Unit 8 Honesty: Is it Going out of Style?

1. Unit 8 Honesty: Is it Going out of Style? College English Book 2

2. Part II Text & Listening Part I Background Information Unit 8 Part III New Words & Expressions Part IV Supplement

3. Part IBackground Information • Introductory Remarks: • American education system

4. Introductory Remarks • The text is from Senior Scholastic, Oct. 31, 1980 • Author: Stacia Robbins, British writer. • In recent years, there are heated discussions in China about the issue of cheating in exams. Some people hold that cheating only exists in China because of the fierce academic competition, however, the fact is that cheating is also rampant in America. There are reports that some universities require the students to show their ID card when attending an exam, in order to prevent cheating. • In the text, the author shows her doubts: Is honesty going out of style? Or there are some other reasons? If the students are given sufficient trust, maybe they won’t commit cheating. Trust may bring back honesty.

5. Primary school American children start school at the age of five years. The first year at school is called kindergarten. It is required of all American children enrolled in the American education system. The second year at school is considered the first year of primary school and is referred to as first grade. Secondary school Upon completion of fifth grade (the last year of primary school), American children enrolled in the American education system advance to secondary school. Secondary school most commonly consists of a total of seven years, referred to as sixth through twelfth grades. The ninth through twelfth grades are most commonly referred to as high school. American Education System

6. Undergraduate school • Students who have completed high school and would like to attend college or university must attend what is referred to as an undergraduate school. These are schools that offer either a two-year degree (called an associate degree) or a four-year degree (called a bachelors degree) in a specific course of study. Graduate school Students who have obtained a bachelor’s degree can continue their education by pursuing one of two types of degrees. The first is a master’s degree. This is usually a two-year degree that is highly specialized in a specific field Certain courses of study are only available at the graduate school level in America. The most notable of these are law, dentistry, and medicine. Students who want to pursue a degree in one of these fields must first obtain a bachelor’s degree.

7. In America, there isn’t a universal exam for enrolling a college or a university, because different universities have different requirements. In the last year of high school, the students have to apply several schools and take the exams of each school respectively. Harvard University

9. It is estimated that 61% of American high school students have committed cheating on exams at least once, and cheating is also considered to be a major problem in colleges and universities. Likewise, signs of dishonesty in business and government seem much more numerous in recent years than before. Does all this go to prove that honesty is going out of style in American society? Now let's take up this article to see how the author looks into this problem.

10. Part II Text & Listening • Ever thought about cheating on a test? Of course not. But some students are not quite so honest … Honesty: Is It Going Out of Style?By Stacia Robbins • According to a recent poll, 61 percent of American high school students have admitted to cheating on exams at least once. It can be argued such a response my not mean much. After all, most students have been faced with the temptation to peek at a neighbor's test paper. And students can be hard on themselves in judging such behavior. However, there are other indications that high school cheating may be on the rise. • More and more states are requiring students to pass competency tests in order to receive their high school diplomas. And many educators fear that an increase in the use of state exams will lead to a corresponding rise in cheating. A case in point is students in New York State who faced criminal misdemeanor charges for possessing and selling advance copies of state Regents examinations. • Cheating is considered to be a major problem in colleges and universities. Several professors say they've dropped the traditional term paper requirement because many students buy prewritten term papers, and they can't track down all the cheaters anymore. • Colleges and universities across the nation have decided to do more than talk about the rise in student cheating. For instance, the Department of Psychology at the University of Maryland launched a campaign to stop one form of cheating. As 409 students filed out of their exam, they found all but one exit blocked. Proctors asked each student to produce an ID card with an attached photo. Students who said they'd left theirs in the dorm or at home had a mug shot taken. The purpose of the campaign was to catch "ringers," students who take tests for other students.

