英语时文泛读 Current News Articles for Extensive Reading

英语时文泛读Current News Articles for Extensive Reading BOOK IV

Ethnicity, Gender and Gay Marriage

I. Overview • This unit will give you a glimpse of social problems where ethnicity, gender and same sex marriage are concerned.

Structure • In this unit, you will read 3 passages about gender and ethnicity and same-sex marriage. You will find a lot of problems that people experience in their daily life.

I Won’t Die for Equality This passage discusses equality between men and women with examples sited from the military service. Text A

One gauge of the progress made in American race relations in recent decades is the growing number of blacks and whites who have integrated their hearts and ended up marrying each other. Blacks, Whites and Love Text B

Oregon’s highest court ruled yesterday that 3,000 same-sex marriages performed a year ago in one county were unlawful, saying that the county had overstepped its authority and that the licenses it had issued were unconstitutional under Oregon law. Oregon Supreme Court Invalidates Same-Sex Marriages Text C

Focus of this session

II. Text A I Won’t Die for Equality • Main Idea of the Text • Equality between men and women need not go to the extreme.

Author Cristina Odone (born in 1960 in Narobi, Kenya) is an Italian journalist, editor and author living in the UK. She has written for several newspapers, and currently writers for The Observer and The Daily Telegraph. She was formerly deputy editor of the New Statesman since 1998, editor of The Catholic Herald (1992—1996) and author of two novels—TheShrine (1996) and Perfect Wife (1997). Background Information

Source The Sun is a tabloid daily newspaper founded in 1964, headquartered in Wapping, London and published in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland with the highest circulation of any daily English-language newspaper in the world. It is published by News Group Newspaper of News International, itself a subsidiary of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation. Background Information

The Royal and Ancient Club of St Andrews is located in Saint Andrew, Scotland and founded in 1754, the Saint Andrews Society of Golfers took its present name in 1834. It helps establish golf rules of the world. Cultural Notes

Horse and Hound is the oldest equestrian magazine in Britain. It is a weekly magazine with the first edition published in 1884. It is also known by the nickname ‘Nag & Dog’. It appeals to the dedicated and affluent equestrian consumer whose interests cover all aspects of horse sport, from show jumping to endurance and from dressage to hunting. Horse & Hound brings its readers the latest news, reports and results, supported with in depth features, previews & interviews. Cultural Notes

Language Points Key Words & Expressions • crow (para. 2): • to talk about what you have done in a very proud way - used to show disapproval （因成功等而）得意洋洋，自鸣得意 • e.g. • She won the competition and won’t stop crowing over her rivals. （她在比赛中获得了胜利，在对手面前简直得意忘形。） • e.g. • He was crowing over winning the bet. （他打赌赢了后得意洋洋。）

Language Points • slam (para. 3): • [transitive] to criticize someone or something strongly - used especially in newspapers 猛烈批评（某人/某物） • e.g. • Local media slammed plans to build a prison in the area. （当地媒体强烈批评了在那个地方盖监狱的计划。） • e.g. • The minister was slammed by the press for the cuts. （这位部长因削减一事受到报界猛烈抨击。）

Language Points • matey (para. 4): • (Br E infml) behaving as if you were someone's friend • e.g. • She's been very matey with the boss lately. （她最近和老板走得很近。） • e.g. • Don’t get too matey with him—he is a rogue. （别和他太亲近了——他是个无赖。）

Language Points Difficult Sentences • This was only to be expected, the authors pointed out, from an institution that enjoys “partial” exemption from equal opportunities legislation—and thus can exclude its “girls” from some direct combat positions. (para.3) • 参考译文：报告的作者指出，这种情况只会发生在下面这种机构里：该机构享受部分豁免权，可以不必遵从男女平等机会法规，因而可以将机构内部的女兵直接排除出某些最前沿的阵地外。

Language Points • Given such progress, only rabid equalizers would argue that they cannot rest until women have the right to be windbagged by some old geezer reading Horse and Hound by the fire. (para.7) • 参考译文：女性追求与男性机会平等没错，但没必要极端到什么都一定要跟男性一样：一定得能和男人们一样坐在炉火旁听一个怪老头喋喋不休地读《马与猎犬》（《马与猎犬》是男人们喜欢谈论的话题）。

Language Points • It’s been a dire tale in the American military too, with physical strength tests rigged to accommodate women soldiers who with the best will in the world cannot throw a hand grenade to a safe distance. (para.9) • 参考译文：美国军队情况非常糟糕：为了要照顾那些尽最大力量也不能把手榴弹掷到安全距离的女兵，好让她们通过测试，不得不对体能测试做手脚。

英语时文泛读 Current News Articles for Extensive Reading