新世纪大学英语第二版综合教程1 课文翻译及答案Unit2

一名语言教师的个人看法 威尔?皮德克罗夫特

1 我每天都会在报纸上、公共汽车上看到各种广告，声称轻轻松松就能学好英语。按照这些广告的说法，学生不必费什么力气，要说一口流利的英语只需短短3个月,甚至10天就行。广告还常常提到威廉?莎士比亚和查尔斯?狄更斯等英语文学大师的名号进一步激励学生。每当看到诸如此类的广告时，我真是哭笑不得。如果学英语真像这些广告所说的那么轻松，我恐怕得另谋出路了，因为不需要那么多合格的英语教师了。但是肯定有许多人相信这些可笑的噱头，不然的话这些广告也不可能出现。

2 学生们喜欢实惠的速成学习方法也在情理之中，但要用浅显易懂的语言去解释为什么某一方法比另一方法更有效并不是一件简单的事，而且也无需装模作样地声称有什么人已经找到了一个万能的适合所有学习环境的教学方法。一些专家甚至认为，有多少个好老师就有多少种好的教学方法，因为每一个老师都有其自身的特点。这种说法无疑是有几分道理的，但对学生来说不是很有帮助。

3 有很长一段时间，人们认为学好一门语言唯一的方法就是去使用那种语言的国家待上一段时间。当然去英国、美国、或者澳大利亚等国家学英语的学生肯定比那些不能去的学生具有很大优势，但是很多学生支付不起那笔费用。有些学生走向另一极端：他们认为可以借助词典在家自学。如果你认为英语中的每一个词在另一语言中都有完全对等的词，那就错了，反之亦然。通过翻译法来给学生讲解口语的自然形式是不可能的，更不要说做到语音、语调地道了。

4 现在大量的教学活动还是建立在行为主义心理学的基础之上。行为主义者热衷于让学生复述短语，不断做一些只需更换句中某个词的练习。假如我们是鹦鹉或黑猩猩，那这些方法或许能奏效，可惜我们不是，这似乎让很多理论家引以为憾，否则他们提出的那些方法用起来就会容易得多了。

5 我个人认为，假如没有兴趣，任何人都不可能学好英语或其它任何语言。与鹦鹉或黑猩猩不同，人类不会无缘无故地发出噪音，除非他们明白这些声音是什么意思，并且能将其与自己的生活联系起来。值得牢记的是：语言是一种交际手段，人们在母语中怎么说怎么写，用另一种语言表达时也大同小异。因此，人们所听所读的不应该是程式化的东西，听的读的材料必须真实自然。

6 还有一个相关的问题值得一提：在交际时我们需要有交谈或倾听的对象。在学习较生疏的内容时，如果身边的其他学生能和我们在一起学习，一起练习那些陌生的语言形式，用真实的语言去谈论真实的生活，那一定会受益匪浅

学会去读书 约翰.霍尔特

1 在我曾经任教的一个班上，许多孩子学习起来非常吃力，尤其是阅读。因此我决定不惜任何代价消除他们对书籍的恐惧和厌恶心理，让他们能够多读些书，更勇于尝试。 2 开学后没多久，有一天我对孩子们说：“我要跟你们说说读书的事，也许还没有哪个老师这样对你们讲过。今年我想要你们读许多书，但是我想要你们只需要为了寻求乐趣而读书，我不会提问题去检查你们读懂了没有。如果你们读懂了一点儿，觉得会喜欢这本书，并愿意把它读完，这就够了。我也不会去考你们词语的意思。”

3 “最后，”我继续说道，“你们不要觉得读一本书就得把它读完。先读三、四十页，看看故事情节如何发展。如果你不喜欢书中人物，或者对他们的经历不感兴趣，只管合上书，放到一边，去读另一本。你们读的书是难还是容易、篇幅长还是篇幅短，我都不在意，只要你们喜欢就行。另外，我会写信把我的意思告诉你们的家长，好让他们知道没有必要在家里查问或检查你们的读书情况。”