11. The majority of students at the University of Maryland applauded the campaign. The campus newspaper editorial said, "Like police arresting speeders, the intent is not to catch everyone but rather to catch enough to spread the word." • We frequently hear about "the good old days", when Americans were better, happier, and more honest. But were they more honest? Maybe yes, a long time ago when life was very different from what it is today. • School children used to know the story of how Abraham Lincoln walked five miles to return a penny he'd overcharged a customer. It's the kind of story we think of as myth. But in the case of Lincoln, the story is true … unlike the story of George Washington and the cherry tree. Washington's first biographer invented the tale of little George saying to his father, "I cannot tell a lie. I did it with my ax." What is important in both stories, however, is that honesty was seen as an important part of the American character. • And these are just two stories out of many. Students in the last century usually didn't read "fun" stories. They read stories that taught moral values. Such stories pointed out quite clearly that children who lied, cheated, or stole came to bad ends. • Parents may have further reinforced those values. It's difficult to know. We do know that children didn't hear their parents talk of cheating the government on income taxes - there weren't any. • A clue as to why Americans may have been more honest in the past lies in the Abe Lincoln story. Lincoln knew his customer. They both lived in a small town. Would a check-out person at a large supermarket return money a customer? It's less likely. On the other hand, would overnight guests at an inn run by a husband and wife, steal towels? It's less likely.

12. Perhaps this tells us that people need to know one another to be at their honest best. • The vast majority of Americans still believe that honesty as an important part of the American Character. For that reason, there are numerous watch-dog committees at all levels of society. Although signs of dishonesty in school, business, and government seem much more numerous in recent years than in the past, could it be that we are getting better at revealing such dishonesty? • There is some evidence that dishonesty may ebb and flow. When times are hard, incidents of theft and cheating usually go up. And when times get better such incidents tend to go down. • Cheating in school also tends to ebb and flow. But it doesn't seem linked to the economy. • Many educators feel that as students gain confidence in themselves and their abilities, they are less likely to cheat. Surprisingly, some efforts to prevent cheating may actually encourage cheating - a person may feel "they don't trust me anyway," and be tempted to "beat the system." Distrust can be contagious. But, so can trust!

13. NEW WORDS • Honesty :n. freedom from deceit, cheating, etc. 诚实 • Style: n. fashion 时髦 • Poll: n. survey of public opinion by putting questions to a representative selection of persons 民意测验 • Admit: v. state or agree to the truth of; confess 承认，供认 Admission n. • Temptation: n. the act of tempting or being tempted 引诱；诱惑 • Peek: vi. look (at sth.) quickly, esp. when one should not 偷看 • behavio(u)r : n. way of behaving 行为 behave:v. • Indication: n. sign or suggestion 迹象 • Competency: n. ability; being competent 能力；胜任 • Diploma: n. official paper showing that a person has successfully finished a course of study or passed an examination 文凭 • Corresponding: a. matching 相应的 • Criminal: a. of crime • misdemeano(u)r: n. crime that is less serious than, for example, stealing of murder 轻罪 • Charge: n. accusation 指控 • possess: n. have, own 占有，拥有 • advance: a. made available before the date of general publication or release 预先的

14. regent: n. member of a governing board （学校董事会的）董事 • drop: vt. give up; discontinue 放弃；革除 • traditional: a. of or according to tradition 传统的 • tradition: n. • requirement: n. sth. required; sth. demanded as a condition 要求；必要条件 • prewritten: a. written beforehand; written in advance • psychology: n. science of the mind 心理学 • psychological: a. • launch: vt. start, set going 发起；发动 • campaign: n. series of planned activities for some special purpose 运动 • file: vi. march or move in a line 排成纵队行进 • exit: n. way out of a place 出口（处） • proctor: n. 临考人 • ID card: n. identity card 身份证 • dorm: n. (short for) dormitory 宿舍 • mug: n. the face or mouth • shot: n. a single photograph • mug shot: n. (sl.) photograph of a person's face, used for purposes of identification 面部照片 • ringer: n. any person who pretends to be another 冒名顶替者 • applaud: vt. praise esp. by striking one's hands to gether 拍手称赞 • campus: n. university; the grounds of a university, college, or school 大学;校园

