect of an action or condition [常复数]结果;后果

　　* incentive

　　n. encouragement to greater activity; motivating factor; stimulus 鼓励;刺激

　　paprika

　　n. 红灯笼辣椒

　　pterodactyl

　　n. 翼手龙

21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第1单元课文讲解3

　　out of focus

　　not shar* defined 焦点没对准;模糊的

　　beyond one's wildest dreams

　　(in a way that is) better than what one expected or hoped for 超过某人所期望的(地);出乎某人意料的(地)

　　the apple of sb.'s eye

　　a person or thing that is the main object of sb.'s love and attention 某人的掌上明珠;宝贝

　　sweep sb. off his/her feet

　　make sb. feel suddenly and strongly attracted to you in a romantic way 使某人倾心

　　get sth. in

　　manage to say sth. about a subject 设法说完

　　play into sb.'s hands

　　do something which gives sb. an advantage 干对某人有利的事

　　file into

　　enter in a single line 鱼贯进入

　　step up

　　(infml) increase the size or speed of 〈口〉加快;增加

　　hang on sb.'s words

　　listen very carefully to 倾听;注意地听

　　feed on

　　eat habitually 以…为食物;靠…为生

　　go steady with

　　date sb. regularly and exclusively 仅与(同一异性)经常约会

　　invest in

　　1. buy (sth.) with the expectation of profit or some other kind of advantage 投资于

　　2. (infml) 〈口〉买

　　in time

　　1. eventually 经过一段时间后;最终

　　2. at or before the right or necessary time 及时

　　pore over

　　study or give close attention to 钻研;专心阅读

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册单元2内容解析60篇（扩展8）

——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 **;**;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 **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一册单元2内容解析60篇（扩展9）

——21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册课文Foreword60篇

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册课文Foreword1

　　Bill Gates

　　The past twenty years have been an incredible adventure for me. It started on a day when, as a college sophomore, l stood in Harvard Square with my friend Paul Allen and pored over the description of a kit com*r in Popular Electronics magazine. As we read excitedly about the first truly personal com*r, Paul and I didn't know exactly how it would be used, but we were sure it would change us and the world of computing. We were right. The personal com*r revolution happened and it has affected millions of lives. It has led us to places we had barely imagined.

　　We are all beginning another great journey. We aren't sure where this one will lead us either, but again I am certain this revolution will touch even more lives and take us all farther. The major changes coming will be in the way people communicate with each other. The benefits and problems arising from this upcoming communications revolution will be much greater than those brought about by the PC revolution.

　　There is never a reliable map for unexplored territory, but we can learn important lessons from the creation and evolution of the $120-billion personal-com*r industry. The PC — its evolving hardware, business applications, on-line systems. Internet connections, electronic mail, multimedia titles, authoring tools, and games — is the foundation for the next revolution.

　　During the PC industry's infancy, the mass media paid little attention to what was going on in the brand-new business. Those of us who were attracted by com*rs and the possibilities they promised were unnoticed outside our own circles.

　　But this next journey, to the so-called information highway, is the topic of endless newspaper and magazine articles, television and radio broadcasts, conferences, and widespread speculation. There has been an unbelievable amount of interest in this subject during the last few years, both inside and outside the com*r industry. The interest is not confined only to developed countries, and it goes well beyond the large numbers of personal-com*r users.

　　Thousands of informed and uninformed people are now speculating publicly about the information highway. The amount of misunderstanding about the technology and its possible dangers surprises me. Some people think the highway is sim* today's Internet or the delivery of 500 simultaneous channels of television. Others hope or fear it will create com*rs as smart as human beings. Those developments will come, but they are not the highway.

　　The revolution in communications is just beginning. It will take place over several decades, and will be driven by new "applications" — new tools, often meeting currently unforeseen needs. During the next few years, major decisions will have to be made. It is crucial that a broad set of people — not just technologists or those who happen to be in the com*r industry — participate in the debate about how this technology should be shaped. If that can be done, the highway will serve the purposes users want. Then it will gain broad acceptance and become a reality.

