Unit 5 : Moral Values

1. New Century College English: Book 2 Unit 5 : Moral Values Why Character Counts

2. Pre-reading Activities Intensive Study Useful Expressions Proverbs and Quotations

3. Pre-reading Activities Preview Warm-up Questions Structure of Text A

4. Directions: Do you know your own character? Connect the adjectives describing character or personality with the people in the cartoons. sympathetic lazy independent superstitious unselfish vain sociable conceited generous mean rebellious confident ( ) conceited ( ) unselfish

5. ( ) mean ( ) vain ( ) confident ( ) ( ) lazy

6. ( ) independent ( ) sociable ( ) sympathetic ( ) rebellious

7. ( ) generous ( ) superstitious

8. Warm-up Discussion 1. Do you think it is important for you to develop character? Explain your reasons. 2. Who do you trust most in your everyday life? Why? 3. What moral values do you honour in your life? 4. What are the typical virtues of Chinese people in your opinion?

9. Parts Main Ideas Paragraphs The bank president’s failing was one of character. 1 1~5 The author insists that what really matters for success is one’s character rather than one’s personality. 2 6~13 One can build character at any age with the inside-out approach and by admitting mistakes. One’s family provides a critical measure of one’s character and the opportunity to nurture it. 3 14~22 The bank president was forgiven by his wife and his employees after he admitted his mistake. He then began to find his own path to character. 4 23~28

10. Intensive Study Intensive Study • Difficult sentences • Key words, phrases & usages • Comprehension exercises

11. Why Character Counts Stephen R. Covey Preview Many tend to believe that the only things we need for success are talent, energy and personality. Yet the story of the young and competent executive in the following text demonstrates that such values as integrity, honesty, and loyalty are even more essential for our success and happiness

12. Some time ago I was asked to consult for a bank that was having a problem with employee morale. “I don’t know what’s wrong,” complained their young president sadly. Bright and attractively capable, he’d risen through the ranks only to see his institution faltering. Productivity and profits were down. He blamed his employees. “No matter what incentives I provide,” he said, “they won’t shake off this gloom and doom.” He was right. The atmosphere seemed poisoned with suspicion and lack of trust. For two months I ran workshops, but nothing helped. I was stumped. A deeply pessimistic outlook or feeling.

13. Finally, in more casual conversations, the truth emerged. The boss, who was married, was having an affair with an employee. And everyone knew it. It was obvious now that the company’s poor performance was caused by his conduct. But the greatest damage this man was doing was to himself. He was thinking only of his own pleasure and satisfaction disregarding long-term consequences. Moreover, he had violated a sacred trust with his wife. In a word, his failing was one of character.

14. What Really Matters Character is made up of those principles and values that give your life direction, meaning and depth. These constitute your inner sense of what’s right and wrong based not on laws or rules of conduct but on who you are. They include such traits as integrity, honesty, courage, fairness and generosity which arise from the hard choices we have to make in life. So, wrong is simply in doing wrong, not in getting caught. Yet some people wonder if our inner values matter anymore. After all, hasn’t our noted bank executive succeeded in every visible way, despite his moral failing?

15. This question demonstrates a dilemmaof our modern life. Many have come to believe that the only things we need for success are talent, energy and personality. But history has taught us that who we are is more important than who we appear to be. During the nation’s first century and a half, almost everything in the literature of success and self-help focused on what could be called the character ethic. Such eminent figures as Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson made clear their belief that we can only experience true success and happiness by making character the guideline of our lives.

16. After we moved into the industrial age and after World War I, the basic view of success shifted to what we could call the personality ethic. Success became more a function of charm, skills and techniques that lubricate the process of human interaction. Rather than struggle with difficult issues of right and wrong, we turned to making things run smoothly. Some of that philosophy expressed itself with harmless but superficial mottoes, such as “smiling wins more friends than frowning.” Other ideas were even deceptive, faking interest in others’ hobbies so they will like you, for instance.

17. With a value system based solely on skill and personality, we find heroes in athletes, musicians and in powerful business executives. But despite the admiration we feel for these achievers, we shouldn’t necessarily look upon them as role models. While skill is certainly needed for success, it can never guarantee happiness and fulfilment. These come from developing character. You can begin to build character at any age. The key is learning how to look within to work inside out. With the inside-out approach, private victories precede public victories. These private victories are simply promises you make to yourself and others and then keep.

18. Day by day, as you make and keep increasingly challenging promises, you will be making deposits in your “character account.” What begins as great effort will eventually become a habit. And as you get into the habit of building character in the smaller areas of your life, your ability to develop character strength in more important spheres will grow. Private victories therefore lead to your larger public victories. For instance, to gain more freedom to think and act in your job, you must first be a more responsible employee. To create a happy marriage, first be the kind of person who generates love, generosity, dependability and trust.

19. There’s no more essential ingredient for character growth than trust. Whether it is trust we earn from colleagues or a spouse, it is built slowly over time in an infinite variety of circumstances. Another way to build character is to admit your mistakes. Character is revealed in how we handle things that go wrong. The best opportunities to build character, however, are within our families, where we are constantly tested and most vulnerable to lapses. True character begins at home.

