（全新版）大学英语 《 综合教程 》 第一册 Unit 8 Coping With a Educational Problem

1. （全新版）大学英语《综合教程》第一册Unit 8Coping With a Educational Problem

2. I. Cultural Notes • 1. U.C.L.A.: (University of California at Los Angeles) the largest of the eight branches of the University of California. It was established in 1919 and now has about 35,000 students. UCLA is known especially for its film studies. • 2. The Wealth of Nations: an important work of economic and social theory by Adam Smith (a Scottish philosopher and economist), published in 1776. Its full title was An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. In it he analyzed the relationship between work and the production of a nation's wealth. His conclusion was that the best economic situation results from encouraging free enterprise (an economic system in which there is open competition in business and trade, and no government control). This idea has had a great influence on economic theories since and it formed the basis of the economic policies of the Conservative government in Britain in the 1980s.

3. Language Study • 1. run out of: use up or finish a supply of (sth.) • Examples: 1) To our disappointment, our car ran out of gas halfway home. • 2) When they ran out of food, the soldiers set about hunting for more. • 2. handful: a small number (used as singular noun, followed by of) • Examples: 1) You'd better hurry up. A handful of people are already waiting in the hall. • 2) I have to give up the plan because only a handful of students are willing to spend the New Year's Eve on campus. • 3. in amazement: with a feeling of great surprise or disbelief • Examples: 1) Aunt Sophia gazed at her picture in amazement: she looked like a teenage girl in it. • 2) All the people in the lecture hall stared at him in amazement when he talked loudly with his friend.

4. 4. upset: make (sb.) worry or feel unhappy (usu. used in the pattern: be upset by/about) • Examples: 1) They are terribly upset by the break-up of their parents' marriage. 2) He was upset about the argument he had with his wife. • 5. ignorant: knowing little or nothing (often used in the phrase: be ignorant of/about) • Examples: 1) Some people are ignorant of the facts about global warming. 2) She was ignorant of her husband's illegal activities. Otherwise she would have done everything possible to stop him. • ignorance n. • 6. slice: 1) a part of sth. (followed by of) • Examples: a) Fiction takes up a large slice of the publishing market. • b) The boss promised that everyone would get a slice of the profits. • 2) a thin flat piece cut from sth. (often used with of) • Examples: a) Try to eat at least four slices of bread a day. • b) Cut the pork into thin slices.

5. 7. The ability to perform even the simplest calculations is only a memory among many students I see.: Many students whom I see don't have the ability to perform even the simplest calculations any longer. • ability: power or skill to do, make, or think; talent (followed by infinitive to) • Examples: We elected him monitor because he had the ability to bring out the best in others. • He lost the ability to walk after a car accident. • 8. sum up: give a brief summary (of sth.) • Examples: 1) Alice summed up her Christmas holidays in one word: "Terrible." • 2) My teacher would sum up the main points of the lesson before he ended the class. • 3) We discussed the proposed changes for most of the meeting. The chairman only took a few moments at the end to sum up.

6. 9. compete with / against: try to be better than (sb. else) (used in the pattern: compete with / against sb. for sth.) • Examples: 1) More than 2,300 candidates from 93 political parties are competing for 486 seats. • 2) We are having to compete with three other departments for the fund. • 3) They found themselves competing with foreign countries for a share of the market. • 10. human capital: Here human capital refers to people's knowledge and skills. • 11. accumulate: collect, or gather together, esp. over a period of time • Examples: 1) I have accumulated many books over the last few years. • 2) While we were away on vacation, a lot of letters accumulated in our mailbox.

7. 12. affect: have an influence on • Examples: 1) The 20th century was full of inventions that have affected the way we live. • 2) More than seven million people have been affected by the drought. • 3) The Asian financial crisis didn't affect our national economy. • 13. function: operate; act • Examples: 1) When the camera is functioning properly the green light comes on. • 2) Athens functioned as a center of trade in the thirteenth century. • 14. idle: lazy; not doing anything • Examples: Most of the men were idle during the depression. • She is so idle, we can never get her to do anything.

8. 15. jam: get stuck • Examples: 1) The lock jammed and I couldn't open it. • 2) The tape-recorder jammed and the teacher had to read the story to the class by herself. • jam n. • traffic jams • 16. break down: stop working; fall, collapse • Examples: 1) The elevators in this building are always breaking down. • 2) I have accumulated so many dirty clothes since my washing machine broke down last week. • 3) Talks between the two countries broke down when the two sides failed to reach an agreement.