　　I'm writing this book The Road Ahead as part of my contribution to the debate and, although it's a tall order, I hope it can serve as a travel guide for the forthcoming journey. I do this with some misgivings. We've all smiled at predictions from the past that look silly today. History is full of now ironic examples — the Oxford professor who in 1878 dismissed the electric light as a gimmick; the commissioner of U.S. patents who in 1899 asked that his office be abolished because "everything that can be invented has been invented." This is meant to be a serious book, although ten years from now it may not appear that way. What I've said that turned out to be right will be considered obvious and what was wrong will be humorous.

　　Anyone expecting an autobiography or a treatise on what it's like to have been as lucky as I have been will be disappointed. Perhaps when I've retired I will get around to writing that book. This book looks primarily to the future.

　　Anyone hoping for a technological treatise will be disappointed, too. Everyone will be touched by the information highway, and everyone ought to be able to understand its implications. That's why my goal from the very beginning was to write a book that as many people as possible could understand.

　　The process of thinking about and writing the present book took longer than I expected. Indeed, estimating the time it would take proved to be as difficult as projecting the development schedule of a major software project. The only part that was easy was the cover photo which we finished well ahead of schedule. I enjoy writing speeches and had thought writing a book would be like writing them. I imagined writing a chapter would be the equivalent of writing a speech. The error in my thinking was similar to the one software developers often run into — a program ten times as long is about one hundred times more complicated to write. I should have known better.

　　And here it is. I hope it stimulates understanding, debate, and creative ideas about how we can take advantage of all that's sure to be happening in the decade ahead.

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册课文Foreword2

　　foreword

　　n. a short introduction at the beginning of a book 序言，前言

　　incredible

　　a. unbelievable; extraordinary 难以置信的;了不起的

　　sophomore

　　n. a student in the second year of college or high school(中学、大学)二年级学生

　　pore

　　vi. (over) study with close attention 专心阅读;钻研

　　description

　　n. saying in words what sb. or sth. is like 描写，描述

　　kit

　　n. a set of all the parts needed to assemble sth. 配套元件

　　*com*

　　v. calculate ( a result, answer, sum, etc.) esp. with a com*r(尤指用计算机)计算

　　barely

　　ad. only just; hardly 仅仅;几乎不

　　upcoming

　　a. about to happen 即将来临的

　　PC (abbr.)

　　personal com*r 个人计算机

　　reliable

　　a. that can be relied on; dependable 可靠的; 确实的

　　territory

　　n. (an area of) land, esp. ruled by one government **

　　*creation

　　n. the act or process of creating sth. 创造; 创作

　　evolution

　　n. 1. the gradual change and development 演变，发展

　　2. (the theory of) the development of the various types of plants, animals, etc., from earlier and simpler forms 进化(论)

　　evolve

　　vt. 演化，发展，逐步形成;进化

　　application

　　n. 1. (an instance of) putting to practical use 应用，运用

　　2. a com*r software program 应用软件程序

　　on-line

　　a. 联机的，联线的

　　Internet

　　n. 因特网，国际互联网

　　connection

　　n. 连接，连结;联系，关系

　　electronic

　　a. 电子的

　　multimedia

　　n.& a. 多**(的)

　　title

　　n. (多**)题标;标题;题目

　　author

　　vt. 写作;创造

　　n. 作者

　　foundation

　　n. 基础

　　infancy

　　n. 婴儿期;幼儿期;初期

　　attract

　　vt. cause to like, admire, notice, or turn towards; arouse (interest, etc.); prompt 引起…的注意(或兴趣等)，吸引;引起(兴趣等);激起

　　possibility

　　n. 1. (often pi.) power of developing, growing, or being used or useful in the future [常用复数] 发展前途，潜在价值