4 孩子们都愣住了，坐着不出声。这真的是老师在说话吗？其中一个女孩，因为功课不好最近才转学到我们学校来，后来我发现她非常有趣、活泼、聪明，在我所有的学生中都算突出的。我讲完后，她盯住我看了很久。然后，她继续看着我，缓慢而严肃地问：“霍尔特先生，你说的话是真的吗？”我也同样严肃地回答：“真的，一点不假。” 5 显然，她打算照我说的办。她读的第一本书是瑟斯博士写的《格林奇偷走圣诞节》，这本书对大多数三年级的学生都不算难，更不要说这个年级的孩子了。有一阵子，她读的都是这个难易度的书。也许她是在消除对阅读的一些困惑，而以前她没时间去做，因为老师总是催促她看这个年级“该看的书”。她在这个班上学习了大概六周后，我们成了好朋友。我试探地向她建议：既然她喜欢马，而且骑马的水平还不错，她可以读一读《玉女神驹》。我尽可能委婉地提出这个建议。我只告诉她那是一个关于一个热爱马并常常骑马的女孩的故事；如果她不喜欢读，她可以放回去。她去读了，也许她觉得这本书比她先前读的书要难点，但是她读完了，而且挺喜欢。

6 春季的那一学期，她的表现可真的让我吃惊了。一天，在我们的自习课上我看到她坐在课桌前看书。我瞥了一眼书中的插图就知道这是一本什么书了。我心想：“不可能

吧。”我走过去仔细一看，她果然在读《白鲸》，是配有罗克威尔?肯特木刻画的那个版本。我走近她的课桌，这时她抬起头来。我问她：“你真的在看这本书吗？”她说，是的。我又问：“你喜欢这本书吗？”“嗯，是的。这本书很好。”她答道。“你不觉得有些地方很难吗？”我又问道。“有啊，不过，看不懂就跳过去，挑有意思的地方看。”她这样回答。 7 真正的阅读就该如此。但是上学时，阅读不见得总是有趣或让人喜欢。拿上一本书，钻进去，读有趣的部分，跳过不好的部分，尽可能从书中得到点收获，然后再去读其它书。为什么非要让每个孩子读一样的书，作出同样没有意义的“理解”呢? Listen and Respond

Task One Focusing on the Main Ideas

Choose the best answer to complete each of the following sentences according to the information contained in the listening passage. 1) In this monologue Alberto tells us that ________. A) he is interested in language research B) he is good at Chinese and German

C) he has a degree in political science D) he wants to be a language teacher

2) According to Alberto, he is not very good at ________ in learning foreign languages.

A) verb tenses B) reading speed C) speaking D) spelling

3) To learn a foreign language well, Alberto strongly emphasizes ________. A) watching TV in that language

B) reading extensively in that language C) communicating with native speakers

D) reading about the culture of that language

4) In this monologue Alberto talks about all of the following EXCEPT ________.

A) why he likes to learn foreign languages

B) when he first started learning a new language C) why learning foreign languages is necessary

D) some helpful ways he finds in learning a new language

5) One of the reasons why Alberto learns multiple languages is that ________. A) he has a natural talent in learning languages B) he can study political science in greater depth C) he is attracted by the beauty of different languages

D) he can broaden his mind by knowing more languages

Task Two Zooming In on the Details

Listen to the recording again and fill in each of the blanks according to what you have heard.

1) Alberto has started learning English, French , Portuguese and Italian, and he would also love to learn Chinese and German in the near future.

2) Alberto is confident that with time and practice he can overcome the difficulties he encounters in learning new languages.

3) According to Alberto, learning a new language besides one’s mother tongue can be useful, especially in a world where distances are shortened and people from different countries communicate with each other more frequently .

4) He recommends(推荐)three good ways of language learning. They are: a. read a lot ;

b. watch a lot of television in that language; and c. listen to CDs .

5) He also mentions three other things that are helpful for learning a language. They are:

a. good dictionaries ; b. vocabulary books; and c. the Internet .

6) Finally Alberto says learning a language might seem a little difficult at first , or even strange, but one will get used to it. Though the learning process is long and it never ends, it is also highly enjoyable .

