melt全新版大学英语综合教程-2-课文电子书(20200702100022)

全新版大学英语第二册课文

Un it IText A Learni ng. Chin ese-Style

Text

课文

Part I Pre-readi ng Task

Liste n to the record ing two or three times and the n think over the follow ing questi ons:

1.

Who should teach whom? Is lear ning a on e-way street?

2.

Should we share our dreams for a better life with our pare nts or keep them to ourselves?

3.

Can childre n ever un dersta nd their pare nts completely?

4.

From the song can you guess what the theme of the un it, way of lear ning, chiefly refers to?

Part II Text A

Howard Gardner, a professor of educatio n at Harvard Uni versity, reflects on a visit to Chi na and

gives his thoughts on differe nt approaches to lear ning in China and the West.

LEARNING, CHINESE-STYLE

Howard Gardner

For a month in the spri ng of 1987, my wife Elle n and I lived in the bustl ing easter n Chin ese

city of Nanjing with our 18-month-old son Benjamin while studying arts education in Chinese kin

dergarte ns and eleme ntary schools. But one of the most telli ng less ons Elle n and I got in the

differe nee betwee n Chin ese and America n ideas of educatio n came not in the classroom but in

the lobby of the Jin li ng Hotel where we stayed in Nanjing.

The key to our room was attached to a large plastic block with the room nu mber on it. When

leav ing the hotel, a guest was en couraged to tur n in the key, either by handing it to an atte ndant or

by dropping it through a slot into a box. Because the key slot was narrow, the key had to be positi

oned carefully to fit into it.

Benjamin loved to carry the key around, shak ing it vigorously. He also liked to try to place it into

the slot. Because of his ten der age and in complete un dersta nding of the n eed to positi on the key

just so, he would usually fail. Benjamin was not bothered in the least. He probably got as much

pleasure out of the sounds the key made as he did those few times whe n the key actually found its

way into the slot.

Now both Elle n and I were perfectly happy to allow Benjam in to bang the key n ear the key

slot. His exploratory behavior seemed harmless eno ugh. But I soon observed an in terest ing phe

nomenon. Any Chin ese staff member n earby would come over to watch Benjamin and, no ti ng his

lack of initial success, attempt to assist. He or she would hold onto Benjamin's hand and, gen tly but

firmly, guide it directly toward the slot, repositi on it as n ecessary, and help him to insert it. The

—

and

on occasi on would frown slightly, as if con sideri ng us to be n eglect ing our pare ntal duties.

I soon realized that this in cide nt was directly releva nt to our assig ned tasks in China: to in

vestigate the ways of early childhood educati on (especially in the arts), and to throw light on Chin

ese attitudes toward creativity. And so before long I bega n to in troduce the key-slot an ecdote into

my discussi ons with Chin ese educators.

TWO DIFFERENT W AYS TO LEARN

With a few excepti ons my Chin ese colleagues displayed the same attitude as the staff at the

Jinling Hotel. Since adults know how to place the key in the key slot, which is the ultimate purpose of

approach ing the slot, and since the child is n either old eno ugh nor clever eno ugh to realize the

desired actio n on his own, what possible gain is achieved by havi ng him struggle? He may well get

frustrated and angry

—

certa in ly not a desirable outcome. Why n ot show him what to do? He will

be happy, he will lear n how to accomplish the task sooner, and the n he can proceed to more

complex activities, like opening the door or asking for the key

—

both of which accomplishme nts can

(and should) in due course be modeled for him as well.

We liste ned to such expla nati ons sympathetically and expla ined that, first of all, we did not

much care whether Benjamin succeeded in inserting the key into the slot. He was hav ing a good time

and was explori ng, two activities that did matter to us. But the critical point was that, in the process,

we were trying to teach Benjam in that one can solve a problem effectively by on eself. Such self-

relianee is a principal value of child rearing in middle-class America. So long as the child is show n

exactly how to do somethi ng

—

whether it be pla cing a key in a key slot, draw ing a hen or making

up for a misdeed

—

he is less likely to figure out himself how to accomplish such a task. And, more

gen erally, he is less likely to view life

—

as America ns do

—

as a series of situati ons in which one

has to lear n to thi nk for on eself, to solve problems on on e's own and even to discover new

problems for which creative soluti ons are wan ted.

