Unit 2 Englishes & Stop Being Coy

Unit 2 Englishes & Stop Being Coy

Text A: EnglishesGuess the typical situations for the following two conversations: • A: I am so glad that you invited us, Mary. It is a great party and we had bags of fun. B: I am glad , too, Jane. You are always my beloved. • A: It was extremely gracious of you to invite me , Lady Jones. We had a wonderful time tonight. B: It is my honour to have you here, Ms Smith. Thank you so much for your precious time!

Why Englishes?English styles: manners of speaking or writing • As an English learner, we should be aware that any language has a variety of styles, and be able to distinguish one style from another, and to use the various styles of language in various situations appropriately. • “Style” can refer to: • personal style: Shakespeare’s style, Bacon’s style, Luxun’s style, Moyan’s style • literary styles, e.g. the style of Tang poetry, the style of Victorian novels • situational style: e.g. the informal style, the formal style, the style of newspapers, the style of salesmen, the style of classroom conversation, and the style of TV advertisements

M. Joos ‘ five-point scale classification: frozen---formal---consultative---casual---intimate Another way to classify English styles: formal---neutral---informal ---familiar

skimming and summarizing Read the text in 10 minutes, and Task 1: underline the key words or sentences in each paragraph. At the same time, mark the new words and expressions for later treatment. Task 2: summarize the main idea of the text in one sentence (p. 22).

reading and guessing • Read the text again, and try to guess the rough meanings of new words and expressions in text (p. 25). • You may rely on the contextof the words, or, if still in a puzzle, turn to an English-Englishdictionary.

reading and understanding • I’ve got bags of fun (Para. 1) • … does not mix with (ibid.) • We must never tire of insisting (Para. 2) • can be labelled “bad” or ”slovenly” English (ibid.) • Many people cannot write them without having a slight feeling of guilt (ibid.) • It is not merely that the judgment is faulty in this particular instance (Para. 3) • Equally, however, we should disapprove of the English used … (ibid.) • … would strike us as just right (ibid.)

language points 1. command n. (1) the ability to control and use 运用的能力，掌握 have a (good) ~ of/over… e.g. • She has a good ~ of spoken English. • He acquired an extraordinary ~ of English language. (2) an order 命令 e.g. • He is the breadmaker of the family, so his wish is a ~. • Give your ~s in a loud, confident voice.

(3) direct, control 指挥，统帅 at/under sb.’s ~ at/under the ~ of sb.听候某人的命令，差遣，指挥 e.g. • The army is under the king’s direct ~. • The army is under the ~ of the king. • I’m at your ~. • The department is at the Dean’s ~.

by sb’s ~/according to sb’s ~根据某人的命令 e.g. The report was written by the Queen’s ~. in ~ (of sth.)控制 e.g. • Who is in ~ here? • Who is in ~ of the firm? take ~ of = (begin) to direct（开始）指挥 e.g. When the general was killed, the senior captain took ~ of the company.

(4) a group of officers or officials with the power to give orders 司令部，司令官 e.g. • the German High Command 德国高级司令部 • the Air Command 空军司令部

vt. (1) • He ~s English very well. • The employers ~ great wealth but we have nothing. (2) ~ sb. to do • He ~ed the soldiers to attack. • She ~ed the man to shut the gates. ~ that + (should) + v. • He ~ed that we (should) attack at once. • A lighted sign ~ed that seat belts (should) be fastened. ~ sth./sb. • He ~ed silence. • If I can be of any further use, ~ me.

(3) • General Smith ~ed the army. • A captain ~s a company of soldiers. • I advised him to ~ his temper. • Our leader is not fit to ~ (vi.). (4) • This great man is able to ~ everyone’s respect. • He ~ed the admiration of all the music lovers. (5) • The hill ~s a fine view. • This fort ~s the whole valley.

commanding adj. (1) 负责指挥的，威严的 e.g. • The speaker’s ~ manner quieted the crowd. • He is a ~ officer. (2) 处于控制地位的，鸟瞰全局的，控制全局的 e.g. • The castle has a ~ position on the steep hill. • We must occupy the ~ heights of economy. (经济重要部门，如银行、铁路等)

2. the + comparative degree, the + comparative degree Translate: 我们越是努力学习，成绩越好。 The harder we study, the higher score/mark we will get. 中国越强大，就越多人学习汉语。 The more powerful China is, the more people will learn Chinese.

