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Unit 4 The Girl in the Fifth Row. Detailed Study of Paras1-3. (1) Why was the writer seized with panic at the beginning of his first lecture?
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Detailed Study of Paras1-3 (1) Why was the writer seized with panic at the beginning of his first lecture? Because he entered the classroom with a great deal of anxiety and his large class responded to his awkward smile and brief greeting with silence. No one seemed to be listening.
(2) How did the girl in the fifth row help the writer regain his confidence and enthusiasm? • The girl remained poised and attentive. Her animated expression and warm smile encouraged the writer to go on. When he said something, she would nod, or say, "Oh, yes!" and write it down. She emanated the comforting feeling that she cared about what he was trying so haltingly to say. He began to speak directly to her, and she responded actively. As a result, his confidence and enthusiasm returned, and the other students had begun listening and taking notes.
Language Work awkward adj. lacking skill or grace; clumsy; causing difficulty, embarrassment, or inconvenience e.g. (1) The young man is shy and awkward with women. (2) Swans are surprisingly awkward on land. (3) Arrange the next meeting at a less awkward time. My large class responded to my awkward smile and brief greeting with silence. I briefly greeted my students with an unnatural smile, but the whole large class remained silent as though nothing had happened.
fuss v. to keep moving or touching sth. busily, nervously, or aimlessly e.g (1) Stop fussing and eat your food. (2) In anticipation of her boyfriend's visit, she got up and fussed about in her room. • stammer v. to speak with halting articulation, esp. with pauses or rapid repetitions of the same syllable e.g. (1) The boy stammers whenever he speaks.
For a few moments I fussed with my notes. Then I started my lecture, stammering; no one seemed to be listening. • For several minutes I fiddled with my teaching notes. Then, I began my lecture, speaking with pauses and rapid repetitions. Meanwhile, it seemed to me that none of the students were listening to me or paying attention to me.
panic n. sudden uncontrollable fear or alarm e.g. (1) Panic swept through the swimmers as they saw the shark approaching. (2) The fire caused a panic in the cinema. (3) She succumbed to a last-minute panic. • poised adj. calm, self-assured, and dignified e.g. (1) At the moment when the ship was sinking, the captain remained poised, ordering that children and women be evacuated immediately.
At that moment of panic I noticed in the fifth row a poised, attentive young woman in a summer dress. Seized by sudden uncontrollable fear at that time, I chanced to spot in the fifth row a girl in a summer dress who was listening to me calmly and attentively. • Her skin was tanned, her brown eyes were clear and alert, her hair was golden. Her skin was lightly browned, her brown eyes were transparent and watchful, and her hair was like gold in color.
tanned adj. (also sun-tanned) (of skin) taking on a brownish color after being exposed to ultraviolet light, esp. from the sun or a sunlamp e.g. (1) She was beautifully tanned after her holiday in Hawaii. (2) Lisa had a tanned complexion. • alert adj. attentive and quick to act or think e.g. (1) The troops are always alert to possible dangers. (2) The alert listener will have noticed the error. (3) Though he is over eighty, his mind is still remarkably alert.
animated adj. lively; given the appearance of movement e.g. (1) They are having an animated discussion. (2) I have rarely seen him so animated. • Her animated expression and warm smile were an invitation for me to go on. Her lively expression and enthusiastic smile encouraged me to continue with my lecture.
emanate (fml) v. to come or flow from sb. or sth. e.g. (1) The idea originally emanated from his brother. (2) Delicious smells were emanating from the kitchen. (3) She emanated a fragrant smell. • haltingly adv. in a slow and hesitant manner, as if lacking in confidence e.g. (1) He answered the questions haltingly. (2) He who acts haltingly will let opportunities slip by.
She emanated the comforting feeling that she cared about what I was trying so haltingly to say. • She expressed the comfortable feeling that she was interested in what I was trying to say in such a slow and hesitant manner. // Her expression revealed to me the feeling, relieving me, that she was much absorbed by what I was trying to say, with so much hesitation and an obvious lack of confidence.
risk vt. to expose sb. or oneself to danger or to the possibility of suffering harm, loss, etc. e.g. (1) The soldier risked his own life to rescue the child from drowning. (2) We should risk failure before we can succeed. (3) We risked getting caught in a storm when we embarked on the voyage.
stunning adj. (infml) impressive, splendid; surprising or shocking e.g. (1) You look stunning in your new suit. (2) What stunning achievements you have scored! • pull sb. through (or round): to help sb. recover consciousness or from an illness e.g. (1) She was so ill that no one seemed to be able to pull her through. (2) A sip of brandy helped to pull the man round.