TEACHING BY HOLDING HIS HAND

In retrospect, it became clear to me that this in cide nt was in deed key

—

and key in more tha n

one sen se. It poin ted to importa nt differe nces in the educati onal and artistic practices in our two

coun tries.

When our well-i nten ti oned Chin ese observers came to Benjami n's rescue, they did not

simply push his hand dow n clumsily or un certa inly, as I might have done. In stead, they guided him

with extreme facility and gen tle ness in precisely the desired direct ion. I came to realize that these

Chin ese were not just moldi ng and shap ing Benjam in's performa nee in any old manner: In the

best

Chin ese traditi on, they were ba zhe shoujiao

—

—

so much so that

he would happily come back for more.

The idea that learning should take place by continual careful shaping and molding applies

equally to the arts. Watch ing childre n at work in a classroom sett ing, we were ast oni shed by their

facility. Children as young as 5 or 6 were painting flowers, fish and animals with the skill and con fide

nee of an adult; calligraphers 9 and 10 years old were produci ng works that could have bee n

displayed in a museum .In a visit to the homes of two of the young artists, we lear ned from their pare

nts that they worked on perfect ing their craft for several hours a day.

CREATIVITY FIRST?

In terms of attitudes to creativity there seems to be a reversal of priorities: young Westerners

making their boldest departures first and then gradually mastering the tradition; and young Chin ese

being almost in separable from the traditi on, but, over time, possibly evolvi ng to a point equally origi

nal.

One way of summarizing the American position is to state that we value originality and in depe

ndence more tha n the Chin ese do. The con trast betwee n our two cultures can also be see n in

terms of the fears we both harbor. Chin ese teachers are fearful that if skills are not acquired early,

they may n ever be acquired; there is, on the other hand, no comparable hurry to promote creativity.

America n educators fear that uni ess creativity has bee n acquired early, it may n ever emerge; on

the other hand, skills can be picked up later.

However, I do not want to overstate my case. There is enormous creativity to be found in Chin

ese scie ntific, tech no logical and artistic inno vati ons past and prese nt. And there is a dan ger of

exaggerating creative breakthroughs in the West. When any innovation is examined closely, its relia

nee on previous achieveme nts is all too appare nt (the

nomenon ).

But assu ming that the con trast I have developed is valid, and that the fosteri ng of skills and

creativity are both worthwhile goals, the importa nt questi on becomes this: Can we gather, from the

Chinese and American extremes, a superior way to approach education, perhaps striking a better

bala nee betwee n the poles of creativity and basic skills?

(1182 words)

Un it 2 Text A The Richest Man In America, Dow n Home

Text

课文

Part I Pre-readi ng Task

Liste n to the record ing two or three times and the n think over the follow ing questi ons:

1.

Who is it about?

2.

What happe ned to him one day?

3.

Do you think it was worthwhile to walk two or three miles to pay back the six and a quarter

cen ts?

4.

Is the story related to the theme of the un it

—

values?

The followi ng words in the record ing may be new to you:

dismay

n.

沮丧，失望

disturb

vt.

使不安

con scie ntious

a.

认真的，尽职的

Part II Text A

Does being rich mean you live a completely differe nt life from ordinary people? Not, it seems, if your

n ame is Sam Walt on.

THE RICHEST MAN IN AMERICA, DOWN HOME

Art Harris

He put on a dinner jacket to serve as a waiter at the birthday party of The Richest Man in

America. He imagined what surely awaited: a mansion, a

dogs with diam ond collars, serva nts everywhere.

The n he was off to the house, wheeli ng past the sleepy tow n square in Ben to nville, a remote

Arka nsas tow n of 9,920, where Sam Walt on started with a little dime store that grew into a $$6 billion

discount chain called Wal-Mart. He drove down a country road, turned at a mailbox marked

Hele n Walt on,

It was nice, but no palace. The furn iture appeared a little worn. An old pickup truck sat in the

garage and a muddy bird dog ran about the yard. He n ever spotted any serva nts.