15. editorial: n. leading article 社论 • arrest: vt. seize (sb.) in the name of the law 逮捕 • speeder: n. person who drives an automobile at a higher speed than is lawful 违法超速驾驶者 • intent: n. purpose; intention • frequently: ad. at short intervals, often 频繁地 • overcharge: vt. charge too much 对...要价太高 • customer: n. person who buys goods from a shop, esp. regularly 顾客 • myth: n. 神话 • unlike: prep. not like, different from • cherry: n. 樱桃 • biographer: n. person who writes about another person's life 传记作家 • ax(e): n. 斧子 • character: n. mental or moral qualities that make one person, race, etc. different from others 性格，品质 • moral: a. concerning principles of right of wrong 道德的 • reinforce: vt. encourage of strengthen 加强 • tax: n. 税，税款 • clue: n. sth. that helps to find an answer to a question 线索 • check-out: n. desk where one pays the bill of the goods one has chosen 结帐处 • supermarket: n. large shop where one serves oneself with food and goods 超级市场 • overnight: a. for or during the night 住一夜的；一整夜的 • inn: n. small hotel 小旅馆，客栈 • towel: n. 毛巾

16. vast: a. very big • numerous : a. many • watch-dog: a. organized or acting as a watchful guardian, esp. against unlawful practice 起监督作用的 • dishonesty: n. the quality of being dishonest • reveal: vt. make known 揭露 • evidence: n. sign or proof 证据 • ebb: vi. (of the tide) flow back from the land to the sea; grow less; become weak or faint 落潮；低落，衰退 • flow: vi. (of the tide) come in; rise; run or spread smoothly （潮）涨；上升；流 • incident: n. event; happening 事件 • theft: n. (the act of, an instance of) stealing • tend: vi. have a tendency 易于，往往会 • link: vt. join or connect 连接；联系 • economy: n. 经济 • anyway: ad. at all; in any case 究竟；无论如何 • tempt: vt. attract (sb.) to do sth. wrong or foolish 引诱 • system: n. 体制；制度 • systematic: a. • distrust: n. lack of trust; mistrust 不信任，怀疑 • contagious: a. tending to spread easily from person to person 传染的

17. PHEASES & EXPRESSIONS • out of style: no longer fashionable 过时的，不再流行 • according to: as stated or shown by; in a way that agrees with 按照，根据 • (be) faced with: 面对 • be hard on: 对...过分严厉 • on the rise: increasing steadily 在增长;在加剧 • a case in point: a very good example 恰当的例子 • all but: all except 除了...都 • (be) different from: unlike, not the same as 与...不同 • think of ... as: regard as • in the case of: 就...来说,至于 • come to: arrive at a particular state or position 变成(某种状态) • lie in: exist in 在于 • on the other hand: from the opposed point of view 另一方面,反过来说 • at one's best: in as good a state as possible 处于最佳状态 • go up: rise; increase 上升;增加 • go down: fall; decrease 下降;减少 PROPER NAMES • Stacia Robbins 斯泰茜娅.罗宾斯 • Maryland 马里兰(美国州名) • Abe 艾贝(Abraham的昵称)

18. Part III New Words and Expressions 1.out of style& in styleout of style:unfashionable Examples： a. The skirt has gone out of style. b. Honesty will never be out of style. in style: in a grand way a. The rich lady likes to give dinner parties in style. b. The millionaire isn’t used to live in style. c. She dresses in style. 

19. 2.admit to:(formal) confess to; not deny Examples: --Did the young man admit to taking these commodities without paying for them? --Mrs. Cross admits to being easily annoyed. -- Mr. Smith admitted readily to a great liking for horror films.

20. 3.It can be argued such a response may not mean much.: Some people may have a good reason to say that such a response from high school students may not be significant. Similarly: --It can be argued (that) money may not bring you happiness. -- It can be argued (that) success in exams may not mean much.

21. be faced with: be confronted with; meet face to face Examples: -- Now we arc all faced with a very difficult situation. --Faced with such a rival, he has little chance of winning.

22. 5. be hard on: be stern or strict with; be an unjust or unlucky burden on Examples: --Don't be too hard on the child. --It's hard on John, having to work when the rest of us are vacationing.

23. 6. behavior: • (1) way of behaving Examples: -- His son won a prize for good behavior at school. --I am surprised to witness his rude behavior to his mother. • (2) the way a machine behaves Example: --The new furnace's behavior is satisfactory.

