Unit 6 Women, Half the Sky

Unit 6 Women, Half the Sky Text A I’m Going to Buy the Brooklyn Bridge Text B Beginning Anew

Lead-in Activities • Please think over the following question: • Is your mother busy? What are her main tasks in daily life? • Group Discussion: Give a brief introduction to the social status of women across the world. (China, elsewhere in the world) Have you seenThe Desperate Housewives?

Organization of Text A • Part Paras Main Ideas • One 1-3 Despite her friend’s advice, the author, unable to resist the temptation, falls for superwoman stories again. • Two 4-7 The author encounters with a superwoman, which influences her a lot. • Three 8-11 She tells about what prevents her from becoming a superwoman herself. • Four 12-14 She analyzes why she is still fascinated by modern superwoman tales. • Five 15 She comes to the conclusion that to her, admiring a heroine is something worth doing.

Group Discussion ( for Part 1-3) • 1.What does “the Brooklyn Bridge” mean? • The Brooklyn Bridge means something impossible or an incredible story. Folktales about people who are so gullible as to be persuaded by confidence tricksters to buy well-known landmarks are numerous in America and elsewhere. • 2. The first three parts may well be grouped under one topic. What’s it? • I am fascinated by superwomen.

3. How does the author explain the difficulties to be a • superwoman? • By personal experiences. • 1) She is unable to get her act together. • 2) She can almost expect something to go wrong as • soon as she sets to work. • 3) Everything on her schedule might take much more • time than is expected. • 4) She usually feels exhausted after a busy day.

Questions and Answers (for part 4-5) • 1. Why is the author still so fascinated by modern superwomen tales? • 2. What different opinions do people usually hold about men and women? • 3. Does the author believe she could become a superwoman someday? • 4. What are the positive sides of superwomen stories?

Culture noteFeminism • In the 1960s feminism (=the belief that women and men are equal in abilities and should have equal rights and opportunities) became the subject of intense debate when the women’s liberation movement encouraged women to reject their traditional supporting role and to demand equal status and equal rights with men in areas such as employment and pay.

Since then the gender gap between the sexes has been reduced. However the battle between feminist and traditional views of a woman’s role continues. It is widely accepted by younger people that women should, if they wish, be allowed to develop their careers and not give up work when they have a family.

Feminism has brought about many changes in the English language. Many words for job titles that included “man” have been replaced, for example, “police officer”is used instead of “policeman” and “chairperson”for “chairman”. “He” is now rarely used to refer to a person when the person could be either a man or a woman. The title “Ms” is used for women instead of “Miss” or “Mrs”, since it does not show whether a woman is married or not.

While-Reading ActivitiesNew Words and Expressions • 1. draft • 1)n. ①a first rough writing (of a book, speech, etc.)（书、演说等的）草稿，草图 • 【经典例句】I’m writing my speech draft. • 我正在写讲话稿。 • ②bill of exchange; money order汇票，付款通知单 • 【经典例句】Payment must be made by bank draft. • 必须以银行汇票的方式付款。 • ③cold air that comes into a room, etc.通风；穿堂风 • 【经典例句】I can feel a cold draft under the door. • 我能感觉到门底下透进来的冷风。

2)vt. ①write or draw roughly; prepare a rough plan, sketch, etc. of 起草，拟蓝图 • 【经典例句】He drafted a speech for me. • 他给我起草了一篇讲话稿。 • ②select and send (soldiers) on a special duty征兵 • 【经典例句】They have been drafted into the P. L. A. • 他们应征参加了人民解放军。 • 【记忆法】也可拼写为draught，经常特指，意为“通风，穿堂风”。 • 【考点】draft beer生啤；a draft system征兵制；a demand draft即期汇票；stand in a draft站在通风处；a draft of air一阵风

【历年真题】He is now revising the first ______ of the report. (CET-6, 1997. 1) • A. drift B. drawing • C. drill D. draft • 【答案】D • 【解析】A. drift意为“漂流，漂泊”； B. drawing意为“素描”； C. drill意为“训练，演练”；D. draft意为“草稿，草图”。 • 译文：他现在正在修改这份报告的初稿。

2. undo • vt. ①unfasten (what is tied or wrapped)解开，拉开，松开，拆开 • 【经典例句】The package was fastened in such a way that it was impossible to undo. • 这个包裹捆得那么紧, 根本解不开。 • ②cancel取消，撤销 • 【经典例句】What is done cannot be undone. • 覆水难收。 • ③disturb or upset greatly使烦恼，使不安 • 【经典例句】The news that her son was missing undid her. 她儿子失踪的消息让她心神不宁。

