UNIT 2

The Virtues of Growing Older

Contents

• Pre-reading questions

• Language points

• Structure analysis

• Detailed reading

• Consolidate exercise

• What can the advantages and disadvantages of growing older possibly be?

• What do you think are the virtues of being young?

• beautiful-energy – love new things- creative- represent future-carefree

Pre-reading questions

• Stages one goes through life infant child adolescence youth adult middle-aged old-aged

•The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

background• In 1918, Mr. Gateau, a blind New Orleans

clockmaker, loses his son on the battlefields of France in World War I. As a way to deal with the grief, Gateau builds a large clock for the New Orleans train station, but fixes it so that the time goes in reverse. When asked why, Gateau states that maybe time will reverse and the men lost in the war—including his son—might come home again.

• On the evening of November 11, 1918, a boy is born with the appearance and physical maladies of a very elderly man. The baby's mother dies shortly after giving birth, and the father, Thomas Button, abandons the infant on the porch of a nursing home. Queenie and Mr. "Tizzy" Weathers, who work at the nursing home, find the baby, and Queenie decides to care for him as her own.

Language points

agony n. extreme mental or physical pain or suffering

e.g. The mother was in an agony of losing five sons in the war. He suffered agonies of remorse.他饱受悔恨的煎熬。

Synonym:

distress, anguish

• postpone    使延期 , 推迟 , 搁置 (until, till, to, for)   是正式用语 , 语义较强 , 指“有意识地延至将来某一特定时间” , 在多数情况下 , 后面说明改在何时进行 . The commander decided to postpone the big push until the spring.  

指挥官决定把大规模的进攻推迟到春天进行。• delay 指“暂时阻挠或阻挡 , 稍后可再继续进行 ; 晚

于时间表” . Our plane was delayed by fog.   我们的飞机因大雾而误点了。

After much delay, he finished his paper at last.  

拖了那么久，他终于完成了论文。

diet vi. eat less in order to lose weight

e.g. The doctor told the patient to diet and take some exercise.

n. the type of food that a person regularly eatse.g. Exercise and a well-balanced diet keeps you

fit and healthy.

You should eat more high-protein diet.  

你应该多吃些高蛋白食物。

I'm on a diet.  

我正在节食。

Her diet restricts her to 1500 calories a day.  

她的规定饮食限制她每天摄入 1500 卡的热量。

distinct a. noticeable, unmistakable

e.g. The footprints are quite distinct; they must be fresh.

Collocation:

distinct from sth. different in kind; separate

e.g.Mozart’s style is quite distinct from Haydn’s. Astronomy, distinct from astrology, is an exact science. 天文学是一门严谨的科学，与占星术完全不同。

Derivation:distinction n.distinctly ad.

plead vi. make an urgent, emotional statement or request for sth.

e.g. The little girl pleaded with her parents not to leave her in her uncle’s home.The criminal pleaded to see his wife once more.

Comparison:beg vi. ask sb. very strongly in a way that makes one feel ashamed or makes other people lose respect for hime.g.

The unfilial son begged mercy of his mother.

Collocation:plead with sb. for sth. make repeated urgent requests to sb. for sth.

quirk n. a strange or unusual habit or part of sb.’s character

e.g.One of her quirks is that she is always doubtful about being watched by somebody. Many scientists have quirks in their life or work.

Translation:

他很怪，把自己的妻子称作史密斯夫人。He had a strange quirk of addressing his wife Mrs. Smith.

_________________________________________________________________________________

_

be apt to: be likely to 易于……，有……的倾向

e.g. Infants are apt to put their hands into their mouths. 婴儿爱把手往嘴里塞。

at the mercy of: powerless against; completely controlled by 对……无能为力；任……处置，任由……摆布

e.g. Some people are born with the belief that they are masters of their own lives. Others feel they are at the mercy of fate. 有些人天生相信自己是生命的主宰，另一些人则觉得他们受到命运的支配。

I don’t want to put myself at the mercy of others. 我不希望任由他人摆布。

obsess v. （使）牵挂，（使）惦念，（使）着迷obsessed a. 着迷的obsession n. 困扰，沉迷，着魔obsessive a. 着迷的，强迫性的，分神的

e.g. 爱丽丝被一个她刚刚认识的男孩迷住了。

他一直想要找到他的父亲，但是最近这变成了一种狂热。

Alice was obsessed by a boy she has just met.