20. Often we sense that we can get away with things around those who know us best, who will love us regardless of our conduct. This can end up destroying our character and our relationships. How often have we heard of someone who is an excellent employee but treats his or her spouse like a piece of furniture? All our relationships follow the patterns of life; they have ups and downs. This is why our families provide a critical measure of our character and the opportunity, again and again, to nurture it.

21. What became of the bank president who was involved sexually with an employee? When I confided to him what I knew of his affair and the effect it was having on his staff, he ran his fingers through his hair. “I don’t know where to begin,” he said. “Is it over?” He looked me directly in the eye. “Yes. Absolutely.” “Then begin by talking with your wife,” I answered.

22. He told his wife, who forgave him. Then he called a meeting of his staff and addressed their morale problem. “I have found the cause of the problem,” he said. “It is me. I am asking you to give me another chance.” It took time, but eventually the employees’ morale, a sense of openness, optimism and trust improved. In the end, however, the executive was doing himself the greatest favor. He was finding his own path to character.

23. Key words, phrases & usages character, personality, nature, temperament, individuality这组词都表示人的“脾气，性格”。character意为“天性，性情，性格，个性；品格”，侧重人格、品质，特指道义方面的邪、正、强、弱等，也可笼统表示性格全貌。还有“特点，人物”等多种意义。She is a woman of strong character.她是个性格坚强的女人。 personality意为“人格，个性，为人”，是在私下和社交场合体现的能影响他人对自己的印象或看法的性情、举止等。 personality也有“人物、名人”之意。Love had to be a give and take, each respecting the other’s personality.爱既包含奉献也包含索取，彼此应尊重对方的人格。

24. Key words, phrases & usages nature意为“本性，天性，性质”，指天生的，无法改变的品质或性格。It’s not her nature to be rude; she’s polite by nature.她的天性不是粗鲁无礼，而是彬彬有礼。 temperament意为“性情，脾气，气质”，主要指影响人的思想、感情及行为的性情、气质或人易激动、易怒等特点。Many actors have excitable temperament.许多演员性情容易激动。 individuality意为“个性、特征”，指与他人不同的、有显著特色的性格特征. Dress expresses the wearer’s individuality.衣着反映人的个性。

25. Key words, phrases & usages competent — able to do something well Opposite: incompetent e.g. • a competent secretary/horse-rider/cook • I wouldn't say he was brilliant but he is competent at his job. • I thought she played the role very competently.

26. Key words, phrases & usages integrity— quality of being honest and having strong moral principles that you refuse to change e.g. • You can trust him; he is a man of complete integrity. 你可以相信他，他是一个刚正不阿的人。 • Our integrity as a nation is threatened by these separatist forces. integrate…into…/with…

27. Key words, phrases & usages consult– ask for information /discuss e.g. • I’m not quite sure how to get there — I’d better consult a map. • Why didn’t you consult me about this? • 他们将就如何开展竞选活动进行磋商。 • They are going to consult on how to launch the election campaign.

28. Key words, phrases & usages morale: n. the level of confidence and positive feelings that people have, especially people who work together, who belong to the same team, etc. A couple of victories would improve the team’s morale enormously. 长期的失业使得他精神不振。 A long period of unemployment weakened his morale.

29. Key words, phrases & usages rise through the ranks: make progress from a low position to a high position On our ships, the officers rose through the ranks and every young sailor boy had his chances. She had joined the company as a secretary and risen through the ranks.

30. Key words, phrases & usages falter— to lose strength or purpose and stop, or almost stop; to move awkwardly as if you might fall e.g. • I faltered for a while and was still unable to make a decision.我踌躇了一阵，还是无法做决定。 • The business faltered and then failed. • The sick man faltered a few steps and then fell. • This legislation is designed to stimulate the faltering economy.

31. Key words, phrases & usages stump— The part of a tree trunk left protruding from the ground after the tree has fallen or has been felled; to be unable to answer a question or solve a problem because it is too difficult ; e.g. • I'm completely stumped - how did she manage to escape? • Scientists are stumped by this mystery virus.

32. Key words, phrases & usages emerge — to appear; to come to the end of; to become known e.g. • She emerged from the sea, blue with cold. • The Prince emerged unscathed from the scandal. • The facts behind the scandal are sure to emerge eventually. • [+ that ] It has emerged that secret talks had been going on between the two companies before the takeover was announced. • She's the most exciting British singer to emerge on the pop scene for a decade.

33. Key words, phrases & usages affair— a sexual relationship, especially a secret one e.g. • She's having an affair with a married man. • The book doesn't make any mention of his love affairs. • an extramarital affair • She organizes her financial affairs very efficiently. • Leave me alone, mind your own affairs.