Only in America can a billionaire carry on like plain folks and get away with it. And the 67-year-

old disco unt ki ng Sam Moore Walt on still travels these wi ndy back roads in his 1979 Ford pickup,

red and white, bird dogs by his side, and, come shoot ing seas on, waits in line like every one else to

buy shells at the local Wal-Mart.

call the boss by his first n ame as a recent corporate memo comma nds. Few here thi nk of his billi

ons; they call him

store on the square and worked 18 hours a day for his dream,

By all acco un ts, he's frien dly, cheerful, a fine n eighbor who does his best to ble nd in, n ever

flashy, n ever throw ing his weight around.

No matter how big a time he had on Saturday ni ght, you can find him in church on Sun day.

Surely in a reserved seat, right?

of the local church.

So where does The Richest Man in America sit? Wherever he finds a seat.

that way. He does n't have a set place. At a church supper the other ni ght, he and his wife were in

back wash ing dishes.

For 19 years, he's used the same barber. Joh n Mayhall finds him wait ing whe n he ope ns up

at 7 a.m. He chats about the n ati onal n ews, or reads in his chair, perhaps the Benton County Daily

Democrat, ano ther Walt on property that keeps him off the front page. It buried the Forbes list at the

bottom of page 2.

But one recent morning, The Richest Man in America did someth ing that would have made

headlines any where in the world: He forgot his money.

says barber Mayhall.

Wasn't that, well, a little stra nge?

Walt on is that he isn't stra nge.

But just how long Walt on can hold firm to his folksy habits with celebrity hun ters keep ing follow

ing him wherever he goes is anyon e's guess. Ever since Forbes magaz ine pronounced him

America's richest man, with $$2.8 billion in Wal-Mart stock, he's been a rich man on the run, steeri ng

clear of reporters, dreamers, and schemers.

—

and he does n't care. He does n't spe nd much. He

owns stock, but he's always left it in the compa ny so it could grow. But the real story in his mind is

the success achieved by the 100,000 people who make up the Wal-Mart team.

He's usually back home for Friday sales meet in gs, or the executive pep rally Saturday morning

at 7 a.m., whe n Walt on, as he does at new store ope nin gs, is liable to jump up on a chair and lead

every one in the Wal-Mart cheer:

And louder they yell. No one admits to feeli ng the least bit silly. It's all part of the Wal-Mart way

of life as laid dow n by Sam: loyalty, hard work, l ong hours; get ideas into the system from the bottom

up, Japa nese-style; treat your people right; cut prices and margins to the bone and sleep well at ni

ght. Employees with one year on board qualify for stock opti ons, and are urged to buy all they can.

After the pep rally, there's bird hunting, or tennis on his backyard court. But his stores are

always on his mind. One tennis guest man aged to put him off his game by ask ing why a can of balls

cost more in one Wal-Mart tha n ano ther. It tur ned out to be un true, but the move worked. Walt on

lost four straight games.

Walt on set up a college scholarship fund for employees' childre n, a disaster relief fund to

rebuild employee homes damaged by fires, floods, tornadoes, and the like. He believed in cultivati ng

ideas and reward ing success.

F. Arend, who was stunned at such gen erosity after the st ingy employer he left to join Wal-Mart.

had to cha nge my way of thi nking whe n I came aboard.

they're treated and the way they feel about their compa ny. They believe things are differe nt here,

but they deserve the credit.

Adds compa ny lawyer Jim Hendren:

around him for any len gth of time who was n't better off. And I don't mean just finan cially, although a

lot of people are. It's just someth ing about him

—

coming into con tact with Sam Walt on just makes

you a better pers on.

(1066 words)

Unit 2 Text A Father knows Better

Text

课文

Part I Pre-readi ng Task

Liste n to the record ing two or three times and the n think over the follow ing questi ons:

1.

What sort of a song is it?

2.

Who should be sitti ng up and taki ng notice? Why?

3.

What does the sin ger think of his pare nt's way of doing thin gs?

4.

Do you agree with what he says?

The followi ng words in the record ing may be new to you:

roam

vi.

漫游

drench

vt.

使湿透

prophesize

v.

作预言

sen ator

n.

参议员

heed

vt.

