自考綜合英語2-05.docVIP

Lesson Five First PrinciplesFrances Gray Patton本課情節(jié)簡單。韋德一家如何在丈夫失業(yè)，親戚告急求助這樣困難的情況下，愉快地度過了圣誕節(jié)。故事也給了我們一些啟發(fā)，當(dāng)一個(gè)家庭突然遇到一些不幸的事件時(shí)，家庭的成員應(yīng)該如何面對(duì)這些。學(xué)習(xí)課文時(shí)，還要注意作者的敘事方法。作者打破傳統(tǒng)小說情節(jié)發(fā)展的時(shí)間順序，用意識(shí)流的方式來組織故事。 1. No family had ever had a nicer Christmas, Emily Wade thought happily as she drove the children to school for the first time after the holidays, and, of course, it had been largely Lauras doing. She glanced at Laura, a slim, dark-haired girl of fourteen, sitting beside her, and felt warm with that most comfortable of parental emotions, gratitude to ones own child. The air was soft with the vapors of melting snow, and almost fragrant, as if some delicate flowers were blooming near at hand. Its like spring, isnt it? she said to Laura. And tomorrow well probably have a raging sleet storm. 2. King Claudius weather, said Laura, looking prettily shy as she made the literary allusion. It can smile and smile and still be a villain. 0804:373. Exactly, Emily agreed. She wasnt sure for a moment who King Claudius was, and then she saw a copy of Hamlet among Lauras books. She thought her heart would burst with pride (imagine a child saying that!), and thought how wise she and Henry had been when theyd decided to make every possible sacrifice for the sake of Lauras education. 4. Laura, who was in first-year high, had gone to the same public school that her brothers now attended, but this year she was a pupil at Green Valley Academy, a small country day school on the outskirts of the city. It was a very good school and a very expensive one, and most of the Wades friends thought they were being rather fancy in sending Laura there. They knew Laura was smart, of course, but some of the other Baltimore private schools for girls were excellent and had lower tuition, and even the public high schools were all right. Lots of nice kids, whose fathers had twice as big an income as Henry Wade, went to them. Besides, you werent doing a girl a favor when you encouraged her to develop tastes she couldnt afford to gratify. You either spoiled her or made her bitter. These arguments were cogent, Emily Wade admitted, but they simply didnt apply to Lauras case. Nothing was too good for that child. Moreover, it was Emilys theory that children learned love as well as discipline by family example;0610:46 if you did all you could for them, keeping their best interests in mind, they wouldnt let you down in a crisis.1101:37 And events had certainly proved her theory. 5. How true that had been, thought Emily, driving slowly because she had a quarter hour to spare and she might as well give Laura time to study. Her mind went back to that black moment, a month before, when shed met Henry for lunch in a restaurant and hed told her that he was out of a job. The branch sales office hed been managing had been absorbed by a larger firm, and its whole staff was out in the cold without so much as a months salary to tide them over. He was pretty sure he could get another and a better position; there was a firm that had been making overtures to him, and only a sense of loyalty to his old firm had made him ignore them up to this point. But the man hed have to see was out of town and wouldnt be back until the first of the year. Then, too, hed just had a letter from his brother in Ohio; it seemed that the whole family out there was shot to hell. His brother, who was a schoolteacher, was broke, his stomach ulcers were troubling him, one of his children had to have a serious operation, and his wife was about to have twins. He needed five hundred dollars. 