3. haphazard (1) adj. happening in an unplanned disorderly manner 随意的，任意的 e.g. • It’s a ~ timetable. • Don’t make any ~ plans. (2) adv. (＝haphazardly) e.g. He always does things ~. (3) n. by/at haphazard 偶然地，碰巧地

4. no more … than …与……同样不 ‘Bags of fun’ is no more a lazy substitute for thought in its appropriate setting than is ‘extremely gracious’ in the setting that is appropriate for this expression. 1. Neither ‘bags of fun’ nor ‘extremely gracious’ is a careless expression in its appropriate setting. 2. ‘Bags of fun’ is not a careless expression when put in suitable situations. Neither is ‘extremely gracious’.

e.g. • He is no more able to speak Japanese than I am. • I earn no more than you do. Why do I have to pay more? • I want to go no more than you do. But somebody has to go there. • Without a degree and with no experience of doing office work, the young man was no more fit to be a secretary than any of us. Sentence rewriting: Neither he nor I am an engineer. → He is no more an engineer than I am. Neither she nor her brother is able to speak Italian. → She is no more able to speak Italian than her brother is.

Translate: 1.在室内设计方面，杰克和苏珊一样不够专业。 2. 我们曾一度认为空气与水是免费的，其实不然，它们和土地一样都不是免费的。 Reference versions: 1. In terms of interior design, Jack is no more professional than Susan is. 2. We once thought of water and air as free; in fact they're not, no more than the land is free.

5. condemn vt. (1) say that sth. has been done wrong, or sb. has done sth. wrong 责备，谴责 ~ sth./sb. e.g. • Everyone ~ed his foolish behaviour. • We ~ cruelty and cruel people. ~ sb. for sth. e.g. The newspapers ~ed the president for his cruel tax policy. (2) (law) give judgment against 判罪，处刑 ~ sb. e.g. The court will ~ the murderer. ~ sb. to sth. e.g. • He was ~ed to death. • The judge ~ed the criminal to 10 years’ imprisonment. ~ sb. to do sth. e.g. The court ~ed her to spend all her life in prison.

(3) doom, force sb. into an unhappy state of affairs 注定，迫使（某人）处于不利之地位 ~ sb. to sth. e.g. • The fate ~ed him to a lonely life. • He was ~ed to a lonely life. • The refugee was ~ed to a wandering life. be ~ed to do sth. e.g. He is ~ed to fail (failure?).

(4) declare that sth. can not be used or to be forfeited 宣布…不能使用（或被没收） e.g. • The building was ~ed and is to be torn down. • The bridge has been ~ed because it is no longer safe. • His property is ~ed. condemnation n. 谴责，定罪（的理由） e.g. • His cheating deserves our hardest ~. • His own actions are his ~.

6. apprehend vt. (1) understand, comprehend (旧用法) 了解 ~ that e.g. • I ~ that you are ready to help her. • I ~ that your work is well-performed. (2) fear 忧虑，恐惧 ~ sth. e.g. Do you ~ any difficulty in your study? ~ that e.g. Do you ~ that you’ll meet with difficulties in your study? (3) arrest, seize（正式）逮捕，捉拿 e.g. ~ the thief.

apprehensible adj. capable of being apprehended 可了解的，可明了的 e.g. • What he said is ~. • It is an ~ example. apprehensive adj. uneasy, worried 不安的，担心 be ~ of/for sth. e.g. • He is ~ of future defeats. • The mother is ~ for her son’s safety. be ~ that e.g. The mother is ~ that her son will be hurt.

apprehension n. (1) understanding 了解，明了 e.g. be quick/slow of ~ 悟性好的/差的 (2) worry, fear e.g. feel ~ for sb’s safety be filled with apprehension充满忧愁 (3) arrest e.g. the ~ of a thief/a criminal

7. strike sb. as: appear to sb. to be …, give the impression of … e.g. • Your suggestion to hitch-hike to Huolushan ~s me as ridiculous because there are very few cars traveling there. • Kate’s idea about gaining their point indirectly struck me as really great. strike v. struck, struck; (AmE) struck, stricken

Text B: Stop Being Coy The meaning of the title: • Do away with your shyness. • Stop being afraid of using plain, simple, direct words. • Don’t try to show off by using big words. • Call a spade a spade.

euphemisms • Test A is a very short piece of exposition, while Text B is a short, forceful piece of argumentative writing to show the writer’s attitude towards the use of euphemisms. What is euphemism? • Euphemism is an example of the use of a pleasanter, less direct name for something thought to be unpleasant. What is the major function of euphemism? • Euphemisms are usually used to replace words associated with subjects that are ”sensitive”, “taboo” such as die, sex, madness and so on which make the hearers upset and embarrassed, in order to beautify the facts and realities/to avoid unpleasantness.

Some examples in Chinese • “老王，最近又发福咯。要突破130大关了吧。” • “王先生，您看起来总是那么仙风道骨。有什么秘诀吗？” • 猪肝vs. 猪红，猪润 • 吉屋出租

Reading and understanding Task 1: Read the text in 10 minutes and answer the question: is the writer for or against “euphemism”? Give your reasons why you say so. (p.24) Task 2: Make a list of all the words and phrases found in the text that ordinary people will use and their corresponding euphemisms.