注意

stall

v.

拖延

rage

vi.

激烈地进行

Part II Text A

This comedy centers around a proud father's attempts to help his children, attempts which somehow

or other always end up embarrassing them. For the sake of fun it carries things to extremes, but n

early every one can recog nize someth ing of themselves and their pare nts in it.

FATHER KNOWS BETTER

Marsh Cassady

CHARACTERS: FATHER; MOTHER; HEIDI, 14; DIANE, 17; SEAN, 16; RESTAURANT MANAGER,

20s; MRS. HIGGINS.

SETTING: Various locatio ns in cludi ng a fast-food restaura nt, the Thomps on family dining room,

and an office at a high school.

ATRISE: As the lights come up, HEIDI en ters and crosses Dow n Right to the edge of the stage.

SEAN and DIANE enter and cross Down Left to the edge of the stage. They listen as HEIDI

addresses the audie nee.

HEIDI: My dad's a nice man. Nobody could possibly believe that he isn't. Yet he's... well, he's always

doing these stupid things that end up really embarrass ing one or more of us kids. One time, see, my

brother wan ted to buy this guitar. Bee n savi ng money for it for a long time. Then he got a job at this

fast-food place, OK? Waiting tables. It was Sean's first actual job, and he was real happy about it. He

figured in two or three mon ths he'd have eno ugh money to buy exactly the kind of guitar he wan ted.

Mom and Dad were proud of him, and well, OK, he's my big brother, and he's always pulling these

dumb things on me. But, well, I was proud of him too. You know what happe ned? I hate to tell you

because:

SEAN, DIANE and HEIDI: (In unison) Father knows better!

(The lights come Up Left on the fast- food restaura nt where SEAN works. It con sists of a cou

nter and a couple of small tables. The MAN-AGER sta nds behi nd the cou nter. SEAN is busily clea

ning the tables whe n FATHER walks in.)

MANAGER: Good evening, sir. May I help you?

FATHER: Good evenin g.

SEAN: (To himself) Oh, no!

(He squats beh ind one of the tables tryi ng to hide from FATHER.)

FATHER: rm look ing for the man ager.

MANAGER: That would be me, sir.

FATHER: rm Sam Thomps on. My son works here.

MANAGER: Oh, you're Sea n's father.

FATHER: Yes. It's his first job, you kno w. I just wan ted to check that he's doi ng OK.

MANAGER: Oh, fine. No problem.

SEAN: (Spread ing his han ds, palms up, speak ing to himself) What did I do to deserve this? Tell me

what?

FATHER: Hiri ng him was a good thi ng the n?

MANAGER: Well, yeah, I suppose so.

SEAN: (Still to himself.) Go home, Dad. Go home. Go home.

FATHER: rm sure he's a good worker but a typical tee nager, if you know what I mean.

MANAGER: (Losing interest) I would n't know.

FATHER: He's a good boy. And I assure you that if there are any subjects that need to be addressed,

Sean and I will have a man-to-ma n talk.

MANAGER: I don't think that will be necessary...

FATHER: Oh, no problem. I'm proud of my son. Very, very proud. And I just wan ted you to know that

ni do anything I can to help him through life's dan gerous sea.

SEAN: (Sta nding up and scream ing) Aaaargh! Aaaargh! Aaaaaaargh!

FATHER: Son, I did n't kn ow you were here.

SEAN: It's where I work, Dad.

FATHER: Of course. I mean, I did n't see you.

SEAN: I can't imagi ne why.

FATHER: Your man ager and I were just hav ing a nice chat.

(DIANE enters Down Left just as HEIDI enters Down Right. They look at SEAN and FATHER.)

SEAN, DIANE, HEIDI: (In uni so n) Father, you know better than that.

(The lights quickly fade to black and the n come up a sec ond or two later. SEAN sta nds alone

at the Dow n Right edge of the stage. HEIDI and DIANE cross to Dow n Left edge of the stage.)

SEAN: If that sort of thing happe ned only once in a while, it would n't be so bad. Overall, I would n't

want to trade my dad for anyone else's. He loves us kids and Mom too. But I think that's sometimes

the problem. He wants to do thi ngs for us, things he thinks are good. But he n eeds to give them

more thought because:

SEAN, HEIDI and DIANE: (In unison) Father kn ows better!