6. I should think he would! Emily had said. Well have to send it to him.7. I guess if we let him have it, we can still eat, Henry had said, brooding gloomily. But it knocks Christmas into a cocked hat. 0701:42; 0707:44 I hate to borrow on my insurance.8. Oh, no! Emily had exclaimed. Well manage. We can cut our list to the bone and concentrate on the kids. 0701:43You know how they are all they want is the illusion of abundance and cheerful confusion.9. That goes for the young ones,1107:38 Henry had said, but what does Laura want? 10. The only thing shes mentioned is a ballerina dress. Its priced at $ 125. Shes been invited to some parties by her friends at school.11. Well.Couldnt you charge that? Henry had asked. 12.No, shed said. Im charged to the hilt already, and I dont want to risk being refused. As a matter of fact, Id planned to pay my bill today. She had sat silent for a moment, looking at Henrys discouraged face. The only thing to do, dear, shed said at last,is to return to first principles. 13. What do you mean by that?14. Christmas has been commercialized out of its real meaning. The gifts people give have become a sort of advertising display. What we ought to do is give to people we love give memorable things according to our ability. If you could give your child a horse, say, that would be fine. But if you cant, give her a little locket or a book of verse. 15. Henry had looked hopeful but skeptical.16. Ill tell you what well do, she had continued. Well go to the farm for the holidays. Well have a good time there. We wont have to do any entertaining the liquor bills alone are always staggering at Christmas.(1204:37) Well have our turkey and our tree and take long walks and sing carols and forget the world. 17. Did you ever have a Christmas like that? Henry had asked.18. Lord, no! shed answered.19. Well, youre the captain. But try to break it gently to Laura.0801:4420. Laurall be all right, Emily had said with a smile. 21. Poor Daddy! the girl had cried when Emily explained the situation to her. And then, being reassured as to his future prospects, she had clasped her hands. But how marvelous to go to the farm, Mother! Itll be just like a picture on a Christmas card. I adore it there, and I dont care a thing about presents or parties! She had raised herself on the tips of her toes, as if she were about to dance. 22. Several days before Christmas, theyd gone down to their little farm. It was just a half-dozen acres that Henry had bought and had hung on to. It made him feel good to own a piece of land. Theyd all had a wonderful time, really. They had cut a tree in their own woods. They had eaten and slept, and read by the light of oil lamps. The children had been more than satisfied with their presents; there had been balls, erector sets, a number of story books, and a lot of junk from the five-and-ten for the boys, and for Laura, a picture Emily had found cheap in a second-hand art shop and a small brooch that had belonged to Henrys mother. It was Lauras obvious pleasure that had brightened everything. Whether she was chopping wood, or romping with her brothers, or basting the turkey, or talking politics very sensibly with her father, shed seemed to radiate happiness. On New Years Eve, they had given her a weak highball, the first shed ever had, and she had gone to sleep sitting on the floor with her rosy cheek against Henrys knee. By God, I believe shes the best girl in the world, he had said softly. 23. She probably is, Emily had said.24. If I dont hand her the earth some day, on a silver platter,Henry had declared, may I be damned from here to eternity! 