　　2. the state of being possible; likelihood 可能;可能性

　　so-called

　　a. called or named thus but perhaps wrongly or doubtfully 所谓的，号称的

　　endless

　　a. without end, or seeming to be without end(似乎)无穷尽的;没完没了的

　　conference

　　n. a meeting for discussion 会议，讨论会

　　confine

　　vt. (to) restrict or keep within certain limits 限制，使局限

　　speculate

　　vi. 猜测;投机

　　amount

　　n. 量，数量;总数，总额

　　misunderstanding

　　n. 误解，曲解

　　misunderstand

　　v. 误解，误会

　　delivery

　　n. 传送;投递;运载

　　*simultaneous

　　a. happening or being done at the same time 同时发生的，同时进行的

　　channel

　　n. 频道;水道;海峡

　　create

　　vt. cause (sth. new) to exist; produce (sth. new) 创造;创作

　　unforeseen

　　a. not known in advance; unexpected 未预见到的;意料之外的

　　crucial

　　a. (to, for) of deciding importance 决定性的;至关重要的

　　technologist

　　n. an expert in technology 技术专家

　　contribution

　　n. 捐款;捐献;贡献

　　debate

　　n. a formal argument or discussion(就…)进行辩论

　　v. have a debate about; take part in a debate 辩论;讨论

　　purpose

　　n. that which one means to do, get, be, etc.; intention 目的;意图

　　acceptance

　　n. 接受

　　*forthcoming

　　a. happening or appearing in the near future 即将到来的，即将出现的

　　misgiving

　　n. [复数] 疑虑，担忧

　　prediction

　　n. sth. that is said or described in advance 预言

　　gimmick

　　n. (骗人的)玩意儿

　　*commissioner

　　n. (*厅、局、处等部门的)长官;委员;专员

　　*patent

　　n. 专利;专利权

　　*abolish

　　vt. put an end to, do away with 取消，废除

　　humorous

　　a. funny and amusing; having or showing a sense of humour 幽默的;滑稽的`;富有幽默感的

　　autobiography

　　n. a book written by oneself about one's own life 自传

　　treatise

　　n. 专著;(专题)论文

　　retire

　　vi. stop working at one's job, profession, etc., usu. because of age 退休，退职

　　primarily

　　ad. mainly; chiefly 主要地;首要地

　　technological

　　a. of or related to technology 技术的;工艺(学)的

　　implication

　　n. 含意，暗示

　　process

　　n. 过程;进程

　　estimate

　　vt. 估计，估量

　　n. 估计

　　project

　　vt. make plans for 设计，规划

　　n. 规划，计划;(工程)项目

　　chapter

　　n. (书的)章，回

　　equivalent

　　n. sth. that is equal in meaning, amount, value 相等物;等值物;等量物

　　a. 相等的;等值的;等量的

　　complicated

　　a. very difficult to understand 复杂的;难解的;难懂的

　　stimulate

　　vt. excite (the body or mind), encourage 刺激;激发;促使

　　advantage

　　n. 有利条件，优势;好处;利益

　　Phrases and Expressions

　　communicate with

　　share or exchange opinions, news, information, etc. with 与…交流

　　arise from

　　result from 由 … 产生，由 … 引起

　　bring about

　　cause to happen 带来，造成

　　go on

　　take place or happen 发生

　　go beyond

　　exceed 超过;越过

　　tall order

　　a task difficult to perform 难以完成的任务，过高要求

　　get around to /get round to

　　find time for (sth. or doing sth.) 抽出时间去做

　　look to

　　give one's attention to 展望

　　ahead of schedule

　　before the planned or expected time 提前

　　run into

　　1. meet (difficulties, etc.) 遭遇(困难等)

　　2. meet by chance 偶然碰见，撞见

　　take advantage of

　　make use of 利用

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21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册单元2内容解析60篇

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册单元2内容解析1

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册单元2内容解析2

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册单元2内容解析3

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册单元2内容解析4

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册单元2内容解析60篇扩展阅读

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册课程6内容详解1

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册课程6内容详解2

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册第5单元内容解读1

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册第5单元内容解读2

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册单元2内容解析1

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册单元2内容解析2

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册单元2内容解析3

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册Unit1内容讲解1

21世纪大学英语读写教程第4册单元2课文详析1

21世纪大学英语读写教程第4册单元2课文详析2

21世纪大学英语读写教程第4册单元2课文详析3

21世纪大学英语读写教程第4册单元2课文详析4

21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册第一课内容讲解1

21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册第一课内容讲解2

21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册第一课内容讲解3

21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第1单元课文讲解1

21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第1单元课文讲解2

21世纪大学英语读写教程第三册第1单元课文讲解3

21世纪大学英语读写教程第3册第9单元课文解读1

21世纪大学英语读写教程第3册第9单元课文解读2

21世纪大学英语读写教程第3册第9单元课文解读3

21世纪大学英语读写教程第3册第9单元课文解读4

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册课文Foreword1

21世纪大学英语读写教程第一册课文Foreword2

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