9. 17. drive home: make (sth.) clear so that people understand it (used in the pattern: drive sth. home(to sb.)) • Examples: 1) We must drive home to them where the difficulties lie. • 2) Peter was lazy. His parents tried to drive home to him the importance of hard work. • 18. humble: 1) not proud; modest • Examples: He thanked us again with a humble smile. • Frank strikes me as a very humble person. • 2) low in importance, status, or condition • Examples: Michael started his career as a humble fisherman. • Lacocca rose from humble beginnings to become boss of Ford.

10. 19. suggestion: sth. suggested (often followed by of / for / that-clause) • Examples: 1) The old man followed the doctor's suggestion of a stroll to the river every day. • 2) I have lots of suggestions for the park's future. • (Note that in the that-clause after "suggestion" the subjunctive mood should be used. • Example: They didn't like my suggestion that she share the room with her classmate.) • 20. portable: light and small enough to be easily carried or moved • Examples: 1) Professor Smith always carries a portable computer with him. 2) I still remember that my parents bought me a portable radio at my 20th birthday. • 21. search for: look for • Examples: 1) Many planes and ships were sent to search the South Sea for the missing Chinese pilot. • 2) The police were searching the yard for clues.

11. 22. luxury: 1) sth. expensive which is not necessary but which gives you pleasure (used as a countable noun) • Examples: A week by the sea is a luxury they can no longer afford. • Houses with swimming pools are still a luxury in many parts of the country. • 2) very great comfort, esp. among beautiful and expensive surrounding (used as an uncountable noun) • Examples: She was brought up in an atmosphere of luxury and wealth. • He took over his father's company and led a life of luxury. • luxurious adj. • 23. better off: richer than you were before; more comfortable • Examples: Today's farmers are better off than they used to be. • It's obvious that those who work hard are better off than those who don't.

12. 24. scared: frightened (often followed by of/to /that-clause) • Examples: When she saw a snake on the floor, the lady was too scared to move. • I have always been scared of dogs. • Alex was scared that his classmates might tell the teacher he broke the window. • 25. wake up: stop sleeping • Examples: This morning I woke up with a terrible headache. • Stewart woke me up with his coughing. • 26. ... and government offers no services to the working class.: Here "services" refers to the systems of social security such as health care and provision for the unemployed maintained by the government. • 27. complex: not simple • Examples: 1) The problem was so complex that there would be no easy solution. 2) When I visited Shanghai for the first time I got lost in the rather complex network of roads.

13. 28. adequate: enough (often followed by infinitive to or for) • Examples: 1) My parents are prepared to offer me an amount of money adequate to purchase an apartment. • 2) Her knowledge of English was adequate for the job. • 29. decline: a gradual decrease in the quality, quantity, or importance of sth. (followed by in) • Examples: 1) The first signs of economic decline became visible in that region. • 2) Some people are worried that there will be a great decline in the stock market. • (Phrases: in decline /on the decline: gradually decreasing in importance, quality, or power • Examples: 1) The birthrate in China is on the decline. • 2) He is still one of the world's most popular soccer players, but his fame is in decline. • 3) Class attendance is in decline recently.)

14. 30. acquire: get • Examples: I've managed to acquire a copy of the report. • J.P. Getty acquired a fortune in business. • 31. astonish: surprise very much; amaze • Examples: Her devotion to students always astonishes us. • Diana astonished her family by winning three competitions in a row. • 32. swear: make a serious promise about (often followed by infinitive to or that-clause) • Examples: The witness swore on the Bible to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth. • He swore that he would never lie. • 33. make a living by: earn money by (doing sth.) • Examples: Many farmers in this area make a good living by growing flowers. • He makes a living by writing.

15. 34. miracle: an amazing or wonderful event, esp. sth. that happens unexpectedly • Examples: It is a miracle that no one was killed in the earthquake. • It was a miracle that the pilot landed the plane in that snowstorm. • 35. faculty: mental and physical abilities • Examples: He is 90 years old but still has most of his faculties. • It is a myth that the faculty of hearing is greatly increased in blind people.

16. Key to Translation Exercise • This morning I heard an interesting piece of news over my portable radio: A man of 36 and his son of 10 attend the same class competing with each other for high marks. The story goes / It's like this: • The man, Li Wei by name, was too idle to learn anything when young. With little education, with no useful skills, he could hardly earn an adequate living wage. His life experiences drove home to him the point that he had to acquire knowledge before he was able to accumulate wealth. So Li Wei swore that he would go to school with his son, determined to learn.