This stunning young woman had pulled me through. This exceptionally wonderful girl had helped me regain my confidence and enthusiasm, contributing a great deal to the success of my first lesson. After a while I risked looking about. A few minutes later, I plucked up the courage to look up at the students.This sentence shows what a panic the writer had been thrown into. It tells us indirectly that the writer had been filled with anxiety and worry.
Detailed Study of Paras 4-12 • (1) Why did Liani jump to her death? • From the context we can infer that the girl had not felt that she had been loved, though in fact she had been loved, and that she felt terribly lonely, disappointed, and weary of life.
Language Work creativity n. the quality of being able to create or to make sth. new or original e.g.(1) Her new book is full of creativity. (2) He is not a good writer; he lacks in creativity. • sensitivity n. degree or quality of being sensitive; having or showing perceptive feeling or sympathetic understanding e.g. (1) She possesses the sensitivity of a great writer. (2) One of the side effects of this medicine is an increased sensitivity to sunlight. delicateadj. showing tact or good judgments e.g. Her delicate sense of judgment was fully demonstrated in the negotiation.
Her papers, which I read over the subsequent weeks, were written with creativity, sensitivity and a delicate sense of humor. • Her papers, which I read over the following weeks, were filled with new and original ideas, with perceptive feeling and understanding, and with a sensitive kind of wit. // Her papers, which I read over the following weeks, clearly showed that she was a creative and sensitive writer with a keen sense of humor.
save vt. to make or keep sb. or sth. safe from harm, loss, etc.; keep money for future use e.g.(1) It was too late to save the sick woman, and she died. caring adj. ( esp. used as attribute) showing or feeling care e.g. (1) They are all caring parents. awareness n. having knowledge or realization of sb. or sth.; well-informed of current affairs e.g. (1) His awareness of the situation was surprising.
poignant adj. painfully sharp to the emotions or senses; deeply moving; arousing sympathy e.g. (1) She has many poignant memories of her childhood. (2) What a poignant sight it was! (3) He wrote some poignant satires with poignant wit. wince vi. to show pain, distress by a slight involuntary movement of the muscles in the face e.g.(1) He winced as she stepped on his injured foot. (2) I still wince at the memory of the stupid things I did.
I thought of Albert Schweitzer's poignant statement: "We are all so much together and yet we are all dying of loneliness." • I was reminded of Albert Schweitzer's emotional statement that though we are always together, we still feel terribly lonely. // I thought of Albert Schweitzer's emotionally profound statement that although together almost every day, we all feel sad and miserable because we lack real friendship.
The moment I mentioned Liani's name, she winced. As soon as I referred to Liani's name, her face revealed her anguish. • where cliffs fall abruptly into the sea. • … where steep, high rocks stand up at the edge of the sea.
There, shocked picnickers later reported, she jumped to her death. It was at that place that, according to what astonished picnickers described, she jumped into the sea and drowned herself. • And her God-given uniqueness was gone forever. • Her unusual, remarkable, and unparalleled qualities with which she had been endowed by God vanished forever.
From the tenderness with which Liani's mother spoke of her, I knew that she had been loved. But it was obvious to me that Liani had not felt loved. • From the sensitive and tender emotion with which Liani's mother told me about her, I realized that she had been loved. But it seemed clear to me that Liani had failed to be aware of this love.
"We are so busy teaching things. What's the value of teaching Liani to read, write, do arithmetic, if we taught her nothing of what she truly needed to know: how to live in joy, how to have a sense of personal worth and dignity?” • "We are extremely busy teaching our students a variety of knowledge. What is the point of teaching Liani how to read, write, do arithmetic, if we did not teach her anything about what she truly needed to know: how to live a happy life, how to have a good understanding of personal value and self worth?"
Detailed Study of Paras 13-16 • (1) What necessary information is supplied about the Love Class? • It was a non-credit course. The teaching methods were quite special: the teacher and students shared their reading, their ideas, and their experiences. Few students missed even one session of the love course. The sessions were scheduled to start at 7 p.m. and end at 10, yet they often continued well past midnight.
