New college English

1. New collegeEnglish Book Two

2. Unit Two Communication Problems

3. I Preparation II Reading Activities IV Translation & Writing III Further Development Unit Two

4. Part I Preparation • Saying Things Sincerely or Sarcastically • 2. Telephone Chains • 3. Enjoying a Joke

5. Part II Reading Activities 1. Pre-reading Questions 2. Text Organization 3. Sentence Study 4. Words & Phrases

6. Pre-reading Questions

7. Pre-reading Questions • Do you agree that men and women seldom mean the same when they use the same words? Are there any examples in your daily life that may support your point of view?

8. Sample • Yes. Male speakers are more direct, and female speakers are more indirect or tactful. For example, when a woman falls in love, her words to her lover may imply something special. When she says that she feels cold, she might actually mean that it’s time for the man to move closer to her. In that case, it is an invitation to the man to hold her hands, or to put his arms around her.

9. Background Information • The author - John Gray is a Family therapist holding a Ph.D in Psychology. He has been a freelance columnist for various magazines and newspapers in the US. For over 25 years, he has been conducting workshops, seminars and group sessions dealing with various facets of male-female relationships. He also runs his ’Mars-Venus’ consulting clinics in the States. The Mars-Venus series of Audio cassettes, Video tapes, Games etc. also aid the depth of his work.

10. Sentence Study

11. Sentence Study • Paragraph 3 • So when communication problems emerged, they assumed it was just one of those expected misunderstandings and that with a little assistance they would surely understand each other. • 句中 “that with a little assistance they would surely understand each other”是宾语从句,前面省略了“they assumed”

12. Sentence Study • Paragraph 4 • Using the word “never” is just a way of expressing the frustration she is feeling at the moment. • 句中 “she is feeling at the moment.”是定语从句.

13. Paragraph 6 Sentence Study • I don’t fell heard. • 句中 “feel”是连系动词, “heard”是过去分词.整句的意思为:我觉得没有人听见我说的话.

14. Words & Phrases

15. Words & Phrases Assume 1. accept (sth) as true before there is proof 假定; 假设; 设想; 以为: I am assuming that the present situation is going to continue. 我认为目前的情况将会继续下去. 2. begin to act in or exercise (sth); undertake; take on 开始从事; 承担; 担任; He assumes his new responsibilities next month.他下月承担新任务.

16. Words & Phrases • Conflict • 1. n. • (a) struggle; fight 斗争; 战斗: soldiers involved in armed conflict 遭遇武装冲突的士兵. • (b) (fig 比喻) serious disagreement; argument; controversy 冲突; 争执; 争论; 论战: 劳资双方旷日持久的激烈争执. a long and bitter conflict between employers and workers 2. V. be in opposition or disagreement; be incompatible; clash 不合; 不一致; 冲突; 抵触: The statements of the two witnesses conflict.两个证人的证词不一致.

17. Words & Phrases • Ignore vt.refuse to acknowledge不理睬, 忽视, • Even the best of men ignored that simple rule. • 甚至最優秀的人也忽略了那條簡單的規則。 • 词汇辩析 • neglect 强调“疏忽、忽略”，如：He neglected his health. 他疏忽了他的健康。overlook 指“由于粗心、放任而没看出或采取行动”，如：He overlooked my errors. 他忽视了我的错误。ignore “不理睬, 忽视”，有“故意这样做”的意思。如：She saw him coming but she ignored him.

18. Words & Phrases • React vi. [对刺激等] 反应[to] · • Our eyes react to light.我们的眼睛对光起反应。 [对某作用] 起反作用,表示反应[on, upon] · • Your applause would react on [upon] the speaker.你们的喝彩对演说者有影响。 • 反对,反抗[against] · • The people soon reacted against the tyrannical system.人们不久便起来反抗暴政。

19. Words & Phrases • For effect :for impressing people or drawing attention ad. 为了加深印象,引起注意 • His whole talk is calculated for effect.他的整个谈话是为了耸人听闻。

20. Words & Phrases • On the verge of:very close to, on the border of, about to do something • The child is on the verge of laughing.那孩子差点笑出来。 • The country is on the verge of disaster.国家快要遭灾。 • He was on the verge of bankruptcy.他濒临破产。 • I was on the verge of accepting.我差点儿接受。 • Large numbers of people had to struggle on the verge of starvation.那时许多人不得不在饥饿的边缘上挣扎。

21. Part III Further Development 1. Group Discussion 2. All the Good Things 3. Racking Your Brains

22. Part III Further Development • 1. Clearing Up a Misunderstanding • 2. How to Avoid Misunderstandings • 3. What Should They Say? Informal and Formal Language

23. Clearing up a misunderstanding The problem was caused because there are differences in communication between masculine and feminine culture. John understood Laura according to the rules of the masculine culture. Women give a lot of responses to show their interest and involvement in a conversation because relationships and using communication to build them are very important to them. Masculine culture on the other hand, focuses on outcomes more than processes.

24. Clearing Up a Misunderstanding Thus, men tend to use feedback to show agreement and disagreement. When John heard Laura’s “ums, um huhs and yeses”, he thought that she was agreeing with him. However, according to the feminine culture, she was only showing interest and being responsive to him. She was not signaling agreement.

25. 2. How to Avoid Misunderstandings In conflict situations, avoiding misunderstanding takes a lot of effort. Roger Fisher and William Ury list four skills that can improve communication in conflict situations.