3. incredible • a. ①difficult to believe不能相信的，不可信的，难以置信的，不可思议的 • 【经典例句】Michael told us an incredible story about his grandmother catching a thief. • 迈克尔给我们讲了一个他祖母抓小偷的令人难以置信的故事。 • ②amazing惊人的，妙极的 • 【经典例句】We had an incredible holiday! • 我们度过了一个极愉快的假日。 • 【记忆法】反义词：credible a. 可信的 • 形近词：incredulous a. 不轻信（他人）的；credulous a. 轻信（他人）的

【历年真题】Your excuse that an elephant fell on you and made you late is just ______. • (CET-6, 1996. 6) • A. inevitable B. indispensable • C. incredible D. incurable • 【答案】C • 【解析】A. inevitable意为“不可避免的”； B. indispensable意为“不可缺少的, 绝对必要的”；C. incredible意为“不能相信的，不可信的；难以置信的，不可思议的；惊人的，妙极的”； D. incurable意为“不能治愈的”。根据句意，C项正确。 • 译文：你说一只大象袭击你，因而让你迟到了，这借口根本不可信。

【历年真题】Some children display an ______ curiosity about every new thing they encounter. • (CET-6, 1998. 1) • A. incredible B. infectious • C. incompatible D. inaccessible • 【答案】A • 【解析】A. incredible意为“不能相信的，不可信的；难以置信的，不可思议的；惊人的，妙极的”； B. infectious意为“有传染性的, 易传染的, 有感染力的”； C. incompatible意为“性质相反的, 矛盾的, 不调和的”； D. inaccessible意为“达不到的, 难以接近的”。根据句意，只有A项更为合理。 • 译文：有些小孩对他们所遇到的每一件新事物都表现出令人不可思议的好奇。

4. skeptical • a. inclined not to believe; in the habit of questioning the truth of claims, statements, etc.怀疑的，惯于怀疑主张、陈述等的真实性的 • 【经典例句】He is skeptical about everything. • 他对于一切事物都持怀疑态度。 • 【记忆法】也可拼写为sceptical（英式拼写）。 • skeptic n. 怀疑论者，无神论者；skeptically ad. 怀疑地；skepticism n. 怀疑论 • 【考点】be skeptical of/ about sth.对某事产生怀疑

【历年真题】Many scientists remain ________ about the value of this research program. • (CET-6, 2002. 1) • A. skeptical B. stationary • C. spacious D. specific • 【答案】A • 【解析】A. skeptical 意为“怀疑的，惯于怀疑主张、陈述等的真实性的”，词组be skeptical about表示“对……持怀疑态度”； B. stationary为“静止的”； C. spacious为“宽敞的”； D. specific为“具体的”，都不与about构成搭配关系。 • 译文：许多科学家仍对这项研究计划的价值持怀疑态度。

5. consume • vt. ①use up; run out of; spend用尽，消耗掉，花费 • 【经典例句】He consumed much time and energy in writing this book. • 他花费了很多时间和精力写这本书。 • He soon consumed his fortune. • 他很快将财产挥霍一空。 • ②eat or drink up吃光，喝光 • 【经典例句】He consumed the best part of a leg of mutton. • 他吃掉了羊腿上最好的一部分肉。

③destroy, esp. by fire烧毁，毁灭 • 【经典例句】A great fire consumes the town. • 一场大火把这个小镇化为灰烬。 • 【记忆法】扩展词汇：consumer n. 消费者；consumption n. 消费 • 同义词汇：“用光，消耗掉” use up, run out of, cost, spend, use；“吞食，吃” devour, swallow • 反义词汇：produce • 易混词汇：resume n. 摘要，履历；v. 再继续，再开始

【辨析】 • consume, cost, spend 消耗，花费 • consume 作为“消耗，花费”讲时，是正式用词，主要表示“消耗”消费品，有时表示“消耗”能量等，如：His old car consumed much gasoline.他的旧汽车耗油很多。 • cost是常用词，意为“价钱为，使花费”，其主语为花去这一价钱之物或用于句型It costs…to do something中，如：John’s new bicycle cost $160.或It cost John $160 to buy the new bicycle.约翰的新自行车花了一百六十元美元。 • spend多指花费金钱、时间或精力，常用于结构spend…(in) doing something或spend…on something中，如：She spends too much on clothes.她在衣服上的花费太多了。

consume, devour, swallow吞食，吃 • consume作为“吞食，吃”讲时，指完全用光，消耗掉。 • devour指人或动物狼吞虎咽地吃光东西，含吞食之意，如：The hungry dog devoured the dish of meat.那只饿狗把那盘肉一下子全吃光了。 • swallow指食物不经嚼碎整个地或成块地被吞咽下去，也指大口吃喝，如：In hot weather he swallows much water.天热时他喝很多水。