24. 7. indication: • (1) sign or suggestion Examples: -- There is not much indication that the draught will be over soon. -- The bed showed indications of being slept in. • (2) pointing to or out Examples: -- We use different tones for the indication of different meanings. -- The indication of that arrow is that visitors should turn left here.

25. 8. on the rise: increasing Examples: -- The number of students in our school is on the rise. -- The sales volume of the new products has been on the rise since the manager advertised them on TV.

26. 9. corresponding: (1) matching Examples: --The peace talk was held between corresponding officials in the two governments. --The average temperature in July this year is 0.5 degree higher that in the corresponding period last year. (2) the same Examples: -- You win the lottery if you had chosen a number corresponding to the one published in the newspaper. -- The police found corresponding footprints outside the house where the murder took place.

27. 10. a case in point:a fit example Examples: -- An average student can be a top student with additional work. Cathy is a case in point. --Nearly all major cities in the US are crime-ridden. A case in point is Chicago.

28. 11. charge: (n.) (1) accusation Examples: -- The former football star was arrested on a charge of manslaughter, -- The opposition brings a charge of corruption against the administration. -- The ex-president now faces charges of sexual harassment, (2) price asked for goods or services Examples: -- Services charges are not included in hotel rates. -- You can dial 1 - 890 numbers free of charge. (3) amount of electricity contained in a substance Examples: -- a negative/positive charge

29. Charge • (v.) (1) accuse Examples: -- His former secretary charged him with sexual harassment. -- The boxer was charged with rape. (2) ask as a price Examples: --The railway company charges half price fox students. -- The hotel charges $2 for washing and ironing a shirt. (3) put an amount of electricity into Example: -- Batteries for mobile phones need charging every eight hours.

30. 12. possess:have; own Examples: --He was charged with possessing drugs. -- He lost all he possessed in the fire. -- The witch possessed magic powers.

31. 13. requirement: sth. needed or demanded Examples: -- There is a greater requirement for electricity in summer than in any other season. -- We will try our best to meet the requirements of our customers. -- Chinese, maths, and English are three major requirements in college entrance. --ISO 9000 is a set of quality requirements.

32. 14. across the nation: throughout the country 15. to do more than talk: to do something instead of just talking

33. 16. ... launched a campaign to stop one form of cheating: ... start a series of activities for stopping one form of cheating... launch: (v.) (1) start; set going Examples: --Truck drivers in France launched a strike for earlier retirement. -- The government launched an attack against corruption. (2) set a ship afloat Example: -- The First Lady was invited to launch the new ship. (3) set a rocket, missile, etc. in motion Examples: -- launch a satellite /rocket /missile -- It is expensive to launch an astronaut into outer space.

34. (n.) setting in ,notion Examples: -- The world was shocked at the failed launch of spaceship "Challenger". -- The launch of a new ship is usually celebrated with champagne. campaign: (1) series of planned activities for some special purpose Examples: -- The Democratic Party waged /launched /carried on / mounted a fundraising campaign. -- The Parent-Teacher Association started a campaign against smoking in school. (2) series of planned military operations with a set purpose Examples: --The Saratoga Campaign is a turning point in American Independence War. -- The soldier was awarded three campaign medals for bravery.

35. 17. filed out of their exam: left the exam hall or room in a single file, i.e., one by one 18. had a mug shot taken "Mug " is a slangy word for "face", for example: -- You have got an ugly mug. "A mug shot" is a photograph of a person's face used on the driver's license, university ID card, etc. A mug shot may also be taken by police for purposes of identification.

36. 19. like police arresting speeders: • A speeder is one who drives faster than the posted speed limit. In the US the speed limit on a freeway or highway is 55 miles per hour. It varies from 30 to 40 miles per hour on some small roads or streets in towns and cities. • Generally the police do not arrest speeders; they are given traffic tickets which require the speeding offenders to pay a fine. However, if a person were driving in great excess of the speed limit, the police might arrest him and put him in jail.

37. arrest: (v.) seize (sb.) in the name of law Examples: --The police arrested the drunken driver three days after the accident. --My neighbor was arrested on suspicion of having sent several mail bombs. (n. ) seizing (sb.) in the name of haw Examples: -- In the campaign to clean up the city. over 500 arrests were made. --The forger was (placed/put) under arrest.