Language points 1. vast quantities of = lots of • To express the idea of ‘many’: many a, a great/good many, countless, numerous, a large number of, large numbers of, dozens of, masses of, scores of • To express the idea of ‘much’: a great/good deal of, a large/great amount of, large/great amounts of, • modify both the idea of ‘many’ and ‘much’: a lot of, lots of, plenty of, a large quantity of, large quantities of, a supply of, supplies of

2. work to rule to obey the rules of one’s work exactly in such a way that one causes inconvenience to others (usu. these rules are informally changed for convenience), in order to give force to a claim for more money, shorter working hours, etc. 按章工作（工作完全照章行事，并以此为借口对加薪等要求施加压力）

3. appeal vi. (1) attract, move the feelings 吸引 ~ to sb. e.g. This book does not ~ to children. Sentence rewriting: • The film attracted many young people. • What he said interested the boys. (2) make an earnest request 请求，呼吁 ~ to sb. to do sth./for sth. e.g. • He ~ed to his friends to help the poor. • She ~ed to me for help. • The man ~ed to the court for mercy.

(3) take the question (to a higher court) for a new decision 上诉 ~ to (the court) for/against e.g. • I will ~ to a higher court against being found guilty. • He ~ed to the higher court for a new decision. • The court has not been ~ed to. (4) go to sb. for a decision 请求某人决定，求助于… ~ to sb./sth. e.g. • Whenever I have questions, I will ~ to my father. • If you don’t obey me, I’ll ~ to arms/force (= beat you). ~ to law/reason

appeal n. (1) Make/have much/little/no ~ to sb. e.g. • eye-catching ~ • The book has no ~ to me. (2) make an ~ to sb. to do sth./for sth. e.g. He made an ~ to his father to forgive him/for mercy. (3) make an ~ to the court for/against … (4) make an ~ to sb./sth. e.g. I make an ~ to a dictionary when I have some questions.

appealing adj. (1) causing people’s sympathy 引人同情的，打动人心的 e.g. Her ~ eyes made people sympathize with her. (2) attractive or interesting 引人兴趣的 e.g. Her ~ appearance made people like her at once.

4. for all I care: in spite of my objection, in spite of the fact that I object to the use of euphemism for all + n./clause = in spite of e.g. • I’ll do it for all the objections. • For all his efforts, he didn’t succeed.

5. do away with: get rid of e.g. • If atomic cars should be invented in the future, the cars we are using would all be done away with. • The practice of regarding prize-fighting as a perfectly proper enterprise and vehicle of entertainment should be done away with immediately.

Key phrases • a scale of • command over sth. • slide from one to another • no more … than • go round with a single yardstick • nothing but • in this particular instance • disapprove of • strike sb. as just right • vast quantities of • appeal to • for all … • do away with

Blank-filling exercises: 1. The boy’s command ____the skill of catching fish needs to be improved. 2. What will happen if we mix sugar _____vinegar? 3. _____this occasion a lady usually keeps silent. 4.The criminal was condemned____ death by the Supreme Court. 5. You can address the lady ___her family name. 6.The new computer game appealed ____the children. 7. My grandpa passed ____long before, leaving my grandma alone. 8.We can’t judge man _____appearances.

Translation exercises • 英语有很多文体，我们必须掌握各种文体，并在不同场合使用不同的文体。 • 有些人反对委婉语的使用，因为它们会造成误解。 • 他的儿子因抢劫银行被判处无期徒刑。 • 他对原判不服而向上级法院上诉。 • 史密斯太太为她先生的身体健康担忧。 • 当我碰到不懂的词时，我就求助于字典。 • 如果你不努力学习，你就注定要补考。 • 新书展览吸引了很多年轻人，因为书展上有很多新的科技书籍。 • 老师要求说，所有的学生都要在星期五前完成毕业论文的初稿。 • 联合国秘书长呼吁双方克制，以避免战争。

Suggested key to translation exercises • There is a wide range of English styles over which we must have a good command so that we know how to use each style consistently. • Some people are opposed to the use of euphemisms because they may cause misunderstandings. • His son was condemned to life imprisonment for bank robbery. • He appealed to the higher court against the original sentence. • Mrs. Smith is apprehensive for her husband’s health. • When I come across an unfamiliar/unknown word, I’ll appeal to my dictionary. • If you don’t work hard enough, you are condemned to take a make-up exam. • The exhibition of new books appealed very much to young people for there are many new publications on science and technology. • The teacher commanded that all students finish the first draft of their graduation papers before Friday. • The Secretary General of the United Nations appealed to the two sides to exercise restraint in order to avoid a war.

Writing Write a 150-word essay with the following title: A couch tomato or a bookworm?

Unit 2 Englishes & Stop Being Coy