25. Emily slowed the car to a full stop near the gates of the Academy. Here we are, she said. Im going to miss you today.26. Ill miss you, too, she said. Its been a beautiful holiday. I love the picture and the pin!27. Of course you do, Laura, said Emily. Now run! 28.She watched Laura hurry up the path. She drove about aimlessly for a while. Then she went to a market and bought some groceries and a big bunch of flowers. The cool blossoms perfumed the car all the way home. They made her think of the ballerina dress, and of all the pure, proud, filmy beauty of the world that belonged, by right, to Laura. 5 首要原則這是她們家度過的最棒的一個(gè)圣誕節(jié)。埃米莉韋德在節(jié)日過后第一次開車送孩子們上學(xué)的途中，喜滋滋地想著。當(dāng)然，這主要?dú)w功于勞拉。她看了一眼坐在身旁的勞拉，一個(gè)苗條、黑發(fā)的14歲女孩。感激自己的孩子，這種令父母最舒心的情緒油然涌上心頭，使她覺得溫暖。雪融化時(shí)所產(chǎn)生的水氣使空氣柔和，幾乎散發(fā)出香味，好像嬌嫩的鮮花在近處怒放?！熬拖袷谴禾欤前?！”她對(duì)勞拉說道。“明天卻很可能會(huì)有一場(chǎng)猛烈的雨雪?！薄翱肆_迪厄斯國王式的天氣，”勞拉說，使用這個(gè)文學(xué)典故時(shí)，她那不好意思的表情使她更加可愛。“它滿臉堆笑，但壞蛋的本性不改。”“確實(shí)如此，”埃米莉應(yīng)和著。她一時(shí)還拿不準(zhǔn)克羅迪厄斯國王是誰。這時(shí)她看到勞拉的書本中有一冊(cè)哈姆雷特。她覺得她的心里充滿了自豪感(想一想一個(gè)孩子竟說出這樣深?yuàn)W的話！)，她感到她和亨利決定為勞拉的教育做出一切必要的犧牲，真是明智之極。勞拉上高中一年級(jí)，原先是在她的弟弟們現(xiàn)在就讀的那所公立中學(xué)學(xué)習(xí)，不過，今年她進(jìn)了綠谷高中，這是一所規(guī)模不大，座落在城郊的鄉(xiāng)間日校。這所學(xué)校教學(xué)質(zhì)量好，但學(xué)費(fèi)很昂貴。韋德夫婦大多數(shù)的朋友認(rèn)為，夫婦倆把勞拉送到那里去讀書，太不切合他們的實(shí)際情況了。他們自然知道，勞拉聰明伶俐。確實(shí)，巴爾的摩的其他女子私立學(xué)校有一些是很出類拔萃的，并且學(xué)費(fèi)也低一些，即使那些公立中學(xué)也是相當(dāng)不錯(cuò)的。許多討人喜歡的孩子到這些學(xué)校上學(xué)，他們父親的收入?yún)s是亨利韋德的兩倍。另外，讓一個(gè)女孩子培養(yǎng)過于奢侈而無法滿足的趣味對(duì)她并沒有好處，這不是把她慣壞，就是讓她感到痛苦。埃米莉韋德承認(rèn)這些觀點(diǎn)很具說服力，不過勞拉的情況決不會(huì)是這樣，為這個(gè)孩子無論做什么都不算過分。況且，埃米莉的理論是，孩子通過家人的榜樣學(xué)會(huì)去愛別人，學(xué)會(huì)自律；如果你把他們的最大利益掛在心上，事事為他們盡力而為，在緊要關(guān)頭他們就不會(huì)叫你失望。事情的發(fā)展確實(shí)證明她的觀點(diǎn)是對(duì)的。她的那個(gè)觀點(diǎn)實(shí)在是太正確了，埃米莉想，因?yàn)檫€有一刻鐘的時(shí)間，她車開得很慢，這樣也可以讓勞拉有時(shí)間學(xué)習(xí)一會(huì)兒。她的思緒回到了一個(gè)月以前那個(gè)倒霉的時(shí)刻。那天她和亨利約好在一家餐館吃午飯，他告訴她說他失業(yè)了。一家更大的公司兼并了他經(jīng)營管理的那個(gè)銷售處，銷售處的全體員工一下子全都沒了工作，連相當(dāng)于一個(gè)月的工資的幫助他們度過難關(guān)的遣散費(fèi)也沒有得到。他很有把握能得到另一個(gè)更好的職位：有家公司曾多次對(duì)他表示過愿接受他過去工作，只是出于對(duì)原單位的忠心，他才一直沒有理會(huì)他們的表示。但他必須拜見的那個(gè)人眼下不在城里，直到元旦才會(huì)回來，而且當(dāng)時(shí)，他剛剛收到住在俄亥俄州的弟弟的一封會(huì)；遠(yuǎn)在俄亥俄的那一家子人簡直是陷入了絕境。他的弟弟是位學(xué)校教師，那時(shí)身無分文，胃潰瘍一直折磨著他，一個(gè)孩子還得動(dòng)一次大手術(shù)，他的妻子就要生雙胞胎了。他需要500美元。“我想他確實(shí)是需要500美元”，埃米莉說，“我們得把錢寄給他。”“我想即使給了他那筆錢，我們還能維持下去，”亨利憂心忡忡地說?！安贿^那我們就得徹底改變圣誕節(jié)的過法了。我可不愿動(dòng)用我的保險(xiǎn)金?！薄芭?，不！”埃米莉大聲說?！拔覀儠?huì)有辦法的。我們要盡量壓縮開支，把錢集中在孩子身上。你知道孩子是怎么一回事他們要的是一種富足的感覺和熱鬧的氣氛。”“小家伙們是這樣的，”亨利說，“可是勞拉想要什么呢？”“她提到的唯一東西是一件芭蕾舞衣。標(biāo)價(jià)125美元。她還受到學(xué)校里朋友們的邀請(qǐng)去參加一些舞會(huì)?！芭叮隳苜d賬嗎？”亨利問道?！安恍校彼f，“我已經(jīng)賒到最高限額了，我可不愿冒這個(gè)險(xiǎn)，讓他們把我頂回來。事實(shí)上，我原打算今天去付款?！彼蛔髀暤刈艘粫?huì)兒，看著亨利一臉沮喪的樣子?！坝H愛的，唯一的辦法，”她終于說，“就是回到首要原則上去?！薄澳阏f這話什么意思？”“圣誕節(jié)已經(jīng)被商家炒得失去它的真實(shí)意義了。人們互送的禮品已經(jīng)變成了廣告宣傳展覽。我們應(yīng)該做的是為我們所愛的人奉獻(xiàn)，也就是根據(jù)我們的能力送給他們有紀(jì)念意義的東西。比方說，如果你能送給你的孩子一匹馬，那當(dāng)然很好。但你要是不能的話，那就送她一只附在項(xiàng)鏈上的小飾盒或一本詩集什么的?！焙嗬瓷先M懷希望但又有點(diǎn)疑惑。“我來告訴你咱們?cè)撛趺戳?，”她接著說。“去農(nóng)場(chǎng)過圣誕節(jié)。我們會(huì)在那兒玩得很開心。我們不必款待親朋好友，圣誕節(jié)期間花在白酒上的錢向來是多得嚇人。那兒有我們自己的火雞和圣誕樹，我們?nèi)ド⒉?，唱贊美詩，別的人，別的事一概不去考慮。”“你有過這樣的圣誕節(jié)嗎？”亨利問。“老天！沒有過！”她答道?！昂冒?！一切聽你的安排吧，不過這件事要委婉地告訴勞拉?！薄皠诶瓡?huì)沒事的?！卑Ｃ桌蛭⑿χf。“可憐的爸爸！”當(dāng)埃米莉把家里當(dāng)前的處境解釋給勞拉聽時(shí)，小姑娘哭了。然后，確信爸爸還會(huì)找到工作，勞拉緊握起了自己的雙手。“不過，媽媽，到農(nóng)場(chǎng)去太棒了！真像圣誕卡上的畫一樣。我喜歡那兒。我才不大在乎禮物呀、聚會(huì)呀什么的！”她惦起了腳尖，好像要翩翩起舞似的。圣誕節(jié)的前幾天，他們一家就去了農(nóng)場(chǎng)。那是個(gè)只有6英畝大的農(nóng)場(chǎng)，亨利買后就一直沒有舍得賣掉。因?yàn)閾碛幸粔K土地，他感到很踏實(shí)。他們度過了一段美妙的時(shí)光，真的。他們?cè)谧约旱男×肿永锟车粢豢脴渥龀闪耸フQ樹。他們吃飯、睡覺，在油燈下讀書。孩子們對(duì)他們的禮物非常滿意。禮物有小球、積木、故事書，給兩個(gè)男孩子從廉價(jià)商店里買了不少的不值錢的玩意兒。勞拉得到的禮物有一幅畫，是埃米莉在出售藝術(shù)品的舊貨店里發(fā)現(xiàn)的，還有一枚小巧別致的胸針，是亨利母親的。