He’s always wanted to find his father but recently it’s become an obsession.

be satisfied with feel pleased because you have what you want or because things have happened in the way that you hoped

e.g. The CEO of this company is not satisfied with the volume of business.

The score of her TOFEL was satisfactory.

Comparison:

satisfactory a. a word for describing a result, situation, etc., that makes one feel satisfied because it is what one was hoping for

e.g.

Comparison:satisfying a. a word for describing a job, activity, or experience that makes one satisfied because one enjoys doing it and results are often very good

There’s something very satisfying about making explorations.

e.g.

Synonym: gratify, content

in general: as a whole 通常，大体上；总的来说，从总体上看

e.g.In general, this company’s products are very reliable. 这家公司的产品通常是很可靠的。 In general, this paper is a bit difficult for these students to finish in an hour. 总的来说，让学生在一个小时内完成这份试卷有些困难。

tolerate v. 容忍，忍受tolerable a. 可容忍的tolerant a. 宽容的，容忍 [(+of/to/towards)]

e.g. 她能忍受寒冷的天气。

这种炎热的天气在夜晚可以忍受。

她容忍不同的意见。 在所有女孩子中她是最宽容的。

She can tolerate the cold days.

The heat was tolerable at night.

She was tolerant of different views.

Of all the girls she was the most tolerant.

Fill in the blank in each sentence with a word taken from the box in its appropriate form.

plead beyond obsess diet satisfy perfect deny oneself turn into agony tolerate

1. Mozart’s with piano started when he was a baby.

2. The shy girl in former days has a pretty lady.3. The toothache tortured me a whole night. 4. Seeing the interesting toys from the window, the little boy

with his mother for buying some back home. 5. Shakespeare’s wife had nothing Shakespeare’s

second best bed.

obsession___________

turned into_____________

agonizing___________

pleaded_________

beyond_________

plead beyond obsess diet satisfy perfect deny oneself turn into agony tolerate

6. Her parents’ marriage portion really her. 7. He moved to his grandfather’s home so as to his

Latin. 8. The headmaster those naughty students’

behavior. 9. The nurse says Richard has got to go on a . 10. In order to find an expected job, she all the entertainments in her internship.

satisfied_________

diet_____

tolerated___________

perfect________

denied herself________________

For me, teamwork is preferable to single action.

Synonym:better, superior

e.g.

preferable a. more desirable or suitable

Antonym:

inferior

Derivation:

preferably ad.preference n.

hold out  伸出 , 坚持 , 持有，

• How long can we hold out against these attacks?   • 我们对这些攻击能抵抗多久 ?• The forthcoming talks hold out the hope of real arms

reductions.   • 即将举行的会谈给实现真正的裁军带来了希望。• Doctors hold out little hope of her recovering.   • 医生帮助她康复的希望甚微。

Structural analysisThe author’s opinion

Advantages

conclusion

•1 。

•2 。

•3 。

Structural analysisThe author’s opinion

Advantages

conclusion

•1.Being less obsessed with appearance

•2.Being less confused, uncertain and troubled by all the unknowns in the future.

•3.Being sure of one’s identity

Worship for youth• A quick look at Olay girls

Longing for Youth

dread vt. feel great fear or anxiety about

e.g. The little girl dreads sleeping alone.The staff in this company dread to think what will happen if the financial crisis comes.

Derivation: dreadful a.

Synonym:

fear, frighten

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

• Goethe • (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a

German writer. George Eliot called him "Germany's greatest man of letters... and the last true polymath to walk the earth.“ Goethe's works span the fields of poetry, drama, literature, theology, humanism, and science. Goethe's magnum opus, lauded as one of the peaks of world literature, is the two-part dramatic poem Faust. Goethe's other well-known literary works include his numerous poems, the Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship and the epistolary novel The Sorrows of Young Werther.