【考点】be consumed with因……而变得憔悴，给……弄得心劳神疲；心中充满（忌妒等）；consume one’s fortune耗尽财产；consume away（体力等）消耗掉；be consumed by因……而毁掉/死 • 【历年真题】In Britain people ______ four million tons of potatoes every year. (CET-4, 2000. 1) • A. swallow B. dispose C. consume D. exhaust • 【答案】C • 【解析】A. swallow意为“吞；嚼；忍受”； B. dispose意为“处置，安排”； C. consume意为“消耗”； D. exhaust意为“用尽，耗光”。根据句意，唯有C项符合。 • 　译文：在英国，人们每年消耗掉400万吨土豆。

6. care for • ①look after; attend to照顾；照料 • 【经典例句】His aunt cared for him when he was ill. • 　　　　　　他生病时，他阿姨照顾他。 • ②like; be pleased or attracted by喜欢；对……中意 • 【经典例句】I don’t care for pop music. • 我不怎么喜欢流行音乐。 • 【考点】当care for表示“喜欢”时，一般用于否定句和疑问句中。

由care构成的词组还有： • 1)care about对……感兴趣，注意 • I do not much care about music. • 我对音乐不太感兴趣。 • 2)take care小心 • Take care not to drop the glass. • 小心，别把玻璃杯弄掉了。 • 3)take care of爱护，照顾，处理 • The nurses took good care of the patient and he soon recovered. • 护士细心护理病人，病人很快恢复了健康。

【历年真题】This article ______ more attention to the problem of cultural interference in foreign language teaching and learning. (CET-4, 2000. 6) • A. calls for B. applies for • C. cares for D. allows for • 【答案】A • 【解析】本题测试动词短语辨异、词汇与固定搭配。A. call for意为“需要，要求；提倡”； B. 意为apply for“申请”； C. care for意为“关心，担心，计较；照顾；喜欢”； D. allow for意为“考虑到，体谅”。 • 译文：这篇文章呼吁人们更多地关注外语教学中涉及到的文化干扰的问题。

7.rarely • ad. not happening often很少，难得，罕见地，罕有地 • 【经典例句】She is old and rarely goes out. • 　　　　　　她年纪大了，很少外出。 • 【记忆法】rare a. 罕有的；稀薄的；（肉类）半熟的 • 【辨析】rare, scarce a. 罕有的，不足的，少见的 • rare一般用于指长期缺少而珍贵，如：These flowers are very rare in this country.在这个国家里，这种花是很稀有的。 • scarce指暂时缺乏而不足，如：Flowers are scarce in winter.冬天花儿很少。

【考点】rarely放于句首时，句子主谓要倒装，以上面的【经典例句】为例：Rarely have I seen such a beautiful sunset.我很少看到这么美丽的日落。 • rarely可用于It is (was) rarely that…结构中，其中rarely是副词作表语用，如：It was rarely indeed that she had apologized for her rudeness.她居然为自己的粗鲁道歉了，这实在是少有的。 • 【历年真题】San Francisco is usually cool in the summer, but Los Angeles ______. (CET-4, 1991. 6) • A. is rarely B. rarely is • C. hardly is D. is scarcely • 【答案】B

【解析】本题测试频率副词辨异。句中usually是频率副词，而选项C和D中的hardly和scarcely是程度副词，所以选项C和D可排除。与usually对应的是rarely，如果句中有情态动词，助动作或be动词时，副词应在be动词或情态动词之后，实义动词之前，在省略句中，这类副词应放在情态动词、助动词或动词to be之前。本句的后面分句省略了cool，因而选项B正确。 • 译文：旧金山夏天通常很凉爽，而洛杉矶却很少有凉快的时候。