正是因?yàn)閯诶残斡谏o全家增添了節(jié)日氣氛。她不論是劈木柴，還是跟弟弟們一起玩耍嬉鬧，或是給火雞澆肉汁，或是很有見地地和父親談?wù)撜?，她臉上似乎總是洋溢著幸福的神采。新年除夕，他們給她喝了低度的高杯酒，她第一次喝這種酒。她坐在地板上睡著了，她那紅潤的臉頰靠著亨利的膝蓋睡著了。“真好！我相信她是世上最好的女孩子！”他輕輕地說?！八蛟S就是，”埃米莉說。“總有一天我要把地球盛在銀盤上交給她，”亨利宣告說，“否則就把我貶到陰曹地府吧！”埃米莉慢慢地把車停在了學(xué)校附近?！拔覀兊搅耍彼f?！拔視?huì)想你的?！薄拔乙矔?huì)想你?！眲诶f?！斑@個(gè)假期過得棒極了。我喜歡那幅畫和那枚胸針?！薄澳惝?dāng)然喜歡，勞拉，”埃米莉說，“你走吧?！彼鴦诶掖易呱狭四菞l小徑。她漫無目的地開著車轉(zhuǎn)悠了一會(huì)兒，然后到市場(chǎng)上買了些日常用品和一大束鮮花。那些鮮花的清香在車?yán)飶浡?，一直伴她到家。那朵朵鮮花使她想到那件芭蕾舞衣，使她想到，世上一切純真的、值得自豪的、朦朧的美，都理所當(dāng)然地屬于勞拉。 往年考過的真題I. Paraphrase1. “King Claudius weather,” said Laura, looking prettily shy as she made the literary allusion. “It can smile and smile and still be a villain.” 0804:37 (2-5:147)A. We shouldnt take the sunshine too seriously.B. The snow is melting, but it sill still winter.C. The weather is like a smiling villain.D. The weatherman are unreliable.2. Nothing was too good for that child (Laura). 1201:36 (2-5:148) A. Laura deserved whatever her parents did for her.B. Laura was a spoilt child and she was hard to please.C. Laura never took her parents love and care for granted.D. Laura was untouched no matter what her parents did for her.4Nothing was too good for that child (Laura). 1007:36 (2-5:148) ALaura deserved whatever her parents did for her BLaura was a spoilt child and she was hard to please CLaura never took her parents love and care for granted DLaura was untouched no matter what her parents did for her 6. Nothing was too good for that child Laura. 0410:47 (2-5:148)A. Laura deserved whatever her parents did for her.B. Laura was a spoilt child and she was hard to please.C. Laura never took her parents love and care for granted.D. Laura was untouched no matter what her parents did for her.3. Nothing was too good for that child Laura. 1010:39 (2-5-148)A. Laura deserved whatever her parents did for her.B. Laura was never satisfied with whatever her parents did for her.C. Laura was grateful to her parents for what her parents had done for her.D. Laura was too greedy a child to appreciate what her parents had done for her.5. Nothing was too good for that child Laura. 0704:47 (2-5:148)A. Laura deserved whatever her parents did for her.B. Laura was never satisfied with whatever her parents did for her.C. Laura was grateful to her parents for what her parents had done for her.D. Laura was too greedy a child to appreciate what her parents had done for her.7Moreover, it was Emilys theory that children learned love as well as discipline by family example. (0610:46) 2-5:148Aparents should teach their children by example.Bparents behavior helps shape their childrens character .Cchildren learn things by copying what their parents say and do .Dchildren mirror their parents strengths as well as weaknesses.8. They wouldnt let you down in a crisis. 1101:37 (2-5:148)A. They wouldnt leave you alone in times of difficulty.B. They wouldnt disappoint you in times of difficulty.C. They wouldnt stay with you to cope with difficulty.D. They would do whatever they could to help you.9. But it knocks Christmas into a cocked hat. 0707:44 (2-5:149)A. But it disturbs Christmas.B. But it defeats Christmas.C. But it makes Christmas meaningless.D. But we cant celebrate Christmas.10But it knocks Christmas into a cocked hat. 0701:42 (2-5:149)ABut it forces us to change our plan and celebrate Christmas in a different way. BBut we are required to wear three-cornered hats at Christmas. CBut presents are supposed to be put in hats instead of socks at Christmas. DBut it demands that Christmas be decorated with hat-shaped things. 