(2) Which sentences tell us that the students were interested in the love course and that it became very popular at the university? • "Few missed even one session of Love Class. I had to crowd the students closer together as they brought mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, friends, husbands, wives --- even grandparents. Scheduled to start at 7 p.m. and end at 10, the class often continued until well past midnight." These sentences clearly tell us that the love course was very attractive and popular.
Language Work facilitator n. sb. who encourages and motivates; sb. who makes sth. easy or less difficult E.g.(1) As a teacher of English, I see my role only as a facilitator, enabling my students to acquire the ability to use the language well. premise n. a statement or idea on which reasoning is based; hypothesis e.g. (1) Advice to investors was based on the premise that interest rates would continue to fall. • (2) The linguistic premise is that language is not inborn, but can be acquired.
It took only one announcement to fill this non-credit course. Only one declaration was made, and more students than needed signed up for this love course, which provided no credits for them. this non-credit course: this course from which the attendees received no credits Scheduled to start at 7 p.m. and end at 10, the class often continued until well past midnight. According to the timetable, the love class started at 7 p.m. and ended at 10, but often it did not end until long after midnight.
If we find no models of love, then we grow up love-starved and unloving. with no paradigms of love around us, we grow up starving for love, incapable of feeling or even showing love. • The happy possibility, I told my students, is that love can be learned at any moment of our lives if we are willing to put in the time, the energy and the practice. Fortunately, it is possible, I told my students, for us to learn love at any time of our lives if we are ready to devote the time and the energy to it and to practise it.
session n. a single continuous period spent in one activity; meeting or series of meetings of a parliament, law-court, etc. for discussing or deciding sth. e.g. (1) After several sessions at the gym, I feel a lot fitter. (2) At our university, one session consists of 80 minutes. (3) The court is now in session.
Detailed Study of Paras 17-30 • (1) In what ways were the love assignments beneficial? • They were beneficial not only to the people who received love actions but also to those who performed the love actions. Therefore, the love assignments were mutually beneficial, and in turn were a positive influence on society.
(1) Do you agree that love needs to be expressed physically? • Yes, I do. The importance of touching is beyond any shadow of doubt. As human beings, we all need care and love. This is especially true of people who are dear to each other, or of those who are close to or on very good terms with each other. Hugging is one of the ways that we express love. Husbands and wives often hug each other to show their love for each other. Children and parents often hug each other to demonstrate their affection. In China, colleagues and friends, employees and bosses, teachers and students, doctors and patients, masters and apprentices all shake hands when they see each other again after a period of time or when they say good-bye to each other. In Western countries, people often hug to show their good feelings or profound affection for each other. It is true that love needs to be expressed physically. On the other hand, we should be aware that the ways to express love physically vary from culture to culture.
Language Work • few hands went up. Few students raised their hands. • Here, "Few hands went up." is a case of synecdoche. Synecdoche (提喻) is a figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa. e.g. (1) We saw new faces at the meeting. (2) This joint venture is short of hands. (3) Two heads are better than one. (4) Great minds think alike.
misinterpret vt. to understand or explain sb. or sth. wrongly; make a wrong inference from sth. e.g.(1) My wife misinterpreted what I said. (2) He misinterpreted her silence as agreement. hug vt. to squeeze tightly in one's arms, esp. with affection; embrace e.g. (1) The young couple hugged before the boy got on the train. (2) Hugging a pile of books, the young man left the bookstore.
"Love has a need to be expressed physically," I responded. "I feel fortunate to have grown up in a passionate, hugging Italian family. I associate hugging with a more universal kind of love. • "Love needs to be shown with bodily contact," I replied. "I feel lucky that I have been brought up in an Italian family where strong feelings and passionate love prevail, and hugging is a common practice. I think of hugging as a more general kind of love.
verbalize vt. to express in words e.g. (1) I don't know how to verbalize my feelings to her. (2) The boy verbalized his profound love for the girl he was hugging. varsity n. (Brit. Colloq. esp. with reference to sports) university; (N. Amer.) a university sport team e.g. (1) He is a varsity basketball player. (2) He is on the varsity football team
"But if you are afraid of being misunderstood, verbalize your feelings to the person you're hugging… • "But if you are afraid that your action might be misunderstood, tell the person you are holding in your arms how you are feeling…” • His father's eyes welled up with tears as he muttered? • Tears appeared in his father's eyes as he murmured?
well v. (followed by out or up) to spring as from a fountain; flow copiously e.g. (1) Blood is welling out from the cut. (2) Water wells up from a spring beneath the rock. • derelict n. a person without a home, a job, or property; abandoned property, esp. a ship e.g. (1) That boss supports many derelicts. adj. abandoned, ownerless (esp. of a ship at sea); ruined, dilapidated e.g. (1) The old couple lived in a derelict house.