(The lights fade to black and come up on the Cen ter Stage area where FATHER and the three

childre n are seated around the dining room table. MOTHER en ters carry ing a dish, which she sets

on the table. FATHER quickly rises and pulls out her chair. She sits. The family starts eating dinn er.)

FATHER: I have a surprise for you, Diane.

DIANE: (Knows it can't be good.) You have... a surprise?

MOTHER: Well, whatever it is, dear, don't keep us in suspe nse.

FATHER: Well, you know, Dan Lucas and I work together?

DIANE: Kyle's father?

MOTHER: Don't in terrupt, dear, your father is trying to tell you someth ing.

HEIDI: (Stage whisper to SEAN) Somethi ng Dia ne won't want to kno w, I'll bet.

SEAN: (Whisperi ng to HEIDI) Whatever would make you thi nk that?

MOTHER: Sean, dear. Heidi, sweetheart, don't distract your father.

SEAN and HEIDI: (Simulta neously) Sorry, Mom.

FATHER: Now the n. As I was say in g, I know how much you like young Kyle.

DIANE: Father!

FATHER: It's true, is n't it? Did n't I hear you tell your mother that you wish Kyle would ask you to the

senior prom?

SEAN: Uh-oh!

HEIDI: Oops!

MOTHER: Please, childre n, please. Your father is tryi ng to speak.

DIANE: (Through clenched teeth, the words are in a monotone and evenly spaced.)

Yes-l-said-that-why-are-you-ask ing?

FATHER: Well the n.

DIANE: (Becomi ng hysterical)

FATHER: What did I say? Did I say somethi ng wrong?

HEIDI: (To SEAN) Not yet, he did n't.

SEAN: (To HEIDI) But you know it's comi ng.

MOTHER: Childre n, please. Do give your father the respect he deserves.

HEIDI and SEAN: (Rolli ng their eyes) Yes, Mother.

FATHER: Well, today I saw Dan and asked if he'd like to go to lunch at that French restaura nt on

Third Street. You know the one, Mother.

MOTHER: Well, yes, I believe I do.

FATHER: My treat, I told him. And, of course, he was glad to accept.

MOTHER: Why would n't he be?

FATHER: (Somewhat surprised) Well, yes.

DIANE: What-has-this-to-do-with me?!

MOTHER: Diane, sometimes I just don't un dersta nd your behavior. I try my best.

DIANE: (Very short with her) rm sorry.

MOTHER: Tha nk you, Dia ne. (To FATHER) Please do go on, dear.

FATHER: As I said

—

HEIDI: We know what you said, Daddy.

FATHER: Er... uh, what's that?

SEAN: She said,

FATHER: Yes, yes, of course.

MOTHER: Do get on with it, dear. I've made the most glorious dessert. An old recipe handed dow n

to me by my great Aunt Hilda

—

DIANE: Mother, please!

MOTHER: Yes, dear?

(DIANE shakes her head and lets her body fall aga inst the back of the chair.)

FATHER: At any rate, Dan's a nice guy. Never knew him well. Found we have a lot of the same in

terests. Our families, our com mun ity, global peace, huma n welfare.

HEIDI: (Mumbli ng to herself) That narrows it dow n, all right.

SEAN: Father?

FATHER: Yes, son?

SEAN: I do believe Dia ne would like to know the surprise.

DIANE: (Breathing hard as if exhausted, she turns to SEAN, nodding her head up and down

repeatedly.) Thank you, Sean. I owe you one.

FATHER: Well, yes. Here it is the n. I told Dan of your in terest in his son.

DIANE: You what?

MOTHER: Diane, what has come over you? I just don't un dersta nd the youn ger gen eratio n. Why

back in my day

—

DIANE: Mother, please!

MOTHER: What, what? What?

HEIDI: Mother, I believe she wants Father to continue.

SEAN: (To himself) Get this over with, more likely.

DIANE: Daddy, please, tell me. Now. Right away. What did you say. Daddy? Please. Tell me, what

did you tell Mr. Lucas? Tell me, please. Please, tell me.