Faust• Faust is a tragic play. It was published

in two parts: Faust: der Tragödie erster Teil (translated as: Faust: The Tragedy Part One) and Faust: der Tragödie zweiter Teil (Faust: The Tragedy Part Two). The play is a closet drama, meaning that it is meant to be read rather than performed. It is Goethe's most famous work and considered by many to be one of the greatest works of German literature.

Story of Faust: the deal with the devil

In Faust’s study, the poodle transforms into the devil. Faust makes an arrangement with the devil: the devil will do everything that Faust wants while he is here on earth, and in exchange Faust will serve the devil in hell. Faust's arrangement is that if during the time while Mephistopheles is serving Faust, Faust is so pleased with anything the devil gives him that he wants to stay in that moment forever, he will die in that instant.

Mephistopheles[mefis'tɔfili:z]

• In contrast to the devil usually known as Satan, who appears with cloven hooves and horns, Mephistopheles is usually portrayed as more humanoid, often taking the form of a tall man dressed all in black. An image often associated with this form of the devil is the red book, which people who sell their souls to him must sign.

Will you sign the contract with the devil just to be young again?

• Why or why not?

obsess v. （使）牵挂，（使）惦念，（使）着迷obsessed a. 着迷的obsession n. 困扰，沉迷，着魔obsessive a. 着迷的，强迫性的，分神的

1.

e.g. 爱丽丝被一个她刚刚认识的男孩迷住了。

他一直想要找到他的父亲，但是最近这变成了一种狂热。

Alice was obsessed by a boy she has just met.

He’s always wanted to find his father but recently it’s become an obsession.

mood n. 心情，情绪moody a. 易怒的，喜怒无常的，情绪化的moodiness n. 忧郁

2.

e.g. 我每个星期日情绪都很坏。

我的妻子在医院里心情不好。 I am always in a bad mood on Sunday.

My wife is moody at the hospital.

tolerate v. 容忍，忍受tolerable a. 可容忍的tolerant a. 宽容的，容忍的

3.

e.g. 她能忍受寒冷的天气。

这种炎热的天气在夜晚可以忍受。She can tolerate the cold days.

The heat was tolerable at night.

benefit n. 利益；津贴beneficial a. 有益的，有利的beneficiary n. 受惠者，受益人

4.

e.g. 这项工程对每个人都大有好处。

新鲜空气有益于健康。

她的丈夫是她遗嘱的主要受益人。

This project is of great benefit to everyone.

Fresh air is beneficial to our health.

Her husband is the chief beneficiary of her will.

satisfy v. 使满意，满足satisfaction n. 满意 satisfactory a. 令人满意的

5.

e.g. 观赏一幅美丽的图画使人心满意足。

她对现状根本不满意。

Looking at a beautiful painting always gives one satisfaction.

She is not at all satisfied with the present situation.

hide v. 隐藏，隐瞒hiding n. 隐藏，躲藏hidden a. 隐藏的，秘密的

6.

e.g. 她设法不表露自己的感情。

警察正在追赶藏匿起来的杀人犯。She tried to hide her feelings.

The police are following a murderer who’s in hiding.

Writing

prefer v. 较喜欢；宁可preferable a. 更好的，更合意的preference n. 偏爱，优先，喜爱物preferential a. 优先的；优惠的

7.

e.g.

对于求职者，我们优先考虑有一定经验的人。

In considering people for jobs, we give preference to those with some experience.

critical a. 批评的；决定性的，关键的critic n. 批评家，评论家criticism n. 批评，评论criticize v. 批评；非难

8.

e.g.他的行为招致尖锐的批评。

他批评了我的冒险活动。His behavior called forth sharp criticism.

He criticized my taking risks.

Write in each space one word that has the same prefix as underlined in each given word.1. preface

2. prologue

3. foresight

4. paralysis

5. periphery

6. dialogue

7. semifinal

8. devaluate

prepare _________________________________

progress_________________________________

foresee_________________________________

parallel _________________________________

perimeter_________________________________

diameter_________________________________

semiconductor _________________________________

decelerate_________________________________

Explanation:

e.g. prewar, precondition, precaution, prediction

pre- : before someone or something

e.g.proceed, procession, provision

pro- : before

Explanation:

Explanation:

e.g. foreword, foretell, forecast, forehead

fore- : before or in the front of

Explanation:

e.g. paragraph, parallel

para- : on one side

Explanation:

e.g. periphrasis 绕圈子的陈述 pericentral 中心周围的

peri- : surrounding

Explanation:

e.g. dialectic, diagram, diagnosis

dia- : pass through between sth.