【历年真题】He is always here. It’s ______ you’ve never met him. (CET-4, 2002. 6) • A. unique B. strange C. rare D. peculiar • 【答案】B • 【解析】本题测试近义词辨析。A, B, C, D意思较为接近，但是含义和用法有所不同。A. unique “唯一的，独特的，独一无二的”，无比较级； B. strange“奇怪的”，常用于同位语从句It’s strange that…； C. rare“稀少的，罕见的”，指罕见且可能珍贵的东西； D. peculiar“与众不同的，异常的”，是贬义词，一般有不太好的意味。由句意知B项最合理。strange在该句中充当主语从句的表语。 • 译文：他一直在这儿，很奇怪你居然从未见过他。

8. guilt n. 罪（过），过错，罪责；内疚 • guilty • a. ①justly chargeable with or responsible for a usually grave breach of conduct or a crime犯……的罪的，有罪的 • 【经典例句】He is guilty of a crime/ of murder/ of theft. • 　　　　　　他犯了罪/杀人罪/盗窃罪。

②aware of or suffering from guilt自觉有罪的，心虚的，于心有愧的，良心不安的，内疚的 • 【经典例句】He felt guilty about blaming his best friend.他因为责备了他最好的朋友而感到内疚。 • A guilty conscience needs no accuser. • 　做贼心虚。 • 【考点】be guilty of犯了……罪，有……的罪责；feel guilty about/over/for sth.对……感到内疚；find one guilty of发现某人有……罪

【历年真题】He was ______ of having asked such a silly question. (CET-4, 1991. 6) • A. sorry B. guilty • C. ashamed D. miserable • 【答案】C • 【解析】本题测试形容词短语辨异、词汇与固定搭配。A. sorry (for/about)意为“伤心，难过”； B. guilty (of) 意为“内疚”； C. ashamed (of) 意为“惭愧”； D. miserable (at) 意为“痛苦，难受”；选项C符合题意。 • 译文：他因为问了一个愚蠢的问题而感到惭愧。

【历年真题】It does not alter the fact that he was the man ______ for the death of the little girl. • (CET-4, 1995. 1) • A. accounting B. guilty • C. responsible D. obliged • 【答案】C • 【解析】本题测试固定搭配。A. accounting (for) 意为“说明……原因”； B. guilty (of) 意为“犯……罪”，“因……而内疚”； C. responsible (for) 意为“对……负责”符合题意； D. obliged (to) 意为“不得不做……”。 • 译文：这无法改变他对那个小女孩的死亡负责这一事实。

【历年真题】The police let him go, because they didn’t find him guilty ______ the murder. • (CET-6, 1997. 6) • A. of B. in • C. over D. on • 【答案】A • 【解析】be guilty of为固定搭配，意为“犯有……罪”。 • 译文：警察放了他，因为他们就这起谋杀案没有发现他有罪。

9. decorate • vt. put pretty things on something to make it look nice装饰，装璜 • 【经典例句】The family decorate the Christmas tree with glass balls and lights. • 　全家人用玻璃球和小灯泡装饰圣诞树。 • 【记忆法】decorative a. 装饰的；decoration n. 装饰，装饰品；装修；decorator n. 装饰工 • 【考点】decorate sth. with sth.用……装饰……；sb. is decorated for sth.因……而被授予殊荣

【辨析】decorate, ornament, adorn都有“装饰”的意思。 • decorate指通过增加色泽和花样消除了平淡无奇，使原物美起来，该词使用范围广泛，尤用于装饰地方或物品，如：They are decorating the church for the wedding.他们正在装饰教堂，为婚礼作准备。 • ornament指装饰物作为附属品美化另一物，如：Who ornamented his pet with silver bells?谁给自己的宠物戴了银制铃铛？ • adorn指装饰物不仅可以提高环境的美而本身就很美，如：She adorned herself with jewels.她身上珠光宝气。

10. reproach • 1)v. find fault with (sb., usually with a feeling of sorrow, or suggesting the need for sorrow)责备（某人，通常带着难过的心情，或暗示需要感到难过） • 【经典例句】His mother reproached him for his bad manners.　他母亲责备他没有礼貌。 • Do not reproach yourself—it was not your fault. • 不要自责了，这不是你的错。

2)n. the act or action of reproaching or disapproving斥责，责难 • 【经典例句】His behavior is beyond reproach. • 他的行为无可非议。 • 【记忆法】reproachful a. 责备的；reproachfully ad. 责备地 • 【考点】reproach sb. for sth.为某事而责备某人； reproach oneself自责； • without/ beyond/ above reproach无可非议，毫无缺点