FATHER: Well, no w, is n't this ni ce. It looks like my little scheme is a success. You're so eager to

find out... makes a man feel as if it's all worthwhile.

HEIDI: (To SEAN) Can you believe this?

SEAN: (To HEIDI) Oh, sure. Can't you?

FATHER: Yes, well, I told him how much you liked young Kyle, and how you'd bee n wish ing he'd

ask you to the prom.

DIANE: You did n't! Tell me you did n't!

FATHER: Oh, yes. Any thi ng for my childre n.

DIANE: (Swallowi ng hard) An d... and

—

MOTHER: Dia ne, are you all right?

DIANE: (She juts out her chin at MOTHER and quickly jerks her head around to face FATHER.)

Well... what did he say?!

FATHER: Well, of course, being the sort of man he is

—

frank, un dersta nding, he said he'd speak to

the young man, in sist he give you a call.

DIANE: (An gry scream!) Whaaaaaat!

SEAN and HEIDI: (Together) Father, you kn ow better than that.

FATHER: I do? Yes, yes, I guess I do. I've... do ne it agai n, have n't I?

(The lights quickly fade to black and then come up a second or two later. DIANE stands alone at

the Dow n Right edge of the stage. HEIDI and SEAN en ter Dow n Left and cross to the edge of the

stage.)

DIANE: Can you imag ine how humiliated I was? An honor stude nt, class preside nt. And Father was

out asking people to have their sons call and ask me to the prom! But that's dear old dad. Actually, he

is a dear. He just does n't stop to think. And it's not just one of us who've felt the heavy hand of

interferenee. Oh, no, all three of us live in constant dread knowing that at any time

disaster can strike because:

DIANE, HEIDI and SEAN: (Shout ing in unison) Father knows better.

(The lights fade to black and quickly come up again Stage Left where there is an executive-type

desk and chair and two other chairs. Behind the desk sits MRS. HIGGINS, in charge of admitt ing

new stude nts to Benjam in Harris on High School. HEIDI and FATHER sit in the other chairs.)

MRS. HIGGINS: So this is our new stude nt, is it?

FATHER: That's right.

MRS. HIGGINS: What's your name, young lady?

HEIDI: HEIDI Thompso n.

MRS. HIGGINS: rm sure you'll find the stude nts frien dly. And the teachers more than willi ng to an

swer questi ons.

FATHER: She is an exceptio nal young woma n, you know.

HEIDI: Daddy!

FATHER: Very, very bright.

MRS. HIGGINS: Yes, now if we can get you to fill out

—

FATHER: Don't know where she got her brains. Her mother, I suppose. Oh, I was bright eno ugh. But

nothing like HEIDI. All her teachers have told Mrs. Thomps on

that she was just about the brightest

—

MRS. HIGGINS: (In terrupts as she loses her patie nee, though trying to be pleasa nt) As I said, if you

have proof of vacci nati ons

—

FATHER: (In terrupts, carry ing on with his line of thought) Besides being bright, she's very, very tale

nted.

HEIDI: (Twists her hands over and over in front of her chest.) Please, Daddy, don't do this.

FATHER: Well, of course I will, darl ing. I'm proud of you. Your mother and I are proud of you. (Turns

back to S.) Why just last year, in her last year of junior high school, before we moved,

Heidi placed first in the county in the annual spelli ng bee! Is n't that won derful? And she plays the

pia no like an an gel. An absolute an gel.

HEIDI: Daddy, please. Please, please. Daddy, I have to go to class. I want to go to class. Please let

me go to class.

FATHER: See what I mean? Such an eager lear ner. I can't imagi ne anyon e's being more eager for

kno wledge tha n my Heidi. My little girl.

MRS. HIGGINS: Yes, well, be that as it may

—

HEIDI: Aaargh! Aaaaargh! Aaaargh!

(DIANE and SEAN enter Down Right. They look at HEIDI, FATHER, and MRS. HIGGINS.)

HEIDI, DIANE and SEAN: (Shout ing in uni so n) Daddy, you kn ow better than that!

FATHER: Er, uh, I do?

(Curtai n)

—

that's her mother

—

and me