38. 20. ... the intent is not to catch everyone but rather to catch enough to spread the word: the intension is not to catch all of the cheats, but to catch a sufficient number of them for the purpose of giving a warning to other students: if a few are caught, the other students will hear about it and be deterred from cheating. 21. in the case of: so far as someone or something is concerned Examples: --Poverty depressed most people; but in the case of my father (or: in my father's case) it only urged him to work harder. --We can't make an exception in the case of Mary.

39. 22. unlike: (prep.) & (a,) not like: different from Examples: --Unlike his brother, John is very interested in poetry. -- it is unlike her to cry. --The two movies are quite unlike though they depict the same period in history. 23. "fun" stories: humorous stories read for amusement • The intent of fun stories is usually to entertain rather than to educate.

40. 24. moral (a.) concerning principles of right and wrong Examples: -- Moral standards change with time. -- A Godparent is supposed to be responsible for the Godchild's moral welfare. (n.) that which a story, event, or experience teaches Examples: -- The moral of this story is that one should judge for oneself. -- You may draw your own moral from this incident.

41. 25. come to a bad end: come to some misfortune, esp. to an unpleasant death Examples: -- You will surely come to a bad end (or: come to no good end) if you keep driving so carelessly. --If you don't give up crime, you'll come to a bad end.

42. 26. reinforce: strengthen Examples: -- More troops were sent to reinforce the fortress. --Most modern buildings are made of reinforced concrete. -- The football team was reinforced by two foreign goalkeepers.

43. 27. clue: sth. that helps to find an answer to a question Examples: -- Holmes has found some clue to the mystery. -- The letter gave a clue as to where the treasure had been buried. 28. lie in:exist in; be found in Examples: -- The cure for ignorance lies in education. -- Do you believe that "Happiness lies in contentment“? --The greatest charm of the bride's costume lies in its simplicity.

44. 29. overnight: • (1) for or during the night Examples: --The bag contains things I will need when staying overnight at a hotel. -- This kind of bamboo can grow 20 centimeters taller overnight. • (2) suddenly Examples: -- Those who grow rich overnight are eyed with suspicion. -- Public opinion tends to change overnight.

45. 30. ... people need to know one another to be at their honest best.: ... people need to know one another well if they are to treat one another as honestly as possible. • Here the phrase "at their honest best" means "at their best as far as honesty is concerned". • at one's best: in one's best condition or state Examples: -- He acted in all kinds of plays, but he was at his best in comedy. -- To see this part of the countryside at its best, you need to come in June.

46. 31 vast: • (1) large in quantity Examples: --He inherited a vast sum of money from his aunt. -- Look out! A vast swarm of bees are coming this way. • (2) extensive Examples: -- Troops in the Yuan Dynasty captured vast expanses of land in the West. -- The vast ocean stretches for thousands of miles. 32. numerous: many Examples: --Numerous village and township enterprises have sprung up since 1978. --Numerous stars were horn after the Big Bang.

47. 33. ... could it be that we are getting better at revealing such dishonesty?: ...is it because we are becoming more skillful in revealing such dishonesty? • The conjunction "that" is used here to introduce an adverbial clause expressing cause. Further examples: --I am happy that you have come after all. --I am afraid I have to decline your invitation. Not that I am unwilling to come. but that I have been very busy these days.

48. reveal: • (1) expose; make known Examples: --His wife did not reveal to the patient his hopeless condition. -- Investigation revealed the women's 800-meter race champion to be a man in disguise. -- His life was threatened for revealing the secret. • (2) cause to be seen Examples: --Their faces reveal shock and disbelief. -- Those pictures reveal to us a wonderful world under water.

49. 34. evidence: sign or proof Examples: -- The case was dropped for lack of evidence. -- The upturned furniture in the room was evidence of a fight. --Scientists must have evidence for their statements.

50. 35. incident: event; happening Examples: -- In her book she told some interesting incidents on her visit to Africa. --Even such an ordinary incident reveals greatness in his character. --The Communist Party and the National Party agreed to fight against Japanese invasion after the Xi'an Incident.