I went with one of my students, Joel, to a nursing home not far from U.S.C. Together with Joel, a student of mine, I went to visit a senior citizens' home, which wasn't far from the University of Southern California. • Oh, the things she told him! This woman knew so much about love, pain, suffering. Even about approaching death, with which she had to make some kind of peace. Oh, she told him so many things, which went beyond our expectation. This woman knew a great deal about love, pain, suffering and even about approaching death, in the face of which she kept calm and serene
She hadn't had her hair fixed in ages: why have your hair done if nobody really sees you? --- It is not necessary to have your hair done if nobody really cares about you. • "Why have your hair done if nobody really sees you?" is a rhetorical question, which calls for no answer and which means: "You needn't have your hair done since nobody really pays any attention to you."
Detailed Study of Paras 31-38 • (1) Do you think it necessary and important to express clearly in words your love to those you love? Why? • Yes, I do. I do think that it is necessary and important to do so, and it will make the people you love feel very happy. If you know that you are loved, you naturally feel very pleased or very happy. Otherwise, you may feel disappointed. This is particularly true of lovers and dear ones.
(2) Why is it important to know that you are special and that you yourself are great? • If you don't know that you are special and unique in this world, you may feel that you are inferior to others, and you may look down on yourself. Some people commit suicide because they are obsessed with a sense of inferiority. Only if we know that we are great and special, can we have a good sense of self worth and take care of ourselves. Only if we know that we are great and special, can we make great efforts to prove our own worth. And only if we love and care for ourselves, are we able to love and care for others.
Language work • While attempting to open doors to love for others, I found that the doors were opening for me. --- As I was endeavoring to offer love to others, I found that others were repaying me with their love. • This is a vivid metaphorical sentence containing two cases of implied metaphor: "to open doors to love for others" and "the doors were opening for me."
Obviously, it was hard for him to receive a compliment. Plainly, he was uncomfortable with the praise. • That's one of the things love is: sharing joy with people. Sharing joy with people is one of the aspects of love or one of the ways love is expressed. In this sentence the pronoun that stands for "sharing joy with people". The sentence can be rewritten as: Sharing joy with people is one of the things love is.
If I had a magic wand and a single wish, I would wave the wand over everybody and have each individual say, and believe, "I like me, right this minute. Just as I am, and what I can become. I'm great." • If I possessed the power to change or influence events and people, and if I had only one wish to make, I would make good use of my magic power and have everybody say and believe, "I like myself, right this minute. I am remarkable now. And I can become outstanding in the future."
Detailed Study of Para 39 • (1) Why did the writer say that Liani presented him with the challenge and that he took it up? • Obviously, it was Liani's good qualities and her death that gave him the inspiration for his love class. And to offer this course successfully was a great challenge. He was encouraged to take it up and he succeeded in this course.
(2) Why does the writer say his love for Liani has somewhat mysteriously reached her? • Probably, he believes that he has done his best to preach, spread and practice love in general and that he has reaped bumper harvests in this respect. And he believes that Liani would be satisfied if she were alive.
The pursuit of love has made a wonder of my life. The search for love has turned my life into a miracle. • Would I still be stammering out subject matter at students, year after year, with little concern about the vulnerable human beings behind the masks? Would I still be delivering awkward lectures to students, year in year out, showing little concern for the human beings, who are actually easily hurt or wounded, though they do not look likely to be so.By the way, in this sentence, the phrase "behind the masks" is a metaphor.
Liani presented me with the challenge, and I took it up! Liani issued the challenge to me, and I accepted it! • but you gave me the impetus." “ … but you gave me the driving force." • But I believe my love for Liani has, in some mysterious way, already reached her. But I have a firm conviction that my love for Liani has, somewhat mysteriously, got to her.