34. Key words, phrases & usages conduct e.g. • The reporter was accused of unprofessional conduct. • I think he conducted himself admirably, considering the difficult circumstances. • May I conduct you to your table, sir, or would you prefer to have a drink at the bar first? • Copper conducts electricity better than iron does. • Who's conducting at tonight's concert? • We are conducting a survey to find out…

35. During the nation’s first century and a half, almost everything in the literature of success and self-help focused on what could be called the character ethic. 1. Paraphrase this sentence. During the first 150 years of our country, almost everything written about success and self-help centered on the importance of good character for success. 2. Translate the sentence into Chinese. 在我国历史最初的150多年中，几乎所有关于成功与自励的文献都聚焦在品德标准方面。

36. Key words, phrases & usages violate— to break or act against something, especially a law, agreement, principle ; to go, especially forcefully, into a place or situation e.g. • They were charged with violating federal law. • The doctor has been accused of violating professional ethics. • The fishermen claimed that ships from another country had violated their territorial waters. • Questions of this kind violate my privacy and I am not willing to answer them.

37. Key words, phrases & usages constitute— e.g. • The defeat constitutes a major set-back for our diplomacy. • 这次失败是我们外交上的重大挫折。 • Laws are constituted to protect individual rights and properties. • 法律是为保卫人民的权利和财产而制定的。 • Twelve months constitute one year. • 十二个月构成一年。

38. Key words, phrases & usages inner e.g. • inner sanctum/room/ear etc. inner child • He has no inner resources and hates being alone. 他没有内在的精神寄托，因而害怕孤独。 • Does it ever occur to you to use your sight to see into the inner nature of a friend or acquaintance? • 你曾否想到用你的视觉去探视一位朋友或认识的人的内在本性？ • Her artificial gaiety disguised an inner sadness.她以矫揉造作的快乐掩饰著内心的悲痛。

39. Key words, phrases & usages trait— a particular characteristic that can produce a particular type of behaviour e.g. • His sense of humour is one of his better traits. • Arrogance is a very unattractive personality/character trait.

40. Key words, phrases & usages get caught e.g. • I went out, merely to get caught in a shower. • You didn't get caught last time, but don't push your luck! • If he gets caught with a bald tyre on his car, the police will discover all the other faults and throw the book at him. • "If we get caught with the jewels, I hope we're not hauled up before the same judge who dealt with us last time." said the old thief.

41. Key words, phrases & usages dilemma— a situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two different things you could do The President is clearly in a dilemma about/over how to tackle the crisis. She faces the dilemma of disobeying her father or losing the man she loves. Faced with the dilemma, he opted for soldiering on. a moral/ethical dilemma

42. Key words, phrases & usages shift— change; make sb. else responsible for sth.; move e.g. • He refused to shift his ground. • Don’t try to shift the responsibility onto others. • Media attention has shifted recently onto environmental issues. • shifting gears/night shift

43. Key words, phrases & usages lubricate — make slippery or smooth through the application of a lubricant (oil) e.g. • A car engine needs to be well lubricated with oil. • It's the sort of white lie that helps lubricate the inevitable friction in social relationships. • Wine is to enhance food, enliven the mind, lubricate conversation, and enrich life .

44. Key words, phrases & usages 1. What does the author intend to say? Instead of struggling in our minds about whether our actions are morally right or wrong, we concentrated on how to make things go easier. 2. Translate the sentence into Chinese. 我们不会在大是大非的痛苦问题上纠缠，而专注于如何使事情顺利运作。

45. Key words, phrases & usages superficial e.g. • There are superficial similarities between the two cars, but actually they're quite different in terms of performance. • The driver only received superficial injuries/cuts/wounds. • He's fun to be with, but he's very superficial. • I thought that article was written at a very superficial level. (have a ~~ knowledge of)

46. Key words, phrases & usages deceptive— making you believe something that is not true e.g. • It's deceptive - from the outside the building looks small, but inside it's quite big. • Deceptive advertising have damaged the company's image among the consumer. • Appearances are often deceptive.

47. Key words, phrases & usages fake— to pretend that you have a feeling or illness e.g. • to fake surprise • She didn't want to go out, so she faked a headache. • He faked a heart attack and persuaded prison staff to take him to hospital. • He isn't really crying, he's just faking.

48. Key words, phrases & usages guarantee e.g. • The fridge is guaranteed for three years. • European Airlines guarantees its customers top-quality service. • The label on this bread says it is guaranteed free of/from preservatives (= it contains no preservatives). • [+ (that)] The £50 deposit guarantees (that) people return the boats after their hour has finished.

49. Key words, phrases & usages The key is learning how to look within to work inside out. 1. Paraphrase the sentence. The key point to building character is learning how to start from within yourself and proceed to the world outside. 2. Translate the sentence into Chinese. 关键是要学会如何内省，然后由内而外，推己及人。

50. Key words, phrases & usages precede— to be or go before something or someone in time or space e.g. • Boutros Boutros-Ghali preceded Kofi Annan as the Secretary-General of the UN. • It would be helpful if you were to precede the report with an introduction. • His lawyers have decided not to proceed with the case. • She sat down and proceeded to tell me about her skiing holiday.