11We can cut our list to the bone and concentrate on the kids. 0701:43 (2-5:149)AWe decide to choose the bone only, because it is good for childrens growth. BWe can shorten the shopping list to one thing - the bone; therefore we can save more money for our children.CWe can reduce our expenditure as much as possible and spend the money we have on our children. DWe can cut the meat away from the bone, which will satisfy the needs of our kids. 12. Well manage. We can cut our list to the bone and concentrate on the kids. 0310:46 (2-5:149)A. We will be able to save every penny for our childrens education.B. We will have to spend all our money on the children and nothing else.C. We will cut out all things on our shopping list except gifts for the children.D. We will cut our expenses and just get the things the children want.13. That goes for the young ones. 1107:38 (2-5:149)A. That young ones like that. B. That applies to the young ones.C. That doesnt apply to the young ones. D. The young ones are attracted by that.14. We wont have to do any entertaining - the liquor bills alone are always staggering at Christmas. 1204:37 (2-5:150)A. the amount of money spent on liquor is fixed at Christmas.B. we have to pay a lot of money just for liquor at Christmas. C. we are only surprised at the liquor bills at Christmas. D. the price of liquor is very high at Christmas. 15. But try to break it gently to Laura. 0801:44 (2-5:150)A. But try to make it known to Laura gently.B. But do let Laura know it.C. But Laura is the best one to know the fact.D. But try to keep it a secret from Laura.II. Writing2006年4月：the first principle （2-5） topic ：家里的男主人失業(yè)后，一家人是任何度過圣誕節(jié)的？Topic: How did the Wades in First Principles spend Christmas the year Hemy Wades, the breadwinner of the family, lost his job? You can use this outline:2009年10月: Topic: What do you think of the Wade familys principles in the text “First Principles”? Use the following questions as an outline: 1) What are the familys first principles? 2) How did the family overcome their difficulties, using their principles? 3) How would you comment on the family and their principles?According to Emily Wade, the familys first principles are to go back to the essential meanings of life. In case of Christmas, the essential meaning is to give to people they love memorable things according to their ability.When the family was faced with financial problems, the parents still decided to help their troubled relatives. For their own Christmas, they chose to go to their farm for a less expensive but equally happy Christmas. The parents spent most of the money on their children, and the children, though not getting any expensive gift, felt grateful and joyous.In this commercialized modern world, the familys principles serve as a good example to prove that happiness can be simple. Money is no necessary the source of happiness. Money sometimes even gives people a false illusion of what a happy life should look like. Actually, mutual care and love between people are the essential in life. III. Translation課后練習(xí)答案3. Paraphrase1. In addition, you could not help a girl when you encourage her to develop tastes which you have not enough money to satisfy. 2. and its whole staff was out in the cold without so much as a months salary to tide them over. (5) and all the staff lost their jobs, and they were given allowance of no more than a months salary to pass the hard time.3. all they want is the false belief of being rich and a cheerful atmosphere.4. Christmas has been commercialized out of its real meaning. (14) Christmas has been commercialized and lost it real meaning.5. we have to pay a lot of money just for liquor at Christmas. 詞匯練習(xí)1. （p.173）1) trickery;