Related Information

Task One Discovering the Main Ideas

1 Answer the following questions with the information contained in Text A.

1) According to Will Pidcroft, the writer of this text, can English be mastered within a very short period of time? Does he provide any evidence to support his view?

No, Will Pidcroft doesn’t think that English can be mastered within a short period of time. He says that in fact English is not that easy to learn; otherwise, he wouldn’t be working as an English teacher any more as there would be far less demand for trained English teachers.

2) Does he support the idea that a language is best learned where it is spoken?

Yes, he does.

3) What is the belief held by behaviorists in terms of language learning?

Behaviorists believe that language learning is a kind of habit formation. So they are fond of making students repeat phrases and do exercises where they continually have to change one word in a sentence. They assume that people learn things very much like parrots and chimpanzees.

4) What does Pidcroft say about one’s interest in language learning?

Pidcroft thinks that interest is a very important factor in language learning. No one can ever learn to speak English or any other language unless he or she is interested in it.

5) What distinguishes human beings from parrots and chimpanzees according to Pidcroft?

Parrots and chimpanzees make noises that are meaningless while the speech sounds human beings make are meaningful and they can relate them to their own lives. In other words, human beings use language to communicate.

2 Write down the main idea of each paragraph in the space provided 1) Para. 1:

Advertisements often give the false impression that learning English is easy and does not need much effort.

2) Para. 2:

There is no such thing as a good method that suits all students in every situation.

3) Para. 3:

People used to believe that the only way to learn a language was to spend a lot of time in a country where it was spoken. The other extreme is that some think that they can learn a foreign language at home relying solely on dictionaries.

4) Para. 4:

Teaching methods based on the behaviourist theory may not work, as human beings are not parrots or chimpanzees.

5) Para. 5:

Interest is the key to learning a language, which is a means of communication.

6) Para. 6:

To learn a language well, it is important that we have other people to talk to and listen to.

Task Two Reading Between the Lines

1 Read the following statements and then decide whether each of them is true or false based on the information in the text. Write T for True and F for False in the space provided before each statement. 1) T In order to catch the attention of potential learners, advertisements usually exaggerate(夸大)the fast pace and great ease of learning English.

2) T To be able to read the original works by great writers can be a motivation for people to learn the language of those great writers.

3) F People don’t believe what advertisements say about language learning at all.

(Lots of people must believe what advertisements say; otherwise, the advertisements would no longer exist.)

4) T Each individual teacher may have his or her unique way of teaching a language.

5) F The only way to learn a language well is to go and live in a

country where it is spoken.

(Living in a country where the target language is spoken has advantages over many other methods.)

6) F Learning a language is just like how a parrot imitates a human being.

(Language learning must be meaningful. A parrot, however, makes meaningless noises by imitating human beings.)

2 Read the following sentences carefully and discuss in pairs what the author intends to say by the italicized parts.

1) But it is difficult for anyone to explain in simple language why one method is better than another, and it is no use pretending that anyone has discovered a perfect way of teaching English in every possible situation. (Para. 2) There is no such thing as the best way of teaching English which suits all situations.

2) A large number of theorists seem to think it is a pity we aren’t, because it would make it easier to use their methods. (Para. 4)

Many behaviorist theorists wish that human beings were just like parrots or chimpanzees, so that they could use their methods of teaching on human beings with ease.

3) Human beings, unlike parrots and chimpanzees, do not like making noises unless they understand what the noises mean and can relate them to their own lives. (Para. 5)

Human beings are not like animals. When they talk, they make speech sounds that are meaningful and relevant to their lives.

Task Three Voicing Your Views 1)

2) Is Chinese as difficult for a foreigner to learn as English is for a Chinese? Give reasons to support your view.

Yes. Chinese is as difficult for a foreigner to learn as English is for a Chinese. But for learners of a foreign language that belongs to the same language family as their mother tongue, some aspects may seem easier. But overall, all languages are equally difficult (or equally easy) to learn.