26. The first is active listening. • The first is active listening. The goal of active listening, they say, is to understand your opponent as well as you understand yourself. Pay close attention to what the other side is saying. Ask the opponent to clarify or repeat anything that is unclear or seems unreasonable (maybe it isn't, but you are interpreting it wrong). Attempt to repeat their case, as they have presented it, back to them. This shows that you are listening (which suggests that you care what they have to say) and that you understand what they have said. It does not indicate that you agree with what they said, nor do you have to. You just need to indicate that you do understand them.

27. The second rule is to speak directly to your opponent. • Fisher and Ury's second rule is to speak directly to your opponent. This is not considered appropriate in some cultures, but when permitted, it helps to increase understanding. Avoid being distracted by others, or by other things going on in the same room. Focus on what you have to say, and on saying it in a way that your opponent can understand.

28. Their third rule is to speak about yourself. • Their third rule is to speak about yourself, not about your opponent. Describe your own feelings and perceptions, rather than focusing on your opponent's motives, misdeeds, or failings. By saying, "I felt let down," rather than "You broke your promise," you will convey the same information, in a way that does not provoke a defensive or hostile reaction from your opponent. This is often referred to as using "I-statements" or "I-messages," rather than "you-messages." You-messages suggest blame, and encourage the recipient to deny wrongdoing or to blame in return. I-messages simply state a problem, without blaming someone for it. This makes it easier for the other side to help solve the problem, without having to admit they were wrong.

29. The fourth rule is "speak for a purpose." • Fisher and Ury's fourth rule is "speak for a purpose." Too much communication can be counterproductive, they warn. Before you make a significant statement, pause and consider what you want to communicate, why you want to communicate that, and how you can do it in the clearest possible way.

30. Formal language • 1. Formal language, even when spoken, is often associated with the conventions expected of written standard English. At its most extreme, formal language is signalled by complex, complete sentences, impersonality, avoidance of colloquial or slang vocabulary, and a consistent preference for learned words, often derived from Latin.

31. Formal and Informal Language • 2. Informal language is characterised by a simpler grammatical structure (i.e. loosely- connected sentences and phrases), personal evaluation, and a colloquial or slang vocabulary. • 3. Formal and informal forms of address also differ, e.g. from the frozen? My Right Honourable and Learned Friend associated with official parliamentary proceedings, to the intimate darling or love associated with close friends and family.

32. Formal or Informal language Official or serious situations are often signaled by the use of formal language, while ordinary or relaxed situations are signaled by the use of informal language. Formality of language varies in relation to such factors as public v. private occasion, the size of the audience, the relationship of the speaker/writer with the audience, and so on. The ability to vary your language according to the situation is often considered a mark of an educated person.

33. Part IV Translation & Writing 1. Translation Skills 2. Writing Practice

34. 英译汉省略译法（2）省略介词和连词 • 省略是指原文中有些词在译文中不译出来，因为译文中虽无其词而已有其意，或者在译文中是不言而喻的。换言之，省略是删去一些可有可无的，或者有了反嫌累赘或违背译文语言习惯的词。但省略并不是把原文的某些思想内容删去。以下介绍的是省略介词和省略连词的翻译技巧：

35. 1. 省略介词 英语较为频繁地使用介词，而汉语使用介词频率较低，因此英语中许多介词或转译成汉语动词，或省略不译。一般说来，表示时间和地点的介词，译成汉语如出现在句首，大都可以省略，出现在句子的其他位置时大都不省略，例如： 1)My family came to America in 1985. 1985年我们全家来到美国。（省略表示时间的介词 "in"） 或译：我们全家于1985年来到美国。 2)Smoking is not allowed in the store-house. 仓库重地，不准吸烟。（省略表示地点的介词 "in"） 3) But a passenger at the back of the bus saw him. 但坐在巴士尾部的一位女乘客发现他了。 4) His problem began at the airport in Los Angeles. 他的问题始于洛杉矶机场。

36. 2.省略连词 由于英语重形合，注重词与词，句与句的关系，并列句、复合句都得靠连接词来表示句子之间的逻辑关系，所以连词使用较多；而汉语重意合，彼此逻辑关系不是通过连词表示，而是通过暗含的逻辑关系来表达，所以连词使用较少，在英译汉中需要把某些英语连词加以省略，例如： 1)When I said nothing was wrong, my mother answered, "You are my daughter. When something is bothering you, I feel it too." 我跟她说一切正常，母亲回答说：“你是我女儿，你有烦心事，我也能感觉到。”（省略从属连词 “when”） 2)Because they misunderstand the intended meaning, they commonly react in an unsupportive manner. 他们误解了女人想要表达的意思，便常常以不赞同的态度来回答她们。（省略从属连词 “because”）

37. Writing • A Sample: • Avoid Misunderstanding • "Why do they keep misunderstanding me?" We often hear people complain. Misunderstanding seems to be one of the most disturbing issues in interpersonal relationships. We often see how it undermines the harmonious relationships between people.

38. Writing • Several factors contribute to misunderstanding. First, people with different personal and cultural backgrounds may have diverse perspectives in interpreting one behavior. Second, the language we use as a vehicle of conveying thought can be ambiguous, and various ways of decoding (解码) words may result in barriers in communication. Third, misunderstanding occurs because of a lack of mutual trust. If you have prejudice (偏见) against someone, whatever he says may sound iii intentioned to you.

39. Writing • Having gone so far in the exploration of the causes of misunderstanding, we can easily arrive at the ways to avoid them. Firstly, we should be broad minded and be tolerant of the differences among people. Secondly, we should be accurate and appropriate in our handle of language, avoiding misleading words. Thirdly, we should be constructive and patient in dealing with people. • If we try hard enough, there will be more understanding and less misunderstanding in this world.