【历年真题】She ______ him for forgetting their anniversary. (CET-6, 2000. 1) • A. repressed B. reproached • C. cursed D. sweared • 【答案】B • 【解析】A. repressed意为“约束，抑制”； B. reproached意为“责备，批评”； C. cursed意为“使遭难，诅咒”；D. sweared意为“发誓，诅咒”。根据句意可知B为正确答案。 • 译文：她责备他竟把他们的结婚周年纪念日忘了。

11. harmony • n. ①the combination of simultaneous musical notes in a chord谐调，和声，和音 • ②the agreement of things with one another和谐，融洽，一致 • 【经典例句】My cat and dog live in perfect harmony. • 我的猫和狗相处得十分和睦。 • 【记忆法】harmonious a. 和谐的，一致的；harmonize v. 协调；disharmony n. 不和谐，不一致 • 【考点】be in/out of harmony (with)（与……）（不）协调一致，（与……）（不）和睦相处； • in perfect harmony很和谐

【历年真题】I went along thinking of nothing ______ only looking at things around me. • (CET-4, 2004. 6) • A. in brief B. in doubt • C. in harmony D. in particular • 【答案】D • 【解析】本题测试固定词组辨析。A. in brief意思是“简而言之”； B. in doubt意思为“感到怀疑，还未确定”； C. in harmony with意思为“和……协调一致”； D. in particular意思是“特别的”。 • 译文：我边走边看着周围的事物，没想什么特别的事。

12. by nature innately 生性，本性上，生来就 • 【经典例句】He is strong by nature. • 他本性刚强。 • He was born with a gift in music by nature. • 他天生有音乐才能。 • 【历年真题】Children are very curious ______. (CET-4, 1991. 6) • A. at heart B. in person C. on purpose D. by nature • 【答案】D • 【解析】本题测试介词短语辨异。A. at heart意为“内心里”； B. in person意为“亲自”； C. on purpose意为“故意地”； D. by nature意为“天生地，出于本性地”，符合题意。 • 译文：孩子天生好奇。

13. military • 1)a. of, for or related with armed forces, soldiers or war军事的，军用的 • 【经典例句】We had a military training last week. • 上星期我们进行了军训。 • 2)n. armed forces军队，武装力量 • 【经典例句】The military were on the march. • 军队在行军中。 • 【记忆法】militarism n. 军国主义；militarize v. 军事化

【辨析】military, martial • military为常用词，指有关军事、军队或战争的所有事物，如：That is a problem in connection with the military affairs.那是一个和军事有关的问题。 • martial用于形容军队的光荣、威武或壮观，如：The sound of martial music is always inspiring.军乐声总是激动人心。

【考点】military training 军训； • a military band 军乐队； • military personnel 军事人员； • a military camp 军营； • military service 兵役； • a military government 军政府；

a military academy 军事学院； • a military discipline 军纪； • military age 兵役年龄； • military operation 作战，军事行动 • military作名词时，只用于the military，表示“军队，武装力量”。

14. at intervals • with short spaces or times between相隔不远；不时 • 【经典例句】He visits me at regular intervals. • 他总是隔一段时间来看我一次。 • The flags were arranged at intervals of ten feet. • 每隔10英尺插着一杆旗帜。 • 【考点】在at和intervals之间也可以插入short, long, monthly, regular, frequent等形容词。

【历年真题】In the advanced course students must take performance tests at monthly ______. • (CET-4, 1993. 6) • A. gaps B. intervals • C. length D. distance • 【答案】B • 【解析】本题测试名词辨异、词汇与固定搭配。A. gaps意为“间隔”,不可与at连用； B. intervals可与at连用，意为“每隔……时间（或距离）”，符合题意； C. length与at连用，意为“详尽地”； D. distance意思是“距离”。 • 译文：学生们学习高级课程必须每隔一个月参加考核学习情况的测试。

【历年真题】Students or teachers can participate in excursions to lovely beaches around the island at regular ______ . (CET-4, 1997. 1) • A. gaps B. rate C. length D. intervals • 【答案】D • 【解析】本题测试名词辨异、词汇与固定搭配。A. gaps意为“豁裂，缝口，间隙，中断，分歧，差距”； B. rate意为“比率，速度，价格，等级”； C. length意为“长度”，at length意为“最后, 详细地”； D. intervals意为“（时间或空间的）间隔，间歇”。根据句意，应选择D项。 • 译文：每隔一段时间，师生们就能到美丽的环岛海岸游玩。

Unit 6 Women, Half the Sky