3) Do you think motivation is a very important factor in learning a foreign language? Are you highly motivated to learn English? Why or why not?

Yes, it is. Motivation is always an important factor in learning a foreign language.

Teachers may ask students to select some students in their class who are very good in English and ask them to discuss if these students are motivated or not in

learning English. Teachers may guide students to list all kinds of motivations into

If there should be any change in the schedule, please let me know in time. Or: Should there be any change in the schedule, please let me know in time.

3) 乘客必须在航班出发前45分钟办理登机手续。（must）

Passengers must check in (no later than) 45 minutes prior to flight departure.

4) 快点走！要是错过这次音乐会就太可惜了。（would）

Hurry up! It would be a pity to miss the concert.

5) 站在远处的那个人不可能是李先生，他昨天下午去纽约了。（can）

The man standing in the distance can’t be Mr. Li, for he left for New York yesterday afternoon. Cloze

Complete the following passage with words chosen from this unit. The initial letter of each is given.

Many of us these days are learning a foreign language. We are interested in learning another language because we know that knowledge of another language and culture will increase our career opportunities, broaden our horizons(眼界，见识)and enrich our life. Since learning a foreign language is of such importance, no doubt (1) people are constantly looking for more efficient (2) ways of language learning. Most people say the best way to learn a

language is to stay in the country where (3) it is spoken. It is true those who go to a native country have an advantage (4) over those who don’t. But living abroad needs money, and not everyone can afford (5) to do so. Those who don’t go abroad may turn to language schools for help. Language schools usually claim (6) that they can teach students to speak the language they want to learn fluently (7) within 3 to 6 months because they have more qualified (8) teachers and better facilities. To a certain extent (9), a good teacher is indeed important in language learning, but it would be ridiculous (10) to claim that any teacher has discovered a perfect (11) way of teaching English in every possible situation. In fact, there are as (12) many good methods of teaching a language as there are good teachers, because (13) every teacher is an individual (14) with his / her own personality. What a student needs to remember then is to find out a method that best suits himself / herself.

Translation

Translate the following sentences into English, using the words and expressions given in brackets.

1) 这个婴儿还不会爬(crawl)，更不要说走了。(let alone)

The baby can’t even crawl yet, let alone walk!

2) 威尔声称谋杀案发生时他正和一群朋友吃饭，但是我认为他在说谎。(claim, in one’s opinion)

Will claimed he was dining with a group of friends at the time of the murder, but in my opinion he told a lie.

3) 一定程度上阅读速度与阅读技巧密切相关；有了阅读技巧，你就可以更好地 应对课外阅读了。(to a certain extent, relate … to …, cope with)

To a certain extent the speed of reading is closely related to reading skills; and with reading skills you can cope with outside class reading better.

4) 你检查一下引擎(engine)看看出了什么问题好吗？(take a look)

Can you take a look at the engine to see what’s wrong?

5) 有些人想当然地认为日语(Japanese)中的每一个词在汉语中都有对应的词 语。(assume, equivalent)

Some people assume that there is a Chinese equivalent for every Japanese word.

6) 我们已将所有的相关信息告知了警方。(relevant)

We have passed all relevant information on to the police.

7) 关于那件事你问我再多的问题也没用，因为我是不会回答你的。(it’s no use)

There is no use asking me any more questions about that matter because I won’t answer.

8) 事先没有仔细阅读合同(contract)就签了名是吉姆的错误。(on one’s part)

It was a mistake on Jim’s part to sign the contract without reading it carefully.

9) 他们拒绝向我们提供所需要的全部信息。(provide … with)

They refused to provide us with all the information we need.

10) 这起事故与三年前发生的一起事故极为相似。(similar to)

This accident is very similar to the one that happened three years ago.

11) 这部影片是根据莎士比亚的戏剧改编的。(base on)

The film is based on a play by Shakespeare.

12) 如果你的英语和电脑技能都掌握得好，那么你在谋职时就一定比别人更有优 势。(have an advantage over)

If you have a good command of English and computer skills, you will surely have an advantage over others in finding a job.

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