Integrated skills

Explanation:

e.g. semicircle, semi-final, semi-skilled

semi-: half or partly

Explanation:

e.g. declass, degrade, deduce

de-: reduce

Prices go up each year. Prices go up every year.

every, each, everyone, every one, allEach and every have similar but not always identical meanings.each = every one separatelyevery = each, allSometimes, each and every have the same meaning:

e.g.

But often they are not exactly the same.Each expresses the idea of “one by one”. It emphasizes individuality.

Each artist sees things differently.e.g.

Every soldier saluted as the President arrived.e.g.

Each can be used in front of the verb:

The soldiers each received a medal.e.g.

Each can be followed by “of”:

The President spoke to each of the soldiers. e.g.

Every cannot be used for two things. For two things, while each can be used:

He was carrying a suitcase in each hand.

e.g.

Every is used to say how often something happens:

There is a plane to Bangkok every day. e.g.

Everyone means “everybody” and is used when you want to refer to all the people in a group:

Everyone in my family likes spaghetti.e.g.

But if you’re referring to the individuals who make up a group, then the phrase is every one. “Each and every one” you should never substitute everyone, for everyone as singular or plural:

We wish each and every one of you a Merry Christmas.

e.g.

•Everyone is used for people while “every one” is for people or things.

• Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers• You have a certain amount of freedom in deciding

where to place your modifiers in a sentence:– We rowed the boat vigorously. – We vigorously rowed the boat. – Vigorously we rowed the boat.

• However, you must be careful to avoid misplaced modifiers -- modifiers that are positioned so that they appear to modify the wrong thing.

• In fact, you can improve your writing quite a bit by paying attention to basic problems like misplaced modifiers and dangling modifiers.

Dangling modifiers

• It is a phrase or an elliptical clause that is illogically separated from the word it modifies.

• (or: A dangling modifier is a group of words that has no grammatical connection to any element in the sentence.)

• ( 垂悬修饰语即修饰语在句中找不到逻辑上被修饰的对象 )

• Generally speaking, there are four kinds of dangling modifiers:

• 1. dangling participles• 2. dangling gerunds• 3. dangling infinitives• 4. dangling elliptical clauses

• Raised in Nova Scotia, it is natural to miss the smell of the sea.

• (Such introductory adjective phrases, because of their position, automatically modify the first noun or pronoun that follows the phrase -- in this case, "it." The connection in this case is illogical because "it" was not raised in Nova Scotia. )

– For a person raised in Nova Scotia, it is natural to miss the smell of the sea.

– Raised in Nova Scotia, I often miss the smell of the sea.

For a sentence to be free from dangling modifiers,

1. the present participle must take the sentence subject as its logical subject.

2. the past participle must take the sentence subject as its logical object.

3. the infinitive must take the sentence subject as its logical subject.

• 1. While eating my sandwich, five mosquitoes bit me.

• While I was eating my sandwich, five mosquitoes bit me.

• Or: While eating my sandwich, I was bit by five mosquitoes.

• 2. To play tennis well, a good racquet is needed.

• To play tennis well, you need a good racquet.

• Or: A good racquet is needed if you wish to play tennis well.

• 1. Which of the following sentences is incorrect? (TEM4 2010)

• A They each have two tickets.

• B They cost twenty yuan each.

• C Each they have bought the same book.

• D They were given two magazines each.

• 2. Due to personality , the two colleagues never got on well in work. (TEM4 2010)

• A contradiction

• B conflict

• C confrontation

• D competition

• 3. “Look at those pretty girls’ skirts” is , because it is not clear whether the girls or the skirts are “pretty”.

• A ambiguous

• B hidden

• C indirect

• D indistinct

•(TEM4 2011)